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TALES OF THE BAAL SHEM TOV
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A KOSHER ANIMAL
"Between the creature that may be eaten and the
creature that may not be eaten." (Shemini 11:47)
AND then there was the time that the Baal Shem Tov
traveled to the town of Kamenka. As he approached
the town, he heard a heavenly voice: "Reb Yisroel, I
ask that you remove the shochet of Kamenka from his
position."
The Baal Shem Tov pondered the directive he
received. "Why would there be a heavenly decree to
remove a shochet from his position?"
The Baal Shem Tov knew that Reb Boruch, the Rabbi
of Kamenka was a wise and respected Rabbi who
was meticulous when it came to halachic matters. He
was sure that if there was any halachic problem with
the town's shochet, Reb Boruch would know of it and
correct it immediately. "Perhaps," reasoned the Baal
Shem Tov, "the problem is not a halachic one.
Perhaps the shochet is in a spiritual 'position' from
which he needs to be removed."
When he arrived in Kamenka, the Baal Shem Tov
went directly to the house of Reb Boruch who was
elated and honored to welcome the Rebbe to his
town. He was invited to rest there while Reb Baruch
arranged for a celebration honoring the arrival of the
great Tzaddik. He sent for the local shochet to
slaughter several choice lambs for the occasion.
After the slaughtering, when inspecting the lambs, as
halacha requires, the shochet found one of the lambs
to have a certain lesion that he decided rendered it
not kosher. He removed the unfit lamb and hung it on
a hook in the passageway behind Reb Boruch's
home. Later that day, Reb Boruch found the Baal
Shem Tov smoking his pipe in that passageway and
staring in deep concentration at the slaughtered
lamb. After a few minutes, the Baal Shem Tov turned
to Reb Boruch and said, "Rabbi Boruch, would you be
so kind as to cut a piece of meat from this animal and
roast it for me."
Reb Boruch thought that his Rebbe had made a
mistake.
"Rebbe, this animal is tref (not kosher). Let me
prepare a piece from one of the other animals that the
shochet just slaughtered."
"No," answered the Baal Shem Tov, "I want a piece
from this particular animal."
"But Rebbe, the shochet told me personally that this
animal is not kosher."
The Baal Shem Tov turned to him and said, "I
understand. But I can hear this animal begging me
that it be able to fulfill its purpose in this world; that it
be slaughtered by a G d-fearing shochet and that a
blessing be said by a Jew before it is eaten so its
nefesh (soul) can be elevated. Let us speak with the
shochet and find out why he considers it not to be
kosher."
Immediately, Rabbi Boruch sent for the shochet.
When he arrived, Reb Boruch asked in front of the
Baal Shem Tov, "Why do you think this lamb is tref?"
The shochet explained his doubt as to whether the
animal was one hundred percent kosher, and his
hesitancy to allow any Jew to eat it. Then he
continued, "It is true, however, that there are several
rabbinic opinions regarding this particular question.
Some consider it to be kosher, and some do not." The
Baal Shem Tov then understood the 'position' the
shochet was in from which he had to be removed.
Although the shochet was G d-fearing and an expert
shochet, he did not understand the spiritual
consequences of his holy position.
"In that case," spoke the Baal Shem Tov to Reb
Boruch, "please cut me a piece of meat and roast it
for me." Reb Boruch stared at the Baal Shem Tov in
shock. On one hand he wanted to fulfill the request of
his Rebbe. On the other hand how could he feed the
Rebbe tref meat, a prohibition directly from the Torah?
The Baal Shem Tov understood the dilemma of Reb
Boruch.
"Please send a messenger to Rabbi Shmuel, the
Dayan (judge) in the holy community of Polonnoye,
with a letter explaining the doubts the shochet has
about this animal and let him be the judge."
Reb Boruch, relieved at the Baal Shem Tov's
decision, immediately sent a messenger to Rabbi
Shmuel. The messenger returned that same day with
Rabbi Shmuel's reply stating that the meat was
indeed kosher and the halachic reasons for his
opinion. The Baal Shem Tov had indeed complied
with the heavenly decree, and had removed the
shochet from his 'position,' and placed him in a much
better one!
And so it was.
Freely adapted by Tzvi Meir HaCohane (Howard M.
Cohn, Patent Attorney) from a story in Shivchei
HaBesht and translated in In Praise of the BAAL
SHEM TOV by D. Ben-Amos and J. Mintz
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SEFER BAAL SHEM TOV
The Baal Shem Tov's Teachings on the Torah
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And Moses said to Aharon: Draw near to the altar . . .
(Leviticus 9:7)
Rashi comments that Aharon was ashamed and
afraid to draw near to the altar.1 Moses
therefore said to him, "Why are you ashamed? You
were chosen for this."2
This is a surprising explanation. Just because he
was chosen doesn't mean that he should not be
ashamed.
Rather, I heard from my grandfather [the Baal Shem
Tov] this explanation: [Moses said,] "You were chosen
because you feel fear and shame before
G-d,"3 for "The sacrifices of
G-d are a broken spirit" (Psalms
51:19).4
This idea has also been mentioned in the writings of
the Arizal.5
Degel Machane Ephraim, Shemini
1Because of his involvement in the
making of the Golden Calf.
2I.e., to serve G-d in the
Sanctuary.
3That is, when Moses said, "You were
chosen for this," he meant, "You where chosen
because of this."
4I.e., because Aharon was humble, he
merited offering sacrifices to G-d.
5The Arizal writes (Likutey Torah on this
verse): "Because you have the qualities of humility
and shame, you were chosen over your fellows to be
the Kohen." R. Tzadok HaKohen writes that it was the
very shame Aharon felt over having made the Golden
Calf that made him worthy of being chosen as Kohen
Gadol; for every fall can lead a person rise in the very
area he stumbled, to the opposite extreme.
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HEART OF PRAYER
The Baal Shem Tov's Teachings on Prayer
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7.b5 To pray, feel the light from all sides.
It is impossible to pray properly unless you can feel
the light surrounding you from all sides.
Likutim Yikarim, p. 2a
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DIVINE LIGHT
The Mystical Light of the Baal Shem Tov
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47. THE holy Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch of Kaidanov said that
the essence of the path of the Baal Shem Tov is to
learn how to draw upon oneself the type of worship
that will be practiced in the time of Moshiach. From
the time of the Baal Shem Tov onward, sparks of
Moshiach's soul were manifest in the leaders of each
generation. This is as the Talmud says: "Two
thousand years of the days of the
Moshiach."1 "Alaphim," or thousands,
has the meaning of teaching, as in, "And I will teach
you wisdom (ve'a'alephcha
chochmah)."2
Each individual should teach themselves the path of
devotion that will be practiced in the days of the
Moshiach.
1Sanhedrin 97a: "The world
will exist for six thousand years: Two thousand years
of desolation (i.e., without Torah), two thousand years
of Torah, and two thousand years of the days of the
Moshiach (i.e., in readiness for the
Messiah)."
2
Job 33:33
From DIVINE LIGHT by Tzvi Meir
HaCohane (Howard M.
Cohn. Patent Attorney)
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KESER SHEM TOV
Anthology of the Teachings of the Baal Shem Tov
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KST 84
"The Torah is obtained by . . . . . acknowledging one's
place, by being happy with one's lot, by making a
fence around one's words."1
What is the connection between acknowledging one's
place and obtaining the Torah? Furthermore,
elsewhere the sages correlate being happy with
one's lot with true wealth.2 Also, what is
meant by making a fence?
In the Kedushah service on the Sabbath we say, "His
Glory fills the earth, His servants ask each
other, 'Where is the place of His glory?' Then they call
out in praise to each other and say. . . . " But once one
says that G-d's Glory fills the earth, how can one then
ask, "Where is His Glory?" Furthermore, how can ask
at all, "Where is G-d?" for God can be found
everywhere, and it is only up to His creatures to see
Him.3
1Tractate Avoth 6:6.
2 Tractate Avoth 4:1.
3Chovoth HaLevavoth 1:10.
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