A SIP OF WINE

"One does not see evildoers in Yaakov; and he has seen no transgression in Yisroel." (Balak 23:21)

Bilaam (a prophet that had extroadinary power from the bad side) was offered a great reward by Balak, the King of Moav, to curse the Children of Israel. Bilaam hated the Children of Israel and wanted to harm them. But he was only able to speak the words put in his mouth by an angel sent by G-d. Ultimately, Bilaam blessed the Jews, albeit against his will.

AND it happened that in the city of Brody, there lived a great number of people who were strongly opposed to the the Baal Shem Tov and the Chassidic movement he started. As more and more people were drawn to the fledgling Chassidic movement, those in the opposition tried even harder to discredit the Baal Shem Tov and dispel the spiritual aura that surrounded him.

One time, when the Baal Shem Tov was spending a Shabbos in Brody, a local wine merchant thought of a great way to discredit the Baal Shem Tov. He instructed his servant, "Go into the wine cellar and fill a bottle with that especially fine wine we sell only to the wealthy, non-Jewish landowners. Then take it to the Baal Shem Tov as a gift from me and tell him that it is a very fine vintage wine. Insist that he taste the wine and don't leave until you see him sip it with your own eyes."

The wine merchant's servant fulfilled his master's instructions and waited until the Baal Shem Tov had taken a sip of the wine. Then he returned and reported to his master that everything had been completed, even the Baal Shem Tov drinking the wine. The wine merchant was thrilled to have tricked the "Holy Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov" into drinking yayin neseck (non-kosher wine). He quickly spread the word around the town of Brody. Everyone was whispering about how the Baal Shem Tov had committed a transgression of the Torah, by drinking non-kosher wine.

The whole town of Brody was present at the Baal Shem Tov's Shabbos meal where he expounded teachings of the Torah. Of course the wine merchant also attended the meal and gloated to himself that he had personally caused the downfall of his enemy. After the meal concluded, the Baal Shem Tov called the wine merchant over and asked him. "I've heard the report that you sent me the bottle of wine that I drank. The rumor is that the wine was yayin neseck and that I committed a transgression. I'd like to know if you personally poured the wine into the bottle."

The wine merchant answered, "No, my servant poured it at my direction."

The Baal Shem Tov responded, "In that case, will you call him? I'd like to speak with him myself."

"Certainly," answered the wine merchant with a smirk on his face.

When the servant arrived, the Baal Shem Tov questioned him, "From which casket did you take the wine that you brought me?"

The servant answered that it was from the casket which contained the wine normally drunk by the wine merchant.

The wine merchant screamed out, "But I told you to pour the wine from the casket with the fine wine normally sold to the non-Jews!"

"I'm sorry master," answered the servant, "I made a mistake and took the wrong wine."

"But you told me that you took the Rabbi the fine wine normally sold to the wealthy, non-Jewish landowners!" yelled the wine merchant.

"I made a mistake master," answered the servant. "Once I realized I had taken the wrong wine, I thought, 'What's the difference?' So I gave the Rabbi the wine poured from the casket containing the wine that you always drink."

The wine merchant realized that his plan was stopped by Heavenly intervention and left in disgrace.

After this, the opposition of the people of Brody to the Baal Shem Tov lessened.

And so it was.

Freely adapted by Tzvi Meir HaCohane (Howard M. Cohn, Patent Attorney) from a story found in Sipurei Chassidim and translated in STORIES OF THE BAAL SHEM TOV by Klapho

"And Balaam raised his eyes, and saw Israel dwelling at peace by tribes, and the spirit of G-d came upon him." (Balak 24:2)

He saw that their doors were not opposite one another, and he said, "It is fitting to bless them."¹

Sometimes, two scholars who are debating one another cannot admit to the truth. Each one seeks to disprove his friend's words. Even though he knows that the other is right, his intention in arguing merely to harass, G-d forbid. Yet, the main intention in a debate should be to admit to the truth, and to fulfill what our Sages have said: "If two people sit together and share words of Torah, the Divine Presence dwells among them."¹

Now, the mouth is called a "door," for speech goes out from it. This is the meaning of: "Their doors were not opposite one another." They did not intend to oppose or provoke each other in their debates, but to admit to the truth. And so he said, "It is fitting to bless them."

Dudayim BaSadeh, Likutey Amorim, p. 29d

¹Bava Basra 60a. See Rashi on this verse.
²Pirkei Avos 3:2
 

11-5  When your thoughts cling constantly to G-d, He sends you words to fix yourself and the world.  

WHEN you become a chariot for wisdom and your thoughts cling constantly to G-d, as it is written, "to Him you shall cling,"[1] the Holy One sends you words to uplift and sweeten in order to fix yourself and the world.

Degel Machane Ephraim