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Volume 6 Number 33
| Metzora | 7 April 2011 - 4 Nisan 5771 |
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May the Holy One bless all of the Jewish people with a desire to learn and apply the teachings and stories of the Baal Shem Tov in the easist and sweetist way | | For more information about dedications |
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BAAL SHEM TOV
GENESIS
Mystical Stories on the Weekly Torah Portion
Volume 1
Two Baal Shem Tov stories for each week's Torah portion by Tzvi Meir Cohn, Founder and Executive Director of the Baal Shem Tov Foundation.
Order your copy.
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This week's edition of the Baal Shem Tov Times relates to parsha
Metzora. There is the continuing selection for the Origins of the Baal Shem Tov, a Baal Shem Tov story and other teachings relating to Metzora and other topics.
PLEASE help spread the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov by forwarding this edition of the Baal Shem Tov Times to a friend or relative, and making a copy for your home and synagogue.
Blessings that you should have a restful and holy Shabbos.
Tzvi Meir Cohn (Howard M. Cohn, Patent & Trademark Attorney)
Founder and Executive Director
Baal Shem Tov Foundation |
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ORIGINS OF THE BAAL SHEM TOV |
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OBST 29
In the last weeks selection, Reb Adam Baal Shem Tov helped the merchant protect himself from a priest-sorcerer that was trying to kill him. |
After several moments the merchant lifted his head and Reb Adam handed him the mirror again. "What do you see now?" he asked. |
"I see my wife in a terrible temper and the priest is exploding with anger."
Reb Adam said, "Watch and see. If he aims again, do the same as before."
And so when the merchant saw the priest aim his second poisoned arrow, he again ducked his head into the water for a few moments.
When he again lifted his head, the Reb Adam Baal Shem told him to look once more into the mirror. "Tell me again what you see."
The merchant gazed into the mirror again and saw his wife very depressed, while the priest was burning up with rage, becoming more overwrought by the moment.
"Look yet another time. When you see him preparing to shoot again, duck your head under as before but leave your little finger exposed," directed Reb Adam.
The did as instructed, immersing his head when he saw the priest aiming the. arrow, but leaving his little finger out of the water. He suddenly felt a sharp pain and his severed finger fell into the water.
When he lifted his head Reb Adam again handed him the mirror and told him to look in it. "What do you see now?"
"I see them both and they are rejoicing."
"You can come out now and get dressed but don't think that you have been saved, for the danger is still hovering over your head. Still, have no fear. Just do as I command and your life will be saved."
The merchant arose, climbed out of the tub, and dressed himself.
To be continued. . . . . .
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Freely adapted by Tzvi Meir HaCohane (Howard M. Cohn, Patent Attorney) from a story in Sipurei Kedoshim as translated in Tales of the Baal Shem Tov by Y.Y. Klapholtz. |
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On the eight day, the (child) shall be circumcised (Leviticus 12:3)
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THE COLD MIKVAH
The Torah portion reads, "He (the metzora) shall then immerse in a mikvah and thus complete (the first part) of the purification process." Leviticus 14:7
Metzora is the Hebrew word for leper. A person that slanders his neighbor is punished with this leprous curse.
And then there was the time that Rabbi Nahman of Horodenka (d. 1780) said, "When I was a great Hasid (a "pious one", a member of an early mystical movement that originated among the Jews of Germany), I afflicted my soul and immersed in a mikvah every day. In the winter, the mikvah was so cold, that even after spending an hour in a room that was heated so that the walls were as hot as fire, I still felt cold. While I had the mental strength to daily go into a freezing cold mikvah, I still could not stop my wayward thoughts until I followed the teachings of our holy Rebbe, the Baal Shem Tov."
And so it was.
Freely adapted by Tzvi Meir HaCohane (Howard M. Cohn, Patent Attorney) from a story found in SHIVCHEI HABESHT as translated in In Praise of the Baal Shem Tov by Ben-Amos and Mintz.
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SEFER BAAL SHEM TOV
The Teachings Of The Baal Shem Tov On Prayer |
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"This is the law of the metzorah1on the day of his cleansing: he shall be brought to the priest. Then the priest shall command to take for the one who is to be cleansed two living clean birds, and cedar-wood, and scarlet tola'as,2 and hyssop." (Leviticus 14:2,4)
How can he be fixed and healed? He should lower himself from his pride like a tola'as and a hyssop.3
The one being purified is advised to take two birds, cedar-wood, and hyssop - [things which are] tall and lowly.4 He should lower himself from his arrogance, so that [the priest, who is the Tzaddik5] can lift him up.
I heard the following parable in the name of my Master (the Baal Shem Tov).
A very tall man was standing in the sun, being scorched by its rays. A wise man saw from afar that the tall man was very hot, and did not know how to help himself - to cool himself down with "cold water on a weary soul."6 What did he do? He sat in front of him and sipped water from a bottle, hoping that [the tall man] would see him and do likewise. The man with the bottle was very short, however, and that the tall man had to bend down his head and body in order to take a little water for himself. But because of his arrogance and his stature, he refused to lower himself - as if to show that he needed someone else!
The wise man understood this, and could find no way to get him to take a little water. Finally, he had to throw some water up into the [tall] man's face. Perhaps then he would drink a little and quench his thirst.
However, the tall man pressed his lips together, so that not even a drop of water should go in, for that wasn't in keeping with his prestige. The water fell back into the mouth of the one who threw it, and as for the one who refused to drink, he died of thirst.
The allusion is to a great city, full of scholars and scribes, who refuse to hear wisdom and accept guidance on how to follow the way of G-d, until they pass on from [the city] and the generation, and leave the generation orphaned. Thus, it is written: "Hear and your souls shall live" (Isaiah 55:3).7 For listening to the wise and accepting their admonishment heals the body and the soul, as Maimonidies writes,8 that they (the Sages) are the healers of the soul. As for a person who refuses to hear admonition, it is said: "The foolish despise wisdom and reproof" (Proverbs 1:7).
Tzora'as strikes a person because he lifts himself up like a cedar, and refuses to accept criticism. Therefore, he should lower himself like a hyssop and accept admonishment, for this will lead to his healing and purification.
This explains the Mishnah: "Who is wise? He who learns from all men"9 - even from the wicked. When he sees the latter sinning, he learns from him, because from the perspective of oneness, he also has a little bit of that [sin] in him.10 He must remove that little bit [of sin] from within himself, which will purify the other man as well. Thus, "This is the Law of 'one who removes evil' from his friend,11 on the day of his own cleansing."
It seems to me that I heard something similar from my Master.
Tzafnah Paneach, p.26d
1Usually translated as leprosy, but in actuality, a spiritual disease reflected in physical symptoms.
2Tola'as - a type of insect from which a scarlet dye can be produced.
3Midrash Tanchuma 3, quoted in Rashi on this verse.
4I.e., the cedar is an exceptionally tall tree, whereas hyssop is a shrub.
5Insert from the original text of Sefer Baal Shem Tov.
6Proverbs 25:25.
7This chapter from Isaiah begins: "Ho, every one that thirsts, come for water; and he that has no money, come, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend money for that which is not bread, and your gain for that which satisfies not? Hearken diligently to Me and eat that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Hear and your souls shall live . . ."
8Mishnah Torah, De'ot, chapter 2:1.
9Pirkei Avos 4:1.
10That is, because all Jewish souls are united in their root, when a person sees another individual sinning, he must examine himself for the same crime. If he did not have it in him, he would never see it in another.
11The author is making a play on words, by dividing the word metzorah into two words - motzoi ra, removing evil.
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DIVINE LIGHT
The Mystical Light Of The Baal Shem Tov |
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28. Rebbe Reb Dov Ber of Mezritch did not want to attach himself to the Baal Shem Tov or to even go to see him. Only because of his extremely poor health, did he eventually seek the Baal Shem Tov's help and treatment.
At first, Reb Dov Ber was not impressed with the Baal Shem Tov. So the Baal Shem Tov had to show Reb Dov Ber miracles, in order to draw him under his wing. The Baal Shem Tov read a few passages from Etz Chaim, a book of Kabbalah, and the Angels relating to each passage flew around the room while he was reading. That was enough to cause Reb Dov Ber to become his follower.
As it happened, the Baal Shem Tov brought about Reb Dov Ber's partial recovery from his poor health through prayers, supplications, and miracles.
The Baal Shem Tov even transmitted to Reb Dov Ber the ability to reach the source of all his wisdom. In this way, Reb Dov Ber could become the leader of the next generation.
The Divine light of Reb Dov Ber's holiness still shines through his disciples, from generation to generation. From their words we live, until the coming of Moshiach, may it be soon in our days.Tiferes Shlomo, Rimzei Purim.
From DIVINE LIGHT by Tzvi Meir Cohn
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HEART OF PRAYER
Anthology of the Teachings of the Baal Shem Tov on Prayer |
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9-d7 Elevate your thoughts from below to above.
YOU must elevate your thoughts from below to above, in the mystery of the 248 sparks.[1] Extraneous thoughts are all in Malchut of Malchut,[2] and when one enters your mind, you should be scared of it.[3] By means of this fear, you unite "fear" and "awesome" and remove the holy spark from the impure shell, which is the foreign thought itself.
Now, the thoughts of Rabbi Bun were pure and clear, and he could not uplift them, until it occurred to him to count the bricks of his house, or the chicks [in the case of Shmuel].
Furthermore, each of these cases also needs to be understood.[4]
Toldos Yaakov Yosef, p. 209a
[1] According to the Arizal, at the time of the primordial Breakage of the Vessels, the lights of the vessels ascended to their source, and only the vessels themselves broke. However, 248 sparks of light remained in the vessels to enliven them. It is the main task of human beings throughout history to redeem these sparks from the kelipah nogah into which they fell, thus bringing the world to perfection.
[2] Each of the Sefirot contains aspects of all the others. The lowest Sefirah is Malchut, and the lowest aspect of Malchut is "Malchut of Malchut." It is from this lowest level that all the disruptive and extraneous come.
[3] For they are pushing you away from the King, as the Baal Shem Tov explained elsewhere.
[4] See R. Tzaddok HaKohen of Lublin, Tzidkas HaTzaddik 233. It is worth noting that the word "chicks" (as in Shmuel's prayers) is ephroach (אפרוח), which has the letters RPCh in its root, that may allude to the 248 (רפ"ח) sparks that fell.
HEART OF PRAYER by Tzvi Meir Cohn
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KESER SHEM TOV
An anthology of Teachings on the Torah by the Baal Shem Tov |
Kst 69
"Avoid evil and do good."[1]
This means avoid evil by transforming it into good.[2]
[2] Ben Porath Yoseph. There are two ways of dealing with evil: overcoming it and subduing it, or transforming it, as said here. While the path of overcoming entails a constant struggle, and is based on the perception of inherent evil, the path of transformation entails a shift in perception, an awareness that all perceived evil is in reality only an illusion. This idea is embedded in the parable of the king who created walls around him by the use of optical illusions, so that his son would eventually see through the illusion (#51), and in the parable in the Zohar of the king who hired a prostitute to entice his son. In practice, this means that instead of struggling with one's baser desires, one should elevate one's intentions while involved in actions usually motivated by one's baser desires.
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The Baal Shem Tov Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, uses emails, teleclasses and other material to spread and publicize the Torah of the Baal Shem Tov throughout the world. Please visit us at www.baalshemtov.com to learn more about the Baal Shem Tov and the work of the Foundation.
The goal of the Foundation is to hasten the imminent coming of the Moshiach (Messiah) by acting on the answer of the Moshiach to the Baal Shem Tov's question: 'When are you coming Master?' (The Moshiach answered) "When your teachings have become well-known and revealed throughout the world, and when your well springs have spread outwards, imparting to others what I have taught you, so that they too will be able to perform contemplative unifications and ascents of the soul..." [quoted from a letter from the Baal Shem Tov to his brother-in-law Rabbi Gershon Kitover.]
One of the major projects of the Baal Shem Tov Foundation is the World Wide Mezuzah Campaign whose goal is to insure that every Jewish person in the world has a kosher Mezuzah attached to the doorpost of their home. Please visit www.mezuzah.net for more information.
Tzvi Meir is always available for questions and to support your work in this area.
Tzvi Meir Cohn (Howard M. Cohn, Patent Attorney)
Suite 300, Pepper Pike Place
30195 Chagrin Boulevard
Cleveland, OH 44124
800-613-0955
bst_times@baalshemtov.com
www.baalshemtov.com
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