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ORIGINS OF THE BAAL SHEM TOV
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OBST 13
In the last installment, the Baal Shem Tov continued telling the story of how with the growth of the fame of Reb Eliyohu Baal Shem of Worms, Germany so his circle of admirers and followers also expanded.
There lived in Pinsk a scholarly misnaged (opposed the new Chaddidc movement) named Reb Gavriel. Not only was Reb Gavriel great spiritually, but physically as well. He had the strength and the build of a mighty hero. In addition, he was a a powerful orator that frequently delivered fiery speeches in which he called upon the local community to fight against Reb Eliyohu and his disciples.
Meanwhile, Reb Eliyohu pleaded with his followers to maintain peace and not to answer a single word, as if the whole controversy did not even concern them. Let them listen and be silent; let them look on but not mix in. This "silent treatment" only angered the misnagdim further. Here they were cursing and blackening the mekubolim while the latter refused to reply with a single word. The misnagdim felt this was a show of arrogance and it angered them even more.
It came to a head when one day they attacked Reb Eliyohu and his disciples and and beat them soundly. Reb Eliyohu and his disciples refused to say a word while their assailants continued to beat them. They decided to call their attackers to a Din Torah for the shameful thing they had done. The misnagdim refused to come, maintaining that the beating had been justified.
Reb Eliyohu felt he had won a victory in Pinsk. The impenetrable wall of the misnagdim had been broken, and Pinsk was no longer under their sole influence. He had accomplished his mission and he decided to return to Prague. Pinsk had turned into a city of controversy and following the incident of the beating it was split into two factions.
Reb Eliyohu called his talmidim to him saying: "I forbid you to repay the misnagdim with the same coin of beatings and curses. You are not to follow their example. I abhor controversy. The only question that remains is what can be done to still them and overcome their opposition. Therefore, this is the advice that I offer. Anyone who feels himself incapable of suffering the attacks of the misnagdim should follow me to Prague. He shall enter my yeshiva and I will provide all of his needs."
His words made a deep impression in Pinsk. Despite the number of those who opposed him, there were many who gained a new respect for Reb Eliyohu. His ethical conduct, good. heart, pleasant manner, and deeds of charity, all contributed to elevate his public image.
Those who knew nothing of Kabbala went to Reb Eli-yolm for his cures lor all sorts of sicknesses and refused to let him leave the city. When they learned of his intention to leave, they descended upon him begging him to stay. But Reb Eliyohu paid no attention to them. He left Pinsk and took with him twenty talmidim. Many scholars and laymen accompanied him to honor him
and his departing students as they left the city.
To be continued. . . . . .
Freely adapted by Tzvi Meir HaCohane (Howard M. Cohn, Patent Attorney) from a story in Sefer Hazichronos by Reb Yosef Yitzchok of Lubavitch, Zal
as translated in Tales of the Baal Shem Tov by Y.Y. Klapholtz.
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THE SEVEN DAY WONDER
Yankel was a successful farmer, and as wise as could be in the ways of his craft; but in the vast sea of Torah he could swim hardly a stroke. For his sons, however, he wanted better. He sent them to a nearby town which had a good yeshiva, and the two boys learned assiduously until they became known as the brightest students of the school.
One day, they happened to hear Rabbi Yisrael Baal Shem Tov speak. From that time, they became great aderents of the Baal Shem Tov and went to visit his court in Mezibuzh whenever they had the opportunity. Their father couldn't understand what they found so interesting there. "We want to hear the words of the famous Baal Shem Tov," they would reply.
Finally, Yankel's curiosity compelled him to visit Mezibuzh himself. When he arrived, he quizzed the Baal Shem Tov on his knowledge of farming. When the Baal Shem Tov seemed to know all the correct answers, the farmer was satisfied that the Baal Shem Tov was indeed, a vey wise man.
Over the course of time, Yankel also became a great admirer of the Baal Shem Tov and he traveled often to Mezibuzh to seek advice.
Years passed, and Yankel's daughter reached marriageable age. He decided to consult the Baal Shem Tov about finding an appropriate mate.
"Send your sons to me and I will send them home with the proper husband for your daughter," the Baal Shem Tov advised him.
When the farmer's two sons arrived in Mezibuzh, the Baal Shem Tov took them with him to a distant town, where he started making inquiries about a certain young man named Shmerel. But this Shmerel was nowhere to be found.
Then, on the eve of Rosh Chodesh (the new month), when the townspeople had prepared a festive banquet in honor of their distinguished guest, a wild-looking young man entered the hall. His manners were most uncouth. He ran in, grabbed some food, and ran out just as quickly. It turned out that this youth was the very "Shmerel" whom the Baal Shem Tov had been seeking! Although Yankel's two sons couldn't understand what their rebbe could have possibly wanted with such a character, they duly informed him that they had found the boy.
The Baal Shem Tov was delighted and gave instructions that the boy be cleaned up and dressed properly and then brought before him. Shmerel was given the place of honor next to the Baal Shem Tov. During the meal, the Baal Shem Tov passed his handkerchief over the boy's face and commanded, "Give us a words of Torah."
To the shock of all those present, Shmerel began speaking, and expounded gems of Torah for the next few hours. The two brothers were very pleased with what they saw and heard, and set off for home with their new brother in law in tow.
The wedding was held immediately, and throughout the entire week of the sheva brachot celebrations that follow a Jewish wedding, the groom delivered marvelously impressive Torah discourses to the assembled guests. The brothers couldn't wait until the days of rejoicing were over and they could sit together with him and learn from his seemingly inexhaustible fountain of wisdom. However, they were to be profoundly disappointed.
At first, when he failed to show up in the study hall, their sister replied only, "My husband is sleeping," or "My husband is very tired." The brothers then began to observe him closely and found that he didn't observe even the most basic Jewish laws and customs. They had to remind him to make a blessing when he ate, and he always forgot to wash his hands before partaking of bread. Something was very wrong.
They left for Mezibuzh and told their master what had transpired. "Let me explain," said the Baal Shem Tov. "You see, there are celestial matchmakers as well as their earthly counterparts. It was determined in Heaven that Shmerel was to be your sister's husband. But this was a difficult match to arrange. How would a girl from a well-to-do family with such scholarly brothers agree to marry a man like Shmerel?
"But when two souls are matched in heaven, then one way or the other it is made to come to be. At first it was proposed to make her deranged, but with her family fortune, she would still be able to make a good match in spite of the illness. Then it was suggested that the girl be deranged and her father loose his fortune and die, leaving her a penniless orphan. It was then that I made my suggestion. I would take it upon myself to assure that the match be made. The only way to achieve my goal was to open the young man's mind to Torah wisdom, and in that way, endear him to you.
"If Shmerel had been worthy of the knowledge he was gifted, it would have remained with him; but alas, he was not. The Torah I put into him lasted only the seven days of blessing of the marriage, then it was lost. But there is nothing to be done about it, for Shmerel is the mate who was destined for her from Above. Tell your sister to remain married to him and I will guarantee her fine children. As for you, continue to teach him and he will slowly improve and learn."
This story was often related by the Apter Rebbe, who would then add that many great and righteous men and women were the descendants of this match, among them some of his closest disciples.
And so it was.
Freely adapted by Tzvi Meir Cohn (Patent Attoney) from a story by Rabbi Yerachmiel Tilles of Ascent of Safed
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SEFER BAAL SHEM TOV
The Teachings Of The Baal Shem Tov On Prayer
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"And it came to pass, at the end of two years . . ." (Genesis 41:1)
"Happy is the man who makes G-d his trust. . . ." (Psalms 40:5). This refers to Joseph.1
The verse says, "Blessed is the man who trusts in G-d, and G-d will be his trust" (Jeremiah 17:7). The Baal Shem Tov taught, there is the one who trusts, the one who promises, and the thing that is trusted in; that is, the agent upon which a person relies to receive the promise. For instance, G-d promises to provide a person with all of his needs, if he follows His ways, and the person trusts in this. However, he still needs some causal agent by means of which G-d will send him his livelihood, such as a business deal, or other transaction.
Such a person has not reached the essence of faith. Because the main thing is to believe in G-d alone, and nothing else. A person with faith does not need any intermediary agents through which to attain his livelihood. G-d is the ultimate cause and mover of all. Even if he makes no efforts to support himself, G-d can still send him his livelihood, in His great love. This is the meaning of: "Blessed is the man who trusts in G-d, and G-d will be his trust." That is, our trust is G-d Himself, for He alone is the source of our livelihood. Everything is only G-d, may He be blessed. Even if a person receives support through intermediary means, he must believe fully that it is only from G-d, who wants to support him this way, though it does not necessarily have to come through this channel. Only trust in G-d. This is a very high level.
Degel Machane Ephraim, BeShalach
1Pesikta Rabbosai, 89:3.
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DIVINE LIGHT
The Mystical Light Of The Baal Shem Tov
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10. The Holy Rabbi of Ruzhin1 said that although many people claim that the Baal Shem Tov earned his name because he used holy names,2 this was not so. Rather, "the Tzaddik rules with the fear of G-d,"3 for "G-d decrees and the Tzaddik annuls." 4 He was called the Baal Shem Tov because he annulled many decrees issued by Heaven against the Jewish people.5
Yeshuos Yisroel, 2:6
1Rabbi Yisrael Friedman (1797-1850)
2"Baal Shem Tov" literally means, "Master of the Good Name." The Baal Shem Tov used these holy names for contemplative and healing purposes.
3II Samuel 23:3
4 Mo'ed Katan 16b
5In other words, "Master of the Good Name" - Baal Shem Tov - means "Master of HaShem (G-d)," for the Tzaddik has the power to annul heavenly decrees.
From DIVINE LIGHT by Tzvi Meir
Cohn
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HEART OF PRAYER
Anthology Of The Teachhings Of The Baal Shem Tov
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9-a8 When foreign thoughts enter your mind, you should realize that there are Judgments upon you that want to harm you.
When sinful thoughts enter your mind, you should realize that there are judgments against you that want to harm you. In such a case, you should be extremely concerned and make a unification between "fear" and "awe." Then "all the workers of iniquity will disband."1
The verses state, "And it came to pass, when Abraham approached to Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, 'I know now that you are an attractive woman."2 And "When the local men asked Isaac about his wife, he said, 'She is my sister' for he was afraid 'lest the men of the place should kill me for Rebecca because she is fair to look upon.'"3 The fact that he started thinking about her beauty was a sign of impending disaster.4
Katones Pasim p. 42d
1Psalms 92:10
2Genesis 12:11
3Genesis 26:7
4The Sages explain that before these occasions, neither Abraham nor Isaac recognized their wives' beauty. According to the Baal Shem Tov, the fact that these tzaddikim suddenly became attracted to physical beauty was a sign that there were Supernal Judgments upon them, as reflected in the Egyptians and Philistines who threatened to kill them.
From
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
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Kst 35
The Baal Shem Tov taught:
"Once, the king of beasts, the lion, became enraged with his subjects. They gathered together to decide how to appease him, and the fox said that he would lead them to the lion, since he knew three hundred parables with which to persuade him. They all followed, and little by little, the fox said that he had forgotten a portion of his parables, and by the time they reached the lion, he said that he had forgotten everything. Therefore, he said, each one should approach the king and appease him to the best of his abilities."
The fox's intention from the beginning, though, was only that they all follow him and surrender to the king, which is why he initially claimed what he did.
Similarly, the Baal Shem Tov urged people not to rely on the prayers of the prayer leaders on the Days of Awe, but that each individual should pray for himself.1
1This Midrash and the idea presented here are found in the Ma'or Va'Shemesh (Shemini; Va'Yelekh), although not explicitly in the Baal Shem Tov's name. He presents it as relating to the tzaddik, who urges people to follow him to G-d, but them tells them that the main thing is their own effort.
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