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THE ORIGINS OF THE BAAL SHEM TOV
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In the year 5119, the Baal Shem Tov sent one of his young students, Reb Moshe Meshel, with a letter to his disciple, the great Rabbi Chaim Yisrael Rapaport, otherwise known as Reb Chaim Yisrael the Potter. The letter coantained instructions to Reb Moshe that on a certain day he was to travel to a distant forest to the east of his city. Once he arrived, he was to study in the Rambam, the Laws of Blessings. and to write down any thoughts that came into his mind so as not to forget them.
Reb Moshe was further instructed that on that day, he pray early in the morning, eat breakfast and then travel to the distant forest, being careful not letting anything prevent or delay him. Upon his arrival, he would see the Baal Shem Tov and thereby know that this the designated place to do the studying. Further, he was to stay there and study until the time to pray Mincha and then return to his home.
The Baal Shem Tov also sent another letter with Reb Moshe to give to Reb Chaim Yisrael in Lvov. Reb Moshe was instructed not let anyone know of the letter's existence.
. Reb Moshe Meshel was to make sure that Reb Chaim Yisrael prayed at sunrise even though he was in the habit of saying "Tikun Chatzos" - the midnight prayers mourning the destruction of the Holy Temple - and would likely be tired. He was also to be sure that Reb Chaim Yisrael ate an adequate breakfast. During this time, Reb Moshe was to wait for him and study certain chapters of Torah. Neither Reb Moshe nor Reb Chaim Yisrael were to talk to anyone from early morning until evening.
The Baal Shem Tov set the date for all this to occur on a Wednesday in Tammuz.
Reb Moshe arrived in Lvov on Thursday afternoon. The great rabbi's Beis Din - rabbinical court - was packed and a meeting of important local people was taking place. When he asked to be admitted, one of the rabbinical judges upbraided him.
"Don't you know that the Deputy Archbishop Mikolski has decreed that by next Thursday, the prayer of Aleinu must be ripped out of every siddur? From next Sunday on, we will be prohibited from saying that prayer. Right now we are discussing what can be done about this terrible decree."
Seeing that he couldn't get in to see Reb Chaim, Reb Moshe continued on to deliver the other letter to Reb Chaim Yisroel the Potter.
When Reb Moshe returned, he was finally able to get an audience with Reb Chaim Yisrael. When Reb Chaim saw the letter and heard that he was a messenger of the Baal Shem Tov, he stood up to his full height and read the letter with awe.
Upon finishing it he heaved a sigh, "The entire community of Lvov is in need of great mercy because of this decree. It shall not come to pass - to annul, G-d forbid, the prayer of Aleinu !"
Reb Chaim Yisrael did not tell anyone of the contents of the letter. But all of his students and the members of his household realized that the Baal Shem Tov had sent some message with Reb Moshe. For on this day, as on every occasion that he received any communication from the holy Baal Shem Tov, he proclaimed the day a festive one. He did not say Tachnun and he made a feast in celebration. At such a feast he would speak of the Baal Shem Tov and his wondrous ways.
At this particular festive meal Reb Chaim proclaimed to all the decision that had been reached at the previous meeting. All were to be prepared to risk their lives, but come what may, they intended to say the Aleinu three times a day as they had always done. The following Sunday was proclaimed as a public fast day to be accompanied by the blowing of the shofar.
To be continued . . . .
Freely adapted by Tzvi Meir HaCohane (Howard M. Cohn, Patent Attorney) from a story found in Tales of the Baal Shem Tov by Y.Y. Klapholtz
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BAAL SHEM TOV STORY
The Baal Shem Tov's Teachings on the Torah
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And then there was the time that in a small village near the holy community of Medzibush (the home of the Baal Shem Tom), there lived a simple boy. He had only received a basic Jewish education and could barely read the "aleph bais" (the Hebrew alphabet). He had left cheder (Hebrew school for young Jewish boys) at a young age to help his father care for the small farm they leased from the local Poritz (Noblemen). The boy would care for the few animals they had - one old cow and a few chickens.
The boy had one strange skill: He would sing to his chickens as he went about his chores in the chicken- coop, and the chickens would always lay an abundance of eggs - more than any other chickens on the surrounding farms. Everyone who passed by could hear his "cock-a-doodle-do."
When the boy reached the age of twelve, his father said: "My son, you are old enough to go with me to Medzibush for the high holidays, and to pray at the shule (synagogue) of the Holy Rabbi Yisrael (the Baal Shem Tov)."
Several days before Yom Kippur, the man and his son embarked on their journey with a group traveling from their village to Medzibush. They arrived just in time to settle in at the local inn, immerse in the mikveh and rush to the Baal Shem Tov's shule for Kol Nidrei.
The shule was packed. People stood in silent thought, the men in their white kittels (traditional robes for the High Holidays) and Talleisim (prayer shawls), and the women in their finest clothes. The boy was deeply affected by the solemnity of the scene. All stood in preparation for the holy Day of Judgment when the fate of each man is decided. Each person sought forgiveness for past transgressions and to be inscribed in the Book of Life for a New Year of health, happiness, healthy children and sustenance.
Father and son stood shoulder to shoulder in the crowded shule. The boy stood staring into his machzor (holiday prayer book), but could hardly read a word. He stood watching the chazzan lead the prayers as tears streamed down his cheeks. All around him people stood with their eyes closed in prayer.
As the sky darkened on that night of Kol Nidrei, the Baal Shem Tov realized that there was a judgment in Heaven against the People of Israel. That night, and the whole next day of Yom Kippur, the Baal Shem Tov stood in deep prayer and meditation. The boy felt that something was wrong. The Chassidim gathered about in grave concern as their Rebbe stood motionless at his shtender (prayer stand). Word had spread that something was amiss, and people began to weep with a feeling of dread.
The boy turned to his father and asked, "Why is everyone so upset and worried?" But his father only answered with a "Shah!" (Be quiet!). "We are all praying that G d should have mercy!" The boy couldn't take it! Suddenly, without thinking, he took a deep breath and burst out as loudly as he could, "Cock-a-doodle-do! G d have mercy on us!"
The entire congregation was horrified! The men yelled angrily, "Keep quiet you fool!" and the women mumbled among themselves. Somebody asked the boy to leave the shule, but he refused. "I am a Jew! Where should I go on Yom Kippur?"
At that moment, the Baal Shem Tov stirred. He stepped back three steps indicating the completion of his silent prayer, and began to sing a joyful melody. Finally, the Shofar blew and the holy day of Yom Kippur ended. The Baal Shem Tov's face was radiant. As he walked from the shule wishing everyone well, he paused in front of the young boy, and nodded with a broad, warm smile.
That night, as he sat at the festive meal with his close followers, the Baal Shem Tov spoke of a grave threat that hung over the community from the moment the holy day began. "I tried my best to intercede, but the Heavenly Court would not hear my arguments. But just as the sentence was about to be sealed, a strange sound rang out throughout the Heavens: 'Cock-a-doodle-do! G d have mercy on us!' The Heavenly Court was so pleased with this prayer that came from the depths of a simple Jewish soul that, thank G d, the decree against our community was annulled."
And so it was.
Freely adapted by Tzvi Meir HaCohane (Howard M. Cohn, Patent Attorney) from a story found in TREASURY OF CHASSIDIC TALES ON THE FESTIVALS by Rabbi S.Y. Zevin
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AND then there was the time, on the eve of Yom Kippur, that the gabboim (sextants) of the Baal Shem Tov's synagogue wanted to prohibit the poor people from sitting with their begging bowls in the synagogue because the noise disturbed the prayers. The Baal Shem Tov told the gabboim not to stop the beggars. He related that once, the kelipos (Impure spiritual forces) joined forces to overcome the side of holiness. But because of the rattling of the coins in the begging bowls on the eve of Yom Kippur, they were completely dispersed.
Midrash Pinchas HaChadash 55
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A Prayer from the Holy Baal Shem Tov
Master of the World! You said to Jonah, "You had pity on the gourd, for which you did not labor, nor make grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night. Should I not have pity on Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than six score thousand people that do not know the difference between their right hand and their left, and also many cattle?"
(Jonah 4:10-11).
Why do you not have mercy and compassion upon us, for we have knowledge like a human being, as it says of our father Abraham: "He believed in G-d, and He counted it to him for righteousness" (Genesis 15:6)? And now, so many years have passed without redemption, and we still believe in You!
Kesser Shem Tov 339
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