| Could the teachings of
the Baal Shem Tov be transmitted trough a book? |
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| Writing Down The Torah Of The Besht |
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| So, it's been told that once there was a student who wrote down
the Torah of the Besht exactly as he heard it from him. |
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| Around that time, the Besht saw a demon walking around and
holding a book in his hand. The Besht said to him "what is the book that you
hold in your hand?" |
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| The demon said to him "this is the book that you have
written." |
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| The Besht then understood that there was a person who was
writing down his Torah. |
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| So
he gathered all of his students and asked them "Who among you is writing down
my Torah ? |
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| The student shyly man admitted that he had written the book .
|
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| The Besht carefully examined the book and said to him "There is
not even a single word in here that is mine." |
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| And so it has been told. |
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| EXPLANATION |
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| The Besht must have said the words that were in the book
because the student would certainly have not changed its words. If he had
changed the words, he would not have readily admitted that he had written the
book. So how could the Besht say that there is not even a single word that is
mine?" |
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| When the Besht spoke, it was not the words that were important,
instead it was the spiritual transmission that the Besht was delivering to the
listeners through the words. |
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| Adapted from IN
PRAISE OF THE BAAL SHEM TOV No. 159 |
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