Stories Vol I PDF

The Mud of a J ew
and Other Hasidic Tales

translated by Yaacov Dovid Shulman
The Mirror and Other Hasidic Tales 2
Master and Disciple
The Hasidim began singing the words, AHappy is the man who
has not forgotten you, and the son of man who takes strength in You@
to the well-known tune of my great-grandfather (Rabbi Menachem
Mendel, third leader of Lubavitch).
They entered such a state of feeling that their faces were
aflame and tears streamed from their eyes. There wasn't the slightest
doubt that each of them felt that he was standing next to Rabbi
Menachem Mendel, seeing and hearing how he was praying.
Because I had heard Rabbi Menachem Mendel's study hall
described many times, I knew exactly how it had looked and where he
had stood when praying. Now the singing of the Hasidim and their
overall appearance made such a deep impression on me that I was
drawn along with their profound feeling. It appeared to me as though
I was seeing him wrapped in his prayer shawl, wearing his white
clothes and white yarmulke, singing with his holy voice, AHappy is
the man who has not forgotten you, and the son of man who takes
strength in You.@
Having heard many stories about how the souls of departed
spiritual masters came to their children and students in hidden and
revealed ways, I was certain that Rabbi Menachem Mendel was
present, and this filled me with joy and fear. I was entirely taken over
by an exaltation, a feeling that one cannot express in words, one of
the highest impressions of the heart that cannot be written.
Then I felt with a clean child's simplicityBwhich I understood
more later as I grew older and began to learn HasidismBthe meaning
of a connection between a Hasid and his rabbi. I understood that the
thought of a Hasid that clings to his rabbi can bring the rabbi to him.
Yes, in today's unsettled life, it is hard to imagine such a thing
and understand how it can be: how a thought can accomplish so
much. But in the past, when life was cleaner and more composed,
this was well-understood and a matter of experience.
Likutei Dibburim 1-2, pp. 236-7
A childhood memory by the previous Lubavitcher rebbe,
Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn (1880-1950)Bfrom a talk
delivered on Pesach of 1934.
The Old Man of the Forest
A number of the Hasidim of the holy and famous Rabbi
Menachem Mendel of Lubavitch learned in his study hall. At night,
each Hasid sat with a candle burning before him. Then, when the
learning period came to an end, the Hasidim would put out all the
candles but one or two; and sitting around the flickering light, they
would tell stories about spiritual masters.
One such evening, Rabbi Menachem Mendel came into the
study hall and asked his Hasidim what they were talking about.
They answered that they had been telling stories about the
holy Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk, of blessed memory.
Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Lubavitch told them, AIn honor
of that holy rabbi, light all the candles, just as if you were learning,
and I will tell you a story about him.@
They lit all the candles, and Rabbi Menachem Mendel of
Lubavitch told them the following story:
The holy Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk had a respected
and God-fearing slaughterer who was also an expert mohel
(circumcisor).
One day, one of Rabbi Menachem Mendel's followers came to
him with a request.
Two of this man's children died as a result of being
circumcised. Now a third son had been born to him. AI know,@he
said, Athat according to the law, it is forbidden to circumcise him on
the eighth day. But I believe that if you come to the circumcision,
your merit will guard him so that nothing will happen to him.@
The circumcision was due to fall on the coming Sabbath.
Rabbi Menachem Mendel replied, AIf the circumcision were
on a weekday, I would go. But this Sabbath, I am expecting
important guests. I will send my slaughterer to be your mohel. It will
be exactly as if I myself were there, and nothing will happen to the
baby, God forbid.@
The man agreed to this.
Rabbi Menachem Mendel called the slaughterer and told him
to travel to the circumcision.
The slaughterer refused. He argued, AHow can I spend the
Sabbath there and not at your table, listening to your teachings? Ever
since I became your follower, I haven't been away from you.@
But Rabbi Menachem Mendel commanded him to go.
So the slaughterer listened to Rabbi Menachem Mendel and
traveled to the man's home for the circumcision. But he made one
condition with the man: on Saturday night, as soon as the Sabbath
was over, a wagon-driver would take him home immediately, so that
he would at least be able to hear Rabbi Menachem Mendel recite the
havdalah ceremony marking the beginning of the new week.
So it was. As soon as it grew dark on Saturday night, the
slaughterer set out for home.
The road led through a forest.
The wagon driver got lost and began to wander about the
forest. They stayed there a long time until the slaughterer grew very
cold, for it was the middle of winter.
Then from afar, the slaughterer saw a house from whose
windows many candles and lanterns were shining brilliantly.
When they drew up before the house, the slaughterer sent the
driver in to see if any J ews were there.
When the driver entered the house, he saw many J ews
standing before an old man who was sitting at the head of a table and
giving a talk.
The driver came out and told the slaughterer what he had seen.
The slaughterer went into the house. No one even looked at
him, because everyone was listening to the old man's words of Torah.
The slaughterer stood among the others and listened to the old
man's talk, which pleased him very much.
When the old man finished speaking, all the men there turned
to the slaughterer and greeted him.
The old man himself called the slaughterer over and greeted
him. He asked him, AAre you familiar with the teachings of the
Torah?@
AYes,@replied the slaughterer.
ADid you understand what I said? Were you pleased?@
AI was very pleased,@replied the slaughter.
The old man then asked him, AWhere are you from?@
The slaughterer replied, AI am a follower of the holy Rabbi
Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk.@He told that Rabbi Menachem
Mendel had sent him to perform a circumcision and that he had
gotten lost in the forest.
The old man began to speak more words of Torah with great
depth.
The slaughterer understood him well and liked his teachings
very much. He made up his mind that the old man was equal to
Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk.
Then the old man spoke more words of Torah, at length and
with great depth. The slaughterer's heart was drawn to him, and he
concluded that the old man was even greater than Rabbi Menachem
Mendel. He decided that after traveling home, he would return
immediately to this house. He would leave Rabbi Menachem Mendel
and become a Hasid of the old man.
When he told this to the old man's Hasidim, they explained to
him how to get out of the forest and how to return to them.
The slaughterer left and at last arrived home. As soon as he
came into town, he went to the house of Rabbi Menachem Mendel to
get permission to go to the old man. He imagined that Rabbi
Menachem Mendel would not object.
But when he came to the holy rabbi's house, he saw that the
candles had already been extinguished. So he went home.
The next morning, the slaughterer again went to Rabbi
Menachem Mendel's house and tried to enter, as usual.
But the beadle kept him out. He said that Rabbi Menachem
Mendel had told him not to let the slaughterer in.
The slaughterer was shocked. He understood that Rabbi
Menachem Mendel had learned with his holy spirit everything that
had happened to him in the forest, and that the old man must be from
the Other SideBmay the Compassionate One have mercy!
The slaughterer was deeply troubled that he had been caught
in the net of the Other Side.
Meanwhile, Rabbi Menachem Mendel did not allow him to
enter and see his face. The slaughterer sent people to Rabbi
Menachem Mendel to speak on his behalf. Rabbi Menachem Mendel
told them that the slaughterer had only one way of rectifying this
matter: if he again happened to be in that place, he must reject the old
man and his teachings, forcefully expressing his disgust to the old
man's face.
Matters stood at this point for more than a year. Then the man
who had had the circumcision again came to Rabbi Menachem
Mendel. ASince last year,@he said, Awhen you sent the slaughterer to
circumcise my son, he has been healthy. And now my wife has again
borne a son, and the boy is due to be circumcised this coming
Sabbath. So I ask you, honored rabbi, to again send your slaughterer
to circumcise my son.@
The holy rabbi sent a message to the slaughterer to travel to
the circumcision.
The slaughterer now entered the house of Rabbi Menachem
Mendel, but the rabbi did not look at his face. The slaughterer said,
AIt is possible that I will again come to that house. And I am afraid
that if I speak strongly against them as you want me to, they may
harm me.@
The holy rabbi replied, AGod will help you, and I promise that
they will not be able to do you any evil. But you must be strong.@
The slaughterer went to the man's house for the Sabbath and,
as he had done the last time, left the man's house on Saturday night.
Again he lost his way in the forest and again he saw the house shining
brightly before him. When he entered the house, everyone recognized
him and greeted him happily.
The old man asked him, AWhy didn't you come the entire year,
as you had said you would?@
The slaughterer answered bluntly, AMy rabbi, Rabbi
Menachem Mendel, is the holy of holies, but you are from the Other
Side. You are nothing less than total uncleanness.@
The old man opened his mouth against the holy Rabbi
Menachem Mendel: AWho is your rabbi? What is he?@
But the slaughterer was not intimidated, and he continued to
insult the old man.
The old man's followers wanted to burn the slaughterer, and
they threw burning cinders at him.
But the old man stopped them. He said, AI will speak more
words of Torah, and I think that even this slaughterer will admit that
he is mistaken.@
And he began to speak on the Torah with great depth and
feeling.
When he concluded, he asked the slaughterer, AWhat do you
say now?@
The slaughterer replied, AIf this had come from the Side of
Holiness, it would be very good. But in truth you are from the Other
Side.@
The old man's followers wanted to kill the slaughterer, but
again the old man did not let them.
He told them to bring out his book so that he could see if any
words of Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk were recorded there.
AIf they are, you may do with the slaughterer as you wish. But if
Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk's words do not appear in my
book, you do not have permission to harm him.@
They brought a large and heavy book to the old man.
They searched through the entire book. A number of
statements of other spiritual masters were recorded there. But there
was nothing from the holy Rabbi Menachem Mendel.
So the old man commanded his followers to let the slaughterer
leave in peace.
When the slaughterer returned home, Rabbi Menachem
Mendel came out to meet him with great love.
Rabbi Menachem Mendel told him, AYou should know that
you underwent a great test. Thank God, you withstood it. You gave
God great satisfaction by humiliating the Other Side to his face and
thus uplifting holiness, and so God saved you.@
The slaughterer asked, AWhy did the words of other spiritual
masters appear in his book?@
Rabbi Menachem Mendel replied, ADo not doubt that they
really are spiritual masters. But when they taught, they had a bit of
pride. Therefore, the Other Side has a slight hold on their words. But
with God's help, I am not affected by pride. Therefore, the Other Side
has no hold on my words of Torah.@
Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Lubavitch concluded, AImagine
the holy power of Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk, who was not
at all affected when he said words of Torah, and so did not allow the
Other Side to grasp his holy words. This is why all the candles
should be lit when you speak of that spiritual master, just as when you
learn the holy Torah itself.@
Sipurei Tzaddikim, p. 32
The Baal Shem Tov's J ourney to the Land of Israel
The story of the Baal Shem Tov's journey to the land of Israel
is told by Hasidim at the Baal Shem Tov's seudah at the end of
Passover. The following version is taken from Siach Sarfei Kodesh, a
book of Breslov teachings and narratives.
Years ago, I also heard this story told by a number of Hasidim,
particularly the rebbe of Skulye. How well and clearly I recall those
tellings is doubtful. Here, I add in brackets those parts I heard that
contradict or add to the version found in Siach Sarfei Kodesh.
[There was once a J ew who had no money. His wife urged
him to go to the Baal Shem Tov and ask for a blessing. The J ew went
to the Baal Shem Tov. But once there, he was so spiritually uplifted
that he forgot to ask for the blessing. When he returned home, his
wife asked him if he had gotten the blessing. ANo,@he said, AI
forgot.@ So his wife told him to go again. The J ew again went to the
Baal Shem Tov. Again, he was so spiritually exalted that he
completely forgot to ask for the blessing for money. When he came
home, his wife asked him if he had gotten the blessing, and he had to
admit that he had not.
His wife told him, AGo again. And if this time, you do not get
a blessing from the Baal Shem Tov, I am going to leave you.@
So the J ew went to the Baal Shem Tov again. After spending
Shabbos there, as he was taking his leave, he recalled that he had to
ask for a blessing for money. He told the Baal Shem Tov, AI am
ashamed to ask, but I am requesting a blessing for money.@
The Baal Shem Tov told him to travel to Istanbul, and that he
would become wealthy there.
The man came home and gave this news to his wife. Being a
good, pious wife, she told her husband, AIf this is what the Baal Shem
Tov told you to do, then go and do so.@
And so the man left his family behind and set out for Istanbul.
When he entered the city, he did not know how he would
make a living. But he heard a town crier announcing that a certain
accountant had died, and another accountant was needed. The man
thought to himself that it is not too hard to add up figures. And so he
went and got the job. And so for many months, he worked as an
accountant, making a meager living.
Early in the spring, this man was passing through the market
square of Istanbul. He saw that a vendor had a fruit that had only
now come into season. Because it was the first fruit of the year, it
was very expensive, whereas in a few weeks, the price of the fruit
would go down drastically. Still, the J ew decided to buy it now, so
that he would have the opportunity of making a shehechiyanu
blessing in thanks to God for all the good that God had done for him.
And so he bought this very expensive fruit.
All the vendors in the market square worked for one Turk.
When this man saw the J ew buy that expensive fruit, he was very
surprised. He knew who the J ew was and what he did for a living,
and that he earned a meager salary. Where had the J ew gotten the
money to buy such an expensive fruit? The Turk decided that he
would follow the J ew and confront him. Once he learned where the
J ew had gained so much money, he would stab him to death.
And so the Turk ran ahead and lay in wait, in one of the
winding alleys. When the J ew passed by, the Turk leaped out with a
knife in his hand.
The J ew was terrified. He was sure that he was going to be
killed. The Turk asked him where he had gotten the money to buy
such an expensive fruit.
The J ew explained that although he made a meager living as
an accountant, when he saw this fruit, he bought it so that he would
have the opportunity to praise God with a special blessing.
The Turk found this answer very pleasing. He told the J ew,
ACome with me.@
In great fear, the J ew accompanied the Turk. He thought that
the Turk was taking him somewhere to kill him. They passed through
many alleys, and gradually came into the wealthy section of Istanbul.
Once there, they came to the wealthiest street in Istanbul, and then to
one of the houses on that street. The Turk took the J ew into house
and then told the J ew to descend into the cellar. Now the J ew was
ceratin that he was about to be murdered.
But when they came down into the basement, the Turk
showed him a room filled with silver vessels, and another room filed
with golden vessels.
The Turk told the J ew, ANo one else knows that the house
contains this wealth. And I have no relatives. When I die, this house
will be put up for sale. Only you know how much it is worth, so you
make sure to buy it.@ And he let the J ew go.
One day, as the J ew was passing through the marketplace, he
heard an announcement that that Turk had died. Immediately, the
J ew went to his employer and borrowed enough money to buy the
house. He bought the house, paid back his employer and now, with
the riches hidden in the basement, became one of the wealthiest
people in Istanbul.]
[Meanwhile, the Baal Shem realized that he is a Agreat light@
in the world. Were he to get together with the man who was the
Asmall light,@the moshiach could come. He realized that the Asmall
light@lived in the land of Israel. And so he set out for the Holy Land.
The Asmall light@was the holy Ohr Hachaim (or, perhaps, the
Ramchal).]
The Baal Shem Tov had the custom of not keeping any money
from one day to the next. And when he travelled to the Holy Land, he
kept that custom, concerning himself only with that day's expenses.
In this way, he travelled from town to town and from city to city, not
worrying about anything but covering the day's expenses. He placed
his trust in God to take care of all his needs as he travelled from place
to place.
He was accompanied on this trip by his daughter Adel and his
shammash, Rabbi Hirsch Sofer. And they travelled from city to city
and from town to town, until they arrived on the eve of Passover at
the city of Istanbul.
Meanwhile, in Berlin there lived a very wealthy J ew, who had
no childrenBGod have mercy!Bfor many years. The news of the Baal
Shem Tov and his wonders came to his ears. This man's friends
counseled and urged him to travel to the Baal Shem Tov and ask him
for a blessing to have children.
And so he prepared a carriage with good horses and took a
great deal of money, as is the custom of the wealthy. And he
travelled with his wife to Mezhbozh. As soon as he arrived, he
learned where the Baal Shem Tov lives. But the members of his
household told him that the Baal Shem Tov had just now he had set
out on his way to the land of Israel.
The wealthy man learned the direction he had gone in and
went after him. But when he arrived at that town, he was told that the
Baal Shem Tov had just left. And so did this couple follow the Baal
Shem Tov from place to place until they too came to Istanbul on
Passover eve.
The wealthy man rented a fine room on the upper story of a
hotel, and prepared for a lavish seder. Then, having done that, he
went to look for the Baal Shem Tov.
He considered that in a great city like Istanbul it would be
hard to find the Baal Shem Tov. So he went to the harbor to ask if
anyone had seen the Baal Shem Tov arrive or knew where he is
staying.
When the Baal Shem Tov had arrived in Istanbul, he had gone
to the same hotelBexcept that in his great poverty, he rented a small
room in the hotel basement.
[He was not known to the local Sefardi J ews; or perhaps his
reputation was known, but he wanted to travel incognito.]
[Meanwhile, what of the wealthy J ew? He had heard that the
Baal Shem Tov had come to Istanbul at Passover time. But this J ew
turned deeply ungrateful. It was below his dignity, he decided, that
such a wealthy man as he should consort with a man as impoverished
as the Baal Shem Tov.]
The Baal Shem Tov's daughter, Adel, kept asking him, AWhat
will we do for the Passover seder? Where will we eat?,@and so forth.
Her father, the Baal Shem Tov would only reply, AGod will
help!@
He went to the synagogue and stayed there. As for Adel, in
her great faith in the words of her father, she ceased to worry. And
she went to launder the clothing they would need for Passover at the
seashore. [Or she was very distressed, and cried as she laundered the
clothing.]
Now the wealthy man approached Adel and asked if she had
seen the Baal Shem Tov arrive.
She replied, AYes, the Baal Shem Tov has arrived. In fact, he
is my father. We are staying at such-and-such a hotel on the bottom
floor.@
The wealthy man rejoiced to hear this. He told Adel to
accompany him back to the hotel, and that she and her father should
come to him for the holiday. He had already prepared the best things
for the seder for them as well.
When Adel returned, she joyfully told her father of the miracle
that God had provided them with: that He had prepared them a fine
place to make the seder. But she saw no change in her father's
expression.
After the evening prayers, the Baal Shem Tov immediately
entered the wealthy man's room. Saying nothing at all to anyone, he
conducted the seder according to his custom.
Then, after completing the first half of the seder, he turned to
the wealthy couple and told them: AI know why you came here. And
you have already been helped.@ As soon as he said those words, his
soul rose with great cleaving to God. The others saw him undergoing
a great strain, but they had no idea what it was about. He would
periodically relax, and they heard him burst out, AIf so, I will serve
Hashem yisborach without the world to come!@ Then they saw joy
and great light on his face. [At some point, they saw red lines streak
across his forehead.]
He awoke from his mystic union and told that at the time he
blessed them to have children, a great opposition arose against him in
heaven. This couple was barren [from the days of Creation] without
any possibility of having children. Now, because of the Baal Shem
Tov's blessing, nature would have to changed for them entirely.
Because of this opposition, [the Baal Shem Tov was punished
with heavenly strokesBand those were the streaks they had seen on his
forehead. And] it was decreed above that the Baal Shem Tov would
completely lose the reward of the world to come. When the Baal
Shem Tov heard this, he replied joyfully, AIf so, I will serve Hashem
from now on without the reward of the world to come. In this way, I
can serve Him without any ulterior motives. When it was seen in
heaven how he is so totally dedicated to serve God with such
selflessness, it was decided that he would in fact be rewarded with the
world-to-come, and that this childless couple would also have
children. And this was the reason his face had shone with joy and
great light.
The Baal She Tov led the seder with awesome feeling, making
no small talk. When he arrived at the words, AL'oseh niflaos gedolos
levadoBWho makes great wonders alone,@he repeated the word,
Aalone,@many times with great feeling.
Meanwhile, the sultan had, with the counsel of his ministers,
sealed a decree of death against the J ews in a very cruel manner: they
decided to kill all the J ews on one day, on the first of Passover. And
the ministers entered into a vow to reveal this to no one, so that the
J ews would not attempt to block this decree.
However, one of these ministers liked the J ews. In shock, he
came on Passover eve to the J ewish communal leader, the parnas, and
revealed this decree to him in great secret. He told the parnas, AIf the
sultan learns that you know of this decree, my life will be in great
danger. I have no advice to give you. I only came to inform you. tell
you, so that you may know of this decree. Perhaps you will find some
way of dealing with it.@
The parnas called the city rabbis and took counsel with them.
They decided that since the sultan's mother likes the J ews, they
would go to her and take speak with her regarding the best course of
action.
Immediately following the seder, the parnas and the city
rabbis went to the house of the sultan's mother. As they went, they
passed the Baal Shem Tov's hotel. They heard him repeating over
and over again, AWho does great wonders alone.@ They said to each
other: AIf that J ew knew of the terrible decree that threatens the J ews
of this city, he would not be so ecstatic.@
When they came to the mansion of the sultan's mother at such
a late hour, she was very shaken. She understood that this must be an
urgent business. She received them graciously, and they told her of
the decree that her son had made against the J ews of the city. They
cautioned her to use great wisdom in trying to nullify the decree, so
that her son should not know that they had come to her.
With the mercy of God, she formulated an plan. She went
immediately, in the middle of the night, and awoke her son from his
sleep.
She told him that her husband, the deceased sultan, had come
to her in a dream with great trepidation and told her that he has no
rest in the world of truth, because by tomorrow morning, there will
not remain even a remnant of his children and grandchildren. They
will all be destroyed forever.
The sultan's mother asked her son, AWhat terrible thing has
occurred in the kingdom as a result of which our family will suffer
such a terrible decree of destruction?@
Her son, the sultan, began to enumerate various sins for whose
sake this heavenly decree might have been commanded. But every
time, she would reply, ANo, no. It doesn't make sense that because of
that sin, such a terrible decree should be commanded against our
family.@
Finally, he told her about the decree to kill all the J ews
tomorrow, in one day. As soon as the king said that, she turned to
him and cried out, ACertainly, certainly! It is because of this that
heaven has commanded this decree against our family.@ She angrily
told him, AAre you starting up with the nation of the J ews? Do you
not know that whoever has started up with them did not come out
unscathed? Go, quickly rip up the decree, without delay, so that no
one will ever know that such a decree existed!@ In his fear, the king
immediately took the decree and tore it up in her presence.
She then returned home and told the parnas and the city rabbis
who were waiting for her in her house that the decree had been
nullified. They could return home and tell the J ews to thank God for
His good mercies, which He himself had carried out for them without
their knowledge.
When they returned, after the passage of a few hours, they
again passed the hotel of the Baal Shem Tov. And they heard how he
was still at that section of the Haggadah, repeating the words, AL'oseh
niflaos gedolos levado@BAalone.@ Now they heard him reciting these
words with greater joy and happiness than when they had gone to the
sultan's mother.
The next day, the rabbis went to the synagogue and told the
congregants of the awesome miracle that had taken place that night.
In passing, they told of that unusual J ew who had repeated over and
over again the words Al'oseh niflaos levado.@ The Baal Shem Tov
spoke upBbecause they did not recognize himBand told them, AIf not
for that J ew, this great miracle would not have occurred at all.@
[Meanwhile, the sultan had an advisor who was a secret
Christian. Had anyone known of his religion, he would have been
immediately killed. This advisor hated the J ews. And so he told the
king that the J ews despise him. As proof, he told the king to pay a
visit to the wealthy J ew and he would see for himself.
And so on the seder night, the sultan ordered the J ew to come
to his palace and engage in business. The J ew was very frightened,
but he sent back a message that he could not, because tonight he was
very busy. So the sultan, accompanied by his retinue of royal
soldiers, paid a visit to the wealthy J ew. The wealthy J ew was
conducting his seder. He got up and invited the king in. The J ew's
matzah cover was encrusted with jewels.
AYou see,@the advisor whispered to the king, Athe J ew shows
more respect to some dry wafers than he does to you.@
The king returned to his palace in wrath. Again he sent his
royal soldiers in their carriage to the J ew's house. The J ew could hear
the bells of the carriage ringing and again he stepped out. The
soldiers arrested the J ew.
Only now did the wealthy J ew remember the Baal Shem Tov,
and he wanted to plead with him for help.
He asked the soldiers, who were taking him to the palace, to
conduct him by way of the J ews' section. In this way, he would pass
the hotel where the Baal Shem Tov was staying.
As they passed the hotel, the wealthy J ew looked up and saw
the Baal Shem Tov outlined in the window. The Baal Shem Tov did
not even look down, but he kept repeating in a sing-song voice,
AL'oseh niflaos levado, ki le'olam chasdo!@
At the palace, the king informed the J ew that by tomorrow he
would be killed and the rest of the J ews of Istanbul would be expelled
from the city. And he sent the J ew back home. Again, the king's
royal carriage with the wealthy J ew passed the window of the Baal
Shem Tov. The Baal Shem Tov was still standing in the window, not
looking down, and chanting over and over again, AL'oseh niflaos
levado, ki le'olam chasdo!@
Now as it happened, the sultan's mother liked the J ews. The
reason for that was as follows: many years past, her husband had been
sultan (the father of the current sultan). He liked to dress up as a
common man and walk amidst the people. One day as he was
walking in the market, a number of men grabbed him. They kidnaped
him and took him to their hide-out.
At the palace, the sultan's disappearance caused great
consternation, but the news was kept secret, so that there would be no
public unrest.
But they did not know how to ransom him safely. And so the
kidnappers kept him for many days. One day he told them, AAs long
as I am here, you can still make some money off of me. I happen to
be an extraordinary rug weaver.@
And so the kidnappers gave the sultan a loom and yarn. The
sultan wove a small rug with some letters woven into a corner, which
could only be seen when one held the rug horizontally before one's
eyes. The sultan told the kidnappers, AThis is a very precious rug, but
only a real expert can recognize it. Go to the market and ask for a
very high price. Most people will laugh at you. But when you find a
real expert, he will gladly pay.@
And so the kidnappers brought the rug to the market place.
Whenever they offered the rug for the price the sultan had set, people
laughed at them. Finally, they came to a J ewish merchant. When the
merchant heard their price for the rug, which was not very well-made,
he realized that there was something strange. Examining the rug from
all angles, he saw the letters woven into the rug. He agreed to pay for
the rug, and asked for more such material.
And so the sultan made rug after rug, which the J ewish
merchant bought. When the J ewish merchant realized that the rugs
were spelling out the sultan's name, he informed the palace. The
palace sent soldiers to trail the kidnappers, and they freed the sultan.
In thanks, the sultan gave the tailor a pass that would allow him to
enter the palace at any time and confer with the sultan.
In time, the sultan died and his son took over. And the J ewish
merchant died as well.
Now, this terrible and dangerous seder night, the son of that
merchant had a dream. In his dream, his father came to him and told
him that he must go immediately to the sultan's mother. He must tell
her to inform her son that his beloved minister is really a secret
Christian.
In his dream, the son of the merchant saw how a brick over
the doorway contained the pass to the palace. And he saw God's
name floating in the air. God's name floated through the streets until
it came to a certain courtyard of a house and stood upon a great rock
in the courtyard. The name struck the rock, and it opened up,
revealing a secret monastery. (Or, crosses flew forth from it.)
The son of the merchant woke up. He broke open the brick
and found the pass. With this pass, he went to the palace. Seeing the
pass, the soldiers let him in to speak to the present sultan's mother.
When she heard the man's story, the sultan's mother went with him to
see her son, the sultan. She told her son that this J ew claimed that the
sultan's favorite minister was really a secret Christian.
The merchant's son led the sultan through the streets, along
the path that he had seen the name of God follow. He came to the
courtyard of the house, which was the minister's house. They came to
the great rock and struck it. It opened up, and the secret monastery
was discovered.
In rage at his minister, the sultan had him executed and his
anti-J ewish decree revoked. The sultan chopped off the finger of the
minister on which the signet ring was, and gave the ring to the J ew.
When the king returned to the palace, he summoned the
wealthy J ew. Again, the royal carriage with the bells went to the
J ew's house and summoned him. Again, as they passed the hotel of
the Baal Shem Tov, they could see the Baal Shem Tov not looking
down, but still chanting, AL'oseh niflaos gedolos levado, ki le'olam
chasdo!@
The J ew was brought to the palace and informed that the
decree had been revoked. The wealthy J ew would live and the other
J ews would not be expelled from Istanbul.
This time, when the wealthy J ew was escorted back home, the
Baal Shem Tov looked down at him kindly.
The J ew went to the Baal Shem Tov and abjectly apologized
for having ignored him. He asked the Baal Shem Tov what he was
doing here. When the Baal Shem Tov told him that he was on his
way to the land of Israel, the wealthy J ew said that as soon as the first
days of the holiday were over, he would provide the Baal Shem Tov
with passage. And so he did.]
The couple wanted to give the Baal Shem Tov a great sum of
money for the blessing he had given them. However, he did not
agree. Instead, he only asked that they give him, Adel and Rabbi
Hirsch passage money for a ship going to the land of Israel. This the
couple did. And they immediately acquired berths in a ship traveling
to the land of Israel.
The Baal Shem Tov spent no time in the city. On the morning
of the first day of chol hamoed, he continued on his journey, boarding
the ship to the land of Israel.
As they sailed, there was a storm at sea. The ship was in great
danger, and people began to throw all their possessions overboard to
lighten the ship so that it would not be capsized.
The Baal Shem Tov said that he knew why the sea is so
stormy. It was because there was a decree of destruction from above
against either his writings (because above, it was not desired that they
should be revealed), or against Adel, his daughter. Adel said that she
is ready to give her life in order to save her father's writings. She was
lowered to the water. But she signaled that she should be lifted back
up. She told her father that it would be better if he were to throw his
writings into the sea, because one day she would have a grandson
(Rabbi Nachman of Breslov) who would write seforim even finer
than those of her father, the Baal Shem Tov.
And so they took her back on board and threw the Baal Shem
Tov's writings into the sea. And the water grew calm.
Then they saw that they were close to an island. The captain
piloted the ship toward the island, and everyone disembarked in order
to get some rest after their difficult journey.
[Once there was a king who was very ill. The Baal Shem Tov
said that he would heal him if he could have anything he wanted. The
king agreed, and the Baal Shem Tov healed the king. To get his
reward, the Baal Shem Tov then entered the king's library and took
down a manuscript. The king said, AIf I had known that you had
wanted that, I wouldn't have given it to you. But since you have
asked for it now, I cannot refuse you.@ This was an original
manuscript of Tehillim, written by Dovid Hamelech himself.
[When the sea was raging, the Baal Shem Tov realized that
heaven did not want him to continue to the land of Israel. He knew
that to stop the storm, he would have to either cast his daughter into
the sea or the manuscript of Adel. Adel volunteered to go into the
sea. Reb Hirsch lowered her into the sea and the sea calmed down.
He raised her up, and the storm returned. This happened three times.
Finally, they threw the manuscript of Tehillim into the seaBfor the
teachings of her father (or of Chasidus) would in addition be revealed
in the world. Reb Hirsch stretched out his hand, which stretched out
miraculously long, and brought Adel back into the ship. He grasped
her arm very strongly and she always had a mark on her arm after
that.
And soon afterwards they came to an island.]
As the Baal Shem Tov, his daughter Adel and his shammash
Rabbi Hirsch walked around the island, they were suddenly attacked
by murders called Eidemakes, who wanted to kill them. These
murderers tied them to the ground. [They were captured by cannibals
who tied them to a tree.]
Rabbi Hirsch cried out to the Baal Shem Tov, ARabbi! Why do
you remain still?@
The Baal Shem Tov replied, AMy mind is closed. I do not
know a thing.@
And when the murderers came close and sharpened their
swords in order to slaughter them, Rabbi Hirsch again cried out to the
Baal Shem Tov, ARabbi! Why do you remain still?@
The Baal Shem Tov again replied to him, AI do not know a
thing. Perhaps you know something?@
Rabbi Hirsch replied, AAll I know is the alphabet. The Baal
Shem Tov cried to him, ASay it! Say it!@
And Rabbi Hirsch began to recite the alef beis.
[The Baal Shem Tov repeated the letters one by one after
Rabbi Hirsch, until his powers came back. He broke their bonds and
they fled. This occurred on the seventh of Pesach.]
Suddenly, they heard a carriage from afar. The murderers
were frightened and fled. And soon, a wagon with men arrived.
When the men saw these people lying on the ground, they freed them
and lifted them onto the wagon.
[The Baal Shem Tov realized that God did not want him to go
to the land of Israel, and so he returned to Mezhbozh.]
They brought them back to another ship, which was anchored
close to the island, and they continued on their way to the Holy Land.
The ship lost its way. On the eve of the seventh of Passover,
the passengers saw that it had accidentally returned to Istanbul.
Now the Baal Shem Tov decided not to continue to the land of
Israel.
In consequence of these events, it became the custom in all the
communities of Israel who follow the path of the Baal Shem Tov to
arrange a meal on the seventh of Pesach to give thanks to God for the
rescue of the Baal Shem Tov and his return in peace from his journey.
And in telling the story, Hasidim would conclude: The ship
captain was no doubt Elijah the prophet.
recorded and translated by Yaacov Dovid Shulman
Siach Sarfei Kodesh II
The Baal Shem Tov=s J ourney to the Land of
IsraelBVersion Two
Everyone knows about the Baal Shem Tov=s journey to the
land of Israel, where he was hoping to meet the holy rabbi, the author
of Ohr Hachaim. But he was prevented from doing so from heaven,
for had he gotten together with the Ohr Hachaim, the moshiach would
have come, but the time was not yet ripe, due to our many sins.
Therefore, the Baal Shem Tov had many troubles on his journey.
Once, he grew terribly distressed, and his great spiritual attainments
were taken from him. ASo what!@said the Baal Shem Tov. So I will
serve the Creator of the world like a simple J ew, without great
spiritual attainments.@
The Baal Shem Tov had with him a small volume of Psalms
that he had received from the holy Rabbi Adam Baal Shem Tov.
During the entire journey, as he sailed, he recited songs, praises and
psalms like a simple person, until he arrived in Istanbul. He was
accompanied by his famous daughter, Adil, who [later] had two sons,
the two holy brothers, Rabbi Boruch of Meziboz and Rabbi Efraim of
Sudulkov, the author of Degel Machaneh Efraim. When they arrived
in Istanbul, they were impoverished, without good clothing, and it
was shortly before the holiday of Passover. The Baal Shem Tov went
to the beis medrash, where he rested and prayed and learned like a
simple J ew.
Two days before the holiday, the Baal Shem Tov=s saintly
daughter went to a river to wash his shirt for Passover. As she did so,
she recalled her holy father=s situation: that they were impoverished,
and it was close to Passover, and they did not yet have matzah
shmurah nor any wine for the four cups, nor anything else that is
needed for the holiday. And also, when she saw that her father was
sitting like a simple J ew, she grew sick at heart, and as she stood at
the waterside, she wept copiously and tears poured from her eyes.
At that moment, a very wealthy man was passing by. When
he saw this holy young woman crying so much, he asked her, AMy
child, why are you crying?@
She answered, AAnd if you knew, how could you help me?@
The wealthy man told her, AMy child, perhaps with God=s
help, I will be able to help you. Tell me what is going on.@
The holy young woman told him about her holy father and
what they had gone through, and that he still had nothing ready for the
holy Passover. The wealthy man told her, AMy child, go to your
father and tell him that I will provide him with everything he needs.
He should come to me immediately, and I will give him everything.@
The holy daughter of the Baal Shem Tov ran to her father and
told him that a local wealthy man was inviting him. On the eve of
Passover, after afternoon prayersBat about two or three o=clockBthe
Baal Shem Tov went to the wealthy man. As soon as the Baal Shem
Tov stepped upon the doorsill and saw all the fine rooms and fine
furniture and beautiful utensils, his mind grew easy. He forgot
everything that he had gone through and was filled with joy. And
through joy, he again received all his great spiritual gifts, and his face
shone like the sun in the month of Tammuz.
The wealthy man took the Baal Shem Tov to a large room,
where he treated him to old, expensive wine. When the holy Baal
Shem Tov drank the wine, he was filled with joy, and his heart
returned to what it had once been, filled with love and awe of God,
and all his holy spiritual attainments returned.
ASo,@said the Baal Shem Tov, AI will lie down a little to rest,
so that we will be able to tell of the exodus from Egypt in the
Haggadah with a shining mind.@
And the Baal Shem Tov lay down, and fell fast asleep. Ten
o=clock arrived. The wealthy man said, AI have no idea what is going
on with our guest. Why is he sleeping so long? We have to make the
Seder!@The wealthy man took a light and went to the Baal Shem Tov,
and looked at his holy face. And he saw that as his precious guest was
sleeping, two streams of tears poured from his eyes.
The wealthy man wondered greatly at this. He was afraid to
wake him up, because he had never seen anything like it. He
remained standing, looking into his face, in order to see what would
finally happen. He saw how, ever minute, the Baal Shem Tov
became a different person, and tears were gushing out, and [his eyes
opened, and they] were bulging from their sockets, as though he felt
great suffering. And he gave a yell. And with this, he awoke.
The holy Baal Shem Tov washed his face and hands. He
stood up to recite the evening prayers, and then he read the Hallel
with great feeling. After that, he went to the table, and recited the
Haggadah, telling the story of the exodus from Egypt with such great
feeling that his face shone. In awe, the wealthy man looked him in
the face, and now understood what a precious guest this was, a man
of God, holy and awesome. Daylight arrived, and they came to the
end of the seder. The wealthy man asked the Baal Shem Tov what
had happened when tears had flowed from his eyes as he slept, and
why he had given such a yell when he woke up that his eyes
protruded from their sockets.
The Baal Shem Tov told him, AI was then experiencing an
ascent of the soul. I heard in heaven that a decree had been passed
against the J ews in this city, so that they would all be driven out, and
there would be many murders and much suffering. So I wept a great
deal before His Holy Name, begging that the bitter decree be nullified
and that no evil befall the J ews, heaven forbid. But the heavenly
forces did not want to heed me. Then, with total self-sacrifice for the
sake of the J ews, I offered to die if that would save the J ews. Only
then, for the first time, did I arouse divine compassion, and the evil
decree was nullified. And because I had been ready to sacrifice
myself for the sake of the J ews, my spirit was returned to me so that I
should rejoice with the joy of the J ewish people. And then I awoke.
And when the morning=s prayers come to an end, what I am telling
you will come to light.
In the morning, two very wealthy men did not come to
services. The people in the synagogue waited for them to arrive, but
at last they could no longer wait, and they prayed without these men.
After prayers were ended, the wealthy men came with joyful faces
and greeted the people, AA good holiday, a good holiday, peace, peace
upon us and upon all Israel.@
The people asked, AWhat happened that they did not come to
prayers and now they are saying these words?@ The two J ews
answered, AIn the blink of an eye, almost all the J ews were driven out
of here. But praise God, the evil decree was nullified.@
They told what had happened to them, and that God=s
compassion had been aroused, so that they found favor in the eyes of
the king=s mother, and he was brought to recall the evil that an anti-
Semitic minister had performedBand thus the J ews were not driven
out. [This episode alluded to here briefly is expanded upon in other
versions of this tale.]
And so the anti-Semite was imprisoned, because she had
wanted to spill innocent blood.
Then the Baal Shem Tov was revealed.
May Hashem, be He blessed, deliver us from all evil and send
us the true redeemer, quickly, in our days, amen, selah.
Ma=aseh Tzaddikim
The Baal Shem Tov=s J ourney to the Land of
IsraelBVersion Three
by Menashe Unger
In the courts of various rebbesBin particular of those rebbes
descending from the Baal Shem Tov and his disciplesBthere is a
custom that on the last day of Passover, following the afternoon
prayers, a third mealBa Ashalosh seudos@Bis eaten, which is called Athe
Baal Shem Tov=s feast.@
At this meal, Athe Baal Shem Tov=s kneidlach@are eaten, and a
story is told of the miracle that took place at the time of the Baal
Shem Tov=s attempted journey to the land of Israel.
The rebbe, R. Israel Ber of Vilendik, a student of R. Nachum
Tchernobler, would on the seventh of Passover tell the story of the
Baal Shem Tov=s travels to the land of Israel and the problems that he
underwent, for his travels were disrupted by heavenly forces, and he
only arrived as far as Constantinople. (R. Israel Ber of Vilendik,
author of She=eiris Yisroel, was revealed to the world by the rebbe, R.
Mendele of Lubavitch. He passed away on 29 Teves, 5510B1850.
According to a reliable source, Hasidim to this day travel to pray at
his gravesite.)
There exist various versions regarding this journey and the
miracle that occurred. We will here relate the story as it is told in
Halachos V=halichos B=chasidus by Rabbi Dr. Aharon Wertheim (pp.
176-78), a descendant of the Baal Shem Tov=s family, who relates the
version that was passed down in his rebbe-family.
When R. Israel Baal Shem Tov traveled to the land of Israel,
he took with him his scribe, R. Hersh.
According to another version of this story, which was told by
the rebbe, R. Yitzchak Eizik Kamarner, the Baal Shem Tov=s
daughter, Adel, traveled with him, and a miracle took place when the
ship sank. This is also alluded to in the gathered teachings at the end
of Toldos Yaacov Yosef of the Baal Shem Tov=s disciple, R. Yaacov
Yosef of Polnoe. There it is written: AWhen [the Baal Shem Tov]
went on his well-known journey, his teacher showed him a certain
place where there was an allusion to the journey that the J ews
traveled in the desert. And a person=s every journey is alluded to in
the Torah...Also, when his ship foundered and he was very upset, his
teacher came and was astonished at him, and showed him what
spiritual worlds he is now inhabiting, and these were the names AI
will be and the permutations of >I will be=...and then [the Baal Shem
Tov] strengthened his heart to rectify them in their root, in the manner
known to him@(note ten).
In order to reconcile these two versions, Hasidic tradition tells
that the Baal Shem Tov made two attempts to travel to the land of
Israel, both of which failed, due to opposition by heavenly forces.
His daughter Adel traveled with him on the first trip, and his scribe,
R. Hersh, on the second (cf. Wertheim, ibid., in note 31)}.
One day the ship came to a small island and the ship anchored
there.
Everyone came down onto the island to rest (Sh. Bastomsk
writes in his Legendes fun Baal Shem Tov, Vilna 1925, p. 131: Athe
Baal Shem Tov was Istanbul on the first days of Passover, and on the
middle days of Passover, they sailed to the land of Israel.@That book
also cites a number of variants about the Baal Shem Tov=s journey to
the land of Israel and the difficulties that he suffered).
On the island, the Baal Shem Tov and his shamash R. Hersh
Sofer went for a walk and discussed Amatters that stand at the height
of the world@until they forgot that they must return to the ship at a
certain time. They did not even hear the sound of the bell summoning
everyone back to the ship.
When the Baal Shem Tov finished his profound discussion
with R. Hersh, they remembered that they must return to the ship. But
when they hurried back to the seashore, they saw that they were too
late. The ship had already left.
And as they stood there in shock, they were attacked by
pirates. On that island, there was a pirates=hide-out in a cavern. The
pirates did not dare attack large ships, and so they had hidden in their
cave. But when the ship sailed off, they emerged, thinking that
perhaps someone or something valuable had been left behind.
When the pirates saw the Baal Shem Tov and his shamash,
they grabbed them, tied them up, and wanted to kill them.
R. Hersh called out to his rebbe, the Baal Shem Tov, AWhy is
the rebbe still? In another minute we will be lost!@
The Baal Shem Tov replied, AWhat do you want me to do?@
R. Hersh said, ARebbe, why do you not pronounce a Divine
Name?@
AI cannot,@said the Baal Shem Tov. AMy entire memory has
been erased. I have forgotten everything. I do not even remember
one word of the Torah or of any prayers. Perhaps you remember
something?@
R. Hersh replied, AI have also forgotten everything. The only
thing that I remember is the alphabet.@
All this was of course the act of Satan, who had taken away
the Baal Shem Tov and R. Hersh Sofer=s memories, for Satan wanted
to keep the two of them from coming to the land of Israel. Had R.
Israel Baal Shem Tov come to the land of Israel, he would have
brought the redemption and the messiah. But the generation was not
ready for the messiah, and one cannot bring him by force. And so
Satan removed the Baal Shem Tov=s memory, so that he would not
remember even a single prayer. Satan knew that if the Baal Shem
Tov could pray, he would be saved from all dangers. But Satan did
not understand the way of Hasidism: that the essential thing is not
prayer, but intent. And in this he was frustrated.
As soon as R. Israel Baal Shem Tov heard that R. Hersh still
remembered the alphabet, he told him, AGood, say the letters for me!@
R. Hersh began to recite, AAlef, beis, gimel, daled, hei....@
And the Baal Shem Tov repeated every word with great fire.
R. Israel Baal Shem Tov said, ARibono shel Olam, Master of
the world: Do You need the prayers of a simple person who is called
Israel? If so, I am reciting the letters before You, and You, merciful
Father in heaven, braid them Yourself into a wreathe of prayers!@
And the Baal Shem Tov again began to recite the letters with
great intent, AAlef, beis, gimel...@
When he finished reciting the letters, he and R. Hersh
suddenly heard the bell of a large ship that had just anchored in the
harbor.
The pirates were frightened and fled to their cave. The people
on the ship disembarked and saw the Baal Shem Tov and R. Hersh
lying tied up with rope. They quickly untied them and brought them
to the ship.
This ship was not traveling to the land of Israel. To the
contrary, it was returning from the land of Israel to a Russian port on
the Black Sea.
All this took place on Passover. On the ship, the Baal Shem
Tov and R. Hersh ate nothing but fruits and potatoes. They had
nothing with them, for all their belongings had remained on the other
ship. When the captain asked them for payment, they did not have
anything to give him. They told him that if he brought them to a port
city where J ews live, R. Hersh would disembark and tell the J ews that
the Baal Shem Tov is on the ship, and the J ews would certainly bring
money.
The captain agreed, and on the seventh of Passover the ship
came to the port city of Kilia.
R. Hersh went down from the ship early in the morning and
went to the synagogue, where all the J ews were at prayers. An hour
after R. Hersh left, the captain told the Baal Shem Tov, AI see that you
are a reliable person. I will let you go into town, and I trust that you
will pay me.@
The Baal Shem Tov left the ship. He entered the town and,
since he was tired and broken by the long journey, he went into the
first J ewish house that he came across.
Since everyone had gone to the synagogue, there was no one
there. The Baal Shem Tov was hungry and tired. He climbed onto the
pyekelik, the large stove, to rest.
There the Baal Shem Tov saw a plate filled with thirty
kneidlach, the largest of which lay in the middle. Although Hasidim
are careful not to eat gebrokhts (soaked matzah) during the first seven
days of Passover, because the Baal Shem Tov felt his strength
slipping away, he permitted himself to eat from the kneidlach. After
he ate and regained his strength, he again lay down on the stove to
rest.
Meanwhile, R. Hersh told the J ews that the Baal Shem Tov is
on a ship, and must be ransomed.
J ews eagerly brought bags of money, to perform the mitzvah
of pidyon shevuyim, ransoming the imprisoned. But when they came
to the seashore, there was no ship to be seen.
They were very sad. They did not know, what had happened to
the Baal Shem Tov.
Meanwhile, the people who lived in the house where the Baal
Shem Tov was sleeping came home, and found the Baal Shem Tov
lying on the stove. They ran out to tell the other J ews that the Baal
Shem Tov was in their house, and the entire town was filled with joy.
From that time onward, R. Israel Baal Shem Tov introduced
the custom that on the last day of Passover he made a special meal to
recall the miracle that happened to him, and at that meal, he would eat
kneidlech.
The Baal Shem Tov did not make this meal on the seventh of
Passover, the day that the miracle had occurred, for on the seventh of
Passover Hasidim do not eat kneidlech (since kneidlech are
gebrokhts)..
Every year, when the Baal Shem Tov sat at this feast and told
the story of the miracle that had taken place and mentioned the
captain, his scribe, R. Hersh, told him, ARebbe, why must you call
him >captain=? Why don=t you call him by his name? We all know that
this was Eliyahu Hanavi!@
From then onwards, the rebbes who descend from the Baal
Shem Tov=s family had the custom of making a Athe Baal Shem Tov=s
feast@on the last day of Passover. They would eat Athe Baal Shem
Tov=s kneidlach@and tell about the miracle that had occurred to the
Baal Shem Tov and of the captain who had saved him.
R. Yisroel Baal Shem Tov
The Servant and the Maidservant
Many years ago in Poland, there were landlords who ruled
villages and towns as though they were kings. Whatever they wished
to do, they didBfor evil or for good. They could punish and even kill,
and no one could protest.
In one such village, there was a J ew who lived with his family
in an inn, which he managed for the landlord. But he was unable to
pay the rent. The landlord waited a few years until the J ew's debt
grew enormous. When the sum finally reached the amount of four
hundred rubles, of which the J ew had paid nothing, the landlord put
him in jail together with his wife and children. They remained there a
while, with barely enough bread and water.
But then the cruel landlord thought: What would this
accomplish? Would keeping the J ew in jail make him pay what he
owed?
And so, after some thought, the landlord instructed his
assistant to take the poor J ew, together with his wife and children,
and bind them in chains. He was to bring his prisoners to the nearby
city and lead them to every street corner. There he was to beat a drum
so that people would gather, and then he was to read them a letter that
the landlord had written and set his seal to.
The letter proclaimed that if the J ews would not redeem the
prisoners for a sum no less than three hundred rubles, the lot of
themBthe man, his wife and his childrenBwould die.
The landlord's assistant had to carry out this command. He
brought the prisoners bound in chains to the nearby city. He stood
them in all the streets of the city, beat on a drum and read the cruel
landlord's letter before the crowds. And the prisoners cried and
pleaded before their fellow J ews to have mercy on them and to
redeem them, for they were in danger of being put to death by the
cruel landlord, without mercy.
Whoever heard this felt great compassionBbut no one, not
even the wealthy, could give the amount demanded of them.
Nevertheless, whoever heard the news would give a groan and go on
his way. And in the bitterness of their spirit, the prisoners cried and
wailed, for they were certain to be killed. Yet no one helped them.
There was a young man, very simple, who had worked as a
servant for a long time, and who had slowly saved his earnings until
he had amassed one hundred and fifty rubles. When this servant
heard of the trouble that the prisoners were suffering and learned that
they would not live past that very day, he felt very great compassion
for them. He decided to give away everything he owned for the sake
of the mitzvah of ransoming prisoners. But he knew that his money
alone would not suffice, because the ransom money was three
hundred rubles. Then he recalled a poor orphan girl, a maidservant
who worked for another household, who had also saved her money
until she had amassed one hundred and fifty rubles.
The servant went to her and told her, AI have decided to give
everything I have, one hundred and fifty rubles, to perform the
mitzvah of ransoming prisoners. If you would like, give your amount
as well to perform this commandment. We are poor and simple folk.
What mitzvos can we do? But now that God has brought us this
mitzvah, listen to me. Let us perform this precious mitzvah together,
because we have no other that we could perform for the rest of our
lives.@
The fine young woman was persuaded. She went and got her
money, and he got his money. And he gave the entire amountBthree
hundred rubles, and no lessBto the landlord's assistant.
Immediately, the assistant freed the prisoners, and they
rejoiced and gave praise to God.
The young servant told the young woman, AWe must praise
and thank God, may His name be blessed, for having given us the
opportunity to perform such a precious mitzvah. However, since I
persuaded you to give away all you had, I am responsible to seek
security for you, just as I must seek it for myself. And I have an idea:
I have an uncle in the city not far from here. Let us both go to him.
He will look for some way that we can support ourselves.@
And so it was. The two of them set out by foot, with their few
possessions on their shoulders, to his uncle's house. That evening,
they arrived at an inn, where they decided to spend the night.
Meanwhile, in the upper worlds a great commotion had been
made and a holy, awesome unity created by the great mitzvah which
these simple, poor people had performed in the simplicity of their
hearts. AndBas may be imaginedBGod's great Name was greatly
sanctified.
Therefore, it was told to the Baal Shem Tov from heaven to
travel immediately to the inn where the young man and woman were
staying and to bring them clothing, and to marry them to each other in
accordance with the law of Moses and Israel. And the Baal Shem
Tov did as he had been commanded from heaven: he took clothing for
the bride and groom and that evening came to their inn.
The innkeeper came out to greet the Baal Shem Tov,
trembling before him. ARabeinu, spend the night at my inn.@
The holy Baal Shem Tov agreed and entered the inn, and a
special room was prepared for him.
The Baal Shem Tov summoned the innkeeper and told him to
prepare a wedding meal that night, for a bride and groom would be
celebrating their wedding. The innkeeper immediately began to do as
the holy Baal Shem Tov had told him: preparing a meal for a quorum,
as is required by J ewish law. As for where the bride and groom were,
he did not ask the Baal Shem Tov, but instead busied himself
preparing the feast.
The young man and woman were used to serving masters.
And so when they saw the innkeeper busy, they volunteered to help,
so that they would earn their stay and not eat Athe bread of shame.@
As the innkeeper prepared wedding meal, the young man helped him,
and the maidservant went into the kitchen and helped bake and cook.
After three or four hours, the innkeeper came to the Baal
Shem Tov and told him, ARabeinu, the meal is ready.@
The Baal Shem Tov asked him if any guests had come to the
inn. The innkeeper replied, ANo, no one, besides a young servant and
maidservant.@
The Baal Shem Tov told the innkeeper to send them to his
room. When the couple entered the Baal Shem Tov's room, he gave
each of them clothing and told them to put them on, for they would
soon be getting married.
The bride and groom put on the clothing and waited an hour
or two, until seven men arrived at the inn in beautiful coaches:
remarkable-looking men, royal and striking.
And now, with the holy Baal Shem Tov, the groom and the
innkeeper, there was a quorum. The innkeeper wondered: Who were
all these people who had come to the inn? And who were the bride
and groom, for whom the Baal Shem Tov had worked so hard? (As it
happened, these seven guests were the seven Aushpizin@: Abraham,
Isaac, J acob, J oseph, Moses, Aaron and David.)
The Baal Shem Tov married the couple in accordance with the
law of Moses and Israel.
Then, after the chupah, everyone sat down at the meal and ate
and drank, and their hearts were joyous.
The custom was that at the end of the meal, the guests would
announce a Adrashah geshank@Bwhat gift they were giving. As this
now took place, the innkeeper watched everything and remained
silent. But in his heart, he was amazed.
One of the men proclaimed, AI give the bride and groom the
gift of the barn and oxen that belong to the local landlord.@
A second guest proclaimed, AI give the bride and groom a gift
of the old landlady's jewelry, with its precious stones and pearls.@
The Baal Shem Tov announced, AI give the bride and groom
this inn as an outright gift.@
Then they recited grace, and the seven men took their leave.
The only ones left were the Baal Shem Tov and the couple.
And this was almost as strange to the innkeeper as the
proclaiming of gifts had beenBfor the couple still had nothing.
But you, dear reader, may see the providence of the blessed
Creator, the wonders He performs and His great mercy, higher than
human ability to understand.
The local village landlord [not the same as the cruel landlord]
had an only child, a son about ten years old. It can be well-
understood that this boy was as beloved to him as his own soul, and
even more than his soul.
Suddenly, two days before the marriage, the boy had
disappeared. The landlord literally went mad, and sent many
messengers to look for his son in the entire region. But although they
sought, they did not find.
Now, the morning following the marriage, the bridegroom
awoke. And after thinking matters over, he told the innkeeper, AI will
ask one favor of you. I have a relative, an uncle who lives in the
nearby city. Could you lend me your wagon, so that I could travel to
him? I wish to ask him if he might have some work for me to support
myself and my wife. And I will come back to you right away.@
Since the innkeeper had seen how hard the Baal Shem Tov
had worked for the groom, the groom found favor in his eyes, and he
lent him his carriage.
The groom traveled by himself. As he was on his way, he
approached to a bridge across a gulley. And as he was about to cross,
he heard a voice crying and moaning. He was frightened, but he
made himself go forward, traveling very slowly so that he could make
out where the voice was coming from. He heard that the voice was
under the bridge, and that it belonged to a young boy. He got off the
wagon and bent down to peer under the bridge.
He saw something that looked like the head of a child
protruding from the mud. He went down into the gulley and saw a
boy, barely alive. Immediately, he began to pull him out of the mud,
with great effort. This was the son of the landlord, who had now been
missing for a third day.
The bridegroom had pity on the boy. He wiped him clean of
the filth and wrapped him in his own garments, until the boy's spirit
returned to him.
The boy told him, AI am the son of the village landlord. I
know that my father must be searching for me everywhere. Bring me
to my father's courtyard.@
And the bridegroom did so. The boy showed him the way,
and he brought the boy to the courtyard. When they arrived, there
was a great celebration. The boy called out, AFather, father, if not for
this J ew, I would not be alive. So give him a great present that he
will never forget.@ And he said the same to his mother, the landlady.
And he kept urging them, until at last the landlord gave the
bridegroom his inn as a present. The landlady gave him the barn with
the oxen. And the elder landlady gave him her jewelry, with its
precious stones and pearls.
And in this way, the blessings of the holy tzaddikim were
fulfilled for this couple, who had performed the great mitzvah of
ransoming prisoners with self-sacrifice.
And they lived in great wealth for the rest of their lives.
Sipurei Tzaddikim, #30
A Pinch of Snuff
One time, as the Baal Shem Tov's disciples were praying on
Rosh Hashanah, the snuffbox of one of the disciples fell, and so he
picked it up and took some snuff. Another disciple who saw this
rebuked him for having interrupted his prayers for such a matter.
With his holy spirit, the Baal Shem Tov saw that the disciple
who had picked up the snuffbox would die that year. The Baal Shem
Tov's soul rose to heaven, and he argued a great deal about thisBbut
nothing helped.
Then, on the evening of Hoshanah Rabbah, the Baal Shem
Tov's soul rose again. He argued, cried out and prayed. And he
requested that if the disciple who had delivered the rebuke would
himself find justification for the other disciple, that other disciple
would be found guiltless.
When the Baal Shem Tov entered his beis medrash, he found
the disciple who had delivered the rebuke reciting Devarim, as part of
the prayer service known as the Tikkun. The Baal Shem Tov
removed the disciple's state of consciousness so that he could not
learn with the proper state of mind. As a result, he walked back and
forth, trying to concentrate on God's exaltedness, His Oneness and
other such matters.
As he paced back and forth, he thought of a reason why, in
these final generations before the coming of the Messiah, tobacco had
been revealed in the world. He said to himself that perhaps there are
precious souls in this final generation who cannot be clothed and
made material. The essence of their rectification can be found only in
the subtlety of an aromaBas in the verse, AA fire offering, a pleasing
fragrance to Hashem.@
Now he regretted having rebuked his fellow who had taken
the snuff in the midst of his prayers. Who knows whose soul and
what precious matter had been raised at that time?
On Hoshanah Rabbah, it was the Baal Shem Tov's custom to
answer whoever questioned him about what had been decreed above
and below, and what was occurring all over the world, for he gazed
with his holy spirit from one end of the world to the other, and his
mind was in very good spirits. Everyone [in the beis medrash]
prepared a questionBin derush, Gemara, poskim, or other mattersBand
he responded to everyone that day.
The disciple who had delivered the rebuke asked this question
about the novel discovery of tobacco. The Baal Shem Tov replied,
AYou give me the answer yourself.@ And so the disciple gave his
reason about precious souls who cannot be clothed and made
material. The Baal Shem Tov told him, ATell me what else you
thought of.@ So the disciple told how he had now found merit in the
other disciple who had picked up the snuffbox.
The heavenly accusation and decree against that other disciple
were nullified. And the Baal Shem Tov told the disciple who had
delivered the rebuke the entire story. And he cautioned him to always
judge a sincere person favorably and not arouse judgement against
him, and then things would go well for him as well.
Derech Emunah Umaaseh Rav
A Pinch of SnuffBVersion Two
My father, Rabbi Yissachar shu=b of Tishevitz (Lublin
district), related that the Maggid of Trisk (the author of Magen
Avraham) told the following story on the last day of Passover, which
is the day of Rabbi Dovid Leahkes=s yahrtzeit.
Rabbi Dovid Leahkes and Rabbi Dovid Perkis lived in the
same town. Since they were important J ews of the town, they had
synagogue seats along the eastern wall. Rabbi Dovid Leahkes
became a follower of the Baal Shem Tov, and he began taking snuff.
Once, Rabbi Dovid Perkis saw Rabbi Dovid Leahkes drop his
snuffbox in the middle of the Shmoneh Esrei prayer. Rabbi Dovid
Leahkes bent over, picked it up and took a pinch of snuff. Rabbi
Dovid Perkis believed this to be a interruption forbidden by the
Shulchan Oruch, and thus considered Rabbi Dovid Perkis guilty of
misconduct. Furthermore, he concluded that Hasidim in general
violate the Shulchan Oruch.
Every year, Rabbi Dovid Leahkes came to the Baal Shem Tov
for Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Succos. But after this incident
involving the snuffbox, he grew ill, and so he was not able to come
for Rosh Hashanah. The Baal Shem Tov asked about him, and so
learned that he was sick. In the course of the holy day, he stormed the
heavens over the fact that a student of his was being punished without
his knowledge. And so he was informed from heaven about the
greatness of Rabbi Dovid Perkis, and how his critical thoughts about
Rabbi Dovid Leahkes had caused Rabbi Dovid Leahkes to grow ill.
And he also learned that Rabbi Dovid Leahkes could recover only if
Rabbi Dovid Perkis would justify Rabbi Dovid Leahkes=actions. In
addition, the Baal Shem Tov was given heavenly permission to strip
Rabbi Dovid Perkis of his spiritual attainments.
And so, on the eve of Hoshanah Rabbah, during the recitation
of Sefer Devorim (known as the Mishneh TorahBnot to be confused
with the Mishnah Torah of the Rambam), the Baal Shem Tov took
away Rabbi Dovid Perkis=s attainments. When Rabbi Dovid Perkis
began reciting the Mishneh Torah, he realized that his learning was
not proceeding in the usual manner. He closed the Tikkun (the
Shavuos Torah-learning volume) and walked back and forth through
the beis medrash, engaged in thoughts of repentance. A few times he
opened the Tikkun, and then he closed it again. At that point, a J ew
who considered it a mitzvah to go to the Hasidic gatheringsBthe
tishnBand distribute generous helpings of snuff entered the beis
medrash.
Among the others, Rabbi Dovid Perkis took a pinch of snuff.
Immediately his mind grew clear and all his spiritual attainments
returned to him. He again closed the Tikkun and walked through the
beis medrash, thinking: Why did the sages of the generation not
institute a blessing for taking snuff and smoking tobacco? He
considered: the essential purpose of a blessing is to elevate and
liberate the holy sparks in food and drink, or in spices. However,
tobacco contains sparks so fine that they cannot be uplifted with
speechBonly with thought. And this can be accomplished only by the
rare few of the generation. Now he had an answer to the question of
why Rabbi Dovid Leahkes had taken a pinch of snuff in the middle of
Shmoneh Esrei: this was fit for him, since he was one of those rare
few.
Immediately after Rabbi Dovid Perkis justified Rabbi Dovid
Leahkes=actions, the latter began to sweat; the worst of the illness
was over, and he gradually improved, so that after Succos the Baal
Shem Tov came from Mezshibezsh to play him a visit. As the Baal
Shem Tov sat at Rabbi Dovid Leahkes=s bedside, he sent for Rabbi
Dovid Perkis. He asked him, AWhat happened to you on the eve of
Hoshanah Rabbah?@Rabbi Dovid Perkis was stunned by the question.
He realized the greatness of the Baal Shem Tov, who had sensed his
thoughts from a distance. The Baal Shem Tov told him everything
and commanded him never again to accuse a J ew, even in thought, for
a tzaddik must only seek the merit in J ews. And from then on, Rabbi
Dovid Perkis also became a follower of the Baal Shem Tov. May
their merit guard us and all Israel, amen.
Chasidishe Maasiyos
Tallow Candles
The maggid of Zlatshov, Rabbi Mechele, was a rabbi and
preacher (musar zager) before he grew close to the Baal Shem Tov.
Once, a J ewish merchant came to him, seeking a way to
repent. The previous Friday, he had been so delayed that he had
driven into town with his wagon filled with merchandise, after the
time for candle-lighting had passed.
Rabbi Mechele told the man to fast forty days and to carry out
various other such acts. The penitentBthe baal teshuvahBbegan
fasting, but after a while, he felt that he could bear these self-
mortifications no more.
Meanwhile, the Baal Shem Tov visited the neighborhood of
the baal teshuvah. The baal teshuvah approached the Baal Shem Tov
and told him about his situation. The Baal Shem Tov replied that on
Friday he should bring a half pound of tallow candles to the
synagogueBand that would constitute his repentance.
On Friday, the man brought the candles to the synagogue and
hung them on the chandelier. But before his very eyes, a dog entered
the synagogue, leaped up and grabbed the candles, and ate them.
The baal teshuvah came back to the Baal Shem Tov with a
broken heart, for this occurrence must mean that his repentance had
not been accepted in heaven.
The Baal Shem Tov told him that on the coming Friday he
should again donate half a pound of candles to the synagogue. And
this time, the Baal Shem Tov added, no dog would take it.
The Baal Shem Tov realized that the reason dog had snatched
the candles the previous week was that Rabbi Mechele knew of the
easy rectification that the Baal Shem Tov had prescribed for the man,
and was very upset.
And so the Baal Shem Tov sent the following message to
Rabbi Mechele: AA J ew who has never sinned his entire life cannot
understand the broken, regretful heart that a J ew has after committing
a sin. And so how can a J ew without sin undertake to give out
penitential practices? With his broken heart, this baal teshuvah has
already rectified everything.@
Chasidishe Maasiyos, p. 23
The Wondrous Path to the Land of Israel
In my youth, when I was eighteen years old, I was told the
following story by an old J ew, almost eighty at the time, named Reb
Meir'l Lubliner. He heard the story from his grandfather, Reb Zundel
Ukhaner. And his grandfather was told this story by his own father,
the rav and gaon, the tzaddik, Reb Shalom, known as the old Belzer
rabbi. And he in turn was told this story by his rebbe, Rabbi Yaacov
Yitzchak Ish Horowitz HaleviBthe rebbe of Lublin.
In the village of Kvatshinik, near Shebreshin (in the Lublin
district of Poland), lived a J ew who made a living by grazing sheep.
He also had one goat of his own, which he used for milk, and which
grazed amidst the sheep.
Once, the goat returned for a few evenings in a row very well-
fed, and of course giving more milk than usual, as well as richer.
The village J ew's son, who was very well-learned in Torah
and clever, wanted to discover where the goat had grazed so well.
So he went with the flock to see where the sheep and goat were
grazing. But in the middle of the day he grew drowsy. And by the
time he awoke, the goat was no longer amidst the sheep. Then, when
it came time to lead the sheep back home, the goat appeared and
joined the sheep.
The next the morning, the son had an idea. He would take a
ball of string and tie one end of the string to his hand and the other to
the goat's foot. In that way, when the ball of string completely
unraveled, he would wake up.
And so it was.
He followed the string, until he came to a town populated by
people whom he did not recognize. And then he learned that he was
in the land of Israel! He decided to remain there. He wrote a letter to
his father, telling him to do as he had done and bring the entire family
to the land of Israel. The son pushed this letter into the goat's ear. On
the way, the letter lodged itself more deeply into the goat's ear. By
the time the goat returned, it was shaking its head constantly in its
discomfort. And so the village J ew had it slaughtered. Only then did
he find the letter in its ear. So the village J ew at last learned where
his son wasBbut he could not follow him to the land of Israel.
After telling this story, the rebbe of Lublin concluded: AThe
son was needed in the land of Israel, but they could manage without
the father.@
My father-in-law, Rabbi Yisrael Tzvi Tzimmerman, shochet
of Shebreshin, told me that he had been told an addition to this story
by the rabbi and gaon, Rabbi Nachum Palast, the rabbi of Bilgarei.
He in turn was told this in a private audience with the holy rabbi and
gaon, Rabbi Yaacov Leib, the Kalever Rav, who was (a) the son of
the old Neschizsher rav, (b) student of the Rebbe, Reb Boruch, and (
c) father-in-law of the Trisker Maggid (author of the Magen
Avraham).
When the Baal Shem Tov saw that he was not being allowed
from heaven to travel to the land of Israel in the usual way, he began
to seek other means. He learned by ruach hakodesh (the holy spirit)
of the path close to Shebreshin. So he went there alone. There, in the
wild, dense forests roamed a criminal, who would loose his vicious
dog on travelers and then rob them. When this criminal loosed his
dog on the Baal Shem Tov, the dog stood before the Baal Shem Tov
on its hind legs and with its forelegs caressed the Baal Shem Tov, as
though he were appeasing him. The thief was astonished and threw
himself on the ground before the Baal Shem Tov,
believing him to be a holy man.
The Baal Shem Tov saw that the thief was holding a roll. And
he realized by ruach hakodesh that this was from the fruit of the land
of Israel.
The Baal Shem Tov asked the thief, AWhere did you get that
from?@
The thief replied, ANot far from here, in a J ewish shtetl.@
The Baal Shem Tov asked him, ACan you take me there?@
The thief replied, AI will go first and you follow me, and you
will get there right away.@
On the way, they came to a stream with a plank lying over the
water from one bank to the other. The thief went easily across. But
when the Baal She Tov stepped on the plank, the stream turned into a
great river, and the Baal Shem Tov barely escaped with his life.
Later, the Baal Shem Tov said that at the stream, the
Ablazing, whirling sword@(mentioned in Bereishis 3:24) had stood
against him. From then on, he no longer tried to travel to the land of
Israel.
The elders of Shebreshin had a tradition that in the middle of
that forest was a bare spot where the snow never clung, a spot called
by the neighboring peasants AZshidavska shkala@: J ewish synagogue.
They also said that on thick, old tree branches were engraved
such sentences as AHere we completed our learning of Maseches
Berachos; here we completed our learning of Maseches Shabbos,@
and so forth.
The legendary tradition tells that these engravings were made
by Spanish J ews who were expelled from Spain in 5252 (1492), who
had made their way to Poland, where they founded the Nine
CommunitiesBof which Shebreshin is one.
Among the exiles were great Kabbalists. In one of the deep,
long caves that can be found in that forest, they made use of holy
names. And they would use a holy name that allows one to travel
instantaneously: kefitzas haderech. And so, he who is meritorious
can easily come to the land of Israel through that cave.
May God help us live to see quickly in our days the in-
gathering of the exiles of Israel to the land of Israel with the
consolation of Zion and J erusalem, amen.
Chasidishe Maysios, by Avraham Shtern, pp. 40-3
Tale-bearing
The second Husyatiner rebbeBwho passed away in Tel
AvivBonce passed by the cheder in Vienna on a Saturday night, where
Hasidim at a melave malka were sitting silently.
He asked them why they weren't either singing or telling
stories about tzaddikim.
They replied, AWe are waiting until one of us remembers a
story about the Baal Shem Tov.@
The rebbe replied, AI will tell you a story about the Baal Shem
Tov@:
The Baal Shem Tov once was in Brody for Succos. On the
first day of Succos in the morning, he went to the mikvah. As he was
leaving, he met Rabbi Chaim Sanzer, one of the leading sages of
Brody, who was just on his way to the mikvah.
The Baal Shem Tov stopped him and said, AReb Chaim, what
do you have against me that you were speaking against me last night
in your succah?@
Rabbi Chaim answered, AThere was no one in my succah
besides me and my son. Only an angel could have told you what I
was saying. And if an angel may engage in tale-bearing, certainly I
have the right to do so.@
The Baal Shem Tov replied, AThat angel was created by your
tale-bearing, and it came to me seeking a rectification.@
From that time on, Rabbi Chaim became a follower of the
Baal Shem Tov.
Chasidishe Maasiyos, #8
The Torah Scholar's Search
In Mezhibozh, where the holy Baal Shem Tov lived, lived a
great Torah scholar who learned day and night. But he was
exceedingly poor and supported himself and his family only from
what people gave him out of pity.
His wife was very pious. She never told him to earn a living,
because she didn't want to keep him from learning Torah. After their
children were grown, she came to him and said, AAlthough it is true
that we live with great faith that His holy name will help us, what are
we to do now that our children are already grown and we must marry
off our daughters? It is not right that a girl should not be married at
this age.@
Her husband replied, ANu, what can I do, since His holy name
has not yet sent any help?@
She told him, AListen to me, my husband. Here in town is the
holy Baal Shem Tov. Many people are helped by him. You see how
much money people spend just to come to him. Nu, if we live in the
same town, why shouldn't you go to him? Put aside your opposition
to him and go to him, you will also be helped.@
Even though the Torah scholar was opposed to the Baal Shem
Tov and didn't believe in him, what could he do? His wife didn't
leave him alone. So at last he went to the Baal Shem Tov. he told
him of his great poverty, and that his children are already grown and
that he has to marry them off, but he doesn't have a single cent.
The Baal Shem Tov told him, AGo to Kazmir. There, ask after
a certain craftsman.@ And he told him his name and father's name and
gave him other signs of identification as well, so that he would be
able to inquire after him. And then he would get everything he needs.
The scholar agreed to set out on the road as the Baal Shem
Tov had told him to. Since he had no money for expenses, he
travelled by foot from town to town, until at last he came to Kazmir.
When a poor man comes to town, he goes directly tot he beis
medrash to rest from his tiring journey. And so, this poor man came
to the beis medrash. It was filled with people, so he immediately
began to ask about the craftsman whom the Baal Shem Tov had told
him about. But no one knew about him. They said, AThere is no one
here with that name. We don't know anything about such a
craftsman.@
The Torah scholar sighed deeply because of his great distress
and weariness. He came to another beis medrash to ask after that
man. There too no one knew what to answer him.
But there were some old people there who called him over.
They asked him to tell them all the signs. And then they told him:
ADear friend, why do you ask about that man? That evil man
is already dead for the last sixty years.@
They told him that it was true that this man had lived here, but
he was an evil person, an informer, a troubler of Israel. There was no
sin that he had not committed. It was already sixty years since his
deathBand when he had died, the entire town had rejoiced. AWhat
does he matter to you? Why do you ask about him?@
NuBwhen the Torah scholar heard this, he asked other old
people, and they too told him that this had been an evil man who was
dead for more than sixty years.
So the Torah scholar left, his heart deeply broken, and turned
back home, without having been helped at all, but instead with great
pains and troubles of the journey, until he returned to Mezhibozh,
exhausted and weary, and made his way to the Baal Shem Tov, so
that he might understand what the Baal Shem Tov had meant by
sending him on that journey.
He told the Baal Shem Tov everything that had happened
when he had come to Kazmir, how he had asked after that man and
been told that the man was already dead sixty years, an infamous
man, an informer who had not relinquished one sin.
The Baal Shem Tov replied, AYou are in truth a God-fearing
man, a Torah scholar. Do you believe in the Gemara and in all the
holy, wise men who wrote about reincarnationBabout how a person
comes back to the world to rectify his misdeeds, and must undergo
suffering for his sins?@
The Torah scholar answered, AI believe all these things with
complete faith.@
The holy Baal Shem Tov said, AYou must know that you are
that man from Kazmir of sixty years ago who transgressed the entire
Torah and who informed on people and denounced them numerous
times. Now I ask you: on top of that, do you desire riches and honor
and everything good? If only you manage to rectify what you had
ruined in that incarnation! If only your sufferings and poverty pay for
the great sins of that incarnation.@
When the Torah scholar heard this, he grew frightened. He
wept before the Baal Shem Tov to receive some rectification for what
he had done. He clung to the holy Torah; he prayed, learned with
great diligence, until he became of the great students of the holy Baal
Shem Tov.
Maaseh Tzaddikim
The Baal Shem Tov and the Childless Woman
One time, a childless woman (heaven have mercy) came to the
Baal Shem Tov. She bitterly begged him to pray on her behalf. The
Baal Shem Tov promised her that within the year she would have a
son. And she went home and had a son, a very fine
childBexceptionally fine.
When the child was two years old and it was time to wean
him, she brought him to the Baal Shem Tov to bless him. When she
came, the Baal Shem Tov told his man to take the child from her and
bring it to him. When the child was brought to him, he began to kiss
it fervently. Then he said, AGive him back to his mother.@ And she
went home with her child joyfully.
But after she returned home, her child suddenly died. She
wept bitterly. She returned to the Baal Shem Tov, weeping, and cried
out, AWhat did you want from me that you killed my child?@
The Baal Shem Tov told her to stop crying, and he would tell
her the entire story of that child.
And he began to tell the following:
There was once a great king who was friendly to the J ews. He
had a J ewish advisor whom he would consult in all matters, even the
greatest governmental affairs. And whatever the advisor told him, he
would do.
One time, the king was sitting alone with the advisor, and he
told him, AYou know that you are my favorite minister. And I ask
your advice in everything and always follow your counsel. Give me
advice regarding the fact that I am childless.@
The advisor replied, AFor this, no one can help you except the
J ews.@
The king grew happy. He said, AIf this is so, I will free them
from pruziv [tax?].@
The advisor said, AIf you do so, you won't have a child.
Instead, command the J ews to pray to God that you will have a son.
Tell them that if you do not have a son after a year, you will expel all
the J ews. Tell them that bribes will not have the slightest effect. You
will see that you will have a son this year.@
The king followed this advice. He sent messengers to every
town, commanding the J ews to pray that the king have a son this year.
And if he will not father a child, they will not be allowed to continue
living in the country.
There was of course a great uproar. The J ews began to fast
and recite Psalms so that God should have mercy on them and give
the king a son.
Their prayer was heard. There was a holy soul that had
already spent many years in the Garden of Eden. It announced that it
had great compassion on the J ews of that country. And it would
descend and become the king's son.
And so it was. That year, the king had a very fine son. He
thanked the J ews profusely and did them many favors.
When the child was two years old, it was weaned. And the
boy began to learn, for he had a good head, and already showed much
ability. Whatever he was taught he grasped and understood it better
than his teacher didBas befits such a great soul.
One day, the child told the king, AI have no pleasure from any
of the subjects that I am learning. I want to learn something that will
give me pleasure.@
The king told him, AI will ask the pope to learn with you. You
will certainly derive pleasure from what he has to teach.@
The king sent for the pope and told him, AI command you to
teach my son.@
The pope replied, AI must obey the royal decreeBbut with one
condition. For two hours every day, I go up to heaven and no one
may enter at that time. Tell your son that he too may not see me
then.@ The king promised, and forbade his son from going to the
pope during those two hours of the day.
The pope began learning with the child, who soon understood
the material better than the pope, for he had a good head. And the
king, his father, could not keep him away from the pope besides those
two hours per day.
One time, the king's son thought, AI am more of a scholar than
the pope himself, and my father, the king, cannot bear to be without
me for even one hour. Why shouldn't I know what the pope is doing
during those two hours a day?@
He had keys made for him, and entered the pope's room
during that two-hour period. When he came in, he found the pope
sitting in a tallis and tefillin, learning Gemara with Tosafos. When
the pope saw that he had been discovered, he grew so frightened that
he almost faintedBso afraid was he that he had been found to be a
J ew. But the king's son calmed him down and assured him that he
would tell no one.
The pope told him, AYou should know that J ewish knowledge
is superior to everything that you have learned up till now.@ And he
began to teach him J ewish teachings, until they were learning Gemara
with Tosafos and all the commentaries. The king's son had grasped
everything quickly, and now these J ewish teachings in particular,
because of his holy soul.
At one point, he asked the pope, ANow I see that everything I
had learned before is as nothing compared to these J ewish teachings.
And if those other beliefs are nonsense, why do you deceive the world
to go on a false path?@
He told him, AAs far as the world is concerned, no one will be
able to take it out of its foolishness until the moshiach comes.@
ASo why do you yourself act in this way?@asked the king's
son. AWhy do you deceive the world to think that you are the
representative of a faith that you don't believe at all?@
He told him that he had been doing so many years and was
already used to it. No J ews were allowed to live in that country. And
by this time, he could no longer change.
The king's son told him, AAdvise me how I can convert. I love
the J ewish faith and I want to be a J ew. But know that my father
cannot bear to be without me.@
The pope told him, AFirst of all, you must set aside a great deal
of money. Then tell your father, 'You had wanted to have a child to
take over the kingdom after you pass away. You are already an old
man, yet you have never left the royal residence. How then am I
prepared to lead a country? Therefore, I must travel through the
country and become acquainted with the populace. But since I know
that you cannot bear begin without me for even a short while, we
must accustom ourselves gradually to be separated from each, until
we can be apart for an entire month. Then I will be able to travel
throughout the country.'@
The king's son repeated these words to his father. The matter
pleased the king, and they gradually accustomed each other to not
seeing one another. Finally, the king's son took leave of his parents
and travelled away until he came to the border. There, he told the
carriage driver to return home, for he wished to stay here a long
while.
After the carriage driver left, the king's son went to a tailor
and had ordinary clothing made for him, so that he would not be
recognized. He smuggled himself across the border. He converted to
J udaism, then went to a beis medrash and learned full-time. He lived
well for the rest of his life on the money that he had brought with
him.
Afterwards, he passed away and came to the heavenly court to
give an accounting of what he had done in his life. There are angels
that constantly find merit, and others that constantly find fault. But
who could find fault in a soul that had cared so much for the J ews that
it had voluntarily left the garden of Eden to save them from their
troubles? Nevertheless, an accuser stepped forward and said that for
two years, he had nursed from a gentile woman.
And since there is no favoritism in heaven, the court decreed
that this soul must return to earth and nurse as a J ewish child for two
years.
And this is what the Baal Shem Tov told the woman. AAt that
exact moment, you came to me and cried out that you want children.
So I requested that he should be born to you. Now what wrong did I
do you that you should nurse such a soul that had dedicated itself
completely for the sake of the J ews?@
May the merit of the holy Baal Shem Tov stand by us, so that
we will be helped. Amen.
[translator's note: Nursing from a gentile wet-nurse is not
halachically prohibited to a J ew. Eating unkosher food, not keeping
Shabbos, etc., are. So why didn't the soul have to return to rectify
those actions? My speculation is that this is meant as a cautionary
tale regarding a common practice that was halachically acceptable but
frowned-upon: using gentile wet-nurses.
[Also: How could the Apope@justify his fooling of others who,
as bnei noach, are forbidden to engage in idolatrous acts?
[What justification could the J ewish advisor have (in episode
one) to advise the king to threaten the king with expulsion?]
Gevuras Yisrael (Warsaw 1923), pp. 9-11
The Agunah
After the Baal Shem Tov was revealed, he spent his time in
the villages which fell under the governance of Tchortkov. At that
time, the rabbi of Tchortkov was the gaon (Torah genius), Rabbi
Hirshele. (He was the father of the two holy gaonim, Rabbi Shmelke
of Nikolsburg and Rabbi Pinchas of Frankfurt-am-Main.) The Torah
leaders of that time wrote to Rabbi Hirshele that he should prevent
the Baal Shem Tov from performing wonders and giving amulets.
Rabbi Hirshele ignored this.
One time there came before him a halachic question regarding
a woman who wished to go that night to the mikveh, and he gave her
permission to do so.
Rabbi Hirshele was one of the marei dechushbana: one of
those who every night before going to sleep take an account of what
they have accomplished that day. It seemed to him that according to
J ewish law he had been mistaken in his ruling and wrongly answered
the woman=s question. He ran and knocked at the woman=s house.
Through the window, he let her know that her immersion in the
mikveh had been ineffective, for he had made a mistake. But the
woman=s husband told him that he was too late, for they had already
been together.
Rabbi Hirshele went home with great bitterness, and he began
to consider: What sin had he committed before, whichBwith the
power of Aone sin brings forth another sin@Bhad brought him to this
mistaken judgement? He finally decided that this had occurred
because he had not obeyed the leaders of the generation who had
instructed him to harass the Baal Shem Tov.
He woke his assistant and soon that same night traveled to the
village in his governance where the Baal Shem Tov could be found.
When he entered the Baal Shem Tov=s room, he found a large
gathering of people. He saw a woman crying before the Baal Shem
Tov that it was already several years since her husband had
abandoned her, and she had been left an agunah.
The Baal Shem Tov got up, went to out to the street and to an
unclean place [to relieve himself], and then returned to the house.
Without washing his hands, he again looked at the agunah=s kvittel,
her note, and told her the name of the place where her husband could
be found. He told her to travel to him and blessed her that she should
easily come to an agreement with him: either to get back together
with him or else to receive a divorce.
No one there knew Rabbi Hirshele. He stood frightened and
astounded at the door, and thought to himself that the Torah leaders
who wished to harass the Baal Shem Tov were entirely correct. One
really saw that these miracles were not from the clean side. But
immediately the Baal Shem Tov called for water. He washed his
hands and said the blessing, asher yatzar [recited after one goes to the
bathroom]. He then went over to Rabbi Hirshele and said, AShalom
aleichem, Rabbi Hirshele Tchortkover! Your suffering and concern
regarding the question from yesterday is unnecessary, because you
answered correctly.@ And the Baal Shem Tov quoted by heart a
Tosafos in Gemara Nidah, which permits a woman in such a case to
go to the mikveh.
AAnd you should also not wonder,@the Baal Shem Tov
continued, Athat in the middle of [reading] the kvittel, I interrupted
with uncleanliness, and looked at it a second time without having
washed my hands. You should know that I looked for her husband in
the next world and didn=t find himBneither in Gan Eden nor in
Gehinnom. After that, I looked for him where J ews are found, in all
the holy places in this world, and didn=t find him there either. I had to
bring myself down to the unclean places of this world. There I found
him. It is a great danger, but what will one not do to save a J ewish
soul, and also so that a J ewish daughter should not remain an
agunah?@
Rabbi Hirshele traveled home a happy man, and he cautioned
others not to bother the Baal Shem Tov.
Chasidishe Maasiyos #3, translated by Shoshana Shulman
The Childless Couple
Part I
One time, there was a very wealthy J ew who was involved in
large business deals and even had ships on the seaBbut he had no
children. This man came to the Baal Shem Tov and asked the Baal
Shem Tov to pray for him to have children. The Baal Shem Tov told
him, AI have advice for you, but it will constitute a great test. If you
are interested, come back with your wife. If you both agree to what I
say, you will have children, God willing.@
The wealthy man went home. Then, harnessing his best
carriage and horses and taking his coachman, he returned to the Baal
Shem Tov with his wife. The Baal Shem Tov told them, AIf you want
children, you will have to agree to become poor, so poor that you will
literally have nothing more than a loaf of bread. You will have to ask
people for charity and even go begging from door to door.@ Once the
wealthy man=s wife agreed, the man himself agreed.
On the way home, they stopped in a shtetl near their town, and
stayed in an expensive hotel. There the wealthy man learned that his
ships had sunk. He also heard from the hotel guests that all his
possessions had burned to the ground.
He could no longer travel home, because he was a debtor. So
he dismissed his coachman, and sold his horse and carriage to make
some money. He moved into a small shtetl, rented a poor apartment
and stayed there until his wife told him the good news: she was
pregnant. He gave whatever small amount of money that remained to
his wife, and he went out into the world, traveling with the riffraff,
begging from door to door. Meanwhile, his wife gave birth to a boy.
J ews, who are Amerciful and children of the merciful,@supported
them from their charity boxes.
The once-wealthy man traveled with the riffraff deep into
Germany. He was happy with his lot, for he was sure that at home his
wife was already bringing up their child.
However, one wintry Saturday night, as he was warming
himself at the oven-fireplace in a beis medrash, he gave a deep sigh.
The shamash asked him why he was sighing. He answered that he
wanted a fresh glass of tea from a samovar. He recalled how, when
he had once been wealthy, many J ews had drunk tea at his own
houseBand he compared that to his situation now. The shamash was
moved. He immediately brought him to the richest man in town. He
took him into the kitchen and asked the servant woman to give him a
glass of tea from the samovar.
There was a half-open door between the kitchen and the salon.
And from the salon the once-wealthy man heard weeping. He asked
the servant woman what the weeping was about. She told him that
the master of the house is very rich and even has his own ships at
sea. However, he has great troubles. In recent years he lost his wife
and two adult children, from whom no more was left than a son from
one and a daughter from the other. He arranged for the marriage of
these two to each other, and he gave them control of his business
affairs. Unfortunately, they do not have any children. The entire
week, they are involved in the business. But every Saturday night,
they come to their grandfather, give him the business figures, and
afterwards, she hears weeping.
The guest told the servant woman to tell the master of the
house that he can help. She did so, and the master of the house
immediately called him in. He told the guest that a tragedy had
overtaken his granddaughter: she was unable to become ritually pure
[and thus have relations with her husband]. As soon as she would
come out of the mikveh, she would again become ritually impure.
And so his grandson and granddaughter come to him every Saturday
night, crying and asking him to allow them to get divorced. Although
he had brought in many doctors, there was no improvement.
The guest assured the master of the house that the Baal Shem
Tov from Poland could certainly help him. The Baal Shem Tov
might want to come in person, and that would involve great expenses.
(At that time, the Baal Shem Tov used to travel on his own to the
needy in order to sanctify the name of heaven and to show the J ews
that God has compassion on them and listens to the prayers of their
tzaddikim). The master of the house immediately hired a coachman
to travel with the guest directly to the Baal Shem Tov in
Mezshibezsh. He also sent a letter along with the guest, and
promised that if the Baal Shem Tov were willing to come himself, he
would pay whatever the Baal Shem Tov requested.
In those days, the trip from Germany to Mezshibezsh, by
horse and carriage, took several weeks. When they arrived in
Mezshibezsh, the Baal Shem Tov told the coachman to go home,
while he kept the guest [the formerly wealthy man] with him over
Shabbos. Immediately after Havdalah on Saturday night, the Baal
Shem Tov had his gentile servant, Alexia, harness his horse and
wagon and bring along the guest. When they left town, he told Alexia
to tie the reins to the wagon, turn his back to the horses, and let them
go on their own. The guest saw towns and villages flit by just as if
the horses and wagon were flying through the air.
The horses came to a halt in a small forest near an inn. They
heard the cry of an infant coming from the top of a tree. The Baal
Shem Tov told Alexia to wait there, and he and the guest walked over
to the inn.
There they found over ten J ews reciting Psalms, and the
innkeeper and his family in great distress. Obeying the request of the
Baal Shem Tov, the guest asked the people, AWhat is going on?@ He
was told that the wife of the innkeeper had a number of times given
birth to boys. Each time, on the vach nacht (the night of watching,
before the circumcision), it seemed as if some changeling had been
exchanged for her sonBthen this apparent changeling suffered for a
few hours, and died. And so this time the innkeeper had brought a
quorum of J ews from the town to remain awake with the mother the
entire night, learning Torah and reciting Psalms in order to guard the
new-born child. However, a few minutes ago the mother had noticed
that another child had apparently been exchanged for her own.
Part II
The Baal Shem Tov told the woman to take down the bed
sheet that hung around her bed. (It was the custom in Poland to hang
a bed sheet around the bed of a new motherBthirty days in the case of
pious J ews and at least until after the circumcision for regular J ews.)
He showed everyone the child. Everyone agreed that this child did
not have a human appearance. The Baal Shem Tov handed the child
to the guest and told him, AI am giving you my stick for protection.
Go to the wagon where you heard a baby crying from the top of a tree.
Raise the stick up to the tree, and with your other hand, beat the
child. When you hear a commotion coming from the tree, say, >Give
me back my child alive, and I will give you back yours. I am telling
you this as a messenger of Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov.= And you
will be given back the true child. Then get on the wagon and come
back here with the child, and with Alexia.@
A few minutes later, the guest came back to the inn carrying a
child in his arms. The Baal Shem Tov told him to give the child to
the mother. She recognized it as her own, and there was great joy in
the inn.
How happy were the innkeeper, his family, and the entire
quorum of J ews when they learned that the Baal Shem Tov, about
whose good name they had only heard from a distance, was here in
their midstBand, in addition, had saved the child with such a
wondrously great miracle. They begged him to remain with them
until the next morning for the circumcision. But the Baal Shem Tov
answered, ATonight I have an important matter to take care of, in
order to sanctify the name of heaven. However, wait for me to come
to the circumcision tomorrow. I promise that I will, God willing,
come on time.@
The Baal Shem Tov and the guest again sat in Alexia=s wagon,
and the horses again flew as before, until they came to a stop deep in
Germany at the house of the rich grandfather. Coming into the house,
they met the two grandchildren weeping in the presence of their
grandfather, as they did every Saturday night. The grandfather and
grandchildren were filled with great joy when they saw the guest with
the Baal Shem Tov, whom they did not recognize. The grandfather
asked after the coachman whom he had sent to get the Baal Shem
Tov. The guest replied, AThe coachman is traveling in the natural
way, so he will first come in the normal period of time. But we came
here miraculously. We only left Mezshibezsh at the beginning of the
evening, and our trip was interrupted with a miraculous event@(the
story with the saved child).
The Baal Shem Tov sent someone to call the town shamash
(who, as shamash of the Chevra Kadisha and the Chevra Nosim, was
involved with burying the dead, and so was not a fearful man). He
commanded him to light his lantern and enter the bath. He should
carry the Baal Shem Tov=s stick into the mikvah room he should carry
the Baal Shem Tov=s stick, and say loudly: AThe Baal Shem Tov is
here in town, and he decrees that you leave this mikveh.@ The
shamash obeyed. As soon as he said these words, there was a great
commotion in the mikveh room, and a voice answered him, AIs it not
that Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov has chased us out of Poland? Now,
does he also want to chase us out of Germany?@ And there was a
great wind that blew out the lantern. The shamash grew frightened
and barely escaped with his life, and back to the Baal Shem Tov.
Then the Baal Shem Tov himself went, taking along the
shamash and the guest. He stood with the lantern in the mikveh room
and told the shamash and the guest to go down to the mikveh. The
shamash should strike the water with the Baal Shem Tov=s stick,
using all his force. When the shamash did so, they could hear a deep
groan from the mikveh, as though someone had been killed. The Baal
Shem Tov lit the mikveh with the lantern, and they saw that the water
turned had red, the color of blood. Then the Baal Shem Tov sent for
the rabbi of the town. He told him to drain the mikveh and kasher it
with milk [?], in accordance with the law. He added that from now
on, the granddaughter would be able to purify herself according to the
law of Moshe and Israel and that she would have children.
The rich man asked: AHow much should I pay you for your
trouble?@ The Baal Shem Tov replied, AI want nothing for myself. I
traveled here for the sake of heaven, to increase the glory of heaven.
But you must reward the guest.@
AHow much should I give him?@asked the grandfather. The
Baal Shem Tov replied, AYou must give him what is his. You deal in
salvaging sunken ships. Some time ago, you salvaged two ships
filled with merchandise, and made a great profit. That merchandise
belongs to the guest. Deduct your expenses and give him the
remainder.@
The grandfather replied, ARabbi, I will be more generous than
that. I will forgive the expenses and give him all the profits that I
earned with his money.@
The grandfather immediately the grandfather ordered his
grandchildren to bring the accounts from the books, and on the spot
he paid the guest with ready cash.
The Baal Shem Tov, the guest, the rabbi, the shamash, the
grandfather and the grandchildren ate a joyful melave malke together.
The Baal Shem Tov took his leave and arrived came at the inn in
time for the circumcision.
The innkeeper, the grandfather and his grandchildren, and the
guest were all helped through the prayers of the Baal Shem Tov. May
his merit protect us and all Israel.
Chasidishe Maasiyos
The Baal Shem Tov=s AHashem Malach, Geyus
Laveish@and Mendel His Cantor
Tune recorded by the Ethnographic Expedition in Mezshbuzsh in
1913, as sung by Rabbi Chaim Bick, now rabbi in New York, from
whom we also wrote down the following story.
There was a wealthy lumber merchant from Pilyave, a small
town not far from Mezshbuzsh, who had a son-in-law whom he
supported, who was deeply involved in Hasidism. This son-in-law
was called Mendel. A few times a year, Mendel traveled with his
father-in-law to Mezshbuzsh to receive a blessing from the Baal
Shem Tov and to drink from the pure wellspring of Hasidism.
After his father-in-law died, Mendel had to find a way of
earning a living. He came to Mezshbuzsh to ask the Baal Shem Tov
to guide him and tell him what profession to take up to support
himself and his family.
When the Baal Shem Tov heard his request, he told Mendel to
stay for the Sabbath, to pray in his kloyz, to hear his way of prayer,
andBmost of allBto take careful note of the new tune he had composed
for the verse, AHashem malach, geyus laveish@BAHashem has ruled,
He has clothed Himself in majesty@Bwhich the Baal Shem Tov would
himself sing this Sabbath for the first time.
Mendel devotedly obeyed. At the beginning of the Sabbath,
as soon as the Baal Shem Tov began singing his new tune, Mendel
was filled with emotion. He listened intently and felt as though the
holy notes of the song entered his fervent mind forever. And
throughout the entire Sabbath, he concentrated on absorbing the Baal
Shem Tov=s way of prayer.
After Havdalah following the Sabbath, the Baal Shem Tov
summoned Mendel to his special room. There, he told him, AMendel,
at the beginning of the Sabbath, you heard my new >Hashem malach,
geyus laveish.=I will now sing it to you again. Concentrate, so that
you can remember it and repeat it.@
With great humility, Mendel replied, ARebbe, I feel that I
memorized your holy melody the first time I heard it, and I already
know it.@
And he immediately began singing AHashem malach, geyus
laveish@with great feeling and extraordinary passion, just as the Baal
Shem Tov had sung it at the beginning of the Sabbath.
The Baal Shem Tov listened with great antzikung [?] to his
sweet voice. He was very impressed by his exact rendition, and he
said to him, AMendel, become a cantor in my kloyz.@ With great joy,
Mendel immediately agreed.
When they parted, the Baal Shem Tov gave him his hand,
drew him close, and told him quietly, almost in his ear, AFor the rest
of your life, you will support yourself as a cantor. But you must
know that the last time you lead the prayers will be when someone
pushes you away from the prayer lectern.@
Mendel remained the permanent cantor in the Baal Shem
Tov=s kloyz. The new tune for AHashem malach, geyus laveish@ grew
famous and was sung by the many followers and Hasidim came from
near and far to the Baal Shem Tov in Mezshbuzsh.
After the Baal Shem Tov passed away Mendel the Cantor
hired a vocalist to accompany him and traveled to cities and towns,
where he would lead the prayers on the Sabbath in Hasidic kloyzen.
He was well-known as Athe Baal Shem Tov=s cantor,@and wherever
he went, he was treated with respect. He would lead the Sabbath
prayers, and then would be handsomely paid.
In this way, Mendel the Cantor and his accompanist wandered
from town to town, until one day they came to Lizhensk, home of
Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk, the principle student of Rabbi Dov Ber
(the Maggid of Mezeritsh, who had become leader of the Hasidic
movement after the Baal Shem Tov had passed away). As was his
custom, Mendel the Cantor came to the community rabbiBwho in this
case was Rabbi ElimelechBto ask permission to lead the prayers in his
kloyz on the Sabbath. Rabbi Elimelech did not think highly of
cantorsBin particular, of cantors with accompanistsBand he had never
allowed an outsider to lead the prayers in his kloyz. But when Mendel
came to him, out of respect for the Baal Shem Tov, Rabbi Elimelech
could not entirely refuse him, and so he gave him permission to the
prayersBbut on Friday night only.
The Friday evening, as soon as Mendel the Cantor began the
prayers welcoming the Sabbath, Rabbi Elimelech was spiritually
uplifted and filled with a supernal joy. He felt such a sweet ecstasy
that he was close to dying. And then, when Mendel and his
accompanist began singing AHashem malach, geyus laveish@with the
Baal Shem Tov=s tune at the end of Kabbalas Shabbos, Rabbi
Elimelech suddenly felt that his life force is leaving himBthat a
second more and his soul would flee. He grew terrified. He tore
himself away from where he was standing, raced to the cantor and
pushed him away from the prayer lectern with both his hands. Then
he took the cantor's place and completed Kabbalas Shabbos and the
evening prayer.
As soon as the prayers were over, Rabbi Elimelech
approached the shamed Mendel the Cantor. He asked forgiveness for
his insulting behavior, and explained that he had had to act as he had,
for if he had waited just a moment more, his sweet ecstasy would
have cause his soul to depart. He invited the cantor and his
accompanist to his home for the Sabbath, and he treated them with
great respect.
Following the Sabbath on Saturday night at the Melave Malka
meal, Rabbi Elimelech asked the cantor to tell a story about the Baal
Shem TovBas is the custom among HasidimBand also to tell how he
had earned the right to be the Baal Shem Tov=s cantor.
First, Mendel told Rabbi Elimelech the entire story of how he
had come to the Baal Shem Tov to ask for advice regarding a job;
how the Baal Shem Tov had told him to learn his new tune for
AHashem malach, geyus laveish@; how, following the Sabbath, he was
summoned to the Baal Shem Tov=s special room, where he sang the
song; and that the Baal Shem Tov then invited him to become the
cantor in his kloyz.
In the course of relating this, Mendel repeated that story that
the Baal Shem Tov had told during the shalosh seudos meal of that
Sabbath:
A duke had been building a palace, a beautiful building, for
several years in a row. One day, a holy man passed the palace on his
way to recite prayers. A great rain suddenly burst out, hail fell and a
mighty storm wind blew. The holy man went into the unfinished
palace to protect himself from the terrible weather. When the storm
died down and the rain ended, the holy man left the palace. As soon
as he went a short distance, the palace cracked apart and collapsed.
The Baal Shem Tov explained that the entire purpose of the
building was to protect that holy man for that short period of bad
weather. As soon as the building carried out its mission, it received
its rectification, and no longer had any reason to continue to exist.
And so it collapsed.
Mendel took a deep breath and with a sigh added, AThen, after
the Baal Shem Tov told me to become a cantor, when I took his leave
he informed me him that at the time that someone pushes me away
from the prayer lectern, this will be the last time I lead the prayers. I
know that I have accomplished my purpose in the world. I have done
what I needed to do, and my time has come.@
Rabbi Elimelech understood that the palace in the Baal Shem
Tov=s story was a symbol for the cantor. When Mendel the Cantor
had sung the Baal Shem Tov=s tune to AHashem malach, gayus
laveish,@which came from the Chamber of Song and Music, he had
brought Rabbi Elimelech to a state of spiritual awakening and great
joy. With this, Mendel the Cantor=s soul had achieved its purpose and
its rectification. Thus, it would soon leave its this-worldly body.
And so it was. The next day, the cantor died. Rabbi
Elimelech accompanied him to the cemetery, and when the grave was
being dug, he told Mendel=s accompanist to sing AHashem malach,
gayus laveish.@Then, after the grave was filled, Rabbi Elimelech
himself recited Kaddish.
It is told that three days later the accompanist came to the
Chevra Kadisha and asked that they designate a plot for him near the
burial place of the cantor. He told them that Mendel the Cantor had
come to him in a dream and revealed to him that heBMendelBhad
been given the honor of ushering in the Sabbath in Gan Eden so as to
sing the Baal Shem Tov=s AHashem malach, geyus laveish@in honor
of Rabbi Elimelech. And Mendel the Cantor did not want to lead the
prayers without his accompanist.
When this was reported to Rabbi Elimelech, he understood
that he himself was being summoned to usher in the Sabbath in Gan
Eden. He purified himself, lay down in bed and his holy soul rose.
Yiddishe Etnografia un Folklore
Three Leaders of the Generation
When the Baal Shem Tov was still hidden, he learned by
means of the holy spirit that there were three men who were the
leaders of the generation: (1) the author of Tevuos Shor, (2) Rabbi
Yitzchak Drabitsher, and (3) Rabbi Ephraim, who was maggid of
Brode.
To perform the mitzvah of serving Torah scholars, the Baal
Shem Tov went to all three of them.
The Baal Shem Tov called the author of Tevuos Shor the
genius of the generation.
Clothed in the garments of a simple person, he served him by
lighting his pipe.
The Baal Shem Tov called Rabbi Yitzchak Drabitsher the
tzaddik of the generation.
He served him by bringing him tea. Once, when he returned
the empty glasses to the kitchen, Rabbi Yitzchak=s rebbetzin asked
him, AWhy do you trouble yourself?@ He replied, AOne of the services
of the cohen gadol on Yom Kippur was to remove the containers from
the Holy of Holies and return them to their place. And he did this
while wearing simple clothing.@ The rebbetzin understood that he
was not a simple man. (Later, the Baal Shem Tov succeeded in
drawing Rabbi Yitzchak to his path of serving God.)
The following is a letter that Rabbi Yitzchak wrote to the Baal
Shem Tov after the Baal Shem Tov was revealed.
Thank God. The first day of Chanukah 5515 (1744), Drabitsh
To the great man, the man of God, the wonder of the
generation, the admor, who daily finds new insights in the law of the
Holy One, blessed be He, Rabbi of all J ews in the exile, etc., etc., the
teacher and rabbi, Yisrael Baal Shem Tov, may he live.
These are the names of the children of Israel who come to take
refuge in the shadow of the Holy of Holies, may he live: Yaakov ben
Chayah, Reuven ben Sarah, Chayim Chaikl ben Malkah, Yerucham
Fishel ben Menuchah, Avraham ben Kayla. Each has given eighteen
gold coinsBin all, ninety gold coins [another version adds: and I have
given one gold coinBin all, ninety-one gold coins].
These are the words of the smallest amongst his students,
Yitzchak ben Rivkah, who lives here in the holy community of
Drabitsh, his son Yechiel Mechil, son of Trani.
I [the author] copied this letter from a text in the Kiev
Criminal Archive, which I found amidst the manuscripts of Rabbi
Israel of Rizhin, who was arrested during the time of Nicholas the
First. When the present Russian government took over, it allowed
J ews to copy them.
The Baal Shem Tov called the third head of the generation,
Rabbi Ephraim, the maggid of the holy community of Brod, the wise
man of the generation.
The Baal Shem Tov once said, AThe Chacham Tzvi of blessed
memory left behind four sons. They all possess the holy spirit. Rabbi
Yaakov Emdener, the Ashkenazi, walks about in heaven. But with
his holy spirit, Rabbi Ephraim is literally >a scholar, who is superior to
a prophet=(Bava Basra 12a).@ (In my Sefer Kevutzas Kisvei Aggadah,
pp. 60-61, I write about a wondrous occurrence that took place
between him and Rabbi Liber of Barditshev).
Rabbi Ephraim had thin blood. He was always cold. So in his
house, benches were built along the wall, one above the other, as in a
bathhouse, and he used to sit on the highest chair to warm himself.
One winter, the Baal Shem Tov put on a peasant coat and a
straw belt, and went to serve Rabbi Ephraim. Coming into Rabbi
Ephraim=s house, he found him shivering in the cold. The Baal Shem
Tov told him, ARebbe, may I warm up the fireplace [grube] to warm
you?@Rabbi Ephraim answered, AIn the house, there are only
unchopped logs.@ The Baal Shem Tov said, AI know the work.@
Immediately, he got a saw and an axe, chopped the thickest log and
warmed up the house.
Because of their difficult circumstances, Rabbi Ephraim=s
wife sold bagels, fruits and brooms in the marketplace to earn money.
This day, she happened to come home from the marketplace. She
found her husband talking with the guest and felt the delicious
warmth of the house. When she counted the logs, she saw that the
biggest one was missing. Considering their poverty, she saw this as
extravagantBto burn so much wood at one time? Angrily, she picked
up a broom to drive out the guest, for she understood that this was his
work. Until that moment, Rabbi Ephraim had pretended to notice
nothing, but he continued to speak with the guest as with a simple
person, and thanked him for having revived him. But now, when the
rebbetzin was about to strike the guest with the broom, Rabbi
Ephraim told her: AIf you touch him, you will destroy the world. He
is a very holy man.@And he took hold of the guest and left the house
with him.
Then Rabbi Ephraim told the Baal Shem Tov, AI know that
you will be a leader of Israel. Every word of yours, even every
thought of yours, is taken seriously in heaven. So I beg you not to be
angry at my rebbetzin, for she is embittered by our great poverty. But
you must know that one can profit even from a bad wife. One time, I
rose up to heaven, where I found the heavenly court judging a J ewish
soul. Whenever he was shown the wrong that he had done, he
answered, >I had a bad wife, and she brought me to all of this.= The
heavenly court was about to accept this defense, but then an accusing
angel came and asked, >Why did this man obey his wife rather than
keep the Torah?=So I replied to the angel, >Have you ever withstood
the test of a bad wife?= My answer pleased the heavenly court, and it
delivered a decision that this angel should descend to earth and marry
a bad wife. And only afterwards, when he returned to the upper
world, would they know what to do with that J ewish soul.
AI knew where this incarnated angel was born and grew up,
until he married a bad wife, who caused him to contract a lung
disease. He was a pious person. I kept an eye on him. He obeyed me
and divorced his wife, so that she would not have to undergo the
chalitzah ceremony. [He knew that he was dying; they did not have
any children, and so his widow would have to undergo chalitzah with
his brother.] He died two weeks ago. Before he died, I told him that
he had been the accusing angel. At that point, he was on a high level,
and he remembered everything, as he told me. He told me that he
would no longer be an accuserBparticularly, against a defense of a bad
wife.@ And Rabbi Ephraim concluded, cautioning the Baal Shem
Tov as future leader, ASee to it that you defend J ews as much as you
can.@
May their merit protect us and all Israel, amen.
Chasidishe Maasiyos, #1
The Song of Holiness
Rabbi Hershel Braun of Tishvitz, may God avenge his blood,
told me a story that he heard the Kalishiner rebbe (a son of Rabbi
Meir Shalom, of blessed memory) tell at a melave malka.
Rabbi Mechele had his own horse and wagon [budke] with a
regular driver, and he traveled about from city to city delivering
ethical exhortations. The Baal Shem Tov wanted to attract him and
teach him his path in serving God. He traveled to Rabbi Mechele in
order to meet him. However, Rabbi Mechele eluded [oysgemitn] him.
So the Baal Shem Tov prayed that Rabbi Mechele should get lost in a
forest. And so it was.
Rabbi Mechele=s wagon driver traveled into a forest on a
small forest road, and he continued traveling on the small road for
more than twenty-four hours, until the path came to an end. The
wagon driver asked Rabbi Mechele, AWhat will we do now? Neither
I nor the horseBnot to mention the two in the same breathBhave
anything to eat or drink.@ Rabbi Mechele heartened him and said,
AEverything is in the hands of heaven, and kindness will surround a
person who trusts in God.@
At that moment, they heard the sound of another horse and
wagon [budke] approaching from a distance. When the wagon
reached them, a J ew stepped down and said to Rabbi Mechele, AI am
Israel Baal Shem Tov. If you want, I will command the angel of the
forest (the angel who rules [shafn] over the forests) to open a path for
us onto the main road.@
Rabbi Mechele replied, AWith this, you will not win me over,
for my father, Rabbi Yitzchak Drobitcher, can do the same thing.@
But suddenly the trees pressed themselves together, and an open path
led out to the main road. Immediately, Rabbi Mechele took the path,
while the Baal Shem Tov remained in the forest, ostensibly to pasture
[farpasn] his horse.
Rabbi Mechele stopped at the first inn he came to. The inn-
keeper, a hospitable man and a Torah scholar, received him with great
respect and gave him the best room, which was at the extreme end of
the inn. He also gave the horse to eat and made a meal for the rabbi
and his wagon driver. An hour later, the Baal Shem Tov arrived at
the same inn. The inn-keeper recognized him as a great rabbi as well,
and gave him the second-best room. He asked the Baal Shem Tov to
forgive him, for he would have to pass through that room in order to
serve the first rabbi.
And the entire day, the inn-keeper, with his wife and children,
served the two guests.
In the evening, the inn-keeper=s wife went into labor. The
grandmother was quickly summoned. She realized that this was not a
normal birth, and she called for someone to go into the town and
summon a birthing doctor.
In the house, the children began to wail. The inn-keeper ran
to the rabbi who had arrived first and begged him to pray for his wife.
Rabbi Mechele answered him, AYou do not have to send for a doctor.
Bring the woman and her bed to my room, and she will be
immediately helped, with the help of God.@
The inn-keeper had to pass through the second rabbi=s room,
and that rabbiBthe Baal Shem TovBasked him, AWhat did the rabbi
tell you?@ The inn-keeper told him that he told him to bring his wife
on the bed to him. The Baal Shem Tov told him, AGo to his room,
but bring the woman on her bed to my room. I am the Baal Shem
Tov. Go in to the rabbi in the first room and tell him in my name that
the rabbi in the other room today heard the Song of Holiness from the
mouths of the angels in heaven.@
Having no choice, the inn-keeper had to deliver this message
to the rabbi in the first room.
But that rabbi replied, AGo and tell the other rabbi that today I
also heard the Song of Holiness from the mouths of the angels.@
In great turmoil, the inn-keeper went back to the Baal Shem
Tov and cried out, AIf you two are not on good terms with each other,
what fault is it of my wife and children?@
The Baal Shem Tov calmed him down and said, AGo again to
the rabbi in the first room and tell him, >The rabbi in the other room
hears the Song of the angels every day. You only heard it today
because you prayed with him under one roof. Since you are a great
tzaddik, your ears have been opened, and so you also heard it.= If you
tell him this, he will agree to have the pregnant woman brought to my
room.@
When Rabbi Mechele heard this, he acknowledged the truth.
He immediately went into the other room and asked the Baal Shem
Tov to accept him as a student, and to teach him the new path in
serving God, with cleaving and love.
As for the pregnant woman, she was carried with her small
bed into the Baal Shem Tov=s room, and she was immediately helped.
May their merit guard us and all Israel, amen.
Chasidishe Maasiyos, pp. 223-225
The Sock Maker
In Anipole, there was a laborer called Shafval. He knit socks
and, summer and winter, he prayed in the synagogue. If there was no
minyan, he would pray alone.
One time, the Baal Shem Tov came to Anipole. While he was
smoking his pipe before prayers, he looked out the window and saw
the laborer going to the synagogue. The Baal Shem Tov grew excited
and said to his host, AGo out and see who is walking by with his
prayer shawl and tefillin.@ The host went out, and he returned and
reported, AA laborer is on his way to the synagogue.@
The Baal Shem Tov asked his host to bring the laborer to him.
The host replied, AI know that he will not want to come.@ The Baal
Shem Tov remained silent.
After finishing his prayers, the Baal Shem Tov summoned the
sock maker to bring him four pairs of socks. When the sock maker
came with the socks, the Baal Shem Tov asked him, AHow much does
a pair of socks cost?@
The sock maker replied, AEach pair costs a gulden and a half.@
The Baal Shem Tov asked him, AWould you take less?@
The sock maker answered, AIf I would take less, I would have
said so.@
The Baal Shem Tov asked him, AHow do you sell your
socks?@
The sock maker replied, AI do not leave my room. Shop
keepers come to me and bring me wool. But I never leave the house.
Out of respect for you, I made an exception, but otherwise I only
leave my room to go to the synagogue. If there is a minyan, I pray
with the minyan; if not, I pray alone.@
The Baal Shem Tov asked him, AWhen you married off your
sons, how did you pay the expenses?@
He answered, AGod helps me, and from what I earn, I married
off my sons.@
The Baal Shem Tov asked him, AWhen you get up in the
morning, what do you do?@
AI make socks.@
AAnd do you recite Psalms?@
AThose which I know by heart, I recite.@
The Baal Shem Tov said of this man that he is the foundation
of the synagogueBuntil the coming of the Redeemer, quickly, in our
days, amen selah (Shivchei Habesht).
R. Yisroel Baal Shem Tov (by Menashe Unger), p. 219
Reviving the Dead
Rabbi Menachem Wallach of Skalat (near Tarnopol, Galicia),
may God avenge his blood, told me in the name of his father, Rabbi
Moshe Leib, what he had in turn been told by the righteous woman,
Maras (Mrs.) Gitele. (She was the mother of the two tzaddikim,
Rabbi Leiv of Azsherne and Rabbi Dovid of Radachov-Brod. She
was a daughter of the Rizhiner, and Hasidim considered her to have
attained high spiritual levels. One Succos, she was with her brother,
Rabbi Dovid Moshe, in Tshartkov. She lit the holiday candles in the
succah. Afterwards, she told her brother that she had not sensed the
flavor of the succah. He had the matter looked into, and it turned out
that the roof had been lowered over the succah, thus invalidating it.
This is the story that they told.
The Baal Shem Tov once revived a dead person. In a certain
town, there lived a wealthy Torah scholar who was very much
opposed to the Baal Shem Tov. He had an only daughter. She
suddenly grew ill, and the doctors could not help her. The scholar
had a friend who lived in the same town, and who had begun to
follow the path of the Baal Shem Tov. This friend advised him to go
to the Baal Shem Tov or to have the Baal Shem Tov come to his
daughter. But the wealthy scholar, as an opponent of the Baal Shem
Tov, did not want to hear of it.
From day to day, his daughter grew worse. His wife, the girl=s
mother, wept until he agreed to send his friend with a note and a
donation to the Baal Shem Tov. He promised that if the Baal Shem
Tov would want to come see his daughter, he would let the Baal
Shem Tov lodge in his house at his expense. When the man=s friend
came to the Baal Shem Tov, the Baal Shem Tov said that he wanted
to see the girl, and he immediately set out with the friend.
When they entered the wealthy man=s house, they found the
girl lying on the ground covered by a sheet. There were many people
in the house comforting her father and mother. No one noticed the
Baal Shem Tov and the man=s friend. The Baal Shem Tov undraped
the girl and told her loudly, AYou! You are a J ewish girl, and
obligated by the mitzvah of having guests. Get up and make us some
food!@ The girl immediately got up and prepared them food.
And in this way the Baal Shem Tov revived the dead.
My grandfather was R. BerishBR. Ber [of Mezretch]. After
the Baal Shem Tov had made it clear with his wondrous miracles that
God oversees J ews to the smallest detail, and after he filled J ewish
hearts with the true faith that God is omnipotent, my grandfather
pondered: Why must people die and then be revived? It would be
more direct to be careful not to die.[?]
A Hasid of my grandfather, an inn-keeper, came to my
grandfather and told him that his inn had been rented to someone else.
Now he had no means of making a living. My grandfather took a
silver coin from his pocket, gave it to the Hasid, and immediately saw
him off. The Hasid went into the marketplace and came upon a
peasant traveling home. The Hasid asked the peasant how much it
would cost to get a ride. When the peasant asked for the exact sum
that my grandfather had given him, the HasidBas a
believerBimmediately climbed onto the peasant=s carriage. On the
way, the Hasid saw an uninhabited inn. He asked about it, and the
peasant told him that several inn-keepers had fled from that inn,
because they believed that it was inhabited by demons. The Hasid
said that he wanted to rent it. The peasant, who lived near the inn,
was interested to see the inn inhabited. So he told the Hasid, AIf that=s
the case, I will bring you straight to the landlord. But use your brains
and rent it for good terms. The landlord will give you everything. He
has his own vodka factories and wants to sell his vodka.@
The first condition that the landlord made was that the Hasid
would have to immediately bring his family and move into the inn.
This was to ensure that he would really stay. That same day, the
landlord sent his manager [parbkes?] with his carriages to bring over
the Hasid=s family. In addition, he gave the Hasid a great quantity of
vodka on loan, and made out a long-term contract for the inn, the first
five years being entirely free. In the very first week, the Hasid had so
many customers [pidyom?] that he sold the entire stock of vodka. He
paid the landlord and took a larger amount of vodka. And he
continue in this way for the next three months. The Hasid and his
family were so busy with the customers that the Hasid could not tear
himself away to travel to my grandfather and let him know how his
coin had been successful and how his blessing had borne fruit.
The more customers there were, the more the Hasid gained the
favor of the landlord. One day, the landlord told him, AYou are
selling my vodka, but I don=t know what to do with my brei (the
waste of the malt, from which vodka is distilled). I want to give you a
great sum of money. Travel to the fair in Yarmilinitz@Bthis fair used
to last eight daysBAand buy me a few hundred oxen, which I will
fatten on the brei. I will send my manager along with you to bring
home the oxen.@
The Hasid asked the landlord to give him a separate, swift
wagon with good horses, so that he could travel ahead, come to
Yarmilinitz as soon as possible, and buy good oxen for a low
[velvelerer?] price.
The landlord had an overseer who was an anti-Semite. This
man was particularly jealous of the Hasid, because the Hasid was so
favored by the landlord. The landlord had made the Hasid a
middleman in all the manor=s important affairs. The overseer knew
the path upon which the Hasid would go when he left the village for
Yarmilinitz. He hired a trusted man, a blacksmith from the manor,
paid him thirty rubles in advance, and told him that when the Hasid -
traveled into the first forested area near the town, he should kill him
and secretly bury him.
By means of divine inspiration, my grandfather learned about
this. He sent the Hasid a message that when he left the village, he
should turn in a different direction and travel to my grandfather. My
grandfather then locked himself and told the gabbaim (the sextons) to
let no one in, not even to accept a note. And so the Hasid had to wait
until my grandfather opened his door. When my grandfather finally
had the door opened, there was such a crowd that the Hasid could
barely push his way forward. Once he did, he told my grandfather
everything. He said that he was afraid that, since he had been delayed
by the rebbe (my grandfather), he would arrive in Yarmilinitz in the
last days of the fair and would not find any good oxenBand in
addition, he would have to pay a steep price. And this would give the
anti-Semitic overseer a pretext to denounce him to the landlord. But
my grandfather calmed him down and told him, AJ ust as you have
been delayed, so has an oxen merchant been delayed. The important
oxen merchants have already gone home. You will be the only buyer,
so you will get good oxen for the lowest price. And as for the anti-
Semitic overseer, you will be completely freed of him and you will
see yourself avenged.@
In Yarmilinitz, everything happened as my grandfather had
predicted. Meanwhile, in the village, the overseer was certain that the
J ew was dead. (The blacksmith had lied to him, not wanting to return
his thirty coins). And so the overseer denounced the Hasid to the
landlord. He said that the J ew was late in returningBeven though he
had left firstBbecause he had run away with the great sum of money
the landlord had entrusted him with. This was also why the Hasid
had wanted to travel by himself. The wicked man advised the
landlord to arrest the Hasid=s familyBwho, he said, knew exactly
where he had run away to. The landlord was desperate, but he
restrained himself because had such great faith in the Hasid.
A few days later, the Hasid returned with the good oxen that
he had bought at a low price. The landlord assembled all his workers
and in their presence rebuked the overseer for having the effrontery to
denounce an honest J ew. At that point, the blacksmith grew
frightened. He ran home and brought the thirty coins to the landlord.
He told him that he had received this from the overseer as payment
for killing the J ew. The landlord tried the overseer and had him
hanged. And the Hasid grew even more dear to the landlord.
Regarding the overseer, it is said, ASo may all Your enemies,
Hashem, be destroyed!@
Chasidishe Maasiyos
The Old Man and the Tree
The Baal Shem Tov once took a little vodka and went for a
walk in a forest with his holy companions. There he drank a
Alechaim@with them and told one of them to go to a certain tree bole
and say, AThe old man should also have some vodka.@
And then he told his companions the following story:
There was once a wealthy J ew who had an only daughter. He
visited a yeshiva and chose the best student as his son-in-law. When
this wealthy man grew weak in his old age, he asked his son-in-law to
tear himself away from his learning for a few hours a day and help his
wife in their large manufacturing business.
Little by little, the son-in-law spent more time away from his
learning. When the wealthy J ew at last passed away, the son-in-law
grew immersed in the business. Materials came from a [gentile]
Moscow manufacturer, who also had an only daughterBa learned
woman who was in charge of keeping track of the factory orders.
When the time came to square accounts with the
manufacturer, the son-in-law went to Moscow to review the figures.
There, the manufacturer's daughter did not let him travel home. [In
other words, he abandoned his wife and took up with the Russian
woman.]
His wife [sent a message to] the Russian woman, asking what
had happened to her husband. The Russian woman replied that he
must have died on the road. And, saying that she felt pity for a young
widow with orphaned children, the Russian woman forgave all her
debts and promised to send her new orders at a very low price, below
what she was charging other merchants.
The man=s Awidow@slowly grew used to her situation. From
day to day, she grew more wealthy, and she gave her children a good
J ewish education.
Meanwhile, her husband in Moscow was happy with his
Russian wife and they had two children.
One evening, he went for a walk in the park. There, he heard
someone amongst the trees weeping. He made his way to the sound,
and found an old man crying bitterly and reciting the prayers of Yom
Kippur eve. The husband was deeply moved, and he asked the old
man why he was crying. The old man replied that he had converted
from J udaism, and he regretted it. He knew that J ews were now
gathered in synagogues for Kol Nidrei. But he could not join them,
for it might cause the J ews trouble if the Pravaslavner synod of
Moscow learned of it. Therefore, he was weeping his heart out before
the Master of the world. He had resolved from now on to be a J ew
again, no matter what may happen to him.
The husband also wept bitterly. He told the old man his own
story. The old man advised him not to go back to the house, but to
run away through a back gate in the park and return to his life
amongst J ews.
The husband was carrying a large sum of money. And so he
travelled back to his J ewish wife. He told her that he had made his
way to a distant land, where he had sinned grievously. But now he
wanted to repent, and he commanded her not to interfere. On the
weekdays, he would sit in the beis medrash, praying and learning, and
sleeping on a bare bench with a stone for a pillow. On Friday, he
would go to the mikvah, change his clothes and go home for Shabbos.
Meanwhile, his Russian wife did not take the situation lying
down. She secretly came to his home town and met him on Friday
afternoon as he was returning from the mikvah. And secretly, she
summoned him before the town rabbi for a Torah adjudication. She
told the rabbi everything, and said that she would continue to remain
silent. She even promised that she was willing to convert to J udaism
together with her two children, and she said that she would give the
J ewish wife whatever she would demand as the price of agreeing to a
divorce. Then, the Russian woman said, she wanted to travel to
another J ewish shtetl and live with her man openly.
The rabbi summoned the J ewish wife and explained to her
that she had no choice but to accept the divorce, for the alternative
was that the story would become public knowledge, and she and her
fine J ewish children would be shamed. [Translator=s note: no
comment.] The Russian woman gave her a great deal of money with
which she would be able to marry off her children very comfortably.
And so the first wife agreed to the divorce.
The Russian woman and her children converted to J udaism,
and the man married her according to the law of Moshe and Israel.
They moved to a small J ewish shtetl where no one knew them, and
they lived a J ewish life.
When the Russian woman=s father and mother learned of this,
they liquidated the factory in Moscow, themselves converted to
J udaism, and came to that same shtetl, where they lived with their
children and grandchildren.
Finishing this narrative, the Baal Shem Tov told his
companions, AThe old man was reincarnated into the bole of this tree.
When the tree shakes, the old man feels as much pain as if he is
being tossed in a heavenly slingshot. When a leaf is torn offBnot to
mention a twigBhe feels the pain of death. Nu! What do you say,
holy companions? Certainly, after this old man brought a J ew to true
repentance and was the cause of five people converting to J udaism, he
should have a rectification. Drink lechaim, and wish him a
rectification of the soul in body and spirit.@
from Chasidishe Maasiyos
Faith in One=s Rebbe
When Rabbi Aharon (the first Rabbi Aharon of Karlin, known
as Athe great Rebbe Aharon@), passed away, he left behind an
orphaned girl. Rabbi Dov Ber, the Maggid of Mezeritch, made a
match between her and the son of one of his followers. He wrote in
the tenaim: ARabbi Nachum (author of Meor Eynaim) stands at the
side of his son, Rabbi Mordechai (who later became famous as Rabbi
Motele Tshernobler). On the other side, Rabbi Dov Ber stands at the
side of the orphaned maiden...daughter of the deceased Rabbi
Aharon.@
The rebbe gave the honor of reading the tenaim to his great
student, Rabbi Mendele Vitebsker. When Rabbi Mendele came to the
words Adaughter of the deceased Rabbi Aharon,@he fainted.
After he revived, Rabbi Dov Ber told him with a smile,
AMendele, I did not think that you would grow frightened at seeing
Rabbi Aharon standing next to you.@
Rabbi Mendele replied, AI was frightened because I saw that
he was much greater than I had realized.@
From this marriage were born the holy Rabbi Aharon
Tshernobler and other holy Tshernobl offspring.
In a second marriage, Rabbi Motele became a son-in-law of
Rabbi Dovid Leahkes. From this second marriage were born R.
Dovid=l Talner, R. Yonchantshe Rachmistrivker, the Trisker Maggid,
and others.
Once, R. Dovid Leahkes went to Tshernoble to see his
daughter. At that time, he was the oldest tzaddik of the generation
(yet still he chose to be a follower of the Baal Shem Tov). All the
Hasidim of every shtetl on the way came before him and greeted him
with great honor.
When he came to the neighborhood of Tshernobl, the
Tshernoble Hasidim (who were in the majority) separated themselves
from the other Hasidim and stood in a separate row. When R. Dovid
Leahkes noticed this, he asked the elder Hasid of this group why they
stood apart. He replied, ABecause we are the Hasidim of your son-in-
law, we wish to treat your with especial respect, so that you see what
kind of Hasidim your son-in-law has.@
R. Dovid asked him, ADo you have faith in your rebbe?@
The other man replied, AWe believe that our rebbe has reached
the highest level that a human being can reach.@
R. Dovid said, AI will tell you what faith [in one=s rebbe]
means. One time a large group of us were sitting at the Baal Shem
Tov=s table at shalosh seudos. The Baal Shem Tov went on for so
long that when evening prayers and Havdalah were over, it was
already time for the melave malka (post-Shabbos meal).
AThe Baal Shem Tov told us, >After today=s shalosh seudos, I
want a generous melave malka. But since it is too late to prepare one,
I want each person to give a ruble (a hundred Russian kopikes), so
that we can buy some food from the Mezshibezer restaurant.=
AWe were all still wearing our Sabbath clothes, and so none of
us was carrying any money. I was the first who believed that if the
Baal Shem Tov says something, it will certainly come about. So I put
my hand in my pocket, and I pulled out a silver ruble. And then
everyone else did the same. And so it was indeed a joyful melave
malka. We began with our minds broadened by the physicality of the
mitzvah, and from that we came to an expanded consciousness in
spirituality. This is what having truth faith in one=s rebbe means.@
Chasidishe Maasiyos
The Flaming Mountain
by Rabbi Menashe Unger
It is told in the name of Rabbi Hirshele, the son of the Baal
Shem Tov, that once he saw his father in a dream. He asked him,
AHow are we supposed to serve God?@
The Baal Shem Tov showed him a great mountain which
reached the sky and, next to the mountain, a very deep pit. The Baal
Shem Tov stood at the top of the great mountain and threw himself
into the deep pit, and all his limbs were hurt. Afterwards, the Baal
Shem Tov told his son, AThis is how to serve God@(Beis Aharon,
Lepesach).
According to another Hasidic tale, the Baal Shem Tov
appeared in a dream to his son Hirshele in the form of a flaming
mountain that was erupting into billions of sparks. Afterwards, the
Baal Shem Tov told him: AThis is how to serve God@(Rebbi Yisrael
Baal Shem Tov, by Rabbi M. Y. Gutman).
R. Yisrael Baal Shem Tov, p. 63
The Baal Shem Tov Leaves this World
by Menashe Unger
The passing away of the Baal Shem Tov is enveloped in
mystery. Hasidic sources tell that on Passover, the Baal Shem Tov
developed an illness in his abdomen. When he felt his strength
leaving him, he sat in his house and engaged in hisbodedus
meditation (Rebbe Yisroel Baal Shem Tov, by Rabbi Y. M. Gutman,
p. 47).
A few weeks later, at a meal celebrating Lag B'Omer, the Baal
Shem Tov grew very cheerful. He said, AThe Chumash commands
us, 'Love Hashem your God' (Devorim 6:5). The word for 'love'
(v'ahavta) has a numerical value double that of 'light' (ohr). 'Light=
has the same numerical value as 'secret' (raz). And when the letters of
'raz' are reversed, they spell out 'zar'Ban outsider.
AThe work of tzaddikim is to uncover the inner secret, which
even an outsider possesses. This is a work of love, and it results in a
double measure of light: a direct beam of light [from heaven] and a
reflecting beam of light [returning to heaven].
AThere is a method of numerology called 'mispar katan.' In
that system, the word for 'light' has the numerical value of nine. Two
times 'light' is eighteen. In eighteen days, I will attain the level of the
reflected light, in line with the verse, 'The spirit returns to God, Who
had given it' (Koheles 12:7)@(R. Yisroel Baal Shem Tov, p. 224, cited
in the name of Likutei Dibburim, Volume III, Likut 30, p. 1054).
It is clear from this story that the Chabad dynasty has a
tradition that on Lag B'Omer the Baal Shem Tov hinted at the day on
which he would leave this world.
[But there is an even earlier indication.] On Passover, Rabbi
Pinchas'l Koritzer attended to the Baal Shem Tov. Rabbi Pinchas'l
felt weak and did not immerse in the mikveh. On the seventh day of
Passover, when the Baal Shem Tov asked him if he had gone to the
mikveh, he admitted that he had not. The Baal Shem Tov responded,
AIt is already too late...@(Shivchei Habesht).
It is told in Shivchei Habesht that the reason the Baal Shem
Tov passed away [from a spiritual point of view] was that he had
campaigned strongly against the Sabbatai Tzvi sect. [The fight against
evil often takes a toll.]
After Passover, although the Baal Shem Tov's other students
went home, Rabbi Pinchas'l Koritzer remained with him.
At Shavuos time, the Baal Shem Tov's students returned.
They remained awake all night and learned ATikun Leil Shavuos.@
The Baal Shem Tov called in several of his students and
instructed them in how to purify his body after his death and how to
bury him.
Then, [shortly] before he passed away, the Baal Shem Tov
told the people present to sing the tune of Rabbi Mechele Zlotshever
that the Baal Shem Tov referred to as AThe Tune That Arouses Great
Mercy@(Chai Elul, 5703, Kuntres 45, p. 35).
The Baal Shem Tov then said, AI have been given the choice
of rising to heaven like Elijah the Prophet, who 'rose in a storm wind
heavenward' (Melochim 2:11). But I do not want to ignore the verse
that states, 'You are dust and you will return to the dust' (Bereishis
3:19)@(Likutei Dibburim, Volume I, Likut 4, p. 192).
The book, Shivchei Habesht, tells that on Shavuos
morningBthe day that he left this worldBthe Baal Shem Tov called for
a minyan to pray with him. He asked for a siddur and said, AI still
want to talk with God.@
After the prayers, Rabbi Nachman Horodenker went to the
beis medrash to pray for him, but the Baal Shem Tov said, AHe is
rousing up the [upper] worlds for nothing.@
His son, Rabbi Tzvi, who had been awake the entire night, fell
asleep. The Baal Shem Tov's students woke him and told him to go
to his father immediately.
Rabbi Tzvi began to cry out, ATatte, Tatte!@
The Baal Shem Tov told him, AMy son, you have a great soul,
and you need nothing.@
The Baal Shem Tov had once said that the two clocks in the
house would stop when he was about to pass away. That day, both
clocks stopped, and his students realized that the end was
approaching. They all gazed [at the Baal Shem Tov] sorrowfully.
The Baal Shem Tov opened his eyes and said to them, AI am not
worried for myself, for I will go out through one door and enter
through another. But I am concerned about you.@
The Baal Shem Tov told his students to stand around his bed,
and they did so. He opened his eyes again, and he started speaking.
AThere is a column through which the soul of a person who has
passed away travels from the lower Gan Eden to the higher Gan Eden.
There is a column by means of which a person rises from one world
to another, from one year to another, and from soul to soul. This is
'the column of service and fear of heaven'@(cf. R. Yisroel Baal Shem
Tov, R. Gutman, p. 47).
The Baal Shem Tov was suffering great pain. He said,
AMaster of the world, only two hours are left to me to live. I give
them to You as a gift.@ Later, Rabbi Pinchas'l Koritzer said that this
was true self-sacrifice on the part of the Baal Shem Tov (Nofes
Tzufim I:82 -or Chapter 2).
Then the Baal Shem Tov told his students to recite AVihi
Noam,@and he too began to murmur a prayer. When his students
leaned over, they heard him reciting the verse, ADo not bring me to
the foot of pride@(brought in Notzer Chesed, 4:4, Degel Machaneh
Efraim, Parshas Acharei; Shearis Yisroel, beginning of Gate 2).
Immediately after this, the Baal Shem Tov's soul rose up in purity.
It is thought that the Baal Shem Tov passed away on the first
day of Shavuos at dusk in the year 5520 (May 21, 1760Bas argued by
Sh. Dubnow), which occurred on a Wednesday. The Baal Shem Tov
was sixty-one years, eight months and eight days old (Likutei
Dibburim, III Likut 30, p. 1054).
The Baal Shem Tov had spread his approach for forty-five
years. And what a branching out! What a profound deepening! What
a change in all J ewish life in Eastern Europe!
The misnaged, Rabbi Israel Leibel, says that ten thousand
Hasidim were present when the Baal Shem Tov passed away [at the
funeral?]. But Prof. Gershom Scholem disputes this and proves that
this number is as great as the total number of J ews in Podolia at that
time (according to the official census of 1765BMolad, 145-441). But
it is certain that a great number of J ews who lived in villages, J ews
whose spirituality was suppressed and simple workers came to
Hasidism in the lifetime of the Baal Shem Tov.
The Baal Shem Tov is buried in Mezshibezsh. Nearby are
buried his son, Rabbi Tzvi Hershele, and his grandson, Rabbi Moshe
Chaim Efraim of Sudilkov, as well as a few of the Baal Shem Tov's
students.
Rabbi Yitzchak Neshchizer said that after the Baal Shem Tov
passed away, his students gathered together to organize the Torah
thoughts that they had heard from him. The Baal Shem Tov appeared
to them in a dream and told them, AWhy do you remember my words
of Torah but not my fear of heaven?@
Rabbi Aharon Karliner said, AA soul such as that of the Baal
Shem Tov comes into the world only once in a thousand years.@
Rabbi Menachem Vitebsker wrote, AOnly the Baal Shem Tov
could decree and have things come about. None before him was his
equal, nor will anyone after him be his equal@(Pri Ha'aretz).
Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, great-grandson of the Baal Shem
Tov, said that it is good to go to the Baal Shem Tov's burial site
(Likutei Moharan II 109).
Hasidim say that talking about the Baal Shem Tov after the
Sabbath is good for the soul.
Rabbi Shalom Rokeach, the Belzer Rebbe, once said, AOne
time I dreamed that I was brought to Gan Eden and shown the walls
of J erusalem. The walls were in ruins and a man was walking on
them. I asked, 'Who is that man?' I was told that this is Rabbi Israel
Baal Shem Tov. He had sworn not to come down from there before
the Temple will be built.@
Rabbi Mechele Zlotshever, who was a student of the Baal
Shem Tov, told, AOne time, when the Baal Shem Tov was traveling,
he recited the afternoon prayers in a forest. Then, as his students
watched, he beat his head against a tree trunk and wept and cried out.
Afterwards, his students asked him about this. The Baal Shem Tov
answered them, AI look at the coming generations and I see that soon
before the coming of the messiah, there will be rabbis who will
obstruct the redemption.@
Tzaddikim state that with the Baal Shem Tov began Athe
sparkling of the redemption.@
The Mezeritzcher Maggid exclaimed, AIf only we would kiss a
Torah scroll with the same love that the Baal Shem Tov kissed the
children when he was a rebbe's helper and brought them to cheder!@
Rabbi Tzvi Elimelech Shapiro, the Dinover rebbe, found
allusions in the word ABereishis@(AIn the beginning@) to the Baal
Shem Tov. ABereishis@is an acronym for AOhr Torah Rabbeinu
Yisroel Baal Shem@BAthe light of the teaching of our rabbi, Israel Baal
Shem.@ In addition, the letters of ABereishis@can be rearranged to
spell out Aes Ribash@BAthe Ribash@(an acronym for Rabbi Israel Baal
Shem; cf. Igra Dekala, Breishis, section 56).
R. Yisroel Baal Shem Tov
Rabbi Yaacov Yosef of Polonoye
Rabbi Yaacov Yosef Hacohen was the author of Toldos
Yaacov Yosef and other holy seforim. Hasidim tell two versions of
how he became a follower of the Baal Shem Tov.
The first version is as follows.
When the Baal Shem Tov wanted Rabbi Yaacov Yosef to
become his student, he wrote a letter to Rabbi Yaacov Yosef=s father-
in-lawBwho was a community leaderBstating that he wished to pay
him a visit on the Sabbath. Not waiting for an answer, the Baal Shem
Tov immediately travelled to his house. As soon as he entered, he
asked, AWhere is your son-in-law?@
Frightened, the man remained silent.
He was a very wealthy man who had chosen his son-in-law
because he was a genius, the best student from a great yeshiva. He
thought very highly of his son-in-lawBso much so that when he had
received the Baal Shem Tov=s letter, he had asked his son-in-law if he
should accord the Baal Shem Tov respect. (At that time, the Baal
Shem Tov had many opponents.) The young man had told his father
to wait until the next morning for an answer. The father-in-law
believed that his son-in-law, as a great Torah scholar and pious
individual, would that night submit a Adream-question@to heaven.
The next morning, his son-in-law said, AI was told: >Do not gaze upon
his appearance.= In other words, do not even look at his face.@
Now, without waiting for the father-in-law=s response, the
Baal Shem Tov went from room to room until he came to the son-in-
law=s quarters. The son-in-law pressed his face into the bed so as not
to see the Baal Shem Tov=s face. Meanwhile, the father-in-law and
everyone else in the house had followed the Baal Shem Tov out of
curiosity to see their encounter. How astonished they were when they
heard the Baal Shem Tov tell the son-in-law the following:
Young man! I have come to save your soul. You have an
angel, a maggid, who learns with you every night. However, you
must know where this maggid comes from. I will tell you something
that no one else knows. When you were very young, before you
entered the yeshiva, you used to learn together with a friend in the
synagogue attic. Once you asked him, AWhy didn=t I hear a heavenly
voice today?@Your friend looked at you in amazement and said,
AWhat heavenly voice? Which heavenly voice? Have you gone mad,
heaven forbid?@You answered him simply, AIt is written in Avos,
>Every day a voice comes forth from Mount Sinai (on which God
revealed Himself to the J ews and gave them the Torah), and calls out:
Woe to the people who shame the Torah=(Chapter Shanu
Chachamim, Mishnah 2). Since this is written in the mishnah, it must
be true. And someone has to hear it.@
Until then, you had thought that every J ew hears this heavenly
voice. But from then on, you realized that hearing this heavenly voice
is a high levelBone that your companion had not yet reached. Seeing
that you were on a high level, you grew proud, and you separated
yourself from your companion. That same night, your angel, the
maggid, began to learn with you. Consider what the mishnah says:
AWhoever performs one mitzvah acquires one defender, and whoever
commits one sin acquires one accuser@(Avos 4:13). From every
mitzvah, a holy angel is created, but from a sinBmay the Merciful One
protect usBa destructive angel of the Side of Evil is created.
Your maggid came forth from the husk of your pride, and it
persuaded you that you merited a maggid as did the holy Beis Yosef,
who composed the holy sefer, Maggid Meisharim, based on his
maggid=s teachings.
Now you can understand why your maggid told you not to
look at my features. Young man! Lift up your head and look directly
at me. You certainly recall the Gemara in Chagigah 5a, with the
comment of the Maharsha: AHe who greets of a wise man is
considered as though he welcomes God=s Presence.@ It is meritorious
to gaze at the Aimage of God@that shines on the face of a wise man
and tzaddik.
I will immediately drive this husk away from you and teach
you my new way of serving God. Then, if you deserve it, angels from
the Side of Holiness will come to you.
Knowing that everything that the Baal Shem Tov had said was
true, Rabbi Yaacov Yosef raised his head. He went over to the Baal
Shem Tov, spoke to him with great humility, and asked the Baal
Shem Tov to accept him as a student forever.
The Baal Shem Tov reassured him and said, ABecause your
piety is so sincere, the Side of Evil was only allowed to send you a
maggid from the husk of nogahBthe >shining husk=Bwhich is not
entirely evil. At any rate, now that you are my student, it will be
relatively easy for you to attain the perfection of goodness and truth.@
However, I heard a second version of how Rabbi Yaacov
Yosef became a follower of the Baal Shem Tov from the old
Tishevitzer rabbi, Rabbi Shimshon Mordechai Yosef Glantz, of
blessed memory.
This story goes as follows.
Rabbi Yaacov Yosef maintained his opposition to the Baal
Shem Tov into his later years, when he was rabbi of Sharigrad.
One time, a wealthy man of Sharigrad married off his child to
the child of a wealthy man of Mezshibezsh. The wedding was to take
place in Mezshibezsh, and the Sharigrad father took along Rabbi
Yaacov Yosef. The Mezshibezsh father received Rabbi Yaacov
Yosef with great respect, as befits such a great Torah leader. He gave
the rabbi a private room filled with holy books, so that he could
occupy himself until the parents and guests were gathered and the
bride and groom would be led to the marriage canopy.
The Mezshibezsh father also invited the Baal Shem Tov to the
wedding, and gave him a place of honor near the groom.
The Baal Shem Tov immediately began telling stories, which
so fascinated all the relatives and guests that no one even tasted any
of the wedding food. In fact, they almost forgot the wedding.
Meanwhile, Rabbi Yaacov Yosef was sitting alone in his room for a
very long time. Finally, he went over to the nearby house where the
groom=s kabbalas panim was taking place. He sat down outside a
window so that he could hear what was going on in the house without
being noticed.
However, with the help of divine inspiration, the Baal Shem
Tov became aware of him. He interrupted his story-telling and called
out loudly, so that Rabbi Yaacov Yosef could hear him from behind
the window, ASharigrad relatives! You have a rabbi who is very pious
and a great Torah leader. However, he is short-tempered. Before
Passover he was walking back and forth in the synagogue courtyard,
working with great concentration on a learned discourse to deliver
before the town scholars for his Shabbos Hagadol lecture. Suddenly,
he became very thirsty. At that moment, a water-carrier passed by,
carrying two water buckets on his shoulders. The rabbi signaled him
to stop, but he kept on walking. The rabbi grew angry. He chased
after the man, stopped him, and drank some water, and then he
slapped him for having insulted the honor of the community rabbi.
AAnd so, Sharigrad relatives, you must tell the rabbi that the
water-carrier is one of the thirty-six hidden tzaddikim of every
generation. He was carrying >water that had rested overnight=to a
matzah bakery. According to the Shulchan Aruch, this water must be
drawn exactly between day and nightBnot too soon, and not too late.
He was so occupied with what he was doing that he did not notice the
rabbi signaling him.@
When Rabbi Yaacov Yosef heard these words, he grew angry
and he returned to his room. Thinking little of the Baal Shem Tov, he
assumed that the Baal Shem Tov had noticed him behind the window.
And in addition, he figured that the water-carrier, a simple man, was
a believer in the Baal Shem Tov, and that after he had been slapped
he had run to Mezshibezsh and complained to the Baal Shem Tov.
The Baal Shem Tov completed the story he had been telling
and began telling other stories. The audience was fascinated and had
no sense of the passing time. However, Rabbi Yaacov Yosef, who
was sitting alone, did notice the time. So again he went to the window
of the groom=s house, and this time he hid himself in such a way that
it would be impossible to notice him.
But the Baal Shem Tov again interrupted himself in the
middle of a story and said loudly, ASharigrad relatives! Your rabbi is a
great and sincere J ew. This past Tisha B=Av eve, he wept deeply
when he recited Eichah and the Kinos. After he came home from the
synagogue, he learned about Kimtza and Bar Kimtza, and also Eichah
Rabbah. Afterwards, he had such deep and holy thoughts about the
exile and the redemption of Israel that he completely forgot that it
was Tisha B=Av eve. He poured himself a drink of water and recited
the blessing shehakol nihiyeh bidvaroBbut before he brought the
water to his lips, he remembered that it was Tisha B=Av. He did not
drink but he grew very upset, because he had recited a blessing in
vain. In the midst of these feelings, he fell asleep. He had a dream
that he was going for a walk outside the townBjust as he does on hot
summer days. To his amazement, in the field near the town he saw a
beautiful, large, royal palace surrounded by a >walking garden=that
contained all sorts of fruit trees and flowers. He went up to the little
door of the gate surrounding the garden and asked the watchman,
>Who owns all this?=The watchman answered, >It belongs to you.
This was all created in one moment from the vain blessing that you
recited. These are all >husks,=and I am also a >husk.=Rabbi, come into
the garden and take pleasure from the world, so that we will all come
to life, and the palace and garden will grow even larger and more
beautiful.= In his dream, your rabbi began to run away from the
garden, when he woke up.
AYour rabbi wept bitterly and repented until he again fell
asleep, and again he saw the garden. But this time there was no
palace and no fence surrounding it, and no water. Then he woke up
again. He wept in repentance until he fell asleep again. And now, in
his dream the garden was also gone. But he recognized where the
garden had been and he saw the tree roots. Sharigrad relatives! Tell
your rabbi to become my student, and I will get rid of these roots as
well.@
When Rabbi Yaacov Yosef heard this, he immediately hurried
over to the Baal Shem Tov and said, ANow I see that you even know a
person=s thoughts. I beg your forgiveness for having opposed you
until now, and I ask you to accept me as your student.@
May their merit protect us and all Israel, amen.
Chasidishe Maasiyos, pp. 26-30
The Maggid of Mezeritch
Part I
There are two versions that tell how Rabbi Dov Ber, the great
Maggid of Mezeritch, became a student of the Baal Shem Tov.
The first version, told by most Hasidim, goes as follows.
Rabbi Dov Ber was a poor melamed, a teacher, in the hamlet
of Tartshin (in the Volhin district, not far from Ludmir and Kovle).
That time was the era of maggidimBpreachers. These
preachers used to travel from town to town, reprimanding and
reproving the J ews. One of these preachers was the father of a boy
who was later to become a famous Hasidic rebbe, Rabbi Mendele of
Vitebsk. Once, this preacher came to Tartshin, where he heard Rabbi
Ber teaching his students. The preacher was a holy man who realized
(through ruach hakodesh, divine inspiration) that Rabbi Ber was
teaching his students' souls more than he was their bodies.
So the preacher asked Rabbi Ber to take his son, the young
genius, Rabbi Mendele, as his student. Rabbi Ber agreed, and Rabbi
Mendele became his favorite student.
So deeply did Rabbi Ber value Rabbi Mendele that when the
Baal Shem Tov was revealed, Rabbi Ber sent Rabbi Mendele to
determine whether it would be worthwhile to travel to the Baal Shem
Tov.
When Rabbi Mendele came to the Baal Shem Tov, the Baal
Shem Tov told him an everyday story, and then asked Rabbi Mendele
if he understood it.
ANo,@Rabbi Mendele replied.
The Baal Shem Tov again told the same story, word for word,
and again asked Rabbi Mendele if he understood it.
AA little,@Rabbi Mendele replied.
The Baal Shem Tov retold the story without omitting a single
word.
ANow I understand it well,@Rabbi Mendele said.
And when he came back to his rabbi, Rabbi Ber, he reported
on the great holiness and sharp mind of the Baal Shem Tov.
Then Rabbi Ber himself paid a visit to the Baal Shem Tov.
The Baal Shem Tov asked him if he possessed any understanding of
Kabbalah.
Rabbi Ber replied, AYes.@
So the Baal Shem Tov showed him a profound passage in the
holy book, Eitz Chaim. Rabbi Ber immediately explained it correctly.
But the Baal Shem Tov told him, AThis kind of learning is a body
without a soul.@ He himself went over the passage from Eitz Chaim,
and Rabbi Ber literally saw a fire from heaven circling them and
angels flying in the room.
At that time, Rabbi Ber accepted the Baal Shem Tov as his
teacher.
(The conclusion appears in the book, Kesser Shem Tov.)
**
Hasidim add that long after the Baal Shem Tov and Rabbi
Dov Ber had already passed away, when Rabbi Menachem Mendele
of Vitebsk was getting ready to go to the land of Israel, he travelled
around to take leave of all the great tzaddikim of the generation, the
students of the Baal Shem Tov. At that time, the first work containing
the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov and of his students, Toldos
Yaacov Yosef, had just been published.
Rabbi Menachem Mendele came to Rabbi Pinchas of Koretz.
Rabbi Pinchas told him, AI have an urge to speak slander.@
Rabbi Mendele replied, AAnd I am with you.@
Rabbi Pinchas asked him, AWho will begin?@
AWhy don't you?@answered Rabbi Mendele.
AIndeed,@said Rabbi Pinchas, AThen I will be the tale-bearer. I
will reveal the secret that Rabbi Yaacov Yosef of Polonnoye, the
Toldos, is a new Torah, from the garden of Eden.@
Part II
There is a second version of how the great Maggid became a
follower of the Baal Shem Tov. We must preface this second version
with a famous Hasidic story about the Baal Shem Tov.
Before he was revealed, the Baal Shem Tov served as a
village melamed (a school teacher) in the Lemberg area. When the
Days of AweBRosh Hashanah and Yom KippurBapproached, he
proposed that the village J ews make a minyan in the village, and that
he himself would lead the prayers, blow the shofar and read from the
Torah. The village J ews eagerly agreed.
At that time it was the custom that on the Days of Awe all
village J ews would come to the near-by towns. Usually, they were
coarse people, although religious and sincere, and they wanted to
fulfill their obligation in the presence of the prayers, shofar blowing
and Torah reading of the refined town J ews. The town community
leaders received part of their income from these village J ews. At that
time, they would also collect from them all the civil and
governmental taxes for the entire year.
Following the Days of Awe, when the community leaders of
Lemberg learned about the village minyan, they brought a complaint
against the village J ews before the Lemberg court, accusing them of
acting in a manner that damaged the traditional ways. The court
summoned the minyan and the melamed. First, it wanted to examine
the melamed, to see if he knew the tunes (the nusach) of the prayer
and the meaning of the piyutim (poems). Then it would decide what
punishment to administer.
As a part of the Council of the Four LandsBthe J ewish
religious autonomy in PolandBthese community leaders had
governmental powers. Directly following the second day after the
holy day, all the J ews of the village minyan had to accompany with
the melamed to the courtroom in stocking feet. There the melamed
had to recite aloud from AHamelech@until Shmoneh Esrai. All those
who heard him agreed that he knew the nusach and the meaning of
the words. Still, the community leaders demanded that the melamed
also recite aloud the Shmoneh Esraei. The melamed replied,
AWhoever knows that he has not yet rectified the sins of his youth
should leave the courtroom.@ The community leaders and onlookers
laughed and told him to continue. But as soon as he pronounced the
first two words of the Shmoneh Esraei, ABlessed are You,@with the
Days of Awe tune, most of the people listeningBexcluding the village
J ewsBfell down ill. A great commotion broke out in the synagogue,
and doctors had to be called in.
The judges asked the melamed to accompany them to the
rabbi of that time, the gaon Rabbi Yaakov Yusha, of blessed memory,
the author of the Pnei Yehoshua. The rabbi was wrapped in his
prayer shawl and wearing Rabbeinu Tam tefillin, immersed in
learning. As a holy man of great insight, as soon as he looked at the
face of the melamed, he immediately signaled the judges to free him.
They immediately freed the melamed and the village minyan.
Hasidim add that when the melamed left the rabbi=s room, he
looked at the mezuzah but did not kiss it. The rabbi immediately took
down the mezuzah, and examined it. He saw that it was blemished,
and replaced it with a kosher mezuzah. As a result of this episode,
when the melamed was later revealed as Athe Baal Shem Tov,@Rabbi
Yaacov Yusha was not among his opponents.
Now we will return to the second version. The community
leaders of Frankfurt supported a great yeshiva. They invited Rabbi
Yaacov Yushe to be the [community] rabbi and rosh yeshiva. But the
community leaders of Lemberg did not agree to let him go unless he
would leave behind a son and a son-in-law to head the court. The
older of the two, [his son,] Rabbi Berish, was made community rabbi,
and the younger one was made the head of the court. Rabbi Yaacov
Yusha told Rabbi Berish that should he have a difficult question, and
he could not wait for a reply from him in distant FrankfurtBaccording
to those times=travel conditionsBhe should discuss it with the
melamed of Tartshin, Rabbi Ber. Rabbi Yaacov Yusha said that he
recognized Rabbi Ber as the greatest Torah authority in the Lemberg
area. As a result, Rabbi Berish became a frequent guest of Rabbi Ber.
Suddenly Rabbi Ber grew weak, and the doctors could find no
cure. When Rabbi Berish came to pay a sick call, Rabbi Ber=s
rebbetzin told him that she considered her husband=s illness to be a
punishment from the Baal Shem TovBwho was at that time already
revealedBbecause although the Baal Shem Tov had commanded her
husband several times to come to him and learn his new path in
serving God, her husband refused to hear of it. Rabbi Berish knew
about the previous episode involving the village melamedBthe present
Baal Shem TovBand his father (the Pnei Yehoshua), and so he
accepted her words as being true. He came to Rabbi Ber and asked
him to comply with the Baal Shem Tov=s order. But Rabbi Ber
answered, AI have five hundred clear halachic proofs that it is
forbidden (heaven forbid) to look at the Baal Shem Tov=s face.@
Rabbi Berish took his leave and returned home. However, Rabbi Ber
grew worse. He developed such a great fever that without asking his
permission, his rebbetzin brought him to the Baal Shem Tov. There
he immediately grew well, and he was so much drawn to the Baal
Shem Tov that he became his greatest follower.
After Rabbi Ber returned home to Tartshin as a Hasid, and
Rabbi Berish again came to him to solve a difficult problem, Rabbi
Berish asked him, ARebbe! I know how hard it is understand one
reason of yours in halachah. You told me that you have five hundred
halachic proofs that it is forbidden (heaven forbid) to look at the Baal
Shem Tov=s face. So how is it that you have become his Hasid?@
Rabbi Ber answered, ALemberg rabbi! Believe me, I saw my rabbi,
the Baal Shem Tov, on such a high level of serving God that I was no
longer sure if he was a human being. And I myself asked him,
>Rebbe! Are you a mortal man?@When he answered me, >Yes, I am,
my mother was called Sarah, and my father was Eliezer,=I believed
him. Now, Lemberg rabbi, consider. Regarding a person about whom
there can be a doubt if he is mortal, can my reasons be relevant?@
May their merit protect us and all Israel, and may we merit a
complete redemption with the consolation of Zion and J erusalem,
quickly, in our days, amen.
p 33
The Student Who Wanted to Convert and the
Maggid of Mezeritch
Amidst the students in the beis medrash of Mezeritch who
shone with their diligence and breadth of knowledge was one young
student, the son of a poor widow.
This student was really a genius who impressed everyone, and
whose logic astonished even great scholars. Everyone honored him
greatly and placed great hopes in him.
One day, toward the end of the summer, this student took a
walk outside the town. He wandered amidst the trees of the forest,
submerged in his thoughts, and he didn't notice an old priest walking
nearby, a professor from the Catholic seminary that stood outside
Mezeritch.
Seeing this fine young man walking deep in thought, the priest
was very impressed. The priest interrupted him and engaged him in a
deep discussion regarding matters of faith.
The two were so immersed in their talk that they did not even notice
that it was growing late.
The priest was so taken with this student that he decided to
win him over to Catholicism. And as for the student, the priest's
intelligence and learning made a strong impression on him, and the
student had great pleasure from their talk.
When the two took leave of each other, the priest expressed
his thanks for the intellectual pleasure that the conversation had given
him, and asked the student to come back the next evening to continue
the conversation.
The student did not realize that the priest had an ulterior
motive, and so he promised that he would come back for another
discussion.
From then on, the student met quite often in the forest with
the priest. Naturally, no one knew of this. And slowly, the priest
began to win the confidence of the young, naive student, until all
manner of doubts began to enter his heart, God have mercy.
And in this way, the influence of the priest on the young
genius, who was still sitting in the beis medrash over his Gemara,
grew ever greater. At last, one day the town was shocked to learn the
dreadful news that the young genius had run away to the Catholic
seminary, for he had decided to convert, God have mercy.
It is hard to describe what took place then. People ran to the
priests and tried whatever they could. But nothing helped.
As for the poor widow, who had hoped to gain comfort from
her only son, this painful news was a terrible blow. She was
completely broken. Day after day, she stood before the seminary
door, hoping that she would be able to get in and speak with her son,
and beg him not to cause her this shame. But she was unable to do
so.
And meanwhile, the student sat in a closed room in the
seminary tower. And there, he prepared himself to abandon his faith,
God have mercy, filling his mind with thoughts of the great career
that lay before him.
That Friday morning, the desperate widow ran to the house of
the Rabbi Dov Ber, the Maggid of Mezeritch. There, she poured out
her bitter heart to the great maggid.
The maggid shook his head sadly and consoled her that this
was not yet over, that her son is still a J ew and that she should
therefore pray to God that his heart will be moved to repent.
When the woman left, the maggid summoned his students and
gave a profound talk on the verse: AWhen a person will sin....@
His students didn't understand the meaning of this: Why
should he should deliver such a profound Torah talk on a regular
Friday? But still, they listened with great attention.
An hour later, the maggid again summoned his students, again
quoted the verse, AWhen a person sins,@and began to discuss it from
another aspect.
Then, two hours later, the maggid gave another talk on the
same verse: a deep talk that not all of his students could understand.
And then, just an hour before candle-lighting, he again
summoned everyone and gave yet another talk on the verse, AWhen a
person sins.@
And the same thing took place during all the Shabbos meals:
and all on that one verse: AWhen a person sins.@
Particularly striking was the seventh talk, which the maggid
delivered during shalosh seudosBthe third Shabbos meal, at the very
end of Shabbos. That talk was filled with reproof and rebuke, and all
the students felt broken inside. Tears flowed from everyone's eyes,
and every individual was certain that he is the sinner to whom the
maggid is referring.
Suddenly, in the middle of the talk, a strong wind blew
frightfully and shook the little house so strongly that it seemed that an
earthquake was taking place.
The commotion grew even stronger, and the wind wailed so
loudly that the maggid's voice could no longer be heard.
Suddenly, the maggid cried out: ALight the candles!@
At the very moment that lit candles were brought to the beis
medrash, the door burst open and the student rushed in. And running
to the maggid, he cried out:
AChatasi, avisi, pashati! I have sinned, I have gone astray, I
have rebelled!@
Immediately, the maggid and his students recited the grace
and then the evening prayers. And afterwards, the maggid went into
his room.
Everyone circled the student and asked him to tell them what
had happened to him.
With great, broken sobs, the young man told about his
meetings with the priest, how the priest had slowly led him to doubts,
and how he had been increasingly constantly drawn to him, until he
was glad when the priest at last made his dreadful offer.
AThe entire time I was in the seminary,@the student said, AI
felt special. I didn't lack a thing. The priest visited me a few times a
day and taught me the basics of Christianity, and I began to prepare to
become a student at the seminary.
ABut yesterday morningBI don't know whyBI suddenly began
to think, that I am terribly ungrateful to my poor mother, who more
than once gave me the last piece of bread in the house and herself lay
down to sleep hungry. I began to look around the little room, where I
was held like a prisoner. I remembered that today is Friday. Soon
Shabbos would come. In the beis medrash, the lesson is coming to a
close, people are reviewing the parshah. Everyone is getting ready for
the holy ShabbosBand here I am amidst priests, preparing to betray
my people.
AA terrible longing began to torment me: a longing for the
Gemara, for the beis medrash, for my mother, who must be lying sick
with worry. It seemed to me that my father had leaped up from the
grave and is tearing worlds apart so that his son should not be allowed
to take such a terrible step.
AWith every moment, that feeling in me grew stronger. I was
filled with a dreadful fright. How did I dare to take such a step, to
deny the God of IsraelBI, the best beis medrash student, who had
astonished everyone with his knowledge? Woe to me and what had
happened to me!
AI began to feel the little room closing in about me.
Statements of the sages about repentance came into my thoughts. I
knew that I am a sinner, a great sinner. Still, I am not yet lost! But
how does one get out of here, when the door is locked?
AAnd Shabbos is approaching. I began to feel the holiness of
the day. Yes, in the lonely seminary room, I began to feel the
holiness of Shabbos, and a terrible pity awoke in me: I began to feel
how unfortunate I am, how oppressed, how cast away. It seemed to
me that I am swimming in the depths, in quicksand, that I am falling
deeper and deeper, and that I will soon no longer be able to
riseBnever!
AIn anguish, I threw myself to the floor and began to rip my
clothes, to tear my hair from my head. I grew hot and cold. I lost all
consciousness. Only one thought remained, filling my mind: the
verse, 'When a person sins,' and the knowledge that I am that sinner.
AThis was how I spent the entire night and the next morning.
When my meal was brought, I didn't even move to it. At least, to my
relief, all this time, the priest didn't show up. And I began to think
how I would carry out my determination to run away and come back
to my people, the J ewish people, and to my mother.
AIt is easy to say 'run away'Bbut there was no way to get out,
unless I were to throw myself from the window and die. But is it not
also a sin to take one's own life?
ABut later on this thought, from which I had at first recoiled,
began to attract me very strongly. I decided that for a person like me,
who had wanted to betray my J udaism, there could be no other
atonement than to throw myself from the tower and die. And besides,
this would be a sanctification of God's name.
AAnd so I began to prepare myself for death. I spent the entire
day in repentance. I wept and poured out my heart before the Master
of the world. Then, as soon as it began to grow dark, I opened the
window. I murmured, 'Master of the world, may my death be an
atonement for my sin.' And I leaped from the window.
AWhen I came to, I looked around and saw that I am outside
the town, far from the Catholic seminary. I realized that a miracle, a
great miracle, had taken place, and that I had been saved from death
and apostasy, God have mercy.
AMy first thought was to immediately run to the holy maggid,
so that he should save my soul, which was so soiled with sin. And so
I came here. And I confess and announce before the entire
congregation: Chatasi, avisi, pashati!@
Now the other students understood for the first time that with
his many talks on the verse AWhen a person sins,@the Maggid of
Mezeritch had saved a J ewish soul from apostasy, God have mercy.
In Der Velt fun Chasidus, Vol. I (Warsaw, 5698; 1937)
The Liberation
As an introduction to the following story, we must make note
of the fierce and bloody controversy of the misnagdim against the
Hasidism that raged almost two hundred years ago. The intent of the
leaders of that controversy was sincere and for the sake of heaven, for
they suspected, or believed with certainty, that the Hasidic movement
wasBheaven forbidBa continuation of the Shabbtai Tzvi movement.
They therefore persecuted the Hasidim with J ewish means (e.g.,
vows, excommunication and the like). But unfortunately, maskilim of
the assimilationist Berlin Enlightenment stole into the ranks of the
misnagdim. These maskilim added a new dimension to the campaign
of persecution against the Hasidim. They legitimized unethical
means, justifying their actions just as a man may Aprove an unclean
reptile pure with a hundred and fifty arguments,@until they adopted
the J esuitic principle that the ends justify the means. They made the
denunciation of J ews to gentiles permissible. The maskilim
recognized the Hasidic movement as the greatest obstacle to the
spread of the Berlin Enlightenment, and so they wanted to uproot it
utterly. They were not restrained by the halachah, which clearly states
that an informer is considered to be no better than an apostate.
At that time, three great leaders of the Hasidic movement set
out for the land of Israel, accompanied by almost two hundred
families. These three leaders were R. Mendele Vitebsker, R. Avraham
Kalisker, and the Arav,@Rabbi Shneur Zalman, the first rebbe of the
Lubavitcher dynasty. But in the midst of their travels, the oldest of the
three, R. Mendele Vitebsker, commanded the rav to turn back and
remain as leader of the Hasidim of Lithuania and Reisen.
The rav did so, and took on the responsibility of gathering
great sums of money for those few hundred families. And it was this
that the informers made use of. They wrote to Petersburg (the capital
of Russia) that a sect called Hasidim had arisen among the J ews. Its
leader was R. Shneur Zalman of Liadi, who was sending great sums
of money to the Turkish sultan for the purpose of building a great
flotilla that would wage war against Russia. In return, the sultan
promised to give rulership over the land of Israel to the rabbi who
was now calling himself Arav,@but who would then call himself King
of Israel.
This took place in the time of Czar Paul. (A similar
denunciationBthis one instigated solely by Enlightenment
figuresBtook place in a later generation, in the time of Nikolai the
First, against the Rizhiner, who was in charge of the land of Israel
charity boxes for Kolel Volhinia [?] and who conducted himself in a
royal manner). This wild political charge was taken very seriously in
Petersburg, for Russia and Turkey had never had friendly relations.
Now to the story.
One day, a closed police coach traveled to the rav=s house. He
was arrested and taken in secret to Petersburg. And no one in the
rav=s house knew where he had been taken to.
The first interrogation of Rabbi Shneur Zalman was conducted
by a man who held the posts of interior and judicial minister. This
man recognized that the denunciation was entirely false, that it was no
more than a libel concocted against an innocent man. He went to
someone whom he trusted, a J ewish merchant of Petersburg named R.
Moshe Meisels, and asked him to give a written guarantee that the
rabbi is an honest and respectable citizen. If the J ew would not do so,
he, the minister, was too afraid of Czar Paul to free the rav himself,
for Czar Paul took a personal interests in matters of this sort.
Since R. Moshe Meisels was a misnaged, he asked the
minister for a certain amount of time to make his decision.
The custom of that time was that wealthy J ews would go to
the greatest yeshivas and choose the best, most learned students as
their sons-in-law. R. Moshe Meisels had done so as well, and taken
the greatest genius of R. Notele Erser=s yeshiva as his son-in-law,
whom he supported in his home and all of whose needs he took care
of. And the son-in-law learned without a break, day and night. R.
Moshe considered his son-in-law a great genius and a very pious
individual. So he asked him this question. He told him to think the
matter over and clarify whether, according to the halachah, one may
free the rav.
[At last,] the son-in-law replied, AAfter considering all the
points involved in this question, I am still undecided. On the one
hand, perhaps we should follow the principle that >to sit and do
nothing is preferable,=and we should not mix in. However, practically
speaking, the opposite seems true. The minister wants to free the rav.
The only reason he wants you to sign is to protect himself. So if you
do not give the guarantee, you will be in the category of >one who gets
up and acts=[wrongly]. You will be no better than an informer.@
And so R. Moshe Meisels signed the guarantee. The minister
immediately freed the rabbi and gave him a document of release.
When the rav thanked him, the minister said, AYou must thank R.
Moshe Meisels. I do not deserve any thanks. I merely carried out my
duty after I realized that you are innocent.@
The rav traveled to R. Moshe and wanted to thank him. But R.
Moshe told him to thank his son-in-law, for it was he who had issued
the halachic decision that had led to his release.
But then the son-in-law told the rav, AI am still doubtful of the
halachah, so I cannot accept any thanks.@
The rav said bitterly, AMaster of the universe! If it is possible
that a J ew who had the merit of freeing me should still be unsure
whether he did the right thing, I would prefer to remain arrested!@
These words deeply upset the son-in-law. He answered, AIf
you bring me a note from my rabbi, R. Notele Erser, allowing me to
accept your thanks, I will do so gladly.@
AAnd what if R. Notele will become my follower?@asked the
rav.
The son-in-law answered, AIf that happens, you can be sure
that my father-in-law and I will become your most faithful Hasidim,
for that would be a great thing.@
The first interrogation of Rabbi Shneur Zalman was conducted
by a man who held the posts of interior and judicial minister. This
man recognized that the denunciation was entirely false, that it was no
more than a libel concocted against an innocent man. He went to
someone whom he trusted, a J ewish merchant of Petersburg named R.
Moshe Meisels, and asked him to give a written guarantee that the
rabbi is an honest and respectable citizen. If the J ew would not do so,
he, the minister, was too afraid of Czar Paul to free the rav himself,
for Czar Paul took a personal interests in matters of this sort.
Since R. Moshe Meisels was a misnaged, he asked the
minister for a certain amount of time to make his decision.
The custom of that time was that wealthy J ews would go to
the greatest yeshivas and choose the best, most learned students as
their sons-in-law. R. Moshe Meisels had done so as well, and taken
the greatest genius of R. Notele Erser=s yeshiva as his son-in-law,
whom he supported in his home and all of whose needs he took care
of. And the son-in-law learned without a break, day and night. R.
Moshe considered his son-in-law a great genius and a very pious
individual. So he asked him this question. He told him to think the
matter over and clarify whether, according to the halachah, one may
free the rav.
[At last,] the son-in-law replied, AAfter considering all the
points involved in this question, I am still undecided. On the one
hand, perhaps we should follow the principle that >to sit and do
nothing is preferable,=and we should not mix in. However, practically
speaking, the opposite seems true. The minister wants to free the rav.
The only reason he wants you to sign is to protect himself. So if you
do not give the guarantee, you will be in the category of >one who gets
up and acts=[wrongly]. You will be no better than an informer.@
And so R. Moshe Meisels signed the guarantee. The minister
immediately freed the rabbi and gave him a document of release.
When the rav thanked him, the minister said, AYou must thank R.
Moshe Meisels. I do not deserve any thanks. I merely carried out my
duty after I realized that you are innocent.@
The rav traveled to R. Moshe and wanted to thank him. But R.
Moshe told him to thank his son-in-law, for it was he who had issued
the halachic decision that had led to his release.
But then the son-in-law told the rav, AI am still doubtful of the
halachah, so I cannot accept any thanks.@
The rav said bitterly, AMaster of the universe! If it is possible
that a J ew who had the merit of freeing me should still be unsure
whether he did the right thing, I would prefer to remain arrested!@
These words deeply upset the son-in-law. He answered, AIf
you bring me a note from my rabbi, R. Notele Erser, allowing me to
accept your thanks, I will do so gladly.@
AAnd what if R. Notele will become my follower?@asked the
rav.
The son-in-law answered, AIf that happens, you can be sure
that my father-in-law and I will become your most faithful Hasidim,
for that would be a great thing.@
Rabbi Shneur Zalman immediately went to Erse. There he
learned that R. Notele was an extraordinarily wealthy man who
supported an entire yeshiva out of his own funds. And in addition,
since he was a great Torah scholar, he served as the head of the
yeshiva. As for his business, it was run by several hand-picked men
who only met with Rabbi Notele regarding particularly difficult
matters.
R. Notele also had a man in charge of distributing charity.
This man had the discretion of disbursing up to one ruble per case.
(In those days, a ruble was a considerable sum.) If he wished to give
someone more than a ruble, he had to ask R. Notele=s permission.
The rav came to this man, who was awed by the rav=s holy
features. Besides, the rav was dressed in wealthy garmentsBin
keeping with the practice of R. Mendele Vitebsker, who was the first
tzaddik to dress in a wealthy manner. The charity distributor realized
that such a charity recipient wasn=t asking for just one ruble. In his
consternation, he opened the door to R. Notele=s room for the rav.
When the rav came in, he found R. Notele so deep in study that he
wasn=t even aware that someone had come in. And so the rav stood in
the room, next to the closed door.
When R. Notele emerged from his profound thoughts and saw
this unfamiliar man in his room (who had not, contrary to custom,
been announced), he grew frightened, and he asked the rav, AWho are
you?@
The rav replied, AShneur Zalman of Liadi.@
R. Notele told him, AThey say that you know the entire
Gemara.@
The rav answered, AI know half of the Gemara.@
AWhich half?@asked R. Notele.
The rav replied, AWhichever half you want.@
(Note: With this answer, he showed his humility. The
mishnah teaches, AIf you have learned a great deal, do not claim this
for yourself as a wonderful accomplishment.@Also, the Talmudic
sages called themselves mere Astudents of the wise,@because the only
truly wise one is God Himself.)
AIf that is so,@Rabbi Notele sad, Atell me how many times the
phrase Ta Shma (Come and hear) is found in the Talmud.@
The rav gave him a number.
ANo,@said Rabbi Notele.
The rav was not dissuaded. He said, AIf you want to count a
Ta Shma that does not come to answer a question or to resolve a
doubt, then there is another one.@
At this, Rabbi Notele went to the door [where the rav was
standing], greeted the rav with a friendly AShalom Aleichem,@took his
hand, and brought him to his desk. There he invited the rav to sit, and
he asked him to resolve two contradictory midrashim that he had been
learning.
Midrash Rabbah, in Ki Sisa, states that AThe Holy One,
blessed be He, said to Moshe: J ust as I required ten righteous men in
order to save the city of Sodom, you must show me ten righteous men
of Israel, and then I will not destroy the J ews.@ The midrash
concludes that Moshe showed God seven righteous men who were
alive, and he added the merit of the three holy patriarchs: Avraham,
Yitzchak and Yaacov. And then God immediately forgave the J ews.
But we learn in Midrash Rabbah, in Eikev (Chapter 3), that, in
regard to this same episode, AMoshe said to [God]...I will find eighty
righteous men among [the J ews]. Here are seventy-seven [live
J ews])...and let the deadB[the three Patriarchs]Bstand [with them].@
The midrash continues with a quote from King Solomon: AI praise the
dead...more than the living.@
In Ki Sisa, we are told that Moshe had to supply ten righteous
men, yet in Eikev, we are told that he had to supply eighty. And
besides that, why are the dead praised more than the living?
Without a pause, the rav responded, AThe answer can be found
in a Talmudic passage.@
Rabbi Notele asked the rav to give him five minutes. He
mentally paged through the entire Talmud, and then said,
ANo@Bmeaning that he had not come across such a passage.
The rav said, AIt is a plain mishnah.@
Again, Rabbi Notele asked for a few minutes. He mentally
went through the entire mishnah, and then he again responded, ANo.@
And he asked the rav, AIn which Order of the mishnah?@
The rav answered, AIn the Order of Nezikin.@
Rabbi Notele wanted to find the relevant mishnah on his own,
but he couldn=t. And so he asked the rav to tell him.
The rav said, AThere is a dispute in Horayos 4:2 between
Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Yehudah. Rabbi Meir says that all J ews
together form one community, and Rabbi Yehudah says that every
tribe is considered a community.
AThe midrash in Parshas Ki Sisa agrees with Rabbi Meir=s
opinion. For the entire of Israel it is enough to find ten righteous
men. Moshe Rabbeinu found seven live men and three who had
passed awayBtotaling ten. The J ews who were alive protected the
entire community to the same extent as those who were no longer
alive.
AHowever the midrash in Eikev agrees with R. Yehudah that
>each tribe is called a community.= The J ews are divided into twelve
tribes. However, the tribe of Levi did not sin at this time. This leaves
eleven tribes that were in danger of being destroyed.
So in such a case, Moshe needed to find ten men for each of
the eleven tribes. But Moshe Rabeinu could only find seventy- seven
such J ewsBwhich would provide seven J ews to each tribe. And so he
added the three patriarchs separately to each tribe. Now, each tribe
was protected by the merit of ten people. Each living righteous J ew
counted as one, but the patriarchs were counted eleven times: once
for each tribe. And that is why King Solomon praises those who have
passed on more than those who are living.
This answer pleased R. Notele very much. He asked the rav:
AHow is it thatBas they sayBwhen you students of the Baal Shem Tov
speak of potatoes, you are engaging in yichud meditations.?
The rav answered, AHow is it that when you are in the middle
of the Shmoneh Esrei, you are thinking about potatoes? It seems to
me that it is better to speak of potatoes while being engaged in
yichudim.@
R. Notele replied to the rav with great humility, AFrom now
on, I am one of your followers.@
Rabbi Shneur Zalman told R. Notele about Moshe Meisels
and his son-in-law. R. Notele immediately wrote them a letter telling
them to accept the thanks of such a holy man.
Hasidim tell that when the war Czar Alexander I and
Napoleon was taking place, the students of the Baal Shem Tov and
the Maggid had various views on the subject. [Translator=s note: It is
apparent that they believed that their viewpoints and prayers would
determine, or at least influence, the outcome of the war.]
R. Mordechai of Nes=chezsh, R. Shlomo Karliner, R. Naftali
Rapshitzer, and other great tzaddikim of that time wanted Napoleon
to win. When R. Naftali placed his matzos in the oven on the eve of
Passover (he was then staying in the court of his rebbe, R. Mendele
Rimenover), with each matzah that he put in, he said, AAnother five
hundred Russians will fall.@But when R. Mendele heard this, he
stopped him. Also, that year on Purim the Kazshenitzer Maggid
himself read the megillah. When he came to the phrase addressed to
Haman, AYou will surely fall,@he yelled the words out in Hebrew,
ANapol, tipol!@Bmeaning, ANapoleon, you will fall!@ (with a patach
under the nun).
R. Dovid Frenkel, rabbi of Husyatin, told me that in the year
5672 (1911-12) he received a secret piece of information from the
Husyatiner staraste (police chief) that Kaiser Franz Yosef of Austria
and Czar Nikolai II of Russia were having a dispute regarding
Albania. When he told this to the second rebbe of Husyatin, the
admor (i.e., the rebbe) told him, AIn the time of the Napoleonic wars,
there were differences of opinion amongst the tzaddikim as to who
should win. They decided to present the matter to a neutral tzaddik,
and they chose R. Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev. He replied to them, >I
have the custom of changing my shirt every Friday. But I only do so
if I have a clean one to put on in its place. I have no interest in
replacing a dirty shirt with another dirty shirt.@
As is known, R. Shneur Zalman of Liadi sided with Czar
Alexander. He even counseled him to retreat from Napoleon=s army
deep into Russia, burning the cities and towns behind him (a
Ascorched earth@policy). And due to this advice, Alexander won the
war.
R. Moshe Meisels was familiar with the quality of the Russian
ministers. He knew that their only thoughts were how to devise evil
decrees against the J ews. In his heart, he was upset that his rebbe, R.
Shneur Zalman, didn=t support Napoleon, who had presented himself
as a people=s liberator, including the oppressed J ewish people. With
his ruach hakodesh, divine inspiration, the rav sensed these thoughts
of R. Moshe, and he wrote him the following letter. AThis past Rosh
Hashanah I was shown from heaven during Musaf that if Napoleon
Bonaparte were to win, the J ew=s situation would improve materially,
but the J ewish heart would be torn away from our Father in heaven.
If, however, Czar Alexander were to win, although the J ews=material
situation would deteriorate, they would, however, bind their hearts
more strongly to heaven. And so I request and direct every J ew to
pray for the victory of Russia.@
Lubavitcher Hasidim add that prior to the events of this
episode (of R. Shneur Zalman, R. Moshe Meisels and R. Notele), the
rav had been with R. Pinchas Koritzer. R. Pinchas had asked the rav
about the same contradiction between the midrashim that R. Notele
later posed. R. Pinchas himself reconciled them and concluded,
AZalmanyu! Remember this well. It will one day come to use.@ In
other words, R. Pinchas already foresaw what would happen in the
future.
Chasidishe Maasiyos
In All My House, He Is Trustworthy
The first Rabbi Aharon of Karlin (Hasidim call him Athe great
Rebbe Aharon@) once entered the study of his rebbe, Rabbi Dov Ber
(the Maggid of Mezeritch), to take his leave, for he wished to go
home. The rebbe parted with him. But as soon as Rabbi Aharon left
the room, the rebbe sent a few of his Aholy company@to stop Rabbi
Aharon from leaving. They stopped him, and so Rabbi Aharon
returned to R. Dov Ber to again ask permission to leave. And so
again the rebbe saw him off, and again he sent a few of his students to
prevent him from leaving.
And this took place a few more times. Finally, Rabbi Aharon
ignored what the students were telling him. He said to them, AIf the
rebbe didn=t want me to go home, he would have told me himself.@
And he went home.
And there, he immediately passed away.
Greatly pained by Rabbi Aharon=s death, the students took
courage and went to ask Rabbi Dov Ber why he had given Rabbi
Aharon permission to leave. In response, the rebbe sent them to his
oven stoker [grube heitzer]Bwho would later be known as Rabbi
Zushe of Anipole.
Rabbi Zushe answered them as follows:
AThe Torah praises Moshe by saying that >in all My house he
is trustworthy.= But what does it mean that someone is trustworthy in
God=s house? Is there anything there that could be stolen? The
answer is that Moshe would not tell what he had seen in heaven
unless he was given permission to reveal it. The Midrash teaches that
>Moshe knew with certainty from heaven that if all the people prayed
for him, the decree that he cannot enter the Holy Land would be
nullified. He hinted at this many times. But since they did not
understand, he did not openly tell them this secret, even though it was
for his own sake=(Devorim 3). And so you must understand that
although the rebbe knew everything in advance and looked for ways
to keep Rabbi Aharon from going home, he could not say anything
openly.@
Chasidishe Maasiyos, p. 77
The Drunkard
There was once a time of great trouble for the J ews, God have
mercy. Everyone ran to the holy tzaddik Rabbi Boruch of Mezhibozh
(grandson of the Baal Shem Tov), to beg God to help the J ews.
Rabbi Boruch told a few people, AGo to such-and-such a
village, a few miles from here, and find someone whose name is So-
and-so and whose father's name is So-and-so.@ And he admonished
them, ABe extremely careful to find that very man.@ He described him
very carefully so that they would be able to find him. Then he told
them to speak with him until he explicitly said, AMay God remove
this trouble from you.@
The messengers left Rabbi Boruch, thinking that the man to
whom Rabbi Boruch was sending them must surely be a great and
famous tzaddik. When they arrived, they asked, AWhere does the
tzaddik So-and-so live?@ But no one knew whom they meant.
Instead, people told them, AThere is no tzaddik by that name here.@
The messengers were very surprised. They knew that their
holy Rabbi Boruch would not tell an untruth, heaven forbid. What he
said must be true. But still, they didn't know what to do. So then
they simply asked if there were anyone in town with that name.
Finally, someone told them, AI know that man. He is a total drunkard.
What do you need him for? He lies about drunk constantly. He
doesn't pray, he doesn't do a thingBall he does is drink. He doesn't
even have any idea of what is happening around him.@
The messengers went to the drunkard's house. They spoke
with his wife and told her that the holy Rabbi Boruch had sent for
him. She replied, AMy dear J ews, why are you making fun of me?
You can see that my husband is a drunkard. He is lying there, drunk.
Why would the holy rabbi contact him?@ She told them that her
husband had once been a very wealthy person. But then he took to
drink and grew very poor. And now he gets drunk and goes to sleep,
and when he wakes up he gets drunk again until he lies down again.
AAnd that is what he has been doing for the last few months. So if
you want to speak to him, you must wait for the moment that he
wakes up. The moment he does so, before he starts to drink again,
you should talk to him. If you miss that moment, he'll get drunk
again.@
The messengers were astonished. They asked what kind of
person he had been before he became a drunkard. But they heard
nothing good that would help them understand why he was capable of
bringing about heavenly redemption. Still, out of their great faith in
Rabbi Boruch, they went to the drunkard and waited for him to wake
up, so that they could get him to say the words that Rabbi Boruch had
mentioned. As soon as the drunkard woke up, he grabbed a bottle of
vodka. The messengers took hold of his hand and told him that the
tzaddik, Rabbi Boruch, had sent them to him with the message that he
would say that the bitter decree should be lifted from the J ews.
The drunkard replied, AFirst, I will have a little bit to drink.@
The messengers told him, AWe will not let you have anything to drink
until you decree that a redemption must be sent from heaven.@
The drunkard told them, AMay God in His great mercy remove
this evil from you, and leave me alone.@
And so the messengers immediately returned to Mezhibozh.
They had taken note of the exact time the drunkard had said those
words. And when they returned, they realized that at that moment,
the evil had been rescinded. The messengers were astonished, and
they did not understand.
They came to the holy Rabbi Boruch and told him, ARebbe,
this matter is very wondrous to us. That man is a coarse drunkard.
We asked about him as he is today and as he used to be, and no one
had anything good to say. He can barely pray, he never prays to the
end. But we saw how he made a decree and it was carried out. What
is this all about?@
The holy Rabbi Boruch told them, AI will tell you the power of
a mitzvah.@ And he told them the following story:
This man was once a great businessman. He had a large store
with merchandise, and he was an uncommonly distinguished man.
Once he had dealings with a great baroness, a widow. He pleased her
because he was very handsome, and she told him, AI want you to be
my husband. What good is your wife to you? I am a great baroness.
You will have all my towns and villages, and you will receive the
respect of important government officials. They will treat you as a
baron, and you will be even greater than they, because of your
intelligence.@
The man promised the baroness that he would marry her. But
first, he said, she should make a great ball to which she should invite
many barons and dukes, so that they would know him as a great
baron. The baroness agreed to do this, and so they prepared the day
of the ball.
In brief, the drunkard got ready to marry the baroness, for he
very much wanted that empty honor, heaven help us.
On the day of the ball, he came to the baroness's estate, and he
and all the officials celebrated an entire day and night, until the new
day began. In the morning, he wandered through the estate, looking
over everything like the new master, until he heard sighs and groans.
He went to a room where he found some people, and asked them what
the problem was. They told him that they were J ews who had been
imprisoned as debtors. They had been imprisoned a long time, and
now they were to be killed, for no reason.
The man had great pity on these prisoners. He hurried to the
baroness and told her that on this day of their great joy he does not
want to hear any groans, so she should free the prisoners and forgive
their debts. The baroness told him, AYou can do whatever you want,
because from now on, everything belongs to you.@ So he provided
each prisoner with a wagon and horse, and sent them home with
adequate provisions for the way.
Once this man had performed the great mitzvah of ransoming
prisoners from death, the mitzvah began to burn in his heart. He
began to think: AWhat am I about to do here? To live with a non-
J ewish woman and subject myself to gehinnom? Heaven forbid! I
will not commit such a great sin.@ And he took a horse and carriage
and escaped from there without having sinned.
So when this man performed these two great mitzvos of
ransoming prisoners from death and repenting whole-heartedly, it was
decreed in the heavenly court that whatever he decrees should be
obeyed in heaven.
This led to a great commotion in the heavenly court. The
attribute of severity spoke against him because of his bad conduct in
genera. And so it was decided that he should become a drunkard so
that he will not know what is needed in the world and interfere with
the decrees of the heavenly court.
The holy Rabbi Boruch concluded, AIt is indeed very
dangerous to go to this man and ask him to nullify the decrees of
heaven, God forbid. But this was a matter that could have affected all
J ews, and therefore I had to send you to him.@
From this story, we can learn how great the power of even one
mitzvah is, and help us attain everything good. May God help us in
His great mercy to carry out mitzvos and good deeds.
Maaseh Tzaddikim (unpaginated)
The Hidden Tzaddik
Rabbi Leib of Shpole (who in the Hasidic world is called Athe
Shpole zeide@B Athe grandfather of Shpole@) was the student of a
hidden tzaddik, a nistar, who was on the surface a simple cantor and
choir master: the cantor of Zaslav. Amongst the choir singers were
other nistarim, two of whom were later revealed: Rabbi Leib of
Shpole and Rabbi Mordechai, the first Neschizsher rabbi. (We will
have more to tell of the latter elsewhere.)
When Rabbi Leib was still young, he had the merit of
knowing the Baal Shem Tov. Since his later rebbe, the cantor of
Zaslav, was a nistar, Rabbi Leib decided that he would also remain a
nistar. For a while he acted as village shochet (slaughterer) or a
simple village melamed (teacher). He suffered poverty and
underwent great tests. (All this has already been adequately recorded
in previously published stories. I myself am only relating stories
received by oral tradition from reliable sources, which have never
been published before.) However, the heavenly court realized that he
would be very helpful to the J ews if he were to be revealed and act as
a leader and rebbe. (Later, this indeed turned out to be the case. He
refined he coarse town of Shpole, bringing this entire J ewish
community to perfect repentance, and he helped them materially and
spiritually. That is why he had himself called Athe Shpole zeide.@)
It was revealed to Rabbi Leib that the heavenly court had
decided that he must be revealed. He hired someone whom he knew
as his aide, and with him he traveled to the nearby shtetl.
When he came to the inn, he announced himself to be a rebbe.
However, no one from the shtetl came to him, not even to greet him.
As a true tzaddik, Rabbi Leib passed this test. However, his aide, a
poor, simple J ew, demanded payment, and the innkeeper also had to
be paid. Meanwhile, they learned that a famous Hasidic tzaddik had
arrived, and that the entire shtetl, from old to young and from great to
small, was running to greet him, and literally flooding him with
requests and donations (kvitlech and pidyonos). Rabbi Leib=s aide
pressed him so strongly that Rabbi Leib was persuaded to go out into
the street and himself see the people running and hurrying to the other
tzaddik.
Rabbi Leib saw a young man running. He asked him, AWhere
are you running to?@
ATo the rebbe!@ the young man replied.
With humility, Rabbi Leib said to the young man, AHere in
this inn a rebbe is staying, with whose help you can get whatever you
desireBwhether in spiritual or in physical matters.@ But the young
man tore himself free and cried out, ALeave me alone, I am running to
my own rebbe.@ With this, Rabbi Leib at last grew upset. He went
back in to his aide and told him to give him his Shabbos clothes so
that he himself could go and greet the newly-arrived tzaddik.
The other rebbe was Rabbi Motele Tshernobeler (the son of
Rabbi Nachum, who was the author of the Meor Eynaim, a student of
the Baal Shem Tov and, later, a member of the holy company of
Rabbi Dov Ber). Rabbi Motele himself was part of the younger group
around Rabbi Dov Ber. He used to take a great deal of money from
his followers and with it support all the hidden tzaddikim, whom he
knew of by tradition from his rebbes, and also through divine
inspiration.
Now, with divine inspiration, he sensed what was taking place
in the inn where Rabbi Leib was staying. He immediately had his
gabbai hand him his overcoat and he placed the money from the table
and with the kvitlech in a large kerchief, put it in his pocket and
immediately went to Rabbi Leib.
Of course, everyone else accompanied Rabbi Motele. When,
through the window, Rabbi Leib saw the great crowd approaching his
inn, he sent his aide out to find out what was going on. Rabbi Motele
told the aide to bring Rabbi Leib to a separate room, so that he could
give Rabbi Leib a kvitl. Rabbi Motele entered the inn, wrote a kvitl
in the outer room and entered the room where Rabbi Leib was sitting.
There, he handed him the kvitl with a pidyon, a payment, of eight
gold rand (a large amount in those days). And he told Rabbi Leib,
AYou should have realized that a simple young man like the one you
met in the street cannot have the merit of the great mitzvah of
supporting you, and, more than that, of giving you your first kvitl.
This belongs to me and to people like me.
And from then on, Rabbi Leib was revealed.
Chasidishe Maasiyos
The J ew with the Beautiful Face
One of the Shpole Zeide=s comrades was Rabbi Mordechai,
the first Nes=chizsher rebbe. (He was the father of the Kavler rebbe,
Rabbi Leib, who was the father-in-law of the Trisker maggid. He was
also the father of the Ustiler rebbe, Rabbi Yosele, and of the second
Nes=chizsher rebbe, Rabbi Yitzchak, whose teachings are presented in
Toldos Yitzchak.) Rabbi Mordechai decided that he too (like the
Shpole Zeide) would become a nistar, a hidden tzaddik. But he had
an elevated public persona. He filled the rabbinical post in Leshnav,
a small shtetl near Brod.
While rabbi of Leshnav, he came to mistrust the shtetl shochet
(ritual slaughterer). And so he set out by foot to Brod, to look for
another shochet. As he was passing through a forest, a J ew with a
beautiful face emerged from a small path and joined him.
AWhere is a J ew going, and for what reason?@he asked Rabbi
Mordechai.
Rabbi Mordechai answered, AI am going to Brod to look for a
shochet, because I do not trust the one we have.@
The man told him, AIs that so? I am no longer a young man. I
remember once when a rabbi dismissed a shochet. And do you know
what happened in the end? With my own eyes, I saw the shochet and
his wife and children became wandering beggars. Nu! I saw what
happened to the shochetB but I have not yet seen what happened to
the rabbi.@
With these last words the man disappeared. Rabbi Mordechai
believed that this had been an appearance of Elijah the prophet, who
had come to prevent him from committing a great injustice. And so
he set aside his misgivings, went back home and continued to remain
a nistar.
Chasidishe Maasiyos
The Horses' Flight
At that time there was a famous tzaddik, one of the students of
the Baal Shem Tov, who also belonged to the company of Rabbi Dov
Ber. He was a hidden tzaddik, a half-nistar. He had no Hasidim and
did not lead any group. Nevertheless, he was known. He used to
travel about secretly and often displayed great wonders, and then he
would call himself R. Leib Sarah=s. (Many wondrous things are told
of him, a few of which have already been published.)
My mother, Sarah bas R. Yitzchak Dovid, may she rest in
peace, told me that once, as a nistar, he came to a wealthy J ewish
villager at a time that this J ew lacked a melamed, a teacher, for his
children. The villager asked him if he wanted the position, and
promised him a good salary. R. Leib agreed, on condition that every
Friday he could stop teaching early and that the villager would
arrange a ride for him to town and back, for he wanted to go to the
mikvah in honor of the Sabbath. The very first Friday the villager had
his gentile servant bring the melamed to town and then home again.
That Friday night, the servant told the familyBwhen R. Leib
was not presentBthat when they had left the village, the melamed had
told him to tie the reins to the wagon and turn around so that his back
would be to the horses, and that the horses would find their own way.
AWhen I obeyed,@said the servant, Ait felt as though the horses
began flying through the air. Towns and villages flashed by before
my eyes, until we stopped at a great city inn. There the melamed
made me promise not to go into the street, so that I wouldn't get lost.
And he told the innkeeper to give me as much food and as drink I
wanted on his account. And he told me that I would have to wait two
hours for him. He came back to the minute, and told me to climb
back up on the wagon. I was so tired because I had eaten and drunk
so much that I immediately fell asleep, and I only woke up as we were
coming to the house.@
The villager told his family to take care that the melamed not
learn that their servant had told them this story. And he told one of
his sons-in-law to persuade the melamed to take him along next
Friday to the mikveh.
And so the melamed took him along, and on the way they
stopped at a mikveh. Afterwards, they traveled to the same inn
(which the servant recognized) and the melamed made the son-in-law
and servant promise to wait for him at the inn for two hours. But
instead the son-in-law quietly followed the melamed, step by step,
until they came to a royal palace, where an armed guard was standing
watch.
There the melamed saw the son-in-law. So, in order to save
him from certain death at the hands of the military guard, the
melamed told the son-in-law to hold onto his belt. In this way they
both passed by the guard unnoticedBAseeing and yet not seen@Buntil
they came to the emperor=s room. There, the son-in-law saw the
melamed open a knife and threaten Kaiser J osef the First of Austria
that he would cut strips from his flesh while he is still alive if he
would not tear up the evil decrees against the Austrian J ews. The
kaiser yelled for help, but the people around him thought that he was
mad, for they saw no one. And so the kaiser was forced to tear up the
documents with the evil decrees before R. Leib.
On the way out, they again passed the watch unnoticed, and
returned to the inn. The son-in-law entered a store, bought himself a
small knife and asked the store-keeper to write out a receipt with the
date and exact address, with the shopkeeper's signature. How
astonished were the villager and his family when they heard from the
son-in-law and the servant, that on the way there they had both fallen
asleep and only woken at the inn and they had also fallen asleep on
the way home, only awakening by the villager's house. Even more
wondrous in their eyes was the receipt for the small knife, which was
dated that Friday's date, by a merchant of Vienna, with his exact
addressBwhich showed that the melamed had traveled from a village
in the Volhina gubernia to Vienna and back in the course of a few
hours, by means of the holy power of God's Name, which is used for
Akefitzas haderech.@ The melamed had to admit that he is the half-
nistar, R. Leib Sarah=s.@
After the Sabbath, he took his leave, left the village, and went
back to being a half-nistar.
Chasidishe Maasiyos
The Secret Room
R. Mordechai, the Leshnaver rabbi (mentioned above in The
Jew with the Beautiful Face), was eager to learn the secrets of the
half-nistar. It was revealed to him from heaven that there was an inn
keeper in Brod who was a follower of the half-nistar, with whom the
half-nistar would lodge when he visited Brod.
R. Mordechai went to this innkeeper in Brod and asked if he
could stay in the room where the half-nistar always lodged. The
innkeeper, a discerning Hasid, looked at him in wonder and said, AI
understand that you must be one of the hidden nistarim, since it was
revealed to you that the half-nistar lodges here. However, I beg you
many times over not to ask me to do you this favor. When my rebbe,
the half-nistar, came to stay with me for the first time, he told me to
give him a separate room with a new bed, a table, a chair, and a shelf
with holy books. And he told me, >Everything must stay where it is.
Do not let anyone into this room, not even members of your own
family. When I am not here, keep the room locked, so that when I
come, I will stay here. If you obey, it will go well for you. If
notBheaven forbidBunderstand for yourself what will happen to you. I
am R. Leib Sarah=s.=@
When he heard these words, R. Mordechai answered, AIf that
is so, I will not ask you to go against your rebbe=s order, heaven
forbid. But do me a favor and only open the door. I will only look in.
I am the rabbi of Leshnav.@ And the innkeeper agreed to do this for
the rabbi.
A few days later, R. Leib Sarah=s came to the inn. The
innkeeper received him with great respect. But as soon as he
unlocked the door of the room, R. Leib asked him angrily, AWhom
did you allow in here?@
With tears in his eyes, the innkeeper answered, AR.
Mordechai, the rabbi of Leshnav, asked me to open the door for him.
He said that he only wanted to look inside, and I thought that you
wouldn=t mind.@
R. Leib told him, AI will forgive you only on condition that
you take a sealed letter from me and immediately bring it to the
community leaders of Leshnav.@
The messenger [who was the inn-keeper] delivered this letter
to the community leaders, and then went to the rabbi to tell him how
upset R. Leib Sarah=s was.
The community leaders convened a meeting, and they decided
to read the letter in the presence of the rabbi. The letter read as
follows: AProminent community leaders of Leshnav! As soon as you
receive this letter, dismiss your rabbi and immediately send him and
his family out of the shtetl. [signed,] Leib ben Sarah.@
The rabbi had asked the messenger [the inn-keeper] to stay
with him. Now, when he heard the letter read aloud, he railed against
himself: What had he brought about? Why did he have to be the
messenger [of this letter]? But the rabbi himself was not at all
frightened. He responded to the community leaders, AHire a J ewish
wagon driver for me and my family, and put my holy books and all
my possessions on the wagon. Have him take me to the shtetl nearest
Leshnav. You are not to blame. I forgive you everything, and the
messenger as well. But heBthe messengerBwill have to travel with
us.@
On the way, the wagon driver got lost and came to a water-
filled channel. The horses grew frightened and halted. The rabbi told
the wagon driver and the messenger to approach the channel to see
why the horses were frightened. There, they saw there a naked
corpse. The rabbi told them to put the corpse on the wagon, and he
dressed it in his own coat. Then he covered the corpse, so that it
would not be visible.
When they reached a village, a J ew who lived at its outskirts
came out of his house and approached them fearfully. He warned
them not to travel any farther, for at the other end of the village, in the
courtyard of the local landlord, a village J ew was on trial, defending
himself against a blood libel. A Christian from the village was
missing, and this J ew was accused of having killed him and used his
blood for Passover matzos. And so it would be very dangerous for a
J ew to travel there.
But the rabbi insisted that the village J ew climb up onto the
wagon and join them. Immediately, they rode to the site of the trial.
The courtyard was ringed by all of the landlord=s Christian
villagersBhis subjects. The landlord himself was a judge, with an
assistant at each side. The priestBthe accuserBwas standing nearby
with his witnesses. In the middle of the courtyard sat the defendant,
wrapped in chains.
The rabbi told the wagon driver to travel right into the crowd
that was surrounding the trial site. And the three other J ewish men on
the wagonBthe driver, the village J ew, and the messengerBwere
astonished to see that the crowd of gentiles was making way for them,
and let them drive directly into the courtyard. The landlord was very
surprised by the boldness of these newly-arrived J ews, as well as by
the baggage on the wagon, which was packed with household goods,
and on which rode a woman with three children (the rabbi=s wife and
the previously mentioned tzaddikim-to-be), as well as the three
J ewish men, one of whom was actually the landlord=s subject, who
lived in his village. But most of all, the landlord could not stop
staring at the man who sat at the top of the wagon, a J ew with very
aristocratic features, whose regal face was suffused with a heavenly
grace.
Immediately, the landlord got up, went to the rabbi, gave him
his hand with great civility and respect, and asked who he is and what
he wants. here. The rabbi answered, AI am the Leshnaver rabbi. I
learned that a J ew is on trial here for a capital offense. I believe that
as a rabbi I have the right to attend the trial.@ The landlord thanked
him and invited him to sit next to the judges.
After questioning the witnesses, the landlord asked the rabbi if
he had anything to say on behalf of the accused J ew.
The rabbi answered, AWhat would happen if I produced the
missing Christian, alive?@
AIf you did that, then the witnesses and with the accuser, the
priest, would immediately receive the punishment that they would
deserve,@the landlord answered.
The rabbi went to the wagon and called out to the corpse, AGet
up and go to the landlord. Tell the court loudly, so that everyone can
hear, what happened to you from the time that you were missing.@
The gentile stepped forward and told everything. He pointed
out the false witnesses as them men who had killed him. The false
witnesses were so terrified that they admitted everything, and asked
the court to give them a lenient sentence, because they had been
instigated by the accuser, the priest. He had hired them to kill the
gentile and then to accuse the J ew (a wealthy man), so that they
would be able to confiscate his wealth for the church. And the priest
had promised to reward the witnesses, and had assured them of a
certain paradise in the other world.
The trial was immediately overturned. Now the priest and
false witnesses were the accused, and they were hanged and the J ew
was freed.
The landlord asked the rabbi to allow him to take the J ewish
overcoat off the gentile and dress him elegantly, for he wanted to hire
the man as his personal servant. The rabbi had to reveal that the
gentile was actually dead, and could only speak and stand on his feet
as long as he was dressed in the rabbi=s overcoat. The rabbi also
explained to the landlord that one may not change nature, unless it is
very necessaryBas, for instance, in order to save an innocent man
from death. Now he advised the landlord to take the gentile to the
village cemetery and bury him with an honorable procession. The
landlord and his helpers did so, and they saw the rabbi off in a
friendly manner.
The messenger, as a loyal Hasid of R. Leib Sarah=s, assumed
that everything that had happened had been R. Leib Sarah=s will, in
order that the Leshnaver rabbi would be revealed.
So he told the wagon driver to take the rabbi and his family
back to Leshnav. There the messenger, the wagon driver and the
village J ew told the great miracle of how a gentile had been
temporarily restored to life, and how in this way a J ew had been
saved from certain death.
And so the rabbi was revealed as a great miracle worker and a
healer of souls.
Later he moved to Nes=chizsh. May his merit protect us and
all Israel.
from Chassidishe Ma=asiyos
The Rebbe
by Avraham Stern
After the Baal Shem Tov passed away, his companyBhaving
received his permissionB chose as their rebbe and leader Rabbi Dov
Ber, whom they called Athe great maggid [preacher] of Mezereitsh.@
The greatest students of the Baal Shem Tov used to go to him, among
them Rabbi Yaacov Yosef of PolonoyeBthe ToldosB Rabbi Pinchas
Kaitzer, and Rabbi Mechele, the Zlatshever maggid.
Rabbi Mordechai became a student of this Rabbi Mechele, the
Zlatshever maggid.
One time, when Rabbi Mordechai came to Mezeretish, he
entered Rabbi Dov Ber=s beis medrash, where he met Rabbi Shlomo,
who later became famous as the ASekuler maggid.@He asked R.
Shlomo, AHave you seen my rebbe?@Bmeaning Rabbi Mechele.
As a loyal follower of Rabbi Dov Ber, Rabbi Shlomo was
upset that Rabbi Mordechai would call someone else Arebbe@in Rabbi
Dov Ber=s beis medrash. And so he answered, AYou and your rebbe
both need a rebbe@Bnamely, mine.
To this, Rabbi Mordechai merely replied, AWell, well...@
Rabbi Dov Ber had chosen Rabbi Shlomo to write down his
teachings (which were later published as Ohr Torah and Maggid
Devrarav L=Yaacov). The only person closer to Rabbi Dov Ber was
his shamash, Rabbi Filit (?). Late every night, after everyone else had
gone to sleep, they would meet secretly and would learn the wisdom
of the kabbalah. However, that night, Rabbi Shlomo could not
understand the teachings. And so Rabbi Dov Ber told him to examine
his deeds of the previous day. Perhaps he had sinned in some wayBif
that were the case, he should rectify the matter by repenting. Rabbi
Shlomo engaged in solitary meditation, taking an accounting of his
soul. Then he returned to his rebbe. He told about the encounter that
he had had with Rabbi Mordechai, and said that he now sensed that
Rabbi Mordechai had a complaint against him. But, he said, he felt
justified in what he had said, for his intent had been to defend the
honor of his rebbe.
Rabbi Dov Ber told Rabbi Shlomo to go to Rabbi Mordechai=s
lodgings immediately and ask for forgiveness.
When Rabbi Shlomo did so, Rabbi Mordechai told him, AAs
far as I am concerned, I forgive you this minute. You will regain your
breadth of mind and clarity of thought, so that you will be able to
understand what you were learning. But I cannot forgive the honor of
my rebbe, R. Mechele. And because you acted wrongly using the
word >rebbe,=you yourself will never be a rebbe or any kind of
J ewish leader.@
Rabbi Shlomo returned to Rabbi Dov Ber, and they returned
to their learning. This time, Rabbi Shlomo understood the teaching.
After they finished, Rabbi Shlomo told Rabbi Dov Ber about the
sentence that Rabbi Mordechai had meted out to him.
The great maggid replied, AI can only half help you. Although
you will not be a leader, you will be a rabbi. Take a position as a
town maggid. God will bring you a student who will later become a
famous rebbe and leader.@
Chasidishe Maasiyos
A Thousand Nights
After the great maggid, Rabbi Dov Ber of Mezeritch, passed
away, Rabbi Shlomo took a position as maggid in Sekul (near
Lemberg). In that town, there lived a brilliant rabbi who was opposed
to the Hasidic movement. This rabbi supported his son-in-law, a
young genius (this support was known as kest), who lived in his
house. This son-in-law was so pious that he had attained a measure
of divine insight. And thus he realized that the maggid Rabbi Shlomo
was a hidden tzaddik.
The son-in-law used to learn with his father-in-law two times
a day with his father-in-law: once in the early evening, and the other
before the morning prayers. He now persuaded his young wife that at
bed time she should let him down through their bedroom window into
the street. And then he would secretly go to learn the wisdom of the
kabbalah from the maggid, until the time that his father-in-law would
be knocking at his door to summon him to their early morning
learning.
The son-in-law conducted himself in this fashion for several
years, until a thousand nights passed during which he did not sleep at
all. And then he attained an open divine inspiration.
In his old age, the Sekuler maggid became famous when he
published the great maggid=s works, Ohr Torah andMaggid Devarav
L=Yaacov, as well as his own, Divras Shlomo. After he passed away,
the son-in-law, Rabbi Shalom, accepted a rabbinical post in Belz
(which was near Sekul), and there he openly became a HasidBa
student of the rebbe of Lublin, Rabbi Yaacov Yitzchak Ish Horowitz
(the Seer).
After the rebbe of Lublin passed away, Rabbi Shalom traveled
to Rabbi Uri (who was known as the Seraph, the Angel) in Strelisk.
Rabbi Shalom, now the Belzer rabbi, had a habit of making
unusual movements and outcries. As he sat at Rabbi Uri=s tisch
(ceremonial, public meal), he made such a movement and cried out,
AOy, Tatte!@BAOh, Father in heaven!@
The Strelisker gave a roar, as was his custom, and yelled out
in Aramaic, AAnd maybe He is not your father?@
Rabbi Shalom understood that Rabbi Uri still had lessons to
teach him before he could complete his service of God. And so he
remained in Strelisk for an entire year.
Afterwards, he returned home to Belz perfect in all things, and
he was revealed as a leader of Israel, rectifying souls and helping
people wondrously. And from him descends the famous Belz family.
Chasidishe Maasiyos, 18
The Youth of Rabbi Nosson of NemirovBVersion
One
by Rabbi Avraham Tultshiner
I.
When R. Nosson of Nemirov was no more than a small child,
he began to think of the day of death.
He used to sit in the synagogue at the eastern wall together
with his grandfather, R. Yitzchak Danzig. He knew all the old men
who sat at the eastern wall and who used to play with him.
Once, one of these men died. R. Nosson couldn=t understand
it. AWhere is he?@he asked his grandfather, and his grandfather
explained that the man had died. R. Nosson asked him, AWhat does
that mean, he died?@His grandfather explained. R. Nosson asked,
AWhat will happen to him?@ And his grandfather told him that the
man would be placed in the ground and covered with earth.
From that time on, R. Nosson couldn=t understand. What is
this? Is this all there is to the world? At dos iz der tachlis fun der
velt? And this question burned in his heart.
And so he began to search: What is the purpose?
R. Nosson said that from that moment on, this was his
question, and that it had continued to remain his question: Is this all
there is to the world? Is this reality?
Meanwhile, as R. Nosson was growing, he acted in a simple
and unsophisticated manner. Once, the melamed (teacher) was testing
the children=s comprehension. [He presented them with a text and
asked them to explain it.] The other children sought difficulties in the
text, which they then solved. But R. Nosson simply said, AWhat
should I do if I have no questions?@ Meanwhile, the questions that
the other students had come up with destroyed the simple meaning of
the text. In the end, the melamed said that he preferred R. Nosson=s
simple explanation to the questions that the other students had
concocted.
R. Nosson developed and followed in the traditional path of a
Torah scholar. He was married in Sharigrod to the daughter of the
gaon and tzaddik, R. Dovid Tzvi, who was av beis din of Sharigrod
and the surrounding communities.
R. Nosson=s father was opposed to all Hasidim, and his father-
in-law was also very much opposed to them. The reason for his
father-in-law=s opposition was as follows. At one time, he himself
had wanted to join the Hasidic Asect.@ And so he had travelled to the
tzaddik, R. Pinchas of Koritz, whom he admired. The people there
spoke badly of the tzaddik, R. Michli of Zlatshov. Then, he went to
R. Michli of Zlatshov, who also found favor in his eyes. But he grew
dispirited, because the people there were speaking badly of R.
Pinchas and his followers. Der iz by im apgepaskit, er mit zeine
mentshinBun er by dem.
He concluded, AI believe that they are both rightBin all the bad
things that they say about each other.@ As a result, he had a poor
opinion of all of them. And every day, he would hold forth on the
importance of keeping one=s distance from Hasidim.
Still, he was a tzaddik and a gaon. As R. Nachman once told
R. Nosson, Dein shver iz a tzaddikByour father-in-law is a tzaddik.
But R. Nosson had some difficulty understanding this, since his
father-in-law was a misnaged. [R. Nachman] told him, AVos meinst,
ehr vet chapn mit etleche shmitz mehr fun andere tzaddikim? What do
you think? That he will get a few more slaps than other tzaddikim?@
R. Nosson said that until he drew close to R. Nachman, he
could not imagine anyone closer to the level and righteousness of
Moshe Rabbeinu than his father-in-law. For forty years, his father-in-
law did not go to bed, because he was afraid he might have an
unclean experience. Instead, he slept leaning against the table. As he
slept next to the table, he held a candle in his hand. And when the
flame reached his hand, he woke up and returned to his studies.
During the entire week, he would never eat bread, because of
his stringencies regarding washing one=s hands before eating bread.
Instead, he would eat kisnin [?]. Only on the Sabbath would he wash
his hands to eat breadBand then, only with great stringencies.
He had been orphaned as a child. His deceased father
appeared to him and learned Torah with him. When the matter
became known, however, his father no longer came.
In connection with what was mentioned above about Moshe
Rabbeinu, R. Nosson once said, ABefore I drew close to R. Nachman,
I couldn=t imagine how Moshe Rabbeinu could be a human being like
other people. But when I drew close to R. Nachman and saw how
great he was, and yet that he was a human being, I understood that
Moshe Rabbeinu had also been a human being.@)
R. Nosson said that when he eventually was drawn to the
Hasidim of the Baal Shem Tov, he understood what a great difference
there was between them and his father-in-law. Although his father-in-
law was a tzaddik, his service was not impassioned like that of these
other tzaddikim.
Once, R. Nosson said that the difference between a Hasid and
a Misnaged is like the difference between a cold knish and a warm
knish. Both have the same ingredients, but the one that is warm tastes
much better.
(Similarly, one time R. Nachman Tultshiner was in Kirah, and
was someone=s guest for the Sabbath. The host served him soup and
urged him several times, AEat, eat, because it is hot.@ R. Nachman
Tultshiner said that even though the soup was thin, nevertheless,
because it was hot, it was good. And the same is true of J udaism: if it
is hot, it is good. And R. Avraham said that this is discussed in
Likutei Moharan 60: AThere are people who sleep....@).
II.
Because R. Nosson was living amidst misnagdim, it was
difficult for him to come close to Hasidim. But after two years of
eating at his father-in-law=s table, he returned home to eat at his
father=s table.
And at that time, he made a personal connection with R. Lipa.
R. Lipa argued with him and contended that the Hasidim are men of
truth and that one should draw close to them and join them.
One time, a man from Hanipolye, where R. Zusha was living,
came to Nemirov, and they hosted him. When he washed his hands
to eat, he made the blessings on washing the hands and on the bread
with great feeling, and they were very taken with this.
They asked him, ADo you know R. Zusha?@
He answered, ACertainly I know him. I go to see him
regularly. I received all my inspiration in serving God from him.@
And he told them some of R. Zusha=s practices. For instance, he told
them that at midnight, R. Zusha casts himself from his bed and cries
out, AZusha, Zusha, heib zich shoyn oyf, di resht vestu shoyn
dershlofn in kever. Zusha, Zusha, wake up. You=ll get enough sleep
in the grave.@And he told them of other such practices.
R. Nachman and R. Lipa were profoundly inspired to travel to
the tzaddikim, the followers of the Baal Shem Tov, for they saw that
these men are worthy.
This took place six years before R. Nosson became a follower
of R. Nachman. At this point, he turned to the good, seeing that truth
is with the Hasidim. From then on, he began to travel to the
tzaddikim who went in the path of the Baal Shem Tov: to R.
Mordechai of Kremenitz, to the tzaddik Meva Ditshov [?], and to
other tzaddikim.
Due to the opposition of his father, father-in-law and wife, R.
Nosson suffered a great deal. But he felt that he was gaining so much
in his service of God that he paid them no mind. However, since he
had as yet only gained a little, he was still not so strong in this regard.
Avaneha Barzel
III.
Once R. Nosson was sitting with the Hasidic students of R.
Levi Yitzchak of Berditshov at a melave malka, the post-Sabbath
meal. They cast a lot for who should go to buy bagels, and it fell to R.
Nosson. He went, and on the way, he grew bitter because he was still
experiencing ascents and descents, even after he had come close to
the Hasidim.
And he was filled with penetrating thoughts: Was it for this
that he had been created? To go and buy bagels? He found it difficult
to encourage himself.
And [as time passed,] a bit of the illumination of the Baal
Shem Tov sank for him. Over and over, R. Nosson would rise, but
then fall, and he did not know what to do.
[One Friday evening (?),] he grew very envious when he saw
the elders of Nemirov reciting AShalom aleichem@in truth. He went
to the women=s section of the beis hamedrash and began to recite
Tehillim, reaching Chapter Forty., With every verse, he rolled on the
ground due to his great [spiritual] pain, until he grew exhausted and
fell to the ground and slept and dreamt.
And Abehold a ladder was in the ground and its top reached to
the heavens.@[He saw a ladder before him,] and he began to climb.
He went up a little but then he fell. He went up a little more, and
again he fell. He went up a little more and again he fell, time after
time. And each time, the more he rose, the more he fell. And again
he rose, [this time] to the top of the rungs. And then he fell, and he
could no longer rise.
And a person came and told him, ADrape zich un halt zich. Be
strong (?) and hold firm.@
This took place about a year before he came to R. Nachman.
And when he met R. Nachman, he recognized him as the man who
had told him: ADrape zich un halt zich.@
IV.
Afterwards, he again was supposed to go and live in his
father-in-law=s house, who would support him.
[His fellow-]Hasidim, who were traveling to tzaddikim,
understood that in his father-in-law=s company, he would not be free
to be a Hasid. And so they advised him not to accompany his family
to his father-in-law, but that his wife should go by herself. [In other
words, that he should divorce his wife.]
But God inspired him not to listen to them. And [afterwards,]
he would always praise and thank God that he had not listened to
them, for if he had been no more than half a body, [as an unmarried
man is called,] he would not have had the spiritual vessels to receive
R. Nachman=s wisdom. This is because as a result of a flaw in the
Acovenant,@one=s mind is damaged, God have mercy.
At that time, someone gave him a letter to deliver to R.
Mordechai of Kreminitz [a rebbe?]. Because R. Nosson was afraid
lest his father-in-law realize that he had become a Hasid, did not go to
R. Mordechai until Passover, when everyone is sitting at home and no
one will realize [where he had gone]. And so he then went to R.
Mordechai. And R. Mordechai was astonished that the letter he was
now receiving had originally been sent to him so long ago.
Avaneha Barzel
V.
When R. Nachman came to Breslov, R. Nosson said, AAtzind
kan zein az ich vel vern an erlicher yud. Now, perhaps, I will become
a good J ew.@
And [at that time,] R. Nachman said to R. Yudl, AAz ich zeh a
neshamah oyf der Ukreine samuch l=Breslov. I see a soul in the
Ukraine near Breslov.@ And he praised this soul highly.
Indeed, he praised this soul so highly that R. Yudl could not
believe that R. Nachman had been alluding to R. Nosson. But after
R. Nachman passed away, R. Yudl understood that R. Nachman had
in fact meant R. Nosson. And R. Yudl sent his sons to R. Nosson,
saying that the gift that R. Nachman had given R. Nosson was to
engage in business with young men: to engage young men in the
business of fear of heaven.@
And when R. Nachman came to Breslov, R. Nosson said, AI
am going to Breslov.@
At that time, people would say, Aa pitke a guter yud,@Aa
fortune for a tzaddik.@ That is, it takes a fortune to travel to R.
Nachman. Indeed, when he had been distant, it had been difficult for
R. Nosson to travel to him, due to the external opposition of his
father, father-in-law and wife, and the internal opposition within him,
due to the fact that he did not feel satisfaction in his service of God.
But now that R. Nachman was nearby, the obstacles would be
alleviated.
VI.
R. Nachman came to Breslov on a Tuesday, which was a
market day.
People [came to Nemirov and] began talking about the type of
man R. Nachman is. They said that he disparages the practices of the
well-known [Hasidic] leadersBmeaning, the fact that they have made
gatherings of eating and drinking the essence of serving God. (Once,
R. Nachman said, AIch kan shoyn nit oys shtein zeire fraznikesBI can
no longer bear their feasts.@) People furthermore said that R.
Nachman speaks of nothing but Torah and prayer, and that he tells
people to confess before him.
SomeoneBhis name was Valtshi NasaneilsBdisparagingly
joked about one of R. Nachman=s Hasidim, AI saw a viduinikBa
confessor.@When R. Naftali heard this, he insulted Valtshi Nasaneils.
He cursed him by his father and said, AIs this what you insult? This is
exactly what I want!@
R. Lipe went to R. Nachman for the Sabbath. That year,
selichos, the penitential prayers before Rosh Hashanah, went on for
many days. R. Lipe returned home, and that Saturday night, he stood
beneath the ribe [?] and recited selichos and aneinu with great
feeling, in a strong voice. Hearing him, R. Nosson and R. Naftali
were very impressed. Although R. Naftali was already an
experienced Hasid, he was inspired. AThis,@he said, Ais something
new!@
And so R. Nosson and R. Naftali immediately went to the
marketplace to hire a wagon to take them to Breslov. They met R.
Leibush, who wanted to go someplace by way of Breslov, and he told
them that he would accompany them to R. Nachman. They traveled
together and on the way came to the home of R. Beryl Duvrishis, who
told them stories and described the wonders of R. Nachman. R.
Nosson later said, AHab ich gezen az di shtub iz shoyn full mit dem
rebn. I saw that the room was already filled with the rebbe.@
Afterwards, they came to R. Nachman. He described each one
of them by his family background on his father=s side. R. Naftali was
of a good family, the grandson of the rabbi of Skahal. R. Leibush was
also of a good family. R. Nachman said, AGaleBgute yudn.@[?]
R. Nosson commented that he was slightly related to R.
Nachman through R. Nachman of Horodenke. [translator=s note: I was
unclear about the exact relationship]
R. Nachman replied, AAtzind bin ich shoyn nit alnt. Now I am
no longer alone.@
And he also said, AMir kanen zich shoyn fun lang, nar mir
habn zich shoyn a tzeit nit gezen. We already know each other a long
time, but we have not seen each other for a while.@
And then R. Nachman told three stories.
The first story was about R. Mordechai of Neskhiz. Once, one
of his Hasidim came to him and complained about his meager
income, his rent, and so forth. R. Mordechai told him, AI want you to
own the entire house you live in.@This man lived in a large apartment
house with many residents, which also had an inn.
This man returned home. Some time later, the owner died, and
it passed on to the inheritors.
But the house was no longer successful, because im hat zich
arein gekhapt di nit giteBthe devil had entered it. There were spirits
there, and so forth. The house was sold, but whoever bought it died.
The house acquired a bad name, and travelers stopped using the inn.
The residents set out a notice of its sale, but there were no buyers.
They constantly lowered the price until it cost very little. Then the
words of R. Mordechai of Neskhiz entered this man=s heart. He went
and bought the house. And from then on, the house began to regain its
success. Many travelers again began to lodge there. And the man
grew rich.
After this he traveled to R. Mordechai. When he went to take
leave of R. Mordechai, he understood from R. Mordechai=s motions
that R. Mordechai was not giving him a whole-hearted permission, as
he had in the past. The man was afraid to go. And this happened
every time he wanted to take his leave.
As a result, the Hasid didn=t go home for thirteen years. R.
Nachman said that when he visited R. Mordechai upon his return
from the land of Israel, this man was still there. (The man was afraid
that he might die as had the previous owners. After R. Nachman=s
five-day visit, and after R. Mordechai passed away, the man traveled
home and immediately died.)
With this story, R. Nachman hinted to them that they should
study his every movement and every word that comes out of his holy
mouth, even if he is speaking of this-worldly matters, and not to
imagine that his words contain no more than their simple meaning,
heaven forbid.
The second story was about R. Shneur Zalman of Liadi. R.
Nachman told that R. Shneur Zalman had a student who studied one
of his teachings for eight years.
With this story, R. Nachman hinted that R. Nosson should
begin studying R. Nachman=s holy teachings and involve himself in
creating insights into them.
The third story was about how R. Michel of Zlatshov joined
the path of the Baal Shem Tov. When R. Michel first came to the
Baal Shem Tov, he was filled with awe. But when this awe died
down, R. Michel thought that he must be an ignoramus. As the
Gemara teaches, to an ignoramus, a Torah scholar at first appears like
a golden vessel, but afterwards like a clay vessel that cannot be fixed
once it is broken. The Baal Shem Tov took hold of him and told him,
AMichli, bist a am ha=aretz. Michli, you are an ignoramus.@When R.
Nosson came to R. Nachman, he had the same thoughts about R.
Nachman. And now R. Nachman told him this story, held him by his
hand and said, AMichl, bist a am ha=aretz.@
With this, R. Nachman made it clear that he knew what R.
Nosson was thinking. And R. Nosson was overwhelmed when he
realized that all his thoughts were clear to R. Nachman.
From then on, R. Nosson and R. Lipe were strongly drawn to
R. Nachman (cf. Kochvei Ohr, Anshei Moharan, Section 3).
VII.
Afterwards, they heard that R. Nachman considers it of primary importance
that his followers be together with him on Rosh Hashanah. Realizing that they would
not be able to remain in Breslov for eight days until Rosh Hashanah, they immediately
went home, and then returned for Rosh Hashanah.
It appears that R. Nachman hinted to R. Nosson to eat a meal with him. But R.
Nosson was ashamed to do so. And afterwards, he regretted this reticence for the rest
of his life.
VIII.
When R. Nosson came to Breslov for Rosh Hashanah, he saw people praying
properly, and he envied them a great deal, for at that time he himself could not pray
with proper intent.
Afterwards, he heard R. Nachman deliver the teaching B=chatzotzros (Likutei
Moharan 5). R. Nosson said that although he had no understanding of that teaching, it
seemed to present the simple meaning of the verse, AAn ear hears a rebuke of life....@
This teaching was very important for R. Nosson. Now he knew how to answer
the question that his father-in-law, R. Dovid Tzvi, had raised as to why the Hasidim
fight amongst themselves.
That Rosh Hashanah, R. Nosson brought along R. Zalman Athe young.@R.
Zalman was not happy with the [Hasidic custom of] drinking vodka, and so R. Nosson
had told him, AYou belong with us.@
Earlier, for a long time R. Nosson had been angry at R. Zalman, who was upset
with Hasidim who would pawn their tefillin for vodka. But afterwards, R. Nosson
realized that the young R. Zalman had been right.
Avahena Barzel
IX.
Afterwards, during the Ten Days of Penitence, R. Nosson came to R. Nachman
and told him everything in his heart. R. Nachman told him, AUn veiter iz gut az miret
zich oys...@And more than that, it is good to speak things out... [before God].@
Then, on Shabbos Teshuvah, R. Nachman taught ASummon Yehoshua@
(Likutei Moharan 6), and R. Nosson was very moved (cf. Chayei Moharan).
During these Ten Days of Penitence, R. Nachman assigned R. Nosson
practices in accord with the root of his soul: to study eighteen chapters of mishnah a
day, not to eat any animal product for a twenty-four hour period each week, and, one
time, to stay awake for two days and a night in a row.
Afterwards, R. Nosson came home. On Simchas Torah, a number of Breslov
Hasidim came to R. Nosson to rejoice in the holiday, and they talked of the greatness
of R. Nachman and his songs. Habn zei zich gedrapet oyf di vent megodel hadveikus
v=haga=aguim. They climbed the walls [?] out of their great cleaving to God and their
yearning. They were very sorry that they had not gone to R. Nachman for any part of
the holiday, and so they decided to go after Havdalah, as soon as the holiday came to
an end.
While these Hasidim were visiting him, R. Nosson kept going into his room in
order to complete his daily requirement of eighteen chapters of mishnah. His father
was surprised to see R. Nosson constantly leaving his guests and disappearing into his
room, which he considered to be impolite. He questioned the servant, who told him
that R. Nosson was going to his room to learn the eighteen chapters of mishnah that R.
Nachman had assigned him. And he also told that R. Nosson and his friends had all
decided to travel to R. Nachman as soon as the holiday was over.
R. Dovid Tzvi grew very angry that R. Nachman had given his son, who was
such a great scholar, this [simple] practice of learning eighteen mishnah chapters.
And he was also angry about their intended journey. He went to R. Nosson and told
him, AIf you go, you will never return to my house.@
Nevertheless, that evening, as soon as the holiday was over, R. Nosson
accompanied the Hasidim. When they came to R. Nachman, he was still sitting at the
table with the local common folk (it was his custom to sit on Simchas Torah with such
people). R. Sh. Eizek and R. Udil were also there because, living so far away, they had
not gone home.
At that time, the Hasidim sang in the street, ATzahali v=roni yosheves Breslov@B
Arejoice and sing, you who dwell in Breslov.@
And R. Nachman taught the teaching, ABecause you rejected Me@(Likutei
Moharan 48). This was surprising, since this is a teaching having to do with Succos,
which had just passed. But R. Nachman had waited to deliver that teaching, because
he had particularly wanted R. Nosson to hear it.
X.
Afterwards, R. Nosson traveled home. But he did not go to his father=s house.
Rather, he went to the house of his grandfather (his father=s father), R. Yitzchak of
Danzig.
After that, R. Dovid Tzvi, his father-in-law, went there, and he was told that R.
Nosson had become a Hasid. Perhaps, they considered, R. Nosson should divorce his
wifeBsomething that she was willing to accept. In fact, R. Nosson=s own father, R.
Naftali Hertz, advised her to accept a divorce.
R. Dovid Tzvi asked, ALernt er chatsh? Does he at least learn?@
R. Nosson=s wife said that he was learning a great deal more now than he had
before.
AIf so,@he said to her, AI advise you not to get divorced.@
She said to him, AAnd how will I make a living?@
He answered her, ABei azoy aman, vilstu parnassah? From such a man you
want an income? Mit der noz zalstu akern in im geben broit with your nose you should
plow [?] in order to supply him with bread. Take some salt and sell it in the market,
and support him.@
Afterwards they came to a compromise that R. Nosson would travel at
intervals for business and that for now he would not travel to R. Nachman until
ChanukahBthat is, only at set times. And in order to maintain the peace, R. Nosson
was forced to accede to this agreement.
XI.
Some time later, R. Nosson found that he was unable to pray properly. He
wanted to travel to R. Nachman, but he was afraid to, because of the above-mentioned
agreement. He grew bitter. He thought, ANearby in Breslov sits a man who could
illuminate me, yet I cannot go to him.@He decided that when his father went to eat
lunch, he would travel to R. Nachman, and if he returned home before supper, his
father wouldn=t even know.
With this plan, he set out. But on the way, there was a terrific downpour. And
so he only arrived in Breslov at night. He came before R. Nachman after the evening
prayers and told him of all the obstacles he was enduring. R. Nachman said to him,
AAz es iz gar shlecht, tzit men zich tzum emes vi iz fart der emes. When it is truly bad,
one pulls oneself to truth where truth really is.@And then R. Nachman taught him the
lesson, AMake a light...@(Likutei Moharan 112).
After this, R. Nosson went to the house of his grandfather, R. Yitzchak. R.
Yitzchak told him, AWhy are you endangering your father=s life?@His father suffered
from a disease of the belly (God have mercy). And because he was so angry at R.
Nosson, this disease had flared up (God have mercy).
Avaneha Barzel
The Youth of Rabbi Nosson of NemirovBVersion Two
by Rabbi Avraham Tultshiner
1.
In 5540 (1789-80), R. Nosson was born in Nemirov, where he grew up. His
father was a noted Torah scholar, R. Naftali Herz. With his help, R. Nosson grew in
an atmosphere of Torah and wealth. His father was very wealthy, owning (with two
other partners) three large stores: one in Odessa, one in Barditshov and one in
Nemirov. From his youth, R. Nosson was expert in his knowledge of his father=s
business and other activities.
R. Nosson=s father-in-law was the well-known av beis din, R. Dovid Tzvi, who
served as rabbi of Mohilov, Sharigrod, Kreminitz and the surrounding communities.
After R. Nosson began learning in his father-in-law=s beis medrash, he grew in Torah,
sharpness and expertise in the Talmud and all the halachic literature of the early and
latter sages, in the manner of the leading Torah sages.
2.
From his youngest years, R. Nosson=s heart yearned to serve God. (AIt is not
learning but doing that is the principle thing.@) This increased when he drew close to
the students of the Maggid of Mezeritch who were still alive at that time: R. Zusye, R.
Levi Yitzchak of Barditshov, R. Boruch of Mezibozh, R. Gedalia of Linetz, R.
Shalom of Farbishtsh, and other great men. From then on, he was aroused and longed
even more to imbue all his actions with Torah (this was the approach of the righteous
and holy men who went in the path of the Baal Shem Tov and the Maggid). From that
time on, his yearning and longings for God were great and wondrous.
However, he constantly experienced ascents that were followed by great
descents, due to the attacks of that obstructive, oppositional force that exists on all
levels. (AThe greater a person is, the greater is his inclination.@And this negative force
sets aside everything else to attack a Torah scholar.) He found it very difficult to
engage in any holy activity: Torah, prayer, and the like.
In addition to this, he was a deeply intense thinkerBwhich is one of the twenty-
four traits that obstruct repentance.
And he knew of no counsel or advice that could help him. He had already
traveled to a number of true tzaddikim of his time and tried them. But they could not
help him at all.
Nevertheless, he was content to go to them. However, his father was on of
those opposed to all the holy students of the Baal Shem tov. And his father-in-law
was also a forceful misnaged (cf. Likutei Halachos, Ribbis 5:20). At that time, the
great controversy and the persecution of those who were drawn to the students of the
Maggid had not yet simmered down, as is well-known. As a result, R. Nosson had
great difficulty in traveling to them. However, if he felt that they were helping him
serve God, he would pay no mind to any obstacle.
3.
In the summer before R. Nosson became a Hasid of R. Nachman, he
considered moving to Berditshev or Odessa, where his father had stores. However, he
was delayed, because he received notice from his father-in-law, R. Dovid Tzvi, that he
would be passing through Nemirov. But God caused his father-in-law=s trip to be
delayed from day to day, until the month of Cheshvon had already arrived. R. Nosson
waited and waited for him in Nemirov.
Meanwhile R. Nachman moved to Breslov, which is only about eighteen miles
(verst) from Nemirov, R. Nosson=s home. With His mighty wonders, God brought all
this about so that R. Nosson would become a Hasid of R. Nachman and that through
him not even one phrase of the words of R. Nachman would be forgotten.
As soon as R. Nosson heard that R. Nachman had settled in Breslov, his heart
burned so strongly that he paid no attention to the business, but immediately wanted to
travel to R. Nachman with all possible speed, since at that time his father was in
Berditshev. And so he decided that now he would travel immediately for a short visit,
since now, at any rate, he had no great obstacle, since his father was not at home.
Afterwards, if he would see that he were gaining wisdom and knowledge that
were strengthening his adherence to the Torah (which is the principle thing), and if he
would he will see and understand that his service of God was improving due to R.
Nachman=s influence, then he would no longer pay attention to any obstacle.
So R. Nosson decided that if R. Nachman=s influence would improve his
service of God, he would ignore all obstaclesBeven those caused by his father.
Regarding this, it is said, ABoth you and your father are equally obligated to honor
Me.@
It is impossible to keep all the commandments that depend upon the heart
(although they are the principle thing) unless one binds oneself to tzaddikim and their
holy words, words that encourage prayer, as well as other holy advice to every
individual in accordance with his place and hour. (Regarding meaningful prayer, cf.
Yoreh Deah II 240:25 and Pitchei Teshuvah paragraph 22 ibid.)
(As it happens, after a few years passed, his father greatly regretted having
caused R. Nosson trouble, and he came to agree whole-heartedly with how R. Nosson
had conducted himself. This was while he was still in this worldBand certainly in the
world-to-come he is limitlessly grateful, for Aa son gives merit to the father,@as is
taught in the books of truth. Cf. Chayei Moharan 9, regarding the worth of those who
become Hasidim of R. Nachman.)
At any rate, R. Nosson, R. Naftali and two other men (R. Lipe and the young
R. Zalman) traveled to R. Nachman. Immediately upon their arrival, R. Nachman
spoke with them a great deal. And in the midst of his holy speech, he told them three
stories:
In the first story, about the rabbi of Neskhiz, he indicated that they should pay
great attention to every word he speaks, even regarding this-worldly things, and not to
imagine that his words are simple.
In the second story, about R. Shneur Zalman, he hinted that R. Nosson should
involve himself intensively in creating Torah thoughts based on R. Nachman=s
teachings.
In the third story, about how the holy R. Michel drew close to the Baal Shem
Tov, R. Nachman showed that he knew what R. Nosson was thinking. R. Nosson was
stunned, seeing with his own eyes that nothing is hidden from R. Nachman, not even
his thoughts.
From then on, they were drawn very close to R. Nachman. In particular, R.
Nosson understood immediately that, as he had wished, he would doubtless improve
in his service of God under R. Nachman=s influence. Afterwards, they returned home,
and a day or two later, R. Nosson=s father came back from Berditshev. It is likely that
he was angry about R. Nosson=s behavior, but R. Nosson was already determined not
to listen to him at all in regard to this.
Kochavei Ohr
4.
All of this took place in the week before Selichot (for R. Nachman moved to
Breslov in the month of Elul (cf. Chayei Moharan). On the first day of Selichot, R.
Nosson got ready to travel to Breslov for Rosh Hashanah, for when he had been in
Breslov previously, he had heard R. Nachman speak strongly regarding this. He hired
a wagon, and he told the wagon driver to wait for him outside the town. When he went
home to take his holiday clothes, there was a great commotion, and his wife began to
cry and wail. As for his father, in his great fury and anger he had no idea what to do.
R. Nosson quickly traveled to R. Nachman with a few other men and stayed
there for Rosh Hashanah and afterwards for all Ten Days of Penitence. During these
ten days, he once came to R. Nachman alone and told him everything that was on his
heart. R. Nachman assigned him a number of practices (cf. Sichot Haran 184).
Afterward, R. Nachman came out of the house with R. Nosson and walked with him
outside, back and forth, next to the great synagogue, spoke with him a many words
that calmed his soul, and afforded him a great deal of encouragement. In the midst of
the conversation, R. Nachman took R. Nosson by the shoulders with his holy hands
and told him, AIn veiter se zeir git az me ret zich oys dos hartz far Hashem yisborach.
And furthermore it is very good to speak one=s heart out before God. Heinu, azoy vi
me ret zich oys far ein emesn gitn freint. That is to say, just as one speaks to a true
good friend.@
Immediately, these words entered R. Nosson=s heart like a burning fire, and he
understood that with this advice he would certainly become a kosher and worthy
human being. He would tell God about all the thoughts that the Evil Urge was
arousing in him and about all the obstacles that were keeping him from God, and he
would seek God=s compassion and grace in everything regarding every manner that He
help him to become a fit J ew.
And so with these words, R. Nachman brought R. Nosson tremendously close
to God.
Kochavei Ohr
5.
[Rabbi Nachman taught Rabbi Nosson about hitbodedut, pouring out one=s
heart to God in one=s own words.] As soon as this conversation came to an end, R.
Nosson went into the great synagogue (which was empty) and began to engage in this
practice.
Following Yom Kippur, R. Nosson returned home. He had deep yearnings to
engage in hitbodedut correctly. He yearned in his heart to describe all of his
experiences to God in great detail, and to cry out to God from the depths of his heart
regarding each detail. As the verse states, AFrom the depths have I called to You,
Hashem@(Cf. Likutei Tinyana 25).
But he had to endure great suffering in this regard. One cannot engage in this
practice before other people, and R. Nosson did not have his own room. And even if
he were at times to find some secluded place, usually someone would enter without
warning. R. Nosson was distraught and had no idea what to do. But at last he decided
that he would find some uninhabited, hidden spot outside of town. There he would be
able to tell God about everything in his heart. He would be able to pray and cry out as
much as he wanted, with no interference.
But he was afraid that he would be found out. Everyone knew that he had no
business outside the town. He was amongst the most outstanding young men of the
town, in knowledge of Torah, wealth, intelligence and good family. If a person such
as he were to be seen going out of the town, people would gossip.
So R. Nosson again began to think what he should do. At last, he decided that
he would go out at in the dead of night, when people are sleeping. Then he could go
meditate in the fields, in a spot that he had designated for himself, and no one would
be any the wiser. At home, his family would think that he had gone to the beis
medrash, which was his habit.
And so this was what he did. A few young people did learn what he was up to
but, because they understood that R. Nosson did not want it talked about, they kept
their knowledge to themselves.
And when R. Nosson was in Breslov with R. Nachman, he did the same there a
number of times.
Kochavei Ohr
The Mud of a J ew
Once, when Rabbi Israel of Rizhin was traveling, he came to a certain town
where he stayed in the house of a very wealthy person. The rooms of this wealthy
person were extremely well-appointed. In particular, the floor was polished and
beautifully constructed.
When the news spread throughout the town that the Rizhiner had come, men,
women and children gathered from all corners of the town. This great crowd brought
a great deal of mud into the house, and the wealthy man was very angry at them.
When the Rizhiner heard this, he called the wealthy man and told him, AI shall
tell you a wondrous story. But hear me well.@
This is the story:
Once there was a J ew who lived in a village. He was very crushed and poor,
God have mercy. This J ew had six children and an old mother and father who lived
with him, as well as his wife.
It was close to Pesach time, and this poor person didn=t have anything. In
particular, he needed matzos for all of Pesach. The J ew was very upset, for all his
attempts had brought him nothing, and he had absolutely no idea how to earn some
gold coins.
As Pesach came closer, he had the idea of trying again to travel into town,
where perhaps Hashem would have mercy on him and give him some business to earn
some gold coins. And so he went to the town, and he had some good fortune and
earned six gold coins. And as can be well-understood, the joy of this J ew was beyond
imagination. The J ew went and bought flour, and he brought the flour to the baker.
The baker told him to wait for him to first bake the matzos for the wealthy men. The
poor man waited for them. The baking of their matzos lasted until nightfall; and only
then did the baker take his flour and bake his matzos.
ANow the poor man didn=t know what to do. He was very afraid to go home
with the matzos, because the road was treacherous with pits of water and mud, and he
feared that he might fall into one of the holes. But the idea of remaining in the town
until morning was very hard for him, because he knew that his family was hungry and
in the dark, because they didn=t even have a candle. Finally, he decided to return
home. And so he trusted in Hashem and travelled homewards.
On the way, the wagon fell into a pit of water and mud. The J ew toiled by the
sweat of his brow for a very long time to upright the wagon and the horse, but in vain.
And he cried a great deal in the bitterness of his soul.
Meanwhile, a wealthy person was passing by with his servant, not far from
where the J ew had fallen. When the wealthy man heard a man crying out, he sent his
servant to investigate. The servant returned, saying that a J ew had been cast into the
mud with his horse and wagon. The wealthy man hurried to the muddy pit and
commanded his servant to extricate the poor man and this wagon from the filth. And
so he did.
When the wealthy man saw that the poor man=s soul had almost expired from
the cold and weariness, he quickly gave him vodka and cake and put him on the
wagon. Then he accompanied the poor man home, fearing that he might again fall
into one of the many holes on that road.
When the wealthy man came to the poor man=s house and saw the darkness
and the terrible poverty, he was filled with compassion. He opened his purse and gave
the poor man 600 red coins, telling him, AFirst of all, celebrate Pesach generously.
And then build yourself a decent house with the rest of the money.@
After this, the wealthy man returned to his home.
At this point, the Rizhiner said again, AHear me well.@ And then he continued.
After this, not many days passed, and the wealthy man passed away. As is
usual, he was brought before the heavenly court. They began to ask him, ADid you
engage in business honestly?@ But before he could answer the first question, he was
surrounded on every side by destructive angels. One cried out, AI was created from
such and such a sin,@and another cried out, AI was created from such and such a sin.@
And there were thousands of them.
And as can be understood, he was sentenced to Gehinnom.
But before the decree was sealed, an angel appeared before the heavenly court
and cried out, AHow is it possible to sentence him to Gehinnom? This man saved the
lives of ten J ews. And the Torah states that whoever maintains one J ewish soul is
considered as though he had maintained an entire world.@
The heavenly court replied, ASo defend him, by all means.@ The defending
angel said, ATake the sins and put them on one side of a scale, and place the mitzvah
on the other side of the scale.@ The heavenly court did so, and found that the side with
the sins outweighed the mitzvah by a great deal.
The defending angel went and brought the poor man, his wife, their children
and his father and mother, and placed them on the side of the scale of the mitzvah.
But still, they did not outweigh the sins. When the defending angel saw this, he went
and gathered all the mud and filth into which the J ew had fallen, together with the
wagon and the horse. And he placed them on the scale on the side of the mitzvah.
Then this mitzvah outweighed the sins.@
When the Rizhiner concluded the story, he said to the wealthy man with whom
he was staying, ADo you hear, my son? Sometimes even the mud of a J ew saves one
from the judgment of Gehinnom. Therefore, for the sake of God, do not despise the
mud of J ews.@
Sichos Chaim, p. 37, by Rabbi Chaim Meir Yechiel of Maglintzia, the Arebbe
of Maglintzia@
The Evolution of Prayer
Rabbi Elazar asked the Hasid, Yechiel, if he had ever heard Rabbi Israel of
Rizhin praise his own small talk.
Yechiel replied, AI will tell you what I myself heard from his holy mouth, may
his merit guard us.
AOnce, Rabbi Israel entered his study hall when I was there, and we all stood
up. And then he began to say the following:
Our father Abraham wanted to remove evil from people and to bring their
hearts close to our Father in heaven. So he instituted a long and holy morning prayer.
But since the wicked are always wrestling with the righteous, the evil one was
jealousBhe learned this holy prayer, and gained a hold on it. Therefore, at times even
when a person recites this prayer, he is only thinking about himself.
Afterwards came our father Isaac, and said as follows: My father instituted a
long prayer. As a result, the evil one grew jealous and gained a hold of it. I will
institute a very short prayer, the afternoon prayer, so that the evil one will think that it
isn't worth learning it, and he won't gain hold of it.@ But the evil one did learn this
short prayer, and so he has a hold on it as well, so that at times a person prays in the
afternoon and he only thinks about himself.
Our father J acob then came and said, AI will institute a prayer that the evil one
will definitely not want to learn.@ This is the evening prayer, for it is optional (even
though nowadays it has been accepted as obligatory). So if a person will experience a
moment of holiness and purity, he will pray, and the evil one won't have any hold; if
not, he won't pray, because the evening prayer isn't obligatory. As a result, the evil
one won't find it worth its while to learn it and have a hold on it.
But this too didn't work, and the evil one learned this prayer as well, since
ultimately it too was considered obligatory.
Then the holy Ari, may his memory guard us, came and said, AI will institute a
practice that the evil one won't be able to know about, and so he won't be able to have
a hold on it; that is to say, people should sit at a table and say nothing, but engage in
holy meditations for God. Since no one is saying anything aloud, the evil one won't be
able to learn of it and have a hold in it.@
But in the end, the evil one learned of this, and captured people using this
method as well.
Then came the angelic and holy man, the godly teacher, the Baal Shem Tov,
and instituted a practice that would make it impossible for the evil one to have a hold
of: that one should make small talk but, in truth, use the small talk to create holy and
wondrous meditations for the Creator. The evil one will certainly not be able to know
this, and he won't be able to learn this until the Messiah comes (may it be quickly and
in our days). The evil one might err and think that these are really empty words, God
forbid, so why should it want to learn them?
And this should suffice for a person of understanding.
When Rabbi Elazar of Koznitz heard this story, he was filled with joy, and he
asked that an eighty-year-old bottle of mead be brought to him. He honored the Hasid,
Yechiel, and told him that this story had rejuvenated him, because his practice was
also to come into the synagogue to pray dressed in his prayer shawl and phylacteries
and, before he tied the phylactery straps around his hand, he discussed different items
of news, which seemed like small talk, God forbid, but which he used to create great
and holy meditations.
Niflaos Yisroel, p. 14
In a somewhat different vein, Rabbi Nachman of Breslov taught, AThe forces
of destruction already know about the set prayers, and they lay in wait for them. This
is like a highway where murders and thieves lie in wait.
ABut they do not know about any new path. The new path is spontaneous
prayer to God. One's own words to God, created from one's heart, are a new path.
Therefore, the negative forces are not there to such an extent@(Likutei Moharan II 97).
The King and the Architect
This story begins at the great and famous wedding that took place in the town
of Ostilya (1814), and which was attended by almost all the greatest rabbis, spiritual
masters and well-known people of that time (and who are now all in the Aland of life,@
may their memory shield us). Almost all of these people, as is well-known, were
related to the couple.
When the marriage ceremony under the wedding canopy was about to take
place, the people realized that Rabbi Israel of Rizhin, who was also a relative, hadn't
yet arrived. They were certain that he would come, so they held up the ceremony to
await his arrival.
And so it was. Very soon, messengers arrived, announcing that Rabbi Israel
was coming into town. There was a great commotion, just as if a king was
approaching, and everyone ran to the road that Rabbi Israel was traveling on.
Men on horseback wielding whips had to be sent out to keep the people back
and clear a path. In the great press, many people were wounded and crushed by the
riders, and so the tumult grew yet greater.
The holy genius and spiritual master, Rabbi Shimon Deutsch of Zelichov, who
was attending the wedding as a relative, said to the well-known Hasid, Chaim Zev,
who lived in the area, that they should go see the man for whose sake people are being
whipped and getting crushed. [It seems that he questioned a leader on whose behalf
people were getting hurt, even though he was not responsible.]
When they came close to the handsome coach in which Rabbi Israel was
sitting, Rabbi Israel looked out. When Rabbi Shimon Deutsch saw him, he said to
Chaim Zev, ANow it's all clear to me, and I don't have any more questions about Rabbi
Israel.@
When they approached yet closer, Rabbi Israel left his coach, and they greeted
each other.
Rabbi Israel said to Rabbi Shimon Deutsch, AMy friend, I heard the name
'Deutsch' among the in-laws. Who is that?@
Rabbi Shimon Deutsch replied, AI am he.@
Rabbi Israel invited him into his coach, with Chaim Zev sitting next to the
coachman, and they travelled together into town with great joy. They went straight to
the wedding canopy, and there was great joy among the other rabbis. Then,
immediately after the marriage ceremony, Rabbi Israel set out for home.
While parting from Rabbi Shimon Deutsch, he invited him to come to Rizhin
after the wedding.
Rabbi Shimon Deutsch promised that he would come. Chaim Zev, who would
be traveling along, was very upset. Whereas Rabbi Israel had a fine coach with
excellent horses in which he travelled swiftly and comfortably, Rabbi Shimon Deutsch
had only a plain wagon and a poor horse, and it would be a long and troublesome
journey to Rizhin.
But since Rabbi Shimon Deutsch had promised Rabbi Israel that he would
come, Chaim Zev didn't have the nerve to decline to travel along. And so he too
travelled with Rabbi Shimon Deutsch to Rizhin.
When they came to Rabbi Israel's house, they were invited in, and Rabbi
Israel's joy grew great.
Rabbi Israel had a special, handsome room outfitted with the most expensive
and splendid things. This room was usually closed an entire year, with the exception
of two days, when Rabbi Israel entered it: Yom Kippur and Purim.
And now, for the sake of his guest, Rabbi Israel unlocked the room, and both
he and Rabbi Shimon Deutsch went inside. Rabbi Israel's children and Chaim Zev
weren't permitted to enter, but they stood by the door and saw and heard everything.
When Rabbi Shimon Deutsch looked at the wonderful room, he said to Rabbi
Israel, AYou conduct yourself like a king.@
Rabbi Israel made no reply, but led him to the window, where two golden
chairs stood facing each other.
Then Rabbi Israel went to a place where two golden tobacco pipes lay; he took
one, and handed the other one to Rabbi Shimon Deutsch. Rabbi Shimon didn't want
to take it, and said, AI didn't learn this path.@
Rabbi Israel began to weep, and he said, AWhere can one find a place to live in
awe and penitence?@
And he immediately began to tell a story:
Once there was a J ew who was a great architect, who built both great buildings
and wooden houses. One day, he found himself in a very great forest.
There, he saw a large and priceless tree which, he understood, was rare and
had no equal.
As he thought the matter over, it became clear to him that whoever obtained
that tree could use its wood to build an unparalleled palace for the king, and that this
would constitute the greatest honor for the king. Other kings would envy the king
because of this royal, beautiful and priceless palace.
But the J ew had no idea how to obtain that large and priceless tree. First of all,
the forest wasn't his; and second, in order to saw down the tree and cut the wood, he
would need many workers.
The J ew burst into tears, and he couldn't drag himself away from the spot.
Meanwhile, the king himself rode past in the forest. When the J ew saw the
king's coach, he ran before it and threw himself on the ground, sobbing.
The king stopped his coach, as is the custom. He told the J ew to stand and
asked him what he wished.
The J ew told the king all about the priceless tree.
The king very much approved of the J ew's idea, and he immediately ordered
that workers should come and saw down the tree, cut up the wood, and bring it into
the royal city, where the J ew would make the palace.
And so it was: in a short while, the J ew built a priceless, beautiful palace
which had no equal in the entire world. J ust as the J ew had said, so did it turn out to
be. All the kings of the world envied the king because of his large and royal palace.
As a result, the J ew found favor in the king's eyes, and the king made him the
prime minister over all the other ministers.
But the palace lacked one thing: windows. This was because it was only
fitting that the palace have equally rare and unique windows. But no glass was found
that was considered to be fit for the palace.
At that time, there was a Cossack who was great glazier. He now stepped
forward and said that he knew of an island that had special sand. If he could get that
sand, he said, he would be able to make glass unparalleled for clarity and splendor,
which would be fit to be set as windows in the palace.
Everything is possible for a king. So the Cossack was immediately sent to that
island. There, he gathered the precious sand and brought it back; and then, just as he
had promised, he made the glass.
The Cossack became very great in the king's eyes, and the king made him one
of his greatest ministers. But because the J ew was more important than he, the
Cossack envied him and began to slander him to the king.
The king didn't want to believe any slander about the J ew, because he knew
him to be a straightforward and truthful man. Whenever the Cossack made an
accusation, the king refuted it.
But one time, the Cossack's devilish scheme succeededBhe slandered the J ew
before the king, and the king, having no reply, was forced to put the J ew on trial.
Then, since all the judges were the J ew's enemies, they sentenced him to death
(God have mercy).
When the king heard the sentence, he was deeply upset. But he couldn't over-
ride the sentence and save the J ew's life.
Still, feeling compassion for the J ew, the king did what he could. He sent him
to an executioner who lived on a distant island, together with a letter to the
executioner that read, AI send you this man and put him in your power for life or for
death, as you please.@
The king's judges were pleased, for they knew the executioner to be a very
cruel, cold-hearted man who hated people. They were sure that he would cast the J ew
into the sea or kill him in some other way. Their anger was satisfied and it abated.
The J ew took all his possessions with him, and set out on his way. When he
finally arrived before the executioner, he told him, AYou can see for yourself from the
king's letter that the king wants me to remain alive. And if you let me live, I'll give
you all of my possessions.@
And so it was. But the executioner ordered the J ew to remain on that island
and never leave.
And so did matters remain for a long time.
One day, as the J ew was walking by the seashore, he saw a very large fish. He
caught the fish and opened it up; inside, he found a precious ring set with a great,
precious diamond and engraved with the king's seal.
He put the ring in his pocket. Then he went to the executioner and said to him,
AI have an urgent matter to take care of for the king. I know for sure that I will
succeed. And since you are aware that it is the king's will that I remain alive, I ask
you to take everything I own and let me go home.@
The executioner understood that the J ew was right, so he acted graciously and,
taking everything that belonged to the J ew, let him leave.
The J ew travelled for a very long time until he finally came to the royal city.
Before the king's palace was a large forest, and in the forest was a river where the king
went bathing every day.
The J ew knew the exact time that the king bathed. The J ew went there a few
minutes early, took off his clothing, went into the river and began swimming. When
the king arrived and saw a person swimming (whom he didn't recognize), he stopped
in puzzlement and called out to him to swim to shore.
When the J ew approached the king, the king recognized him and asked him
how he came to be there.
The J ew fell at the king's feet and began to weep. He told the king the
following story:
AWhen I came to the executioner, he threw me into the sea. A huge fish
swallowed me, and brought me as a present to the Leviathan, the king of fish. When
the fish spit me up and displayed me to the Leviathan, the Leviathan asked me, 'Who
are you and how do you come to be here?'
AI told him my entire story from beginning to end, and, as it is well-known that
'whatever exists on dry land has its partner in the sea,' the Leviathan said to me, 'I am
as great a king over the sea as your king is on dry land. I demand that you make me a
palace just like his.'
AI had to do the Leviathan's will, and I built him a palace exactly like yours.
But there too they don't have the precious glass that is needed to make windows for
the palace. I told the Leviathan that I could not make it for him, but that the king has a
great ministerBthe CossackBwho knows how to make this precious glass, and who had
made the windows for the king's palace.
AThe Leviathan replied, 'If that is the case, I will send you to the king to ask
him to send me that Cossack, since I am also a king, and it is customary for kings to
do favors for one another.' The Leviathan gave me a proof that he has sent me: this
ring of yours, which you had dropped in the water, and which a fish had brought to the
Leviathan. The Leviathan gave me this ring to give you in his name, and ordered a
fish to take me and spit me out on this spot.@
When the king saw the ring and recognized it, he believed the J ew's story to be
true.
So the king commanded that the Cossack be thrown into the sea in order that
he will be able to go to the Leviathan.
And the king commanded that the J ew be made very great, even greater than
before.
And so it was.
When Rabbi Israel of Rizhin, finished telling this wondrous story to the holy
sage, Rabbi Shimon Deutsch, he said nothing more.
And Rabbi Shimon Deutsch used to say that it always gave him pleasure to
recall that trip.
All this I heard from a reliable man who heard it from the Hasid in the story,
Chaim Zev.
And when I, the writer, spoke of this with a person from a the family of a
spiritual master from Russia, he told me that the story is well-known among the rabbis
and spiritual masters and that it is also well-known that Rabbi Israel said that the
Cossack was named Timcheh. May the verse be fulfilled, AWipe out (timcheh) the
memory of Amalek@(Deut. 25:19), soon and in our days, amen.
Niflaos Yisroel, p. 16
Comment:
Rabbi Israel of Ruzhin (1797-1851) was said to be the fulfillment of the Baal
Shem Tov's prophecy that his soul would return to earth after forty years.
Rabbi Israel served God with wealth and pomp. His constant concern was:
How can one serve God in fear and awe? His solution was that one builds Him the
greatest palace and becomes His prime minister.
The King and the Wondrous Building
One Rosh Chodesh, when the holy rebbe of Maglintze was sitting with his
Hasidim at the Rosh Chodesh banquet, a man named Reb Baruch, a grandson of Rav
Mordechai of Kremnitz, arrived. This man did not have children, and was unable to
have children. He gave a piska [a note] to the rebbe with the request that Hashem help
him have children.
The rebbe took the note and gazed at it for a long while. Then he turned to the
man and told him:
Listen, my son. I will tell you a wondrous story. And for God's sake, if you
tell it to anyone else, do not change even one letter, for this story contains mystic
secrets. And whoever changes one letter of this story is considered as though he had
skipped one letter in writing a Torah scroll [which makes it unfit].
This is the story.
A man once came to Rabbi Israel of Rizhin with a request for children. He
was naturally unable to have children, like you.
The Rizhner gave him a letter. And he commanded him to take that letter and
travel with it to Petersburg. There he should go to the starshe kuznetzBthat is, the head
blacksmithBand give him the letter. And then he will be helped, with God's help.
Nor az men vet dir nisht tshepen [but if no one bothers you]Bthat is, if no one
will ask you what you want, don't give him the letter.
And so the man went and travelled to Petersburg, and he came to the starshe
kuznetz.
And he was there in the factory for three days. And no asked him what he
wanted. The man was clever, and he had the idea of one of the tools, so that they
would grow angry at him, and then they would have to speak to him.
And that would be the tshepen [the bothering] that the Rizhner had
commanded him about, before which he should not give the letterBunless men vet ihm
tshepen [they would bother him].
And the man did this. He took a vessel that is impressive even amongst kings,
and he broke it.
The leader turned to himBthat is, the starshe kaznetzBand shouted at him in a
loud voice, in Russian, Zhid, tshta dyelal ee tshta khatshesh.
Immediately, he gave him the Rizhner's letter.
He opened the letter and read it. And he told the man the following words:
Di bist gehalfen, nar zag yisraelken fin maynet vegen az er zal mir mehr keen
brivlekh nisht shiken (you are helped, but tell Yisraelek in my name not to send me
any more letters). Also, listen, my son, and I will tell you a storyBbut only on
condition that you do not forget it, heaven forbid.
And this is the story:
Once in the world there was a wondrous king. In the whole world, there was
none as glorious as he. This king had a beautiful and praiseworthy garden. When, in
the first days, everyone went strolling in that garden, they very much ruined it. And so
the king made a gate for the garden so that people wouldn't come into the garden, and
wouldn't ruin it any more.
And that was barely anythingBbecause he also surrounded the garden with
bears and lions in order to frighten people from even coming close to the gate around
the garden.
And the king made the entrance to the garden very small. And it opened up
from the room in which he slept.
Once, in the morning, when the king awoke and went into the garden to stroll
there, he saw a J ew walking in the garden.
And even though the king knew that the J ew wanted to please him in some
way, still, in order not to change the customs of royalty, he asked the J ew, AWhat are
you doing in my garden, and how did you get here? Isn't the garden surrounded by a
very high gate that is too high for any person to enter through?@
The J ew replied, AI am a builder, and there awoke in me a great desire to build
you a beautiful building that you would be pleased with, because I heard that in this
garden, you have good cedar trees, which are good for making such a beautiful
building. And regarding your second question, my master the king, of how I came to
the gardenBbelieve me, my master the king, that I myself do not know how I got here.
And it was only my ideaBthat is, the great longing to please youBthat lifted me into the
garden.@
And it was that when the king heard his words, and when the king saw that
J ew's great desire to please him and serve him, the J ew found great favor in the eyes of
the king, until the king himself yearned for that work.
And so the king commanded his servants to help the J ew in his work. And
with the help of God, the building was completed in a beautiful, wondrous and very
exalted manner. When the king saw the house, he rejoiced greatly in it. And angels,
seraphim, khayos and holy ofanim came to look at its beauty and glory.
But the building still didn't have not put glass panes (which are called shabin
[windows]) in the window frames, because it was necessary to place in the window
frames large panes of glass, in az men vet far shteken mit bretlech, vet dach zein
fintzter (and if it were covered with shutters, it would be dark), but there were no
available panes of glass for the size of the window frames.
And then, a second time, when the kaiser (at this point, he called him kaiser)
rose from his sleep in the morning and went to stroll in the garden, he saw someone.
This time it was a katzafBthat is, a TurkBwalking in the garden. The kaiser asked him,
AWhat are you doing here, and how did you get here?@
The Turk answered him, AYou should know, my master the king, that I am a
great mekhanik (craftsman) in the making of glass. Therefore, when I heard that my
master the king needs glass panes for his exalted house, I came here to see the size and
measure of the glass in order to know how to make them. And regarding your
question, my master, the king, of how I came here, I am surprised that it should be
considered a wondrous thing for a person as wise as I am to figure out a way to enter
the garden.@
(The starshe kuznetz said: This is the difference between the J ew and the
katzaf. The J ew said that he himself doesn't understand how he entered the garden,
and only his desire carried him into the garden, but the katzaf said that his wisdom
managed to bring him into the garden.)
And this answer too was good in his eyes. Az men badarf dem ganav, shneidt
men ihm ab fun der teliah (when you need the thief, you rescue him from the gallows).
And with that, the building was finished, with the help of God. And it was a
very wondrous building.
And the king gave them their pay in full. The king appointed the J ew as leader
of a great province, that is, a gubarnator, and the katzaf, he appointed as natshalnik
[mayor?], because the J ew had done most of the building (here, the kaznetz called him
Aking,@because the building was already finished).
And as is known, when a J ew is together with a gentile, the gentile grows
jealous and wants to uproot him from the world. And this gentile also schemed the
entire day to concoct some accusation against the J ew.
The gentile gave the king's butler a great fortune so that the butler would put
poison into the king's wine. And when, in the midst of the meal, he would hold out
the wine, then he would claim that he smells poison in it. Then they would try it on a
dog to see if the matter is true. And when they would find that the matter is true, false
witnesses would come and testify that they themselves saw that this was the work of
the J ew. And in this way, he could completely uproot the J ew.
However, the Holy One, blessed be He, sends the cure before the disease.
And in His great compassion, He brought it about that the king sent a general
to battle the enemy. And as it turned out, the other side, the king's enemies, bribed the
general with a great fortune to allow them to win the war. And the king learned of
this.
And the general knew well that the decree had gone out against him to hang
him.
This general knew that J ew was very wise and very understanding. And so the
general asked the J ew to think of something.
The J ew gave him good advice (the advice is to serve God with all his
heart)Bthat is, to say that he did all this with the intent of making the king's enemies
imagine in their heart that he would certainly allow them to win the war. Then they
would certainly give him all their secrets. And in this way, he would be able to easily
defeat them.
But to his dismay, this scheme did not succeed. And what could he do? But
he is not at all guilty in this matter.
And so, the general argued in this way before the king, and he was allowed to
go free.
Of course, after this episode, that general sought the J ew's good.
Now we will return to the katzafBthe Turk. He implemented his slander, and
gathered testimony that the J ew wanted to kill the king.
Since the king knows secrets, he knew that the J ew was innocent and not at all
guilty. Nevertheless, the king went after the custom that the law must follow the
testimony of two witnesses. And a decree of death was delivered against the J ew.
However, the king didn't want to kill the J ew himself. And so the king sent him to a
city where the general whom the J ew had saved from destruction was living.
The king gave the J ew a letter, closed and sealed, and he commanded him that
as soon as he came to the city, he should give that letter to the general.
And the letter read as follows: AAs soon as this J ew comes to you, see what to
do with himBand a hint to the wise is sufficient.@
The king knew that the J ew would save his life: AA yid vert nisht ferfalen, nar
biderech nisayon, laz er adurch geinBa J ew does not get lost, but he must undergo a
test.@
And so the J ew went to where the king sent him. He came to the general and
gave him the king's letter. And when the general read the letter, he felt very bad about
harming the J ew, heaven forbid.
And so he said to the J ew, AI know that you are very wise. You should know
that the letter states that I should immediately to take vengeance from you. But how
can I do that to you? And so please advise me.@
The J ew replied, AThe truth is that my life is not a life. But it is also forbidden
to kill oneself. And so here is my suggestion. Take a man who has been condemned
to death, kill him in my place, and have an announcement made in the city that you
have killed me. As for me, imprison me in your cellar for the rest of my life, and there
I will serve the king. Perhaps it will be even better to serve the king that wayBthat is,
without receiving any reward, because there I shall have no hope.@
And so the general took the J ew's advice. He killed a man who had been
condemned to death in place of the J ew, and he imprisoned the J ew in his cellar.
And the J ew served God even in the cellar.
After a while, the king commanded the general to travel for a number of years
to distant lands in order to wage war. When he heard this, the general went to the
cellar where the J ew was and told him the following: AYid kroyn, zag an eitzah vos tit
men itztBDear J ew, what do we do now? The king has commanded me to travel and
wage war for several years. Who will give you to eat during that time? And it is
impossible to reveal this secret to anyone because of the danger involved, heaven
forbid.@
The J ew told him, APlease buy me a great deal of meat and fish, and give them
to me to prepare. I can prepare them in such a way that they will remain fresh for a
long time, until you return.
AThere is also a 'plan'Ba methodBby means of which this whole long and
difficult war will not last more than a few weeks. My advice is that for the entire
duration of the war, you do not take your mind off the king. Let the image of the king
be carved in your thought constantly. This will bring you to win the war in a short
period of time.@
The general listened to him. He gave him the meat and fish, and went to war.
And it was that when the J ew prepared the fish, he found a precious ring in one
fish. He remembered that one time the king and queen had gone to the sea and had
lost this ring. The king had then said that he would give a part of his kingdom to
whoever would bring him back that ring.
When he found this ring, the J ew said, ANow is a favorable time. I will
certainly be saved in everything. Nar alein nemen zech, tar men nishtBbut I cannot
take it myself.@
Meanwhile, the general returned from the war with victory and great joy.
And the J ew had a dream in which he saw the image of the king. And he
awoke.
From that moment on, there awoke within him an urgent and powerful
yearning to see the face of the king.
The J ew weighed the matter and understood that this was the true time to
travel and appear before the king.
And so he told the general that he wanted to flee to a distant land, to another
country. Even though the J ew himself knew well that Awhere can I flee from before
You?,@he spoke in that manner to the general to hide the matter from him.
The general accompanied him to the sea, and they took each other's leave in
peace. The general returned home, and the J ew travelled to the royal city.
And he bought three things: a small boat; a kamanderish garment, which in the
gentile tongue is called a teyvil and in the holy tongue a malach (a commander's
costume, called a Adevil@or an Aangel@?); un ein hitel mit rerlech oyf lichtB and a hat
with candleholders (?) for lightsBa zelche vos men tzint zei ohn leichten zei zehr
asterlish az ein melech hat oych cheshek tzu azoy ein lichtikeitBsuch that when they
are lit, they shine so asterlish (?) that even a king desires such illumination. [Perhaps
the reference is to a jester's costume.]
And he traveled to the king.
The king had a balcony on his house overlooking the sea.
His custom was to walk on that balcony every morning to breathe the fresh sea
air.
The J ew knew the exact time when the king would go to walk on the balcony.
The J ew sailed on his boat in front of the balcony. And when he saw the king on the
balcony, he lit the candles.
And it was that when the king saw all this lichtikeitBthis lightBhe sent his
servants to see what the light is, because the king desired this light very strongly.
When the servants of the king came to the J ew, he said to them AI am traveling
to the king.@
When the J ew came before the king, he threw himself before him onto the
ground.
The king asked him, AWho are you?@
The J ew said, AMy master the king, I have a letter.@ And he gave him the
letter.
And this was the content of the letter:
From me, the Kaisar Leviathan.
I have the custom of eating a fish every day.
One day, the fish prepared for my meal came to me. When I wanted to eat it,
the fish said to me, AIf you promise not to eat me, I will give a gift.@
And when I promised, he coughed up this J ew.
And the J ew told me all about the beautiful building that he had built for you.
And the J ew also built me a goodly building. But I do not have glass panes. And so I
am asking you to send me the katzafBthe TurkBto make me glass for the building.
And as a sign, I am sending you your ring.
And when the koznitzBthe blacksmithBof blessed memory finished telling this
story, he said the following words:
AHat dach der katzaf gehat a mapalah, un ein yehudi a yeshuah. Azoy verst di
oych gehalfenBThe Turk had a downfall, and the J ew was saved. And in the same
way, you too will be helped.@
And the holy rebbe of Maglintze turned his face to Reb Baruch and told him:
AHerst du, Baruch? Du oych!BYou hear, Baruch? You too!@
And with the help of God, he had a salvation.
And these were the rebbe's holy words.
Sichos Chaim by Rabbi Chaim Meir Yechiel of Maglintze
A Faithful Friend
ALove your fellow as yourself.@
Rabbi Israel of Rizhin illustrated this with the following story:
Once there were two friends whose souls were intertwined with a great love.
They lived very far from one other. One of them was falsely accused of a
crime, convicted and sentenced to death. A proclamation was made that everyone in
the land must attend this criminal's execution.
When his friend came to the execution, he recognized him. He cried out
loudly, ALeave that man alone! It is I who committed the crime.@
The execution was stopped. The matter was brought before the king, who he
summoned both men and asked them the truth of the matter. Only one of them could
have committed the crime, so why is the other one willing to die in vain?
The friend of the condemned man answered the king, AI know that my friend
did not commit any crime. I know his character. He couldn't have done it. And so
this is nothing but a miscarriage of justice. My life depends on my friend's life. It is
better that I die and not see his death. In fact, if I have received such a punishment as
having to see my friend's death, I must myself be deserving of death.@
And the other man replied in a similar fashion.
When the king saw the great love between these two men, he let them both
free. And he requested of them, AYou are such great friends that I would like you to
take me into your circle of friendship, with that same amount of love. And I will be
the same kind of friend to you.@
When we reach the level of Ayou shall love your fellow as yourself,@Hashem
desires to rest His presence amongst us, so that we will also love Him, and that He
will be our faithful Friend.
Imrei Tzaddikim, by Meir Barenstein, p. 38
How to Play Checkers
The holy Rabbi Israel of Rizhin once entered the study hall on Hanukkah and
found his Hasidim playing checkers. When the Hasidim saw their rebbe, they were a
little frightened. But noticing their fright, Rabbi Israel smiled and told them:
ADo not be embarrassed. One must be able to play checkers. I will show you
how. You give up one piece in order to take two. You may not take two steps at a
time. You only go forward, not backward. And when you have reached the top, you
can go wherever you want.@
Niflaos Kadosh Yisrael, p. 24

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The Mud of a J ew

and Other Hasidic Tales

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