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BAAL SHEM TOV STORY
Following the Weekly Torah Reading
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THE BAAL SHEM TOV'S
SUCCESSOR
"Moshe spoke to G·d saying: "Let Adon·y, G·d of the
spirits, appoint a man over the community who will go
forth before them, so that the community of Adon·y
shall not be sheep that have no shepherd."
(Pinchas 27:15-17)
AND it happened that just before the Baal
Shem Tov passed away and returned to his Heavenly
abode, he told his only son Hirshele Tzvi, "My son,
don't be afraid to take my place. I promise you that
whenever you need me, whenever you call, I'll always
come to help you."
The first Shabbos after the Baal Shem Tov died, the
inner circle of Chassidim were waiting and expecting
Reb Tzvi to expound on the Torah. But he was
mourning his father and Rebbe's death and felt shy
and inadequate to speak. The Chassidim kept urging
him. "Reb Tzvi, after all, your father always spoke
Torah on Shabbos." But he kept shaking his head no.
Finally, the time for the third Shabbos meal arrived
and the inner circle of Chassidim were sitting together
with Reb Tzvi. During this time, the Baal Shem Tov
always spoke deep mysteries of the Torah to them,
his closest followers. The Chassidim became
insistent. "Reb Tzvi, your father always spoke at this
time. Don't you remember when he said this and
when he said that?"
"You see father," said Reb Tzvi, "the Chassidim have
already lost respect for me." Just then, the Baal Shem
Tov began to take form before all their eyes. Everyone
froze in their seats.
"Reb Tzvi," they said, "We didn't mean any disrespect
for you or, G·d forbid, to insult you. We're just so used
to hearing your father, the Rebbe, speak words of
Torah at this time on Shabbos, that we started to
remember them ourselves."
After that Shabbos, Reb Tzvi started to wear his
father's white cloak, a symbol of leadership, and
expounded on the Torah.
The next Shavuos, exactly one year after the Baal
Shem Tov had passed away, Reb Tzvi and the
Chassidim were sitting together and discussing the
Torah.
Suddenly, Reb Tzvi got up and said, "My father
appeared and told me that the Shechinah (G·dly
revelation) now dwells in Mezritch." Then Reb Tzvi
removed the white cloak of leadership and put it onto
the shoulders of Reb Dov Ber of Mezritch. And so,
Reb Dov Ber, who later became known as the
Mezritcher Maggid, assumed leadership of the
Chassidic movement.
And so it was.
Freely adapted by Tzvi Meir HaCohane (Howard M.
Cohn, Patent Attorney) from a story found in SIPUREI
CHASSIDIM and translated in STORIES OF THE BAAL
SHEM TOV by Y.Y. Klapholtz.
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TORAH BAAL SHEM TOV
Selection from Sefer Baal Shem Tov on the Torah
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"Therefore say: Behold, I give him My covenant of
peace." (Pinchas 25:12)
According to the Zohar and Likutey Torah, Nadav and
Avihu were "two halves of a body."1
Therefore, Pinchas took both their souls, so that they
are considered as one. Thus, it is written: "Behold, I
give him My covenant of peace," for when two things
are united, it is called peace. Thus, Yesod is called
Peace, etc.,2 and "From my flesh, I will
behold G·d."3
Likewise, when there is division among people, the
one who can unite them is called "a pursuer of
peace." The reason Nadav and Avihu sinned was
because they did not ask each other's advice [before
entering the Holy of Holies]. As it says: "And Nadav
and Avihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer."
(Leviticus 10:1)4 There was no peace
between them. But Pinchas rectified this when he
was given the covenant of peace, in order to unite the
souls of Nadav and Avihu in one body.
Toldos Yaakov Yosef, Acharei, p. 96d
1See Zohar 3:57b; Likutey
Torah, Parshas Vayikra, by the Arizal. Nadav and
Avihu never married, thus the Zohar considers them
as only half a person. When Pinchas smote Zimri
and Kosbi during their illicit act, the souls of Nadav
and Avihu united with his own.
2Yesod is the ninth Sefirah, from Keter
down, and serves to unite the upper Sefiros with the
tenth Sefirah of Malchus. Thus, it is
called "Peace."
3Job 19:26. Chasidic writings
cite this verse often, to support the idea that the
physical, emotional and mental constituents of a
human being parallel and reflect the workings of the
supernal Sefiros, through which G·d directs the
world. The Sefirah of Yesod corresponds to the male
member, which is the organ of union. Yesod also
corresponds to the Tzaddik, whose consciousness
unites heaven and earth.
4I.e. each one took it alone, without
consulting the other.
Translation and Commentary by Rabbi Dr.
Eliezer
Shore
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THE PILLAR OF PRAYER
The Baal Shem Tov's Teachings on Prayer
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Section 75
The name Kuzu is the "backside" of the
Tetragrammaton.1 The
Tetragrammaton is the attribute of compassion, and
the Name Kuzu is the attribute of
Gevurah.2 Now, the letters Ku, from this
Name, have the same numerical value of the
Tetragrammaton itself (26). It turns out that the name
Kuzu, which is the attribute of Gevurah, exceeds the
Name Y-H-V-H, which is the attribute of compassion,
by the letters zu. Thus, it is written: "Also this (zu) -
which is the attribute of Gevurah - is for the
good,"3 for it is also included in G·d's
love (Chesed).
Rav Yeibi, Tehilim, chap. 18 and 30
1In that the letters of this Name follow
the letters of the Tetragrammaton, it is considered to
be "behind" the Y-H-V-H; i.e. its backside, and an
aspect of concealment (in that the back conceals a
person's face or identity).
2"Strength" or "Power." The untempered
attribute of Gevurah manifests itself in negative ways,
such as in violence or destructiveness.
3Based on the Talmud's story of Rabbi
Nachum Ish Gamzu (Ta'anis 21a), who would
declare over everything that befell him: "Also this is for
the good - gam zu l'tovah."
Translation and Commentary by Rabbi Dr.
Eliezer Shore
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THE LIGHT OF THE EYES
On the Greatness of the Baal Shem Tov
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Section 10
There is a segulah1 from the Ramban to
say the Psalm, "May the graciousness of the L·rd our
G·d be upon us," (Psalms 90:17), repeating
each word seven times after lighting the Chanukah
lights. This is very good to do. My Master, the Baal
Shem Tov told us to say both this Psalm and Psalm
91, "He who dwells in the covert of the Most High,"
seven times straight. He would also do so on the
High Holy Days, and in all times of trouble. One
should meditate on two letter nuns.
The Siddur of R. Shabsai
1A deed, object, or utterance that acts as
a charm effecting spiritual or material
benefits.
Translation and Commentary by Rabbi Dr.
Eliezer Shore
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KESER SHEM TOV
Anthology of the Teachings of the Baal Shem Tov
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Section 94
The Baal Shem Tov taught:
One should bind one's thoughts to the Light of the Eyn
Sof/Infinite One that is within the letters, which is the
life-giving "Light that is in the King's
presence."1 This is a major rule for
Torah study and prayer, and is also remedy to annul
harsh judgments.2
1Proverbs 16:15
2When one studies G·d's Word in the
Torah, or communicates with Him in prayer, one
should aim to see through the individual ideas,
words, and even letters one is expressing, and
behold the Oneness of the Infinite G·d that is hidden
behind them. Everything ultimately arises from this
Oneness, and when one reaches this, one has
arrived at the very goal of Torah study and prayer. And
since everything G·d does is for the best, when one
reaches this level one realizes that there is no such
thing as harsh judgments (cf. #33,85).
Translation and Commentary by Rabbi
Yehoshua
Starrett
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