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BAAL SHEM TOV STORY
Following the Weekly Torah Reading
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A PLACE OF
HOLINESS
"I lived with Lavan." (Bereishis 32:5)
I have "lived" with Lavan: I lived with the whole
Torah - I observed the 613 Commandments
(Rashi).
"Who is strong?" asks the Mishna (Avoth). Strength
is not only in "the doing", but also in the "not doing"
(Sifrei Chassidim).
While traveling with a small group of his chassidim,
the Baal Shem Tov turned to them and said: "The
Master of the Universe — the Creator of all things, is
beyond the comprehension of the wisest of man.
Yet The Almighty has given us His 'wisdom' in the
form of the Holy Torah. If one fulfills the Mitzvot
(commandments) he comes to 'know' G d in the most
sublime way - with his physical being. But G dliness
fills this world so completely, that even by doing
nothing one can create a dwelling place in this world
for The Almighty."
The Baal Shem Tov's chassidim drank in their Rebbe's
words, but could not fathom their meaning. They sat
for a while in pondered silence as the wagon made its
way along the muddy road though a small
town.
The Baal Shem Tov unexpectedly asked his wagon
driver Alexei to stop the wagon in front of a certain
house. The Baal Shem Tov climbed down from the
wagon and entered the house without explanation.
The Chassidim were quite surprised, as the occupant
of this house was well known as a heathen who kept
an icon in his house. When the Baal Shem emerged
from the house, he was in a joyful mood. The
Chassidim looked at each other in confusion, and
seeing their faces the Baal Shem Tov only smiled.
The Baal Shem Tov, after instructing Alexei to
continue on their journey, turned to his Chassidim
and said: "I have good reason to be so joyful. In the
last hour I observed the entire Torah!"
The Chassidim sat with blank faces not
understanding what their Rebbe was telling them.
"The Torah forbids one to meditate on any holy
words of Torah in an unclean place. A place of
idolatry is considered even worse, as it is spiritually
unclean — not simply physically unclean. With the
help of The Almighty, I was able to control my
thoughts from contemplating even a single thought
of Torah, and that may be counted as having
observed the entire Torah."
Reb Dovid of Dinov, relating this event,
exclaimed that Rashi's words (quoted above) that
explain that our patriarch Yaakov observed the entire
613 Mitzvot (commandments) seems
problematic. "As there are certain Mitzvot that can
only be observed within the Holy Land of Israel, and
as Lavan lived in Charan — outside of the land of
Israel, then how could he have observed all of the
commandments? This story about the Baal Shem
Tov answers our question: When Yaakov lived with
Lavan — in a house that was full of icons and idols -
he was forced to guard his thoughts from the
teachings of the Torah. Therefore, we can
understand Rashi's explanation that Yaakov observed
all of the 613 Commandments of the Torah, and
thus truly "lived" by not thinking thoughts of Torah
while he was in the house full of icons and
idols.
And so it was.
Freely adapted by Tzvi Meir HaCohane (Howard M.
Cohn, Patent Attorney) from a story found in A
Treasury of Chassidic Tales by Rabbi Y.Y. Zevin.
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TORAH BAAL SHEM TOV
Selection from Sefer Baal Shem Tov on the Torah
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"The messengers returned to Jacob with the
report: "We came to your brother Esau, and he is
also heading toward you. He has 400 men with him."
And Jacob was very frightened and distressed."
(Bereishis 32:7-8)
It is written: "And like the fear of You, so is Your
wrath" (Psalms 90:11). Meaning, a person should
fear G d at all times, just as when he is in
distress,1 for then he fears G d
greatly.
The verse can also be interpreted in reverse. In a
time of distress, do not merely be afraid [due to the
situation], for it is proper to feel the fear of G d
always.2
Likutim Yikarim, p. 4c
1I.e. in a time of G d's wrath.
2Even when a person is afraid of a
mortal danger, he should realize that the situation is
being orchestrated by G d; thus, it is G d whom he
should fear, not the situation itself.
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 44
When a person speaks without thinking, it is as
though he is spilling seed, G d forbid. For a person's
thought is a complete entity (shi'ur komah). The
proof for this is that when a man thinks of something
else during intercourse, he gives birth to
an "exchanged son."1
Likewise, when he does not think about intercourse,
he is unable to copulate. This is because thought is
Chochmah and speech is the birth. There are also
letters in thought, for a person thinks in letters. But
when a man does not think about what he is saying,
then he is spilling seed, for speech is his life-
force.
Likutey Yikarim 4b
1Nedarim 20b. According to the
Talmud, if a husband thinks about another woman at
the time when he is with his wife, he can cause a
blemish in the child that is conceived. This is called
an "exchanged child." The Baal Shem Tov's point is
that thought is a complete entity, which can
influence the nature of another human being in the
moment of conception.
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 35
The great scholar, author of the sefer Kitzos
HaChoshen, once asked the holy Rabbi Tzvi of
Zidichov: "What is the difference between one day
and another? For from the day the Baal Shem Tov
became known, the number of Chasidim who follow
him has multiplied. However, although the Baal Shem
Tov bases himself upon the roots and foundations of
the teachings of the Arizal, we don't find that any
special groups attached themselves to the Arizal.
What did the Baal Shem Tov innovate in the roots of
Chasidus that attracts such a large following, with
groups in every city?"
Rabbi Tzvi answered him with a parable. Once, the
citizens of a certain country had to appoint a king.
Now, they heard that in a very distant land, there
was remarkable man — towering in stature and
wisdom, beautiful to look upon, with flowing hair pure
as wool. He was complete with every virtue, and
there was no other as fit as he for the
kingship.
However, because it was so far away, it was
impossible for them to get a detailed picture of each
of his merits, though they did have an overall image
of his wondrous virtues. Still, many of the
townspeople could not grasp or comprehend the
essence of the matter. Finally, someone who had
been in that place, and had seen that man with his
own eyes, came to them and was able to describe
him in every detail. His words entered the hearts of
a number of the townsfolk, who could understand
him. However, the majority of the people still could
not understand everything based upon testimony
alone. Finally, one wise man actually brought that
man and set him before them, so that all who desired
could see him. Then, multitudes flocked to him and
devoted themselves to him in love, and set a crown
of monarchy on his head, for they saw for
themselves and they understood with their own
minds that he was fit to be king.
The parable can be understood as follows. Rabbi
Shimon bar Yochai and his companions, in the Holy
Zohar and especially in the two Idras,1
were the first to reveal a little of "G d's secrets to
those who fear Him" (Psalms 25:14).
However, they greatly hid the meaning of their
words. Thus, it remained until the "World of Repair"
was revealed in the generation of the Arizal. He
came to make known and explain that which Rabbi
Shimon bar Yochai and his companions had
concealed. However, all the holy words of the Arizal
deal with supernal lights and supernal worlds, and are
not graspable by every person. All his words are in
the highest heavens, and relate to spiritual matters,
and the multitude cannot become enlightened by
them. Finally, our Master and Teacher, the Rabbi of
the entire Diaspora, the holy Baal Shem Tov,
revealed Divinity even in this lowly world, in each and
every detail, and specially, in human beings. He
showed how everything — every limb and gesture — is
a garment for a Divine power hidden within it. So too
with everything in the world, as there is no place
devoid of Him. And he revealed the great power of
Tzaddikim, who liken the form to its
Creator.2 For there is no movement or
word that does not contain awesome and wondrous
unifications, and every person is created upon this
earth in order to achieve greatness and wonders,
and to act in this world, while alluding to the
Supernal world. He taught us how to bind ourselves
in devekus to G d with every action — even the
mundane conversation, as it says: "'And their leaves
shall not wither' — this refers to the common talk of
Torah scholars."3 Thus, he brought the
king before our eyes — the King of Kings, the Holy
One, may He be blessed.
Divrei Tzaddikim
1Idra Rabbah and Idra Zutra; two parts
of the Zohar.
2I.e. who see within the forms of
creations, and especially the human form, a
reflection to supernal realities, as the verse
says: "From my flesh, I will behold G d" (Job
19:26).
3Sukkot 21b
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 56
The Baal Shem Tov taught:
Wherever a person's thoughts are, that's where he
fully is.1
1This thought was already expressed in
Section 43, regarding the spiritual world in which a
person is at any moment, or the physical world that
surrounds
a person at any given time. Perhaps this quote is
adding that this is so not only regarding the
surrounding physical world, but also regarding one's
own physical body, even if one is actually
not "there." This is because thoughts are so potent
and have such an effect on one's body, that the
thought alone will create the virtual reality as if the
body was indeed "there." An echo of this idea is
found in the Sages' teaching that fantasizing about
sinning is worse than the actual act, when one's
mind may likely be somewhere else.
Translation and Commentary by Rabbi Yehoshua
Starrett
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