|
BAAL SHEM TOV STORY
Following the Weekly Torah Reading
|
|
CONFRONTING THE
ENEMY
(Eisav's guardian angel, appearing as) a
man
wrestled with him (Yaakov) until the break of dawn.
When he saw he could not prevail against (Yaakov) he
touched the joint of his hip. Genesis 32:25
And then there was the time that a group of Jewish
community leaders came to the Baal Shem Tov to
discuss a serious problem. "It is not a happy occasion
that brings us," they explained with a worried tone of
voice. "There is an army officer, who despises Jews
and does everything he can to torment us. We have
just learned that he is about to become our mayor. It
will be disastrous for us. He will make our lives
unbearable. Only you can help us, Rebbe."
I am already aware of this problem but I don't know
what can be done. Esau's guardian angel is at this
man's right side. I am powerless against him."
"And so what if Esau's angel supports this man!" the
townspeople responded. "Are we not more influential?
Are we not G·d's own children?"
It was such utterances of implicit faith that made these
townspeople so beloved by the Baal Shem Tov. "We
will see. There are good ministering angels on our
side too. Let us wait and see how this turns out," he
answered.
The townspeople heard this and were satisfied. "We
can rely on the Rebbe," they said.
Mezibush had an annual fair which was attended by
farmers and merchants from near and far. This fair
was the main attraction of the town. Everyone found
something of interest, be it buying, selling or just
having fun.
On the morning the fair was about to open, the Baal
Shem Tov arose early to pray with the Jewish
merchants that were hurrying to open their booths.
Following the morning prayers, the Baal Shem Tov
announced "I am also going to the fair."
This statement alarmed the merchants. They warned
the Rebbe, "You can't go today. The army officer we
told you about will ride through the market place on
his horse and strike whoever is in his way with a
leather whip. He makes a special point of lashing
Jews, whom he particularly despises. Please, Rebbe,
don't go."
"And why should I be any different than the other Jews
who feel his whip?" the Baal Shem Tov replied.
Wearing his capote (a long black coat) and his
shtreimel (traditional fur hat), the Baal Shem Tov
walked to the market place, followed by a group of his
followers.
"Good morning," he said to whomever he passed.
However, the townsfolk could not bear to look at his
glowing face and answered his greetings with averted
eyes.
Suddenly everyone froze. The officer galloped into the
market place on his powerful, black horse. His
uniform was pressed, his high boots polished to a
sheen, and with a gleeful smile, he flicked his whip
right and left in sadistic pleasure. He accompanied
his lashes with shouts of fury, "Dirty Jews, out of my
way!"
Everyone tried to flee from his path but few could
escape the long reach of his vicious whip. Right and
left it swung, tearing at coats, upsetting piles of
merchandise, relentlessly striking whomever it could.
Only the Baal Shem Tov stood his ground. Following
his example, the chassidim behind him were equally
steadfast.
The officer soon reached the group of Jews. When he
saw they weren't fleeing, he grew furious. "Out of my
way!" he shouted and brought his whip down. It was
fortunate that the Baal Shem Tov was wearing his
shtreimel. The whip fell on it, merely grazing the
Rebbe's forehead. But its tip did leave an imprint and
a drop of blood shone brightly upon his forehead. To
add insult to injury, the officer spat at the group and
galloped on.
Everyone crowded around the Baal Shem Tov to make
sure he was alright. They were concerned about both
his wound and the shame he had suffered at the
hands of the cruel officer.
But, the Baal Shem Tov didn't appear to be upset and
maintained is usual calm demeanor. "When the fair is
over this evening, I want everyone to come to my
shule," he announced.
At the end of the day, everyone came to the shule and
found many tables set with platters of cake and
shnaps. "Drink a 'lechayim'!" he happily urged each
newcomer. "Eat something! Rejoice!"
Everyone could not help but wonder why they were
celebrating.
Finally, after much anticipation, the Baal Shem Tov
arose and spoke. "I have good news for you. Today,
when the officer so arrogantly rode through the market
place, I whispered a prayer. 'G·d all Mighty,
this evil man, in his great pride and haughtiness,
sees himself as the ruler of your children. Does he
really deserve such greatness?' Thank G·d,
my prayer was accepted and the heavenly court ruled
against him. Therefore, I am happy to inform you, my
brothers and sisters, that that this wicked man lost his
future post as mayor. Now eat, drink and be grateful to
G·d."
And so it was.
Freely adapted by Tzvi Meir HaCohane (Howard M.
Cohn, Patent Attorney) from a story found in Stories of
the Baal Shem Tov by Y.Y. Klapholtz
|
|
Sefer Baal Shem Tov
The Baal Shem Tov's Teachings on the Torah
|
|
And when he saw that he could not defeat him, he
touched the hollow of [Jacob's] thigh; and Jacob's hip
joint became dislocated as he wrestled with him.
(Genesis 32:26)
I heard from my Master [the Baal Shem Tov], an
explanation of the Mishnah: "When the spirits of a
person's fellowmen are pleased (nocha) with him,
G·d is pleased with him, and when the spirits
of a person's fellowmen are not pleased with him,
G·d is not pleased with him."1
A human being is a microcosm, as is the entire
Jewish nation.2 One individual
corresponds to the head, another, to the foot. Thus,
we find the "heads of the generation,"3
or the "eyes of the congregation."4
When the head of the generation makes himself into a
vessel for the presence of the Shechinah, it radiates
from him to the rest of his generation. Thus, the
Mishnah can be read: "When the spirits of a person's
fellowmen rest upon them (nocha) from
him,"5 it is because the spirit of
G·d rests upon the entire world through him.
The opposite is also true. If the
spirit of G·d does not rest upon them, he is to
blame, and not the generation.
Although this isn't the Baal
Shem Tov's exact words, it captures their meaning.
Toldos Yaakov Yosef, p. 98a
1Pirkei Avos 3:10.
2That is, the entire Jewish people
correspond to the human structure. (The words "as is
the entire Jewish nation" are an addition from the
parallel teaching in Kesser Shem Tov, p. 11d.)
3As in Numbers 13:3.
4As in Numbers 15:24 and 20:27.
5I.e., when the people are uplifted by an
indwelling of spirit.
1 According to Rashi, the Torah is the
gate that leads to the fear of G·d.
2 Now,
it is known that before going to Haran, Jacob learned
Torah for fourteen years in the study hall of Shem [and
Ever]. 3 Yet, during that entire time, he
never felt the awe of G·d that he felt on Mount
Moriah, the place of the Holy Temple. 4
Therefore, he said, "Since I see how awesome this
place is, I decree and declare that this alone is
G·d's house. This is His main dwelling place.
As it says: 'My house shall be a house of prayer. . . .
(Isaiah 56:7).5 And all that I learned in
the study hall of Shem is only the gate to heaven; it is
only the gate to fear.
Kesser Shem
Tov, part 2, p. 5c
Translation
and Commentary by Rabbi Dr.
Eliezer Shore
|
|
THE PILLAR OF PRAYER
The Baal Shem Tov's Teachings on Prayer
|
|
Section 94
The Baal Shem Tov taught:
Speech is called
a "temple." You must
pray only so that your words come to G·d. For
when you pray this way, all the gatekeepers leave you
alone. As, for example, when a simple villager carries
the king's seal. Even though he is unfit to come
before the king, the guards rush him in; for the king
longs for his seal, and they want him to enjoy it
quickly.
So too, G·d longs for the words [of
prayer]. And this is the meaning of: "from His Temple
He heard my voice" - that is, because of the words.
Ohr Torah, Likutim, p. 54a
Translation and Commentary by Rabbi Dr.
Eliezer Shore
|
|
THE LIGHT OF THE EYES
On the Greatness of the Baal Shem Tov
|
|
Section 31
The holy rabbi of Ruzhin
said, many people claim that the he was called the
Baal Shem Tov because he used holy
Names,1 but
this is not the case. Rather, "The Tzaddik rules with
the fear of G·d" (II Samuel 23:3),
for "G·d decrees and
the Tzaddik annuls."2 He was called
the Baal Shem
because he annulled many decrees issued by
G·d
against all the Jews, as it were.3
Yeshuos Yisroel, 2:6
1"Baal Shem Tov" literally
means, "Master of the
Good Name." The Baal Shem Tov used these names
for contemplative and healing purposes.
2Mo'ed Katan 16b.
3Meaning, the words "Master of the
Name" - Baal
Shem - are read as "Master of HaShem
(G·d)," for the
Tzaddik has the power to annul heavenly decrees.
Translation and Commentary by Rabbi
Dr.
Eliezer Shore
|
|
KESER SHEM TOV
Anthology of the Teachings of the Baal Shem Tov
|
|
Section 125
"Anyone from whom people have satisfaction,
G·d has satisfaction." 1
The Baal Shem Tov taught:
Just as each and every person is an entire
microcosm, so is the entire Jewish people one single
spiritual organism. Thus, some are considered
the "head" of the people, and some are considered
the "legs," which is why the leaders of a generation
are referred to as, the "eyes of the congregation."
2
However, when these leaders
become a fitting vehicle upon which the Divine
presence can rest, they then become the "heads" of
the generation, through whom the Divine presence
can spread throughout the entire people.
This, then, is the meaning of the Mishnah, "Anyone
from whom people have satisfaction." The root of the
word satisfaction means to rest. Hence, if the Divine
presence rests on a generation, it is through him.
However, when the Divine presence does not rest on
the leader, he should not blame it on the people, but
on himself. Thus, the Mishnah concludes, "Anyone
from whom G·d does not have satisfaction" -
that is, the Divine presence does not rest upon him -
should realize that he himself, and not the generation,
is to blame. 3
1Tractate Avoth 3:10.
2Numbers 15:24.
3Toldoth Yaakov Yoseph, Achrai #6. The
second half of the Mishnah is thus not just repeating
over the first half in the negative, but adding a
complementary idea. In a larger context, this teaching
conveys the importance of knowing one's place within
the "body" of the Jewish people, and submitting
oneself to the guidance of its leaders (Degel
Machaneh Ephraim, Matos).
This teaching, though, is not only relevant for the
great leaders of the generation, but to each and every
person. For every person lives within a group, even if
only one's own family, and every person wields some
authority over others. Within this context, we are
all "leaders," and are responsible when the spiritual
level of our particular group is not what it could be
(Likutei Moharan I 34:4; 56:1)
1
Translation and Commentary by Rabbi
Yehoshua
Starrett
|
|
