The Baal Shem Tov: Difference between revisions

'''Rabbi Yisroel Baal Shem Tov''' (abbreviated as Besht) was initially the leader of hidden tzaddikim and later became the founder and creator of the Chassidic movement, from which all Chassidic courts developed and branched out.

In 5408, fifty years before the birth of the Baal Shem Tov, the Cossack rebellion against Polish nobles erupted, during which many pogroms were carried out against Jews, known as the Gezeiros Tach V'Tat. As a result of these pogroms and destruction of communities, the physical and spiritual state of the Jewish people was at its lowest. This period is called in Chassidut "fainting," like a person who has fainted and is in deep slumber.

Once, a guest arrived very late on Erev Shabbos in weekday clothes, yet Rabbi Eliezer welcomed and brought him close. According to another version, the guest arrived on Shabbos after the meal, which appeared as if he had traveled beyond the Shabbos boundary, but despite this, Rabbi Eliezer honored and hosted him while other guests rebuked Rabbi Eliezer, but he continued to honor the guest.

Chassidic elders interpreted based on this story the tradition from Chabad Rebbes that one should learn the weekly parsha with Rashi's commentary daily and once or twice a week a few lines from the Baal Shem Tov's book Kesser Shem Tov, explaining that the connection between these two shiurim is that both Rashi and the Baal Shem Tov were born after their fathers passed a test.

Rabbi Israel was born in the city of Tlust to his father R' Eliezer and mother Sarah on Monday, 18 Elul 5458 (the numerical value spells "Nachas," as his deeds brought satisfaction to both upper and lower worlds).

In his childhood years, he would go almost daily after his studies with his melamed to the forest and walk among the trees and flourishing nature, where he found his peace and would review his learning, sometimes falling asleep there. Once while in the forest, he met one of the hidden tzaddikim who was standing near a tree immersed in fervent prayer. The Besht observed the man, and later asked him to teach him Torah. After a period of wandering and learning with that tzaddik, the tzaddik left him with one of the leaders of the hidden tzaddikim, Rabbi Meir, so that he could learn with him in an organized manner. Indeed, the Besht stayed in his home for 4 years during which he accumulated all his knowledge in nistar and Kabbalah. Later, the Besht related that during his time with his teacher Rabbi Meir, he met Eliyahu Hanavi.

At some point, the Baal Shem Tov left the settlement of Okup and moved to the Brody region near Podolia. There, he became a melamed in one of the cheders and met Rabbi Ephraim of Brody, who was among the city's dignitaries and the father of Rabbi Abraham Gershon of Kitov. Rabbi Ephraim suggested his daughter Chana to the Baal Shem Tov for marriage, and they became engaged, though the Baal Shem Tov wanted to keep it secret. Only after Rabbi Ephraim's passing did the Baal Shem Tov come to marry his wife, but when he arrived, he disguised himself in coarse farmer's clothing. Rabbi Abraham Gershon tried to turn him away but finally realized this was his sister's groom and they married, though he distanced himself from him. The young couple moved to one of the villages between Kutov and Kosov. Rabbi Israel spent most of his time in seclusion in forests and fields. Later they moved to another village. In 5490 they moved to Tlust in Galicia and began teaching again, living in financial hardship throughout their lives.

Before his revelation, the Baal Shem Tov worked as a melamed's (teacher's) assistant, and his role was to escort children from their homes to the cheder (learning room). During these walks, the Baal Shem Tov would instill spiritual experiences in the children, including the importance of answering Amen, and protecting them from dangers and dogs on their way.

At age 18 (1716), he proposed to his fellow members of the hidden tzaddikim a new course of action: to travel from town to town ensuring each place had a melamed for the local children, and in places where there wasn't one, the hidden tzaddikim would serve in this role. During this period, the Baal Shem Tov also served as a melamed's assistant.

At age 14 (1712), he joined the group of hidden tzaddikim, which was then under the leadership of the "Baal Shem" Rabbi Adam of Ropczyce.

On his twenty-sixth birthday, Achiya HaShiloni was revealed to him and taught him Torah for ten years. During this time, he revealed to him the illumination within both the revealed Torah and Kabbalah as learned in Gan Eden. Until his thirty-sixth birthday, when his teacher urged him to reveal himself.

On the 17th of Elul 1734, when the Baal Shem Tov was thirty-six years old, Achiya HaShiloni commanded him to reveal himself to the world, and he first revealed himself in the city of Tlust. Afterward, the Baal Shem Tov began spreading his teachings through journeys and wanderings. Initially, he mainly focused on pidyon shvuyim (redeeming captives), strengthening Torah and yiras shamayim (fear of Heaven), and spreading pnimiyus haTorah (inner dimensions of Torah). During his travels, he visited Horodenka, Kitov, Nemirov, Shargorod in Galicia and Podolia, Polnoye, Sde Lavan, and Zaslav in Volhynia.

During this period, the Baal Shem Tov also planned to make aliyah to Eretz Yisrael, which held an important and central place in his teachings, but his plan did not materialize.

On 26 Tammuz 5519, the Baal Shem Tov defeated the Frankists in the city of Lvov. Letters found in the Kherson Genizah reveal that the Baal Shem Tov and his students declared this day as a holiday. In a letter dated 8 Kislev 5720, the Rebbe responds to someone who asked why this day is not celebrated every year, explaining that he hadn't heard an explanation for this, but what seems likely is that by the following year the Baal Shem Tov had already passed away (in 5520).

There are many points that the Baal Shem Tov innovated and emphasized in his approach. The core of all innovations is to take everything and reveal its source, its essence. Meaning: what is its purpose, its goal, its source, and where does it lead. Thus he reveals what is the essence of the world's existence - continuous creation by Hashem. He also reveals exactly what a Jew is - an essence completely united with Atzmus Ein Sof (and since this aspect is more revealed in simple Jews specifically, he brought them closer) and he especially encouraged simple love for every Jew based on the essence of the neshamah. He also reveals the nature of kelipat nogah (see Tanya - Chapter 6), and more.

The Baal Shem Tov's approach to Hashgacha Pratis is summarized in the famous statement "in every movement, there is the Alufo Shel Olam." The Baal Shem Tov explains that even in what appears to be the greatest concealment - the five alefs in Pharaoh's boastful words "The enemy said: I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil" - even there are five alefs to show that behind these words of kelipah stands the One and Only - Alufo Shel Olam.

According to the Baal Shem Tov's approach, even a leaf falling from a tree must involve Hashgacha Pratis. Since there is no reality that doesn't contain G-dly reality, therefore it's impossible for even a single action to occur from the beginning of creation until the end of its seven thousand years of existence - that doesn't involve Hashgacha Pratis.

On the 17th of Elul 5474, while the Baal Shem Tov was in the forest alone, Eliyahu Hanavi appeared to him for the first time. He revealed that in heaven there is more nachas ruach when a simple Jew blesses and thanks Hashem for his parnassah than from all the yichudim and kavanos that tzaddikim perform. From then on, the Baal Shem Tov's main approach was specifically drawing close and cherishing the simple Jews, who sometimes couldn't even read or write. He would encourage them to bless and thank Hashem, traveling from village to village and inquiring about people's wellbeing so they would express their gratitude to Hashem.

The Baal Shem Tov placed special importance on the power of thought, stating that "wherever a person's thoughts are, that is where they are entirely." In avodas haTorah and tefillah, the Baal Shem Tov greatly emphasized the importance of d'veikus of thought to the root of the letters, which is the Ohr Ein Sof. The Baal Shem Tov guides a person to always attach their thoughts to the Shechinah Hakdoshah.

Chassidus relates several stories where the Baal Shem Tov showed his talmidim how a person exists where their thoughts are. For example, once the Baal Shem Tov showed his talmidim how one ox was eating another ox, while in the physical world this was a person eating ox meat out of desire during a Shabbos meal. In another case, one of the baalei batim of Mezhibuzh had a dispute with another baal habayis, and once while they were with the Baal Shem Tov in shul, he shouted that he would "tear his opponent like a fish." The Baal Shem Tov instructed his talmidim to hold hands and stand beside him with closed eyes. The Baal Shem Tov placed his holy hands on the shoulders of the two talmidim standing beside him. Suddenly the talmidim began shouting in fear: they saw how the baal habayis was tearing his opponent like a fish! This clearly shows that every force has a result and effect: whether in physical form, or spiritual, which can only be grasped with higher and more refined senses.

According to the Baal Shem Tov's teachings, there is no true existence of evil in the world at all. Although there is indeed an existence of evil that conceals good through illusion and concealment, even the existence of evil is essentially Hashem's will. The Baal Shem Tov brings the mashal of a king who sends a wicked person to tempt his son, but even the wicked person's true desire is that the son should not listen to him.

== His Torah ==

The Baal Shem Tov was a tremendous gaon in nigleh and nistar. Several matters and stories of his genius in simplicity were passed down in mesorah by our Rebbeim. His custom was to say short and deep divrei Torah in Yiddish, but it was his talmidim who collected and wrote his sayings and teachings, and printed the seforim:

* Toldos Yaakov Yosef - Written by his talmid Rabbi Yaakov Yosef of Polnoye, printed in 5540

* Kesser Shem Tov - Where Torah teachings were concentrated in Sefer Kesser Shem Tov, and today a comprehensive collection by topics has been made in the sefer "Baal Shem Tov" in 2 large volumes

The coming of Moshiach necessarily depends on spreading the Baal Shem Tov's teachings, as he himself wrote in a letter that on Rosh Hashanah 5507 he had an aliyas neshamah and reached the palace of Melech HaMoshiach. The Baal Shem Tov asked Melech HaMoshiach: "When will the master come?" Moshiach answered him: "When your wellsprings spread outward," referring to the wellsprings of Chassidus which the Baal Shem Tov revealed and taught, and when his Torah will be publicized and spread, the geulah will come.

The seven Torahs of the Baal Shem Tov that were revealed to the Rebbe Rashab are teachings that the Baal Shem Tov said in Gan Eden in 1892. On Shemini Atzeret 1893, the Rebbe Rashab shared the details of this event (either publicly or just at his seudah). After that, the event was not mentioned for over forty years until 1937 when the Rebbe Rayatz published and revealed the details of the event.

Many stories of the Baal Shem Tov tell of how he instructed to release the reins of the horses and let them travel as they wished, and then the horses galloped in a clearly supernatural way. In this manner, the Baal Shem Tov worked supernatural yeshuot when he needed to be in places very far from each other in very short times, some of which occurred close to the onset of Shabbat and required the use of kefitzat haderech.

On Wednesday 20 Kislev 1798, the Alter Rebbe, who was his spiritual grandson, said about this: "On the fourth day the luminaries were taken," meaning - on Wednesday the luminaries were taken and departed.

In recent generations, a controversy arose around the exact date when the Baal Shem Tov was nistalek - the question being between the first day of Shavuot (6 Sivan) and the second day (7 Sivan). In Shemuot V'Sipurim it is brought that one year Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson was a guest of the Rebbe Rashab on Shavuot. They discussed the histalkut of the Baal Shem Tov, and Rabbi Levi Yitzchak mentioned the opinion that the Baal Shem Tov was nistalek on 7 Sivan. The Rebbe Rashab responded decisively saying the histalkut occurred on 6 Sivan, while on 7 Sivan King David was nistalek. Rabbi Levi Yitzchak challenged this determination from the halacha prohibiting burial on Yom Tov and from the assumption emerging from the Rebbe Rashab's determination that the Baal Shem Tov's burial was conducted by non-Jews. The Rebbe Rashab responded to this claim by saying that the holy body of the Baal Shem Tov did not require the involvement of the Chevra Kadisha. In HaYom Yom on 6 Sivan, first day of Shavuot, it is written: "Histalkut of the Baal Shem Tov - on Wednesday, first day of Shavuot 1760, and his honored resting place is in Mezhibuzh."

== His Image ==

There is a widely circulated image attributed to the Baal Shem Tov, but there are many doubts about its authenticity. Some attribute it to a certain Shabtai. The Rebbe said this image belongs to a different Baal Shem who lived and worked in Deutschland (Germany), not to the Baal Shem Tov.

There are several reasons why the Rebbe believed the image was not of the Baal Shem Tov. Besides professional research proving doubts about the image's authenticity, there are additional reasons. However, the main one is because the Frierdiker Rebbe said there is a kabbalah (tradition) that no image exists of the Baal Shem Tov.

The holy fellowship (Chevraya Kadisha) included:

* Rabbi Yaakov Yosef of Polnoye

* Rabbi Yechiel Michel of Zlotchov

* Nezer HaBaal Shem Tov - Avraham Shmuel Bukiet

* Kisvei Rabbi Yasha Shochet