Beshalach: 100 Questions
I asked myself; perhaps this man is not human? How could a person achieve such holy power? Had he perhaps fallen from Heaven?
Parshat BeShalach
"They believed in God and in Moses His servant." (Shemot 14:31)
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While still a young man, Reb Dov Ber (who would later become the great Mezritcher Maggid) was a brilliant Talmud scholar. He devoted all his time to Torah study. As was the custom, many, of similar caliber as Reb Dov Ber, took upon themselves physical restrictions – to subdue their physical being so as to become more spiritually sensitive. Reb Dov Ber took upon himself a period of exile. He served as a melamed (teacher) in a village near Lvov (located in present day Ukraine). There he became known simply as “Reb Berel.”
Rabbi Yaakov Yehoshua Falk Katz (later to become known as the famed Pnei Yehoshua) was then the Rabbi of Lvov. Whenever possible, Reb Dov Ber came to study Torah with the Rabbi.
When the Pnei Yehoshua left to become the Rabbi in another city, his son-in-law took over the position of Rabbi of Lvov. The son-in-law admitted that he had some reservations about his own ability to answer difficult questions and problems the community members would present. The Pnei Yehoshua simple advised him, “Ask Reb Berel.”
Reb Dov Ber continued to visit the new Rabbi of Lvov and study with him, and the son-in-law consulted with Reb Dov Ber with any difficult halachic (Jewish law) questions. They formed a close friendship which continued throughout their lives, even after Reb Dov Ber moved away.
As Reb Dov Ber grew older, he began to suffer from pain in his legs. He sought the help of many doctors and tried various remedies, but nothing really helped and he was forced to walk with crutches. Those who had visited the saintly Baal Shem Tov had that suggested Reb Dov Ber also visit him and perhaps the tzaddik could help him. Even the Rabbi of Lvov agreed he had nothing to lose. But Reb Dov Ber refused saying, “It is forbidden to seek the aid of one who uses kabbalah to heal the sick. And even if it were permissible, I wouldn’t go. I have at least a hundred halachic questions about the practices and teachings of the Baal Shem Tov – and I would not go to him before they are answered.”
As time went by, Reb Dov Ber kept hearing more and more of the Baal Shem Tov’s piety and miraculous abilities to help people. Curiosity finally got the better of him and Reb Dov Ber decided to travel to Mezibush. The trip took two days in a rickety wagon, and by the time he arrived, he was already aggravated by the loss of the time best spent in Torah study.
Reb Dov Ber expected to hear profound teachings from the Baal Shem Tov, but during their first meeting, the Baal Shem Tov did not discuss Torah at all, but told him a story about a trip he had once taken with Alexei, his Russian wagon-driver. Reb Dov Ber was very disappointed and couldn’t understand why everyone had labeled this story-teller a tzaddik!
However, he decided to speak with the Baal Shem Tov once more before his departure. The next day he met with the Baal Shem Tov again. Again he told Reb Dov Ber the same, seemingly irrelevant story about the trip he had taken with his wagon-driver.
Reb Dov Ber did not realize the spiritual significance hidden in the story the Baal Shem Tov was telling him. Instead, he resigned himself that he would not learn anything from this man, and decided to return home immediately. He promptly returned to the inn where he was lodging to pack his belongings.
As he was preparing to leave, a messenger arrived asking Reb Dov Ber to come to the Baal Shem Tov. He reluctantly agreed.
“Do you know how to study the secrets of Kabbalah?” asked the Baal Shem Tov.
“Of course,” answered Reb Dov Ber in a surprised voice.
The Baal Shem Tov then opened the sefer (book) ‘Etz Chaim’ and pointed to a particular passage. “Perhaps you can explain the meaning of this passage to me,” he said.
Reb Dov Ber looked into the sefer and began to explain the passage.
After he was done, the Baal Shem Tov asked, “Could you perhaps give a deeper explanation?”
So Reb Dov Ber provided a deeper explanation.
“That is very good, but perhaps there is even a deeper explanation?”
Undaunted, Reb Dov Ber gave yet a deeper explanation.
After a moment of silence the Baal Shem Tov said, “There is a much better explanation.”
Reb Dov Ber responded with a noticeably annoyed voice. “If you have better explanation, I’d like to hear it.”
“Please stand up,” the Baal Shem Tov said. Reb Dov Ber took his crutches and reluctantly stood up. The Baal Shem Tov began to give an explanation of the kabbalistic passage which included the names of several Heavenly angels. At once the room filled with a brilliant, ethereal light in which Reb Dov Ber could actually see the forms of the angels being mentioned. When he had finished, the Baal Shem Tov looked into the eyes of Reb Dov Ber and said, “Your explanations were correct, but there is a great deal more to learn.”
Reb Dov Ber decided to remain in Mezibush to study Torah with the Baal Shem Tov. In time, he became a member of the “Chevraya Kadisha” – the inner circle of devoted Chassidim, and eventually became the next leader of the Chassidic movement.
Later, when the Rabbi of Lvov learned that Reb Dov Ber had become a Chassid of the Baal Shem Tov, he decided to pay him a visit. He politely reminded him of his words once said: “What happened to the hundred questions you once had about the Baal Shem Tov?”
“I will tell you what occurred to answer all my questions at one time.” Reb Dov Ber related his first visit to his Rebbe: “I stood up while the Baal Shem Tov explained the passage from the Etz Chaim. His eyes were glowing like coals. The very angels mentioned in the passage that he explained were visible to us both. I asked myself; perhaps this man is not human? How could a person achieve such holy power? Had he perhaps fallen from Heaven?
The vision he showed me was enough to erase all my doubts. A man can cast doubts on another man, but how could one question such a Godly being?”
And so it was.
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Tzvi Meir Cohn attended Yeshiva Hadar Hatorah in Crown Heights, Brooklyn after completing his university studies in Engineering and Law. While studying at the Yeshiva, he discovered a deep connection to the stories and teachings of the Baal Shem Tov. His many books about the Baal Shem Tov can be found in the Breslev Store. He can be contacted at howard@cohnpatents.com.
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