Acharei Mot: A New Way of Serving
At this time before the coming of the Moshiach," the Baal Shem Tov continued, "there is usually no need for self torment...
Parshat Acharei Mot Kedoshim
"And you shall keep My statutes and My laws, since it is only by them that a person can [truly] live. I am God" (Vayikra 18:5).
Statutes are commandments that have no logical reason. Laws are ethical commandments. Since we are to 'live' with them, we can also learn from this statement that we only keep the commandments when they don't endanger our life.
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Once, there was a heated discussion between a group of Torah scholars and Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer (the Baal Shem Tov). The Torah scholars, who were somewhat antagonistic to the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov, said, "Rabbi Israel, for many centuries, it has been an established custom, supported by the Gemora and later mystical literature, that people would enhance their service of God through fasting. The purpose of fasting was to weaken the body and increase the power of the soul in the service of God. Often, people would even fast throughout the week and only eat on the Sabbath.
"We've heard that you instruct your followers to avoid fasting except during the fast days established and obligated by our Rabbis and according to Torah law. We've even heard that you claim that, 'A person who does extra fasts will later (in Heaven) be called upon to account for causing themselves physical suffering.' In fact, it is said that you've even gone so far as to say that 'extra fasting is a sin.'"
The Baal Shem Tov replied, "I've come to introduce a new way of serving God. There are three major principles in this new way of serving God. They are love of God, love of a fellow Jew and love of Torah. In my opinion, there is no need for the self torment of fasting. The reason is that fasting has a tendency to cause melancholy and gloom. It is a well known principle that the Shechinah (a Godly revelation) does not rest upon one who is sad but only rests on one who is b'simchah (joyful) in their performance of a mitzvah.
"At this time before the coming of the Moshiach," the Baal Shem Tov continued, "there is usually no need for self torment. There is, however, a great need to be b'simchah. As Dovid Hamelech (King David) said, 'Ivdu et HaShem b'simcha,' 'Serve the Lord with a joyful attitude' (Tehillim 100:2).' And with this way of serving God we can usher in the time of the Moshiach quickly in our days."
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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