Mikeitz: The “Bad” Shabbat
Once, I dropped a platter of food and the Rebbetzin gave me a strong look because I wasn't paying attention. It made me feel so bad, I started to cry and ran to my room...
Parshat Mikeitz
"Yosef (Joseph) recognized his brothers as soon as he saw them. But he behaved like a stranger and spoke harshly to them…” (Bereishit 42:7)
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During the time of the Baal Shem Tov, people often talked about the miracle of how he traveled in his carriage with Alexei, the gentile driver, at such great rates of speed (kifitza haderech), that he could complete three days journey in less than half a day.
When they traveled, Alexei would put down the reins, take a few sips from his ever present bottle of vodka, get comfortable and go into a deep state of sleep. The Baal Shem Tov would usually be in a very profound state of contemplation.
Once, the Baal Shem Tov took three of his students, Reb Dovid of Mikalov, Reb Dovid Firkes and Reb Dovid Leikes, and Alexei on a trip in his wagon to an unknown destination. As usual, once the wagon had left Medzibush, Alexei put down the reins, took a few sips from his bottle and fell into a deep sleep. The horses, being free, seemed to almost fly across the road.
On the second day of the journey, the horses entered a dense forest. The road turned into a seldom used path. After a while, the three Dovids and Alexei were wide awake and mumbling among themselves. “Where are we and where are we going?” Then, they all looked towards the Baal Shem Tov at the same moment. “Rebbe, where are we going? When will be there?” they asked.
The Baal Shem Tov answered rather solemnly, “I’ve lost my spiritual perception. I’m like you now.”
They continued to travel for another day. It was already Friday, erev Shabbat. Everyone was getting very nervous and thinking the same thing, “What are we going to do for Shabbat?”
Just then, they saw a small cottage in a clearing just where the path came to an end.
“Baruch HaShem (Thank God)!” they said in unison.
When the wagon stopped in front of the cottage, the first thing they noticed was a mezuzah on the doorpost.
“Baruch HaShem, Baruch HaShem!” they said with glee as they jumped off the wagon. They rushed over to the door and knocked.
The door opened and facing them was a very tall, muscular peasant. His clothes and body were dirty. “A bunch of Chassidim I see,” the peasant said with disgust. Then he spit on the ground right before the Baal Shem Tov. The three Dovids were aghast. Alexei spoke up, “What do you think you’re doing?”
The peasant just raised his nose, snorted and turned away. “So what do you want?” he asked.
The Baal Shem Tov stepped up and said, “I’m sorry to bother you but it is almost Shabbat and we need a place to stay.”
“The closest inn is one day journey from here,” said the peasant with a sarcastic laugh. “I guess you holy ones won’t have such a comfortable Shabbat.”
“We would be happy to pay you for our food and lodging if we could stay here,” said the Baal Shem Tov.
“I’m sure you would, you holy ones," said the peasant. “The only problem is that you don’t have enough money. Frankly, I can’t bear the thought of having you Rabbis in my house, watching what I do, criticizing me and even telling me what to do? Just go away.”
”Reb Dovid jumped into the discussion. Eventually they reached an agreement costing them quite a bit of money and accepting three conditions.
"First you must pray silently. I can’t stand all that crying out. Second, you must finish your prayers very quickly because I don’t want to wait to eat. Third, I don't want you asking questions about the kashrus of the food. You can either eat what I serve or not. That‘s it,” the peasant concluded.
Not having a choice, the Chassidim agreed to the conditions and took their belongings into the house.
The Baal Shem Tov asked the peasant, “Excuse me, is there a stream nearby so that we can go to the mikveh before Shabbat?”
The peasant started to scream, “You ungrateful hypocrites, get out of my house!”
The Chassidim spent half an hour trying to calm him down and convince him to let them stay. The afternoon was quickly passing and there was no sign of Shabbat preparations or preparing for shul by the host. It grew still later and no sign of Shabbat preparation.
“Maybe this man does not even keep Shabbat,” they speculated. But they were afraid to ask anything for fear that they would have to leave.
About five minutes before Shabbat, the host put out a filthy table cloth, stuck a candle into a ball of clay and lit it for Shabbat. No one even saw him daven Mincha (the afternoon prayer). Then he prayed Kabbalat Shabbat and Maariv (evening) prayers very quickly. The Chassidim were forced to rush through their prayers as required by the second condition.
When they said "Shabbat Shalom," the host answered by cursing them. Next, the Chassidim started to sing Sholom Aleichem to welcome the Shabbat angels. The host told them to shut up. Then he filled a glass with wine, held it and began to recite Kiddush so quickly that no-one could be sure he said all the words. He took a big gulp from his glass. When the Chassidim asked for wine to make their own Kiddush, as was their custom, he answered, “You’re lucky to hear mine!" and then he swallowed the remaining wine leaving only a few drops for the Chassidim to share among themselves.
“I know how you Chassidim like to drink. Don’t worry, you won’t get drunk on this,” he laughingly said as he passed the essentially empty cup to the Baal Shem Tov.
Next, the host washed his hands and recited the blessing Hamotzi over a loaf of dried bread. The Chassidim asked for their own double loaves. He cut a thin slice of his bread for each. “Even this is too good for your types,” he commented as he threw a slice to each. The Chassidim couldn’t answer since they had agreed to remain silent.
The peasant gave each man a bowl of potato soup. He ate so quickly that they had barely finished when they had to Bench (the long blessing after a meal with bread).
When the Chassidim were preparing for sleep, the man brought them smelly animal skins. The next morning, when the Chassidim awoke, the host was almost finished with the morning prayers. They jumped up and prayed at a very fast speed so that they would finish with him and not hold him up from making the Shabbat day Kiddush.
All Shabbat long, the host yelled at them for the smallest request. In the late afternoon, the Chassidim asked for something to eat for Shalosh Seudos.
"What, you want to eat again?” said the host. So the Chassidim spoke Torah quietly to each other.
When Shabbat was over the host made them join him for an evening meal.
When they finally went to sleep, they couldn’t wait for the next day when they would leave. But the next day, the host blocked the door and made them stay for another day. And so it went for the next several days.
Finally, it was Friday morning and they were prepared to do anything when suddenly the host said, “Okay, you can go. Let’s make an accounting of the money you owe.”
It turned out they had to give him every single bit of money they had. Still they were glad to get out.
Just as they were about to leave, the host barred the door again. The Chassidim were afraid that he planned to kill them.
Then they heard the sound of a door opening. When they looked up, they saw a beautiful young woman walking through the doorway into their room. The Chassidim were in shock.
"Rebbe, wouldn't you please honor us by staying for one more Shabbat?" she asked.
The Chassidim all looked to the Baal Shem Tov. The woman continued, “Don't you remember me, Rebbe?"
The Baal Shem Tov answered, "No, I don't know you and I don’t remember ever seeing you before."
"I am Sarah. I was a maid in your home. Being an orphan, your wife took me in. Every Friday night, I helped serve the guests. Once, I dropped a platter of food and the Rebbetzin gave me a strong look because I wasn't paying attention. It made me feel so bad, I started to cry and ran to my room. You saw the incident and didn’t say anything, the Heavenly court required retribution since you did not have mercy on an orphan. You were judged and your punishment was to lose your portion in the Olam HaBah (World to Come).
"When I married my husband,” pointing to the host, “we learned of your sentence and decided to do something about it. Through our many prayers we converted the sentence of losing your portion in Olam HaBah to the loss of the pleasure of one Shabbat which is a taste of the World to Come. But who could carry out the sentence in this world? We were given the task and now, thank God, we have succeeded in returning your portion in the next world (Olam HaBah)."
As she finished her explanation, the Baal Shem Tov felt the return of his spiritual powers and he knew that all she said was true.
The Baal Shem Tov and his Chassidim agreed to stay for Shabbat. This Shabbat was spent as it should be with Holiness and Torah.
And so it was.
***
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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