Parshas VAyEchi. And then there was the time, shortly before his leaving this world, that the holy Baal Shem Tov called for his closest disciples, and instructed them what to do next.
The last disciple with whom he spoke was Reb Yaakov. He whispered to him, “Reb Yaakov. After my death, travel from town to town, and wherever you go, repeat my Torah, and tell what I did during my life.”
Yaakov was perplexed. “Rebbe, why have you burdened me with a life of wandering and poverty?”
The Baal Shem Tov responded, “My dear Reb Yaakov. You will not live a life of wandering and poverty. In fact, you will be highly rewarded for doing what I ask of you. And when the time comes for your wandering to end, a sign will be given to you.”
Shortly after the Baal Shem Tov left this world, each of his disciples began his assigned task. Reb Yaakov slipped into his backpack, took his walking stick, and began to travel from town to town. He repeatedly said to himself, “Dear L·rd, what in the world am I getting myself into?” His question was soon to be answered.
He discovered that he was warmly welcomed at every inn and Shule, wherever he traveled. People eagerly gathered to hear his inspiring stories of the Baal Shem Tov. And since he had been a member of the Chevrayah Kadisha, the inner circle, he knew thousands of stories. At the inns, he was given food and lodging. At the Shules, he received money that had been collected just for him. Although he did live a life of travel, as the Baal Shem Tov had predicted, he did not live a life of poverty.
After several years of traveling from town to town, Reb Yaakov heard about an Italian nobleman who loved stories of the Baal Shem Tov. The rumor was that he gave a gold coin for every Baal Shem Tov story that was told him.
“I will go and tell him all the stories I know,” thought Yaakov, “and then I will be a wealthy man.”
So Yaakov set out for Rome. As he traveled, he reviewed in his mind all of the stories he knew about the Baal Shem Tov, as well as the teachings he had heard directly from the holy mouth of his Rebbe.
When he arrived in Rome, he inquired after the nobleman. Sure enough, he was directed to the imposing residence of a Baron and his many servants. When the master of the house learned that a Reb Yaakov had come with stories of the Baal Shem Tov, he warmly welcomed him.
“Tomorrow, when we are sitting around the Shabbos table, you can tell us your stories,” said the Baron. Yaakov wondered why so rich a man as the Baron wanted to hear stories of Rabbi Yisrael.
When the time came for the evening Shabbos meal, Yaakov was seated next to the Baron at a large table, around which were seated many other guests. Everyone anticipated that Reb Yaakov would know many stories about the Rebbe, since he had been one of his close followers.
After Kiddush over the wine and HaMotzi, the Baron asked Yaakov whether he had ever met the Baal Shem Tov in person.
“I saw him every day,” answered Yaakov. “He was my teacher.”
“Tell me,” said the Baron. “What did the Rebbe look like?”
Yaakov tried to picture the Baal Shem Tov in his mind, but he could not conjure up a clear image of him. He answered, “Like no other man,” and then fell quiet.
When the evening Shabbos meal had ended, the Baron said, “Reb Yaakov, please honor us with a story.”
Yaakov wanted to speak, but he could not think of a single thing to say. He could not remember anything about the Baal Shem Tov. Yaakov looked about the table, and saw that everyone was looking at him. Finally he said, “I cannot speak right now.” “Never mind. It is late,” said the Baron. “Tomorrow, during the second meal of Shabbos, you will tell us a few stories.”
But, at the second meal, and even later, after Havdalah, Reb Yaakov was still unable to remember any stories about the Baal Shem Tov. He was deeply embarrassed and could not understand his loss of memory. He could only keep thinking that as soon as Shabbos was over, he would leave.
But at the conclusion of Shabbos, the Baron kindly said, “Reb Yaakov, please stay another day. Perhaps you will remember something.” Yaakov did not want to stay any longer. But he was without funds and far from home. So he agreed to stay.
He wandered by himself in the garden the next day, but nothing came into his mind. The Baron urged him to stay longer, in any case. And although he was very embarrassed, Reb Yaakov remained several more days. Finally, he could not stand the humiliation any longer and told the Baron, “I must go.”
The Baron gave him a small bag of gold coins, and said, “Reb Yaakov, take this. And if you do remember anything about the Baal Shem Tov, please return.”
Then, the Baron put Reb Yaakov into his own carriage, and instructed his driver to take him as far as he wanted to go.
When the carriage had traveled just out of view of the Baron’s palatial estate, a story jumped into Reb Yaakov’s mind. He shouted to the driver, “Turn the carriage around. Return to the Baron! I just remembered a story!”
The driver turned the carriage around. The Baron came running to meet them, when he saw the coach with Reb Yaakov coming up the drive.
Yaakov walked with the Baron from the carriage to the house. He started to speak, so afraid was he that he might forget again. “It is very strange,” he said. “The only story I remember is one that I have never thought about since the events occurred. And this is one story that I am sure you have never heard from anyone else.”
THE STORY TOLD BY REB YAAKOV
“Once, during the week of Passover, the Baal Shem Tov asked me whether I wanted to accompany him and several other disciples on a long journey. Of course, I wanted to go.
“For our travels, we each took with us a small bag with Tallis and Teffilin, as well as some food and a little mashka. We got into the Rebbe’s wagon, which, as you have probably heard many times before, was driven by the Rebbe’s driver, Alexei.
“As usual, after we left town, Alexei had a few l’chaims – you know, a little schnapps – and fell asleep. The horses drew the wagon along without being guided by a human hand. We rode all night and covered a great distance, as was often the case when we traveled with the Master.
“By morning, we came to a large, foreign city unknown to us. The streets were filled with people dressed for a holiday. We continued on until we reached the Jewish ghetto. There, no one could be seen on the streets. The doors of all of the houses were closed shut, and every window was shuttered.
“The horses stopped before one of the houses. Rabbi Yisrael went to the door and knocked. When no one answered, he knocked again more loudly. Finally, he yelled, ‘Open up, in the name of G·d.’
“Then, from behind the door we heard the voice of what sounded like an elderly woman. ‘Who is it?’ she cried.
“‘It is Rabbi Yisrael Ben Eliezer,’ said the Baal Shem Tov. The door was unlocked and opened a crack. It was obvious to the woman that we were Jews, and we were let into the house. The door was quickly closed and locked again.
“The old woman cried, ‘Rabbi, do you want to be killed? Today is Easter. Every year in this city on Easter, a Jew is taken and burned alive. If a Jew is found walking in the streets, or if a Jew even shows himself or herself in the window, he or she is taken and burned on the cross in the town square. If no Jew is seen, one is chosen by lot.’
“The Baal Shem Tov attempted to reassure her. ‘Don’t be afraid. Let me do as I must.’ Then Rabbi Yisrael went to a window overlooking the town square. He pulled back the curtains and opened the shutters. He stood by the window and watched what was taking place in the town square.
“A large altar was being built in the square. Next to it was a wooden cross, with logs piled around the base. Here, some hapless Jew would be tied to the cross and set afire. As we watched, a large and noisy crowd of people thronged into the square. Besides the common people dressed in their holiday clothes, there were priests in their robes. Among them was one priest dressed in the robes of a higher office, who stood on the altar.
“The Baal Shem Tov pointed to that priest and said to me, ‘That man is the Bishop. Go down and tell him that Rabbi Yisrael is waiting for him in this house.’
“I went to the door. The woman screamed, ‘Don’t go! They will drag you to their altar and burn you alive!’ But since the Baal Shem Tov had instructed me, I went.
“I took a deep breath, opened the door, and went outside. No one seemed to notice me as I walked through the crowd. I came to the foot of the altar and called out to the Bishop, ‘Bishop, I have a message for you.’
“He said, ‘Come up and tell it to me.’
“I went up onto the platform and whispered in the Bishop’s ear, ‘Rabbi Yisrael Ben Eliezer wants you to come to him at once.’
“The Bishop was startled. He said to me, ‘Go back and tell the Rabbi that I will come in a few hours.’
“I went down from the altar and walked through the crowd, and again no one seemed to notice my presence. Rabbi Yisrael stood waiting for me at the door of the house. When I told him what the Bishop had said, he was insistent. ‘Go back and tell him he must come to me at once.’
“The other people in the house, who by now had come downstairs to see with whom the old woman was speaking, cried out, ‘Don’t go! They are about to begin the service. They will burn you alive!’
“Nevertheless, I followed my Rebbe’s instructions, and returned through the crowd of people to the altar. The Bishop was now already conducting the service. He was speaking loudly to the crowd.
“When I had gotten to the foot of the altar, he looked down at me. I yelled up to him, ‘Rabbi Yisrael Ben Eliezer wants to speak with you, NOW!’
He yielded and said, ‘I will come with you.’ Then, to the crowd of people he said, ‘The service is over for now. I will return later to speak.’ We walked quickly to the house. Rabbi Yisrael was waiting at the door. “Rabbi Yisrael escorted the Bishop into another room and closed the door. Several hours passed. Then Rabbi Yisrael came out of the room alone, and said to me, ‘We are ready to leave.’ We got into our wagon and began the trip home to Mezibush. And that is as much as I know of the story,” concluded Reb Yaakov.
The Baron looked directly at Yaakov and said, “Don’t you recognize me?”
“Oh my G·d! How can it be? You are the Bishop!” gasped Yaakov.
The Baron put his arm around Yaakov and said, “You have just saved my soul!”
After they had spoken for a while, Reb Yaakov asked, “What did happen in that room? I have always wondered what the Baal Shem Tov said to you.”
The Baron replied, “When I entered the room, the Baal Shem Tov said, ‘Moshe are you ready to return to the path of your forefathers and live as a Jew?’ I started to cry, and the black cloud covering my soul suddenly lifted.
“I am descended from a long line of learned and holy rabbis. But when I was still a young student, my yetzer hora overwhelmed me. I converted to Christianity and became a priest. The Christians were very pleased that I had converted. I quickly advanced to higher and higher positions in the Church. As I gained greater stature, I became increasingly cruel to other Jews. And the crueler I became, the more I advanced. Finally, I was made Bishop over that city. And every Easter, I burned a Jew on the cross.
“One night, I had a vivid dream: A group of holy rabbis stood around a long table. And on that table was my blackened soul, awaiting judgment.
At one end of the table was a very holy Tzaddik. Suddenly, I realized that these rabbis were my ancestors. The rabbis all agreed that my soul was doomed, because the yetzer hora had utterly destroyed the good spirit within it.
“Then the Tzaddik said, ‘If he repents, the Gates of Heaven are not closed to him.’ The Tzaddik touched me with his hand, and my soul became filled with light. And then I heard my ancestors call the Tzaddik. His name was Rabbi Yisrael Ben Eliezer.
“Then came that day when you saw me in the town square. Because of my dream, I did not want to go through with the killing. But everybody was praising me in the expectation of the auto-da-fé. I thought to myself, ‘This is the last time.’
“But then you came, and said you were sent by Rabbi Yisrael Ben Eliezer. I knew that my time had come. Still, I wanted to finish the service and hear the cheering of the people one more time. So then I said to you that I would come in a few hours. But when the Baal Shem Tov sent you a second time, I knew that I had to go at once. And so I went.”
“He instructed me that I must sell all of my possessions. I was to divide the money I received into three parts. He said to me, ‘With one part, buy your freedom from the Church. Give the second part to the poor. And use the third part to go to a distant country, do good deeds, repent, and live your life as a Jew. Because of the holiness of your forefathers, there is still hope that you will be pardoned for your sins.’
“‘But how will I know that I have been pardoned by G·d?’ I asked.
Rabbi Yisrael said to me, ‘When a man comes to you and tells you your own story, then you will know that your sins have been pardoned.'”
“When you came,” said the Baron to Yaakov, “I recognized you at once. But when you could not remember anything, I realized that I had not yet been pardoned. So I began to do deeper repentance. Then, when you started to go away, I thought, ‘I am lost.’ But I know that Rabbi Yisrael Ben Eliezer interceded for me again in Heaven. Thank G·d I am saved.”
Then, the Baron gave Yaakov half of his fortune. And Yaakov knew that the sign was given to him, and his days of wandering were over. But he never stopped his telling of the stories of the Baal Shem Tov, who was a great light for the Jewish people during his life and even after his passing to the next world.
And so it was.
Freely adapted by Tzvi Meir HaCohane from a story found in Stories of the BAAL SHEM TOV by Y. Y. Klapholtz and reprinted with the kind permission of the Baal Shem Tov Foundation. Please visit www.baalshemtov.com
