Sunday, 31 January 2010

    False Testimony

    By: Rabbi Tzvi Meir CohnDo not distort justice. . . (Deuteronomy 16:19)Once, there were three men, Reb Ezriel, Reb Anshel, and Reb Eliezer, that were partners in a business. Reb Ezriel bought feathers and hides from Russia and Reb Anshel bought similar merchandise from Galicia. The third partner, Reb Eliezer, who was the son of the Belzer Rebbe, Reb Sholom, arranged financing for their ventures and...

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    Concealed Humility

    By: Rabbi Tzvi Meir CohnIn his youth, Reb Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk studied under Reb Dov Ber, later known as the Mezritcher Maggid and the successor to the Baal Shem Tov. By the time Mendel was ten years old, he was already well versed in all of the Talmud, and because of his diligence, the Maggid was very fond of him. One Shabbos morning, the Maggid saw young Mendel strutting about in high spirits."Mendel,"...

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    Friday, 29 January 2010

    KESER SHEM TOV - Bashalach

    Anthology of the Teachings of the Baal Shem Tov Kst - 71 The Baal Shem Tov taught:1 When one feels that one's service of G-d is not going well, one should acknowledge that the appropriate verse at this time is, "I [G-d] have sworn in My wrath/Aph [that they will not enter My peaceful Sanctuary]."2 For even during a period of Divine wrath - Aph - one must realize that this is only a manifestation of the eight lower Sephirot 1 below Binah, 4 and that even in the Aph - the Phe - is hidden the letter...

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    DIVINE LIGHT - Bashalach

    The Mystical Light of the Baal Shem Tov 38. There was a discussion among the Baal Shem Tov's closest students regarding two verses in Scripture. Of Noah it is written: "These are the chronicles of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, faultless in his generation; Noah walked with G-d."1 Of Abraham it is written: "G-d, before whom I walked."2 It seems that Noah needed G-d's help and support, but Abraham strengthened himself and walked in his own righteousness. One of the Baal Shem Tov's disciples asked,...

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    HEART OF PRAYER - Bashalach

    The Baal Shem Tov's Teachings on Prayer 6-8 Try to say at least one word of prayer with love and fear, for that arouses all the angels to sing to G-d. When a person speaks with love and fear, the Shechinah desires their words, like a mother who longs to hear her son speak with wisdom, so that her husband should admire her too. Likewise, when through a person's efforts the words are beautified and rise Above, a great splendor is born and the angels declare: "Who is like Your people Israel, a unique...

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    SEFER BAAL SHEM TOV - Bashalach

    The Baal Shem Tov's Teachings on the Torah Then G-d said to Moses: 'Behold, I will make bread rain down to you from heaven; and the people will go out and gather enough for each day. . . . (Exodus 16:4) A poor person has the privilege of speaking to the Holy One every day. A rich person, however, receives all his sustenance from G-d at once, and doesn't need to ask Him for his daily requirements - not unless he is very righteous, and realizes that everything he owns is worthless, without G-d giving...

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    TALES OF THE BAAL SHEM TOV - Bashalach

    BAAL SHEM TOV STORY Following the Weekly Torah Reading. BAAL SHEM TOV STORY Following the Weekly Torah Reading PERFECT FAITH In this week's Torah reading (Exodus 13:17 to17:16), Pharaoh sent the B'nei Israel (Children of Israel) from Egypt. After the B'nei Israel left, the Pharaoh changed his mind and pursued them to the Reed Sea. Moses split the Sea and the B'nei crossed. Then the Pharaoh and his army followed them into the split Sea. Once all of the B'nei Israel had crossed the Sea, Moses put...

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    Sunday, 24 January 2010

    The Baal Shem Tov’s Tefillin

    By: Tzvi Meir Cohn"Bind [these words] as a sign on your hand, and let them be an emblem in the center of your head." Deuteronomy 6:8And then there was the time that the Baal Shem Tov was studying Torah in the Bais Medrash (study hall) with his close disciples. Suddenly, he became so sick that he was unable to speak.The disciples became very alarmed. "Rebbe, Rebbe," they asked, "What's wrong? Can we...

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    The Baal Shem Tov’s Legends

    By: Rabbi Tzvi Meir CohnThe legends of Israel Baal Shem Tov, as well as the other Tzadikim (spiritual masters), were passed down for the last three hundred years, orally and more recently in writings from Chassid to Chassid. It's very important to remember that Chassid embody a fundamental belief that stories about their own Rebbe are definitely true, and those of other Rebbes are probably true....

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    Thursday, 21 January 2010

    KESER SHEM TOV

    Anthology of the Teachings of the Baal Shem Tov Kst 70 "G-d saw that [Moses] went to look, and He called out to him, 'Moses, Moses'."1 The Baal Shem Tov taught:2 Moses was initially concerned that this vision before him was not a holy vision, until G-d called out to him, "Moses, Moses." Only then did Moses respond, "Here I am." For Moses' soul, as alluded to by his name, encompasses all worlds, which is why Moses could not comprehend his own name, as we shall see. For just as the Divine presence...

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    DIVINE LIGHT

    The Mystical Light of the Baal Shem Tov 37. A man once journeyed to the Baal Shem Tov with a question. He had studied the natural sciences and philosophy and had discovered that according to the laws of nature, the Sea of Reeds1 was supposed to split at the very moment of the Children of Israel's arrival there. Why then, he wondered, do we believe that the splitting of the sea was such a miraculous event great thing? This question troubled him deeply. When he arrived at the Beis Medrash of the Baal...

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    HEART OF PRAYER

    The Baal Shem Tov's Teachings on Prayer 6.7 Pray for the sake of the words because the words desire to be bound to thought. This is the meaning of praying "for the sake of the Name."1 That is, for the sake of the words, for the words themselves long and desire to be bound to thought. When a person speaks with love and fear, his voice and words delight in each other. Thought watches over this, like a father who delights in his child. For thought longs to enter into voice, in order to come into words. Likutim...

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    SEFER BAAL SHEM TOV

    The Baal Shem Tov's Teachings on the Torah This month shall be unto you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you. (Exodus 11:4) I heard from my grandfather [the Baal Shem Tov] that once, in the month of Nissan, he told the famous Magid of Turtshin [the Magid of Mezritch] said, "Right now we have to pray, because the first of Nissan is the New Year for Kings,1 when all the rulers and officials in the world are appointed.2 At this moment, some rulers who are not good...

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    TALES OF THE BAAL SHEM TOV

    The"[These words] shall [also] be a sign on your arm and an insignia in the center of your head." (Bo 13:16) "These words" indicates that this chapter of the Torah must be included in the Tefillin (phylacteries), which are worn as a sign on one's arm and head. The center of your head is written literally as "between your eyes." This is an idiom that means between your eyes and just above the hairline. Insignia means frontlets or totafos in Hebrew. During the time of the Baal Shem Tov, it was common...

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    KESER SHEM TOV

    Anthology of the Teachings of the Baal Shem Tov Kst 69 The Baal Shem Tov taught: "Avoid evil and do good."1 This means avoid evil by transforming it into good.2 1Psalms 34:15. 2Ben Porath Yoseph. There are two ways of dealing with evil: overcoming it and subduing it, or transforming it, as said here. While the path of overcoming entails a constant struggle, and is based on the perception of inherent evil, the path of transformation entails a shift in perception, an awareness that all perceived...

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    DIVINE LIGHT

    The Mystical Light of the Baal Shem Tov 36. "Sometimes, violation of Torah is its observance. We learn this from G-d's telling Moses after the breaking of the Tablets, 'That you broke,'1 which implies approval for his having broken them."2 The Baal Shem Tov taught the following on this teaching from the Talmud. How can violating the Torah possibly enhance its observance? When one eats, drinks, or is otherwise involved in mundane affairs, they are "violating" the Torah because of not studying it...

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    HEART OF PRAYER

    The Baal Shem Tov's Teachings on Prayer 6.6 To elevate your words, speak with fear and love. When you speak, think about "allusion, voice and speech." Speak with fear and love, and imagine that the World of Speech is emanating through your mouth. Then you will elevate your words.Kesser Shem Tov II, p. 4b Translation and Commentary by Rabbi Dr. Eliezer Shore BAAL SHEM TOV FOUNDATION The Baal Shem Tov Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, uses emails, teleclasses and other material to spread...

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    Wednesday, 20 January 2010

    SEFER BAAL SHEM TOV

    The Baal Shem Tov's Teachings on the Torah "I revealed Myself to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as G-d Almighty, but by My name Y-H-V-H, I did not make Myself known to them. (Vaeira 6:3) I heard from the holy Rabbi Yacov Yoseph HaKohen (who certainly heard it directly from the Baal Shem Tov), that the letters of the word "to" - e- l1 - refer to the Alupho shel Olam (the Master of the World), with the lamed, which is composed of three lines. This is as much as he said. This can be compared to a...

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    TALES OF THE BAAL SHEM TOV

    THE SNORING GUEST "The master symbolists (sorcerers) tried to produce lice with their hidden arts (incantations), but they could not." (Vaeira 8:14) And then there was the time that a guest came to visit the Baal Shem Tov at his home. After dinner, they discussed deep concepts in Torah until very late in the night. The Baal Shem Tov invited the guest to sleep in his house and everyone adjourned to their rooms. Very early in the morning, the Baal Shem Tov's son Tzvi Hirsh, who was still a small boy,...

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    About

         Yisrael Ben Eliezer, later known as The Baal Shem Tov (The Master of the Good Name), was born on the 18th of Elul 5458 (August 27, 1698) to Rabbi Eliezer and his wife Sarah. They lived in the small village Okup on the Russian Polish border. Both Rabbi Eliezer and Sarah were already very old when their first child, little Srulik (Israel) was born.

         The days passed quickly and when Srulik was only five years old, his father Rabbi Eliezer died. The last words his father said to him were "Israel my son, you have a very holy soul, don't fear anything but G-d". Soon thereafter, his mother Sarah also died.

         Young Israel, now an orphan, was adopted by the local community and educated as was common in Jewish communities at that time. That is, he probably learned to read Hebrew by four, to translate the bible from the original at five, and began Talmud at about eight. By the time he entered his teens, he was probably fluent in both Bible and Talmud.

         The tradition is that young Israel was different from other children. He would often go into fields and woods and mountains, spending many hours alone, speaking to G-d. Not having parents, it's not surprising he would go into nature to seek out his Father in Heaven. At an early age he was aware of the presence of G-d in all aspects of life.

         Rabbi Israel first revealed himself to the world on Lag BaOmer, 5585 (May 22, 1734). Then Rabbi Israel moved to Talust and became famous as a holy man. Next he moved to Medzibusch in Western Ukraine for the remainder of his life.

         In Medzibusch, his fame spread and students attached themselves to him. Not only were ordinary people attracted to him, but some of the greatest Rabbinical luminaries also joined with him.

         Although very few documents written by Rabbi Israel still exist, many stories and teachings have been passed down to the present time.

         He became known as the Baal Shem Tov - the Master of the Good Name.

         As Rabbi Israel's fame spread, so did an opposition (Misnagdim) begin to grow.

         Being a living legend, the Baal Shem Tov spent most of his time in worship, serving G-d, teaching his disciples, and giving blessings to the thousands that came to see him.

         The Baal Shem Tov passed away on Shavuos, 5520 (May 23, 1760) having founded the Chassidic movement that lives on today.

    Please share this with another so that the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov become publicized and revealed to the world.

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