Weekly Dvar Torah: Baal Shem Tov and Chabad
The Frierdiker Rebbe relates an event that took place on the Shabbos of the 18th of Elul 5652 (1892), the 194th birthday of The Baal Shem Tov (Besht), 132 years after his passing in 5520 (1760).
The Rebbe Rashab went to the Ohel of his father, the Rebbe Maharash, on the Thursday before and again on Friday. Upon his return it was evident that his eyes were swollen and red. This was very unusual.
On Shabbos the Rebbe said a Maamar ‘Vehaya Ki Tavo’. The entire Shabbos he was very intense, his Davening took all day, and he barely had time to make Kiddush. All were wondering what was happening.
A few weeks later, at a Farbrengen, the Rebbe explained his two trips to the Ohel.
“When I prepare to say a Maamar, I don’t say it unless I feel one with this Maamar. That is how I know that I have permission to say it. When I prepared to say the Maamar Vehaya Ki Tavo, I didn’t have that feeling. So I decided to go to my father, the originator of this Maamar, to ask for help. Hence the trips to the Ohel on two consecutive days achieved what was needed.
“Since Hashem doesn’t remain a debtor, I was repaid for my toil by my father. Being that it was Shabbos Chai Elul, the birthday of the Besht, he invited me to join him in Gan Eden to listen to Torah said by the Baal Shem Tov. And over Shabbos I heard the Besht say Torah on seven different occasions.” The Rebbe then went on to vividly describe the Gan Eden with all its levels in detail.
“The first Torah was said after Kabolas Shabbos before Maariv. The second Torah was said after Maariv. The people present were men and women disciples of the Besht of several generations.
“The third Torah was said during the Friday night meal. The fourth and the fifth at the afternoon meal. The sixth during Mincha, and the seventh towards the end of Shabbos at the Seuda Shlishis.” All the seven teachings are recorded in Kesser Shem Tov.
Although this happened in 5652 (1892), still it was not spoken about till the previous Rebbe related this event at a Farbrengen in 5697 (1936), 34 years later.
(It is important to note, that in 1892, the Rebbe Rashab had not yet accepted the role of Rebbe. He said Maamarim and did other things that Rebbeiim do, but he accepted the role of Rebbe only a year later, even though his father passed away 11 years earlier.)
This is an awe-inspiring description of a Tzadik who was able to communicate openly with Tzadikim who were already in Gan Eden. He knew his way around in Gan Eden. And he heard Torah from Tzadikim like the Besht and was able to relate those teachings to his Chassidim. A story like this should have had the world on fire, yet it was not spoken about for over 40 years.
Our Rebbe once explained why a miracle like this, and teachings of the Besht from Gan Eden, were given necessarily to a Chabad Rebbe. Even if the Besht had many other students who follow his path, but are not Chabad. And he explained why this was only spoken about many years later.
There is a known difference between the teachings of the ‘general Chassidus’ as taught by the Besht, vs the style of the Alter Rebbe, who taught Chassidus in the Chabad way. General Chassidus is a teaching from top down, it is an encompassing Chassidus, inspired by the Tzaddik, the head. Whereas, Chabad, is from the bottom up, the Chossid must internalize the Chassidus to connect to the Tzadik and thus becomes elevated.
But as we get closer to Moshiach who will teach G-dly wisdom, internalization becomes paramount. it stands to reason that Chabad has the deepest connection to the Besht. So even the encompassing Chassidus, becomes more and more internalized, and the Besht is most manifest through Chabad.
Therefore, the Besht made this amazing appearance to a Chabad Rebbe, in a Baalshemske manner, which was always miraculous. That even in Chabad where in the past there was less emphasis on miracles and wonders, even there the Besht reveals himself in a wonderous manner. This is a fusion of Chabad with the general Chassidus.
Still, this needs to evolve within the confines of the mundane world. That’s why it took time for this story to become public, so that we can work our way up, in order to absorb such high level wonderous events and teachings, all in one.
We could have been taught the teachings alone, without the context of the miraculous events surrounding this event. Then it would have been purely Chabad. But because Chabad is proving to be the sum total of the teachings of the Besht, there is a need to include the wonders of the general Chassidus, which is more about the miracles than the in-depth teachings.
And since the revelation of Moshiach, and his teachings of G-d’s wisdom is about to happen, we who are lucky to live in these times, have the merit to study a lot of Chassidus ourselves, and we have the responsibility to spread the wellsprings of the Besht to all. This is the preparation which makes the proper vessel, to the time when “all will know Me,” with the true and full redemption by Moshiach our righteous one.
Have an internalized wonderous Shabbos,
Gut Shabbos
Rabbi Yosef Katzman
