The Power of a Chassidic Tale - Rabbi Yisroel of Ruzhin Yahrzeit 3 Cheshvan

Today Gimmel (3rd) of MarCheshvan is the holy Rav Yisrael of Rizhin's yorzeit.

 

The Power of a Chassidic Tale

 

The holy Rav Yisroel of Rizhin once told the following story:

 

Once there was family who had an only son, he was a good boy and had fallen deathly ill. They went to the Ba'al Shem Tov seeking help, to heal him from this life threatening illness. The Ba'al Shem Tov made a wax candle and travelled into the forrest, he melted the wax and glued the candle to one of the trees. And he proceeded to make yichudim, mystical unifications of the Divine names, and  with G-d's help he succeeded in achieving salvation and saving the boy's life.

 

Later after the holy Ba'al Shem Tov left this world a similar incident occurred that involved his successor, my great grandfather the holy Maggid of Mezritch. He too went out to the forrest and lit the candle and made yichudim, however he did not know the Holy Ba'al Shem Tov's intentions and kavanos. Therefore he acted and relied on the kavanos that the Ba'al Shem Tov had previously had in mind. He said to Hashem "The kavanos that the Ba'al Shem Tov knew I do not know, however I am acting and relying on his previous actions and the kavanos that he had." His prayers were answered and the salvation took place.

 

Afterwards one day a similar situation presented itself to the holy Rav Moshe Leib Sassover. He prayed saying: "We do not know the location in the forrest, nor how to make such a candle, and what to do with it. We no longer know the yichudim and certainly not the kavanos. But I do know the story. I will relate the tale and Hashem will help and grant us salvation." He retold the story and the child's life was saved.

 

(Knesses Yisroel p12)

 

This is one of the stories that inspired me to keep adding Chassidic stories to the translations I do

 

Kol Tuv,
R' Tal Moshe Zwecker
Director Machon Be'er Mayim Chaim
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