Simple Sincere Singers of Psalms
The Baal Shem Tov (an honored title: "Master of the Good Name") showed a particular fondness for simple, pious folk. His approach was widely known and was a major reason for the tremendous number of simple Jews who quickly became his devotees, as many accounts attest.
His greatest disciples, however, although outstanding in purity and Torah scholarship, could not grasp this perspective. True, the Baal Shem Tov (sometimes abbreviated as "Besht") frequently sent them to learn traits such as sincerity, trust, simple faith, faith in sages, faith in tzadikim. love of one's fellow Jew, and the like from unlettered Jews. Yet, these distinguished disciples could not appreciate the Besht's affection for ordinary people, and certainly could not emulate him.
Customarily, guests ate the night and morning Shabbat meals at the Besht's table. Participation at the third meal in the late afternoon was restricted to the Besht's scholarly disciples, students of the inner circle. No guests were admitted - not even to observe from a distance. One summer Shabbat, in 5514/1754 C.E. (or perhaps a year earlier or later), an incident took place that thoroughly perplexed and bewildered the disciples, a group which then included brilliant and illustrious men like the Mezritcher Maggid and the Rav of Polnoye.
A large number of visitors had come for that Shabbat, including many undistinguished people such as farmers, artisans, cobblers, tailors, vintners, gardeners, stockmen, poultry-men, and small-time merchants. At the Friday evening meal, the Baal Shem Tov showed these people extraordinary affection. Into the cup of one man, he poured the remains of his Kiddush. To another, he gave his own kiddush cup to recite Kiddush; to several others, he gave pieces of the loaves of challah that he blessed upon. And to yet others he shared a little of the meat and fish on his own plate. He showed other gestures of friendship and affection for these guests, leaving his disciples confounded.
Knowing that they could not attend the third Shabbat meal that was reserved for the inner circle, the guests, after their repast, found their way back to the shul of the Besht. Since they were totally uneducated, incapable of anything more than simply reading Chumash ("Five Books of Moses") and Tehillim (Psalms), they all started chanting Tehillim.
After the Besht took his place at the head of the table for the third meal, he seated each of the disciples in a particular place, characteristic of the meticulous approach that governed everything he did. After a short while, he began to share with his students selected Torah insights. The disciples felt a tremendous divine delight in their Rebbe's teachings. As was customary, they sang at the table, and when they saw the obvious joyous mood of the Besht, they were even more pleased, filled with a sense of gratitude and happiness for G-d's favor to them, granting them the privilege of being counted among the disciples of the holy Baal Shem Tov.
Some of them mused that is was so delightful, without the presence of the simple people who wouldn't have the faintest idea of what the Master was discussing. Why does our Rebbe show such marks of favor to these people, pouring from his cup into theirs, and even giving his cup to one of them to use?
While these thoughts still flitted through their minds, the Besht's face suddenly changed. He became serious, immersed in his thoughts. Without a shift in this mood he addressed his students: "Peace, peace, to the far and the near".Our Sages observe, "Where the baalei teshuvah (penitents) stand the perfect saints cannot,"stressing perfect saints. He explained that there are two paths in divine service - the saint's and the penitent's. The service of simple folk belongs to the second level, the loftier level of the penitent - for they are lowly of spirit, regretting their imperfect past and determined to improve the future.
As soon as the Besht concluded his words, they resumed their melody. Those disciples, who had harbored doubts as to their Rebbe's conduct, realized that he had sensed what they had been thinking. His exposition of the qualities of the simple, equating them with the superiority of the penitent over the saint, was obviously addressed to them.
During the singing the Baal Shem Tov was still in his deep meditation, but when they finished he opened his eyes, intently examining each disciple. Then he told them each to rest their right hand on the shoulder of their neighbor, linking the disciples sitting around the table.
While in this position, he told them to sing certain melodies, and after the songs he instructed them to close their eyes and not open them until told to do so. Then he closed the circle by resting his right hand on the shoulder of the disciple seated at his right, and his left hand on the shoulder of the disciple seated at his left.
Suddenly the disciples heard songs and sweet melodies, interlaced with moving pleas, touching their inner soul. One voice sang, "O, Ribbono shel olam (Master of the World)," and launched into a verse of Tehillim, "The sayings of G-d are pure sayings…" Another sang - "Ai, Ribbono shel olam," and another verse, "Test me G-d, prove me, purify my heart." A third introduced his verse with a spontaneous cry in Yiddish - "Tatte hartiziger (Feeling father), be gracious to me; I trust in You and I take shelter in the shadow of Your wings". A forth voice burst out, "Ai gevald, zisser fotter in himmel (sweet Father in Heaven)," followed by the verse, "let G-d arise; His foes will scatter; His enemies will flee." Another voice was anguished, "Ty'erer tatte (Dear Father), a bird has a home; a swallow a nest," Still another pleaded, "Leiber fotter ,derebarmdiger tatte (Sweet father, merciful Father, bring us back, G-d who helps, erase Your anger against us."
Hearing these precious words of Tehilim in a way they never had before, the holy brotherhood of learned chasidim trembled. Their eyes were still closed yet tears coursed down their cheeks. Their hearts were shattered by the songs. Each of the disciples fervently wished that G-d help him to serve Him in such a manner.
The Baal Shem Tov lifted his hands from the shoulders of the disciples sitting to his right and to his left, and the music vanished from their ears. The Baal Shem Tov then instructed them all to open their eyes and to sing a number of particular songs.
"When I heard those songs of Tehillim," the Maggid later told Rabbi Shneur Zalman, his youngest disciple and subsequently the first Chabad Rebbe, "my soul spilled forth. I felt such longing, such a deep love for G-d that I had never previously been privileged to feel. My boots were soaked with the perspiration and tears of teshuvah from the inwardness and depths of my heart."
When the Baal Shem Tov stopped singing, a hush fell over the group. He sat in deep meditation for some time, then opened his eyes and said, "The songs you heard were the songs of the simple Jews saying Tehilim with sincerity, from the recesses of their hearts and with simple faith, as they are heard in Heaven."
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Source: Edited by Yerachmiel Tilles from an appendix in "Psalms - Ohel Yosef Yitzchak" (Kehot)
Biographic note:
Rabbi Yisrael ben Eliezer (18 Elul 1698 - 6 Sivan 1760), the Baal Shem Tov ["master of the good Name"], a unique and seminal figure in Jewish history, revealed the Chassidic movement and his own identity as an exceptionally holy person, on his 36th birthday, 18 Elul 1734. He wrote no books, although many claim to contain his teachings. One available in English is the excellent annotated translation of Tzava'at Harivash, published by Kehos.
Connections: Seasonal -- This week began with the Festival of SHAVUOT. Besides its biblical significances, it is also the yahrzeit of the Baal Shem Tov!
