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Weekly Chasidic Story #1434 (5785-36) 7 Sivan 5785 (June 3, 2025) "Three Friday Night Dances and Three Saturday Night Blessings" "I don't need any
of your money," replied the Baal Shem Tov. "But please, can you host
a melaveh malkah [Saturday night sit-down meal] for me?" Why this week?
3 Friday Night Dances, 3 Saturday Night Blessings
Rabbi Yisrael Baal Shem Tov and his student Rabbi Zev-Wolf Kitzes were traveling together to the Mogilev region for Shabbat. Reb Leib, a wealthy local, opposed the Baal Shem Tov's revolutionary approach, but he was a hospitable man and offered to host the guests. He had room for only one, so he took R. Wolf [1] to his own home and arranged for the Baal Shem Tov to stay with Reb Shammai, a well-to-do friend. On their way home from shul, Shammai turned to the Baal Shem Tov and said, "I want you to know that I eat the Shabbat meal together with my wife at the table. I hope you don't mind, but if not, please let me know and you are welcome to find somewhere else to eat." "No, that's fine," replied the saintly Baal Shem Tov. And so, they made the traditional blessings for the Shabbat eve and started their meal. Shammai enjoyed honoring the Shabbat with many dishes and delicacies, taking his time to host a hearty and lengthy meal. Meanwhile, R. Volf's Shabbat dinner with Reb Leib had ended, so he decided to join up with his teacher. He entered Shammai's home and saw that the dinner was still far from completed. As they ate together, the Baal Shem Tov turned to his host and said, "I have a personal custom to dance during Shabbat dinner, so I would like to know if it's alright with you to dance now." "Is it Simchat Torah today?" laughed Shammai, "Why are you asking about dancing now? It's not the time for that!" But the Baal Shem Tov persisted, and his host eventually agreed. The Baal Shem Tov rose, grabbed R. Volf's hands, and the duo started dancing together-right there in the dining room on a regular Shabbat night. Shammai and his wife couldn't help but laugh at the strange sight. Much to his surprise, however, after watching the fervor and passion, Shammai couldn't help feeling a bit of a twitch. He started fidgeting in his seat, snapping his fingers and tapping his feet to the beat, all the while looking over his shoulder to his wife with a little shame. Soon Shammai could no longer contain himself, and he jumped out of his chair to join the dancing. Shammai's wife got swept up in the fervor, and she too, danced along in her place. At last, the dance was over, they sat down to conclude the meal, and the Baal Shem Tov and his disciple went off to sleep. "What just happened?" Shammai asked his wife. "What came over us to dance like a bunch of crazies? Who was this man and his student that Reb Leib sent us?" they wondered. The next day, the same scenario repeated itself, both at the Morning and the Afternoon Shabbat meals. The Baal Shem Tov wouldn't take no for an answer, and before long, Shammai was dancing along with the Rebbe and his student. It was then that it dawned upon him that there must be more to this man. "He must be a holy person," Shammai thought, "I sense something special in these dances." His suspicions were confirmed at the third Shabbat meal when the dancing reached an entirely different level. A spiritual ecstasy came over the entire group as their feet were swept off the floor, the Baal Shem Tov's face aflame with a fiery, holy glow. Shammai now knew for certain that his guest was a very holy man indeed. When the flame of the havdalah candle had been extinguished and the Shabbat Queen escorted on her way, Shammai turned to the Baal Shem Tov, "I see that you are a holy man. Please, tell me, what do you need? How can I help you? Perhaps you need some money?" "I don't need any of your money," replied the Baal Shem Tov. "But please, can you host a melaveh malkah [Saturday night sit-down meal] for me?" "Of course, it would be my honor." "Bless me, holy Rebbe," said Shammai as they sat together partaking of the melaveh malkah. "I can bless you with one of three things: long life, wealth, or an upstanding family." Shammai was a wise man, so he replied, "Rebbe, please grant me all three!" And so it was: Shammai lived until a ripe old age, nearly 100 years old, amid much wealth, and merited to bear generations of upright, devout Jews. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Biographical
notes: Rabbi Ze'ev-Wolf Kitzis [c. 5460 - 12 Mar-Cheshvan 5548 (c. 1700 - Oct. 1788)] served as Rabbi of the community in Toltzin, and later held the position of Av Beis Din (chief rabbinical judge) in the town of Medzibuzh, even before the town had become the founding center of the Baal Shem Tov's chasidic movement. When the Baal Shem Tov moved there, his initial reaction was one of great opposition, although after a short while he became one of his greatest followers. Rabbi Ze'ev-Wolf Kitzis was well-known as a highest level Torah scholar, and as extremely meticulous in all areas of mitzvah observance. He is buried in Medzibuzh, immediately to the right of the Baal Shem Tov. Why This Week? Footnote; [1] His full first name was Ze'ev-Wolf. Ze'ev means 'wolf' in both English and Yiddish, but in Yiddish (as well as Hebrew) there is no 'w' sound and is pronounced as 'v' instead.
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Yerachmiel
Tilles is co-founder and associate director of Ascent-of-Safed, and chief editor
of this website (and of KabbalaOnline.org). He has hundreds of published stories
to his credit, and many have been translated into other languages. He tells
them live at Ascent nearly every Saturday night.