1498 (5786-49) 11 Elul 5786 (Aug 24, 2026)

"The Worth of a Baal-Shem-Tov Book"

This demonstrates a lack of respect for the Baal Shem Tov!” rebuked Rabbi Yaakov Yosef of Polnoye, the author. “You deserve to be severely punished!” The townspeople were taken aback at these strong words, fearing that they might cause negative consequences. They hurried nervously to their rabbi, Rebbe Velvel of Zhitomir.

Why This Week? “Chai (18th) Elul” [2026: Sunday night-Monday, Aug. 30-31] celebrates the date of the birth of the Baal Shem Tov in 1760]; the date in 1724 he received a Heavenly mentor; and the date in 1734, at age 36, when he was commanded from Heaven mentor to reveal his true greatness. (Also, it is the birthdate of the Alter Rebbe of Chabad in 1745 and the date of passing of the Maharal of Prague [1512-1609].)

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The Worth of a Baal-Shem-Tov Book

[Preface: Many know that "Chai (18th) Elul" celebrates the birth of the Baal Shem Tov [and the birth in 1745 of Rabbi Shneur-Zalman, founder of Chabad Chasidut, 47 years later], yet do not realize that it also celebrates two other major events in the Besht's life.
1) On Chai Elul 1724, at age 26, he was blessed from Heaven with a spiritual advisor and mentor, Achiya Hashiloni (who lived around the time of King David ).
2) On Chai Elul 1734, at age 36, he was ordered by his Heavenly mentor to reveal his acquired greatness (which for ten years he had kept hidden), which led to his becoming the founder of the Chasidic movement.
Our Chai Elul story this year reveals a direct repercussion of these latter two enormously significant events, which occurred twenty years after the Besht's passing in1760.]

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Rabbi Yaakov-Yosef of Polnoye was one of the greatest disciples of the Baal Shem Tov [acronym: the Besht] . He was the first person to publish a sefer [(holy) book] containing the teachings of his rebbe, the Besht. He chose to name his book, "Toldos Yaakov Yosef," which he wrote and published (in the year 5540/1780).

Since the entire purpose of publishing the book was to spread these teachings, he undertook the difficult task of personally traveling from town to town and selling it.

One day, R. Yaakov Yosef arrived in the town of Zhitomir, which was known as being a chassidic community. He made his way to the local marketplace, opened a box displaying the holy books he had brought, and announced that they were for sale. "This sefer contains the teachings of my holy teacher, the Baal Shem Tov!" he proclaimed.

Hearing his announcement, many people rushed over, eager to buy the prized book. "What does it cost?" they asked. R. Yaakov Yosef specified a certain amount.

The townspeople were not all that pleased. "That price is much too high, even for such an important sefer," they declared. "A book of this size is never sold for even close to such a sum!" R. Yaakov Yosef refused to budge. When they saw that they could not convince him to lower his price, they walked away disappointed.

R. Yaakov Yosef was beside himself. "How can it be that no one appreciates the true value of my master's teachings?" he thought. "Yes, my sefer is more expensive than other books, but the Baal Shem Tov's teachings are worth even more than what I am asking for! Many of the people here are chasidim, and they should appreciate its value!"

The hours passed, and R. Yaakov Yosef had yet to sell a single book. His frustration mounted with every passing moment, to the point that he could no longer contain himself. "This demonstrates a lack of respect for the Baal Shem Tov!" he rebuked the townspeople sharply. "You deserve to be severely punished!"

The residents were taken aback at these strong words, fearing that they might, chas v'shalom ('Heaven forbid!'), cause negative consequences. Nervously, they hurried to their rabbi, Rabbi Velvel of Zhitomir, and told him what had happened. Reb Velvel immediately understood that the seller was none other than the tzadik R. Yaakov Yosef himself, whom he had not seen for some time. He hurriedly made his way to the marketplace to appease R. Yaakov Yosef.

"How many books do you have for sale?" R. Velvel asked him. "How much do they cost?"

R. Yaakov Yosef named his price, and R. Velvel - whom R. Yaakov Yosef did not yet recognize - proceeded to purchase every single book available for sale. "What a fair price this is!" He then made sure to add, "After all, the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov are truly priceless. What a bargain!"

Thankfully, R. Yaakov Yosef was no longer visibly upset at the townspeople. After all, at least one individual in town had appreciated the book's value and had bought all the books he had with him at the time! Thus R. Velvel succeeded in averting the punishment that could have resulted from the tzadik's displeasure.

R. Yaakov Yosef agreed with R. Velvel wholeheartedly. "Indeed, this sefer is worth much more than the amount I'm asking for. However," he added sadly, "no one else in town wants to buy it, even at this bargain price. Evidently, they don't understand its true value!"

"You are correct," R. Velvel replied. "The people here apparently don't recognize the true value of the sefer. But Rebbe, may I ask you a question?"

"With pleasure," replied R. Yaakov Yosef.

"Before G-D gave us the Torah," said R. Velvel, "we are taught that He offered it to all the nations of the world, and each nation declined the offer. Nevertheless, He didn't display any sign of displeasure. He didn't threaten to destroy them or punish them. Shouldn't a servant be just like his master?!"

R. Yaakov Yosef understood the point the buyer was conveying, which led him to realize that this person was no simple Jew. Among special followers of the Maggid was a chasid who was known as "Velvel the Sharp-witted One," he said with a smile. "Can it be that you are none other than that disciple?"

"I indeed have the merit of being a follower of my great master and teacher, the holy Maggid," R. Velvel answered humbly, "and they called me Velvel."

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Source: Reprinted from the May 24, 2018 Weekly Story email of Rabbi S. D. Avtzon, based on the book, Oros Ba'afeilah, pp. 129-130, in which the author states: "I believe I heard this story from Reb Itche Der Masmid,[3]" and subsequently posted it on Shabbos Stories for Parshat Shelach 5778.
Rabbi Sholom DovBer Avtzon is a veteran educator and the author of numerous books on the Lubavitcher Rebbes and their chasidim. He is available to speak or farbreng in your community and can be contacted at avtzonbooks@gmail.com

Why This Week? "Chai (18th) Elul" [2026: Sunday night-Monday, Aug. 30-31] celebrates the date of the birth of the Baal Shem Tov in 1760]; the date in 1724 he received a Heavenly mentor; and the date in 1734, at age 36, when he was commanded from Heaven mentor to reveal his true greatness. (Also, it is the birthdate of the Alter Rebbe of Chabad in 1745 and the date of passing of the Maharal of Prague [1512-1609].)

Biographical notes:
Rabbi Yaakov Yosef HaKohain of Polnoye [5470 - 24 Tishrei 5542* (1710 - Oct. 1781)] was one of the earliest and closest rabbinical disciples of the Baal Shem Tov. He was the first person to author a book of Chassidic teachings, titled Toldos Yaakov Yosef, which had a revolutionary effect upon publication. Subsequently, he published two other chassidic classics, Ben Porat Yosef and Ketonet Passim. These three books, in which he said many hundreds of times (249 times in 'Toldos' alone), "I heard from my teacher, My master, that…", were the chief printed sources for teachings in the name of the Baal Shem Tov.
* Not certain--some say 5544 (1783) and some say 5551 (1790).

Rabbi [Benyamin] Ze'ev-Wolf of Zhitomir [? - Purim 5560 (? - March 1798], the third son of Rabbi Yechiel-Michil of Zlotchov, was one of the inner circle of disciples of the Maggid of Mezritch. Famous for his sincerity and his exceptional love of his fellow Jews, including the irreligious, he is the author of Ohr Hameir, known for its wealth of material on the history of Chasidism and the teachings of its founders.

Footnotes:
1]Achiya Hashiloni HaKohein was a prophet in the generation after King David, and transmitted to Elijah the Prophet for the next generation (Rambam--Mishna Torah, Introduction). He is said to have lived nearly 600 years
2] The Maggid of Mezrich, successor of the Baal Shem Tov.
3\Rabbi Yitzchak Horowitz = "The Diligent" [1885-1942, hy'a], an exalted chasid of the 5th & 6th Lubavitch Rebbes HaRashab & HaRayatz.

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.

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