Weekly Chasidic Story #915 (s5775-38 / 21 Sivan5775)

Once Mailed, Twice Delivered

He had a burning desire to settle in the Holy Land, so he traveled to Mezibuz to gain the Baal Shem Tov's blessing to do so.

Connection: Weekly Reading -- Love of The Land; not reaching The Land

 

Once Mailed, Twice Delivered

Rabbi Refoel of Bershid was a well-known learned Torah scholar and wholly devoted to his Rebbe, the Baal Shem Tov. He had a burning desire to settle in the Holy Land, so he made the journey to Mezibuz to gain his Rebbe's blessing to do so.

"The Land of Israel is 'The Holy Land' only because the Torah makes it so. Its holiness descends from Above to below. Poland needs you and the holy Torah you teach. You must continue to create holiness from below to Above," the Baal Shem Tov told Rabbi Refoel.

R. Refoel understood from his Rebbe's words that he was not yet destined to settle in The Land. He was disappointed, but as a devoted chassid he accepted the Baal Shem Tov's advice without question. He hoped that perhaps at sometime in the future he would be able to fulfill his desire.

Many years passed and R. Refoel, who had served his community as the town rabbi, was now advanced in years. Again, the desire to move to the Holy Land awakened in him.

"I am too old to serve as a Rabbi," he thought, "and would like very much to live out my last days in the Holy Land." But he refrained from asking his Rebbe for his blessing to go. Somehow he knew that the Baal Shem Tov would not agree.

Soon thereafter, he received a letter from the Baal Shem Tov again discouraging him from the move. There was no doubt in R. Refoel's mind that the Baal Shem Tov was aware of his renewed plan through his holy vision.

Disappointed again, R. Refoel decided to put the whole idea out of his mind. He dearly treasured the letter written with the holy hand of the Baal Shem Tov, so he placed it in a locked box that he put in a safe place.

Many years later, after the Baal Shem Tov had long passed on, R. Refoel, who was now very old and weak, again had thoughts of moving to the Holy Land. "This is my last chance to move to Eretz Yisroel before my time comes to leave this world," he told himself.

So Rabbi Refoel of Bershid packed his possessions and put them on a wagon. When all his preparations were complete, he invited his friends and relatives for a farewell meal.

In the midst of the celebration, R. Refoel stepped outside the house to get a breath of air. It was not windy outdoors, yet suddenly, from out of nowhere, a piece of paper fluttered down and landed at R. Refoel's feet.

He bent down and picked it up. Looking at the paper in his hands, he turned white with shock! It was the Baal Shem Tov's letter that he had kept locked away for safekeeping all these years! How is it possible? He could not begin to guess, but he understood what had just occurred.

R. Refoel returned to his guests, and placed the letter under the tablecloth. He then began to recount to his friends and relatives the entire history of his attempts to immigrate to the Holy Land. As he explained how the Baal Shem Tov had sent him a letter many years before and the same letter again now, he reached under the tablecloth to lift it and show it to them. To his amazement the letter had disappeared! R. Refoel couldn't believe it.

He quickly retrieved the locked box where he kept the holy letter. Everyone gathered around with baited breath as he unlocked the box and lifted the lid. Sure enough, the letter was still there just as he had left it many years before.

"The bond between a chasid and his Rebbe transcends all worlds," he exclaimed. "It is clear that my holy Rebbe, the Baal Shem Tov, knew from the very first time I asked for his blessing, that it was not my destiny to dwell in The Holy Land, but to remain here."

Reb Refoel lived to a ripe old age, and continued to enlighten his community with his wisdom and teachings of Torah, as he was destined to do.

~~~~~~~~~~
Source: Adapted by Yerachmiel Tilles from the rendition of Tzvi Meir HaCohane (Howard M. Cohn, Patent Attorney) of a story in Pe'er Layeshorim as translated in Stories of the Baal Shem Tov by Y.Y. Klapholtz and posted on his website, //BaalShemTov.com.

Connection: Weekly Reading-Love of The Land; not reaching The Land

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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.

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