There was once a pious and scholarly Chasid whom the Baal Shem Tov sent to serve as rabbi in a certain city. The young man took his responsibilities seriously and worked hard to improve the physical and spiritual condition of his flock. For a long time everyone was pleased by the new rabbi. Then two incidents occurred that aroused a decree against him up in Heaven:
One day the rabbi was studying in his house when he suddenly became very thirsty. There was no water in the house and he was so thirsty that he couldn't concentrate. Looking out the window, he saw the water-carrier walking rapidly in the opposite direction. The rabbi called out the window for him to stop.
Surprisingly, the water-carrier continued walking. The rabbi called loudly out the window again, but this also had no effect. The rabbi became angry, interpreting this as an affront to his rabbinical authority. He ran after the water-carrier, and when he finally caught up with him, slapped him. "When a rabbi calls to you, you must obey," he reprimanded him. The water-carrier said nothing in his defense. The rabbi's anger was unjustified, and precisely because of his greatness, a powerful decree was aroused against him.
The second incident occurred a short time later. In the town lived a Torah scholar who had become impoverished, whereupon the community had taken it upon itself to support him and his family. Every week the scholar received an anonymous stipend that allowed him to live in dignity.
Occasionally there were other poor people in need, and the donors to the scholar's fund refused to contribute, claiming that they had already given enough charity. When the rabbi heard what was happening, he declared that the needs of the many must take precedence. At that point several of the regular donors stopped contributing to the scholar's fund entirely, and others cut down on their contributions. From week to week the amount that was collected shrank, until eventually the person in charge decided that it wasn't worthwhile to expend all that effort for a few pennies, and the venture was abandoned. The next Shabbat eve the scholar received nothing. He burst into tears, which created another decree against the rabbi.
A trial was held in the Celestial court, and it was decided to deliver the rabbi into the hands of the Satan. The Satan was very pleased with his new mission. After much consideration he decided that he would punish the rabbi with a fate worse than death: he would cause him to renounce his faith!
The following Shabbat, immediately after the morning services, the rabbi was seized with an inexplicable urge to convert. Rushing home from synagogue, he threw off his tallit and started running through the streets in the direction of the priest's house, as if in the throes of a delirium.
When the priest opened his door and saw the rabbi standing on his threshold he was very surprised. He knew the rabbi very well, and even secretly respected him. He asked him the reason for his visit.
"I wish to renounce my faith," the rabbi replied. "And the sooner the better!"
The priest was shocked yet overjoyed. However, he invited him inside. After plying the rabbi with food and drink, the priest left him alone while he hurried off to prepare for the conversion ceremony. The rabbi, who had drunk a glass of whiskey, climbed into the nearest bed and immediately fell asleep.
One of the Baal Shem Tov's customs was to bring to mind all his Chasidim during the third Shabbat meal. The Baal Shem Tov would check on what each was doing to determine if help was needed. That Shabbat, however, when the Baal Shem tried to think about the rabbi he couldn't find him anywhere, neither in the higher realms nor in the lower. The Baal Shem Tov utilized all kinds of spiritual means until he finally located him in the priest's house, about to renounce his faith.
The Baal Shem Tov immediately protested to the Heavenly court, but the court insisted that the rabbi's punishment was just. The Baal Shem Tov disagreed and began to enumerate all of his merits, but to no avail. As a last resort, the Baal Shem Tov mentioned that the rabbi was very careful to wash his hands for bread at the Melave Malka meal after Shabbat. The Baal Shem Tov was told that this particular merit had the power to save the rabbi but on condition that he wash for Melaveh Malka this Saturday night, as well.
Immediately after Shabbat, the Baal Shem Tov handed a challa to one of his Chasidim and instructed him, "Take this and go. And may G-d help you."
The Chasid did not ask questions but set out at once. He had no idea where he was going, but surely G-d would help. A few steps later and he found himself standing outside an unfamiliar house. It was the home of the priest, many hundreds of miles away...
For the second time that day the priest was surprised to find a Jew on his doorstep. Ushering him inside, he led him into the room where the rabbi was babbling in a drunken stupor about renouncing his faith. The Chasid then understood why the Baal Shem Tov had sent him.
The Chasid offered the rabbi the Baal Shem Tov's challa. The rabbi grabbed it and was about to eat when the Chasid stopped him. "You are still obligated to wash your hands and make a blessing before eating." The rabbi agreed, washed his hands, made the appropriate blessings and took a bite.
The holiness of the Baal Shem Tov's challa had an immediate effect. The rabbi awakened as if from a dream. "What have I done?" he began to wail. "Will I ever be able to find a tikkun (rectification) for such a terrible sin?"
The Chasid calmed him and offered him encouragement. "In the same way the Baal Shem Tov has always taken care of you, so will he continue to lead you along the right path and show you a tikkun."
"But how can I even go to the Baal Shem Tov?" the rabbi wept. "He is many thousands of parsangs from here..."
"Do not be afraid," the disciple reassured him. "I arrived here in a miraculous manner. Hold my belt. We will start walking..."
No sooner had they taken a couple of steps than the two men were miraculously transported to Mezhibozh and were standing outside the Baal Shem Tov's house. In fact, the Baal Shem Tov was still sitting at the table with his Chasidim, engrossed in thought. The rabbi resolved that he would not leave until the Baal Shem Tov gave him a tikkun, and indeed, he eventually returned to G-d in complete repentance.
Repirnted from Beis Moshiach Magazine, told by Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Ginsberg
