The Baal Shem Tov’s figure is shrouded in mystery. Much of the biographical information we have about him comes from stories, both numerous and varied, and even contradictory versions. However, their purpose is not to provide us with an accurate historical report about the man but to paint a portrait of his spirit and personality—and truth be told, it is hard to find a uniform consistency between biography, spirit, and achievements for any individual. The third Rebbe of Chabad, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneersohn, also known as the Tzemach Tzedek, once said about the stories of the Baal Shem Tov that whoever believes them is a fool, but whoever does not believe them is a heretic. One way to restate this saying is that one should believe that all the stories could have actually happened. There is no need to accept every detail of the stories as historical fact, but their inner content—the lines they add to the portrait of that wondrous soul who walked among us—should be appreciated.
Most stories agree on the following details: Rabbi Yisrael Baal Shem Tov was born on the 18th of Elul in the Jewish calendar year 5558 (1698) in present-day Ukraine. By the age of five, he was orphaned from both his father and mother, and his upbringing was entrusted to the people of his town. One day, when he was seven, young Yisrael wandered in the forest and met a mysterious wanderer who adopted him. This man turned out to be none other than one of the thirty-six hidden tzaddikim (righteous ones) of that generation, who recognized the special soul of young Yisrael and sought to nurture it. The tzaddik included Yisrael in the secret group of hidden tzaddikim who appeared to be simple laborers but were in fact deeply pious scholars whose study and prayers secretly contributed to the world’s repair. Young Yisrael grew up among them, ascending in holiness until at eighteen, he was appointed as their leader. In this role, he carried out his first revolutionary act: he instructed the tzaddikim to emerge from their seclusion in the forests and start living in the Jewish villages and towns. His intention was to change the tzaddik’s way of life from secluded and personal, acting for the common good only in secret, to a way of life dedicated to open contribution to others.
The next significant event in the life of the Ba’al Shem Tov, it is told, occurred on his twenty-sixth birthday (a significant birthday, since 26 is the gematria value of God’s essential Name, Havayah). On this day, he was visited in a vision by the prophet Achiyah (Ahijah) the Shilonite (who split the Kingdom of Israel into two during the reign of King Solomon) and was instructed to go to a certain cave in the Carpathian Mountains, where he would be taught the secrets of the Torah. For ten years, Rabbi Yisrael visited the cave daily and learned the secrets of Kabbalah, until on his 36th birthday his spiritual teacher told him that he must cease being a hidden tzaddik and reveal himself to the public. Rabbi Yisrael then wandered between towns, this time without hiding his virtues and powers. He became known for his ability to heal the sick, provide blessings and amulets, and infuse everyone he met with a spirit of joy and devotion previously unknown throughout Judaism. He earned the moniker the Ba’al Shem Tov, which means “master of the good name,” i.e. someone who holds the name of the Holy Blessed One, as it were, and can draw goodness and blessing from it.
His unique personality attracted many disciples. The simple Jews immediately recognized the special qualities of his spirit and clung to him. Scholars approached him with greater suspicion, seeking to determine whether he was a true man of Torah or, God forbid, a charlatan; but as soon as they recognized his character, those who met him could not help but feel that a “new face” had arrived in the world. Anyone into whose world the Ba’al Shem Tov entered immediately felt how a new radiance suddenly shone at the edges of their lives, how a new expansion filled their soul, how their old Torah pages started fluttering excitedly from the new wind blowing through them.
