When the young chasid heard that the Baal Shem Tov (the Besht) was going to spend the Sabbath in Posen, he was anxious to accompany his rebbe. Alexei, the driver readied the coach and they set out on the journey.
The Baal Shem Tov never travelled in an ordinary manner. While the driver sat napping, the horses were given free rein and ran at enormous speed. When the horses finally stopped, the carriage was standing in a grassy wooded area. The Baal Shem Tov took a flask and sent Alexei out to fill it with water from a spring.
He returned with the water and the Besht gave it to the chasid, cautioning him to make a blessing before drinking. As soon as he grasped the flask, he felt an intense thirst and just managed to say the blessing. Then the Besht and Alexei drank as well.
Everyone got back into the carriage. Once more, Alexei fell into a deep sleep. The unreined horses continued at their unnatural speed, coursing through the countryside. "We are going so fast, but we don't seem to be reaching Posen," observed the chasid. But the Besht was unconcerned, and replied, "We will be in Posen, G-d willing, at the proper time." They travelled throughout the night at the same enormous speed. When they stopped the next morning the Baal Shem Tov prayed at great length. Then they resumed the trip. The hours passed in rapid travel, but the chasid, who had travelled to Posen many times before, saw no familiar sites. Nevertheless, he restrained himself from questioning the Besht.
Finally, the horses drew to a stop outside a ruined shack and the Besht descended from the carriage. They entered the house and there on the floor lay a sick old man surrounded by his tattered, emaciated family. But when the old man saw the Besht, he rose to his feet and embraced him. The two spoke in hushed tones for some time. After the old man blessed the Baal Shem Tov they returned to the carriage and continued their journey.
Shabbat was descending when at last they reached the city of Posen. They alighted from the carriage on the Street of Students, a place known for violent anti-Jewish riots. Sure enough, as soon as word had spread that Jews had arrived they were surrounded by a vicious mob. The Besht traversed the crowd, unafraid, with the frightened young man at his heels.
They entered the house of a Jewish tailor, the only Jew tolerated by the locals because of his useful trade. The tailor greeted his guests joyfully, but with trepidation. "You have nothing to fear," the Besht assured him. Together with the assistant tailors, they formed a minyan, and began the Mincha service. But they were interrupted by the noise of a mob outside the door. The Besht opened the door and focused his blazing eyes on the hooligans. Terror-struck, they turned and fled.
When the story of this astonishing rabbi reached the ears of a certain university professor, he burned with curiosity. What kind of man could this be? He made his way to the tailor's house to observe the holy Besht. The following day he returned and sat, eyes riveted on the majestic figure of the rabbi. He listened intently to the Torah which was taught, and didn't move until Havdala was recited.
When they had eaten the Melave Malka meal, the Besht instructed the driver to bring the carriage and they departed, travelling again at a fabulous speed. In no time they arrived back in Brod. The young man was completely baffled. He got up the nerve to question the Besht. "I can't understand the point of this journey. Please allow me to ask you three questions: First, why did we stop in the grassy area? Second, who was the sick old man we visited? And third, why did we spend Shabbat with the tailor in Posen?"
The Besht replied: "I will answer two of your questions. The third you will decipher in due time. In the high grass there lay the bodies of two murdered Jews who had never received a proper burial. By reciting the blessings on the water, and praying the next morning we were able to elevate their souls. The sick old man was the greatest tzadik of our generation. He was destined to be Moshiach, but since our generation was not
