Just Remember the Story

When the Baal Shem Tov, Master of the Good Name and founder of Hassidism, had a difficult task before him or saw a misfortune about to befall the Jewish people, he went to meditate in a certain part of the forest; there he lit a fire, lost himself in prayer and what he had decided to do became possible: the miracle was performed, the misfortune was removed.

A generation later, when his disciple the Maggid of Mezeritch, had to intervene with the Heavens for the same reason, he would go to the same place in the forest and say: "Master of the Universe, hear me. I no longer know how to light the fire, but I am still capable of saying the prayer."  And the miracle was performed yet again.

In the following generation, in order to save his people, Rabbi Moshe Lev of Sassov also went into the forest and said "l do not know how to light the fire, I do not know the prayer, but I remember the place and that ought to be enough.'  And it was enough.

Then it was the turn of Rabbi Israel of Rijine to lift the threat. He sat in his gilded chair within his castle, put his head in his hands and addressed God in these terms: "Master of the World, I am incapable of lighting the fire, I do not know the prayer. I cannot even find the place in the forest. All I know how to do is to tell this story, that ought to be enough.'  And yet again, the miracle was performed.

The City has now replaced the forest, the library has become our castle, but the wisdom still lives.