Perek 46
Bentzion Meltzer
dynasty of David.”1
“The only difference between the world at the present and the world at
the time of the Messiah is the subjugation to the [gentile]
kingdoms.”2
The Baal Shem Tov taught:
The Talmud teaches, “Whoever has not suffered for forty days has
received thereby his future reward. And what is considered suffering?
Even if one puts his hand into his pocket to take out a golden coin
and instead takes out one of lesser value.”3
However, since suffering is only an atonement for liability, how can
such minor inconvenience constitute atonement?
The explanation is that since the righteous person lives with G•d, he
believes in Divine providence. This person knows that G•d is guiding
all events in his life down to the smallest minutiae, and that all his
suffering is an expression of Divine justice – DINA, which is
represented by the Divine Name of ADoNaI – on account of his sins.
Hence, as soon as the righteous person suffers however slightly, he
immediately [searches his soul and regrets [any misdoing], and becomes
filled with anxiety and fear of G•d. He is thus immediately forgiven,
since he believes [that his suffering is from G•d], and he repents and
binds his mind to G•d.
Therefore, even when one is only slightly inconvenienced by having not
taken out the coin he intended, since this only happened because of
his sin, and he [is aware of this and] repents, this constitutes
atonement.
This concept is referred to as “David” [made from the letters daleth,
vav, daleth], for the Infinite One, Who is referred to as Ayin
(Nothingness), is represented by the [first] daleth. “Nothingness” is
then conveyed via the vav to the [second] daleth, which represents the
nadir of nothingness, which is expressed by a belief that everything
that happens is Divine providence from G•d.
However, when a person does not believe that everything that happens
is Divine providence from G•d, but rather attributes things to his own
actions, this is considered having denied G•d and the aforementioned
concept of “David,” for he is denying the justice [providence] of the
Kingdom of G•d/ADoNaI.
But G•d’s Kingdom is hidden and subservient to the kelipoth (shells)
that cover and conceal G•d’s providence from mankind.4 In the future,
though, with the coming of the Messiah, who will banish the spirit of
impurity from the earth, G•d’s providence will be revealed even in the
minutest of events.
With this we can understand, “The Jewish people were not exiled until
they denied G•d and the dynasty of David,” and, “The only difference
between the world at present and the world at the time of the Messiah
is the subjugation to the [gentile] kingdoms.”
Understand this well,5 for everything that a person is able to
comprehend about G•d is only regarding His Malkhuth (Kingdom) but
above that cannot be comprehended.
1 Yalkut Shimoni, I Samuel #106
2 Tractate Pesachim 68a
3 Tractate Erkhin 16b
4 These “shells” are the “laws” of nature, the apparent cause-and-
effect, and in this case, the statistical but “chance probabilities”
that seem to govern whether one picks the gold coin or the copper one
from one’s pocket.
5 Until here is quoted from the Toldoth Yaakov Yoseph, VaYishlach #8.
The conclusion is that of the compiler of the Kesser Shem Tov, and its
relevance to the rest of the piece is not clear.
Translation and Commentary by Rabbi Yehoshua Starrett and reprinted
with the kind permission of the Baal Shem Tov Foundation. Please visit
www.baalshemtov.com
Join a class on the Perekim from the Kesser Shem Tov: Shabbos morning
9am in the Shteibel Minyan Beis Medresh
Also, write to Bent...@besht-yomi.org to receive the Teachings of the
Baal Shem Tov in your email inbox, visit and join a discussion group
on the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov at http://groups.google.com/group/teachings_of_the_besht?hl=en
Publicize the Teachings of the Baal Shem Tov To Help Bring
Moshiach Right NOW!
Joseph A. Cleary
Sorry for my lack of attendance we've had some bad storms
thunderstorms with a lot of rain. Some people in Arkansas were drown in a
flood caused by those same storms.
I don't have a bit of trouble believing in Hashem or anything to
do with His Holy Name.
Do be well.
Shalom, Shalom, Yosef
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bentzion Meltzer" <bzme...@gmail.com>
To: "Teachings_of_the_Besht" <teachings_o...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, June 15, 2010 8:56 PM
Subject: Perek 46
�The Jewish people were not exiled until they denied G�d and the
dynasty of David.�1
�The only difference between the world at the present and the world at
the time of the Messiah is the subjugation to the [gentile]
kingdoms.�2
The Baal Shem Tov taught:
The Talmud teaches, �Whoever has not suffered for forty days has
received thereby his future reward. And what is considered suffering?
Even if one puts his hand into his pocket to take out a golden coin
and instead takes out one of lesser value.�3
However, since suffering is only an atonement for liability, how can
such minor inconvenience constitute atonement?
The explanation is that since the righteous person lives with G�d, he
believes in Divine providence. This person knows that G�d is guiding
all events in his life down to the smallest minutiae, and that all his
suffering is an expression of Divine justice � DINA, which is
represented by the Divine Name of ADoNaI � on account of his sins.
Hence, as soon as the righteous person suffers however slightly, he
immediately [searches his soul and regrets [any misdoing], and becomes
filled with anxiety and fear of G�d. He is thus immediately forgiven,
since he believes [that his suffering is from G�d], and he repents and
binds his mind to G�d.
Therefore, even when one is only slightly inconvenienced by having not
taken out the coin he intended, since this only happened because of
his sin, and he [is aware of this and] repents, this constitutes
atonement.
This concept is referred to as �David� [made from the letters daleth,
vav, daleth], for the Infinite One, Who is referred to as Ayin
(Nothingness), is represented by the [first] daleth. �Nothingness� is
then conveyed via the vav to the [second] daleth, which represents the
nadir of nothingness, which is expressed by a belief that everything
that happens is Divine providence from G�d.
However, when a person does not believe that everything that happens
is Divine providence from G�d, but rather attributes things to his own
actions, this is considered having denied G�d and the aforementioned
concept of �David,� for he is denying the justice [providence] of the
Kingdom of G�d/ADoNaI.
But G�d�s Kingdom is hidden and subservient to the kelipoth (shells)
that cover and conceal G�d�s providence from mankind.4 In the future,
though, with the coming of the Messiah, who will banish the spirit of
impurity from the earth, G�d�s providence will be revealed even in the
minutest of events.
With this we can understand, �The Jewish people were not exiled until
they denied G�d and the dynasty of David,� and, �The only difference
between the world at present and the world at the time of the Messiah
is the subjugation to the [gentile] kingdoms.�
Understand this well,5 for everything that a person is able to
comprehend about G�d is only regarding His Malkhuth (Kingdom) but
above that cannot be comprehended.
1 Yalkut Shimoni, I Samuel #106
2 Tractate Pesachim 68a
3 Tractate Erkhin 16b
4 These �shells� are the �laws� of nature, the apparent cause-and-
effect, and in this case, the statistical but �chance probabilities�
that seem to govern whether one picks the gold coin or the copper one
from one�s pocket.
5 Until here is quoted from the Toldoth Yaakov Yoseph, VaYishlach #8.
The conclusion is that of the compiler of the Kesser Shem Tov, and its
relevance to the rest of the piece is not clear.
Translation and Commentary by Rabbi Yehoshua Starrett and reprinted
with the kind permission of the Baal Shem Tov Foundation. Please visit
www.baalshemtov.com
Join a class on the Perekim from the Kesser Shem Tov: Shabbos morning
9am in the Shteibel Minyan Beis Medresh
Also, write to Bent...@besht-yomi.org to receive the Teachings of the
Baal Shem Tov in your email inbox, visit and join a discussion group
on the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov at
http://groups.google.com/group/teachings_of_the_besht?hl=en
Publicize the Teachings of the Baal Shem Tov To Help Bring
Moshiach Right NOW!
--