Stories of Tzadikim / 33 Have faith in Hashem

Hold on to Shabbos with
Stories of Tzadikim
With Rav Yussie Zakutinsky

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A gut voch everybody. What would often happen is the Baal Shem Tov would handpick chassidim who would come on trips with him. Sometimes it would be for days, sometimes a few minutes. 

 

So the maaseh is that one time the Baal Shem Tov picked a particular chossid and said I want to go on a walk with you. Okay, very nice, it’s a big kavod. So he goes on a walk with this chossid, they’re going through the wilderness, through the woods and they’re talking Torah, whatever it is. 

 

At some point the Baal Shem Tov turns to the chossid and he says are you thirsty? He says you know, I wasn’t going to say anything but the truth is I am thirsty. But I don’t have water, the Rebbe’s not carrying water there’s no stream so it is what it is. I’ll make it back home, I’ll be fine. 

 

The Baal Shem Tov turned to him and he said. Do you believe b’emunah peshuta with Emuna sheleima that if the Ribono Shel Olam wanted you’s have water? Do you believe that? And the chossid said, I think so. The Baal Shem Tov said. Work on it. Do you b’emes believe that? The chossid worked on himself, he said Rebbe I believe b’emunah sheleima if the ribono shel ola wanted me to drink water right now I’d have water to drink. 

 

Mamash at that moment they heard rustling in the woods, all of a sudden a non-jewish person emerges out of the end of the woods and he’s carrying pails of water. And he says I’m so happy to find people. I went out in the forest a few days ago. I'm trying to get to a particular spot. I lost my way for 3 days and finally I was able to find you. Can you please direct me if you know back to civilization? 

 

The Baal Shem tov said by the way, now that you’re here can my friend have some water? OF course, you guys saved my life so he gives the person and he drinks. The Baal Shem Tov said you see, you believe that it’ll come and it comes. This yid said but one second, this guy said he was lost for 3 days but I only was mechazek my emunah right now? So, the ribono shel olam sent this guy 3 days ago but I only deserved to get the water right now? What’s going on?

 

The Baal Shem Tov said, just as you have faith in the Ribono Shel Olam, the ribono shel olam has faith in you. 3 days ago the ribono shel olam was confident that my yankel, my chossid he’s going to believe him. So the ribono shel olam sent this goy 3 days ago knowing with confidence that 3 days later you’re going to be mechazek yourself and you’ll believe in Him. Just like we believe in Hashem, Hashem believes in us. 

 

That’s something we have to remember going into the 6 days of the week. We don’t know what the week is going to bring for us. But one thing we know is that the ribono shel olam trusts us. If he brings us into the week, then he’s confident in us that we’re going to make the week of avodah, Torah, of mitzvos and avodas hashem the way it’s supposed to be. And the ribono shel ola has faith in us, we have faith in him. 

Hashem should bless us. We should be zocheh to remember that faith, that Hashem believes in us and use it as strength and momentum and confidence to believe in response back to the ribono shel olam. 

 

We should be zocheh to have a week of health, nachas, simcha and bracha b’vias goel tzedek amen.

 

 

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