The Baal Shem Tov also known as the Besht, undertook an
urgent and perilous mission. He wanted to hasten the coming of the Messiah. The
Jewish people and all humanity were suffering too much, beset by too many
evils. They had to be saved, and
swiftly.
For having tried to meddle with
history, the Besht was punished. He was banished along with his faithful
servant to distant land. In despair, the servant implored his Master to
exercise his mysterious powers to bring them both home. “Impossible,” the Besht
replied. “My powers, my Mystical powers have been taken from me.”
"Then, please say a prayer, recite a litany, work a miracle.”
“Impossible,” the master replied. “I have forgotten everything.” And so they
fell to weeping.
Suddenly the Master turned to his Servant and asked, “My
friend, remind me of a prayer, any prayer.”
”If only I could said the Servant. “I have forgotten everything.”
”Everything, absolutely everything?”
”Everything,” said the servant, “except….”
“Except what??”
”Except the aleph-bet.”.
At that, the Besht cried out joyfully, “What you waiting
for? Begin reciting the alphabet and I shall repeat after you.”
And together the two exiles begin to recite, at first in whispers,
and more loudly, over and over again. “Aleph, bet, gimel…” each time more vigorously more fervently,
until the Besht ultimately regained his memory and thus his powers.
If the aleph-bet has such power just imagine what you can do….
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