A woman begged the Maggid of Kozhenitz for a blessing to have
a child. He said, “My mother was as
unhappy as you are, and fore the same reason.
That was the case until one day she met the Baal Shem Tov. She presented the Baal Shem Tov with a cape. I was then conceived and born the following year.”
“Thank you,” said the woman, beaming. “I will do as you suggest. I will get the most beautiful cape I can
find.”
The Maggid smiled. “No,
that will not help you. You see, my
mother did not know this story.”
Alternate telling:
A woman who came to see the Maggid of Koznitz, Rabbi Israel
told of her sorrow:
“I have been married twelve years and am still childless.”
“What do you think you will do?” asked the rabbi.
And since she did not know what to say, she began to tell
him as follows:
“Listen, my mother was quite old and without children. One day she heard that the holy Baal Shem Tov
would stop in Apt, her village. She
hurried up to the end where he was staying and begged him to pray for her to
bear a child. The holy man asked her about her life. “My husband is a poor
bookbinder but it home I have a beautiful thing I want to give you as a
present. And she hurried to her home to pick up from her coffer a nicely
preserved cloak. Once more she hurried
back to the inn with her beautiful gift, only to find that the Baal Shem had
just left for Mezritch. Unhesitatingly, without delay, she took to the road.
Having no money to hire a carriage she walked with cloak on her arm. So she walked from village to village until
she came to Mezritch. The Baal Shem received the cloak and put it on saying,
“This is fine.” My mother made the whole trip back home once more on foot,
going through one village after another until she returned to her house. The
next year I was born.”
“I will also bring you a nice cloak from my home to have a
child,” the woman said.
”No,” the Maggid retorted, “You have heard a story but my
mother had not been told any story.
Your life is unique.
Your path only belongs to you.
Choose well. Do good. Follow your
heart and God.
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