The teenaged daughter of a wealthy Jewish merchant in Vienna suddenly suffered paralysis in
her legs. She was taken to all the best doctors to no avail. The distraught parents brought her all over
Europe but no cure could be found. While lodging at an inn a distant city, the father listened to the
ramblings of some Jewish peasants who told of miracle cures by Baal Shem Tov.
Of course he thought it was foolishness and like most observant Jews at the time, did not believe in miracles or miracle workers whom he understood just preyed on the simple folk and took advantage of their ignorance. Having exhausted all other avenues of relief he decided to give it a try and traveled far away to the town of Mezibush, deep in the Carpathian mountains.
After weeks of difficult travel he arrived and found where the Baal Shem Tov lived. Having grown more skeptical he decided he would just go in, ask for a blessing for his daughter, and leave. He wrote out a note asking for a blessing for healing and a wish for a long and happy life. After hours of waiting he was escorted in the see the rebbe, who was seated behind his desk. After what seemed like a long time the rebbe finally glanced up from the open book on his desk and cleared his throat.
The wealthy man could barely hide his contempt as he placed a bag of gold coins on the rebbe’s desk. “Here, I thought you could use this.” Then he handed the rebbe the note and the rebbe made a generic blessing for a healing and good life. As he finished the rebbe picked up the bag of gold coins and tossed them out an open window saying “To tell you the truth I don’t really have a need for this money.”
The wealthy man was shocked and disgusted at what he’d just experienced. He hurried down the stairs to the courtyard and his carriage where his daughter was waiting. As he arrived he was startled to see his daughter jump down from the carriage and scurry about the courtyard picking up gold coins.
“Quick, get back in the carriage,” shouted the man to his daughter as he pointed up to the window where the Baal Shem Tov stood smiling “I don’t want him to think he was the one who healed you.”
Of course he thought it was foolishness and like most observant Jews at the time, did not believe in miracles or miracle workers whom he understood just preyed on the simple folk and took advantage of their ignorance. Having exhausted all other avenues of relief he decided to give it a try and traveled far away to the town of Mezibush, deep in the Carpathian mountains.
After weeks of difficult travel he arrived and found where the Baal Shem Tov lived. Having grown more skeptical he decided he would just go in, ask for a blessing for his daughter, and leave. He wrote out a note asking for a blessing for healing and a wish for a long and happy life. After hours of waiting he was escorted in the see the rebbe, who was seated behind his desk. After what seemed like a long time the rebbe finally glanced up from the open book on his desk and cleared his throat.
The wealthy man could barely hide his contempt as he placed a bag of gold coins on the rebbe’s desk. “Here, I thought you could use this.” Then he handed the rebbe the note and the rebbe made a generic blessing for a healing and good life. As he finished the rebbe picked up the bag of gold coins and tossed them out an open window saying “To tell you the truth I don’t really have a need for this money.”
The wealthy man was shocked and disgusted at what he’d just experienced. He hurried down the stairs to the courtyard and his carriage where his daughter was waiting. As he arrived he was startled to see his daughter jump down from the carriage and scurry about the courtyard picking up gold coins.
“Quick, get back in the carriage,” shouted the man to his daughter as he pointed up to the window where the Baal Shem Tov stood smiling “I don’t want him to think he was the one who healed you.”
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