In which we celebrate the Gift of Stories : "The Place in the Forest"

The Place in the Forest

Whenever the Jews were threatened with disaster, the Baal Shem Tov, (a great and righteous Rabbi) would go to a certain place in the forest, light a fire, and say a special prayer. Always a miracle would occur, and the disaster would be averted.

In the later times when disaster threatened, his disciple would go to the same place in the forest and say, “Master of the Universe, I do not know how to light the fire, but I can say the prayer.” And again the disaster would be averted.

Still later, the student after him would go to the same place in the forest and say, “Lord of the World, I do not know how to light the fire or say the prayer, but I know the place and that must suffice.” And it always did.

Five generations after the Baal Shem Tov, there was danger.  The Rabbi of the time sat by his kitchen fire and said to heaven, “I do not know the prayer, nor the place, nor the way to light the fire.  I know only how to tell the story, and it must suffice.”    

The story was enough, and the disaster was averted. 

Remember the story, tell it, pass it on.