Rav Gershon of Kitov in Yerushalayim

Chassidic tradition preserves more than one account of how Rav Gershon of Kitov, the brother-in-law of the Baal Shem Tov, came to meet the Ohr HaChaim in Eretz Yisroel.

In the first account, the Ohr HaChaim's commentary on Chumash was printed in Venice in 5502 and made its way to the Baal Shem Tov. He was overjoyed to discover an author whose whole heart and soul burned with feeling for avodas Hashem. He sent Rav Gershon to Yerushalayim to visit the yeshiva of the Ohr HaChaim, and told him that there were two of them, one for nigleh and one for nistar, the hidden secrets of Kabbalah. Rav Gershon was to try to enter the second, and to keep his identity hidden until the Ohr HaChaim sensed it on his own.

Rav Gershon arrived and asked to hear a derashah. Once permission was given, he sat in the nigleh yeshiva for roughly a week, and then requested a place in the second one. “Who told you that I have a yeshiva for nistar?” the Ohr HaChaim asked. Rav Gershon explained that it was his brother-in-law, the Baal Shem. The Ohr HaChaim, who had never met him, examined him from head to toe and judged him fit to learn Kabbalah.

Three days later the Ohr HaChaim sent word that Rav Gershon was not to come back. Rav Gershon went to the Rav's home to ask why he had been barred, and the Ohr HaChaim told him, “I am angry with you. Why did you not say that your brother-in-law was the Baal Shem Tov? You only said 'Rav Yisroel Baal Shem.' I do not know of a Rav Yisroel Baal Shem, but I know the Baal Shem Tov from seeing him in the upper worlds.” Anyone who already had the Baal Shem Tov, he explained, needed no other Rebbe.

Rav Yitzchok of Neshchiz related a second version on Motzoei Shabbos Parshas Behaaloscha 5627. In it, Rav Gershon described the Baal Shem Tov to the Ohr HaChaim, who said he had heard of him and knew that his name was Yisroel. Rav Gershon also asked why the Ohr HaChaim kept in his yeshiva a talmid whose conduct did not suit a yeshiva student. The Ohr HaChaim answered, “This is our way. We draw close those who are distant. We are mekarev rechokim.”

A third version comes from the Kisvei Ri Shuv of Brisk. The Baal Shem Tov told Rav Gershon to give the Ohr HaChaim his regards, in case he did not know his own greatness, and to say that he saw him in the palace of Mashiach, where Mashiach sits on a throne and learns the Ohr HaChaim. Others say that Rav Gershon asked why the Ohr HaChaim learned with people of lowly souls. The Ohr HaChaim asked where he was from, and on hearing Polnoy, told him to return the next day. Then he said, “I saw your Rebbe, and he is a very great man.”

When Rav Gershon passed on the regards, the Ohr HaChaim replied, “I do not know what favor he does me by revealing my greatness. Tell him I saw the Angel of Death, standing with one foot on Polnoy and the other on the whole world.” This hinted at the danger facing the Jews of Europe and their need for mercy. As for learning with lowly souls, he explained that he did so to free holy sparks held captive in such places.