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The Chassid Behind the Tree

A story ofRav Ze'ev Wolf Kitzesהרב זאב וולף בן אברהם קיצעסProfile ›

The Baal Shem Tov and his sofer, Rav Tzvi, went into a lonely forest. The Baal Shem Tov wished to show Rav Tzvi a heavenly pair of tefillin so that he could copy it, but this required spiritual and physical preparation, including immersion in a mikveh.

Rav Tzvi wondered where they would find a mikveh in a forest. The Baal Shem Tov called out with all his strength, “Mikveh Yisroel Hashem, moshia be’eis tzarah,” and a pool of water appeared before them. As he was about to enter, he stopped and looked around. “We are not alone. I sense another person nearby.”

They searched and found Rav Ze'ev Kitzis hidden behind a thick tree. “What are you doing here?” the Baal Shem Tov rebuked him. “Our actions are none of your business.” Rav Ze'ev slipped away, and nothing is known of what took place in the forest after he left.

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