The last year before he passed away, while traveling the baths, the Shtefeneshter stopped in Sadagura. When he took leave from the Sadagurer he stood with one foot on the coach and the other on the ground and told the following story:
When the Master of the World wanted to destroy the Holy Temple Satan came and did not want to allow Him to do this since it seemed to him that he would gain nothing from it – they would blame and judge him for the destruction of the Holy Temple anyway. But the Master of the World nevertheless did what he wished, and the Holy Temple was destroyed.
One [divine] name remained from the Holy Temple – A holy incomprehensible name, which the Master of the World said no man or creature will ever know about the name except the [greatest] saint of the generation will know that it exists. After the destruction, one saint of the generation gave over to the next saint of the generation the information that there is such a name but no one could reveal it. The information about the name was given over to the Besht and from him to the Magid.
R. Shalom Prohobishter greatly desired to discover the secret of this name. So he began to befriend Satan (the ba’al davar) and became so close to him that he revealed to him the secret of the name. And R. Shalom performed miracles through the name. In heaven they persecuted [Satan] greatly for having revealed the secret. However, Satan (s[amach] m[em]) did not remember to whom he had revealed the secret – that is how cleverly R. Shalom tricked him.
So Satan cast lots. First, he divided up the world into portions, portions by portion, until he arrived at Russia, then at Prohobisht, then at the street where R. Shalom resided, and then at R. Shalom himself. When Satan confronted him as to why he had tricked him, R. Shalom replied “I am not afraid of you and if you wish to harm the souls of my children, their shtetls will protect them. As for their bodies, there are hot baths for that.” However, R, Shalom nevertheless passed away that year.
The Shtefeneshter told this story and sat down in the coach and went off to the baths. He passed away that same year.
I.F.
Mates Heller
Boyaner Hasid
