How the Besht Was Saved On His Way to Israel

When the boat upon which the Besht was traveling to Israel began to sink, the fear was so great that the Besht forgot everything he knew.

Later on, he was saved together with one of his students R. Hersh the scribe.¹ The Besht asked R. Hersh: “You are a scribe, recite the letters [of the alphabet] for me.” As he started to recite the letters, the Besht’s memory returned to him, and he began to remember everything as before. 

The “world” says that had the Besht met the Ohr Hachaim² in the Land of Israel, the Messiah would have come. 

I.F.

1. Tzvi Hersch Sofer – scribe of the Baal ShemTov

   https://www.geni.com/people/Tzvi-Sofer-scribe-of-the-Baal-ShemTov/6000000148644331015

2. R. Chaim ibn Attar (1696-1743) also known as the Or ha-Ḥayyim after his popular commentary on the Torah, was a Talmudist and Kabbalist. He is considered to be one of the most prominent Rabbis of Morocco, and is highly regarded in Hassidic Judaism.