Before the Magid became a disciple of the Besht he was once returning from the water [i.e. the mikvah] when he encountered the Besht and his disciples. The Besht said to his disciples: “See – this is what Adam looked like before he sinned.” The disciples went over to him and wished to ask him to become a disciple of the Besht but he refused. He imagined that the Besht would actually become one of his disciples. In the end, however, he realized the truth and joined the Besht’s company.
[Side comment:] R. Yirmiyah has a tale about the Magid – that he was at first a critic of the Besht. He forgot it [the story] however.
I.F.
Yirmiyahu Katz
