R. Hershele Chortkover the father of R. Shmelke and the [author of the] Hafla’ah – was the chief judge in Chortkov – a holy Jew – one of those saints, masters of accounts, who recorded everything they did throughout the day and made an accounting of everything that occurred that day. 

Once when R. Hershele went over the things he had done that day he sensed that regarding a question over a menstruating woman he had overlooked [the opinion of] a Tosefot – he quickly called his assistant to go tell the woman that the ruling he had given her was incorrect. The assistant went right over but immediately returned with the information that it was already too late. R. Hershele was very pained, and he began to consider what might have brought him to such a sin. He concluded to himself – that since the Besht “was playing his tricks” [pravet zayne shtiklakh] in Tlust – just a few miles from Chortkov and he – R. Hershele leaves him be and doesn’t persecute him – that is why he is deserving of this punishment.  

Since he did not wish to judge someone who wasn’t present – and wished to be convinced himself he traveled to Tlust to observe the behavior of the Besht.  He arrived in the morning – he saw how the Besht received two women whose husbands went missing [aganot] – both moaned and wailed and wished to know where their husbands were. The Besht went to the privy – relieved himself – washed his hands and then told the women that they should go to such and such a place – and they would find their husbands. R. Hereshele was even more convinced that he must persecute the Besht – incredible! To such places, the Besht goes seeking the holy spirit!?  

When the women left – the Besht went over to R. Hershele and greeted him – and he told him – “Don’t be pained – you did not rule badly – you did not overlook the Tosefot – you just erred in interpreting it – you thought that according to the interpretation of the Tosefot one rules in this way – no, one ought to rule as you did rule” – and he took the volume of the Talmud [gemara] and taught him the true interpretation. 

R. Hersh said “We have a tradition that signs and wonders can also be done through the [power of the] other side but Torah is truth. 

and how you interpreted the Tosefot is the true Torah – Peace upon you, my rabbi and teacher! 

Now I know that all you do is done with the [power of the] side of holiness – but one thing I don’t understand. Why did you need to go to such a place to seek through the holy spirit where the husbands were to be found.” 

The Besht replied: “I knew that their husbands were in very lowly places and when I think about matters of the Torah I do not look upon such disgusting places – in the privy one may not think about matters of the Torah – so I was then able to see the disgusting place where they were to be found now –  so I searched them out and found them there.” 

I.F.

Jacob Teitelbaum