The town of Harki belonged to a branch of the Polish aristocratic Radziville family.
The owner spent most of his time in France and was rarely seen on his vast estates.
One of the young noblemen of the family, Benedict by name, had a very
close friend in France named Pierre Louis, a young man from an
assimilated Jewish family. He was, in fact, so alienated from his Jewish
roots that he had no remaining Jewish ties at all.
When Benedict married, he settled on the estates of his wife's family in Russia.
His good friend, Pierre Louis, also married into a wealthy family, and
settled nearby. The two lived a life of luxury and pleasure and were
constantly in each other's company.
After many years had passed, Pierre Louis was widowed.
Now, with no anchor in life, he immersed himself totally in a life of
debauchery in the company of the Russian and Polish aristocrats who were
his companions.
Once, when the chasid Rabbi Nissan went to visit the Baal Shem Tov (the
"Besht"), the Besht explained to him at great length the meaning of the
verse, "Those who go down to the sea in ships and do work in raging
waters": The phrase "those who go down to the sea" refers to the souls
that come down and enter the bodies, comparable to the seas which cover
everything, as the body covers the Divine soul within it.
"But there are two kinds of descent: in one, souls descend into the sea
of life -- i.e. when one finds oneself within a circle of Torah. In the
other, the souls descend into the midst of a raging sea without any
ship in which to take refuge.
"Those Jews who descend into the physical body, but live in an
atmosphere devoid of the light of Torah, flounder as if in a raging sea.
"Therefore," concluded the Besht, "it is the duty of other Jewish souls
who `do their work in raging waters,' to save them, as they would a
drowning man."
The Besht made it clear to Rabbi Nissan that he was referring precisely
to the "Christianized" friend of Benedict, Pierre Louis, who was, in
actuality, a Jew named Pesach Tzvi.
"This winter, Benedict will go hunting with his friend Pierre Louis and
they will both visit Harki. At that time, I want you to read this letter
that I am giving you, and then carry out all the instructions in it."
Rabbi Nissan was to inform Pierre Louis that he was a Jew, named Pesach Tzvi, and that he must return to his people.
Even if Pierre Louis didn't want to listen, Reb Nissan must go and
repeat exactly what the Besht had said. The Besht assured him that he
would be successful.
When Rabbi Nissan returned to Harki the town was buzzing with
anticipation of the aristocracy's hunting season who habitually visited
the area.
Benedict and Pierre Louis were staying, as they always did, at the home
of the local priest. But this time, as Benedict entered the house, he
tripped over the threshold and fell. The pistol he was carrying in his
pocket discharged, and a bullet lodged in his stomach.
Pandemonium reigned as a doctor tried in vain to staunch the flow of
blood. Riders were dispatched to neighboring towns to bring other
doctors, but the patient's condition deteriorated steadily.
As news of the accident spread throughout the town, the Jews were
distressed to hear that Benedict, who had always been friendly toward
them, was in grave danger.
Rabbi Nissan now opened the letter of the Besht, and to his
astonishment, it contained a prescription for treating Benedict's wound.
In addition, the letter said that if anyone inquired how Rabbi Nissan
came to know this cure, he should say that he learned it from Rabbi
Yisrael Baal Shem Tov.
On the second day after the accident Rabbi Nissan arrived at the house, saying he had a cure for Benedict.
The desperate doctor allowed the Jew to be admitted.
The Rabbi spread an ointment on the wound and also put some medicine
down the wounded man's throat. To the amazement and relief of all, the
cure took effect within an hour.
Only then did Rabbi Nissan approach Pierre Louis and ask to speak to him in private.
He related all the words of the Baal Shem Tov, telling him that he was a
Jew, and must return to his people, but Pierre Louis was too shocked to
respond.
It was in the month of Nisan that Pierre Louis arrived in Harki and came to Rabbi Nisan.
He had no rest since the day they had spoken, and now he finally resolved to return to his people.
Over the next year he studied and made great progress.
Benedict was quite sympathetic to his friend's return to Judaism, and as a gift he gave him an estate outside Harki.
As an additional display of good will, Benedict presented to the local Jews the land on which their houses were built.
In this manner the existence of the Baal Shem Tov and his circle of mystics became known in Harki.
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