The Baal Shem Tov was once travelling with his disciples in their carriage. The horses came to a halt in the middle of a field. The Baal Shem Tov and his disciples disembarked, prayed the afternoon service and sat down to eat. Then, the Baal Shem Tov dug a little hole in the ground, poured a small amount of whiskey into the hole and said, "l'chaim!" The curious disciples asked for an explanation and were told the following story:
Many years ago there lived a man who had an only daughter. When she came of age he found a good husband for her, a young man of sterling character who studied Torah all day. The father supported the couple and the son-in-law pursued his studies. When the father passed away, his daughter began managing the store and business, and the young man continued his Torah studies.
Now, there lived in the area a minister who was especially devoted to trying to win learned Jews over to Christianity. When he found out about the young husband, he set his mind to finding a way to begin a dialogue with him.
Every day the minister would come to the Jewish store to make a purchase and ingratiate himself to the young woman. Once, when the minister came, the wife confided that her husband was ill. The minister commiserated, offered his wishes for her husband's recovery, and asked if he could pay a visit to cheer him up. The woman agreed, and the minister finally met the object of his plan.
The next time the young man took ill, the minister suggested that he come to his fine estate to recuperate. He advised the young man to bring his own servant along to prepare kosher food for his stay. The invitation, the minister explained, was being extended in gratitude for the many happy hours of conversation they had enjoyed in the past and would have in the future.
The invitation was accepted. Meanwhile the minister had succeeded in bribing the young man's cook to prepare food that was not kosher. As is explained in Jewish mystical texts, one effect of eating non-kosher food is that it dulls the mind and heart, preventing an individual from perceiving G-dliness. Unfortunately, such became the case. The minister's friendly overtures and kind words had an effect on the young man and after a period of time he decided to convert to Christianity. He abandoned his wife, married the daughter of the minister, and was showered with wealth and privileges.
The young man bought himself property with an orchard and a house. In charge of overseeing the orchard was a very old man who lived on the grounds. One day, when the young man and his wife went for a stroll, they heard the caretaker weeping as if his heart would break. The old man could not be consoled and would not reveal why he was crying.
The matter touched the heart of the young man. He was determined to discover the cause of the caretaker's grief. Eventually the caretaker revealed the cause of his anguished cries.
"I am a Jew," whispered the old man, "a descendent of Marranos who were forced to convert to Christianity in Spain. In my heart I have always remained faithful to my G-d. The Jews have one day a year which is called Yom Kippur, a day for repentance and seeking atonement. Today is Yom Kippur, and that is why I am crying," he finished.
When the young man heard this tale, he was overcome with emotion. He vowed to return to the true faith of his people. He revealed that he, too, was a Jew, and explained how he had reached his current position. After the two of them had wept together, a thought occurred to the old man. "Why are you crying? You are very rich. You must certainly have the means to travel to another country, to begin life anew as a Jew."
The young man did as the elderly caretaker suggested. He repented of his former ways and once again trod the path of the righteous.
When her husband disappeared the gentile wife did not know what to do. Having seen him in the company of the old man, she asked him if he knew of her husband's whereabouts. She continued to badger him until he revealed the entire story. The woman was so impressed by the power of the Jewish faith that she sold all her possessions, left her country and converted to Judaism. (In those days, in that country, it was against the law to undergo conversion to Judaism).
After all this took place the elderly caretaker began to think, "What is to become of me? I am responsible for two people living a Torah life, yet I myself am still here." Despite his lack of means, he decided to wander until he reached a place where he could live openly as a Jew. He began his travels, but before reaching his final destination, he suddenly died.
"And this spot," continued the Baal Shem Tov, pointing to the small hole he had dug, "is the final resting place of the old man. When his soul ascended to Heaven it was met by two camps of angels, each arguing his fate. The defending angels claimed that he decided to return to Judaism and had even taken the first few steps, even though he had not been able to complete his mission. The prosecuting angels argued that he be barred from entry, as he had not actually done what he set out to do.
"The case was left open, and since his death the old man's soul has wandered about, unable to find a resting place. Now, however, in the merit of our prayers on this spot and our saying 'l'chaim,' his soul has been elevated to where it belongs. May his soul be bound up in the bond of eternal life," the Baal Shem Tov concluded.
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