Mystics, Masters, Saints, and Sages
Page 9
and quickly vanished behind locked doors. This was followed by a hushed silence; not a stir or sign of life anywhere. A few people who happened to be passing by approachedmeinwonderment.Theygrabbedholdofmeandhoistedmeupright.
“What'swrong?”“Whathappened?”theyexclaimed.
As I came to and my eyes opened, I found that the unsolvable and impenetrable koansIhadbeenworkingon—allthosevenomouscat's-paws—werenowpenetrated
completely.Righttotheirroots.Theyhadsuddenlyceasedtoexist.Ibeganclapping
myhandsandwhoopingwithglee,frighteningthepeoplewhohadgatheredaround
tohelpme.
“He's lost his mind!” “A crazy monk!” they shouted, shrinking back from me
apprehensively.Thentheyturnedheelandfled,withoutlookingback.
Ipickedmyselfupfromtheground,straightenedmyrobe,andfixedtheremnants
ofmyhatbackonmyhead.Withablissfulsmileonmyface,Istarted,slowlyand
exultantly,makingmywaybacktowardNarasawaandtheShoju-an.
Ispottedanoldmanbeckoningtome.“Honorablepriest,”hesaid,addressingme,
“thatoldladyreallyputyourlightsout,didn'tshe?”
Ismiledfaintlybututterednotawordinresponse.Hegavemeabowlofriceto
eatandsentmeonmyway.
Ononeoccasion,thetwoofusmonksengagedinaprivatesession.Wepledgedto
continueitforsevendaysandnights.Nosleep.Nolyingdown.Wecutathree-foot
section of bamboo and fashioned it into a makeshift shippei [a Zen stick for maintaining alertness]. We sat facing each other with the sbippei placed on the groundbetweenus.Weagreedifoneofussawtheother'seyelidsdrop,evenfora
splitsecond,hewouldgrabthestaffandcrackhimwithitbetweentheeyes.
Forsevendays,wesatramrod-straight,teethclenchedtightlyintotalsilence.Not
somuchasaneyelashquivered.Rightthroughtotheendoftheseventhnight,neither
oneofushadoccasiontoreachforthatcudgel.
One night, a heavy snowfall blanketed the area. The dull, muffled thud of snow falling from the branches of the trees created a sense of extraordinary stillness and purity.ImadeanattemptatapoemtodescribethejoyIfelt:
Ifonlyyoucouldhear
thesoundofsnow
fallinglateatnight
fromthetrees
oftheoldtemple
inShinoda!
81
Iwassoonovertakenbyaviolentrainstorm.Thewaterpouredinsheets,turningthe roadtothickmud,whichsuckedatmyanklesasIwalked.ButIpushedforwardinto
themistandpeltingrainoblivioustoitall,hummingasIwent.
All at once, I found I had penetrated a verse that I had been working on, Master Ta-hui's “Lotus leaves, perfect discs, rounder than mirrors; Water chestnuts, needle spikes,sharperthangimlets.”Itwaslikesuddenlyseeingabrightsunblazingoutin
thedeadofnight.Overcomewithjoy,Itripped,stumbled,andplungedheadlonginto
themud.Myrobewassoakedthrough,butmyonlyreflectionwas,“What'samuddy
robe,comparedtotheextraordinaryjoyInowfeel?”Irolledoverontomybackand
laytheremotionless,submergedinthemire.
Some other travelers happening by rushed up and stared with amazement and
alarmatthefigurelyingdeadinthemud.Handsgrabbedatmeandproppedmeup.
“Isheunconscious?”theycried.“Ishedead?”someoneasked.
When I returned to my senses, I began clapping my hands together with delight and emitting great whoops of laughter. My rescuers started backing away from me with doubtful grins on their faces. Then they broke and ran, yelling “Crazy monk!
Crazymonk!”(Itwasarepeatperformanceoftheeventsthathadtakenplacesome
years before in Iiyama.) I had just experienced one of those eighteen satoris I mentionedbefore.
Iresumedmyjourney,steppingbuoyantlydowntheroadwithablissfulsmileon
my face. I was plastered with mud from head to foot but so happy I found myself laughingandweepingatthesametime.
Alone in the hut, I thrust my spine up stiff and straight and sat right through until dawn.Allthroughthenight,theroomwashauntedbyaterrifyingdemonicpresence.
Since I dislike having to swell the narrative with such details, however, I won't describeithere.
In the morning, I opened the rice pail, reached inside with my left hand, and graspedafistfulofthegrains.Iboiledtheseupintoabowlofgruel,whichIatein
placeofthetworegularmeals.Irepeatedthesameroutineeachday.Iwonder,was
myregimenlessdemandingthanNationalMasterMuso's,withhishalfpersimmon?
Afteramonthofthislife,Istillhadn'texperiencedasinglepangofhunger.Onthe
contrary,mybodyandmindwerebothfiredwithagreatsurgeofspiritandresolve.
My nights were zazen. My days were sutra-recitation. I never let up. During this period,Iexperiencedsmallsatorisandlargesatorisinnumbersbeyondcount.How
many times did I jump up and jubilantly dance around, oblivious of all else! I no longerhadanydoubtsatallaboutTa-hui'stalkofeighteengreatsatorisandcountless smallones.Howgrievouslysadthatpeopletodayhavediscardedthiswayofkensho
asifitweredirt!
As for sitting, sitting is something that should include fits of ecstatic laughter—
brayings that make you slump to the ground clutching your belly. And when you struggletoyourfeetafterthefirstspasmpasses,itshouldsendyoukneelingtoearth inyetfurthercontortionsofjoy.
From WildIvy,thespiritualautobiographyofZenmasterHakuin.
82
ELEVEN
THEBAALSHEMTOV
1698–1760,EASTERNEUROPE
RABBIISRAELBENELIEZER,thefounderofHasidism,wentbythenameoftheBaal
Shem, meaning “The Good Master of the Name,” or “Master of the Good Name,”
depending on the translation. Born in southern Poland, what is now the Ukraine, in 1698,theBaalShem'searliestyearsareshroudedinmystery.Whatisknownisthat
he sought out seclusion in the Carpathian Mountains, immersing himself in
contemplation,prayer,andthestudyoftheTorahandKabbalah.
This kindly rabbi gained a reputation as a friend of the sick and downtrodden as well as a miracle worker. Rather than fasting and asceticism, the Baal Shem
encouragedjoyousprayer,singinganddancing,andthesharingofcommunityasthe
meanstoattain deveikut(communionwithGod).Herecommendedreleasingthesins of the past and discovering the ecstasy in ahavat HaShem (the love of God). The Divine, according to the teachings of the Baal Shem, could be found in each and every aspect of the universe and was not limited to synagogues, rabbis, or sacred texts. Prayer and the performance of mitzvot (charitable deeds) linked the devotee directlytotheDivine.
Imagineasmallandsimpleroom,or stubel, in which a Hasidic rabbi, or zaddik, acted as a mediator between humankind and God, dispensing wisdom to his
unswervinglydedicatedandobedientdisciples.Theatmospherewasoneofsimplicity
and heartfelt study. These were humble people—bookbinders, coachmen, tax
collectors,innkeepers—seekingholinessintheireverydaylives.ThetalesoftheBaal
Shem provided
hope and inspiration from the drudgery and difficulties of workday existence. The devotion, exuberance, and charisma of the Baal Shem uplifted the masses of the humble, hardworking Polish Jewry, and vibrant hope spread rapidly throughoutallofEasternEurope.Mysteriousandmystical,thetalesoftheBaalShem
werepassedbywordofmouth,scribblesinnotebooks,andinthespiritofnarration
carriedfromonegenerationtothenext.
AttheheartoftheteachingsoftheBaalShemaretheconceptsandexperienceof
Elohim (the being of God), the Shekina (presence of God), and avoda (service to God).AlsoembodiedintheBaalShem'swisdomare:
Illumination of the mystery of the apparent duality of ecstasy and service, of havingversusseeking;
TheburningfireoftheyearningheartdrawnferventlytothelightofGod;
Theraptureandecstasyofparadise;
AwakeningandrenewalbeforetheeyesofGod;
83
Holymenandholyspirits;
Thepurificationandsanctificationofbody,mind,andsoul;
Theexpansionofthesoulbeyondalllimits;
TheembracingofGodbeyondtimeandspace;
SuchisthedepthofspiritofthewisdomoftheBaalShem.
The Baal Shem Tov never actually recorded his stories. This was left to his disciples, such luminaries as the Alexander Rebbe, Boyaner Rebbe, Gerrer Rebbe, LubavitcherRebbe,andSochatchoverRebbe.Thebestknownofthosewhocarried
on the spirit of the Baal Shem is his great-grandson, Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav, Ukraine. These teachings brought to Judaism new life, creativity, and a dynamic energy, making Hasidism a growing and spirited force in the advancement of the TorahandJewishmysticism.
Theselectionisexcerptedfromthe MysticalEpistleoftheBaalShemTov,aletter by the Baal Shem Tov to his brother-in-law, Rabbi Abraham Gershon in Palestine, describing his profound mystical experience. The letter was unfortunately never delivered, as its bearer, Jacob Joseph, was unable to make the journey to the Holy Land.Jacobpreservedtheletter,however,andpublisheditin1781inhisbook, Ben PoratYosef,morethantwentyyearsaftertheBaalShemTov'sdeath.
84
THEHEAVENLYHASID
TheMysticalEpistleoftheBaalShemTov
TOMYdearfriendandbrother-in-law,whomIloveasmyownself,wondrousRabbi
and Hasid, renowned in knowledge and fear of God, his honor, our teacher, Rabbi AbrahamGershon,mayhislightshine….
You…remarkthatthenewideasandmysteriesIrecordedforyoubythehandof
the scribe, the Rabbi and Preacher of the holy community of Polonnoye, did not arrive.Overthis,too,Iamgreatlydistressedforyouwouldundoubtedlyhavederived
muchsatisfactionfromthem.Now,however,Ihaveforgottenmanyofthesematters
yetIshallwritetoyouverybrieflythosedetailsIdorecall.
ForonthedayoftheNewYearoftheyear5507(=September1746)Iengagedin
anascentofthesoul,asyouknowIdo,andIsawwondrousthingsinthatvisionthat
had never before seen since the day I had attained maturity. That which I saw and learned in my ascent it is impossible to describe or to relate even from mouth to mouth.ButasIreturnedtothelowerGardenofEdenIsawmanysouls,bothofthe
living and the dead, those known to me and those unknown. They were more than could be counted and they ran to and fro from world to world through the path providedbythatcolumnknowntotheadeptsinthehiddenscience.Theywereallin
such a state of great rapture that the mouth would be worn out if it attempted to describeitandthephysicaleartooindelicatetohearit.Manyofthewickedrepented
oftheirsinsandwerepardoned,foritwasatimeofmuchgrace.Inmyeyestoo,it
was a great marvel that the repentance was accepted of so many whom you know.
They also enjoyed great rapture and ascended as mentioned above. All of them entreated me to my embarrassment, saying: “The Lord has given your honor great understandingtograspthesematters.Ascendtogetherwithus,therefore,soastohelp
usandassistus.”TheirrapturewassogreatthatIresolvedtoascendtogetherwith
them.
ThenIsawinthevisionthatSamaelwentuptoactthepartofaccuserbecauseof
theunprecedentedrapture.Heachievedwhathehadsetouttodo,namely,adecreeof
apostasyformanypeoplewhowouldbetorturedtodeath.Thendreadseizedmeand
I took my life in my hands. I requested my teacher to come with me since there is great danger in the ascent to the higher worlds and since from the day I attained to maturityIhadneverundertakensuchhighascents.IwenthigherstepbystepuntilI
entered the palace of the Messiah wherein the Messiah studies the Torah together with all the tannaim and the saints and also with the Seven Shepherds. There I witnessedgreatrejoicingandcouldnotfathomthereasonforitsoIthoughtthat,God
forbid, the rejoicing was over my own departure from this world. But I was
afterwards informed that I was not yet to die since they took great delight on high when,throughtheirTorah,Iperformunificationsherebelow.
To this day I am unaware of the reason for that rejoicing. I asked the Messiah:
“WhenwilltheMastercome?”andhereplied:“Youwillknowofitinthisway;it
willbewhenyourteachingbecomesfamousandrevealedtotheworld,andwhenthat
which I have taught you and you have comprehended will spread abroad so that 85
others,too,willbecapableofperformingunificationsandhavingsoulascentsasyou do. Then will all the kelippot be consumed and it will be a time of grace and salvation.”Iwasastonishedtohearthisandgreatlydistressedthatitwouldtakesuch alongtime,forwhenwillsuchathingbepossible?Yetmymindwassetatrestin
thatIlearnedtherethreespecialcharmsandthreeholynamesandtheseareeasyto
graspandtoexpoundsothatIthoughttomyself,itispossiblebythismeansformy
colleaguestoattaintothestagesandcategorieswhichIhaveattained,thatistosay, they,too,willbeabletoengageinascentsofthesoulandlearntocomprehendwhatI
havedone.Butnopermissionwasgiventometorevealthissecretfortherestofmy
life. I did request that I be allowed to teach it to you but no permission at all was giventomeandIamdutyboundonoathtokeepthesecret.
However, this I can tell you and may God be your help. Let your ways be set beforetheLordandneverbemoved,especiallyintheholyland.Wheneveryouoffer
yourprayersandwheneveryoustudy,havetheintentionofunifyingadivinenamein
every word and with every utterance of your lips. For there are worlds, souls, and divinity in every letter. These ascend to become united one with the other and then thelettersarecombinedinordertoformawordsothatthereiscompleteunification
withthedivine.Allowyoursoultobeembracedbythemateachoftheabovestages.
Thusallworldsbecomeunitedandtheyascendsothatimmeasurableraptureandthe
greatest delight is experienced. You can understand this on the analogy of the rapturesofbrideandbridegroominminiatureinthephysicalworld.Howmuchmore
soatthismostelevatedstage!Godwillundoubtedlybeyourhelpandwhereveryou
turn you will be successful and prosper. Give to the wise and he will
become even wiser.Alsoprayforme,withthisintentioninmind,thatIshouldbeworthyofbeing
gatheredintotheinheritanceoftheLord(=theHolyLand)whilestillaliveandpray,
too,onbehalfofalltheremnantstillinthediaspora.
Ialsoprayedthere,askingwhytheLordhaddonethisandwhythisgreatwrath,to
handoversomanyJewishsoulstobeslainbySamael,amongthemmanysoulswho
hadapostatizedandhadstillbeenkilled.Permissionwasgrantedtometoaskthisof
Samael himself. I asked Samael why he did this and what could have been his intention in having Jews become apostates and yet still be killed afterwards. He repliedthathisintentionwasforthesakeofheaven.Andafterwards,foroursins,so
it happened, that in the holy community of Izyaslav there was a blood libel against manypeople,twoofwhombecameapostatesandyettheystillkilledthem.Butthe
others sanctified the name of heaven in great sanctity, dying by terrible torture.
AfterwardstherewerefurtherbloodlibelsintheholycommunitiesofShebitovkaand
Dunayevtsy.Buttherenoneofthembecameapostateshavingseenwhathappenedin
the aforementioned holy community of Izyaslav. They all resisted temptation,
sufferingmartyrdomandsanctifyingthenameofHeaven.BytheirmerittheMessiah
willcometoavengeusandtogainatonementforGod'slandandHispeople.
On the New Year of the year 5510 (= September 1749) I made an ascent of the soul,asyouknowIdo,andIsawagreataccusationsothatpermissionwasalmost
given to destroy whole lands and communities. I took my life in my hands and prayed: “Let us fall into the hands of the Lord but let us not fall into the hands of man.”Thistheygrantedtome,thatthereshouldbegreatsicknessandanepidemicof
86
unparalleledproportionsinallthelandsofPolandandinotherlandsadjacenttoours.
Andsoitcametopass.Sicknessspreadoverallsothatitcouldnotbecountedand
also epidemics in other lands. I discussed with my company whether to recite the portionregardingthemakingoftheincenseinordertonullifytheabove-mentioned