Baal Shem Tov. The Book Of Mysteries : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], p. 177 THE BOOK OF MYSTERIES All of the knowledge of Power that the Baal Shem Tov ever possessed was contained in the secret book that he had received from Rabbi Adam. After the Baal Shem had returned from his journey to the Ancient Land, he...
Baal Shem Tov. Rabbi Israel's Daughter : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], p. 113 RABBI ISRAEL'S DAUGHTER The Baal Shem's daughter Udel was a grown girl. She said to him, "Father, when shall I know my husband?" Rabbi Israel loved his daughter; he stroked her hair. She said, "Father, shall I be a mother of children?" Rabbi...
Baal Shem Tov. Prayer : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], p. 114 PRAYER Once Rabbi Israel passed through a house of prayer. An old Jew sat there huddled over a book, reading in a hasty mumble, reading faster and faster, hour after hour. Rabbi Israel said, "He is so absorbed in his learning that he h...
Rabbi Nachman Of Bratzlaw. The Spider And The Fly : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], p. 248 THE SPIDER AND THE FLY AND THE GREAT MOUNTAIN THAT SPOKE IN A DREAM Perhaps you think I will tell you everything, so that you may be able to understand my story. I will begin to tell the story. There was a king who fought a great battle...
Untitled : * This is a collection of tales of the Eastern European Hassidic Jews, centering on the holy men Baal Shem Tov and Rabbi Nachman of Bratzlaw. The territory and narrative elements belong to the familiar world of folk tales. However, these magical realist stories of the Hassidic rabbis are encoded...
Baal Shem Tov. The Boy's Song : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], p. 132 THE BOY'S SONG HOW THE ENEMY, CONTINUING THE BATTLE, SPREAD HIS IRON WINGS OVER THE EARTH, AND HOW THE WINGS WERE PIERCED The Enemy did not forswear the battle, but came 1 out openly and spread his iron wings between the earth and heaven...
Baal Shem Tov. The Bride In Her Grave : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], p. 45 THE BRIDE IN HER GRAVE A TRUE STORY OF HOW THE BAAL SHEM TOV BROUGHT BACK A BRIDE FROM THE OTHER WORLD Soon the whole world knew of the wisdom and power of the Baal Shem Tov. From all corners of the Carpathians, followers came to him. Often he...
Rabbi Nachman Of Bratzlaw. The King's S : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], p. 290 THE KING'S SON AND THE SERVANT'S SON WHO HEARD THE MELODY OF ALL THE EARTH'S CREATURES There was a great king whose realm was so wide that a man might walk all the days of his life without coming to the border of the king's lands. This king...
Baal Shem Tov. Before He Was Born : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], p. 1 THE BAAL SHEM TOV RABBI ISRAEL, MASTER OF THE HOLY NAME p. 2 p. 3 BEFORE HE WAS BORN HERE IS THE STORY OF HOW ELIJAH CAME TO GOD, AND ASKED HIM TO MAKE RABBI ELEAZER THE FATHER OF RABBI ISRAEL; AND OF THE MARVELLOUS TRIALS OF RABBI ELEAZER When...
Baal Shem Tov. The Prophecy Of The New Year : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], p. 138 THE PROPHECY OF THE NEW YEAR HOW RABBI ISRAEL SOUGHT TO BRING HEAVEN DOWN UPON EARTH Little by little Rabbi Israel had given Power out of himself, that the weaker might be sustained. The well of his Force was deep, and might never become dry...
Rabbi Nachman Of Bratzlaw. The Sage : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], p. 266 THE SAGE AND THE SIMPLETON WHO WAS NOT SO FOOLISH AS HE SEEMED In a hamlet in the provinces there lived two wealthy men, each of whom had a son. One of the children was so clever that he could make the sun believe it shone at night; the other...
Baal Shem Tov. The Trial Of Rabbi Gershon : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], p. 109 THE TRIAL OF RABBI GERSHON Rabbi Gershon of Kuth would not believe in the power of his brother-in-law. He said, "Rabbi Israel is nothing but a lime-burner come out of the mountains. He couldn't even earn a living as a tavern-keeper." Once he...
Baal Shem Tov. The Holy Land : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], p. 153 THE HOLY LAND HOW RABBI ISRAEL SOUGHT TO HASTEN THE END OF HUMAN SUFFERING, AND BRING DOWN MESSIAH BEFORE HIS TIME. AND HOW HE WAS DEFEATED The aged Master lay asleep. And out of the night there came voices as from a distance calling...
Baal Shem Tov. The Standing Sheep : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], p. 85 THE STANDING SHEEP Once, when the Baal Shem Tov was on a journey, Sabbath overtook him on the highway. He stopped the wagon, and went out into the field to perform the services that welcome the coming of Sabbath, and to remain there until...
Baal Shem Tov. The Wandering In Heaven : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], p. 135 THE WANDERING IN HEAVEN During the day, the Master served all living creatures. From far away they came, begging Life of him; supplicating voices flowed from the mouths of all breathing beings, and the breath of their suffering reached toward...
Baal Shem Tov. The Secret Marriage : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], p. 27 THE SECRET MARRIAGE HERE ARE TOLD THE MARVELLOUS DEEDS OF RABBI ISRAEL WHILE HE WAS STILL A SAINT IN SECRET After the death of his companion, the Master forsook the house where they had lived and studied together. Israel returned ...
Rabbi Nachman Of Bratzlaw. The Lost Princess : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], p. 190 THE LOST PRINCESS AND HOW SHE WAS FOUND IN THE PALACE OF PEARLS There was a King who had six sons and but one daughter he loved his daughter more than any of his other children, and passed many hours in her company; but one day while they...
Baal Shem Tov. The False Messiah : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], p. 146 THE FALSE MESSIAH THE STORY OF RABBI ISRAEL'S STRUGGLE TO OVERCOME THE FALSE MESSIAH, AND HOW SATAN DEFEATED RABBI ISRAEL When Satan heard Rabbi Israel beg for Messiah to descend upon earth, Satan the Enemy laughed and said, "I will send down...
Next. The Book Of Mysteries : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], p. 17 THE BOOK OF MYSTERIES IN THIS STORY WE LEARN HOW THE BAAL SHEM TOV RECEIVED THE BOOK OF ADAM, AND OF THE FRIGHTFUL END THAT CAME TO THE SON OF RABBI ADAM When the children of Horodenka ceased to sing, Israel was no longer content to rem...
Baal Shem Tov. After The Death : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], p. 164 DEATH p. 165 AFTER THE DEATH A MARVELLOUS STORY OF THE BAAL SHEM TOV, WHO KNEW WHAT WOULD COME TO PASS AFTER HIS DEATH On the day of his death Rabbi Israel called all of his followers about him, and gave each of them his future task. Some...
Foreword : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], p. ix FOREWORD Two hundred years ago, in a remote hut in the Carpathian Mountains, there lived a wonder-worker named Rabbi Israel. Some now say that he never existed; the like has been said of King Arthur and of Jesus Christ; their legends rem...
Baal Shem Tov. The Burning Of The Torah : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], p. 125 THE BURNING OF THE TORAH HERE IS THE TALE OF THE TERRIFIC STRUGGLE BETWEEN THE BAAL SHEM TOV AND THE ENEMY, WHO BY FOUL TRICKERY SOUGHT TO HAVE THE TORAH TAKEN AWAY FROM THE JEWS Then the Enemy, tormented as he saw Rabbi Israel doing good...
Baal Shem Tov. The Water Spirit : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], p. 93 THE WATER-SPIRIT HERE THE STORY IS TOLD OF THE REVENGEFUL LAKE THAT WAS ANGRY BECAUSE OF THE HIDEOUS SIN THAT HAD BEEN THROWN INTO IT, AND HOW RABBI ISRAEL SAVED THE SINNER'S SON In old Constantine there lived a cousin of the Baal Shem Tov...
Baal Shem Tov. The Mad Dancers : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], p. 86 THE MAD DANCERS Already the voices of opponents were raised against the Baal Shem's teaching, for many rabbis could not understand his ways. Some said of him that he dishonoured the Sabbath with singing and freedom, some said that his ways...
Rabbi Nachman Of Bratzlaw. The Wind Th : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], p. 309 THE WIND THAT OVERTURNED THE WORLD AND THE KINGDOM OF MONEY-WORSHIPPERS In a place beyond the habitations of men there lived a master of prayer. His house was hidden in the forest; there was a body of water in his domain, and by the water...
Baal Shem Tov. The Rich Man : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], p. 101 THE RICH MAN HOW RABBI ISRAEL SAVED A RICH MAN FROM DAMNATION In Ropwitz there lived a very wealthy Jew. One day he got into his carriage and rode to Medzibuz to visit Rabbi Israel. They sat and talked of things that are in this world. But...
Baal Shem Tov. His Torah : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], p. 163 HIS TORAH When the Baal Shem Tov was near his death, a student came to him with a written book and said, "These are your words, which I have written down. This is the Torah of Rabbi Israel." The Master read what was written, and said, "Not...
Baal Shem Tov. Two Souls : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], p. 71 TWO SOULS THE MYSTERY OF TWO SOULS THAT WERE SEPARATED, AND HOW RABBI ISRAEL BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER WHEN THEY SUFFERED RE-BIRTH ON EARTH The Baal Shem Tov said, From every human being there rises a light that reaches straight to heaven...
Rabbi Nachman Of Bratzlaw. The Cripple : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], p. 213 THE CRIPPLE WHO NEVER FORGOT TO WATER THE TREES There was a Sage who, when he was about to die, called all his sons to him and gave them his last words. "Your task shall be the watering of trees," he said to them. "You may occupy yourselves...
Baal Shem Tov. The Burning Tree : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], p. 92 THE BURNING TREE Reb Baruch, the scribe of Klaminke, tells that once in the midst of winter he rode with the Baal Shem Tov and several of the Rabbi's followers. Evening came. Rabbi Israel said, "Let us stop the wagon and go down and say...
Rabbi Nachman Of Bratzlaw. The Seven Beggars : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], p. 333 THE SEVEN BEGGARS WHO BROUGHT GIFTS TO THE BEGGAR BRIDE AND GROOM There was once a king who had an only son, and while he lived the king decided to give his crown to the prince. He made a great festival to which all the noblemen...
Illustrations : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], ILLUSTRATIONS TWO MUSICIANS "frontispiece THE BOOK OF MYSTERIES 23 THE PEASANT'S BRIDE 37 THE BRIDE IN HER GRAVE 55 THE SORCERER 63 WEDDING 83 SABBATH MEAL 123 DEATH 164 THE TREE OF THE BAAL SHEM TOV 180 WEDDING FEAST 211 CIRCUMCISION 229 THE PRINCE...
Baal Shem Tov. Rabbi Israel And The Horse : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], p. 87 RABBI ISRAEL AND THE HORSE HOW RABBI ISRAEL, THROUGH UNDERSTANDING THE LANGUAGE OF BEASTS, SAVED A TORMENTED SOUL Often when he had to ride to a distant village Rabbi Israel would stay overnight at the house of the tavern-keeper, whose child...
Rabbi Nachman Of Bratzlaw. The Dynasty : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], p. 178 p. 179 RABBI NACHMAN OF BRATZLAW GREAT-GRANDSON OF THE BAAL SHEM TOV p. 180 THE TREE OF THE BAAL SHEM TOV. Drawing by Meyer Levin p. 181 THE DYNASTY Udel, the daughter of the Baal Shem Tov, had watched his scholars dancing at the Simch...
Title Page : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], THE GOLDEN MOUNTAIN MARVELLOUS TALES OF RABBI ISRAEL BAAL SHEM AND OF HIS GREAT-GRANDSON, RABBI NACHMANN RETOLD FROM HEBREW, YIDDISH AND GERMAN SOURCES BY MEYER LEVIN ILLUSTRATED BY MAREK SZWARC NEW YORK: BEHRMAN HOUSE INC. PUBLISHERS [1932] TWO...
Baal Shem Tov. Rabbi Israel And The Sorcerer : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], p. 58 RABBI ISRAEL AND THE SORCERER THE STORY OF THE TERRIBLE STRUGGLE BETWEEN RABBI ISRAEL, MASTER OF THE HOLY NAME, AND THE PARITZ WHO WAS IN LEAGUE WITH THE EVIL ONE. AND HOW RABBI ISRAEL CONQUERED Once when he was riding on a journey, Rabbi...
Baal Shem Tov. Israel And The Enemy : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], p. 10 ISRAEL AND THE ENEMY A STRANGE TALE, FILLED WITH HIDDEN MEANING, TELLING HOW ISRAEL HELD IN HIS HAND THE HEART THAT WAS THE KERNEL OF DARKNESS When Israel was five years old, his father Eleazer was dying. On the day of his death Rabbi Eleazer...
Baal Shem Tov. Thrice He Laughed : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], p. 115 THRICE HE LAUGHED THE MYSTERIOUS LAUGHTER OF THE BAAL SHEM TOV, AND THE SABBATH OF SABBATAI, THE BOOK-BINDER The meal of Sabbath eve was ready upon the table. Rabbi Israel's head was sunken, and anxiety was deep upon his face. His scholars...
Rabbi Nachman Of Bratzlaw. The Bull And The Ram : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], p. 228 THE BULL AND THE RAM WHO ENDED THE REIGN OF THE TYRANT KING Once in a far country there was a king who issued a decree commanding all the Jews in his kingdom to be converted to his faith; those who would not be converted lost all their...
Rabbi Nachman Of Bratzlaw. The Broken Betrothal : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], p. 198 THE BROKEN BETROTHAL AND THE PORTRAIT OVER THE FOUNTAIN There was once an emperor who had no child to rule after him; and in another land there was a king who also was childless. The emperor went on a journey in search of a sage who might...
Rabbi Nachman Of Bratzlaw. The Prince : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], p. 240 THE PRINCE WHO WAS MADE ENTIRELY OF PRECIOUS STONES There was a king who had no children, and he was greatly troubled with thought that after his death his kingdom would pass into the hands of strangers. So he called to him all the physicians...
Rabbi Nachman Of Bratzlaw. The Rabbi's Son : * "The Golden Mountain", by Meyer Levin, [1932], p. 257 THE RABBI'S SON AND THE TSADIK WHO LIVED ONE DAY AWAY Not long ago there lived a rabbi who in all his life had scarcely lifted his head from the study of the holy books, and who was so strict in his observance of every last dot in the ritual...
