🕯️ The Birth of the Shpoler Zeiyda[1]
The struggles and poverty of the Baal Shem Tov
In his younger years, shortly after his wedding, the Baal Shem Tov lived in deep concealment, hidden from the eyes of men. Though already destined for greatness and filled with righteousness, his life at that time was one of great hardship. His livelihood was extremely difficult, and he struggled constantly to earn enough to survive.
He owned only a simple wagon and a single horse. With these, he labored tirelessly, traveling to the fields outside the city to gather mud and sand, which he would haul back so that it could be used to settle and build the city. The work was heavy, exhausting, and poorly paid, yet he accepted it humbly, without complaint.
The Devotion of His Righteous Wife
His wife, a righteous woman of exceptional character, stood faithfully at his side. She came from a very wealthy family and had been raised in comfort and refinement, accustomed to ease and care. Nevertheless, because she recognized the inner holiness and greatness of her husband, her heart was filled with compassion and devotion to him.
Not only did she never protest their poverty, but she chose to share fully in his burden. She would travel with him to the distant fields and help him gather the mud and sand, lifting it with her own hands and loading it onto the wagon. Together, husband and wife worked side by side, enduring fatigue and hardship as true partners.
At times, in order to find enough work, they would leave the city entirely and remain away for several weeks. No one paid them any attention during these absences, for they were regarded as poor travelers—people of no status whose comings and goings went unnoticed.
The Weakening of the Horse and Despair
One day, however, misfortune struck. The horse that pulled their wagon grew terribly weak and could no longer bear the weight of the load. The Baal Shem Tov became deeply distressed, for he had no money to buy another horse. Without the horse, he had no way to earn even the little that sustained them.
Advice from Fellow Poor Travelers
As he traveled along the road, he met other poor people and shared his troubles with them. They listened and then advised him that in a nearby town lived a wealthy Jew named Reb Boruch, a man well known for his generosity. Reb Boruch often hosted guests, and whenever a poor wagon driver came to his town—perhaps to buy bones for food or cheap clothing—if his horse was weak, Reb Boruch would sometimes give him another horse from his own stables. These horses were no longer fit for heavy farm labor, but they were still strong enough for lighter work in the city.
Encouraged by their words, the Baal Shem Tov accepted their advice. Together with his wife, he set out on the journey. It was long and arduous, filled with uncertainty and fatigue, yet they pressed on with faith.
After much effort, they finally arrived at the town.
Reb Boruch and His Righteous Household
The owner of the estate, Reb Boruch, was an exceedingly wealthy man. Originally from Russia, he had fled to Bohemia to escape the brutal pogroms against the Jewish people. Though prosperous, Reb Boruch was not a scholar and had never studied much Torah. He was not a ben Torah, but he was a simple Jew—pure, innocent, and deeply God‑fearing.
His wife, Rachel, was no less righteous than he. Together, they excelled in the mitzvah of tzedakah. Above all else, they were scrupulous in the mitzvah of hachnasat orchim—welcoming guests. Their home was famous throughout the region as a refuge for the poor and the weary.
The Guesthouse and Its Rules
They maintained a special guesthouse on their estate. It contained many small rooms, and in each room were two beds with blankets and pillows, as well as a small table. Their custom was to allow any guest to stay there for a full week, free of charge, and to provide them with two meals each day. On Shabbos, all the guests would eat together at Reb Boruch’s table.
When poor families arrived with wives and children, Reb Boruch ensured that they were given a private room. However, when a man and woman came alone, without children, he would not provide them with a shared room unless he was certain they were truly husband and wife. He was careful in matters of modesty and fear of Heaven, even when it meant inconvenience.
Before guests departed, Reb Boruch himself would give charitable gifts to the poor men, while his wife Rachel would distribute charity to the women.
The Baal Shem Tov Arrives as a Guest
When the Baal Shem Tov arrived together with his wife, they rested briefly in the guesthouse and prayed in the guests’ small synagogue. They were then given food and drink, which revived them greatly after their long journey. Afterward, the Baal Shem Tov told Reb Boruch about his weakened horse and his inability to continue earning a livelihood without it.
Hearing this, Reb Boruch immediately summoned one of his servants and asked whether there was currently a horse in the stables that could no longer be used for working the land. The servant replied that there was such a horse. Without hesitation, Reb Boruch instructed that it be given as a gift to this poor man.
The Baal Shem Tov was overjoyed and deeply grateful. Because he and his wife were utterly exhausted from their journey—having walked beside the wagon more than they rode upon it—they wished to rest for a few days at the estate, at least until after Shabbos.
Request for a Private Room
The Baal Shem Tov asked Reb Boruch whether they could be given a private room so that he could sleep together with his wife. Reb Boruch explained gently but firmly that he could not allow this, as it was his rule never to do so unless he was certain that the couple was married.
The Baal Shem Tov accepted this without protest. He remained alone in a small room assigned to him, while his wife stayed elsewhere.
At that time, the Baal Shem Tov was utterly hidden and modest. No one noticed anything extraordinary about him. To all who saw him, he appeared no different than any other poor traveler who passed through Reb Boruch’s estate.
The Light on Motzaei Shabbos
On the night of Motzaei Shabbos, after Reb Boruch had gone to bed, he suddenly noticed a very bright light shining through his window. The sight astonished him. He rose from his bed and approached the window, and to his amazement, he saw that the light was coming from one of the rooms in the guesthouse—a room occupied by one of the poor guests.
Fear seized his heart. He wondered whether a fire had broken out. Quickly, he dressed and hurried toward the guesthouse. As he approached the room, all around was dark and silent, yet from that single chamber streamed an intense, otherworldly light.
He peered through the keyhole and saw a sight that filled him with awe and terror.
The poor man to whom he had given the horse was sitting on the ground, reciting Tikkun Chatzos, weeping and pouring out his heart before God. Standing beside him was a very tall man, with a long white beard, dressed entirely in white. His face glowed with a powerful and holy radiance.
A tremendous fear and trembling fell upon Reb Boruch. His strength left him entirely. Unable to stand, he collapsed—and fainted.
Reviving Reb Boruch
When the Baal Shem Tov heard the sound of a heavy fall outside his room, he immediately rose to his feet. Sensing that something was wrong, he hurried to the door and opened it. There, lying unconscious on the ground, he saw Reb Boruch, the owner of the estate.
Without hesitation, the Baal Shem Tov knelt beside him and gently rubbed his hands and face until Reb Boruch began to stir. When he regained consciousness, the Baal Shem Tov helped him up and brought him quietly into his room, where he seated him on the bed so he could rest and regain his strength.
At that moment, Reb Boruch understood with certainty that this poor man was no ordinary Jew.
Overcome with emotion, Reb Boruch fell before the Baal Shem Tov and begged forgiveness for not having granted his request for a private room, for having adhered so strictly to his rule. Tears streamed down his face as he cried from remorse and awe.
The Baal Shem Tov gently raised him to his feet and firmly instructed him to remain silent about everything he had seen and experienced. He commanded him that this entire matter must never be revealed to any person—for as long as he lived.
The Blessing of a Son
He then blessed Reb Boruch and said that he would merit to have a son who would grow to become a great tzaddik. He further warned him regarding his wife, Rachel, saying that she must not continue her earlier custom of refusing to nurse her own children and instead hiring a wet nurse. Rather, she herself must personally nurse this child.
Reb Boruch answered with deep humility and faith:
“Amen—so may it be the will of God.”
Then Reb Boruch, trembling and respectful, asked softly:
“My master, please forgive me for asking—but who was the man dressed in white whom I saw standing beside you?”
The Baal Shem Tov replied:
“Since you have merited to see him, I will reveal the secret to you. That man was the soul of the Maharal of Prague. You are his descendant, and now the time has arrived for his soul to return to this world in order to complete great tikkunim. You have merited that the son who will be born to you will contain within him this holy soul. Therefore, you must name him Leib.”
The Baal Shem Tov added:
“I will be present when your son is born, and I will bless him.”
At this point, Reb Boruch could no longer restrain himself. He broke down in tears—tears of overwhelming joy. Until then, he had been blessed only with daughters, and now he understood that Heaven had opened for him an unimaginably great gift.
Afterward, he said to the Baal Shem Tov with trembling humility:
“My master, I have one more question, and I beg you not to be upset with me. Please tell me—where do you live? Where are you from? I can no longer allow you to live in poverty and pain. I will take responsibility for all your needs.”
The Baal Shem Tov answered gently but firmly:
“Do not ask me this question. My time to be revealed to the world has not yet come.”
He then added:
“You should also know that your son will not be revealed immediately either. He too will live years of hardship and poverty before his greatness is made known. But when the time comes, his light will shine forth like the brilliance of the sun.”
The Baal Shem Tov concluded:
“Do not ask me anything further. Do not reveal to any person even a single word of what we have spoken about. And treat me from now on exactly like any other poor guest.”
The Birth of the Son
The next morning, Reb Boruch returned quietly to his home, carrying the weight of what he had witnessed deep within his heart. The Baal Shem Tov and his wife, meanwhile, set out once again on the road, traveling with their wagon and the new horse that had been given to them. No one knew of the holy events that had taken place the night before, and to all appearances, life continued as usual.
Reb Boruch carefully recorded everything that had occurred in his private memoirs, sealing the secret as he had been commanded.
In time, the blessing of the Baal Shem Tov was fulfilled. Reb Boruch’s wife gave birth to a son, and the joy in the household was beyond measure. After many years in which he had been blessed only with daughters, the salvation of having a male child filled Reb Boruch with gratitude and awe.
Inviting the Poor to the Bris
In celebration, Reb Boruch ordered that messengers be sent throughout the nearby towns and villages, announcing that all the poor of the region were invited to attend the bris milah. Word spread quickly, and as one poor person told another, many began to arrive—men, women, and children—until the estate was filled with guests. Reb Boruch prepared plentiful food and arranged sleeping places for all, ensuring that no one lacked anything.
On the day of the bris, several hundred people gathered to rejoice. Everyone loved Reb Boruch, and the atmosphere was joyous and festive. Yet within his heart, Reb Boruch felt a quiet sadness: he longed to see once more the hidden tzaddik whose blessing had brought this miracle about.
As the poor guests gathered, Reb Boruch began walking among them, scanning their faces. Suddenly, he saw him—the Baal Shem Tov—standing humbly among the others, leaning on a walking stick, a small bag slung at his side.
Overcome with joy, Reb Boruch hurried toward him and greeted him warmly. But immediately, the Baal Shem Tov motioned for him to be silent and whispered firmly that he must remember their agreement: nothing was to be revealed, and no extra honor was to be shown. He was to be treated like any other poor guest.
Reb Boruch restrained himself and remained silent.
The Blessing of “Zayde”
After the prayers, the bris was performed, and the child was given his name. It was the custom in that place that as the baby was carried back from the bris, everyone the carrier passed would place a hand on the child’s head and offer a blessing.
Remembering the promise of the Baal Shem Tov, Reb Boruch instructed the one carrying the child to bring him among the poor as well, so that they too could bless him. His inner intention was simple: that the Baal Shem Tov’s blessing should rest upon the child.
And so it was. One by one, the poor men placed their hands on the child and blessed him. When the child reached the Baal Shem Tov, he gently placed his hand upon the baby’s head and said with great joy:
“I am a simple, unlearned man, and I do not know how to give blessings in holy Hebrew. But I remember what my father taught me in Yiddish, on the verse ‘And Avraham was old.’Avraham became the grandfather of the Jewish people. Therefore, I bless this child that he too should become a grandfather to the Jewish people, just as Avraham Avinu was.”
A burst of laughter and joy spread among the people who heard this unusual blessing. The word zayde—grandfather—was repeated with smiles and warmth, and soon everyone began calling the child “Zayde.”
From that day on, whenever people asked Reb Boruch how the child was doing, they would say, “How is your grandfather doing?” The name remained with him throughout his life.
Years later, when the child was revealed as a great tzaddik, performing miracles and nullifying harsh decrees against the Jewish people, the name never left him. He became known as the Saba Kadisha of Shpoly, also remembered as the holy tzaddik, the grandfather of the Jewish people.
[1] Sippurei Chassidim Zevin p. 33