Baal Shem Tov Chooses to Stay with a Flawed Community Leader Over City Rabbi Due to Humility

The Baal Shem Tov, founder of Hasidism, once visited a city where both the chief rabbi (Av Beit Din) and the community leader (Parnas Hachodesh) had spacious accommodations. Despite the rabbi’s prominence, the Baal Shem Tov chose to stay with the community leader, who was known to lean toward wrongdoing. This decision puzzled many until the Baal Shem Tov explained that although the community leader was flawed, his heart was humble and broken near God. In contrast, the rabbi possessed greatness but was proud, and as the Talmud states, God cannot dwell where pride exists. The Baal Shem Tov said, “If God does not stand with him, how can I stay with him?”

Before his passing, the Baal Shem Tov expressed a deep concern about pride, saying, “Do not let me come with a foot of arrogance.” He prayed to be saved from arrogance and external thoughts, showing even a righteous person fears spiritual pitfalls at death. The Baal Shem Tov taught that humility is the foundation of holiness and that pride is a serious spiritual flaw that distances a person from God and holiness. He explained that even those who sin but recognize their faults are closer to God than those who are great but proud.

He also warned that many who become mentally unwell do so because of unfulfilled pride. The Baal Shem Tov emphasized that true holiness is rooted in humility and that pride leads to spiritual downfall and separation from God. His teachings encourage avoiding arrogance and returning to God in repentance to merit a good year filled with blessings and salvation.

This story and the Baal Shem Tov’s teachings were shared as a Hasidic lesson for the conclusion of Shabbat, highlighting the spiritual dangers of pride and the value of humility in serving God.