Two Beggars Impersonate Baal Shem Tov and Witness Miracles, Then Meet the Real Saint

Two beggars traveling from town to town struggled to collect money. One suggested impersonating the Baal Shem Tov, a famed Jewish mystic known for blessings, with one acting as the saint and the other as his assistant. They sent letters announcing the Baal Shem Tov's arrival to attract crowds seeking blessings. Surprisingly, every blessing the fake Baal Shem Tov gave came true: a terminally ill woman recovered, a woman struggling to give birth delivered easily, and a prisoner was released.

Puzzled by these miracles, the two men wondered if the power behind the blessings was from a dark spiritual force, the "sitra achra." They even questioned whether the real Baal Shem Tov's miracles might stem from the same source. Deciding to end their deception, they traveled to the Baal Shem Tov's town of Mezhibuzh to confront him.

Before they could speak, the Baal Shem Tov told them he knew their deeds and warned them he could have punished them severely but showed mercy for their families. He explained that the power behind the miracles was his own, granted by God to inspire faith and love of God among the Jewish people. He revealed that he allowed them to perform miracles so that people would believe in the Baal Shem Tov's true power and avoid desecrating God's name. The Baal Shem Tov's purpose was to awaken faith through wonders and salvation, not to serve personal gain or deception.