Baal Shem Tov Transforms Maggid of Mezritch’s Life with Mystical Revelation at Midnight

The Maggid of Mezritch, renowned as a world genius well-versed in Talmud, halachic decisors, and Kabbalah, once sought to meet the Baal Shem Tov, a famed righteous figure known for miracles and deep Torah wisdom. Upon arrival, the Maggid was initially disappointed as the Baal Shem Tov shared simple stories about a gentile bringing bread to his steward and a horse needing fodder. Despite the apparent simplicity, these stories held profound depth that the Maggid did not yet grasp.

On the first two days, the Maggid considered leaving, feeling the time was wasted. However, at midnight on the second night, the Baal Shem Tov summoned him back and challenged him with a passage from the Kabbalistic work Etz Chaim. When the Maggid explained the literal meaning, the Baal Shem Tov said he had missed the essential element: the soul within the study.

Suddenly, as the Baal Shem Tov recited the passage with holiness and devotion, the room filled with a fiery light, and the angels mentioned in the text appeared visibly. This mystical experience convinced the Maggid that he was in the presence of a holy man of God. He decided to remain and study Kabbalah and higher secrets under the Baal Shem Tov, becoming one of his foremost disciples.

This transformative encounter is detailed in the book Keter Shem Tov and is cited as a powerful example of the spiritual depth behind the Baal Shem Tov’s teachings. Rabbi Yitzchak Yeshay Benon also highlights the tradition of telling Baal Shem Tov stories on Saturday nights as a source of great blessings.