THE GREAT WORKS OF JEWISH FANTASY AND OCCULT
Compiled, translated and introduced by Joachim Neugroschel
 

A GOOD LAUGH*
ANSKY

Frankly, I just don't feel like telling you any more stories. And do you know why? Because when you hear my stories, you get too excited.
At the close of the Sabbath, I told you how the holy rabbi, the Baal Shem-Tov, speaking the words "Liberator of prisoners," in the Eighteen Benedictions, broke down the iron gates of a prison and liberated Jews who had been arrested for a Blood Libel. Your eyes shone, you smacked your lips, you cried: "What a miracle!"
But for me, it was as if you had said that when Jews are imprisoned and tortured because of a libel, that's natural, but when they're set free, that's a miracle! You concluded from my story that the Good Lord introduced injustice as a natural thing, but luckily there are wonder-rabbis who prevent His injustice with miracles.
Just look at the slough one can get stuck down in from too much fervor and excitement!
Well, you will ask me, where does the power of wonder-rabbis lie if not in miracles? And I'll say to that: Their power isn't as great as you may think. No greater than the strength of an angel. Now angels are no more than messengers, and wonder-rabbis merely carry the messages of the Good Lord, Blessed Be His Name. A greater one does something important, a lesser one something less important. And that's all. None of them work miracles! There are no wonders! Everything is quite natural.
However, if I tell you that you have to listen to a Hassidic tale without ardor or excitement, that doesn't mean that you can take it lightly - like a fairytale about how once upon a time there was a rabbi and a rebbetsin, and all that. No! On the contrary. If you restrain your ardor and excitement, then you have to listen very attentively, you have to get into it fully. A Hassidic tale has to be studied almost religiously, the way you pore over the Talmud, and perhaps even more profoundly....
But now, listen to a story about the Baal Shem-Tov.

1.
One wintery day, the Baal Shem-Tov and his followers were relaxing from their religious studies. They were sitting together, having drinks, smoking pipes, singing, and talking a bit. They talked about this and that, but their words were filled with a strange force. No matter what they talked about, even the deepest mysteries of the Cabbalah - everyone understood. Each word of theirs had windows to all levels of understanding. 
And that was the secret of why their voices could be heard from one end of the world to the other.
When Hassids drink and croon, they are sure to be merry. And. when they are merry - they laugh.
Whereupon Dovid Leykes said:
"Laughter is a fine thing. One can serve the Creator better with laughter and joy than with bitter tears."
The Baal Shem-Tov heard him and said, almost to himself:
"There is an even greater level of humor, when, instead of laughing, you are laughed at..."
Having spoken, he said no more.
His followers crooned to his words and meditated on them as though unrolling a scroll of the Torah.
Wolf Kitses responded:
"When I laugh for joy, I feel a widening of my soul. But when someone else laughs at me, I become like a stool under his feet, a footstool on which the man who's laughing can stand and put himself higher. And that puts me on a higher level."
But Dovid Firkes protested:
"No! There's something else behind it! If someone laughs at me, it means that what I've said or done is a surprise to the man who's laughing. And the instant I've done something surprising in the world, I've raised myself to a higher level."
But then, Ber Mezeritsher explained in his faint voice:
"If you add up the numerical values of the Hebrew letters in the word tskhok [laughter] and in nitsokhn [victory], they work out to equal sums. Now since victory can only come at the end of a war and is based on things that have happened, it belongs to the category of the past. And since the laughter of victory is a cruel thing, it is material in nature. And thus, the opponent, the one that's laughed at, is of the future and spiritual in nature:"
The Baal Shem-Tov smiled and said:
"You know what? Why don't we go for a drive. Perhaps on the way, someone, somewhere, will laugh at us, and you'll understand what it's all about."
The Hassids were delighted. Going for a drive with the Baal Shem-Tov was always a holiday, and there was sure to be a surprise in store for them.
So they told Alexei, the Baal Shem-Tov's manservant, to harness the horse.
2.
Some people think there was something sublime about Alexei. But they're mistaken. He was a simple peasant, like any peasant, and drunkard to boot. Still, he had the good quality of obeying without talking or questioning. If the Baal Shem-Tov told him to sit with his back to the horse, he did so. If he had told Alexei to harness the horse with its tail in front and its head to the wagon, he would have gone and done it naively, and never even dreamt of asking why. And not because you don't ask the Baal Shem-Tov any questions, but simply because he was incapable of asking questions. And he was incapable because he hadn't reached the level of will. Some people even speculated that Alexei was in the image of the golem of Rabbi Levi of Prague. Be that as it may, the Baal Shem-Tov was very fond of Alexei for obeying without questions, and at times the master would even tell his disciples to learn that fine quality from the servant. Once, when he was pondering the phenomenon of two existences that meet and do not meet, he said:
"The highest level of spirituality must bring you to the same denial of your own will and of all existence, which Alexei has attained on the lowest level of materiality."
Alexei harnessed the horse to a sleigh and - where were they driving to? That was up to the horse. Alexei was nestled up in fur, with his back to the horse, and sleeping. The frost burned and singed, the snow crackled, screamed, and ground under the sleigh. The wind blasted, and the trees in the forest popped like gunfire. But the Hassids couldn't care less. Even Ber Mezeritsher, an invalid, forgot to wrap his scarf around his neck. They were absorbed in their debate. About what? Reward and punishment.
The Baal Shem-Tov listened, smiled, as was his wont, and said, almost in passing:
"If punishment atones for a sin, then a reward atones for a good deed ...."
The Hassids promptly fell silent.
Dovid Firkes cried out:
"If a reward nullifies a good deed, then the pleasure' of doing a good deed requires no reward!"
Wolf Kitses countered:
"Isn't pleasure a reward?" 
To which Ber Mezeritsher softly replied:
"Then let's forget about pleasure! Let's put an end to good deeds and rewards! Let there be fulfillment of the Will of the Lord God Blessed Be He, as the only place of the life - spirit, that is to say: 'We must live with these laws.' "
Dovid Leykes asked:
"Well, then how are we to understand the question of sin?"
There was a silence, No one knew what to answer. The Baal Shem-Tov put in a helping hand.
"If you can have a person without good deeds," he said, "then you can have a sin without a person."
And he quoted Exodus:
" 'He looked and he looked, and he saw that no one was there.' For the looking and looking are the shape of the sin. And as soon as a sin is committed, we can see that the man is no one. For he loses his life-spirit and becomes as dead." Jacob-Joseph grumbled:
"What about repentance?"
The master replied:
"Repentance is the resurrection of the dead."
3.
Their talk was done, and they drove on. All at once, the horse stopped. And when a horse stops, it stops. It may have been necessary, even though they were in the middle of the woods.
So they climbed out of the sleigh. And since it was time for evening prayers, they prayed. Suddenly, they saw someone in the distance driving their way. They peered closer. There were two people. From far away, they looked like children. When the sleigh came nearer, they turned out to be a boy and a girl, snuggling together, nearly frozen. And their horse was on its last legs, it could berely drag itself along.
The Hassids stopped the horse, took the young people out of the sleigh, shook them awake, revived them a bit. They gave them a few drops of brandy, and the youngsters came to their senses. When the Hassids asked them where they were driving, they burst into tears. Upon calming down, the boy told them the story.
He and the girl had been working for a tavern-keeper as his servant and maid. Since both were orphans and all alone in the world, they decided to marry, and so they got engaged. But then one day, the tavern-keeper's wife lost her temper at the girl and began hitting and beating her. And even though the boy was just a servant, he stood up for his bride. Their boss got so angry that he beat them and threw them out. Now since they had saved up enough rubles, they bought a horse and a little sleigh, and drove into the world. They kept driving, week after week, from place to place, without finding a haven. Meanwhile, they spent their last kopek and for two days now they hadn't had a bite to eat - and it got colder and colder outside, and they were at the end of their rope....
The Hassids gave them food. And when they were full, Jacob-Joseph asked them gruffly:
"How come a boy and a girl are traveling alone - without a chaperon?"
The girl was embarrassed, and the boy started explaining.
But the Baal Shem-Tov smiled and said:
"Then we'll drive to an inn and have a wedding."
So they piled into the sleighs, with Wolf Kitses joining the youngsters to chaperon them, and off they went. After a short drive, they halted at an inn. Upon seeing it, the boy and girl realized that this was the tavern where they had worked. They shivered and were amazed at returning here so fast.
Meanwhile, out came the tavern-keeper and his wife. Laying eyes upon their former servants, they screamed:
"So you've come back, you scoundrels! Get your sleigh out of here!"
The Baal Shem-Tov began calming them:
"There's no reason to get angry. We've taken them along with us."
The woman laughed:
"You've got yourself a real bargain."
But the Baal Shem-Tov went on:
"Since the boy and girl are engaged to marry, we would like to hold their wedding here."
The tavern-keeper guffawed. The very idea of having a wedding for the two scoundrels he had thrown out! He told the Baal Shem-Tov to keep driving.
To which the Baal Shem-Tov quietly said:
"No, we really want to have the wedding in your inn. And you will be so kind as to prepare a fine supper."
The tavern-keeper and his wife roared with laughter. A fine supper indeed!
"Yes," repeated the Baal Shem-Tov. "You will prepare a fine supper, with the loveliest dishes, the choicest wines, and I will pay whatever it costs."
The tavern-keeper, his curiosity aroused, asked:
"And about how much will you pay?"
"Whatever you charge."
And the Baal Shem-Tov showed him a pile of ducats.
When they saw the money, they stopped laughing. The tavern-keeper looked at his wife, and she at him. Both of them were wondering whether the money was stolen. And both of them answered the question themselves: "It's none of our business!" And the tavern-keeper said:
"If you really pay us well, we'll prepare a supper as you want us to.
So they entered the tavern and prepared for the wedding. And, when everything was ready, they began the ceremony, which the Baal Shem-Tov himself performed. When it was over, they all sat down at the table with the bride and groom at the head. And the company ate and drank and made merry.
4.
When the seven nuptial blessings were spoken and the feast was over, the Baal Shem-Tov stood up and said to his Hassids:
"We have to give our newlyweds presents." And he called out: "I'll give them this tavern and all its furnishings, and the surrounding buildings, the horses, cattle, sheep, and other livestock."
The innkeeper and his wife, upon hearing him, broke into loud guffaws, and they sent for the peasants living nearby to come and watch the fine comedy.
And the Baal Shem-Tov and his Hassids did what they had to do.
After the Baal Shem-Tov, Jacob-Joseph stood up:
"And I," he said, "I'll give the newlyweds the forest around the inn."
"And I'll give them the stone mill down by the river," cried Bet Mezeritsher.
"And I'll give them the brewery," cried Wolf Kitses.
And Dovid Leykes gave them the barn with all its grain, which stood in the duke's courtyard. And Dovid Firkes gave them a hundred barrels of wine from the duke's wine cellar.
And thus each Hassid gave them his gift. And each time, the tavern-keeper, his wife, and the peasants laughed louder and louder. At last, the tavern-keeper himself went over to the table, and choking with mirth, he shouted:
"And I'll give the fine couple the ten thousand rubles that the
duke just got from his tavern-keepers today!"
His wife didn't want to be any less generous than her husband, and she shouted mirthfully:
"And I'll give the lovely young bride the precious brooch and the earrings that the duchess has on!"
The Baal Shem-Tov said to them:
"Why don't you give them something of your own. After all, they did work for you for so many years."
The tavern-keeper screamed with laughter.
But his wife cried out sarcastically:
"Give them the old ruin behind the village!"
Everyone laughed. The ruin had no doors or windows, and the roof had caved in.
"Is that all you're giving them?" asked the Baal Shem-Tov.
"That's all."
The Baal Shem-Tov sighed, stood up, and paid hard cash for the supper. He added a ruble for the tablecloth.
Then he told the young man:
"Take all the food and drink left over from the supper and wrap them up in the cloth. Put it all in your sleigh, and then get in with your wife, and go in peace."
The young man asked:
"Where should we go?"
And the Baal Shem-Tov replied:
"To the right. The Good Lord will take care of everything else."
And he wouldn't speak another word. He and his Hassids piled into the sleigh - and off they drove. And before they could even think, they were back in Bedjibuzh.
5.
The young man did what the Baal Shem-Tov had told him to do. He put all the leftovers in the tablecloth, got into the sleigh with his wife, and drove off. And the tavern-keeper and his wife and the peasants accompanied them with mockery and abuse. And they. drove without knowing what was happening. Everything seemed like a dream. But they did remember the people laughing at them, and they felt miserable, and wept.
Meanwhile, dawn was coming. And when it was daylight, the horse stopped all at once and refused to go any farther. The young man climbed out of the sleigh and looked for a twig to whip the horse. Suddenly, in the distance, he saw someone lying in the snow. He hurried over and realized it was a young nobleman, almost frozen, but still alive. The young groom called to his bride, and they started reviving the stranger, rubbing him with snow. The young nobleman opened his eyes. The bride remembered that they had some wine from the supper in the tablecloth. She ran back to the sleigh, got the wine, and poured a few drops into his mouth to refresh him. He came to his senses, and faintly asked for food. The bride remembered that they had a lot of food from the supper in. the tablecloth and she gave him some. And he ate ravenously and drank up a whole bottle of wine. And, when he was full, he told them what had happened to him.
It turned out that he was the only son of the duke. The day before, he had gone out hunting, and the horse had run wild and thrown him, and then galloped off. He remained alone in the woods - and the farther he walked, the more he went astray in the depths of the forest. He had called out, but no one heard him. He wandered about for a day and a night, until his strength was gone, and he was so worn out, cold, and hungry that he collapsed and almost froze to death.
As he spoke, there was a sudden blare of trumpets, shouting, and the galloping of hooves. And then a troop of horsemen rode up with a carriage. When the horsemen sighted the young duke, they broke into a wild joy. They dashed over and kissed his hands, and then they picked him up and took him to the carriage and put him inside. And with a great commotion and a blaring of trumpets, they quickly drove away.
The young bride and groom remained alone in the middle of the forest. They still didn't know what had happened. Again, it all seemed like a dream.
6.
When they brought the young duke back to the court, the old duke and duchess ran up and kissed and hugged him, and they
ordered a huge meal. And the rejoicing had no end.
When everyone had calmed down a bit, the young duke remembered the young couple who had rescued him from death, and ha asked for them. But no one knew where they were. So the duke sent out a great number of horsemen to look for them. When they found the young couple, they brought them back to the court in triumph and led them into the largest hall. And the duke and duchess thanked them over and over again for saving their only son from death. The old duke asked them who they were. The young man told him that he and his wife had worked for the tavern-keeper, but that he had gotten angry at them and thrown them out into the cold. Upon hearing this, the duke became furious and
shouted:
"Since the tavern-keeper threw you out, I'll turn over his tavern to you for all time, with all the furnishings, the surrounding buildings, the horses. cattle, sheep, and other livestock."
And the duchess cried out:
"And I'll give them the forest around the tavern."
And the young duke said:
"And I'll give them the stone mill down by the river, and the brewery, and the barn with all the grain and a hundred barrels of wine from our wine cellar."
And then the old duke went on:
"They have to have some cash for the start of their marriage. I'll give them the ten thousand rubles that I got yesterday from my tavern-keepers."
And the duchess added:;
"Since the young wife has only just married, she has to have jewelry.,
And she unpinned her diamond brooch and diamond earrings and gave them to the young bride.
And the young couple stood there, dazed by their great fortune, it all seemed like a dream. And when they came to their senses, they started thanking their patrons for the wonderful presents, and the old duke asked the young man what he wanted. The young man remembered the tavern-keeper and his wife, and, feeling sorry for them, he said:
"What's going to happen to the tavern-keeper and his wife?"
The duke laughed:
"Why should you worry about them?"
And the duchess, laughing, cried out to the duke:
"Give them the ruin behind the village!"
And everyone burst out laughing.
Upon hearing the laughter, the young couple thought it was still the tavern-keeper and his wife and the peasants, and they felt miserable and they wept....
A short time later, when the Hassids were talking about the whole thing at the Baal Shem-Tov's table, the master said:
" 'Even when they were laughing at me, my heart took pity on those who were laughing. The poor things were doubly pitiful."'
And he heaved a heavy sigh....
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