The following story is drawn from the many old Hassidic tales about Rabbi Israel, the Baal Shem Tov. Baal Shem Tov means "Master of the Wondrous Name." This particular story is adapted from the book Classic Hassidic Tales by Meyer Levin (New York: Dorset Press, 1959). It is an excellent story for shedding light on the intricasies of karmic links. Studying it and meditating upon it can assist you in realizing that our ties to other people within our lives may have origins far beyond what we have ever imagined.

(The mystery of two souls that were separated and how Rabbi Israel brought them together when they suffered rebirth on earth.)

The Baal Shem Tov said, "From every human being there rises a light that reaches straight to heaven. And when two souls that are destined to be together find each other, their streams of light flow together, and a single brighter light goes forth from their united being."

Every year an old woman made a pilgrimage to Rabbi Israel to ask him for prayers that she might bear a child. Rabbi Israel knew though that no child was yet to be born through her, and he always told her to go home and wait.

Year by year she grew older and more bent but she always made the pilgrimage to Rabbi Israel. One year, though, he said to her, "Go home. This year a child will be given to you."

He never saw the old woman in the next five years, and Rabbi Israel knew she had had her child. In the fifth year, he saw her again, with a small child by her side.

She told the Rabbi she loved the child but she could not keep him. She said his soul was not kin to her. He was a gentle boy and obedient, but his eyes shown with a wisdom she could not bear.

The Rabbi took the child and raised him, and he was soon the best scholar in the area. Many wealthy people came to the Rabbi to arrange a marriage, butal ways the Rabbi refused. Instead he sent to a distant village for the third daughter of a poor farmer.

This daughter was the quietest of the farmer's children. She was good and gentle. The farmer agreed to the marriage and brought his daughter to Rabbi Israel. There they were received with great honor. A feast was prepared, and the Baal Shem Tov read the service of the marriage and blessed the new husband and wife.

When the ceremony was over and they all sat to eat, the Rabbi rose and said, "I will now tell a story." And everyone knew this would be no ordinary story.

"Long ago," he said, "there was a king who fretted that he had no heir. Not even the sorcerers and wise men were able to help. Then one of his wizards presented an idea to the King."

"In your land there are many Jews, and they have a powerful God. Forbid them to worship, under pain to death, until a son is born."

"This the king did, and darkness came over the land. Many fled thekingdom. Others worshipped in secret. Others hid their own sons, for it was the king's decree that no child would be circumcised until his heir was born. If a child was found circumcised, the king's soldiers would cut the child in two with their swords."

"Many children were slaughtered and the people of the land were filled with grief. The angels on high saw the suffering and raised their voices in song beseeching God to send a son. Then one soul, purer than the rest, one who had been freed from the earthly bonds, stepped forward and offered to suffer again the gilgul, the reincarnation. This he offered that the suffering might cease."

"God consented, and when the child was born, the King forgot about the Jews. But the laws were not withdrawn. The prince grew to be beautiful and skilled in learning. The son was provided with every luxury, but he seemed to take no pleasure in it, and even as a child he drained the knowledge from all the wise men of the kingdom. But the son was discontent."

"The king searched for a wise man to teach his son happiness. After many days he found an aged man who was willing to teach the prince. The old man agreed on the condition that he be allowed to have a chamber in which he would not be disturbed by anyone for one hour each day. This the king gladly decreed."

"The prince was happy with his new teacher; they explored new depths of wisdom. One day, though, the prince followed the old man into the chamber and saw him standing before an altar. There he discovered that the old man was a rabbi who worshipped, in spite of the laws of the kingdom. The young boy did not care, for the wisdom to be touched was yet too great. He begged the rabbi toteach him more. After much begging, the rabbi agreed on the condition it be far away from the kingdom."

"They left, and for years the young prince grew in scholarship. He became celebrated among the rabbis for his wisdom. Still he was discontent, for though he had knocked on the innermost door of heaven, it had remained closed to him. A hand had shown him a blot upon his soul."

"Then one day he met the daughter of a rabbi, and her soul quivered. As the young prince looked upon her, he knew she would be the end of his loneliness. So the two were married, and so true was the love of their souls that, at the moment of their marriage, a single light streamed upward to heaven and lighted the whole world."

"The soul of the prince had learned to leave the body to rise to the heavens and return with greater wisdom. After one such moment, he looked upon his wife and spoke softly. 'This night I pierced to the highest heavens. I learned that my soul was born in sin. I was raised in luxury and ignorance while the people of my kingdom suffered. For that I cannot attain perfection. There is only one thing I can do. I may consent to immediate death, and afterwards my soul must be reborn through a pure but humble woman, and the first years of my life must be passed in poverty. Only in thenext incantation may I attain perfection."

"The wife agreed only on the condition that she be able to die with him and then be reborn, to become his wife and to be one with him again. To this he agreed."

"They lay down together, and their souls went forth in the same breath. For timeless ages the souls strayed in the darkness. And at last the soul of the boy returned to be born as the son of an old woman. And the soul of the girl returned to earth to be born as the third daughter of a poor farmer."

"And so all the days of their childhood and youth were a seeking for they knew not what. Their hearts yearned and their eyes looked with hope toward each new soul, until they forgot what they awaited."

Rabbi Israel paused in his story and looked at the celebrants around the table. "Know my friends that these two souls have at last found each other again and have come together today as husband and wife."

Then the master was silent, and all felt a joy fill them. The young man and the young woman held hands, and their eyes were lighted by a single flame that rose to the heavens."

From "How to Uncover Your Past Lives" by Ted Andrews - Llewellyn Publications

Printed with permission from the author. This may not be re-printed without written permission from Ted Andrews.

For more...Check your local bookstore for this book or call 1-800-THE-MOON to order it from Llewellyn Publications.

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