The Shepherd

The Baal Shem Tov was once shown from heaven that a certain simple man called Moshe the Shepherd served G-d, blessed be He, better than he did. He longed to meet this shepherd, so he ordered his horses harnessed to his coach and traveled, with a few of his disciples, to the place where he was told the shepherd lived.

They stopped in a field at the foot of a hill and saw, on the hillside above them, a shepherd who was blowing his horn to call his flock. After the sheep gathered to him, he led them to a nearby trough to water them. While they were drinking, he looked up to heaven and began to call out loudly, "Master of the world, You are so great! You created heaven and earth, and everything else! I'm a simple man; I’m ignorant and unlearned, and I don't know how to serve You or praise You. I was orphaned as a child and raised among gentiles, so I never learned any Torah. But I can blow on my shepherd's horn like a shofar, with all my strength, and call out, 'The L-rd is G-d!'" After blowing with all his might on the horn, he collapsed to the ground, without an ounce of energy, and lay there motionless until his strength returned.

Then he got up and said, "Master of the world, I'm just a simple shepherd, I don't know any Torah and I don't know how to pray. What can I do for You? The only thing I know is to sing shepherds' songs!" He then began to sing loudly and fervently with all his strength until, again, he fell to the earth exhausted without an ounce of energy.

After recovering, he got up again and began to call out, "Master of the world! What is it worth that I blew on my horn and sang songs for You, when You're so great? What more can I do to serve You?" He paused for a moment and said, "There's something else I know how to do and I'll do it for Your honor and glory!" He then stood on his head and began to wave his feet wildly in the air. Then he did somersaults one after the other, until he collapsed on the ground, exhausted. The Baal Shem Tov and his disciples watched all this from a distance in amazement.

The shepherd lay there silently until his strength returned. Again, he began to speak and said, "Master of the world, I've done what I can, but I know it's not enough! What more can I do to serve You?" After pausing to reflect, he said, "Yesterday, the nobleman who owns the flock made a feast for his servants and, when it ended, he gave each of us a silver coin. I'm giving that coin to You as a gift, O G-d, because You created everything and You feed all Your creatures, including me, Moshe the little shepherd!" Saying this, he threw the coin upward.

At that moment, the Baal Shem Tov saw a hand reach out from heaven to receive the coin. He said to his disciples, "This shepherd has taught me how to fulfill the verse: 'You shall love the L-rd your G-d with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.'"