הַצֶּמַח צֶדֶק סִפֵּר: דעֶר בַּעַל שֵׁם טוֹב האָט זֵייעֶר האָלט געֶהאַט לִיכְטִיקַייט וְאָמַר: אוֹר בְּגִימַטְרִיָּא רָז, דעֶר וואָס וֵוייס דעֶם סוֹד וואָס אִין יעֶדעֶר זאַךְ, קאָן לִיכְטִיג מאַכעֶן.

The Tzemach Tzedek related that the Baal Shem Tov cherished light exceedingly. Commenting on the word for “light” in the Holy Tongue, the Baal Shem Tov declared: “The word אוֹר (which means ‘light’) is numerically equivalent to רָז (raz, which means ‘secret’). A person who knows the secret within any entity can diffuse light.”1

A Story with an Echo

In the sichah from which this teaching is taken, the Rebbe Rayatz relates a story transmitted by the Tzemach Tzedek.

The disciples of the Baal Shem Tov were once in a quandary. They had run out of candles to light up their room and they knew that their Rebbe loved light. Indeed, when he entered, he said: “Among Jews, there must be light. My Divine service is to bring light to the Jews.”

When his disciples told him that there were no more candles, he told them to take icicles hanging from the roof and light them. The students did so and the icicles burned.

The Tzemach Tzedek concluded: “For the chassidim of the Baal Shem Tov, icicles blazed and gave off light. Today, chassidim are dark and cold.”