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The Last Consideration
Always when the light sends forth its messenger, the night too sends forth its own. The messenger of darkness at that time was Jacob Frank, who falsified the holy scripts and hailed himself as the false messiah on his march through Poland along with his twelve compatriots. One morning, the Baal Shem felt a hand on his shoulder and turned round to be accosted by the angel of strife. With some trepidation, the Baal Shem asked what he wanted. The reply was: "You know what I want", and with those words the messenger turned and disappeared. The aged Baal Shem felt his strength draining away and tried to muster all the rays of light and hope that he had dispatched to the needy around the world. He hoped to be able to overcome the false messiah with the strength of unity, but the beams of strength-giving illumination did not want to abandon the souls to whose assistance they had been sent. The Baal Shem listened to their plaintive words and sent them back with his blessing. Finally he found a shepherd with the fiery spirit of untainted youth, but the power of evil was too frightening for the boy and the Master was left alone once again. He was sitting in utter solitude in a sweet-smelling meadow when he felt the angel's arm on his shoulder once again. The Baal Shem understood now that the angel heralded regeneration, he was the prince of death and of rebirth – so he followed him with peaceful reconciliation in his heart.
"Our Father, let us lie down in peace; our King, raise us up to a good life and peace. 1mprove us with Your good counsel, help us speedily for the sake of Your Name, and spread over us the shelter of Your peace." (Prayer before retiring at night)
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