Today, the 19th of Kislev, is the Hillula (anniversary of passing) of the Maggid of Mezeritch - Rabbi Dov Ber, son of Rabbi Avraham, zy"a (may his merit protect us), one of the greatest students of the holy Baal Shem Tov.

Before you is a segment from a lesson in which the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a (may he live long and good days) sweetly recounts the secret of gilgulim (reincarnations), which the Baal Shem Tov revealed in a special way to his student, the subject of the Hillula, the Maggid of Mezeritch.

The Zohar says on the verse "And these are the ordinances (mishpatim)"—this is the secret of reincarnation (raza d'gilgula). "Mishpatim" refers to the cycles or wheels of life; there are those who reincarnate. A person might have been reincarnating for six thousand years. Each reincarnation lasts—if he lives 100 years, that is 60 reincarnations. If it's eighty years, it's 75 reincarnations. If it's seventy years, it's eighty-five reincarnations. If it's sixty years, it's 100 reincarnations. Rebbe Nachman said, "I know someone who has been here for 100 reincarnations; I know someone who already has 100 graves." These are the graves of tzaddikim (righteous ones). If a person merits to reincarnate 100 times, he has 100 graves of tzaddikim. He could collect—set up an electronic gate there and charge 10 shekels for entry to each grave. Whoever merits to be here for 100 reincarnations, fortunate is he and good is his lot; there is no one higher than him.

The Maggid came and asked the Baal Shem Tov: "What is the meaning of the secret of reincarnation?" He said, "Go stand at the crossroads and you will see." He went to stand at the crossroads. He saw a very wealthy man arrive in a golden carriage. There were some trees there, a beautiful grove, a lovely spring. He rested there, and the moment he stood up, his wallet fell out of his pocket—Hashem have mercy, I don't wish such a disaster on anyone. Five minutes later, someone else arrives, finds the wallet, takes it, and leaves. Ten minutes later, another person arrives, sits down, rests, enjoys the beautiful grove, sees the spring, and drinks water. That wealthy man, that nobleman, that millionaire with the golden carriage returns. He says, "You're here? Where is my wallet?" [The man replies,] "Your wallet? I didn't see any wallet. I've been here for 100 reincarnations and I haven't seen a wallet yet; I haven't seen a single gold dinar." The wealthy man says, "I don't care; you stole my wallet. Where did you hide it?" He gave him a murderous beating, broke all his bones, didn't leave him a single whole bone. He saw it wasn't helping—it was a case of "beaten and beaten but not blessed" (suffering without relief)—and he beat him, the second man, for a whole hour until he bled. Well, he left in dejection; he had an illusion that he would get the wallet back, but it was an illusion. He didn't merit to see that illusion realized and remained in dejection, left without a wallet.

Now the Maggid returns to the Baal Shem Tov so he can explain what happened here. The wealthy man lost the wallet, the second one found it, and the third one received the beating. Where is the justice? Where is the fairness? Is there no justice in the world? Is there no fairness in the world? He [the Baal Shem Tov] said to him, "Listen, this was all gilgulim (reincarnations). In the previous reincarnation, the one who received the beating was the Rav (Rabbi), the Rabbi of the town. And the wealthy man who lost the wallet—the Rav had stolen from him and cheated him there in some business deal. And the one who found the wallet—the money actually belonged to him! He was the one who came out guilty and liable in the previous court case before this Rav. But that was an unjust trial; it was fraud, it was bribery. He [the first man] was also some great wealthy man then, so the Rav ruled in his favor. And the one who found the wallet was the poor soul, the one who lost the money in the trial. So this Rav, who ruled in favor of the wealthy man—in favor of the guilty party—received the beating. And the one who took the money unjustly lost it. And the one who found it—that is the same person who now, in the hundredth reincarnation, had his money returned to him."

May his merit protect us and all of Israel, Amen!