Siman 92

(12.) He told that in his youth he was accustomed to eat a great deal, and he suffered from this. And he cast this [habit] aside. And he then saw that he had a craving also for that little which he ate — and he reconsidered and began to eat again, for what difference does it make to him whether he eats a little with craving or a great deal? And why should he ruin his body for nothing? And he would place all the [other] cravings within this one craving of eating. One time he was sitting at the table by his father-in-law's home at the third Sabbath meal, sitting in a corner, and the house was dark. And as was always his custom, he was doing what he was doing — and he began to beseech Hashem Yisburach that He show him the forefathers — Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And he made a promise to Hashem Yisburach: When You show me this, I will also cast aside even this craving [that is, of eating]. And he did whatever he did in this, and entered deeply into this — and he fell asleep. And his grandfather the Baal Shem Tov of blessed memory came to him in a dream and told him the verse [Deuteronomy 11:15]: <span class="verse">"And I will give grass in your field for your cattle."</span> And he awoke and it was a wonder to him — what connection does this verse have with what he had asked? And it occurred to his mind that in the Tikkunim [page 62b] it says: Eisev [grass] is the letters ayin-beis-shin — ayin-beis is the pupil of the eye, shin = three patriarchs. And this means: if you wish to see the patriarchs — it is impossible for you [unless] "b'sadcha livhemtecha" — "in your field for your cattle" — you must subdue the animal craving of eating. And he also cast aside even this craving. And he said that this story is connected to [the story of] the receiving of Torah mentioned above. In the manuscript of Chayay Moharan it is written above [before] this letter: "A story about the receiving of Torah [which is the story of the bread]." And through this you will understand the word "mentioned above" [ha-na"l]. And he commanded that this story also be retold. [The transcriber says: I heard that Rav Nissen Kavlier told — one of the greatest of those close to the holy tzaddik Rav Baruch of blessed memory — before the maggid [preacher] of Tiraovitze of blessed memory, a story similar to this. And the maggid said: If I had heard in my youth that it was possible to serve G-d and to attain holy matters as Rabbainu did in his youth — I would have done as he did. And this is similar to what is known from the statement of the Baal Shem Tov of blessed memory — that it is said a great tzaddik does not descend from his level, and he told the story of the Baal Shem Tov regarding this, which is known. And this story of Rabbainu's youth — how he served G-d in his youth — is very awesome and wondrous, and shows us something of his exalted greatness.]