Machnivke-Belz Rebbe To Send Baal Shem Tov’s Sefer Torah To New York

By Idy Perl

Breaking historical news has recently been revealed, that the sefer Torah that originally belonged to the Baal Shem Tov and is currently kept by the Machnivke-Belz Rebbe shlita, will for the first time be brought to New York with a messenger from the Rav. 

The Rebbe shlita inherited the Torah from his uncle, Rebbe Avraham Yehoshua Heshel of Machnovka, zt"l, who received it from his father, Rebbe Yosef Meir of Machnovka, zt"l. The chain continues from father to son, from Rebbe Avraham Yehoshua Heshel of Skver, zt"l, who received it from his father, Rebbe Itzikl of Skver, zt"l, who received it from his father-in-law, Rebbe Hershele of Skver, zt"l, who received it from his father, Rebbe Aharon of Tetyiv, zt"l, who received it from his father, Rebbe Tzvi, zt"l, who got it from his father, the heilige Baal Shem Tov, zt"l.

The Machnivke-Belz Rebbe shlita keeps the Torah in a special aron kodesh that only the Rebbe has the key to, and it is only brough out for special occasions. Now, for the first time, the Rebbe will send it to New York at the request of the Skevere Rebbe shlita, who is a close relative to the Rebbe and personally requested that the Rebbe send the Torah for the grand hachnasas sefer Torah that will be taking place in Skver in two weeks.

The Rebbe himself will not travel to New York but will instead send the Torah with personal shluchim. At the Rebbe’s request, the shluchim will take turns holding the sefer Torah throughout the trip to ensure that the Torah scroll is never laid down and taken out of human hands.