The holy Zohar on Parshat Mishpatim starts out by saying that this parsha, which deals for the most part with financial and tort law, is all about gilgulim (reincarnation). Herewith, one of my favorite Chassidic stories.
The Magid of Mezeritch, Reb DovBer, found the above Zohar a little puzzling. He went to his rebbe, the Baal Shem Tov and asked him about it. The Baal Shem Tov responded, "Tomorrow afternoon, go to such-and-such a village. Outside the village is a field. Sit on the far side of the clearing. At the end of the afternoon you will have your answer.î
The next the Magid set out for the village. He got to the field and set himself up under one of the trees, where he would have a good view of anything interesting that might happen.
After a while, he heard a wagon in the distance. As it approached the field it slowed and came to a stop. It was carriage, and by all appearances, one of a wealthy man. Sure enough, a well-fed, well-dressed man alighted from the carriage. He sat down under a tree near the side of the road. He ate a little snack and lay down to take a nap.
He slept a good while. When he awoke, he yawned and stretched and headed back to his carriage. However, he failed to notice that his purse had fallen from his pocket and was still under the tree. When he was in the carriage he gave his driver the order to move and off they went.
Shortly after they were gone, the Magid spied a poor peasant on the horizon. (All peasants are poor, so a "poor peasantî must be very poor!) The peasant was in no particular hurry, so he decided to take a rest under one of the trees in field. Of course, he chose the very tree the rich man had napped under. Lo and behold! A genuine leather purse, bulging, bulging, with gold coins! The no-longer poor peasant was beside himself with joy! He was in no mood to rest now. He had to find some friends to share his good fortune with. So off he went.
It was getting on towards late afternoon, time when many workers were on their way home. One of them was passing by the Magid's field. The temptation to take a little snooze before continuing on was too tempting, so he sets his steps for one of the trees near the side of the road. He put his tools down, folded up his shirt to use as a pillow and was shortly thereafter snoring happily.
The Magid's ears began to detect the sound of a familiar carriage heading toward the field. Wouldn't you know it! It's the rich man, back to look for his lost purse, the genuine leather purse, bulging, bulging, with gold coins. Where else could it be, but here under the tree? And who else could have taken it, if not for this good-for-nothing field hand?
The rich man gave the sleeper a couple of kicks to wake him up and demanded his purse. 'What purse? I never saw any purse here!î The rich man was not easily put off, but even giving the farmhand a sound thrashing did him no good, because the farmhand really had not seen the purse. Poorer, but no wiser the rich man got back into his carriage and sped away. In no mood and in no condition to sleep the farmhand continued on his journey.
The Magid saw all this, but had no idea what it had to do with Parshat Mishpatim, the Zohar or his question. He returned home, certain that the Baal Shem Tov would enlighten him. When the Magid arrived and went to see his teacher, this is what the Baal Shem Tov told him:
The rich man and the peasant were once two partners in a business. They had a dispute and went to the judge. Even though the peasant had the truer claim, the judge judged incorrectly and awarded the money to the rich man. In order to set things right, the threesome came back to this world another two times. Each time, the rich man and the peasant had a dispute that they brought to the judge. And each time the judged failed to render the correct decision.
This time things had to be set right. The rich man lost his purse that contained the money he owed to his partner of long ago. The farmhand was the judge who couldn't get it right. He had to get beaten up as punishment for the faulty decisions he had rendered.
May the merit of the tzaddikim protect us and all the Jews, Amen.