Rabbi David of Ostrow

Born:  ?

Died:   1750

Student of the Baal Shem Tov. 

Rabbi Yaakov Yosef of Polnoye said before his departure that he asked God to credit him for all the Torah and mizvot of his entire life with the same value he gave to the great Baal Shem Tov's heavenly thoughts (yichudim) when he smoked his pipe.

One day Rabbi David, head of the Ostrow Beit Din (Jewish court) was shown by the Baal Shem Tov the new heavens that had been created by his thoughts while smoking. Rabbi David fell into a faint from the awe and fear that the sight inspired in him. The Baal Shem Tov was worthy of all this through constant study of Torah for its own sake (lishma), through prayer with the congregation, and through daily purification in a mikve. (Zohar Chai - Truma [Komarno])

May the merit of the tzaddik  Rabbi David of Ostrow  protect us all, Amen.