Editor's Note:

"Reb Yaakov Yosef of Polnoye (1710-1784), we are told, once met a stranger in the beis medresh (study hall) of the Baal Shem Tov and taught him a particular lesson. Yavni Bar-Yam has translated the account of their encounter as recorded in the book Siah Sarfei Kodesh, and he has surrounded it with three commentaries in the style of a page of Talmud. One commentary explains details of the text, another offers connections to other sources, and a third asks questions.