A Pinch Of Snuff is a story attributed to Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov.

Snuff and snuff taking is mentioned in several other Jewish stories and teachings, more will follow shortly.

A PINCH OF SNUFF

And then there was the time that a poor man named Reb Shmuel came with a group of beggars to collect charity at the shule of the Baal Shem Tov. The shammos (caretaker) of the shule gave each beggar a few coins but the poor man declined.

“No, thank you,” said Reb Shmuel, “I want to speak to the Baal Shem Tov.”

“Let me ask the Rebbe,” said the shammos. The shammos returned and offered the poor man a larger sum of money.

Reb Shmuel responded, “No, thank you, I only want to meet with the Baal Shem Tov.”

After the shammos related what happened, Reb Shmuel was invited in to meet with the Baal Shem Tov.

“So,” said the Baal Shem Tov, closely studying the poor man, “you are not satisfied with my donation?”

“Rebbe,” responded Reb Shmuel, “I don’t want a donation. I’m not a beggar, just a poor man that is down on his luck. I used to be a very rich man and was known as a baal tzedeka (philanthropist) that often helped people get started again if they had a business setback. Every Shabbos and Yom Tov my table was surrounded by poor people and wanderers. I had a large, successful business. Then one day, everything changed. I lost all my wealth and finally had to resort to living as a wandering beggar. Rebbe, why did I lose my wealth and position so suddenly?”

The Baal Shem Tov thought for a while and said, “My dear friend, it’s just a pinch of snuff.” (In those days, sharing a pinch of snuff was common and considered to be of little financial consequence, like a mint today.)

“What do you mean, Rebbe?” said the poor man. “It’s not just a pinch of snuff. It’s my whole livelihood that’s gone. Can’t you see, I’m walking around in rags and I have holes in my boots.”

“You don’t understand,” answered the Baal Shem Tov, “I mean your loss of wealth was caused by a pinch of snuff. Do you remember one Shabbos when you were sitting at your table surrounded by many guests and you took a pinch of snuff from your special jeweled, silver snuff box and then suddenly closed the snuff box?”

The poor man started to remember that fateful day as a clear vision of the incident flooded his memory. “Oh my G.d,” said the poor man to the Baal Shem Tov, “there was a poor wanderer sitting next to me. When he reached over to take a pinch of snuff from my special jeweled, silver snuff box, I closed it and said, ‘What’s wrong, isn’t that other snuff box I put on the table for my guests good enough for you to use?’ That poor wanderer turned red with embarrassment and didn’t say another word.”

“That’s exactly what I’m speaking of,” said the Baal Shem Tov. “That man had also been a rich man that was down on his fortune. He had been planning to ask you for a loan to get back on his feet. But, he was so embarrassed by what you did that he just left without speaking to you. And just at that moment,” continued the Baal Shem Tov, “it was decreed in Heaven that you would change places with him. Your fortune would go to him and you would have to beg from door to door as he had.”

“Oh Rebbe, now I remember so clearly, moaned the poor man. From that day, all my business ventures failed and I lost everything until I reached the state that I’m in, having to wander and beg. Oh, what I wouldn’t do to take back that thoughtless act. Rebbe, is there anything I can do to change my situation?”

The Baal Shem Tov closed his eyes and thought. After a long pause he said, “Well, if you were to approach that beggar turned rich man and ask him for a pinch of snuff and he would refuse you, then your fortunes would again be reversed.”

The poor man immediately left and started to wander looking for that man with whom he had changed places. After many months, he came to a town that was buzzing with preparations being made for a big wedding. He learned that the bride was the daughter of a very rich man. A huge banquet was planned for the wedding and everyone in the town was invited. The poor man went to shule to catch a glimpse of the rich man. At first he didn’t recognize him because of his fancy clothes and new stature. But, finally the poor man realized, “Oh my G.d, that’s him!”

The poor man began to plot a plan as to when to confront the rich man and ask him for a pinch of snuff. He decided to wait until just the right time, the night of the wedding.

At last, the night of the wedding arrived. It was a huge celebration as only such a rich man could afford. After the wedding ceremony, everyone was in the banquet hall eating and drinking and dancing. And right in the middle of the party, the rich man was dancing surrounded by his friends and well wishers. Just at that moment, the poor man broke through the crowd and approached the rich man.

“Excuse me,” he said to the exuberant rich man, “could I please bother you for a pinch of snuff?”

The rich man, immediately broke away from the other dancer’s and took out his jeweled, silver snuff box and offered the poor man a pinch of snuff. The poor man fell down in a swoon. Everyone started to run over to see what happened. The rich man told them, “Move back, give him air!” Then he said to the poor man with great concern in his voice, “What’s wrong? Do want a drink? What can I do for you?”

The poor man started to cry. “Why did you give me the snuff? If you had just refused, I’d be rich again,” continued the poor man. Then he told the rich man the whole story of how they changed places.

“Oh yes, I remember that day. And it is true, from that day on, everything I touched turned to gold. I became richer and richer. It almost seemed to be heaven sent. In some way you are my benefactor and I’m not going to let you suffer any more. Your wandering days are over. I have a great idea. Why don’t you join me in the business? There’s much more than I can handle by myself. You can move your family to this town and we can work together.”

And so it was.

Freely adapted from a story in NOTZER CHESED as translated in STORIES OF THE BAAL SHEM TOV by Y.Y. Klapholtz.

Rabbi Gershon S. Caudill

As for me, I vow to continue to offer a pinch of snuff to anyone who asks!

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The Snuff Taker

…. before I budge an inch
I hail Aurora with a pinch;
After three cups of morning tea
A pinch most gratful is to me;
If then by chance the post arrive,
My fingers still the deeper dive.
When gallant Nelson gains his point,
I sink in deep to middle joint;
And soon as e’er the work he clinches,
Oh, then I take the pinch of pinches!
But if our heroes chance to fail,
I seldom go beyond the nail.
If I on ancient classics pore,
Or turn their learned pages o’er,
I take a pinch at every pause,
A tribute of my just applause.
Whene’er I dip in page historic,
Or pass an hour in wit with Yorick,
I relish more each paragraph
If season’d with a pinch and laugh.
Or if discussing subjects curious,
I revel in a pinch luxurious;
E’en joyous friends and claret rosy,
Insipid are sans pinches cosy.
Whate’er I do, where’er I be,
My social box attends on me;
It warms my nose in winter’s snow,
Refreshes midst midsummer’s glow;
Of hunger sharp it blunts the edge,
And softens grief, as some allege.
Thus, eased of care or any stir,
I broach my freshest canister;
And freed from trouble, grief, or panic,
I pinch away in snuff balsamic;
For rich or poor, in peace or strife,
It smoothes the rugged path of life.

The Rev. W. King of Marlow 1788

Several other snuff related poems are included in books listed in the snuff book section

The Snuff Taker.

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A Pinch Of Snuff By Dean Snift of Brazen-Nose, published in 1840.

I’ve been on the lookout for ‘A Pinch Of Snuff’, (no, not the nasal snuff variety, but this time in book format!) for several months now. If you want to see a list of snuff related books, please check the Snuff Books section.

A Pinch Of Snuff is according to the inside cover, ‘Composed of Curious particulars and original anecdotes of snuff taking; as well as a review of snuff, snuff boxes, snuff shops, snuff takers and snuff papers; with the moral and physical effects of snuff.’

A Pinch Of Snuff was published in 1840 and sometimes can be found in the ebay snuff category or by searching through the amazon snuff books list.

I had been ‘pipped to the post’ on this particular snuff book on ebay snuff auctions several times, so set my maximum spend limit at £35.00.

I eventually ‘won’ (the word ‘won’ always makes me smile when using ebay - it’s almost like they want you to forget that you’ve paid hard earned cash for a item - ’whoo-hoo… I won… I WON!’) A Pinch Of Snuff at £31.34 plus £1.99 postage and packing, making a grand total of all the ‘threes’… To see the seller’s description whilst it’s still live click here.

My copy of A Pinch Of Snuff is a bit battered and dog eared - as you would expect for a book published in the 1840’s; it’s missing the fabric cover on the front and back, a few pages are stained, it has hand written notes in pencil and pen on a few pages and some of these have been rubbed out… I love it!

Inside cover of my copy of A Pinch Of Snuff.

The opening introduction is ‘To The Refined And Social Snuff Taker’; through the introduction, the author welcomes me to the world of snuff taking and makes me feel like I’m a member of an exclusive snuff taker’s club.

A Pinch Of Snuff has 152 pages of written word and few extra ‘blanks’ either side at the begining and end. The book has numerous illustrations and is divided up into the following sections and chapters;

Introduction
The Refined And Social Snuff-Taker.

A Pinch Of Snuff
Man A Snuffing Animal, Lady Snuffers, Introduction Of Tobacco (Nicot, Raleigh, Drake), The Pouncet Box, Sneezing Powder, Louis XIV, Papal Persecution Of Snuff, Restoration, Anne To George Era.

The Influence Of Snuff
Remedy For Headache And Weak Sight, Perfumed Snuff Injurious, Sneezing, Sociability, Sterne, Swift, Poetic Inspirations, Song.

Varieties Of Snuff
Rappee, Carotte, Montagne, Etrenne, Bureau, Bolangaro, Martinique, Princeza, Welsh, LuddyFoot’s Irish Blackguard, Lambkin’s Cork, Paris, Facon De Paris, Scotch, Masulipatam, Cephalic, Grimstone’s Eye Snuff, Lord Rochester, Natchitoches, Mathews, Hardham’s 37, Violet Strasburg, Queen Charlotte, Gillespie, Prince’s Mixture, Macouba, Latakia, Anstruther And Norcot Mixtures, Varieties, Snuff Monopoly In France, Process Of Snuff Making, Dutch And English Tobacco Merchants, Jesuits’ Snuff, Misstatements Corrected, A Snuff Song.

Snuff Shops, Signs And Papers
Fribourg And Treyer, Fribourg And Pontet, Pontet Junior, Watton, Harrison, The Skinners, Kilpack, Procter, Currey, Taylor, Beynon And Stocken, Hudson, Arnet, Pain, Edwards, Highlanders, Black Boys, Female Figure, Quaint Device, Snuff Paper, Charades.

Snuff Boxes
Inappropriate Receptacles, French Taste, Chinese Fox Hunt, Laurence Kirk, James Sandy, Cumnoc, Curious Boxes, Sarcophagus, Robert Burns, William Pitt, Duke Of Gloucester, Napoleon And Louis XVIII, Gold Wicker, Diamonds, Hogarth, Mulberry Tree, Platoff, Moorish Box, Nelson’s Coffin, Emperor Of Austria, Ninety-Second Mull, Song.

Snuff Taking
Snuff A Tell-Tale, Duchesse De Berri, Nose Hunger, Stolen Pinch, Pledging In Snuff, Sneezing, Catullus, Cowley, An-Upset, Robbery, Madness, Execution, How To Smooth Snuff, Stage Snuff, Test Of Love, A Taker’s Courtesy, Ma Tabatiera, Longevity, A Black Pinch, Surrender To Snuff, Pupil’s Bribery, A Disinfector, Bloomfield, Late Sittings, Deliberate Aim, Extract, Airing Snuff, Attitiudes, Noses “Bottle, Grecian, Snub or Roman”, The Handkerchief, Patterns, A Slip Of The Tongue.

Snuff Takers
George IV, King Of Hanover, Dukes Of Cambridge and Sussex, Princess Hesse Homburg, Dukes Of Devonshire And Buccleuch, Marquis Of Ely, Lords Alvanley, Airlie, Arbuthnot, Panmure and Abercrombie, Louis XVIII, Duke Of Orleans, Frederick The Great, Mr’s Siddons, John Kemble, Brummel, Sir Henry Cooke, Theatrical Touchstone, Dramatic Sensor, Steevens The Commentator, Count Boralowski, Donald Macpherson, Earl Of Harrington, Prince Talleyrand, Prince Metternich, Napoleon, Lady Holland, Acrostic.

The book finishes with a acrostic snuff poem titled My Pinch Of Snuff, which I will share at a later date.

Well that’s about it for my most recently purchased snuff book. I will add snippets from A Pinch Of Snuff occasionally to this news blog.

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The Blessings Of Snuff is a poem I stumbled upon a while back, whilst searching for snuff related material for this news blog.

The below is taken from information found on the Isle Of Man website.

John Frissell Crellin, Esq., was a connoisseur in snuff, and quite at a loss if by accident he happened to be unprovided with his favourite. Once, when on the bench at Castletown, he had forgotten his snuff box, on perceiving which, he despatched a message for it, and before its arrival wrote the following lines :-

The Blessings Of Snuff

You boast of the pleasures that friendship bestows,
And tell me it drives away care,
That it softens our sorrows, assuages our woes,
And blunts e’en the stings of despair.
I too have a friend, that can always impart
Enjoyments and comforts enough,
For, obtained, is the fondest desire of my heart,
When blest with abundance of snuff.

If heaven, in its wisdom, sends sources of grief,
I’m thankful the stock is no more;
I first take a pinch, and my heart finds relief,
Then I sneeze, and my troubles are o’er.

‘Tis thus I with fortitude brave every storm,
When the winds of affliction blow rough;
Let the fugitive evil assume any form,
So it be not a famine of snuff.

In search after happiness men are perplexed,
But few can the goddess obtain;
Some place her in this world, and some in the next,
But the wisest conjectures are vain.

They may tell you the nymph loves the glitter of gold,
And dwells with the miser–such stuff!
No; my pocket has always been found her stronghold,
And her palace, a box of good snuff.

The lawyer so graye, ere he opens his plea,
In obscurity finds it is hid;
But the bright gloss of knowledge illumines his face,
As he gives the three taps on the lid.

E’en the judge on the bench hears the sound with delight,
Be his countenance ever so gruff;
He bids the stern sentence of judgment take flight,
And mercy inhales with the snuff.

Why then should poor mortals ever despair,
Or suffer from any rebuff,
When to free themselves quickly from all sorts of ease,
The infallible remedy’s snuff?

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