Crossing The Dniester

(Painting by Shoshannah Brombacher)

כִּי בְמַקְלִי, עָבַרְתִּי אֶת-הַיַּרְדֵּן הַזֶּה

With my staff I crossed this Jordan. (Bereishis 32:11)

Degel Machaneh Ephraim, Parshas Vayishlach:

One can further explain this along the lines of that which my master, my grandfather [the Baal Shem Tov] related: Once he crossed the Dniester River without using any name; instead, he laid down his gartel, and crossed upon it. He said that it was with great emuna that he crossed.