Whenever the Jews were threatened with disaster, the Baal Shem Tov would
go to a certain place in the forest, light a fire, and say a special prayer.
Always a miracle would occur, and the disaster would be averted.
In the later times when disaster threatened, the Maggid of Mezritch,
his disciple, would go to the same place in the forest and say, "Master
of the Universe, I do not know how to light the fire, but I can say the
prayer." And again the disaster would be averted.
Still later, his disciple, Moshe Leib of Sasov, would go to the same
place in the forest and say, "Lord of the World, I do not know how
to light the fire or say the prayer, but I know the place and that must
suffice." And it always did.
When Israel of Rizhyn needed intervention from heaven, he would say
to G-d, "I no longer know the place, nor how to light the fire, nor
to say the prayer, but I can tell the story and that must suffice."
. . . And it did.