| Baal Shem Tov | ||
|---|---|---|
| Israel Baal Shem Tov | ||
| Full name | רבי ישראל בן אליעזר Yisroel ben Eliezer | |
| Main work | Keser Shem Tov Shivchei HaBesht |
|
| Born | c. 1698 | |
| Okopy | ||
| Died | 1760 (Sivan 5520) | |
| Medzhybizh | ||
| Buried | Medzhybizh | |
| Dynasty | Mezhbizh | |
| Successor | Dov Ber of Mezritsh (1704-1772) | |
| Father | Eliezer | |
| Mother | Sara | |
| Wife | Chana | |
| Issue | Tsvi of Pinsk (1729-1800) Udel (1720-1787) |
|
Rabbi Yisroel (Israel) ben Eliezer (רבי ישראל בן אליעזר August 27, 1698 (18 Elul) – May 22, 1760), often called Baal Shem Tov or Besht, was a Jewish mystical rabbi. Okopy (Окопи is a Village ( selo) in western Ukraine. It is located in the Borshchivskyi Raion ( district) of the Ternopil Medzhybizh, population 4614 (Меджибіж Меджибож Translit Medzhibozh, Międzybórz Międzyborz or Międzybóż Medschybisch מעזשביזש Medzhybizh, population 4614 (Меджибіж Меджибож Translit Medzhibozh, Międzybórz Międzyborz or Międzybóż Medschybisch מעזשביזש Mezhbizh (also spelled as Medzibuz, Mezbuz, Mez'buz, and in various other ways transcribed from various Yiddish dialects is the name of Rabbi Dov Ber of Mezeritch ( דוב בער ממזריטש (1704/1710(? &ndash 1772-12-04 OS) was a disciple of Rabbi Yisrael Baal Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut Orthodox Judaism is the formulation of Judaism that adheres to a relatively strict interpretation and application of the laws and ethics first canonized Conservative Judaism (also known as Masorti Judaism in Israel and Europe) is a modern stream of Judaism that arose out Hi and welcome to Wikipedia! Please understand that this article is frequently subjected to vandalism and the insertion of personal opinions Haredi or Chareidi Judaism is the most theologically conservative form of Orthodox Judaism. Hasidic Judaism (also Chasidic, etc from the Hebrew: he '''''חסידות''''', Chassidus, meaning "piety" from the Hebrew Modern Orthodox Judaism (or Modern Orthodox or Modern Orthodoxy) is a movement within Orthodox Judaism that attempts to synthesize traditional observance Reconstructionist Judaism is a modern American-based Jewish movement based on the ideas of the late Mordecai Kaplan (1881 – 1983 Jewish Renewal is a recent movement in Judaism which endeavors to reinvigorate modern Judaism with mystical, Hasidic, Musical and Rabbinic Judaism or Rabbinism ( Hebrew: " Yehadut Rabanit " - יהדות רבנית is the mainstream religious system of post- diaspora Humanistic Judaism is a movement within Judaism that emphasizes Jewish culture and history—rather than belief in God—as the sources of Jewish identity Karaite Judaism or Karaism (ˈkærəˌaɪt ˈkærəˌɪzəm) is a Jewish movement NOTE The word sect should not be used without defining it first and Jewish philosophy refers to the conjunction between serious study of philosophy and Jewish theology Although Jews and religious leaders share a core of monotheistic principles Judaism has no formal statement of principles of faith such as a Creed or Catechism A minyan (מנין lit to count number; pl minyanim) in Judaism refers to the Quorum required for certain religious Kabbalah (קַבָּלָה lit "receiving" is a discipline and school of thought discussing the mystical aspect of Judaism. The Seven Laws of Noah ( Hebrew: שבע מצוות בני נח Sheva mitzvot B'nei Noach) often referred to as the Noahide Laws, are a set of seven moral In Judaism, the name of God is more than a distinguishing title Jewish eschatology is concerned with the Jewish Messiah, Afterlife, and the revival of the dead. Messiah ( משיח; mashiah, moshiah, mashiach, or moshiach, ("anointed " is a term used in the Hebrew Bible In Judaism chosenness is the belief that the Jews are the Chosen people: chosen to be in a Covenant with God. Holocaust theology refers to a body of theological and philosophical debate soul-searching and analysis with the subsequent related Literature, that Halakha ( הלכה; alternative transliterations include Halocho and Halacha) is the collective body of Jewish Religious law Kashrut (also kashruth or kashrus, he כַּשְׁרוּת refers to Jewish dietary laws. 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Mussar movement refers to a Jewish ethical, educational and cultural movement (a "Jewish Moralist Movement" that developed in 19th century Orthodox term " Torah " ( Hebrew: תּוֹרָה "teaching" or "instruction" sometimes translated as "Law" most commonly refers to See also Old testament, Septuagint, Targum, Peshitta The Tanakh (תַּנַ"ךְ (taˈnax or; also Tenakh or Tenak is The Talmud ( Hebrew: he תַּלְמוּד is a record of Rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, customs and history Midrash ( Hebrew: מדרש plural midrashim, lit "to repeat" is a Hebrew term referring to the not exact but comparative ( homiletic The Tosefta ( Aramaic: תוספתא is a secondary compilation of the Jewish oral law from the period of the Mishnah. Rabbinic literature, in its broadest sense can mean the entire spectrum of Rabbinic writings throughout Jewish history The Kuzari is one of most famous works of the medieval Spanish Jewish philosopher and poet Rabbi Yehuda Halevi. The Mishneh Torah ( Hebrew: משנה תורה subtitled Sefer Yad ha-Chazaka (יד החזקה is a code of Jewish Religious law Arba'ah Turim (ארבעה טורים often called simply the Tur, is an important Halakhic code, composed by Yaakov ben Asher The Shulchan Aruch (שולחן ערוך literally " Set Table " (also Shulhan Aruch or Shulchan Arukh) is a Codification Mishnah Berurah ( Hebrew: "Clarified Teaching" is a work of Halakha (Jewish law by Rabbi Yisrael Chumash (xuˈmɑʃ ( Hebrew: חומש also Humash) is one of the Hebrew names for the Five Books of Moses also known as the Pentateuch or A siddur ( Hebrew: סידור plural siddurim) is a Jewish Prayer book, containing a set order of daily prayers. See also Religious Jewish music A piyyut (plural piyyutim, Hebrew פיוט pijút and) is a Jewish liturgical poem usually designated For the village in southern Israel see Tzohar The Zohar (זהר lit Splendor or Radiance) is widely considered the most important The Four Holy Cities is the collective term in Jewish tradition applied to the cities of Jerusalem, Hebron, Tiberias, and Safed: "Since Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the Safed (צְפַת pronounced Tsfat; صفد pronounced Safad) is a city in the Northern District of Israel. Hebron ( al-Ḫalīl or al-Khalīl, Standard Hebrew: Ḥevron Tiberian Hebrew: Ḥeḇrôn is the largest city in the West Bank, located in the south Tiberias ( British English: /taɪˈbɪəriæs -əs/ American English: /taɪˈbɪriəs/ טְבֶרְיָה Tverya; طبرية Ṭabariyyah Jewish leadership has evolved over time Since the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 70 CE there has been no single body that has a leadership Abraham ( Ashkenazi Avrohom or Avruhom; ابراهيم, {{Unicode|Ibrāhīm}}; Ge'ez: Sarah (; Arabic: سارة, Sārah; "a woman of high rank" is the wife of Abraham as described in the Hebrew Bible According to the Hebrew Bible, Isaac ( Hebrew: Yitzchak יִצְחָק, Standard Yiẓḥaq This article is about the biblical matriarch For other uses of the word Rebecca see Rebecca (disambiguation Rebecca (also Rebekah also Jacob ( Hebrew: יַעֲקֹב, Standard Yaʿaqov Tiberian Yaʿăqōḇ; Rachel (; meaning "ewe" is the second and favorite Wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin, first mentioned in the Leah ( "Weary tired" is the first of the four concurrent wives of the Hebrew patriarch Jacob, and mother of six of the Twelve Tribes of Israel along See also History of ancient Israel and Judah According to the Bible, the Israelites were the dominant group living in the Land of Israel. Moses ( Latin: Moyses,; Greek: grc Mωυσής in both the Septuagint and the New Testament; Arabic: ar موسىٰ See also Biblical judges Book of Judges List of women warriors in folklore literature and popular culture This article is about the ancient Hebrew religious text For the 20th-century English-language novel see The Book of Ruth (novel The Book of Ruth King Solomon ( Ge'ez: ስለሞን Arabic: ar سليمان, Sulayman, all from the Triliteral root S-L-M, "peace" David, Arabic: داوود or داود dawud, "beloved" was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible Hillel (הלל (born Babylon traditionally c110BCE-10CE in Jerusalem) was a famous Jewish religious leader one of the most important figures in Jewish Shammai (50 BCE&ndash30 CE Hebrew: שמאי was a Jewish scholar of the 1st century and an important figure in Judaism 's core work of Rabbinic literature Akiva redirects here For other people and things with this name see Akiva (disambiguation. Abba Arika (175–247 ( Talmudic Aramaic: tmr אבא אריכא) (born Abba bar Aybo was a Jewish Talmudist who lived in Babylonia Rabbi Isaac ben Jacob Alfasi (1013 - 1103 - also Isaac Hakohen, Alfasi or the Rif (רי"ף - was a Talmudist and Posek (decisor For the astrological concept see Rāshi (Jyotiṣa. Rabbi Shlomo Yitzhaki, (רבי שלמה יצחקי better known by the acronym Rashi Tosafists were Medieval Rabbis who created critical and explanatory Glosses on the Talmud. Moses Maimonides ( March 30 1135 – December 13 1204) also known as the Rambam, was a Rabbi, Physician, and Nahmanides (1194 &ndash c 1270 was a Catalan Rabbi, philosopher, Physician, Kabbalist and biblical commentator. Yosef ben Ephraim Caro (sometimes Joseph Caro) (1488 ( Portugal) - March 24, 1575 ( Safed, Ottoman Empire) was one of the Hi and welcome to Wikipedia! Please understand that this article is frequently subjected to vandalism and the insertion of personal opinions In Judaism, Bar Mitzvah ( Hebrew: בר מצוה "one (m to whom the commandments apply" Bat Mitzvah (בת מצוה "one (f The Shidduch ( Hebrew: שידוך pl shidduchim שידוכים is a system of Matchmaking in which Jewish singles are introduced Betrothal ( shiddukhin) In Jewish law (halakha Betrothal (shiddukhin or Engagement is defined as the mutual promise between Niddah (or nidah, nidda, nida; Hebrew:נִדָּה is a Hebrew term which literally means separation, generally considered to refer Zeved habat (Sephardic or Simchat bat (Ashkenazi are terms for the ritual for naming infant Jewish girls Pidyon HaBen, (פדיון הבן trans Redemption of the Son) is a ritual in Judaism whereby a firstborn son is redeemed from a Kohen in order Bereavement in Judaism ( is a combination of Minhag (traditional custom and Mitzvot (good deeds or religious obligation derived from Judaism 's classical Rabbi (pronunciation, although in English usually) in Judaism, means a religious ‘teacher’ or more literally ‘my great one’ when addressing any master Rebbe (רבי (pronounced in English which means master teacher or mentor is a Yiddish word derived from the identical Hebrew word Rabbi "Hazan" and "Chazan" redirect here For people named Hazan or Chazan see Hazan (disambiguation Growing importance of the office A kohen (or cohen, Hebrew כּהן "priest" pl כּהנִים kohanim or cohanim) has a separate status in Judaism. This article is about someone who supervises the production of Kosher food A Gabbai ( גבאי) (or sometimes Shamash שמש} is a person who assists in the running of a Synagogue and ensures that the needs are met for example Maggid ( מַגִּיד) sometimes spelled as magid) is traditional Eastern European Jewish religious itinerant A mohel ( Hebrew:מוהל plural mohelim) is a Jewish man who performs the Jewish ritual of Brit milah. A beth din, beit din or beis din ( Hebrew: בית דין "house of judgment" plural battei din) is a Rabbinical Rosh yeshiva, ( pl. Heb. Roshei yeshiva; Yeshivish Rosh yeshivas) (ראש ישיבה is the title given to the dean of A kehilla or kehillah (קהילה Hebrew: "community" is a Jewish Community. A synagogue (from Greek: grc συναγωγή transliterated synagogē, "assembly" he בית כנסת beit knesset, "house of Mikvah (or mikveh) ( plural mikva'ot or mikves) is a ritual bath designed for the purpose of ritual immersion in Judaism. Gemach ( Hebrew: גמח plural גמחים gemachim, an abbreviation for גמילות חסדים gemilat chasadim, "acts of kindness" is a A synagogue (from Greek: grc συναγωγή transliterated synagogē, "assembly" he בית כנסת beit knesset, "house of Mikvah (or mikveh) ( plural mikva'ot or mikves) is a ritual bath designed for the purpose of ritual immersion in Judaism. Etymology The Hebrew name given in Scripture for the building is Beit HaMikdash or "The Holy House" and only the Temple in Jerusalem is referred to by this name The Tabernacle is known in Hebrew as the Mishkan ( משכן "Residence" or "Dwelling Place" The tallit (טַלִּית also called tallis ( Yiddish, plural taleysm) is a prayer Shawl worn during the morning Jewish services Tefillin, ( תפילין) also called phylacteries, are a pair of black leather boxes containing scrolls of parchment inscribed with biblical verses "Kipa" redirects here For the supermarket please see Kipa (supermarket. 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Hanukkah Menorah ( Hebrew: מנורה menorah) (also חַנֻכִּיָּה Hanukiah, or Chanukkiyah, pl A shofar (שופר is a horn used for Jewish religious purposes The Four Species ( Hebrew: ארבעת המינים, Arba'at Ha-Minim, also called Arba Minim) are three types of branches and one type of fruit A kittel, also spelled kitl, (קיטל robe coat cf German Kittel ‘(house/work coat’ is a white robe which served as a burial The Gartel is a belt used by married Jewish males predominantly but not exclusively Hasidim during prayer A yad ( יד) literally "hand" is a Jewish ritual pointer used to point to the text during the Torah reading from the Parchment See also Jewish services Listed below are some Hebrew prayers and blessings that are part of Judaism that are recited by many Jews Jewish services ( Hebrew: תפלה, tefillah; plural תפלות, tefillos or tefillot; Yinglish: davening Shema Yisrael (or Sh'ma Yisroel or just Shema) ( Hebrew: שמע ישראל "Hear Israel" are the first two words of a section of The Amidah (Hebrew תפילת העמידה, Tefilat HaAmidah "The Standing Prayer " also called the Shmona Esre ( שמנה עשרה Aleinu ( Hebrew:, "our duty" is a Jewish Prayer found in the Siddur, the classical Jewish prayerbook Kol Nidre ( Aramaic: כל נדרי) is a Jewish prayer recited in the Synagogue at the beginning of the evening service on Yom Kippur Kaddish (קדיש Aramaic: "holy" refers to an important and central prayer in the Jewish prayer service. Hallel (הלל "Praise" is a Jewish prayer &mdasha verbatim recitation from Psalms 113-118 which is used for praise and thanksgiving that is recited Ma Tovu ( Hebrew for "O How Good" or "How Goodly" is a Prayer in Judaism, expressing reverence and awe for Synagogues and Havdalah is a Jewish religious ceremony that marks the symbolic end of Shabbat and holidays and ushers in the new week This article discusses the traditional views of the two religions and may not be applicable all adherents of each The historical interaction of Judaism and Islam started in the 7th century CE with the origin and spread of Islam in the Arabian peninsula. Judeo-Christian (or Judaeo-Christian, sometimes written as Judæo-Christian) is a term used to describe the body of concepts and values which are thought to be held Alternative Judaism or Agnostic Judaism refers to a variety of groups whose members while identifying as Jews in some fashion nevertheless do not practice Rabbinical Jewitchery (from the terms Jew and witch, "shaman"/"sage" in its pure meaning or Jewish Neopaganism is a religious movement that Religious pluralism is a set of religious world views that hold that one's religion is not the sole and exclusive source of truth and thus recognizes that some level of truth and value exists in Antisemitism (alternatively spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism; also rarely known as judeophobia) is the Prejudice against or hostility Criticism of Judaism has existed since Judaism 's formative stages as with many other Religions, on Theological grounds Philo-Semitism, Philosemitism, or Judeophilia is an interest in respect for and appreciation of the Jewish people their historical significance and the Judaism has been influenced by the experience of slavery of the Hebrews in the land of Egypt, as narrated in the biblical story of The Exodus Yeshiva or yeshivah (jəʃi'və ( Hebrew: ישיבה "sitting (n History of Zionism|Timeline of Zionism|World Zionist Organization|Zionist political violence Zionism is an international political movement that originally supported the Events 479 BC - Greco-Persian Wars: Persian forces led by Mardonius are routed by Pausanias, the Spartan Events 334 BC - The Greek army of Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of the Granicus. Year 1760 ( MDCCLX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut Mysticism (from the Greek grc μυστικός mystikos, an initiate of a Mystery religion) is the pursuit of communion with identity Rabbi (pronunciation, although in English usually) in Judaism, means a religious ‘teacher’ or more literally ‘my great one’ when addressing any master He is considered to be the founder of Hasidic Judaism (see also Mezhbizh Hasidic dynasty). Hasidic Judaism (also Chasidic, etc from the Hebrew: he '''''חסידות''''', Chassidus, meaning "piety" from the Hebrew Mezhbizh (also spelled as Medzibuz, Mezbuz, Mez'buz, and in various other ways transcribed from various Yiddish dialects is the name of
Besht was born to Eliezer and Sara in Okopy Świętej Trójcy, a small village that over the centuries has been part of Poland, Russia, and is now part of Ukraine. Okopy (Окопи is a Village ( selo) in western Ukraine. It is located in the Borshchivskyi Raion ( district) of the Ternopil Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Ukraine (Україна Ukrayina, /ukrɑˈjinɑ/ is a country in Eastern Europe. He died in Medzhybizh, which had once been part of Lithuania, then Turkey, Poland and Russia, and is now in Ukraine. Medzhybizh, population 4614 (Меджибіж Меджибож Translit Medzhibozh, Międzybórz Międzyborz or Międzybóż Medschybisch מעזשביזש Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublika is a Country in Eastern often referred to as Northern Europe or in the Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Ukraine (Україна Ukrayina, /ukrɑˈjinɑ/ is a country in Eastern Europe. [1]
Besht is better known to many religious Jews as "the holy Baal Shem" (der heyliger baal shem in Yiddish), or most commonly, the Baal Shem Tov (בעל שם טוב) . PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Yiddish (yi [[wiktייִדיש ייִדיש]] yidish or yi [[wiktאידיש אידיש]] idish, literally "Jewish" is a nonterritorial High The title Baal Shem Tov is usually translated into English as "Master of the Good Name", with Tov ("Good") modifying Shem ("[Divine] Name"), although it is more correctly understood as a combination of Baal Shem ("Master of the [Divine] Name") and Tov (an honorific epithet to the man). The name Besht (בעש"ט) — the acronym from the words comprising that name, bet ayin shin tes—is typically used in print rather than speech. The appellation "Baal Shem" was not unique to Rabbi Yisroel ben Eliezer; however, it is Rabbi Yisroel ben Eliezer who is most closely identified as a "Baal Shem", as he was the founder of the spiritual movement of Hasidic Judaism. Baal Shem in Hebrew translates as "Master of the Name", and is almost always used in reference to Israel ben Eliezer the Rabbi who founded Hasidic Hasidic Judaism (also Chasidic, etc from the Hebrew: he '''''חסידות''''', Chassidus, meaning "piety" from the Hebrew
The little biographical information that is known about Besht is so interwoven with legends of miracles that in many cases it is hard to arrive at the historical facts. From the numerous legends connected with his birth it appears that his parents were poor, upright, and pious. When he was orphaned, his community cared for him. At school, he distinguished himself only by his frequent disappearances, being always found in the lonely woods surrounding the place, rapturously enjoying the beauties of nature. Many of his disciples believed that he came from the Davidic line tracing its lineage to the royal house of King David, and by extension with the institution of the Jewish Messiah. The Davidic line, known in Hebrew as Malkhut Beit David (מלכות בית דויד( "Monarchy of the House of David") refers to the David, Arabic: داوود or داود dawud, "beloved" was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible Messiah ( משיח; mashiah, moshiah, mashiach, or moshiach, ("anointed " is a term used in the Hebrew Bible
Early life and marriage
Besht's benefactors gave up the hope of him ever becoming a rabbi, and made him a "helper", who took the children to and from school and rehearsed short benedictions and prayers with them. Rabbi (pronunciation, although in English usually) in Judaism, means a religious ‘teacher’ or more literally ‘my great one’ when addressing any master His sentimental nature, to which his later success was in great measure due, now stood him in good stead; for he could win children and attach them to him by explanations suited to their understanding. Later he became shammash (sexton) in the same community, and at about eighteen he married. See also Sacristan A sexton is a church officer charged with the maintenance of the church buildings and/or the surrounding Graveyard. When his young wife died he left the place, and after serving for a long time as helper in various small communities of Podolia, he settled as a teacher at Tlust near Brody. The region of Podolia (also spelled Podilia or Podillya) is a historical region in the west-central and south-west portions of present-day Ukraine, Brody (Броди Brody Броды Yiddish: בּראָד translit
Because of his recognized honesty and his knowledge of human nature, he was chosen to act as arbitrator and mediator for people conducting suits against each other; and his services were brought into frequent requisition because the Jews had their own civil courts in Poland. Human nature is the concept that there are a set of logical characteristics including ways of thinking feeling and acting that all 'normal' human beings have in common An arbitral tribunal (or arbitration tribunal) is a panel of one or more Adjudicators which is convened and sits to resolve a dispute by way of Arbitration Private law (Civil law is that part of a Legal system that involves relationships between individuals In this avocation he succeeded in making so deep an impression upon the rich and learned Ephraim of Brody that the latter promised Besht his daughter Chana in marriage. An avocation is an activity that a person does as a Hobby outside their principal occupation The man died, however, without telling his daughter of her betrothal; but when she heard of her father’s wishes, she did not hesitate to comply.
Besht's wooing was characteristic. In the shabby clothes of a peasant he presented himself at Brody before Abraham Gershon of Kitov (Kuty), brother of the girl, and a recognized authority in the Kabbalah and the Talmud. Rabbi Abraham Gershon of Kitov (Kuty also known as Rabbi Gershon of Brody was probably born in or near Kuty Poland around 1701 and died in Jerusalem Kuty (Кути German: Kutten, Polish: Kuty, Romanian: Cuturi) is a town in Ukraine, on the Kabbalah (קַבָּלָה lit "receiving" is a discipline and school of thought discussing the mystical aspect of Judaism. The Talmud ( Hebrew: he תַּלְמוּד is a record of Rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, customs and history Abraham Gershon was about to give him alms, when Besht produced a letter from his pocket, showing that he was the designated bridegroom. Tzedakah ( צדקה) is a Hebrew word commonly translated as charity, though it is based on a root meaning Justice Abraham Gershon tried in vain to dissuade his sister Chana from shaming their family by marrying him, but she regarded her father's will alone as authoritative.
After his marriage Israel ben Eliezer did not remain long with his brother-in-law, who was ashamed of him (for he kept up the pretense of being an ignorant fellow); and he went to a village in the Carpathians between Brody and Kassowa. The Carpathian Mountains or Carpathians (Carpaţi Czech, Polish and Slovak: Karpaty; Ukrainian: Карпати His earthly possessions consisted of a horse given him by his brother-in-law. Israel ben Eliezer worked as a laborer, digging clay and lime, which his wife delivered every week by wagonload to the surrounding villages, and from this they derived their entire support. Clay is a naturally occurring material composed primarily of fine-grained Minerals which show plasticity through a variable range of Water content, and Lime is a general term for various naturally occurring Minerals and materials derived from them in which Carbonates Oxides and Hydroxides of But the magnificent scenery in this, the finest region of the Carpathians, and the possibility of enjoying it without the interruptions of city life, compensated him for his great privations. Israel ben Eliezer and Chana had two children: Udl and Zvi Hersh. Udl was born in 1720. Zvi Hersh was born some fifteen years later.
- See also: Baal Shem Tov family tree
Development as leader and challenges
The Besht's condition was bettered when he took a position as a ritual butcher in Kshilowice, near Iaslowice. He soon gave up this position in order to conduct a village tavern that his brother-in-law bought for him. During the many years that he lived in the woods and came into contact with the peasants, Israel ben Eliezer had learned how to use plants for healing purposes and to effect wonderful cures. In fact, his first appearance in public was that of an "ordinary" Baal Shem. Baal Shem in Hebrew translates as "Master of the Name", and is almost always used in reference to Israel ben Eliezer the Rabbi who founded Hasidic He wrote amulets and prescribed cures. An amulet ( the Elder|Pliny]] meaning "an object that protects a person from trouble" a close cousin of the talisman (from Arabic
After many trips in Podolia and Volhynia as a Baal Shem, Besht, considering his following large enough and his authority established, decided (about 1740) to expound his teachings in the shtetl of Medzhybizh and people, mostly from the spiritual elite, came to listen to him. The region of Podolia (also spelled Podilia or Podillya) is a historical region in the west-central and south-west portions of present-day Ukraine, A shtetl (שטעטל diminutive form of Yiddish shtot שטאָט "town" pronounced very similarly to the South German diminutive "Städtle" "little Medzhybizh, population 4614 (Меджибіж Меджибож Translit Medzhibozh, Międzybórz Międzyborz or Międzybóż Medschybisch מעזשביזש Medzhybizh became the seat of the movement and of the Medzybizh Hasidic dynasty. Mezhbizh (also spelled as Medzibuz, Mezbuz, Mez'buz, and in various other ways transcribed from various Yiddish dialects is the name of His following gradually increased, and with it the dislike, not to say hostility, of the Talmudists. Nevertheless, Besht was supported at the beginning of his career by two prominent Talmudists, the brothers Meïr and Isaac Dov Margalios. Later he won over Rabbi Dov Ber of Mezrich to whose great authority as a Talmudist it was chiefly due that Besht's doctrines (though in an essentially altered form) were introduced into learned circles. Rabbi Dov Ber of Mezeritch ( דוב בער ממזריטש (1704/1710(? &ndash 1772-12-04 OS) was a disciple of Rabbi Yisrael Baal
Some direct historical evidence remains of the Besht during the days he lived in Medzhybizh. Medzhybizh, population 4614 (Меджибіж Меджибож Translit Medzhibozh, Międzybórz Międzyborz or Międzybóż Medschybisch מעזשביזש Rosman discovered numerous legal documents that shed light on this period from the Polish Czartoryski noble family archives. Czartoryski ( Polish plural Czartoryscy) is the Surname of a Polish - Lithuanian Magnate family also known as the Familia The Besht's house is mentioned on several tax registers and his house is given tax-free status, thus indicating that he was well-known to the Polish Magnate as an important town resource. Several of the Besht's cohorts in his stories from Shivhei HaBesht also appear in Polish court records, notably, Wolf Kitses and David Purkes. Rosman contends that the Polish documents show the Besht and his followers were not outcasts or pariahs, rather they were part of the mainstream Jewish communal life and were themselves respected in the community. Medzhybizh at the time was not some backwater village as some contended. Medzhybizh, population 4614 (Меджибіж Меджибож Translit Medzhibozh, Międzybórz Międzyborz or Międzybóż Medschybisch מעזשביזש Instead, it was a thriving, prosperous, and important community in the Czartorysky estate.
Other direct evidence includes the Besht's daily prayer book (siddur) with his handwritten personal notes in the margins that is owned by the Agudas Chabad Library in New York. Medzhybizh, population 4614 (Меджибіж Меджибож Translit Medzhibozh, Międzybórz Międzyborz or Międzybóż Medschybisch מעזשביזש Finally, his grave can be seen today in the old Jewish cemetery in Medzhybizh.
Disputes with the Frankists and Death
While the Besht was alive, there was very little antagonism between different styles of Judaism (Talmudism and Hasidism). In fact, the Besht considered himself and his disciples as mainstream. Besht took sides with the Talmudists in their disputes against the Frankists (Jacob Frank's cultist movement that considered Frank the Messiah incarnate). Jacob Frank (יעקב פרנק Ya'akov Frank, Jakob Frank; 1726 - 1791 was an 18th century Jewish religious leader who claimed to be the reincarnation of This article is about the concept of a Messiah in religion notably in the Christian Islamic and Jewish traditions It was only in keeping with Besht's character that he welcomed baptism by the Frankists as an end to its threat to mainstream Judaism of the day, for it is related that he said: "As long as a diseased limb is connected with the body, there is hope that it may be saved; but, once amputated, it is gone, and there is no hope. In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted " The upheaval caused by the threats of the Frankist movement to destroy mainstream Judaism seemed to undermine Besht's health, however, and he died shortly after the conversion of many Frankists to Christianity. Religious conversion is the adoption of a new religious identity or a change from one religious identity to another Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings
His legacy
Israel ben Eliezer left no books; for the Kabbalistic commentary on Ps. Kabbalah (קַבָּלָה lit "receiving" is a discipline and school of thought discussing the mystical aspect of Judaism. cvii. , ascribed to him (Zhitomir, 1804), Sefer mi-Rabbi Yisrael Ba'al Shem-tov, is hardly genuine. Zhytomyr (Житомир ( Zhytomyr) Житомир ( Zhitomir) Żytomierz is a historic City in the North of the western half of Ukraine In order to get at his teachings, it is therefore necessary to turn to his utterances as given in the works of the old Hasidim. Hasidic Judaism (also Chasidic, etc from the Hebrew: he '''''חסידות''''', Chassidus, meaning "piety" from the Hebrew But since Hasidism, immediately after the death of its founder, was divided into various parties, each claiming for itself the authority of Besht, the utmost of caution is necessary in judging as to the authenticity of utterances ascribed to Besht.
Chapin and Weinstock contend that the Besht was essentially the right person, in the right place, at the right time. Eighteenth century Podolia was an ideal place to foster a sea-change in Jewish thinking. The region of Podolia (also spelled Podilia or Podillya) is a historical region in the west-central and south-west portions of present-day Ukraine, It had been depopulated one generation earlier due to the Khmelnitsky Massacres. Bohdan Zynovii Mykhailovych Khmel'nyts'kyi (Богдан Зиновій Михайлович Хмельницький commonly transliterated as Khmelnytsky; known in A Turkish occupation of Podolia occurred within the Besht's lifetime and along with it the influence within this frontier territory of Shabbetai Zvi and his latter day spiritual descendants such as Malach and Frank. The region of Podolia (also spelled Podilia or Podillya) is a historical region in the west-central and south-west portions of present-day Ukraine, Sabbatai Zevi, ( (other spellings include Sabetay in Turkish, Shabbethai, Sabbetai, Shabbsai; Zvi; Sabbetai Jacob Frank (יעקב פרנק Ya'akov Frank, Jakob Frank; 1726 - 1791 was an 18th century Jewish religious leader who claimed to be the reincarnation of Once the Polish Magnates regained control from the Turks, Podolia essentially went through an economic boom. The region of Podolia (also spelled Podilia or Podillya) is a historical region in the west-central and south-west portions of present-day Ukraine, The Magnates were benevolent to the economic benefits the Jews provided and encouraged Jewish resettlement to help protect the frontier from future invasions. Thus, the Jewish community itself was essentially starting over. Within this context, the Jews of Podolia were open to new ideas. The region of Podolia (also spelled Podilia or Podillya) is a historical region in the west-central and south-west portions of present-day Ukraine, The Besht's refreshing new approaches to Judaism were welcome, expanding with little resistance in a community hungry for change.
Elements of Besht's doctrines
The foundation-stone of Hasidism as laid by Besht is a strongly marked panentheistic conception of God. Panentheism (from Greek (pân "all" (en "in" and (Theós "God" "all-in-God" is a belief system He declared the whole universe, mind and matter, to be a manifestation of the Divine Being; that this manifestation is not an emanation from God, as is the conception of the Kabbalah by Mitnagdim, for nothing can be separated from God: all things are rather forms in which God reveals Himself. Misnagdim or mitnagdim is a Hebrew word ( מתנגדים) meaning "opponents" When man speaks, said Besht, he should remember that his speech is an element of life, and that life itself is a manifestation of God. Even evil exists in God. This seeming contradiction is explained on the ground that evil is not bad in itself, but only in its relation to man. It is wrong to look with desire upon a woman; but it is divine to admire her beauty: it is wrong only insofar as man does not regard beauty as a manifestation of God, but misconceives it, and thinks of it in reference to himself. Nevertheless, sin is nothing positive, but is identical with the imperfections of human deeds and thought. Sin is a term used mainly in a religious context to describe an act that violates a moral Rule, or the state of having committed such a violation Whoever does not believe that God resides in all things, but separates God and them in his thoughts, has not the right conception of God. It is equally fallacious to think of a creation in time: creation, that is, God's activity, has no end. God is ever active in the changes of nature: in fact, it is in these changes that God's continuous creativeness consists.
This panentheism would have been ignored, had Besht not been a man of the people. He gave his metaphysical conception of God an eminently practical significance.
The first result of his principles was a remarkable optimism. Since God is immanent in all things, all things must possess something good in which God manifests Himself as the source of good. For this reason, the Besht taught, every man must be considered good, and his sins must be explained, not condemned. One of his favorite sayings was that no man has sunk too low to be able to raise himself to God. Naturally, then, it was his chief endeavor to convince sinners that God stood as near to them as to the righteous, and that their misdeeds were chiefly the consequences of their folly.
Another important result of his doctrines, which was of great practical importance, was his denial that asceticism is pleasing to God. Ascetic redirects here You might also be looking for Acetic acid. "Whoever maintains that this life is worthless is in error: it is worth a great deal; only one must know how to use it properly. " From the very beginning Besht fought against that contempt for the world which, through the influence of Isaac Luria's Kabbalah, had almost become a dogma among the Jews. Rabbi Isaac Luria (1534 – July 25 1572) was a Jewish mystic in Safed. He considered care of the body as necessary as care of the soul; since matter is also a manifestation of God, and must not be considered as hostile or opposed to Him.
In connection with his struggle against asceticism, it is natural that he should have fought also against the strictness and the sanctimoniousness that had gradually developed from the strict Talmudic standpoint. Not that Besht required the abrogation of any religious ceremonies or of a single observance. His target was the great importance which the Talmudic view attaches to the fulfillment of a law, while almost entirely disregarding sentiment or the growth of man's inner life. While the rabbis of his day considered the study of the Talmud as the most important religious activity, Besht laid all the stress on prayer. Prayer is the act of attempting to communicate with a Deity or spirit "All that I have achieved," he once remarked, "I have achieved not through study, but through prayer". Prayer, however, is not merely petitioning God to grant a request, nor even necessarily speaking to God, but rather ("cleaving", dvekut)— the glorious feeling of 'Oneness with God Almighty', the state of the soul wherein a man or woman gives up their consciousness of separate existence, and join their own selves to the Eternal Being of God Supreme. Such a state produces indescribable bliss, which is the foremost fruit of the true worship of God.
Opposition to Lurianic Kabbalah
It is remarkable that Besht, whose starting point was the same as that of Isaac Luria's Kabbalah arrived at seemingly opposite results. His conception of God was panentheistic; while the school of Luria laid the greatest stress upon the principle of emanation. Emanationism is Platonic monism and an idea in the Cosmology or Cosmogony of certain religious or philosophical systems Later Hasidic works spent much effort in reconciling these views. The Besht's fight against asceticism was directed more against the school from which it sprang than against pure Talmudism. His teachings concerning "joy" (simcha) were especially opposed to asceticism. The followers of Luria considered weeping an indispensable accompaniment to prayer; while Besht considered unrestrained weeping and feelings of sorrow to be wholly objectionable. The sinner who repents of his sin should not become distraught over the past, but should rejoice over the Heavenly Voice, over the Divine Power, working within him and enabling him to recognize the true in admitting his sin. The function of joy in prayer is paralleled by glowing enthusiasm and ecstasy ("to become inflamed", hitlahavut) in every act of worship. Fear of God is only an initiatory step to real worship, which must spring from a love of God and a surrender of self to Him. In his enthusiasm, man will not think either of this life or of the next: the feeling of union with God is in itself a means and an end. Enthusiasm, however, demands progress, not the mere fulfillment of the Law's precepts in a daily routine which becomes deadening: true religion consists in an ever-growing recognition of God.
Influence on Hasidism
The later developments of Hasidism are unintelligible without consideration of Besht's opinion concerning man's proper relation with the universe. True worship of God, as above explained, consists in, the cleaving to, and the unification with, God. To use his own words, "the ideal of man is to be a revelation himself, clearly to recognize himself as a manifestation of God. " Mysticism, he said, is not the Kabbalah, which everyone may learn; but that sense of true oneness, which is usually as strange, unintelligible, and incomprehensible to mankind as dancing is to a dove. However, the man who is capable of this feeling is endowed with a genuine intuition, and it is the perception of such a man which is called prophecy, according to the degree of his insight. From this it results, in the first place, that the ideal man may lay claim to authority equal, in a certain sense, to the authority of the Prophets. This focus on oneness and personal revelation helps earn his mystical interpretation of Judaism the title of pantheism.
A second and more important result of the doctrine is that through his oneness with God, man forms a connecting link between the Creator and creation. Thus, slightly modifying the Bible verse, Hab. ii. 4, Besht said, "The righteous can vivify by his faith. " Besht's followers enlarged upon this idea and consistently deduced from it the source of divine mercy, of blessings, of life; and that therefore, if one love him, one may partake of God's mercy.
On the opposite side of the coin, the Baal Shem Tov warned the Hasidim:
- Amalek is still alive today. According to the Book of Genesis and 1 Chronicles, Amalek ( Arabic, عماليق, was the son of Eliphaz and the grandson of …Every time you experience a worry or doubt about how God is running the world—that's Amalek launching an attack against your soul. We must wipe Amalek out of our hearts whenever—and wherever—he attacks so that we can serve God with complete joy.
Though Besht may not be held responsible for the later conceptions, there is no doubt that his self-reliance was an important factor in winning adherents. It may be said of Hasidism that there is no other Jewish sect in which the founder is as important as his doctrines. Besht himself is still the real center for the chasidim; his teachings have almost sunk into oblivion. As Schechter ("Studies in Judaism," p. 4) finely observes: "To the Hasidim, Ba'al-Shem [Besht]…was the incarnation of a theory, and his whole life the revelation of a system. "
Characteristics
Besht did not combat the practice of rabbinical Judaism; it was the spirit of the practice which he opposed. His teachings being the result not of speculation, but of a deep, religious temperament, he laid stress upon a religious spirit, and not upon the forms of religion. Though he considered the Law to be holy and inviolable, he held that one's entire life should be a service of God, and that this would constitute true worship of Him.
Since every act in life is a manifestation of God, and must perforce be divine, it is man's duty so to live that the things called "earthly" may also become noble and pure, that is, divine. Besht tried to realize his ideal in his own career. His life provided the best example for his disciples; and his relationships with the innkeepers (a number of whom he raised to a higher level) furnished a silent but effective protest against the practice of the rabbis, who, in their inexorable sense of strict righteousness, would have no dealings with people fallen morally. The Hasidim tell of a woman whom her relatives sought to kill on account of her shameful life, but who was saved in body and soul by Besht. The story may be a myth, but it is characteristic of Besht's activity in healing those in greatest need of relief. More important to him than prayer was a friendly relationship with sinners; though the former constituted an essential factor in the religious life. The story of Besht's career affords many examples of unselfishness and high-minded benevolence. And while these qualities equally characterize a number of the rabbis of his day, his distinguishing traits were a merciful judgment of others, fearlessness combined with dislike of strife, and a boundless joy in life.
Moreover, Besht's methods of teaching differed essentially from those of his opponents and contributed not a little to his success. There are many satirical remarks directed against his opponents, an especially characteristic one being his designation of the typical Talmudist of his day as "a man who through sheer study of the Law has no time to think about God. " Besht illustrated his views of asceticism by the following parable:
- A thief once tried to break into a house, the owner of which, crying out, frightened the thief away. The same thief soon afterward broke into the house of a very strong man, who, on seeing him enter, kept quite still. When the thief had come near enough, the man caught him and put him in prison, thus depriving him of all opportunity to do further harm.
Not by fleeing from earthly enjoyments through fear is the soul's power assured, but by holding the passions under control.
Much of Besht's success was also due to his firm conviction that God had entrusted him with a special mission to spread his doctrines. In his enthusiasm and ecstasy he believed that he often had heavenly visions revealing his mission to him. In fact, for him every intuition was a divine revelation; and divine messages were daily occurrences.
Besht is quite naturally one of the most interesting figures in modern Jewish history. As a man of the people and for the people, it is not strange that he should have been honored and glorified in story and in tradition. Of the many narratives that cluster about him, the following are given as the most characteristic:
In legend
In Chassidic tradition, there’s a saying, “Someone who believes in all the stories of the Baal Shem Tov and the other mystics and holy men is a fool; someone who doesn’t believe [any of] them is a heretic. ”[2]
About his parentage, legend tells that his father, Eliezer, whose wife was still living, was seized during an attack (by the Tatars perhaps), carried from his home in Wallachia, and sold as a slave to a prince. Tatars ( Tatar: Tatarlar/Татарлар sometimes spelled Tartars, are a Turkic -speaking ethnic group or multiple ethnic groups This article is about the region in what is now Southern Romania On account of his wisdom, he found favor with the prince, who gave him to the king to be his minister. During an expedition undertaken by the king, when other counsel failed, and all were disheartened, Eliezer's advice was accepted; and the result was a successful battle of decisive importance. Eliezer was made a general and afterward prime minister, and the king gave him the daughter of the viceroy in marriage. This article is about the government position For other uses see Prime Minister (disambiguation. But, being mindful of his duty as a Jew and as the husband of a Jewess in Wallachia, he married the princess only in name. After being questioned for a long time as to his strange conduct, he confessed his race to the princess, who loaded him with costly presents and aided him to escape to his own country.
On the way, the prophet Elijah appeared to Eliezer and said: "On account of thy piety and steadfastness, thou wilt have a son who will lighten the eyes of all Israel; and Israel shall be his name, because in him shall be fulfilled the verse (Isaiah xlix. Elijah or Elias ( was a Prophet in Israel in the 9th century BC Isaiah (; Greek:, Ēsaiās; Arabic: اشعیاء, Ash-ee-yaa; "Salvation of/is YHWH " is 3): 'Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified. '" Eliezer and his wife Sarah, however, reached old age childless and had given up all hope of ever having a child. But when they were nearly a hundred years old, the promised son (Besht) was born.
Besht's parents died soon after his birth; bequeathing to him only the deathbed exhortation of Eliezer, "Always believe that God is with you, and fear nothing. " Besht ever remained true to this injunction. Thus, on one occasion, when he was escorting schoolchildren to synagogue, a wolf was seen, to the terror of old and young, so that the children were kept at home. But Besht, faithful to the bequest of his father, knew no fear; and, on the second appearance of the wolf, he assailed it so vigorously as to cause it to turn and flee. Now, says the legend, this wolf was Satan (or, in some versions, a werewolf inspired by Satan). Satan, ( Standard Hebrew Satan'el, English accuser) is a term that originates from the Abrahamic faiths, being traditionally See also Lycanthropy (disambiguation Werewolves, also known as lycanthropes, are mythological or folkloric humans with the ability to Satan had been very much perturbed when he saw that the prayers of the children reached God, who took more delight in the childish songs from their pure hearts than in the hymns of the Levites in the Temple in Jerusalem; and it was for this reason that Satan tried to put a stop to Besht's training the children in prayers and taking them to synagogue. In the Jewish tradition a Levite ( is a member of the Hebrew tribe of Levi. Etymology The Hebrew name given in Scripture for the building is Beit HaMikdash or "The Holy House" and only the Temple in Jerusalem is referred to by this name From this time on, successful struggles with Satan, demons, and all manner of evil spirits were daily occurrences with Besht. The true meaning of the story is that even the wolf/(Satan) had a spark of the Divine that was in a shell. Only Love is Real.
Miracles
At this time, too, according to chasidic tradition, he learned how to work miracles with the name of God. The following is an instance: In Constantinople, where Besht stopped on his intended journey to the Land of Israel, he was received with unusual hospitality by a worthy couple who were childless. Constantinople (Κωνσταντινούπολις Konstantinoúpolis, or gr ἡ Πόλις hē Polis, Latin: la CONSTANTINOPOLIS For other uses see Israel (disambiguation The Land of Israel ( Hebrew: אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל Eretz Yisrael) is In return for their kindness Besht, when departing, promised them that they should be blessed with a son, and rendered this possible by the utterance of the Sacred Name. Now, to do this is a great sin; and scarcely had the words of the incantation passed Besht's lips when he heard a voice from the heavens declaring that he had forfeited thereby his share in HaOlam HaBa (The World To Come). Instead of feeling unhappy over such a fate, Besht called out joyfully: "Blessed art Thou, O Lord, for Thy mercy! Now indeed can I serve Thee out of pure love, since I may not expect reward in the future world!" This proof of his true love for God won pardon for his sin, though at the expense of severe punishment.
Legacy
The Baal Shem Tov directly imparted his teachings to his students, some of whom founded their own respective Hasidic dynasties. These students include:
- Rabbi Boruch of Medzhybizh (1753-1811), grandson of the Baal Shem Tov. Rabbi Boruch of Mezhbizh (1753-1811 was a grandson of the Baal Shem Tov. According to the early Hasidic work Mekor Boruch, and Butzina D'Nehora Hachodosh Boruch was the Baal Shem Tov's designated successor. However in practice, the succession fell to Dov Ber of Mezeritch and others in the Baal Shem Tov's generation because of Boruch's young age at the time of the Baal Shem Tov's death.
- Rabbi Jacob Joseph of Polonne (1710-1784)
- Rabbi Ze'ev Wolf Kitzes of Medzhybizh (~1685-1788)
- Rabbi Yechiel Michel of Zlotchov (1721-1786)
- Rabbi Dov Ber of Mezeritch (1704-1772)
- Rabbi Pinchas of Korets (1728-1790)
- Rabbi Nachum Twerski of Chernobyl (1730-1797)
- Rabbi Leib of Shpola (1725-1812)
- Rabbi Avraham Gershon of Kitov, brother-in-law of The Baal Shem Tov (1701-1761)
Bibliography
The chief source for the Besht's biography is Ber (Dov) ben Shmuel's Shivchei ha-Besht, Kopys, 1814, and frequently republished. Rabbi Yacov Yoseph HaKohain of Polonne, (1705 &ndash 1784 (in Hebrew יעקב יוסף הכהן is also known as Yaacov Yosef of Polnoye was one of the first and most dedicated of the Ze'ev Wolf Kitzes וואלף קיצעס ( рабби Зеев Волф Кицис; c Medzhybizh, population 4614 (Меджибіж Меджибож Translit Medzhibozh, Międzybórz Międzyborz or Międzybóż Medschybisch מעזשביזש Zolochiv (Золочів Złoczów is a town located in the Lviv Oblast ( province) of western Ukraine. Rabbi Dov Ber of Mezeritch ( דוב בער ממזריטש (1704/1710(? &ndash 1772-12-04 OS) was a disciple of Rabbi Yisrael Baal Korets (Корець Korzec is a city in the Rivne Oblast in Ukraine. Rabbi Menachem Nachum Twerski of Chernobyl, was the founder of the Chernobyl Hasidic dynasty. Chernobyl (as transliterated from the Чернобыль) or Chornobyl (as transliterated from Чорнобиль tʃɔrˈnɔbɪlʲ was a city in northern Shpola (Шпола Yiddish: שפּאָלע is a city located in the Cherkasy Oblast ( province) in central Ukraine. Rabbi Abraham Gershon of Kitov (Kuty also known as Rabbi Gershon of Brody was probably born in or near Kuty Poland around 1701 and died in Jerusalem
For Besht's methods of teaching, the following works are especially valuable:
- Jacob Joseph ha-Kohen, Toldot Yaakov Yosef
- Likutim (Likut) - a collection of Hasidic doctrines
- The works of Rabbi Dov Ber of Mezeritch
- Keser Shem Tov [1]
Critical works on the subject are:
- Dubnow, Yevreiskaya Istoria, ii. Rabbi Yacov Yoseph HaKohain of Polonne, (1705 &ndash 1784 (in Hebrew יעקב יוסף הכהן is also known as Yaacov Yosef of Polnoye was one of the first and most dedicated of the 426–431
- idem, in Voskhod, viii. Nos. 5–10
- Heinrich Grätz, Gesch. Heinrich Graetz ( October 31, 1817 - September 7, 1891) was amongst the first historians to write a comprehensive history of the Jewish der Juden, 2d ed. , xi. 94–98, 546–554
- Jost, Gesch. des Judenthums und Seiner Sekten, iii. 185 et seq.
- A. Kahana, Rabbi Yisrael Ba'al Shem, Jitomir, 1900
- D. Kohan, in Ha-Sh. ;ar, v. 500–504, 553–554
- Rodkinson, Toledot Ba'ale Shem-Tov;ob, Königsberg, 1876
- Schechter, Studies in Judaism, 1896, pp. 1–45
- Zweifel, Shalom 'al-Yisrael, i. –iii.
- Zederbaum, Keter Kehunah, pp. Aleksander Ossypovich Zederbaum (born in Zamość, August 27, 1816; died in Saint Petersburg, September 8, 1893) was a 80–103
- Frumkin, 'Adat . . . ;. . Hasidim, Lemberg, 1860, 1865 (?)
- Buxbaum, Y, Light and Fire of the Baal Shem Tov, ISBN 0-826-41772-8, Continuum International Publishing Group, NY, 2005 (420 pp).
- Israel Zangwill, Dreamers of the Ghetto, pp. Israel Zangwill ( January 21, 1864 - August 1, 1926) was an English -born humourist and writer 221–288 (fiction).
- Chapin, David A. and Weinstock, Ben, The Road from Letichev: The history and culture of a forgotten Jewish community in Eastern Europe, Volume 1. ISBN 0-595-00666-3 iUniverse, Lincoln, NE, 2000.
- Rabinowicz, Tzvi M. The Encyclopedia of Hasidism: ISBN 1-56821-123-6 Jason Aronson, Inc. , 1996.
- Rosman, Moshe, Founder of Hasidism: ISBN 0-520-20191-4 Univ. of Calif. Press, 1996. (Founder of Hasidism by Moshe Rosman)
- Rosman, Moshe, "Miedzyboz and Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov", Zion, Vol. 52, No. 2, 1987, p. 177-89. Reprinted within Essential Papers on Hasidism ed, G. D. Hundert ISBN 0-814-73470-7, New York, 1991.
- This article incorporates text from the 1901–1906 Jewish Encyclopedia, a publication now in the public domain. The Jewish Encyclopedia was an Encyclopedia originally published between 1901 and 1906 by Funk and Wagnalls. The public domain is a range of abstract materials &ndash commonly referred to as Intellectual property &ndash which are not owned or controlled by anyone
References
External links
- More Baal Shem Tov assumptions and thesis
- The Baal Shem Tov Foundation
- Brief biography
- Tzava'at Harivash - The Testament of Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov translated to English
- Baal Shem Tov minisite on chabad. org
- Map of the Baal Shem Tov and his disciple's travels from Routledge Publishing
- Thirty Six Aphorisms of the Baal Shem Tov
- Jewish Encyclopedia article
- [2] The book "Kesser Shem Tov" by Kehot Publications; as well as a poster and plaque titled "Kesser Shem Tov".
Baal Shem Tov stories
- Chassid Stories Archive
- Baal Shem Tov Foundation Story Room
- Hasidic Stories - Besht
- Baal Shem Tov Foundation - Library
See also
Hasidic Judaism (also Chasidic, etc from the Hebrew: he '''''חסידות''''', Chassidus, meaning "piety" from the Hebrew Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut Kabbalah (קַבָּלָה lit "receiving" is a discipline and school of thought discussing the mystical aspect of Judaism. See also Hasidic Judaism A Hasidic dynasty is a Dynasty of Hasidic spiritual leaders known as Rebbes and usually has some or all of the Schisms among the Jews are cultural as well as religious They have happened as a product of historical accident geography and Theology. Mysticism (from the Greek grc μυστικός mystikos, an initiate of a Mystery religion) is the pursuit of communion with identityDapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic