Yisroel (Israel) ben Eliezer

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{{epname|Yisroel (Israel) ben Eliezer}}
 
{{Infobox Rebbe
 
{{Infobox Rebbe
 
| title          = Baal Shem Tov
 
| title          = Baal Shem Tov
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| image          =  
 
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| term          =
 
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| full name      =רבי ישראל בן אליעזר  Yisroel ben Eliezer
 
| full name      =רבי ישראל בן אליעזר  Yisroel ben Eliezer
 
| main work    = Keser Shem Tov<br />Shivchei HaBesht
 
| main work    = Keser Shem Tov<br />Shivchei HaBesht
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| predecessor    =(founder of [[Hasidic Judaism|chasidism]])
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| predecessor    =(founder of [[Hasidic Judaism]])
 
| successor      =[[Dov Ber of Mezeritch|Dov Ber]] of Mezritsh (1704-1772)
 
| successor      =[[Dov Ber of Mezeritch|Dov Ber]] of Mezritsh (1704-1772)
 
| spouse1        =Chana   
 
| spouse1        =Chana   
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| place of burial =[[Medzhybizh]]
 
| place of burial =[[Medzhybizh]]
 
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Rabbi '''Yisroel (Israel) ben Eliezer''' (רבי ישראל בן אליעזר ‎ August 27, 1698 &ndash; May 22, 1760) is considered to be the founder of [[Hasidic Judaism]] (see also [[Mezhbizh (Hasidic dynasty)| Mezhbizh Hasidic dynasty]]). He was born in [[Okopy]], to Eliezer and Sara in a small village that over the centuries has been part of [[Poland]], [[Russia]], [[Galicia (Central Europe)|Galicia]] and is now part of [[Ukraine]]. He died in [[Medzhybizh]], which had once been part of [[Lithuania]], then [[Turkey]],  Poland and Russia, and is now in Ukraine.<ref>[http://www.wumag.kiev.ua/wumag_old/archiv/1_99/medz.htm Medzhybizh]</ref>
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Rabbi '''Yisroel (Israel) ben Eliezer''' (רבי ישראל בן אליעזר ‎ August 27, 1698 &ndash; May 22, 1760), better known as the '''Ba'al Shem Tov''', was an eighteenth century Jewish mystic and the founder of [[Hasidic Judaism]]. He was born to parents named Eliezer and Sara in [[Okopy]], a small village that over the centuries has been part of [[Poland]], [[Russia]], and [[Galicia (Central Europe)|Galicia]], and is now part of [[Ukraine]]. He died in [[Medzhybizh]], also now in Ukraine.
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The title ''Baal Shem Tov'' is usually translated as "Master of the Good Name," although it is more correctly understood as a combination of ''Baal Shem'' ("Master of the [Divine] Name") and ''Tov'' (an honorific epithet). The name ''Besht'' (בעש"ט)—an acronym from the words comprising that name—is typically used for him in print, but not in speech.
  
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He was a [[Judaism|Jewish]] [[mystical]] [[rabbi]] who is better known to many religious [[Jew]]s as "the holy Baal Shem" (''der heyliger baal shem'' in [[Yiddish]]), or most commonly, the '''Baal Shem Tov''' (בעל שם טוב) . 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 tet''—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]].
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The appellation "[[Baal Shem]]" was not unique to Yisroel ben Eliezer, being used by various mystics, healers, and miracle-workers. However, today it is he who is most clearly identified as ''the'' "Baal Shem," as he was the founder of the spiritual movement of [[Hasidism]].
  
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The little biographical information that is known about him 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 Israel ben Eliezer 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]].
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From the numerous legends connected with ''Besht's'' 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 by his frequent disappearances, being found in the lonely woods surrounding the place, rapturously enjoying the beauties of nature. Not a great intellect, he worked in menial jobs after his second marriage but went on to become a [[healer]], maker of protective [[amulets]], and later a teacher of an uncomplicated [[mysticism]].
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{{readout||right|250px|Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer, the founder of [[Hasidic Judaism]], is better known as the '''Ba'al Shem Tov'''}}
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His emphasis on the simple "Torah of the heart" appealed greatly to the Jewish masses but offended rationalist [[talmud]]ists and [[asceticism|ascetic]] [[kabbala|kabbalists]] alike. Many of his disciples believed that he came from the [[Davidic line]], and by extension with the institution of the Jewish [[Messiah]]. Emphasizing unselfish love for one's fellow man and a joyful union with God accessible to all, his movement spread rapidly in the later eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and remains a potent force, though not a unified one, in today's [[Judaism]].
  
 
==Early life and marriage==
 
==Early life and marriage==
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[[Image:Besht Signature.jpg|thumb|Signature of the Baal Shem Tov.]]
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The young Israel ben Eliezer'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. His sentimental nature, to which his later success was in great measure due, now stood him in good stead, as his explanations were well suited to his students' understanding. Later he became ''shammash'' ([[sexton (office)|sexton]]) in the same community, and at about 18 he married. When his young wife died, he left the place, and after serving for a long time as helper in various small communities of [[Galicia (Eastern Europe)|Galicia]], he settled as a teacher at [[Tlust]] near [[Brody]].
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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. 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 (office)|sexton]]) in the same community, and at about eighteen he married. When his young wife died he left the place, and after serving for a long time as helper in various small communities of [[Galicia (Eastern Europe)|Galicia]], he settled as a teacher at [[Tlust]] near [[Brody]].
 
  
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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 [[Private law|civil courts]] in Poland. 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. 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.
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[[Image:Besht Siddur.jpg|thumb|400px|The Baal Shem Tov's personal Siddur (prayer book), now in the [[Chabad library]] archive #1994).]]
  
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[[Image:Besht well 2006.JPG|thumb|A well just outside of [[Medzhibozh]] thought to be hand-dug by the Baal Shem Tov himself. It still flows fresh water.]]
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Because of his recognized honesty and his knowledge of [[human nature]], he was also chosen to act as [[arbitrator]] and [[mediator]] for people conducting suits against each other. In this avocation he succeeded in making so deep an impression upon the rich and learned [[Ephraim of Brody]] that the latter promised Israel his daughter Chana in marriage. The man died without telling his daughter of her betrothal, but when she heard of her father’s wishes, she did not hesitate to comply.  
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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]]. Abraham Gershon was about to give him [[Tzedakah|alms]], when Besht produced a letter from his pocket, showing that he was the designated bridegroom. 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.
 
  
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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 [[Carpathian Mountains|Carpathians]] between Brody and Kassowa. 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 (mineral)|lime]], which his wife delivered every week by wagonload to the surrounding villages, and from this they derived their entire support. 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.
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Besht's (Baal Shem Tov's) wooing was characteristic. In the shabby clothes of a peasant he presented himself at Brody before [[Abraham Gershon of Kitov]], brother of the girl, a recognized authority in the [[Kabbalah]] and the [[Talmud]]. Gershon was about to give him [[Tzedakah|alms]], when Besht produced a letter from his pocket, showing that he was the designated bridegroom. 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.
  
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{{seealso|Baal Shem Tov family tree}}
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After his marriage, Besht went to a village in the [[Carpathian Mountains|Carpathians]] between Brody and Kassowa. His earthly possessions consisted only of a horse given him by his brother-in-law. He worked as a laborer, digging [[clay]] and [[lime (mineral)|lime]], which his wife delivered every week by wagonload to the surrounding villages, and from this they derived their entire support. 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.
  
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==Development as leader and challenges==
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==Development as a leader==
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[[Image:Besht Siddur.jpg|thumb|The Baal Shem Tov's personal Siddur (now in [[Chabad library]] archive #1994).]]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]]. He wrote [[amulet]]s and prescribed cures.
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[[Image:Besht Shul1 Medzhibozh.jpg|thumb|400px|"Exterior of the Baal Shem Tov's Shul (synagogue) in Medzhybizh, circa 1915. The shul no longer exists.]]
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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 peasants, Besht learned how to use plants for healing purposes, create amulets, and to effect miraculous cures.
  
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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. Medzhybizh became the seat of the movement and of the [[Medzhibozh (Hasidic dynasty)|Medzybizh]] Hasidic dynasty. 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 [[Dovber of Mezeritch|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.
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{{cquote|There are two levels in the study of Torah, Torah of the mind and Torah of the heart. The mind cogitates, comprehends and understands; the heart feels. I have come to reveal Torah as it extends to the heart as well.|20px|}} 
  
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[[Image:Besht Shul1 Medzhibozh.jpg|thumb|Exterior of the Baal Shem Tov's Shul in Medzhybizh, circa 1915. The shul no longer exists.]]
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After many successful trips in [[Podolia]] and [[Volhynia]] as a "Baal Shem"—a mystical healer/miracle-worker—Besht decided (about 1740) to expound his teachings in the [[shtetl]] of [[Medzhybizh]]. Many people, mostly from the spiritual elite, came to listen to him. Medzhybizh became the seat of the Hasidic movement and dynasty. The Baal Shem's following gradually increased, and with it the hostility of conservative [[talmud]]ists who objected to his anti-rationalist approach. However, Besht was supported at the beginning of his career by two prominent talmudic scholars, the brothers Meïr and Isaac Dov Margalios. Later he won over Rabbi [[Dovber of Mezeritch|Dov Ber of Mezrich]], who lent his authority to introduce the Baal Shem's doctrines into learned circles.
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Some direct historical evidence remains of the Besht during the days he lived in [[Medzhybizh]]. Rosman discovered numerous legal documents that shed light on this period from the Polish Czartorysky noble family archives. 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. Instead, it was a thriving, prosperous, and important community in the Czartorysky estate.  
 
  
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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. Finally, his grave can be seen today in the old Jewish cemetery in Medzhybizh.
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Some direct historical evidence remains of the Besht during the days he lived in [[Medzhybizh]], notably his daily prayer book (siddur) with his handwritten personal notes in the margins, which is owned by the Agudas Chabad Library in New York. Tax records bearing his name also exist, and a small synagogue Medzhybizh bore his name until its destruction in the twentieth century. His grave can still be seen today in the old Jewish cemetery in Medzhybizh.
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[[Image:BaalShemMatzeivoh.JPG|thumb|Gravestone of the Baal Shem Tov in [[Medzhybizh]]]]
 
  
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==Disputes with the Frankists==
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===Disputes and death===
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The antagonism between Talmudism and Hasidism was apparent to the representatives of each at Besht's first appearance; but the open breach did not come about until later. In fact, Besht took sides with the Talmudists in the disputes with Frankists ([[Jacob Frank]]'s followers). It was only in keeping with Besht's character that he felt keenly upon the acceptance of [[baptism]] by the Frankists, 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." The excitement consequent upon the Frankist movement undermined his health, and he died shortly after the [[religious conversion|conversion]] of many Frankists to [[Christianity]].
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Antagonism between Besht and the talmudists was apparent at each of his public appearances; but the open breach did not come about until later. He argued equally vehemently against versions of [[Isaac Luria|Lurianic kabbalah]] which emphasized ascetic practices, as opposed to his more simple, joyous mysticism.
  
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==His legacy==
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Besht sided with the talmudists in their disputes with Frankists, the followers of [[Jacob Frank]] who took the kabbalistic idea of ''[[tikkun]]'' (restoration) to such lengths that they openly flaunted the Jewish moral laws and even had themselves baptized as [[Christians]], in imitation of the kabbalistic [[messiah]] [[Shabbetai Zevi's]] conversion to [[Islam]]. It was in keeping with Besht's character that he was deeply disturbed by the Frankists' acceptance of [[baptism]]—thereby severing themselves from the Jewish community—for he reportedly 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." The furor in the Jewish community resulting from the Frankist movement undermined his health, and he died shortly after the [[religious conversion|conversion]] of many Frankists to [[Christianity]].
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Israel ben Eliezer left no books; for the [[Kabbalah|Kabbalistic]] commentary on Ps. cvii., ascribed to him ([[Zhitomir]], 1804), ''Sefer mi-Rabbi Yisrael Ba'al Shem-tov,'' is hardly genuine. In order to get at his teachings, it is therefore necessary to turn to his utterances as given in the works of the old [[Hasidic Judaism|Hasidim]]. 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.
 
  
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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. It had been depopulated one generation earlier due to the [[Bohdan Khmelnytsky|Khmelnitsky]] Massacres. 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 [[Jacob Frank|Frank]]. Once the Polish Magnates regained control from the Turks, Podolia essentially went through an economic boom. 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 Besht's refreshing new approaches to Judaism were welcome, expanding with little resistance in a community hungry for change.
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==Teachings==
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{{Judaism}}
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The Baal Shem Tov's teachings are characterized by what has been called a [[panentheism|panentheistic]] conception of God. He declared the whole universe, mind and matter, to be a manifestation of the Divine Being. However, this manifestation is not an [[emanation]] from God, for nothing can be separated from Him. All things are rather forms in which God reveals Himself. When a person speaks, therefore, 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.
  
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==Elements of Besht's doctrines==
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[[Image:Inside Besht Shul Medzhibozh.jpg|thumb|400px|Internal view of the Baal Shem Tov's synagogue]]
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The foundation-stone of Hasidism as laid by Besht is a strongly marked [[panentheism|panentheistic]] conception of God. 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. 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. 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.
 
  
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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.
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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. This admiration becomes sinful only insofar as man does not regard beauty as a manifestation of God, but misconceives it and thinks of it in reference to oneself. Nevertheless, [[sin]] is nothing positive, but is identical with the imperfections of human deeds and thought. Whoever does not believe that God resides in all things, but separates God and them in his thoughts, has a mistaken conception of God. It is equally fallacious to think of creation as an act which took place only at a certain time. Creation—that is, God's activity—has no end. God is ever active in the changes of nature.
  
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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.
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{{cquote|Everything is by Divine Providence. If a leaf is turned over by a breeze, it is only because this has been specifically ordained by G-d to serve a particular function within the purpose of creation.|20px|}}
  
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Another important result of his doctrines, which was of great practical importance, was his denial that [[asceticism]] is pleasing to God. "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. 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.
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The first result of the Baal Shem Tov's attitude 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, Besht taught, every person 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. 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, not their basic character or nature.
  
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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]]. "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'')&mdash; 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.
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Another important result of his doctrines was his denial that [[asceticism]] is pleasing to God. "Whoever maintains that this life is worthless is in error," he said. "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 physical world which, through the influence of [[Isaac Luria]]'s version of the [[Kabbalah]], had almost become a dogma among many Jews. 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.
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[[Image:Besht Signature.jpg|thumb|400px|Signature of the Baal Shem Tov.]]
  
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==Opposition to Lurianic Kabbalah==
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{{cquote|Cleaving to G-d is the master-key that opens all locks. Every Jew, including the most simple, possesses the ability to cleave to the words of Torah and prayer, thereby achieving the highest degrees of unity with G-d.|thumb|}}
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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]]. 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.
 
  
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==Influence on Hasidism==
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In connection with his struggle against [[asceticism]], he also fought against the strictness and the sanctimoniousness that had developed from the strict talmudic standpoint. Besht did not require the abrogation of any religious ceremonies or of even a single observance, however. His target was the overemphasis of many talmudists on the fulfillment of a law, while almost entirely disregarding sentiment or the growth of man's inner spiritual life.
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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.  
 
  
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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.
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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]]. "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)''&mdash;the glorious feeling of "Oneness with God Almighty"—the state of the soul wherein a man or woman gives up his or her consciousness of separate existence, and joins oneself to the eternal being of God. Such a state produces indescribable bliss, which is the foremost fruit of the true worship of God.
  
−
On the opposite side of the coin, the Baal Shem Tov warned the Hasidim:
+
===Method===
−
:[[Amalek]] is still alive today.…Every time you experience a worry or doubt about how God is running the world&mdash;that's Amalek launching an attack against your soul. We must wipe Amalek out of our hearts whenever&mdash;and wherever&mdash;he attacks so that we can serve God with complete joy.
+
Besht's methods of teaching differed essentially from those of his opponents and contributed greatly to his success. He made great use of parables and stories, worshipped with unashamed joy in his union with God, and was possessed of an infectious sense of humor. He directed many memorable satirical remarks against his opponents. An especially characteristic one was 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."
  
−
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."
+
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.
  
−
==Characteristics==
+
==Legends==
−
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.  
+
In Hasidic tradition, it is said: “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 them is a heretic.” <ref>[https://www.meaningfullife.com/miracles-ken-woodward/ Miracles: With Ken Woodward] ''Meaningful Life Center''. Retrieved December 24, 2021.</ref>
  
−
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.
+
[[Image:Besht well 2006.JPG|thumb|400px|A well just outside of [[Medzhibozh]] thought to be hand-dug by the Baal Shem Tov himself. It still flows fresh water.]]
  
−
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:
+
{{cquote|Your fellow is your mirror. If your own face is clean, so will be the image you perceive. But should you look upon your fellow and see a blemish, it is your own imperfection that you are encountering - you are being shown what it is that you must correct within yourself.|20px|}}
−
: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.
+
About his parentage, legend tells that his future father, Eliezer, was seized during an attack (by the [[Tatars]] perhaps), carried from his home in [[Wallachia]], and sold as a slave to a prince. 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. 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, without consummating the relationship sexually. 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.  
  
−
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.  
+
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]] 44:3): '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 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:
+
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 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 [[Levite]]s 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. From this time on, successful struggles with Satan, [[demon]]s, and all manner of [[evil spirit]]s were daily occurrences with Besht.
  
−
==In legend==
+
===Miracles===
−
In chasidic 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 them is a heretic.”<ref>http://www.meaningfullife.com/torah/concepts/Miracles/Miracles_-_with_Ken_Woodward.php</ref>
+
At this time, too, according to tradition, the Baal Shem Tov 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. 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 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.
  
−
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. 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. 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.  
+
==Influence on Hasidism==
 +
To use his own words, "The ideal of man is to be a revelation himself, clearly to recognize himself as a manifestation of God." True mysticism, he said, is not found merely in the study of the [[Kabbalah]], but in that sense of oneness with God. 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]].
  
−
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. 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.
+
A second and more important result of his doctrine is that through his oneness with God, man forms a connecting link between the Creator and creation. On the opposite side of the coin, the Baal Shem Tov warned the ''hasids'':
 +
<blockquote>
 +
[[Amalek]] is still alive today.…Every time you experience a worry or doubt about how God is running the world&mdash;that's Amalek launching an attack against your soul. We must wipe Amalek out of our hearts whenever&mdash;and wherever&mdash;he attacks so that we can serve God with complete joy.</blockquote>
  
−
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 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 [[Levite]]s 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. From this time on, successful struggles with Satan, [[demon]]s, and all manner of [[evil spirit]]s were daily occurrences with Besht.
+
Just as important as the Baal Shem's teachings, however, are his character and example of mystical joy. It may be said of Hasidism that there is no other Jewish sect in which the founder is as important as his doctrines. The spirit of the Besht himself is still at the center for the Hasidism. As Schechter (''Studies in Judaism,'' 4) observed: "To the Hasidim, Ba'al-Shem …was the incarnation of a theory, and his whole life the revelation of a system."
  
−
===Miracles===
+
==Legacy==
−
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. 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.
+
The Baal Shem Tov directly imparted his teachings to his students, some of whom founded their own respective Hasidic dynasties. These students include Rabbis Jacob Joseph of [[Polonne|Polonoye]] (1710-1784), [[Ze'ev Wolf Kitzes]] of [[Medzhybizh]] (1680-1775), Yechiel Michl of [[Zolochiv|Zlotchov]] (1721-1786), [[Dov Ber of Mezeritch]] (1704-1772), Pinchas of [[Korets]] (1728-1790), [[Menachem Nachum Twerski|Nachum Twerski]] of [[Chernobyl]] (1730-1797), Leib of [[Shpola|Shpole]] (1725-1812), and [[Abraham Gershon of Kitov|Avraham Gershon of Kitov]], who was Besht's brother-in-law (1701-1761).
  
−
==Legacy==
+
[[Image:BaalShemMatzeivoh.JPG|thumb|400px|Gravestone of the Baal Shem Tov in [[Medzhybizh]]]]
−
The Baal Shem Tov directly imparted his teachings to his students, some of whom founded their own respective Hasidic dynasties. These students include Rabbis Jacob Joseph of [[Polonne|Polonoye]] (1710-1784), [[Ze'ev Wolf Kitzes]] of [[Medzhybizh]] (1680-1775), Yechiel Michl of [[Zolochiv|Zlotchov]] (1721-1786), [[Dov Ber of Mezeritch]] (1704-1772), Pinchas of [[Korets]] (1728-1790), [[Menachem Nachum Twerski|Nachum Twerski]] of [[Chernobyl]] (1730-1797), Leib of [[Shpola|Shpole]] (1725-1812), and [[Abraham Gershon of Kitov|Avraham Gershon of Kitov]], brother-in-law of The Baal Shem Tov (1701-1761). According to the early Hasidic work ''Mekor Boruch'', the Baal Shem Tov's grandson, [[Boruch of Medzhybizh]] (1753-1811), 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.
 
  
−
==Bibliography==
+
According to the early Hasidic work ''Mekor Boruch,'' the Baal Shem Tov's grandson, [[Boruch of Medzhybizh]] (1753-1811), 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 Besht's death.
−
The chief source for Besht's biography is Baer (Dob) b. Samuel's ''Shivchei ha-Besht'', Kopys, 1814, and frequently republished.  
 
  
−
For Besht's methods of teaching, the following works are especially valuable:
+
{{cquote|The three loves - the love of G-d, love of Torah, and the love of one's fellow - are indeed truly one.|20px|}}
−
*Jacob Joseph ha-Kohen, Toledot Ya'akov Yosef
 
−
*Likutim (Likut)... a collection of Hasidic doctrines
 
−
*The works of Ber of Mezritsh
 
−
*Keser Shem Tov  [http://store.kehotonline.com/index.php?action=search]
 
  
−
Critical works on the subject are:
+
The Baal Shem Tov left no books recognized as his today, for the [[Kabbalah|kabbalistic]] commentary on Psalm 107, known as ''Sefer mi-Rabbi Yisrael Ba'al Shem-tov'' and ascribed to him, is hardly genuine. In order to get at his teachings, it is therefore necessary to turn to his utterances as given in the works of the old [[Hasidic Judaism|Hasidim]]. Immediately after the death of its founder, Hasidism was divided into various parties, each claiming for itself the authority of Besht. Thus, the utmost of caution is necessary in judging as to the authenticity of his utterances.
−
*Dubnow, ''Yevreiskaya Istoria'', ii. 426&ndash;431
 
−
*idem, in ''Voskhod'', viii. Nos. 5&ndash;10
 
−
*[[Heinrich Grätz]], ''Gesch. der Juden'', 2d ed., xi. 94&ndash;98, 546&ndash;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&ndash;504, 553&ndash;554
 
−
*Rodkinson, ''Toledot Ba'ale Shem-Tov'';ob, Königsberg, 1876
 
−
*Schechter, ''Studies in Judaism'', 1896, pp. 1&ndash;45
 
−
*Zweifel, ''Shalom 'al-Yisrael'', i.&ndash;iii.
 
−
*[[Zederbaum]], ''Keter Kehunah'', pp. 80&ndash;103
 
−
*Frumkin, 'Adat ...;..Hasidim, Lemberg, 1860, 1865 (?)
 
−
*[[Israel Zangwill]], ''Dreamers of the Ghetto'', pp. 221&ndash;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. ([http://www.ucpress.edu/books/pages/6663.html 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.
 
  
−
*{{JewishEncyclopedia}}
+
Hasidism today is a diverse phenomenon, but one thing all ''hasids'' hold in common is a tradition of joyous worship and deep love of God instilled in them by the spirit of the Baal Shem Tov.
  
−
{{Portalpar|Kabbalah|Tree_of_life_wk_02.jpg}}
+
==Notes==
 +
<References />
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
−
<References />
+
*Buber, Martin. ''The Legend of the Baal-Shem.'' Princeton University Press, 1995. ISBN 978-0691043890
 +
*Chapin, David A. and Weinstock, Ben. ''The Road from Letichev: The history and culture of a forgotten Jewish community in Eastern Europe, Volume 1.'' Lincoln, NE: Universe, 2000. ISBN 0595006663
 +
*Heschel, Abraham Joshua, and Samuel H. Dresner. ''The Circle of the Baal Shem Tov: Studies in Hasidism.'' Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1985. ISBN 9780226329604
 +
*Rabinowicz, Tzvi M. ''The Encyclopedia of Hasidism.'' Jason Aronson, Inc., 1996. ISBN 1568211236
 +
*Rosman, Moshe, ''Founder of Hasidism.'' University of Calif. Press, 1996. ISBN 0520201914
 +
*Schechter, S. ''Studies in Judaiam. First Series.'' Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society of America, 1915. {{OCLC|3791418}}
 +
*Sears, Dovid. ''The Path of the Baal Shem Tov Early Chasidic Teachings and Customs.'' Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson, 1997. ISBN 978-1568219721
 +
 
 +
*{{JewishEncyclopedia}}
  
 
==External links==
 
==External links==
−
*More [http://www.jew-jews-judaism.com/rec/39-1 Baal Shem Tov] assumptions and thesis
+
All links retrieved August 26, 2023.  
 +
 
 
*[http://www.baalshemtov.com/ The Baal Shem Tov Foundation]
 
*[http://www.baalshemtov.com/ The Baal Shem Tov Foundation]
−
*[http://www.us-israel.org/jsource/biography/baal.html Brief  biography]
+
*[https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/388609/jewish/The-Baal-Shem-Tov.htm The Baal Shem Tov] ''Chabad.org''.
−
*[http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?AID=145202 Tzava'at Harivash] - The Testament of Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov translated to English
+
*[https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/3073/jewish/36-Aphorisms-of-the-Baal-Shem-Tov.htm Thirty Six Aphorisms of the Baal Shem Tov] ''Chabad.org''.
−
*[http://www.chabad.org/library/article.asp?AID=388609 Baal Shem Tov minisite] on chabad.org
 
−
*[http://www.routledge.com/textbooks/0415236614/resources/maps/map49.jpg Map of the Baal Shem Tov and his disciple's travels] from Routledge Publishing
 
−
*[http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?AID=3073 Thirty Six Aphorisms of the Baal Shem Tov]
 
−
*[http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=18&letter=B Jewish Encyclopedia article]
 
−
* [http://store.kehotonline.com/index.php?action=search] The book "Kesser Shem Tov" by Kehot Publications; as well as a poster and plaque titled "Kesser Shem Tov."
 
−
===Baal Shem Tov stories===
 
−
*[http://www.nishmas.org/htmldocs/stories.html Chassid Stories Archive]
 
−
*[http://www.baalshemtov.com/story.php?type=1 Baal Shem Tov Foundation Story Room]
 
−
*[http://www.hasidicstories.com/stories1.html#besht Hasidic Stories - Besht]
 
−
*[http://www.baalshemtov.com/library.php Baal Shem Tov Foundation - Library]
 
  
−
==See also==
 
−
*[[Hasidic Judaism]]
 
−
*[[Judaism]]
 
−
*[[Kabbalah]]
 
−
*[[List of Hasidic dynasties]]
 
−
*[[Schisms among the Jews#Hasidim and Mitnagdim|Hasidim and Mitnagdim]]
 
−
*[[Mysticism]]
 
  
 
[[Category:philosophy and religion]]
 
[[Category:philosophy and religion]]
−
{{Credit|149636533}}
+
{{Credit|Ba'al_Shem_Tov|149636533}}

Latest revision as of 05:22, 26 August 2023

Ba'al Shem Tov
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
Predecessor (founder of Hasidic Judaism)
Successor Dov Ber of Mezritsh (1704-1772)
Father Eliezer
Mother Sara
Wife Chana
Issue Tsvi of Pinsk (1729-1800)
Udl (1720-1787)

Rabbi Yisroel (Israel) ben Eliezer (רבי ישראל בן אליעזר ‎ August 27, 1698 – May 22, 1760), better known as the Ba'al Shem Tov, was an eighteenth century Jewish mystic and the founder of Hasidic Judaism. He was born to parents named Eliezer and Sara in Okopy, a small village that over the centuries has been part of Poland, Russia, and Galicia, and is now part of Ukraine. He died in Medzhybizh, also now in Ukraine.

The title Baal Shem Tov is usually translated as "Master of the Good Name," although it is more correctly understood as a combination of Baal Shem ("Master of the [Divine] Name") and Tov (an honorific epithet). The name Besht (בעש"ט)—an acronym from the words comprising that name—is typically used for him in print, but not in speech.

The appellation "Baal Shem" was not unique to Yisroel ben Eliezer, being used by various mystics, healers, and miracle-workers. However, today it is he who is most clearly identified as the "Baal Shem," as he was the founder of the spiritual movement of Hasidism.

From the numerous legends connected with Besht's 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 by his frequent disappearances, being found in the lonely woods surrounding the place, rapturously enjoying the beauties of nature. Not a great intellect, he worked in menial jobs after his second marriage but went on to become a healer, maker of protective amulets, and later a teacher of an uncomplicated mysticism.

Did you know?
Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer, the founder of Hasidic Judaism, is better known as the Ba'al Shem Tov

His emphasis on the simple "Torah of the heart" appealed greatly to the Jewish masses but offended rationalist talmudists and ascetic kabbalists alike. Many of his disciples believed that he came from the Davidic line, and by extension with the institution of the Jewish Messiah. Emphasizing unselfish love for one's fellow man and a joyful union with God accessible to all, his movement spread rapidly in the later eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and remains a potent force, though not a unified one, in today's Judaism.

Early life and marriage

The young Israel ben Eliezer'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. His sentimental nature, to which his later success was in great measure due, now stood him in good stead, as his explanations were well suited to his students' understanding. Later he became shammash (sexton) in the same community, and at about 18 he married. When his young wife died, he left the place, and after serving for a long time as helper in various small communities of Galicia, he settled as a teacher at Tlust near Brody.

The Baal Shem Tov's personal Siddur (prayer book), now in the Chabad library archive #1994).

Because of his recognized honesty and his knowledge of human nature, he was also chosen to act as arbitrator and mediator for people conducting suits against each other. In this avocation he succeeded in making so deep an impression upon the rich and learned Ephraim of Brody that the latter promised Israel his daughter Chana in marriage. The man died without telling his daughter of her betrothal, but when she heard of her father’s wishes, she did not hesitate to comply.

Besht's (Baal Shem Tov's) wooing was characteristic. In the shabby clothes of a peasant he presented himself at Brody before Abraham Gershon of Kitov, brother of the girl, a recognized authority in the Kabbalah and the Talmud. Gershon was about to give him alms, when Besht produced a letter from his pocket, showing that he was the designated bridegroom. 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, Besht went to a village in the Carpathians between Brody and Kassowa. His earthly possessions consisted only of a horse given him by his brother-in-law. He 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. 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.

Development as a leader

"Exterior of the Baal Shem Tov's Shul (synagogue) in Medzhybizh, circa 1915. The shul no longer exists.

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 peasants, Besht learned how to use plants for healing purposes, create amulets, and to effect miraculous cures.

“ There are two levels in the study of Torah, Torah of the mind and Torah of the heart. The mind cogitates, comprehends and understands; the heart feels. I have come to reveal Torah as it extends to the heart as well. ”

After many successful trips in Podolia and Volhynia as a "Baal Shem"—a mystical healer/miracle-worker—Besht decided (about 1740) to expound his teachings in the shtetl of Medzhybizh. Many people, mostly from the spiritual elite, came to listen to him. Medzhybizh became the seat of the Hasidic movement and dynasty. The Baal Shem's following gradually increased, and with it the hostility of conservative talmudists who objected to his anti-rationalist approach. However, Besht was supported at the beginning of his career by two prominent talmudic scholars, the brothers Meïr and Isaac Dov Margalios. Later he won over Rabbi Dov Ber of Mezrich, who lent his authority to introduce the Baal Shem's doctrines into learned circles.

Some direct historical evidence remains of the Besht during the days he lived in Medzhybizh, notably his daily prayer book (siddur) with his handwritten personal notes in the margins, which is owned by the Agudas Chabad Library in New York. Tax records bearing his name also exist, and a small synagogue Medzhybizh bore his name until its destruction in the twentieth century. His grave can still be seen today in the old Jewish cemetery in Medzhybizh.

Disputes and death

Antagonism between Besht and the talmudists was apparent at each of his public appearances; but the open breach did not come about until later. He argued equally vehemently against versions of Lurianic kabbalah which emphasized ascetic practices, as opposed to his more simple, joyous mysticism.

Besht sided with the talmudists in their disputes with Frankists, the followers of Jacob Frank who took the kabbalistic idea of tikkun (restoration) to such lengths that they openly flaunted the Jewish moral laws and even had themselves baptized as Christians, in imitation of the kabbalistic messiah Shabbetai Zevi's conversion to Islam. It was in keeping with Besht's character that he was deeply disturbed by the Frankists' acceptance of baptism—thereby severing themselves from the Jewish community—for he reportedly 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." The furor in the Jewish community resulting from the Frankist movement undermined his health, and he died shortly after the conversion of many Frankists to Christianity.

Teachings

The Baal Shem Tov's teachings are characterized by what has been called a panentheistic conception of God. He declared the whole universe, mind and matter, to be a manifestation of the Divine Being. However, this manifestation is not an emanation from God, for nothing can be separated from Him. All things are rather forms in which God reveals Himself. When a person speaks, therefore, 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.

Internal view of the Baal Shem Tov's synagogue

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. This admiration becomes sinful only insofar as man does not regard beauty as a manifestation of God, but misconceives it and thinks of it in reference to oneself. Nevertheless, sin is nothing positive, but is identical with the imperfections of human deeds and thought. Whoever does not believe that God resides in all things, but separates God and them in his thoughts, has a mistaken conception of God. It is equally fallacious to think of creation as an act which took place only at a certain time. Creation—that is, God's activity—has no end. God is ever active in the changes of nature.

“ Everything is by Divine Providence. If a leaf is turned over by a breeze, it is only because this has been specifically ordained by G-d to serve a particular function within the purpose of creation. ”

The first result of the Baal Shem Tov's attitude 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, Besht taught, every person 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. 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, not their basic character or nature.

Another important result of his doctrines was his denial that asceticism is pleasing to God. "Whoever maintains that this life is worthless is in error," he said. "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 physical world which, through the influence of Isaac Luria's version of the Kabbalah, had almost become a dogma among many Jews. 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.

Signature of the Baal Shem Tov.
“ Cleaving to G-d is the master-key that opens all locks. Every Jew, including the most simple, possesses the ability to cleave to the words of Torah and prayer, thereby achieving the highest degrees of unity with G-d. ”

In connection with his struggle against asceticism, he also fought against the strictness and the sanctimoniousness that had developed from the strict talmudic standpoint. Besht did not require the abrogation of any religious ceremonies or of even a single observance, however. His target was the overemphasis of many talmudists on the fulfillment of a law, while almost entirely disregarding sentiment or the growth of man's inner spiritual 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. "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 his or her consciousness of separate existence, and joins oneself to the eternal being of God. Such a state produces indescribable bliss, which is the foremost fruit of the true worship of God.

Method

Besht's methods of teaching differed essentially from those of his opponents and contributed greatly to his success. He made great use of parables and stories, worshipped with unashamed joy in his union with God, and was possessed of an infectious sense of humor. He directed many memorable satirical remarks against his opponents. An especially characteristic one was 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."

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.

Legends

In Hasidic tradition, it is said: “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 them is a heretic.” [1]

A well just outside of Medzhibozh thought to be hand-dug by the Baal Shem Tov himself. It still flows fresh water.
“ Your fellow is your mirror. If your own face is clean, so will be the image you perceive. But should you look upon your fellow and see a blemish, it is your own imperfection that you are encountering - you are being shown what it is that you must correct within yourself. ”

About his parentage, legend tells that his future father, Eliezer, was seized during an attack (by the Tatars perhaps), carried from his home in Wallachia, and sold as a slave to a prince. 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. 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, without consummating the relationship sexually. 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 44:3): '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 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. From this time on, successful struggles with Satan, demons, and all manner of evil spirits were daily occurrences with Besht.

Miracles

At this time, too, according to tradition, the Baal Shem Tov 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. 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 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.

Influence on Hasidism

To use his own words, "The ideal of man is to be a revelation himself, clearly to recognize himself as a manifestation of God." True mysticism, he said, is not found merely in the study of the Kabbalah, but in that sense of oneness with God. 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.

A second and more important result of his doctrine is that through his oneness with God, man forms a connecting link between the Creator and creation. On the opposite side of the coin, the Baal Shem Tov warned the hasids:

Amalek is still alive today.…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.

Just as important as the Baal Shem's teachings, however, are his character and example of mystical joy. It may be said of Hasidism that there is no other Jewish sect in which the founder is as important as his doctrines. The spirit of the Besht himself is still at the center for the Hasidism. As Schechter (Studies in Judaism, 4) observed: "To the Hasidim, Ba'al-Shem …was the incarnation of a theory, and his whole life the revelation of a system."

Legacy

The Baal Shem Tov directly imparted his teachings to his students, some of whom founded their own respective Hasidic dynasties. These students include Rabbis Jacob Joseph of Polonoye (1710-1784), Ze'ev Wolf Kitzes of Medzhybizh (1680-1775), Yechiel Michl of Zlotchov (1721-1786), Dov Ber of Mezeritch (1704-1772), Pinchas of Korets (1728-1790), Nachum Twerski of Chernobyl (1730-1797), Leib of Shpole (1725-1812), and Avraham Gershon of Kitov, who was Besht's brother-in-law (1701-1761).

Gravestone of the Baal Shem Tov in Medzhybizh

According to the early Hasidic work Mekor Boruch, the Baal Shem Tov's grandson, Boruch of Medzhybizh (1753-1811), 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 Besht's death.

“ The three loves - the love of G-d, love of Torah, and the love of one's fellow - are indeed truly one. ”

The Baal Shem Tov left no books recognized as his today, for the kabbalistic commentary on Psalm 107, known as Sefer mi-Rabbi Yisrael Ba'al Shem-tov and ascribed to him, is hardly genuine. 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. Immediately after the death of its founder, Hasidism was divided into various parties, each claiming for itself the authority of Besht. Thus, the utmost of caution is necessary in judging as to the authenticity of his utterances.

Hasidism today is a diverse phenomenon, but one thing all hasids hold in common is a tradition of joyous worship and deep love of God instilled in them by the spirit of the Baal Shem Tov.

Notes

  1. ↑ Miracles: With Ken Woodward Meaningful Life Center. Retrieved December 24, 2021.

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Buber, Martin. The Legend of the Baal-Shem. Princeton University Press, 1995. ISBN 978-0691043890
  • Chapin, David A. and Weinstock, Ben. The Road from Letichev: The history and culture of a forgotten Jewish community in Eastern Europe, Volume 1. Lincoln, NE: Universe, 2000. ISBN 0595006663
  • Heschel, Abraham Joshua, and Samuel H. Dresner. The Circle of the Baal Shem Tov: Studies in Hasidism. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1985. ISBN 9780226329604
  • Rabinowicz, Tzvi M. The Encyclopedia of Hasidism. Jason Aronson, Inc., 1996. ISBN 1568211236
  • Rosman, Moshe, Founder of Hasidism. University of Calif. Press, 1996. ISBN 0520201914
  • Schechter, S. Studies in Judaiam. First Series. Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society of America, 1915. OCLC 3791418
  • Sears, Dovid. The Path of the Baal Shem Tov Early Chasidic Teachings and Customs. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson, 1997. ISBN 978-1568219721
  • This article incorporates text from the 1901–1906 Jewish Encyclopedia, a publication now in the public domain.


External links

All links retrieved August 26, 2023.

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