36
edits
The Baal Shem Tov: Difference between revisions
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
no edit summary
No edit summary |
No edit summary |
||
| Line 57: | Line 57: | ||
On the 17th of Elul 1734 (5494), Achiya Hashiloni ordered the Baal Shem Tov to reveal himself to the world, and he first revealed himself in the town of Tolste. Afterward, the Baal Shem Tov began to transmit his teachings through travel and wanderings. At first, he dealt primarily with ''pidyon shvuyim,'' <ref>''pidyon shvuyim'' (Hebrew: "ransoming of captives")</ref> strengthening Torah study and piety and disseminating the inner dimensions of the Torah. During his travels, he visited Horodenka, Kitov, Nemyriv, Sharhorod (In Yiddish: Shridgrod) in Galicia and Podolia, Polonne, Bila Tserkva, and Zaslaw in the district of Volhynia. | On the 17th of Elul 1734 (5494), Achiya Hashiloni ordered the Baal Shem Tov to reveal himself to the world, and he first revealed himself in the town of Tolste. Afterward, the Baal Shem Tov began to transmit his teachings through travel and wanderings. At first, he dealt primarily with ''pidyon shvuyim,'' <ref>''pidyon shvuyim'' (Hebrew: "ransoming of captives")</ref> strengthening Torah study and piety and disseminating the inner dimensions of the Torah. During his travels, he visited Horodenka, Kitov, Nemyriv, Sharhorod (In Yiddish: Shridgrod) in Galicia and Podolia, Polonne, Bila Tserkva, and Zaslaw in the district of Volhynia. | ||
In the course of his travels, the Besht healed people with remedies as well as amulets. His amulets were written by the scribe Rabbi Alexander Ziskind, and later on, when demand increased, he was helped by Rabbi Tzvi Sofer, whose writings were of high value. Eventually, Rabbi Sofer remained as the sole scribe. | |||
In contrast to the ''Baalei Shem'' who preceded him, the Baal Shem Tov did not summon the divine names and the amulets he distributed did not contain the divine names. For that reason, amongst others, his name differed from other ''Baalei Shem'', with the addition of the word ''Tov''<ref>''Tov'' (Hebrew: :good")</ref>. | |||
In the year 1740 (5500), the Baal Shem Tov moved to Medzhybizh, where admirers and ''Chassidim''<ref>''Chassidim'' are followers or adherents.</ref> began to congregate around him, among them many great Torah scholars and well-known ''tzaddikim''. | |||
{{Reflist}} | {{Reflist}} | ||