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The Baal Shem Tov: Difference between revisions
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'''Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov''', also known by the acronym '''Besht''', is considered the founder of the Chassidic movement and its philosophy, from which all Chassidic courts derived. Before revealing himself as a mystic leader, the Baal Shem Tov headed a secret group of hidden mystics. | |||
The Baal Shem Tov was born on August 21 1698 (18 Elul 5458). He passed away on May 21, 1760 (6 Sivan 5520). He is buried in Medzhybizh, in present-day Ukraine. | |||
== Biography == | |||
=== Early years === | |||
In 1648 (5408), fifty years before the birth of the Baal Shem Tov, the great Khmelnytsky Uprising took place. It was a rebellion of the Cossacks against the ruling class, during which murderous pogroms against Jews destroyed entire communities. These events are known as ''Gzerot Tach VeTat'', an acronym for the Hebrew years [5]408–[5]409. | |||
As a result of the horrible pogroms, the spiritual and material situation of the Jews was in great decline. Chassidic teachings refer to this period as “the fainting,” similar to a man who lost consciousness and fell into a deep sleep. Rabbi Pinchas Koritzer, a Chassidic scholar, said that the Baal Shem Tov’s soul descended into the world to awaken the souls of Israel from their state of unconsciousness. | |||
The Lubavitcher Rebbe explains that in the same way that a person's first name is called to awaken him when he faints because the name comes from the essence of the soul, so too, when the soul's essence awakens, he himself comes to life. Before the Baal Shem Tov was revealed as a leader, the Jewish people were sunk into unconsciousness and the Almighty sent down the soul of the Besht (with the powerful name Israel) to awaken the essence of the soul of the people and rouse them from their sleep. | |||
The Chabad scholar R’ Hillel Paricher testified in the name of his teacher R’ Mordechai of Chernobyl, who heard from his father the Maor Einayim, that on the 18th of Elul the Besht was born in body, spirit and soul. In body—his physical birth. In soul—when his holy teacher and mentor revealed himself to him. And in spirit—when he was revealed to the Jewish people. | |||
=== Background === | |||
The Baal Shem Tov's parents, R' Eliezer and Sarah, were a barren couple who lived in a settlement near Okopy, in western Ukraine, and frequently hosted people in fulfillment of the mitzvah of ''[[hachnasat orchim]]''. | |||
'''Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov''', also known by the acronym '''Besht''', is considered the founder of the Chassidic movement and its philosophy, from which all Chassidic courts derived. Before revealing himself as a mystic leader, the Baal Shem Tov headed a secret group of hidden mystics. | '''Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov''', also known by the acronym '''Besht''', is considered the founder of the Chassidic movement and its philosophy, from which all Chassidic courts derived. Before revealing himself as a mystic leader, the Baal Shem Tov headed a secret group of hidden mystics. | ||
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=== Marriage === | === Marriage === | ||
The Baal Shem Tov moved to Brody, near Podolia, where he worked as a teacher in a ''cheder''. There, he met Rabbi Ephraim of Brody, a city dignitary and father of the well-known Rabbi Gershon of Kitov. Rabbi Ephraim was so impressed by the young man that he offered his daughter Chana as a bride. At their wedding, after the death of Rabbi Ephraim, the Besht showed up dressed as a peasant, wishing to appear as a simple man. After the wedding, R' Israel spent time partaking in ''hitbodedut'' (spiritual seclusion) in fields and forests while the couple moved from village to village. Eventually, the Besht became a ''melamed'' in a town in Poland, and the couple lived in dire financial straits. | The Baal Shem Tov moved to Brody, near Podolia, where he worked as a teacher in a ''cheder''. There, he met Rabbi Ephraim of Brody, a city dignitary and father of the well-known Rabbi Gershon of Kitov. Rabbi Ephraim was so impressed by the young man that he offered his daughter Chana as a bride. At their wedding, after the death of Rabbi Ephraim, the Besht showed up dressed as a peasant, wishing to appear as a simple man. After the wedding, R' Israel spent time partaking in <ref>''hitbodedut'' (spiritual seclusion)</ref> in fields and forests while the couple moved from village to village. Eventually, the Besht became a ''melamed'' in a town in Poland, and the couple lived in dire financial straits. | ||
{{Reflist}} | {{Reflist}} | ||
== Activities and leadership == | |||
=== Children's education === | |||
Prior to revealing himself as a ''tzaddik'', the Baal Shem Tov worked as a teacher's assistant and his job was to walk the children from their homes to the ''cheder''. In the course of these walks, the Besht educated the children on spiritual concepts, in particular, the concept of responding ''amen'' when appropriate. Additionally, he protected them from any danger on the way to school, such as dogs. | |||
The Besht took on this work with joy and endless love, so much so that in later years he told his best students that "those were the happiest days of his life." His student, the Maggid of Mezritch, reflected: "If only people would kiss the <ref>''Sefer Torah'' (Torah scroll)</ref> with the same amount of love with which the Baal Shem Tov kissed the children when he walked them to ''cheder'' when he was a teacher's assistant." | |||
When he was 18 years old, in 1716 (5746), the Besht proposed a new course of action to his friends from the group of hidden mystics: to go from village to village and ensure each one had a teacher for the local children. In villages lacking a teacher, the hidden mystics would serve as teachers. During that period, the Besht also served as a teacher. | |||