Editing Baruch (father of the Alter Rebbe) (section)

== His Connection to the Baal Shem Tov ==
After meeting with the hidden tzaddikim during his wandering years, learning much from them and greatly admiring them, the practices of the hidden tzaddikim, both regarding themselves and others, created in the tzaddik R' Baruch a great desire to be counted among them. During the eight years 5494-5502 from the Baal Shem Tov's revelation until the year when the tzaddik R' Baruch met with the Baal Shem Tov's disciples, the Baal Shem Tov's approach had already become more or less known.

In that summer of 5503, when R' Baruch stayed for a time in Dobromysla, he studied with the young chassid R' Yitzchak Shaul, son of the chassidic gaon R' Nissan Melamed, and also studied for a time with the tzaddik gaon R' Yissachar Dov of Kabilnik. Several times they studied the writings of the Baal Shem Tov's teachings that R' Yosef, the father-in-law of R' Yissachar Dov the Maggid of Lubavitch, had recorded, and then R' Baruch became connected to the Baal Shem Tov.

R' Baruch became one of the hidden tzaddikim. There was a period among the hidden tzaddikim when they didn't know each other, and after they became acquainted, the Baal Shem Tov strongly warned them not to reveal themselves. The Baal Shem Tov's disciples knew that R' Yosef Yitzchak was among the Baal Shem Tov's chassidim, but about R' Baruch no one knew, only his wife Rebbetzin Rivka knew.

R' Baruch and his brother-in-law R' Yosef Yitzchak were both distinguished disciples of the Baal Shem Tov. Both would travel to the Baal Shem Tov in secret, concealing this from each other. Once in 5507, they met together at the Baal Shem Tov's court, and the brother-in-law was very amazed, because R' Baruch was considered a baal middos (master of character), and how could he have concealed all this time that he travels to the Baal Shem Tov.

Later, R' Baruch became known among the Baal Shem Tov's disciples and was considered honored among the other disciples of the Baal Shem Tov and the Maggid of Mezritch. From time to time, rabbis and chassidim would come to Liozna to farbreng with R' Baruch about Torah and chassidus.