Adel (the daughter of the Baal Shem Tov)
Rebbetzin Adel — daughter of the Baal Shem Tov and wife of Rabbi Yechiel Michel Ashkenazi — was an active partner in her father's holy work and is mentioned in many of his letters. She is considered one of the great female figures in the history of Chassidus.
She was born around 1720 (ת"פ), before her father's public revelation as the Baal Shem Tov. The Besht himself explained her name, Adel, as an acronym of the verse Eish das lamo — "a fiery law unto them" (Deuteronomy 33:2).
She married Rabbi Yechiel Michel Ashkenazi, also known as Deitchel. For several years after their marriage they had no children — until the following episode:
One year, on the night following Yom Kippur, the Baal Shem Tov's Chassidim were dancing with a particular joy and dveykus — a deep cleaving of the soul to G‑d. Adel stood watching the Chassidim's celebration. Suddenly, one of the Chassidim's shoes tore. He approached Adel, asked her for her own shoes, and promised her that in that merit she would be blessed with children — and that she would also earn an abundant livelihood from selling shoes. It came to pass just as he said, and her daughter Feiga was born.[1]
Her Children edit
- Her son, Rabbi Moshe Chaim Ephraim of Sudilkov — author of the Degel Machaneh Ephraim.
- Her son, Rabbi Baruch of Mezhybizh.
- Her daughter, Feiga — mother of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov.
Notes edit
- ↑ Reshimos Dvarim, p. 88.