CHASYDYZM (Hasidism) ON THE POLISH LAND

BAAL SZEM TOW PROPERLY: IZRAEL BEN ELIEZER HEBR. THE MAN OF GOOD NAME http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_Baal_Szem_Tow

Most tales about his life are legendary in their nature… BIOGRAPHY Baal Szem Tow Was born in the year 1700 in Okopy (Holy Trinity Trenches) and died in 1760 in Międzybórz (Medzhybizh). He was a plebeian mystic, a miracle man and the first teacher of Polish Hasidism. Most tales about his life are legendary in their nature…

THE FAMILY LAND

DOCTRINE An ecstatic prayer was most important in connection with rapid body movements. A prayer is the cleanest and the most perfect way of life. A belief in his being a real intermediary between heaven and 4. Conviction that he can excuse each sinner and that he can contempt each sinner, for instance for rejecting his teaching. 5. Practising mystical “adhering” to God during everyday activities, eg. eating. Praktykowan

„REVALATION” When he was barely over twenty years old he went to the Carpathian Mountains in order to prepare himself spiritually for “revelation”- which was announcing a mission – through strict asceticism. He worked physically excavating clay, which was sold by his wife. When he was 36 years old, his revelation appeared as Baal Shem Tov – he healed a demoniac. In spring 1739 he attempted to reach the Holy Land, yet he never managed to get there and after nearly a one year stay in Istanbul he came back to Podole (Podolia).

HIS HOUSE IN MIĘDZYBÓŻ PHOTO MADE BEFORE 1939 YEAR

MISSION Besht claimed that through his teaching he was to lead the world to salvation. It was a role traditionally ascribed to Elias. Basht manifested his identification with this prophet. He did not give speeches, and in synagogues he only said prayers

ISTAMBUL AND HOLLY LAND http://pl.wikibooks.org/wiki/Historia_dla_gimnazjum/Staro%C5%BCytny_Izrael http://pl.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Plik:Schedel_konstantinopel.jpg&filetimestamp=20050730135906 ISTAMBUL AND HOLLY LAND

The place of grave Baal Szem Towa- Międzybórz

From hebrew: „Pious, faithful to God ” Chasidism From hebrew: „Pious, faithful to God ”

The genesis Born in XVII in Wołyń and Podole Lack of one geographic center

Spiritual orientation Hasidic groups Spiritual community Person of leader Way of life Social identity Spiritual orientation

Attitude to Baal Shem Tov Unifying elements Attitude to Baal Shem Tov Identification of the spiritual heritage of Baal Shem Tov Tzaddik Person inspirated by God From Hebrew: fair Chasidic community New social structure nad way of life Ahavat chawerim- „brotherly love”

Attitude towards hasidism The followers The opponents

The opponents Paying less attencion to studing Tora Ignored religeus authority Setting new elemets to liturgy Eating unkosher meat Version of a heresy

The followers New social relation between all jewish community Fundamwntal ideas of relations God- believers (devoted oneself to God, love to God) Relations between members of hasidic’s group New social relation between all jewish community

Why Chasidism succeed?

BIBLIOGRAFIA Tomaszewski Jerzy, Żbikowski Andrzej, Żydzi w Polsce leksykon, historia i kultura, Warszawa 2001. Bobrzyńska Zofia, Żebrowski Rafał, Polski słownik judaistyczny, dzieje, kultura, religia, ludzie. Warszawa 2003 Alina Cała, Hanna Węgrzynek, Gabriela Zalewska, Słownik Historia i kultura żydów polskich, Warszawa 2000. Michała Galasa, Światło i słońce . Studia z dziejów chasydyzmu, Kraków 2006 Doktór Jan, Baal Szem Tow. Próba nowego spojrzenia, Kwartalnik Historii Żydów, 2002 nr 4. Marc- Alain Ouaknin, Chasydzi, Warszawa 2002. Tommasz Jelonek, Chasydzi radośni mistycy żydowscy, Kraków 2007. http://www.sztetl.org.pl/pl/term/24,chasydyzm/ http://chasydzi.e-siec.com/chasydyzm-wspolczesnie.htm http://www.chasydyzm.lauder.lodz.pl/biogrbeszt.htm