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The Light and Fire of the Baal Shem Tov
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About The Light And Fire Of The Baal Shem Tov
Product Description This is a life, in stories, of Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov (1700-1760), the founder of Hasidism. The Baal Shem Tov, or the Besht, as he is commonly called, led a revival in Judaism that put love and joy at the center of religious life and championed the piety of the common folk against the rabbinic establishment. He has been recognized as one of the greatest teachers in Jewish history, and much of what is alive and vibrant in Judaism today, in all denominations, derives from his inspiration. Abraham Joshua Heschel, who was descended from several illustrious Hasidic dynasties, wrote: "The Baal Shem Tov brought heaven to earth. He and his disciples, the Hasidim, banished melancholy from the soul and uncovered the ineffable delight of being a Jew." Review “Yitzhak Buxbaum’s book is the scripture that should have been written about the Baal Shem Tov two-hundred-and-fifty years ago, but wasn’t….No one who wants to draw from the wellsprings of Hasidism should be without this book. If you don’t have enough money to buy it, pawn your shoes and run to the bookstore barefoot.” —Zalman Schachter-Salomi“Buxbaum has put his finger on the pulse of the values that lie at the heart of the Baal Shem Tov’s message and conveys them in words that speak to the heart of our generation.”—Arthur Green“Wow! What a feast for those who love stories of the Baal Shem Tov! Yitzhak is a master storyteller, who has devoted a life time to the discovery of stories that quicken the heart and inspire us to live with ever more joy, amazement, and holy integrity.” —Marcia Prager “The finest collection of Baal Shem Tov stories ever amassed in any language.” —Miles Krassen“Reading this book is sure to uplift, inspire, and shift one’s modern-day perspective in a most radical way.” —Tirzah Firestone "This extraordinary work brings together storiesand teachings from Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov (1700-1760), the mystical founderof Hasidism. Those familiar with quotations by this sage will rejoice in thechance to discover more from his deep well of insights into the presence of Godin the warp and the woof of our daily lives. Those who know nothing about thisstoryteller and controversial Jewish leader will savor the deluge of materialpresented on these pages. Buxbaum has done us all a wonderful moral service by revealing the depth dimensions of a warm heart.Reading this master work, one bows down in praise of the Father of Hasidism whoselegacy has not diminished with time, but only grown more expansive andprofound." — Spirituality & Health ( Spirituality and Health) "A wonderfully,enchanting compilation of stories from the Baal Shem Tov that captures theessence and Yiddishkeit of chassidut. A fabulous tome for the old and young,for those who are liberal or those who are traditional. Buxbaum's compilationis enjoyable for bedtime reading for adults and children, as well as anoutstanding source for scholars and rabbis."- Shamash, February 22, 2006 (Shamash) "A fabulous tome for the old and the young, for those who are liberal or those who are traditional. Buxbaum's compilation is enjoyable for bedtime reading for adults and children, as well as an outstanding source for scholars and rabbis." —Shamash Book of the Month, July 2006 'Yitzhak Buxbaum's "The Light and Fire of the Ba'al Shem Tov" is a beautifully put together, easily accessible treasury if these tales. Its uniqueness lies in his efforts to place the tales, as best as her can, in chronological order and so paint for us a sophisticated biography if the Ba'al Shem Tov....This fine work is user-friendly with useful endnotes, a glossary of Jewish terms and a bibliography to aid further study.' Jewish Chronicle, Rabbi Demant, 8th September 2006 "This book does something that happens only occasionally in the field of scholarship: It replaces every other book ever published in English on the subject of the Baal Shem Tov. And it is a delight to read from cover to cover. Each tale is w
