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 e[...]

The spiritual involution that swept through eastern Europe in the 18th century continues to resonate for spiritual seekers today. The mystic Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer revealed profound teachings of great insight that continue delineating the foundations of Jewish contemplative spiritual practice. Wha[...]