419) Priestly politics, Calendar wars and early Jewish mysticism

 

The Dead Sea Scrolls from around the 3rd century BCE to the 1st century CE

Introduction

The Hebrew Calendar that we use today has undergone some dramatic transformation over time. What is most interesting is it seems that control over the calendars was often directly related to control over mysticism. In this article, based extensively on the research by Professor Rachel Lior,[1] we examine some of the fascinating developments of the Hebrew Calendar. Much of this information has only come to light in relatively recent times. It must be emphasised that these are Elior's views and not everyone necessarily agrees with the position she takes. Nonetheless, her observations are of great interest.

418) Sefer Chassidim: A little-known, unpublished and anonymous anti-Chassidic manuscript from 1818

 

The anonymous anti-Chassidic polemic, Sefer Chassidim, 1818

Introduction

If you are interested in texts and manuscripts with their varying Hashkafot (worldviews), then you may find the anonymous 1818 work, entitled Sefer Chassidim[1] to be of interest. This little-known work, a polemic (theological argument) against Chassidism, is a challenge to some of the then-new principles of the Chassidic movement. The manuscript was never published. In this article, based extensively on a review^[2] by Professor Jonatan Meir, we look at some of the content of this manuscript, without necessarily taking any one particular side. 

417) The shift from experiential Chassidism to an expansion of Chassidic literature.

  

Toledot Yakov Yosef (1817 edition) by R. Yakov Yosef of Polonnoye.

Introduction

This article, based extensively on the research by Professor Zeev Gries, deals with the often-overlooked role of the editor in producing Chassidic texts and in communicating Chassidic doctrines.[1] Many are familiar with the impressive stories of the great Rebbes but very little is known about the: 

“scribes, copyists, editors, and printers who, for better or for worse, have determined the shape in which hasidic tradition has come down to us and dictated the course and pace of its transmission” (Gries 1996:141). 

We shall also examine how these editors helped shift Chassidism from what started out as an experiential movement with little concern for an authoritative literature, to one that is today defined by this very literature. 

416) What really happened on the last Friday night in Kotzk?

 

A letter written by the Kotzker Rebbe's son, R. David in 1855. It was penned during the period of his father's seclusion and R. David requests from one of the followers: “that he help...to collect the debts from our people, for the house of [our master, my father..] may he live long, good days…and Hashem should give him success.”

Introduction

This article, based extensively on the research by Dr Morris Faierstein examines the various accounts of the last night the Kotzker Rebbe spent with his followers in Kotzk.[1] 

The popular version

The popular version of the story goes like this: One Friday night in 1839, R. Menachem Mendel of Kotzk (1789-1859) sat with his followers and in front of them he either smoked a pipe or extinguished the Shabbat candles, proclaiming “Leit din veleit Dayan,” (there is no Law and there is no Judge). Thereafter he excused himself from the gathering and secluded himself (or was forced into seclusion by his family) for the next twenty years until his passing in 1859. 

Faierstein, however, presents a series of the written accounts that led to this popular version and deconstructs them in an attempt to better understand the evolutionary process behind this story. We will look at six different written sources to see how they depicted the alleged events of that ‘last night in Kotzk.’

415) The changing face of mysticism in the evolution of Chassidism

 

The Grand Synagogue of R. Yisrael of Ruzhin (der heiliger Ruzhiner) in Sadigur. 

Introduction

This article, drawn extensively from the research by Professor Benjamin Brown, looks at how Chassidism, which started out as a mystical movement, slowly redefined its mysticism and, over time, replaced it with various substitutes.[1] 

From what began as a small movement in the eighteenth century with relatively common mystical ideas, the nineteenth century brought with it:

“deep ideological transformation…the vast majority of which were not mystical” (Brown 2017:247).

The mystical fervour of the early generations soon dissipated and became ‘neutralised’ by Chassidic substitutes. We shall look at a number of such examples. 

414) Did the first three Rebbes of Chabad credit the Vilna Gaon for saving Chassidism?

Mekor Baruch R. Baruch Halevi Epstein (1860-1941)

Introduction

In a most interesting source found in Mekor Baruch, the first three Rebbes of Chabad are said to have acknowledged the Vilna Gaon for his role in keeping Chassidism within the framework of traditional Judaism. Considering that the Vilna Gaon was Chassidism’s most ardent opponent, this seems like quite an outlandish and unlikely claim.

Mekor Baruch

Mekor Baruch was written by R. Baruch Halevi Epstein (1860-1941) and is a four-volume collection of memoirs and recollections from leading personalities of previous generations. His father, R. Yechiel Michel Epstein (1829–1908), the author of Aruch haShulchan, is said to have studied together with R. Menachem Mendel of Lubavitch (1789-1866) the third Chabad Rebbe, known as the Tzemach Tzedek.

413) Did R. Nachman meet Napoleon?

Napoleon's unsuccessful attempt to siege Acre in 1799

 Introduction

This article, based extensively on the research by Professor David Assaf, looks at the historicity of the claims by a veritable literary tradition that the 26-year-old R. Nachman of Breslov had met with the 29-year-old Napoleon while both were in the Holy Land.[1] 

412) Can Targumim clarify a Torah text?

 

Targum Yonatan fragment in the Cairo Geniza.

Introduction.

This article, based extensively on the research by Dr Raanan Eichler, explores whether the study of Targumic texts (=Torah translations into Aramaic) can sometimes lead us closer to the original intent of the Torah text.[1] 

411) The Baal Shem Tov of “Okopy”?

The legendary synagogue of the Baal Shem Tov in Piatra Neamț in Western Moldavia

Introduction

All the literature we read on the Baal Shem Tov (1690^[1]/1698/^[2]1700^[3]-1760) gives his birthplace as Okopy, in Podolia, Western Ukraine. However, relatively recent research by Romainian-born Professor Moshe Idel,[4] upon which this article is extensively based, suggests that his birthplace may have been “in the state of Walachia." 

It is amazing how names, dates and ideas sometimes become accepted as truths just because they are repeated often enough. The same thing may apply to the town of Okopy which is always given as the birthplace of the Baal Shem Tov (Besht). Idel draws our attention to the fact that there is no “reliable” (Idel 2011:69) source to corroborate this detail.

410) Overview and character of Frankian ideology

 

Jacob Frank's passing in 1791

Introduction

I have always been interested in possible areas of overlap between the three movements of Sabbatianism (under Shabbatai Tzvi), Frankism (under Jacob Frank) and Chassidism (under the Baal Shem Tov) which all emerged relatively at the same period in Jewish history. The last of these movements, the Chassidic movement, presented itself at the very zenith of the Sabbatian and Frankian storm. It is, therefore, important to understand some of this background because it is unlikely that movements suddenly emerge in a vacuum.

This article, based on previous and new research, explores the rather understudied movement known as Frankism.

409) Polemics of Intercession

Pachad Yitzchak by R. Yitzchak Lampronti (1679-1756)

Introduction

This article, based extensively on the research by Professor David Malkiel,[1] looks at a fascinating but understudied anthology of eighteenth-century rabbinic ideas, debates and polemics between mystical and rationalist rabbis on various issues. These include intercessory prayer through the angels, appealing to the deceased, and appealing to various Divine ‘attributes.’ These debates and responsa are recorded in a section of a larger work, the Halachic encyclopedia entitled Pachad Yitzchak.[2] The seventeenth and eighteenth-century rationalist rabbis claim that the belief in these intercessional agents has its origins in non-Jewish sources, while their mystical counterparts counter-charge their interlocuters with the same offence.

408) Rebbe Professor Isadore Twersky

 

The two faces of  Rabbi Professor Twersky

Introduction

This article, based extensively but not exclusively on the research by Rabbi Dr Carmi Horowitz,[1] looks at the extraordinary story of Rabbi Professor Isadore (Yitzchak) Twersky (1930-1997). As both a rebbe and professor, Isadore Twersky straddled two very distinct worlds.

The story

Rebbe Professor Twersky, as he was affectionately known, was born into a Chassidic line of rebbes from the Chernobyl dynasty. He was a great-grandson of Rabbi David of Talne, an important leader of the Chassidic movement in Ukraine during the nineteenth century. By all expectations, he should have just grown up to become another rebbe in the chain going back to R. Nachum of Chernobyl (1730-1789), a student of the Baal Shem Tov. The Talner Chassidim are a branch of the Chernobyl Chassidic dynasty.