The Message of Chassidism

The Master of the Good Name:  Yisroel ben Eliezer or the Baal Shem Tov

Because I am a professional student, I have taken the liberty to write a short essay concerning the Baal Shem Tov. Nothing is further from reality than to assume I am an expert or the founder of Chassidism, founded by Yisroel ben Eliezer (1698-1760).

Nevertheless, it is worthwhile to become acquainted with the Baal Shem Tov because his teachings have not only survived to this day but have become a worldwide movement among Jews. Today there are Chassidim all over the world, including India, Alaska, Africa, South and North America, and even Europe, the continent which is soaked in Jewish blood.

During the life time of Yisroel Eliezer, murderous attacks upon the Polish Jews were responsible for the deaths of thousands of Jewish lives. The tradition among the Polish population to slaughter Jews continued though the Nazi period and is only now reduced because there are no Jews left in Poland.

The 17^th century included several so called pogroms, or killings of the Polish Jewish population.  This kind of treatment continued during the occupation of Poland by the German army between 1939 and 1945.  The Jewish community in Poland was devastated because of these bloody attacks on the Jews of Poland. In addition, eastern European Jews had to deal with the antics of Shabbatai Zvi, who claimed to be the Moshiach until he converted to Islam.

In this atmosphere of persecution and disappointment, Yisroel ben Eliezer proclaimed that Judaism is optimistic and creative and that Jews were not lost but could look forward to great achievements yet to come (Who, in the seventeenth century would have believed that Israel would be restored to the Holy Land? Who would have believed that America would become a land of Jewish achievement in liberty and freedom?).

The European Jews at the time of Yisroel ben Eliezer sought solace in the Talmud, that great masterpiece of Jewish law and Jewish existence. The Baal Shem Tov was a student of the Talmud, but he was more than that. He recognized how important the average Jew was and is to Jewish survival. At a time when Talmud scholars looked upon the ignorant, average Jews as an opprobrium, the Baal Shem Tov taught his followers that the common Jews, the unlearned Jews, were important to God and to Jewish survival. The Baal Shem Tov taught children in cheders to love the Torah and taught adults the same. At the same time he supported all Jews in their effort to live a Torah true life even if the Talmud was out of their reach. The Besh, as some called him, had a love of people above all, advocating support for the persecuted and the poor. He understood the needs of those who are not famous, are not great scholars, ae not wealthy. He taught humility and he taught the greatest of all the commandments found in the Torah … “and you shall love you neighbor as yourself.”  Love, honor and respect for all God’s children emanated from that great man.

Hence it is not surprising that in our own day, Menachem Mendel Schneerson,  known as The Rebbe, promoted  worldwide revival of the Chassidic movement in Judaism. Today, as many Jews marry non-Jews, abandon Judaism, denounce Israel, and run from the great gift Shem Yisborach has bestowed on us by giving us he Torah, Chassidim  like Rabbi Eliezer “Laizer” Labkovski uphold the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov by welcoming all Jews, whether learned or ignorant, whether poor or wealthy, whether former apostates  or late recruits to great Jewish traditions.

Like a huge wall holding together the Jewish people and resisting the intermarried and the self-haters, Rabbi Labkovski teaches the lessons of the Baal Shem Tov by his kindness, helpfulness and concern for those in need.

Am Yisroel Chai. Israel lives because the Baal Shem Tov lived three hundred years ago, the Rebbe Scheerson lived in the 20^th century, and our Rabbi Laizer lives today.

Shalom u'vracha.

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