The Besht as Ba’al Shem: Magic in the Life and Legacy of Israel Ba’al Shem Tov

Authors

Elly Moseson, Columbia UniversityFollow

Abstract

Israel Ba’al Shem Tov (the Besht), the purported founder of the Hasidic movement, achieved renown during his lifetime as a holy man and a ba’al shem—a magician and folk healer. This paper surveys the sources containing evidence pertaining to the Besht’s medico-magical activities, presents the variety of recipes and rituals that have been preserved in his name, and explores the implications these hold for understanding his life and legacy. It further argues that the centrality of magic we find in the life of the Besht did not disappear with his death but was maintained within the Hasidic movement that developed in his wake.

Recommended Citation

Moseson, Elly (2023) "The Besht as Ba’al Shem: Magic in the Life and Legacy of Israel Ba’al Shem Tov," Jewish Folklore and Ethnology: Vol. 2: Iss. 1, Article 3.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/jewishfolklore/vol2/iss1/3