Rabbi Dov Ber of Mezeritch (דוב בער ממזריטש‎) (1704/1710 (?) – 1772-12-04 OS) was a disciple of Rabbi Yisrael Baal Shem Tov, the founder of Hasidic Judaism, and largely seen as his successor. Rabbi Dov Ber is regarded as the first proponent and exponent of Hasidism and one of its most important propagators.^[1] Year 1772 was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... December 4th redirects here. ... Old Style or O.S. is a designation indicating that a date conforms to the Julian calendar, formerly in use in many countries, rather than the Gregorian calendar, currently in use in most countries. ... Rabbi Israel (Yisroel) ben Eliezer (רבי ישראל בן אליעזר, c. ... Hasidic Judaism (also Chasidic, etc. ...

His teachings appear in the volume, Magid Devarav L'Yaakov. He had a number of disciples, including Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk, Rabbi Zusha of Anipoli, Rabbi Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev, Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk, and Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi. Rabbi Elimelech Lipman of Lizhensk (or Lezhinsk or Lijensk) (in Polish: Leżajsk) (1717-1786) was and Orthodox Judaism rabbi and one of the great Hassidic rebbes of the past. ... Rabbi Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev (1740-1810) is one of the most beloved figures in Jewish history. ... Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk (1730 – 1788) was an early leader of Hasidic Judaism. ... Portrait of Shneur Zalman of Liadi (1745-1812) founder of Chabad Lubavitch and author of Tanya and Shulchan Aruch HaRav. ...

Name

The most common transliterations are Dovber or Dov Ber; rarely used forms are Dob Baer or Dobh Baer which often depend on the region in Eastern Europe where Jews resided and hence the influence of the local Yiddish dialects. "Dov" literally means "bear" in Hebrew and "Ber" means the same thing (i.e. "bear") in Yiddish, a type of "double-barrelled name" used by Jews when giving a name of an "animal" to a child whereby both the Hebrew and Yiddish versions of the name are combined into one. Map of Eastern Europe Pre-1989 division between the West (grey) and Eastern Bloc (orange) superimposed on current national boundaries: Russia (dark orange), other countries of the former USSR (medium orange),members of the Warsaw pact (light orange), and other former Communist regimes not aligned with Moscow (lightest orange). ... Yiddish (Yid. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... “Hebrew” redirects here. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

He was known as the Maggid — "Preacher" or literally "Sayer," one who rebukes and admonishes to go in God's ways — of Mezritsh after being the Maggid of the town of Rovne. Dovber of Mezeritch (died 1772) was the primary disciple of Israel ben Eliezer, the Baal Shem Tov, the founder of Hasidic Judaism (now a form of Orthodox Judaism. ... Mezhirichi (Ukrainian: ) is a village in the Koretskyi Raion of the Rivne Oblast, Ukraine. ... Rivne (Ukrainian: , Russian: , translit. ...

Early life

Rabbi Dov Ber was born in Volhynia in 1710, according to the Jewish Encyclopedia,^[1] though other sources say his year of birth is unknown.^[2] Little is known about him before he became a disciple of the Baal Shem Tov. A Hasidic legend states that, when he was five years old, his family home burst into flames. On hearing his mother weeping, he asked: "Mother, do we have to be so unhappy because we have lost a house?" She replied that she was mourning the family tree, which was destroyed, and had begun with Rabbi Yohanan, the sandle-maker and master in the Talmud. The boy replied: "And what does that matter! I shall get you a new family tree which begins with me!"^[3] Volhynia (Ukrainian: , Polish: , Russian: ; also called Volynia) comprises the historic region in western Ukraine located between the rivers Prypiat and Western Bug -- to the north of Galicia and of Podolia. ... The Jewish Encyclopedia was an encyclopedia originally published between 1901 and 1906 by Funk and Wagnalls. ... A family tree is generally the totality of ones ancestors represented as a tree structure, or more specifically, a chart used in genealogy. ... The first page of the Vilna Edition of the Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Berachot, folio 2a. ...

When he was young, he reportedly lived in great poverty with his wife. When a child was born, they had no money to pay the midwife. His wife complained and the Maggid went outside to "curse" Israel. He went outside and said: "O children of Israel, may abundant blessings come upon you!" When his wife complained a second time, he went outside again and cried: "Let all happiness come to the children of Israel — but they shall give their money to thorn bushes and stones!" The baby was too weak to cry, and the Maggid sighed rather than "cursing". Immediately the answer came, and a voice said: "You have lost your share in the coming world." The Maggid replied: "Well, then, the reward has been done away with. Now I can begin to serve in good earnest."^[3]

His visit to the Baal Shem Tov

Dov Ber later became an admirer of Rabbi Isaac Luria's system of Kabbalah, which was becoming popular at that time and was aware of Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, whose writings, then only in manuscript, were well known among the Polish mystics of the period. Dov Ber followed the Lurian school, living the life of an ascetic, fasting a great deal, praying intensely, and living in poverty. He is reported to have become a cripple as a result of poor nourishment. Rabbi Isaac Luria (1534–July 25, 1572) was a Jewish mystic in Safed. ... This article is about traditional Jewish Kabbalah. ... Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (also Moses Chaim, Moses Hayyim, also Luzzato) (1707-1746), also known by the Hebrew acronym as the RAMCHAL (also RAMHAL), was a prominent Italian Jewish rabbi, mystic, and philosopher best remembered today for his ethical treatise Mesillat Yesharim (Path of the Just). ... An ascetic is one who practices a renunciation of worldly pursuits to achieve spiritual attainment. ...

It was in part because of his poor health that he sought out the Baal Shem Tov, although as a scholar well versed in the Gemara (Talmud) and Kabbalah, he also wanted to find out whether his reputation as a wise man was justified.^[3] The Gemara (גמרא - from gamar: Hebrew [to] complete; Aramaic [to] study) is a component of the Talmud, comprising the rabbinical commentaries and analysis on the Mishnah, undertaken in the Academies of Palestine and Babylon over a 300 year period to about 500. ...

He arrived at the Baal Shem Tov's house, expecting to hear stories about profound mysteries, but instead was told stories of the latter's everyday life. Hearing only similar stories at each subsequent visit, Rabbi Dov Ber decided to return home. Just as he was about to leave, he was summoned again to the Baal Shem Tov's house. The Baal Shem Tov opened a "Pri Eitz Chaim" of Rabbi Chaim Vital (Rabbi Isaac Luria's chief disciple), and asked Rabbi Dov Ber to elucidate a certain passage. The latter did so to the best of his ability, but the Baal Shem Tov declared that Rabbi Dov Ber did not understand the real meaning of the passage, and proceeded to explain. The legend states that, as he spoke, the darkness suddenly gave way to light, and angels appeared and listened to the Baal Shem Tov's words. "Your explanations," he said to Rabbi Dov Ber, "were correct, but your deductions were thoughts without any soul in them."^[1] This experience persuaded Rabbi Dov Ber to stay with the Baal Shem Tov.^{[citation needed]} Rabbi Chaim Vital (1543-1620) was the closest disciple of the great 16th-century kabbalist, the Ari - Rabbi Itzchak Luria and his foremost interpreter. ...

Rabbi Dov Ber is reported to have learned from the Baal Shem Tov to value everyday things and events, and to emphasize the proper attitude with which to study Torah. Under the guidance of the Baal Shem Tov, Dov Ber abandoned his ascetic lifestyle, and recovered his health. Although he was a disciple of the Baal Shem Tov for only the last two years of the latter's life; his association was enough to cause the Maggid to be considered as the Baal Shem Tov's heir presumptive.^{[citation needed]} Torah study is the study by Jews of the Torah, Tanakh, Talmud, responsa, rabbinic literature and similar works, all of which are Judaisms religious texts, for the purpose of the mitzvah (commandment) of Torah study itself, meaning study for religious (as opposed to academic) purposes. ...

As leader of the Hasidim

Immediately after the death of the Baal Shem Tov in 1760, his son Rabbi Tsvi became the next rebbe. After one year he gave up this position and the Maggid assumed the leadership of Hasidim. He appointed disciples to spread his teachings, including Rabbi Jacob Joseph ha-Kohen; the brothers, Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk and Rabbi Zusha of Anipoli; Rabbi Nachum of Chernobyl. They traveled from place to place spreading Hasidism. The Maggid himself persuaded such Talmudists as the brothers Horowitz, Rabbi Phineas and Rabbi Shmelke of Nikolsburg; Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi (founder of Chabad-Lubavitch) and Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk. The Magid served as rebbe in Rovne and Mezritsh. Rabbi Elimelech Lipman of Lizhensk (or Lezhinsk or Lijensk) (in Polish: Leżajsk) (1717-1786) was and Orthodox Judaism rabbi and one of the great Hassidic rebbes of the past. ... Chernobyl area. ... The first page of the Vilna Edition of the Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Berachot, folio 2a. ... Pinchas Horowitz was a Rabbi and Talmudic author; born in Poland in 1731; died in Frankfurt am Main on July 1, 1805. ... Rabbi Shmuel Shmelke Halevi of Nikolsburg (1726 Chortkiv, Galicia - 1778 Nikolsburg, Moravia) was an Orthodox Jewish Rabbi and one of the great early Chasidic Rebbes. ... Mikulov (German Nikolsburg) is a town in the Czech Republic, in South Moravian Region. ... Portrait of Shneur Zalman of Liadi (1745-1812) founder of Chabad Lubavitch and author of Tanya and Shulchan Aruch HaRav. ... Chabad Lubavitch, or Lubavich, is one of the largest branch of Hasidic Judaism founded by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi . ... Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk (1730 – 1788) was an early leader of Hasidic Judaism. ... Coat of arms of Vitebsk. ... Rivne (Ukrainian: , Russian: , translit. ... Mezhirichi (Ukrainian: ) is a village in the Koretskyi Raion of the Rivne Oblast, Ukraine. ...

In contrast to the Baal Shem Tov, the man of the people, who is reported to have walked about, pipe in mouth, chatting to those he met, the Maggid never relinquished the habits of a Polish Talmudist. Solomon Maimon states in his memoirs that the Maggid passed the entire week in his room, permitting only a few confidants to enter. He appeared in public only on Shabbat, dressed in white satin. On those occasions he prayed with people, and kept open house for anyone who wanted to dine with him. This article or section cites very few or no references or sources. ... Jewish services (Hebrew: tefillah/תפלה, plural tefilloth/תפלות) are the communal prayer recitations which form part of the observance of Judaism. ...

After the meal he would reportedly begin to chant, and placing his hand upon his forehead, would ask those present to quote any verse from the Bible. These served as texts for the Maggid's subsequent sermon. Solomon Maimon wrote: "He was such a master in his craft that he combined these disjointed verses into an harmonious whole."^[4]

Opposition of the rabbis

Hasidism spread rapidly as a result of Dov Ber's powerful personality, gaining footholds in Volhynia, Lithuania, and Little Russia. The dissolution of the "Four-Lands" synod in 1764 proved favorable to its spread. The local rabbis were annoyed by the growth of the movement, but could not easily do anything about it. The Gaon of Vilna was the only rabbi whose reputation extended beyond the borders of Lithuania. When Hasidism appeared in Vilna, the Vilna Gaon enacted the first major excommunication against Hasidism, which was issued on April 11, 1772. The Vilna Gaon believed the movement was antagonistic to Talmudic rabbinism and was suspicious that it was a remnant of the recent Sabbatean movement. See Hasidim and Mitnagdim. Volhynia (Ukrainian: , Polish: , Russian: ; also called Volynia) comprises the historic region in western Ukraine located between the rivers Prypiat and Western Bug -- to the north of Galicia and of Podolia. ... Little Russia or Malorossiya (Russian: ) was the name for the territory of Ukraine applied in the time of the Russian Empire and earlier. ... Elijah Ben Solomon, the Vilna Gaon The Vilna Gaon (April 23, 1720 – October 9, 1797) was a prominent Jewish rabbi, Talmud scholar, and Kabbalist. ... Location Ethnographic region Aukštaitija County Vilnius County Municipality Vilnius city municipality Coordinates Number of elderates 20 General Information Capital of Lithuania Vilnius County Vilnius city municipality Vilnius district municipality Population About 600,000 in 2006 (1st) First mentioned 1323 Granted city rights 1387 Not to be confused with Vilnius... Cherem (or Herem חרם), is the highest ecclesiastical censure in the Jewish community. ... is the 101st day of the year (102nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1772 was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Schisms among the Jews: // First Temple era Based on the historical narrative in the Bible and archeology, Levantine civilization at the time of Solomons Temple was prone to idol worship, astrology, worship of reigning kings, and paganism. ...

The Maggid's envoys, his pupils Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk and Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, were not received by the Vilna Gaon, who declined to meet them. The ban issued at Vilna drew the eyes of the world toward Hasidism. Rabbi Dov Ber ignored the opposition, but it is blamed in part for his death in Mezritsh on December 15, 1772.^[1] Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk (1730 – 1788) was an early leader of Hasidic Judaism. ... Portrait of Shneur Zalman of Liadi (1745-1812) founder of Chabad Lubavitch and author of Tanya and Shulchan Aruch HaRav. ... Mezhirichi (Ukrainian: ) is a village in the Koretskyi Raion of the Rivne Oblast, Ukraine. ... December 15 is the 349th day of the year (350th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1772 was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

His views

Published words

The Maggid left no writings of his own. The two works, "MaggiD DebarO le-Ya'akoV" (the last letters of which title spell "Dov"), known also under the title of Likkutei Amarim ("Collected Sayings"), published at Korets in 1780, and frequently reprinted; and Likkutei Yesharim ("Collected Gem"), published at Lemberg in or around 1790, are the only ones known to exist. They consist of excerpts from his sermons, written down and collected by his relative, Rabbi Solomon ben Abraham of Lutzk, who, as he himself confessed, was often ignorant of their meaning.^[1] General view of Korets Korets (Ukrainian: ; Polish: ) is a city in the Rivne Oblast in Ukraine. ...

His view of God

For the Maggid, God manifests himself in creation, which is only one aspect of his activity, and which is therefore in reality a self-limitation. Just as God in his goodness limited himself, and thus descended to the level of the world and man, so it is the duty of the latter to strive to unite with God. The removal of the outer shell of mundane things, or "the ascension of the [divine] spark,"^[1] being a recognition of the presence of God in all earthly things, it is the duty of man, should he experience pleasure, to receive it as a divine manifestation, for God is the source of all pleasure.^[1] At the bottom of the hands, the two letters on each hand combine to form יהוה (YHVH), the name of God. ...

On the ecstasy of prayer

Rabbi Dov Ber's view of prayer was that it is the purpose of the life on earth to advance until the perfect union with God is attained. Thus the vegetable kingdom serves as food for the animal kingdom, in order that the lower manifestation of divinity, existing in the former, may be developed into a higher one. Man being the highest manifestation has a duty to attain the highest pinnacle in order to be united with God. The way to achieve this, he argued, is through prayer, in which man forgets himself and his surroundings, and concentrates all his thought and feeling upon union with God.^[1] Jewish services (Hebrew: tefillah/תפלה, plural tefilloth/תפלות) are the communal prayer recitations which form part of the observance of Judaism. ...

Like the Neo-Platonists, he said that when a man becomes so absorbed in the contemplation of an object that his whole power of thought is concentrated upon one point, his self becomes unified with that point. So prayer in such a state of real ecstasy, effecting a union between God and man, is extremely important, and may even be able to overcome the laws of nature.^[1]

The role of the Tzadik

The Baal Shem Tov maintained that real service to God consists of prayer, rather than Torah study, because everyone can do the former, but not the latter.

Rabbi Dov Ber took this a step further. He contended that only the Tzadik is able to remove all his thoughts from earthly things and concentrate completely on God. Because of his union with God, he is the connecting link between God and creation, and thus the channel of blessing and mercy. The love that men have for the Tzaddik provides a path to God. The duty of the ordinary mortal is therefore to love the Tzadik and be subservient to him.^[1] This view mirors that of classical Jewish theology, which teaches that Scripture considers one who cleaves to the Tzaddik, as if cleaving to the Almighty Himself [Kesubos 111,2]. Unfortunately, many individuals misunderstood this and argued that there can be no intermediates between man and God. This misunderstanding of Rabbi Dov Ber's position on this issue was one of the reasons that non-Hasidic rabbis objected to Hasidism. See Jewish principles of faith for more information. However, as with all arguments, lack of diligence was its core [Sanhedrin 88,2; Sotah 47,2; Rambam in his introduction to Pirush Hamishnayos. See also Rambam in his commentary to Mishnayos Sanhedrin under the title "Harishona"]. Eventually, many learned non-Hasidic rabbis accepted and even emulated this path. Tzadik - צדיק (plural: Tzadikkim) is the Hebrew word for righteous one, and is a title which is generally given to those whom are considered to be righteous such as a spiritual master or Rebbe. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... There are a number of basic Jewish principles of faith that were formulated by medieval rabbinic authorities. ...

Bibliography

• Dubnow, Voskhod, ix. Nos. 9-11;
• Grätz, Gesch. der Juden, xi. 98 et seq. and note 22;
• Kohan, in Ha-Shaḥar, v. 634-639;
• Ruderman, ib. vi. 93 et seq.;
• Lobel, in Sulamith, ii. 315;
• Rodkinsohn, Toledot 'Ammude ha-ḤaBad, 1876, pp. 7-23.

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j} Kaufmann Kohler & Louis Ginzberg. "Baer (Dob) of Meseritz", Jewish Encyclopedia, retrieved May 20, 2006
2. ^ "The Journeyman/Ascetic", Chabad.org, retrieved May 20, 2006
3. ^ ^{a b c} Martin Buber. Tales of the Hasidim, Schocken 1947; this edition 1991, p. 98-99. ISBN 0-8052-0995-6
4. ^ Solomon Maimon. "Selbstbiographie," i. 231 et seq. in Kaufmann Kohler & Louis Ginzberg. "Baer (Dob) of Meseritz", Jewish Encyclopedia, retrieved May 20, 2006

The Jewish Encyclopedia was an encyclopedia originally published between 1901 and 1906 by Funk and Wagnalls. ... Martin Buber (8 February 1878 – 13 June 1965) was an Austrian-Jewish philosopher, translator, and educator, whose work centered on theistic ideals of religious consciousness, interpersonal relations, and community. ... The Jewish Encyclopedia was an encyclopedia originally published between 1901 and 1906 by Funk and Wagnalls. ...

External links

• אור תורה Fulltext (Hebrew), chabadlibrary.org
• A biography of Dov Ber of Mezeritch