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Founder of Hasidism
A Quest for the Historical Ba'al Shem Tov
Using Polish archival sources rarely consulted by earlier scholars, Moshe Rosman reconstructs the town of Międzybóż and the real social position of the Baal Shem Tov. He distinguishes historical evidence from later Hasidic legend. This University of California Press study is essential for readers who want a critical, evidence-based picture of Hasidism's founder. It reshaped how historians approach early Hasidism.






