This book presents the reader Hasidic stories, creatively reinterpreted by Martin Buber, and his articles about Hasidism. We accompanied the text Buber notes and annexes that sought to show the intellectual and spiritual context of Chassidic teachings and complement the stories from the life of Hasidic teachers drawn from their theoretical works.
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The purpose of this book - to introduce the reader to the world of the legendary reality. I call her legendary because the legends that I'm here trying to give a certain shape, are not authentic in the sense in which authentic chronicle. Legends back to the enthusiastic people to invest in their stories that they saw or thought they saw, in a state of religious impulse. Some of these events actually took place, others simply could not happen in reality, but lifted up his soul in the religious impulse be perceived as a true and complete reality. That's why I call legends reality, the reality of the experience of enthusiastic shower, a reality which is born in every pure heart, unclouded by cunning and deceit. People are telling legends speak not for themselves, but that they care about. Thus, what we learn from these stories - a fact not only psychology but also of life. For example, something happens that inspires the soul exerts a certain influence, pointing to this action, the tradition leads us to his cause, the same relationship between the one who inspires, and those who are inspired - a relationship between two persons. This is the real legend, and such is the reality of it.
Heroes and inspiration tales collected here - it tzadiks. This term is usually translated as "righteous," but it literally means "those who passed the test," or "certified". Tzadiks are the leaders of the Hasidic community. Those who tells the story of a Tzadik, whose stories form the basis of the legendary tradition and inspired - is the Hasidim, "devotees", or, more precisely, the "keepers of the faith", ordinary members of the Hasidic community. This book, therefore, seeks to express and document the relationship between the Hasidim and a Tzadik, and therefore it should be taken exactly as the original description of the life and Hasidic tzaddikim - creative and at the same documentary.
Table of contents
Foreword
Introduction
Israel ben Eliezer, the Baal Shem Tov
Baruch of Medzebozh
Dov Ber of Kafka, the Great Maggid
Abraham Angel
Pinchas of Koretz and his school
Yehiel Mikhl of Zlocheva
Zeev Wolf of Zbarazh
Mordechai of Neskhizha
Surroundings of the Baal Shem Tov
Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk
Shmelke of Nikolbsurga
Aaron of Karlin
Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev
Zusya of Anapol
Elimelech of Lizensk
Shneur Zalman of Liadi
Shlomo of Karlin
Israel of Koznitsa
Yaakov Yitzchak of Lublin, Seer
Martin Buber. The way a man Hasidic teachings
Martin Buber. The place of religion in the history of Hasidism
Martin Buber. Additional notes to the image of Hasidism
Biographical information about the Hasidic teachers
Notes
Moshe Idel. Martin Buber and Gershom Scholem on Hasidism: a critical reassessment
Talk about Buber
Selected Bibliography
Glossary
Alphabetical index of names
Martin (Mordechai) Buber (1878-1965) - one of the most brilliant and original thinkers of the XX century, the philosopher and mystic, guru and social activist, founder of an important branch of modern thought - the philosophy of dialogue.
All his life, Martin Buber sought to discover the unique world of mystical experience of Hasidism. The most significant of his work on this subject - "Chassidic stories," the first part of which is included in this edition. The book teaches that the only person in the dialogue with the Almighty revealed the divine reality and the space becomes holiness. Chassidic stories help to overcome the alienation between the people and see the divine light that fills the daily human life.
From the author
In each of the chapters I've placed in the biographical legend, though not strictly chronological order, as the chronological principle could only conceal rather than highlight those aspects of the biography, which I always had in mind when compiling the book. On the basis of the material available anywhere, I have decided that it is much easier to give an overall picture, considering the various elements of the human character and his way of life apart from each other, and - when possible - each of them in development, until they all merge into a kind of spiritual biography . For example, in the chapter about the Baal Shem Tov is possible to observe the following sequence: 1) the soul of the Baal Shem Tov, and 2) the preparation for ministry and revelation, and 3) his enthusiasm and zeal, and 4) his community, and 5) the Baal Shem Tov and his disciples; 6 ), the Baal Shem Tov and his association with a variety of people, and 7) the power of vision, 8) holiness and miracles 9) The Holy Land and the redemption of sins, 10) before and after his death. Each piece is set to its proper place, although sometimes it violates the chronological order, in addition, where it seemed appropriate, to the teachings of the legends attached.
A cursory reading might seem that the book has a number of repetitions, when in fact it is not so in every such case, the whole meaning of the story or changing, or takes on added meaning. Such, for example, the constant mention of "Hasidim of Satan," that is lzhehasidah that attach to the true Chassidim to destroy their community. The attentive reader will easily notice in all such cases, the differences in the situations and in the form of presentation.
My work on the restatement of Hasidic legends began over forty years ago. The first fruits of my work in this area became the book "The fabulous stories of Rabbi Nachman" (1906) and "The Legend of the Baal Shem Tov" (1907). Then, however, I gave up on their previous method of oral traditions on the basis that it considered excessively loose. My new concept of the purposes and methods of work with the legends embodied in the books "The Great Magid and his followers" (1921) and "Hidden Light" (1924). Their content is almost entirely reproduced in the present work, although much of it is written after my arrival in Palestine in 1938. This new and more sophisticated collection I must first of all air Promised Land. Our sages say that in the very air of Palestine makes one wise. I also gave this land by force to start all over again. Now I think his work on the Hasidic legends complete, and this book - a kind of up my new beginning.
Martin Buber Jerusalem, Summer 1946
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