THE JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA
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Baer, Israel Baer of Meseritz
him who indulged
new
As Baer had
endeavored to make himself the spiritual and material focus of the cult. The introduction of the Lurian prayer-book, from which all the medieval piyyutim are excised, was the first manifesto of Hasidism, giving notice that it was henceforth not merely the possession of the few chosen ones, but the property of
in the comforts of earthly life. neither a fortune, nor any salary as preacher in Rowno or in Meseritz, he lived in abject poverty despite his few needs. This lack of nourishment, together with his ascetic mode of life, gradually made him a cripple. It was the broken state of his health that caused Baer to seek Besht, though he found in him a physician for the soul rather than for the body. The date of their meeting, and the manner in which Besht brought about the conversion of the seemingly confirmed ascetic, are not accurately known. The Hasidic legend concerning this episode has it that Baer, who had heard much of Besht, visited him to satisfy himself of the truth or falsity of the current reports of Besht's remarkable powers. Arrived at the latter's house, and admitted to his His "Visit presence, Baer expected to hear pro-
found mysteries expounded instead, Besht merely related to him numerous Hearing only similar stories of everyday life. stories at each subsequent visit, Baer decided to return home. But just as he was about to set out, at a late hour of the night, he was summoned to to Besht.
Without preliminary explanation,
Besht's house.
Besht opened the "Ez Hayyim" of Hayyirn Vital, and asked Baer to elucidate a certain passage. The but Besht latter did so to the best of his ability declared that Baer knew nothing of the real meaning of the passage, and proceeded to give his explanation. As he did so— so runs the legend the darkness suddenly gave way to light, and angels appeared eagerly listening to Besht's words. " Your explanations," said he to Baer, "were correct, but your deductions were thoughts without any soul in them." This experience induced Baer to remain in
—
correct in so far as it intimates that Baer learned through his connection with Besht to value every-day things and events, and to emphasize the proper spirit through which alone the study of the Torah is made a source of knowledge and enis
Under the guidance of Besht, Baer abandoned his ascetic mode of life, and in consequence recovered from the disease which had led him Although their interto seek out the Hasid leader. course covered not more than the last two years of Besht's life, yet the association was intimate enough to cause Baer to be considered as Besht's heir presumptive, even during the lifetime of the founder Baer's reputation as a preacher and of Hasidism. an ascetic on the one side, and his auLeader of thority as a Talmudist on the other, made him an ideal leader for the Hasithe Hasidim. die movement. Directed, as it was, lightenment.
against the learned
men
of the cus-
tomary type, the propaganda needed an expert Talmudist to prolong its life beyond the demise of its founder. Baer was the only man capable of leading the masses, and at the same time of impressing the learned world.
Immediately after the death of Besht (1760), Baer assumed the leadership of the sect, there being no opposition to him from any quarter. As its acknowledged leader, he sought to free Hasidism from the authority of the rabbis
and other innovations.
Incidentally,
he
1
the masses. tude, Baer
But in order better to reach the multihad to appoint apostles to spread his teachings.
Jacob Joseph ha-Kohen,.
Spread of Elimelech of Lyzensk, his brother MeHasidism. shullam Suse, and Nahum of Tschernobyl, some of the more important of Baer's emissaries, traveled from place to place spreading the new dispensation. While they appealed to« the imagination and sympathies of the people at large
through their discourses, Baer endeavored to attract, to himself the most intelligent portion of the younger element. His powers must have been considerable, for he converted such Talmudists as the brothers Horwitz, both Phineas and Samuel, and such philosophical natures as Shneor Zolman of Ladie, and Mendel of Witebsk. In contrast to Besht, the man of the people, who walked about, pipe in mouth, chatting to and entertaining whom he met, Baer never relinquished the student habits of a Polish Talmudist. Concerning his mode of life and home, Solomon Maimon states that Baer passed the entire week in his. room, permitting only a few confidants to enter. He appeared in public only on the Sabbath, arrayed in white satin, white being the symbolic color of mercy On such occasions he prayed with in the Cabala. people, and kept open house for those desirous of eating at his table. After the meal he would begin to chant a soul-stirring melody, and, His Public placing his hand upon his forehead, call upon all new adherents present to quote any verse in the Bible they desired. These served as texts for Baer's subsequent sermon. " He was such a master in his craft that he combined these disjointed verses into an harmonious whole," declares Maimon; and what seems to impress this chronicler as still more remarkable, each new proselyte was made to believe that that part of the sermon based upon his verse contained a direct reference to such matters as lay closest to his heart (Maimon, " Selbstbiographie, " i. 231 et seq.). Although it is not probable that Baer sought to play the miracle-worker, there is no doubt that the com-
Audiences, would
Besht's vicinage.
The legend
ritual
by the introduction
of a
people considered it miraculous when some chance remark of his happened to come true. Thanks to the powerful personality of its leader, It Hasidism spread with remarkable rapidity. gained a secure foothold simultaneously in Volhynia, The dissolution of the Lithuania, and Little Russia. "Pour-Lands" synod in 1764 proved favorable to The Eabbis, though annoyed by the its spread. growth of the movement, could not easily take combined action, at least not such as would receive the approval of the governmental authorities. The op-
mon
position of the local rabbis against the well-organized movement proved futile; men among them whose authority reached beyond their narrow sphere of influence were few. Elijah b. Solomon, called the " Gaon of Wilna," was the only one whose reputation extended beyond the borders of Lithuania.
