Rachel Elior is John and Golda Cohen Professor of Jewish Philosophy and Jewish Mystical Thought at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and has been a research fellow and visiting professor at University College London, the University of Amsterdam, Oberlin College, the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies, and Princeton University. She is the author of numerous works on Jewish mysticism and hasidism. In 2006 she was awarded the Gershom Scholem Price for the Study of Kabbalah and Jewish Mysticism by the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities.

• Publisher’s Note on the Translation and Transliteration 1 The Origins of Hasidism2 The Hasidic Library3 Mystical Societies and the Spread of Hasidism: Internalizing and Reviving the Kabbalistic Myth4 The Hasidic Concept of Language: The Window in the Word5 Israel Ba’al Shem Tov’s Uniqueness: Myth, Bibliography, Facts, and Image6 The Hasidic Revolution7 Hasidism in the Context of its Time8 The Unity of Opposites: Being and Nothingness9 ‘For indeed all is null and void’: The Transcendence from Being to Nothingness10 The Doctrine of the Tsadik11 Mystical Spirituality and Autonomous Leadership12 Israel Ba’al Shem Tov and Jacob Frank: Hasidism and Shabateanism13 Scholarship on Hasidism: Changing Perspectives14 SummaryGlossaryRecommended ReadingBibliographyIndex

'Well written and concise and, together with her glossary, provides a good grounding for the educated reader beginning a study of hasidic texts ... I recommend this book for all academic libraries.'Daniel J. Rettberg, Association of Jewish Libraries Newsletter'Such a survey of basic questions presented in a concise and lucid form, on a scholarly basis but written for a general readership was a desideratum. Not many monographic introductions to hasidism have appeared, although the Littman Library of Jewish Civilization has recently published several important books on the subject ... highly commendable book ... there is much to be learned from it about hasidism.'Annelies Kuyt, European Journal of Jewish Studies'An impressive scholarly work which eloquently paints a beautiful picture of Hasidism's emergence and fate.'Federico dal Bo, Journal of Jewish Studies‘Succinct and lucid . . . Elior is particularly interested in hasidism’s originator, R. Israel ben Eliezer (the Ba’al Shem Tov). Unlike other scholars of the Ba’al Shem Tov, however, who focus on his career as a mystical practitioner (ba’al shem), Elior grapples with his innovative theology. She then expands her study to subsequent generations of hasidic leaders . . . accessible . . . a singular contribution.’ Glenn Dynner, H-Judaic