Dov Ber of Mezeritch
Dov Ber ben Avraham of Mezeritch (Yiddish: דֹב בּער פֿון מעזעריטש; died December 4, 1772 O.S.), also known as the Maggid of Mezeritch or Mezeritcher Maggid, was a disciple of Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer (the Baal Shem Tov), the founder of Hasidic Judaism, and was chosen as his successor to lead the early movement. Dov Ber is regarded as the first systematic exponent of the mystical philosophy underlying the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov, and through his teaching and leadership, the main architect of the movement.[1] He established his base in Mezhirichi (in Volhynia), which moved the centre of Hasidism from Medzhybizh (in Podolia), where he focused his attention on raising a close circle of disciples to spread the movement. After his death the third generation of leadership took their different interpretations and disseminated across appointed regions of Eastern Europe, rapidly spreading Hasidism beyond Ukraine, to Poland, Galicia and Russia.
Dov Ber of Mezeritch
Maggid of Mezeritch
- Avraham (father)
His teachings appear in Magid Devarav L'Yaakov, Or Torah, Likutim Yekarim, Or Ha'emet, Kitvei Kodesh, Shemuah Tovah, and in the works authored by his disciples. His inner circle of disciples, known as the Chevraia Kadisha ("Holy Brotherhood"), included Rabbis Avraham HaMalach (his son), Nachum of Czernobyl, Elimelech of Lizhensk, Zusha of Hanipol, Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev, Boruch of Medzhybizh, Aharon (HaGadol) of Karlin, Chaim Chaykl of Amdur, Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk, Shmuel Shmelke of Nikolsburg, Shlomo Flam (the Lutzker Maggid), Asher Zebi of Ostrowo, Zev Wolf of Zhitomyr, and Shneur Zalman of Liadi.
Name[edit]
The most common transliterations are Dov-Ber, Dov Baer and DovBer; rarely used forms are Dob Ber or Dobh Ber, which often depend on the region in Eastern Europe where Jews resided and hence the influence of the local Yiddish dialects. The name דוב-בער Dov-Ber is traceable back to the Hebrew: דב, romanized: dov, lit. 'bear', and Yiddish: בער, romanized: ber, lit. 'bear'.[2]: 138 It is thus an example of a bilingual tautological name.
Dov Ber of Mezeritch was known as the Maggid—"Preacher" or literally "Sayer," one who preaches and admonishes to go in God's ways—of Mezritsh (the German form Meseritz is sometimes used instead of Mezeritch). Towards the end of his life he was also known as the Maggid of Rivne, the town where he was buried.
Biography[edit]
Dov Ber was born in Lokachi, Volhynia in 1710, according to the Jewish Encyclopedia,[1] though his year of birth is unknown and some sources place it around 1700.[3] 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 is traced to King David by way of Rabbi Yohanan, the sandal-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!"[4]
When he was young, he reportedly lived in great poverty with his wife. One legend relates that 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."[4]
Visit to Baal Shem Tov[edit]
Dov Ber was originally a student of the Pnei Yehoshua later became an admirer of Isaac Luria's system of Kabbalah, which was becoming popular at that time, and was aware of 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.
One account has it that on account of his poor health he was persuaded to seek out the Baal Shem Tov for a cure.
He arrived at the Baal Shem Tov's house, expecting to hear expositions of profound mysteries, but instead was told stories of the latter's everyday life. Hearing only similar stories at each subsequent visit, 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 an "Eitz Chaim" of Rabbi Chaim Vital (Rabbi Isaac Luria's chief disciple), and asked him to explain a certain passage. Dov Ber did so to the best of his ability, but the Baal Shem Tov declared that he had not understood the real meaning of the passage. Dov Ber reviewed it once more and insisted that his interpretation was correct. The Baal Shem Tov then proceeded to explain the passage himself. Legend has it 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 Dov Ber, "were correct, but your deductions were thoughts without any soul in them."[1] This experience persuaded Dov Ber to stay with the Baal Shem Tov.[5][6]
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. The mystical philosophy of the Baal Shem Tov rejected the emphasis on mortification of the body in Musar and Kabbalistic traditions, seeing the greater spiritual advantage in transforming the material into a vehicle for holiness, rather than breaking it. This could be achieved by the perception of the omnipresent Divine immanence in all things, from understanding the inner mystical Torah teachings of Hasidic thought. Under the guidance of the Baal Shem Tov, Dov Ber abandoned his ascetic lifestyle, and recovered his health, though his left foot remained lame. The Baal Shem Tov said that "before Dov Ber came to me, he was already a pure golden menorah (candelebrum). All I needed to do was ignite it."[7] Regarding his holiness, the Baal Shem Tov also reputedly said that if Dov Ber had not been lame, and had been able to ritually immerse in the mikvah, then he could have been able to bring the Mashiach.
Opposition of the rabbis[edit]
Hasidism spread rapidly as a result of Dov Ber's powerful personality, gaining footholds in Volhynia, Lithuania, and Ukraine. 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.
The Maggid's pupils Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk and Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi tried to visit the Vilna Gaon to bring about reconciliation, but the Vilna Gaon declined to meet them. Lubavitch legend has it that had the Gaon met with these two Rabbis, the Mashiach (Messiah) would have come.
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 Mezhirichi on December 15, 1772.[1]
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