Shivchei HaBesht: the legends of the Baal Shem Tov (1815)
Shivchei HaBesht (שבחי הבעש“ט), “In Praise of the Baal Shem Tov,” is a collection of legends about the Baal Shem Tov (the Besht), founder of Hasidism. It was written by Dov Baer ben Samuel, a son-in-law of the Besht’s secretary.
Quick facts
| Title | Shivchei HaBesht (“In Praise of the Baal Shem Tov”) |
| Author | Dov Baer ben Samuel, son-in-law of the Besht’s secretary |
| Composition | Between 1780 and 1810 (according to Sefaria) |
| First printing | Kopys, 1815 (according to Sefaria) |
| 1815 editions | Kopys and Berdichev |
The two versions
The book exists in two different versions: the Kopys edition (1815) and the Berdichev edition of the same year. The latter omits many legends found in the former, especially those of a particularly extraordinary nature. Later editions, of which there are more than ten, follow one or the other, and some combine the two.
Frequently asked questions
Is it a book of teachings or of stories?
Of legends about the Baal Shem Tov.
Why are there two versions?
The Berdichev edition omits many legends of the Kopys one, especially the most extraordinary.
Sources
- Shivchei HaBesht, entry on Sefaria