The Origin and Meaning of Hasidism Book

A Heart Afire by Zalman Schacter-Shalomi and Netanel Miles-Yepez, two of the foremost authorities on Hasidism, Kabbalah and Sufism, is an exposition of many of the lesser-known and previously unpublished stories and teachings of the of the first three generations of Hasidism. The teachings and stories the books writers have selected for translation arethose that they felt to be most significant to themselves and their readers.

The book focuses upon those of the Ba'al Shem Tov; his heirs (boh male and female); and the students of his successor, the Maggid of Mezritch.

The book is split into three parts
1. The Hidden Traditiona and the Ba'al Shem Tov
2. The Circle Of The Ba'al and the Maggie of Mezritch
3. The Circle Of The Maggie and the Rebbe King

With reference to Sufism, Buddhism, and depth psychology it highlights aspects of the Jewish Renewal Movement.

My Review
We found A Heart Afire to be a rich, authentic and engaging anthology. It never fails to reveal the hidden lore of its tradition at every turn of the page. Readers wishing to progress further down the line from contemporary Kabbalah in particular will find much here to illuminate the Soul.