Rabbi, Mystic, or Impostor?: The Eighteenth-Century Ba'al Shem of London

Samuel Falk, the Ba al Shem of London, was an enigmatic kabbalist who attracted scholarly interest due to his connections with European aristocrats, scholars, Freemasons, and Shabbateans. Michal Oron has compiled all known source material on Falk, including his diary and that of his assistant, providing insights into his activities, travels, finances, disputes, dreams, and remedies. The diaries depict London's social life, commerce, landed gentry, prisons, and Jewish community, as well as their religious practices and communal divisiveness. The scholarly introductions and appendices offer contextualization and a glimpse of Jewish involvement in little-known aspects of London life at the threshold of the modern era.

Format: Hardback
Length: 384 pages
Publication date: 31 May 2019
Publisher: Liverpool University Press

The enigmatic kabbalist Samuel Falk, also known as the Ba al Shem of London, has captivated the minds of scholars for centuries. In the vibrant city of London during the eighteenth century, the Jewish community held a particular fascination, and Falk, as a miracle-worker and adventurer, possessed a wealth of knowledge and connections. His intriguing persona was further enhanced by rumors of his interactions with European aristocrats, renowned figures, scholars, Freemasons, and Shabbateans. While evidence remained scarce, Michal Oron has now compiled all known source material on Falk, providing detailed annotations of his diary and that of his assistant. Through these annotations, we gain a profound insight into Falk's activities over several years. We explore his meetings, travels, finances, disputes, dreams, and remedies, as well as a comprehensive list of his books. The diaries offer a vivid portrayal of London's social life, commerce, landed gentry, and prisons, revealing the culinary preferences, fashion trends, and possessions of the people at the time. Moreover, they vividly depict the burgeoning Jewish community of London and its diverse religious practices, as well as the communal divisions that existed within it. The scholarly introductions by Oron and Todd Endelman, along with the informative appendices, serve to contextualize the diaries and provide an intriguing glimpse into Jewish involvement in little-known aspects of London life at the threshold of the modern era.

Weight: 748g
Dimension: 177 x 249 x 30 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781904113034