Hayyim Samuel Jacob Falk

Hayyim Samuel Jacob Falk
Ce portrait souvent considéré à tort comme celui du Baal Shem Tov, serait en réalité celui de Rabbi Falk, le Baal Shem de Londres.

Hayyim Samuel Jacob Falk (1708/10-1782) connu aussi comme le Baal Shem de Londres, ou encore Doctor Falcon, était un cabbaliste, magicien et alchimiste, né en Allemagne ou en Pologne, qui est venu s'installer à Londres en 1742, à Wellclose Square, car il était poursuivi pour sorcellerie dans son pays d'origine. Il s'était entouré d'une réputation de faiseur de miracles.

A l'inverse du Baal Shem Tov (le Maître de Bonne Renommée), Le Baal Shem de Londres a une réputation plutôt sulfureuse. On lui reproche en particulier d'avoir divulgué les secrets de la Kabbale à tout venant, en fait surtout à des nobles chrétiens, dont il semble avoir réussi à extorquer d'importantes sommes d'argent.

Le portrait ci-contre du Baal Shem de Londres, attribué par erreur au célèbre artiste américain John Singleton Copley, a été plus tard considéré, là aussi, par erreur, comme un portrait du Baal Shem Tov, le fondateur du hassidisme, et à ce titre, il a été largement reproduit et diffusé dans la communauté hassidique. Il n'existe pas de portrait connu du Baal Shem Tov. Il est ironique de penser que des générations de hassidim ont ainsi vénéré le portrait d'un charlatan. Certains vont même jusqu'à évoquer une théorie du complot, prétendant que cette fausse image du Baal Shem Tov a été délibérément diffusée par les adeptes de Jacob Franck[1],[2]

Notes et références

  1. ↑ source : "les prodiges du ba'al shem tov" éditions breslov
  2. ↑ "To Eliminate The Opiate, Volume 1" by R. Antelman, a conspiracy theorist book on the takeover of the Sabateans (followers of Shabatai Tzvi) and conspiracy to destroy traditional Judaism.



Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Contenu soumis à la licence CC-BY-SA. Source : Article Hayyim Samuel Jacob Falk de Wikipédia en français (auteurs)

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Regardez d'autres dictionnaires:

  • Falk, Hayyim Samuel Jacob — (c. 1708 82)    English mystic. He was born in Podolia and settled in England in about 1742. He was reputed to be a miracle worker and became known as the Baal Shem of London …   Dictionary of Jewish Biography

  • FALK, SAMUEL JACOB ḤAYYIM — (c. 1710–1782), kabbalist and adventurer, known as the Ba al Shem of London. Falk, who was born in Galicia, was intimately connected with leaders of the Shabbatean sectarians for many years, e.g., Moses David of Podhajce. He became known early as …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • FALK, JACOB JOSHUA BEN ẒEVI HIRSCH — (1680–1756), rabbi and halakhic authority. Falk was born in Cracow and was a descendant of joshua heschel b. joseph of cracow , the author of Meginnei Shelomo. He studied in Polish yeshivot and took up residence in Lemberg after his marriage to… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • FALK, JOSHUA BEN ALEXANDER HA-KOHEN — (c. 1555–1614), Polish yeshivah head and halakhist commonly referred to as Sma from the initials of the title of his major work. Falk was born in Lublin and studied under Moses Isserles and Solomon Luria, but refused to serve as rabbi of the… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • Baal Shem of London — Variations of this portrait, originally subtitled Baal Shem , are popularly used to represent Israel Baal Shem Tov. Instead it is held to depict rather, Rabbi Falk, the Baal Shem of London[1] …   Wikipedia

  • Wellclose Square — lies in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, between Cable Street to the north and The Highway to the south.The western edge, now called Ensign Street, was previously called Well Street. The southern edge was called Neptune street. On the north… …   Wikipedia

  • AḤARONIM — (Heb. אַחֲרוֹנִים; lit. the later (authorities), a term used to designate the later rabbinic authorities, in contrast to the rishonim , the earlier authorities. Although scholars differ as to the exact chronological dividing line between the two …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • KABBALAH — This entry is arranged according to the following outline: introduction general notes terms used for kabbalah the historical development of the kabbalah the early beginnings of mysticism and esotericism apocalyptic esotericism and merkabah… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • SHABBETAI ẒEVI — (1626–1676), the central figure of Shabbateanism, the messianic movement named after him. Background of the Movement Shabbateanism was the largest and most momentous messianic movement in Jewish history subsequent to the destruction of the Temple …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • WOMAN — This article is arranged according to the following outline: the historical perspective biblical period marriage and children women in household life economic roles educational and managerial roles religious roles women outside the household… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”