Guest Painting By Shoshannah Brombacher - Chai Elul
pastel on paper , 24 x 18 inches, New York 2008
The Baal Shem Tov is Revealed to the World and Accepted as Master by the Pious of Kitov
The Baal Shem Tov is sitting on a tree stump, receiving the dignitaries of Kitov. They are approaching him in a constant stream, on foot and in wagons from the city, which is depicted in the top of the painting. The three Chassidim in the wagon in the upper right corner symbolize the patriarchs, Avraham, Yitzchak and Ya’akov, supervising the situation. The women overlooking the city are the wives of the rabbis who went out to meet the Baal Shem Tov. They also symbolize the matriarchs Sarah, Rivka, Leah and Rachel, who played such an important role in the development of the Jewish people.
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Shoshannah Brombacher's website can be seen here Always contact her directly at Shoshbm@aol.com, not through her website
Excerpt from "The Light and Fire of the Baal Shem Tov" by Yitzhak Buxbaum:
Three months after his thirty-sixth birthday, the Baal Shem Tov was revealed to the world and accepted as Master by the pious of Kitov.
That day, the pious of Kitov were gathered together, with Rabbi Moshe, the rabbi of the community, and with Rabbi Gershon among them, and the conver-sation turned to Rabbi Gershon’s brother-in-law, Israel. A few of them mentioned that they had seen amazing things from him, but for some reason had neglected to pay much attention at the time and had afterwards forgotten what they had wit-nessed – but today they remembered. This one told one story, that one told another. Before long it dawned on them that he was an extraordinary hidden zaddik. They considered all the puzzling things about him that had never made sense – and now, they realized that he had been pretending to be ignorant and concealing himself from them, everything suddenly became clear. All their previous doubts and suspicions about him disappeared.
To this point, Rabbi Moshe of Kitov and Rabbi David of Kolomaya, who knew the Baal Shem Tov’s secret and had been ordered by the Besht not to reveal him, had been quiet. But now they spoke up. “There is a great light nearby,” they said. “It’s fitting that we bring it into yhe city.” They then all set out together to travel to the Besht’s village, to accept him as their rabbi and leader, and to ask him to come to live in the city.
When the Baal Shem Tov saw with his holy spirit that they were traveling to him, he set out in the direction of the city. They met just outside his village near a field with a few trees and they all got down from their coaches. The Besht sat down on a tree stump, and they all came before him and accepted him as their master, teacher, and rabbi. Most of these men were great scholars who followed the ascetic path of the Kabbalah.
From one artist to another, you inspire.
beautiful.
Oh I see Chagall in this painting! I'm guessing that's her biggest inspiration. Beautiful piece.
Thank you!! Have a zis un gebensht yohr, a shanah tovah and a chasimah tovah!
Shoshannah
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