Biography of The Baal Shem Tov
Rabbi Yisroel Ba'al Shem Tov was born in Okpoy, Ukraine in the Year of 1698, To His Parents, Eliezer and Sarah . Very little is known about his Childhood. He Was Orphaned from his Father at the Tender age of 5 , and his Mother Passed Away shortly after . Doubly orphaned , he would roam the Forest's , Unafraid of the wild Beast's , Reminding himself of his Father's last words " Yisrolik,Do not Fear anyone But Hashem, and Love Each Jew as Yourself". Yisroel Joined a Band of hidden tzaddikim,traveling through the small townlets through Russia , Poland and Ukraine, Teaching the Simple Villagers. He also Merited to be Taught by The Great Novi, Achiya Hashiloni, A Teacher of Eliyahu Hanavi.
On his 36nd Birthday Birthday, at the command of his great teacher, he Revealed his true Greatness to the World ,and started to teach Chassidus to the Masses. Once on Rosh Hashana, the Ba'al Shem Tov met Moshiach, and asked him when he would come. Moshiach Replied "When you're Wellsprings (chassidus) Spread throughout the world ".
He Had Thousands of chassidim , Prominent amongest them were; Rabbi DovBer of Mezritch ,Rabbi Yakkov Yosef of Plonye (author of Toldos Yakkov Yosef) and Reb Pinchas Koritzer.
His Holy soul departed from his body on Shavouos of 5520. his Kever is in Mezibozh, the City in Which the wellsprings of Chassidus first started to Sprout forth.
