Rabbi Dov Ber of Mezeritch gathered together a group of talented students who possessed exceptional leadership qualities, and he instructed them to spread hasidic teachings everywhere. He told them to divide up the different geographical regions between them, matching the character of each place with the appropriate teacher. Some of the students served as the rabbis of towns, others became rebbes who established hasidic courts, and some traveled throughout eastern Europe giving public sermons to inspire the people. This changed the face of Judaism in eastern Europe, from Lithuania in the north to Romania in the south, and from Germany in the west to the Land of Israel in the east. The influence of Hasidism increased, and within a short time it became immensely popular.

Rabbi Elimelekh of Lizhensk (1717–1787) was born in Tykocin, Poland. He studied both Talmud and Kabbala. Together with his brother, Rabbi Zusha of Hanipol, he wandered throughout Europe in self-imposed “exile” for many years, becoming students of Rabbi Dov Ber, the Maggid of Mezeritch. Subsequently, Rabbi Elimelekh established a hasidic court in the town of Lizhensk, which is where he died. Rabbi Elimelekh of Lizhensk was a role model for many subsequent generations of hasidim and saintly people.

His book Noam Elimelekh consists of lessons on the weekly parasha and the festivals, based on his weekly Shabbat sermons, which were written down by his son. The book was published after Rabbi Elimelekh’s death. It discusses the nature of a saintly individual: his personality and how he should worship God, as well as his public image and role as a community leader. The book is considered one of the fundamental works of Hasidism, and in many communities there was a custom to study it each Shabbat.

From Rabbi Elimelekh of Lizhensk:

His words to other people should be gentle. If they praise him he must promptly denounce himself, saying, “Why are they praising me? I am nothing. If only they knew how contemptible and foolish I am, with all of my evil deeds. How will I hold my head up before the Creator, who knows and sees my deeds at every moment? Nevertheless, He has mercy on me in all matters.”

Rabbi Shmelke of Nikolsburg (1726–1778) was born in Chortkiv, Galicia, and served as the head of the yeshiva and the head of the rabbinic court in Sieniawa. He became the rabbi of Nikolsburg, Moravia, now in the Czech Republic, which is where he died. His works of Hasidism are Divrei Shmuel and Imrei Shmuel, and his works on the revealed aspects of the Torah are Nezir Hashem and Semikhat Moshe on Shulĥan Arukh, Even HaEzer.

His brother was Rabbi Pinĥas HaLevi Horowitz, the author of the book Hafla’a on tractate Ketubot, and the rabbi of Frankfurt. Initially, the brothers studied with the Vilna Gaon, who was opposed to Hasidism, but they subsequently became students of Rabbi Dov Ber, the Maggid of Mezeritch. Rabbi Shmelke and his brother became the foremost advocates for the hasidic movement among Torah scholars and the educated. Due to his halakhic expertise and eloquence, he inspired many Torah scholars and other distinguished individuals to embrace Hasidism.

From Rabbi Shmelke of Nikolsburg:

Everything that a person rectifies brings about the building of the Jerusalem that is in heaven, one stone at a time. Therefore, we say [the blessing], “who builds Jerusalem,” because every day, it is slowly being built.

Rabbi Menaĥem Naĥum of Chernobyl (1730–1797) was born in Norynsk, Ukraine. He would wander from town to town giving sermons. Later, he established a hasidic court in the city of Chernobyl, which is where he died.

His book Me’or Einayim consists of sermons on the weekly parasha and festivals. At the end of the book there is a short composition called Yismaĥ Lev, which consists of hasidic novellae on the Talmud. It is said that Rabbi Menaĥem Naĥum sought to include in the book only sermons that he had not remembered giving, and to remove the rest, because forgotten ideas reflect words that were said with divine inspiration.

Rabbi Menaĥem Naĥum was known to be an excellent scholar and preacher. One of his well-known ideas is that within each Jew there is a spark from the soul of the messiah. In his position as rebbe, he would dress in fine clothing, collect money for charity, and hold a Shabbat tisch (literally “table”), a gathering of hasidim around their rebbe, with singing and Torah discourses. His descendants, the subsequent leaders of the Chernobyl hasidic dynasty, continued in the same way.

From Rabbi Menaĥem Naĥum of Chernobyl:

It is certainly impossible to learn Torah all the time; one must also discuss worldly matters. “The righteous will walk in them” (Hosea 14:10), namely, in the ways of the Lord; even when they speak of worldly matters, saintly people are connected to God, and their words are truly words of Torah, for they elevate souls just as when they are engaged in Torah. For there are some souls that can be elevated higher through such talk than through Torah study, as they are not able to connect to Torah or to be elevated by Torah, but only through talk of worldly matters.

Rabbi Zusha of Hanipol (1730–1800) was born in Tykocin and was the rebbe of Hanipol. He wandered throughout Europe in self-imposed “exile” together with his brother, Rabbi Elimelekh of Lizhensk; they would never sleep in any one place for more than one night. His Torah discourses were collected in the books Menorat Zahav and Botzina Kadisha.

He was a paragon of righteousness, humility, and fear of Heaven. He was not arrogant, saw the good in everything, and did not take notice of the evil in the world. He would confess his sins, such as they were, publicly, inspiring repentance in his listeners. It is told that he would pray with such fervor that it actually caused him to change physically. Although he behaved as a simple Jew, his friends and students recognized the greatness of his purity, simplicity, and fear of Heaven, and they would request his letters of approbation for their published works.

From Rabbi Zusha of Hanipol:

When one makes a blessing…the body of an angel, without life, is created. But when one answers, “Amen,” which constitutes the intention and the life force of the blessing, the soul of the angel, which is its essence, is created…. If one has full intention when making a blessing, this is considered like answering, “Amen,” and the soul of the angel is created by means of this as well.

Rabbi Menaĥem Mendel of Vitebsk (1730–1788) was born in Vitebsk, Belarus, and spread hasidic ideas in Belarus and Lithuania. He moved to Safed and then Tiberias, where he died. He was recognized from a young age for his brilliance. His father brought him to the Ba’al Shem Tov when he was nine, and he eventually became one of the devoted students of Rabbi Dov Ber, the Maggid of Mezeritch.

He is the author of Peri HaAretz, which contains sermons on the weekly parasha and the festivals. The book also contains letters that he wrote to his students concerning the importance of strengthening Jewish settlement in the Land of Israel, as well as his last will to his students.

He was a close friend of Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, and the two of them endeavored to meet with the Vilna Gaon in order to ease the concerns of the mitnaggedim, and to convince the Vilna Gaon to remove the ban that he had instituted against the hasidim. Their attempts were unsuccessful, and they did not meet with him.

Due to the persecution of hasidim and the attempts to excommunicate them, Rabbi Menaĥem Mendel decided to move to the Land of Israel with a group of his students. There, he suffered persecution at the hands of the Ottoman authorities. He spent all of his money supporting the Jewish community, becoming destitute himself. He established the hasidic community in the Land of Israel and cultivated its ties with the Sephardic community. His son married the daughter of Rabbi Avraham Abulafia of Tiberias.

From Rabbi Menaĥem Mendel of Vitebsk:

And so all the simple spiritual entities adjust themselves to the shape of the vessel in which they are manifest, as can be understood from the analogy of water that adjusts to the shape of its vessel, whether it is round or square. And so even the most simple spiritual entity, when it descends into a person, it changes into that which is a person.

Rabbi Yisrael of Kozhnitz (1736–1814) was born in Opatow, Poland. He served as the maggid, preacher, in Kozhnitz, Poland, giving sermons and admonishing the community there, where he died. He wrote books on a wide range of Torah subjects: Bible, Talmud, Kabbala, and Jewish thought, and the title of each work contains his name, Yisrael. He encouraged the printing of the works of Maharal and emphasized the close link between Maharal’s ideas and those of Hasidism. He even wrote a book, Geulat Yisrael, explaining the thought of Maharal.

Although he experienced illness and suffering, he always projected optimism and enthusiasm. He was the head of a hasidic study hall for many years, and attracted many students. During Napoleon’s conquest of Russia he supported a Napoleonic victory because he believed that it would be good for the Jews of eastern Europe and would hasten the arrival of the messiah. He died shortly after Napoleon’s defeat.

From Rabbi Yisrael of Kozhnitz:

Everything that the Holy One, blessed be He, created was for the sake of His honor, namely, for those who do His will…. All creatures are elevated through a human being’s elevation, and all foods are elevated through being eaten by people who perform God’s will. They rise from the level of animal, vegetable, or mineral, to the level of one who speaks: a human being. This occurs when a person who eats something uses the energy derived from it in order to serve God.

Rabbi Aharon of Karlin (1736–1772) was the founder of Karlin Hasidism. He was born in Jonava, Lithuania, and spread the teachings of Hasidism in Karlin, Belarus, which is where he died. He was one of the preeminent students of Rabbi Dov Ber, the Maggid of Mezeritch. He did not write any books, but his ideas can be found in the works of his grandson, the second Rabbi Aharon of Karlin, who is known as the Beit Aharon.

While praying, Rabbi Aharon of Karlin would cry out and move from one side of the room to the other. Karlin hasidim maintain this tradition, praying fervently and loudly. In the writings of the mitnaggedim, this custom was viewed as offensive and lacking the proper respect for the Creator. Some opponents of Hasidism referred to all hasidim as “Karliners.”

Rabbi Aharon possessed musical talent, and he wrote the words and tune to the well-known Shabbat hymn, Yah Ekhsof.

From Rabbi Aharon of Karlin:

Sadness is not a sin, but it confounds the heart more than all the sins in the world.

Rabbi Shlomo of Karlin (1738–1792) was born in Tulchyn, Ukraine, and was a student of Rabbi Dov Ber, the Maggid of Mezeritch, and of Rabbi Aharon of Karlin. His Torah novellae were collected in the book Shema Shlomo. He spread hasidic ideas in Lithuania and was known as a miracle worker. After the death of Rabbi Aharon of Karlin, he became the leader of Karlin Hasidism, consolidating its philosophy and building up its influence. Subsequently, he passed on the mantle of leadership to Rabbi Aharon’s son, Rabbi Asher of Stolin. During a struggle between Russia and Poland, Cossacks carried out a pogrom in the city of Ludmir. Rabbi Shlomo was in the synagogue, in the midst of prayer, and did not notice the ensuing panic. A Cossack shot him through the window, and he lay on his deathbed for five days before passing away.

From Rabbi Shlomo of Karlin:

The greatest act of the evil inclination is to make a person forget that he is of royal lineage.

Rabbi Zev Wolf of Zhitomir (died 1798) was probably born in Ukraine. He was a student of Rabbi Dov Ber, the Maggid of Mezeritch. He spread the ideas of Hasidism in Zhitomir, Ukraine, and died in nearby Ivyanetz. Rabbi Zev Wolf was a wine merchant and served as a maggid, traveling and preaching in synagogues on matters of Musar and Hasidism. His book Or HaMeir contains sermons on the weekly parasha, which were written down by his student, Rabbi Elazar. The book describes the study hall of the Maggid and quotes him, developing and expanding upon his thoughts. A major theme addressed in the book is the insignificance of life in the physical world, including all its pain and suffering. One can achieve an understanding of this through connecting to God. Or HaMeir is considered one of the fundamental works of Hasidism.

From Rabbi Zev Wolf of Zhitomir:

There are no words or sounds in the world through which an intelligent person cannot hear words of Torah and Musar, deriving from them allusions to wisdom just as well-known scholars would. With my own eyes, I have seen how wise scholars find allusions to wisdom in every word, even in the conversations that take place between two people.

Rabbi Levi Yitzĥak of Berditchev (1740–1809) was born in Husakiv and served as the rabbi of Zelechow, Pinsk, and Berditchev, Ukraine, where he died. His book Kedushat Levi contains sermons on the weekly parasha and the festivals. He was known as “the defender of Israel,” because he would speak in praise of every Jew, even those whose actions were on the surface sinful. He was passionate and energetic, and was described as being “like a blazing fire” in all that he did.

His family was strongly opposed to Hasidism, and when he joined the hasidic movement, his city ostracized him and he was removed from his rabbinical position. Later, he became the rabbi of Berditchev, which was more accepting of Hasidism. Rabbi Levi Yitzĥak would lead the prayer services in the synagogue. Some of the prayers he wrote are still recited today.

His surname, Derbaremdiker, means “the merciful One” in Yiddish. It is told that he received this name when a government official came to register him and asked for his surname; Rabbi Levi Yitzĥak was in the midst of his prayers, and was heard to be saying this term.

From Rabbi Levi Yitzĥak of Berditchev:

When one fathoms the greatness of the Creator, his heart is awakened, his soul yearns, and his passion burns like fire with true love, desiring to be close to God always, so that he will not be separated, or distanced, or disconnected from Him, but will always be connected to Him, seeing His greatness, loftiness, and glory. This love means that one will always be with the Creator; namely, he will not separate himself from Him even for one moment.

Rabbi Barukh of Medzhybizh (1757–1811) was born in Medzhybizh to Odel, the daughter of the Ba’al Shem Tov. He served as the rebbe of Tulchyn and Medzhybizh, where he died. His Torah discourses were collected in the book Botzina deNehora. He studied with Rabbi Dov Ber, the Maggid of Mezeritch, and with Rabbi Pinĥas of Koritz, and he disagreed with the views of Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi and Rabbi Naĥman of Breslov, who was his nephew. He believed himself to be faithful to the Hasidism taught by his grandfather.

He was known to be intelligent and sharp-witted. He would speak forcefully, no matter whom he was talking to, and would criticize the saintly people of his generation. Nevertheless, his words are peppered with irony and self-deprecation. The legendary prankster Hershele of Ostropol was one of his followers, and would attempt to cheer him up, as Rabbi Barukh was known to suffer from melancholy. Like the rebbes of Ruzhin, Poland, he would display his wealth, and he even required his hasidim to contribute their own money to maintain his court. Additionally, he required them to give charity toward the settlement of the Land of Israel.

From Rabbi Barukh of Medzhybizh:

It is amusing that some people, when they eat a piece of fruit and a concern arises that there might be a worm in the fruit, immediately dispose of it so that they do not violate the prohibition against eating worms. Yet when such an individual becomes angry at another, he immediately sets upon that person with all manner of attacks against both his body and soul, essentially “devouring” him. This is the meaning of King David’s words, “But I am a worm and not a man” (Psalms 22:7): You are careful not to swallow worms, yet you treat me like a worm; therefore, I will be saved from your mouth.