Tzadikim

Adam

Raziel HaMalach

Abraham

Sefer Yetzirah

Giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai

First Temple

(Prophets)

Babylonian Exile

Ezekiel, Vision of the Chariot

Second Temple

Rabbi Nechuniah ben HaKaneh

Sefer HaBahir, SeferHaTemunah

Rabbi Yishmael ben Elisha

Rabbi Akiva

Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai

The Zohar

Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki

Rashi

Rabbi Avraham ben David

Raavad

Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon (Rambam, Maimonides)

Guide of the Perplexed

Rabbi Yehudah HaChasid

SeferChasidim

Rabbi Yitzchak the Blind

Rabbi Azriel of Gerona

Rabbi Moshe ben Nachnzin (Ramban, Nachmanides)

Rabbi MoShe deLeon

Shekel HaKodesh

Rabbi Abraham Abulafia

OrHaSechel

Rabbi Yosef Gikatalia

Shaarei Orah, Ginat Egoz

Rabbi Menachem Recanti

Torah Comentator

Yitzchak of Acco

Meor Einaim

Rabbi Bachya ben Asher

Torah Comentator

Zohar first circulated

Rabbi Yehuda Chayit

Maarechet Elokut

Rabbi David ben Zima

Rabbi Yosef Taitatzak

Rabbi Meir ibn Gabai

Avodat HaKodesh, Derech Emunah

Rabbi Shimon Lavi

Ketem Paz

Rabbi Yosef Karo

Magid Meisharim

Rabbi Shlomo Molcho

Rabbi Yosef Tzayach

Even HaShohan

Rabbi Shlomo AlKabetz

Rabbi Yehudah Liva (Maharal) of Prague

Rabbi Moshe Cordevero [Ramak]

Pardes Rimonim, Or Yakar

Rabbi Eliahu diVidas

Reishit Chochmah

Rabbi Mordechai Jaffe

Commentary on Menachem Recanti's Commentary on the Torah

Rabbi Yitzchak Luria [Arizal]

Kit VeAr

Rabbi Yosef ibn Tabul

Rabbi Eliahu Baal Shem

Rabbi Moshe ibn Machir

Seder Ha Yom

Rabbi Yisrael Serug

Rabbi Chaim Vital

Rabbi Menachem Azaria diFano

Kanfei Yonah

Rabbi Elazar Azkiri

Sefer Chareidim

Zohar first printed

Rabbi Yeshayah Horowitz

Shnei Luchot HaBrit

Rabbi Chaim HaKohen

Tur Bareket

Rabbi Shabtai Sheftel Horowitz

Shefa Tal

Rabbi Avraham Azulai

Chesed LeAvraham

Rabbi Yaakov Tzemach

ww

Rabbi Natan Neta Shapiro

Megaleh Amukot

Rabbi Shmuel Vital

Rabbi Naphtali Bacharach

Emek HaMelech

Rabbi Shimshon of Ostropol

Rabbi Avraham Reuven Katz

Yalkut Reuveini

Rabbi Moshe Zachut

Rabbi Yoel Baal Shem

Rabbi Meir Poppers

Meorei Or

Rabbi Adam Baal Shem

Rabbi Yosef Ergas

Shomer Emunim

Rabbi Yaakov Kopel Lifshitz

Shaarei Gan Eden

Rabbi Chaim ban Attar

Or HaChaim

Rabbi Immanuel Chai Rikki

Mishnat Chasidim

Rabbi Yaakov of Emden

Siddur Beit Yaakov

Rabbi Ysrael Baal Shem Tov

Rabbi DovBer [the Maggid] of Mezeritch

Rabbi Shalmo Buzaglo

mikdash Melech

Rabbi Yaakov Yosef of Polnoye

Toldot Yaakov Yosef

Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto [Ramchal]

Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk

Noam Elimileech

Rabbi Shalom Mizrachi Sharabi [Rashash]

Nahar Shalom

Rabbi Eliahu [the Gaon] of Vilna

Rabbi Chaim Yosef David Azulai

Chida

Rabbi Baruch of Kosov

Rabbi Pinchas of Koretz

Midrash Pinchas

Rabbi Manachem Nachum of Chernobyl

Meor Einaim

Rabbi Aharon of Karlin

Beit Aharon

Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev

Kedushat Levi

Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi

Tanya, Likutci Torah, Torah Or

Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak [the Seer] of Lublin

Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin

Nefesh HaChaim

Rabbi Kalman Kalonymus Epstein of Cracow

Meor VeShemesh

Rabbi Tzvi Hirsh of Zidichov

Ateret Tzvi

Rabbi Aharon of Starocielye

Avodat HaLevi

Rabbi Yitzchak Isaac Epstein of Homil

Chanah Ariel

Rabbi Nachman of Breslov

Likutei Mohamn

Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Shklov

Rabbi DovBer of Lubavitch

Rabbi Tzvi Elimelech of Dinov

Bnez' Yisaschar

Rabbi Yaakov Tzvi Yolles

Kehilat Yaakov

Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk

Rabbi Yitzchak Isaac Chaver

Pitchei Shearim

Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Lubavitch

the Tzemach Tzedek

Rabbi Hillel Malisov of Paritch

Pelach HaRimon

The New Year of Chassidus (Hasidism)

19 Kislev  1798 

19 Kislev: The "New Year" of Chassidism

The 19th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev is celebrated as the “Rosh Hashanah of Chassidism.” It was on this date, in the year 1798, that the founder of Chabad Chassidism, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi (1745–1812), was freed from his imprisonment in czarist Russia. More than a personal liberation, this was a watershed event in the history of Chassidism, heralding a new era in the revelation of the “inner soul” of Torah.

The public dissemination of the teachings of Chassidism had in fact begun two generations earlier. The founder of the chassidic movement, Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov (1698–1760), revealed to his disciples gleanings from the mystical soul of Torah which had previously been the sole province of select Kabbalists in each generation. This work was continued by the Baal Shem Tov’s disciple, Rabbi DovBer, the “Maggid of Mezeritch”—who is also deeply connected with the date of “19 Kislev”: on this day in 1772, 26 years before Rabbi Schneur Zalman’s release from prison, the Maggid returned his soul to his Maker. Before his passing, he said to his disciple, Rabbi Schneur Zalman: “This day is our yom tov (festival).”

Rabbi Schneur Zalman went much farther than his predecessors, bringing these teachings to broader segments of the Jewish population of Eastern Europe. More significantly, Rabbi Schneur Zalman founded the “Chabad” approach—a philosophy and system of study, meditation, and character refinement that made these abstract concepts rationally comprehensible and practically applicable in daily life.

In its formative years, the chassidic movement was the object of strong, and often venomous, opposition from establishment rabbis and laymen. Even within the chassidic community, a number of Rabbi Schneur Zalman’s contemporaries and colleagues felt that he had “gone too far” in tangibilizing and popularizing the hitherto hidden soul of Torah.

In the fall of 1798, Rabbi Schneur Zalman was arrested on charges that his teachings and activities threatened the imperial authority of the czar, and was imprisoned in an island fortress in the Neva River in Petersburg. In his interrogations, he was compelled to present to the czar’s ministers the basic tenets of Judaism and explain various points of chassidic philosophy and practice. After 53 days, he was exonerated of all charges and released.

Rabbi Schneur Zalman saw these events as a reflection of what was transpiring Above. He regarded his arrest as but the earthly echo of a heavenly indictment against his revelation of the most intimate secrets of the Torah. And he saw his release as signifying his vindication in the heavenly court. Following his liberation on 19 Kislev, he redoubled his efforts, disseminating his teachings on a far broader scale, and with more detailed and “down-to-earth” explanations, than before.

The nineteenth of Kislev therefore marks the “birth” of Chassidism: the point at which it was allowed to emerge from the womb of “mysticism” into the light of day, to grow and develop as an integral part of Torah and Jewish life.

Rabbi Mordechai Yosef Leiner of Izhbitz

Mei HaShiloach

Rabbi Yitzchak Isaac Yehudah Yechiel Safrin of Komarno

Heichal HaBemchah

Rabbi Yedidiah Raphael Chai Abulafia

Rabbi Yaakov Meir Spielmann

Tal Orot

Rabbi Tzadok HaKohen Rabinowitz

Prz' Tzadk'k

Rabbi Sasson Parisiadoe

ShemenSasson

Rabbi ShIOmo Zalman of Kopust

Magen Avot

Rabbi Shlomo Shapiro 0f Munkatch

Shem MiShlomo

Rabbi Shinuel of Lubavitch

Rabbi Yosef Chaim of Bagdad

Ben Ish Chai, Daat uTevunah

Rabbi Shlomo Eliashiv

Leshem Shevo VeAchlamah

Rabbi Yehudah Leib Alter of Ger

Sefat Emet

Rabbi Shalom Dovber of Lubavitch

Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook

Rabbi Zev Wolf Ashkenazi

Rabbi Yehudah Petiah

Bait Lechem Yehudah

Rabbi Yehudah Leib Ashlag

HaSulam, Talmut Eser Sfirot