We only have a few letters from the Baal Shem Tov, and they don’t discuss his Kabbalah or teachings. Instead, his students and their students passed down his teachings orally, each developing their own interpretations. However, a generation later, people wanted to know what the Baal Shem Tov had actually said, leading to the creation of popular works like Tzava’at Harivash and Keter Shem Tov. These works contain many enigmas, but Rabbi Dr. J. Immanuel Schochet, who has done the work of comparing them to earlier sources, clarifying their meaning, and providing additional material related to the Baal Shem Tov’s teachings.

In this video we go through a few of the first teachings of Tzav’at HaRivash.

To accompany the text, check it out in Sefaria.

This is an old recording of mine, but I hope you enjoy and let me know your impressions.