EPSTEIN, KALONYMUS KALMAN OF CRACOW

EPSTEIN, KALONYMUS KALMAN OF CRACOW (d. 1823), ?asidic ?addik. A disciple of *Elimelech of Lyzhansk and *Jacob Isaac ha-?ozeh ("the Seer") of Lublin, he became noted for the ecstatic mode of prayer he adopted. In 1785 he organized groups of ?asidim in Cracow, and arranged minyanim where they prayed with devekut ("devotion") employing pronounced bodily movements. They were strongly opposed by the Cracow community, this opposition resulting in excommunications issued by Isaac Ha-Levi of Cracow and his bet din in 1786 and 1787. Epstein, however, withstood his opponents and actively propagated ?asidism throughout western Galicia. His main work, Ma'or va-Shemesh (Breslau, 1842), a commentary on the Pentateuch, is one of the fundamental works of ?asidism, and includes information on the activities and the personalities of ?addikim. It was published in many editions. His son, Aaron (d. 1883), succeeded Epstein as the leading propagator of ?asidism in western Galicia and founded the first kloiz (?asidic synagogue) in Cracow, called after him R. Aaron's kloiz. Another son, Joseph Baruch of Neustadt (d. 1867), became known as a miracle worker. He was known as "the good Jew" of Neustadt, for the simplicity of his life and conduct.

bibliography:

A. Markus, Ha-?asidut (1954), index; B. Friedberg, Lu?ot Zikkaron (1969), 39–45, 95; A. Bauminger, in: Sefer Kraka (1959), 33; M.S. Geshuri, ibid., 167–8; L. Grossman, Shem u-She'erit (1943), 65; Dubnow, ?asidut, 167–8, 450–2.