There is an interesting sefer written by an 18th century opponent of the Frankists who states that originally the people referred to as Bal Shem Tov served mainly a population who were superstitions and were worried about magic demons and witches. With the advance of Rationalism this market dried up so the Baalei Shem reinvented themselves as spiritual leaders which evolved into Chasidus
Same sort of process when modern people with "demons " become frum. The religious lifestyle being a way to deal with modern demons.
ReplyDeleteMy father, a"h, used to say: The Torah came and with Shema Yisrael eliminated the demons . Then the Chasidim came and brought them back in.
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