History of the Jews in 18th-century Poland

rdf:langString History of the Jews in 18th-century Poland

rdf:langString The 18th century for the Jews of Poland was a tumultuous period as political unrest in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth led to changes in the treatment and behavior of Jews living within its territory. The ascent of the Wettin dynasty to the Polish throne, as well as the government's difficulties in procuring taxes led to a waning of previous policies of religious tolerance in Poland, and the partitions of Poland during the second half of the century led to widespread violence as the government's power faltered and various regional powers and separatist movements fought for control of the territory. In terms of religious and spiritual practice, the 18th century saw the development of Hasidic Judaism. Stemming from the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov and drawing on the traditions of Kabbalah, Hasidic Judaism emphasized emotion and religious ecstasy over the academic dogmatism that had previously come to define Orthodox Judaism in Eastern Europe. During this time period, the Jewish community of Poland would also experience the tail-end of Sabbatianism in the form of the followers of Jacob Frank, who claimed to be a successor of Sabbatai Zevi.