An Illuminated Eastern European Folktale about the legendary Yisroel Ben Eliezer or The Baal Shem Tov. ’Besht’(בעש”ט) is the acronym for Baal Shem Tov. Though later attributed to several of his descendants and disciples, this honorific was originally attributed to the 17th century rabbi Yisroel (Israel) ben Eliezer who is considered to be the founder of Hasidic Judaism, a movement based on his own spiritual and mystical insights and practices.