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Heschel arrived in New York City in March . He served on the faculty of Hebrew Union College HUC the main seminary of Reform Judaism in Cincinnati for five years. In he took a position at the Jewish Theological
Seminary of America JTS in New York City the main seminary of Conservative Judaism. He served as professor of Jewish ethics and Mysticism until his death in .Hasidic philosophy begins with the teachings of Rabbi Yisroel ben Eliezer known as the Baal Shem Tov and his successors most notably Rabbi Dov Ber the Maggid of Mezeritch and his students. These teachings consist of new interpretations of Judaism but are especially built upon the Jewish mystical tradition the Kabbalah. While the Jewish mystical tradition had long been reserved for a scholarly elite Hasidic teachings are unique in their popular access being aimed at the masses. Hasidism is thought to be a union of three different currents in Judaism Jewish law or halacha; Jewish legend and saying the aggadah; and Jewish mysticism the Kabbalah. Hasidic teachings often termed exegesis are seen as having a similar method to that of the Midrash the rabbinic homiletic literature. Hasidic exegesis differs from Kabbalistic schools as it focuses somewhat less on the sefirot and partzufim and more on binary types of oppositions e.g. body and soul. On the other hand Louis Jacobs stated that Hasidic teachings should not be described as exegesis as during the course of interpretation texts are taken completely out of context to yield desired conclusions grammar and syntax are ignored and ideas are read into the texts that they cannot possibly mean.
