ר׳ משה חיים אפרים מסדילקוב

ר׳ משה חיים אפרים מסדילקוב (c. 1748–1800), known as the דגל מחנה אפרים, was an early Hasidic preacher and one of the most important transmitters of teachings attributed to his maternal grandfather, ר׳ ישראל בעל שם טוב. Born in Medzhybizh to Udl and ר׳ יחיאל מיכל אשכנזי, he grew up near the household of the בעל שם טוב. After his grandfather’s death he studied with ר׳ דוב בער ממזריטש and ר׳ יעקב יוסף מפולנאה. Around 1780 he settled at Sudilkov, where he served as a maggid and developed the Torah discourses later collected under his famous title. He returned to Medzhybizh during the 1780s and lived there until his death. דגל מחנה אפרים, edited and published posthumously by his son ר׳ יעקב יחיאל at Korets in 1810, follows the weekly Torah portions and festivals, preserving both original homilies and traditions heard from or attributed to the בעל שם טוב. It also contains a remarkable dream record covering 1780–1786, making it a primary source for the language, memory and inner world of early Hasidism. He died on 17 Iyar 5560 and was buried in Medzhybizh near his grandfather.