ר׳ ישראל הופשטיין מקוז׳ניץ

ר׳ ישראל הופשטיין מקוז׳ניץ (c.1737–1814), the Maggid of Kozhnitz, was a major Polish Hasidic leader, kabbalist and founder of the Kozhnitz dynasty. Born in Opatów to ר׳ שבתי and Perl, he was physically frail but developed a formidable reputation for Talmudic and kabbalistic learning. He studied in the circles of ר׳ שמואל שמלקה מניקלשבורג and ר׳ דוב בער המגיד ממזריטש, and later became a close disciple of ר׳ אלימלך מליז׳נסק. Settling at Kozienice, he turned the town into one of the principal early Hasidic centres in central Poland. His leadership joined charismatic prayer and storytelling with unusually extensive literary production in Hasidism, Kabbalah and rabbinic interpretation. During the Napoleonic wars he participated with ר׳ יעקב יצחק הלוי הורוביץ מלובלין and ר׳ מנחם מנדל מרימנוב in a controversial mystical effort connected with hopes for political and messianic deliverance. His best-known work, עבודת ישראל, was published posthumously and became his popular title. Other writings include אור ישראל, נר ישראל and commentaries on rabbinic and kabbalistic texts. He died in Kozienice in 1814; his son ר׳ משה אליקים בריעה הופשטיין continued the dynasty.