Baal Shem Tov

cvii. The appellation “Baal Shem” was not unique to Rabbi Yisroel ben Eliezer; however it is Rabbi Yisroel ben Eliezer who is most closely identified as a “Baal Shem” as he was the founder of the spiritual movement of Hasidic Judaism. Rosman discovered numerous legal documents that Baal Shem Tovd light on this period from the Polish Czartoryski noble family archives.

When he was orphaned his community cared for him. The Rebbe Shlomo of Rodomsk pithily declared "Whoever believes all the miracle stories about the Baal Shem Tov in Shivhei HaBaal Shem Tov is a fool but whoever denies that he could have done them is an apikoros [a nonbeliever]. The title Baal Shem Tov is usually translated into English as “Master of the Good Name” but at least two other translations are possible:
"Good Master of the Name" taking "Baal Shem" as a unit meaning one who uses Divine names to cure illnesses and perform miracles.