Vocal Rites and Broken Theologies deals with the central practices of the founder of Hasidism, Rabbi Israel Ba'al Shem Tov-known as the Besht-and its sources in the Safedian Kabbalah of Rabbi Moses Corovero. These include the loud pronunciation of the vocables during prayer, study of the Torah, and eventually profane speech, as conducive to some form of union with the divine. Many traditions in his name allow the reconstruction of the specific importance...