Ruysbroek, Jan van, St
(Jan van Ruusbroec)
(1293–1381).
Flemish Christian mystic. Born in Ruysbroek and educated in Brussels, in 1343 he retired with two others to a hermitage at Groenendael, near Brussels, later an important centre of the
devotio moderna
(see
THOMAS
KEMPIS
). In the growing controversy over mysticism, he was critical of the ‘Brethren of the Free Spirit’, but his principal work,
The Spiritual Espousals
, was itself attacked by Gerson. His many, mainly short, writings in Flemish betray the influence of
Eckhart
in particular, but develop within a clearly defined trinitarian framework. He is known as the Ecstatic Doctor; feast day, 2 Dec.
Ruzhin, Israel
(1797–1850).
Jewish
asidic
leader. A great-grandson of
Dov Baer
, he succeeded to
asidic leadership at the age of 16. He set up court in Ruzhin, but in 1838 he was imprisoned for being instrumental in the deaths of two Jewish informers. Subsequently, he moved from town to town until he finally settled near Sadgora. Thousands of
asidim streamed to his court, and after his death, six of his sons established
asidic dynasties.
Ry
: