Toldot Yaakov Yosef (Hebrew: תולדות יעקב יוסף; lit.

His books are considered unique in Hasidic literature, as he was one of a select few to hear the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov firsthand.

[2] Toldot Yaakov Yosef is edited similarly to a commentary on the parshahs, and includes discussions of Halakha, although not exclusively Hasidic thought.

The book also has a lot of content concerning the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov,[4] contains more than 280 quotations from him, each preceded by the words "I heard form my teacher.

It was seen as controversial that the book was printed without pre-discussed agreement between different scholars, as was customary at the time for publication of commentaries of the Torah.