Hasidism

The <a href="http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/hasidim_%26_mitnagdim.html">Hasidic</a> movement started in the 1700's (CE) in Eastern Europe in response to a void felt by many average observant Jews of the day. The founder of Hasidism, <a href="http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/baal.html">Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov</a> (referred to as the "Besht," an acronym of his name) was a great scholar and mystic, devoted to both the revealed, outer aspect, and hidden, inner aspect of <a href="http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/The_Written_Law.html">Torah</a>. He and his followers, without veering from a commitment to Torah, created a way of Jewish life that emphasized the ability of all Jews to grow closer to <a href="http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/g-d.html">Gd</a> via everything that we do, say, and think. In contrast to the somewhat intellectual style of the mainstream Jewish leaders of his day and their emphasis on the primacy of Torah study, the Besht emphasized a constant focus on attachment to Gd and Torah no matter what one is involved with.

Early on, a schism developed between the Hasidic and nonHasidic (i.e., Misnagdim, lit. "opponents") Jewish movements, primarily over real or imagined issues of <a href="http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/Halakha%26_aggadata%26_midrash.html">halachic</a> observance. The opposition was based on concern that the Hasidim were neglecting the laws regarding appropriate times for prayer, and perhaps concern about the exuberance of Hasidic worship, or a concern that it might be an offshoot of false <a href="http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/messiah.html">messiahs</a> <a href="http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/Zvi.html">Shabbtai Zvi</a> or Jacob Frank. Within a generation or two, the rift was closed. Since then, many Hasidic practices have influenced the Misnagdim, while the Misnagdim, in turn, moderated some of the extremes of early Hasidism. Nevertheless, the dispute between particular groups of Hasidim and Misnagdim continues to this day, especially in Israel.

Today, Hasidim are differentiated from other <a href="http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/ortho.html">Orthodox</a> Jews by their devotion to a dynastic leader (referred to as a "Rebbe"), their wearing of distinctive clothing and a greater than average study of the inner aspects of Torah.

There are perhaps a dozen major Hasidic movements today, the largest of which (with perhaps 100,000 followers) is the<a href="http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/Lubavitch_and_Chabad.html">Lubavitch</a> group headquartered in Brooklyn, NY. Other groups include the Bobov, Bostoner, Belzer, Gerer, Satmar, Vizhnitz, <a href="http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/Breslov_Hasidism.htm">Breslov</a>, Puppa, Bianer, Munkacz, and Rimnitz. In Israel, the major Hasidic groups besides the Lubavitch include: Gor (Gerer), Viznitz and Bealz (Belzer).

Hasidic Judaism (from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebrew_language" title="Hebrew language" >Hebrew</a>: חסידות‎, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sephardi_Hebrew" title="Sephardi Hebrew" >Sephardic</a> pronunciation: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_Hebrew" title="Help:IPA for Hebrew" >[ħasiˈdut]</a>; <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashkenazi_Hebrew" title="Ashkenazi Hebrew" >Ashkenazic</a> pronunciation: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_Hebrew" title="Help:IPA for Hebrew" >[χaˈsidus]</a>), meaning "piety" (or "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chesed" title="Chesed" >loving-kindness</a>"), is a branch of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthodox_Judaism" title="Orthodox Judaism" >Orthodox Judaism</a> that promotes spirituality through the popularization and internalization of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_mysticism" title="Jewish mysticism" >Jewish mysticism</a> as the fundamental aspect of the faith. It was founded in 18th-century Eastern Europe by Rabbi Israel <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baal_Shem_Tov" title="Baal Shem Tov" >Baal Shem Tov</a> as a reaction against overly <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talmud" title="Talmud" >legalistic</a> Judaism. His example began the characteristic veneration of<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebbe" title="Rebbe" >leadership</a> in Hasidism as embodiments and intercessors of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tzadik" title="Tzadik" >Divinity</a> for the followers.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasidic_Judaism#cite_note-1" >[1]</a> Contrary to this, Hasidic teachings cherished the sincerity and concealed holiness of the unlettered common folk, and their equality with the scholarly elite. The emphasis on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immanence" title="Immanence" >Immanent</a> Divine presence in everything gave new value to prayer and deeds of kindness, alongside rabbinical supremacy of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torah_study" title="Torah study" >study</a>, and replaced historical <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabbalah" title="Kabbalah" >mystical (kabbalistic)</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musar_literature" title="Musar literature" >ethical (musar)</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asceticism_in_Judaism" title="Asceticism in Judaism" >asceticism</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maggid" title="Maggid" >admonishment</a> with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simcha" title="Simcha" >Simcha</a>, encouragement, and daily <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devekut" title="Devekut" >fervor</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasidic_Judaism#cite_note-2" >[2]</a>

Hasidism comprises part of contemporary <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haredi_Judaism" title="Haredi Judaism" >Haredi Judaism</a>,[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" >citation needed</a>] alongside the previous Talmudic <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithuanian_Jews" title="Lithuanian Jews" >Lithuanian-Yeshiva</a> approach and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sephardic_law_and_customs" title="Sephardic law and customs" >Sephardi</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mizrahi_Jews" title="Mizrahi Jews" >Mizrahi</a>traditions. Its charismatic mysticism has inspired non-Orthodox <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo-Hasidism" title="Neo-Hasidism" >Neo-Hasidic</a> thinkers and influenced wider <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_religious_movements" title="Jewish religious movements" >modern Jewish denominations</a>, while its <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasidic_philosophy" title="Hasidic philosophy" >scholarly thought</a> has interested contemporary <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gershom_Scholem" title="Gershom Scholem" >academic study</a>. Each <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasidic_dynasty" title="Hasidic dynasty" class="mw-redirect" >Hasidic dynasty</a> follows its own principles; thus, Hasidic Judaism is not one movement but a collection of separate groups with some commonality. There are approximately 30 larger Hasidic groups, and several hundred smaller groups. Though there is no one version of Hasidism, individual Hasidic groups often share with each other underlying philosophy, worship practices, dress (borrowed from local cultures), and songs (borrowed from local cultures).

Hasidism

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