Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on February 8, 2020

1. The Hasidic Movement Is About Love, Joy and Humility

Hasidim belong to a movement that was founded by Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov,who taught love, joy and humilityboth in our service of Gd and in our treatment of fellow human beings.

In the early 1700s, in the area today known asthe Ukraine, a young orphan boy named Israel ben Eleazar loved to wander into the forest, even sleeping there overnight. Hisfathers last words echoed in his mind, Fear nothing, fear no one, but GdHimself, and love every Jew as you love yourself.

Eventually, he met up with a network of hiddentzadikim (righteous ones), whotraveled throughout Eastern Europe, encouraging Jews to be better Jews andlifting their spirits. Israel rejected the harsh reproaches that had becomestandard fare of traveling preachers. Instead, he spoke of Gds love for everyJew, and how much He treasured their every good deed.

By 1740, he was known as the Baal ShemTov (Master of the Good Name), and settled in Medzibuz, wherethousands came to hear his teachings. The Baal Shem Tov taught that every Jew,scholar and simpleton alike, could connect with Gd through learning Torah anddoing mitzvahs with love, joy and simple, earnest humility.

This painting by Hasidic artist Zalman Kleinman shows an early Hasidic master sharing inspiration with simple folk in the market place.

The teachings of Hasidism are an extension of the Kabbalisticwritings of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, Rabbi Isaac Luria and others. The Hasidicmasters made these mystical teachings accessible and practical for theeveryman.

A Hasid will study in-depth and reflect uponhow these teachings bear upon our relationship to Gd, His relationship to theworld and of how the mitzvot intensify that relationship. That study is calledHassidus.

A Hasid, then, is one who strives to become abetter person and a better servant of Gd through studying, contemplating, andinternalizing Hasidic teachings.

Hasidic girls during prayer Mushka Lightstone

Every Hasidic group has its own unique flavorand focus. For example, the Hasidic groups influenced by the masters ofPshischa and (notably Gur Hasidim today) value simplicity, austerity and adevotion to the stark, unvarnished truth. Breslov Hasidim place supreme valueon maintaining a joyful disposition, hitbodedut(private conversation with Gd), and a trusting faith in Gd at all times. Andyet other Hasidim place their focus on kindness to others as the overarchingquality.

Many hasidic groups today have taken aninsular approach to self-preservationsome more than others. Chabad Hasidim, onthe other hand, take personal responsibility for every Jew, with totaldisregard for denomination or lifestyle.

Hasidic Jewish men in Jerusalem Norman Frankel

Hasidim use mobile phones, drive cars and useother forms of technology. Why not? After all, the sages taught that All thatGd created in His world, He only created for His honor. (Avot 6:11)

Chabad Hasidim in particular say that this appliesespecially to the scientific discoveries of recent yearstheirpurpose is to add honor to Gd by using them for holiness, Torah and mitzvot,and bring the world to its ultimate, messianic state.

At the same time, Hasidim are very wary ofInternet use, as should be anyone concerned about their moral and psychologicalwell-being. Television is also considered off limits.

In virtually all Hasidic communities, minorsare allowed zero or very limited access to the Internet. Those who use Internetfor business are advised to employ filters and other safeguards. The principleconcerns are exposure to pornography, FOMO addiction and other forms ofcompulsive behavior associated with unguided Internet use.

In the Hasidic enclave of Meah Shearim, Jerusalem Norman Frankel

Rebbe is simply the Yiddish pronunciation ofrabbi. However, it has come to refer to the leaders of the various Hasidicgroups.

There is no formal job description of a rebbe,nor is there an application or selection process to become one. So what is arebbe?

In all times, there were people who devotedtheir lives to union with Gd and to His service. But they often removedthemselves from the common folk, so as to immerse themselves in study,contemplation and prayer.

The original leaders of the Hasidic movementassigned such people the task of providing guidance and inspiration to eachmember of their community, so that every person could feel close to Gd andserve Him with love, awe and joy.

The relationship between a hasid and his orher rebbe is a close and intimate onemuch more than that of teacher andstudent. The hasid must make his own decisions and work hard to achieve hisgoals, but the rebbe is there at every stage to guide and assist.

A couple in conversation with the Lubavitcher Rebbe

Its for good reason that contemporary Jewishmusic is often referred to as Hasidic music. The great Hasidic master, RabbiSchneur Zalman of Liadi, taught that music is the pen of the soul. SomeHasidic music is rousing and invigorating, and some is contemplative andsobering, each giving expression to another facet of the human experience andthe man-Gd connection.

Hasidic girls Mushka Lightstone

The Hasidic tale can take many forms. Often itis a parablecarefully crafted to deliver a lesson. In other instances, the Hasidic storyrecounts the deeds, piety or adventures of rebbes and Hasidim of pastgenerations. Lovingly told and retold, Hasidic stories from a rich oraltradition and an endless font of inspiration.

In this painting Hasidic artist Zalman Kleinman shows the farbrengen, a Hasidic gathering that features song, stories, Torah teachings and inspiration.

Hasidim are disproportionately represented involunteer ambulance corps and other communal organs of kindness. The bikur cholim (hospital visitation) ofthe Hasidic community is legendary, as are the gemachim, free loan organizations foreverything from porta-cribs to to wedding gowns. The early Chabad Hasidim wouldsay,this piece of bread is yours like mine, placing the yours before the mine,since the focus was on the other.

A Hasids headgear and clothing might be anindication of the group to which he belongs. A wide velvet hat is the hallmarkof a Hungarian Hasid, a taller velvet hat worn backwards (so that the bow sitson the right) is a giveaway for a Vishnitzer Hasid, a rounded felt hat denotesa Gur Hasid, and a pinched fedora generallybut not alwayssits atop the headof a Chabad Hasid.

Yet, the external trappings are justthatexternal trappings.

Really, there are two ways to define HasidicJews: as sociological groups, or as adherents of a certain ideology and way oflife.

So you might be sociologically grouped as ahasid, but not ideologically. And vice-versa: You could be a sociologicaloutlier, but a true hasid.

Really, to be a hasid, theres a very simpleformula: If you study the teachings of the Hasidic masters and bond stronglywith one of them, show love to every Jew, strive to do Gds mitzvahs and learnHis Torah out of love and joy, then you are a hasid.

A winding Jerusalem street scene Norman Frankel

When Hasidim came into being in the latterhalf of the 18th Century, many viewed the new group with suspicion. Were theHasidic Jews truly pious? Would they remain faithful to Torah and mitzvahobservance? Some overzealous people took it upon themselves to harass andintimidate Hasidic Jews.

In 1798, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi wasarrested by the Czarist authorities based on trumped-up charges ofrevolutionary activity concocted by jealous opponents. His release from prisonon the 19th day of Kislev is marked in Chabad as the New Year ofHasidism.

Years later, in Communist Russia, Hasidimrisked their lives to uphold Jewish life in the Soviet Union. While manyHasidim met their deaths at the hands of the Soviet Authorities and others endureddecades in the gulag, they were victorious and the flame of Judaismburned bright even in the darkest of times.

In this drawing, Hasidic artist Hendel Lieberman (who lost his wife and daughters to the Nazis) depicts his brother, legendary Reb Mendel Futerfas, who spent 14 years in Siberian gulags.

As far as Hasidic Jews are concerned, they're just Jewish people trying to do things right and keep Jewish tradition in the best way possible. Many find the term "ultra-Orthodox" to have a pejorative connotation.

So what is a better term? Hasidic (or Chasidic) Jews. Or the Hasidic communities can be included within the larger umbrella of Hareidim, a term referring to all who are truly concerned about keeping Gds Torah to their utmost capability.

Or just call them Jews.

Assembling for the group photo after Shabbat. (Photo: Michal Weiss)

By the mid-19th century, at least half ofEastern Europes Jewry considered themselves Hasidimand most of the worldsJewry lived in Eastern Europe.

But in the 20th century, the anti-religiouscommunist regimes, together with the devastation of the Holocaust, almostcompletely wiped Hasidic Jewry off the map. Yet today the Hasidic community isburgeoning in ways in which the Holocaust survivors who planted the roots oftheir shattered European youths in Israel and North America could not even haveimagined.

How did such a miracle occur?

For one thing, strong-willed, charismaticleaders worked hard to lift up the spirits of these refugees from Europe, tobuild up neighborhoods with schools and jobs.

For another, Hasidic Jews tend to marry young,have large families and remain within the fold.

Hasidic teachings are rapidly catching ontoday. Although not all who study these teachings join a Hasidic group, theynevertheless often take on a Hasidic way of life.

A group of Hasidic boys Mushka Lightstone

There are no censuses on Hasidic groups, andit would be pretty hard to determine in many cases. For example, estimates ofthe number of Chabad Hasidim range from 50,000 to 200,000. Altogether, countingadults and children, the number of Hasidim worldwide as of 2005 was estimatedat 400,000 and rapidly growing due to a high birth rate. Most likely, half livein Israel, another 30-40% in America (mostly Brooklyn and New Jersey), and therest spread out throughout the world, particularly in Great Britain, Antwerpand Montreal.

Hasidic groups are generally named after thetown in which their rebbes held court. Some of the largest and most conspicuousgroups today (in no particular order) are:

A group of spodik-wearing Gur chassidim (Photo: Ouria Tadmor/flash90).

This is not unique to Hasidim, as Jewish lawrequires this from all married women. While some Hasidic womenprefer kerchiefs or snoods, the Lubavitcher Rebbe encouraged women to use a wig.Often made of human hair, a well-crafted wig can be elegant and attractive.

The full beard is not either unique toHasidim, as Jews have been sporting beards since Biblical times. In twoseparate places, the Torah forbids a man to cut his facial hair. In addition,Kabbalah attaches great importance to the beard, teaching that the thirteenlocks of the beard are representative of Gds thirteen supernal Attributes ofMercy.

A Hasidic man in Uman, Ukraine

The Hasidic Movement began in Eastern Europe,where the vast majority of Jews spoke Yiddish. Even today, Yiddish is thelanguage of choice among many Hasidim. Since Hasidim is an openmovement, which is constantly gaining new adherents, many Hasidim speak Modern Hebrew,English, French, Russian and Spanish.

Hasidic women in conversation in Los Angeles Mushka Lightstone

Dont get thrown off by the garb. Hasidim areunique individuals with their own predilections, dispositions, likes, dislikes,hobbies, interests, and life experiences. Like you, they have bad days, gooddays and in-between days. Some are shy, some are boisterous; some are diligentand others are daydreamers; some are leaders and some are followers.

So next time you meet a Hasid, remember thathe or she is a regular human being trying his or her best to serve Gd in theworld He created for us all.

A Hasid in introspective prayer Mordechai Lightstone

More:

17 Facts Everyone Should Know About Hasidic Jews - Essentials

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