ABSTRACT
Rabbi Nachman of Breslav (1772-1810) remains a highly influential figure within Hassidic Judaism. While a full definition of Hassidism is beyond the scope of this study, several of its prominent concepts as an intellectual and social movement are important both to contextualize Rabbi Nachman and to explain what proximity he may have with the Shi’i discourse we have been discussing. Hassidism, from the Hebrew word hassidut, meaning “piety” and initially
derived from the Hebrew word hessed (grace, kindness), is a Jewish movement founded in eastern Europe during the early eighteenth century. The Father of Hassidism, Rabbi Israel Ba’al Shem Tov, commonly referred to by his acronym, the Besht, is also Rabbi Nachman’s grandfather. During the eighteenth century, Jewish communities in many parts of Europe were being persecuted, and Jewish communal life turned inward and devoted itself to scholarly study. This scholarly turn was perceived by many as a negative development, especially at a time when Jews required succor and support from their spiritual authorities in the face of a changing world. Two important principles of Hassidism answered these needs. The first
saw the world in pantheistic terms, implying God’s presence in every aspect of daily life. This is significant in an era that felt removed from direct divine presence. Second, Hassidism developed the notion of dvekut (devotion, piety, and also connected to the word Hebrew devek, which means glue or bond). According to this notion, an intimate relationship exists between divine and human realities. Human contact with God was not to be confined to the halls of study or ritual prayer, but was to be celebrated in every aspect of life. Individual conversations and prayers were encouraged. In fact, Hassidism enjoined its believers to strive towards imbuing every aspect of life with holiness. Additionally, Hassidism preached devotion to a specific righteous master (tzaddik), whose divinely inspired human sensibilities and scholarly acumen (in that order) enabled him to oversee the spiritual and physical welfare of his community of devotees.1
