Chassid: Difference between revisions

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A Chasid is a title given to the students and followers of the Baal Shem Tov and his students' ~~students~~ who belong to the Chassidic movement. A Chasid is one who engages in avodas Hashem in a pnimiyus way, meaning with their inner soul powers and not just through physical action, combining both their intellectual and emotional capabilities in the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos. After the spread of Chassidic teachings under the leadership of the Baal Shem Tov, this title became attached to all believers in Chassidic teachings and those who follow its ways.

A '''Chasid''' (plural: '''Chassidim''') is a title given to the students and followers of [[the Baal Shem Tov]] and his students' who belong to the Chassidic movement. A Chasid is one who engages in avodas Hashem in a pnimiyus way, meaning with their inner soul powers and not just through physical action, combining both their intellectual and emotional capabilities in the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos. After the spread of Chassidic teachings under the leadership of the Baal Shem Tov, this title became attached to all believers in Chassidic teachings and those who follow its ways<ref>Nasi V'chassid Page 26</ref>.

According to Chabad tradition, published by the Frierdiker Rebbe, in the early years of the Chassidic movement, the Baal Shem Tov called his students by names like 'beloved ones,' 'friends,' or 'chevra of beloved ones' and 'chevra of friends,' rather than Chassidim. The name 'Chassidim' first appears in print in the bans of the misnagdim against the Chassidim - which were printed toward the end of the Maggid of Mezritch's life in 1772: "And they are called by the name of Chassidim and holy ones of the Most High"; "And they call themselves Chassidim." This title was interpreted negatively by the misnagdim: "Those who call themselves chassudim or the chassudim group" when they made use of the interchange of the letters shin and samech among Lithuanian Jews. This detail was explained in the teachings of the Frierdiker Rebbe when he elaborates that it would have been more appropriate for the misnagdim to call the Chassidim 'misnagdim,' for one cannot oppose something before it exists, and they apparently preceded them in time, but Divine Providence granted the misnagdim the merit to call the Chassidim by their proper name.

According to Chabad tradition, published by [[The Rebbe Rayatz|the Frierdiker Rebbe]], in the early years of the Chassidic movement, the Baal Shem Tov called his students by names like 'beloved ones,' 'friends,' or 'chevra of beloved ones' and 'chevra of friends,' rather than Chassidim. The name 'Chassidim' first appears in print in the bans of the [[misnagdim]] against the Chassidim - which were printed toward the end of the Maggid of Mezritch's life in 1772: "And they are called by the name of Chassidim and holy ones of the Most High"; "And they call themselves Chassidim." This title was interpreted negatively by the misnagdim: "Those who call themselves chassudim or the chassudim group" when they made use of the interchange of the letters shin and samech among Lithuanian Jews. This detail was explained in the teachings of the Frierdiker Rebbe when he elaborates that it would have been more appropriate for the misnagdim to call the Chassidim 'misnagdim,' for one cannot oppose something before it exists, and they apparently preceded them in time, but Divine Providence granted the misnagdim the merit to call the Chassidim by their proper name.

The Rebbe says in a sicha: "The name 'Chassidim' - a name used in Shas and Midrashei Chazal for a special category of Jewish people - was established among all Jews regardless of faction specifically for the students of the Baal Shem Tov, the Maggid, the Alter Rebbe, etc. The Frierdiker Rebbe once said that seemingly, the Chassidim should have been called by the name of their opponents, and the misnagdim should have been called Chassidim, since the Chassidim were the ones who came with new things (to which there was opposition), yet in practice, the opponents themselves called the Chassidim 'Chassidim' and themselves 'misnagdim'! Rather, everything is by Divine Providence, such that with the revelation of Chassidic teachings, everyone acknowledged and called it 'Chassidus' and its followers 'Chassidim,' and 'once stated, it cannot be retracted.'"

The Rebbe says in a sicha: "The name 'Chassidim' - a name used in Shas and Midrashei Chazal for a special category of Jewish people - was established among all Jews regardless of faction specifically for the students of the Baal Shem Tov, the Maggid, the Alter Rebbe, etc. The Frierdiker Rebbe<ref>Igrot Kodesh Volume 4, page 504. See also Sefer HaSichos 5701 page 32.</ref> once said that seemingly, the Chassidim should have been called by the name of their opponents, and the misnagdim should have been called Chassidim, since the Chassidim were the ones who came with new things (to which there was opposition), yet in practice, the opponents themselves called the Chassidim 'Chassidim' and themselves 'misnagdim'! Rather, everything is by Divine Providence, such that with the revelation of Chassidic teachings, everyone acknowledged and called it 'Chassidus' and its followers 'Chassidim,' and 'once stated, it cannot be retracted<ref>From the Sichah of Shabbos Parshas Lech Lecha, 10 Marcheshvan 5711 (1951). Toras Menachem, Volume 2, p. 78.</ref>.'"

The Alter Rebbe writes (in his testimony during his first imprisonment in 1799): "And all the masses call them by the name Chassidim in all the countries of White Russia and Poland and most of Lithuania, almost entirely, namely after the name of the first Chassidim who would pray with kavana as mentioned above, even though those of now are not as great Chassidim as the first ones."

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The system of Chassidus, which comes to improve the characteristics of a person, emphasizes these matters: Ahavas Yisroel (love of every Jew), enhancement of mitzvos, simcha shel mitzvah (joy of performing mitzvos), and more. Therefore, a Yid who learns Chassidus and conducts themselves according to the ways of Chassidus is called a Chossid.

~~== Who is a Chossid? ==~~

In the sichos and letters of our Rebbeim, there is much discussion about who is a Chossid and what are the ways of Chassidus. The answers are varied: a Yid who conducts themselves in all matters better than they are obligated, who fulfills mitzvos with enhancement and joy, who davens at length and delves into the meaning of tefillah, who loves every Yid more than themselves, who enhances in the mitzvah of tzedakah and doing chesed with others, and more.

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This avodah of the Chossid, to correct and improve middos and actions, receives much help when connected to the tzaddik, to the Rebbe. The Rebbe gives kochos, guides, and directs. The hiskashrus to the Rebbe is accomplished through learning his Torah and dedication to fulfilling his horaos (both private instructions received in letters, yechidus, and the like, and general guidance that the Rebbe gave to all of Yisroel in farbrengens and the like). In addition to these, there are other practices that strengthen the feeling of hiskashrus of the Chossid to the Rebbe and help them know how to fulfill Hashem's will in the best way possible.

~~== The Tree of Chassidus ==~~

Living according to Chassidus is like a tree: the trunk is Toras HaChassidus, the roots are our Rebbeim, and the branches are the Chassidim. Through the roots and body of the tree, each branch receives water, each Chossid receives chayus, and thus produces fruits, which are the fulfillment of mitzvos with vitality and joy.

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== See also ==

[[Ziknei HaChassidim - the Elder Chassidim|ZIknei HaChassidim]]

== References ==

[[he:חסיד]]

[[Category: Fundamental Concepts]]

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 {{Chabad}}
-A Chasid is a title given to the students and followers of the Baal Shem Tov and his students' students who belong to the Chassidic movement. A Chasid is one who engages in avodas Hashem in a pnimiyus way, meaning with their inner soul powers and not just through physical action, combining both their intellectual and emotional capabilities in the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos. After the spread of Chassidic teachings under the leadership of the Baal Shem Tov, this title became attached to all believers in Chassidic teachings and those who follow its ways.
+A '''Chasid''' (plural: '''Chassidim''') is a title given to the students and followers of [[the Baal Shem Tov]] and his students'  who belong to the Chassidic movement. A Chasid is one who engages in avodas Hashem in a pnimiyus way, meaning with their inner soul powers and not just through physical action, combining both their intellectual and emotional capabilities in the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos. After the spread of Chassidic teachings under the leadership of the Baal Shem Tov, this title became attached to all believers in Chassidic teachings and those who follow its ways<ref>Nasi V'chassid Page 26</ref>.
-According to Chabad tradition, published by the Frierdiker Rebbe, in the early years of the Chassidic movement, the Baal Shem Tov called his students by names like 'beloved ones,' 'friends,' or 'chevra of beloved ones' and 'chevra of friends,' rather than Chassidim. The name 'Chassidim' first appears in print in the bans of the misnagdim against the Chassidim - which were printed toward the end of the Maggid of Mezritch's life in 1772: "And they are called by the name of Chassidim and holy ones of the Most High"; "And they call themselves Chassidim." This title was interpreted negatively by the misnagdim: "Those who call themselves chassudim or the chassudim group" when they made use of the interchange of the letters shin and samech among Lithuanian Jews. This detail was explained in the teachings of the Frierdiker Rebbe when he elaborates that it would have been more appropriate for the misnagdim to call the Chassidim 'misnagdim,' for one cannot oppose something before it exists, and they apparently preceded them in time, but Divine Providence granted the misnagdim the merit to call the Chassidim by their proper name.
+According to Chabad tradition, published by [[The Rebbe Rayatz|the Frierdiker Rebbe]], in the early years of the Chassidic movement, the Baal Shem Tov called his students by names like 'beloved ones,' 'friends,' or 'chevra of beloved ones' and 'chevra of friends,' rather than Chassidim. The name 'Chassidim' first appears in print in the bans of the [[misnagdim]] against the Chassidim - which were printed toward the end of the Maggid of Mezritch's life in 1772: "And they are called by the name of Chassidim and holy ones of the Most High"; "And they call themselves Chassidim." This title was interpreted negatively by the misnagdim: "Those who call themselves chassudim or the chassudim group" when they made use of the interchange of the letters shin and samech among Lithuanian Jews. This detail was explained in the teachings of the Frierdiker Rebbe when he elaborates that it would have been more appropriate for the misnagdim to call the Chassidim 'misnagdim,' for one cannot oppose something before it exists, and they apparently preceded them in time, but Divine Providence granted the misnagdim the merit to call the Chassidim by their proper name.
-The Rebbe says in a sicha: "The name 'Chassidim' - a name used in Shas and Midrashei Chazal for a special category of Jewish people - was established among all Jews regardless of faction specifically for the students of the Baal Shem Tov, the Maggid, the Alter Rebbe, etc. The Frierdiker Rebbe once said that seemingly, the Chassidim should have been called by the name of their opponents, and the misnagdim should have been called Chassidim, since the Chassidim were the ones who came with new things (to which there was opposition), yet in practice, the opponents themselves called the Chassidim 'Chassidim' and themselves 'misnagdim'! Rather, everything is by Divine Providence, such that with the revelation of Chassidic teachings, everyone acknowledged and called it 'Chassidus' and its followers 'Chassidim,' and 'once stated, it cannot be retracted.'"
+The Rebbe says in a sicha: "The name 'Chassidim' - a name used in Shas and Midrashei Chazal for a special category of Jewish people - was established among all Jews regardless of faction specifically for the students of the Baal Shem Tov, the Maggid, the Alter Rebbe, etc. The Frierdiker Rebbe<ref>Igrot Kodesh  Volume 4, page 504. See also Sefer HaSichos 5701 page 32.</ref> once said that seemingly, the Chassidim should have been called by the name of their opponents, and the misnagdim should have been called Chassidim, since the Chassidim were the ones who came with new things (to which there was opposition), yet in practice, the opponents themselves called the Chassidim 'Chassidim' and themselves 'misnagdim'! Rather, everything is by Divine Providence, such that with the revelation of Chassidic teachings, everyone acknowledged and called it 'Chassidus' and its followers 'Chassidim,' and 'once stated, it cannot be retracted<ref>From the Sichah of Shabbos Parshas Lech Lecha, 10 Marcheshvan 5711 (1951). Toras Menachem, Volume 2, p. 78.</ref>.'"
 The Alter Rebbe writes (in his testimony during his first imprisonment in 1799): "And all the masses call them by the name Chassidim in all the countries of White Russia and Poland and most of Lithuania, almost entirely, namely after the name of the first Chassidim who would pray with kavana as mentioned above, even though those of now are not as great Chassidim as the first ones."
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 The system of Chassidus, which comes to improve the characteristics of a person, emphasizes these matters: Ahavas Yisroel (love of every Jew), enhancement of mitzvos, simcha shel mitzvah (joy of performing mitzvos), and more. Therefore, a Yid who learns Chassidus and conducts themselves according to the ways of Chassidus is called a Chossid.
-== Who is a Chossid? ==
 In the sichos and letters of our Rebbeim, there is much discussion about who is a Chossid and what are the ways of Chassidus. The answers are varied: a Yid who conducts themselves in all matters better than they are obligated, who fulfills mitzvos with enhancement and joy, who davens at length and delves into the meaning of tefillah, who loves every Yid more than themselves, who enhances in the mitzvah of tzedakah and doing chesed with others, and more.
@@ Line 20: / Line 19: @@
 This avodah of the Chossid, to correct and improve middos and actions, receives much help when connected to the tzaddik, to the Rebbe. The Rebbe gives kochos, guides, and directs. The hiskashrus to the Rebbe is accomplished through learning his Torah and dedication to fulfilling his horaos (both private instructions received in letters, yechidus, and the like, and general guidance that the Rebbe gave to all of Yisroel in farbrengens and the like). In addition to these, there are other practices that strengthen the feeling of hiskashrus of the Chossid to the Rebbe and help them know how to fulfill Hashem's will in the best way possible.
-== The Tree of Chassidus ==
 Living according to Chassidus is like a tree: the trunk is Toras HaChassidus, the roots are our Rebbeim, and the branches are the Chassidim. Through the roots and body of the tree, each branch receives water, each Chossid receives chayus, and thus produces fruits, which are the fulfillment of mitzvos with vitality and joy.
@@ Line 116: / Line 114: @@
 == See also ==
 [[Ziknei HaChassidim - the Elder Chassidim|ZIknei HaChassidim]]
+== References ==
+[[he:חסיד]]
+[[Category: Fundamental Concepts]]