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Tzaddik
[Hebrew, tsadik = just, righteous] - A
charismatic leader of the Chasidic community, also called
"rebe". As
Chasidism was taking shape, during the lifetime of its
founder Baal Shem
Tov, the institution of the tzaddik did not yet exist. It
developed
only later, during the generation of his pupils.
Elimelech of Lezajsk described a tzaddik's role and
tasks. A
tzaddik's authority sprang from the belief in mystical
initiation and
from inherited charisma, which made them mediators between
people and
God, and which would manifest itself in the power to perform
miracles.
Ecstatic practices, which play an important role in
Chasidism, required
inner perfection, outside the reach of normal people. They
could come
close to this state only through contact with a tzaddik,
around which
religious life was centered; thus, some ceremonies would
take place in
his home.
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Most tzaddikim founded dynasties, passing their
position on to their sons and sons-in-law. They established
new
communities in other locations, helping the spread of
Chasidism.
Tzaddikim maintained "courts" made up of their most
important pupils,
the gabay who would manage practical matters, and their
families.
Usually, local and visiting Chasidim would also visit, and
often the
poor did as well. For the major holidays, groups of Chasidim
would go
there for blessings and lessons - and sometimes these groups
would net gun
number in the tens of thousands. Although the Sabbath was a
family
holiday, it became a custom to have the third Saturday meal
at the home
of the tzaddik, who would teach and bless them. After the
meal, those
present would try to take with them crumbs that had been
touched by the
tzaddik's hand. This custom was called "shirayim" [Hebrew,
"what
remains"], associated with the belief in the strength of the
tzaddik's
prayer, which also served to emphasize the unity and
closeness of the
faithful.
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Chasidim demonstrated their joy from having
come into contact with the tzaddik--and through him, with
God--by
dancing and singing that had an ecstatic character. Many of
them also
visited the tzaddik during the week, hoping for advice on
religious and
private matters. They would hand the gabay a kvitlekh
[Yiddish, "slip of
paper"] upon which a request was written, as well as a small
sum of
money, the "pidyon ha-nefesh" [Hebrew, "payment for one's
soul"].
The teachings of specific tzaddikim, related in the form
of
parables, differed, as Chasidism did not have a uniform
doctrine. Heated
debates took place between some courts. One such example
took place in
the mid-nineteenth century between the tzaddik Chaim
Halberstam of Nowy
Sacz, who put strong emphasis on studying the Talmud and on
a modest,
ascetic lifestyle, and the tzaddik Israel Friedman of
Sadogora, the
author of many parables who loved luxury and not place much
importance
on study of the Talmud.
(A.C./CM)
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