Orthodoxy and Chassidut

Question

What are the differences between Orthodox Judaism and Chasidic Judaism?

0

Answers

  1. The Just Ask! - AskTheRabbi.org Team

    All Chassidim are Orthodox Jews, but not all Orthodox Jews are Chassidim. Chassidut was established by the Baal Shem Tov (lit. “Owner of a Good Name or Reputation) in the early seventeen hundreds. Its main tenet was that one did not have to be an accomplished Torah scholar to be considered a true “servant of God.” The concept caught on and became very popular among the semi-literate Jews of Eastern Europe. As the movement grew, the Baal Shem Tov sent out his closest disciples to set up communities throughout Eastern Europe. In that way, each Rabbi became the leader of Chassidim in a particular city or town, and, as a rule, the Chassidim called themselves after the place that they came from.

    Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team