Ḥabad

▪ Ḥasidism

      Jewish movement and its doctrine, an offshoot of the religious and social movement known as Ḥasidism; its name derives from the initial letters of three Hebrew words that distinguish and characterize the movement: ḥokhma (“wisdom”), bina (“intelligence”), and daʿat (“knowledge”). Ḥabad follows the common Ḥasidic themes of devequt (“attachment”), ḥitlahavut (“enthusiasm”), and kawwana (“devotion”), but it elevates the importance of the intellect in spiritual endeavours. Adherence to divine commandments (Torah) is encouraged, but excessive asceticism is discouraged. The leaders (tzaddiqim) of Ḥabad Ḥasidism tend to be teachers and spiritual guides rather than miracle workers. The strongest opposition to Ḥabad was based on the charge that it leaned toward pantheism.

      The first leader of Ḥabad was Rabbi Shneur Zalman, a prolific writer of 18th-century Lyady, Russia, whose Liqquṭe amarim (“Collections of Sayings”)—popularly known as Tanya (“There Is a Teaching”) from its opening word—contains the theoretical doctrine of the movement and is an interpretation of Kabbala (esoteric Jewish mysticism). In addition, his five-volume version of Joseph Karo's legal code, Shulḥan ʿarukh, attracted numerous followers and several outstanding leaders.

      Shneur's descendants became the spiritual leaders of the Lubavitcher Ḥasidim, who migrated from Lyubavichi in Russia and set up headquarters in New York City. The group is noted for its missionary-like zeal in supporting schools, orphanages, and study groups and for various other activities that foster Jewish religious life in all its manifestations.

* * *