Hasidic Judaism (from the ,
Sephardic pronunciation: ;
Ashkenazic pronunciation: ;
Israeli pronunciation: ), meaning "piety" (or "
loving-kindness"), is a branch of
Orthodox Judaism that promotes spirituality through the popularization and internalization of
Jewish mysticism as the fundamental aspect of the faith. It was founded in 18th-century Eastern Europe by Rabbi Israel
Baal Shem Tov as a reaction against what was perceived by some as overly
legalistic Judaism. His example began the characteristic veneration of
leadership in Hasidism as embodiments and intercessors of
Divinity for the followers. Contrary to this, Hasidic teachings cherished the sincerity and concealed holiness of the unlettered common folk, and their equality with the scholarly elite. The emphasis on the
Immanent Divine presence in everything gave new value to prayer and deeds of kindness, alongside rabbinical supremacy of
study, and replaced historical
mystical (kabbalistic) and
ethical (musar) asceticism and
admonishment with
Simcha, encouragement, and daily
fervor.
