| Revision as of 22:02, 18 December 2005 editPinchasC (talk | contribs)8,782 edits This page is seperate from whatever controversy there is at the chabad article, and it deals with the subject being discussed in this article.← Previous edit | Revision as of 23:18, 18 December 2005 edit undoRK (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Extended confirmed users10,561 edits Eliezer, please stop deleting Chabad views and criticisms of them. We must follow NPOV. Also, I am rewriting to add more sources data.Next edit → | ||
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| * ] (Marbitzei Torah U'Musar 3rd Section pg 10) "''And this thing is so much certain to one that thinks in depth about it, until it is impossible to understand how someone can argue on it, and so was already mentioned in the words of many of the great scholars like the ] and others, that the image of Tzadikim is ] may he be blessed, himself, and they are the same''" | * ] (Marbitzei Torah U'Musar 3rd Section pg 10) "''And this thing is so much certain to one that thinks in depth about it, until it is impossible to understand how someone can argue on it, and so was already mentioned in the words of many of the great scholars like the ] and others, that the image of Tzadikim is ] may he be blessed, himself, and they are the same''" | ||
| ==Views of Chabad Lubavitch== | |||
| * In ] the seventh ] of ], Rabbi ] said a similar statement, (Lekutei Sichos Vol 2 pg 510-511) saying regarding the practice by ] to have a Rebbe act as an intermediary with God on their behalf, by explaining that "''the Rebbe is completely connected with his Hasidim, not like two separate things that connect, rather they become completely one. And the Rebbe is not an intermediary which separates rather he is one that connects. Therefore by a Hassid, he with the Rebbe with God are all one...Therefore one can not ask a question about an intermediary since this is the essence of God Himself, as He has clothed Himself in a human body''" While the term received little attention at the time, it was later used to shock those who have no exposure to these sources. | |||
| Based on the teachings of Rabbi ], the ] and the ], Rabbi ] taught in the name of the ] that "He who breathed life into man, breathed from Himself." | |||
| Therefore a person's soul comes from the essence of God. According to ], a tzadik, because he has completely nullified himself and his desires to what God wants, his soul which like every Jewish soul is part of God is revealed within him more than other people whom have not completely nullified themselves to God. However, ] does not believe in the Tzadik being like God. | |||
| However, Schneerson developed these beliefs into a new direction, and says that he has no source in Chassidus, traditional Chasidic beliefs. Schneerson writes: | |||
| :It is not possible to ask a question about a go-between, since this is the essence of God Himself, as He has clothed Himself in a human body" (''Likutei Sichos'' II:510-511). | |||
| :Just as 'God and the Torah and the Jews are One' means not just that the Jews are connected to the Torah and to God, but literally they are all one, so too is the connection of Chassidim and their Rebbe, they are not like two things that become united but rather they become literally one. Therefore, to a Chosid, him and the Rebbe and God are one entity. | |||
| :I have not found such a thing in Chassidus. Rather, it is my feeling. Therefore, whoever wants to feel it should feel it, and someone who does not want to, I will not fight with him. Let him have what he has. | |||
| This teaching is seen by most Chabad Jews as compatible with ]. It has been defended by many Chabad rabbis, such as Daniel Moscowitz, regional director of Lubavitch Chabad of Illinois. Moscowitz writes, "It is possible that Rabbi Keller's ire is aroused by the words 'Essence' and 'Being' , but the basic issue is identical, whether we speak of the Shechina, spirit of G-d, the Essence of G-d, Being of G-d, or any other term for HaShem as being enclothed in a body." | |||
| In response to these teachings, these ideas have been criticised by Orthodox Jews. Rabbi Chaim Dov Kellner writes "not only is there an equation between G-d and the Rebbe, the Rebbe possessing of HaShem's attributes, but the Rebbe dictates to HaShem, and he, the Rebbe, is running the show, not HaShem. So the Rebbe is Elokeinu. The avoda zara of these statements is so obvious, that there is nothing more to discuss." Kellner then writes "I find this confusion and equation of 'Being and essence' - atzmus u'mahus - with Shechina, nothing short of amazing. There is a basic elementary difference between Shechina - the manifestation of kavod HaShem, which may be limited in time and place - and the Being and Essence of Ein Sof, which has no limitation. The Being and Essence of HaShem is such that it is above time and place - v'les machshava tefisa bay klal - no human thought can at all have any grasp of it." (''G-d - Centered or Rebbe/Messiah - Centered'') | |||
| Similarly, in ''The Rebbe, the Messiah, and the Scandal of Orthodox Indifference'', David Berger writes that this view is a violation of ] that effectively is a neo-Christian form of theology. | |||
| ==References== | ==References== | ||
Revision as of 23:18, 18 December 2005
This article is about The Hebrew word for "righteous one". For other uses See Tzadik (disambiguation).Tzadik - צדיק (plural: Tzadikkim) is the Hebrew word for "righteous one", and is a title which is generally given to those whom are considered to be righteous such as a spiritual master or Rebbe. The root of the word Tzadik, is Tzedek (צדק), which means justice or righteousness.
Characteristics of a Tzadik
In classic Jewish thought, there are various definitions of a Tzadik. According to Maimonides (based on Tractate Yevamot of the Babylonian Talmud, 49b-50a): "One whose merit surpasses his iniquity is a tzadik." (Mishneh Torah, Sefer Madda, Laws of Repentance, 3:1) According to the Tanya (based on passages in Tanach and the Talmud), the true title of Tzadik can only be applied to someone who not only avoids sin but also has no inclination towards it.
The hidden Tzadik or Lamedvavnik
The Talmud says that at least 36 anonymous tzaddikim are living among us at all times; they are anonymous, and it is for their sake that the world is not destroyed. The Talmud and the Kabbalah offer various ideas about the nature and role of these 36 tzaddikim. (see also Lamedvavnik).
Miracle workers
While the tzadik status, according to its above definitions, is not necessarily related to the ability to perform or call upon miracles, the term tzadik is often used loosely by the Talmud to indicate those who have achieved especially outstanding piety and holiness. In this context, the tzadik's prayers are considered especially potent, as the Talmud states: "A tzadik decrees and the Holy One (blessed be He) fulfills." This is line with the talmudic dictum (Tractate Avot, 2:3):
- Rabban Gamliel the son of Rabbi Judah haNasi used to say: "Make His Will your own will, that He make your will as His Will."
In some contexts, people refer specifically to the pious miracle-worker as a tzadik. According to the Baal Shem Tov, it is said, this ability is attainable for every Jew. It is told that he stated that every Jew has the power to cross a river atop a handkerchief, through connecting with their soul (which is divine in origin).
Becoming a Tzadik
Although there may be people who are born on the level of a Tzadik, every person has the power of reaching this level, even if they had done something wrong within their lifetime, if they have a true repentance their previous sins are forgiven, as stated in the Talmud that if a man perform kiddushin on the condition that he is a complete Tzadik, the kiddushin is valid, because he may have in that moment repented.
The relationship between God and a Tzaddik
Based on the teachings of Rabbi Isaac Luria, the Baal Shem Tov and the Ohr ha-Chaim, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi taught in the name of the Zohar that "He who breathed life into man, breathed from Himself." Therefore ones soul comes from the essence of God.
According to kabbalah, a Tzadik, because he has completely nullified himself and his desires to what God wants, his soul which like every Jewish soul is part of God is revealed within him more than other people whom have not completely nullified themselves to God. However, Judaism does not believe in the Tzadik being like God.
This concept is based upon many Jewish sources, listed below are a sampling of the many sources.
- It is stated in the Zohar: "Et pnei Ha'adon Hashem - Do Rashbi" (Lit.: "the Countenance of the Lord Hashem - this is Rabbi shimon Bar Yochai.")
- In the Jerusalem Talmud (Eruvin, Chapter 5, Halacha 1), "All the standing that the prophet Elijah did before his teacher Achiya Hashiloni, were as if he was standing before the Shekhinah." And this is explained in Yesod HaAvoda in the name of the Radbaz "This was because Achiya had his mind and thoughts connected and cleaved to the greatness of the holy one, and Elijah when he stood before his teacher connected his thoughts with the thoughts of his teacher with the love from his heart, and therefore it was as if he stood in front of the Shekhinah"
- Bahya ben Asher (Ki Sisa, 33:7) comments on the verse "And Moses took the tent and pitched it for himself outside the camp, distancing from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting, and it would be that anyone seeking the Lord would go out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp." saying that "From here we see that Moses was called with the Tetragrammaton, and we also find that Jacob is called with El...And we also find by the name of a Tzadik that he is called with the Tetragrammaton...And we also find that by King Messiah that he is called with the Tetragrammaton as it is stated (Jeremiah 23:6)and this is his name that he shall be called, The Lord is our righteousness...And the reason by all of them is because one who cleaves to something, is called by the thing which he is cleaving to."
- Yoel Sirkis (Bach on the Tur Orach Chaim 47) "The purpose of the blessed one was always that one should be involved in Torah in order to bond our souls in the essence and spirituality and holiness of the source of the giver of the Torah...And if one is involved in Torah study with this intention, one becomes a Markavah and Heichal for the Shekhinah may he be blessed, so that the Shekhinah is literally within them, because they are a Heichal to God and within them literally the Shekhinah establishes its dwelling place."
- Chaim Volozhin (Nefesh Hachaim Shaar Aleph Chapter 4)"If someone sanctifies himself properly through the performance of all the Mitzvot...Then he himself is the Beit HaMikdash itself...Because this is the truth regarding Tzadikim through the deeds which are desirable by the blessed one they are the Mikdash mamash"
- Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (Mesillas Yesharim Chapter 26)"The holy one who cleaves constantly to God and his soul fires up with true intellectual understanding with great love of his creator and fear...Behold a person like this, he himself, is considered to be like the Tabernacle Beit HaMikdash and the Mizbeiach...And also it is said regarding Tzadikim they are the Markavah, because the Shekhinah dwells in them just like it dwelled in the Beit HaMikdash."
- Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler (Marbitzei Torah U'Musar 3rd Section pg 10) "And this thing is so much certain to one that thinks in depth about it, until it is impossible to understand how someone can argue on it, and so was already mentioned in the words of many of the great scholars like the Ramchal and others, that the image of Tzadikim is Hashem may he be blessed, himself, and they are the same"
Views of Chabad Lubavitch
Based on the teachings of Rabbi Isaac Luria, the Baal Shem Tov and the Ohr ha-Chaim, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi taught in the name of the Zohar that "He who breathed life into man, breathed from Himself."
Therefore a person's soul comes from the essence of God. According to kabbalah, a tzadik, because he has completely nullified himself and his desires to what God wants, his soul which like every Jewish soul is part of God is revealed within him more than other people whom have not completely nullified themselves to God. However, Judaism does not believe in the Tzadik being like God.
However, Schneerson developed these beliefs into a new direction, and says that he has no source in Chassidus, traditional Chasidic beliefs. Schneerson writes:
- It is not possible to ask a question about a go-between, since this is the essence of God Himself, as He has clothed Himself in a human body" (Likutei Sichos II:510-511).
- Just as 'God and the Torah and the Jews are One' means not just that the Jews are connected to the Torah and to God, but literally they are all one, so too is the connection of Chassidim and their Rebbe, they are not like two things that become united but rather they become literally one. Therefore, to a Chosid, him and the Rebbe and God are one entity.
- I have not found such a thing in Chassidus. Rather, it is my feeling. Therefore, whoever wants to feel it should feel it, and someone who does not want to, I will not fight with him. Let him have what he has.
This teaching is seen by most Chabad Jews as compatible with Jewish principles of faith. It has been defended by many Chabad rabbis, such as Daniel Moscowitz, regional director of Lubavitch Chabad of Illinois. Moscowitz writes, "It is possible that Rabbi Keller's ire is aroused by the words 'Essence' and 'Being' , but the basic issue is identical, whether we speak of the Shechina, spirit of G-d, the Essence of G-d, Being of G-d, or any other term for HaShem as being enclothed in a body."
In response to these teachings, these ideas have been criticised by Orthodox Jews. Rabbi Chaim Dov Kellner writes "not only is there an equation between G-d and the Rebbe, the Rebbe possessing of HaShem's attributes, but the Rebbe dictates to HaShem, and he, the Rebbe, is running the show, not HaShem. So the Rebbe is Elokeinu. The avoda zara of these statements is so obvious, that there is nothing more to discuss." Kellner then writes "I find this confusion and equation of 'Being and essence' - atzmus u'mahus - with Shechina, nothing short of amazing. There is a basic elementary difference between Shechina - the manifestation of kavod HaShem, which may be limited in time and place - and the Being and Essence of Ein Sof, which has no limitation. The Being and Essence of HaShem is such that it is above time and place - v'les machshava tefisa bay klal - no human thought can at all have any grasp of it." (G-d - Centered or Rebbe/Messiah - Centered)
Similarly, in The Rebbe, the Messiah, and the Scandal of Orthodox Indifference, David Berger writes that this view is a violation of Jewish principles of faith that effectively is a neo-Christian form of theology.
References
- Frumer, Assaf. Kol Hanikra Bishmi (Hebrew)
- Lessons In Tanya
- Pavzener, Avraham. Al HaTzadikim (Hebrew). Kfar Chabad. 1991
External links
- Kuntres HaHishtatchus The classic Maamar explaining the significance of visiting the grave of a Tzaddik. (In English) chabad.org
- Maaneh Lashon An English rendition of the prayers to be said at the graveside of the righteous. (In English) chabad.org