What is Chassidus?חסידות
Chassidus is the body of thought and literature produced by the Chassidic movement, emphasising inner service, joy, and the mystical dimension of Torah.
Also written: Chassidut, Hasidut, Chasidus, Hassidus
The movement began with the Baal Shem Tov in eighteenth-century Eastern Europe and developed into distinct courts, each with its own literature and emphasis. Foundational works include the Tanya — written by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the founder of Chabad, and first printed in Slavita in 1796 — and the Noam Elimelech, alongside later classics such as the Sefas Emes and extensive collections of discourses.
Because each chassidic group has its own canon, listings benefit from naming the court or the specific work rather than the category alone. Buyers within a group are usually looking for a particular edition, and someone outside it may not recognise a title stated without context.
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Sources
- Tanya — Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi's foundational Chabad work, first printed Slavita 1796
Related terms
- Kabbalah — Kabbalah is the Jewish mystical tradition, centred on the Zohar and the later Lurianic writings, concerned with the inner structure of creation and the meaning behind the commandments.
- Machshava — Machshava is Jewish thought — the literature dealing with belief, providence, free will, and the reasons behind the commandments, as distinct from law or ethics.
- Mussar — Mussar is the Jewish literature of ethical and character development, aimed at refining traits such as humility, honesty, and self-discipline through sustained study.