So Much for Modesty
November 11th, 2009Chabad Meets Fantasy Fest
I had the weirdest dream last night. I dreamed I found a bunch of VHS tapes of overweight Chassids preaching like old-time Baptists while wearing black G-strings.
Note to self: ease off on the cherry peppers before bedtime.
November 11th, 2009 at 2:21 PM
Main Entry: Ha·sid
Variant(s): also Cha·sid or Chas·sid \?ha-s?d, ?k?ä-\
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural Ha·si·dim also Cha·si·dim or Chas·si·dim \?ha-s?-d?m, k?ä-?s?-\
Etymology: Hebrew h??s?dh pious
Date: 1812
1 : a member of a Jewish sect of the second century b.c. opposed to Hellenism and devoted to the strict observance of the ritual law
2also Has·sid : a member of a Jewish mystical sect founded in Poland about 1750 in opposition to rationalism and ritual laxity
— Ha·sid·ic also Has·sid·ic or Cha·sid·ic or Chas·sid·ic \ha-?si-dik, hä-, k?ä-\ adjective
November 11th, 2009 at 5:46 PM
The Chasidic movement from the 18th century successfully reinvigorated a European Judaism that was in danger of becoming increasingly irrelevant except to a scholarly elite. This allowed the secularist “enlightenment” movement of the 18th C. inroads into drawing Jews away.
Chasidism was founded by the Baal Shem Tov (“Master of the Good Name” – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baal_Shem_Tov), whose populist movement reinforced the idea that any mitzvah was as accessible to a non-scholar as to a scholar. The street-sweeper’s blessings are the same blessings said by the head of a yeshiva.
Chabad, aka Lubavitch, is one sect of chasidim. Unlike all other chasidim, they always wear black fedoras and never wear fur hats (the short/flat shtreimel or the tall spodok). It’s much harder to identify other forms of chasidim at a glance by their clothing.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasidic_Judaism
Old-time baptists also wear black g-strings while they preach? Go figure.
November 12th, 2009 at 1:17 AM
Aaron,I will always have a soft spot for the Chabad house in Seattle in the U District. They were kind to my crazy sister when she insisted on visiting them when she was being run around by demons. Long story. They were very careful and gentle with her and didn’t scorn her interest. I know cause I went along to make sure she got home alive. Crazy days.