A leading scholar of the Kabbalah, Moshe Idel ( Hasidism: Between Ecstasy and Magic, SUNY, 1995, pp. 17 – 18 ), ascribes this doctrine to the kabbalistic system of Rabbi Moses Cordovero ( 1522 – 1570 ) and in the eighteenth century, Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer, the Baal Shem Tov, founder of the Hasidic movement, as well as his contemporary, Rabbi Menahem Mendel, the Maggid of Bar.

In Hasidic history, Noam Elimelech became the spiritual doctrine for General-Hasidism, giving birth to the many leaders, successors and dynasties of mainstream Hasidism, and inspiring the emotional attachment and spiritual bond of the common folk to their Rebbe.

The new mystical role of the Hasidic Rebbe leader replaced the Baal Shem institution in Hasidism, combining Kabbalistic study with Maggid communal teaching, and displacing Practical Kabbalistic theurgic methods with a new doctrine of the righteous Tzadik as Divine channel of blessing.

With the development of Hasidism as a large scale social movement through the disciples of Dovber of Mezeritch, the doctrine of Mainstream Hasidic " Popular Tzadikism " developed, especially by Elimelech of Lizhensk.

Tzadikism, and its parallel worship of God through materiality, became the most distinctive feature of Hasidic Judaism, distinguishing Hasidism from other forms of traditional Judaism.

The founder of Hasidism, Israel ben Eliezer ( 1698 – 1760 ), became known as the Baal Shem Tov ( the " Master of the Good Name ", abbreviated " Besht ").

The 18th-century Vilna Gaon, for instance, while the head of Rabbinic opposition to the new Jewish mystical movement that itself became known as " Hasidism ", was renowned for his righteous life.

He was a prominent and the youngest disciple of Rabbi Dovber of Mezeritch, the " Great Maggid ", who was in turn the successor of the founder of Hasidism, Rabbi Yisroel ben Eliezer known as the Baal Shem Tov.

Among them the Chozeh of Lublin, together with the Maggid of Koznitz and Menachem Mendel of Rimanov one of the three " Fathers of Polish Hasidism ", furthered the spread of Tzaddikism in Poland.

Some Hasidic leaders are known with the name of " maggid ", sometimes gained from before their adherence to Hasidism.

* Rabbi Yisroel " Baal Shem Tov ", founder of Hasidism

In terms of the history of Jewish mysticism, Kabbalah has been called the " soul of the Torah ", describing its esoteric dimensions, while Hasidism has been called the " soul of the soul ", looking to the inner Divinity within everything.

Across all Hasidism the continual mystical joy and bittul-humility " between man and God ", is ideally reflected likewise in self sacrifice to help another person " between man and man ".

For one who has studied the texts of Hasidism, and has responded to their " Wellspings ", they can then carry this mystical perspective into daily life.

As the " Russian Moses Mendelssohn | Mendelssohn ", he spread Haskalah ideas in the Pale of Settlement, utilised by others in Yiddish literature, that opposed insular Talmud | education and satirised Hasidism | mysticism over rationalism

As the 19th Century brought upheavals and threats to traditional Judaism, the Mussar teachers saw the benefit of the new spiritual focus in Hasidism, and developed their alternative ethical approach to spirituality.

As Hasidism developed, its leaders synthesised it with traditional learning, while the Lithuanian world came to be called Mitnagdim ( Opponents ), for their pious opposition to the Hasidic restructuring of Jewish thought and society.

The founder of the Chabad philosophy, Shneur Zalman of Liadi, developed an intellectual system and an approach to Judaism intended to answer criticisms of Hasidism as anti-intellectual.

In this way, Breslav Hasidism developed by itself, separate from mainstream-Hasidism, and arose after the life and circle of Dovber of Mezeritch.

Hasidism developed the customs of Tish ( gathering ), Kvitel ( request ) and Yechidut ( private audience ) in the conduct of the Tzadik.

The Baal Shem Tov, and Hasidism, also opposed the earlier mystical and ethical ascetic paths of fasting and self-mortification, seeking to serve God by infusing physical activities with new spiritual inspiration.

Hasidism was brought to Hungary later, in early 1800s, by Kaliv ( Hasidic dynasty ) | Yitzchak Isaac Taub of Kaliv and Moshe Teitelbaum ( Ujhel ) | Moshe Teitelbaum of Ujhel

These comprised the traditional Jewish focus on Talmudic literature that is central to Rabbinic Judaism, augmented by study of Hasidic philosophy ( Hasidism ).

The foundation-stone of Hasidism as laid by Besht is a strongly marked panentheistic conception of God.

Shneur Zalman fought against the perception that was prevalent in the early years of Hasidism that the movement neglected Talmudic study by focusing too heavily on mysticism and obscurantism.

Chabad from its inception by Shneur Zalman of Liadi has been a counter-cultural movement within Hasidism, and has an interesting and varied history of controversies dating back to the 18th century.

However The Baal Shem Tov, the founder of Hasidism, came at a time when the Jewish masses of Eastern Europe were reeling in bewilderment and disappointment engendered by the two Jewish false messiahs Sabbatai Zevi ( 1626 – 1676 ) and Jacob Frank ( 1726 – 1791 ) in particular.

Rabbi Yisroel Baal Shem Tov, the founder of Hasidism is regarded by Hasidim, as the first Hasidic rebbe.

A record of the Maggid's court in Mezeritch was recorded by the Jewish philosopher and advocate of the Haskalah ( secularising movement ), Solomon Maimon, in one of the first encounters of a Westernised Jew with Hasidism.

The second section of the Hasidic text the Tanya, by Schneur Zalman of Liadi ( Shaar Hayichud Vehaemunah-Gate of Unity and Faith ), brings the mystical Panentheism of the founder of Hasidism, the Baal Shem Tov, into philosophical explanation.

The Tanya ( תניא ) is an early work of Hasidic philosophy, by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the founder of Chabad Hasidism, first published in 1797.

In it, Schneur Zalman brings the new interpretations of Jewish mysticism by the Baal Shem Tov, founder of Hasidism, into philosophical articulation and definition.

Renewal places emphasis on direct spiritual experience, and values accessibility over insularity ... Renewal is a grassroots, transdenominational approach to Judaism which seeks to revitalize Judaism by drawing on the immanence-consciousness of feminism, the joy of Hasidism, the informed do-it-yourself spirit of the havurah movement, and the accumulated wisdom of centuries of tradition.

* The Agudat Israel (" Union Israel ") party that is guided by the followers of Hasidism in Israel, and also consisting of Ashkenazi Jews.

Breslov ( also Bratslav, also spelled Breslev ) is a branch of Hasidic Judaism founded by Rebbe Nachman of Breslov ( 1772 – 1810 ) a great-grandson of the Baal Shem Tov, founder of Hasidism.

It should be noted that the Sabbateans based their teachings on the same Zohar and Lurianic kabbalah that are considered part of classical Judaism by Hasidism.

In general, the Havurah communities most influenced by Hasidism were also influenced by Kabbalah, and it remains the case that these interests overlap in most of what can be labeled neo-Hasidic.

A Mitzvah tank is a vehicle used by the Orthodox Jewish practitioners of Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidism as a portable " educational and outreach center " and " mini-synagogue " to reach out to non-observant and alienated Jews.

Particularly among Hassidic Jews, farfel is served as a side dish on the night of the Sabbath, in accordance with a custom instituted by the Baal Shem Tov, the founder of Hasidism.

Because of this, Rebbi Elimelech is venerated by the " Mainstream " path in Hasidism, predominant especially in Poland, who descend from his influence.

To this day his grave in Leżajsk, Poland, is visited by thousands of those faithful to Hasidism, particularly on the anniversary of his death, the 21st of the Hebrew month of Adar ( in leap years, commemorated twice, in Adar I and Adar II ).

His grave is venerated in pilgrimage by " Mainstream "- Polish Hasidic dynasties | dynasties and their followers, as their spiritual path in Hasidism descends from his influence