Digital Maggid
MYSTIC CHASIDISM: Not What You Might Think
For years I didn’t really want anything to do with anything that fell under the broad heading of “Judeo-Christian” philosophy. I was under the impression that Judaism was nothing but a bunch of dry and boring teachings on morals and ethics, bound by stringent laws, enforced by humorless bearded men in black suits with (or without) big hats. I could not have been more wrong — though there’s that too, if that’s what floats your boat.
What I didn’t realize until I bumped up against the devotees of the Renewal Movement, the Carlbach Chasids and the practitioners of Flexidoxy, is that Judaism is vibrant and dynamic and mystical and shamanic and really – mamish — Fun. But is the fun stuff really legitimate? You bet. So… where does it come from? Why don’t I know about it?
It comes from a long lineage of mystical masters beginning with Rabbi Yisroel ben Eliezer, also known as the Ba’al Shem Tov (or BeShT for short). That means, “Master of the Good Name.” He is the founder of what later became known as the Chasidic Movement. He was born at the tail end of the 1600s in what was roughly Poland. He was a healer and a mystic, a hidden master. Hidden because shortly before his time, there was a rather impressive schism in the rabbinic community of Eastern Europe between those who practiced the mystic arts and those who did not. Long story short, a few of those who did practice mysticism got a little out of control and made a bad name for the whole lot of them. So those who continued to practice did so incognito. These folks became known (if they were known) as Nistarim — the hidden ones.
Nistar Oystres: Hidden Treasures
Recently, I have had the great good fortune to be introduced to the works of some of Judaism’s greatest mystic masters. My chevrusa (study partner), with whom I’ve been studying Yiddish for a little while now, found an old volume called “Fun Di Hasidishe Oytsres” or “From the Chasidic Treasures.” These appear to be the original teachings (that is to say, early recordings of the oral teachings) of these old hidden masters.
In so far as we know, these teachings have never been published in English. In my circles, very very few people have any knowledge of Yiddish beyond a few expressions they’ve picked up in the common culture. So these teachings have become all but lost to most of us. But they are important. They are the very lifeline of our tradition, and like all classics, they are timeless, and every bit as relevant today as they were in the 18th century.
While I am certainly no expert in Yiddish, and my translations will no doubt be a bit odd at times, I am nevertheless compelled to share these marvelous teachings with English-speaking Jews and non-Jews who desire to learn the original wisdom of our mystical lineage.
Text Study
Another important part of our lineage is text study. It’s what we’ve done for centuries upon centuries. We read the sacred texts and go into them as deeply as we can in search of understanding and insight. This is a holy practice. It is a spiritual and mental discipline that only gets more interesting and challenging the more you practice it. These masters of old were so adept at allegorical analysis, symbolism, gematria, word play — you name it, that they could reach right down into the depths of scripture and pluck out gem after bright, shiny gem of understanding and wisdom.
This is how they taught. Their students would memorize their teachings. The students of their students would write them down, and their students’ students’ students made them into books. And the Steven Spielberg Digital Yiddish Library had the books digitized and posted online where we can read them. Only we can’t read them because we don’t understand Yiddish anymore. But we need them, these teachings. At least, I feel like I need them. I need them enough to learn Yiddish just so I can read them.
And that brings us here and now to this place and time, where I invite you, whoever you may be, to noodle along with me and try to unlock this great treasure chest of hidden wisdom that our ancestors left for us. With a little help from Hashem (G-d), maybe we can figure it out together.
— Maggid ‘Azi Shabbato
May 2011/ Iyyar 5771
