, was the only female rebbe in the history of the Hasidic movement. A Hasidic rebbe () is generally taken to mean a great leader of a
Hasidic dynasty, also referred to as "Grand Rabbi" in English or an
ADMOR, a
Hebrew acronym for
Adoneinu-Moreinu-veRabbeinu ("our lord/master, teacher, and rabbi"). Outside of Hasidic circles, the term "Grand Rabbi" has been used to refer to a rabbi with a higher spiritual status. The practice became widespread in America in the early 1900s when Hasidic rebbes began to emigrate to the United States and was derived from the
German Grossrabbiner. Rabbi
Yisroel Baal Shem Tov, the founder of Hasidism, is regarded by Hasidim as the first Hasidic rebbe.
Relationship of Hasidim to their rebbe Rebbe as tzadik According to
Maimonides, a tzadik is "one whose merit surpasses [his/her] iniquity", and every person can reach the level of a Tzadik. According to the
Tanya, a tzadik has no evil inclination, and only a select few predestined to attain this level can attain it. According to
Kabbalah (and particularly the Hasidic understanding of Kabbalah), the world is sustained on the "shoulders" of
Tzadikim Nistarim, divinely predestined exceptionally righteous people in a generation. Nobody knows who was such a tzaddik, even one of these exceptionally righteous people would not know that they are such a tzadik. These people are understood to have perfected their service of God to such an extent that they become literally and physically aware of God. These righteous people's perception (of both spiritual and physical, not to mention temporal matters) transcends the apparent boundaries of existence. However, a Hasidic rebbe is generally said to be a righteous person, called a "
tzaddik".
Hasidic followers of a rebbe Given a rebbe's physical awareness of God and the rebbe's transcendent perception of Godliness, many Hasidim take special care to observe their rebbe's specific and sometimes minute practices. Even things that seem mundane may nonetheless be seen by Hasidim as incredibly significant. For example,
Lubavitcher Hasidim frequently shape their
fedoras to match the way that the Lubavitcher Rebbe shaped his hat, which was more flat than many others. Many
Skverer Hasidim (of the Skverer Rebbe in
New Square) wear their
peyos identical to those of the Skverer Rebbe. While Hasidim do not always follow the specific practices of their rebbe, the rebbe can create practices that may be specific and unique to his Hasidim. For example, Rabbi Aaron Roth (
Reb Areleh, as he was called) the first rebbe of
Shomer Emunim, told his Hasidim to pause frequently while eating their meals to keep them from overindulging. A Hasid will usually display love and admiration for their rebbe as they would a close family member, if not more so. However, the degree and nature of this belief vary depending on the movement.
Functions of a Hasidic rebbe '', lit. "runs [a] table" in his synagogue in
Beitar Illit There are some functions that are exclusively the domain of Hasidic rebbes: A rebbe conducts a
tish (:
feert tish, literally, "to run [a] table") or a
farbrengen—a communal festive meal with highly mystical overtones—on
Shabbat and other occasions. At a tish, the rebbe distributes
shirayim () to the Hasidim seated at or gathered around the table. When a gathering similar to a
tish is led by a rabbi who is not a rebbe (i.e. a
Mashpia), it can be referred to as a
botte (esp. amongst groups from Romania) or
sheves Achim. A rebbe has times when Hasidim (and other petitioners) may come for a private audience. A
kvitel (Yiddish for "note", plural
kvitlach) is a note with the name of the petitioner and a short request for which the rebbe is asked to pray. The formula in which a person's name is written is one's own Hebrew name, the son/daughter of one's mother's Hebrew name, such as
Shimon ben Rivkah (Simeon the son of Rebecca). Hasidim believes that rebbes read supernaturally "between the lines" of a
kvitel, and in every Hasidic movement there are numerous anecdotes relating how the rebbe saw things that were not written in the
kvitel. In most Hasidic groups, the
kvitel is written by the rebbe's
gabbai (secretary), however, sometimes the petitioner writes it on his own. Usually, but with some exceptions, a
pidyon (redemption) of cash is customarily handed to the rebbe under the
kvitel, but this is not obligatory. This is considered to be the
conduit through which the blessing is given, and a redemption for the soul of the petitioner. ("A gift makes its receiver glad" is given as an explanation: a blessing only comes from a joyous heart.) It is also customary to tip the gabbai, although this too is not obligatory. Other tasks are not exclusive to Hasidic rebbes but are important roles they play in their community similar to other
rabbis. These include the leading of prayer on
Shabbat and
Holy Days, performing
mitzvot with their Hasidim, and participating in or officiating at weddings,
brit milahs, and other events. Hasidic rebbes also play a central role in the intellectual and social life of their communities, delivering sermons and dialogues and building educational and religious institutions.
Typology of Hasidic rebbes Zalman Schachter-Shalomi theorized that the historical Hasidic Rebbes may be viewed as occupying one or several of the following roles or functions about their support of their followers: •
The Rav: This role refers to Hasidic Rebbes who also served as ordained rabbis serving Jewish communities. Examples of this type cited by Schachter-Shalom include
Shmelke of Nikolsburg and
Pinchas Horowitz. For some Hasidic Rebbes, such as
Chaim Halberstam of Sanz, the term Rav was used instead of Rebbe. •
The Good Jew: This role, known in
Yiddish as the
Guter Yid, refers to a popular Hasidic Rebbe who is viewed as enjoying God's favor and whose legacies spoke to the conditions of struggling Hasidim. This role was viewed as a continuation of the Talmudic legacy of individuals such as
Honi HaMe'agel. Examples of Hasidic Rebbes of this type cited include
Aryeh Leib of Shpola and
Berishil of Krakow. •
The Seer: This role, known in
Hebrew as the
Chozeh, refers to a Hasidic Rebbe was ascribed prophetic powers. Examples of this type cited include the
Seer of Lublin and his student
Tzvi Hirsh of Zidichov. •
The Miracle Worker: This role, known in Hebrew as the ''Ba'al Mofet'', was often assumed by Hasidim to involve expertise in
Practical Kabbalah. Examples cited include
Ber of Radoshitz. •
The Healer: This role is understood as involving more than mere healing but also involved the expectation that the Hasid would alter his behavior to merit healing. •
The Gaon: A variant of the healer-type was the Talmudic genius (
gaon) who could offer blessing through the merit of his Talmudic study. This tradition was not limited to Hasidism but also was applied to non-Hasidic rabbis such as
Yechezkel Landau of Prague and the
Gaon of Vilna. •
The Son or Grandson of the Tzaddik: This role applied to Hasidic Rebbes who would utilize ancestral merit of a Hasidic predecessor to invoke blessing. In Yiddish, the term
einykel (grandson) would sometimes be used. Often, this role involved the use of petitions at the gravesite of the Hasidic predecessor. Examples cited of this type include
Boruch of Medzhybizh who was the grandson of the
Baal Shem Tov, the founder of Hasidism. •
The Block Rebbe: This type is viewed to have developed in New York City from 1900 to 1940 and involved a grandfatherly role to local Jewish residents. •
The Kabbalist: This role, also known in Hebrew as the ''Ba'al M'kubal'', involved expertise in the theoretical teachings of Jewish mysticism. Examples cited include
Shneur Zalman of Lyady (the founder of
Chabad Hasidism),
Yisroel Hopstein (the Maggid of Kozhnitz), and
Isaac of Komarno. •
The Spiritual Guide: This role, known in Hebrew as the
Moreh Derekh ("Teacher of the Path"), reflects the Hasidic notion that Rebbe is the expert on matters of the Love and Fear of God. The Hasidic Rebbe
Aharon Roth reportedly insisted on the use of this term. While Schachter-Shalom notes that Hasidim valued the living guide over the use of books, some Rebbes, such as
Shalom Dovber of Lubavitch, wrote various tracts for different types of spiritual seekers. •
The Tzaddik of the Generation: This role, known in Hebrew as
Tzaddik HaDor, or
Rashey Alafim ("Head of Thousands"), invokes the stature of Biblical leaders and is viewed mystically as the conduit of all blessing for the Jewish people of that generation. == See also ==