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The rules and lifestyle of Hasidic Jews seem mysterious. They adhere to strict beliefs and practices that appear complex. This guide will briefly explain the basics of their ultra-orthodox culture. It will outline some fundamental facts, and it will answer a few common questions.

Where are Hasidic Jews from?

Although the Jewish religion is over 4000 years old and originates in the Middle East, Ultra Orthodox Hasidic culture began only around 250 years ago - in Eastern Europe. A new movement was introduced that emphasized physical activity (example: dancing) over studying text (example: reading Talmudic books). This movement had a heightened fraternal nature to it - participants formed extremely close-knit communities that centered around a grand rabbi leader (known as a 'Rebbe'). The movement survived through oppression, mass emigration and the Holocaust and is now located mainly in the USA and Israel. However, Hasidic Jewish community affiliations are based on the town or city where their families lived in Europe. There are dozens of sects - corresponding to various places of origin. For example, one of the largest sects is 'Satmar' - named for the city of Satu Mare in Romania. Another sect is called 'Vien' whose origin is from Vienna. Although virtually none of the sect members still live in those cities, the sects maintain their affiliation based on those cities of origin.

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Basics

The fundamental principle of Hasidic Jewish beliefs and practices is: "change nothing." The way that they conducted their lives back in Eastern Europe is how it should continue perpetually. This applies to language, clothing, food and every other aspect of their lifestyle. Yiddish is the default language. Yiddish is a unique language whose basis is German mixed with Polish, Russian, Hebrew, and English. Gender roles are traditional, and genders are kept separated almost all of the time (in school, synagogue, etc). Marriages are arranged, usually at age 17, 18 or 19. The Hasidic community is very fraternal - men and boys spend a significant amount of time in the synagogue together. Often they will also participate in feast gatherings with the Rebbe which entail joyous singing & dancing. The Rebbe is the absolute leader of the sect and he will rule on all religious beliefs and practices. Physical modesty is paramount - bodies must be covered fully and all clothing is formal.

Clothing

Hasidic Jewish men are known for wearing long black frock coats and hats. This was the fashion among nobility in Poland, Ukraine etc. in the 18th/19th Century. The fur hat that is worn on Sabbath (Saturday) and holidays is called a 'streimel.' This hat can cost as much as $1000 or more!

Hassidic Jewish women follow strict rules of modesty. Skirts hang below the knees and sleeves extend past the elbows. When a woman gets married the rule is that she must always keep her hair covered. Typically she will wear a wig that resembles real hair. Some Hasidic women shave their heads, which are covered when they are out in public. The reason for this is that they are taking the rules of modesty to the most extreme - if she has no hair, then it won't be possible for a man to see it.

Large family sizes

Hasidic Jewish people are known for having large families. 6-10 children is typical, and sometimes they have as many as 12 or more! This is another practice: reproduce as much as possible. It is considered a top rule which was commanded directly from G-d. This is the reason that even though some sects were nearly wiped out in the Holocaust, there are now communities packed with tens of thousands of people! And this is the reason that Hasidic neighborhoods in the USA are loaded with small children and school buses. School hours are long: male teenagers might be at school 8:00am - 8:00pm on 5 days per week. The schedule will consist mainly of talmudic studies in the morning and early afternoon, and then in the late afternoon will be secular studies (mathematics, history etc).

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Saturday is the holy day of the week. The agenda is to relax with family and spend time worshiping. Prayers are always 3 times per day - on Shabbos each prayer session is longer than usual. The defining rule of Sabbos is that 'work' is prohibited. The interpretation of this extends overwhelmingly over almost every aspect of daily life. Activities that are prohibited include driving, using any electric device, cooking, shopping or handling money. A Jewish person is not even allowed to carry any object outside of their home. All Hasidic ultra orthodox rules apply to Jewish people only - people who are not Jewish are not required to follow these customs or prohibitions. This is the reason that occasionally Hasidic Jewish people will ask a non-Jewish person to perform a basic task for them - such as turning on a light, turning on an air conditioner, etc. When enlisting a non-Jew to assist, they will try to avoid making a direct request (example: "Can you please turn on the light?"). Rather, they will hint at what they need and hope the non-Jew will understand and help them (example: "It's very dark in here, it would be brighter if the light switch was turned on").

Major holidays

Hasidic Jews have more than 8 different holidays that they practice. A holiday is called a 'Chag' in Hebrew or 'Yuntiff' in Yiddish. The major restrictions of Shabbos (no electricity, no phones. no driving, etc) apply on several of the holidays too. A single exception to this is that cooking is allowed on holidays even though it's prohibited on Shabbos.

Here are the main holidays which are the most openly visible in an ultra orthodox neighborhood:
Sukkos
Sukkos is a 7 day holiday in autumn. It is celebrating the redemption of the Ancient Israelite Jews from Ancient Egypt. The main practice is to build a temporary hut called a 'sukkah' outside of the home. The purpose it to reminisce about the 40 years wandering in the desert, where the Jews had no permanent shelter and were protected by god. The sukkah must have a wooden roof which is partially open to the sky. The rule is that all meals must be eaten in the sukkah, and some Hasidic Jews with more stringent beliefs will study in it or even sleep in it. The Sukkah can be built from lumber, or nowadays there are prepared Sukkahs which can be purchased and self-assembled. They might be made of metal, plastic or fiberglass.

Sukkah huts for the Jewish holiday of Sukkos

Pesach is an 8 day holiday in spring. It is also celebrating the Jewish redemption from Ancient Egypt. The main practice is to refrain from consuming any wheat and wheat-based products. A Hasidic Jew must also completely purge them from his or her possession. They must perform an exhaustive cleaning of their home, property, vehicle or business to remove every single crumb of bread or wheat-based food. The purpose for this rule is to commemorate the following: God hurried the Jews out of Egypt so quickly that the dough they were preparing to eat did not have time to rise and become bread. While they were leaving the dough baked in the hot sun and wound up as a thin loaf called 'matzah.' The rule on Pesach is that matzah is used as a substitute for bread or for any wheat-based product. There are 2 long feasts each called a 'seder.' The name 'Passover ' comes from the fact that God visited the home of every Ancient Egyptian and killed their first-born son. However God 'passed over' the homes of all faithful Jews by skipping them and not harming their children.

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Purim
Purim is a joyful Jewish holiday in Spring season. It celebrates how in Ancient Persia a plot to eradicate the Jewish race was thwarted by God through orchestrating a series of small coincidences. The arrogant villain named 'Haman' wanted to attack the Jews and take their possessions, but he ended up being hanged and Jews received his possessions instead. The main practice of Purim is to celebrate festively by getting drunk on alcohol. The other main practice is to masquerade in costume. The whole day is a big party with feasts and merriment in the street.

Another major practice is exchanging food gifts (called 'Shalach manos'). Each adult is required to prepare food gift packages and send them to at least 2 people. Customarily people send out dozens to their friends and family. They will also have extras prepared, because it is etiquette to give a gift package to anyone who gives one to you. On Purim there is also a very large amount of donation money collected for charity.

First image: children masquerading in costume for Purim holiday. Second image: men dancing and celebrating in the street.

Chanukah (widely known in the USA as 'Hanukah') is an 8 day holiday which usually occurs in the month of December. It celebrates a miracle which occurred during the 2nd ancient Temple. A Jewish revolt repelled the occupying Seleucid Empire who had defiled the Temple. The pious Jewish priests sought to rekindle the giant Menorah (a candelabra with 8 stems which has historically served as an icon of Jewish culture) but could find only a small container of pure olive oil. The quantity of oil should not have lasted long, but a miracle caused the oil to remain lit for 8 days, until a new batch of oil could be prepared.

The main practice of Chanukah is lighting a small version of the Menorah. This version has 8 arms plus 1 more auxiliary stem. The menorah is placed in a window or doorway where it is openly visible to the street. Upon nightfall there is a lighting ceremony where prayers are recited. Then the menorah will usually be lit - with a candle, or with a wick and oil. On the first night one arm is lit, on the 2nd night 2 arms are lit, etc until the final night when all 8 main arms are lit. The other main Chanukah practice is eating a traditional food called 'Latkes.' They are a potato pancake which is usually fried. The tradition of latkes belongs to Jews of European descent only.

First image: The Hanukah menorah. There are 8 stems plus 1 auxiliary stem in the center which is taller. Second image: Hanukah delicacy of latkes.

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Hasidic Jewish Rules - Ultra Orthodox Beliefs & Practices

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The rules and lifestyle of Hasidic Jews seem mysterious. They adhere to strict beliefs and practices that appear complex. This guide will briefly explain the basics of their ultra-orthodox culture. It will outline some fundamental facts, and it will answer a few common questions.

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Where are Hasidic Jew from.

“Although the Jewish religion is over 4000 years old and originates in the Middle East, Ultra Orthodox Hasidic culture began only around 250 years ago – in Eastern Europe.”

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What did they wear.

“Hasidic Jewish men are known for wearing long black frock coats and hats. Hassidic Jewish women follow strict rules of modesty. Skirts hang below the knees and sleeves extend past the elbows. When a woman gets married the rule is that she must always keep her hair covered. Typically she will wear a wig that resembles real hair. Some Hasidic women shave their heads, which are covered when they are out in public.”

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LOOK IN RESEACH NOTEBOOK TAB (PAGE)

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"change nothing."

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This Orthodox spiritual revivalist movement emerged in 18th-century Eastern Europe.

Hasidic Judaism is an Orthodox spiritual revivalist movement that emerged in Eastern Europe in the 18th century. Followers of Hasidic Judaism (known as Hasidim, or "pious ones") drew heavily on the Jewish mystical tradition in seeking a direct experience of God through ecstatic prayer and other rituals conducted under the spiritual direction of a Rebbe, a charismatic leader sometimes also known as a tzaddik, or righteous man. At the movement's height in the 19th century, it is estimated that roughly half of Eastern European Jews were Hasidic. The movement was decimated by the Holocaust, but dozens of Hasidic sects (or courts) exist today centered mainly in Israel and the New York metropolitan area.

Hasidic Judaism's Beginnings

Hasidic Judaism first arose in Ukraine amid a wider resurgence of interest in Jewish mysticism and as an alternative to those who hewed to a more formal and scholarly approach to Jewish practice and would later become known as mitnagdim (literally "opponents"). Born circa 1700, the founder of Hasidism was Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer, better known as the Baal Shem Tov (literally "master of the good name") and sometimes referred to by the Hebrew acronym the Besht. Little of the Baal Shem Tov's biography has been firmly established by historians, but stories of his charismatic leadership and skills as a miracle worker became entrenched in Hasidic lore. Unlike the prominent rabbis of his day who were renowned for their Talmudic scholarship, the Baal Shem Tov worked as a schoolteacher and a laborer and was known to spend long stretches of time meditating and wandering in the woods.

The Baal Shem Tov traveled widely and developed a devoted following. Rather than lecturing on Jewish law, he urged his disciples to develop a personal relationship with God. Among his teachings was the importance of d'vekut (literally "adhesion"), a term referring to a mystical state of connection with God that could be achieved by unifying the spiritual and material realms. . Following his death in 1760, his teachings were further developed and disseminated by his disciples, chief among them Dov Ber of Mezritch, also known as the Maggid of Mezritch. Dov Ber attracted numerous disciples of his own, several of whom founded their own Hasidic dynasties. Among these were Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the founder of the Chabad sect, and Rabbi Aharon of Karlin, founder of the Karlin-Stolin dynasty. Another of the Baal Shem Tov's followers, Rabbi Jacob Joseph of Polonne, authored the first Hasidic text, Toldos Yaacov Yosef, a major source of the Baal Shem Tov's teachings.

Hasidic practices were distinct from mainstream Judaism in a number of ways. Hasidism brought Jewish mysticism to the masses, something that had traditionally been kept somewhat secret and restricted to a pious and learned few. It de-emphasized Jewish study in favor of Jewish practice, particularly prayer, and embraced a culture of folk tales that often had elements of magic and miracles. Hasidic Jews also rejected the traditional Ashkenazi prayer standards and embraced a version that drew from both Ashkenazi and Sephardic sources.

Opposition to Hasidic Judaism

By the late 18th century, Hasidism was spreading rapidly, evoking significant opposition from the so-called mitnagdim, who regarded Hasidic practices as essentially heretical, inconsistent with the rationalist Talmudic tradition and too reminiscent of the mystical ways of the Sabbateans, the movement begun in the 17th century by the false messiah Shabbetai Zevi. Among the most prominent early opponents of Hasidism was the Vilna Gaon, the revered leader of Lithuanian Jewry, who issued edicts of excommunication against the Hasidim but failed to halt their growth. The schism would not be fully put to rest until the founding of the ultra-Orthodox organization Agudath Israel in Poland in 1912, when the two sides set aside their differences in the interest of jointly battling secularism and Zionism. Today, both Hasidism and so-called Litvish (or "yeshivish") Judaism are considered subsets of ultra-Orthodox, or haredi, Jewry.

Unique Hasidic Practices

Rebbes

Among the most unique features of Hasidic Judaism is the centrality of the Rebbe. Every Hasidic sect has one, and their succession over time is typically dynastic. When a rebbe dies, his successor is usually a son or other close relative. (The best-known Hasidic rebbe in modern times, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson of Chabad, was the son-in-law of the previous Chabad rebbe; Schneerson, who died childless in 1994, has not been succeeded.) Occasionally, succession can be contested and even split a sect, as happened in 2006 following the death of the Satmar Rebbe Moshe Teitelbaum. In Hasidic communities, the rebbe functions not merely as a communal leader and spiritual authority, but often holds an almost mythical status among his followers. Rebbes are commonly petitioned for help in situations of ill health or financial distress, their advice is sought on various personal matters, and they are often seen as something akin to a conduit to God.

Clothing

Another notable distinction among Hasidic Jews is their mode of dress. Though black outerwear and white shirts are standard for men and long-sleeved and high-necked clothing are typical for women, several groups have subtly distinct clothing for men identifying them as members of a particular Hasidic sect. Chabad men, for example, wear a black fedora-style hat. In other groups, the men wear a more elaborate fur-trimmed hat called a shtreimel or a spodik. (Some non-Hasidic ultra-Orthodox Jews also wear black hats.) Hasidic men typically wear a black overcoat known as a bekishe or a kapota. And in some groups, men wear distinctive white stockings. Most Hasidic groups still use Yiddish as their primary language.

Impact of the Holocaust

Before World War II, hundreds of Hasidic sects flourished in Eastern Europe, typically in small towns and villages whose names were eventually adopted as the name of the sects themselves: Bobov, Satmar, Ger and many others. The Holocaust hit Hasidic communities particularly hard - their clothing and other distinctive practices made it difficult for for them to hide from the Nazis, and many were reluctant to flee to the United States and pre-state Israel.

Those that survived the Holocaust re-established themselves outside of Eastern Europe, primarily in the New York area and in Israel, and many achieved something of a renaissance. Chabad in particular grew dramatically after World War II as it established its headquarters in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, and dispatched emissaries across the world to reach out to unaffiliated and secular Jews. High birth rates in Hasidic communities, driven both by religious considerations and a desire to repopulate the community following the Holocaust, also contributed to their expansion. There are an estimated 400,000 Hasidic Jews in the world today. And in the New York area they represent 16 percent of the total Jewish population according to a 2011 study.

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Hasidic Movement: A History | My Jewish Learning

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This Orthodox spiritual revivalist movement emerged in 18th-century Eastern Europe. Hasidic Judaism is an Orthodox spiritual revivalist movement that emerged in Eastern Europe in the 18th century.

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Hasidic Jews beginnings.

"Hasidic Judaism first arose in Ukraine amid a wider resurgence of interest in Jewish mysticism and as an alternative to those who hewed to a more formal and scholarly approach to Jewish practice and would later become known as mitnagdim."
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Rebbes.

Every Hasidic sect has a Rebbe and when a Rebbe dies his successor either his son or other close relative. Which means that they will take all his success and try to succed even more.
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Survived the Holocaust.

"Those that survived the Holocaust re-established themselves outside of Eastern Europe, primarily in the New York area and in Israel, and many achieved something of a renaissance."
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