Philip Rubenstein
Hasidism, Part 1: Birth, Rise, and Opposition
Summary
Philip Rubenstein discusses the problematic nature of preconceived ideas, stereotypes, and prejudices about Hasidism and Hasidic practices. He highlights the historical challenges in understanding Hasidism due to partisan early histories written by different groups. The main focus is on the emergence of Hasidism in the early 1700s, particularly anchored in the lives of three men: the Baal Shem Tov (originator), the Maggid of Mezeritch (builder of Hasidism into a movement), and the opposition from the Mitnagdim led by the Vilna Ga'on. Part 1 of 2.
Philip Rubenstein
Philip Rubenstein was director of the Parliamentary War Crimes Group, which, in the mid-to-late 1980s, campaigned to bring Nazi war criminals living in the UK to justice. Philip was also the founder-director of the Holocaust Educational Trust and played a role in getting the study of the Shoah onto the national school’s curriculum in the UK. These days, he works with family businesses, advising on governance and continuity from one generation to the next.
There’s always been a strain of something that’s called Hasidism and people who call themselves Hasidic. It was different, but it had many things in common. And there’s still a connection with the idea of piousness, but less so with the Kabbalistic ideas.
Yes, he’s buried not far from Medzhybizh and there’s a shrine by his grave. It’s visited regularly by Hasidim.
There are very many other sects. Lubavitch is one of the most well-known, but is by no means the largest of the groupings. The largest today is Satmar, and the other large ones include the Belz Hasidim, the Gerrer Hasidim and also the Brezlovs who are very different from other Hasidim.