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Rabbi Hayyim of Volozhin’s Polemic with Hassidism

Publication date: 2018

Scripta Judaica Cracoviensia, 2018, Volume 16, pp. 15 - 27

https://doi.org/10.4467/20843925SJ.18.002.10816

Authors

Raphael Shuchat
Ariel University, Ari'el, 40700, Israel
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Titles

Rabbi Hayyim of Volozhin’s Polemic with Hassidism

Abstract

R. Hayyim Volozhin, the main disciple of the Vilna Gaon, set up the Volozhin Yeshiva in 1802. Unlike his mentor, R. Hayyim was not interested in perpetuating the animosity between Hassisdm and mirthnagdim, welcoming Hassidic students in his yeshiva. Despite this, R. Hayyim had a major ideological dispute with the Hassidic world. This is obvious from the collections of questions and answers we have from him, the sheiltot, in which he spells out his differences with Hassidism. His Nefesh Ha-Hayyim, his only autographic work published posthumously, was both a polemic on Hassidism as well as an alternative Judaic-Kabbalistic world view to Hassidism. R. Hayyim’s polemic strengthens the point of view that the Vilna Gaon and his students were more ideologically than politically opposed to Hassidism.

References

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Information

Information: Scripta Judaica Cracoviensia, 2018, Volume 16, pp. 15 - 27

Article type: Original article

Titles:

Polish:

Rabbi Hayyim of Volozhin’s Polemic with Hassidism

English:

Rabbi Hayyim of Volozhin’s Polemic with Hassidism

Authors

Ariel University, Ari'el, 40700, Israel

Published at: 2018

Article status: Open

Licence: CC BY-NC-ND  licence icon

Percentage share of authors:

Raphael Shuchat (Author) - 100%

Article corrections:

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Publication languages:

English

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<p> Rabbi Hayyim of Volozhin’s Polemic with Hassidism</p>