Sing to the LORD A New Song

Text, Tradition and Revival in Hasidism and Gaudiya Vaishnavism

Rabbi Israel Ben Eliezer

(1698-1760)founder of Hasidic Judaism;

aka Baal Shem Tov or Besht

“There was once a great and wise king who magically created the illusion of walls and towers and gates. He commanded people to come to him by way of these gates and towers, and had treasures from the royal treasury displayed at every gate. There were some who went as far as the first gate and then returned, laden with treasure. Others proceeded to gates deeper within the palace and closer to the king, but none reached the king himself. At last, the king’s son made a great effort to go to his father, the king. Then he saw that there was really no barrier separating him from his father, for it was all an illusion.”

Devekut “adhesion,” “cleaving,” communion

Devekut

“God wishes to be served in all possible ways… Sometimes one may walk and talk to others and is then unable to study [Torah]. Nonetheless, you must attach yourself to God...So also when on the road, thus unable to pray and study as usual, you must serve in other ways. Do not be disturbed by this. For God wishes to be served in all possible ways, sometimes in one manner and sometimes in another. That is why it happened that you had to go on a journey or talk to people…[so] that you serve Him in that alternate way.”

- Baal Shem Tov, Tzava’at Harivash

Phenomenology of Devekut“Prayer is zivug (coupling) with the Shekhinah (Divine Presence). Just as there is motion at the beginning of coupling, so, too, one must move [or sway] at the beginning of prayer.”

- Baal Shem Tov

“These men perform strange movements, weird and ugly… They clap their hands and shake sideways with their heads turned backwards and their face and eyes turned upwards, contrary to the rulings of the rabbis...If I ever see those who do such things...I shall break their legs!”

- Jacob Emden, critic of Hasidism, 1768

Lord Chaitanya(1486-1534)

founder of Gaudiya Vaishnavism;

avatar of Krishna

Bhakti

“Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer as an offering or gift… Do it as an offering to me [Krishna]. In this way you shall be freed from good and evil results that are the bonds of karma.”

- Bhagavad Gita 9.27-8

“dwelling in,” “participation,” devotion

The particular form that love takes

is determined by the specific nature of the individual

experiencing it, just as a reflected image of the sun is determined by the nature of the jewel through which it is

being reflected.

Phenomenology of Bhakti“I take the name [of Krishna] incessantly, and while taking the name, my mind becomes distracted...I become as mad: I laugh, I weep, I dance, I sing, as if drunk on wine...By the nature of prema [God’s love] the bhakta laughs, and cries, and sings and being mad he dances and runs here and there. Sweat, trembling, thrilling, tears, choking, pallor, madness, sadness, composure, pride, happiness, humility...he floats in the sea of the nectar of ananda [bliss] of Krishna.”

- Chaitanya Charitamrta 1.7.74-5; 84-7

Tensions of Tradition and Innovation● “Though the term ‘reform’ may conjure images of

rebellion… reform is, at least in large measure, a fundamentally conservative factor which looks back to a real or imagined ‘Golden Age’ in some earlier, pristine period of a religious community’s history.”

● “Even when mystics teach radical doctrines… note should be taken of the attempt made by these very individuals to ‘domesticate’ their radical teachings by locating them within the larger orthodox and communal frame of reference.”

- Steven T. Katz

Hagiographies, in addition to serving as inspirational tales for devotees, seek to establish their movements as authoritative -- squarely within (and central to) tradition.

1)reliance on pre-existent narrative conventions, scriptural allusions, etc. so that their subjects cohere to extant models of piety, divinity, authority and so on.

2)dramatizing the ascent to power, through the “trump moment,” wherein the radical founders beat the establishment at their own game.

“He is a sannyasi [renunciate], and still he sings and dances; he does not study the Vedanta, but only performs samkirtana. He is a fool...who does not know his own dharma (sacred duty).”

- the Mayavadis, critics of Chaitanya

“[My guru told me]: ‘You are ignorant, you have no right to Vedanta; [therefore] always mutter the Krishna-mantra… Apart from [it] there is no dharma in [this] age...This is the secret significance of all the Scriptures.”

- Chaitanya’s response

Division III ContentsI. “Love the Lord Your God” - Devekut and

BhaktiII. Modelling Piety - The Besht and ChaitanyaIII.The Word and the Story in Hasidism and

Hinduism Areas for Further Research

- The “master” figure: the guru and the rebbe / tzaddik

- Historical developments re: routinization of charisma

- Contemporary manifestations: Chabad, Na Nach and Hare Krishna / ISKCON; neo-Hasidism, neo-Vedanta & New Age

- Gender and androgyny: Rebbe Nachman & Chaitanya, erotics of mystical union