Geschichte des Chassidismus

Simon Markovich Dubnow's Geschichte des Chassidismus (1931) is a systematic and unbiased study of Hasidism, a Jewish religious movement emphasizing piety and devotion. Developed in 18th-century Eastern Europe, Hasidism emerged from a period of disillusionment within Orthodox Judaism, offering a revival focused on passionate religious expression rather than solely legalistic scholarship. It draws from Lurianic Kabbala and centers around charismatic leaders known as rebbes. Dubnow, a prominent Jewish historian, approached the study of Hasidism with a sociological emphasis, collecting source materials from both adherents and opponents to provide a comprehensive understanding of its history and development.12