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3 Abraham Joshua Heschel and Hasidism Abraham Joshua Hesche l is now a twice famous nam e in the annals of {Hasidism. I t belonge d t o th e belove d earl y sage , Abraha m Joshu a Heschel o f Apt (d . 1825 ) an d t o his great-grandson, ou r lat e contempo rary Abraham Joshua Hesche l (d . 1972) . If one believed in the kabbalistic doctrine o f gilgul (transmigratio n o f souls ) on e migh t argu e tha t th e soul o f th e first Abraha m Joshu a ha d reappeare d i n th e bod y o f th e second, but perhaps the more reasonable doctrine of yiches, nobl e famil y tradition, i s sufficien t t o begi n t o accoun t fo r th e latter' s greatness . Stemming a s h e di d fro m tw o majo r Hasidi c dynasties , Hesche l wa s a complete produc t o f th e Hasidi c milie u o f Easter n Europ e wit h al l it s richness an d diversity . As a consequence, he was in a unique position t o combine an authentic relationship to Hasidism with a profound sensitiv ity fo r th e mor e genera l stat e o f th e Je w an d Judais m i n th e moder n world. This sensitivity is manifest i n his many seminal essays and mono graphs on all aspects of the Jewish heritage. No area of Jewish study was alien t o hi m an d h e publishe d importan t paper s o n Kabbalah , Jewis h Philosophy (bot h medieva l and modern), Rabbinics, Biblical Studies an d Hasidism. Moreover , h e no t onl y studie d Tora h bu t live d it : th e roste r of activist s i n almos t ever y majo r campaig n o f Jewish o r humanitaria n concern sinc e the 1930 s has included his name.1 In this chapter we shal l concentrate o n on e aspec t of HescheP s achievement , hi s contribution t o our understanding of Hasidism . Reprinted b y permission o f the journal of Jewish Studies. 53 54 Abraham Joshua Heschel and Hasidism I A Passion for Truth, 2 Heschel' s posthumousl y publishe d stud y o f Re b Mendl o f Kotz k (1787-1859) , brough t hi s Hasidi c interest s int o th e center of the public eye. It confirmed i n a major way , especially as it was his las t wor k an d s o receive d unusua l publicity , tha t Hesche l no t onl y had hi s biographical root s i n the Hasidic context bu t that h e was als o a foremost interprete r o f thi s easter n Europea n Jewis h fol k movement . However, t o thos e familia r wit h hi s life' s work , thi s lat e stud y wa s n o surprise, fo r the y ha d com e t o kno w an d t o respec t Heschel' s expertis e as a master-student of the subject, uniquely equipped to make the subjec t his own. To fully understan d Heschel' s contribution an d the significanc e of hi s final monograp h o n th e Kotzker , on e has to star t with hi s earlie r studies in this area rather than with his last scholarly testament . Raised a s a chil d i n th e Hasidi c environmen t o f Easter n Europe , Heschel first kne w Hasidis m fro m th e inside. This biographica l elemen t is o f ke y importanc e becaus e i t foreve r protecte d Hesche l fro m a to o eisegetical, to o extraneous , to o non-Hasidi c interpretatio n o f th e rele vant material . On e especiall y see s th e significanc e o f thi s biographica l factor whe n on e compare s Heschel' s situatio n wit h tha t o f Marti n Buber , the mos t famou s o f al l moder n interpreter s o f Hasidism . Bube r wa s neither th e...

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