Although hasidic Jews are today associated with mainstream Orthodoxy; Hasidism; during the year of its genesis; was bitterly opposed and indicted with bans of excommunication by the Jewish establishment. In The Hasidic Movement and the Gaon of Vilna; Elijah Judah Schochet analyzes the conflict centering on the hasidic movement in the eighteenth century and the role played by the leader of the opposition; Rabbi Elijah; the Gaon of Vilna. The reasons Hasidism was challenged are of value not only vis-a-vis historical curiosity but in terms of the nature of traditional Judaism; its religious priorities; and the perceived dangers inherent in the hasidic style of rabbinic leadership. Tzaddikim were singularly authorized to descend into sin's domain to emancipate the sinner in cases of vice and iniquity; and these actions were viewed by the mitnagdim; or opponents; as "a dangerous flirtation with the notion of 'sin.'" Schochet embarks on a fascinating foray into the misconceptions held by the opponents of the hasidim that fueled the tension between the two. Rabbi Elijah; known as the Gaon of Vilna; who was the outstanding rabbinic scholar of his time; emerged from his cloistered existence to confront and battle these seemingly ostensible threats from within the hasidic movement. However; there is no record of his having personally encountered hasidic Jews. Why; then; was he so disturbed by Hasidism? What threats did he perceive the movement posed? Did the excommunication of the hasidim by the Gaon of Vilna really occur? In The Hasidic Movement and the Gaon of Vilna; Schochet attempts to unravel the mystery underlying Rabbi Elijah and his campaign against the hasidic movement. Some aspects ofthe controversy between Hasidism and the mitnagdim still linger today; and Rabbi Schochet's effort to explicate the eighteenth-century dilemma and its contenders allows the reader a more privileged glance at past tensions as well as an understanding of the players in today's drama
#2491573 in Books Temple University Press 1994-07-28Format: PrintOriginal language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.25 x .75 x 6.25l; .91 #File Name: 1566392624240 pages
Review
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Monterey Park!By SLIMJIMSome reviews of book deserve to be a full hour conversation rather than a written blurb. This is one of them though I will keep it brief. I started to read this because local history fascinates me and the work's focus on how Monterey Park became a Chinese suburb made it even more interesting. I appreciated the author giving some historical background of Monterey Park itself before talking about the immigration of ethnic Chinese; which gave me an appreciation of what Monterey Park was like before the 1970s rush of Asians. Here the author gave interesting bits of information along the way; such as how Monterey Park in the 1920s had an agreement among real estate agents to only sell property to white people and that in April 1924 there was a KKK meeting inducting new members in Garvey Avenue that had 20;000 people coming out to see it. History is ironic; today Garvey Avenue is where people get cheap Chinese food and no doubt the God of History has a sense of humor in this irony. It was also a book that gave me some background to who Repetto was; and the story behind the Cascade waterfall and the current Chamber of Commerce building. But the gist of the book was focused on the conflict of old time locals who were into "slow growth" of the city versus those who were new and freshly immigrated. I admit I haven't had the best experience of Asian American studies literature in the past but this is one of the better works--and I must also say I enjoyed it. The author's explanation of things was not simplistic and his historiography was able to combine interviews critically along with statistics and a good amount of citation of local newspapers and election fliers. Fong points out that driving behind all the back and forth rhethorics of accusation of racism was really a competition of interests--between land developers and those who wish to retain their property values; etc. I appreciated his explanation for the sudden immigration of Chinese to Monterey Park was due to influences in the International scene of American diplomacy under Nixon with China and the UN recognizing the PRC rather than Taiwan as the legitimate Chinese state as the source of instability of the future that prompted many to move to America. That; and coupled with a man who decided to buy land in Monterey Park and sell ads in Hong Kong and Taiwan that Monterey Park is the "Chinese Beverly Hills." I also thought his explanation for the economic phenomenon of cheap Chinese shops was quite sound: due to the huge jump in real estate value due to land speculation in Monterey Park; most businesses could not afford to stay in Monterey Park and thus when there's no money to be made with loss businesses; land owners would decide to cater to have many smaller businesses in order to make their money; these smaller businesses would barely get by and with the increase of many competitors would then be lowering their prices with free in-house family laborers to get by financially. This of course; wouldn't do the city any good in collecting tax revenue; prompting greater conflict in the city in the midst of a large cultural change. As I said before; there are so much to say about this book. Even as I read the work I was conscious that this book was written 20 years ago--and that has also brought other developments in Monterey Park as well. At the same time; it made me think of memories of my childhood growing up in Monterey Park. This work was also interesting for me to see names that I recognize in Monterey Park politics and law enforcement and their younger political and/or community beginnings. Excellent work in social; economic and historical analysis.1 of 2 people found the following review helpful. A classic work. Fong is actually Professor of Ethnic ...By CoasttoCoastA classic work.Fong is actually Professor of Ethnic Studies at California State University; Sacramento..
