Hasidism: Analysis From Three Perspectives
In Maurice Friedman's discussion and analysis of Hasidism in the text, "Religion and Psychology: A Dialogical Approach," the author looked into the religious beliefs and practices that characterize Hasidism as a mystical religion. Its character of being mystical is grounded on the fact that it utilizes the material world in order to create "personal connections" with God-that is, Hasidim believe that God is manifest in both animate and inanimate objects in this world. This is the main reason why Hasidim is known for their mystical practice of their religious beliefs; for every experience and object they encounter, the put meanings to it that have somehow direct or indirect relationship with God.Notable in Friedman's discussion of Hasidism is the observation that, since Hasidim religious expression is primarily experiential, it is inevitable, then, that the religion be analyzed using a psychoanalytical perspective. This method was not used by Friedman, for the reason that the author believed psychology does not provide an accurate description of religious experiences, specifically from the Hasid's perspective as a believer and follower of Hasidism. Despite this deviation in Friedman's analysis of Hasidism, this paper discus
From these insights into Friedman's analysis of Hasidism, it becomes apparent that unity and cooperation is not only promoted among the believers, for prior to establishing their communities, each Hasid has already come into terms with his/her relationship with the material world. These practices, because of their overtly-expressed nature, are considered by Jews and other religions as heretical. That is, Hasidism's ultimate objective is to restore the "original harmony" that was lost between Universe and Humanity, through its religious practices. " The 'personalized' characteristic of the practice of Hasidism did not only make it a more relevant religion among the Hasidim; it also cultivated the culture of individualism among believers, with the infusion of communality as a result of their unity in their belief to one religion. The fact that the religion does not suppress nor deprive the individual to experience his religion subjectively is an advantage that Hasidism can utilize to consider itself unique from and more understanding of human realities, than other world religions. This is an ironic, yet ideal, situation that Hasidim share as they practice Hasidism: individualism and collectivism are present within their religious culture, allowing the individual to not to lose his/her sense of self by devoting himself/herself primarily to the religion (Dein, 2004). By this, the author meant that "[i]t infused a new and warm life-feeling into Kabbalistic theory, and it shifted its emphasis away from the theosophical speculation to mystical psychology-to a concern with the progress of the individual soul in its efforts to purify itself, to help others, and to cleave to God. If anything, Hasidism, in the point of view of the researcher, offers religious tolerance in that it allows the Hasid/believer to create his own interpretations and meanings of his beliefs, based primarily on his experiences as a follower of the religion. Through the creation of the persona, the Hasid satisfies both his individual needs to express his own religious experience and beliefs, while at the same time, his "persona" functions to fulfill his social requirements to the religious community that he belongs to. From both Friedman's and psychoanalyst viewpoints, Hasidism is interpreted to be a religion that understands, through its beliefs and practices, that the individual/believer has to respond to both his individual needs and social requirements as a member of the human society. Looking into Hasidism from a psychological, specifically psychoanalytical, point of view, it provides a good example of how the individual makes sense of his/her realities as a Hasid. However, Hasidism is unique in that it tries to balance both the individual's needs and community's requirements in the practice of Hasidist religious experiences. The subsistence of Hasidism to the material world makes it "unreligious," because of the fact that it does not subsist to the belief of otherworldliness that most religions ascribe and subsist to. However, Friedman pointed out the relative advantages and positive points of Hasidism as compared against other religions.
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