The term Hassidism or Chassidism (from Hebrew hasid, “pious”) denotes several mystical movements within Judaism. The earliest is considered the movement of the haside ashkenaz (“The Pious from Ashenaz,” 12th/13th century, Germany; Ashkenazim). But the honorific hasidim (Greek asidaíoi, “pious ones”) was already used by a group in the Maccabean period (2nd century CE), whose members, zealous for the “traditions of the fathers” (i.e. the…