Abstract
In its beginnings, in the 18th century in Ukraine, the Hassi dic mystique was in opposition to the structures of official Judaism. With the coming of modern society, however, which is leading to the break up of traditional communities, the Hassidic communities today still appear, in spite of certain specific characteristics, as the bastion of Jewish religious ob servance. Their religiosity, which is interesting for its own sake in more ways than one, is of very great value for making both diachronical and synchronical comparisons. Great em phasis is placed upon the study of the Talmud by the Hassidic community ; the influence of its teaching, particularly that relating to economic life, has been profound. This almost unique survival of talmudism (although the Hassidim have ameliorated its excesses) corresponds to archaic economic structures, with occupations — like artisian or merchant — re maining as « independent » of each other as possible. Never theless these structures still allow contact with the global society which tuns counter to the type of ethnic particularism which distinguishes the Hassidim. As Jewish values and rules permeate every level of life an examination of their operation among the Hassidim, where, more than anywhere else, they will appear clearly at work, would prove very fruitful. Or thodox Jews and even some secularized Jews have common roots, but the Hassidim have a particular relationship with other Jews. Hassidic communities will in some sense constitute a « structure of structures » for contemporary Jewry. and in this sense their peculiar inconsistencies are particularly revealing.