toriously struggled with evil sphrits, etc. — all of which may be found in the book DlS:PSh *^nap, published in 1815 by the grandson of Baal-Shem,' R. B&r Unz. Baal-Shem and his successors received the name Za^ dik (p^^^^i i* 0* riffhteous)f and his fame attracted mul- titudes of Jews ttom all parts of Poland, who were de- sirous to submit themselves to his guidance, and be- come members of the sect. The following are the chief principles and tenets of the sect: 1. The graat aim of eveiy Chasid is to be in intimate communion with (nsjpa'n), or wedded to the Deity (nj^St^ a«t), who is regarded as a bride. This communion is ef- fected through prayer, and more especially through frequent contact with the Zadik, or sfHritual head, who is espoused to God, and who, as his delegate upon earth, can do all manner of wonderful things. Ilie Zadik is therefore the kin|^ and supreme judge of the community; has absolute power over their thoughts, words, and deeds ; is richly supported by the voluntary contributions of his followers ; they per- form pilgrimages to him to spend the Sabbaths and festivals "with him, when the rich sit with him at the table, and the poor esteem it the greatest privilege to touch the hem of his garment, or even* to catch a glimpse of him. 2. Revelation and the reward of all good works depend upon abtobUe/aiihj which is great- ly interfered with by research and philosophy. 8. Miracles must be implicitly believed in ; the greatest devotion is to be manifested during prayer, and hence shouting, clapping of hands, singing, dancing before the Lord, etc., must be resorted to, so as to preclude the intrusion of profene thoughts. 4. Repentance and conversion are essential to salvation ; a man must al- ways prepare himself for them, and never despair. 5. The Chasid must keep aloof from profane knowledge, and firom the love of mammon, which leads to unbe- lief, bnt worship God, even in the performance of busi- ness. 6. He must be exceedingly cheerful, contented, unselfish, benevolent, peaceable, charitable in judging others, courageous,, temperate in his dress and mode of living, etc. In every town or village where, ten Chas- idim are to be found, they must meet separately for prayer and meditation, and use the Spanish form of prayer, introducing into it the Cabalistic elements.
The Chasidim derive their doctrines from the BiUe, the Talmud, and mora eswcially from the Sohar. At the death of Baal-Shem, his tluree grandsons, Bir of Meseritz, Mendel of Przemislan, and Michael oCKolk, continued to govern the sect, which at that time num- bered about 40,000 members, and became firmly estab- lished in Poland, Wallachia, Moldavia, Gallicia, and Palestine, in all of which countries it still exists, though divided into several parties. Into Hungary It was introduced in 1809, by R. Moses Dattelbaum, one of the ablest men that have thus for belonged to the sect.
The Chasidim have published a number of works in defence of their doctrines. The following are some of them: 1. A small work caUed R^Jt? CTradMon), by Senior Salman Lidier, 1780, reprinted in Kdnigsberg, 1828; 2. fl«a«nj isimrr^'n^d (Gates qfLove and TVirf*), b/R. "Aaron the Levite, Sklow, 1820; 8. Miansn ni*^*lttj% a book of ethics, arranged in alpha- betical order by R. Nachman, 1821. See EUtto, C^fdo- peoRa, i, 475 sq. ; Herzog, ReaUEitcyldcp, ii, 687 sq. ; Joetj(ktckichUdesJudenthumtund seiner SeetmyWiflSb sq.; JSenCAofMifi/a, 11,1,49,145, 198; ¥Vant, Bib, JwL i, 74. Compare Absidmaix.
ChaBil. See Catbbpillab.
Chaskanl ben-Mahoaob, a learned Jew, who flourished in France about A.i>. 1260. He wrote a commentary on the Pentateuch, usually styled ^^D "^^ilptn, in which he made large use of the Midrashic literatore; indeed, it is almost entirely a oompilation
CHASSIDM
226
CHAUNCY
from some twenty older annoCaton. It was printed by Bomberg at Venice in 1624, foL, and again at Basle in 1606, and in 1569 a carefully revised edition, by Vittb- rino Eliano, appeared at Cremona, 4to. It may be foond also in the BibUa Magna of Moees Frankftirter (q. y.), Amst. 1724-27. — Kitto, Cydopttdia^ i, 478; FOrst, Bib. Jud. i, 171.
ChaAsidim. See Chabidim.
ChaBten ; ohatlmy oorrecL * (1.) To strike or afflict one for bis advantage and correction ; and to refuse or despise chatUtemmt^ or correction, is to undervalue it, and be not reformed by it (Jer. ii, 80, and vii, 28 ; Heb. xii, 6). The overthrow of the Jewish nation by the Chaldtaans was ike chasti$e$neiU qf a cruet (me; it was very severe, and inflicted by cruel instruments (Jer. XXX, 14). (2.) To punish in Just wrath (Lev. xxvi, 28). Thus the chasti$emetU qf <mr peace was laid on Christ; that punishment, by the bearing of which our reconciliation with God is effbcted, was laid on him as our surety (Isa. liil, 6). To chaiten one'e $eff is to be exercised before God in self-abasement, fiisting, and prayer (Dan. x, 12). The Scriptures are for eorreetUm ; by their powerftil influence they pierce a man to the heart, and make him amend his evil courses (2 Tim. ill, 1^.— Brown, Bible Dictionary, s. v.
Chastity (Lat cai«itos), in the Christian sense, de- notes (1.) fireedom from impure thoughts, desires, or Imaginations ; and (2.) abstinence ftt>m illicit sexual intercourse. It requires a control of the passions and of the imagination to a degree which no system of morals, except the Christian, has ever succeeded in se- curing. The love of God in the heart is the only sure safeguard against evil lusts. The body, in Christian ethics, is *' the temple of the Holy Ghost.'* But, apart from pure religious life, a strict morality may do a great deal toward securing purity, if not of heart, at least of life. The evil consequences of sexual disor- der jBhould be taught in morals as hindrances to lust. Among them is the certainty that domestic happiness, as well as the physical and mental health of the crim- inal, are endangered by it. Chastity b the noblest re- sult of pure morality, or of the free mastery of spirit- ual elevation and purity over the natural instincts ; it protects liberty from sinking into subjection to the flesh, so far only, however, as it is the result of virtue, not of a natural indifference arising from temperament