PIETY AND THE PIOUS

Because of its theocentric orientation, Judaism regards piety as the supreme virtue leading to man's highest good. Moreover, according to the Mishnah, the ẓaddik ("righteous person") is credited with contributing to the preservation of the world (Avot 5: 1). Although the term ẓaddik gamur, "the perfectly pious man" is found in talmudic literature (cf. rh 16b) and is contrasted with the ẓaddik she-eino gamur, "the imperfectly pious man," it is largely a theoretical designation, and on the principle that "there is none righteous upon earth who doeth only good and sinneth not" (Eccles. 7:20): no human being is regarded as the perfect paragon of piety.

In rabbinic literature a variety of terms is employed to distinguish between different types or degrees of piety. There is, however, no uniform system of ranking such terms as yere het ("sin-fearing"), yere shamayim ("God-fearing"), ẓaddik ("righteous"), and ḥasid ("pious"). For example, *Maimonides, explicating the term ḥasid, asserts that it carries overtones of excess or extremism not found in other terms describing piety (commentary to Avot 5:7; Guide of the Perplexed, 3:53), but in fact this is not always so. There are many instances when the term ḥasid describes what elsewhere would be called ẓaddik or yere ḥet.

Notwithstanding the wide range of definitions of piety one encounters in rabbinic literature, the emphasis on the service of God and the imitation of His ethical attributes appear to be a constant component of all the different types.

Although obedience to halakhic norms represents a necessary condition of piety, it is far from representing its perfection. It was expected that obedience to the law would inculcate such virtues as the *love and fear of God. R. Johanan, a Palestinian amora, attributed the destruction of Jerusalem to the failure of the Jews to observe the moral demands that extend beyond the strict requirements of the law. His contemporary, the Babylonian amora, Rav, indicated that even in civil litigation one must take into consideration the ethical-religious imperative of Proverbs 2:26, "to walk in the ways of the good and to keep the path of the righteous" (bm 83a). Moreover, abundant references to the special standards of piety, or the "Mishnah of the pious," are found in talmudic literature (bm 52b; Ḥul. 130b; Ter. 8:10). *Naḥmanides cites the talmudic statement "Sanctify yourself within the domain of the permissible" as evidence for his contention that even an individual who has not violated any of the specific and detailed rules set forth in the Torah may still be branded a scoundrel (commentary on Lev. 19:1).

Man's total commitment to the service of God, according to Judaism, extends over all areas of life. For example, R. Yose stated that all our actions should be performed for the sake of God (Avot 2:12). Rabbinic Judaism believed that performance of a religious act could be disciplinary, leading to higher religious sensitivity. This idea was manifested in the relatively positive attitude taken toward deeds inspired by impure motives. In contrast to Christianity's despair over the worthwhileness of human effort, resulting from the Pauline emphasis on original sin, Judaism holds an optimistic view of human nature. The individual is encouraged to perform an act even though it may originate in unworthy motives, because, ultimately, these motives may be transformed and the act performed for the sake of God (Pes. 50b).

The aim of all piety is the sanctification of life, not the withdrawal from it. There is relatively little endorsement of asceticism in rabbinic Judaism. A widely prevalent attitude is represented by the statement of the medieval philosopher, *Judah Halevi, that "contrition on a fast day does nothing to bring man nearer to God than joy on the Sabbath" (Kuzari 2:50). Similarly, Judaism generally recoils from tendencies designed to remove the pious from involvement with the community. Man's confrontation with God is not meant to lead to self-centeredness or a sense of isolation, but to participation in a holy community. This attitude is reflected in Hillel's maxim "Do not separate thyself from the community" (Avot 2:5). Moreover, according to a talmudic comment, the overall objective of the entire Torah was to promote peace and thus contribute to the improvement of society (Git. 59b).

Although rabbinic Judaism produced a number of extraordinary individuals endowed with special capacities for mystical union, apocalyptic visions, and saintliness, these aspects of piety were never recognized as displacing the normative component, which stressed faithful adherence to the Covenant as interpreted by the Oral Law. It was felt that the practice and, especially, the study of the Torah are not merely intrinsically valuable activities, but are also instrumental in refining man's character and lifting him to higher levels of piety. According to *Phinehas b. Jair, spiritual development reaches its climax when the individual becomes so attached to God that Ru'ah ha-Kodesh is conferred upon him (Av. Zar. 20b).

Maimonides held that faithful observance of the commandments is needed to inculcate the fear of God in man, while the contemplative virtues, climaxing in the intellectual apprehension of God, lead to the love of God (Guide, 3:52). Maimonides redefined the rabbinic notion of the talmid ḥakham, the scholar of the law, who, as early as the talmudic period, was regarded as the supreme religious model (see I. Twersky, in: Jewish Medieval and Renaissance Studies (1967), 106–18). For Maimonides, the true Torah scholar is not merely knowledgeable in halakhah, but is also proficient in science and philosophy. Accordingly, only he who combines obedience to the commandments with contemplative perfection can aspire to the state of true union with God.

For the medieval German ḥasid, *Judah he-Ḥasid, the love of God manifests itself in an entirely different fashion. It impels him to go beyond the legal requirements of the Torah, which makes concessions to human frailties and weaknesses. Instead, the truly pious will govern themselves by the "law of heaven," which makes far stricter demands than the "law of the Torah," addressed to the average individual.

The kabbalists' notion of piety stresses the craving for the mystical ideal of devekut (adherence to God), which to them represents the pinnacle of religious achievement. Unlike the complete mystical union which seeks the absorption of the self in the divine, the state of devekut preserves the separateness and self-identity of the individual. It is an act of communion, not a mergence, for the self is not divested of its responsibilities toward God. It is the function of the righteous individual to help bring about the tikkun (redemption of the world; see *Kabbalah).

In the ḥasidic movement special emphasis was placed on such personal components of piety as kavvanah ("intention" or "purposefulness" in prayer) and hitlahavut ("enthusiasm") in the attainment of the ideal of devekut. The charisma of the ẓaddik, renowned for his devekut rather than his knowledge of Torah, played a decisive role. It is for this reason that Gershom *Scholem observed that in the ḥasidic movement "personality takes the place of doctrine" (Mysticism, 344). The ẓaddik, by virtue of his special spiritual status, serves as the channel for the transmission of divine grace and plays a unique role in the redemption of the world. In the ḥasidic scheme, through attachment to the ẓaddik, the ordinary individual can participate in this task and achieve union with the "upper worlds."

bibliography:

J.B. Agus, The Evolution of Jewish Thought (1959), passim; S. Belkin, In His Image (1960), passim; A. Buechler, The Ancient Pious Men: Types of Jewish Palestinian Piety (1968); L. Jacobs, Jewish Values (1960), passim; S. Schechter, Studies in Judaism, 2 (1908), 148–81; J.B. Soloveitchik, in: Talpioth, 1 (1944), 651–735.

[Walter S. Wurzburger]