Joseph Dan, Teachings of Hasidism, 1983
- Based on the sefirot of the Zohar and Luria - zimzum (withdrawal), shevirah (breaking of the vessels), and tikkun (rebuilding the vessels, the sefirot)
- Hasidism and Shabbtai Tzvi - false-messiah, concern about Hasidism after S. Tzvi,
- Revivalist movement - old ideas renewed: joy in prayer and mitzvoth, love for whole people & poor, opposition to dogmatic study of Torah
- Variations on Luria: withdrawal not about something happening within God but by 'God's love for what was created', God intentionally 'diminished God's light' (vs. withdrawal to resolve conflict between cosmic powers), shevirah then unnecessary and various explanations offered as far as the divine sparks
- Focused more on uplifting evil thoughts (machshavot zarot), communion, and Zaddik)
- Redeem evil
- Communion focuses more on prayer than study (but not to exclusion), challenge to the status quo
- Zaddik as individual with special 'powers', to be able to accept followers sinful thoughts and redeem or raise them up