Chassidus/Hasidism

Chassidus pioneered by Rabbi Yisroel Baal Shem is a collection of works of watered-down Kabbalah. The founder believed that people were motivated by understanding their achievements in a real sense. So he attempted to cater Kabbalistic teachings to them. Chassidic teachings today are taught through dynasties descended from the early students of the founder who then spread throughout Eastern Europe and Russia and taught it en masse. Each dynasty has a leader called a Rebbe who is the spiritual dean and halachic authority for the follows called Chassidim.