Questions tagged [tzaddikim]

Tzadik/Zadik/Sadiq (Hebrew: צדיק‎ "righteous one", pl. Tzadikim צדיקים ṣadiqim) is a title given to personalities in Jewish tradition considered righteous, such as Biblical figures and later spiritual masters. The root of the word ṣadiq, is ṣ-d-q (צדק Tzedek), which means "justice" or "righteousness", also the root of Tzedakah (Charity, lit. "righteousness"). The feminine term for a righteous person is Tzadeikas.

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The difference between צדיקים and חסידים

What's the difference between צדיקים and חסידים? I assume that there is a difference because of Psalms 145:17. Also at the end of Nishmat Kol Chai where it says "uvdivrey tzadikim titbarach uvilshon ...
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The concept of the "Tzadik" in Chasidut

I've recently started to learn about Breslev Chasidut and was amazed by many great advices of Rabbi Nachman zt'l but I am very confused to read things about the so called Tzadik of the Generation e.g. ...
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Are the thirty six tzaddikim really hidden?

There is a well-known legend that there are always 36 "hidden" righteous people in the world at any given time. The source given for this is the Gemara in Succah 45b, where indeed it ...
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Bad things happening to good people

Why do bad things happen to good people? And, even if they do, bad things, not good things, should happen to bad people!
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The meaning of Tzadik

I am having difficulty in understand the meaning of Tzadik. Maimonides says "One whose merit surpasses his iniquity is a tzadik". I have trouble in understanding this sentence. Can someone explain the ...
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Definition of Baal Nefesh

I have seen "Baal Nefesh" used frequently in various contexts: sometimes as one who is scrupulous in halacha, other times as someone who is a quality person. What is its simple translation/meaning?
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How is it that Abraham didn't ask that four save a city, yet four did so?

Rashi (Vayera 18:24 and passim) explains that S'dom was the most important of five cities in its neighborhood, and God was going to destroy all of them. First, though, He told Avraham of His intent to ...
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Could any of the lamed-vovniks be a non-Jew?

I am referring to the concept of Tzadikim Nistarim (lamed-vovniks)—the 36 hidden saints in the world because of whose righteousness the world continues to exist—addressed in this passage: As a ...
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Criteria for the list of Nashim Kesheiros (Medrash Breishis Rabsi)

The Medrash Breishis Rabsi Parshas Chaya Sara 23:1 lists 22* Nashim Kesheiros. כ"ב נשים כשרות היו בעולם ואלו הן שרה, רבקה, רחל, לאה, סרח בת אשר, יוכבד, מרים, בתיה בת פרעה, דבורה, צללפונית אשת מנוח, ...
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Is it possible to become a tzaddik?

By "tzaddik" I mean a person who does no sins and has no evil inclination. Is it possible to become a tzaddik? Or you have to be born one? For example: If someone is not raised Jewish and then ...
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How can a person promise to be מליץ יושר for a person after their death?

I have seen several references where certain gedolei yisroel of yesteryear, promise that if a person learns their works, these Rabbonim will be מליץ יושר (advocate) for them in the olam haemes. ...
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What would qualify a Sedomite as a "righteous person"?

In Genesis 18:23-33, Avraham pleads with God to spare Sedom from the destruction it had earned through its wicked institutionalized cruelty. Eventually, Avraham extracts an agreement from God that the ...
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Were ancient Rabbis night owls?

I constantly here of stories of rabbis, in the olden days, who woke up at midnight, recited Tikkun Hatzot, and studied Torah until sunrise. Was this the common practice of Jews of ancient times or was ...
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Must we say that Rabbah was mistaken, and why?

The Gemara (Berachos 61b) tells us, that Rabbah claimed to be a Beinoni, to which Abaye responded that if he were to be a Beinoni, then everyone else would be less than that (G-d forbid) - but does ...
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Who were the Nistarim?

It has been documented that there is a group of righteous people called "The Nistarim". I am not referring to the lammed vav tzaddikim of the Gemara (Sanhedrin 97b, Sukkah 45b). Rather, a mystical ...
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Who are the tzaddikim in olam ha-ba?

The midrash tells of various things that will happen to the righteous in olam ha-ba, such as feasting on Leviathan. Who are these? Everybody except those who have no share in olam ha-ba per Pirke ...
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Was Moshe a Tanya-tzadik?

In the terminology of Tanya, if I understand it correctly, a tzadik is someone who has so perfected himself that his yetzer hara (inclination to do evil) never rears its head, whereas a benoni still ...
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Encyclopedia of Tzaddikim

Sheimos HaTzaddikim is a very unique prayer within Breslov which is pretty much reciting the names of many righteous people, from characters within the Tanach to fairly modern figures. I could not ...
ezra's user avatar
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If prophets can only be "good guys" how come Balaam become a prophet?

I've heard that in Judaism, God don't just randomly appoint people to be a prophet. The prophet must be some "good" guy or pious or whatever. If that's the case, why is balaam a prophet? He's not ...
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Why refer to Isaac Luria as the Arizal, and not Arizatzal?

One of the common ways to refer to the R' Isaac Luria is "the Arizal". I understand this to mean, The Ari, zecher L'bracha (may he be mentioned/remembered for blessing). However, one usually refers ...
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36 hidden tzadikim

Are there really 36 hidden tzadikim? What level are they on (tana, amora, etc.)?
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Does God's providence extend to all people or only righteous people?

Does God's providence (Hashgacha Pratit) extend to all people? to all individuals of the nation of Israel? or only to righteous people (צדיקים)?
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When must we go beyond the Torah?

We are taught that we must sometimes go “beyond the letter of the law” (לפנים משורת הדין) to do "what is right and good in the sight of the Lord" [Deut. 6:18]. The Talmud says: Rabbi ...
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How did Moshe know that Nadav and Avihu were greater than either himself or Aharon?

In Vayikra 10:3 after the two sons of Aharon, Nadav and Avihu, were killed, Moshe said to Aharon “This is what the Hashem said, saying: I will be sanctified through those near to Me, and before all ...
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Do the righteous care too much for their possessions?

The Torah says: Jacob was left alone. [Genesis 32:25] The Talmud adds: Why was he left alone? Because he remained to retrieve some small jugs. From here we derive that the possessions of the ...
Maurice Mizrahi's user avatar
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Rashi and the death of Tzadikim

In Parshat Chaye Sarah, Rashi states in Bereshit 25:17 (from Chabad.org) ויגוע: לא נאמרה גויעה אלא בצדיקים Translated as : and he expired: Heb. וַיִגְוַע. [The term] גְוִיעָה is mentioned only ...
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How was Saul a Tzadik if he wiped out Nov?

I've read many commentaries that argue that despite losing the kingdom, Saul is a righteous guy. But how, after he mass murdered priests (Samuel 1 21-22)? To be more exact, he ordered priests to be ...
user4951's user avatar
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What's the real reason that asking departed tzadikim to pray for us is not considered "beseeching the dead"?

According to Devarim 18:11 we are forbidden to beseech the dead. However, there is a long Jewish tradition of visiting the graves of tzadikim who have died and asking that the tzadikim petition G-d on ...
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Why wasn't Metushelach saved?

In parshat Noach, Hashem (according to Rashi) delays the rain so that Metushelach's shiv'a period could be honored, These are the seven days of mourning for the righteous man Methuselah for whose ...
rosends's user avatar
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Asking a Human to Interecede with God

Rambam writes (Hil. T'shuva 3:15) that it is forbidden to utilize any entity as an intermediary between oneself and God (more accurately that one who does so is a heretic who loses his share in the ...
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Why aren't non-Jews buried near Jews or wicked people near good?

A colleague at work asked me why Jews are not buried alongside Non-Jews. He understood why we don't eat with them, but thought those differences should not extend in death and pointed at the ...
cmose's user avatar
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What to do when visiting Kivrei Tzaddikim?

When visiting Kevarim of Tzaddikim, when are proper procedures to follow? I would hope an answer would cover: What and how to daven If there's any specific Tehillim to say If one should (or must) ...
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Where does it say Joseph (Yosef) is a Tzadik?

Noach we know of course, but where exactly is Yosef called a tzadik? I keep seeing people say "as we know, Yosef is called a tzadik" but what is the exact source?
Ed Rosenberg's user avatar
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Custom of standing when a tzaddik passes by

I am asking this question in light of a situation I witnessed recently: When the senior rabbi of our shul--a very righteous man who was keeping his wife's yahrzeit that night--walked past the ...
SAH's user avatar
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Why does HaShem desire the tefillos of the righteous?

א"ר יצחק מפני מה היו אבותינו עקורים מפני שהקב"ה מתאוה לתפלתן של צדיקים Says R' Yitzchak: Why were our forefathers sterile? Because HaShem desires the prayers of the righteous. From Yevamos ...
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Visiting the graves of Tzadikim on chol hamoed

I was recently informed that there is a minhag (custom) to not visit graves on chol hamoed. Does this apply to visiting the graves of tzadikim?
Yosef Warren's user avatar
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Does a Tzadik have a Yetzer Harah?

Was Yitzchok a Tzadik? Rashi in Bereshit 28:13 says Yitzchok was blind and that his​ Yetzer Harah left him. Does that imply that he had an evil inclination when he wasn't blind? What about King David?...
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Is Yishmael a nabi (prophet) or tzaddik of some sort?

Is Yishmael a nabi (prophet) or tzaddik of some sort? The reason why I ask this is because when I read the midrash version of the Torah I found out that it said that Yishmael near the end of Avraham's ...
user12053's user avatar
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For a righteous man can fall seven times and rise - why seven?

Shelomo HaMelekh (King Solomon) famously wrote in Mishle'i 24:16 (Proverbs): כִּי שֶׁבַע יִפּוֹל צַדִּיק וָקָם וּרְשָׁעִים יִכָּשְׁלוּ בְרָעָה For a righteous man can fall seven times and rise, but ...
Lee's user avatar
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Why was Shaul prophecising naked?

In 1 Shemuel 19:24, Shaul HaMelech is mentioned as taking off his clothes, laying naked, and prophesying. And the end of the passuk seems to indicate that prophesying naked was occasionally a trait of ...
Adam's user avatar
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Looking for tzaddikim who didn't disintegrate after burial

Can someone lead me to some true/verified stories of tzadikim who were unearthed from their place of burial and were found to be completely intact?
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Why did the Baba Sali leave Yavneh? [closed]

I remember hearing that the Baba Sali very suddenly decided to move away from Yavneh. Does anyone know the story of what exactly occurred?
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Rashbi's generation was completely righteous, so why were they killed?

In the midrash Rabbah for Bereishis 35:2, as well as other tradition, it is noted that there were no rainbows in the generation of Rashbi because the generation was completely righteous. However, I ...
SAH's user avatar
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Was Yitro a prophet?

Yitro is such an important tzaddik in the Torah, I was wondering if he is a prophet?
user12119's user avatar
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Did Rav Hutner zt'l write any seforim?

Did R' Hutner zt'l write any seforim that are available to buy? I'm not really seeing anything when searching
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What does it mean to be a complete Tzaddik or an incomplete Tzaddik?

I was reading of Noach and there some disagreement on whether he was a complete Tzaddik or an incomplete Tzaddik. What does this mean? How is it determined?
Steven Barrow's user avatar
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Final redemption attempt

Elie Wiesel relates in "Souls on Fire" that the Seer of Lublin together with two friends Mendel of Riminov and the Maggid of Kozhenitz "devised a detailed strategy combining their powers to bring ...
Daniel's user avatar
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Looking at a Picture of a Tzadik

Seeing that looking at a picture of a rasha can have negative effects on you, are there sources which say looking at the picture of a righteous has positive effects on you? [Interesting - A friend ...
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Talmud source that the righteous can create worlds with their words

Looking for a source in the talmud which says that the righteous can create worlds with their words - I saw this and I can't remember in which tractate/where exactly, google isn't helping.
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what are the rewards for the righteous in Olam Haba?

I am looking for some sources from chazal on what rewards await the righteous in olam haba (the afterlife). preferably some kind of comprehensive treatise rather than bits and pieces.
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