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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Four Tzaddikim died only because of Snake's advice and never commited a sin!
The Gemara in Shabbos 55b and Bava Basra 17a quotes a baraisa that says:
There were four who died because of the advice of the snake and never commited a sin. They are the following: Binyamin the son ...
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What is the earliest use of the term tzaddik? How far back does the concept go?
According to this website, there is a claim that "It is part of our glorious tradition going back thousands of years to seek a blessing from a Tzaddik for a sick relative (see Talmud Bava Basra ...
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Source of teaching
I read that “the works of the righteous are their offspring" is a "rabbinic teaching". Is there a source, other than Chacham Tzvi 93?
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Why does the word "tzaddik" and the "righteousness hierarchy" mean different things or have different terms depending on author and context?
The word "tzaddik", typically translated as "righteous", comes up quite a lot in different Jewish texts. Someone who is righteous would be called a "tzaddik", as a noun. ...
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Why does a Tanya level Tzadik get rewarded?
One description of a Tanya Tzadik says (from this answer):
This provides us with new parameters for understanding who is a Tzadik. In a Tzadik, the battle between the two souls is over and the winner ...
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Any Stories of Tzadikim Praying for their Children?
I am trying to find some stories of tzadikim praying for the success and righteousness of their children. Are there any?
I remember only one of the Chatam Sofer saying that his hat was full of tears ...
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The merits of the righteous save others from punishment (Sukkah 45b). How is this different from the idea of the Nazarene?
Gemoro Sukkah (Sefaria) 45b includes the concept of the merits of righteous people saving others from punishment:
And Ḥizkiya said that Rabbi Yirmeya said in the name of Rabbi Shimon
ben Yoḥai: I am ...
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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?
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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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Why was Shimon Hatzadik so-called?
In Pirkei Avot 1:2, Shimon is called Hatzaddik (the righteous). I gathered a couple of questions about this fact:
Why was [only] he called so and not other Rabbis? Was he called so by the Greeks (...
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Why are the big heroes of the Tanach not perfect?
Adam and Eve ate the forbidden apple.
Cain killed Abel.
Abraham and Sarah abandoned Ismael and Hagar.
Jacob was Blessed in a cruel move by Rivkah.
Joseph was arrogant and his brothers left him almost ...
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The Torah Transmission Date Discrepancies?
I'm curious to know the dates of birth and death of the following Torah transmitters, who appear in Pirkei Avot, since I've seen conflicting dates when doing some independent research:
Shimon HaTzadik
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How many "hidden righteous people" (צַדִיקִים נִסתָּרים) are there?
Everywhere I read about it, it says that God keeps the world going for the sake of 36 righteous people that sustain it with their goodness, and if their number ever dips below 36, the world ends.
But ...
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Who is "righteous"?
Who is "righteous"? The Rambam adopts a very simple definition: A righteous person is one who is more good than bad:
כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מִבְּנֵי הָאָדָם יֵשׁ לוֹ זְכֻיּוֹת וַעֲוֹנוֹת. מִי ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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Is there any source that claims a person who dies on Rosh haShanah is a Tzaddik?
I've seen multiple people tonight share a post claiming
in Jewish tradition, a person who dies on Rosh Hashanah, which began tonight, is a tzaddik, a person of great righteousness.
I was surprised ...
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What does sacrificing a soul mean?
The Talmud Bavli in Chagiga 12b mentions that there is a place where the angel Michael offers korbanos to Hashem. The Chiddushei Aggados commentary (can be seen on the above link on Sefaria) states a ...
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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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Why "I have been young" in Psalm 37?
The psalmist said, in a line we also recite in birkat hamazon:
נַ֤עַר ׀ הָיִ֗יתִי גַּם־זָ֫קַ֥נְתִּי וְֽלֹא־רָ֭אִיתִי צַדִּ֣יק נֶעֱזָ֑ב וְ֝זַרְע֗וֹ מְבַקֶּשׁ־לָֽחֶם -- I have been young, and I am now ...
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36 Hidden Tzaddikim
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. Nefesh Adoni says "אין העולם מתקיים ועומד אלא בזכות ל"ו צדיקים ...
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Are the claims of this rabbi regarding the Messiah considered credible by Jews [closed]
So, I just saw a news article purporting that Rabbi Yaakov Zissholtz, labelled by the article as Israel's "top rabbi", claims to know members of the Thirty Six Tzaddikim as well as the Messiah, and ...
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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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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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When does a person transcend to status "Tzadik sets his bar"?
Background: we had a motivational lecture in our Kollel today, with a Rabbi praising virtues of studying Torah (towards Shavuos). He brought a couple of stories about prominent Rabbis dedicating their ...
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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 ...
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"Maaneh Loshn" - מענה לשון
Maaneh Loshn is a profoundly beautiful tefila once said by many people, now mostly said by Lubavitcher Chasidim at their Ohel.
1) Does anyone else say Maaneh Loshn today besides Chabad?
2) The ...
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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 ...
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Is there an online archive with quality photos of gedolim? [closed]
I'm personally and currently looking for images of Rabbis Shlomo Carlebach & Shlomo Twerski. But I know in the future I'll probably want more for others i.e. R' Wolbe.
A Google search might ...
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What defines a halachik tzadik?
Is there a halachik definition of a tzadik?
There is the rambam's definition in hilchos teshuva 3:1 That it's someone who is 51% mitzvos. But according to this definition basically everyone is a ...
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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?
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Source that people are judged based on their inclinations
Where does the Orchos Tzaddikim say that everyone is judged according to their inclinations, meaning that you could have one person who acts better than a second person but the second person is better ...
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Is "Zatzal" applied to women? If not, why not? [duplicate]
I have never seen the term Zatzal, which stands for zecher tzadik l'bracha, and is often applied as a sign of respect to deceased righteous men, applied to a deceased righteous woman. I would like to ...
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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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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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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 ...
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Is there any spiritual value in owning an item that once belong to a tzaddik?
In seeing a discussion online regarding an item which ostensibly belong to a righteous person sold online for a large sum of money one of the comments stated that there was "an inyan to own the ...
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"Do not be overly righteous...why be left desolate?" -(artscroll translation)
Shlomo Hamelech says in Koheles Chapter 7 pasuk 16 "Do not be overly righteous...why be left desolate?" -(artscroll translation) Does anyone know the meaning of this? Are we not supposed to be as much ...
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Rabbi Nachman on connecting to Tzaddikim and Tefillah
Rabbi Nachman M'Breslov in Likutei Moharan (2:6) writes:
(Source from Sefaria.org)
(Partial Quote)
וְצָרִיךְ כָּל אֶחָד לְכַוֵּן בִּתְפִלָּתוֹ, שֶׁיְּקַשֵּׁר עַצְמוֹ לַצַּדִּיקִים שֶׁבַּדּוֹר, כִּי ...
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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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How many righteous men are in each generation?
I have been reading questions about the lamed-vav, the 36 righteous people who exist in each generation.
But Rashi, in Zecharia 11:12 cites the gemara in Chullin 92a which has an opinion that there ...
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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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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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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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Tzadikkim hands above the waist?
The Tzaddikim used to always keep their hands above their waists. I can understand how this was done when all you wore was a robe and sandals, but how did men like the Chofetz Chaim do it when they ...
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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 ...
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To what degree and under what conditions can the righteous influence God's judgement of a population?
When Noah was told of the flood's coming, he did not pray for mercy on behalf of the world.
When God told Abraham that he was about to assess S'dom and Amorrah, Abraham continually questioned God ...
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Why Job was subjected to pain and misery despite he was a pious man?
What was the rationale of subjecting Job to pain and misery though he was a pious man of G-d. Please explain with logical reasons.
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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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Was Yitro a prophet?
Yitro is such an important tzaddik in the Torah, I was wondering if he is a prophet?
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