Sacred Dance in Jewish Spirituality — Hasidic Dance / ריקוד הקודש ברוחניות היהודית: הריקוד החסידי

Although sacred dancing (reqidah) is a central ritual in Hasidic practice, unlike Hasidic music, it has received little attention. The present contribution proposes a rapid outline of its spiritual significance within Hasidism, with special emphasis on the importance of the Davidic model (2Sam. 6, 14-16) as a paradigm for Hasidic dance. The author also deals with dance in the Bratslav school where its practice takes on a "cathartic" value. The Davidic dimension is again illustrated by a unique description of the sacred dance of the Munkacer Rebbe, R. Hayyim Eleazer Shapira (1872-1937) as faithfully recorded by one of his disciples.