ELIMELECH OF LIZENSK

(1717-87)

   Galician rabbi. He was one of the founders of Hasidism in Galicia. A disciple of Dov Ber of Mezhirich, he is regarded as the theoretician and creator of practical tzaddikism. His Noam Elimelekh describes the role of the tzaddik in the Hasidic movement; it stresses the holiness and perfection of the tzaddik and his influence in the earthly and spiritual realms.