Hasidim/Chasidim is the plural of
Hasid (
חסיד), meaning "pious". The honorific "Hasid" was frequently used as a term of exceptional respect in the
Talmudic and early medieval periods. In classic
Rabbinic literature it differs from "
Tzadik"-"righteous", by instead denoting one who goes beyond the legal requirements of ritual and ethical
Jewish observance in daily life. The literal meaning of "Hasid" derives from
Chesed-"kindness", the outward expression of love for God and other people. This spiritual devotion motivates pious conduct beyond everyday limits. The devotional nature of its description lent itself to a few Jewish movements in history being known as "Hasidim". Two of these derived from the Jewish
mystical tradition, as it could tend towards piety over legalism.