The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (2752 page)

Y
suf
.

Islamic form of
Joseph
.

 
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(Jap., ‘sitting mat’). The mat on which
zazen
is practised; cf.
ZAFU
.

 
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(1620–97)
, Jewish
kabbalist
. For much of his life Zacuto lived in Italy and was a member of the Venetian
yeshivah
. Although initially drawn to the
Shabbatean
movement, he rejected it after the
apostasy
of
Shabbetai Zevi
. He edited the kabbalistic
Zohar
adash
(1658) and annotated the work of
Luria
and
Vital
under the acronym of ReMeZ (Rabbi Moses Zacuto). His poems have been collected in various anthologies, and his great dramatic poem,
Tofteh Arukh
(1715), attained great popularity.

 
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(Heb., ‘righteous man’). A model of Jewish behaviour who is much praised in biblical literature. The zaddik (
tsaddik
) is the name given to the
asidic
leader whose charismatic personality is devoutly admired among his followers. He is believed to have attained mystical union with God, and employs his powers for the benefit of his community. He keeps court to which the individual
asid makes
pilgrimage
, and he is perceived as the ladder between Heaven and earth.

 
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(d. 1149).
Spanish poet and philosopher. Zaddik was the author of
Sefer ha-‘Olam ha-Katan
(ed. 1854), which was praised by
Maimonides
. It explores what constitutes ‘everlasting good’ and comes to the conclusion that ‘knowing God and doing his will’ leads to the greatest happiness.

 
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