ASSIDEANS, or CHASIDJEANS, (from the Hebrew
ebaidim, "merciful, pious"); those Jews who re-
sorted to Mattathias to fight for the law of God and the
liberties of their country. They were men of great
valour and zeal, having voluntarily devoted themselves
to a more strict observation of the law than other
men. For after the return of the Jews from the Ba-
bylonish captivity, there were two sorts of men in their
church; those who contented themselves with that
obedience only which was prescribed by the law of
Moses, and who were called Zadikim, i. e. the righteous;
and those who, over and above the law, super-
added the constitutions and traditions of the elders, and
other rigorous observances: these latter were called
Chasidim, i. e. the pious. From the former sprung the
Samaritans, Sadducees, and Caraites; from the latter,
the Pharisees and the Essenes.