("opponents"). An originally derisive Hebrew epithet which Ḥasidic Jews applied to their traditionalist adversaries in Eastern Europe (see ḥasidism). Resolutely upholding time-honored practices and a "way of life" that Ashkenazim Had Thought Unchangeable, the mitnaggedim Tended to Ignore the Doctrinal Aspects of ḥasidism, Concentrating Their Attack on the New and Growing Movement'S Deviations from the Religious Norm. They Feared the Spread of Another Heresy in the Wake of
When the northward advance of Ḥasidism brought it to the gates of Vilna, the stronghold of the Mitnaggedim, conflict broke out in earnest. Headed by the outstanding religious authority, Elijah Ben Solomon Zalman, the Gaon of Vilna, the Mitnaggedim launched their counterattack. The first ban of Excommunication (ḥerem) was pronounced in 1772, outlawing the Ḥasidic movement, its advocates, synagogues, and innovations. After the Vilna Gaon's death in 1797, hostility between the two camps descended to the level of economic sanctions, invective, and satire, accompanied by the imprisonment of some leaders on either side who had been denounced to the czarist authorities. This state of affairs persisted well into the 19th century, before the bitterness died down, notably the in face of common "menaces"---Emancipation and Enlightenment (Haskalah).
Paradoxically, the unyielding opposition of the Vilna Gaon and his disciples compelled Ḥasidism to abandon its earlier excesses and ultimately become as traditionalist as many of its arch-critics. New realities, such as a general decline in Torah learning and observance, also confronted the Mitnaggedim and forced them to change. Elijah Gaon's teachings and example gave rise to an educational philosophy that provided Lithuanian Jewry with a network of Yeshivot; and from these, generations of scholars as well as the ethical Musar movement were to arise. A richly endowed Jewish culture flourished in Lithuania and neighboring Belorussia, to which students were attracted from all parts of the world. That culture produced a distinctive life style and a particular kind of Jew---the Litvak (Lithuanian), who spoke Hebrew and Yiddish with a special intonation and who proudly identified himself as a "Misnagged" (the Ashkenazi pronunciation of Mitnagged). Adherence to the Eastern Ashkenazi prayer rite, a profound contempt for Ḥasidic superstition, devotion to learning for its own sake, and a wry sense of humor became hallmarks of these "Misnagdim."
Broadly speaking, however, Ḥasidic Jews have always regarded any Ashkenazi who does not share their customs and ritual as a Mitnagged, whatever his origin. From 1770 onward, disciples of the Vilna Gaon migrated to the Land of Israel (see Perushim), where they eventually formed the largest Ashkenazi community in Jerusalem. Descendants of Mitnaggedim also constitute the overwhelming majority of Jews in English-speaking countries such as the United States (seeḥaredim) and the British Commonwealth, as well as in Latin America.
