The almost blasphemous boldness of this conception, which went in a manner further even than the Cabalah or the Sabbatians, startled me, as much as the novelty of the exegesis fascinated me.
"And this young man here—can he rule the upper and lower worlds?" I asked eagerly, mindful of my own miserable failures.
"Assuredly he can rule the lower worlds," replied Eliphaz, with a smile. "For to that I can bear witness, seeing that I have stayed with him in a town where there is a congregation of Chassidim, which was in his hands as putty in the glazier's. For, you see, he travels from place to place to instruct his inferiors in the society. The elders of the congregations, venerable and learned men, trembled like spaniels before him. A great scholar who would not accept his infallibility, was thrown into such terror by his menacing look that he fell into a violent fever and died. And this I witnessed myself."
"But there are no Chassidim in our place," said I, trembling myself, half with excitement, half with sympathetic terror. "What comes he to do here?"
"Why, but there are Chassidim, and there will be more—" He stopped suddenly. "Nay, I spoke at random."
"You spoke truly," said I sternly. "But speak on—do not fear me."
"You are a Rabbi designate," he said, shaking his head.
"What of it?"
"Know you not that everywhere the Rabbis fight desperately against the new Order, that they curse and excommunicate its members."