It genrally means someone who is wise and rightous, who has a strong and good moral intuition and the wisdom to back it up and analyze it to find it to be good. The word itself shares a root/is derived from צדק, which means to do just things or to do what is correct/just/right. A tzadik makes things be as they should be (see also tikkun olam). A tzadik also helps us see the divinity and/or rightousness within ourselves.
I used that word because there are many so called tzadikim that are arguing for israel and its so-called right to defend itself, so im wanting to say that this is not the way forward into rightousness but rather a path that works evil, through genocide and oppression, and a tzadik should recognize this (and indeed some have).
Theres also the argument (at least, ive heard it in my family) that one may be called a tzadik but that no one is a tzadik, at least not in perpetuity; rather, one takes actions as a tzadik would. This shifts the focus onto the actions themselves and recognizes that no one is inherently rightous, rather ones actions are rightous and one is rightous in that situation.
Ok so heres some thoughts on tzadik:
It genrally means someone who is wise and rightous, who has a strong and good moral intuition and the wisdom to back it up and analyze it to find it to be good. The word itself shares a root/is derived from צדק, which means to do just things or to do what is correct/just/right. A tzadik makes things be as they should be (see also tikkun olam). A tzadik also helps us see the divinity and/or rightousness within ourselves.
I used that word because there are many so called tzadikim that are arguing for israel and its so-called right to defend itself, so im wanting to say that this is not the way forward into rightousness but rather a path that works evil, through genocide and oppression, and a tzadik should recognize this (and indeed some have).
Theres also the argument (at least, ive heard it in my family) that one may be called a tzadik but that no one is a tzadik, at least not in perpetuity; rather, one takes actions as a tzadik would. This shifts the focus onto the actions themselves and recognizes that no one is inherently rightous, rather ones actions are rightous and one is rightous in that situation.