 Recent scholarship has rejected earlier academic constructions of Rabbi Nachman's thought as an existentialist Hasidism of faith, versus the general movement's Hasidism of mysticism, establishing the dialectic ladder of mystical union (a mysticism of faith) that Breslovian faith communicates

In the doctrine of the Tzadik developed in early writings of the movement, a volatile, potentially antinomian aspect of "transgression for the Sake of Heaven" is found, expressed in terms of the Tzadik's states of "descent" and "smallness".For the Righteous to elevate the common masses, he must occasionally descend to their level, emulating their sins for holy motives.A related early theme is the "elevation of sinful thoughts" that enter the Tzadik's mind due to sins of the community.