Chassidus Chabad is for everyone

The Rebbe writes:

I must respond to what you write at the beginning of your letter, that you are not a Chabad woman, and yet you write to me. This contradicts the saying of the Alter Rebbe, the author of the Tanya, and the founder of the approach of the school of Chassidus Chabad, who declared that this approach is the inheritance of the entire Jewish people—every man and woman.

This philosophy and its message are not at fault for the fact that at the moment, certain circles have not yet fully accepted it. Moreover, a significant segment of the people in these circles are not at fault for this; rather, this is on account of peripheral, superficial reasons. Clearly, these people are not able to reduce their inherent connection to this philosophy, because they only suffer from a matter of lack of knowledge, which will surely be rectified over the course of time.

Igros Kodesh, Vol. 16, pp. 278-279.

In summary, Chassidus Chabad is meant for every single Jewish man and woman to study and become inspired by, and the only explanation for the fact that they haven’t yet accepted it is nonessential reasons for which they are blameless. However, if they will be introduced appropriately to this wisdom, they will surely accept it, and ultimately this will happen.

Shabbos flyers

We have a proliferation of “Shabbos flyers” inundating our shuls: Sichat HaShavua, L'Chayim, and so on, and so forth. Granted, these flyers do contain much material of merit, and material that everyone could learn from. Still, let us be honest here: to whom are they directed? Merurovim. Newcomers. Or perhaps baalei Teshuva who still haven’t learnt how to learn and, although being a part of our circle for many years, are in fact complete beginners.

Don’t get me wrong, I think this literature is great—for its intended audience. For them, it’s a significant step up. But for those who received the education of the Rebbeim, it’s largely a step down. Why does literature for mekurovim become standard reading for yungerleit who attended Tomchei Temimim for years, learning seven hours of Nigleh and three hours of Chassidus per day? Every single moment of the precious time of Shabbos needs to be spent in serious Torah study.

Time- and non-time-related avoda

There seem to be two different styles or emphases in serving Hashem:

1) Time-related, i.e., that one gives precedence to an inyan she’hazman gromo (a matter of timely relevance). Indeed, the Rebbe says clearly that generally speaking, an inyan she’hazman gromo takes precedence over other things, e.g., studying this week’s Torah portion, the laws in Shulchan Aruch concerning the soon-approaching Yom-Tov, or studying the explanation of the Rebbeim concerning the significance of an approaching yoma depagra (Chassidishe holiday).

This appears to contain a strong element of kabolas ol (“acceptance of the yoke” of divine sovereignty), because of course we can’t choose whether to enter a particular time of year; the passage of time is not at all in our control.

2) Types of avoda (divine service) that are not time-related. Of this there are two types:

a. Mitzvos that apply constantly, like the Sefer HaChinuch’s six constant Mitzvos, or regularly, like the daily obligations to davven, learn Torah, etc.

b. Working on individual middos until they are fixed, as is recommended in the Rebbe Rashab’s Kuntres HoAvodah. This depends only upon where one is up to in his individual Avodah, and not the calendar. Here there appears to be less kabolas ol involved in the sense that although effort is required, you dedicate yourself to refining the character trait that you choose, to figure out what Hashem wants of you using your own mind. Indeed, divine service requires the regular advice of a mashpia, but that is often more a matter of “eitza toivo ko’mashma lon”—advice that one follows voluntarily and willingly, rather than due to the duress of an unquestionable order from above (cf. Sefer HaSichos, Shoftim, 5751).

In the excerpt below the Rebbe discusses this concept in connection with Tes Kislev (the anniversary of the birthday and Histalkus (passing) of the Mitteler Rebbe and Yud Kislev, the anniversary of the liberation of the Mitteler Rebbe:

There is an obligation to learn the entire Torah throughout the year. Nevertheless, there are certain times in which certain topics in Torah take priority, [and of this it is written that one should study] “the laws of the festival on the festival,” and the like, since this is a matter of timely relevance [“inyan she’hazman gromo”].

Even on the days of Tes and Yud Kislev we are involved with many additional things (aside from matters related to the Mitteler Rebbe)—meaning that only a certain part of the day is dedicated to the matter of timely relevance, and not the entire day. Nevertheless, all things done on this day, even those apparently done the same as throughout the year, are permeated with the matter of timely relevance, since this is the primary aspect of significance in this day.

Hisva’aduyos 5743, Vol. 1, p. 525.

Ahavas chassidim

Some (usually beginners to the path of Chassidus) question the concept of ahavas chassidim, love of chassidim, i.e., for chassidim to feel and express an extra love and affection for fellow chassidim than for non-chassidim. Isn’t it contrary to the principle of Ahavas Yisrael to so discriminate?

To this I respond: Do you love your father more than the fathers of other Jews? Do you love your siblings more than the siblings of other Jews? What about your children?

Is this discrimination contrary to the principle of Ahavas Yisrael? Not really. When there is a deeper connection, there is deeper love. That doesn’t imply that there’s can’t be genuine love without it; there can be and there should be. It simply means that there are levels in love. For example, I can love someone who is not my close relative, and we can even become very close friends, but it will simply be a different, far closer relationship if it is a relative.

To base this in Chazal:

For chassidim, the Rebbe is like a father, according to the ma’amarei Chazal[1]:

• “Kol hamelamed es ben chaveiro Toiro, maaleh olov hakosuv k’ilu yoldoi” (anyone who teaches Torah to the son of his fellow, the verse considers it as if he begot him);

• “‘Veshinantom levonecho: eilu ha’talmidim” (“‘Teach them (the words of Torah) to your sons’: this refers to one’s students.”)
  

So it’s natural that there is a different feeling to the Rebbe, who is like one’s spiritual father, and to his chassidim, who are like one’s spiritual siblings, than to others. Since there is a deeper bond between the Rebbe and the chassidim, and between the chassidim, there is naturally a deeper level of love.

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[1] See the expression of the Sifri:

לבניך - אלו התלמידים. מצינו בכל מקום שהתלמידים קרויים "בנים", שנאמר (דברים יד, א): "בנים אתם לה' אלקיכם", ואומר (מלכים-ב, ב, ג) : "בני הנביאים אשר בבית אל", וכן בחזקיהו שלימד תורה לכל ישראל וקראם "בנים", שנאמר (דברי הימים-ב, כט, יא) : "בני, אל תשלו". וכשם שהתלמידים קרויים בנים, כך הרב קרוי אב.

The special mission of Chabad Chassidim

The Special Mission of Chabad Chassidim

Rabbi Y. Oliver

There is a view held by some non-Lubavitchers that “Chabad does not respect other Torah groups.” One of the “proofs” of this claim is the fact that there is no focus among chasidei Chabad at learning the teachings (known in modern times as “hashkafos”) of all more recent widely accepted gedolim. This is a very sensitive issue, one also misunderstood by some self-identifying Lubavitchers. Still, I will try to address this misperception sensitively as I understand it, and hopefully I will shed some light on the matter.

The Rebbe had great respect for teachings of other groups. Whenever authors came past the Rebbe for dollars with their seforim, the Rebbe would encourage them, and demand forcefully, but respectfully, that they do double. Whenever a Rebbe of another Chassidic group came to the Rebbe, he had an automatic pass to yechidus. The Rebbe would also quote from various non-Chabad Chassidic sources (such as Noam Elimelech, Kedushas Levi, Ma’or V’shemesh, Bnei Yisoschor, and so on) in Sichos from time to time. Thus, obviously the Rebbe had the utmost respect for other Chassidic groups (always saying to their leaders “ya’arich yomim al mamlachto”)  and for their activities. In general, the Rebbe would always encourage other leaders from all Orthodox Jewish circles, whether Chassidishe Rebbes, Rabbonim, or lay leaders, to increase in their efforts in spreading Yiddishkeit and specifically in spreading their own seforim (to the extent that on several occasions the Rebbe encouraged members of other Chassidic groups to print manuscripts of their Rebbes posthumously, in order to benefit the community, even when the authors had expressed the wish that their manuscripts not be printed!).

However, everyone has their mission. Some have a more general one, and that is all very well for them. Chassidei Chabad have a very specific one that was prescribed for them by the Rebbeim of Chabad: to intensively study and spread Chassidus Chabad. Thus, chassidei Chabad focus on the words of the Rebbeim of Chabad because that’s what the Rebbe encourages them to do non-stop; in other words, that’s their mission. Thus, focusing on Chassidus Chabad is not intended to be, and should not be interpreted as, an exclusion or insult to other groups, chas v’shalom. Rather, it stems from a belief that there is something extra in this particular wisdom, that is very important and special, that is not found in others.

What is this special quality? On one foot, the Rebbe explains in several sichos that Chassidus Chabad speaks about the unity and greatness of Hashem in a tremendously detailed way that is unparalleled in the rest of Torah, even in Kabbalah, and therefore studying this wisdom is necessary to prepare for Moshiach, because then “they (the Jewish people) will grasp the knowledge of their Creator according to the capacity of man ... the only occupation of the entire world will be to know Hashem,” as the Rambam writes. Chassidus Chabad explains the greatness of Hashem in a way that is rationally understood, and thus “according to the capacity of man.” Thus, Chassidus Chabad in particular was designed to prepare us for the coming of Moshiach, and that’s why it was revealed and why it ought to be promoted. This is discussed at length in the sicha of 19 Kislev in Vol. 30 of Likutei Sichos, p. 170 ff.

More generally speaking, we can observe that in sichos and farbrengens, the main sources that the Rebbe would quote from concerning anything related to Pnimiyus HaTorah (and often in lengthy lists of references) was the Rebbeim. The example that the Rebbe was setting was that for Chassidim, the words of the Rebbeim should be their main focus.

To sum it up, chassidei Chabad have a specific mission, and that means that they have to have a certain focus (whereas non-chassidim aren’t expected to have this focus, and for them a certain “pluralism”, i.e., learning from all acceptable sources with relatively equal emphasis, is perfectly okay). This sense of mission is the origin of the “lack of pluralism” that some have observed and not understood, and not a desire to denigrate the teachings of any other tradition, chas v’shalom.

Now, let’s devote ourselves to fulfilling our respective missions, and bringing Moshiach now!

Introduction

I regularly learn, hear, or think of inspiring ideas that I would like to share with people, so here they are. Enjoy, and please give your feedback, even if it's (constructive) criticism.