Chassidus Explained

In light of the war that broke out this year (5784) in ארץ ישראל on שמחת תורה (October 7, 2023), we are learning a 1-week מאמר about miracles, said by the רבי on the שבת בראשית of 5734 (1973), during the height of the Yom Kippur War. In it, the רבי explains how אידן affect the entire process of creation, being that they are connected to the very Essence of Hashem Himself. The רבי goes through vari...

As we see, a treaty must be made before entering ארץ ישראל, both within תורה (represented by תורה שבעל פה), on the map (represented by the fulfillment of מצות), and on the calendar (represented by ראש השנה). What is this treaty that is a prerequisite to all these experiences? Connecting the highest, most sublime levels with the practical, tangible, lowest of experiences. It is specifically in thes...

Welcome to a new year of Sunday morning מאמרים! In today's מאמר, we begin with a discussion on the treaty that took place in this week's פרשה: geographically before the אידן entered ארץ ישראל, and calendrically every year before ראש השנה. The מאמר then segues into the פסוק of "כי תבוא", quoting the explanations of the בעל שם טוב, the מעזריטשער מעיד, and the אלטער רבי, respectively. This is the fam...

As we finish the מאמר, we are given a deeper appreciation as to what transpires when we make a ברכה, bringing Hashem's Energy into this world. With this, we reshape our identity of self as one that expresses Hashem's Desire. This is what Hashem wants of us - to bring out our core power of "מה", specifically by getting out there and accomplishing - "מאה"!

As we continue in the מאמר, the רבי quotes the lengthy explanation of the צמח צדק on our פסוק:Even in the most challenging of times, a איד is guaranteed victory over any obstacles that are in his way of serving Hashem, if he only uncovers the "מה" - the essential point of his נשמה, which is always connected to Hashem; no matter how far he has gone. This מה can never be entirely destroyed. Yes, it...

We are looking for the essential point - the "מה" of אידישקייט - the one thing that Hashem asks us; the entry point into all the details, and through which all the details are illuminated and infused with energy. What is "מה"? (Correct) The רבי's explanation is, "מה" is the inherent ביטול that a איד has by virtue of his/her נשמה's essential bond with Hashem, as is expressed in מסירות נפש, which is...

As we begin the מאמר, the רבי points out the contrast between the words "מה" and "מאה" that the גמרא puts together in a way of אל תקרי … אלא. Seemingly, "מה" is nothing, and "מאה" is a great עבודה. How can they work together - to the point that one can only reach "מה" through "מאה"?! The מדרש brings a fascinating dialogue between דוד המלך and ה regarding דוד's request(s) of "אחת שאלתי". As explain...

As we finish the מאמר, the רבי uncovers the depth within "נעשה ונשמע", and the preparations necessary for מתן תורה: Why indeed must "נעשה" come before "נשמע"? The answer is, "נעשה" is true ביטול, and "נשמע" is fulfilling what Hashem wants. In order for the ביטול of "נשמע" to be complete, it must be preceded by "נעשה", and in order for the ביטול of "נעשה" to be aligned with Hashem's goal, it must b...

Continuing in the מאמר, the רבי quotes and explains a מאמר of the רבי מהר"ש dealing with the גמרא's description of the אידן receiving two crowns for "נעשה ונשמע": Was the specialty of "נעשה ונשמע" in as of itself, or because of the אידן's dedication expressed in saying "נעשה" before "נשמע"? The רבי מהר"ש launches into a lengthy explanation of "קבלת עול מלכות שמים" vs. "קבלת עול מצות", and "רצוא" v...

Continuing in the מאמר, the רבי connects the two preparations for מתן תורה with the two words "מדבר" and "סיני": While "מדבר" represents the 1st preparation - the ביטול of the איד to Hashem, "סיני" represents the 2nd preparation - the perfection of working and refining oneself. Why is perfection and completion part of the package of the ביטול preparation? Well, what exactly is ביטול? Utter selfles...

Welcome to a new מאמר, as we approach the season of מתן תורה and שבועות! The מאמר is based on the פסוק that begins the saga of מתן תורה, which tells us that the אין came to the סיני desert on ראש חודש סיון. In his מאמר, the אלטער רבי offers two explanations as to why this date is significant: 1) ראש חודש is when the moon is at its smallest point, representing ביטול - self-nullification. 2) ראש חוד...

In this wonderful מאמר, based on a מאמר of the רבי מהר"ש, the רבי uncovers a beautiful depth hiding within the fulfillment of מצות. Whereas מצות are likened to the "קידושין" (betrothal) stage of a relationship, and תורה to the "נישואין" (marriage) stage, it is possible to view מצות as merely a preparation for learning תורה. However, the רבי מהר"ש explains, Hashem is betrothing us with the fulfillm...

As we wrap up the מאמר, the רבי uncovers a tremendous depth in the quality of יציאת מצרים, which explains why we compare the final גאולה to it, and why we will mention it even after the final גאולה: In our daily service of Hashem, יציאת מצרים represents "אתכפיא", when we can only subdue evil, either by ignoring it or by fighting it. As opposed to the final גאולה, which represents "אתהפכא", when we...

Continuing the compare-and-contrast analysis of יציאת מצרים vis-à-vis the final גאולה, the רבי explains the quality of יציאת מצרים, which is why we compare to it the final גאולה: Although יציאת מצרים was no as great in level as the final גאולה will be, it was the first גאולה, and therefore the beginning of the process for all subsequent גאולות. Bringing מתן תורה into the picture, we see the full s...

We begin this מאמר on פסח with fusing two opposite interpretations of the פסוק that says "כימי צאתך מארץ מצרים אראנו נפלאות": Will the current גאולה be comparable to, or incomparably greater than, the גאולה from מצרים? The explanation is based on learning the topic of the spiritual level of Hashem's Presence that was revealed at יציאת מצרים, called חמשים שערי בינה, the Fifty Gates of Understanding...

What is a "Jew"? In this powerful שיחה, the פריערדיקער רבי offers a fascinating insight into the פורים story: What about מרדכי bothered המן? How did מרדכי spark an inner revolution amongst the Jews of his generation? What is the message of פורים for the Jews in America amid World War II, for us now, and forever?

As we wrap up the מאמר, the רבי applies our newfound understanding of גלות's secret power to the פורים story: If we can draw from the 'subconscious' power of גלות (sleep) the way it exists above and beyond סדר השתלשלות into our 'conscious' reality - סדר השתלשלות - then miracles can happen even within גלות! This affect is caused, as the פריערדיקער רבי explains, through the עבודה of מסירות נפש, as i...

As we continue the מאמר, the רבי introduces a major paradigm shift in our perspective of גלות. Like sleep, גלות is indeed when our energies are not functioning in their healthy state where precedence is given to the more important energies. However, this is only in our experience of the energies. The energies themselves are then in their most inherently powerful state, as they are in the very esse...

As we begin this מאמר about פורים, we want to understand the מדרש that tells us that אחשורוש not sleeping is a reference to Hashem not being able to sleep. The פריערדיקער רבי uses this to explain how this part of the פורים story is the apex of the miracle. Being that the world operates around the behavior of the אידן, when the אידן are drowsy in their fulfillment of תורה and מצות, it causes a drow...

We finish the מאמר with a deeper understanding as to why תורה speaks of קליפה in such detail: The intimate knowledge of קליפה as found in תורה gives a איד the ability to completely transform all elements of קליפה, without getting stuck in it. This explains why משה was fearful of getting involved with פרעה, while at the same time תורה commands every איד to transform even the lowest levels of קליפה....

As we continue the מאמר, we uncover the depth as to why תורה writes so much about the depths of the קליפות. As the רבי explains, תורה is not only the energy of everything, including קליפות, it is also the antidote to be able to transform them to holiness, thus fulfilling the entire purpose of creation. While we indeed ask Hashem not to present us with the challenges and struggles born out of said...

This year's באתי לגני focuses on פרק י"ג of the פריערדיקער רבי's המשך.We begin the מאמר with setting the stage for פרק י"ג, by explaining what our job is, and how we get it done. Our job is to transform the lowest and lowliest situations of this world, situations in which G-dliness is so concealed that the foolishness of unholiness is the prominent reality. The way we get it done is by using the "...

As the exodus from Egypt begins in this week's פרשה, we see a conspicuous importance placed on שם הוי-ה in the opening פסוקים. What is its significance in connection to redemption? In the narrative of the פסוקים, we see a seeming contradiction in understanding משה's greatness. Was משה cherished by virtue of him himself being the seventh, or was he piggy-backing off the virtue of the אבות, with אבר...

We finish the מאמר by describing the גלות that exists even within what was meant to be the signs of Hashem - תורה and מצות. Elaborately, the רבי describes the narrowness we unfortunately experience in our Davening, learning תורה, and interpersonal emotions. The solution exists in the concept of "names", which is, ironically, where the problem presented itself as well. A "name" is the paradox of גל...

With פרשת שמות, we begin חומש שמות, the narrative of the Jews' slavery to, and ultimate redemption from, Egypt. The Biblical exile down to Egypt is still ongoing, because the redemption that took place then was only a partial redemption; we are constantly working towards the completion of that redemption. To understand our redemption, and redemption process, we must begin by identifying our Egypt....