Three are bound together: Israel, Torah, and G-d,
all on different planes, one higher than the other, partly concealed and partly
revealed. 1 In all
three-Israel, Torah, and G-d-there are both
hidden and revealed dimensions. The revealed dimension of Torah, mitzvot
[religious obligations], and G-dliness, is
expounded in the Talmud, the codes and the early and later commentaries. The
esoteric dimension of Torah, mitzvot, and G-d
is discussed in Midrashic literature, Zohar and Kabbalah, religious philosophy,
and Musar [ethical works].
The Almighty uncovered His holy arm2 and enlightened us through the
Baal Shem Tov and his disciples, our holy forebears, the exponents of Chasidus.
Chasidus merges the concealed and revealed into one whole. To a certain degree,
through its various interpretations Chasidus reveals the inner dimension of the
Torah and its commandments, and stimulates a G-dly
feeling in the living heart of the Jew.
Chabad Chasidus, especially, is a Divine philosophy that opens the gateways
of wisdom and understanding to knowledge and intellectual recognition of He Who
spoke and the world came into being. 3 It shows every individual, each according to
his capabilities, how to draw near to Holiness, and how to serve G-d
with his heart and mind.
Though a profound and exacting doctrine, Chabad Chasidus fully explains the
most subtle concepts with examples and illustrations that are easily grasped,
making such concepts accessible and understandable even to the ordinary
intellect. Like all disciplines, Chasidus progresses from the simple to the
difficult, leading the student, rung by rung, up the ladder of wisdom and
knowledge.
The true value and uniqueness of Chasidus, however, lie in its power to
arouse in the heart the emotions consonant with the subjects studied.
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