Overview

The Heritage of Chassidim

The name “chassidim” was not given to the Baal Shem Tov’s followers by the chassidim themselves. They would call themselves either di freileche (“the cheerful folk”) or der bruderbund (“the brotherhood”). The latter name highlighted the tradition of ahavas Yisrael (“love for one’s fellow Jew”) and achdus (“unity”) that characterized the chassidic movement. Chassidim have always regarded themselves as one family, to the extent that there was a common saying among the Alter Rebbe’s followers, “The piece of bread that I have is yours just as much as it is mine.’ And they would say ‘yours’ before ‘mine.’”1 From that time to the present, the love and care that chassidim show their fellow Jews has served as a magnet, drawing many to follow a similar path.

When the Rebbe Rashab2 assumed the leadership of the Chabad movement in 5643 (1882), winds of change could already be sensed in the Russian Jewish community. There was a movement from the shtetlach, the small towns in which the Jews had lived, to the larger cities, and even to America and Eretz Yisrael. The change was not only geographic. Western thought had begun to infiltrate the minds of many Jewish youth — and that was one of the reasons that motivated the Rebbe Rashab to found Yeshivas Tomchei Temimim, the Lubavitcher yeshivah, in 5657 (1897).3

One of the fundamental differences between the shtetl mentality and the thought system that prevails in contemporary society is the shift from a collective consciousness to I-orientation. In the shtetl, a fundamental factor in every person’s decision-making process was the needs of others, and what was best for the community. In Western society, each person’s individual wants and needs take primacy.

This bothered the Rebbe Rashab. The term yesh, a self-oriented entity, always had pejorative connotations in Chabad thought.4 However, it is in the maamarim of the Rebbe Rashab that this concept begins to feature more prominently. Clearly, the need to shun yeshus was a message that the Rebbe Rashab wanted to communicate to his followers. Thus it was that on Simchas Torah, the Rebbe delivered the maamar known by its initial word as Heichaltzu.5 Typically, maamarim delivered on festivals address the theme of the festival at hand, but Heichaltzu focused on a different topic: ahavas Yisrael and its opposite, the preoccupation with oneself that creates intolerance and discord.

A week and a half after the Rebbe Rashab initially delivered the maamar, on Shabbos Parshas Noach, many chassidim were sitting at a farbrengen in the room of the Rebbe Rayatz. The Rebbe Rashab was not expected to deliver a maamar that day6 and the chassidim had gathered to farbreng among themselves. Surprisingly, the Rebbe Rashab entered the room and shortly afterwards, delivered the maamar entitled Heichaltzu a second time.

The Rebbe Rayatz7 later explained8 why his father repeated it. One of the participants in the farbrengen was one of the Rebbe’s relatives, a scholar of a selfless nature, but a person of a very firm character who looked down upon the unlearned members of the chassidic brotherhood. Obviously, the Rebbe Rashab felt the need to reiterate the message of the maamar, and particularly wanted this individual to hear its theme regarding the need to eradicate disharmony and baseless hatred.

The message of the maamar resonated among the chassidim. The fact that it was reviewed avidly by the chassidim, copied “hundreds and thousands of times,”9 and later printed countless times in mimeograph testifies to their appreciation of its relevance to their lives.

Don’t Battle Darkness: Light a Candle!

The Rebbeim often highlighted the difference between Chassidus and Mussar.10 Both focus on steering a person away from self-oriented preoccupation with materiality toward activities that promote spiritual growth. However, Mussar often focuses primarily on the negative, pointing out the harmful effects of such conduct on the individual and the community, both in this world and the next. By contrast, Chassidus focuses on diffusing light, calling a person’s attention to his inner G‑dly potential and the lofty spiritual goals he should pursue. To borrow the picturesque imagery of the Rebbe Rayatz, “darkness you don’t drive away with a stick.”

Of course there is a need to confront one’s own weaknesses. However, chassidim traditionally achieve that goal through honest introspection. There is a time-honored chassidic saying, “A person doesn’t really need mussar-sefarim; all he has to do is look in a mirror.” Looking at oneself honestly and objectively is a treasured objective of a chassidic farbrengen. As the Tzemach Tzedek once commented, “Attending chassidic farbrengens cost me a lot of bittul Torah (‘neglect of Torah study’), however, it was well worth it because of the raibenesh (‘grater-effect’) of those farbrengens.” Just as a grater removes the coarseness from a valuable object, the participants in a chassidic farbrengen encourage and help each other to polish their inner gem — their soul.

The maamar entitled Heichaltzu should be seen in such a light. Although the Rebbe Rashab uses harsh and critical language more frequently than in other works, the emphasis is oriented positively. A person is shown a path that enables him to rise above his self-concern, thereby cultivating positive interpersonal relationships and encouraging the development of a stable community. The fact that others prefer different perspectives and values should not be considered as a challenge to oneself; it should be considered as a means to broaden one’s horizons and as a springboard for personal growth.

It is also important to appreciate the balance between the Rebbe Rashab’s emphasis on obliterating yeshus and the manner in which he underscores how unity can be developed. He does not call for uniformity. Instead, he explains in depth how diversity need not lead to division; indeed, true unity comes from a harmonious integration of diverse standpoints. By providing us with an elaborate analysis of these principles as they evolve from the spiritual realms above, he enables us to emulate and incorporate them in our daily conduct down here below.

A Message the Rebbeim Wanted Heard

The maamar of the Rebbe Rashab is based on the maamar of the same title in Likkutei Torah and in the Mitteler Rebbe’s maamarim (Maamarei Admur HaEmtza’i, Hanachos 5577, p, 224), et al.11 As the Rebbe Rayatz relates,12 each of the Rebbeim assigned certain maamarim to the specific purpose of purifying the atmosphere. They would deliver those maamarim publicly once every two or three years. One of the maamarim that the Alter Rebbe chose for this purpose was the maamar entitled Heichaltzu. Clearly, he felt that its message needed to be emphasized repeatedly.

The importance of that message is borne out by the fact that in the following generations, each of the Rebbeim delivered the Alter Rebbe’s parent maamar, though adding his own emphasis. As the Rebbe Rayatz pointed out in a letter,13 the maamar was delivered by the Alter Rebbe and later by the Tzemach Tzedek at times when it was needed to minimize strife and to highlight the theme of unity among their chassidim. As was explained above, similar circumstances prompted the Rebbe Rashab to repeat the maamar in 5659 (1898).

In 5709 (1948), the Rebbe Rayatz instructed his son-in-law and successor, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, to publish the latter maamar14so it could be studied publicly by the chassidim. In the years that followed, the Rebbe would frequently instruct chassidim — both as a collective and as individuals — to study the maamar and heed its message. Countless times when there was friction within a community, and similarly, in other instances the Rebbe would advise his followers to study the maamar and apply its lessons in order to reduce their self-centeredness and to open themselves up to listening more sensitively to others.15

In 5748 (1987), the Rebbe had the maamar reprinted and he personally distributed it to thousands, warmly wishing each one, “Success in its study.” In that same year, SIE published a translation of the maamar in English that was guided by many instructive directives from the Rebbe.

A Chassidic Self-Help Book

There were some who suggested that the above subtitle should serve as a title for the entire book and make it the emphasis of this overview. There are grounds for such a perspective, since genuine personal growth can never be achieved unless a person is willing to hear the message of this maamar — to step beyond his yeshus, to open himself up to the positive virtues of others, and to learn to interact positively with them. Its theme of unity amidst diversity, and harmony among opposites, is of course a motif that begs to be applied in all areas of personal relations.

That said, this is not a handbook for personal growth per se; it is a maamar of Chassidus. To comprehend its message, a person must familiarize himself with the Kabbalistic terms employed, suspend the usual way in which he usually processes knowledge, and adapt himself to the sequence and style in which the Rebbe presents the ideas. To modify its original form and adjust its presentation to fit a contemporary Western mindset would not be genuine.

Of course, the maamar can be — and indeed must be — studied with the goal of refining our characters and eliminating the yeshus within us. Its insights provide us with tools to upgrade our relations with others and for that reason, the Rebbeim emphasized its study repeatedly. However, a reader must understand that a maamar is a maamar; its study requires that we step beyond our ordinary way of looking at the world and enter into the mindset of the Rebbeim.

Perhaps it is for this reason that when Sichos in English originally proposed translating Heichaltzu and submitted a draft of the first 17 chapters, the Rebbe advised that the entire text of the maamar be translated, stating that the translation must be a davar shaleim, “a complete entity.” It had been our conception that the message of the first 17 chapters which focuses on eradicating yeshus was what would resonate within our readers. It is possible that the Rebbe wanted to point out the need to view the maamar in its totality, how a person’s efforts in self-refinement and improving his character must be an outgrowth of his understanding of the inner spiritual dynamics at work.16

Spreading the Wellsprings Outward

Although a maamar is a maamar and requires a reader to make a transition in his thinking, for its lessons to be internalized and applied, a maamar must also be taught and communicated in a way that enables its readers to feel comfortable digesting its message. Following the format of the Lessons in Maamarim series, the maamar is presented here as a shiur, a Torah class, in print. When a maamar is taught in a shiur, the teacher reads a passage, translates it into the language in which his listeners are most comfortable, and intersperses his own explanations, sometimes brief and sometimes lengthy. In these pages we have tried to recapture that live interplay between the words of the Rebbe and the words of the student, i.e., the teacher conveying the maamar.

As the accompanying sample indicates, the reader now has before him the original Hebrew text of the maamar, together with its translation, and the explanatory words and concepts added by the translators. The footnotes here include the translation of footnotes originally included by the Rebbe,as well as references and commentary added by the staff of Sichos In English.

To further facilitate comprehension, the maamar is divided here into sections, together with introductions that serve as a roadmap for the concepts presented in each section. Similarly, every chapter has been provided with an introduction, and the summaries that the Rebbe originally included have been amplified.

Our Vision

Since this year is the 100^th anniversary of the Rebbe Rashab’s passing, we wanted to enable chassidim who were unable to study his teachings in the original to strengthen their spiritual bond with him.17 Also, the beginning of this translation coincided with the outbreak of the coronavirus. The Rebbe often emphasized the need to minimize strife and promote unity as a shield against danger. In that connection he would frequently cite the warning of our Sages18 regarding the possible repercussions of discord and controversy:

[The people of] David’s generation were all righteous. Nevertheless, because there were malicious gossipers among them, when they went out to war there were [those who fell] in battle…. [The people of] Achav’s generation were idolaters. Nevertheless, because there were no malicious gossipers among them, when they went out to war they were victorious.

Conversely, as the Alter Rebbe commented19 on the phrase,20 “Bless us, our Father, all as one,” unity is a conduit for G‑d’s blessing. At that time and still today, when each of us felt and feels the need for blessings from Above, it is important to cultivate a mindset that encourages the love for our fellowmen and dispels all thoughts of discord and conflict. To inspire and motivate such a spirit of unity, we felt the need to publish this maamar.

Little did we realize how important the theme of unity and the need to reduce strife would become. In the ensuing months, friction and discord became rife throughout the U.S., and indeed, were seen throughout the world. Clashes arose between large segments of the populace, and even between families and friends.

When faced with crises of a larger scale, a person can feel small and powerless, wondering what he can do. Countering that mistaken approach, Chassidus teaches that the microcosm affects the macrocosm. A change in one’s own world — a little more achdus, a genuine show of care for the person next door — creates a ripple effect. This purpose became part of the goal in publishing Heichaltzu — to motivate people to open themselves up and show love to another person, with the optimistic expectation that in response, the recipients of that love will also become more loving and will show love to others.

Towards the Ultimate Horizon

The Rebbe taught us — and teaches us — to broaden our scope when we think about affecting the macrocosm. The ripple effect described above can surely spread from one’s own family and immediate surroundings to the larger community in which one lives — but it need not stop there.

Frequently,21 the Rebbe would emphasize that since the exile came about because of baseless and unrestrained hatred,22 spreading gratuitous and unrestrained love among our people will trigger the abolition of its cause. As a natural consequence, the effect — the exile itself — will cease. Moreover, the Rebbe intimated23 that in the present era, standing as we are on the threshold of the Redemption, it is already possible to experience a foretaste of the peace, harmony, and unity that will characterize that future era. Living in that spirit will serve as a catalyst to spread those feelings throughout the world and will hasten the time when they blossom into full manifestation with the actual coming of Mashiach.