אֲנַן פּוֹעֲלֵי דִימָמָא אֲנַן. יוֹם הוּא אוֹר, עֲבוֹדָתֵנוּ הִיא עֲבוֹדַת הָאוֹר, מאַכעֶן לִיכטִיג דִי וועֶלט בְּאוֹר תּוֹרָה. וּמִלְּבַד כִּי צְרִיכִים לַעֲמוֹד בְּמַעֲמָד וּמַצָּב טוֹב בְּעֶזְרַת ה' בְּעַצְמוֹ — אַלֵיין דאַרף מעֶן זַיין וִוי עֶס דאַרף צוּ זַיין — הִנֵּה כָּל הָעֲבוֹדָה הִיא לִזְכּוֹת לְהַעֲמִיד תַּלְמִידִים גרוּנְטִיקעֶ מעֶנשׁעֶן, אֲשֶׁר יִהְיוּ מְסוּרִים בְּלִבָּם וְדַעְתָּם אֶל הַכַּוָּנָה הַפְּנִימִית. שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַּסְפִּיק לִמּוּד תּוֹרָה הַנִּגְלֵית וְחִבּוּב הַקּוֹדֶשׁ בִּשְׁמִירַת הַמִּצְוֹת, כִּי אִם צְרִיכִים גַּם עֲבוֹדָה שֶׁבַּלֵב.

“We are day-laborers.”1 [In the literature of Chassidus], “day” is a code word for “light” — and, indeed, our Divine task is a mission of light, to illuminate the world with the light of the Torah.2

In addition to every individual’s obligation to see to it, with G‑d’s help, that his own spiritual state is as it ought to be, his entire Divine service should be focused on making himself worthy of raising up students who will be solidly grounded, with their hearts and minds dedicated to [G‑d’s] inner intent — that it is not enough to study nigleh, the revealed dimension of Torah Law, and to cherish holiness by observing mitzvos. There must also be Divine service within the heart.3

Delving Deeply

Our Torah heritage includes many paths of ethical refinement. However, there is a fundamental difference between the approach of Chassidus and that of other paths. Other approaches advise a person how to go about refining his conduct. By contrast, Chassidus teaches a person how to refine himself, elevating his mind and heart to a sublime connection to G‑d. As a natural consequence, his conduct, too, becomes refined.

Moreover, focusing on refining oneself will inevitably affect one’s students and other listeners. When one first toils and sweats to internalize and integrate what one is teaching until it shines through his own character and personality, his listeners will be similarly inspired and energized to take responsibility for their lives — to discover the soul within themselves.