שֵׁם חָסִיד הוּא שֵׁם קָדוּם הַנִּמְצָא בְּדִבְרֵי רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה גַּם עַל אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן (עֵרוּבִין יח בּ), וְהוּא תּוֹאַר הַשְּׁלֵמוּת וְהַהַפְלָגָה אִם בְּשֵׂכֶל אוֹ בְּמִדּוֹת אוֹ בִּשְׁנֵיהֶם יַחְדָּיו. אָמְנָם בְּתוֹרַת חֲסִידוּת חַבַּ"ד תּוֹאַר חָסִיד הוּא, מִי שֶׁמַּכִּיר מְהוּתוֹ הָעַצְמִי וּמַעֲמָדוֹ בִּידִיעַת הַתּוֹרָה וְלִמּוּדָהּ וּמַצָּבוֹ בְּקִיּוּם הַמִּצְוֹת. יוֹדֵעַ הוּא מַה שֶׁחָסֵר לוֹ וְנוֹתֵן לֵב וְדוֹאֵג לְמַלֹּאוֹת אֶת הֶחָסֵר, וּמַרְבֶּה בְּמִשְׁמַעַת בְּדֶרֶךְ קַבָּלַת עוֹל.

The title “chassid” is an ancient term found in the words of our Sages (Eruvin 18b), and refers even to Adam, the first man. It denotes a person of perfection and distinction in his intellectual attainments or in his character attributes, or in both these qualities combined.

Within the teachings of Chabad Chassidus, the description “chassid”refers to one who recognizes his essential nature, his level of Torah knowledge and study, and his status in the observance of the mitzvos. He knows what he is lacking and shows attention and concern to fulfill it. And he shows great discipline in yoking himself [to his mission].1

Living as a Chassid

According to an old adage, “Knowing the sickness is half the cure.” For a person to grow in his Divine service, he must first recognize his shortcomings and acknowledge what must be corrected.2 And he must be honest about it all. Chassidim look askance at a person who — whether consciously or unconsciously — deludes himself in his Divine service, for unless one has a clear and candid picture of his true level of service, he will be unable to advance.3

As one does this, however, he finds himself walking a tightrope with undesirable extremes at either side. On one side lurks the danger of falling into the crippling pitfall of overly pious self-criticism; on the other side, the tantalizing pitfall of complacent self-delusion.

This lifelong balancing trick is summarized in the following well-known teaching of the Rebbe Rashab, as transmitted — with a pungent postscript — by his son, the Rebbe Rayatz.

The Rebbe Rashab taught: “Just as a person ought to know his own shortcomings, so too should he know the positive qualities that he possesses.”

The Rebbe Rayatz added: “But also the positive qualities that he does not possess….”4