אַדְמוּ"ר הָאֶמְצָעִי עָנָה לְרַבִּי הִלֵל פּאַרִיטְשׁעֶר עַל שְׁאֵלָתוֹ, אִם יַחֲזוֹר חֲסִידוּת גַּם בָּעֲיָרוֹת שֶׁאַנְשֵׁיהֶם אֵין לָהֶם מוּשָּׂג בַּחֲסִידוּת: דִּבְרֵי חֲסִידוּת העֶרט דִי נְשָׁמָה. וּכְתִיב וְנוֹזְלִים מִן לְבָנוֹן, לְבָנוֹן ל"ב נוּ"ן, חָכְמָה וּבִינָה שֶׁבַּנְּשָׁמָה. אוּן אַז דִי נְשָׁמָה העֶרְט, אִיז נוֹזֵל וְנוֹטֵף אִין דעֶר הֶאָרַת הַנְּשָׁמָה וואָס אִיז מְחַיֶּה דעֶם גּוּף, אוּן עֶס וועֶרט אַ חִזּוּק אִין דעֶם וַעֲשֵׂה טוֹב פוּן רַמַ"ח (248) מִצְוֹת עֲשֵׂה אוּן אִין דעֶם סוּר מֵרָע פוּן שַׁסָ"ה (365) מִצְוֹת לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה.

R. Hillel of Paritch once asked the Mitteler Rebbe whether he should teach Chassidus in places where the townsfolk had no conception of Chassidus.

The Mitteler Rebbe replied: “The teachings of Chassidus are heard by the neshamah (‘soul’). There is a verse1 that speaks of ‘waters flowing from Lebanon’ (ונוזלים מן לבנון). [In the Holy Tongue, the word for] Lebanon is spelled ל"ב נו"ן, alluding to [the 32 (ל"ב) paths of] Chochmah (‘Wisdom’) and [the 50 (נו"ן) gates of] Binah (‘Understanding’) within the soul. When the neshamah hears, [a spiritual influence] flows down and trickles into the soul’s ray of light2 that animates the body. This fortifies one’s [endeavors to] ‘do good’3 by fulfilling the 248 positive commandments, and to ‘turn away from evil’4 by observing the 365 prohibitive commandments.”5

Probing Beneath the Surface

The Tanach relates an unusual episode in which the prophet Daniel beheld an awesome spiritual vision. Though his companions did not see it, “a great trembling fell upon them and they fled into hiding.”6

The Sages ask,7 “If they did not see it, why did they become frightened?” And the Sages answer: “Though they did not see it, their mazal saw.” The term mazal (מזל) relates to the above-mentioned word nozel (נוזל — “flow”), and refers to the root of the soul Above from which flow spiritual forces that influence the ray of the soul that gives life to a person on this earthly plane. The higher levels of the souls of Daniel’s companions were affected by the vision, and that subliminal message filled the souls within their bodies with dread.

Similarly, as the Mitteler Rebbe said, a Jew who is merely present in a spiritual setting, even if he does not understand all that is being said there, will be positively affected: the higher reaches of his soul Above will be stimulated. The arousal on that plane will then filter down to the reflection of the soul in this world, motivating that person to live a better life.

Notwithstanding the above, the Rebbe instructed people who teach Chassidus to ensure that their listeners understand the concepts under discussion. In this way, the listeners not only grow intellectually, but can harmonize their comprehension with the spiritual growth that their souls are experiencing on the subtler plane.