בִּתְחִלָּה הָיָה רַבֵּנוּ הַגָּדוֹל אוֹמֵר דְּרוּשִׁים קְצָרִים בִּמְאֹד, מַרְעִישֵׁי הַלֵּב וּמַלְהִיבִים מְאֹד, וְנִקְרְאוּ בְּשֵׁם "דְּרָכִים", אַחַר כַּךְ נִקְרְאוּ "אִגְּרוֹת" וְהֵם אֲרוּכִּים יוֹתֵר. אַחַר כַּךְ הִשְׁתַּלְשֵׁל שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ "תּוֹרוֹת" וְהֵם שָׁרְשֵׁי הַדְּרוּשִׁים שֶׁבְּתּוֹרָה אוֹר וְלִקּוּטֵי תּוֹרָה, אַחַר כַּךְ אֲרוּכִּים מְעַט יוֹתֵר וְנִקְרְאוּ "כְּתָבִים", וְהֵם בְּבֵאוּר בַּהֲשָׂגָה רְחָבָה לְפִי עֶרֶךְ.

At first, the Alter Rebbe would deliver very short teachingsthat would arouse the heart and inflame it with spiritual emotion. These were called derachim (“paths”).1 Later, his teachings became longer and were called igros (“letters”). The teachings were further developed and were called Toros. These became the root and core material for the maamarim in Torah Or and Likkutei Torah. Later they became slightly longer, and were called kesavim (“writings”). These included explanations that allowed for relatively thorough comprehension.2

Delving Deeply

As mentioned above,3 in the Chabad approach to Chassidus that the Alter Rebbe initiated, he introduced the essential spark of G‑dly fire into the intellectual realm. Nevertheless, as the above teaching indicates, there were stages in this process. Initially, the Divine light of Chassidus was felt more powerfully in the emotions. Slowly, this power became controlled, focused, and clothed within a logical and systematic framework. In this way, even a person who does not feel spiritual inspiration naturally can access his Divine potential.