מְבָרְכִין בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן בְּכוֹס שֶׁל בְּרָכָה, אַף שֶׁאֵין עֲשָׁרָה. הַכּוֹס עַל כַּף הַיַד וְהָאֶצְבָּעוֹת זְקוּפוֹת. אוֹחֵז הַכּוֹס מֵאֲמִירַת "רַבּוֹתַי מִיר וועֶלעֶן בּעֶנטשעֶן" עַד אֲחַרֵי סִיוּם בְּרָכָה שְׁלִישִׁית, שֶׁאָז מַעֲמִידוֹ עַל הַשֻלְחָן.

The Grace after Meals is recited over a cup of wine1 even if a quorum of ten is not present. The cup is placed on the palm of the hand with the fingers upraised. The cup is held from the recitation of the phrase Rabosai, mir veln bentshen until the end of the third blessing.2 At that point, it is placed on the table.

בְּאַחַת מִשִּׂיחוֹתָיו בִּאֵר אַאַמוּ"ר וְתוֹכֶן דְּבָרָיו: יֵשׁ צַדִּיק יָשָׁר תָּמִים חָסִיד. צַדִּיק עַל שֵׁם קִיּוּם מִצְוֹת עֲשֵׂה— מַמְשִׁיךְ גִּלּוּיִים דְּסֵדֶר הַהִשְׁתַּלְשְׁלוּת. יָשָׁר עַל שֵׁם קִיּוּם לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה — גִּלּוּיִים לְמַעְלָה מִסֵּדֶר הַהִשְׁתַּלְשְׁלוּת. תָּמִים — עֶרנסטקַייט — גִּלּוּיִים דְּטַעַם עֵצוֹ וּפִרְיוֹ שָׁוִים, הִתְחַבְּרוּת סוֹבֵב כָּל עָלְמִין וּמְמַלֵא כָּל עָלְמִין. לְמַעְלָה מִכּוּלָּם חָסִיד, וְיֵשׁ בָּזֶה ג' מַדְרֵגוֹת: א) שֶׁעִנְיָנֵי הָעוֹלָם אֵינָם מַטְרִידִים וּמְבַלְבְּלִים אוֹתוֹ. כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד יָכוֹל לְהַגִּיעַ לָזֶה וְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מְחוּיָּב לְהַגִּיעַ לָזֶה. ב) שֶׁכָּל עִנְיָנָיו הֵם אֱלֹקוּת. וְאַף שֶׁלֹּא רְחוֹקָה הִיא מִמְּךָ גו', מִכָּל מָקוֹם אֵין זֶה שַׁיָּךְ לְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד. ג) מַה שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּתִקּוּנֵי זֹהַר: אֵיזֶהוּ חָסִיד הַמִתְחַסֵּד עִם קוֹנוֹ עִם קֵן דִּילֵיהּ, וּפִרֵשׁ בְּסֵפֶר שֶׁל בֵּינוּנִים שֶׁזֶּהוּ לְיַחֲדָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּבַּתַּחְתּוֹנִים וְלֹא לְרַוּוֹת נַפְשׁוֹ הַצְּמֵאָה בִּלְבַד.

In one of his talks, my revered father, the Rebbe [Rashab], explained [the following concept]. To sum up his words:

There are [four levels]: tzaddik (a righteous man), yashar (an upright man), tamim (an earnest person), and chassid. The title tzaddik denotes one’s observance of the positive commandments, for he draws down spiritual revelations [measured out] according to the limits of the spiritual cosmos.3 The title yashar points to one’s observance of the prohibitive commandments, which evokes revelations that transcend the limits of the spiritual cosmos. The title tamim reflects earnestness, which draws down the revelations that are alluded to by the metaphor,4 “The taste of the tree and the fruit were identical.” His conduct unites G‑d’s transcendent light (sovev kol almin) with His immanent light (memaleh kol almin).

Above them all is the title chassid, whose rung comprises three levels:

(a) One who is neither troubled nor disturbed by worldly matters. This is a level that everyone can reach, and is obligated to reach.

(b) One whose concerns are solely about G‑dliness. Although “this is not distant from you,”5 it is not relevant to everyone.

(c) The level described in Tikkunei Zohar:6 “Who is a chassid? One who is benevolent (mis’chassed) towards his Creator (Kono) — that is, towards his nest (ken dilei).7 As explained in Tanya, this refers to a person whose Divine service is motivated by his desire to unite the Holy One with His Shechinah, thereby illuminating even the lower realms, and not motivated merely by a desire to satisfy his thirsting soul.8

Delving Deeply

If the second level under the heading of “chassid” is not relevant to everyone, certainly the third level is even more distant. It is truly exceptional.

Nevertheless the Rebbe chose to include it here as part of the spiritual heritage of our generation. In our age, too, there are many Jews who fulfill mitzvos not for the sake of material reward, nor even because they seek spiritual satisfaction — but only to express G‑d’s will here in this world.