יְסוֹד עִיקָּרִי בְּשִׁיטַת חַבַּ"ד הוּא, אֲשֶׁר הַמּוֹחַ הַשַּׁלִיט עַל הַלֵּב בְּתוֹלָדְתּוֹ, יְשַׁעְבֵּד אֶת הַלֵּב לַעֲבוֹדַת ה' יִתְבָּרֵךְ, מִתּוֹךְ הַשְׂכָּלָה הֲבָנָה וְהַעֲמָקַת הַדַּעַת בִּגְדוּלַּת בּוֹרֵא הָעוֹלָם בָּרוּךְ הוּא.

A main foundation of the Chabad approach is for the mind, which naturally rules over the heart,1 to enlist the heart in the service of G‑d through abstraction, understanding, and a deepening awareness2 of the greatness of G‑d.3

A Pearl to Cherish

Some people mistakenly view the intellectual approach of Chabad as an end in itself. The above teaching makes it clear that knowledge and understanding are stepping stones — to enable a person to direct his heart toward a deeper spiritual purpose.

In the graphic language of the Rebbe Rayatz, “Chassidus turned born chassidim into genuine chassidim, and chassidim turned paper Chassidus into live Chassidus.”4