Living Torah Archives

One of the earliest Chasidic texts, Tzavoas Harivash, is a manual of insights and guidance culled from the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov and his successor, Rabbi Dovber of Mezritch. Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, known as the Alter Rebbe, was their foremost student and the founder of Chabad, and is known for his seminal work, the Tanya.

We need to find a solution for printing the Tanya in Russia. If you go on your own, the communists will probably interfere and get in your way. It would be better if in each location, you found someone connected to the authorities, to the officials there.

Be sure to give charity before the class, because the study of Torah and charity are connected. (Collage)

On the birthday of the Tzemach Tzedek, the Rebbe distributes a pamphlet containing the notes on Tanya from the Tzemach Tzedek, the third Rebbe of Chabad.

Mr. Bernard Perrin lives in Manchester, England. In the 1970’s the Rebbe commissioned him for an important project in the dissemination of Chassidism to the wider world. (1970's)

Rabbi Nissen Mangel recalls that shortly after the Rebbe sent him to Lakewood, New Jersey, to teach chasidic philosophy in a non-chasidic yeshiva, he was approached by an impatient student eager to study Tanya – at one o’clock in the morning. (Late 1950s)

When Rabbi Immanuel Schochet became engaged to be married, he decided to drop college to pursue a business opportunity. “If there is no livelihood, there is no Torah,” he reasoned. The Rebbe had a different plan. (1960's)

The Rebbe distributes a special edition of Tanya printed by Chasidim in honor of the 40th anniversary of his leadership.

Rabbi David Bouskila translated the Tanya into Arabic thinking that he would enable Jews from Arabic-speaking countries to learn about G-d. Little did he know, he was stepping into the middle of an age-old cosmic battle and turning the tides of the war... (1980)

The Rebbe distributes Tanyas in honor of Yud Tes Kislev, “Rosh Hashanah of Chasidus.”

Tanyas have recently been printed in many cities in honor of my birthday. This deserves a special ‘thank you’ from myself, in addition to the ‘thank you’ which Tanya’s author, the Alter Rebbe, gives. And if you become aware of a community of Jews who are lacking in their lives the blessing that comes with having had a Tanya printed in their vicinity, print one there also.”

The Rebbe distributes Tanyas on his 80th birthday.

Tanya begins with a passage from the Talmud: “An oath is administered to the soul before it is born into the world: Be righteous and be not wicked.” The root of the Hebrew word for “oath” connotes not only G-d’s entreaty to the soul; it reveals that through this oath, G-d fills the soul with brimming capacity to accomplish its mission below.

You are a professor who has authored a book on Tanya. Therefore, you must be a living example that Tanya can and must be applied in our daily lives.