Heavenly accusation and disclosure of Hasidism: why Alter Rebe increased the spread of the CHABAD teachings

Once they found a piece of paper with Hasidic records lying in the wrong place. There was an accusation against Magid in Heaven: how can the hidden secrets of the Torah be spread so widely that they can be desecrated?

And who then managed to remove this accusation? Alter Rebe himself, who was a student of Magid! He cited the parable that the king had an only, beloved son who was terminally ill. No medication helped. Finally, they found the only remedy: it was necessary to take the most precious stone from the crown, crush it into powder, mix it with water and try to pour this mixture into the prince’s mouth. There was only a faint hope that at least one drop would get inside and save his life. The king, of course, agreed, because his son’s life is more precious than any stone.

The Jewish people are the “son of the King” (Almighty). In difficult spiritual times, the people are “sick”. Hasidism, revealing the inner, secret meaning of the Torah, is a “precious stone” of the crown. To spread it means to somehow “crush” this stone, make it accessible. Yes, there is a risk that not everyone will understand or appreciate that something will “spill by”. But this is necessary for the sake of saving the life of the “prince” – for the sake of the spiritual survival of the Jewish people. It’s a matter of saving life (in this case, spiritual), which abolishes many prohibitions.

But if Alter Rebe himself so convincingly defended the spread of Hasidism in the time of Magid, proving that it was vital, then why later, when he himself became the leader of the movement, did the same accusation arise again against him? After all, time has passed since the time of Magid, the era of “decline of generations” has come – the spiritual level of people has become lower, which means that the “prince” has become even “sicker”. Logically, the need for “cure” (Hasidism) should only increase! Why did a new accusation arise then? And the most amazing thing: why did Alter Rebe himself, the author of the same parable about the stone, doubt and needed a direct instruction of teachers to “disclose more”? What has changed?

To answer this question, the Rebe turns to a more general topic: how did it become possible and even necessary to reveal the secret doctrine (kabbalah and Hasidism) in later times?

The great Kabbalist of the XVI century, Rabbi Yitzhak Luria (ARIZAL), wrote that it is “in these last generations it is allowed and is a commandment to reveal this wisdom [to the Kabbalah]”. It seems strange, because for centuries the study of Kabbalah was the lot of a few chosen, very trained people, and took place in secret. The sages of the Talmud established strict restrictions: it was impossible to study the “Deeds of Creation” (cosmogony) and the “Deeds of the Chariot” (mystical vision of the prophet Yehezkel) – the basics of Kabbalah – publicly or even alone, if the student did not meet certain criteria (age, wisdom, moral qualities). These rules were enshrined in Jewish law, including Maimonid (RAMBAM). How could ARIZAL say that now it is not only possible, but also necessary to do it?

The Rebbe explains: the restrictions on the study of Kabbalah were not due to the fact that this part of the Torah itself should be hidden (“the essence of the object”, i.e. the Torah itself). No, the reason was in the people. Most people in the past were not ready to perceive such lofty ideas; misunderstanding could lead to spiritual harm or even heresy.

However, in essence, the entire Torah, including its secret part, is the “heritary of the Yaakov community”, it belongs to every Jew. And ideally, everyone should study it.

RAMBAM writes that in the Era of Moshiach, when Moshiach (Messiah) comes, the main occupation of the whole world will be the knowledge of the Almighty. People will study “hidden, hidden things” – i.e. the mysteries of the Torah. And this knowledge will fill the world, “like waters cover the sea”. Obviously, then today’s restrictions on the study of Kabbalah will not apply.

How does RAMBAM, who codified the restrictions, write about their removal in the future? Rebe answers: this proves that the limitations are not related to the eternal nature of this wisdom, but to the state of people in our time. In the Era of Moshiach, when there will be no wars, hunger, envy, and people’s minds will be enlightened, everyone will be able to safely and deeply comprehend the mysteries of the Torah.

So, if in the future everyone will study the mysteries of the Torah, why did ARIZAL say that it should start doing it now, in the “last generations” before the arrival of Moshiach?

The Rebbe offers two explanations:

1. “It is time to act for the sake of God, [for] you have violated your Torah” (Psalm 119:126).

Sages sometimes interpret this verse as follows: in extraordinary times, when the Torah is “violated” (for example, due to spiritual decline, assimilation, spread of false ideas), it is possible and necessary to do what is not usually done to save the situation. RAMBAM used this principle to justify the writing of his philosophical work “The Guide of the Lost”, where he touched on hidden topics to help people with weakened faith.

Similarly, in the “last generations”, when spiritual decline has reached its limit, when “hearts were crushed”, and the darkness of exile and external temptations are especially strong, the disclosure of the inner part of the Torah (i.e. Hasidism) has become an urgent necessity. It’s like a “medine” from the parable of Alter Rebe – a means of spiritual danger to life. Hasidism awakens the hidden powers of the soul, gives a person energy and inspiration to serve the Almighty in difficult conditions.

2. Preparation for the Messianic era.

We know that many aspects of the Moshiach Era need to be prepared in advance. RAMBAM writes that the arrival of the prophet Elijah before Moshiach will be needed to “straighten the [way] of Israel and prepare their hearts”. The main content of the Messianic era is the understanding of the Torah and “knowledge of the Creator”. It is logical that this main thing also needs to be prepared!

The disclosure and study of Hasidism these days is the very preparation. We are already beginning to taste the knowledge that will fill the world in the future. Studying Hasidism, we prepare our minds and hearts for the full disclosure of the wisdom of the Creator in the time of Moshiach.

Now Rebe says that according to the two reasons for the disclosure of Hasidism (rescue and preparation), there are two ways to reveal it.

The Rebbe draws an analogy with the study of the Oral Torah:

1. Short, concise style. Like Mishnah – a set of laws that sets out the essence briefly, without detailed discussions. This is the disclosure of the “dots”, the main ideas of Hasidism, without in-depth analysis.

2. Deployed, explaining style. Like the Talmud, which analyzes the Mishnah in detail, discusses different opinions, gives evidence, delves into the details. This is the disclosure of Hasidism with detailed explanations, intellectual analysis, so that the doctrine becomes understandable and learned by reason (“understanding and comprehension”). In the book “Zohar” this method is described by the expression “will eat”, and in the book “Tanya” Alter Rebe explains that when a person studies the Torah deeply, it becomes “food for the soul”.

The Rebbe solves the apparent contradiction in the works of Alter Rebe himself. In his code of law, Alter Rebe refers the study of Kabbalah to a third of the time devoted to the “Talmud” (which implies deep study). And in his Hasidic works (“Licutei Torah”) he compares the study of the “Zoar” and the works of ARIZAL with the study of the Written Torah (Pentateuch), which is often perceived as a more superficial acquaintance with the “Names of God”, without understanding His essence.

Rebe explains that this corresponds to two ways of studying. The study of “pints”, basics, without deep immersion is the level of the “Pentateuch”. And studying with full understanding, intellectual understanding, when knowledge becomes a part of you – this is the level of the “Talmud”.

Now the most important thing: Rebe connects two ways of disclosure with two reasons:

A short, concise method is enough to save. To “revive” a spiritually sick person, one “drop” of the light of Hasidism, one spark, one important idea is enough. As in the parable of Alter Rebe, only “one drop” of crushed stone was needed. If this is enough to save, then there may be no need to disclose more, and it may even be risky (which caused the initial accusation).

A detailed, explanatory way is needed for preparation. If we are preparing for an era when the knowledge of God will be deep and comprehensive (“as the waters cover the sea”), then the preparation itself must be deep. You need not just to learn some ideas, but to understand them, learn them with your mind.

And now Rebe returns to the story of the arrest of Alter Rebe and solves his original question.

What was the fundamental difference between Alter Rebe’s approach to the disclosure of Hasidism and his teachers? Rebe says that it can be seen from the texts themselves. The teachings of Baal-Shem-Tov and Magid (and their disciples) were often conveyed in the form of brief sayings, stories, “dots” (like the Mishnah). Alter Rebe, starting with his fundamental book “Tanya”, and further in his Hasidic treatises, began to present Hasidism in a detailed, systematic way, with deep intellectual analysis. He created the system of HABAD (Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge), the purpose of which is to comprehend the Divine mind.

That’s why there was a new accusation! The parable of Alter Rebe about the cruised stone justified the disclosure of Hasidism as a means of salvation, for which “one drop” is enough, i.e. a short way (as in Baal-Shem-Tov and Magid). When Alter Rebe began to reveal Hasidism in a detailed, deep, intellectual way (HABAD style), the heavenly forces as if asked: “Why? It’s not necessary to save it anymore! A short way was enough. Why reveal mysteries so deeply, making them the subject of intellectual understanding?” The old defense no longer worked for this new level of disclosure.

Perhaps that’s why Alter Rebe had a doubt: didn’t he cross the line? Maybe such a deep, intellectual approach to the mysteries of the Torah is really premature?

His teachers’ answer (“On the contrary, reveal more!”) meant that the self-sacrifice of Alter Rebe, his suffering in prison, made their way in Heaven for this new stage of disclosure. They confirmed that now it is necessary not only to “save” (a short way), but also to “prepare” (the deployed way of HABAD) the Jewish people for the Messianic era. The disclosure of Hasidism in the style of CHABAD is a necessary preparation for the time when all the secrets of the Torah “as water covers the sea” will be revealed.

As always with Rebe, theoretical reasoning leads to practical conclusions.

Since Alter Rebe received an instruction “to say more” about the deep, intellectual understanding of Hasidism (HABAD), it means that this instruction applies to each of us. We are obliged to prepare ourselves and the world for the Messianic era, when “the main occupation of the whole world will be the knowledge of the Almighty”.

This means that the study of the inner part of the Torah, and it is the way of deep understanding, as in CHABAD, is not an option, not something only for the “interested” or those who feel “spiritual danger”. Even if a person believes that observance of the commandments, the study of the Talmud, books on Jewish ethics or even brief Hasidic stories and ideas is enough for him for a spiritual life, he cannot consider himself free from the study of Habad Hasidism.

The Rebbe emphasizes that this is not just a “Hasidic idea”. Alter Rebe himself in his legislative work (“Laws of the Study of the Torah”) writes that every Jew is obliged to study the entire Torah – and a simple understanding of the laws, and hints, and interpretations, and mysteries. Moreover, the Rebe reminds (referring to other sources) that everyone should strive to discover new meanings and understanding in all parts of the Torah, including the hidden one.

The main conclusion is to act! It is necessary to spread the “sources” of Hasidism everywhere, even where it has not been heard of before. The Rebbe recalls the famous answer that Baal-Shem-Tov received from Moshiach to the question “When will the Lord come?”: “When your sources [the teachings of Hasidism] spread out.”

Through this study and dissemination, we bring the coming of Moshiach closer when the prophecy is fulfilled: “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of God, as the waters cover the sea”. And let it happen soon, these days!