Kuntres Inyonoh Shel Toras HaChassidus Kuntres - ("The Essence of Chassidic Teachings")
Kuntres Inyonoh Shel Toras HaChassidus ("The Essence of Chassidic Teachings") includes a segment from a talk of 19 Kislev 5726 (1965), in which the Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach elaborates at length on the essence and innovation of Chassidic teachings, and especially on the essence of Chabad Chassidus.
The Kuntres is considered a fundamental text in Chabad Chassidus, in which the Rebbe explains the essence of Chassidus in a wonderful manner; there are concepts explained in the Kuntres (for example, the explanation of "Modeh Ani" according to Pardes and Chassidus), which are suitable to serve as an aid even for beginners in the study of Chabad teachings, to understand what is the essence and innovation of Chassidic teachings.
Content edit
The Kuntres begins with several explanations about the essence of Chassidus, and concludes that there must be one central explanation; it continues to explain the essence of Chassidus as vitality, as well as the concept of the soul of Melech HaMoshiach - a general yechidah; subsequently it explains the concept of Modeh Ani according to pshat, remez, drush and sod, and elaborates on the vitality that Chassidus added to each part of Torah, to each interpretation, and their unification through Chassidus.
In conclusion, it explains the great effect of Chassidus on the divine soul and on the animal soul; and the virtue of spreading the wellsprings - that through this spreading, the essence of the wellsprings is revealed.
History edit
In the month of Kislev 5728 (1967), the editing of the Kuntres for printing was completed, and it was submitted to the Rebbe for proofreading; the Rebbe did not proofread the Kuntres for a long period, as he wrote to Shazar, "Although the Chassidic Encyclopedia has already been printed except for approximately the last eight pages, the matter has been delayed since we are waiting for the proofreading of these pages which needs to be done by me and requires me to concentrate solely on this, therefore the matter has been postponed from time to time." During this period, the secretaries placed the transcription written by Rabbi Yoel Cohen at the top of the pile that was in the Rebbe's room, but to no avail.
In the month of Kislev 5731 (1970), the Rebbe proofread the Kuntres with an "awakening from above" and attached it to the end of Sefer Ha'Arachim - Chabad, first volume. On 10 Kislev 5732 (1971), the Kuntres was published as a separate booklet.
Since then, the Kuntres has been published in many editions.
Noteworthy is the 5762 (2002) edition, edited by Rabbi Moshe Hillel Zeiri and Rabbi Shlomo Meir Yissachar Mark and published by Kehot in Kfar Chabad, which includes decipherments, explanations, clarifications, a table of contents, and more.
In 5774 (2014), a 'popular' edition of the Kuntres was published by Mamash Distribution Center, edited by Rabbi Aryeh Kedem.
In 5781 (2021), it was printed in volume 40 of Likutei Sichos published by the Committee for the Dissemination of Sichos.
External Links edit
- Kuntres The Essence of Chassidic Teachings
- The Complete Kuntres - 5751 Edition on the Otzar 770 website
- Text format, Chabad Library website
- Lectures on the Kuntres from Rabbi Yoel Cohen's website
- Notes on Kuntres 'The Essence of Chassidic Teachings'
- The Yechidah Connection, the Kuntres with additional notes, explanations and summaries, published by Worldwide At"ah, Yud Shevat 5781
Further Reading edit
- Asaf Frumer, Review of Kuntres The Essence of Chassidic Teachings on the 50th Anniversary of the Delivery of the Sichah, HaTamim Issue 38
- Zusha Wolf, The Wondrous Kuntres, Kfar Chabad Weekly Issue 1633 p. 46 and onwards