Editing Mussar (section)

== Chabad's Relationship to the Mussar Movement ==
Among Chabad chassidim it was recognized that Rabbi Yisroel Salanter wasn't just another gaon like other gedolei Yisroel in Lithuania, but that he was actually mamash a Rebbe in Yiddishkeit, having influence on his mekuravim in elevated ways and lofty visions. Those sons of Zamut and Lithuania who were close to Reb Yisroel were not seen by Chabad chassidim as just regular misnagdim, "weltishe yidden" who didn't want to acknowledge Chassidus - they appeared to them more like a type of chassidim, except they had their own unique path, misnagdishe chassidim.

And they would say: "Once in several generations, Hashem's mercy was bestowed upon the lonely misnagdim, and He sent down to them from heaven a Rebbe's neshama (Rabbi Yisroel Salanter), and even that they made intellectual."

They also tell that once at a rabbinic gathering in Petersburg, the Rebbe Maharash and Rabbi Yisroel Salanter stayed at the same lodging. The Rebbe Maharash arrived with many chassidim, while Rabbi Yisroel Salanter came alone. At one point, the Rebbe Maharash entered his room and saw him sitting alone learning mussar. He said to him: "If his honor sits alone, and his talmidim from Zamut and Lithuania aren't present, in which worlds are they found?"