Editing Toras HaChassidus (section)

=== The Chassidic Approach ===
Compared to Others Chassidus did not come to negate the other two approaches - Mussar and philosophical investigation - but to add to them.

The Chassidic teachings according to Chabad maintain that one should not be satisfied with only addressing human intellect and dealing with it alone, just as one should not only deal with "bandaging external wounds."

In that same kuntres (pamphlet), the Frierdiker Rebbe writes:

"Specifically Chabad Chassidus, while being Divine philosophical investigation with wonderful depth, nevertheless explains every intellectual concept with broad explanation through examples and analogies that are easily grasped, explaining generously until it can be understood even by those of lesser comprehension.

Like the study pattern of intellectual concepts from simple to complex, so too in learning Chassidus, which leads from rung to rung on the ladder of wisdom and knowledge."

This means that Chassidus also engages with human intellect, but not in the style of philosophical investigation. Philosophical investigation brings ideas and proofs whose source is human intellect and addresses only human intellect.

Chabad teachings indeed address human intellect and require that one receive the concepts that Chassidus presents with clear and analytical understanding, but the concepts themselves do not originate in human intellect, rather they are Divine.

In Chassidus, Divine levels are explained as they descend from the higher worlds to below, in an organized and clear order, with analogies that ensure a person won't materialize (chas v'shalom) the concepts and Divine levels being studied into physical things, while still feeling connected to the material being learned so it will have its intended effect.

As the Frierdiker Rebbe continues to write:

"However, Chassidus has an advantage in that it also awakens the heart's feelings to be affected in the measure of heart required by the knowledge and comprehension of that concept learned in Chassidus."

It is difficult for followers of other approaches to understand how one can deal with such extreme opposites in human personality - the cold intellect and warm heart - and demand that one influence the other.

In 1895, a group of maskilim (enlightened Jews) sat with the Rebbe Rashab. One of the questions they posed to the Rebbe was:

"What is Chassidus? On one hand," they said, "Chassidus appears to be deep religious philosophy dealing with and finding comprehensive explanations for the profound matters of G-d's existence and creation of the world.

On the other hand, Chabad Chassidus ignites a flame in one's heart during mitzvah observance and brings a person to ahavas Yisroel (love of fellow Jews). Chabad Chassidus," they observed, "includes two seemingly opposing poles: cold understanding and burning feeling."

"Indeed," the Rebbe Rashab answered them, "this is Chassidus. The burning, enthusiastic feeling within intellectual understanding accompanied by a certain test.

(The test is:) When is Chassidic understanding genuine? When one prays with that same understanding they grasped. The enthusiastic prayer is the test of true understanding! And when is prayer genuine? When after prayer one behaves with good character traits."
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