Chassidus Chabad: Difference between revisions

==The Nature of the Chabad Approach==

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The Chabad approach holds that while faith in G-d is the foundation of Jewish life, that faith must be grounded in intellectual understanding.<ref>18 Adar 5720. [http://he.chabad.org/391627 Questions and Answers with the Rebbe of Lubavitch], for student questions: "Feeling alone is not enough, nor is faith on its own, nor understanding alone — for then completeness is lacking. There must be an integration of all of them."</ref> Likewise, Jewish life cannot be built on spontaneous emotions alone, which may come and go. Such emotions can even amount to "vain imaginings,"<ref>Tanya, ch. 3.</ref> and anything built upon them will dissolve and dissipate. For this reason, the true foundation of a complete Jewish life according to the Chabad approach is deep intellectual engagement through the study of [[Chassidic philosophy]]. According to Chabad, even the emotions — love of the Creator and awe of Him — will be stable and enduring only if they are grounded in intellectual contemplation and internalization, which occur primarily during [[prayer]]. The goal of this process is to bring a person to full mastery over his thoughts, speech, and actions, directing them entirely toward Heaven.