𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐝

While I am not a Chabadnik, I do appreciate many of the insights that Chabad has to offer. For my dear legalist followers, I would remind you that just because we know something does not me we are something. Chabad offers deep spiritual formation, Torah studies, Jewish ideas/halacha, and a plethora of knowledge. Chabadniks do not view Yeshua as HaMoshiach but held that the Rebbe was the Messiah. Nevertheless, believers in Yeshua have much to learn from their Chassidic Jewish cousins. And, with careful bridgemaking and peacemaking trust, the Chabadniks may learn something from their Yeshua-following cousins, as well.

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐜 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐝: 𝐖𝐢𝐬𝐝𝐨𝐦 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞

What if the deepest truths about life weren’t buried in ancient books, locked away for scholars, but were within reach for anyone searching for meaning? Chabad Chassidut, a treasure trove of teachings passed down through generations, takes the loftiest spiritual ideas and brings them to the kitchen table. These insights speak to the soul, reminding us that the Divine isn’t distant—it’s woven into the fabric of our lives.

𝐑𝐚𝐛𝐛𝐢 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐫 𝐙𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐢𝐚𝐝𝐢, the founder of Chabad, taught that a person has two souls: the G‑dly soul, which longs for connection with the Creator, and the animal soul, which craves the material world. Life, he explained, is a constant dialogue between these two forces. The 𝑇𝑎𝑛𝑦𝑎, his foundational work, compares the struggle to a battle between two kings fighting over one city—the human heart. He shows that the goal isn’t to silence the animal soul but to refine it so it, too, serves G‑d (𝑇𝑎𝑛𝑦𝑎, Chapter 9).

The sages of the Talmud echo this idea when they say, “Who is mighty? One who conquers his inclination” (𝑃𝑖𝑟𝑘𝑒𝑖 𝐴𝑣𝑜𝑡 4:1). Yet Chabad takes this further, teaching that even the struggle itself has value. 𝐑𝐚𝐛𝐛𝐢 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐥 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, explained that our imperfections create the backdrop against which growth becomes possible. A perfect angel can’t grow, but a flawed human being who chooses light over darkness creates something eternal.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐢𝐭𝐳𝐯𝐨𝐭: 𝐀 𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐍𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐢𝐞𝐬

In one of the most beautiful Chassidic metaphors, 𝐑𝐚𝐛𝐛𝐢 𝐃𝐨𝐯𝐁𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐮𝐛𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡 likens a mitzvah to a flame. A flame burns upward, reaching toward something higher, even while remaining tethered to the wick. He taught that mitzvot are the connection points between the physical and spiritual worlds. Lighting Shabbat candles or giving charity doesn’t just bring light or help others; it elevates the mundane into the holy (𝐹𝑙𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑠, 19th century). This echoes King David’s words: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105).

The mystics of Kabbalah add another layer to this. They describe mitzvot as channels for Divine energy, illuminating the soul and the world. 𝐑𝐚𝐛𝐛𝐢 𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐨 writes, “Every mitzvah corresponds to a spark of G‑d’s light waiting to be revealed” (𝑇𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑟 𝐷𝑒𝑣𝑜𝑟𝑎ℎ, Chapter 3). This reminds us that even the simplest act of kindness reverberates through the heavens.

𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐡

Chabad’s emphasis on love and unity is both timeless and urgent. 𝐑𝐚𝐛𝐛𝐢 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐦 𝐃𝐨𝐯𝐁𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧’s teachings in 𝐻𝑒𝑖𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑙𝑡𝑧𝑢 delve into the roots of discord. He wrote that hatred often stems from seeing others as obstacles to our own desires. His solution is simple but profound: shift the focus away from self. He challenged his students to view every person as a part of the Divine whole, where no piece is dispensable (𝐻𝑒𝑖𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑙𝑡𝑧𝑢, 1898).

This idea resonates with the words of Yeshua when He declared, “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). The 𝐁𝐚𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐓𝐨𝐯, the founder of the Chassidic movement, often told his followers to see the image of G‑d in every person they met. He taught that when we judge others favorably, we draw down G‑d’s mercy on ourselves (𝐾𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑆ℎ𝑒𝑚 𝑇𝑜𝑣).

𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲: 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐆‑𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐝𝐚𝐲

Chabad Chassidut is not just a philosophy. It’s a guide for living with meaning and joy. 𝐑𝐚𝐛𝐛𝐢 𝐘𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐟 𝐘𝐢𝐭𝐳𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐤 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧’s 𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑖𝑐 𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠𝑒𝑠 from the Second World War show how faith can triumph even in the darkest times. He encouraged his followers to view every hardship as a stepping stone toward redemption. “A little bit of light,” he wrote, “can push away a great deal of darkness” (𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑖𝑐 𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠𝑒𝑠, 1941–1945).

Modern thinkers have drawn similar conclusions. 𝐕𝐢𝐤𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐥, a Holocaust survivor, wrote in 𝑀𝑎𝑛’𝑠 𝑆𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑐ℎ 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑀𝑒𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 that purpose, even in suffering, is what keeps the human spirit alive. Chabad’s teachings align with this timeless truth: every soul has a mission, and every moment is an opportunity to fulfill it.

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐀 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠

Imagine standing in a dark room, holding a single candle. The flame doesn’t just light the space—it changes it. Chabad’s teachings remind us that each of us holds such a flame. Through mitzvot, love for others, and the daily choice to refine our souls, we can illuminate not only our lives but the world around us.

The wisdom of the Chassidic masters isn’t just for scholars or mystics. It’s for anyone who wants to live with greater purpose, who yearns for a deeper connection to G‑d, and who believes that even the smallest acts can change the world. What will you do with your flame today?

B"H