RITTEN TO the W RAH לקוטי שיחות

PART 2 X

ELUL 5777 14 A CHASSIDISHER DERHER לזכות החייל בצבאות ה׳ זלמן יודא שיחי׳ שכטר לרגל יום הולדתו, ה׳ אלול נדפס ע״י משפחתו שיחיו

IN THE PREVIOUS ARTICLE OF THIS COVERIN TWO-PART SERIES, WE FOCUSED ON DIS G RITTEN TOR THE HISTORICAL SIDE OF LIKKUTEI e W AH SICHOS: WHEN IT BEGAN, HOW IT th WAS PUBLISHED, AND THE ’S INTIMATE INVOLVEMENT. IN THIS ARTICLE, WE ATTEMPT TO TOUCH ON THE CONTENT OF .

There are many sefarim of the Rebbe’s itself—Likkutei Sichos, non-edited sichos, , igros, reshimos, and so on—and they all share the most critical common denominator: through learning his Torah, we become mekushar with the Rebbe himself in the closest way possible, for the essence of our mind becomes one with him.

In this series, we have trained our focus on Likkutei Sichos. ELUL 5739, LEVI FREIDIN via JEM 193603 5739, ELUL

ELUL 5777 A CHASSIDISHER DERHER 15 OUR CAPACITY Likkutei Sichos is an inherently because every sicha includes Reb Shmuel Ber Borisover impossible endeavor. themes in Chassidus; the Rebbe’s (otherwise known as Rashda”m) Furthermore, Likkutei Sichos hashkafa is expressed throughout was one of the most famous is not a single sefer on a single the entire Likkutei Sichos, in all Chassidim of the Tzemach subject; there are so many the different subjects.” Tzedek and Rebbe Maharash. different types of sichos: “The Alter Rebbe’s sefer is Counted among the greatest sichos, Rambam sichos, Chassidus ,” Yosef Gurary maskilim (thinkers in Chassidus) sichos, sichos on the parsha, sichos says. “The Alter Rebbe had a of his time, he was also known on , and on and on. It shita, an approach, and where as an exceptionally clever and encompasses and incorporates did he record it? In the Tanya. wise Chossid. all layers and approaches of To put it in other words: the He once said: “In comparison Torah. sefer of the Alter Rebbe is to Reb ’s depth of However, in the spirit of Tanya. So although he said intellect, the cat and I are equal.” inspiring and reinvigorating maamarim, where one can find Then he explained: “One might our readership in the study of major foundational concepts in think that I mean to say that Likkutei Sichos, we have asked Chassidus, if you would have to just as the cat understands me, I several Chassidim to provide pick one sefer where the Alter understand Reb Hillel. No! The us with their thoughts, insights, Rebbe recorded his shita, that cat and I are exactly the same!” and reflections on the subject. would be the Tanya. In other words, one might think The following conversations Similarly, Likkutei Sichos that he intended to explain how touch on the many disparate is the Rebbe’s Tanya, at least distant he was from Reb Hillel’s aspects of Likkutei Sichos, from in my opinion. The Rebbe said level, but not that he and the cat which, we hope, the reader maamarim and delivered Torah were literally equal. So he added will come away with a deeper in many ways. But where did that he and the cat were literally appreciation and understanding the Rebbe record his shita in the same; equally distant from of this infinite treasure the everything? That would be Reb Hillel’s level. Rebbe gave us. Likkutei Sichos.” Rabbi Alperowitz says, Then Reb Shmuel Ber THE REBBE’S concluded. “And to compare the “When you learn a maamar after depth of Reb Hillel’s intellect to TANYA you learn the sichos—then you that of the Rebbe [the Tzemach Rabbi Zushe Alperowitz says, can understand the maamar Tzedek], this, no words can “In order for a person to truly better, you understand what the maamar really describe….”1 understand the Rebbe’s hashkafa is saying. And the The Rebbe’s Torah is and outlook, the Rebbe’s same is true with Igros, where hashkafa Elokus, fundamentally kuk—whether it’s on Torah, the Rebbe expresses his beyond the reaches of human mitzvos, the greatness of a Yid, in a more practical way: when understanding; we were gifted the purpose of the world, and you learn Igros after you learn sichos entry into the chambers of the so on—he must learn Likkutei the , you understand why king, but we dare not presume Sichos. The Rebbe’s outlook is what’s behind it, the Rebbe mastery or even true familiarity. something you internalize from approaches things in certain Attempting to write any all the different types of sichos in ways.” type of meaningful review of Likkutei Sichos: the Rashi sichos, “One example is the concept Chassidus sichos, the nigleh that a cannot do an sichos and so on—and not only aveira,” Rabbi Leibel Shapiro

“Likkutei Sichos is the Rebbe’s Tanya, at least in my opinion. The Rebbe said maamarim and delivered Torah in many ways. But where did the Rebbe record his shita in everything? That would be Likkutei Sichos.” ELUL 5777 16 A CHASSIDISHER DERHER says. “In the velt this is not so clear. Avrohom can do an aveira sometimes ch”v...Moshe Rabbeinu can make a mistake... The Rebbe taught us true emunas tzadikim, something that you do not find much elaboration on anywhere else.” IMMERSING IN THE REBBE’S OUTLOOK “One also begins to comprehend the idea of true ahavas Yisroel, as was expressed in the Rebbe’s constant limmud zchus on Yidden,” Rabbi Shapiro adds. “As much as we know that Reb Levi Yitzchok Berdichever was the defender of the Yidden, one might say that the Rebbe was even more so. The Berdichever would do it on a simpler level—when he saw a poshuter Yid, he would explain how everything he did was good, showing the Aibershter how good the Yidden are and that they deserve all the brachos. But the Rebbe did this based on the words of the Torah itself: Hashem must give parnassa to Yidden based on the words of Torah; every Yid must have only good based on the words of Torah. “I’ll tell you a story. This happened in 5734, after I had already moved to Miami, and I was still working on Likkutei Sichos. The way it used to work was like this: I would prepare the sicha from Miami, send it to New York, and the members of Vaad Lehofatzas Sichos had someone type it up. Then they gave it to the Rebbe for the first round of hagaha, and then later for the second hagaha. I would not see the likkut again until it CHOF AV 5734, V SCHILDKRAUT via JEM 108668 V SCHILDKRAUT 5734, CHOF AV

ELUL 5777 A CHASSIDISHER DERHER 17 Moshe Rabbeinu’s tefillasaved Marei Mekomos: The Rebbe had a special passion for marei mekomos. the rest of the Yidden from When he took the helm of Kehos in the early 5700s, maamarim began immediate death, why didn’t coming out with marei mekomos for the first time in history, written mostly it save the meraglim from by the Rebbe himself. During the process of working on the likkutim, the immediate death, as well? Rebbe was particular that every single item, even the most self-understood “The Rebbe explained that, concepts and known pesukim, should have a source—and with tremendous according to Rashi, this is what precision. So singular was the Rebbe’s exhaustive sourcing that the Rebbe the possuk is emphasizing with that ,ַוָּיׁ ֻש ּבו ַוַּי ִּלינו ָע ָליוeven addressed the fact that the possuk “Bereishis bara” needed a marei the words 2 makom to 10 the meraglim’s agenda was Rabbi Leibel Altein relates: “In one sicha, it was brought down that the against him—Moshe Rabbeinu; title K’naani can mean a socher, a merchant (in addition to referring to the meaning that the meraglim K’naani nation). We wrote the source that is often quoted in Chassidus, were fighting against Moshe from the possuk in Hoshea: ‘K’naan biyado moznei mirma.’11 The Rebbe personally. Being that they were battling Moshe himself, his וכי אף אחד מכם אינו‘ ,added: ‘Pirush Rashi parshas Vayeshev’ [38:2], and wrote Does not one of you learn ?!’...” [It should be noted that tefillacould not help them—ein‘ ’!?לומד חת"ת the Rebbe often emphasized using Rashi as a source since he is p’shuto shel kateigor naase saneigor [lit.: a mikra.] prosecutor cannot serve as a “The Rebbe also taught us not to quote anything unless it was defender]. confirmed,” Rabbi Leibel Shapiro relates. “When the Rebbe himself “In the yeina shel Torah—the added ha’aros, he would either check it up himself or instruct us to do so. Chassidus section of the Rashi— I remember one occasion, when the Rebbe quoted from the Radvaz (on the Rebbe explained that just as Rambam), and added that we should check the source (for accuracy). It Moshe Rabbeinu davened for turned out to be word for word from the Radvaz…” the Yidden, there is a Moshe One often finds the most exotic, unknown sefarim quoted in the ha’aros. Rabbeinu in every generation “One time,” Reb Yoel Kahan relates, “the Rebbe quoted several lines from who davens for every Yid—the the sefer Ressisei Laila by Reb Tzadok HaKohen of Lublin. But he requested nossi hador—and he went on that since he didn’t have the sefer nearby, we should double-check the to elaborate on why every Yid lashon. When we went to the library to look it up, we discovered that the needs the tefillaof the nossi quote matched up almost perfectly! This is a sefer from previous generations, hador. But, the Rebbe continued, and yet the Rebbe had quoted it from memory.” (It was published later in just as the tefillaof Moshe could Likkutei Sichos vol. 5 p. 86.) not help the meraglim, the tefillosof the nossi hador cannot help those who fight against was completed and I received the episode of the meraglim. him, because ein kateigor naase it in the mail (it was sent to me Without getting into too many saneigor. right away). The first thing I details, the Rebbe explained that “In short, that is what the always did when I got the likkut Rashi was trying to resolve the Rebbe said at the . was compare the final product following question in pshuto “I had actually been involved with the original version that shel mikra: we see in the story in writing the farbrengen when I had prepared, in order to see of the meraglim that although the Rebbe had originally said what the Rebbe had fixed. Later the Aibershter wanted to it, and I prepared the likkut on, when I came to New York destroy that whole generation as the Rebbe had said it at the for some reason or another, immediately, Moshe Rabbeinu farbrengen. When I received I would go to the Vaad office davened for them and saved the finished product, I saw that and look through the Rebbe’s their lives; instead, they slowly the entire last piece—that the hagahos. passed aover the next forty tefillaof the nossi hador does not “One time, I prepared a years. The meraglim themselves, help for those who fight against sicha from Shabbos parshas on the other hand, died right him—had been removed. Shelach 5732, a Rashi sicha about away. The question arises: if “If you read the sicha (in Likkutei Sichos vol. 13 p. 44

ELUL 5777 18 A CHASSIDISHER DERHER ff), it almost feels like it stops abruptly, because you are expecting the hora’ah from the Rashi to be parallel to the Rashi itself. The sicha begins by saying that just as Moshe Rabbeinu davened for every Yid, the nossi hador davens for every Yid. So you expect it to say that just as Moshe Rabbeinu’s tefilla did not help the meraglim, the nossi hador’s tefillacannot help those who fight him. But it’s not there—the climax is missing. “Now, sometimes the other members of the Vaad would edit the sicha I had sent them before they submitted it to the Rebbe, so I immediately called them up to find out what had happened— why did they take it out? “They told me that they had given the sicha to the Rebbe as is. In the first round of hagaha, the Rebbe crossed out the entire piece, and wrote that this piece does not fit. In general, when the Rebbe wrote this type of hagaha, it would mean that the Rebbe did not approve of the way it was written, and members of the Vaad would rewrite it differently for the second round of hagaha. “That’s what they did— they rewrote the same thing

in different words and sent LEVI FREIDIN via JEM 193266 5740, CHESHVAN the sicha to the Rebbe for the THE REBBE LEAVES HIS HOME FOR 770. OFTEN, THE REBBE TOOK THE GALLEYS OF THE LIKKUT HOME WITH HIM, WORKING ON IT OVERNIGHT. second hagaha. The Rebbe crossed it out again, but this “It had to be said at the of the Rebbe and the power original farbrengen for whatever of the Rebbe’s tefilla. How can הרי זה היפך כל‘ :time he explained reason—perhaps as some type you even imagine that there is החסידישע אפלייג. יישרף הנייר ולא This is against the entire of hora’as shaah, or something someone who cannot be helped .ייאמר Chassidishe way of thinking. The related to the happenings by the nossi hador?!” paper should be burned and [its on-high—such an occurrence content] never mentioned.’ wasn’t rare in my experience. INNOVATIONS IN “In other words, it’s against Whatever the explanation may CHASSIDUS any kind of chassidishe approach be for this—and also for why “There is an interesting to say that there is a person the Rebbe crossed out the piece two-fold nature at the heart of whom the Rebbe’s tefillacannot regarding the nossi hador but not Likkutei Sichos,” Rabbi Dovid help. about Moshe Rabbinu himself— Olidort says. “Historically, it was this illustrates the ahavas Yisroel born as a vehicle for hafatzas

ELUL 5777 A CHASSIDISHER DERHER 19 THE REBBE’S HANDWRITTEN HAGAHOS ON THE PESACH DOVOR OF LIKKUTEI SICHOS VOL. 15. REGARDING THE LETTERS INCLUDED IN THE HOSAFOS, WHICH HAVE BEEN GIVEN FOR PRINT BY THE RECIPIENTS, THE REBBE ADDED: THE REBBE’S HANDWRITTEN HAGAHOS ON THE PESACH DOVOR OF LIKKUTEI SICHOS VOL. 15. ות"ח נתונה בזה לכאו"א מהם וזכות הרבים תלוי' בהם. AND WE HEREBY THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM, hamaayanos, to provide material revelations of Elokus before the LATER IN THE TEXT, THE PUBLISHERS ASK THOSE WHO RECEIVED LETTERS TO SHARE THEM FOR PRINT. THE REBBE ADDED THE WORDS: NIGLEH AND to chazzer Chassidus in shuls. .” 3 A DOUBLED AND REDOUBLED REQUEST. CHASSIDUS ,[בקשה[ כפולה ומכופלת It is the place where the Rebbe “By learning Likkutei Sichos, explained Chassidus for the you begin appreciating the fact AS ONE chutzah, in a way that is relevant that every word in Torah is Rabbi Gurary says, “In and accessible to all, so that even true, it’s an inyan Eloki,” Rabbi Likkutei Sichos, all parts of a layman who never learned Leibel Shapiro says. “Every Torah come together: nigleh and Chassidus can understand it. word in Chumash is exact, Chassidus; p’shat, remez, drush, “At the same time, Likkutei every expression in Gemara is and sod—demonstrating how Sichos is where the Rebbe exact, even the dibbur hamas’chil the entire Torah is one single explained some of his deepest of Rashi is exact—in p’shat, entity. chiddushim in Chassidus. In , on all levels. The velt “As an example, let’s take fact, for many decades Likkutei doesn’t look at it that way—big the integration of nigleh and Sichos was the only place deal, Rashi wrote this word or Chassidus. The Rebbe explained where one could find muga’dike that word, are you really going on multiple occasions that Chassidus from the Rebbe, to ask a question on the dibbur the primary chiddush of the because up until the late 5740s, hamas’chil? But the Rebbe taught Tzemach Tzedek was the fact only a handful of maamarim us how every word of Rashi that he brought nigleh and were muga. is the word of Hashem. In the Chassidus together and revealed “A major component of sichos you see the emes of Torah. how they are a Torah achas. A the Rashi sichos were the There are other sefarim that do it single maamar of the Tzemach explanations of yeina shel from time to time, but nothing Tzedek is built out of a mix Torah (‘the wine of the Torah’), compared to Likkutei Sichos.” of Mikra, Mishnah, Gemara, 4 the Chassidus in Rashi, and agadeta, nigleh, and Chassidus. the Rebbe learned profound fundamentals in Chassidus from some of the most simple- It can be said that the true seeming Rashis. For example, culmination of this idea is seen from the way Rashi words his commentary in Parshas Tazria in the Rebbe’s Torah, where the on the meaning of the word Rebbe shows in such an evident ‘teshev—she shall remain,’ the Rebbe learns fundamental way how Chassidus and nigleh concepts in the nature of the are a single entity—like a guf and neshama, a body and a soul… ELUL 5777 20 A CHASSIDISHER DERHER Hosafos: In the back of every sefer of Likkutei Sichos I started collecting and publishing them in the hosafos. (besides vol. 1 and 3) there are hosafos (“appendixes”), In addition, I searched through thousands of letters which consist of two components: from the Rebbe in people’s archives or that I had copies Sichos: Any sicha that was muga by the Rebbe for of, and we published them even if they only had a slight whatever reason throughout the years was included in connection to the parshah.” the back of Likkutei Sichos. (This continued until the Before each sefer was printed, the Rebbe would go Rebbe began editing the every week, and through it, occasionally adding hagahos to the letters. they were published separately in Sefer Hasichos.) There were other times when the Rebbe was involved in Letters: Until the Rebbe began the initiative of creation of the hosafos as well, as Rabbi Yosef Minkowitz printing Igros Kodesh in the 5740s,12 the only organized relates: “In 5709, Rabbi Betzalel Wilshansky wrote a place one could find the Rebbe’s letters was in the back letter to the Rebbe from Australia asking what one of Likkutei Sichos. Until today, letters from the late should do when crossing the International Date-Line 5730s-5750s (which have not yet come out in Igros) can during sefiras ha’omer. This was before the nesius, but only be found in Likkutei Sichos. already then they knew that the Rebbe would have an The letters in the hosafos are organized by parshah answer. and yom tov, and although it takes some getting used to, “The Rebbe wrote a beautiful letter explaining the you can easily find a letter on any given topic based on entire inyan, going through all the questions that come the parshah or yom tov. Some examples: up, all the scenarios, and so on—but the conclusion was • Science and Torah—Bereishis (The creation of different from Likkutei Sichos chelek gimmel! I wasn’t the world) sure what to do. On the one hand, I can’t print a letter • Chassidus and hafatzas hamaayanos—Yud-Tes that contradicts a sicha, but it was such a geshmake Kislev and Yud-Beis Tammuz letter. I wrote in to the Rebbe and asked what to do. • Mourning—Vayechi (The passing of Yaakov “The Rebbe said to print the letter and print the Avinu) sicha a second time together with the letter, and he • Medical—Mishpatim (where it says the possuk wrote up a short piece to be inserted between them. It “Verapo yerappe”) was written in third person, as if by the editors: ‘The • Chinuch - Emor (Rashi quotes Chazal that above letter represents the original svara and analysis, “Emor..V’amarta” teaches us that the elder but afterwards he analyzed it again and came to a should teach the younger). conclusion. To give the full picture (l’shleimus ha’inyan), Rabbi Yosef Minkowitz was in charge of collecting we are reprinting this sicha although it was already and organizing the hosafos for the majority of the published.’ And the sichah was seforim, starting with vol. 6. He related: “In the first printed below.”13 volumes, Beis, Daled, and Hei, only things that were directly related to the parshah were included. But we realized that the Rebbe’s sichos and letters are getting lost! There were so many sichos that the Rebbe was magiah here and there for Bitaon , Kovetz Lubavitch, and so on, and most people didn’t have access to them! So

ELUL 5777 A CHASSIDISHER DERHER 21 “But, the Rebbe explained in a sicha5, that the Rebbe Rashab— through Tomchei Temimim— brought the unification of nigleh and Chassidus to a new level, in a fashion that was a chiddush even in relation to the Tzemach Tzedek: Although the Tzemach Tzedek cites concepts from both nigleh and Chassidus in his maamarim, they remain separate entities; they are two distinct elements in one maamar; the Rebbe Rashab’s chiddush in Tomchei Temimim was to take it a step further, unifying nigleh and Chassidus in a way that it truly becomes a Torah achas, a single Torah. “It can be said that the true culmination of this idea is seen in the Rebbe’s Torah, where the Rebbe shows in such an evident way how Chassidus and nigleh are a single entity—and not simply because they belong under the same umbrella of ‘the Torah.’ Rather, they are like a guf and neshama, a body and a soul. Just as the guf and neshama are two elements of a single living person, nigleh and Chassidus are two indivisible layers of the same Torah. “This is something you see all over in Likkutei Sichos. Let’s take a Rashi sicha, for example. The first step in a Rashi sicha is that the Rebbe is mechadesh that Rashi is saying something new in p’shat—something that we would not have seen on our own. In other words, as a result of the Rebbe’s approach in learning Rashi, a new p’shat is born. This new p’shat often leads to a new halacha (as the Rebbe always quoted from the Shalah Hakadosh, Rashi contains “wondrous concepts in

halacha”). So the first thing is, LEVI FREIDIN via JEM 189083 8 TISHREI 5741,

ELUL 5777 22 A CHASSIDISHER DERHER when the Rebbe learns a Rashi “The Rebbe does this with “For example, when the way he does, a new din in Rashi, Rambam, hadranim—the elaborating on a concept in nigleh is discovered, which we entire Likkutei Sichos is filled nigleh, the Rebbe will often show would not know without this with this! The examples go on how Chassidus shows a new Rashi. And then the Rebbe and on. depth in this concept, and that explains the Chassidus-aspect “In fact, the Rebbe’s it is necessary to understand in the Rashi—how this same integration of Chassidus and the Chassidus-aspect in order concept is reflected in Chassidus, nigleh reaches such an extent, to truly understand the nigleh- either in understanding that the boundaries between aspect. One small illustration: a concept in the haskala nigleh and Chassidus begin The laws of tumah and tahara (philosophy) of Chassidus, or in fading: the Rebbe will utilize (purity and impurity) are avodas Hashem. The yeina shel Chassidus in order to explain extraordinarily complex and Torah isn’t an external add-on— nigleh, and nigleh to explain detailed, and many of them it’s the inner layer of the p’shat Chassidus. seem to be classic gezeiros and halacha. hakasuv, decrees of the Torah without explanation. Dishes and vessels made out of metal or wood become tamei when they are touched by impurity in any manner, whereas those made out of earthenware (kli cheres) become tamei only if the impurity enters through the inside. And if this earthenware vessel is sealed (tzamid pasil) it cannot become tamei from any impurity, even dead bodies— except if a zav moves it. When the Rebbe learns these same halachos according to Chassidus, suddenly all these seemingly random rules are in the perfect order, to teach us amazing lessons in avodas Hashem.6 “The same is true the other way: the Rebbe will often use concepts and terms In the pesach davar of the Likkutei Sichos, the editors wrote: from nigleh—like kamus and “A large portion of the hosafos come from letters written to eichus (quantity and quality) private people who shared a copy of their letters for the benefit tzibur and yachid (community of the public. We are hereby requesting that anyone who has in and individual), and such his possession letters of the Rebbe should send them...” Rogatchover-style concepts— In volume 15, the Rebbe himself edited this paragraph (the in order to clarify an inyan in Rebbe’s words are in bold). “A large portion of the hosafos come Chassidus. The Rebbe will even from letters written to private people who shared a copy of their use actual dinim in halacha in letters for the benefit of the public. Thanks is given to every order to explain Chassidus.” single one of them, and the merit of the public is theirs. We are hereby requesting with a double and redoubled [request] that THE REBBE’S anyone who has in his possession letters of the Rebbe should METHOD OF send them.” LEARNING

ELUL 5777 A CHASSIDISHER DERHER 23 the Rebbe will say a profound that is considered consequential It is this logical vort (a ‘higayon’dike for matzah is larger, the amount multicolored nature vort’), and in another place to be considered consequential he’ll discuss a very baalebatishe for shabbos is much smaller. But of Likkutei Sichos svara (a more practical way of with avoda zara, it is an entirely thinking). In one sicha he will different rationale: there is no that creates the display a certain sharfkeit (e.g. a minimum amount needed for it tiferes, the beauty. clever, innovative connection to to be prohibited. In other words, another sugya), and in another with Shabbos, the minimum Not only that all the he will state that the version was amount that is prohibited is very different colors are not printed correctly and offer small, anything. In avoda zora, suggestions for how it should be. there is no minimum amount— contained together in [These types of approaches to anything is prohibited. So they a single area, but learning are difficult to clearly are not the same.7 define, but see below for some “On the other hand: there that they become examples. Ed.] In other words— are places where the Rebbe synthesized into one the Rebbe’s approach is that will elaborate at length on a there’s room for everything. ‘leshitasaihu’ of two tannaim— single inyan—and “There are certain questions where he would go through the that’s what creates the Rebbe asked that were based entire Shas, showing how one on a penetration into the depth idea underlies so many different the beauty. of the logic. One example that positions of the same Tannaim Rabbi Moshe Wolberg says, comes to mind: The Rogatchover (see below). “I once heard from Reb Yoel makes a list somewhere of “And then there was the Kahn in the name of Reb Chaim various things in Torah where way the Rebbe dealt with Tzimmerman (a brilliant gaon the shiur is mashehu; the ascertaining the correct version who would often come to speak minimum size is anything above in a sefer (which in itself is to the Rebbe in learning): zero. Most things in Torah need unique; most sefarim that deal Every person who learns to be a certain size in order to with lomdus would not be has a certain gang, a specific count: you have to eat a certain comfortable getting into the method in learning. There are amount of matzah to fulfill the nitty-gritty of varying versions). many different approaches: mitzvah in Pesach; you are only The Rebbe often explained that there’s a Brisker approach; liable for eating on Yom Kippur if you see two versions of a a more Polisher approach; a when you eat a certain amount; line in a sefer, and one of them Rogatchover-style approach; and and so on. But there are a few makes less sense—that one is so on. When presented with a areas where the minimum often more likely to be correct. kashya, a question in learning, size is ‘anything.’ The list Why? Because the way it used to most people will try to resolve includes, among other things: ir work was that when a sefer was it by employing their personal hanidachas; the prohibition of published, a bochur zetzer (copy approach. avoda zara; certain prohibitions editor) would go through it and “But not everything in the of Shabbos; and so on. fix any mistakes. Sometimes, world can be painted with a “The Rebbe points out this bochur zetzer would feel single brush! Not everything that there is an inconsistency overconfident and “fix” a word can be explained with one single in this list—avoda zara and that may have seemed strange gang! Shabbos do not belong together. or repetitious but was in fact “The Rebbe, on the other There are two reasons why the correct. The Rebbe used this hand—Reb Chaim Tzimmerman minimum amount could be svara in many places. This is said—employs all the ‘anything.’ Regarding Shabbos, not a logical leap, a lomdishe approaches, but is not limited it’s because even a very small svara—it’s a baalebatishe svara, to any specific one. In one place amount is considered to have a more technical, practical consequence; while the amount way of thinking—it involves

ELUL 5777 24 A CHASSIDISHER DERHER YUD-TES KISLEV 5746, YOSSI MELAMED via JEM 128831 MELAMED YOSSI KISLEV 5746, YUD-TES

ELUL 5777 A CHASSIDISHER DERHER 25 the Rebbe spoke the sichos of ‘leshitasaihu,’ where vastly different rulings by the same tanna are found to have a single underlying principle. The most famous of these is the argument between Beis Shamai and Beis Hillel—whether to look at the potential or the actuality (the koach or the poel)—which the Rebbe discussed numerous times throughout the years. The inyan itself was an amazing thing, but the Rebbe took it a step further: if all these different rulings share the same principle, the Rebbe asked, why do these tannaim need to repeat the argument over and over again? In Gemara- language, what’s the tzrichusa? And then the Rebbe went on to find subtle differences in each sugya that necessitate repeating the argument. (There were, in fact, certain sugyos where a given set of tannaim did not express their opinion, and the Rebbe explained that this was because it was obvious from their general shita.) “Asking for a tzrichusa means PAMPHLET CONTAINING A RECENT SICHA THAT THE REBBE WAS MAGIAH. SICHOS PUBLISHED AS SUCH WERE INCLUDED IN THE HOSAFOS. two things: first of all, you’re taking it seriously. If it’s simply a contemplating the reality of is true, you just have to know p’shetel, an intellectual exercise— how things happened, and that when to use it. The Rebbe’s be happy that you said a p’shetel! mistakes in sefarim weren’t made approach is to find the truth in When you start looking for the on their own, but by actual every part of Torah—he’s not tzrichusa—when you start asking human beings. coming to say a ‘vort,’ but to why it needs to be repeated— “And in the very same clarify the truth of the idea. that means that this is very real. Likkutei Sichos, the Rebbe will “It is this multicolored nature This isn’t just a cute connection, discuss the difference between of Likkutei Sichos that creates it’s so real that you’re asking why the examples the Frierdiker the tiferes, the beauty. The idea of you need both. Rebbe gives for the effect of tiferes, as Chassidus explains it, “Second, it illustrates Chassidus; if it’s like a bright is not only that all the different that you’re not sufficing ember or pearls of the sea.8 colors are contained together in a with “hafshata,” the abstract “So in Likkutei Sichos, one single area, but that they become intellectual innovations. In sees all all kinds of approaches: synthesized into one single general, when you say a big lomdus, sharfkeit, questions inyan—and that’s what creates lomdus there are often many on seemingly minor details, the beauty. loose ends—there’s a little kashya baalebatishe svaros, p’shat, remez, “Reb Yoel would always here, a little kashya over there— drush and sod. And everything offer the example from when and it’s not really considered an

ELUL 5777 26 A CHASSIDISHER DERHER issue. But even after the exciting type of approach—but that “There’s a certain person I connection, the Rebbe would wasn’t the goal. The Rebbe’s goal know—today he is a prominent get into the tzrichusa, delving was finding the truth. shliach—who doesn’t come from into the intricate details of “This was also expressed in a Lubavitcher family,” Rabbi each sugya and explaining why the fact that the Rebbe would Wolberg relates. “When he was it’s important to be repeated. utilize all types of contemporary a young bochur, somehow or Because the Rebbe was looking tools in learning. The whole idea another he got in touch with for the emes.” of using kisvei yad in Rashi was a local shliach and ended up revolutionary when the Rebbe learning in the Lubavitcher AN APPROACH began using it (though it has yeshiva in New York. However, OF BITTUL become much more accepted he had some problems with the Rabbi Isser Zalman Weisberg9 today in the velt as well). In the yeshiva and was considering says: past, a sefer didn’t even have a leaving. “What I find is that the Rebbe mafteach, a table of contents— “Another older bochur tried learned in a way of bittul—what because it’s a modern invention! to be mekarev him and started is the Torah trying to say? Many But the Rebbe was very fond learning Likkutei Sichos with roshei yeshivos use Gemara and of bibliographies, tables of him. What made the key rishonim to express their geonus, contents, mafteichos, footnotes— difference to this young bochur to show how they can innovate all seemingly modern was the fact that the Rebbe was a lomdus. The Rebbe’s approach approaches—because he utilized worried about all the subtle little was one of emes, of bittul—what every path to find the truth. details—that every element was did Rashi mean? What did the “This also comes from the reckoned with and dealt with; Gemara mean to say? Just like idea of shleimus haTorah, the the Rebbe showed you that the Rebbe’s derech in Rashi was totality of Torah. There were every element in Torah—every pshuto shel mikra, the Rebbe’s many great geonim and poskim— nuance, every expression, every approach to Gemara was to look even in the modern age—who diyuk—is important. He felt that for the pshuto shel Gemara— never looked into the later the Rebbe wasn’t trying to say a what is the Gemara trying to acharonim. Even if they would ‘vort’—he was really looking to say? have access to the modern tools find the truth of the Torah. And “In the Reshimos, for of technology, they wouldn’t be that changed his life.” example, or in Igros, you see interested—they learned the 1. Reb , B’darkei how the Rebbe takes apart sugya, they had the confidence in Hachassidim p. 86-90. a sugya. I would say that it’s how they learned it, and that was 2. Bamidbar 14:36. more of an old-fashioned style enough. Do you have to look 3. Vol. 7 p. 88. See Sefer Ha’erachim- of learning, similar to the into all the latest acharonim…? Chabad volume 3 pages 70-72. Maharsha. The Rebbe dissects This is a valid approach taken 4. See e.g. Toras Menachem 5742 vol 4 all the various opinions in the by gedolei Yisroel, most radically p. 2295. sugya, all the Tosfos’n, analyzing by the Rogatchover himself. But 5. Likkutei Sichos vol 20 p. 395. how it fits in with the words of the Rebbe was very interested in 6. See Likkutei Sichos vol. 38 p. 72. the Gemara—and you see that what everyone had to say on the 7. Lkkutei Sichos vol. 29 p. 155. he’s not just looking to come out topic, and if someone pointed 8. Likkutei Sichos vol. 20 p. 171. with a regular geshmake lomdus. out that a certain sefer discussed 9. As a bochur in 770, with the As the Rebbe Rashab says in the topic, the Rebbe put it in to Rebbe’s tremendous encouragement, Rabbi Weisberg began writing up Kuntres Eitz Hachayim, the true Likkutei Sichos [usually prefaced the Rebbe’s sichos for veltishe Torah- approach to learning is to search by ‘He’irani chochom echad’]. publications. The Rebbe was magiah all for the emes, and very often, The Rebbe wanted to take of the sichos that he prepared. the true answer is not the most everything in—every acharon 10. Sichos Kodesh 5741 vol. 1 p. 270 ff. exciting one. Of course, there was important, every person 11. Hoshea 12:3. are many questions that can only who learns Torah is important— 12. See A Chassidisher Derher be resolved with a Rogatchover, everything that a talmid vasik Tammuz 5776 (Issue 46). with a lomdus, or with another innovates is part of Torah.” 13. Likkutei Sichos vol. 7 p. 285-294.

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