Our era is characterized by an explosion of information, and perhaps that is precisely why it is a confused and questioning time. Many are searching for their path. Some migrate to India and the Far East, others are interested in various and strange mystical methods, and some join strange sects. The common thread in all of them, which they never imagine is that what they are looking for is found so close by – in Judaism.
Alongside rising materialism and the disintegration of traditional values, there is a growing interest in spirituality and the hidden layers of reality. The public feels that the answers lie there, in what is beyond the material.
Why hesitate?
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The search is not limited to those who were not privileged to study Torah and absorb Jewish values in their childhood. Even those who are observant of Torah and mitzvot are struggling with theoretical questions, seeking a path in serving God, thirsting for the joy and light of Hasidism. Many of them do not know that what they are looking for is so close at hand – in Hasidism.
The Baal Shem Tov, the founder of Hasidism, came into the world to reveal the light of Hasidism to every person in Israel. He did not come to establish a 'movement', but to give every Jew added light and vitality in his life in general and in the work of the Creator in particular.
The founder of Chabad Chassidus, Rabbi Shneur-Zalman of Ladi – whose 216th anniversary of redemption will be celebrated next week – declared that Chassidus is not a 'party', but rather the property of every Jew. It is intended for every Jew and should be learned by every Jew, whoever they may be and whatever their social, movement, or sectarian affiliation.
Many are unaware of the wonderful light they may find in the teachings of Hasidism. You hear them apologize for not having the time, for not having yet completed their studies in Shas and Poskim, for not being 'worthy' of studying this holy Torah, and other excuses. And you think in your heart, how can you convey to all of them the sense of sweetness and spiritual richness inherent in the teachings of Hasidism?.
New light
It is said of the author of the Tanya that when he visited one of the places where the light of Hasidism had not yet reached, many surrounded him with questions and difficulties. He ascended the stage and proclaimed in a loud voice and with a melody: 'Taste and see that the Lord is good!" This statement caused dozens of young men seeking God to follow him.
To learn Hasidism, there is no need for any preparation or introduction. Of course, every part of the Torah must be taught in order and gradually. There are easy issues that anyone can learn and understand, and there are deep issues that require extensive knowledge of both the revealed and the hidden in order to understand. This is true in every area of Torah, and this should not deter us from studying.
The book of Tanya and the hundreds of Hasidic books that followed shed new light on every area of Torah and Jewish life. The words of Hasidic illuminate the human soul, dispel doubts, instill joy and optimism, and fill the mind with inexhaustible reserves of vitality and vigor. The well is before us – we only need to approach it and draw.
