A chassid’s connection to his or her Rebbe is one of the most fundamental aspects of chassidic life. In the Jewish world at large, it is also one of the most misunderstood. Like many of the more spiritual concepts in Judaism, the role and function of a Rebbe has been largely cloaked in mystery, misinterpreted, or simply unknown.
So what exactly is a Rebbe? Is he a tzaddik (a completely righteous person)? A Torah genius? Is he a leader who inspires, guides, teaches, and counsels his followers in matters of personal and religious life?
A Rebbe is all of the above. But no matter how many lofty qualities and superlatives you attribute to a Rebbe, he is much more than that. A Rebbe is someone whose entire being is permeated with G-dliness; one of the few people whom G-d has “planted in each generation” to give the Jewish people a window into depths of spirituality they could not possibly perceive, understand, or sense on their own.
A Rebbe has no worldly desires other than connecting to G-d, following the laws of the Torah and guiding others to do the same. This unique dimension is what differentiates him from common Torah scholars and leaders.
There are many different groups of chassidim, each with their own unique customs and way of life. Nevertheless, common to all chassidic groups is the connection between the chassidim and their Rebbe.
Fearing comparisons to other religions, Jews, out of a lack of knowledge, have often rejected and even publicly condemned some of the most basic concepts of their own tradition. If Jews have a direct connection to G-d, say some, how can a Jew or a Jewish group place so much importance on a human being of flesh and blood?
The lack of understanding of the Rebbe-chassid relationship and the role of a Rebbe in the overall scheme of Judaism can easily lead to misconceptions. The purpose of this book will be to address these misconceptions and provide a clear and enlightening explanation of the historical origins and ongoing importance of a Rebbe in Jewish life and his connection with his followers.
The Origins of the Chassidic Movement
The spiritual dimension of Judaism known as Chassidism existed since the beginning of time but was kept a guarded secret, passed down from tzaddik to tzaddik in each generation. It was only revealed to the masses by Rabbi Yisrael Baal Shem Tov, known as the Baal Shem Tov, “the Master of the Good Name,” in the early 1700s, when dire circumstances among the Jewish people necessitated the revelation of its teachings.
Many Jewish groups rose up in fierce opposition against the chassidic movement, claiming that it added new aspects and practices to Judaism — a clear violation of Torah law. Ignorant of the truth and validity of chassidic philosophy, and not wanting to repeat the calamities that accompanied the false messiah, Shabtai Tzvi, these Jewish groups committed themselves to eradicating the movement. It took nearly a century to satisfy the questions and concerns posed by other Jewish groups regarding the legitimacy of Chassidism. Through systematic and intellectual exposition, chassidic Rebbes and their followers successfully demonstrated how every aspect of Chassidism is firmly rooted in Torah — whether the Written Torah, Midrash, Oral Torah, or the Zohar — and how chassidic teachings are not additions to, but deeper dimensions of, already existing Torah lore.
Everything in Chassidism has its source in Torah. The only “new” thing that the Baal Shem Tov introduced was that previously unstressed details and aspects of the Torah way of life were brought to the fore and given more attention.
An analogy can be drawn from the medical field. More than a century ago, the practice of medicine was primarily performed by general practitioners. Medical specialty did not exist; medicine was practiced for the most part by a family practitioner who treated everything. He treated the heart. He treated the brain. He treated the bones. He delivered babies. He performed surgery.
The concept of medical specialization emerged in the 19th century, when certain areas of medicine were singled out for more focused study. Eventually, a doctor would choose a certain field such as cardiology, gastroenterology, or neurology on which to concentrate. But what happened when a doctor chose a field of specialty? Did all of his general medical knowledge become obsolete or had the concept of healing been fundamentally altered? Of course not. He simply took his previous knowledge and focused more deeply on one specific area. In so doing, he enhanced and brought more efficiency to that particular field.
The same is true of the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov. Although everything that the Baal Shem Tov “introduced” and taught is found in Torah and is part of the Torah way of life, his chassidic philosophy deepened and amplified each of its components. Firmly grounded in the “general practice” of Judaism, chassidic philosophy offered “specialization” in those aspects of Jewish life that needed to be strengthened in order to heal and awaken the Baal Shem Tov’s ailing generation and the generations that followed.
The same concept applies to the role of a Rebbe in Jewish life. The relationship of the Jewish people with their Rebbe is nothing new; it has always existed in Torah starting with the first Rebbe, Moses, and has always been an essential part of the Torah way of life. What the Baal Shem Tov taught was that this aspect of Jewish life would need to be rekindled in order to revive and strengthen Jewish practice in times of devastating hardship. Whether to stay firm in their faith during the pogroms of Europe or the 21st century’s floodgates of assimilation, certain aspects of Torah life would need to be revived to ensure Judaism’s survival.
Before explaining the role of a Rebbe in chassidic life, let’s look at the following examples which illustrate how other aspects of chassidic life — aspects that may have erroneously been seen as innovations — have their source in Torah and Torah practice.
Simchah
A common factor in all chassidic groups, being b’simchah (happy) was one of the fundamental concepts taught by the Baal Shem Tov. So basic is happiness to chassidic life that before the chassidic people were called chassidim, one of their transitory names was the Yiddish term “de freilicha — the happy ones.”
Opponents to the chassidic movement would erroneously condemn simchah in one’s G-dly practice as negative or frivolous, yet the importance of joy in one’s Divine service was not an innovation of the Baal Shem Tov — it’s an essential part of Torah. As the verse in the Book of Psalms states: “Ivdu es Hashem b’simchah” — “You should serve G-d with joy.” And the Talmud states that “Ein haShechinah shoreh ela mitoch simchah” — “G-d’s presence will only dwell upon a person when he is in a state of joy.” As such, a prophet, for example, was not able to receive prophecy unless he was in a state of joy. If he were morose or depressed, G-d’s presence would not dwell upon him.
One of the most important aspects of the Shalosh Regalim — the three main Jewish holidays of Pesach, Shavuos and Sukkos — is to be in a state of joy.
