The ninety-first "cheder" in the palace of Hayom Yom.
Friday, 21 Adar I, 5703.
Shiurim: Chumash, Ki Tisa, Shishi, with Rashi's commentary.
Tehillim, the 21st of the month, one says the two chapters 104 and 105.
Tanya, on this day one concludes chapter 30. The shiur begins from the words "aval be'emes" until the end of the chapter, and ends with the word "begasus".
Today's saying originates in a letter written by the Rebbe Rayatz on 21 Adar I, 5698. He wrote it to someone who was then a bochur in yeshiva in Pressburg, and who later became very well known as one of the great poskim of his generation, HaRav HaGaon Rabbi Shmuel HaLevi Wosner; the letter was written to him.
In the letter the Rebbe Rayatz writes about two fundamental definitions well known among chassidim: the definition of a "chassid" and the definition of a "mekushar", and he explains what a "chassid" is and what a "mekushar" is. Today's saying brings only the portion dealing with the definition of "chassid", and it is a quotation from that very letter.
And so writes the Rebbe Rayatz: "The name chassid is an ancient name". The concept of "chassid" is not a concept newly introduced in chassidus by the Baal Shem Tov, but rather an ancient name that was already used in earlier generations. And he brings an example, "which is found in the words of Chazal" - that it appears also in the language of Chazal, "even regarding Adam HaRishon (Eiruvin 18b)". The Gemara in Eiruvin (18b) says "Adam HaRishon was a great chassid"; when the Gemara wishes to speak of the spiritual and G-dly stature of Adam HaRishon, it employs this expression. It emerges that the concept of "chassid" is an ancient concept, already found in earlier generations.
But there is a great difference between the meaning of the concept "chassid" as it appears in Chazal and its meaning in the teachings of Chabad chassidus, and it is upon this difference that the Rebbe Rayatz dwells in the present saying. When speaking of the title "chassid" as it is in Chazal, what is its meaning? "It is a title of perfection and of superlative praise". The concept "chassid" comes to describe one who is in a state of perfection, one who is complete in something and outstanding in his perfection. In what is he complete? "Whether in intellect or in middos or in both together" - either he is exceedingly wise, or he has extraordinary middos, or both together. In any case, when one says of someone that he is a "chassid", the intent is to praise his perfection very highly. That is in general.
"However, in the teachings of Chabad chassidus", when one says "chassid", the meaning is entirely different. The title "chassid" in Chabad does not come to describe one who is perfect in some matter; rather, in brief, the essential point is that a "chassid" in Chabad is a person who recognizes his condition and his spiritual and emotional standing, and does everything to make up what is lacking and to advance.
And the Rebbe Rayatz details here four particulars in this matter. First: "The title chassid applies to one who recognizes his own essential self and his standing in the knowledge of Torah and its study, and his condition in the fulfillment of mitzvos" - a person who knows himself, and knows exactly what his standing in Torah is: how much Torah he knows, how much he learns, how much he fulfills mitzvos, and what his condition is. This is the first stage.
The second stage: "He knows what he lacks" - since he knows his condition, he also knows where he must advance, what he lacks, what he must add in Torah and what he must strengthen in the fulfillment of mitzvos. And the third stage, the important one: "and he gives heart and concerns himself with filling in what is lacking" - it is not enough that he knows what he lacks; rather he makes serious effort and occupies himself with completing his deficiency. And the fourth stage: "he increases in discipline in a manner of kabbalas ol" - even if he has not yet reached the sense of the wondrous matters that he must reach, he already fulfills them, and he has great discipline and kabbalas ol toward what he is told to do. These four things constitute a "chassid" in the teachings of Chabad chassidus.
And to complete the matter, it is interesting to note what the Rebbe Rayatz writes further on regarding the definition of "mekushar". He defines three things: a "mekushar" according to the teachings of Chabad is, first, one who has a set time for studying the teachings of chassidus every day, and particularly on Shabbos; second, one who keeps the takanah of reciting the daily Tehillim and the Tehillim of Shabbos Mevorchim; and third, one who from time to time writes to the Rebbe and reports what is happening with him in his study and in his avodas Hashem. These are the three definitions of a person of whom one can say that he is a "mekushar". These are the two points that the Rebbe Rayatz wrote in that letter to Rav Wosner.
And we will conclude with a connection to the Rambam, for we see the connection of the sayings to the progression of the Rambam's Mishneh Torah. This saying resembles the saying we read yesterday, and it corresponds to the final halachos in Sefer Haflaah - Hilchos Arachin VaCharamin. As we discussed regarding the previous saying, today too the entire content of the saying is the concept of "arachin", according to the Alter Rebbe's explanation of Maseches Arachin - that a person should evaluate himself and have a correct self-assessment of what is happening with him. Here too the saying speaks of a "chassid" who knows how to assess his standing, knows what is happening with him and knows what he must do; and this corresponds to the subject of Hilchos Arachin in Sefer Haflaah in the Rambam.