Living with Chassidus

Dan- I'm sorry, but your comment shows a complete ...

2009-10-31T20:49:53.304-04:00

Dan-
I'm sorry, but your comment shows a complete ignorance of what Chassdidus is.
Yes, Chassidus also teaches hope, amongst many other things. But is that the essence of Chassidus or a by-product of its teachings? And besides that, is there no hope taught by what you call "mainstream"?
Is Chassidus not based on logic? Is there no logic behind its ideas? Yes, many of its maamarim are presented in a dogmatic fashion, but is there no underlying logic to all of it?
I think your comment is just repeating the "street dogma" of people who are proudly ignorant of what Chassidus is really all about, without taking any rational amount of time to see if your received dogma stands up to reality.

The choice between mainstream and Chassidim is bas...

2009-10-31T19:22:35.564-04:00

The choice between mainstream and Chassidim is basically between logic and hope

I really don't see how you came to that conclusion...

2009-03-26T16:46:00.000-04:00

I really don't see how you came to that conclusion, that thousands of frum Jews can't be wrong. Not that it matters in context of a personal narrative, but for general purposes.

Bais Shammai and Bais Hillel didn't approve of each others halachic actions. In fact Bais Shammai kept a yichus chart because various of their marriages was considered assur by Bais Hillel. How did Bais Hillel view those people? As being very, very wrong! As giving up a connection to Shechina; not being able to receive nevuah.

When I was in a Litvishe yeshiva, someone there poked fun at the previous Bobover Rebbe zt'l for spending the entire Hoshana Rabbah night preparing hoshanos. I couldn't comprehend it. The Rebbe was almost universally respected; it takes a real moron to think that the Rebbe lost it and just wasted his time. It is clear to a young child that the Rebbe was doing things that he considered important. But if the Rebbe were to ask us, must we tell him what he thinks? (I wouldn't have dared to advise the Rebbe; but I hope you're getting my drift.) Why not tell him what we think? And why not think what we think? That these people are wrong and that this is not the correct path?

Beautiful!Not that reading inspiring stories of th...

2009-03-23T03:16:00.000-04:00

Beautiful!

Not that reading inspiring stories of the Baal Shem Tov has made me into a chosid, but... I know the feeling of what you speak, that the stories contain a truth.

I have tremendous diffuculty with this concept. It...

2008-08-31T10:18:00.000-04:00

I have tremendous diffuculty with this concept. It is the same diffuculty that I have when I think about Medrash Rabbah Eicha 4:1 second p'shat. Did these things not occur before Churban as well? A personal churban (to try to use the concept that your explaining) can very well be a death, a divorce, etc. It can also be other things as well. Did these things not occur before Churban? No one had kids that died in their lifetimes?

I honestly have no answer.

Similar to its title, your post is simple and prof...

2008-08-27T09:55:00.000-04:00

Similar to its title, your post is simple and profound simultaneously. Please keep our spirits up with your good words.
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I'm on my own path to B'T, so I'll respond to the ...

2008-08-04T13:56:00.000-04:00

I'm on my own path to B'T, so I'll respond to the second anonymous poster. In the famous story that is told of R' Meshulam Zushe of Anipol, he was most worried, on his deathbed, that the Holy Court would ask him how come he wasn't Zushe.

So it's to each of us to find his own path. If your path is Mussar, because of your neshama is attached to R' Miller, then go in great strength along that path. But never forget that the great rebbeim of Chasidus were also, largely, greats in Torah as well. How can we ignore the greatness of the Alter Rebbe, or Elimelech of Lizensk?

All I'm saying is that there are great lessons for Yekkes in Chasidus, just as there are great lessons for Chassids in Mussar; don't be afraid to taste.

I'm a regular yeshivishe guy who learns mussar. Is...

2008-08-03T16:16:00.000-04:00

I'm a regular yeshivishe guy who learns mussar. Is there anything that could be attained through living with chassidus that can't be attained through living with mussar? I mean torah giants who have walked the world in recent generations such as R'schach, R' Avigdor Miller, R'Brus, R' Shmuel Berenbaum all of blessed memory. And there are many living today all of whom that are not connected with chassidus. Rather they choose mussar to live with. How in the world can we reach greater heights than these individuals!?

I'ts comforting to see others from a similar backg...

2008-07-31T10:28:00.000-04:00

I'ts comforting to see others from a similar background unearthing the treasures of original chassidus. On this topic, and over all on the topic of Searching, especialy in the heimesh yishivish (even chassidish)world it's sad that this is generaly left to the Baal Teshuva community,as if there's something diferent about being a BT. We are all striving to be Baalei Teshuva let me explain, in a very literal sense of the word what difference is there between going from not knowing the laws of shabbos to knowing it, than going from not knowing the essence (the awesome light and emuna revealed in shabbos)to knowing. To emphasise my point, my parents, grandparents etc. are/where all Rabbonim in the Eastern European world, I'm learning in kolel, and I'm still on the path of teshuva and hope to remain so for eternity. My Tefila is that we should gain a tremendous amount from this site, and many should join us on the never ending path of Teshuva. Amen

Yasher koach for the beautiful article! I'm lookin...

2008-07-30T13:33:00.000-04:00

Yasher koach for the beautiful article! I'm looking forward to the next one! I have been searching on a similar path for so long and still have so many questions I truly hope you will have something enlightening.