Bringing the Spiritual to Dominate Over the Material

(The essay below is published in honor of the birthday of
the Rebbe Rashab, nishmaso Eden, on 20 Cheshvan—today.
May his merit protect us.)

Bringing the Spiritual to
Dominate Over the Material

Rabbi Yehoishophot Oliver

Hashem created us in the default state of valuing the material above the spiritual—in Hebrew, “hisgabrus ha’chomer al ha’tzurah.” At first glance, and especially in light of the materialistic and degenerate culture and times in which we live, changing this around may seem unrealistic and even unattainable.

Yet Torah, and the teachings of Chassidus in particular, teach that in fact, we are not doomed to remain in this state. We can and must choose to transcend it, but try as we might, we cannot truly do so on our own.

Without an airplane or similar device, a human being cannot fly up into the sky. Likewise, without special tools, we are trapped in our natural, default state of regarding the material as of foremost importance.

What are the tools that enable this inner change? In general, this is the purpose of all of Torah and Mitzvos.[1] However, in Torah itself, the area that facilitates this inner change in the most thorough and lasting way can be found, in our generation, in the teachings of Chassidus.

It is written, “From my flesh I see Hashem.”[2] This encapsulates the purpose of the teachings of Chassidus—to explain in great depth and detail the faculties of the soul, and how they interact with one another. Since the Jew’s soul descends from the higher spiritual worlds,[3] everything in our inner selves parallels the world at large, and can thus be used to understand it.

Thus Chassidus uses as its mashal, analogy (pl. meshalim), the soul’s faculties—“my flesh”—in all its intricacies, through which we are able to “see Hashem”—to understand the nimshal (concept being explained by the analogy) of sublime levels of Hashem’s greatness.

In particular, by learning about and becoming aware of and sensitive to the soul’s faculties, one can come to truly know and understand the ten Sefiros (divine emanations), and all the levels of Seder Hishtalshelus (the entire spiritual cosmos—see here), which Hashem created “So that we would come to know His greatness”[4] through them.

One should reflect upon these levels thoroughly and with great concentration (this is known as hisbonenus—see here). This enables the Neshamah to shine, elevating the person to a state of inner closeness and attachment to G–dliness, and the appropriate time to engage in this reflection is during Tefillah, prayer (see here and here).

This leads one to fulfill the goal of Chassidus: to bring the spiritual to dominate over the physical.[5] For when the Neshamah shines, one naturally casts aside materialistic desires and preoccupations (“chumriyus”—see here), and views all the physical as nothing but a tool to be used to fulfills the Torah’s instructions, “All your actions should be for the sake of Heaven,”[6] and “In all your ways, know Him.”[7]

May Hashem help us to go from strength to strength in this endeavor!

Based on the Rebbe Rashab’s Hemshech 5672, Vol. 3, pp. 1310-1311.

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[1] Cf. Tanya, ch. 32: “...כי יסוד ושורש כל התורה הוא להגביה ולהעלו' הנפש על הגוף מעלה מעלה”.
[2] Iyov 19:26.
[3] Tanya, ch. 3, beg.
[4] Zohar 2:42b.
[5] In the original, “hisgabrus hatzurah al hachomer.”
[6] Avos 2:12.
[7] Mishlei 3:6.


Dedicated by Dovid and Bracha Tsap as a merit for their daughter Sara Rachel bas Hinda Zelda Bracha, in honor of her birthday on 10 Cheshvan.


Dedicated in the merit of a speedy release for the captives Yonasan ben Malka (Jonathan Pollard), Alan Gross (Aba Chonah ben Hava Chana), Sholom Mordechai Halevi ben Rivka (Sholom Rubashkin), and Zeva Rochel bas Chaya (Wendy Weiner Runge).

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Chabad: Constant yearning for inner change

The Rebbe writes:

This reminds me of the aphorism of my father in law, the [Previous] Rebbe, who related that when he began his involvement in business, he asked his father that “he should hot have the attitudes of married people” [in the original, “baalhabatishe hanochos”]. 

When he related this to me, he added, “The attitudes of married people [“baalhabatishe hanochos”] are filthy.” Obviously he meant this in a more subtle sense, for he was referring to married people who observe Torah and Mitzvos fully, and yet, as Chassidus explains, they are in “Egypt”—which represents straits and limitations [the Hebrew word for Egypt, Mitzrayim, is etymologically related to meitzarim, straits]—their entire lives. For all through their lives today is like yesterday, and tomorrow like today, and even the distant future will be no different. Moreover, they regard the very aspiration for change as crazy; i.e., outside of the realm of healthy intellect. 

[In light of this,] how luminous are the words of the Alter Rebbe in the Tanya (Likutei Amarim ch. 47), who quotes the words of the Mishnah (Pesachim 116b): “In every single generation one must regard himself as if he left Egypt,” and adds, “ ... and every single day.”

Igros Kodesh, Vol. 20, pp. 106-107.

In this holy letter, the Rebbe explains that one of the main dangers of the lifestyle of a married person (discussed earlier here) is that he or she ceases to yearn and strive for change. The Torah constantly urges a Jew to “rise higher in matters of holiness” (Berachos, 28a), and never remain static. However, the lifestyle of a married person (for the various reasons explained above) naturally fosters rigidity and coldness in matters of spirituality, and thus a married man or woman typically regards any deviation from this norm as, well, nuts. The Previous Rebbe regarded this aversion to inner change harshly.

In contrast, a true life of spirituality demands constant positive change and growth. This starts with a deep yearning, and culminates in concrete action.

The Previous Rebbe explains that this feeling was once typical, and calls us to restore this communal attitude:

... Although amongst Chabad chassidim there were different levels of knowledge, they all did Avodah. They worked on themselves. The regular working on oneself was based on the foundation that the way one is today is not good, and we have to become completely different.

I have already told what the chossid, Reb Gershon Dov [of Pahar], would often say after lengthy meditation, for he had tremendous ability for deep concentration. After the evening prayer and reciting the Shema upon retiring, which would often turn out to be in the late hours of the winter nights, [he could be overheard saying to himself]: “Do you hear, Gershon Ber? We have to wake up completely different.”

It was typical that when Chabad chassidim would gather for a farbrengen, the Rov (Rabbi of the community) would say about himself, “Am I really a Rov?” ... The melamed (teacher for children) suffered from troubles and did not have money to spend, but [although this may have jeopardized his personal income], he would say about himself, “Am I really a melamed?”

Sicha of first night of Sukkos 5710,
printed in Sefer HaMa’amarim Admur HaRayatz 5711, pp. 66-67.

This demonstrates that in fact the intense dissatisfaction with one’s current level and the constant desire for inner change lie at the core of the Avodah (divine service) that characterizes Chassidus Chabad—the antithesis of “the attitudes of married people” described above.

The Rebbe Wants Real Chassidim, Not Yes-Men!

The Rebbe Wants Real 

Chassidim, Not Yes-Men!

Rabbi Y. Oliver

In the famous public address of 28th of Nissan, 5751, among other things, the Rebbe complained bitterly that the chassidim do not pray for Moshiach to come “mit an emes”—really and truly, but only “mipnei ha’tzivui”—because they were told to do so—i.e., because the Rebbe told them so. They don’t sincerely yearn for Moshiach, for if they would, he would have come long ago, the Rebbe said.

It’s not enough that the Rebbe wants Moshiach. He wants us to want Moshiach. Really and truly. Which requires hard, intensive work. It’s not enough to answer omein, to nod our heads, to repeat slogans, to be “yes-men,” but not to connect to the Rebbe’s words in our minds and hearts. That’s not what a chossid is. We have to mean it, to care, to be bothered, to be distressed. From the depth of our hearts.

And if, G–d forbid, we don’t feel this way, we need to recognize that something is sorely lacking in our bond, in our relationship, in our identity as chassidim. And that itself should bother us.

Then we’ll make it our business to figure out what Hashem is, what Ge’ulah is, what Moshiach is, until we want it because we want it. Because “the Shechinah (divine presence) is in exile.”[1] Because a Jew has a special soul that it is “literally a part of Hashem”[2] in exile. Because the spark of holiness, the divine vitality, in every object that exists is hidden, and thus in exile. 

And then we’ll truly feel the Rebbe’s pain at the suffering of the Jewish people in exile. And then we will be what chassidim, what Jews are supposed to be. And then Moshiach will surely come.

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[1] Cf. Tikunei Zohar 22a, Shaar HaGilgulim ch. 2.
[2] Tanya, beg. ch. 2.