ההשקפה החב"דית באספקלריית דברי ימי אדמור"י וחסידי חב"ד לדורותיהם

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Non-Chassidic Hashkofic Disciplines

A discussion in the comments to the previous post, "Chassidus & Chakira", highlighted the unfortunate fact that way Chassidus should ideally be viewed and properly taught, does not always coincide with the actual presentation of Chassidus in the "Chabad" educational "system" of today. The specific issue under discussion was whether or not it is the "official Chabad doctrine" to study works of Chakira.

No one ever claimed that Works of Chakira, or Musser, or Drush etc. are part of the official curriculum taught in Lubavitch Yeshivahs, however to say that study of such works is discouraged is absolutely wrong. On the contrary, Rabbi Chadokov [Hodakov], the head of the Rebbe's secretariat, a man of tremendous insight, the main implementer of the Rebbe's Hashkofeh on a practical level and an expert in the field of education, often advocated that both individuals and institutions should pay more attention to such works. In "The Educator's Handbook: principles, reflections, directives of a master pedagogue", a compilation of his advice and directives, there are many examples of this. While I will focus mainly on the example of Rabbi Chadokov, which is better documented, any Mashpia worth listening to shares and implements a similar attitude (see below.)


On page 180 in the section entitled "Senior Yeshivot" we find, "Seforim whose subject is religious awe, such as Reishit Chochma and Sha'arei Teshuva of Rabbenu Yona, should be studied, together with whatever deals in the most direct way with the fear of Heaven, (not that this should be integrated into the regular seder, for which we have no precedent in the yeshivah's history, although I have heard from mashpi'im that such seforim were in fact studied privately)."

Similarly on pages 181-2, "There are various more specialized pursuits within the
Torah that virtually remain a closed book and in which it is hard to find knowledgeable individuals-for example, Hebrew grammar, Midrash, Ein Yaakov, the history of the Jewish people, and so on. It is no secret that the Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak, fully expected the students to study and be proficient in Nach, Hebrew grammar and penmanship, as well as Jewish history.

We must therefore expand our curriculum to include these subjects – albeit outside of the regular yeshiva schedule, or at times when there is no formal yeshiva program. Most effective for this purpose will be the teaming of students into pairs, each pair pursuing the specialty of its choice and studying it in sufficient depth to arrive at a reasonable degree of mastery.

For example, one pair might focus its energies on various aspects of "drush" – homiletic interpretation… Another pair might lean more towards philosophy and faith, which is the subject of such works as Duties of the Heart. Another idea worth considering is to put together an anthology – passages culled from various sefarim and dealing with various topics – to contain easy material as well as some which is more challenging – and to develop out of this a study manual, for the use of the group or the individual."

Regarding the education of girls we find, page 47, "The curriculum for the girls should include the following:
A: Specific topics from "Duties of the Heart," the section "Gate of Understanding."
B: Various aspects of hashkafa, from "Gates of Understanding, of Rabbeinu Yona.
C: Serious and intensive study of Pirkei Avot, whose subject is the fear of Heaven and the development of good character traits. Learning various sayings and aphorisms by heart." See pages 89, 94, 107, 112, 157, 172, 177 and 185 for more examples.

Secondly and indeed more obviously (to anyone who has learned Chassidus), implicit in every Chassidic discourse is the assumption that the student is familiar with the terminology and frame of reference, most of which is drawn from works of Chakira, Drush, Musser and Kabbolah (as exemplified in the previous post). In other words, if you are really trying to learn and understand Chassidus (rather than simply reading it parrot fashion) you must explore the various concepts drawn from that wider frame of reference. If you ignore this fact and ignore (or worse disallow) the study of these disciplines, your study of Chassidus is practically worthless. Contrary to popular supposition, learning Chassidus is not only about translating the words, but about understanding and assimilating the concepts, arguments and ideas to which those words refer.

In the words of Rabbi Chadokov, (page 182), "Where did the idea not to study such things come from! Did some committee form itself for just such a purpose, deliberate, and in its wisdom banish them from the curriculum?!"

Thank G-d, this is not a problem which exists across the board, there are many Mashpiem and teachers of Chassidus (Reb Yoel Kahn, Reb Meilich Zweibel, Reb Itiche Meir Gourarie, Reb Yossi Gourarie, to name but a few), who continue to teach Chassidus as it has always been taught, presenting it within its full context and frame of reference - which includes aspects of Drush, Remez, Musser, Chakira and Kabbola. I myself owe any understand of Chassidus that I have to masters such as these who take the time to explain each concept in its full depth, drawing on their thorough knowledge of the wider frame of reference and making their students aware of the need to use their private time to familiarize themselves (at least to some degree) with the relevant works. I strongly advise anyone who really wants to have an intellectually satisfying experience, to get hold of Reb Yoel's Shuirim. They are in widely circulated and some of them are available here.

In conclusion: Chassidus is considered to be a loftier form of study, providing its student with a more complete, balanced and astute worldview than can be attained through the study of Chakira, Musser or Drush alone. However, this does not mean that these disciplines are to be ignored, on the contrary they are complementary and in fact vital to the study and understanding of Chassidus. Indeed only through a full understanding of the wider context can one fully appreciate the true significance and novelty, which makes Chassidus so unique. Perhaps in my next post I will elaborate on this last point.

13 comments:

  1. Thanks for that information. It would appear, and I believe I am correct, that Rabbi Hodakov's vision has not been realised in the general Chabad education system.

    By the way, do any teachers of Tanya compare and contrast with Nefesh HaChaim?

    I certainly hear non Chabad shiurim which mention Tanya.

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  2. "It would appear, and I believe I am correct, that Rabbi Hodakov's vision has not been realised in the general Chabad education system."

    As I explained, the leading Mashpeim of today certainly learn and teach Chassidus in the spirit of that vision. More-so, this is not something which is viewed as a novelty but is - as I said - an implicit and obvious prerequisite to the proper study of Chassidus.
    I cannot tell you what goes on in all "Chabad" schools throughout the world, which generally run according to varying standards depending on the type of community etc. You cant compare the Yeshiva in Baltimore, for example, to the Yeshivas in Detroit or Manchester. Certainly in "mainstream" Lubavitcher Yeshivahs, you will find that the students are aware of the value of other disciplines besides for Chassidus.
    Again, Rabbi Chadakov himself never suggested that the study of such works should be officially incorporated into the curriculum. Those who are inclined to do so, take the initiative or are advised my a Mashpia to look into these various disciplines in their own time.
    In the girls schools specifically there is usually a strong focus on Pirkei Avos, and "Pisgomim" - quotations from Chazal and various works which are Hashkaficaly relevant.

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  3. Nefesh HaChaim is a work that was written specifically in order to challenge many of the principles of Chassidus, especially as set out in Tanya. This being the case, it is not a work which students in the Chabad system would be encouraged to learn. This being said, Mashpeim at an advanced level are obviously familiar with the contrasts and will point them out to their students if it is relevant and helps them attain a better understanding of shitas Chabad.

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  4. What is your evidence for Nefesh HaChayim being written to "challenge" the principles of Chassidus?

    Even if you are correct, why wouldn't one learn it?

    I believe that you are incorrect, by the way, and the commonality between the concepts from the Gaon as laid out by his Talmid are mostly identical.

    Is the only comparative work covered in the curriculum that which agrees with every tenet of chassidus chabad and serves to strengthen it?

    ReplyDelete
  5. אגרות קודש כרך א אגרת יא

    ב"ה, ד' י"ט שבט, צ"ט
    פאריז

    כבוד הרה"ג והרה"ח וו"ח אי"א נבון ומשכיל

    וכו' וכו'

    מהור"י שי'

    שלום וברכה!

    המכתב בצירוף העשרים ושמונה הגיע בזמנו.

    ומה שכותב בענין הצמצום, אשר אחד ממכיריו אומר, שכל השיטות בזה הולכים למקום אחד

    נפלאתי ביותר גם על קס"ד כזה, ובפרט אשר כת"ר מכנהו במכתבו בשם לומד ספרי המקובלים, כי פשיטא אשר אינו כן כלל וכלל. ועוד בדור הראשון שאחר האריז"ל, שהוא גילה לנו סוד הצמצום, הי' בענין הצמצום חלוקי דיעות בין בעלי תריסין מן הקצה אל הקצה, כנראה בספריהם, ונמשכה המחלוקת גם אח"כ.

    והוא בשני ענינים עיקרים: אם הצמצום הוא כפשוטו א"ל. סילוק או העלם. אם הצמצום הוא רק באור או גם במאור.

    ואפשר בזה ד' שיטות א) הצמצום כפשוטו וגם בעצמותו. וראית הסוברים כן, דאיך אפ"ל דהמלך נמצא במקום האשפה ח"ו. ב') הצמצום כפשוטו אבל רק באור. ג) הצמצום דלא כפשוטו אבל גם במאור. ד) הצמצום דלא כפשוטו ורק באור.

    והנה המתנגדים בימי אדה"ז אחזו בשיטה א' הנ"ל וכידוע, והיו מפרשים לית אתר פנוי מיני' היינו מהשגחתו, ואמרו אשר השיטה דהעצמות נמצא בכ"מ, היא סותרת לדינים דמבואות המטונפות וכו' וכו', וכמ"ש בכרוזים ומודעות שפירסמו בזמן הבעש"ט ואדה"ז. ועיג"כ שער היחוה"א פ"ז ואגה"ק ססכ"ה. וכמדומה לי שגם ב"בית רבי" נדפס מכתב אדה"ז מדבר בזה.

    שיטת בעהמ"ס נפש החיים, שמזכיר כת"ר במכתבו הוא כשיטה ג' הנ"ל. וחלק בזה על רבו הגר"א. - ובכלל, נראה שראה הר"ח מואלאזין ספרי חב"ד, ובפרט ס' התניא, ונשפע מהם, אף שאיני יודע זה בהוכחות גמורות.

    אבל אנו אין לנו, אלא כשיטה ד' הנ"ל, שאין הצמצום כפשוטו, וג"ז לא במאור אלא באור, ורק בבחי' התחתונה שבאור שלפה"צ, וכמבואר בספרי וכתבי חב"ד.

    ובימינו אשר זכינו לאורה, שנתבארה מסכת הצמצום, באריכות לפי ערך ובכמה וכמה פרטים, בספרי תורת חסידות חב"ד הנדפסים ואשר בכתב, הנה הרוצה לדעת ענין הצמצום, עכ"פ במדה ידועה, בהבנה והשגה, אין לזה דרך אחר אלא לעיין בהנ"ל. וכדי להוכח בזה, די להשות הנאמר בזה בשאר ספרים, שכנראה כמה מהם לא רצו לפרט הדברים מאיזה טעמים, להמבואר בספרי חב"ד.

    איני יודע איזה ספרים וכתבים ישנם אצל כת"ר כדי לציין אליהם.

    ויעוין בענין הצמצום: תו"א ד"ה פתח אלי' (וישנם ע"ז הגהות אדנ"ע שהו"ל, בקופיר, באטואצק), לקו"ת הוספות לויקרא ד"ה להבין מ"ש בס' אוצ"ח, שער היחוד, ס' המצות מצות האמנת אלקות ושרש מצות התפלה (מתחיל מפרק ל"ד), סי' ע"פ זכר רב טובך. בדרושי כ"ק מו"ח אדמו"ר שליט"א הנדפסים: אל יפטר אדם פ"ט, דרשו ה' רצ"א, על כן יאמרו רצ"א, שבועות רצ"ג דף ח', טוב לי רצ"ז.

    כן בטח יש אצלו המשך רס"ו, ומבואר גם שם: מתחיל מד"ה ויולך ה' את הים, ומד"ה אנכי ה"א.

    ושייך לענין הצמצום גם המבואר בתניא פמ"ח ומ"ט ונתפרש באריכות יותר בדרושי יביאו לבוש מלכות שבתו"א ושערי אורה.

    ציינתי גם הידועים בטח לכת"ר לשלמות הדבר.

    ואסיים בכבוד ואיווי כט"ס

    מ. שניאורסאהן

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  6. "What is your evidence for Nefesh HaChayim being written to "challenge" the principles of Chassidus?"
    1)This is obvious to anyone who is familiar with the works Tanya and Nefesh HaChaim
    ראה שער ד שם
    (2
    מטרת הספר להסביר סוגיות חשובות ביהדות והוא נכתב כמענה בעל ציביון של משנה סדורה לרעיונותיה של תנועת החסידות מיסודו של רבי ישראל בעל שם טוב. רבי חיים מוולוז'ין מתמודד עם הרעיונות החסידיים, כמו עליונות הדבקות הרגשית ויראת השמים על-פני לימוד התורה וההקפדה על קיום פרטי המצוות.
    - From the Hebrew Wikipedia article on Nefesh HaChaim.

    "I believe that you are incorrect, by the way, and the commonality between the concepts from the Gaon as laid out by his Talmid are mostly identical."
    You can believe whatever you want. The Rebbe shows in a letter that in Nefesh HaChaim Reb Chaim Vilozhiner deviates from the Gra's principles. I'll find it (its now been provided above, thanks Chevreh) and provide the source reference later.

    "Is the only comparative work covered in the curriculum that which agrees with every tenet of chassidus chabad and serves to strengthen it?"
    1) No. As I wrote above, "Mashpeim at an advanced level are obviously familiar with the contrasts and will point them out to their students if it is relevant and helps them attain a better understanding of shitas Chabad." In other words the sources which dispute the positions taken by Chassidus are often highlighted in order to better illustrate the differences.
    2) Yes. The curriculum in Chabad schools attempts to educate the students in the spirit of Chassidus Chabad rather than that of the detractors of Chassidus Chabad. That doesn't require any justification.

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  7. Notes to letter posted above:

    יא

    נדפסה בבטאון חב"ד גליון לא ע' 43. לקו"ש חט"ו ע' 470 והוגהה ע"פ צילום כתי"ק.

    מהור"י: בנימינסון. בהמשך לזה אליו - לקמן אגרות יד. עו.

    בענין הצמצום... אחד ממכיריו: כנראה הוא מוה"ר אליהו אליעזר דסלר, שלפי העיון בס' התניא ובס' נפש החיים בא למסקנא שאין חילוק יסודי ביניהם, ועפי"ז ביקש לבאר לו "את גדר המחלוקת בנין הצמצום בין בעל התניא זי"ע והגר"א ז"ל, אם נחלקו בגדר ענין הצמצום גופי', הן כפי המבואר ב"נפש החיים" למתבונן ומעמיק, דא ודא אחת היא" (מרביצי תורה ומוסר ח"ג ע' סו). בתחלה פנה בנד"ז, בקיץ תרח"ץ, אל ה"ר יצחק "המתמיד" הורוויץ, שהשיב לו (קובץ יגדיל תורה נ.י. חוב' סא סי' קי) "הספר נפש החיים אינו ת"י כעת... אכתוב לכת"ר ענין הצמצום כפי המבואר בתורת החב"ד". לאח"ז נשאל בזה כ"ק אדמו"ר שליט"א ומשיב באגרת שלפנינו שבעל נפה"ח חלק בזה על רבו הגר"א.

    מכתב אדה"ז מדבר בזה: נדפס באגרות קודש שלו אגרת לד (ע' פה ד"ה ובפרט).

    הגהות אדנ"ע: נדפסו בקונ' בפ"ע, הגהות לד"ה פתח אלי' תרנ"ח, קה"ת תשמ"א.

    שער היחוד: לאדמו"ר האמצעי, הנדפס בס' נר מצוה ותורה אור.

    ס' המצות: דרך מצותיך.

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  8. For us Amaratzim, the Rebbe's letter in english:

    http://www.sichosinenglish.org/books/letters-rebbe-1/04.htm

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  9. For what it's worth, Rabbi Yossi Paltiel's shiurim are full of Chakirah, Kabbalah, and Chassidus. He often compares and contrasts them when explaining an idea.

    He also has some shiurim on the difference between them. If I remember correctly, the shiur titled, "The diffrence between Kabbala and Chassidus" on this page goes into the difference. Although the title is "The diffrence between Kabbala and Chassidus", he goes into Chakirah as well:
    http://www.torahlp.com/audio.htm?Series-29

    In his parsha shiurim, Rabbi Paltiel goes through a wide range of commentaries, including Pshat, Chakirah, Kabbalah, and Chassidus (the amount of each varies per shiur):
    http://insidechassidus.org/

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  10. So Tanya and Nefesh HaChaim are "all about" the nuanced different interpretations of Tzimtzum, Vzeh Kol HoOdom? Come now.
    Suggest some of you take a deep breath and listen to what the Rav (Soloveitchik) said on this topic. I've also read Rabbi Lamm's Phd thesis on this. Surely, we can emerge from the aged polemics and triumphalism.

    If we adopt the view that we don't study works which "detract" from our philosophy, then let us not also pretend to respect our differences.

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  11. 1) "So Tanya and Nefesh HaChaim are "all about" the nuanced different interpretations of Tzimtzum, Vzeh Kol HoOdom? Come now."

    No one claimed anything of the sort. That letter was referred to purely in connection to your belief that "the commonality between the concepts from the Gaon as laid out by his Talmid are mostly identical".

    Please reread my earlier comment (in response to your second comment) and look up the first source cited therein.


    2) Could you please enlighten us as to what Rabbi J.B. Soliveitchik and Rabbi Norman Lamm have to day on the subject, or at least provide source references?


    3) "If we adopt the view that we don't study works which "detract" from our philosophy, then let us not also pretend to respect our differences."

    No one said anything about respecting differences, but since you bring it up 1) when our position is respected we respond in kind 2) I don't see why that should obligate us to teach those different views in our educational system. 3) As I already mentioned (twice!) at a more advance level of study these differences are indeed highlighted.

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  12. see begining of toras sholom where the rebbe rashab spoke sharply aginst the learning of chakira to a bochur in tomchie temimim saying that everything in essence can be understood from chassidus.although you made a good point regarding that a clearer deeper understanding comes through learning chakira drush and kabolah one really has to be proficient in understanding those subjects especially chakira and kabolah because one usually ends up understanding the questions better than the answers.

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  13. For those wondering about Rabbi Lamm's thesis on Nefesh Hachaim, it was revised and published (in English) by Ktav publishing in 1989 under the title Torah Lishmah, after an earlier Hebrew version. See http://thejewishreview.org/articles/?id=20 for an excellent review of the Lamm book.

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