The Importance of Chassidus in Chinuch
The king's son had fallen sick with a deathly illness. The king summoned all the greatest doctors in the land to try and cure him. But one by one, the doctors despaired of finding a way to cure him.
Finally, a doctor told the king, "Your Highness, I know of a way to cure your son. There is a special serum that can be brewed, and it will cure him – but there is only one little problem...."
"Well, what is it?" asked the king.
The doctor looked nervous. "Well, your highness, the serum requires a special kind of powder... that is ground from a very rare kind of gem...."
"What is this gem?" asked the king. "I'm sure I can provide it to you. Anything, to cure my son!"
"It is the gem that adorns the front of Your Majesty's crown," said the doctor.
Immediately, the king took off his crown, and handed it to the doctor, saying, "Take it, and prepare the serum right away, to cure my son!"
As the doctor was finishing brewing the serum, the king's son fell into a faint.
"Your Highness!" cried the boy's caretakers. "Your son is on the brink of death... he won't be able to even drink this serum!"
The king, and the doctor, rushed over to his bedside, and the doctor examined him and told the king, "I will have to pour the serum down his throat. Most of it will splash everywhere... but even if one drop goes down his throat, it will be enough to cure him!"
This is a mashal given for the importance of learning Chassidus.
When the the first Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Shneur Zalman, essayed to disseminate the teachings of Chassidus to everyone – even the simple Yidden, there was an uproar among the angels in shomayim. Ever since Matan Torah, the teachings of Chassidus were reserved only for tzaddikim to learn – and now Rabbi Shneur Zalman wanted to disseminate the teachings of Chassidus to everybody!
A decree was made in shomayim that Rabbi Shneur Zalman be thrown in prison, and he was.
But it was ultimately decided, that it was necessary that in this day and age, the teachings of Chassidus indeed be spread everywhere, and taught to everybody – for the world was entering a new era... with the yeridas hadoros – the lowering of the generations, a new life threatening illness had sprung up:
While for generations, the Yidden always kept Torah and mitzvos, in these times, "enlightenment" was spreading everywhere – Yidden were beginning to wander away, going off the derech and assimilating. Things would only get worse with time.
Now, a cure for this illness was needed – Chassidus. Through all the Yidden learning Chassidus, it would inspire every Yid, that even in an enlightened world with great temptations to leave the path of Torah and mitzvos, it would be unthinkable to do so – for Chassidus teaches us the lofty importance of our holy avodah, in our times, the times right before the arrival of Moshiach Tzidkeinu, emphasizing how every Yid is important, and is needed in order that the purpose of creation be fulfilled – elevating the gashmiyus in order to make a dwelling place for Hashem here down below – culminating in the true and complete Geulah, with Moshiach Tzidkeinu, speedily in our days.
Thus, the decree against Rabbi Shneur Zalman was annulled, and he was released from prison. Rabbi Shneur Zalman then published the Tanya – the main book of Chassidus. And since then, it has been the task of Lubavitch to disseminate the wellsprings of Chassidus everywhere.
Finally, a doctor told the king, "Your Highness, I know of a way to cure your son. There is a special serum that can be brewed, and it will cure him – but there is only one little problem...."
"Well, what is it?" asked the king.
The doctor looked nervous. "Well, your highness, the serum requires a special kind of powder... that is ground from a very rare kind of gem...."
"What is this gem?" asked the king. "I'm sure I can provide it to you. Anything, to cure my son!"
"It is the gem that adorns the front of Your Majesty's crown," said the doctor.
Immediately, the king took off his crown, and handed it to the doctor, saying, "Take it, and prepare the serum right away, to cure my son!"
As the doctor was finishing brewing the serum, the king's son fell into a faint.
"Your Highness!" cried the boy's caretakers. "Your son is on the brink of death... he won't be able to even drink this serum!"
The king, and the doctor, rushed over to his bedside, and the doctor examined him and told the king, "I will have to pour the serum down his throat. Most of it will splash everywhere... but even if one drop goes down his throat, it will be enough to cure him!"
This is a mashal given for the importance of learning Chassidus.
When the the first Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Shneur Zalman, essayed to disseminate the teachings of Chassidus to everyone – even the simple Yidden, there was an uproar among the angels in shomayim. Ever since Matan Torah, the teachings of Chassidus were reserved only for tzaddikim to learn – and now Rabbi Shneur Zalman wanted to disseminate the teachings of Chassidus to everybody!
A decree was made in shomayim that Rabbi Shneur Zalman be thrown in prison, and he was.
But it was ultimately decided, that it was necessary that in this day and age, the teachings of Chassidus indeed be spread everywhere, and taught to everybody – for the world was entering a new era... with the yeridas hadoros – the lowering of the generations, a new life threatening illness had sprung up:
While for generations, the Yidden always kept Torah and mitzvos, in these times, "enlightenment" was spreading everywhere – Yidden were beginning to wander away, going off the derech and assimilating. Things would only get worse with time.
Now, a cure for this illness was needed – Chassidus. Through all the Yidden learning Chassidus, it would inspire every Yid, that even in an enlightened world with great temptations to leave the path of Torah and mitzvos, it would be unthinkable to do so – for Chassidus teaches us the lofty importance of our holy avodah, in our times, the times right before the arrival of Moshiach Tzidkeinu, emphasizing how every Yid is important, and is needed in order that the purpose of creation be fulfilled – elevating the gashmiyus in order to make a dwelling place for Hashem here down below – culminating in the true and complete Geulah, with Moshiach Tzidkeinu, speedily in our days.
Thus, the decree against Rabbi Shneur Zalman was annulled, and he was released from prison. Rabbi Shneur Zalman then published the Tanya – the main book of Chassidus. And since then, it has been the task of Lubavitch to disseminate the wellsprings of Chassidus everywhere.