I came across some interesting Q&As with Rav Itamar Schwartz of Bilvavi.
First of all, someone asked about the paths of Chabad Chassidus & Breslov Chassidus with relation to the new dimension in which we now find ourselves.
This dimension is called Keter—or Keser by Ashkenazim—which means "crown" (and is part of the reason for the shape & name of the corona virus).
Another new aspect of our world is known as reisha d'lo etyada (The Unknowable Beginning/Head)—also known by its contraction Radl"a.
(Ashkenazi pronunciation: reisha d'lo esyada — רישא דלא אתידע)
The Keter d'reisha d'lo etyada (Keter of The Unknowable Beginning/Head) is the path of the light of Mashiach—the path we're careening down right now.
This new dimension explains why everything is so contradictory & unpredictable.
Even when things fall into routine again, something happens to upend it all the sudden.
So what do Chabad & Breslov have to do with this?
First of all, someone asked about the paths of Chabad Chassidus & Breslov Chassidus with relation to the new dimension in which we now find ourselves.
This dimension is called Keter—or Keser by Ashkenazim—which means "crown" (and is part of the reason for the shape & name of the corona virus).
Another new aspect of our world is known as reisha d'lo etyada (The Unknowable Beginning/Head)—also known by its contraction Radl"a.
(Ashkenazi pronunciation: reisha d'lo esyada — רישא דלא אתידע)
The Keter d'reisha d'lo etyada (Keter of The Unknowable Beginning/Head) is the path of the light of Mashiach—the path we're careening down right now.
This new dimension explains why everything is so contradictory & unpredictable.
Even when things fall into routine again, something happens to upend it all the sudden.
So what do Chabad & Breslov have to do with this?
The Path to the Integration of All Paths Together
Here's a question regarding Chassidus & Radl"a:
The Rav explained that within Chassidus (the revelations of the Baal Shem Tov, which started to reveal Radl”a, the unknowable head), there were two branching revelations:
The teachings of Chabad, which are the Chochmah of Radl”a, and the teachings of Breslev, which are the Binah of Radl”a.
Is there any path today which is the Keser of Radl”a?
https://question.bilvavi.net/blog/2021/08/03/path-of-mashiach/
(To make it simpler, I'm going to cut & paste prime statements from different Bilvavi sources, but provide you with the links so you can read them in full in the original.)
Rav Schwartz answers with a fascinating & complex answer, only a bit of which appears here:
Rav Schwartz answers with a fascinating & complex answer, only a bit of which appears here:
The path of Keser d’Radl”a is the light of Mashiach which is shining increasingly stronger the closer we get to Mashiach.
It is when all paths will be gathered together...
https://question.bilvavi.net/blog/2021/08/03/path-of-mashiach/
Keter contains 2 sides:
A student of Rav Schwartz further explains:
- the feminine side—Binah—Breslev
- the masculine side—Chochmah—Chabad
A student of Rav Schwartz further explains:
Elsewhere in a response about the different approaches of Chassidus, the Rav explained that Chochmah of Radl”a is explained in the path of Chabad (i.e. Tanya, Torah Ohr, Reshab) whereas Binah of Radl”a is explained in the path of Breslev.
As for Keser d’Radl”a, this will be an integration of all paths together, and it will be revealed by Mashiach.
https://question.bilvavi.net/blog/2021/08/03/radla-the-unknowable-head/
And Now We Understand the Growth of Chabad & Breslev Today
So the general path of Chassidus were necessary to reveal the light of The Unknowable Beginning/Head—which, once we hit the Keter aspect of it (as we have), leads to the light of Mashiach.
And that's the tremendous benefit the Baal Shem Tov's Chassidus brought to the world.
Furthermore, I find it interesting that out of all the Chassidic paths, davka Chabad & Breslev have expanded more than any other.
It wasn't always like this.
In the early part of the last century, Breslev was this tiny Chassidus (and seen as frighteningly eccentric or an object of mockery by others) with a shul in Uman & a tiny shul in Meah Shearim.
Fellow Breslevers responded in disbelief when the Breslev tzaddikim Rav Rosen & Rav Bender insisted on building a huge Breslev shul—these tzaddikim knew they'd need it.
But most of the other Breslevers simply could not imagine such growth.
Yet here we are today, with that large Breslev shul put to good use & Breslev schools, shuls, and communities around the world.
Prior to World War II, Gerrer Chassidus attracted many Polish chassidim with its dynamism. Especially for young chassidim, it was the "in" Chassidus to join. Happily, Gerrer communities still exist today, but lack the continuously expanding momentum of Chabad & Breslev.
There are many wonderful Chassidic groups thriving today.
(Satmar, for example, has done amazing things in America.)
But only Chabad & Breslev spanned the Jewish people to the extent of comprising such a wide variety & quantity of Jews—beyond families of original Breslevers or Chabadnikim, you have formerly secular Jews, converts, Jews of all different ethnicities & races, and Jews from other Chassidic or Litvish groups.
Again, other groups are doing wonderful things for Am Yisrael.
As Rav Schwartz says, all the paths are necessary.
But the sheer expanse of Chabad & Breslev (including a wealth of books published in several languages to assist one's learning of Chabad or Breslev Chassidus, along with Chabad's globally known mivtzoim & Chabad houses) is unparalleled.
And that's the tremendous benefit the Baal Shem Tov's Chassidus brought to the world.
Furthermore, I find it interesting that out of all the Chassidic paths, davka Chabad & Breslev have expanded more than any other.
It wasn't always like this.
In the early part of the last century, Breslev was this tiny Chassidus (and seen as frighteningly eccentric or an object of mockery by others) with a shul in Uman & a tiny shul in Meah Shearim.
Fellow Breslevers responded in disbelief when the Breslev tzaddikim Rav Rosen & Rav Bender insisted on building a huge Breslev shul—these tzaddikim knew they'd need it.
But most of the other Breslevers simply could not imagine such growth.
Yet here we are today, with that large Breslev shul put to good use & Breslev schools, shuls, and communities around the world.
Prior to World War II, Gerrer Chassidus attracted many Polish chassidim with its dynamism. Especially for young chassidim, it was the "in" Chassidus to join. Happily, Gerrer communities still exist today, but lack the continuously expanding momentum of Chabad & Breslev.
There are many wonderful Chassidic groups thriving today.
(Satmar, for example, has done amazing things in America.)
But only Chabad & Breslev spanned the Jewish people to the extent of comprising such a wide variety & quantity of Jews—beyond families of original Breslevers or Chabadnikim, you have formerly secular Jews, converts, Jews of all different ethnicities & races, and Jews from other Chassidic or Litvish groups.
Again, other groups are doing wonderful things for Am Yisrael.
As Rav Schwartz says, all the paths are necessary.
But the sheer expanse of Chabad & Breslev (including a wealth of books published in several languages to assist one's learning of Chabad or Breslev Chassidus, along with Chabad's globally known mivtzoim & Chabad houses) is unparalleled.
Appreciating Each Other
Once again, we see why the need exists for different groups with different emphases.
(All based purely on authentic Torah sources, of course.)
Keter needs both its masculine side AND its feminine side.
A masculine-only Keter remains unbalanced; it lacks the feminine Binah Breslev brings.
Likewise, a feminine-only Keter remains unbalanced; it lacks the masculine Chochmah brought by Chabad.
So even as we each follow our own soul-path connecting to our own individual soul-root, we can also appreciate the necessity of the other legitimate paths.
And if anyone would like to read Rav Schwartz's powerful statement regarding the Yemenite path, please read this:
https://question.bilvavi.net/blog/2021/08/11/the-path-of-teimanim-yemenites/
(All based purely on authentic Torah sources, of course.)
Keter needs both its masculine side AND its feminine side.
A masculine-only Keter remains unbalanced; it lacks the feminine Binah Breslev brings.
Likewise, a feminine-only Keter remains unbalanced; it lacks the masculine Chochmah brought by Chabad.
So even as we each follow our own soul-path connecting to our own individual soul-root, we can also appreciate the necessity of the other legitimate paths.
And if anyone would like to read Rav Schwartz's powerful statement regarding the Yemenite path, please read this:
https://question.bilvavi.net/blog/2021/08/11/the-path-of-teimanim-yemenites/
Flowers near a Netanya beach in Eretz Yisrael (Image by Rachel Klein)
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