New ‘Basics of Chassidus’ Flies off the Shelves

Recognizing the gaping void in Chassidic libraries worldwide, Sichos in English has published the first volume of a transformatively, groundbreaking series, The Basics of Chassidus, a unique and new resource to the English seforim market. 

Do you find yourself rattling off Chassidic jargon without knowing exactly what the idea conveys? 

Can you enjoy a well-explained Chassidic vort, yet struggle to appreciate its full encapsulation?

Do you get the ideas learned in Chassidus, but wish you had a grasp of the full picture?

Recognizing the gaping void in Chassidic libraries worldwide, Sichos in English has published the first volume of a transformatively, groundbreaking series, The Basics of Chassidus. As a unique and new resource to the English seforim market, Chabad: Its Origins, Principles and Purpose serves as the first volume of a first-ever Chassidic Encyclopedia in English. 

 “The inspiration for this groundbreaking series was to take the Rebbe’s vision of making Chassidus accessible, one step further,” says Rabbi Naftoli Hertz Pewzner, co-author of this eye-opening series alongside Rabbi Nissan Dovid Dubov. “If a beginner or veteran scholar wants to get a wholesome picture of a Chassidic concept, The Basics of Chassidus series is where they should look.”

The first volume, Chabad: Its Origins, Principles and Purpose, delves into core concepts of Chassidus while exploring its origins, explaining its primary principles, and elucidating its mission. The purpose of existence, the chassidic approach to successful avodas Hashem, the worldview of Achdus Hashem, the role of a Rebbe, and the path towards Mashiach are just some of the concepts systematically explored.

This brilliant series intends to elevate the learning experience of scholars, students, and laymen alike—from grasping the idea to getting the full picture. Extrapolated and compiled from original sources where these ideas are discussed, each fundamental chassidic idea is presented in a reader-friendly display designed to follow a logical thought process. Related insights in the footnotes embellish the text sharing background information and additional anecdotes. 

While brimming with wisdom and information, the format and language is appealing and interesting. This page-turning series heightens its readers’ understanding of the broader scope of Chassidus in an engaging and interesting manner. 

“The book gives tremendous depth and supplies a breadth of knowledge to these fundamental ideas,” shares Rabbi Sholom Ber Munitz, principal of Bader Hillel Academy in Milwaukee, WI. “It’s a major tool for today’s students—alongside anyone—to understand, internalize, and live a life in line with Chassidus.”

Overwhelming feedback has been pouring in from eager readers around the world who have been privy to get first dibs on this series, and within a few short weeks of its grand debut, the first shipment has sold out, serving as a testament to the pressing need for such a series. 

“I always found that whenever Chassidus was made accessible to me, it had been stripped of its full depth and comprehensiveness,” shares another reader. “That’s why the Basics of Chassidus series is revolutionary for me. Chassidus has finally been presented with its full richness, in a beautiful English book which is such a pleasure to read.”

With Gimmel Tammuz upon us, an expedited reprint has arrived, and hundreds of copies of Chabad: Its Origins, Principles and Purpose are flying off the shelves. Purchase your copy today at a local seforim store or at sie.org/basics. Whether a beginner or veteran master of Chassidus, the first volume of this enlightening series is the perfect read to get the full picture of the ideas that create the tapestry of Chassidus.

Order now at the newly revamped, user-friendly SIE online store.