Of Certificates and Chassidus

From the Anash.org Inbox: Chazal encourage us to see the good in others and judge them favorably. Still, on occasion the opportunity presents itself to bring out a point, it would be a shame to squander the potential lesson.

By Aharon Lindenblit

Chazal encourage us to see the good in others and judge them favorably when there is the possibility to ascribe negative motivation to them. Still, on occasion the opportunity presents itself to bring out a point, it would be a shame to squander the potential lesson.

I’m referring to the granting of a semicha certificate for the completion of a curriculum of Chassidus.  

There are certain religious pursuits that when emptied of their intent, lose their entire purpose. In these cases, the external behavior or deed has no value, for their objective is to serve as a framework for a deeper ideal, that when nonexistent, the vessel has no function.

Mitzvos are comprised of the actual deed and their intention. We know that action is the main thing. Therefore, merely the performance of mitzvos even without kavannah, has infinite value. In contrast, the Rebbe brings the famous words of R’ Chaim Brisker, with regards to davening without intention, the entire “cheftza” of tefillah is missing.

An example for this is told about Yankel, who on his way home from shachris sees two men working on the street, one digging a hole and the other promptly filling it. An hour later he heads out to work and sees the same two men a few blocks further engaged in the same thing. When he meets them on the way home from work, he can no longer contain his curiosity and asked them to explain what they are doing. 

They answer that usually they are a group of three workers tasked with planting trees. One digs a hole the other places a sapling into the hole and the third crew member fills the hole back up. Today the fellow who places the tree is absent, but is that a reason we shouldn’t be doing our jobs?

Learning Chassidus with the goal of receiving a certificate acknowledging the accomplishment is akin to a baal mussar who would publicly accept an award for a course of avodah he did on the middah of anavah. The ceremony is the very opposite of the accomplishment!

Similarly, all would agree that it would be preposterous were a chosid to be handed a reward for internalizing an idea of Chassidus. What connection could there be between an external recognition and the unmeasurable internal accomplishment? How could one serve as proof or recognition of the other?

Needless to say, learning Chassidus is not merely about acquiring skills or mastery of texts and concepts. It is about ingraining Elokus which is infinite into our finite hearts and minds. In the immortal words of R’ Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev about Tanya, “It is a wonder how he managed to insert such a great G-d into such a small sefer.” How then can a certificate reflect this accomplishment?

Discussion

We appreciate your feedback. If you have any additional information to contribute to this article, it will be added below.

  1. Is the certificate for internalizing the ideas, or perhaps as an incentive to show that you’ve mastered the (very) complex seifer?

    This should be lauded, not criticized. You could see everything in a positive light or the opposite. How do you think the Rebbe looks at this? My sense is that it would be quite different than your sanctimonious post.

    1. Is the certificate for internalizing the ideas, or perhaps as an incentive to show that you’ve mastered the (very) complex seifer?

      This is the point of the entire article, that Chassidus is not about mastering seforim, however complex!

      This should be lauded, not criticized.

      Learning should be lauded, but handing out certificates for learning Chassidus, as the states, the very opposite of the endeavor!

      You could see everything in a positive light or the opposite.

      The article addressed this point: on occasion the opportunity presents itself to bring out a point, it would be a shame to squander the potential lesson.

      How do you think the Rebbe looks at this? Can you imagine that the Rebbe looked at Chassidus as a discipline that needs to be mastered?

      My sense is that it would be quite different than your sanctimonious post.

      This last sentence sounds like it comes from someone who feels morally superior to the writer. More than slightly hypocritical and ironic!

  2. We are on very different sides of the aisle on this point.

    I wish I had alot of time elleborbate. In a nut shell when I saw that article I started dancing. I thought that was a great step in the right direction.

    Everyone I speak too is thirsty for structured learning. Almost everyone I speak too sees Chassidus Chabad as an endless sea with no end.

    The more we can organize, give structure give goals, incentivise growth and learning the better.

    We need to do much more to make Chassidus as exciting as all the other glamor out there is sports, media, academia להבדיל.

    We are trying a bit at Kollel L’lomdei Dach.
    Kolleldach.com

    Betzalel Bassman

    1. As the writer of the article, I’m a big fan of Kollel L’lomdei Dach for the reason you write. Learning Chassidus in a structured fashion is fantastic. But it’s the incentivising issue that the turned me off. Receiving recognition through a semicha certificate seems contrary the point Chassidus is trying to inculcate.

      1. Should the Yeshivos stop giving certificate for borchim that have master Tanya by heart, for those who succeed in Mivtzah Torah ? I think no one never argued about that

        you can apply the same here I think

  3. Why are so many going off the derech? Because the pnimiyus of yiddishkeit desolved. Like someone said the Rebbe would be ashamed of us. All what the Rebbeim did fight for wasnt for book knowledge. They faught for the pintelle yid to stay alive! Like chanukah the Greeks agreed we should have yiddishkeit BUT without G-d! We are living the same way today. However unfortunately it’s from our own which is worse then chanukah because from goyim its expected. From our own is worse.

    1. Since when did the recipiants to a certificate denounce her or his pnimius, the “pintele yid”. It seems someone has made that up. Unless he has privileged access to published literature which posits ootherwise. I however have not seen evidence of such claim.

      Furthermore, to state that the Greeks had a problem not with Jewish culture but with “pnimius”. Actually, per a rebbe, the Greek’s problem was with Ahavas Yisroel. They wanted nearly all of jewish lifestyle but without this primitive impediment of Jews being schooled to stick up for their own.

      So when a rebbe sees a yid presented with honors, instead of showing support he unleashes a bereatal which stems from his personal battle-hardened bias. Look around. Feel the coffee. Is that Jewish world-view in fact real??? Consider: there are precious and most eidel tmimim who are deserving of honor. Who cares about velt and the rest of the world of hevel vsheker. A tomim finished a mamer!

  4. Though you have a point, that’s all it is. Just as there may be a donor who would prefer matan beseiser, but will give publicly so others will learn (As the Rebbe spoke more than once) so to, what will accomplish more Limid Hachassisus?

    People knowing they have a structure and a goal will help incentivize more learning.

    More importantly others will see it and will desire it too. Unfortunately Penimiyus is not something that can be advertised.

  5. Like Niglah, chassidus needs to be learned in a systematic fashion with all the structure of curriculum, Tests, And certification. The idea that this somehow takes it out of its nostalgic purity and turns it into a cold academic pursuit is mostly untrue and, Without the slightest shadow of an without the slightest shadow of a doubt, outweighed by the benefits.

  6. מה יכול להיות רע בלימוד דא”ח העמוקים של אדמו”ר האמצעי והוא רק מגביה כל הדרגא של לימוד חסידות שכנראה שזה כוונת הרב אופן והלואי שכולם יעשו כן א ציבעלע זאלסט דו ווערען אבער חסידות זאלסט דו חזרן

  7. There is a difference between getting yehus from chazering Chassidus and learning Chassidus for yeshus.

    in the first case, the person is learning real Chassidus, and is only getting yeshus as an inevitable byproduct. In the second case, his Chassidus is founded on yeshus, and therefore not revealed Elokus.

    Of course, mitoch shelo lishma ba lishma and hamaor sheba machziro lemutav (like the story Reb Yoel would tell about Reb Meir Blezinsky), but it would seem inappropriate to set up and laud such a practice.

    1. In fact- the Rebbe gave permission/mandate to learn Chassidus, even if it’s לקנטר..
      ד״ה לא יכנף תש״כ

      1. The Rebbe did not suggest making a program for being mekanter.

        There needs to be a distinction what a yochid should do bedieved to save himself and a communal standard for lechatchila.

        1. In previous generations the yungeleit were not admitted to hear/learn Chassidus before having basic mastery of Shaar HaYichud. While for the sake of hafatzas hamaayanos, this is no longer required in our generation (this is all mentioned in Likkutei Diburrim pg 709), there needs be a distinction between what a yochid should do to save himself and a communal standard for lechatchila. In other words, certainly l’chatchila, teachers and mashpiim of Chassidus should be held to a standard.

  8. האם שייך ללמוד דרגות עמוקות של אין עוד מלבדו כדי להגדיל הישות שלו

    1. Since when is ein od milvado the culmination of what we were taught. What happend to the endgoal of Ahavas Yisroel? Kindness grows from self confidence. At least according to our expert educators.

      1. Yeshus and self anything causes one to be self centered (any kindness will be lgarmei). Genuine bittul to Hashem will cause one to devote themselves to others.

  9. It’s so refreshing to see people who are arguing about how to go about learning Chassidus. My heart is warmed that there are those who care about such matters. I am preoccupied with what I consider more relevant and serious things like parnasa, shidduchim, chinuch, mental health, religious stagnation, quality of leadership, etc etc.

  10. The auther is basically implying that physicians, engineers and mashpias should practice their open sourced skills without formal recognition. That is dangerous.

    Chasidus, unlike Dayanus, is not a free for all peoples to wade into and then offer services. Soon Women of the Wall too will want to service our yeshivas, for “chasidus is for everyone”. Even culture-centric texts such as Hayom Yom would be meant to be translated for all. But that doesnt work.

    It may be true that no board can claim to be the sole heir and only authentic martial art, school of thaught, or healing system. But without such acredidation and recognition we would be left with a society of con artists selling invisible energies, reform chasidus and dangerous guidance. We should be thankfull for authoritative oversight entities such as, in the dizzying world of health care, the FDA. And the Board of Education.

    Having competing boards for oversight and authorization keeps out our fake saviours from misleading the public.

    1. Your comment is a display of why a accreditation is irrelevant with regard to Chassidus. Only someone far removed from traditional mashpia mekabel transmission could entertain an idea of certifying mashpi’im. The fact that nobody within the fold would take you seriously, is itself the answer to your concern for frauds posing as mashpi’im. The system is self governing.

  11. Mashpiim never had any form of certification. A true mashpia can be recognized by his sincerity and avodas Hashem.

    A mashpia that needs a degree is worthless (like the Frierdiker Rebbe said about the measured afikoman…).

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


The reCAPTCHA verification period has expired. Please reload the page.

advertise package