Aseh Lecha Rav and Knei Lecha Chaver have two different purposes. Sometimes it’s helpful to hear from a rabbi/mentor is not helpful if it’s from a friend. I know that when I am going through a hard time and I expressed my pain to a friend, but I want to hear is, “wow. that sounds painful. Must be hard to go through that“. I don’t want my friend to tell me, “here’s how you fix the problem“. That just adds salt to the wound.

How are we to know if the Rebbe’s private correspondence which as we see was extremely context based is supposed to be the way to talk to everyone going through such a complex mental health crisis.

How does it feel to start having everyone who you express depression to, tell you “you are self-preoccupied” – that’s extremely damaging unless out of true love like the Rebbe had.

Yes, of course the Rebbe’s advice may not be appropriate to every situation (as the Rebbe himself said many times). But we should remember what we’re talking about: Not psychological advice, but Dvar Hashem and Toras Emes!

Be proud and unashamed of the Rebbe’s true guidance. Stop bowing to the nvi’ei hasheker.