‘The World is Deteriorating, He Will Be Very Successful’

When Reb Shlomo Zalman, the Rebbe of Chabad-Kopust, heard that bochurim in Tomchei Temimim learn four hours of Chassidus daily, he was surprised. But later he admitted that the Rebbe Rashab was right, “The world is deteriorating by the hour, and he will be very successful.”

Reb Shlomo Zalman was the eldest son of the Maharil, and a grandson of the Tzemach Tzedek. He was born circa 5590 (1830), and in 5607 (1847) he married the daughter of Reb Yaakov Aryeh Leib Luria from Lepli.

For the first few years after his chasuna he lived in Lepli, studying diligently while being supported by his father-in-law. In 5615 (1855) he returned to Lubavitch where he gleaned much from his grandfather the Tzemach Tzedek and great chassidim.

After the Tzemach Tzedek’s histalkus, Reb Shlomo Zalman followed his father to Kopust, where he was eventually appointed by the chassidim to take his father’s place upon his passing in 5627 (1866). He led the Kopuster chassidim untill his own departure from this world on 27 Iyar 5660 (1900).

Although there were differences in practices and philosophy between the chassidim of Lubavitch and Kopust, his maamorim followed the Chabad style and some of them were printed in the sefer Magen Avos after his passing.

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For many years, there was a reluctance to study the sefer Magen Avos due to Reb Shlomo Zalman’s involvement in appointing his father in Kopust, which was against the opinion of the Rebbe Maharash. However, in our generation, this reluctance was lifted by the Rebbe’s directive.

On 25 Tishrei 5730, the Rebbe told his brother-in-law, the Rashag that the maamarim in Magen Avos are “geshmake maamorim,” and thus, one can learn them, even though in the past… there was a saying among chassidim not to study them” (Toras Menachem Menachem Tzion, vol. 2, p. 374).

The Frierdiker Rebbe writes to a chossid who was unsure whether to study Magen Avos, saying, “I have already said regarding this matter, that if the study is proper, then it is good. And that which you write about what you heard, in such cases it is said, ‘he who closes his ear from hearing [shall not be affected]'” (Igros Kodesh Rayatz vol. 14, p. 358).

Likewise, the Frierdiker Rebbe, and especially our Rebbe, referred to the other Chabad Rebbes with the title of כ”ק אדמו”ר, an honorific they generally reserved for our Rebbeim. When the editors of kovetz Yagdil Torah placed a letter by one of the other Chabad Rebbes in the section for “Chassidim Harishonim,” the Rebbe instructed it be moved to the section titled “Rabboseinu Nesi’einu” (Avodas Hakodesh, p. 23).

The Rebbe explained that the split within Chabad was not a machlokes in the simple sense, it was a division leshem shamayim. As such, both sides are destined to endure for eternity (Sichos Kodesh 5752, p. 11-12). The different streams of Chabad, the Rebbe said, have since flowed into and merged with the great river of Lubavitch, under the leadership of the Frierdiker Rebbe (Toras Menachem 5713, vol. 3, p. 57).

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The yeshiva Tomchei Temimim was founded in Lubavitch at the end of 5657 (1897), and the seder included learning Chassidus four hours every day: two hours in the morning before davening and two hours at night after nigleh. Concerning this practice Reb Shlomo Zalman declared: “At first when I heard that young bochurim were learning four hours of Chassidus daily, it didn’t sit well with me. But now I see that he (the Rebbe Rashab) was correct. Di velt falt oif shaois (the world is deteriorating by the hour) and he will be very successful.”

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After the printing of the Rebbe Maharash’s Likutei Torah L’Gimmel Parshiyos, R. Shlomo Zalman of Kopust disputed a chidush written there that the letters of the ‘reshimu’ weren’t impacted by the tzimtzum. R. Dan Tumarkin stood up for his Rebbe’s honor, and he began a weighty correspondence with the Kopuster Rebbe that lasted over two years.

Although he was defending his Rebbe’s position, R. Dan nonetheless wrote to the Kopuster with great respect. While R. Dan was very knowledgeable in Chassidus, the mashpia R. Groinem thought that he “wore a garment too big for him” in debating with the Kopuster. Still, the Kopuster was impressed with R. Dan’s understanding of Chassidus, and he wrote that “halevai there should be baalebatim like him in the thousands.”

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One Rosh Hashana night, R. Shlomo Zalman delivered a maamar about lofty spiritual worlds. After mairiv, when the elder chossid R. Aharon of Liozna came to wish him “L’Shana Tova,” the Magen Avos told him, “Just look how precious this world is! In Olam Haba, one can only speak about the level at which one is holding, no greater. In this world, however, one can speak as high as one wishes.”

“But,” R. Shlomo Zalman concluded, “One must also not be a fool…”

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In a letter to a mashpia who requested to be exempt from his task of chazering Chassidus publicly, Reb Shlomo Zalman writes:

Prior to chazering Chassidus for a big crowd, if Hashem will help you, (and surely He will), firstly remove all ulterior motives and selfishness, thinking deeply about one’s lowliness.

Then draw down upon oneself fear of Hashem’s kingdom — at least in thought — by remembering the subject about which you are talking: Kudsha Brich Hu, yichud Havaye and Elokim, sovev and memalei. Like the Rambam writes regarding davening, think that you are a low creature standing in front of the great Almighty. Behold, this is a great and special avodah that brings pleasure that is a thousand times greater to our Creator than would your isolation.

Words that emanate from the depths of the heart will penetrate the hearts of others.

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