Chassidus Explained

Rabbi Shmuel Wagner

Chassidus that speaks your Language!
Enjoy a weekly Shiur on a Maamar of Chassidus, with a focus on clarity and practical application. Some will be one-week Maamarim, while others will continue over three or four weeks, but each Shiur will contain in it a clear, complete, and concrete lesson, culling from the truth of Chassidus and carrying into our modern-day lives. Invigorate your week with a fresh infusion of Chassidus energy!

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22 episodes
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Episodes 22

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S49 · E2
September 7 · 38 min
Ani Ledodi 5746 אני לדודי תשמ"ו part 2/2 (end of Se'if 4-Se'if 8)
Finishing the מאמר, the רבי answers the questions from סעיף ג, using the theme of the המלך בשדה as the "לב" of אלול to explain the connection of the אלול to פרשת ראה and to פרשת שופטים, while at the same time explaining why there is no פרשת שופטים in לקוטי תורה! The explanation is based on understanding the specialty of the "field" as it relates to the עבודה of אידן, and how that will be expressed when משיח comes.
S49 · E1
September 3 · 53 min
Ani Ledodi 5746 אני לדודי תשמ"ו part 1/2 (Se'if 1-4)
In this powerful מאמר, the רבי focuses us on the point of the אלטער רבי's משל of המלך בשדה, highlighting the beautiful connection of Hashem and the אידן made available during the month of אלול. The רבי explains this with a wonderful דיוק of the fact that the משל is printed on דף ל"ב - heart - of לקוטי תורה חומש דברים: The "heart" of אלול is the beautiful connection of Hashem and the אידן as they become the heart of one another - and that is dependent on the אידן feeling this heartfelt connection with one another!
S48 · E4
July 1 · 59 min
Nosato Lirei'echo 5736 נתת ליראיך תשל"ו part 4/5 (Se'if 7-9)
Continuing along the theme of ירידת הנשמה למטה, the רבי uses the rule of "כל הגבוה ביותר יורד למטה יותר" - whatever has a higher source falls lower - to demonstrate how a נסיון requires the most strength from the person to overcome: Being that in a נסיון, the sparks of קדושה are the most concealed, they are on the lowest level, thus showing on the power of their source, and the power of the נשמה of the איד necessary to use against the נסיון. To explain that, the רבי takes us through the עבודות of: fulfilling מצות עשה, pushing away לא תעשה, transforming לא תעשה, and ultimately נסיונות, ultimately showing us how נסיונות is incomparably different than עבודת הבירורים - even that of a לא תעשה.
S48 · E3
June 26 · 53 min
Nosato Lirei'echo 5736 נתת ליראיך תשל"ו part 3/5 (Se'if 5-6)
Contrasting בירורים (even by מצות לא תעשה) with נסיונות, the רבי explains how נסיונות are not a true existence - as by the 'river' in the story of the עקידה - and that is how a איד passes tests - by remembering that they are only passing tests! This explains the עבודה of the פריערדיקער רבי in prison, making a firm resolution not to be intimidated by them - being that they are not a true existence. (See linked שיחה.) Continuing on into the main part of the מאמר, the רבי sets out to explain at length the difference between בירורים and נסיונות, beginning with the overall explanation of the reason for the נשמה's drastic descent into this world.
S48 · E2
June 12 · 37 min
Nosato Lirei'echo 5736 נתת ליראיך תשל"ו part 2/5 (Se'if 3-4)
The רבי finishes the מאמר's opening part by showing how אברהם's עבודה of מסירות נפש came from his יחידה. This opens up the מאמר's discussion of the difference between the עבודה of בירורים and that of נסיונות: While בירורים means to work with the object, נסיונות is to distance oneself from it. Whereas בירורים is engagement with this world, נסיונות is the disengagement from it.
S48 · E1
June 2 · 54 min
Nosato Lirei'echo 5736 נתת ליראיך תשל"ו part 1/5 (Intro, Se'if 1-2)
This שיעור begins with a lengthy introduction to the מאמר's history, specifically connecting it with the miracle of the Entebbe raid that happened the week that this מאמר was said. (We also delve into the history of how מאמרים מלוקט began.) The מאמר begins with the פסוק of "נתת ליראיך", and how this פסוק is referring to the עבודה of נסיונות that demands מסירות נפש, which comes from the יחידה of the נשמה.
S47 · E2
May 24 · 59 min
Atah Hareisa 5746 אתה הראת תשמ"ו part 2/2 (Se'if 4-10)
Continuing to explain the theme of rain vs. dew in תורה, the רבי explains how rain is a reference to נגלה, while dew refers to פנימיות התורה. While the main גילוי of טל תורה is only when משיח comes (connected to the dew of תחיית המתים), we already received it by מתן תורה, including the ability to understand it, just like נגלה! This explains why the dew is referred to as "גשם (נדבות)" - to emphasize that חסידות should be learned with the same understanding as נגלה is. This is what we received by מתן תורה, as is highlighted by משה רבינו, דוד המלך and the בעל שם טוב - the three צדיקים connected to שבועות, as the רבי makes a חידוש that also משה רבינו's הילולא was on שבועות!
S47 · E1
May 18 · 42 min
Atah Hareisa 5746 אתה הראת תשמ"ו part 1/2 (Se'if 1-3)
In this מאמר of שבועות, the רבי explains the concept of the "dew" of תורה that was used to revive the אידן by מתן תורה, and, based on the fundamental teaching of the בעל שם טוב, we experience anew on שבועות every year. It begins with understanding the difference between the concepts of rain - Hashem being משפיע to us reciprocally - and dew - Hashem giving us irrelevant of how we are.
S46 · E4
May 4 · 39 min
Gal Einai 5737 גל עיני תשל"ז part 4/4 (Se'if 8-10)
Finishing the מאמר, the רבי explains the connection between ל"ג בעומר and "עד הגל הזה": The whole point of the barriers of סדר השתלשלות is for the איד through his עבודה (through the גילוי of פנימיות התורה beginning on ל"ג בעומר) to break those barriers, thus showing the true intent and reality of the צמצום. That explains the connection between ל"ג בעומר and "גל עיני": Not just for חסידות to be revealed, but for it to be revealed from the parameters of the תחתון - because that is the truth of what the תחתון really is!
S46 · E3
May 3 · 48 min
Gal Einai 5737 גל עיני תשל"ז part 3/4 (Se'if 6-7)
The רבי continues to show the theme of the מאמר - the "עליונים" being expressed from the "תחתונים" - within the כונות of מצות, as well as in Davening: No matter how high the כונת המצוה is in חסידות and קבלה, the ultimate goal is to show it from the simplest parts of תורה, as well as in the simplest כונות. This is also why the צמח צדק talks about the importance of simplicity in Davening ("אני מתפלל לדעת זה התינוק") specifically in the מאמר that discusses the deepest כונות.
S46 · E2
April 29 · 56 min
Gal Einai 5737 גל עיני תשל"ז part 2/4 (Se'if 4-5)
The point of מתן תורה - and, by extension, the point of ל"ג בעומר - was not the גילוי מלמעלה as much as that the גילוי should be מלמטה ("getting down to the bottom of it"). Thus, the רבי explains the דיוק in the פסוק of "גל עיני" - it is about the person seeing the נפלאות of תורה. On a תורה level, this means seeing the נפלאות of פנימיות התורה from נגלה (as will be explained more in the next שיעור). On a broader level, this means seeing the נפלאות of תורה from the כונת המצות, which answers why the צמח צדק brings the של"ה's explanation of כונת המצות in the middle of the discussion about פנימיות התורה, as will be explained.
S46 · E1
April 23 · 46 min
Gal Einai 5737 גל עיני תשל"ז part 1/4 (Se'if 1-3)
Beginning this ל"ג בעומר מאמר, the רבי quotes a מאמר from the רבי מהר"ש that explains the connection of ל"ג בעומר - the day celebrating רשב"י's revelation of פנימיות התורה - to this פסוק of גל עיני. We also bring from the צמח צדק who quotes the של"ה that "נפלאות מתורתך" means the כוונות of מצות, and now we need to understand the connection between the secrets of תורה and the כוונות of מצות.
S46 · E5
March 29 · 51 min
Beyom Ashtei Asar Yom 5731 part 5/6 (Se'if 7)
To better understand the wisdom of the one who chooses the King, the רבי analyzes a משל from the אלטער רבי about the various levels of people (and dogs) who benefit from the king's feast. What emerges from the רבי's דיוק is that the מדרש's משל of the ministers who are with the king do not only mean קליפה, but actually include מלאכים and ספירות! The פקח who chooses the king sees through all the spirituality and wants Hashem Himself! We also פארברענג a bit about the message of this מאמר of aligning our full selves with what Hashem wants, the ability to see through the often, many seemingly-correct options and the clarity of choosing what Hashem truly wants.
S46 · E4
March 26 · 53 min
Beyom Ashtei Asar Yom 5731 part 4/6 (Se'if 5-6)
Continuing with the 3rd step of explaining the wisdom of the אידן in their choosing קדושה over קליפה, the רבי explains how it is not about making a choice for a better return, it is rather about purely choosing the King! But not because it makes sense: the profundity of this choice, the רבי continues in the 4th step, is that it does not originate from intellect; it emerges from the נשמה. At the same time, however, the מדרש calls the איד a "פקח", because this essential choice of the נשמה affects the שכל of the איד as well to choose as well. How? Stay tuned...
S46 · E3
March 25 · 44 min
Beyom Ashtei Asar Yom 5731 part 3/6 (Se'if 4-5)
In this part of the מאמר, the רבי continues with the 2nd step of explaining the wisdom of the אידן in their choosing קדושה over קליפה: Choosing קדושה requires real sacrifice in commitment, ביטול, and sufficing with limited ROI. Whereas קליפה is a free-for-all, no commitment needed, offering a heavy commission fee as well! Why would a איד choose the King? Because the King never leaves. It's about the end game, and in the end, the good guys always win. After the בירור, there will not be any more קליפה, never mind its windfall profits.
S46 · E2
March 19 · 46 min
Beyom Ashtei Asar Yom 5731 part 2/6 (Se'if 3)
What is the fundamental difference between עבודה זרה and, להבדיל, belief in Hashem? In this part of the מאמר, the רבי breaks it down by delving into the nuanced differences of שיתוף and עבודה זרה, thus uncovering the core mistake of עבודה זרה and how אידן know better. This is the 1st step in explaining the wisdom of the אידן in their choosing Hashem over the forces of nature. In this שיעור, we delve into many of the רבי's explanations of אמונה and בטחון and how that connects to the epitome of rejecting עבודה זרה in the most subtle expressions.
S46 · E1
March 6 · 32 min
Beyom Ashtei Asar Yom 5731 part 1/6 (Se'if 1-2)
Beginning this landmark מאמר, the רבי seeks to understand the nature of us choosing Hashem and Hashem choosing us. The מדרש says that choosing the king over the ministers is wise, because only the king lasts forever. What is so wise about choosing the king, and what does that have to do with the reason of the king's eternity?!
S45 · E4
February 23 · 49 min
Al Kein Koru Layomim Ho'eileh Purim 5713 part 4/4 (Se'if 8-9)
Finishing the מאמר, the רבי explains why we refer to the יום טוב's miracle as "פורים": When the truest בחירה of עצמות comes through the גורל, then Hashem's ultimate choice in the אידן is expressed even in סדר השתלשלות, and we see how the lottery was for our good the entire time!
S45 · E2
February 16 · 45 min
Al Kein Koru Layomim Ho'eileh Purim 5713 part 3/4 (Se'if 7)
If אחשורוש is already a level above השתלשלות - where the גזירה can take effect - why did המן need the גורל? The רבי explains that while in the "אחשורוש" plane of above השתלשלות there are no differences of levels, there are still levels. Whereas on the "גורל" plane, there are no levels at all. Only from that place can המן plan his גזירה.
S45 · E2
February 9 · 49 min
Al Kein Koru Layomim Ho'eileh Purim 5713 part 2/4 (Se'if 5-6)
If גורל is such a high level, what was המן thinking to use it against the אידן ח"ו?! The answer is, specifically from such a high level of סובב did המן think that his plot can take effect. Because within השתלשלות, even המן understood that he does not stand a chance against the אידן. This is connected with אחשורוש, which is the level of סובב. That is where the silence of קדושה can become silence of קליפה. So why did he need a גורל?! Stay tuned...

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