Question:
What are the roots of both the approaches of Mussar and Chassidus?
Answer:
This is a very expansive discussion, and the following is all being written in extreme brevity.
[INTRODUCTION] Chazal state that Hashem created a special ohr (lit. “light”, a revelation) on the first day and hid it away for the tzaddikim in the future. Thus the main, complete level of this ohr light has been hidden away from Creation. What remains today from it are parts of its he’arah (illumination, a partial level of the ohr/ light), which are called nitzotzos, “sparks”. Today the keilim, the “vessels” which are meant to contain this ohr (light), are only able to contain “sparks” of the light. These “vessels”, as they are manifest in our world, are a mixture of good and evil, especially ever since the sin of eating from the Eitz HaDaas, when a mixture of good and evil entered into everything.
[MUSSAR] The Gra explained the rule of the Gemara that “Where there is wine available, there is no need for any remedies”, it means “Where there is Torah learning, there is no need for mussar.” The reason for this is because the hidden light (ohr haganuz) which Hashem stored away at the beginning of Creation really became hidden in the Torah. When this light shines completely, it banishes all evil, because “the words of Torah cannot accept tumah (defilement).” However, when the ohr of Torah isn’t found at the complete level, there becomes a need for mussar (ethics, self-discipline). The word mussar is from the word “l’yaser”, “to remove”, hinting that it is an approach in which a person can banish and remove the evil within one’s human nature, mainly through waging war with those forces of evil that are found in human nature. This connects us to the sparks (the nitzotzos) of ohr (spiritual light) which shine on this world. That is why, in the approach of mussar, the general avodah is to remove our negative middos (character traits). Reb Yisrael Salanter taught that this is accomplished through the method of contemplating the depth of evil that a person can sink to when he doesn’t work on himself, which brings a person to punishments of Gehinnom, etc. Corresponding to this reflection, one also needs to make use of the light of the Torah, as a spiritual power to remedy the particular evil one is facing, by studying the particular area of Torah which discusses the evil of a particular character trait. The way to actualize this concept in our avodah is by reviewing many times, with passion, with “lips on fire”, a particular statement of the Torah or the Sages. Correspondingly, one also needs to make use of the imaginative faculty, by imagining the punishment for unfixed character traits. At the core of this approach is to uproot the evil from within oneself, and in this way, one actually wages war with the forces of evil. The student of R’ Yisrael Salanter, the Alter of Kelm, expanded the idea of reflecting into the statements of Chazal, through the approach of “chochmah v’mussar” (wisdom and ethics). This is by learning the depth of the character traits, from reflecting into the statements of Chazal about them, and also by reflecting about the ways and happenings of the world. The way to actualize this concept in our avodah is through being orderly, precise, and serene, which is expressed through taking on small resolutions to improve. His student Reb Yeruchem of Mir expanded upon the above approach, through the approach of “daas chochmah u’mussar” (integrated knowledge, wisdom, and ethics). It is through reflecting into the ways of conduct of the Creator, as it pertains to the Creation at large. (This approach was also mirrored by the Ramchal in sefer Daas Tevunos.) In this way, one reflects about each thing to encompass all the details. Then, a person takes upon himself small resolutions, to act upon what he has realized. The Alter of Novhardok established that the concept of bitachon (placing one’s confidence in Hashem) is the pillar of our avodah. This represents the state of Adam before the sin. It is about letting go of the self, through working on the concept of bitachon. This is actualized through going to an extreme in order to act upon bitachon, so that a person is can easily undergo a self-effacement (bittul) amidst strongly pursuing truth. This path enables one to strongly connect to the sparks of spiritual light on this world, and even more so, to the light itself. However, this is mainly for the purpose of removing evil from oneself. The Alter of Slobodka established the root of man’s avodah as gadlus ha’adam (the greatness of man), or tzelem elokim (“in the image of G-d”). Through this, a person is able to distance oneself from all evil, because when one realizes his greatness, he will avoid evil. This path brings a person very close to becoming attached with the very ohr itself. However, the purpose of this path was to “replenish the spirits of those who feel lowly and crushed in spirit”, so it makes use of the “light” for that specific purpose of healing people. The mashgiach R’ Chatzkel Levenstein mainly took the approach of Reb Yisrael Salanter, but he was also very connected to the concept of “palpable emunah”. He established clearly that the purpose of all his avodah was to live with palpable emunah, and that the entire purpose of banishing evil from oneself is to live a life of palpable emunah. From amidst this palpable emunah, he left to his eternal home. Rav Dessler, the author of Michtav M’Eliyahu, integrated the approaches of mussar (ethics) with Chassidus (devotion) together, by delicately fusing the “light of chassidus” into mussar.
[CHASSIDUS] The approach of Chassidus is based on the ohr haganuz which Hashem hid away for the tzaddikim in the future, and even more so, it was based on the new ohr which will be revealed in the future. Its purpose is to bring a person to a palpable sense of being actually attached [to Hashem]. It is also about elevating the nitzotzos, the sparks that fell from kedushah as a result of sinning, to bring the fallen sparks of kedushah back to its root, to the ohr that it came from. That is why much of Chassidus contains the concept of birur, “sorting” the sparks, which is essentially about refining the character traits, such as channeling our misused love, misused fear, etc. back to their root. It is about elevating the sparks of kedushah that are contained within the mixture of good and evil in each thing. Even more so, it is about tikkun hekeilim, to “repair the vessels” mainly through the concept of “A little bit of light can banish a lot of darkness”, and to thereby wage war with evil. A large part of this avodah involves the concept of ahavas Yisrael (loving the Jewish people), by focusing on how “A Jew who sins is still a Jew” (Sanhedrin 44a), etc. This is all enabled through the ohr that came down to the world which can illuminate even a person on the lowest level. In order to access that ohr, one needs to (1) Become connected to a tzaddik, who brings a person to the shoresh of his neshamah. 2) To focus on the secret dimension of Torah, called razin (secrets), and the deeper secrets of Torah, which are called razin d’razin (secrets of secrets), revealed in Chassidus. Through this, one becomes connected to the ohr EinSof and shines the “oneness” of Hashem (achdus) onto the Jewish people – which is the depth of ahavas Yisrael. And that light can also spread to the rest of Creation and unify the entire world under the one reality of Hashem. The Baal Shem Tov mainly emphasized two parts in his avodah: (1) Emunah, also called p’shitus - simply attaching oneself to Hashem, and through this, one becomes davuk (attached) and miskalel (integrated) within the ohr EinSof. (2) Yichudim (certain intentions to have while doing to saying something). Through these two aspects, coupled with ahavas Yisrael, one extends the revelation of Elokus (G-dliness) upon the world, and from that, all shefa (sustenance) comes to the Jewish people. The primary focus of the Baal Shem Tov’s path emphasized increasing the light of the neshamah upon oneself, as opposed to smashing the physicality of the guf (body).
The way of the Baal Shem Tov was explained through his students. It is known that he wanted 60 students, corresponding to 60 warriors that surrounded the bed of Shlomo. However, the one who filled his place was the Magid of Mezritch. His avodah was to reveal the source of chochmah (wisdom) which is in ayin (nothingness) – a wisdom that revealed Elokus, G-dliness. His students and those after them continued to explain his teachings, and it would really require an entire series of sefarim to explain all of the details. The following is just a general description.
Each sect of Chassidus took a particular middah (trait) by which one can reveal Elokus (G-dliness) upon the world. This wasn’t just to repair evil character, but for a higher purpose: to reveal Elokus. For all middos (traits) are really middos of HaKadosh Baruch Hu, and though repairing a certain middah, one elevates the nitzotzos, “sparks” of the holy middah which fell down from their source, and he also repairs the kli, the vessel that contains the trait. One who learns Chassidus needs to clarify, based on the sefer as well as on the life of the author of the sefer, what the root middah is, by which the author is revealing all of his words of Torah and way of avodah. (This is also generally true about all sefarim). Based on this, one can then understand the way of thinking and the path of the author, and thereby know how to go about the ways of avodah of the particular author. This is deep and subtle, because one needs to know the particular world, path, and trait the sefer is based on.
Here are some general examples [of the this insight]: The sefer Noam Elimelech is based on the trait of yesod-tzaddik, meaning that it is about connecting to the root, and from this, to bestow good upon a Jew. The sefarim of Slonim are mainly about emunah. The sefer Toras Avos established how from emunah comes kedushah (sanctity), the trait called yesod, and also the kedushah of Shabbos. Breslev focuses on p’shitus (simplicity), emunah peshutah (simple faith), by which one can draw forth chochmah, from its source that is called ayin. It involves having emunah peshutah in Hashem, and emunah peshutah in a tzaddik. The root of this is to guard the trait of the tzaddik, which is yesod. The way of Chabad is hisbonenus (reflection), by comparing two different matters with each other. The root of this is to compare the difference between Creator and creations, and from this, to bond with the Infinite. The way of the Sfas Emes is to find the root that empowers each thing. The way of Rebbi Pinchos of Koritz is to have an encompassing view, to see each matter from above and around the matter, thereby gaining a new perspective in each matter. This is why he stressed truth, to be aware of the beginning, middle and end of a matter. It is to gain an encompassing view of a matter, so that one can see the full picture, the full truth. The way of the Kedushas Levi is the trait of ahavah. Therefore his avodah was to reveal an unlimited love, endless ahavas Yisrael and always judging others favorably. The way of the Kamarna is to have emunah peshutah and to make oneself as ayin (nothing). It is to use the light of emunah, to become a container to house the level of ayin. Through this one can bond with a “G-dly light” and with spiritual bliss. The way of Reb Baruch of Medzhybizh is gevurah, restraint. The way of Reb Yisrael of Rizhin is to have d’veykus in Hashem, by going above the world, to be like a king above his nation, and thereby enable shefa to come from above down to the world. It is like standing “above” the confusing “garden-maze” of life [mentioned in the beginning of Mesillas Yesharim], not because one has traversed the “garden-maze” but an ability to be above the “garden-maze” to begin with! The way of the Chozeh of Lublin is, as implied from his title of “Chozeh”, “Seer” – as is known, he closed his eyes for seven years which enabled him to see any detail at its root. The way of the Ohev Yisrael is described in the introduction to the sefer Ohev Yisrael: “Only through this middah (of ahavas Yisrael) will I be glorified in the Heavenly Court.” His ahavas Yisrael was firmly established in his heart. In the first section of the sefer, he said that “The main pleasure of man is to bestow good upon other people and give pleasure to others, and all else follows [the above is only a partial list.]
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