The Chabad Hasidic Movement, which was started in the 18th Century Poland by Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov, has spread to every continent on the globe (except Antarctica). Chabad, a Jewish organization, which under the Lubavitcher Rebbe spread to as far as Timbuktu, has revived Jewish communities in places where it has nearly gone extinct and provided inspiration, counseling, and aid to Jews and non-Jews globally.
The basic tenets of Chabad Hasidism are belief in one God, connection to the Rebbe and his teachings, love of fellow Jews, and actively ushering in the age of the Messiah through good deeds and acts of kindness.
Belief in One God
Jewish people believe that there is one and only one God who creates and sustains the world.
According to the Hasidic view, there is nothing but God, the world exists "inside" of God, and God simultaneously runs the show and participates in it. God is both transcendent and immanent, meaning that God exists both as outside of Creation as an omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent external power and as the Divine Presence hidden within the illusion of nature (i.e. the soul cloaked in a body).
Connection to the Rebbe
The Lubavitcher Rebbe was the most recent leader of the Chabad movement, and is seen today as the most influential Jewish leader in modern history. A Rebbe is not only a leader, he is a father figure and a tzaddik --- a righteous person who embodies of all the precepts of the Torah (the Jewish Bible). The Lubavitcher Rebbe emphasized the need for each Jew to show love for his fellow, that all Jews are equally loved by God, and that even the holiest tzaddik can learn from the simplest Jew.
The Hasidim who closely follow the Rebbe's teachings view his teachings as timeless and relevant. The Rebbe is there source of inspiration and guidance. As Chabad.org states, "In particular, the insights of the Rebbe are highlighted, for his teachings enable us to appreciate the light and power of faith in terms that we can easily relate to and understand."
Relationship to Fellow Jews
Chabad Hasidim believe that all Jews carry fragments of the soul of Adam, the original man, and each Jew has a mission to rectify a different part of the original sin. Each Jew's mission is connected with his fellow Jew's. This deep connection means that all Jews are rooted in the same source and can be compared to the different parts of one entire body. The body must work in harmony, peace, and unison in order to function at its highest level. So too, the relationship between Jews must be peaceful to thrive.
Ushering in the Messiah through Good Deeds
Another Jewish belief is that there will come a Messianic Age, when peace will be established between all mankind and there will be material and spiritual prosperity for all. Chabad Hasidim believe that the age of Moshiach (the Messiah) is near and that every good deed, act of kindness, and the fulfillment of the Torah commandments draws the period of the Messiah closer. Hasidim actively seek to perform good deeds and inspire others to do good deeds as well.
Chabad Hasidim, at the Rebbe's direction, have opened Chabad centers in far-reaching locations. These centers provide spiritual education, services, assistance, and a home environment for Jews residing or traveling by them. The emisaries of the Rebbe spread the message of monotheism and the Rebbe's belief in the value of human life and the potential of each Jew to fulfill his or her mission in tikkun olam (fixing the world) to hasten the arrival of the Messiah.
Sources:
- Chabad.org, What We Believe. Accessed June 2011.
- Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson of Lubavitch and the Tzemach Tzedek, The Mitzvah to Love Your Fellow As Yourself, Kehot Publication Society.
Eliana Amzallag - Eliana Amzallag is a freelance writer with experience in both the music industry and wedding services.
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