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Weekly Chasidic Story#1459 (5786-10) 4 Kislev 5786 (Nov.24, 2025) "The Need For Lofty Spiritual Experiences" The Litvak [Lithuanian-style Jew] was ecstatic. “Shabbos with the [2nd Lubavitch] Rebbe was like spending a Shabbos in Gan Eden!” Why This Week? Shabbat is the yahrzeit of the 2nd Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi DovBer Story in PDF format for more convenient printing\
The Need For Lofty Spiritual Experiences
There was a chasid of the "Mitteler" Rebbe of Chabad who had a partnership with a Litvak [Lithuanian-style Jew]. The chasid was always encouraging his partner to travel to the Mitteler Rebbe and meet him, but the Litvak did not see a point in the expense and the trouble. Once, the two had occasion to make a business trip to very near where the Mitteler Rebbe was staying. The Litvak this time agreed that it would be worthwhile to take advantage of the opportunity, and they spent Shabbos together by the Rebbe. After Shabbos, the chasid asked his partner about his impressions. The Litvak was ecstatic. He couldn't stop describing the bliss he experienced that Shabbos with the Rebbe. 'I literally felt myself as if I was standing at Mt. Sinai and hearing the Ten Commandments from the Al-mighty himself. It was like spending a Shabbos in Gan Eden etc. etc."! Now it was the turn of the chasid to feel dejected. He loved his Rebbe, and was a devoted and loyal chasid, and had spent years learning from the Rebbe and following his directives. Yet he had never felt anything like what his partner was describing, in his very first Shabbos! What was wrong with him? With a heavy heart, he turned (as a troubled chasid will invariably do) to the Rebbe. During yechidus (private audience), he poured out his worry to the Mitteler Rebbe. Was the Litvak that much greater than him as to reach in one Shabbos a higher revelation than he'd reached in years? But the Rebbe put his mind at ease. That is the way it is meant to be, he explained to the chasid [in Yiddish]: "A chasid muz gloiben, ober a Litvak muz ibertzeilen!" [a chasid needs to believe (and therefore doesn't need to be able to enjoy such a lofty spiritual revelation), but a Litvak needs to be able to 'count over'" (i.e., he needs tangible experiences)]. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Why this week? Shabbat - Sunday, 9-10 Kislev, is the birth date (9th), miraculous liberation date (1oth), and date of passing (9th) of Rabbi Dov-Ber, the Mitteler Rebbe of Chabad. Biographical note:
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Yerachmiel
Tilles is co-founder and associate director of Ascent-of-Safed, and chief editor
of this website (and of KabbalaOnline.org). He has hundreds of published stories
to his credit, and many have been translated into other languages. He tells
them live at Ascent nearly every Saturday night.