Chassidus Made Real | Episode 3   Rabbi Kesselman Responds: Why Making Chassidus Fit Modern Psychology Is NOT Dirah B’Tachtonim   Is Chassidus supposed to adapt to our psychological needs, or are we supposed to transform ourselves to reflect the teachings of Chassidus?   In this episode, Rabbi Sholom Kesselman responds to a letter challenging his approach to learning Chassidus. The criticism: If the purpose of creation is Dirah B’Tachtonim, shouldn't Chassidus address our most basic human struggles, emotional needs, and psychological challenges?   Rabbi Kesselman explores a fundamental distinction between Dirah B’Tachtonim and what he calls Dirah L’Tachtonim B’Elyonim.   Who is the Mashpia, and who is the Mekabel? Are we allowing Chassidus to transform our worldview, or are we reshaping Chassidus to accommodate our existing assumptions and values?   Dirah B’Tachtonim is not about making Hashem fit into our world. It's about transforming our world into His home.   Also in this episode:   📖 New Chassidus Shiur! Beginning next week, we will be learning the foundational maamar תנו רבנן נר חנוכה תרמ״ג, with approximately two shiurim per week and the goal of completing it before Chanukah.   💬 Join the Chassidus Made Real WhatsApp Group!   A space to learn, ask questions, challenge ideas, share insights, and engage in meaningful discussions about Chassidus. You'll also receive updates on new episodes, shiurim, and articles.   Join here: https://chat.whatsapp.com/DkRAGOCZvosKNir1QmydhX   Help Chassidus Made Real Grow   We're looking for sponsors and supporters to help expand the program and bring authentic Chassidus to a wider audience. If you'd like to sponsor an episode or support the program's growth, please reach out.

Shabbos Bereishis sets the tone for the entire year.   In Episode 2 of Chassidus Made Real, we explore the message of creation on three progressively deeper levels:   1. Hashem created the universe — it has a Creator and an Owner. 2. Creation is continuous — every moment, Hashem brings the universe into existence מחדש. 3. כח הפועל בנפעל — ultimately, the existence of every created thing is nothing other than the Divine force bringing it into existence.   What does this mean for our understanding of אין עוד מלבדו — that nothing truly exists besides Hashem? And more importantly, how do we internalize this idea and make it real?

Welcome to Chassidus Made Real, Episode 1. The Makifim of Sukkos: A Pnimiyus’dike Engagement with Makif.   In it we explore the central theme of Sukkos - המשכת המקיף בפנימיות.    Some additional questions we cover include: What are Makifim? What is the Avoda of בסוכות תשבו - which seems to mean being בהתיישבות and בפנימיות within the Makifim? What are the Makifim of Sukkos? Where do they come from? Why are they showing up now all of a sudden? Why is Sukkos specifically זמן שמחתינו and how does this tie in to the מקיפים? What is ניסוך המים all about? Why is it specifically on Sukkos. Why is the associated שמחת בית השואבה such a joyous occasion and experience? How does this tie into the מקיפים of סוכות? Why do we have אושפיזין specifically on Sukkos and how does this tie in to the מקיפים?     We explore a beautiful explanation from the מיטעלער רבי in עטרת ראש that explains all of this    The picture of סוכות we emerge with is one of tremendous power, excitement, joy and closeness with Hashem.  Hopefully we can get some tangible and down to earth אותיות to really have an understanding and appreciation for the greatness, specialty, uniqueness and magic of Sukkos.   We conclude with a practical, relatable, and meaningful discussion about what it means to bring מקיף into פנימיות in our own lives. We explore several ways to identify an aspect of our עבודת השם that currently is a מקיף—an ideal that we aspire to but has not yet become part of who we are, and how Sukkos is about working to internalize that ideal until it becomes our new “normal.”   Please send all questions, follow up, feedback and comments to: [email protected]. As well, please send any questions or topics you wish us to discuss in future episodes to the above email address as well. Bez'h, all relevant feedback will be discussed in the next episode.     מראי מקומות: ד"ה בסוכות תשבו תש"י, ותש"מ. לקוטי שיחות ח"ט, וזאת הברכה, שיחה א. עטרת ראש, עמ' נז ואילך. לקוטי דיבורים ח"א. שמח"ת תרצ"ד