Chochma vs. Bina - Practical Manifestations - Part 4

Click here to read the introduction (Highly Recommended).

Chabad and Breslov:

I will now speak about Breslov and Chabad Chassidus. We see that they have many things in common. For example, both engage in spreading the wellsprings of Chassidus (Chabad according to the well known letter of the BeSh"T, "Eimasai Ka'asi Mar, etc." and Breslov according to the will of Rav Noson, that the main involvement should be with spreading [Rebbe's Nachman's teachings]). In this last generation, both of them are involved in Kiruv Rechokim and "making" Baalei Teshuva, and both have had to tolerate much opposition. The Baal HaTanya and Rebbe Nachman were Mechutanim (co-father-in-laws). The Baal HaTanya used to call himself the (spiritual) grandson (נכד) of the BeSh"T, like Rebbe Nachman, z"l. there are other connections, but this is not the place to expound. However, the difference between them is in the aspect of Chochma and Bina, as I mentioned.

It is explained that the holy BeSh"T was the aspect of Adam Harishon, which included all levels and all aspects, in the aspect of Keser Haklali [All-Inclusive Crown] (the Chariot of Elokim, K'vayachol). After that, all of the students of the holy BeSh"T continued in his holy way. They were pipelines and vessles to draw down the holy light of the BeSh"T for generations. However, there are many disparate lines and particular traits in them, because even though all of them were tied and reached the light of the BeSh"T. Nevertheless, each one of his holy students had his own way, from some trait or aspect, to ascend to the aspect of Keser (the light of the BeSh"T).

(Even Rebbe Nachman, z"l, despite the fact that he, on one hand, revealed many new aspects, as he said explicitly, nevertheless, there is also within him the aspect that he is continuing to reveal the light of the BeSh"T, similar [to the relationship between] the Ar"i and Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai. Even though the Ar"i revealed new things, which were not expounded in the holy Zohar explicitly, nevertheless, all of the new revelations of the Ari were a revelation of the light of the Rashbi in "new vessles." Through the "new vessels of the Ar"i we merit to receive the light of the Rashbi. It is the same thing regarding the BeSh"T and Rebbe Nachman.)

We must divide up those who followed the holy BeSh"T into four principal lines: 1) Chochma, 2) Bina, 3) Chesed-Gevurah-Tiferes and 4) Netzach-Hod-Yesod-Malchus. (Despite the fact that it is known that accoridng to Kabbalah all of these aspects include all of the aspects [as sub-aspects] , which means that there are more specific divisions [to be made] , this is not the place to expound.) (At the time of the Magid [of Mizrich], these divisions did not yet exist, because the Magid, in this respect, was the aspect of the BeSh"T...) 1) The Baal Hatanya is the aspect of Chochma. (Throughout the Tanya, he refers to the sefira of Keser as "Chochma," because his way was to ascend to Keser is through "Chochma." Therefore, he established the "shita" of Chabad whose essence is the revelation of G-dly Chochma in the Torah of Chassidus.) 2) Rebbe Nachman tied his revelation to the Sefira of Bina, as Rebbe Avraham b'Reb Nachman, z"l spoke about at length in the sefer כוכבי אור. (Even though Rebbe Nachman, himself, was the aspect of Keser, nonetheless we did not merit that the aspect of Keser should be revealed in the days of Rebbe Nachman, [but he instead] revealed in himself with the garments and vessels of Bina.)

3) The Rebbe Reb Elimelech, zy"a, and his students are connected to Chesed-Gevurah-Tiferes. Therefore, they mainly involved themselves in matters of Ahava, Yirah and Deveikus. (the way of Kotzk, Pshischa, etc. was tied to Daas Tachton, which is the inner essence of Chesed-Gevrua-Tiferes) 4) The general way of Chassidus in the later generations [has been]tied to Netzach-Hod-Yesod-Malchus. (And therefore Chassidus receives light in a way of remembering the levels of the earlier generations. And so too in their practices and commitments, etc [they endeavor to do like the Zaides and Bubbes].) But here is not the place to expound [further].

Let us return to the matter of Chabad and Breslov, who are connected to Chochma and Bina, two inseperable friends. there is much in common between them. They are both involved in repairing the world and spreading the wellsprings of Chasidus to bring the redemption closer. The idea of the redemption is related to the aspect of Keser and therefore, only Chochma and Bina, the two parts of Keser (as is apparant from the physical analogy that the right brain [Moach HaChochma] and the left brain [Moach HaBina] are within the skull, which corresponds to Keser) are involved... in bringing the redemption closer through spreading the wellsprings [of Chassidus] and "making" Baalei Teshuva.

However, there is a difference between Chochma and Bina in their method of repairing the world, which is also expressed in the two different ways they express Chassidus, as mentioned above. In Chabad Chassidus, the main Kiruv Rechokim is done through the G-dly Chochma in Chassidus. This is the way of Chochma. (In the last generation, this is also done by practical mitzvos (Mivtzo'im), in the aspect of concrete actions, even without any inner thought. This is tied to that which will be explained later, that Chochma's root is in the Ancient [Atik]. And therefore, it reveals the elavatedness of Malchus [mitzvos that are purely physical], whose end is bound up in their beginning, but this is not the place to expound on this topic) And in Breslov, Kirus is mainly done through [mekuravim] learning ways of Avoda[s Hashem], Teshuva, Hisbodedus, joy, etc., because the idea of Bina is Teshuva and the service of the heart.

[Section omitted from translation] Therefore, one who learns the seforim of Chabad receives a level of the loftiness of G-d, and the greatness of Hashem until the Infinite Light, which no mind can grasp. And one who learns the seforim of Breslov receives a feeling of closeness to Hashem and a strengthening of the feeling that Hashem is with him and beside him. This is the aspect of the revelation of Keser of "Arich," which reveals that no place is empty of Him.

This is also the secret of the words of Rebbe Nachman, who said that he wants that all of his Chassidim should come to be "like me, literally." Meaning: they should come to the aspect of Arich, where the aspect "He equates the small with the great, etc." will be revealed.

Click here for part 5, Rebbe Nachman and the Shpoler Zaide.

-Dixie Yid

Update: A Simple Jew has a guest posting relating to this topic by Rabbi Dovid Sears, which can be found here. Also, Chabakuk Elisha has a guest posting at Mystical Paths on some of the commonalities between Chabad and Breslov here.