Did the Alter Rebbe doubt us all?

The Alter Rebbe, whose Yohrtzeit is on Tuesday C"D Teves, expected us to awaken our hearts to the service of Hashem through Meychen, learning about Gadlus HaBeyre, which in turn leads to Ahavah and Yireh. I believe the idea was and is that Avodas Hashem without learning the Inyonim, although it may seem like the heart burns with love for the Eybershter is not a true Aveydeh.

My question is as follows: Did the AR opine that only a pure Aveydeh is to be strived for, and that although the Chagas'nik may do the Mitzvah with seemingly more Kavoneh and daven with more varemkeyt, that the davenen and mitzvah is "worthless", maybe not in the Schar/Onesh realm, but worthless neverthless?




Most people will tell you that waiting for such opportunity is being unrealistic, but yet they'll daven a 45 minute Yom Kippur Shmone Esrey full of silly if not stupid Machshoves. They'll try hard to awaken some kind of excitement within themselves whether by intense swaying or loud clapping and chanting, which usually does nothing more than anger your neighbors and gets you to think that you're somebody important.

The Kotzker said it best, although they went to the other extreme of being "realistic". He once visited an old Chossid who was on his deathbed and asked him "נו, יענקל, ביסט שוין פטור געווארען פון די יצר הרע"? Yankel answered "No, Rebbe, he's telling me now פארמאך דיר די אייגען און זאג הויך שמע ישרא-ל, זאל דער עולם מיינען אז דא איז געשטארבען א צדיק" .

Never be sure of yourself.




(Photos of Reb Nissen O"H courtesy of SHTUREM