He said he could not lecture people in this manner. Etlichs vort fun Mussar is bei mir favashin mit trehrin – Every word of his moralizing was immersed and washed in tears. Because of this, he could not lecture people about religion.
At first, it was very difficult for us to understand what the Rebbe meant. It seemed to us that his every word was a religious lesson, literally burning with fire.
In fact it was true that he did not sermonize us like many preachers do, yet his every conversation dealt with devotion to God. All his words were literally like burning coals (Avot 2:10), and whoever was worthy of hearing them was literally filled with fiery inspiration.
It is impossible to describe in writing or in speech the holy fire of the Rebbe’s words. Even his most casual conversations were filled with holiness and purity. And when he presented a lesson or spoke about devotion, his every word would scintillate and sparkle. It would blaze like flames, flashing like a roaring fire (Psalms 104:4; Song of Songs 8:6).
You would only have to listen carefully and sincerely heed his words. Then every word would literally fly into you like a bolt of fire (Exodus 3:2). You would feel yourself being drawn to God and bound up with Him in a wondrous, fiery bond.
There were many such times when we were standing before his awesome holy splendor, that we felt that we no longer had free will. It was as if we were powerless to go against God’s will and we would never again be separated from Him. The Rebbe’s words drew us so strongly to God that we were sure we could never oppose God's will by transgressing even the most minor commandment. But experiences such as these are totally beyond description.
Even today you can become involved in the Rebbe’s works. If you study them sincerely and probe their depth, your heart will certainly be drawn to God by the Rebbe’s holy words. For all his words are like burning coals.
פַּעַם אַחַת שָׁאַל אוֹתִי בִּלְשׁוֹן תֵּמַהּ: הֲשָׁמַעְתָּ מִמֶּנִּי דִּבְרֵי מוּסָר?
The Rebbe once asked us, “Have you ever heard me lecture you about religion?”
וְאָמַר שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לוֹמַר דִּבְרֵי מוּסָר. כִּי כָּל דִּבּוּר מוּסָר שֶׁלּוֹ הוּא מֻטְבָּל וּמֻרְחָץ בִּדְמָעוֹת (בִּלְשׁוֹן אַשְׁכְּנַז אָמַר בְּזוֹ הַלָּשׁוֹן: אִיטְלִיכְס וָוארְט פוּן מוּסָר אִיז בַּייא מִיר פַר וַואשִׁין מִיט טְרֶעהרִין). וּמֵחֲמַת זֶה אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לוֹמַר מוּסָר בְּפֵרוּשׁ.
He said he could not lecture people in this manner. Etlichs vort fun Mussar is bei mir favashin mit trehrin – Every word of his moralizing was immersed and washed in tears. Because of this, he could not lecture people about religion.
וּבִתְחִלָּה הָיָה אֶצְלֵנוּ קְצָת תְּמִיהָה מַה שֶּׁאָמַר שֶׁאֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר מוּסָר. כִּי לְפִי דַּעְתֵּנוּ כָּל דְּבָרָיו הֵם דִּבְרֵי מוּסָר גָּדוֹל מְאֹד מְאֹד כְּאֵשׁ בּוֹעֶרֶת מַמָּשׁ.
At first, it was very difficult for us to understand what the Rebbe meant. It seemed to us that his every word was a religious lesson, literally burning with fire.
אַךְ בֶּאֱמֶת לֹא הָיָה רָגִיל לוֹמַר דִּבְרֵי מוּסָר בְּפֵרוּשׁ כְּדֶרֶךְ הַמּוֹכִיחִים, אֲבָל אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן כָּל דְּבָרָיו וְכָל שִׂיחוֹתָיו הָיָה רַק מֵעִנְיַן עֲבוֹדַת ה'. וְכָל דְּבָרָיו הָיָה כְּגַחֲלֵי אֵשׁ מַמָּשׁ.
In fact it was true that he did not sermonize us like many preachers do, yet his every conversation dealt with devotion to God. All his words were literally like burning coals (Avot 2:10), and whoever was worthy of hearing them was literally filled with fiery inspiration.
וּמִי שֶׁזָּכָה לִשְׁמֹעַ דִּבּוּר מִפִּיו, הָיָה נִכְנָס בְּקִרְבּוֹ כְּאֵשׁ בּוֹעֶרֶת מַמָּשׁ. וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְבָאֵר וּלְצַיֵּר לֹא בִּכְתָב וְלֹא בַּפֶּה עֹצֶם תַּבְעֵרַת קְדֻשַּׁת דִּבּוּרָיו שֶׁיָּצְאוּ מִפִּיו הַקָּדוֹשׂ וְהַנּוֹרָא בִּקְדֻשָּׁה וּבְטָהֳרָה. אֲשֶׁר כָּל דִּבּוּר וְדִבּוּר שֶׁלּוֹ אֲפִלּוּ בְּשִׂיחַת חֻלִּין, מִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן כְּשֶׁהָיָה מְדַבֵּר בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם אוֹ כְּשֶׁהָיָה אוֹמֵר וּמְגַלֶּה תּוֹרָה, הָיָה כָּל דִּבּוּר וְדִבּוּר מֵאִיר וּמַזְהִיר וּמִתְלַהֵב כְּאֵשׁ לוֹהֵט רִשְׁפֵּי רִשְׁפֵּי שַׁלְהֶבֶת.
It is impossible to describe in writing or in speech the holy fire of the Rebbe’s words. Even his most casual conversations were filled with holiness and purity. And when he presented a lesson or spoke about devotion, his every word would scintillate and sparkle. It would blaze like flames, flashing like a roaring fire (Psalms 104:4; Song of Songs 8:6).
וּמִי שֶׁהָיָה מַאֲזִין וּמַקְשִׁיב לִדְבָרָיו בֶּאֱמֶת וּבִתְמִימוּת, הָיָה כָּל דִּבּוּר וְדִבּוּר שֶׁלּוֹ פּוֹרֵחַ וְנִכְנָס בְּקִרְבּוֹ כְּלַבַּת אֵשׁ מַמָּשׁ, עַד שֶׁכָּל אֶחָד מֵהַשּׁוֹמְעִים הָיוּ נִמְשָׁכִין עַל־יְדֵי דִּבּוּרָיו לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּהִתְקַשְּׁרוּת נִפְלָא וְהִתְלַהֲבוּת גְּדוֹלָה לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בֶּאֱמֶת.
You would only have to listen carefully and sincerely heed his words. Then every word would literally fly into you like a bolt of fire (Exodus 3:2). You would feel yourself being drawn to God and bound up with Him in a wondrous, fiery bond.
וְעַל פִּי רֹב הָיָה נִדְמֶה לָנוּ בְּאוֹתוֹ שָׁעָה שֶׁעָמַדְנוּ לִפְנֵי הַדְרַת קְדֻשָּׁתוֹ הַנּוֹרָא, שֶׁבְּוַדַּאי לֹא יִהְיֶה לָנוּ עוֹד שׁוּם בְּחִירָה. כִּי בְּוַדַּאי בְּהֶכְרֵחַ לִהְיוֹת כִּרְצוֹן הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לִפְרֹד עוֹד מֵהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ. מִכָּל־שֶׁכֵּן לְשַׁנּוֹת רְצוֹנוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ לַעֲבֹר ח"ו, אֲפִלּוּ אֵיזֶה דָּבָר קַל בְּעָלְמָא. כִּי הַלֵּב הָיָה נִמְשָׁךְ מְאֹד מְאֹד לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ עַל־יְדֵי דִּבּוּרָיו הַקְּדוֹשִׁים אֲשֶׁר אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְשַׁעֵר וְלַעֲרֹךְ.
There were many such times when we were standing before his awesome holy splendor, that we felt that we no longer had free will. It was as if we were powerless to go against God’s will and we would never again be separated from Him. The Rebbe’s words drew us so strongly to God that we were sure we could never oppose God's will by transgressing even the most minor commandment. But experiences such as these are totally beyond description.
גַּם עַכְשָׁו כָּל מִי שֶׁיַּעֲסֹק בְּסִפְרֵי רַבֵּנוּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ וְהַנּוֹרָא זצוק"ל, וִיעַיֵּן וְיִסְתַּכֵּל בָּהֶם בֶּאֱמֶת וּבִתְמִימוּת, וַדַּאי יִתְלַהֵב לִבּוֹ מְאֹד לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ כִּי כָּל דְּבָרָיו כְּגַחֲלֵי אֵשׁ.
Even today you can become involved in the Rebbe’s works. If you study them sincerely and probe their depth, your heart will certainly be drawn to God by the Rebbe’s holy words. For all his words are like burning coals.