What's The Point?

During his travels throughout Europe, the previous Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, once met with a delegation of prominent Jews. The meeting took place in the lobby of a rather famous hotel. The delegation asked the Previous Rebbe to explain the significance of Chasidic philosophy. What was its point, its innovation? What had it introduced into Judaism that had not been there before? And if it introduced nothing new, why did he, the Previous Rebbe, place such an emphasis on its teachings?
In response to the question, the Previous Rebbe asked the delegation to examine the ceiling of the hotel lobby. As the meeting occurred at night, it was difficult to make out many architectural details. The Previous Rebbe then held up a lamp, illuminating the intricate frescoes and artistic designs that adorned the upper walls and ceiling. What had seemed drab, ordinary, uninspiring, turned out, when bathed in light, to be inspiring, beautiful and awe-inspiring.

The Previous Rebbe then explained that Chasidism was like the lamp. It did not introduce anything new, but rather illuminated what was already - and always - there but had been hidden, unseen.

This ability to illuminate the "dark corners" takes many forms. The illumination can come from a niggun, a melody, often wordless, that rouses and raises the soul. It can be found in a profound mystical discourse, or a topical discussion of the weekly Torah reading, a holiday, some aspect of Jewish law or thought, or even current events. Even Chasidic customs clarify venerated practices, infusing the mandatory with meaning and the legal with life.

And at a "Chassidishe farbrengen" (gathering) soul-searching words-from-the-heart reach one's essence, reflecting an inner, often unknown potential.

Then there are the stories - stories of wonders and miracles, of self-sacrifice and faith, stories with deep lessons and simple truths. Chasidic stories teach life lessons from Torah insights and illuminate - there's that word again - the essence of the Jewish soul. Many acts might inspire us and many stories might impress us. But Chasidic stories are unique. For, through a Chasidic story we are shown righteousness, humility and devotion. And we are shown that these eternal qualities are not so far from us. For Chasidic stories turn on little things - a small change in pronunciation of a word, a minor act of kindness, a slight turn to perceive what had been hidden.

And Chasidism illuminates through metaphors. Since Torah is the blueprint of creation, all of creation reveals the Torah. From headaches to emoticons to hitting a fast-ball to chess, within each experience, we find Torah. That is, from every encounter we should learn to see the holiness it contains.

For if we see the holiness within one event, we will measure our actions so as to perceive it - and reveal it - in the next. And what enables us to do so, what illuminates us that we may illuminate the world?

Chasidism.