What is a Rebbe? (Special for Chof Zayin Adar)

What is a Rebbe? What is the secret to a Rebbe? Can any human being become a Rebbe? The following is an excerpt from the new book on The Rebbe “The Rebbe inspiring a Generation” to see more see link:
www.inspiringageneration.com
it is a question-and-answer session among a group of college students from Colombia University that took place in the summer of 1951 With the Rebbe, shortly after the Rebbe assumed the mantle of leadership.

Q: What is a Rebbe?

A: A Rebbe is one whose soul also includes the souls of his Chassidim. When a Chassid comes to the Rebbe with a problem, he tries to find in the Rebbe the part of his soul which is included in the Rebbe’s and connect it with his soul, and thus be connected with the Rebbe’s soul. It is through this connection that the Chassid receives his material and spiritual life and needs.

For example, let us take the bulb which gives off light. The bulb itself cannot give any light; however, there are electrical power plants stationed in some distant part of the city which generate the power of light. There must be some

Resemblance in the bulb which enables it to receive the power from the plant. Therefore, a wire which is connected to the power station is also connected to the bulb, and when this connection is opened by turning the switch the bulb receives the power and will then function.

The same applies to a Rebbe and Chassidim. The Rebbe is the power plant which gives the necessary power to fulfill the commandments and obligations (spiritual) also, and delivers the needs to live a happy and prosperous life (material). The channel through which the Chassid can receive these necessities is his soul which is connected to the soul of the Rebbe. The function of the Rebbe is to deliver the above-mentioned necessities, spiritual and material, to his Chassidim.

Although the Rebbe is required to fulfill his bodily functions also, that is not his purpose or true function. It is only because his soul is bound with an earthly body which cannot exist without these functions. When one comes to a rabbi complaining of a headache and the rabbi gives him an aspirin, we surely won’t say that this is the function of a rabbi. The same is with a Rebbe, when he must carry out the necessary functions of the body.

Q: Can anyone become a Rebbe?

A: Not everyone can become a Rebbe. One needs something from above to fulfill this mission. It is easier when a Rebbe has inherited his position, just as it is easier for one who has inherited a talent to perform and develop his talents than one who has to develop them without immediate inherited talent.

Q: Is the function of a Rebbe like that of a psychologist? Can a Rebbe take the place of a psychiatrist?

A: When a psychiatrist speaks to his patient he regards him as an object of study. Though he is interested in curing his patient and in helping him adjust to life, his approach is to derive not only a healthy being but an accumulation of information about human beings for his future knowledge.

A Rebbe gives himself over completely to the person. When one is seeking a solution, the Rebbe does not study him but is more emotionally involved with the person who comes to see him. Only a small part of a Rebbe’s work is like that of a psychiatrist’s. That is not his primary function.

Yet when one needs aspirin for a cure, the Rebbe will tell him to go to the drugstore and buy some, and not try to substitute the prescription with something else. If he needs a psychiatrist to cure his ailment the Rebbe will not try to substitute his cure with another person.

Q: What is the difference between a Rebbe and a rabbi?

A: A rabbi is one who teaches his pupils when they come to him and will answer a question when it is brought to him. A Rebbe does not wait for you to come to him. He reaches forth among the people and tries to awaken them and inspire them, and tries to find ways and methods to bring them their religion.

Q: What is the difference between a “Rebbe” and a Rav?“

A: A Rebbe does not wait for you to come and ask him questions, but reaches forth among his people and tries to inspire them.

Q: What is the meaning of a ”bracha“ (blessing) which a Rebbe blesses?

A: The giving and receiving a ”bracha” traces back to the times of our forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Since then, it has been the custom.