A New Series Bringing Chassidus to Life

It’s Hey Teves, 5786. Stores bustle with throngs of Chassidim heeding the Rebbe’s call to populate their homes with holy books. Catalogs are perused and sales compared, each Chossid trying to find the purchases that will bring them the best value and spiritual enrichment. Likkutei Sichos. Chumash, Gemara, and Halacha. Explanations on Tanya. The proliferation of new seforim has enriched classic works and opened fresh avenues of study.

As the Rebbe’s “Chag HaSeforim” is upon us once again, Vaad L’hafotzas Sichos — the official publisher of the Rebbe’s edited works — is proud to present something new in this tradition: a bold English series of the Rebbe’s Maamorim, translated and explained in a way that brings them to life for today’s reader. It promises an animated learning experience unlike any other publication.

Rabbi Noam Wagner, who translated and elucidated the series, explains why learning the Rebbe’s Maamorim is so essential. “As important as it is to study all areas of Torah and Chassidus, there’s a vital component that a Chossid can only glean from learning the Rebbe’s Chassidus. Each generation has its Moshe, who serves as a spiritual guide, addressing the unique challenges to his generation. The sole way one can receive these insights is through consistent engagement with our Rebbe’s Chassidus.”

“While studying the Rebbe’s Sichos also accomplishes this goal, there is a unique depth reached through the rigorous study of the Rebbe’s Maamorim. Chassidim have always described the delivery of a Maamer as a uniquely sublime and elevated experience,” Rabbi Wagner adds. “A Sicha discusses ideas of Chassidus, but a Maamer is the Chassidus itself.”

The tone of the translation is a cross between a live, in-person shiur and a warm, intimate Farbrengen. Each idea is explained step by step, making even deep concepts easy to follow. Special attention is given to showing how the Maamer speaks directly to real life today, even though these teachings were delivered many years ago. This, more than any other feature, sets this series apart from others like it.

The series is designed around key dates in the Chassidic calendar. Each volume centers on one Maamer connected to a specific day the Rebbe marked with a specially edited Maamer. The current set includes volumes for Hey Teves, Gimmel Tammuz, and Zos Chanukah.

Each Maamer begins with an overview of the significance of that day in Jewish and Chassidic history. For instance, the Gimmel Tammuz volume opens with an exploration of that day, starting from the miracle of Yehoshua, the Frierdiker Rebbe’s initial release in 5687 (1927), and the modern Chossid’s struggle with the meaning of the events of Gimmel Tammuz 5754. This is followed by an overview of the core themes of the Maamer itself, preparing the reader to delve deeply into the Maamer by first exploring its basis and axioms. This leads into the final section, where the full Maamer is presented in its original language, alongside an English translation and interpolated commentary.

“Chassidus is a living thing, and these days are vibrant and relevant. The purpose of this series is to allow a Chossid to enrich his experience of these days through the ideas of the Maamer,” Rabbi Wagner says. “Chassidus is described as ‘or v’chayus nafsheinu,’ our source of light and life. Our goal is to present these Maamarim in congruence with that notion. It is our mission to empower Chassidim to learn Chassidus with passion, excitement, and relevance, and not merely as an intellectual exercise.”

Another unique quality of this translation is the way it interpolates the footnotes that were published with the original text into the translation. “This elucidated series does not contain any novel insights or explanations. The Rebbe’s intent with these footnotes was to provide depth and context to the Maamorim, and our translation fulfills that vision by presenting it to the reader without having to expend time looking up the sources himself, most of which are not available in translation,” Rabbi Wagner explains.

The cover page of each Maamer is adorned with beautiful first-of-its-kind mosaic artwork built from symbols, scenes and icons connected with the themes of that Maamer. “I tried to visually tell the story of the Maamer, pulling ideas, metaphors, and moments into a single image that you can slowly unpack,” Moshe Katz, the artist who created these pieces, shares. “It wasn’t easy to balance meaning, clarity, and design all at once, but the end result feels true to the Maamer, and speaks for itself. The goal was to help readers connect to Chassidus not just through learning or feeling, but by seeing it in a way that feels alive and relevant.”

This Hey Teves, bring these Maamorim into your home and allow the Rebbe’s teachings to permeate your life with richness, depth, and meaning. Explore and purchase the series here: https://www.esicha.org/product/eternal-series-maamarim/