Friendships Between Genders

MyLife: Chassidus Applied Episode 104, with Rabbi Simon Jacobson

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The Alter Rebbe’s famous parable compares Chassidus to the crown jewel of a king, that has powerful healing properties. When the king’s child falls ill and all doctors have given up hope, a specialist informs the king that the only antidote is a rare mineral – found exclusively in the king’s crown jewel – which when crushed and mixed with water can serve as an elixir to save the child’s life. The king, of course, does not hesitate to sacrifice his crown jewel to save his child, though the entire crown’s value is dependent on it. So too with Chassidus: though it is the most precious jewel in the king’s crown, the king offers it to save his children who are spiritually comatose in our day and age.

Question: This analogy is good for convincing someone who hasn’t learned Chassidus to learn it. But what about those that are Torah committed Jews – how does the parable apply to them? And what about those that have studied Chassidus in the finest yeshivos, and then rejected these teachings — what is the “crown jewel” that could cure them from their spiritual illness?

Other topics that will be discussed this week include:

As an educator or parent, what is the best way to address a “friendship” between two young people from opposite genders?

Do you think it’s really possible these days to do hisbonenus that leads to אהבה ויראה?

Rabbi Jacobson will also continue describing the process of chazoreh and writing hanochos, remembering and writing the Rebbe’s sichos, and will follow-up on the topic of reward and punishment.

He will also review the following essays submitted in last year’s MyLife: Chassidus Applied essay contest: “Think Positive” by Mendy Levkivker, “Self-Identity” by Shlomo Gutnick, and “The Key to Modern Man’s Problems” by Chaim Sasson. These and other essays can be read online at meaningfullife.com/essays.

And finally, the Chassidus question of the week: I have seen aspaklarya ha’meirah translated as a “transparent magnifying glass.” Is this correct? What is the difference between aspaklarya ha’meirah and aspaklarya she’eino meirah, and what is its practical application to our lives today?

This hour-long dose of insights is meant to inform, inspire and empower us by applying the teachings of Chassidus to help us face practical and emotional challenges and difficulties in our personal lives and relationships. To have your question addressed, please submit it at meaningfullife.com/mylife.

The topics in this Sunday’s hour-long broadcast will include:

Chassidus applied to Purim Katan and Ki Sissa
How is the “crown jewel” of Chassidus that is used to save the comatose child relevant to Torah observant Jews?
Enforcing gender segregation
Is Hisbonenus applicable today?
Reward and punishment: Why would G-d want to hurt us?
Hanochos – follow-up
Chassidus Question: What is aspaklarya ha’meirah and aspaklarya she’ayno meirah
MyLife Essays: Think Positive, Self-Identity, The Key to Modern Man’s Problems
MyLife: Chassidus Applied addresses questions that many people are afraid to ask and others are afraid to answer. When asked about the sensitive topics he has been addressing, Rabbi Simon Jacobson commented, “I understand that the stakes are high and great care has to be taken when speaking openly, but the silence and lack of clarity on matters plaguing the community can no longer go unaddressed. The stakes of not providing answers are even higher.”

The on-going series has provoked a significant reaction from the community, with thousands of people viewing each live broadcast and hundreds of questions pouring in week after week. At the root of every question and personal challenge tackled by the series is the overarching question: Does Judaism have the answers to my personal dilemmas?

In inimitable “Jacobson-fashion”, the broadcast answers people’s questions in simple, clear language while being heavily sourced. Each episode is jam-packed with eye-opening advice from the Rebbeim, gleaned from uncovering surprising gems in their letters, sichos and maamorim that address our personal issues with disarming relevance. Simultaneously, Rabbi Jacobson is able to crystallize a concept quickly, succinctly, and poignantly for any level of listener.

All episodes are immediately available for viewing in the MLC’s archive and can be downloaded as MP3s for listening on the go.

Questions may be submitted anonymously at meaningfullife.com/mylife