B"H

Lech Lecha

Chassidic CPR

And He breathed into his nostrils a spirit of life (2:7)

In 1772, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi founded Chabad Chassidism. 'Chabad' is an all-embracing world outlook and way of life in which the intellect plays a key role in man's service of the Creator. The mind is trained to exert its innate sovereignty over the 'small world' that is man: by using his intellect to comprehend and relate to the reality of G-d, a person develops feelings of love and awe towards the Creator, refines the his character, and perfects his behavior.

The bar mitzvah of Rabbi Schneur Zalman's eldest son, Rabbi DovBer, was on Thursday, the 9th of Kislev 5547 (November 30 1786). Many guests came to Liozna for the event and the festive chassidic gatherings, ('farbrengens') lasted throughout the week.

A group of farbrenging chassidim were discussing the era of Moshiach and the destined resurrection of the dead when one of them remarked:

"Our Rebbe revives the dead. What is a corpse? Something cold and unfeeling. Life is movement, warmth, excitement. Is their anything as frozen in self-absorption, as cold and unfeeling as the mind? And when the cold-blooded mind understands, comprehends, and is excited by a G-dly idea - is this not a revival of the dead?!"