Hayom Yom – 29 Menachem Av Work on your own rather than get from another without effort. This idea is linked to the debate between ‘Chabad and Poland’ and their respective approaches to Chassidus. The Alter Rebbe gave the Ma’ayan (the fountain itself) to Chassidim and gave them the guidance they would need to achieve a personal connection to Hashem through their own efforts. The Polish Chassidic Rebbes held that the ‘precious stone at the base of the King’s crown’ cannot be given to anyone and must be guarded. Accordingly their Chassidus, was the Rebbe giving the Chossid and the Chossid merely took it. In our generation this is Shlichus (action) which the Rebbe announced on the first day (10 Ahvat 5711) is something we will need to do on our own.
