Ask a Lubavitcher Anything

[ExGingi]

Excellent thanks!
Full disclosure - I already have a drop of familiarity with the entry gate of the World of Toras Chabad (and many wonderful worlds does it indeed contain!)
I've been through Tanya (however I don't think it's been through me yet, as they say) and found the Tanya Hamaor Shebatorah to be fantastic.
The Likutei sichos, years ago I picked up the first 4 volumes and was amazed and re-amazed, and Dan you're probably right it's time to pickup the rest of the set.
For the last few years most weeks Shabbos morning I've been seeing a drop of the endless beauty contained in Likkutei Torah - Torah Ohr
Thanks to @ExGingi recommendation a while back somewhere on DDF I picked up a set of Basi Legani and looked at the Frierdiger Rebbe's as well as 5711-13 from the Rebbe over the summer.
And most recently a few weeks ago I opened a maamer from the Mitteler Rebbe on his Birthday and Yohrzeit and got a whole new appreciation of Shabbos and the world.

And this, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, is someone who wrote:

IANAL(ubavitcher)

Wait, @ExGingi liked this? Without a IANALY FTFY followup?

I rest my case!

[Dan]

I've been through Tanya (however I don't think it's been through me yet, as they say) and found the Tanya Hamaor Shebatorah to be fantastic.

Going in depth with this will bring whole new worlds to it.
https://store.kehotonline.com/prodinfo.asp?number=HAR-TANYCM.S

The Likutei sichos, years ago I picked up the first 4 volumes and was amazed and re-amazed, and Dan you're probably right it's time to pickup the rest of the set.

No doubt. It only gets better

[Dan]

And most recently a few weeks ago I opened a maamer from the Mitteler Rebbe on his Birthday and Yohrzeit and got a whole new appreciation of Shabbos and the world.

Wait until you start learning Hemshech Ranat
https://store.kehotonline.com/prodinfo.asp?number=HRR-SM59

[koplonko]

No doubt. It only gets better

Although there's something especially unique in the first 4 volumes that you won't really find much in the rest

[AsherO]

Although there's something especially unique in the first 4 volumes that you won't really find much in the rest

There’s something unique about each series. 15-24 are the ones I connected with best, but not to downplay any of the other series.

[dm123]

Thanks again for the recommendations @Dan

Thanks as well @AsherO , I'll have to pick up 15-24 and give it a go!

Nu, anyone else gonna post lechvoid hei teves?

[aygart]

Is there a compelling reason to buy the Kehos SA Harav instead of the Oz Vihodor?

[chbochur]

Is there a compelling reason to buy the Kehos SA Harav instead of the Oz Vihodor?

The mareh mekomos and haoros on the bottom is very compelling.

[mevinyavin]

And this, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, is someone who wrote IANAL!
I rest my case!

As someone who is NAL, I thoroughly enjoyed Rabbi Berkovits's leil Shabbos shiur on Sefer HaTanya, which he holds is an ikkur sefer for everybody. And he is NAL, either.

[Yehuda57]

Is there a compelling reason to buy the Kehos SA Harav instead of the Oz Vihodor?

If you go with the latter, don't tell @ExGingi

[ExGingi]

As someone who is NAL, I thoroughly enjoyed Rabbi Berkovits's leil Shabbos shiur on Sefer HaTanya, which he holds is an ikkur sefer for everybody. And he is NAL, either.

DDF team, please fill this guy in, he's a newcomer and is probably unaware.

[dm123]

DDF team, please fill this guy in, he's a newcomer and is probably unaware.

Amazing. Chassidus really does change a person. Other people post NAL and ExGingi shows up to correct them, I post it and I guess even through the computer he senses what Chassidus has done to me and gives me a like!   

[ExGingi]

As someone who is NAL, I thoroughly enjoyed Rabbi Berkovits's leil Shabbos shiur on Sefer HaTanya, which he holds is an ikkur sefer for everybody. And he is NAL, either.

Amazing. Chassidus really does change a person. Other people post NAL and ExGingi shows up to correct them, I post it and I guess even through the computer he senses what Chassidus has done to me and gives me a like!   

Well, that's easy: every Yid is a Lubavitcher, he or she might just not yet be aware of it

[dm123]

As someone who is NAL, I thoroughly enjoyed Rabbi Berkovits's leil Shabbos shiur on Sefer HaTanya, which he holds is an ikkur sefer for everybody. And he is NAL, either.

But on a more serious note, there's worlds of amazement and new understandings in Sifrei Chabad, don't just stop at Tanya.

a few weeks ago I opened a maamer from the Mitteler Rebbe on his Birthday and Yohrzeit and got a whole new appreciation of Shabbos and the world.

[ExGingi]

But on a more serious note, there's worlds of amazement and new understandings in Sifrei Chabad, don't just stop at Tanya.

Agreed.

Tanya is just the bait (or intro).



(Though the same could probably be said about any part of Sifrei Chabad, just depends on where you start).

[zh cohen]

Is there a compelling reason to buy the Kehos SA Harav instead of the Oz Vihodor?

Yes. In no particular order;

1 - From what I've seen of the Oz V'hadar, the Kehos one is much clearer and easier to read.
2 - The footnotes. To expand on chbochur's point, they did a wonderful job. First, they made clear which notes came from the Alter Rebbe (or his brother the Maharil), and which were added later. I do not think Oz V'hadar made that distinction. Second, they added marei mekomos for everything. Third, they reference later seforim of the Alter Rebbe (such as the siddur) when he paskens differently. This is often helpful in understand Chabad practice, as we follow the mishna acharona. Finally they reference later seforim that discuss the Alter Rebbe.
3 - The text was corrected based on early prints and kisvei yad.

[ExGingi]

3 - The text was corrected based on early prints and kisvei yad.

Wait, do you mean to say that Oz V'Hadar copied the text from Kehos earlier editions, without access to earlier prints and Kisvei Yad?

[Dan]

https://shop.sie.org also has some nice sales, cheaper than Kehot for their items.

[Pony]

they reference later seforim of the Alter Rebbe (such as the siddur) when he paskens differently. This is often helpful in understand Chabad practice, as we follow the mishna acharona.

Is there a centralized likut of all places that the Alter Rebbe paskended differently as a later date then what is paskened in Shulchan Orech Harav?   

[ExGingi]

Is there a centralized likut of all places that the Alter Rebbe paskended differently as a later date then what is paskened in Shulchan Orech Harav?

I guess this won't suffice  (transcription is slightly off, not sure where I can find the audio, maybe @zh cohen has it handy)