Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
The Rebbe’s approach to building an elite religious society – the Rebbe’s first book, written around 1920
Source 0: From the publisher’s introduction – insight into the intended audience for the monograph
Suggestion that the author only intended it for an elite audience and not for general consumption, but that
the proliferation of contraband copies and the needs of the time justify a wider circulation
Source 6: Excerpts from ‘Rules in the matter of the society’ (pp. 54-59)
Need to create a society rule-book: I commit myself to a process of self-improvement and purification; I invoke
God to help me no matter the circumstances and to carefully scrutinise all of my deeds and thoughts
When we gather, we won’t chat idly, but study; sometimes; we won’t glance at ideas that deal with self-
improvement, but study them carefully
The society is based on three principles: companionship, love and connection; the need to connect to the ideals
of the society even when occupied at other times