Pnei Hashem

Hashem, Pnei: - The author, who wishes to remain anonymous, is an award-winning writer in the secular world who was introduced to the wellsprings of Torah and Chassidus as a young adult. After decades of study and frequent interaction with some of the most renowned Rabbis of the generation, the author has been encouraged to focus his clear and incisive writing style on the explication of the depths of Torah.Regarding the author's anonymity, the hope is that this will enable the reader to focus exclusively on the message and not the messenger. The concept of bittul is central to the Chassidic tradition, yet it defies precise interpretation.

Commonly translated as self-nullification, the idea is that one can express her/his greatest potential when s/he allows the infinite to flow through her/him without the interference of the ego. That said, each of us has been created with particular qualities and talents with which we are to fulfill our given task. Therefore, one must strive to make a positive impact on the world while simultaneously nullifying her/his desire for recognition or acclaim.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe taught that everyone has a responsibility to use the qualities with which s/he was divinely endowed to share the universal wisdom and inspiration of Torah with those who are within one's sphere of influence: if you know aleph, teach aleph. It is the author's hope that this book will help many others - of all backgrounds and affiliations - to see the beauty and elegance of every aspect of their existence, and to live a life of profound optimism, love, meaning, and purpose.