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Reflections on the Theology of Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe

Author: Rabbi Faitel Levin

For the first time ever, the Lubavitcher Rebbe`s theology - the philosophy that spurred the growth of Chabad Chasidism into a worldwide movement- has been encapsulated in one volume for the English reading public.

Better known for the social programs he created, the Rebbe`s profound genius is brought into sharp focus in this thoughtfully written work. Drawing on the vast treasury of discourses and written works by Rabbi Schneerson, the author explores the metaphysical implications of placing the essence of holiness squarely within the mundane. This radical outlook is then applied to offer a distinctly Lubavitch perspective on Jewish observance , the soul, the afterlife, and Jewish outreach.

Heaven on Earth tackles this intellectual task with the layperson in mind, and the author`s skillful use of everyday analogies - from laser beams to chocolate ice cream - keeps this heavenly exploration down to Earth.

"...Very well written and readable. Examples and analogies especially excellent and illuminating...."

In Heaven on Earth, Rabbi Faitel Levin draws on the writings of the movement`s late leader Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson to reframe Chabad`s divergent expressions as the product of one coherent, revolutionary theology.
Through a lens that Rabbi Levin terms "dirah betachtonim" - literally a "dwelling place in the lower realms" - utter physicality is the essence of G-d. Unlike previous Jewish approaches to G-d, "dirah betachtonim" brings G-d into the here and now without having to transcend physical limitations. "The physical is actually the essence of G-d", writes Rabbi Levin. "Not because the physical serves as a spring board for the spiritual, nor because one learns to find some redeeming feature, some transcendent dimension in the physical. No, physicality itself provides the ultimate mystical encounter."
Countering centuries of religious thought, the centerpiece of Heaven on Earth shows that the corporeal body is primarily not an enemy but a friend. To make his provocative point, Rabbi Levin culls from Talmud, early Jewish thought, kabbalah and early chassidic writings.
Scholarly, comprehensive and approachable, Heaven on Earth reveals how the Lubavitcher Rebbe revolutionized Jewish theology and exposed the Divine within as simply, exhilaratingly skin deep.

Heaven On Earth is a thoughtful amalgamation of reflective commentaries on the theology of Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe. Author Rabbi Faitel Levin reviews and discusses metaphysical concepts such as the drama of creation and the language and logic of Dirah Betachtonim, the spiritual role and function of Mitzvot, the afterlife, and much more. A profound testimony, written with careful, scrupulous reasoning, which is invested with a palpable emotional strength, Heaven On Earth is highly recommended reading and a significant, much appreciated contribution to Judaic Studies collections and reading lists.

Rabbi Faitel Levin was born in England and educated in England, France Israel and the U.S.A. He received his rabbinical ordination from Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim Lubavitch in 1982. From 1979 to 1981, Rabbi Levin served on a team of chozerim, memorizing verbatim the Rebbe`s many hours long addresses and producing the published transcripts. Levin, author of Halacha, Medical Science and Technology, and founding editor of The Australian Journal of Torah Thought, is Australia`s most sought after lecturer on Halachic issues. Presently, Rabbi Levin is rabbi of the Brighton Hebrew Congregation in Melbourne.