Machshava:

Ethics 

Collections: Rabbi Weinberger: Tanya

Description

P. 302. Hashem vested the chachamim (sages) with the power to change the very essence of something He created; e.g., alhtough from the Torah a certain mixture of food might be permitted, if the chachamim forbade it, this mixture is now inherently detrimental to the neshamah (soul) of a Jew. Various stories of simpy having emunas (faith in) tzaddikim (righteous people) (Chasam Sofer, R' Akiva Eiger, Divrei Chaim). When a tzaddik says something, reality is affected by his statement; this stems from Hashem giving the chachamim the power to change the reality of something. Not understanding the difference between "halachically" (legally) observing Shabbos and keeping Shabbos in hashkafah (outlook) and pnimius (inner perspective). Hashem desired that certain halachic principles be revealed by the chachamim.