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1. All of the elevations take place through song:

In the future era we will experience 50,000 Jubilee elevations. This means that the world will experience a revolutionary change and promotion in its G-dly experience every 50 years for a total of 50,000 cycles [for a total of 2,500,000 years]. Now, all of these elevations will take place through song. This is hinted to in the term Jubilee in Hebrew which is Yovel, as it states in scripture that the individual known as Yovel invented music and is hence coming to hint to the idea that all elevations take place through music.

• The divine lesson:^[1] One cannot underestimate the great innovation and inclusion of song within the Chassidic doctrine and way of life. The purpose of a Chassidic song is not simply to serve as entertainment during gatherings of the Chassidic brotherhood, but is an integral aspect of the personal and private service of G-d demanded of a Chassid. It is not possible for a Chassid to excel in service of G-d without imbuing music within it. Contemplation of G-dliness that is meant to precede prayer, and be performed during prayer, must traditionally be co-joined together with a Chassidic tune and soulful melody, and so was done by the greatest Chassidic Masters who would pray together with song. Song has the power to open one’s heart and emotions, and bring one to the next level of emotional experience during prayer. So records the Alter Rebbe in numerous discourses [in the name of the Maggid] and so has become an edifice in Chassidic thought, that the meaning behind the Mishneh in Shabbos which states that all the animals who have a bell/Shir may go out on Shabbos with the bell/Shir, is that one leaves his current level through song. In greater detail, the Alter Rebbe is quoted to have said as follows in interpretation of the above Mishneh:^[2] The time of prayer is considered the Shabbos of the weekday. Now, how does one get his animal soul to leave on Shabbos, during the service of prayer, this is through Shir, song. Every individual has a different type of animal soul, with some having a camel and others a donkey and others a horse. Every level needs its own specific divine service. Nonetheless, the general divine service that works for all animal souls is song, as with song one can experience Ratzo and Shuv. Singing a melody during prayer has the ability to remove the animal soul and refine the good and arouse an internal concentration. With this teaching, the Alter Rebbe entered into the hearts of the Chassidim service of the heart and the power of song and melody to arouse concentration within prayer. Furthermore, song even has the ability to expand one’s intellectual capabilities of comprehension, and hence we find that on one occasion the Alter Rebbe chose to sing a Chassidic melody with his audience instead of answering their deep analytical and philosophical questions. After the conclusion of the singing, those in the audience suddenly understood the answers to their questions. In light of this, the Rebbe stated in a talk said in 1992 Parshas Beshalach:^[3] “Being that we are standing by Shabbos Shira, we can learn from this the following lesson and practical directive. The concept of song in the service of man is during prayer… And this is the practical lesson, that prayer needs to be in the way of song, which means it should be out loud with singing and joy. This matter is relevant [not just to men but] even to women and children that they too are to pray in the above-mentioned way. However, regarding this there is a difference between women and men, as women must beware of the issue of Kol Isha and therefore they must pray in a modest fashion, Kol Kevuda Bas Melech Penima, while adult men and male children on the contrary should pray with singing and joy and specifically out loud. And here’s the place to make mention regarding a wild custom, and despite the fact that this is become a set custom, it is nonetheless wild: There are some people that when they see a Jew going up to the Amud to pray, not only are they themselves particular to pray silently to the point that they can barely hear their own prayer, but furthermore if they see a certain Jew that desires to pray out loud in a way of singing, they immediately tell them to be quiet by saying “Sha Sha” in order to force them to also act like they do. And therefore, they must know that even if this custom [of praying silently] has a foundation, this is not the Chabad custom! As we find that the Alter Rebbe would Daven specifically out loud with singing, and in fact due to this we have learned some of his Niggunim, and the same applies for all the Rabbeim who followed after him. From all this we need to learn that prayer must specifically be with song joy and out loud.”

[1] See Torah Or Bereishis p. 7; Mikeitz p. 37; Likkutei Torah Kedoshim 30b; Korach ibid; Bracha P. 92; Shir Hashirim 1b; Siddur Im Dach p. 275; Mamarei Admur Hazakein p. 120; Derushei Admur Haemtzai 17p. 518;

[2] Likkutei Dibburim Hebrew 5 p. 1197

[3] Sichos Kodesh 5752 Parshas Beshalach p. 594

Chabad Custom:^[1] The Tzemach Tzedek rules that the custom is to be stringent to not eat milk [and cheese] with fish unless one adds butter to the fish.^[2] Some^[3] write that this means to say that if one mixes butter into the milk or cheese it may be eaten with fish. Practically today many in Chabad are accustomed to refrain from eating fish with milk products unless butter is added, although others are lenient.

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^[1] Shaareiy Halacha Uminhag 5 page 177 [omitted from Shulchan Menachem]

The custom of the Chabad Rabbeim: Rav Yaakov Landau testified that the Rabbeim were stringent not to eat fish with cheese or milk. Some however claim that the Rebbe himself would eat fish and cottage cheese on the same plate. [Hiskashrus 464] Rav Leibel Groner replied to me that he never saw the Rebbe eat fish and cheese on the same plate.

[2] The Tzemach Tzedek stated that although the source for such avoidance is said to be a misprint nevertheless the custom is to be stringent. [ibid]

[3] Shaareiy Yoreh Deah ibid; footnote of editors in Shaareiy Halacha Uminhag ibid

Bedieved:^[1] In the event that one transgressed or forgot and placed food under the bed, some Poskim^[2] rule the food is permitted to be eaten.^[3] Other Poskim^[4] rule the food is forbidden to be eaten and is to be discarded in an area where people will not be able to access. The main opinion follows the lenient opinion.^[5] Nevertheless, the practical directive of the Chabad Rabbeim was not to eat such foods^[6] and so is the accustomed ruling amongst Chabad Rabbanim.^[7]

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[1] See Kaf Hachaim 116:44; Imreiy Yaakov 10:30; Sefer Shemiras Haguf Vihanefesh [Lerner] 14:5

[2] Shvus Yaakov 2:105; Pischeiy Teshuvah 116:4; Chayeh Adam 2:2; Glosses of Rav Akiva Eiger 116:7; Yad Efraim 116:5; Arugas Habosem 6:1; Shem Aryeh 14:12; Mili Dechasidusa 458; Poskim brought in Darkei Teshuvah 116:35 and Kaf Hachaim 116:44; Yabia Omer Y.D. 9-10; See Darkei Teshuvah 116:35 that the Gr”a was only stringent upon himself; Imreiy Yaakov 10:30

[3] The reason: As it is the Sages only initially forbade placing the food and drink under the bed, however Bedieved the food is permitted. [Shvus Yaakov ibid, based on Tur Y.D. 6 in name of Baal Haitur and Baba Basra 58 in Pirush Rashbam]

[4] Birkeiy Yosef 116:10 in Shiyurei Bracha; Zivcheiy Tzedek 116:28; Ben Ish Chaiy Pinchas 14; Gr”a brought in Binas Adam 63, brought in Pischeiy Teshuvah 116:5 and in Shaareiy Rachamim 156:2 in name of Binyan Olam that the Gr”a forbade sugar that was left in a cabinet that one slept on top of [brought in Darkei Teshuvah 116:38]; However see Darkei Teshuvah 116:35 that the Gr”a was stringent only upon himself while to others he ruled leniently and would tell them to eat the food; Avnei Yoshpei 1:141 that Rav SZ”A and Rav Aba Shaul ruled to forbid it even Bedieved [brought in Hakashrus 18 footnote 103]

[5] Kaf Hachaim ibid that so rule majority of Poskim and if the stringent opinions would have seen all the Poskim that are lenient they would not have been stringent, and certainly one may be lenient in a time of great loss, or if there is another reason to be lenient, such as by raw foods, or if the food was not actually on an earth floor; Sefer Hakashrus 18:25 [p. 435] rules that the Poskim have ruled that Bedieved it is allowed, and especially in a case of loss, although when applicable, one is to wash the food three times.

[6] See Igros Kodesh Rashab 1:134; Directive of Tzemach Tzedek and Rebbe Rashab as recorded in the stories below, heard from Rav Eliyahu Landau Shlita

Tzemach Tzedek: The Tzemach Tzedek once witnessed his helper going to eat food that was left under the bed. The helper said to the Tzemach Tzedek “Rebbe, I do not fear the evil spirit.” The Tzemach Tzedek replied “Fool, fool, do you know what an evil spirit is? It causes you for three days to not want to learn or daven.” [heard from Rav Eliyahu Landau Shlita]

Rebbe Rashab: A person once asked the Rebbe Rashab what to do with food left under his seat on the train, if he fell asleep during the ride, and the Rebbe Rashab replied that the food may be eaten as the entire issue is only a bed that one slept on. See also Igros Kodesh ibid in which the Rebbe Rashab asked Rav Y.M. Bespalov for a Halachic ruling on Tabaco that was left under his bed, hence implying that certainly by food and drink we are stringent.

[7] The reason: It is proper to avoid eating the food or drink due to it being damaging to one’s spiritual health, as brought in the story with the Tzemach Tzedek, recorded above.