Is it appropriate to ask questions about the Rebbe's actions?

[FlyingAxe]

During the same conversation I had with a local chossid that I asked a question about in this thread, the chossid claimed that b'etzem, asking questions regarding the Rebbe's behavior in terms of Halacha is not appropriate. E.g., asking why the Rebbe sometimes davened Mincha after shkia, etc.

He agreed that there is a level where you need to know the sources from Halacha, etc., for when other Jews ask questions, but, he said: "I grew up in Crown Heights, where nobody asked these questions. These questions are for the world and are for the lower level, for the people from the outside. B'etzem, asking questions is inappropriate. Questions come from klippah."

To me, this seems rather strange, and I would think the opposite is true. Obviously, we must not have doubts, chv"sh, that the Rebbe acts appropriately and that his actions are according to Halacha. Nor should we, as he said, lose sleep thinking: "How could the Rebbe do X?" But, to me it seems advantageous to know, when we can, the Halachos or Kabbalistic sources for the Rebbe's actions, on multiple levels, and not just b'dieved, for the purposes of the "outside", as he put it, but also l'hatchillo.

I recall reading somewhere that the Rebbe said himself that "It is praiseworthy to believe that one's Rebbe is right, but it is also praiseworthy to know why he is right", but I don't know the source. Also, I recall Arizal saying that Kol ha'mitzva vs. kol ha'mitzvos means that we have to fulfill each mitzva in its entirety, which includes ta'amei ha'mitzvos. Plus, the concept from this parsha that the whole episode with Bilam was just so that Yidden know about Moshiach and thus don't just do what Hashem wants from us, but know the purpose for which all of this is done.

Did the Rebbe (or previous Rebbeim) discuss this concept at any point? Thanks...

Update: I just want to emphasize strongly that I don't mean ask question in a way that assumes there might be something wrong. I mean specifically asking questions about the sources in Halacha/Kabbala presupposing that such sources exist, for the purpose of knowing the sources.

[Torah613]

I would apply the letter of the Rebbe printed in Igros v 21 p 117.

[FlyingAxe]

Could you briefly summarize what it says, please, or point to where I can read it online? I don't have access to many sforim at the moment. Thanks...

[Torah613]

ז'תתסח


ב"ה, ט' טבת, תשי"א

.. ומש"כ אשר י"א שאין נוגע כ"כ למצוא מקור או מקום מחז"ל או דין שהובא בדא"ח כי זהו בעצמו המקור - אני לא כן הוא עמדי. ולא עוד, אלא כשרואים במקור הרי כמה וכמה פעמים נתוסף הבנה גם בהענין בדא"ח. - ולכאורה הוא גם חסידישער, לומר אשר ישנו מקור ואני לא מצאתיו מלומר שאני יודע ברור שאין מקור והרבי חידש זה ע"פ הוראה וכו' -. ובמוחש נראה בהגהות הצ"צ בדא"ח עד כמה נתיגע בזה.



ואכ"מ.

[FlyingAxe]

Thank you so much!