Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch or Mishnah Berurah?
Shalom and thank you for your question. You want to understand what your priority should be as a Chasid when studying Halacha. It is true that there are areas which are not complete in the Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch, and the Rebbe indeed refers us to the Mishnah Berurah at these times. Today however, there are many Halachic works available which present the words of the Mishnah Berurah, but also present (sometimes as footnotes) those places where the Alter Rebbe differs from the Mishnah Berurah.
The Maggid of Mezritch requested of the Alter Rebbe that he write his Shulchan Aruch, for the benefit of all Chasidim, and this is why we conclude that a Chasid should give priority to learning it. As stated above, there is a lot of material available today which will give a broader view of the various Poskim.
When a person chooses a particular path in service of HaShem it becomes his channel for blessing. Consistency is important but does not contradict enriching one’s knowledge and acquiring a broad knowledge base. It is commendable to be seeking to go forward in your Torah learning, and we wish you much success in all your endeavors! May you go from strength to strength in all matters of holliness
