אגרת הקודש

THIRTEEN. “How abundant is Your goodness which You have hidden for those who fear You….”1Psalms 1:20. The full verse reads: How abundant is Your good that You have hidden for those who fear You; in the presence of man, You have acted for those who take refuge in You.

In the class of the “servants of the L–rd” there are two degrees and levels which, depending on the root of their souls above, are distinct in relation to the categories of the right2Chesed. and the left.3Gevurah.

That is, the characteristic of the left is the trait of contraction (tzimtzum) and concealment in the service of the L–rd, as it is written: “and to walk secretly…”4Micah 6:8.; “in secret places cries…”5Jeremiah 13:17.; “whoever busies himself with Torah in secret….”6Cf. Jerusalem Talmud, Berachot 5:1 (Maimonides, Hilchot Talmud Torah 3:12); cf. also Moed Kattan 16b.

From this attribute derives also the aspect of contraction (tzimtzum) and limitation in the service of G–d; for example, with charity—to judge according to the means, “and he who expends, should not expend more than one-fifth”;7Ketuvot 50a (cf. above, Epistle 10, note 36). and, likewise, regarding the study of Torah and the other commandments—he suffices in discharging his duty, the definite duty to which the Torah obliges him, “to appoint times….”8See the author’s Hilchot Talmud Torah 3:4 ff. and 4:6; cf. Tzemach Tzedek—Chidushim al Hashass on Peah 1:1. From it derives also what our Sages, of blessed memory, said9Ketuvot 103b.: “Cast a scare upon the pupils….”10This last sentence appears in the text after the following one, which would render the passage rather difficult. A parenthesis inserted in the text already notes this difficulty and suggests that it might belong here (as in our translation).

On the other hand, the characteristic of the right is the attribute of grace (chesed) and extension in the service of G–d by way of expansion, without any contraction and concealment whatsoever, as it is written: “And I will walk in an expanse…,”11Psalms 119:45. without any contraction and limitation whatsoever. There is no restraint to the spirit12Par. Proverbs 25:28. of his generosity—whether it be with respect to charity, the study of Torah, or other commandments. He does not suffice in discharging his obligation only, but to the extent of “never sufficient….”

Now, every one of Israel needs to comprise both these traits, for “there is no thing which does not have its place.”13Avot 4:3—Both chesed and gevurah are essential.

Thus we find various matters that are of the leniencies of Bet Shammai and of the stringencies of Bet Hillel.14Eduyot ch. 4; 5:1-5; Oholot 11:3-6. This comes to teach us that Bet Shammai, the root of whose soul is of the category of the supernal left15Gevurah.—Zohar III:245a. See Shaar Hagilgulim, ch. 36.—[that is why they always decided stringently regarding all the prohibitions of the Torah; but Bet Hillel, who were of the supernal right,16Chesed.—See references in note 15 above. would find favorable arguments to be lenient and to permit the injunctions of Bet Shammai so that these should become muttarim17Permitted. from their issur18Prohibition.—That which is assur (bound) to the sitra achara. To be muttar (permitted) means to be muttar (released, free) from the sitra achara. See Likkutei Amarim, Part I, ch. 7 and below, Epistle 26. and able to ascend upward. Nevertheless]—in several matters, even Bet Shammai are lenient. This is so because of the inclusiveness of their soul’s root, which compounds the right as well.

And, likewise, the root of Bet Hillel’s soul compounds the left also. For, as known of the mode and attributes of the kodesh ha’elyon,19See above, Epistle 10, note 41. there is no cleavage and division there,20Zohar III:70a; also ibid., 83a and 109a. Heaven forfend, and all the traits compound each other. Thus, they are united one with the other,21See Likkutei Amarim, Part II, ch. 6. as known to the students of Kabbalah.22The sefirot are not truly separate and distinct from each other; they proceed from, and succeed, each other. Thus we speak of chesed of chesed, gevurah of chesed, etc.; chesed of gevurah, gevurah of gevurah, etc. Cf. Addendum, Mystical Concepts in Chassidism. Thus it is written of Abraham, who is the attribute of chesed and love:23See above, Epistle 2, note 9, and see below, note 27. “Now I know that you are fearful of G–d”24Genesis 22:14.—for he had donned the attribute of gevurah25See Arizal, Likkutei Torah, Vayera (on this and the preceding passage), and cf. the commentary of Nachmanides on this verse, and Zohar I:119b. “and bound Isaac his son…and took the knife….”26Genesis 22:10, 11.

As for Scripture stating “Abraham who loved Me,”27Isaiah 41:8—distinctly relating chesed to Abraham; see Pardes Rimonim 23:11, s.v. Ahavah. and “the Fright of Isaac,”28Genesis 31:42, distinctly relating gevurah to Isaac; see Pardes Rimonim 23:17, s.v. Pachad (cf. Zohar III:12b, 18a, and 302b). this difference and distinction is with respect to manifestation and concealment. In the attribute of Isaac, fright is in a state of manifestation, while love is hidden in a state of concealment and hiding. The opposite is with the trait of our father Abraham, peace be to him.

And this is the meaning of what King David, peace be to him, said: “How abundant is Your goodness….” That is to say that the attribute of goodness and chesed, which is in a state of concealment and hiding with everyone the root of whose soul is of the category of the left, referred to as “those that fear You”29Cf. Likkutei Torah, Bamidbar 16b; Mayim Rabbim 5636, ch. 49: “The gematria (numerical value) of yirah (awe; fear) is equivalent to that of gevurah.” [as is the trait of Bet Shammai], now, though this is a concealed and hidden goodness, it is nevertheless truly as abundant and immense as the attribute of gedulah30The term gedulah (greatness) denotes the Divine chesed; see Tikkunei Zohar 22 (67b); Likkutei Amarim, Part II, ch. 4; Likkutei Torah, Ekev 17c ff.; Mayim Rabbim 5636, ch. 46 ff. and chesed, which is of the right, and both are of the category of a manifestation that is without limit, measure, and size.

And this is the meaning of Scripture: “How abundant is Your goodness,”1 i.e., without limit and measure, whether it be the goodness “which You have hidden for those who fear You,” or that which “You have wrought for those who trust in You”—i.e., the hopeful who are of the category of the right,31Cf. Zohar II:120b. and whose kindness and goodness are also in a state of manifestation and expansion “before the children of man,” and by no means in a state of contraction and concealment.

(32Brackets appear in the text.The reason it says “For those who fear You” rather than “In those who fear You” is because with every soul, whatever is in a state of concealment is not vested within the body in his mind and heart. It is, rather, in a state of “encompassing from above,” and from there it radiates to his mind and heart at those times when an arousal of this aspect becomes necessary, i.e., to be aroused and to illumine his mind and heart in order to result in a real act.)

(The verse), therefore, says that whereas the “abundance of goodness of the House of Israel”33Isaiah 63:7. [that which is hidden and that which is manifest] is in a state of “without limit and measure” [according to the category of their soul vested in the body], therefore “You, too, O L–rd, treat them with the attribute of Your unlimited and infinitely great chesed which is called rav chesed.”

For there are different types of chesed:34See above, Epistle 10, notes 6-9. there is chesed olam, the corresponding opposite of which is the attribute of din,35Judgment (identical with gevurah; see Addendum, Mystical Concepts in Chassidism). Heaven forfend, which36I.e., din. serves to diminish and contract His chesed and goodness. But the chesed elyon,37Supreme chesed. which is called rav chesed, does not have an attribute of din opposed to it [to diminish and contract the abundance of His grace from extending unlimited and infinitely]. It derives from the rank of sovev kol almin38Encompassing, i.e., transcending all worlds. and temira dechol temirin,39The most hidden of all hidden. called keter elyon.40Supreme keter.—See Zohar I:147a (Toss.); also Zohar II:42b and III:288b; Tikkunei Zohar, Introduction 12a; cf. Pardes Rimonim 5:4. This, then, is the meaning of “You hide them in the covert of Your Countenance…You conceal them in a pavilion….”41Psalms 31:21.