אגרת הקודש

TWENTY-THREE. “The matter is by the decree of the watch-angels and the say of the holy ones”1Daniel 4:14; cf. Pesachim 33a.—the Sages of the Mishnah, may peace be on them, who taught in their Mishnah: “Ten that sit and busy themselves with Torah, the Shechinah dwells among them.”2Avot 3:6. This is the whole of man.3Par. Ecclesiastes 12:13. Moreover, (man’s) very descent to this world was for the purpose of this ascent, of which there is none higher.

For the Indwelling of His Might (Shechinat Uzo), which is in the heights of the upper realms4Par. Liturgy, prayer of Aleinu (cf. Isaiah 33:16). and whose awesomeness the heavens and the heavens of the heavens cannot contain,5Par. I Kings 8:27; etc. dwells and becomes magnified among the children of Israel. Thus it is written: “For I, the L–rd, dwell among (toch) the children of Israel”6Numbers 35:34.—through the occupation with Torah and the commandments by ten, expressly, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “We compare toch-toch…”;7An analogy to two occurrences of the word toch, from which we derive the minimum often participants for a quorum; Berachot 21b; Megillah 23b. of this it was said: “The Holy One in your midst,”8Isaiah 12:6. and “There is no matter of holiness with less than ten.”9See above, note 7, cf. Zohar II:129b; Tikkunei Zohar 18 (35b); et passim.

Therefore, too, our Sages, of blessed memory, need to derive from Scripture whence we know that even one who sits occupied with Torah….10The Shechinah dwells with him.—Avot 3:6; Berachot 6a. And even so they did not find from Scripture support for that, but only for the allotment of a reward to the individual, proportionate to himself and in proportion11V. L. omits “and.” to the many.12I.e., the reward for his singular efforts is in proportion to communal study of Torah. But as to causing an indwelling (hashraah) of G–d’s Holiness, (the individual) cannot be compared to (the multitude) at all.

The difference between causing an indwelling (hashraah) and the allotment of a reward is explicit to those who discern knowledge. For the “allotment of a reward” is when G–d irradiates the soul that seeks Him with the light of Torah, which is truly the wrapping of His garment—[wherefore the Torah is called “light”13Taanit 7b; see also Megillah 16b and Sefer Habahir 50 (149).], as it is written:14Psalms 104:2. “He wraps (Himself in) light, as (with) a garment.”15Cf. Zohar III:245b. But because the soul is limited and finite in all its powers, the light of G–d that radiates in it is also limited, contracted, and vests itself in (the soul). That is why the heart of those who seek the L–rd is in a mode of ecstasy at the time of prayer, or the like. For their heart rejoices in Him and exults “Even with exultation and song,”16Par. Isaiah 35:2. and their soul delights in the pleasantness of the L–rd17V. L.: over the L–rd. and His light as it becomes revealed from the wrapper of His garment—the Torah; “And His arrow comes forth like lightning.”18Zechariah 9:14. This is the allotment of the reward for Torah, which is always fixed in the soul that labors in (Torah).

The indwelling (hashraah), however, is an immense radiation from the light of G–d that radiates in (the soul) without limit and end. It cannot become vested in a finite soul, but encompasses it from above, from “its head to its foot,”19The totality of the soul. as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “The Shechinah hovers over every gathering often,”20Sanhedrin 39a. i.e., over them, from above.21Cf. Likkutei Amarim, Part I, end of ch. 11. Thus it is written: “May the pleasantness of the L–rd our G–d be upon us, and the work of our hands establish upon us.”22Psalms 90:17. This is to say that the pleasantness of the L–rd which shone forth through the work of our hands in the occupation with Torah and the commandments [for “The Torah and the Holy One, blessed is He, are entirely one”23Zohar II:90b; see also 60a and III:73a. Cf. Kitzurim V’Hearot, p. 104 f. See Likkutei Amarim, Part I, chs. 4 and 23.] become established and “dwell upon us from above,” for it is without limit and end and does not become vested in our soul and intellect.

That is why we do not apprehend with our intellect the delightfulness and sweetness of the unlimited and infinite pleasantness of the L–rd, and the splendor of the Shechinah, established and dwelling upon us through the work of our hands in Torah and the commandments (performed) specifically en masse.24As opposed to singular, individual activity. And of this our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “In this world there is no reward for the commandments.”25Kiddushin 39b. For it is impossible for the world to attain it [the reward] but by divesting the soul from the body, and even then by way of grace, as it is written: “And that Yours, my L–rd, is kindness, for You repay each man according to his deeds.”26Psalms 62:13. Thus our Sages, of blessed memory, said that the Holy One, blessed is He, gives unto the righteous a capacity….27To receive their reward. Sanhedrin 100b. Cf. above, Epistle 3, note 5.

It is not so, however, with the angels, as I heard from my masters that if there were an angel standing in the presence of a gathering of ten Israelites [even if there are no words of Torah between them], an unlimited and infinite fear and awe would then befall him from the Shechinah that dwells over them that he would become totally nullified.28Thus, unlike the soul, an angel is unable to apprehend and endure the manifestation of the Shechinah.

Therefore, evil in my eyes is the behavior that takes place under the sun29Par. Ecclesiastes 2:17; etc. in general, and especially among my brethren and friends that draw near to the L–rd, “drawing near means prayer”:30Tanchuma, Vayera 8; see also Bereishit Rabbah 49:8 and 93:6; Aggadot Bereishit 22:2. after prayer or before it there is formed a “seat of scoffers,” the Merciful save us, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “Two who sit together, and there are no words of Torah between them….”31Avot 3:2. And if a “seat of scoffers” is formed by ten, over which the Shechinah dwells, there is no greater insult and shaming of the Shechinah than that, the Merciful save us. And when our Sages, of blessed memory, said of him who commits a transgression in secret that “he repulses the feet of the Shechinah,”32Kiddushin 31a. Heaven forfend, he who commits a transgression in public repulses the whole measure of the stature of the Creator, as it were, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “It is impossible for Me and him…,”33Sotah 5a. except that “the King is held captive in the tresses….”34Song of Songs 7:6. The Shechinah is bound to Israel, regardless; thus, by their improper acts the Shechinah is drawn into exile with them, per force, as it were; see Vayikra Rabbah 31:4; Tanchuma, Nitzavim 3; Tikkunei Zohar 6 (21b); Likkutei Amarim, Part I, ch. 45.

But woe to one who repulses the Shechinah when G–d will raise (the Shechinah) and say to her:35Isaiah 52:2. “Awake, arise from the dust…,”36Cf. Zohar II:7a. and “For three things Israel is kept back in exile: because they repulse the Shechinah, and because they shame the Shechinah…,” as mentioned in the sacred Zohar.37Zohar III:75b.

Therefore, my beloved ones, my brethren and friends: do not commit this great evil and “Give glory to the L–rd your G–d before it grows dark,”38Jeremiah 13:16. i.e., between Minchah39Afternoon Prayer. and Maariv,40Evening Prayer. by studying in groups every weekday the pnimiyut41The “inner part,” the “soul,” of the Torah: the esoteric teachings of the Torah. of Torah, i.e., the Aggadah contained in the work Eyn Yaakov. For most of the secrets of the Torah are concealed in it,42In the Aggadah. and it atones man’s sins, as explained in the writings of the Arizal.43See Rabbi Schneur Zalman’s Hilchot Talmud Torah 2:2 (and notes, ad loc., in ed. N.Y., 2004); cf. Foreword to the commentary on Shir Hashirim attributed to Nachmanides. (On the Arizal, see above, Epistle 5, note 103.) The revealed parts therein44I.e., the nonmystical parts. are the ways of G–d wherein man is to walk and (enable him) to devise counsels in his soul45Par. Psalms 13:3. pertaining to matters of heaven46Religious affairs. and matters of the world,47Secular affairs. as is known to all the wise of heart.48Cf. Sifrei on Deuteronomy 11:22; Avot d’R. Nattan 29:7.

(They are) also to learn somewhat in Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, the laws that are essential to every person. Of this our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “Whoever studies halachot every day…”49Megillah 28b.—referring to the clarified and adjudged rulings that are of practical relevance, as explained in the commentary of Rashi, ad loc.

On the holy Shabbat, toward the time of Minchah, they should occupy themselves with the laws of Shabbat. For “The law of Shabbat is important.”50Shabbat 12a; see Rashi, ad loc. It is easy for man to stumble in it, Heaven forfend, even in the matter of a prohibition involving extirpation and stoning, because of a lack of knowledge, and “error in teaching amounts to intentional sin,”51Avot 4:13. Heaven forfend. No need to mention (that the same applies to) the Rabbinic injunctions which are ever so numerous, and especially with respect to the prohibitions of muktzeh,52That which is forbidden for use or handling on Shabbat and Festivals. of which there are many; and as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “The words of the Soferim53The Scribes, i.e., the Rabbis. are more severe than the words of Torah.”54Jerusalem Talmud, Berachot 1:4; Eruvin 21b. For whoever transgresses the words of the Sages, even but a light injunction of theirs [as, for instance, he who eats before the evening prayer, and the like] is guilty of death,55Berachot 4b. just as one who transgresses the severe matters of the Torah.

And let no individual separate himself from the congregation, even to learn something else; rather, (each one is to participate) in whatever the congregation busies itself with. There is no need to mention that one should not leave if there are not ten without him; to him I apply the verse “And those that leave the L–rd shall be consumed…,”56Isaiah 1:28. as our Sages, of blessed memory, said with respect to every sacred matter.57Jerusalem Talmud, Megillah 4:4; cf. Berachot 8a. For There is no holiness as the holiness of the Torah58Zohar III:81a.—whereas “the Torah and the Holy One, blessed is He, are entirely one.”59Above, note 23.

Thus, whoever separates himself from the community…,60Semachot 2:10; Maimonides, Hilchot Evel 1:10. but he who will listen to me shall dwell securely,61Proverbs 1:33. and in his and in our own days Judah shall be saved and Jerusalem shall dwell securely62Par. Jeremiah 23:6 and 33:16.—Amen, may this be (His) will.