אגרת הקודש

TWENTY-SEVEN. What he wrote to the Chasidic community1Emended according to L. H. (Text states: “what he wrote to the inhabitants of the Holy Land,” etc., but that is an obvious printing mistake; see below, note 41). Subsequent note: The Lubavitcher Rebbe later commented that this letter was written to two addressees: one “to the inhabitants of the Holy Land,” and one “to the Chasidic community” in general. See L. H. (below, p. 785), and, in English, Lessons in Tanya, vol 5, pp. 525-526 (Kehot, 2017). to console them doubly for salvation2I.e., doubly and helpfully.—Par. Job 11:6. over the passing of the Rabbi, famous Gaon, holy man of G–d,3Par. II Kings 4:9. “Lamp of Israel, pillar of the right hand, mighty hammer,” 4See Berachot 28b. our master R. Menachem Mendel,5Known as R. Mendel of Vitebsk (or Horodoky), of the leading disciples of R. Dov Ber, the Maggid of Mezeritch. After the Maggid’s demise, R. Shneur Zalman accepted his former colleague as his master. In 1777 R. Mendel ascended to the Holy Land, ultimately settling in Tiberias where he founded and led the Chasidic community. There he passed away, and was buried, on the 1st day of Iyar 5548 (1788). His teachings, letters, etc., were published under the titles Pri Haaretz; Likkutei Amarim; Pri Ha’etz. may his soul rest in Eden.

My beloved, my brethren and friends, who are (to me) as my soul….6V. L. (see below, note 41) has instead of etc.—“who stand on Torah, and worship, and the ‘service of tzedakah, quietness and surety forever….’” (Par. Avot 1:2; Isaiah 32:17—cf. above, Epistle 12.)May the L–rd be over them, they should live7Isaiah 38:16. a life forevermore,8Par. Psalms 133:3. and their offspring with them, a seed of truth9As opposed to “seed of falsehood”—Isaiah 57:4.—they are the blessed of the L–rd10Par. Isaiah 65:23. from now for evermore.

Following the enquiry after their welfare as is becoming those that love His Name, I have come to comfort the smitten “that sigh and groan”11Par. Ezekiel 9:4. and to console them doubly for salvation with what my ear has heard and noted for itself12Job 13:1. on the saying of our Sages, of blessed memory, that “He has left life for all the living.”13A frequent expression in rabbinic literature; cf. e.g., R. Yitzchak Alfassi (Rif) and Maimonides, in their versions of document-texts (resp. Yevamot, end of ch. 12, and Hilchot Yibum Vechalitzah, end of ch. 4).

The righteous lives by his faith,14Habakkuk 2:4. and by the fear of the L–rd which leads to life,15Proverbs 19:23. and by the flashes of fire of the flame16Par. Song of Songs 8:6. of his love (of G–d, which to him) supercedes life, to absorb therein the life of his ruach17Par. Isaiah 38:16.—V. L.: of his ruach and his neshamah. See above, Epistle 5, note 53 on the terms nefesh, ruach, neshamah. all the days of his duration. And when it comes about that the L–rd takes up18Par. II Kings 2:1. (and) gathers to Himself his ruach and neshamah,19Par. Job 34:14. and he ascends from one elevation to another—to the peak of levels, he, then, leaves the life of his ruach, his effectuation on which he has labored20Par. Ezekiel 29:20. previously among Israel [the labor of the righteous is for the living21Proverbs 10:16.], to every living being. That is, (he leaves it to) the soul of every living being bound to his soul by the thick ropes of a magnanimous love, and an eternal love,22Ahavah rabbah and ahavat olam. On these terms see Zohar III:263b; Torah Or, Vayechi 47b. that will not be moved forever. For he who is the man who desires life23Par. Psalms 34:13. to become attached to the L–rd of life, his soul will become attached through his service; (his soul) will be bound up in the bundle of life with the L–rd,24I Samuel 25:29; see Likkutei Torah, Shelach 51d, and below, Epistle 29. in the life of “the breath (ruach) of our nostrils of whom we said: in his tzel we shall live among the nations.”25Par. Lamentations 4:20. The context suggests that this is not a mere paraphrase. Tzel (shadow) is a term associated with the soul and related to the sublime rank of chaya (cf. above, Epistle 5, note 53)—the “soul of soul,” transcending not only the rank of ruach but also that of neshamah. The phrase, thus, appears to mean: in the life (or essence) of the ruach (of the tzaddik), of which we said: “in his tzel we shall live”…. This he left for us, etc.—On the meaning and significance of tzel, see Tehillim Yahel Or on Psalms 39:7 (pp. 148 ff.).

(This) he left for us, in each and every one corresponding to the degree of his genuine alliance and his pure love, a pure love of truth from “the inward of man and a profound heart.”26Par. Psalms 64:7. For “As waters (reflect) the face…,”27Proverbs 27:19; see above, Epistle 1, note 26. and “spirit (ruach) rouses spirit, and brings forth spirit.”28Zohar II:162b. Thus his ruach remains truly in our midst, when he sees his children, the work of his hands, in his midst sanctifying His Name, blessed be He.29Par. Isaiah 29:23.—Disciples are regarded as their master’s “children” and the “work of his hands”; see Sanhedrin 19b and 99b. For (His name) is magnified and sanctified when we walk in the right way that he has shown us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths30Par. Isaiah 2:3 (also: Micah 4:2). Cf. Zohar II:215a and III:87b ff. forevermore.

And this is the meaning of the statement in the sacred Zohar31III:71b; cf. Chullin 7b. that “When the tzaddik departs, he is to be found in all worlds more than in his lifetime.” That is, he is to be found more even in this world of action [“this day to do them”32Deuteronomy 7:11; see Eruvin 22a.], because the action keeps growing growths of the second degree from the “light implanted for the righteous”33Psalms 97:11. in the field which the L–rd blessed;34The Garden of Eden (see Genesis 27:27 and Rashi, ad loc.; below, note 62).—See Chagigah 12a and below, Epistle 29, note 21. (this light) radiates to the earth and the outside places,35Par. Proverbs 8:26. and also to us—those that are here this day, all of us that live in his ways, “the holy way shall it be called.”36Par. Isaiah 35:8. This is as regards the service of G–d, with respect to heavenly matters.37Religious matters.

As for mundane matters, it is stated explicitly in the sacred Zohar that the tzaddikim shield the world, and after their death even more than in their life.38Zohar III:71b. Were it not for the prayer of the tzaddikim in that world, the world would not endure a single moment.39See ibid. III:70b ff.; cf. II:16b. And whoever is closer unto the habitation of the L–rd40I.e., to the tzaddik. during his lifetime has precedence to the blessing.41The original letter continues with a lengthy appeal for charity in general and for the support of R. Mendel of Vitebsk’s family in particular. (Reproduced in Igrot Kodesh Admur Hazaken (Kehot, 2012), p. 58 ff.)

(27b). An elucidation of the above.

It is stated in the sacred Zohar42III:71b. that when the tzaddik departs he is to be found in all worlds more than in his lifetime…. Now this needs to be understood. For, granted that he is to be found increasingly in the upper worlds, because he ascends to there; but how can he be found more in this world?

This may be explained along the lines of what I received on the saying of our Sages, of blessed memory, that “He has left life for all the living.”43Above, note 13.

As is known, the life of the tzaddik is not a physical life44Par. Proverbs 14:30. but a spiritual life, consisting of faith, awe, and love. Thus of faith it is written: “And the tzaddik lives by his faith.”45Habakkuk 2:4. Of awe it is written: “The awe of the L–rd is for life.”46Proverbs 19:23. And of love it is written:47Proverbs 21:21. “He who pursues tzedakah48The tzaddik. and chesed will find life,” and chesed refers to love.49Chesed is synonymous with love; cf. above, Epistle 13, note 27.

These three attributes are prevalent in every world to the topmost of levels, all proportionate to the levels of the worlds—one higher than the other by way of cause and effect, as known.

Now, while the tzaddik was alive on earth, these three attributes were contained in their vessel and garment on the plane of physical space. This is the aspect of the nefesh bound to his body. All his disciples receive but a radiation from these attributes and a ray [from them] radiating beyond this vessel by means of his holy utterances and thoughts. That is why our Sages, of blessed memory, said that a person cannot comprehend his master….50Rashi on Deuteronomy 29:6; Avodah Zarah 5b; cf. Tosafot, Sotah 22b (s.v. Vaed). I.e., only a radiation and a mere ray are apprehended.

But after his passing, because the nefesh [which remains in the grave] is separated from the ruach [i.e., these three attributes] which is in the Garden of Eden,51See Zohar I:81a; II:142a. whoever is close to him can receive a part from the aspect of his ruach [which is in the Garden of Eden], because it is no (longer) within a vessel, nor on the plane of physical space. Thus is known the saying of our Sages, of blessed memory, with reference to our father Jacob, peace be to him, that “the Garden of Eden entered with him.”52Bereishit Rabbah 65:22; Tanchuma (ed. Buber), Toldot 10, and 22. Zohar III:84a. Likewise it is stated in the book Asarah Maamarot that the sphere of the Garden of Eden spreads itself around every person, and in this sphere are recorded all his good thoughts and utterings of Torah and Divine service (53Brackets appear in the text.and likewise to the contrary, Heaven forfend: they54I.e., evil thoughts and utterings. are recorded in the sphere of Gehinom, which spreads itself around every person55Cf. Bereishit Rabbah 65:22; Tanchuma (ed. Buber), Toldot 10 and 22.).

Thus it is very easy for his disciples to receive their part of the essential aspects of their master’s ruach, i.e., his faith, his awe, and his love, wherewith he served the L–rd and not merely a ray thereof which radiates beyond the vessel. For the essential aspect of his ruach is raised, elevation upon elevation, to become absorbed in his neshamah, which is in the Higher Garden of Eden, in the supreme worlds.

Now it is known that something sacred is never wholly and totally uprooted from its place and original level, even after it has reached the highest point.56Pardes Rimonim 14:1 (where this principle is explained at length); Etz Chaim 34:3; Mevo She’arim 6:1:1. See also Etz Chaim 6:5, 47:6 et passim. Thus it is this original aspect, remaining below, in the Lower Garden of Eden, in its place and original level, which extends itself among his disciples, each one according to the level of his alliance and closeness to (the tzaddik) during his lifetime and after his death out of a magnanimous love. For the efflux of anything spiritual is but by means of a magnanimous love. Thus it is stated in the sacred Zohar51Zohar II:162b. that the spirit (ruach) in a mode of the willingness of the heart (reuta deliba)58I.e., the mode of ahavah rabbah (magnanimous love). See above, Epistle 18, and notes 8-9, ad loc. elicits a spirit from above; thus only when he will prepare himself toward his G–d59Par. Amos 4:12. with a great preparation and immense effort to receive these attributes60The faith, awe, and love of the tzaddik. in the way that his master taught him, and as the saying of our Sages, of blessed memory: “If you have labored and (claim to have) found—believe it.”61Megillah 6b.

Now, there is yet another type of radiation to his disciples. However, it does not vest itself truly in their mind—as is the case with the first one, but radiates over them, from aloft. It stems from the ascent of his ruach and his neshamah to the source from where it was hewn, that is to the “orchard of the holy apples” (chakal tapuchin kadishin).62The Garden of Eden; Zohar III:84a. Cf. Rashi on Genesis 27:27; see also Zohar I:142b. More on this term see Aspaklarya Hameirah on Zohar III:142b, par. 23. (This ascent) effects a unification there (yichud) by means of the elevation of the mayin nukvin63Feminine waters; see above, Epistle 4, note 46; Intro., note 199. of all his doings, his Torah, and the Divine service which he served all the days of his life. And in the chakal tapuchin kadishin are implanted most sublime lights corresponding to the nether ones, i.e., his Torah and worship.

The illumination of these supernal lights radiates over all his disciples, who became servants of the L–rd through his Torah and worship. And this radiation, which is over them from aloft, instills in their heart thoughts of repentance and good deeds. And all the good deeds born from this radiation [radiating from the lights implanted in the orchard mentioned above] are called “growths of the second degree.”

But this radiation is in great latency and concealment, just like the sun radiating to the stars from below the earth. Thus it is stated in the Tikkunim,64Tikkunei Zohar 69 (112a); Zohar III:273a. See H. V., ad loc., and the ref. cited there. in reference to Moses our Master, peace to him, that after his passing his radiation extends in every generation to the sixty myriad souls,65The sixty myriad general souls of Israel that exist in every generation; see ibid. (above, note 44) and Kohelet Rabbah 1:5. just like the sun radiating to the sixty myriad stars from below the earth.