Tanya Part 4 Iggeret Hakodesh Chapter 2
By Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi
Translation and Commentary by Rabbi Gedalia Potash and William Schecter, MD
This draft has neither been edited nor approved by Rabbi Potash
March 9, 2023
Introduction
In 1798, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi was arrested and imprisoned in Peterburg on charges of treason by the Czarist authorities. At that time there was great conflict between the Mitnagdim (the traditional opposers of Chassidism) and the Elter Rebbe who was the leader of Chabad Chassidism in Lithuania. Many people believe that one or more of the Mitgagdim (opposers) accused the Elter Rebbe of treason because he sent money to support the Jews living in Palestine which was then part of the Ottoman Empire. Russia and the Ottomans were in open conflict at the time.
The Elter Rabbi was imprisoned for 53 days. Many of the Czarist leadership came to consult with him prior to his release. The following letter was written to his Chassidim living in the far-flung communities immediately after his release from prison. In the letter, the Elter Rebbe instructs his followers not to accuse or belittle their intellectual and spiritual opponents (the Mitnagdim). I think the Jewish world could learn a lot from this letter as we seem to be at each other’s throats—particularly in Israel at the moment.
“I have become the small from all G-d’s gifts to me etc.” (Genesis 32:11) Meaning that with every favor that G-d grants man, man should be greatly humbled. Chesed (love, favor) comes from the right arm, “let his right arm embrace me” (Song of Songs 2:6) which is the true attribute of proximity to G-d with additional rising (with greater intensity) before Him. As it is written “G-d showed Himself to me from afar” (Jeremiah 43 31:2). As it is known, “All that is before Him are thought as nothing”, that person is more than nothing, he is nil, nonexistent.
Comment: The closer one comes to G-d, the more humble he becomes until he is nullified. A metaphor might be how the light of candle becomes nullified as it gets closer and closer to the sun.
And this is the attribute of the right side of Holiness and the Chesed (Love) for Abraham as it is written “I am dust and ash” (Genesis 18:27) and this (humility) is also the quality of Jacob and in this he overcame his fear in the face of Esau, and it is not enough for him with His promise “And here I am with you etc” (Genesis 28:15) for Jacob was extremely small in his eyes (Jacob viewed himself as insignificant because of) the multitude of Chesed “Because with my staff etc.” (Genesis 32:11) and he was not fit or worthy to be saved etc. And as our Sages said “perhaps sin will cause” (Masechet Brachot 4 ) as it appeared to him that he had sinned.
Comment: The Elter Rebbe is quoting various passages of Scripture which illustrate Jacob’s humility. In the paragraph below he will contrast Jacob’s humility with Yishmael's haughtiness
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Which is not the case with the opposite (of Jacob) Yishmael which is the Chesed of Klipah (the superficial love), the greater the Chesed, the more he walks with arrogance, haughtiness and a widening of his heart (pride).
I have come to inform all of our Hasidim, regarding the multitude of loves (favors), the great things that the L-rd has done for us, to grasp the characteristics of Jacob, “the remainder of his people” and “the remnant of Israel” who places himself as the remnants and useless excess. They should not become arrogant with relation to their brothers, nor speak against them or to whistle (hiss) upon them, G-d forbid. A severe warning, subdue the arrogance in your hearts with the quality of Jacob’s truth before all with the lowest spirit. “A gentle response allays wrath” (Proverbs 15:16) and “Despondency dries up the bones” (Proverbs 17:22) And perhaps G-d will give all of this into the hearts of their brethren “As waters reflect the face”.
Comment: “As waters reflect the face” is a Kabbalistic/Chassidic concept which is a metaphor for staring into to the face of another person or by way of analogy into the face of G-d (obviously a metaphor) in order to establish a close connection. In other words, if we are in conflict with our intellectual or spiritual opponents, we should try to establish a deep connection with them to resolve the conflict. Obviously, the deep chasm in the Jewish world in general, and Israel in particular, at the present time calls for strengthening the connection and unifying the Jewish People in an attempt to bridge the chasm.
אחר ביאתו מפטרבורג
״קָטֹנְתִּי מִכֹּל הַחֲסָדִים וּמִכָּל כוּ׳״. פֵּירוּשׁ, שֶׁבְּכָל חֶסֶד וָחֶסֶד שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא עוֹשֶׂה לְאָדָם צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת שְׁפַל רוּחַ בִּמְאֹד. כִּי חֶסֶד דְּרוֹעָא יְמִינָא, ״וִימִינוֹ תְּחַבְּקֵנִי״, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת קִרְבַת אֱלֹהִים מַמָּשׁ בְּיֶתֶר שְׂאֵת מִלְּפָנִים, וְכָל הַקָּרוֹב אֶל ה׳ בְּיֶתֶר שְׂאֵת וְהַגְבֵּהַּ לְמַעְלָה מַעְלָה, צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת יוֹתֵר שְׁפַל רוּחַ לְמַטָּה מַטָּה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב ״מֵרָחוֹק ה׳ נִרְאָה לִי״. וְכַנּוֹדָע, דְּכוּלָּא ״קַמֵּיהּ״ דַּוְוקָא – כְּלָא חָשִׁיב, וְאִם כֵּן, כָּל שֶׁהוּא ״קַמֵּיהּ״ יוֹתֵר – הוּא יוֹתֵר כְּלָא וְאַיִן וָאֶפֶס.
וְזוֹ הִיא בְּחִינַת יָמִין שֶׁבִּקְדוּשָּׁה וְחֶסֶד לְאַבְרָהָם, שֶׁאָמַר ״אָנֹכִי עָפָר וָאֵפֶר״. וְזוֹ הִיא גַּם כֵּן מִדָּתוֹ שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב, וּבָזֹאת הִתְנַצֵּל עַל יִרְאָתוֹ מִפְּנֵי עֵשָׂו, וְלֹא דַי לוֹ בְּהַבְטָחָתוֹ ״וְהִנֵּה אָנֹכִי עִמָּךְ כוּ׳״ – מִפְּנֵי הֱיוֹת קָטָן יַעֲקֹב בִּמְאֹד מְאֹד בְּעֵינָיו, מֵחֲמַת רִיבּוּי הַחֲסָדִים ״כִּי בְמַקְלִי כוּ׳״, וְאֵינוֹ רָאוּי וּכְדַאי כְּלָל לְהִנָּצֵל כוּ׳, וּכְמַאֲמַר רַבּוֹתֵינוּ־זִכְרוֹנָם־לִבְרָכָה ״שֶׁמָּא יִגְרוֹם הַחֵטְא״, שֶׁנִּדְמֶה בְעֵינָיו שֶׁחָטָא.
מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן בְּזֶה לְעוּמַּת זֶה, הוּא יִשְׁמָעֵאל – חֶסֶד דִּקְלִיפָּה, כָּל שֶׁהַחֶסֶד גָּדוֹל, הוּא הוֹלֵךְ וְגָדֵל בְּגוֹבַהּ וְגַסּוּת הָרוּחַ וְרוֹחַב לִבּוֹ.
וְלָזֹאת, בָּאתִי מִן הַמּוֹדִיעִים מוֹדָעָה רַבָּה לִכְלָלוּת אַנְשֵׁי שְׁלוֹמֵנוּ, עַל רִיבּוּי הַחֲסָדִים אֲשֶׁר הִגְדִּיל ה׳ לַעֲשׂוֹת עִמָּנוּ, לֶאֱחוֹז בְּמִדּוֹתָיו שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב ״שְׁאָר עַמּוֹ״ וּ״שְׁאֵרִית יִשְׂרָאֵל״, שֶׁמֵּשִׂים עַצְמוֹ כְּשִׁירַיִים וּמוֹתָרוֹת מַמָּשׁ שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ שׁוּם צוֹרֶךְ, לְבִלְתִּי רוּם לְבָבָם מֵאֲחֵיהֶם כוּ׳, וְלֹא לְהַרְחִיב עֲלֵיהֶם פֶּה, אוֹ לִשְׁרוֹק עֲלֵיהֶם חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, הַס מִלְּהַזְכִּיר בְּאַזְהָרָה נוֹרָאָה, רַק לְהַשְׁפִּיל רוּחָם וְלִבָּם, בְּמִדַּת אֱמֶת לְיַעֲקֹב, מִפְּנֵי כָּל אָדָם, בִּנְמִיכוּת רוּחַ, וּ״מַעֲנֶה רַךְ מֵשִׁיב חֵימָה״, ״וְרוּחַ נְכֵאָה כוּ׳״, וְכוּלֵּי הַאי וְאוּלַי יִתֵּן ה׳ בְּלֵב אֲחֵיהֶם ״כַּמַּיִם הַפָּנִים וְגוֹ׳״: