לִקּוּטֵי אֲמָרִים חֵלֶק שֵׁנִי LIKKUTEI AMARIM1Collected Discourses. For an introduction to this part of the Tanya, see Addendum, p. a. PART TWO
הַנִּקְרָא בְּשֵׁם ״חִינּוּךְ קָטָן״ Called2The following is the author’s introduction which is called Chinuch Kattan. The complete work is referred to as Shaar Hayichud VehaEmunah. “Chinuch Kattan”
מְלוּקָּט מִפִּי סְפָרִים וּמִפִּי סוֹפְרִים קְדוֹשֵׁי עֶלְיוֹן נִשְׁמָתָם־עֵדֶן, מְיוּסָּד עַל פָּרָשָׁה רִאשׁוֹנָה שֶׁל קְרִיאַת־שְׁמַע: Compiled from books and from Sages, exalted saints, whose souls are in Eden. Based on the first section of the Recitation of the Shema.3The Shema consists of three sections of the Torah: Deuteronomy 6:4-10, 11:13-22, and Numbers 15:37-42. Following the first verse of the first section, our Sages instituted the recital of the verse, Blessed be the name of the glory of His kingdom for ever and ever. See Pesachim 56a.
חֲנוֹךְ לַנַּעַר עַל פִּי דַּרְכּוֹ, גַּם כִּי יַזְקִין לֹא יָסוּר מִמֶּנָּה. הִנֵּה, מִדִּכְתִיב: ״עַל פִּי דַּרְכּוֹ״, מַשְׁמַע, שֶׁאֵינָהּ דֶּרֶךְ הָאֱמֶת לַאֲמִיתּוֹ, וְאִם כֵּן, מַאי מַעַלְיוּתָא שֶׁ״גַּם כִּי יַזְקִין לֹא יָסוּר מִמֶּנָּה״? “Educate the child according to his way, even when he will be old he will not depart from it.”4Proverbs 22:6. Since it is written “According to his way,” it is understood that it is not the path of perfect truth, hence of what merit is it that “Even when he will be old he will not depart from it?”
אַךְ הִנֵּה מוּדַעַת זֹאת, כִּי שָׁרְשֵׁי עֲבוֹדַת ה׳ וִיסוֹדוֹתֶיהָ, הֵן דְּחִילוּ וּרְחִימוּ, הַיִּרְאָה – שֹׁרֶשׁ וִיסוֹד לְ״סוּר מֵרָע״, וְהָאַהֲבָה – לְ״וַעֲשֵׂה טוֹב״ וְקִיּוּם כָּל מִצְוֹת עֲשֵׂה דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא וּדְרַבָּנָן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁיִּתְבָּאֵר בִּמְקוֹמָן. (וּמִצְוַת הַחִינּוּךְ הִיא גַּם כֵּן בְּמִצְוֹת עֲשֵׂה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּאוֹרַח חַיִּים סִימָן שמ״ג): It is well-known that fear (awe) and love are the roots and foundations of the service of G–d.5Cf. Commentary on Maimonides’ Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah 2:10; Reishit Chochmah, beg. of Shaar HaAhavah; Rabbi Schneur Zalman, Shulchan Aruch, Hilchot Talmud Torah 4:6. Fear is the root and basis of “Turn away from evil,”6Psalms 34:15; i.e., the fulfillment of the negative injunctions. and love—of “and do good”7Ibid. and the observance of all the positive commandments of the Torah and the Rabbis, as will be explained in their proper place.8Likkutei Amarim, Part I, chs. 4, 41. Originally, Rabbi Schneur Zalman intended to arrange Shaar Hayichud VehaEmunah before the first part of Likkutei Amarim; hence the future tense. See Hearot V’Tikkunim (below, p. 792). (The commandment of educating a child includes also [training in the performance of] the positive precepts,9I.e., in addition to the negative precepts. Therefore we are to educate a child in the fear and love of G–d which will be the inspiration for the performance of all the commandments. as is stated in Orach Chaim, section 343.10See Commentators ad locum and Rabbi Schneur Zalman, Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 343:2-3.)
וְהִנֵּה, בְּאַהֲבָה כְּתִיב בְּסוֹף פָּרָשַׁת עֵקֶב: ״אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶם לַעֲשׂוֹתָהּ, לְאַהֲבָה אֶת ה׳ וְגוֹ׳״. וְצָרִיךְ לְהָבִין, אֵיךְ שַׁיָּיךְ לְשׁוֹן ״עֲשִׂיָּיה״ גַּבֵּי אַהֲבָה שֶׁבַּלֵּב? Concerning the love [of G–d] it is written at the end of the portion Ekev, “Which I command you to do it, to love G–d….”11Deuteronomy 11:22. It is necessary to understand how an expression of doing can be applied to love, which is in the heart.
אַךְ הָעִנְיָן הוּא, דְּיֵשׁ שְׁנֵי מִינֵי אַהֲבַת ה׳. הָאַחַת, הִיא כְּלוֹת הַנֶּפֶשׁ בְּטִבְעָהּ אֶל בּוֹרְאָהּ, כַּאֲשֶׁר תִּתְגַּבֵּר נֶפֶשׁ הַשִּׂכְלִית עַל הַחוֹמֶר וְתַשְׁפִּילֵהוּ וְתַכְנִיעֵהוּ תַּחְתֶּיהָ, אֲזַי תִּתְלַהֵב וְתִתְלַהֵט בְּשַׁלְהֶבֶת הָעוֹלָה מֵאֵלֶיהָ, וְתָגֵל וְתִשְׂמַח בַּה׳ עוֹשֶׂהָ, וְתִתְעַנֵּג עַל ה׳ תַּעֲנוּג נִפְלָא. וְהַזּוֹכִים לְמַעֲלַת אַהֲבָה רַבָּה זוֹ – הֵם הַנִּקְרָאִים צַדִּיקִים, כְּדִכְתִיב: ״שִׂמְחוּ צַדִּיקִים בַּה׳״. אַךְ לֹא כָּל אָדָם זוֹכֶה לָזֶה, כִּי לָזֶה צָרִיךְ זִיכּוּךְ הַחוֹמֶר בִּמְאֹד מְאֹד, וְגַם תּוֹרָה וּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים הַרְבֵּה, לִזְכּוֹת לִנְשָׁמָה עֶלְיוֹנָה שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מִמַּדְרֵגַת רוּחַ וָנֶפֶשׁ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּרֵאשִׁית חָכְמָה שַׁעַר הָאַהֲבָה. The explanation, however, is that there are two kinds of love of G–d. One is the natural12Cf. Likkutei Amarim, Part I, ch. 19. yearning of the soul to its Creator. When the rational soul prevails over the grossness [of the body],13The natural yearning of the soul can manifest itself only after the soul has freed itself of all the influences of the material body in which it is clothed. This may be attained by relinquishing all tendencies toward the gratification of gross material desires and seeking only the service of G–d. subdues and subjugates it, then [the love of G–d] will flare and blaze with a flame which ascends of its own accord, and will rejoice and exult in G–d its Maker and will delight in Him with wondrous bliss. Those who merit this state of ahavah rabbah (“great” love) are the ones who are called tzaddikim14Sing. tzaddik, “perfectly righteous,” one whose innate evil nature has been converted to actual goodness and who is motivated by pure love of G–d. Cf. Likkutei Amarim, Part I, ch. 10. as it is written, “Rejoice in the L–rd, you righteous.”15Psalms 97:12. Yet, not everyone is privileged to attain this state, for it requires a very great refinement of one’s physical grossness, and in addition a great deal of Torah and good deeds in order to merit a lofty neshamah which is above the level of ruach and nefesh,16The human soul comprises three grades: nefesh (vitality), ruach (spirit), and neshamah (soul). Nefesh is the lowest category of the three and is the vitality and life-force of the body. Ruach is the spiritual faculty which vivifies man’s emotion attributes and is the seat of the moral qualities. Neshamah is the most lofty and sublime of the three and is the Divine force which vivifies the human intellect, as it is written, “The neshamah of the Almighty gives them understanding” (Job 32:8). It is the most refined innermost spark of the soul and therefore the most divine part of man’s being. Nefesh is granted to all men; ruach may be acquired through the merit of observing the precepts of the Torah; but to realize neshamah, one must completely purify his physical coarseness. Cf. Zohar I:81a, 206a; II:141b; III:70b; Bereishit Rabbah 14:9; Shaloh 1, 9b. as explained in Reishit Chochmah,17A popular ethico-kabbalistic work by Rabbi Eliyahu de Vidas, disciple of Rabbi Moshe Cordovero; completed in 1575. Shaar HaAhavah.18Ch. 3.
וְהַשֵּׁנִית, הִיא אַהֲבָה שֶׁכָּל אָדָם יוּכַל לְהַגִּיעַ אֵלֶיהָ, כְּשֶׁיִּתְבּוֹנֵן הֵיטֵב בְּעוּמְקָא דְלִבָּא בִּדְּבָרִים הַמְּעוֹרְרִים אֶת הָאַהֲבָה לַה׳ בְּלֵב כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל. הֵן דֶּרֶךְ כְּלָל – כִּי הוּא חַיֵּינוּ מַמָּשׁ, וְכַאֲשֶׁר הָאָדָם אוֹהֵב אֶת נַפְשׁוֹ וְחַיָּיו – כֵּן יֶאֱהַב אֶת ה׳, כַּאֲשֶׁר יִתְבּוֹנֵן וְיָשִׂים אֶל לִבּוֹ כִּי ה׳ הוּא נַפְשׁוֹ הָאֲמִיתִּית וְחַיָּיו מַמָּשׁ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּזֹּהַר עַל פָּסוּק: ״נַפְשִׁי אִוִּיתִיךָ וְגוֹ׳״. וְהֵן דֶּרֶךְ פְּרָט – שֶׁכְּשֶׁיָּבִין וְיַשְׂכִּיל בִּגְדוּלָּתוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא דֶּרֶךְ פְּרָטִית, כַּאֲשֶׁר יוּכַל שְׂאֵת בְּשִׂכְלוֹ וּמַה שֶּׁלְּמַעְלָה מִשִּׂכְלוֹ. The second is a love which every man can attain when he will engage in profound contemplation in the depths of his heart on matters that arouse the love of G–d which is in the heart of every Jew.19There is an innate, hidden love in the heart of every Jew which is an inheritance to us from the Patriarchs. See Likkutei Amarim, Part I, chs. 18, 44. Whether [he contemplates] in a general way—that He is our very life,20Cf. Deuteronomy 30:20. and just as one loves his soul and his life, so will he love G–d when he will meditate and reflect in his heart that G–d is his true soul and actual life, as the Zohar21III:67a, 68a. See Likkutei Amarim, Part I, ch. 44. comments on the verse, “[You are] my soul, I desire You;”22Isaiah 26:9. or in a particular way—when he will understand and comprehend the greatness of the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed is He, in detail, to the extent that his intellect can grasp and even beyond.
וְאַחַר כָּךְ, יִתְבּוֹנֵן בְּאַהֲבַת ה׳ הַגְּדוֹלָה וְנִפְלָאָה אֵלֵינוּ, לֵירֵד לְמִצְרַיִם ״עֶרְוַת הָאָרֶץ״, לְהוֹצִיא נִשְׁמוֹתֵינוּ מִ״כּוּר הַבַּרְזֶל״, שֶׁהוּא הַ״סִּטְרָא אָחֳרָא״ רַחֲמָנָא לִצְּלָן, לְקָרְבֵנוּ אֵלָיו וּלְדַבְּקֵנוּ בִּשְׁמוֹ מַמָּשׁ, וְהוּא וּשְׁמוֹ אֶחָד, דְּהַיְינוּ, שֶׁרוֹמְמָנוּ מִתַּכְלִית הַשִּׁפְלוּת וְהַטּוּמְאָה – לְתַכְלִית הַקְּדוּשָּׁה, וּגְדוּלָּתוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ שֶׁאֵין לָהּ קֵץ וְתַכְלִית, אֲזַי ״כַּמַּיִם הַפָּנִים אֶל פָּנִים״ – תִּתְעוֹרֵר הָאַהֲבָה בְּלֵב כָּל מַשְׂכִּיל וּמִתְבּוֹנֵן בְּעִנְיָן זֶה בְּעוּמְקָא דְלִבָּא, לֶאֱהוֹב אֶת ה׳ אַהֲבָה עַזָּה, וּלְדָבְקָה בוֹ בְּלֵב וָנֶפֶשׁ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁיִּתְבָּאֵר בִּמְקוֹמָהּ בַּאֲרִיכוּת. Then he will contemplate G–d’s great and wondrous love to us to descend to Egypt, the “obscenity of the earth,”23Genesis 42:9. See Yalkut Shimoni, ad loc.; Kohelet Rabbah 1:4. to bring our souls out of the “iron crucible,”24Deuteronomy 4:20; I Kings 8:51; Jeremiah 11:4. This concept is more fully explained by Rabbi Schneur Zalman in Torah Or, Yitro 74a ff. which is the sitra achara,25Lit., “the other side,” the opposite of holiness. A frequent metaphor in Kabbalistic and Chasidic literature to denote the forces of evil. may the All-Merciful spare us, to bring us close to Him and to bind us to His very Name,26With the Giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai, for through the Torah the souls of Israel are bound to Him; and the Torah is His Name, as it is stated in Zohar II:90b; III:73a; etc. and He and His Name are One.27Ibid. II:90b. That is to say, He elevated us from the nadir of degradation and defilement to the acme of holiness and to His infinite greatness, blessed be He. Then, “As in water, face reflects face,”28Proverbs 27:19. “…so does the heart of man to man.” I.e., the love of one man for another awakens a loving response toward himself in the heart of his friend. How much more so will reflection upon the manifestation of G–d’s love toward us inspire love for Him. love will be aroused in the heart of everyone who contemplates and meditates upon this matter in the depths of his heart—to love G–d with an intense love and to cleave to Him, heart and soul, as was explained at length in its place.29Likkutei Amarim, Part I, ch. 46.
וְהִנֵּה, עִנְיַן אַהֲבָה זוֹ רָצָה מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ עָלָיו־הַשָּׁלוֹם לִיטַּע בְּלֵב כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל, בְּפָרָשָׁה: ״וְעַתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹ׳״, בַּפָּסוּק: ״הֵן לַה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ הַשָּׁמַיִם וְגוֹ׳, רַק בַּאֲבוֹתֶיךָ חָשַׁק וְגוֹ׳, וּמַלְתֶּם וְגוֹ׳, בְּשִׁבְעִים נֶפֶשׁ וְגוֹ׳, וְאָהַבְתָּ וְגוֹ׳״. וְלָכֵן סִיֵּים דְּבָרָיו עַל אַהֲבָה זוֹ: ״אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶם לַעֲשׂוֹתָהּ״, שֶׁהִיא אַהֲבָה עֲשׂוּיָה בַּלֵּב, עַל יְדֵי הַבִּינָה וְהַדַּעַת בִּדְבָרִים הַמְּעוֹרְרִים אֶת הָאַהֲבָה. וְעַל זֶה צִוָּה כְּבָר תְּחִלָּה: ״וְהָיוּ הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם עַל לְבָבֶךָ״, כְּדֵי שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה תָּבֹא לְאַהֲבָה אֶת ה׳, כִּדְאִיתָא בְּסִפְרֵי עַל פָּסוּק זֶה. It is this love which Moses, our teacher, peace unto him, wished to implant in the heart of every Jew, in the section “And now Israel…,”30Deuteronomy 10:12. with the verse, “Behold, the heavens belong to G–d, your L–rd31See below, ch. 1, n. 5.…only in your fathers did He delight…you shall circumcise…with seventy souls…[Therefore] you shall love….”32Deuteronomy 10:14-11:1. Hence he concluded his words concerning this love “Which I command you to do it,”33Ibid. 11:22. which is love that is produced in the heart through the understanding and knowledge of matters which inspire love. And this he had commanded previously [in the verse]: “And these words, which I command you this day, shall be upon your heart”34Ibid. 6:6. so that through this [meditation] you will come to love G–d, as is stated in the Sifrei on this verse.
וְהִנֵּה, עַל אַהֲבָה זוֹ, הַשֵּׁנִית, שַׁיָּיךְ לְשׁוֹן מִצְוָה וְצִוּוּי, דְּהַיְינוּ, לָשׂוּם לִבּוֹ וְדַעְתּוֹ בִּדְבָרִים הַמְּעוֹרְרִים אֶת הָאַהֲבָה. אֲבָל בְּאַהֲבָה רִאשׁוֹנָה, שֶׁהִיא שַׁלְהֶבֶת הָעוֹלָה מֵאֵלֶיהָ, לֹא שַׁיָּיךְ לְשׁוֹן צִוּוּי וּמִצְוָה כְּלָל. וְלֹא עוֹד, אֶלָּא שֶׁהִיא מַתַּן שְׂכָרָן שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים, לִטְעוֹם מֵעֵין עוֹלָם הַבָּא בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, שֶׁעָלֶיהָ נֶאֱמַר: ״עֲבוֹדַת מַתָּנָה אֶתֵּן אֶת כְּהוּנַּתְכֶם״, כְּמוֹ שֶׁיִּתְבָּאֵר בִּמְקוֹמָהּ. Thus, there can be applied to this second type of love an expression of charge and command, namely, to devote one’s heart and mind to matters which stimulate love. However, an expression of command and charge is not at all applicable to the first kind of love which is a flame that ascends of its own accord. Furthermore, it is the reward of the tzaddikim to savor of the nature of the World to Come in this world. That is the meaning of the verse, “I will give you the priesthood as a service of gift,”35Numbers 18:7. The priesthood symbolizes the state of Ahavah Rabbah which is granted as a Divine gift to the perfectly righteous. Hence it is within the reach of every Jew and is not limited to those born of the priestly class. Cf. Maimonides, Hilchot Shemitah veYovel 11:13. as will be explained in its proper place.36See Likkutei Amarim, Part I, chs. 14, 43; Iggeret Hakodesh, Epistle 18.
אַךְ הִנֵּה יָדוּעַ לַיּוֹדְעִים, טַעֲמָא דִקְרָא מַאי דִּכְתִיב: ״כִּי שֶׁבַע יִפּוֹל צַדִּיק וָקָם״, וּבִפְרָט שֶׁהָאָדָם נִקְרָא ״מְהַלֵּךְ״ וְלֹא ״עוֹמֵד״, וְצָרִיךְ לֵילֵךְ מִמַּדְרֵגָה לְמַדְרֵגָה, וְלֹא לַעֲמוֹד בְּמַדְרֵגָה אַחַת לְעוֹלָם, וּבֵין מַדְרֵגָה לְמַדְרֵגָה, טֶרֶם שֶׁיַּגִּיעַ לְמַדְרֵגָה עֶלְיוֹנָה מִמֶּנָּה, הוּא בִּבְחִינַת ״נְפִילָה״ מִמַּדְרֵגָה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה. אַךְ, ״כִּי יִפּוֹל – לֹא יוּטָל״ כְּתִיב, וְאֵינָהּ נִקְרֵאת נְפִילָה, אֶלָּא לְגַבֵּי מַדְרֵיגָתוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹנָה, וְלֹא לְגַבֵּי שְׁאָר כָּל אָדָם חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, שֶׁאַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן, הוּא לְמַעְלָה מִכָּל הָאָדָם בַּעֲבוֹדָתוֹ, כִּי נִשְׁאַר בָּהּ בְּחִינַת רְשִׁימוּ מִמַּדְרֵיגָתוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹנָה. אַךְ עִיקָּרָהּ, מֵאַהֲבָה שֶׁנִּתְחַנֵּךְ וְהוּרְגַּל בָּהּ מִנְּעוּרָיו, בְּטֶרֶם שֶׁהִגִּיעַ לְמַדְרֵגַת צַדִּיק. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁכָּתוּב: ״גַּם כִּי יַזְקִין וְגוֹ׳״. וְהִנֵּה, רֵאשִׁית הַדְּבָרִים הַמְּעוֹרְרִים הָאַהֲבָה וְהַיִּרְאָה וִיסוֹדָן – הִיא הָאֱמוּנָה הַטְּהוֹרָה וְנֶאֱמָנָה בְּיִחוּדוֹ וְאַחְדּוּתוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ וְיִתְעַלֶּה: Now, those who are familiar with the esoteric meaning of Scripture know [the explanation of] the verse, “For a tzaddik falls seven times and rises up again.”37Proverbs 24:16. For further elaboration of this subject see Rabbi Hillel of Paritch, Pelech Harimon, Bereishit, Hosafot p. 302 (Kehot, 1954). Especially since man is called “mobile”38Cf. Zechariah 3:7. See also Torah Or, Vayeshev 30a-d; Rabbi Schneur Zalman, Likkutei Torah, Bechukotai 45a; Shelach 38d ff. Man has been endowed with an unrestricted capacity for spiritual progress. All other creatures have a prescribed level which they cannot surpass. and not “static,” he must ascend from level to level and not remain forever at one plateau. Between one level and the next, before he can reach the higher one, he is in a state of decline from the previous level.39See Pelech Harimon, loc. cit. Yet, it is written, “Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down.”40Psalms 37:24. It is considered a decline only in comparison with his former state, and not, G–d forbid, in comparison with all other men, for he is still above them in his service [of G–d], inasmuch as there remains in it an impression of his former state. The root of his service, however, is from the love of G–d to which he has been educated and trained from his youth before he reached the level of tzaddik. This, then, is the meaning of “Even when he will be old….” And the first thing which arouses love and fear, and their foundation,41The root and foundation of the observance of all the positive and negative precepts are love and fear of G–d, as explained above. And the basis of love and fear is faith. Thus, ultimately, faith is the foundation of the observance of the commandments. See Likkutei Amarim, Part I, ch. 33. is the pure and faithful belief in His Unity and Oneness, may He be blessed and exalted.