To resume the discussion of R. Shimon bar Yochai: וגם פלפול הקושיות ותירוצים, דמסטרא דרע ורוח הטומאה, אשכחן ברבי שמעון בר יוחאי, דעסק ביה טובא Moreover, we find that R. Shimon bar Yochai dealt considerably (not only with the mere statements of law in the Mishnayot, but) also with the argumentation of problems and solutions, […]

The Alter Rebbe will now point out that a careful reading of the passage from Ra’aya Mehemna reveals that it is not the laws themselves nor the study of them that are termed the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Rather, this term is applied to the actual food or other things which are […]

אבל הלימוד בתורה, אף הלכות איסור והיתר, טומאה וטהרה But the study of Torah, even the laws of issur and hetter, impurity and purity, i.e., not the objects but the laws concerning them, שהם המשניות וברייתות שבגמרא those being the Mishnayot and the Beraitot in the Gemara that address these issues, ופוסקים, המבארים ומבררים דבריהם […]

The Alter Rebbe will now answer another question which he himself had posed earlier. The Ra’aya Mehemna had stated that so long as the bipolar influence of the Tree of Knowledge of [both] Good and Evil is dominant in the world, Torah scholars (who are likened to the Shabbat and festivals) are supported only by […]

The above applies nowadays, when the Shechinah is exiled in kelipat nogah; hence the main function of Torah study is to seek out and elevate the sparks of holiness from the kelipot. Hence, too, the current concentration on the laws of issur and hetter, kasher and passul, and the like. אבל בצאת השכינה מקליפת נוגה […]

Part (a) The Alter Rebbe wrote this letter of condolence to his chassidim in 1788 after the passing of his colleague and mentor, the saintly R. Mendele of Vitebsk (or Horodok), who had settled in the Holy Land in 1777. It concludes by rousing them to the mitzvah of tzedakah in general, and particularly of […]

The Alter Rebbe is here addressing chassidim who in the past had benefited from their connection with the tzaddik both through his advice and blessings on material matters, and through his guidance in matters of the spirit. He comforts them, therefore, with the teaching of the Zohar that a tzaddik is to be found in […]

וזהו שכתוב בזהר הקדוש, דצדיקא דאתפטר אשתכח בכלהו עלמין יתיר מבחיוהי This, then, is the meaning of the statement in the sacred Zohar,23 that “When a tzaddik departs he is to be found in all the worlds more than during his lifetime.” Surely this should only apply to the higher worlds. How can this be […]

Part (b) ביאור על הנ״ל An Elucidation of the Above The Alter Rebbe now provides a deeper understanding of the above letter. * * * איתא בזהר הקדוש, דצדיקא דאתפטר, אשתכח בכלהו עלמין יתיר מבחיוהי כו׳ It is stated in the sacred Zohar that “When a tzaddik departs he is to be found in all […]

והנה יש עוד בחינת הארה לתלמידיו Now, there is another kind of illumination [from the tzaddik] to his disciples. רק שאינה מתלבשת בתוך מוחם ממש, כראשונה However, it does not vest itself truly in their minds43 — as is the case with the first [kind of illumination] that derives from the Ruach of the tzaddik, […]