אך היינו דוקא לשומר התורה, ולא סר ממנה ימין ושמאל, אפילו כמלא נימא

However, this [limitation on charity] applies only to one who observes the Torah and does not depart from it to the right or left, even as much as a hair’s-breadth.

אבל מי שהעביר עליו הדרך, חס ושלום

But as to him who has strayed from the path, Heaven forfend,

מאחר שהעוה דרכו, לתת מגרעות בקדש העליון

inasmuch as he has distorted his course, thus diminishing the Supreme Holiness,

A Jew draws down sanctity from the Supreme Holiness through his performance of the commandments; as we say in the blessings recited before their performance, “…Who has sanctified us with His commandments.” I.e., performing mitzvot elicits a downflow of Supreme Holiness, whereas non-performance depletes it.

שגרע ערכו בחינת המשכתו מה שהיה יכול להמשיך מבחינת אלקותו, והארת האור מאור אין סוף ברוך הוא, אילו היה שומר התורה ומקיימה כהלכתה

that is, he has diminished its value as regards the efflux he could have elicited from G‑d’s Divinity and the radiation [he could have elicited] from the [infinite] Ein Sof-light, had he observed the Torah and fulfilled it as required, —

הרי מעוות זה לא יוכל לתקן כי אם בהמשכת האור העליון שלמעלה מהעולמות, ואינו מתלבש בהן

such distortion cannot be rectified except by an efflux of the Supreme light that transcends the worlds, without being vested in them.

הנקרא חסד עילאה ורב חסד

This is what is called Chesed ilaah (“superior kindness”) and rav Chesed (“abundant kindness”),

לפי שמאיר ומתפשט בבחינת אין סוף, בלי גבול ומדה

because it radiates and diffuses infinitely, without limit and measure,

מאחר שאיננו מצומצם תוך העולמות, אלא בבחינת מקיף עליהן מלמעלה

since it is not contracted within the worlds but encompasses them from above [in equal measure],

מריש כל דרגין עד סוף וכו׳

from the peak of all rungs to the end [of all rungs].

וכשהאדם ממשיכו למטה במעשיו ואתערותא דלתתא

Now, when man draws it downward by means of his deeds and by an arousal from below,

אזי אור עליון זה מאיר ומתפשט תוך העולמות, ומתקן כל מעוות וכל מגרעות שניתנו בקדש העליון

this Supreme light then radiates and extends within the worlds, rectifying all distortions and deficiencies caused in the Kodesh HaElyon,

ומחדש אורן וטובן ביתר שאת ויתר עז, בבחינת אור חדש ממש

and renewing their light and goodness with an intense elevation, on the level of a truly new light.

An act of penitence does not merely uncover a pre-existing light, but calls forth a new and infinite light which is loftier than all the worlds.

לכן אמרו: במקום שבעלי תשובה עומדין וכו׳

This is why the Sages taught that35 “In the place (i.e., at the level) where penitents stand, [even the perfectly righteous do not stand].”

The Rebbe notes that in various sources36 this is paraphrased as follows: “In the place where penitents stand even the truly righteous cannot stand.” I.e., the level at which penitents stand steadfastly cannot even be attained by the truly righteous, for the Divine radiance drawn down through repentance is of an utterly superior quality.

והנה עיקר התשובה הוא בלב

Now the essence of penitence is in the heart,

כי על ידי החרטה מעומקא דלבא, מעורר עומק אור העליון הזה

for through regret from the depth of the heart one arouses the [corresponding] depth (i.e., the ultimate degree) of this Supreme light.

I.e., a man’s earnest penitence calls forth the above-described superior spiritual light which rectifies whatever he had been lacking in his fulfillment of the Torah and its mitzvot.

אך כדי להמשיכו, להאיר בעולמות עליונים ותחתונים

But in order to call forth [this light] so that it will radiate in the higher and lower worlds,

צריך אתערותא דלתתא ממש, בבחינת מעשה

there must be an actual arousal from below in the form of action,

דהיינו, מעשה הצדקה וחסד בלי גבול ומדה

viz., the practice of charity and kindness without limit and measure.

דכמו שהאדם משפיע רב חסד

For just as a man dispenses rav Chesed, an infinite abundance of kindness —

פירוש: ח״ס דלי״ת

[the first two letters of חסד] meaning “he pities” [and the last letter when spelled out meaning, in Aramaic,] “him who has not,”

דהיינו לדל ואביון, דלית ליה מגרמיה כלום

implying [that he dispenses his kindness] to the utterly destitute individual who does not have (deleit lei) anything of his own,

ואינו נותן גבול ומדה לנתינתו והשפעתו

without setting a limit or measure to his giving and diffusion —

כך הקב״ה משפיע אורו וטובו בבחינת חסד עילאה, הנקרא רב חסד

so, too, the Holy One, blessed be He, diffuses His light and benign influence in the spirit of the superior Chesed, known as rav Chesed,

המאיר בבחינת אין סוף, בלי גבול ומדה, תוך העולמות עליונים ותחתונים

that radiates infinitely, without limit or measure, within the upper and lower worlds.

שכולם הם בבחינת דלי״ת אצלו יתברך

For in relation to Him, blessed be He, all are in a state of deleit (“having nothing”),

דלית להון מגרמיהון כלום

inasmuch as they have nothing at all of their own,

וכולא קמיה כלא חשיבי

and all before Him are considered as nothing.

Since all of creation is of no account in the eyes of G‑d, anything received from His hand is not deserved, but a gratuitous gift; as, indeed, is the very fact that mortal endeavors are able to draw down Divine light.

At any rate, boundless tzedakah and kindness draw down the degree of Divine radiance that transcends all worlds.

ועל ידי זה נתקנו כל הפגמים שפגם האדם בעונותיו למעלה, בעולמות עליונים ותחתונים

All the blemishes that a man caused above, in the upper and the lower worlds, through his sins, are thereby rectified.

Thus, the measured performance of tzedakah and Chesed draws down Chesed olam, which is a worldlike (hence, a finite) degree of Divine benevolence, while the boundless performance of tzedakah and Chesed draws down rav Chesed, an infinite degree of Divine benevolence.