Kuntres Acharon, Essay One   The contents of this Kuntres Acharon al Kamah Perakim (“Later Booklet on Several Chapters”) are not near as homoeneous as one might expect.   The ninth printing1 of the Tanya, which included Iggeret HaKodesh and Kuntres Acharon for the second time, was introduced by an “Approbation of the … sons […]

  ומה שכתוב בזהר, חלק ג׳ דף ק״ה, דהרהור לא עביד מידי כו׳   As to the statement in the Zohar, Vol. III, p. 105, that “thinking achieves nothing,…”   והיינו, אפילו לטב   i.e., not even a beneficial effect, if the “arousal from below” of deed or speech are lacking,   Speaking of thought, […]

עיין עץ חיים, שער הנקודות, שער ה׳, פרק ו׳   Examine the statement in Etz Chayim, Shaar HaNekudot, Shaar 8, ch. 6,   שאין החזרת פנים בפנים, כי אם על ידי מצות מעשיות דוקא   that there can be no “turning of face to face” except through mitzvot requiring action.   The text cited had […]

והנה הבירורים דעשיה עולין ליצירה על ידי שם ב״ן, ומיצירה לבריאה ולאצילות, כמו שכתוב בשער מ״ן, דרוש י״א, סימן ז׳   The acts of refinement of Asiyah that are accomplished through practical mitzvot ascend to Yetzirah by means of the Divine Name Ba’n, and from Yetzirah to Beriah and Atzilut, as noted in Shaar Ma’n, […]

והנה הבירורים דעשיה עולין ליצירה על ידי שם ב״ן, ומיצירה לבריאה ולאצילות, כמו שכתוב בשער מ״ן, דרוש י״א, סימן ז׳   The acts of refinement of Asiyah that are accomplished through practical mitzvot ascend to Yetzirah by means of the Divine Name Ba’n, and from Yetzirah to Beriah and Atzilut, as noted in Shaar Ma’n, […]

In chs. 39 and 40 of Tanya the Alter Rebbe spoke of the various worlds to which souls ascend as a result of their Torah study and spiritual service. Their level in each case is determined by the individual’s intention at the time: If the study and prayer were accompanied by love and awe generated […]