ולזאת אותה אבקש ממבקשי ה׳
Therefore, says the Alter Rebbe, this is what I would ask of those who seek to draw close to G‑d:
יבינו וישכילו יחדיו, ולהיות לזכרון בין עיניהם, כל מה שכתבתי אליהם אשתקד בכלל
Let them both understand and contemplate, and have as a [constant] reminder between their eyes,50 all that I wrote them last year51 in general,
ובפרט מענין כוונת התפלה מעומקא דלבא
and especially with respect to devout concentration during prayer from the depths of their heart.
יום יום ידרשון ה׳ בכל לבם ובכל נפשם
Day after day let them seek G‑d and desire to cleave to Him with all their heart and with all their soul;52
ונפשם תשתפך כמים נוכח פני ה׳
let them pour out their soul like water53 in the presence of G‑d.
וכמאמר רז״ל בספרי: עד מיצוי הנפש כו׳
In this spirit our Sages, of blessed memory, taught in Sifrei, commenting upon the verse, “and with all your soul”54 — that [prayer should be intense] “to the extent of pressing out the soul”; i.e., until the soul bursts forth and expresses itself in an outpouring of love for G‑d.
The wine that is forced out through the cracks of an absolutely full barrel is no more than a trickle. Yet what forces it through is the very fullness of the entire quantity of wine within. So, too, “pressing out the soul” refers to a state in which the entire essence of the soul is bursting forth with its love for G‑d, yet only a trickle of this love is visible externally.
* * *
ועתה הפעם הנני יוסיף שנית ידי בתוספת ביאור ובקשה כפולה, שטוחה ופרושה לפני כל אנשי שלומים הקרובים והרחוקים, לקיים עליהם
And now once more I put forth my hand a second time with an additional explanation and a twofold request, extended and proposed to all men of the chassidic brotherhood, those who are near and those who are far, to undertake the following:
שכל ימי החול לא ירדו לפני התיבה הבעלי עסקים, שאין להם פנאי כל כך
On all weekdays, businessmen — who do not have so much time — should not step down before the Ark [to lead the congregation in prayer].
רק אותם שיש להם פנאי, או המלמדים או הסמוכים על שולחן אביהם
Only those who have the time [should lead the prayers], such as teachers or those who are supported by their parents,
שיכולים להאריך בתפלת השחר ערך שעה ומחצה לפחות, כל ימות החול
who at the morning service are able to pray at length for at least about an hour and a half55 on all weekdays.56
מהם יהיה היורד לפני התיבה, על פי הגורל או על פי ריצוי הרוב
One of them should step down before the Ark, chosen by lot or by consent of the majority [of the congregants].
והוא יאסוף אליו בסביב לו כל הסמוכים על שולחן אביהם או המלמדים, שיוכלו להאריך כמוהו
He should gather around him all those who are supported by their parents, or teachers, who are able to pray at length like himself, and will thus not be distracted by the haste of others.
בבל ישונה, נא ונא
[This arrangement is] not to be changed, I beg and beseech you!
* * *
אך בשבתות וימים טובים, שגם כל בעלי עסקים יש להם פנאי ושעת הכושר להאריך בתפלתם בכוונת לבם ונפשם לה׳
On the Sabbaths and festivals, however, when all the businessmen, too, have the time and opportunity to pray at length, devoutly concentrating their heart and soul to G‑d, —
ואדרבה, עליהם מוטל ביתר שאת ויתר עז, כמו שכתוב בשולחן ערוך, אורח חיים
moreover, their duty to do so is much greater, as is stated in Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim,57
וכמו שכתוב בתורת משה: ששת ימים תעבוד גו׳, ויום השביעי שבת לה׳ אלקיך
and as is written in the Torah of Moses:58 “Six days shall you work and the seventh day is a Sabbath unto the L‑rd your G‑d,”
דייקא: כולו לה׳
stating clearly that the Sabbath is to be devoted wholly unto G‑d, —
Unlike the festivals which are “partially unto G‑d and partially unto you,” the Sabbath ought to be wholly dedicated to spiritual matters. Since the reason for this is that it was preceded by six mundane days of labor, it follows that those who were engaged in this labor during the weekdays — businessmen and the like — should surely utilize the Sabbath “wholly unto G‑d.”
ולזאת גם הם ירדו לפני התיבה בשבת ויום טוב
on Sabbaths and festivals, therefore, they too can step down before the Ark,
על פי הגורל או בריצוי הרוב, כמו שכתבתי אשתקד
according to lot or by assent of the majority, as I wrote last year.
* * *
וכגון דא צריך לאודועי שבדעתי, אם ירצה השם, לשלוח לכל המנינים מרגלים בסתר
Moreover, it should be made known that, G‑d willing, it is my intention to send spies secretly to all congregations,59
לידע ולהודיע כל מי שאפשר לו וכל מי שיש לו פנאי להאריך ולעיין בתפלה, ומתעצל
to find out and to notify about anyone who has the ability and the time to worship at length and to meditate while at prayer, but is slothful.
יהיה נידון בריחוק מקום, להיות נדחה בשתי ידים בבואו לפה לשמוע דברי אלקים חיים
He shall be punished by estrangement, being distanced by both hands when he comes here to hear chassidic teachings.60
ומכלל לאו אתה שומע הן
And from the negative you may infer the positive61 — that those who are more generous in the time they devote to their prayers will be assured of a warm welcome.
ולשומעים יונעם, ותבא עליהם ברכת טוב
Pleasant be the lot of those who hearken; may the blessing of goodness light upon them,
ואין טוב אלא תורה וכו׳
— and62 “there is no ‘good’ but Torah.”
——— ● ———
Footnotes
1.See Vol. I of the present series, p. 10.
2.The Rebbe remarks that one would have expected this anthology to be entitled Igrot Kodesh (“Holy Epistles”), in the plural. The Rebbe goes on to suggest that a possible (and not entirely satisfactory) explanation might be an intended parallel to the preceding component of Tanya, which is entitled Iggeret HaTeshuvah (“Epistle on Repentance”), in the singular.
3.Shabbat 93a; see Likkutei Sichot, Vol. XVIII, p. 267.
4.In a talk on 2 Nissan 5708, recorded in Sefer HaMaamarim 5708, p. 170.
5.“The occasion was the receipt of good news, which is a reason for expressing gratitude (Rashi on Bereishit 24:52, based on Bereishit Rabbah 58:6).” ( — Note of the Rebbe.)
6.6:3.
7.Tehillim 19:8.
8.“This indicates that the tractates apportioned should include those that [consist only of Mishnah and] are lacking Gemara.” ( — Note of the Rebbe.)
9.“The intent [of the seemingly superfluous word כולו, here translated ‘in its entirety’] is to negate the possibility of covering the Talmud nearly enough to have it considered completely covered, in the spirit of the principle of רובו ככולו (cf. Taz and Acharonim, Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 582:7). I.e., the apportioning of the Shas is to include those tractates in the Orders of Zeraim and Taharot (as mentioned above [that consist only of Mishnah and are lacking Gemara]), as well as [the tractates] Tamid and Middot (which do no more than describe [the Beit HaMikdash and related subjects]; cf. the Commentary [of the Rambam] on the Mishnah, cited in Tosafot Yom Tov, ad loc.).” ( — Note of the Rebbe.)
10.“It is then ‘whole’ in this [literal] sense as well.” ( — Note of the Rebbe.)
11.“Perhaps this phrase is intended to point out that this public study intensifies the learning of each individual participant, insofar as he is part of a multitude, and intensifies its effect upon him, by fortifying his heart.” ( — Note of the Rebbe.)
12.Bereishit Rabbah 61:4.
13. “This being the subject at hand — the [study of the] Talmud.” ( —Note of the Rebbe.)
14.“In accordance with the conclusion of Epistle 29 of Iggeret HaKodesh.” ( — Note of the Rebbe.)
15.“The following interpretation appears to be preferable: The Written Torah and the Oral Torah correspond respectively to the Six Middot and to the attribute of Malchut. The former Sefirot are predominantly Chassadim; the latter Sefirah is dominated by Gevurot.” ( — Note of the Rebbe.)
16.Mishlei 8:14.
17.Ibid. 31:17.
18.“See Torah Or (and Or HaTorah) at the conclusion of Parshat Yitro.” ( — Note of the Rebbe.)
19.Sifri, Haazinu 32:2 et al.
20.3:3 et al.
21.Tehillim 148:14.
22.Devarim 11:22.
23.Avot 4:17.
24.Menachot 29b.
25.Yeshayahu 26:4.
26.Tehillim 148:13.
27.Ibid., v. 14.
28.“As in the [Talmudic] phrase keren vachomesh.” [Here keren signifies the principal, the capital value of an object, as opposed to an added payment; cf. Kerisos 26b.] ( — Note of the Rebbe.)
29.Cf. Siddur, p. 6.
30.“As explained above, in Part I, ch. 49.” ( — Note of the Rebbe.) Cf. Mishlei 27:19.
31.“As explained above, in Part I, ch. 44.” ( — Note of the Rebbe.)
32.Cf. Eichah 2:18.
33.Cf. Shir HaShirim 8:6.
34.Cf. Yechezkel 1:14.
35.Cf. Sotah 47a.
36.Shir HaShirim 8:3.
37.Shmot 20:15.
38.Tikkunei Zohar, Introduction II.
39.Cf. Mishlei 9:5.
40.Devarim 6:8.
41.Zohar II, 121a et passim.
42.Tehillim 5:13.
43.The Rebbe notes: “Though tzinah generally denotes a shield that protects the body from three sides, our verse concludes with the verb ‘crowned’ (rather than ‘surrounded’; see commentary of Rashi here), signifying that this shield also serves as a ‘crown’.”
44.Mishlei 12:4.
45.Conclusion of Niddah and loc. cit.
46.Sifri on Parshat Haazinu, and elsewhere.
47.Parentheses are in the original text.
48.Mishlei 31:18.
49.Zohar I, 247b; III, 204a.
50.Cf. Shmot 15:9.
51.In the epistle beginning “You shall reprove” that appears at the conclusion of Kuntres Acharon.
52.Cf. Devarim 4:29.
53.Cf. I Shmuel 1:15.
54.Devarim 6:5.
55.“Cf. Zohar I, 62b and its commentaries; the letter published in the anthology entitled Me’ah She’arim 2b, and the sources indicated in the footnote there. See also op. cit., 9b.” ( — Note of the Rebbe.)
56.“The statement (Berachot 32b) that even the early chassidim [of Talmudic times] would devote one hour to the prayer itself, refers to the Amidah [alone].” ( — Note of the Rebbe.)
57.Gloss to 290:2; see also Shulchan Aruch HaRav, Orach Chayim 290:5. Note of the Rebbe: “See also the maamar entitled Mi Yitencha, in Torah Or.”
58.Shmot 20:9.
59.In the original, minyanim; a minyan is a group of at least ten men constituting a congregation, and, by extension, signifies a place of communal prayer.
60.Lit., “the words of the living G‑d.”
61.A Talmudic term; cf. Nedarim 11a.
62.Avot 6:3.
