4824 —לימוד הקבלה כפי שנמסר איש מפי איש ולא ע"פ ביאורים חדשים, והפצת תורת הבעש"ט ותלמידיו

B"H, 10 Marcheshvan, 5717

Brooklyn.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

I acknowledge receipt of the letter of the fifth day of the month of Marcheshvan, in which you write about the order of studies in the yeshivah in the study of the Zohar and the writings of the Arizal, and conclude that they learn according to the approach of ...^[1], who has "enlightened us in this generation," etc.

Now, without touching on the honor, the person or the affairs of anyone, which is understood and obvious, it is most surprising to study the wisdom of Kabbalah according to new interpretations and new approaches, after the awesome things said about this in the holy Zohar, and at still greater length and with greater clarity in R. Chaim Vital's introduction to Shaar HaHakdamos^[2]. And this follows all the more so, a fortiori: if in the early generations of which R. Chaim Vital's introduction speaks he warned so strongly that the study of Kabbalah must be only as handed down from one person to another, etc., up to, etc., how much more so in our generation.

I wondered still more: G‑d's word was revealed to the Baal Shem Tov, and he learned from his teacher Achiyah HaShiloni, the teacher of Eliyahu the Prophet^[3]; and the Baal Shem Tov handed down the gift to his disciples, and from them to their disciples' disciples, and their teaching spread ever further, and the teaching of Kabbalah and Chassidus was spread with broad explanations and firmly grounded clarifications. Where, then, does one come to explain matters with other explanations and in another way, when the words of our Rebbeim mentioned above illuminate and explain, so that by their light we may go "to greet our righteous Moshiach"^[4]? As is known, the answer given to the Baal Shem Tov was "when your wellsprings will spread outward"^[5]. Even if you were to say that, regarding himself, each person may explain matters in his own words according to his own intellect and understanding (and this too requires great consideration), there is no place for this in teaching others. This is in the manner of the Mishnah: "I heard it from the many, etc.; you heard it from an individual" (Eduyos, end of ch. 5)^[6]; and this is easily understood^[7].

I have already said my piece, relying on what I heard several times from my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, of saintly memory, whose soul rests in the hidden heights of heaven, may his merit shield us, which is also cited in several places in the teachings of Chassidus: fortunate is the lot of everyone who strives and toils to spread the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov, his disciples and his disciples' disciples, as they are, with the explanations and clarifications precisely in their own way; he "will go securely on his way"^[8] and takes a foremost share, for "the merit of the many depends on him"^[9].

Notes

[1] The approach of ... (הדרך של וכו'): the name of the person whose approach they follow is omitted in print.

[2] R. Chaim Vital's introduction (הקדמת הרח"ו): R. Chaim Vital, disciple of the Arizal, warns in his introduction to Shaar HaHakdamos that this wisdom may be learned only as transmitted from master to disciple.

[3] Achiyah HaShiloni, the teacher of Eliyahu the Prophet (אחי' השילוני מורו של אלי' הנביא): the Baal Shem Tov's teacher was Achiyah HaShiloni, who was the teacher of Eliyahu the Prophet, as the Rambam writes in the introduction to the Mishneh Torah: "Eliyahu received from Achiyah HaShiloni and his court."

[4] To greet our righteous Moshiach (לקבל פני משיח צדקנו): in his letter (printed in Kesser Shem Tov), the Baal Shem Tov relates that in an ascent of the soul he came to the chamber of Moshiach and asked, "When will the Master come?" The answer was: "When your wellsprings will spread outward."

[5] When your wellsprings will spread outward (לכשיפוצו מעינותיך חוצה): after the verse "Let your wellsprings spread outward" (Mishlei 5:16). The coming of Moshiach depends on spreading the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov and his disciples, not on new interpretations.

[6] I heard it from the many (אני שמעתי מפי המרובים): Akavya ben Mahalalel said to his son (Eduyos 5:7): "I heard it from the many, and they heard it from the many; I stood by my tradition and they stood by theirs. But you heard it from an individual and from the many; it is better to leave the words of the individual and hold to the words of the many."

[7] This is easily understood (וק"ל): even if a person may explain things to himself as he understands them, one who teaches others must hand on what was received "from the many": the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov, his disciples and their disciples, not the new explanation of an individual.

[8] Will go securely on his way (ילך לבטח דרכו): after the verse "Then you will go securely on your way" (Mishlei 3:23).

[9] The merit of the many depends on him (זכות הרבים תלוי בו): "Moshe was meritorious and brought merit to the many; the merit of the many depends on him" (Avos 5:18).