6623 —קירוב הזולת, עבודה בשמחה, כוונה בתפלה, ותניא פרק מ"א בעל פה

B"H, 3rd of Teves, 5719
Brooklyn.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

After a very long interruption^[1], your letter was received, dated "the third day, on which 'it was good' was said twice"^[2], with your questions:

a) Regarding activity with others, to bring them closer to our Father in Heaven, to His Torah and to His mitzvos.

If only each one of us would use all his free time, outside the study of his fixed sessions, for this holy work! Then great and wondrous things would be accomplished. Nor does this take away from doing mitzvos^[3]; on the contrary, the Mishnah rules that "one mitzvah brings another"^[4].

b) From the above, the answer to your second question is also understood: that you are nervous^[5] because your schedule of study, your personal avodah, etc., weighs on your mind like a yoke. Besides the fact that this is the opposite of the way to serve G‑d [which is stated in many places^[6] must be specifically "with joy and gladness of heart"^[7], and is ruled as halachah by the Rambam at the end of Hilchos Lulav^[8]], there is no reason whatsoever to be nervous about the above, for there is quite enough time in the day to keep your fixed study sessions and your personal avodah, etc. On the contrary, the above^[9] helps one use one's time properly and absorb easily the subjects one studies.

c) Regarding kavanah in prayer: you are right that the same advice does not apply every time, since this depends on a person's state of mind, which changes from time to time. Nevertheless^[10], there are general points that help at every time and in every season. Among them: giving tzedakah before prayer, as our Sages said^[11] (Bava Basra 10a), "Rabbi Elazar^[12] would give a coin to a poor man and then pray," as it is written, "I, in righteousness, (then) shall behold Your face"^[13]; likewise, being careful about the immersion of Ezra^[14]; and having the siddur open before one at the place one is praying. That is^[15], even when, out of depth of concentration or fervor, one prays with closed eyes and the like, the very fact that the siddur is open at that place holds (halt tzu)^[16] the thoughts.

d) Regarding guarding one's speech and strengthening the trait of bitachon: a piece of advice common to both is to contemplate how G‑d stands over him and examines his kidneys and heart, etc., as explained in the holy book of the Tanya, chapter 41^[17]. It would be proper for you to know by heart from the beginning of the chapter until the word "the King" on the second side of the page^[18], and to review it from time to time.

e) Regarding what you wrote, that you fall and do not rise, G‑d forbid^[19], etc.: it is understood that this is the opposite of our Torah, the Torah of life, in which it is explained in many places that doing a mitzvah refines the person who does it, even though he does not always feel it. In truth this is understood even by simple reason: in doing a mitzvah one fulfills the will of the Creator, and this binds the person to the Creator; so how could it be that the matter should not have its effect? And how far this goes: even those who are of that category, may the Merciful One save us^[20], of whom it is said, "What have you to do with recounting My statutes?"^[21] – our Sages commanded that a person should always study^[22], as explained also in Hilchos Talmud Torah^[23] of the Alter Rebbe, author of the Tanya (who rules in the hidden part of the Torah) and of the Shulchan Aruch^[24] (who rules in the revealed part of the Torah), chapter 4, section 3, and in the Kuntres Acharon there^[25] – see there^[26] for wondrous words – and in many places in the Tanya, as listed at the end in the index of subjects^[27].

f) As to your question at the end of your letter: you have a regular study session with someone, and you fear his influence on you, although you clearly see that you influence him for the good.

In such cases it is proper to tell him what you have learned in books of Chassidus and mussar, without entering into debates; and in this way you should certainly continue the session you study together.

I hope that you took part in the farbrengen of the auspicious day of Yud-Tes Kislev; may it be G‑d's will that its effect^[28] be drawn out over the entire year.

With blessing for good tidings^[29] in all the above.

Notes

1. After a very long interruption (לאחרי הפסק הכי ארוך): That is, after a very long break in his letters (not "after a long trip").

2. "The third day, on which 'it was good' was said twice" (מיום השלישי שהוכפל בו כי טוב): Tuesday. After Rashi on Bereishis 1:7: "On the third day, when the work of the waters was completed, and He began and completed another work, 'it was good' was said twice." Yud-Tes Kislev 5559, the day of the Alter Rebbe's liberation, was also "a Tuesday, on which 'it was good' was said twice," as the Alter Rebbe wrote in his letter (Hayom Yom, 19 Kislev).

3. Nor does this take away from doing mitzvos (ואין זה מבטל מעשיית מצוה): The writer feared that working with others would take him away from his own mitzvos (his study and the like). The Rebbe answers that not only does it take nothing away; on the contrary, it adds mitzvos.

4. "One mitzvah brings another" (מצוה גוררת מצוה): Avos 4:2: "Ben Azzai says: Run to do even a minor mitzvah ... for one mitzvah brings another, and one transgression brings another." The time one gives to bringing others close is not lost to one's own mitzvos; the mitzvah itself brings further mitzvos, for him and for the other.

5. Nervous (ניערוועז): Yiddish, "nervous, tense".

6. In many places (בכ"מ): בכ"מ = בכמה מקומות.

7. "With joy and gladness of heart" (בשמחה ובטוב לבב): After the verse Devarim 28:47: "Because you did not serve the L‑rd your G‑d with joy and with gladness of heart."

8. The Rambam at the end of Hilchos Lulav (ברמב"ם סוף הלכות לולב): Rambam, Hilchos Lulav 8:15: "The joy with which a person rejoices in doing the mitzvos and in the love of G‑d who commanded them is a great service; and whoever holds himself back from this joy deserves to be punished, as it is said, 'Because you did not serve the L‑rd your G‑d with joy and with gladness of heart.'"

9. The above (הנ"ל): Joy and calm in one's service help one use time properly and absorb what one learns easily, whereas tension and nervousness hinder this.

10. Nevertheless (בכ"ז): בכ"ז = בכל זאת.

11. As our Sages said (וכמרז"ל): וכמרז"ל = וכמאמר רז"ל, "as the saying of our Sages, of blessed memory".

12. Rabbi Elazar (ר"א): ר"א = רבי אלעזר.

13. "I, in righteousness, (then) shall behold Your face" (אני בצדק (אזי) אחזה פניך): Bava Basra 10a: רבי אלעזר יהיב פרוטה לעני, והדר מצלי. אמר: דכתיב: "אני בצדק, אחזה פניך", "Rabbi Elazar would give a coin to a poor man and then pray; he said, for it is written, 'I, in righteousness, shall behold Your face'" (Tehillim 17:15). Rashi there: "'I, in righteousness' – first; and afterwards 'I shall behold Your face' in prayer." The Rebbe's parenthetical "(then)" brings out this reading: first the tzedakah, and then the nearness of prayer.

14. The immersion of Ezra (טבילת עזרא): The immersion of one who is baal keri, which Ezra instituted before studying Torah and praying. Bava Kamma 82b: "And he instituted immersion for those who are baal keri ... by Torah law it is required for terumah and kodashim; he came and instituted it even for words of Torah." In halachah this immersion was later annulled (Berachos 22a, "they abolished the immersion"), but care to keep it is a matter of holiness and helps kavanah in prayer.

15. That is (ז.א.): ז.א. = זאת אומרת.

16. Holds (halt tzu) (מאחז (האלט צו)): The Yiddish halt tzu, "holds on to", glosses the Hebrew מאחז: the very fact that the siddur lies open at the place of prayer keeps the thoughts from wandering.

17. Tanya, chapter 41 (תניא קדישא פרק מ"א): Tanya, ch. 41: "'Behold, G‑d stands over him' and 'the whole earth is full of His glory,' and He looks upon him and examines his kidneys and heart, whether he serves Him as is fitting. Therefore one must serve Him with awe and fear, like one standing before the King." (After the verses Bereishis 28:13, Yeshayahu 6:3, Yirmeyahu 11:20.) One who contemplates that G‑d stands over him and sees all his deeds and words guards himself from forbidden speech; and the awareness that G‑d is always with him and watches over him strengthens his trust.

18. Until the word "the King" on the second side of the page (עד לעמוד שני תיבת המלך): From the opening of the chapter ("However, one must constantly remember") until the words "like one standing before the King," at the top of the second side of folio 56 of the printed Tanya. The Rebbe gave this advice many times, for various needs: against laziness (letters 3668, 6711), for kavanah in prayer (6259), for diligence (6040), against worries and fears (3248, 6628), and more.

19. That you fall and do not rise, G‑d forbid (אשר יפול ולא קם ח"ו): The writer complained that he falls in his avodah and does not rise, and asked what good his mitzvos do. ח"ו = חס ושלום. Compare Mishlei 24:16: "For a righteous man falls seven times and rises."

20. May the Merciful One save us (ר"ל): ר"ל = רחמנא ליצלן.

21. "What have you to do with recounting My statutes?" (מה לך לספר חוקי): Tehillim 50:16: "But to the wicked G‑d said: What have you to do with recounting My statutes, and that you take My covenant in your mouth?" That is, even one who does not practise what he learns, of whom this verse is said.

22. A person should always study (לעולם ילמוד אדם): Pesachim 50b: "Rav Yehudah said in the name of Rav: A person should always engage in Torah and mitzvos even not for their own sake, for out of doing so not for their own sake he comes to do so for their own sake."

23. Hilchos Talmud Torah (הלכות ת"ת): ת"ת = תלמוד תורה.

24. The Shulchan Aruch (השו"ע): השו"ע = השולחן ערוך. The Alter Rebbe is author both of the Tanya, in which he ruled in the inner, hidden part of the Torah, and of the Shulchan Aruch, in which he ruled in its revealed part.

25. Chapter 4, section 3, and in the Kuntres Acharon there (בפרק ד' סעיף ג' ובקונטרס אחרון שם): Shulchan Aruch HaRav, Hilchos Talmud Torah 4:3: "But if he does not practise what he learns, he is called wicked, and of him the verse says, 'But to the wicked G‑d said, What have you to do with recounting My statutes' ... And some say that nevertheless a person should always engage in Torah, for out of doing so not for its own sake he can come to do so for its own sake ... for the light in it brings him back to the good." Kuntres Acharon there, 1: "One might have thought that it is fitting for him not to study; it teaches us that even so, the study eventually brings to action, for the light in it brings him back to the good." If the Torah has this effect even here, all the more does doing a mitzvah affect one who wishes to fulfill it, even if he does not feel it.

26. See there (עיי"ש): עיי"ש = עיין שם.

27. The index of subjects (מפתח הענינים): The index of subjects printed at the end of the Tanya.

28. Its effect (הפעולה): The effect and influence of the farbrengen. See Hayom Yom, 19 Kislev, from a letter of the Rebbe Rashab: "This day is the Rosh Hashanah of Chassidus ... drawn down on this day as a general influence on the entire year."

29. Good tidings (בשו"ט): בשו"ט = בשורות טובות.

Summary

Answering a correspondent's questions, the Rebbe urges him to give all his free time to bringing others close to Torah, which only adds to his own mitzvos; to serve G‑d with joy rather than tension over his schedule; to aid kavanah with tzedakah before prayer, the immersion of Ezra and an open siddur; to guard his speech and strengthen bitachon by learning the opening of Tanya ch. 41 by heart; never to despair of his mitzvos, which refine him even when he does not feel it; and to keep his study partner, sharing Chassidus without debate.