6658 —קנאת סופרים תרבה חכמה – להרבות בה ובהתמדה ושקידה

B"H, 24 Teves, 5719
Brooklyn.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In reply to your letter of Zos Chanukah^[1],

(you should study, in the discourse "Baruch She'asah Nissim" of the Tzemach Tzedek^[2], the greatness and the worth of this auspicious day,)

in which you write that you suffer from the matter of "the envy of scholars": you envy your friends who are more diligent in their study than you are, although your own soul too longs to study Torah with diligence and perseverance.

The way you phrase your letter is surprising. For on the contrary, our Sages said, "The envy of scholars increases wisdom" (Bava Basra 22a)^[3]. It is therefore obvious that you should increase this trait, in order to increase in diligence and perseverance, and through this^[4] your success in your studies will increase as well. The virtue of this trait is already well known; it is based on the verse "Rachel envied her sister" and its explanation in the holy Zohar, part II, 126b^[5] (see there), and likewise in the book Orchos Tzaddikim, Gate 14^[6], and it is explained at length in Ohr HaTorah of the Tzemach Tzedek, Parshas Vayeitzei, on that verse^[7]. And the wisest of all men^[8] said it in an explicit verse: "Let your heart not envy sinners, but rather [envy] those who fear G‑d all day long"^[9].

Since you mention in your letter that you have studied matters of Chassidus, I strongly hope that, in keeping with the instruction to rise higher in holiness^[10], you are adding to this study too, likewise with diligence and perseverance. May it be G‑d's will that you report good news in all of the above.

You surely know of the three well-known daily study portions of Chumash, Tehillim and Tanya^[11]; at least^[12] from now on, keep them.

With blessings for good news^[13] in all the above,

On behalf of the Rebbe^[14], shlita,

Secretary

Notes

1. Zos Chanukah (זאת חנוכה): The eighth day of Chanukah, 3 Teves, named after its Torah reading (Bamidbar 7:84): זאת חנכת המזבח, "This was the dedication of the altar".

2. The discourse "Baruch She'asah Nissim" of the Tzemach Tzedek (ד"ה ברוך שעשה נסים להצ"צ): ד"ה = דיבור המתחיל, "the discourse beginning"; הצ"צ = הצמח צדק. "Baruch She'asah Nissim" is the Alter Rebbe's Chanukah discourse with additional glosses of the Tzemach Tzedek, printed as a booklet by Kehot (Brooklyn, 5711); the end of chapter 4 there explains the meaning and virtue of Zos Chanukah. The Rebbe pointed to the end of chapter 4 of this discourse regarding Zos Chanukah in his letter of these same Chanukah days to Tzeirei Agudas Chabad in Tel Aviv (8169, 5th day of Chanukah 5719); see also letter 6599 (13 Kislev 5719). Since the writer wrote on this auspicious day, the Rebbe directs him to learn how great it is.

3. The envy of scholars increases wisdom (קנאת סופרים תרבה חכמה): ב"ב = בבא בתרא. Bava Basra 22a: קנאת סופרים תרבה חכמה. It concludes the Gemara on 21b, which allows a teacher of children to open a school beside another's; Rashi there (Bava Basra 21b): שמתוך כך יזהרו באומנותן שייראו זה מזה, דאמר מר קנאת סופרים תרבה חכמה, "for as a result they will be careful in their craft, being wary of each other, as the Master said: the envy of scholars increases wisdom". The envy of scholars for each other's achievement in Torah is a good envy, which leads to more wisdom.

4. Through this (עי"ז): עי"ז = על ידי זה.

5. "Rachel envied her sister" and its explanation in the holy Zohar (ותקנא רחל באחותה ופירושו בזהר הק'): Bereishis 30:1: ותרא רחל כי לא ילדה ליעקב ותקנא רחל באחתה, "Rachel saw that she had borne Yaakov no children, and Rachel envied her sister"; Rashi: קנאה במעשיה הטובים, אמרה: אלולי שצדקה ממני לא זכתה לבנים, "she envied her good deeds; she said: had she not been more righteous than I, she would not have merited children." Zohar II (Terumah) 126b: ואי תימא ותקנא רחל באחותה, הכי הוא ודאי, דהא עלמא תתאה כל תיאובתיה לאו איהו אלא בגין למהוי כגוונא דעלמא עלאה ... בדוכתא אחרא קנאת סופרים אסגיאת חכמתא, "And if you say, 'Rachel envied her sister' – so it surely is, for all the longing of the lower world is only to be like the upper world… Elsewhere: the envy of scholars increases wisdom." Rachel's envy, her longing to be like Leah, is an envy of holiness, and through it the Zohar explains "the envy of scholars increases wisdom".

6. Orchos Tzaddikim, Gate 14 (ארחות צדיקים שער י"ד): The Gate of Envy: אף על פי שהקנאה היא מדה רעה מאוד, יש מקום שהיא טובה מאוד, והיא מדת עליונים: שישים קנאתו על יראת שמים ... ועל דרך זה אמרו רבותינו ז"ל: קנאת סופרים תרבה חכמה. כי אם יראה אדם שלומד, יתפוש קנאה בלבו ויאמר: זה לומד כל היום, גם אני אעשה כן, "Although envy is a very bad trait, there is a place where it is very good, and it is a trait of the lofty: to direct one's envy to the fear of Heaven… In this sense our Sages said: the envy of scholars increases wisdom. For if a person sees someone learning, he will take envy into his heart and say: this one learns all day, I too will do so."

7. Ohr HaTorah… on that verse (אור התורה … על הכתוב האמור): Ohr HaTorah of the Tzemach Tzedek, Bereishis, Parshas Vayeitzei, on the verse "Rachel envied her sister".

8. The wisest of all men (החכם מכל אדם): King Shlomo, as the verse says (Melachim I 5:11): ויחכם מכל האדם, "He was wiser than all men".

9. "Let your heart not envy sinners…" (אל יקנא לבך בחטאים כי אם ביראת ה' כל היום): Mishlei 23:17. The verse itself teaches that there is a desirable envy: envy of those who fear G‑d. So he should not be distressed by his envy, but turn it into a force that adds to his learning.

10. To rise higher in holiness (להעלות בקדש): From the Sages' principle (Shabbos 21b): וזה נותן טעם לדבריו דמעלין בקדש ואין מורידין, "and this one gives as the reason for his view that one rises in holiness and does not descend" – Beis Hillel's reason for adding a light each night of Chanukah. Fitting for the Chanukah days on which the writer wrote.

11. The three well-known daily study portions of Chumash, Tehillim and Tanya (שלשת השיעורים דחומש תהלים ותניא הידועים): The daily "Chitas" portions instituted by the Previous Rebbe: Chumash with Rashi, one aliyah of the weekly parshah each day; Tehillim, as divided over the days of the month; and Tanya, as divided over the days of the year. See letters 6550 and 6566.

12. At least (עכ"פ): עכ"פ = על כל פנים.

13. Good news (בשו"ט): בשו"ט = בשורות טובות.

14. The Rebbe (כ"ק אדמו"ר): כ"ק אדמו"ר = כבוד קדושת אדוננו מורנו ורבנו.

Summary

A correspondent who wrote on Zos Chanukah that he suffers from envying his more diligent friends is told, on the Rebbe's behalf, that this is "the envy of scholars", which "increases wisdom": he should increase it so as to grow in diligence. The secretary cites the Zohar on "Rachel envied her sister", Orchos Tzaddikim, Ohr HaTorah and Mishlei, and urges more study of Chassidus and the daily Chitas.