6665 —תיקון חסרון שבאבות – באותו הענין, ע"י יגיעה בהפצת המעינות חוצה

B"H, 27 Teves, 5719
Brooklyn.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In reply to your letter of 24 Teves, the hilula of the Alter Rebbe, and the one before it^[1].

In it you write that you have learned that you are a descendant of, etc.^[2], and you connect this with what is written in the Tanya, end of chapter 2, that there is no nefesh, ruach and neshamah that does not have a garment, etc.^[3]

Now, since several generations have passed since then, and among them there were certainly those who regretted and did teshuvah over the matter, the impression has surely been nullified^[4]. Nevertheless^[5], since you raise this and ask for a rectification: it is explained in several places that the rectification must be in the same matter in which the deficiency lay^[6], that is to say^[7], that the rectification is through effort [even to the point of great toil, in the manner of what there was in the damage] in spreading the wellsprings outward^[8]. And although everyone is in any case obligated in this, it is needed only for added urging and extra preference^[9]. May it be G‑d's will that you report good news in all the above.

With blessing,

In the name of the Rebbe, shlita^[10]

Notes

1. The hilula of the Alter Rebbe, and the one before it (הילולא של אדמו"ר הזקן, והקודמו): 24 Teves is the yahrzeit of the Alter Rebbe (passed away 24 Teves 5573). "The one before it": the reply also answers his previous letter.

2. A descendant of, etc. (מצאצאי וכו'): He learned that he descends from someone in whom there was a deficiency in a certain matter. The Rebbe does not say who it was or what the deficiency was, and only hints with "etc." From what the Rebbe says further on – that the rectification is "in the same matter in which the deficiency lay", through spreading the wellsprings, with effort "in the manner of what there was in the damage" – it is understood that the damage too was done with effort and exertion.

3. There is no nefesh, ruach and neshamah that does not have a garment (שאין לך נר"ן שאין לו לבוש): נר"ן = נפש רוח ונשמה. Tanya ch. 2: "That is, because there is no nefesh, ruach and neshamah that does not have a garment from the nefesh of the very essence of his father and mother; and all the mitzvos he does are all through that garment… and even the flow given him from Heaven is all through this garment." The recipient feared that a "garment" from his ancestor's failing might have passed to his own soul.

4. The impression has surely been nullified (בטח שבטל הרושם): Since many generations have passed, and among them certainly some regretted and did teshuvah over that matter, the impression the failing left on the "garment" passed to the descendants has already been nullified.

5. Nevertheless (בכ"ז): בכ"ז = בכל זאת; ע"ז = על זה.

6. The rectification must be in the same matter (שהתקון צ"ל באותו הענין): בכ"מ = בכמה מקומות; צ"ל = צריך להיות. See Tanya, Iggeres HaTeshuvah ch. 9: "As it says in Tanna dvei Eliyahu: A person committed a transgression and incurred death before the Omnipresent; what shall he do and live? If he was used to reading one page, let him read two pages; to learn one chapter, let him learn two chapters, etc." The rectification is by adding in the very matter in which the deficiency lay. So the Rebbe wrote above in letter 6567, deriving from this a fortiori the spreading of the wellsprings of Chassidus.

7. That is to say (ז.א.): ז.א. = זאת אומרת.

8. Spreading the wellsprings outward (בהפצת המעינות חוצה): From the verse, Mishlei 5:16: "Let your wellsprings spread outward, streams of water in the streets." Well known in Chassidus from the Baal Shem Tov's letter (printed at the beginning of Kesser Shem Tov): when his soul ascended to the chamber of Mashiach and he asked when the Master would come, he was answered: "When your wellsprings spread outward." That is, against the damage done with effort, the rectification is effort, even great toil, in spreading the teachings of Chassidus.

9. It is needed only for added urging (לא נצרכה אלא לזירוז): בלא"ה = בלאו הכי. "It is needed only" is a Talmudic turn of phrase. Although everyone is in any case obligated to spread the wellsprings, the matter of rectification adds no new obligation; it comes to urge him on and add to it with greater vigor.

10. In the name of the Rebbe, shlita (בשם כ"ק אדמו"ר שליט"א): כ"ק אדמו"ר שליט"א = כבוד קדושת אדונינו מורנו ורבנו, שיחיה לאורך ימים טובים אמן. The letter was signed by the secretariat in the Rebbe's name.

Summary

The recipient learned that he descends from someone who failed in a certain matter and, citing the Tanya on the "garment" a soul receives from its parents, asked how to rectify it. The Rebbe answers that after many generations, some of whom surely did teshuvah, the impression has been nullified; still, since he asks, the rectification is in the same matter as the deficiency: great effort in spreading the wellsprings of Chassidus outward.