Volume One • Letter 16

Peace and blessing and all good things, forever — to his honor, my beloved, my dear, my precious soul and heart — the exalted one who yearns for the service of Hashem in truth and wholeness — his honor, his splendor, and his glory, our master and teacher Rabbi Avraham Yakovitch, may his light shine, may he live long, may G-d protect him and guard him.

After inquiring after your precious wellbeing with great love — as for our own wellbeing — thanks be to Hashem. I have indeed received his letters from Chanukah together with the money — and also 6 dollars from our friend R' Moshe Auerbach, may his light shine — and many thanks to him. May Hashem give him life always just as he has given us life — and may you merit all the blessings written in the Torah. So may it be His will. Amen.

Likewise I received his letter together with the letter from R' Dovid Aberman, may his light shine — and I have fulfilled his honor's request to write him a letter of awakening to the service of Hashem. [מכתב התעוררות — "a letter of awakening / a letter of arousal." A specific type of Chassidic letter: not a personal or practical letter but one written specifically to awaken and inspire the recipient toward teshuvah and the service of G-d. The author has written such a letter to R' Dovid Aberman at the recipient's request.]

The Great Announcement — The Book Has Begun to Be Printed And behold — with G-d's help we have merited: for I have printed the beginning of Torah 1 of Likutay Moharan together with the commentaries — during the days of Chanukah, which are the dedication of da'at [חנוכת הדעת — "the dedication of da'at / the inauguration of knowledge." A play on the word Chanukah (חנוכה = dedication / inauguration) and da'at (דעת = intimate knowledge/wisdom). The Rebbe's Torah 1 of Likutay Moharan is entirely about da'at — the intimate knowledge of G-d — and its connection to the mind (moach) and the Temple. Printing it specifically on Chanukah — the festival of rededication and of light — is therefore profoundly appropriate: both the book's content (da'at / the light of wisdom) and the time of its printing (Chanukah / the dedication of light) align perfectly.] — which is the Holy Temple [ביהמ"ק = בית המקדש — "the Holy Temple / the Temple in Jerusalem." The standard abbreviation: beis (house) + hamikdosh (the sanctuary).] — the Chanukah lamps which are the intellect — which is the building of da'at — which is the light that illuminates in all its ways like the sun — and it is the life-force of everything spoken of in that Torah 1 mentioned above. And it was delayed more than a year — and was printed specifically at the appropriate time for this — the days of Chanukah mentioned above. [The book has been in preparation throughout the entire correspondence — the printing money was sent over a year ago (first mentioned in Letter 8), the typing began (af-taifen, announced in Letter 9), and now — finally — the first galleys are printed. The author sees G-d's providence in the timing: despite the delays and obstacles, the book emerged specifically on Chanukah — the most fitting moment.] And I have printed 4 galleys [גליונות — galleys / printed sheets. A galyon (גליון) is a large printed sheet that when folded produces multiple pages. Each galyon = 16 pages (8 leaves). Four galleys = 64 pages.] which are 64 pages — ending at the beginning of the commentaries on "the essential vitality is wisdom, as it is written: wisdom gives life." ["העיקר החיות הוא החכמה כמו שכתוב החכמה תחיה" — "The essential vitality is wisdom, as it is written: wisdom gives life." (Ecclesiastes 7:12) — one of the key verses at the heart of Likutay Moharan Torah 1, which teaches that the divine wisdom (chochmah) is the source of all true vitality and life-force. The book breaks off mid-commentary at this point — at exactly 64 pages — the end of what the available funds could print.] And beyond this I am not able to print — because of the lack of money — for each galley with the paper has cost me approximately one hundred lirot. [לירות — lirot. The Israeli lira (pound) — the currency of Israel at the time (later replaced by the shekel). One hundred lirot per galley × 4 galleys = 400 lirot total for what was printed, with another 200 lirot needed for the remaining two galleys.] And I am exerting myself with all my strength — through loans and so on — to print two more galleys. And beyond this I have no possibility at all — unless Hashem helps. And according to nature [עפ"י הטבע = על פי הטבע — "according to nature / according to the natural order of things / by natural means." Al pi hateva — עפ"י (al pi = according to / by the mouth of) + hateva (nature). The author means: judging by the ordinary, natural course of events, with no miraculous intervention, he sees no path to further printing.] I do not see any way how to print more. Perhaps Hashem will help you to be able to collect money for this — and in particular around the fifteenth [of Shvat] and Purim. [בחמשה עשר ופורים — "around the fifteenth [of Shvat] and Purim." Two upcoming occasions when charitable giving is traditional and especially meritorious: Tu B'Shvat (15 Shvat) and Purim (14 Adar), during which the commandment of matanos la'evyonim (gifts to the poor) is fulfilled. The author suggests these as natural fundraising opportunities.] For it is a great pity that the printing should not continue — for the greatness of this commandment and the merit of the multitudes cannot be estimated — for it can literally give life to the entire world — and there is no person who cannot give himself life through this book — if only he will want to receive the strengthening — as your eyes will see, even from just a small portion of the beginning — and you will understand about the future for the entire book. I have sent today two books — one for his honor and one perhaps for R' Moshe Ohrbach — or as his honor understands whom to give this to. To R' Dovid Auerbach I am sending tomorrow, with G-d's help. And perhaps it would be worthwhile for his honor to write to him — perhaps he will be able to do something with this and to help — and to make him understand the greatness of this commandment. A Personal Request, then Shovavim I am praying on behalf of his wife, may she live — as he wishes. In this week begins the Shovavim rectifications [תיקוני השובבי"ם — "the Shovavim rectifications." Shovavim (שובבי"ם) — the acronym of the six Torah portions Shmos, Va'era, Bo, Beshalach, Yisro, Mishpatim — the six consecutive winter Torah portions of Exodus, read during January–March. This period is traditionally auspicious for teshuvah and specifically for the rectification (tikkun) of the blemish of the covenant (pegam habrit). Since this letter is written during Parshas Shmos — the first of the six Shovavim portions — the period is just beginning.] — which are propitious for the rectification of the covenant — as brought in the holy books. And from this we can understand the greatness of the rectification that is accomplished when a person purifies himself and the evil inclination overpowers him — and he extricates himself from it [משתמט עצמו ממנו — "extricates himself / slips away from it." The word משתמט (mishtamet) — to extricate oneself, to slip away, to dodge and escape from — conveys the nimble evasive action of removing oneself from the evil inclination's grip. Not a frontal battle but a slipping-away, a diversion of the mind.] — and detaches the thought so that it should not entertain imaginings. For this is the true rectification — which extracts all the holy sparks of the Sitra Achra [ניצוצות דס"א — "the holy sparks of the Sitra Achra." ד (d') = the Aramaic genitive particle "of"; ס"א = סיטרא אחרא (Sitra Achra) = "the Other Side" — the Aramaic term for the realm of spiritual impurity and darkness. So דס"א = "of the Other Side." The holy sparks that fell into the Sitra Achra through sin are retrieved through teshuvah — specifically through the act of breaking away from the evil inclination's pull and diverting the mind to holiness.] that it swallowed through his earlier sins. And as the Arizal brings: that the Children of Israel in Egypt — who labored with mortar and bricks and guarded themselves from sinning [שמרו א"ע שלא יחטאו — "guarded themselves from sinning." The Arizal's teaching: despite the crushing oppression and slavery in Egypt, the Children of Israel maintained their personal sanctity. They did not assimilate sexually or morally into Egyptian society. This self-guarding was itself a supreme spiritual act.] — thereby rectified the rectification of the Generation of the Flood and the Generation of the Dispersion [דור המבול ודור הפלגה — "the Generation of the Flood and the Generation of the Dispersion." Two of the most severely corrupted generations in early human history: the Generation of the Flood (the people before Noah, destroyed for their sexual immorality and violence) and the Generation of the Dispersion (those who built the Tower of Babel). Their primary spiritual blemish was the blemish of the covenant — sexual sin — and the enslavement in Egypt rectified this ancient damage.] — and so on. And they completed such a rectification for all generations — that through the Torah portions that are read about their exile in Egypt — these [portions] are propitious for the rectification of the covenant. [The Arizal's remarkable teaching: the very act of reading the Torah portions that describe the Egyptian exile — the Shovavim portions — during the winter months carries with it a rectifying power for the covenant. The reading itself, performed by Jews in every generation, participates in the rectification originally accomplished by the Israelites in Egypt.] And our master the Rebbe זצ"ל brings — on the verse "These are the names of the Children of Israel who went down to Egypt" — that the words [of the names of the sons of Israel] contain an allusion: Psalms, teshuvah. [מרומז התיבות תהלים תשובה — "the words allude to: Psalms, teshuvah." The Rebbe finds encoded within the list of the names of the Children of Israel who descended to Egypt (Exodus 1:1–4) the two spiritual tools of Shovavim: Psalms (תהלים) and teshuvah (תשובה). The numerical/textual analysis uses the 49 words of the names to connect to the 49 gates of teshuvah — see below.] For there are 49 words in the names of the Children of Israel — corresponding to the 49 gates of teshuvah [מ"ט שערי תשובה — "49 gates of teshuvah." A Kabbalistic concept: there are 49 levels or gates of teshuvah — 49 degrees of return, corresponding to the 49 days of the Omer count and the 7×7 structure of spiritual refinement. Each Jewish soul is rooted in one specific gate.] — that every Jew is rooted in these 49 gates of teshuvah. But to reach each person's specific gate — and even when he reaches his gate, it is possible that the gate is closed. And in particular when one has no desire for teshuvah at all — the counsel is Psalms: to recite Psalms — for the recitation of Psalms will create in him the desire for teshuvah, and will bring him to the gate that is needed for him, and will open the gate for him for teshuvah. [A profound teaching: Psalms (Tehillim) is not merely a supplement to teshuvah — it is the very instrument that generates the desire for teshuvah in someone who has none. When a person feels completely cold and closed to teshuvah, Psalms works on him from the outside, creating the inner opening. Each psalm is associated with a specific gate — and the right psalm opens the right gate for the right soul.] And therefore holy Israel — during seasons of teshuvah such as Elul and the Ten Days of Teshuvah, and the days of the Omer count, and also during the days of Shovavim — [during which our master R' Nossan [מוהרנ"ת = מורינו הרב רבי נתן — "our master, our teacher, Rabbi Nossan" — the standard Breslov abbreviation for Rabbi Nossan Sternhartz of Breslov (1780–1844), the Rebbe's foremost disciple and the one who recorded and preserved virtually all of the Rebbe's Torah teachings, stories, and conversations. Without Moharnat (as he is called), the Rebbe's Torah would have been lost to the world.] זצ"ל in the Shovavim days would recite Psalms twice each day] — when they want to merit teshuvah — they then recite Psalms. And certainly — fasting is difficult. Nevertheless [עכ"פ = על כל פנים — "in any case / at any rate / nevertheless." Al kol panim — a standard phrase signaling that despite what was just acknowledged (fasting is hard), there are still achievable alternatives being suggested.] — a partial fast of hours is also [ג"כ = גם כן — "also / likewise." Appears throughout this passage as a connector: "also good," "also a mortification," "also good and beneficial." Gam ken — even this alternative counts and has spiritual value.] good: for example — half a day per week during Shovavim — on Thursday or Friday. And twice per week — on Wednesday and Monday — not to eat anything from animal products such as meat, fish, milk, or eggs. [לא לאכול דבר מן החי — "not to eat anything from living beings / from animal sources." A partial form of ascetic practice: refraining from all animal-derived foods (meat, fish, dairy, eggs) on those days — a vegetarian fast of sorts, less severe than a complete fast but still a form of self- denial and spiritual discipline (sigguf).] And this too is a mortification. Only: if this is within one's capacity. And in any case — whatever mortification one is able to do for one's soul is also good and beneficial — as long as it does not damage bodily health. And in particular since his honor is a teacher — and it is difficult for him to teach the children when he has mortified himself — therefore — whatever he can abstain from even for an hour or two hours per week — is also good. Torah Teaching from Parshas Shmos — Likutay Moharan Part II, Torah 5 And in Parshas Shmos it is written: "And Moses was a shepherd" — our master the Rebbe זצ"ל brings in Torah 5, Part 2 [ח"ב = חלק ב' — "Part 2 / the second part." The second volume of Likutay Moharan, known as Tannina (meaning "second / repeated"). Torah 5 of Likutay Moharan Tannina begins with Exodus 3:1: "And Moses was a shepherd."] of Likutay Moharan: That he was a true shepherd and spiritual leader — in the aspect of the mind — tefillin. [בחי' מוחין תפלין — "in the aspect of the mind — tefillin." A Kabbalistic identification: the tefillin placed on the head represent the moach (mind/brain) — the highest spiritual faculty. The true shepherd and spiritual leader is one who draws the divine mind-light (mochin) into the world — feeding his flock with intellectual and spiritual illumination rather than merely physical nourishment. Moses as the shepherd feeds Israel with Torah-wisdom, which is the food of the divine mind.] And specifically through serving Hashem in simplicity and wholeness — without cleverness — and because of the love of Hashem — one places oneself in all kinds of mud and mire [מניח א"ע בכל מיני רפש וטיט — "one places / abandons oneself in all kinds of mud and mire." The Rebbe's striking phrase: the person who truly loves G-d is willing to be undignified, to appear foolish or lowly in the eyes of others, to go through physical discomfort and social embarrassment — "rolling in mud and mire" — for the sake of a mitzvah. The image comes from the story the Rebbe told on Rosh Hashana when he went to the Tashlich ceremony and literally fell in mud — and then used this as the occasion for the Torah teaching.] for the sake of performing a commandment — and even merely a Jewish custom. As was the case then: our master the Rebbe זצ"ל said this Torah teaching on Rosh Hashana [ר"ה = ראש השנה — "Rosh Hashana." The Jewish New Year — the first of Tishrei — the day on which the Rebbe often taught his most important Torah teachings, gathered with his disciples in Uman (later) or Breslov.] — and went then to do Tashlich [Tashlich — תשליך — "You shall cast." The Rosh Hashana custom of going to a body of water and symbolically casting one's sins into it — based on Micah 7:19: "You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea." A custom, not a biblical commandment — which makes the Rebbe's point even stronger: even for a mere custom, one must be willing to roll in mud and mire.] — and fell in mud and mire. And said then: that even just for a Jewish custom (such as going to Tashlich) — one must roll oneself in all kinds of mud and mire in order to fulfill the custom. And all the more so [מכ"ש = מכל שכן — "all the more so / kal vachomer." The standard abbreviation for the logical inference from lesser to greater: if even a custom demands this willingness, how much more so a full Torah commandment.] for a commandment. [And in truth — we see in the writings of the Arizal how many secrets he brings on every Jewish custom — literally mysteries upon mysteries — of the rectifications accomplished through them. See there.] Then one merits to be a "child who serves Him" — and this is what is written: "And you shall return and see the difference between one who serves G-d and one who does not serve Him." [Malachi 3:18] And the Talmud brings: "Between one who reviewed his chapter one hundred times and one who reviewed his chapter one hundred and one times" [Chagigah 9b] — for the one who reviewed one hundred and one times is called "one who serves G-d" — and the one who reviewed only one hundred times is called "one who does not serve Him." [One of the most famous Talmudic teachings: what is the difference between "one who serves G-d" and "one who does not serve Him"? One hundred versus one hundred and one repetitions of a Torah chapter. The difference is only one repetition — but that one extra repetition, done not from compulsion or routine but from love and desire, distinguishes the servant from the non-servant. The Talmud's point: "serving" G-d means going beyond the minimum — doing the extra act for love, not duty.] For there is a difference between a son and a servant — for a servant performs acts of servitude for his master. And a son takes delight in his father — with love and pleasure. But a son who loves his father with a fierce love — and performs the acts of a servant — and rolls himself in all kinds of mud and mire for the love of his father — then he attains the attainment of G-dliness [משיג השגת אלקות — "attains the attainment of G-dliness / grasps divine apprehension." A specific technical term: hashagah (השגה) — intellectual and spiritual grasping of the divine. Not merely experiencing G-d's presence but actually apprehending and comprehending dimensions of G-d's reality. This level of hashagat Elokus is accessible only through the combination of love (of the son) and self-abnegating service (of the servant) — not through either alone.] that an ordinary son cannot attain. And King David, may he rest in peace, [דהמע"ה = דוד המלך עליו השלום — "David the King, may peace be upon him." The standard abbreviation for King David: Dovid (David) + hamelech (the king) + alav hashalom (may peace be upon him). The same blessing formula used for all righteous deceased persons, applied here to the greatest king of Israel.] would leap and whirl with all his might [ומפזז ומכרכר בכל עוז — "leaping and whirling with all his might." From II Samuel 6:14 — David dancing before the Ark of G-d as it was brought to Jerusalem: "And David was dancing before Hashem with all his might." The Rebbe uses David's ecstatic, uninhibited dancing — which was mocked by his wife Michal as undignified for a king — as the paradigm of the "son" who performs "servant's acts" for the love of G-d, abandoning royal dignity entirely in the dance of devotion.] — and would humble himself before the honor of Hashem. Through this he merited what he merited. And likewise the true Tzaddikim — even though they are at a level so high that there is nothing above it — nevertheless, when a commandment comes their way — they set aside their intellect and perform the commandment in simplicity. [מניחין השכל ועושים המצוה בפשיטות — "they set aside their intellect and perform the commandment in simplicity." The Rebbe's principle of peshitus (simplicity) in action: even a person of the highest intellectual and spiritual level, when doing a mitzvah, does not approach it with sophisticated calculation or intellectual analysis but does it simply, directly, as a child obeys a loving parent. The intellect is set aside — not abandoned permanently but not brought to bear on the act of the mitzvah itself.] And even when they are humiliated through this [ואף כשנתבזין עי"ז — "and even when they are humiliated / disgraced through this." The humiliation and social embarrassment that comes from simple, unguarded religious observance — appearing naive or undignified in the eyes of sophisticated onlookers — is itself described as the "mud and mire." The Tzaddik embraces this humiliation willingly.] — which is the mud and mire — they do this for the love of Hashem. Through this they attain in this world what is impossible to attain except [כ"א = כי אם — "except / but rather / only." The strong exclusionary conjunction: not by any path, but only through this specific one — the combination of son's love with servant's acts, the willingness to be lowly and humble for G-d's sake.] through this. The Essential Thing — and the Rebbe's Yiddish Declaration The essential thing is to rejoice in our portion — "fortunate are we" — that we have merited to know such a Rebbe who said: "Ich gey far aykh — ich tu teshuvah far aykh — der ikker zich haltn in im." [Yiddish: "I am going before you — I am doing teshuvah for you — the essential thing is to hold on to him." Three declarations of the Rebbe about himself and his relationship to his Chassidim: (1) "Ich gey far aykh" — I am going before you / I lead the way before you; I go ahead of you as your advance-scout and guide. (2) "Ich tu teshuvah far aykh" — I am doing teshuvah for you / I perform teshuvah on your behalf; the Rebbe takes responsibility for the teshuvah of his Chassidim and does it on their behalf when they cannot. (3) "Der ikker zich haltn in im" — the essential thing is to hold on to him / to cling to the Rebbe. The final imperative: having declared his two great acts on their behalf, the Rebbe's only demand is this: hold on. Do not let go.] Certainly it will be very good for us. His friend who wishes him all good things, forever — [Hebrew translation of the Rebbe's declaration, added in brackets in the original: "I am going before you" — "I am doing teshuvah for you" — "and the essential thing is to hold on to him" — certainly it will be very good for us.] Shmuel Horovitz

Shmuel Horowitz