Volume One • Letter 9

Peace and blessing and all good things, forever — to his honor, my friend like my very own soul and heart, and so on, who yearns for the service of Hashem in truth — 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 their precious wellbeing [שלומם — "their wellbeing" — the plural form, encompassing both the recipient and his wife, for whom the author has been performing a daily pidyon since Letter 8. A tender detail: the author now inquires after both of them together.] with great love. As for our own wellbeing — thanks be to Hashem.

Opening Meditation — Receipt of the Money and the Immeasurable Merit of This Work I have indeed received your letter — and [the letter of] our master and teacher Rabbi Moshe Aharon Ohrbach, may his light shine — together with the money for the tefillin, and likewise the money for af-taifen dem sefer — to type up the book. What shall I say to you? — Certainly your merit is very great. And may it be the will [of Hashem] — just as you have begun this great commandment, this very one, [המצוה רבה הלזו — "this great commandment — this very one." The archaic demonstrative הלזו (halzu) is a poetic, emphatic form meaning "this specific one / this very one here" — stronger and more pointed than the ordinary הזאת. It singles out this particular commandment as uniquely great and significant, as if pointing at it with emphasis: this one, specifically, here.] so may you merit to complete this commandment — to print the entire book. Which will be a merit for the multitudes for all generations — to revive a great multitude of people, [עם רב — "a great people / a great multitude." A biblical phrase (cf. Numbers 20:20; Deuteronomy 2:10) for a great, numerous people — not merely many individuals but a great nation of souls, a multitude in the full biblical sense.] to bring them back to Hashem — so that they may merit their eternal purpose. [Tachlis hanitzchi — תכלית הנצחי — "the eternal purpose / goal." The ultimate reason for a person's existence in this world: not physical survival or material success, but reaching one's eternal, spiritual destination — closeness to G-d and the fulfillment of one's soul's mission.] And it will be: one commandment draws another commandment — to print more books like these — to teach a person the intimate knowing [Da'at — דעת — not merely intellectual knowledge but intimate, experiential knowing — the knowing of the heart, the same word used for the intimate relationship between husband and wife (Genesis 4:1). To teach a person da'at of the Creator is to awaken in them an intimate, experiential awareness of G-d — not just information about Him.] of what we came to this lowly world for: only to know and recognize the Creator, may He be blessed, and to cleave to Him [ולדבקה בו — "and to cleave to Him." The biblical form לדבקה (ve'davkah) from Deuteronomy 4:4, 11:22 — the classic formulation of the highest spiritual aspiration: total adherence and union with G-d, clinging inseparably to Him.] — through the holy commandments and the holy counsels of the holy books — through which we will merit to eternal life.

And the entire world is vanity of vanities — and time soars past [והזמן פורח — "and time soars / flies." The root פרח means to fly, to soar like a bird in flight — not merely to pass but to wing away with rapid, irreversible, bird-like speed. Time does not walk or drift; it soars and is gone.] — and nothing remains of a person except what he snatches of some good: some commandment, and teshuvah, and Psalms, and prayers that he recites, and acts of lovingkindness, and charity — and in particular charity for the multitudes like this: to print holy books that can revive the entire world from beginning to end. For there is no created being in the world who cannot reach the highest and holiest levels — if only he wishes to look at them with the eye of truth, and wishes to walk with the counsels written within them. May Hashem grant us merit that we should merit to observe [what is written] ourselves — and also to bring merit to others who desire and yearn to serve Hashem and to do teshuvah — and who go through what they go through — whom the evil inclination antagonizes — to strengthen them and revive them and awaken them to snatch whatever good they can from within the darkness and the deep enveloping gloom [ואפילת היצה"ר — "and the deep gloom / pitch darkness of the evil inclination." Two distinct Hebrew words for darkness appear here together: חושך (choshech) — ordinary darkness; and אפילה (afelah) — a deeper, more enveloping, more total darkness — the sealed blackness of a room with no light whatsoever, like the ninth plague of Egypt (Exodus 10:22: "thick darkness"). The evil inclination produces not one but two layers of darkness: the outer darkness of temptation, and the deeper inner gloom that swallows a person's very capacity to see.] of the evil inclination and the desires.

Nevertheless — whatever good one snatches is never lost, G-d forbid. And if one is strong in this — to snatch whatever good one can — without looking at what is being done to him by the antagonizing of the evil inclination — then ultimately he will merit a good end [אחרית טוב — "a good end / a good final portion." A biblical phrase (cf. Proverbs 23:18 — "for surely there is an end, and your hope will not be cut off"): the final chapter of one's story will be good, even if the middle was painful and dark. The end, the ultimate destination, the acharit — will be good.] and merit to do true and complete teshuvah — to the point that his very sins will be transformed into merits. [מעוונת שלו יהי' נעשים זכיות — "his very sins will be turned into merits." When a person does teshuvah out of love (not merely fear), his deliberate sins are transformed into merits (Yoma 86b). The sin itself becomes a positive spiritual asset, because the force of love driving the return exceeds in value the damage done by the original sin.] And even the most sinful of the sinful — he than whom there is no worse sinner — should know his strength [ידע מכוחו — "should know his strength / his power." The sinner has genuine, redirectable spiritual power — precisely because of the intensity of his inner struggles. If he channels toward G-d the same energy he has been channeling toward sin, it will produce extraordinary spiritual results. The sinner is not weak; he is powerful — but misdirected.] and believe in this: that whatever good he snatches from within the darkness of his desires and transgressions — that good thing is a source of pleasure and satisfaction before Hashem. And he merits through it what he merits. And ultimately — through the good within him — he can be turned over entirely to become all good. Certainly he would want to snatch more and more good — but people don't know that one can merit so much in this world. Therefore — it is a great commandment to make this known through the holy books — to make known to all what each person can merit in this world through the good they do. And this is a great commandment surpassing all the commandments in the world: to bring merit to those who are obligated [לזכות החייבים — "to bring merit to those who are obligated / indebted / guilty." Those who are spiritually in debt — who owe something to G-d through their transgressions. To lift them up is the greatest possible act.] — for its reward is without end. And this causes pleasure and satisfaction to Hashem more than all the commandments. For the Holy One blessed be He does not desire the destruction of the world, G-d forbid — and Hashem does not desire the death of the wicked — but rather [כ"א = כי אם — "but rather / except that." A strong contrastive conjunction: not [this] but rather [that]. The full contrast: He does not desire the death of the wicked — but rather every single day He looks forward to his return. The כי אם sharpens the contrast to its maximum force.] every single day He looks forward expectantly [מצפה לו — "looks forward expectantly / waits eagerly for him." G-d is not a passive judge waiting to be approached; He actively, eagerly looks forward to and expects the sinner's return every single day — with keen, hopeful anticipation.] — perhaps he will repent — and immediately receives him. [ומיד מקבלו — "and immediately receives him." The moment teshuvah begins, G-d does not make the sinner wait, prove himself, or earn his way back. He is received at once, without delay or condition.]

Continuing the Answer to the First Difficulty — From Letters 7 and 8 And behold — after the passing of the true Tzaddik Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, may his merit protect us — his light, from his greatness and his Torah, was sealed and hidden away [סתום וגנוז — "sealed and hidden away / concealed and stored in a vault." Two words of hiddenness: סתום — sealed, blocked, closed off from access; גנוז — stored away, locked in a hidden vault, like treasure deliberately put out of reach. The Zohar was not lost — it was actively hidden, sealed away, waiting for the right historical moment to be brought out.] for hundreds of years. [And only his disciples studied and reviewed the Torah of their master together — and had a bond of attachment to their master after his histalkus as during his lifetime — and came to his grave — and had love and attachment to one another [זב"ז = זה לזה — "to one another / each to the other / reciprocally." A standard Talmudic and rabbinic abbreviation for mutual relationship — the love flowing in both directions between the disciples, not only from each toward the Rebbe.] — and love and attachment to their master. And the Tzaddik R' Elazar his son [ר"א בנו = ר' אלעזר בנו — Rabbi Elazar bar Shimon — the son of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, himself a great Tanna who appears throughout the Talmud and Midrash. Despite being the Rebbe's own son and a major Torah authority in his own right, he did not take his father's place as Rebbe.] — and the Tzaddik R' Abba the great disciple — did not become Rebbe in the place of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai their master, may his merit protect us. Rather they were companions together — and the Rebbe Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai is the Rebbe both during his lifetime and after the histalkus.] [And certainly they gave honor to one another — and in particular they had proper conduct and respect for authority [דרך ארץ ויראת הכבוד — "proper conduct and reverence for greatness." Derech eretz — civilized, respectful behavior; yir'as hakavod — awe and deference felt in the presence of genuine greatness. Even among disciples of equal stature, the greater received deference from the lesser — but this was reverence between colleagues, not the relationship of disciple to Rebbe.] — each from the one greater than himself. But not to take him as Rebbe in the place of their master Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai — who is the unique one and there is none like him for them.] [And so it continues — with the Arizal and his disciples — and so on and on with every true Tzaddik and his disciples.]

And behold — the holy Zohar and the greatness of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai was hidden and buried away [גנוז וטמיר — "hidden and buried away." Here the two words appear in reversed order from §5 (סתום וגנוז). גנוז — stored in a vault, hidden treasure; טמיר — buried deep, hidden in depth. Together they convey layered hiddenness: stored away AND buried deep — doubly inaccessible.] even from the Tanna'im and Amora'im [Tanna'im — the sages of the Mishnaic era (1st–3rd centuries CE); Amora'im — the sages of the Talmudic era (3rd–6th centuries CE). The extraordinary claim: even the great Talmudic sages did not have access to the Zohar — it was sealed away from them. Only R' Shimon's own immediate disciples knew it.] and so on and so on — [revealed] only to his disciples as above — until the time came, close to the arrival of the Arizal, when the holy Zohar was then revealed. And there were a select few such as the Ramban [The Ramban — רמב"ן — Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman / Nachmanides (1194–1270) — one of the greatest medieval Torah authorities, who lived in Spain and later in the Land of Israel. Among the first to have access to Kabbalistic tradition.] and the Ra'avad [The Ra'avad — ראב"ד — Rabbi Avraham ben David of Posquières (c. 1125–1198) — a major halachic authority also steeped in Kabbalistic tradition.] who knew of it and received the hidden secrets of the Torah — until the Arizal came.

For the Arizal — he is the soul of Moses and the soul of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. [The Arizal carries both previous manifestations of the cosmic soul simultaneously — as if the previous two vessels were now concentrated together in a single individual at this crucial historical juncture.] The true Tzaddik — from the days of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai until the Arizal — there was no true Tzaddik like this who could rectify the world in general and all souls in particular, as the Arizal did. And he revealed Kabbalah and the hidden secrets of the Torah — in which there is wondrous moral instruction, a blazing fire reaching to the heavens. [אש בוערת עד לשמים — "a blazing fire reaching to the heavens." A biblical image (Deuteronomy 4:11) originally describing the fire at Sinai. Applied here to the Arizal's writings: not only esoteric mystery but a living, blazing, urgent moral and spiritual fire that reaches heavenward.] [May Hashem grant us merit to print books that I have from this — that I have gathered: the moral instruction and the service of Hashem — a blazing fire — and every commandment, both from the Zohar and from the writings of the Arizal.] And he also revealed all the graves of the Tzaddikim in the Holy Land. [One of the Arizal's famous supernatural abilities: he identified the burial sites of numerous ancient sages and Tzaddikim throughout the Galilee that had been forgotten over the centuries — based on his spiritual perception of the souls resting in those places. Many traditional pilgrim sites in the Galilee today are attributable to the Arizal's identifications.] And he also rectified all the reincarnated souls in the inanimate, vegetable, animal, and human kingdoms. [Domem, tzomeach, chai, medaber — דומם, צומח, חי, מדבר — the four kingdoms of creation: mineral/inanimate, vegetable/ plant, animal, and human/speaking. The Arizal's system of gilgul (reincarnation) teaches that souls can reincarnate at any level of creation; the Arizal could perceive these reincarnated souls and effect their rectification across all four kingdoms.] And only he could be called by the name "Rabbeinu" — for he revealed a new path in the service of Hashem and in the holy Torah — a new path that had never been revealed before.

And after his histalkus זצ"ל — he was the Rebbe just as he had been during his lifetime. And even the awesome Tzaddik his great disciple R' Chaim Vital זצ"ל [R' Chaim Vital — Rabbi Chaim Vital (1543–1620) — the primary disciple of the Arizal and the one who recorded and preserved virtually all of the Arizal's oral teachings. Without R' Chaim Vital the entire Lurianic Kabbalah would have been lost to the world.] — who had all the writings of the Arizal in his possession — and [even though] the Arizal said that he came into the world for no other purpose than to reveal his Torah to R' Chaim Vital [כי לא בא לעולם רק לגלות לר' חיים וויטאל תורתו — "that he came into the world only to reveal his Torah to R' Chaim Vital." The Arizal's famous declaration of his own divine mission: his entire reason for descending into this world was specifically to transmit his Torah to this one disciple. An astonishing statement about the providential arrangement of history — the Arizal is not a general teacher but a specially designated transmitter to a specific appointed vessel.] — nevertheless, after the passing of the Arizal, R' Chaim Vital was not called the Rebbe. Only companions — and he studied together with his companions and they were bound to one another in love. And in particular [to] R' Chaim Vital — abbreviated R' Ch' V' [רח"ו = ר' חיים וויטאל — the standard Kabbalistic abbreviation for Rabbi Chaim Vital, used throughout the literature of Lurianic Kabbalah. Rendered here when the abbreviation reappears so the reader is not left without an expansion.] — who was the unique and greatest of all the disciples of the Arizal. And together they were bound to the Arizal in love after his histalkus — as during his lifetime.

And also the Torah of the Arizal — that is: all the writings of the Arizal — was buried and hidden away [טמיר וגנוז — "buried and hidden away." The same pair of words as in §6 (גנוז וטמיר), here in slightly different order. Both convey layered, deliberate hiddenness.] in the possession of the disciple R' Chaim Vital — and not a single utterance was known to anyone outside the disciples of the Arizal. And R' Chaim Vital — before his histalkus — commanded that all the writings of his master the Arizal be placed in his grave with him. [R' Chaim Vital, fearing the Arizal's teachings would be misunderstood or misused if widely distributed, commanded that all the manuscripts be buried with him. This very nearly caused the permanent loss of the entire Lurianic Kabbalah.] And so they did. But through G-d's mercy — the disciples of his disciples made a dream question [שאלת חלום — she'elas chalom — "a dream question / dream inquiry." A Kabbalistic practice: intensive prayer, fasting, and concentration before sleep in order to receive guidance from the soul of a departed person through a dream. Considered legitimate for extraordinary circumstances.] — and R' Chaim Vital gave them permission after his histalkus, in a dream, to dig up his grave and remove the writings and print them. And so they did. And afterward, the disciples of his disciples' disciples made explanations and full commentaries [ביאורים ופירושים — two distinct types of textual work: beurim (ביאורים) — elucidations, making the unclear clear, illuminating the text's meaning; perushim (פירושים) — full systematic commentaries, going through the text in order and explaining it comprehensively. Together they built the entire body of secondary Lurianic Kabbalistic literature.] on the Torah of the Arizal. And they too were bound to the Arizal and walked in his Torah — and were called "the lion-cubs of the Arizal" [גורי האריז"ל — "the lion-cubs of the Arizal." גור = a young lion, a cub — used to designate the disciples and their disciples' disciples in the Arizal's spiritual lineage. The lion is the symbol of the Arizal himself (whose name Ari — אר"י — means "lion" in Hebrew). The lion's cubs carry his power and legacy forward.] — also disciples of the Arizal. And so the way of the Arizal and his disciples continued and flowed forward [התמשכו — "continued and flowed / were drawn forward." From the root משך — to draw, to pull in a continuous unbroken line, like water flowing forward in a stream. The tradition did not merely continue statically but was actively drawn onward — a living, flowing inheritance carried forward through the generations.] — all under the name of the Arizal.

Until that very same soul came itself into this world — and this is our master the Ba'al Shem Tov זצ"ל. [אותו הנשמה בעצמה — "that very same soul itself." Not a different manifestation but literally the same soul — Moses / R' Shimon / the Arizal — returning once again in a new body. The accumulated weight of all three previous manifestations is concentrated in this declaration.] Who was the soul of Moses as above — and he rectified the world and all souls from the Arizal onward. [And also the souls of the Ba'al Shem Tov's own era who were pushed away from afar [נידחים מרחוק — "pushed away from afar / repelled from a distance." Nidachim from נדח — to be pushed away, actively repelled, cast out or kept distant. These souls were not merely far away — they were driven away, unable to approach the Arizal for rectification despite their need.] and did not come to the Arizal to be rectified by him — these the Ba'al Shem Tov rectified, as brought in Shivchei Ba'al Shem Tov. [Shivchei Ba'al Shem Tov — שבחי בעל שם טוב — "Praises of the Ba'al Shem Tov" — a collection of stories and accounts of the Ba'al Shem Tov's life and miracles, compiled and published in 1814. Cited here as the source for the teaching that the Ba'al Shem Tov rectified souls that could not reach the Arizal.] ] And he brought a new path — the path of Chassidus — into the world. And certainly he deserves to be called "Rabbeinu" — for he brought a new path to the world: the path of the service of Hashem, and the matter of prayer, and love of fellow Jews, [אהבת חברים — ahavat chaveirim — "love of companions / fellow Jews." One of the Ba'al Shem Tov's great revolutions: his teaching that love for every Jew — without exception, without condition — is itself one of the most essential forms of divine service, inseparable from love of G-d.] and Chassidus — without fasts and mortifications as in previous generations. [בלי תענתים וסיגופים — "without fasts and mortifications." The Ba'al Shem Tov's revolution: he opposed the intense physical self-punishment (fasting, self-flagellation, rolling in snow) that were common means of teshuvah before him. He replaced them with joy, song, prayer, and attachment to the Tzaddik.] And after the histalkus of the Ba'al Shem Tov זצ"ל — until our master the Rebbe זצ"ל of Breslov — the world conducted itself only according to the way of the Ba'al Shem Tov. And all of them — all the Tzaddikim — are only disciples of the Ba'al Shem Tov and disciples of his disciples. And all [operate] according to the way of the Ba'al Shem Tov. And not a single one brought any novelties — but each one, according to the degree he merited to grasp from the path of the Ba'al Shem Tov — so he conducted himself in his righteousness and his Torah. [And in truth, the Tzaddik R' Pinchas of Korets זצ"ל said that there is no need for Rebbes and Chassidim — only that they should call one another "companions" and speak together about the service of Hashem. [R' Pinchas of Korets — Rabbi Pinchas Shapiro of Korets (1726–1791) — one of the closest disciples of the Ba'al Shem Tov and a founding figure of early Chassidism. His discomfort with the formal Rebbe-Chassid structure reflects a strain within early Chassidism that was uneasy with the institutionalization of the movement.] And also the great Maggid of Mezeritch זצ"ל said that his becoming a Rebbe was a punishment for him. [The great Maggid — Rabbi Dov Ber of Mezeritch (d. 1772) — the primary successor of the Ba'al Shem Tov and the organizer of the Chassidic movement into a broad social phenomenon. His statement that becoming a Rebbe was a "punishment" reflects genuine discomfort: the role of public spiritual leader carries enormous responsibility and spiritual danger.] [It seems to me this was because he once traveled on Chol HaMoed.] [Chol HaMoed — חול המועד — the intermediate days of Pesach or Sukkos — the semi-festival days that are neither full festival nor ordinary weekdays. Traveling unnecessarily on Chol HaMoed is considered a leniency that some authorities caution against. The author adds this parenthetical as his own speculation about the specific cause of the "punishment."] And likewise we see that many great Tzaddikim — disciples of the Ba'al Shem Tov and disciples of his disciples — whose children after them did not become Rebbes (Admorim [Admorim — אדמו"רים — the formal Chassidic term for dynastic Rebbes: an acronym of אדוננו מורנו ורבנו — "our master, our teacher, and our rabbi." The standard title for the head of a Chassidic dynasty.] ) — such as the holy Rabbi R' Elimelech, [Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk (1717–1787) — one of the foremost disciples of the Maggid of Mezeritch and a founding figure of Galician Chassidism, author of Noam Elimelech.] and the holy Rabbi R' Zusha, [Rabbi Zusha of Anipol (1718–1800) — brother of R' Elimelech, one of the most beloved Chassidic figures, known for his extraordinary humility and warmth.] and the Rav of Berditchev, [Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev (1740–1809) — the passionate advocate for the Jewish people before G-d, known as the "defense attorney of Israel," author of Kedushas Levi.] and the Toldos, [The Toldos — Rabbi Yaakov Yosef of Polnoye (d. 1782) — the first disciple to publish the Ba'al Shem Tov's teachings in print, author of Toldos Yaakov Yosef, considered the first published Chassidic book.] and the Mochiach, [The Mochiach — "the Admonisher / the one who gives moral rebuke" — Rabbi Yaakov Yosef of Ostrog, a major early Chassidic figure.] and the Rebbe of Lublin, [The Rebbe of Lublin — Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak of Lublin (1745–1815), known as the Chozeh (Seer) of Lublin — one of the greatest Chassidic masters of his generation.] and many others.] [And even those among whose descendants Rebbes did arise — certainly this was because of some punishment, as the Maggid said about himself [ע"ע = על עצמו — "about himself / regarding himself." The abbreviation confirms that the Maggid made this as a self-referential declaration — applying it explicitly to his own case: "this is true of me." Similarly, those whose descendants became dynastic Rebbes received the same "punishment" — the burden of public spiritual leadership.] as above.] Certainly it is proper to give honor and preciousness and esteem and greatness and importance [כבוד ויקר וגדולה וחשיבות — four distinct words of honor and regard: כבוד (kavod) — honor; יקר (yakar) — preciousness, being held dear, high esteem (from the root of "precious stone"); גדולה (gedulah) — greatness; חשיבות (chashivus) — importance, being considered significant and weighty. Together they express the full range of reverence and regard owed to these great Tzaddikim.] to all the disciples of the Ba'al Shem Tov and the disciples of his disciples' disciples. And all of them are like the disciples of the disciples of the Arizal — who are called great. But all of this is [tribute] to the greatness of their master the Ba'al Shem Tov זצ"ל — who is the Rebbe — and all of them are only his disciples. [With G-d's help — in the coming letters we will speak further [נדבר להלן — "we will speak further / in what follows." להלן (lehalan) — "further on / further along in the sequence / in what follows in the coming letters." Not merely "further" but specifically onward in the chain of letters being built — the next chapters in this ongoing theological argument.] about the resolution of the difficulties.] Your friend, Shmuel Horovitz Postscript 1 — A Seasonal Observance During the weeks of the Shovavim [Shovavim — שובבי"ם — an acronym for the Hebrew initials of the Torah portions Shmos, Va'era, Bo, Beshalach, Yisro, Mishpatim — the first six portions of Exodus, read in the winter months. Traditionally considered an especially auspicious time for teshuvah and spiritual purification, particularly in the area of personal sanctity. Many recite extra Psalms, fast, and give extra charity during Shovavim. The letter is dated the week of Shmos — the very opening of this season.] it is good to recite many Psalms in order to merit teshuvah. Postscript 2 — The Book Has Begun to Be Typed They are typing up the book — [that is:] they are keyboarding the book. [מען טייפט דעם ספר (מקלידים את הספר) — "They are typing up the book (they are keyboarding the book)." The Yiddish taifen (from English "type") and the Hebrew lehaklit (להקליד — to key in / to type) are given side by side, the author providing his own translation of the Yiddish. The af-taifen project — announced as about to begin in Letter 8, §5, and funded by the money confirmed in this letter — has now actually started. A moment of genuine, concrete progress after months of fundraising, obstacles, and preparation.]

Shmuel Horwitz