Part IV; Iggeret HaKodesh, Chapter 23
The whole chapterיעַל כֵּן, אֲהוּבַיי אַחַיי וְרֵעַיי, אַל נָא תָּרֵעוּ הָרָעָה הַגְּדוֹלָה הַזֹּאת, וּתְנוּ כָבוֹד לַה׳ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם בְּטֶרֶם יֶחְשַׁךְ, דְּהַיְינוּ, בֵּין מִנְחָה לְמַעֲרִיב כָּל יְמוֹת הַחוֹל, לִלְמוֹד בַּעֲשָׂרָה פְּנִימִיּוּת הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁהִיא אַגָּדָה שֶׁבְּסֵפֶר ״עֵין יַעֲקֹב״, שֶׁרוֹב סוֹדוֹת הַתּוֹרָה גְּנוּזִין בָּהּ, וּמְכַפֶּרֶת עֲוֹנוֹתָיו שֶׁל אָדָם, כִּמְבוֹאָר בְּכִתְבֵי הָאֲרִיזַ״ל, וְהַנִּגְלוֹת שֶׁבָּהּ – הֵן דַּרְכֵי ה׳ שֶׁיֵּלֵךְ בָּהֶם הָאָדָם וְיָשִׁית עֵצוֹת בְּנַפְשׁוֹ בְּמִילֵּי דִשְׁמַיָּא וּבְמִילֵּי דְעִלְמָא, וְכַיָּדוּעַ לְכָל חַכְמֵי לֵב.
10Therefore, my beloved ones, my brethren and friends: do not commit this great evil and “Give glory to the L–rd your G–d before it grows dark,”38 i.e., between Minchah39 and Maariv,40 by studying in groups every weekday the pnimiyut41 of Torah, i.e., the Aggadah contained in the work Eyn Yaakov. For most of the secrets of the Torah are concealed in it,42 and it atones man’s sins, as explained in the writings of the Arizal.43 The revealed parts therein44 are the ways of G–d wherein man is to walk and (enable him) to devise counsels in his soul45 pertaining to matters of heaven46 and matters of the world,47 as is known to all the wise of heart.48
יאוְגַם, לִלְמוֹד מְעַט בְּ״שׁוּלְחָן עָרוּךְ״ ״אוֹרַח־חַיִּים״ הֲלָכוֹת הַצְּרִיכוֹת לְכָל אָדָם, וְעַל זֶה אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ־זִכְרוֹנָם־לִבְרָכָה: ״כָּל הַשּׁוֹנֶה הֲלָכוֹת בְּכָל יוֹם כוּ׳״, שֶׁהֵן הֲלָכוֹת בְּרוּרוֹת וּפְסוּקוֹת הֲלָכָה לְמַעֲשֶׂה, כִּמְבוֹאָר בְּפֵירוּשׁ רַשִׁ״י זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה שָׁם.
11(They are) also to learn somewhat in Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, the laws that are essential to every person. Of this our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “Whoever studies halachot every day…”49—referring to the clarified and adjudged rulings that are of practical relevance, as explained in the commentary of Rashi, ad loc.
יבוּבְשַׁבָּת קֹדֶשׁ בַּעֲלוֹת הַמִּנְחָה יַעַסְקוּ בְּהִלְכוֹת שַׁבָּת, כִּי ״הִלְכְתָא רַבְּתָא לְשַׁבְּתָא״, וּבְקַל – יָכוֹל הָאָדָם לִיכָּשֵׁל בָּהּ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, אֲפִילוּ בְּאִיסּוּר כָּרֵת וּסְקִילָה מֵחֶסְרוֹן יְדִיעָה, וְ״שִׁגְגַת תַּלְמוּד – עוֹלָה זָדוֹן״ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר בְּאִיסּוּרֵי דִּבְרֵי־סוֹפְרִים, שֶׁרַבּוּ כְּמוֹ רַבּוּ לְמַעְלָה, וּבִפְרָט בְּאִיסּוּרֵי מוּקְצֶה דִּשְׁכִיחֵי טוּבָא, וַ״חֲמוּרִים דִּבְרֵי־סוֹפְרִים יוֹתֵר מִדִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה״, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ־זִכְרוֹנָם־לִבְרָכָה, שֶׁ״כָּל הָעוֹבֵר עַל דִּבְרֵי חֲכָמִים״ אֲפִילוּ בְּאִיסּוּר קַל שֶׁל דִּבְרֵיהֶם, כְּמוֹ הָאוֹכֵל קוֹדֶם תְּפִלַּת עַרְבִית וּכְהַאי גַּוְנָא – ״חַיָּיב מִיתָה״ כְּעוֹבֵר עַל חֲמוּרוֹת שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה.
12On the holy Shabbat, toward the time of Minchah, they should occupy themselves with the laws of Shabbat. For “The law of Shabbat is important.”50 It is easy for man to stumble in it, Heaven forfend, even in the matter of a prohibition involving extirpation and stoning, because of a lack of knowledge, and “error in teaching amounts to intentional sin,”51 Heaven forfend. No need to mention (that the same applies to) the Rabbinic injunctions which are ever so numerous, and especially with respect to the prohibitions of muktzeh,52 of which there are many; and as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “The words of the Soferim53 are more severe than the words of Torah.”54 For whoever transgresses the words of the Sages, even but a light injunction of theirs [as, for instance, he who eats before the evening prayer, and the like] is guilty of death,55 just as one who transgresses the severe matters of the Torah.
יגוְכָל יָחִיד אַל יִפְרוֹשׁ עַצְמוֹ מִן הַצִּיבּוּר אֲפִילוּ לִלְמוֹד עִנְיָן אַחֵר, כִּי אִם בַּדָּבָר שֶׁהַצִּיבּוּר עֲסוּקִין בּוֹ, וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר שֶׁלֹּא יֵצֵא הַחוּצָה אִם לֹא יִהְיוּ עֲשָׂרָה מִבִּלְעָדוֹ, וְעָלָיו אֲנִי קוֹרֵא הַפָּסוּק: ״וְעוֹזְבֵי ה׳ יִכְלוּ כוּ׳״, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ־זִכְרוֹנָם־לִבְרָכָה עַל כָּל דָּבָר שֶׁבִּקְדוּשָּׁה. כִּי אֵין קְדוּשָּׁה כִּקְדוּשַּׁת הַתּוֹרָה, דְּ״אוֹרַיְיתָא וְקוּדְשָׁא־בְּרִיךְ־הוּא כּוּלָּא חַד״.
13And let no individual separate himself from the congregation, even to learn something else; rather, (each one is to participate) in whatever the congregation busies itself with. There is no need to mention that one should not leave if there are not ten without him; to him I apply the verse “And those that leave the L–rd shall be consumed…,”56 as our Sages, of blessed memory, said with respect to every sacred matter.57 For There is no holiness as the holiness of the Torah58—whereas “the Torah and the Holy One, blessed is He, are entirely one.”59
ידוְ״כָל הַפּוֹרֵשׁ מִן הַצִּיבּוּר כוּ׳״. וְשׁוֹמֵעַ לִי יִשְׁכּוֹן בֶּטַח, וּבְיָמָיו וּבְיָמֵינוּ תִּוָּשַׁע יְהוּדָה, וִירוּשָׁלַיִם תִּשְׁכּוֹן לָבֶטַח, אָמֵן כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן:
14Thus, whoever separates himself from the community…,60 but he who will listen to me shall dwell securely,61 and in his and in our own days Judah shall be saved and Jerusalem shall dwell securely62—Amen, may this be (His) will.
151 Daniel 4:14; cf. Pesachim 33a.
162 Avot 3:6.
173 Par. Ecclesiastes 12:13.
184 Par. Liturgy, prayer of Aleinu (cf. Isaiah 33:16).
195 Par. I Kings 8:27; etc.
206 Numbers 35:34.
217 An analogy to two occurrences of the word toch, from which we derive the minimum often participants for a quorum; Berachot 21b; Megillah 23b.
228 Isaiah 12:6.
239 See above, note 7, cf. Zohar II:129b; Tikkunei Zohar 18 (35b); et passim.
2410 The Shechinah dwells with him.—Avot 3:6; Berachot 6a.
2511 V. L. omits “and.”
2612 I.e., the reward for his singular efforts is in proportion to communal study of Torah.
2713 Taanit 7b; see also Megillah 16b and Sefer Habahir 50 (149).
2814 Psalms 104:2.
2915 Cf. Zohar III:245b.
3016 Par. Isaiah 35:2.
3117 V. L.: over the L–rd.
3218 Zechariah 9:14.
3319 The totality of the soul.
3420 Sanhedrin 39a.
3521 Cf. Likkutei Amarim, Part I, end of ch. 11.
3622 Psalms 90:17.
3723 Zohar II:90b; see also 60a and III:73a. Cf. Kitzurim V’Hearot, p. 104 f. See Likkutei Amarim, Part I, chs. 4 and 23.
3824 As opposed to singular, individual activity.
3925 Kiddushin 39b.
4026 Psalms 62:13.
4127 To receive their reward. Sanhedrin 100b. Cf. above, Epistle 3, note 5.
4228 Thus, unlike the soul, an angel is unable to apprehend and endure the manifestation of the Shechinah.
4329 Par. Ecclesiastes 2:17; etc.
4430 Tanchuma, Vayera 8; see also Bereishit Rabbah 49:8 and 93:6; Aggadot Bereishit 22:2.
4531 Avot 3:2.
4632 Kiddushin 31a.
4733 Sotah 5a.
4834 Song of Songs 7:6. The Shechinah is bound to Israel, regardless; thus, by their improper acts the Shechinah is drawn into exile with them, per force, as it were; see Vayikra Rabbah 31:4; Tanchuma, Nitzavim 3; Tikkunei Zohar 6 (21b); Likkutei Amarim, Part I, ch. 45.
4935 Isaiah 52:2.
5036 Cf. Zohar II:7a.
5137 Zohar III:75b.
5238 Jeremiah 13:16.
5339 Afternoon Prayer.
5440 Evening Prayer.
5541 The “inner part,” the “soul,” of the Torah: the esoteric teachings of the Torah.
5642 In the Aggadah.
5743 See Rabbi Schneur Zalman’s Hilchot Talmud Torah 2:2 (and notes, ad loc., in ed. N.Y., 2004); cf. Foreword to the commentary on Shir Hashirim attributed to Nachmanides. (On the Arizal, see above, Epistle 5, note 103.)
5844 I.e., the nonmystical parts.
5945 Par. Psalms 13:3.
6046 Religious affairs.
6147 Secular affairs.
6248 Cf. Sifrei on Deuteronomy 11:22; Avot d’R. Nattan 29:7.
6349 Megillah 28b.
6450 Shabbat 12a; see Rashi, ad loc.
6551 Avot 4:13.
6652 That which is forbidden for use or handling on Shabbat and Festivals.
6753 The Scribes, i.e., the Rabbis.
6854 Jerusalem Talmud, Berachot 1:4; Eruvin 21b.
6955 Berachot 4b.
7056 Isaiah 1:28.
7157 Jerusalem Talmud, Megillah 4:4; cf. Berachot 8a.
7258 Zohar III:81a.
7359 Above, note 23.
7460 Semachot 2:10; Maimonides, Hilchot Evel 1:10.
7561 Proverbs 1:33.
7662 Par. Jeremiah 23:6 and 33:16.
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