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ט אַךְ בְּיוֹדְעַיי וּמַכִּירַיי קָאֲמִינָא, הֵם כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מֵאַנְשֵׁי שְׁלוֹמֵנוּ שֶׁבִּמְדִינָתֵינוּ וְסָמוֹכוֹת שֶׁלָּהּ, אֲשֶׁר הָיָה הַדִּבּוּר שֶׁל חִיבָּה מָצוּי בֵּינֵינוּ, וְגִילּוּ לְפָנַי כָּל תַּעֲלוּמוֹת לִבָּם וּמוֹחָם בַּעֲבוֹדַת ה׳ הַתְּלוּיָה בַּלֵּב, אֲלֵיהֶם תִּטּוֹף מִלָּתִי וּלְשׁוֹנִי עֵט סוֹפֵר – בְּקוּנְטְרֵיסִים אֵלּוּ הַנִּקְרָאִים בְּשֵׁם ״לִקּוּטֵי אֲמָרִים״, מְלוּקָּטִים מִפִּי סְפָרִים וּמִפִּי סוֹפְרִים קְדוֹשֵׁי עֶלְיוֹן נִשְׁמָתָם עֵדֶן הַמְפוּרְסָמִים אֶצְלֵינוּ.

9I speak, however, of those who know me well, each and every one of our faithful who lives in our country and in lands adjacent to it, with whom words of affection have been frequently exchanged and who have revealed to me all the secrets of their heart and mind in the service of G–d, which is dependent on the heart.¹⁹ May my word percolate to them, and my tongue be as the pen of the scribe in these kuntresim that are entitled Likkutei Amarim (Selected Discourses), which have been selected from books and teachers,²⁰ heavenly saints, whose souls are in Eden, and who are renowned among us.

יוּקְצָת מֵהֶם נִרְמָזִין לְחַכִּימִין בְּאִגְּרוֹת הַקֹּדֶשׁ מֵרַבּוֹתֵינוּ שֶׁבְּאֶרֶץ הַקֹּדֶשׁ תִּבָּנֶה וְתִכּוֹנֵן בִּמְהֵרָה בְיָמֵינוּ אָמֵן, וּקְצָתָם שָׁמַעְתִּי מִפִּיהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בִּהְיוֹתָם פֹּה עִמָּנוּ, וְכוּלָּם הֵן תְּשׁוּבוֹת עַל שְׁאֵלוֹת רַבּוֹת אֲשֶׁר שׁוֹאֲלִין בְּעֵצָה כָּל אַנְשֵׁי שְׁלוֹמֵנוּ דִּמְדִינָתֵינוּ תָּמִיד כָּל אֶחָד לְפִי עֶרְכּוֹ לָשִׁית עֵצוֹת בְּנַפְשָׁם בַּעֲבוֹדַת ה׳, לִהְיוֹת כִּי אֵין הַזְּמַן גְּרָמָא עוֹד לְהָשִׁיב לְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד עַל שְׁאֵלָתוֹ בִּפְרָטוּת, וְגַם הַשִּׁכְחָה מְצוּיָה.

10[The subjects of] some of [these discourses] are hinted to the wise, in the sacred epistles of our teachers²¹ in the Holy Land, may it be built and established speedily in our days, Amen; some of them I have heard from their saintly mouth when they were here with us; and all of them are responsa to many questions which all our faithful in our country have constantly asked, seeking advice, each according to his station, so as to receive moral guidance in the service of G–d, since time no longer permits of replying to everyone individually and in detail on his particular problem. Furthermore, forgetfulness is common.

יאעַל כֵּן רָשַׁמְתִּי כָּל הַתְּשׁוּבוֹת עַל כָּל הַשְּׁאֵלוֹת לְמִשְׁמֶרֶת לְאוֹת, לִהְיוֹת לְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד לְזִכָּרוֹן בֵּין עֵינָיו וְלֹא יִדְחוֹק עוֹד לִיכָּנֵס לְדַבֵּר עִמִּי בִּיחִידוּת, כִּי בָּהֶן יִמְצָא מַרְגּוֹעַ לְנַפְשׁוֹ וְעֵצָה נְכוֹנָה לְכָל דָּבָר הַקָּשֶׁה עָלָיו בַּעֲבוֹדַת ה׳, וְנָכוֹן יִהְיֶה לִבּוֹ בָּטוּחַ בַּה׳ גּוֹמֵר בַּעֲדֵינוּ:

11I have, therefore, recorded all the replies to all the questions, to be preserved as a signpost and to serve as a visual reminder for each and every person, so that he will no longer press for admission to private conference with me. For in these [responsa] he will find peace for his soul and true counsel on every matter that he finds difficult in the service of G–d. His heart will thus be firmly secured in the L–rd, Who completes everything for us.

יבוּמִי שֶׁדַּעְתּוֹ קְצָרָה לְהָבִין דְּבַר עֵצָה מִתּוֹךְ קוּנְטְרֵיסִים אֵלּוּ, יְפָרֵשׁ שִׂיחָתוֹ לִפְנֵי הַגְּדוֹלִים שֶׁבְּעִירוֹ וְהֵם יְבוֹנְנוּהוּ. וַאֲלֵיהֶם בַּקָּשָׁתִי, שֶׁלֹּא לָשׂוּם יָד לָפֶה לְהִתְנַהֵג בַּעֲנָוָה וְשִׁפְלוּת שֶׁל שֶׁקֶר חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, וְכַנּוֹדָע עוֹנֶשׁ הַמַּר עַל מוֹנֵעַ בָּר, וְגוֹדֶל הַשָּׂכָר – מִמַּאֲמַר רַבּוֹתֵינוּ־זִכְרוֹנָם־לִבְרָכָה עַל פָּסוּק ״מֵאִיר עֵינֵי שְׁנֵיהֶם ה׳״, כִּי יָאִיר ה׳ פָּנָיו אֲלֵיהֶם, אוֹר פְּנֵי מֶלֶךְ חַיִּים. וּמְחַיֶּה חַיִּים יְזַכֵּנוּ וִיחַיֵּינוּ לַיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר ״לֹא יְלַמְּדוּ עוֹד אִישׁ אֶת רֵעֵהוּ וְגוֹ׳ כִּי כוּלָּם יֵדְעוּ אוֹתִי וְגוֹ׳ כִּי מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ דֵּעָה אֶת ה׳ וְגוֹ׳״, אָמֵן כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן:

12As for him whose mind falls short in the understanding of the counsel given in these kuntresim, let him discuss his problem with the foremost scholars of his town, and they will elucidate it for him. And I beg of them not to lay their hand on their mouth to conduct themselves with false meekness and humility, G–d forbid. It is known what bitter punishment is his who withholds food [i.e., knowledge], and the greatness of the reward [in the opposite case], from the Rabbinic teaching²² relating to the Scriptural text, “The L–rd lightens the eyes of them both,”²³ for G–d will cause His face to shine upon them, with the light of the Countenance of the King, [the Source of] life. May the Giver of life to the living make us worthy to live to see the days when “no longer shall one man instruct the other…for all shall know Me…,”²⁴ “for the world shall be full of the knowledge of G–d…,”²⁵ Amen. May this be His will.

Kehot Publication Society · CC BY-NC · sefaria.org

Kehot Publication Society · CC BY-NC · sefaria.org