Igrot Kodesh · Letter 25 — Two Levels of Teshuvah — From Healing to Retroactive Transformation Through Love

By the grace of Hashem,

8 Tishrei 5703,

To the young men, active and eager, students of the Lubavitch Yeshivah of Montreal, may Hashem grant them long life,

I greet you and bless you,

I respond to your letter wishing a good year.

He who gives a blessing receives one himself, in considerable proportions, both materially and spiritually, with an abundance beyond all measure.

A Yeshivah student is "wholesome" (tamim*). This emphasizes that he is complete in his fulfillment of Torah and Mitzvos. Our Sages teach, indeed, that the 248 limbs of the body correspond to the 248 Positive Commandments and the 365 Prohibitions correspond to the 365 sinews.

Chassidus* reveals the deeper dimension of everything. It explains that the wholeness connected to Torah and Mitzvos is linked to the verse "Hashem (Havayah*) is your Hashem (Elokim*)." For all the Mitzvos are connected to one of the letters of the Name Havayah, while the Name Elokim designates strength and vitality. Therefore, one who studies Torah must constitute with it a single entity. He can fully possess his study only on the condition that it is preceded by fervent prayer.

One who has committed a transgression and strayed from the right path becomes, through such a manner of acting, an "infirm" person, which Hashem should protect us from. The solution is then Teshuvah, which "brings healing to the world."

Nevertheless, this healing is not retroactive and the person therefore remains, to a certain extent, infirm. He has not yet become "wholesome" again.

Then, the person accedes to a deeper level of Teshuvah, inspired by an immense love of Hashem, from the depths of his heart. From then on, the transgressions are transformed into merits, and in this way, retroactively uprooted.

Such a form of Teshuvah corresponds to the service of Hashem "with all your might" (bechol me'odecha*), and a Rebbe can help one access it, just as the Torah scholar annuls vows retroactively, by arousing remorse in the one who acted wrongly.

One can find an allusion to what has just been said in the fact that, as our Sages explain, there are four things that Hashem regrets having created. One of them is the evil inclination (yetzer hara*).

Very soon, we will all merit to witness the coming of Moshiach, who will also lead the Tzaddikim*, who serve Hashem "with all your soul" (bechol nafshecha*), toward Teshuvah "with all your might" (...).

With my blessing that you be definitively inscribed for a good year, "Immediate Teshuvah, immediate redemption,"

Menachem Schneerson

Director of the Executive Committee [1]

Some ideas to follow up on what has just been said [2].

Notes [1] Of Merkaz L'Inyonei Chinuch.

[2] There follow several references on the definition of infirmity among Jews and among non-Jews.