Igrot Kodesh · Letter 8265 — Faith & Bitachon

By the grace of Hashem,

18 Elul* 5722,

Brooklyn,

I greet you and bless you,

I have duly received your letter of this Wednesday, in which you inform me of the time you fix for the study of the Torah*, both your personal study and the teachings you deliver. You conclude by telling me that you experience difficulties studying the Tanya*. You will understand that I am surprised and astonished by this. Being in a position to deliver the teachings you describe in your letter, how can you encounter such difficulties in the study of the Tanya*? One must conclude from this that the order in which your studies were organized was not the right one.

If this is indeed the case, the judicious order (note 1: See, on this subject, letters no. 8170 and 8511) consists of studying, first of all, the third part of the Tanya*, Igeres HaTeshuvah*, then the second, Shaar HaYichud VeHaEmunah* and only after that the first. At the beginning of the study, it is good to also learn the Kuntres UMaayon*, of the Rebbe Rashab*. Without a doubt, the Chassidim* of your city possess a copy. In fact, the present period is propitious for all of this, since we are on the eve of 19 Kislev*, date of the good tidings and of the deliverance (note 2: Of the Admur HaZaken*, from the tsarist prisons). With my blessing to give good news of all of this and on the occasion of this festival of deliverance,

Furthermore, you reproduce the explanation provided by the commentary of Rashi*, at the beginning of Parshas Toldos*: "And, here are the descendants of Yitzchak*: Yaakov* and Eisav* of whom it is spoken in the Parashah*." One can indeed ask what one can deduce from these words. It is, in fact, specified that the "descendants of Yitzchak*" are, as the continuation of the verse specifies: "Avraham* begat Yitzchak*," for a Mamzer* cannot have a child (note 3: One who is born of a relationship punished by excision of the soul. See, on this subject, the commentary of the Baal HaTurim* on the verse Teitzei* 23, 2). It is indeed appropriate to understand the meaning of this interpretation, according to which the clarification of Rashi* is entirely superfluous. According to the simple meaning, one can consider that the commentary of Rashi*, at the beginning of this Parashah*, must be read in a single flow: "Here are the descendants of Yitzchak*," an expression that alludes to: "Yaakov* and Eisav* of whom it is spoken in the Parashah*." Now, this raises a difficulty regarding the continuation of this verse: "Avraham* begat Yitzchak*," which has no connection with the account relative to Yaakov* and Eisav*. The explanation is therefore that which Rashi* gives subsequently. This is quite evident.