Tanya — Igeret HaKodesh אִגֶּרֶת הַקֹּדֶשׁ, Chapter 17

נוֹדָע, דִּבְ״אִתְעָרוּתָא דִלְתַתָּא״, שֶׁהָאָדָם מְעוֹרֵר בְּלִבּוֹ מִדַּת הַחֶסֶד וְרַחֲמָנוּת עַל כָּל הַצְּרִיכִים לְרַחֲמִים – ״אִתְעָרוּתָא דִלְעֵילָּא״, לְעוֹרֵר עָלָיו רַחֲמִים רַבִּים מִמְּקוֹר הָרַחֲמִים, לְהַשְׁפִּיעַ לוֹ הַפֵּירוֹת בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, וְהַקֶּרֶן לָעוֹלָם־הַבָּא.

SEVENTEEN. (Kehot, 2012), pp. 374-375, for the opening paragraph of this section. It is known that an arousal from below, when man arouses in his heart the trait of kindness and compassion for all those in need of compassion, this elicits an arousal from above, i.e., an arousal of great compassion upon him from the source of compassion, to effuse to him the “Fruits in this world, while the principal remains for the World to Come.” 1:1.

פֵּירוּשׁ, ״הַפֵּירוֹת״ – הִיא הַשְׁפָּעָה הַנִּשְׁפַּעַת מִמְּקוֹר הָרַחֲמִים וְחַיֵּי הַחַיִּים בָּרוּךְ־הוּא, וְנִמְשֶׁכֶת לְמַטָּה מַּטָּה בִּבְחִינַת הִשְׁתַּלְשְׁלוּת הָעוֹלָמוֹת מִלְמַעְלָה לְמַטָּה כוּ׳, עַד שֶׁמִּתְלַבֶּשֶׁת בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה הַגַּשְׁמִי בְּ״בָנֵי חַיֵּי וּמְזוֹנֵי״ כו׳.

This means: “the fruits” refers to the effluence effusing from the Source of compassion and Fountainhead of life, 71a; Tikkunei Zohar 19 (41b); ibid., 69 (115a); and see below, end of Epistle 22a). blessed is He. It issues netherward, in the mode of the evolution of the worlds from above downward…, until it vests itself in this world in children, life, and sustenance….

וְ״הַקֶּרֶן״ הוּא כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: ״רְחָבָה מִצְוָתְךָ מְאֹד״, וַהֲוָה־לֵיהּ־לְמֵימַר ״מִצְוֹתֶיךָ״ לְשׁוֹן רַבִּים (וְגַם לְשׁוֹן ״רְחָבָה״ אֵינוֹ מוּבָן):

The “principal” is, as it is written: “Mitzvatecha (Your commandment) is very wide.” Now it should say mitzvotecha—in plural form!, ad loc. (The phraseology of “is wide” is also not comprehensible.)

אֶלָּא: ״מִצְוָתְךָ״ דַיְיקָא, הִיא מִצְוַת הַצְּדָקָה, שֶׁהִיא מִצְוַת ה׳ מַמָּשׁ, מַה שֶּׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא בִּכְבוֹדוֹ וּבְעַצְמוֹ עוֹשֶׂה תָּמִיד לְהַחֲיוֹת הָעוֹלָמוֹת, וְיַעֲשֶׂה לֶעָתִיד בְּיֶתֶר שְׂאֵת וָעֹז, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: ״וְשָׁמְרוּ דֶּרֶךְ ה׳ לַעֲשׂוֹת צְדָקָה כוּ׳״, כְּמוֹ דֶּרֶךְ שֶׁהוֹלְכִים בָּהּ מֵעִיר לְעִיר, עַל דֶּרֶךְ מָשָׁל, כָּךְ הַצְּדָקָה הִיא בְּחִינַת גִּילּוּי וְהֶאָרַת אוֹר־אֵין־סוֹף בָּרוּךְ־הוּא ״סוֹבֵב כָּל עָלְמִין״, שֶׁיָּאִיר וְיִתְגַּלֶּה עַד עוֹלָם הַזֶּה, בְּ״אִתְעָרוּתָא דִלְתַתָּא״, בְּתוֹרַת צְדָקָה וְחֶסֶד חִנָּם, לֶעָתִיד בִּתְחִיַּית הַמֵּתִים, בְּיֶתֶר שְׂאֵת וְיֶתֶר עֹז לְאֵין קֵץ מִבְּחִינַת גִּילּוּי (הֶאָרָה) [הַהֶאָרָה] בְּגַן עֵדֶן הַתַּחְתּוֹן וְהָעֶלְיוֹן, שֶׁהֲרֵי כָּל נִשְׁמוֹת הַצַּדִּיקִים וְהַתַּנָּאִים וְהַנְּבִיאִים, שֶׁהֵם עַתָּה בְּגַן עֵדֶן הָעֶלְיוֹן בְּרוּם הַמַּעֲלוֹת, יִתְלַבְּשׁוּ בְּגוּפוֹתֵיהֶם לֶעָתִיד וְיָקוּמוּ בִּזְמַן הַתְּחִיָּיה לֵיהָנוֹת מִזִּיו הַשְּׁכִינָה.

However, the express form of mitzvatecha refers to the precept of charity, which is truly the mitzvah of the L–rd, which the Holy One, blessed is He, Himself, in all His majesty, performs at all times by animating the worlds, and will do so in the future with exceeding uplifting and force. And thus it is written: “And they shall observe the way of the L–rd, to do tzedakah….” III:113b. Metaphorically speaking, like a road on which one goes from one city to another, is called the “way of the L–rd” because it is like a roadway that enables man to travel from one place to another. so, too, charity is a capacity for a manifestation and radiation of the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, which encompasses all worlds,, or or makif; see above, Epistle 3, note 12. so that in the future, at the Resurrection of the Dead, it will radiate, and become manifest, even to this world, through the arousal from below as an expression of charity and gratuitous kindness, [with an uplifting and force infinitely exceeding the state of manifestation of the radiation in the upper and lower Gardens of Eden]. For in the future all the souls of the tzaddikim, and of the Tannaim and the prophets that are now in the Higher Garden of Eden, at the peak of levels, will become vested in their bodies, and they will arise at the time of the resurrection to derive pleasure from the splendor of the Shechinah.

לְפִי שֶׁהַהֶאָרָה וְהַגִּילּוּי שֶׁבְּגַן עֵדֶן הִיא בְּחִינַת ״מְמַלֵּא כָּל עָלְמִין״, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הִשְׁתַּלְשְׁלוּת מִמַּדְרֵגָה לְמַדְרֵגָה עַל־יְדֵי צִמְצוּמִים עֲצוּמִים, וּכְמַאֲמַר רַבּוֹתֵינוּ־זִכְרוֹנָם־לִבְרָכָה: ״בְּיוּ״ד נִבְרָא עוֹלָם־הַבָּא״, וְהִיא בְּחִינַת חָכְמָה עִילָּאָה, הַנִּקְרֵאת ״עֵדֶן הָעֶלְיוֹן״, הַמִּשְׁתַּלְשֶׁלֶת וּמִתְלַבֶּשֶׁת בְּכָל הָעוֹלָמוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: ״כּוּלָּם בְּחָכְמָה עָשִׂיתָ כוּ׳״, וְ״הַחָכְמָה תְּחַיֶּה כוּ׳״, וּבְגַן עֵדֶן, הִיא בִּבְחִינַת גִּילּוּי הַהַשָּׂגָה לְכָל חַד לְפוּם שִׁיעוּרָא דִילֵיהּ, כַּנּוֹדָע, שֶׁעוֹנֶג הַנְּשָׁמוֹת בְּגַן עֵדֶן הוּא מֵהַשָּׂגַת סוֹדוֹת הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁעָסַק בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה בַּנִּגְלֶה, כִּדְאִיתָא בַּזּוֹהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ פָּרָשַׁת שְׁלַח, וּבַגְּמָרָא, בְּעוּבְדָא דְרַבָּה בַּר נַחְמָנִי.

That is, the manifestation and the radiation as it is in the Garden of Eden is of the level of memalei kol almin.); see above, Epistle 3, note 12. This is a level of the evolution from one rung to another by means of immense contractions,, is an immensely screened derivative of the or makif, the radiation of the Divine transcendence. As the worlds develop from higher to lower, the or pnimi is contracted ever more. and as the saying of our Sages, of blessed memory: “The World to Come was created by the yud” 29b.—See above, Epistle 5.—the sphere of the supreme chochmah,, by its very form as a simple point, indicates the immense contraction of the Divine light contained in it. The or pnimi thus is related to the sefirah of chochmah (cf. above, Epistle 3, note 12). referred to as the upper Eden, and evolving and vesting itself in all the worlds, as it is written: “You have made them all with chochmah…” and “chochmah animates….”, s.v. Chochmah (cf. above, beg. of Epistle 5; Epistle 11, note 10; Epistle 14, note 14). In the Garden of Eden (the sphere of chochmah) is in a state of manifest apprehension to each according to his measure. I:129b; ibid., 135b (Midrash Hane’elam). For as known, the delight of the souls in the Garden of Eden derives from the apprehension of the secrets of the Torah with which one busied oneself in this world with the revealed (parts of Torah) [as mentioned in the sacred Zohar, section Shelach, III:169b; cf. ibid., 159b ff. and in the Gemara 86a. with reference to the occurrence with Rabbah bar Nachmeni].

אֲבָל גִּילּוּי הַהֶאָרָה שֶׁבִּתְחִיַּית הַמֵּתִים, יִהְיֶה מִבְּחִינַת ״סוֹבֵב כָּל עָלְמִין״, שֶׁאֵינָהּ בִּבְחִינַת צִמְצוּם וְשִׁיעוּר וּגְבוּל, אֶלָא בְּלִי גְבוּל וְתַכְלִית, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר בְּ״לִקּוּטֵי אֲמָרִים״ פֶּרֶק מ״ח בֵּיאוּר עִנְיַן ״סוֹבֵב כָּל עָלְמִין״, שֶׁאֵינוֹ כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ כְּמוֹ עִיגּוּל, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, אֶלָּא שֶׁאֵינוֹ בִּבְחִינַת הִתְלַבְּשׁוּת וְכוּ׳, וְעַיֵּין שָׁם הֵיטֵב.

The manifestation of the radiation at the time of the resurrection, however, will be from the level of sovev kol almin,; see above, Epistle 3, note 12. which is not in a state of contraction (tzimtzum), measure, and limit, but without limit and end [as the concept of sovev kol almin has been explained in Likkutei Amarim, ch. 48, not to be in its literal sense—like a circle, Heaven forfend, but only that it is not in a state of investment…, note there carefully].

וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ־זִכְרוֹנָם־לִבְרָכָה: ״וְעַטְרוֹתֵיהֶם בְּרָאשֵׁיהֶם וְנֶהֱנִין כוּ׳״, ״עֲטָרָה״ הִיא בְּחִינַת מַקִּיף וְסוֹבֵב, וְנִקְרָא ״כֶּתֶר״ מִלְּשׁוֹן ״כּוֹתֶרֶת״, וְהוּא בְּחִינַת מְמוּצָּע הַמְחַבֵּר הֶאָרַת הַמַּאֲצִיל אֵין־סוֹף בָּרוּךְ־הוּא לְהַנֶּאֱצָלִים, וְלֶעָתִיד יָאִיר וְיִתְגַּלֶּה בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה לְכָל הַצַּדִּיקִים שֶׁיָּקוּמוּ בַּתְּחִיָּיה (״וְעַמֵּךְ כּוּלָּם צַדִּיקִים כוּ׳״).

And this is the meaning of what our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “And their crowns on their heads, and they take delight….” 17a; Maimonides, Hilchot Teshuvah 5:2. Cf. Tikkunei Zohar 36 (78a). A crown (atarah) is something that encompasses and encircles and is called keter 70 (135a) on the subtle distinction between keter and atarah. [an idiom of koteret 23:2 and cf. Pardes Rimonim 23:11, s.v. Keter. Cf. below, Epistle 29 (note 34, ad loc.).]. It is the aspect of the intermediary which joins the radiation of the Emanator, the En Sof, blessed is He, to the emanated, 42:1; cf. Pardes Rimonim 3:1 ff.—See Addendum, ibid., s.v. Keter. and in the future it will radiate and become revealed in this world thus is related to the sefirah of keter, transcending chochmah and its apprehension in Eden (cf. above, Epistle 3, note 12). to all the righteous who will rise with the resurrection ( “And Your people, they are all righteous…”).

וְזֶה שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ־זִכְרוֹנָם־לִבְרָכָה: ״עֲתִידִים צַדִּיקִים שֶׁיֹּאמְרוּ לִפְנֵיהֶם קָדוֹשׁ״, כִּי ״קָדוֹשׁ״ הוּא בְּחִינַת מוּבְדָּל, שֶׁאֵינוֹ בְּגֶדֶר הַשָּׂגָה וָדַעַת, כִּי הוּא לְמַעְלָה מַּעְלָה מִבְּחִינַת הַחָכְמָה וָדַעַת שֶׁבְּגַן עֵדֶן, כִּי ״הַחָכְמָה מֵאַיִן תִּמָּצֵא״ כְּתִיב, הוּא בְּחִינַת ״כֶּתֶר עֶלְיוֹן״ הַנִּקְרָא ״אַיִן״ בַּזּוֹהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ, וְהַשְׁפָּעָתוֹ וְהֶאָרָתוֹ בִּבְחִינַת גִּילּוּי – הוּא דַוְקָא כְּשֶׁהַנְּשָׁמָה תִּתְלַבֵּשׁ בְּגוּף זַךְ וְצַח אַחַר הַתְּחִיָּה, כִּי ״נָעוּץ תְּחִלָּתָן בְּסוֹפָן״ דַּוְקָא, וְ״סוֹף מַעֲשֶׂה בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה תְּחִלָּה כוּ׳״, כַּנּוֹדָע.

And this is the meaning of what our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “In the future the righteous will be addressed as holy.” 75b. Holy is a rank of being separated; it is not subject to apprehension and knowledge, because it transcends the rank of the wisdom and knowledge which there is in the Garden of Eden., holy, thus refers to keter, the sefirah which is separate and distinct from the sefirot transcending them all. (See Addendum, ibid.) Chochmah, in itself also distinct and inapprehensible (ibid.), is also referred to as “holy” (see above, Epistle 10, note 41). In that context keter is then called kodesh hakedoshim, the “holy of holies,” i.e., the essential, absolute holiness. See Zohar II:121a. Thus Scripture states: “Chochmah shall be found from ayin”—i.e., (from) the rank of the supreme keter II:42b; 121a; III:290a; and note following. which, in the sacred Zohar, III:end of 256b; cf. also references cited above, note 36, and above, Epistle 11, note 11. is called ayin; its effluence and radiation are in a state of manifestation only when [after the resurrection] the soul is vested in a pure and clear body. For “Their beginning is wedged—expressly—in their end,” 1:7. and “The result of the act is first in thought…,”. as known.

אַךְ אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְהַגִּיעַ לְמַדְרֵגָה זוֹ, עַד שֶׁיְּהֵא בְּגַן עֵדֶן תְּחִלָּה, לְהַשִּׂיג בְּחִינַת חָכְמָה עִילָּאָה (כוּ׳) [אפשר צריך להיות: כָּל חַד] כְּפוּם שִׁיעוּרָא דִילֵיהּ, וְ״טַל תּוֹרָה מְחַיֵּיהוּ״, ״וַהֲקִיצוֹתָ הִיא תְשִׂיחֶךָ כוּ׳״, וְדַי לַמֵּבִין.

But it is impossible to reach this level until one has been first in the Garden of Eden, to apprehend the aspect of the supreme chochmah according to his measure, and “the dew of Torah revives him”, Introduction 12a; ibid., 19 (38b) (see Ketuvot 111b; cf. Shabbat 88b; Chagigah 12b; et passim).—“And when you will awaken it (cf. Avot 4:13, and below, Epistle 29). will speak for you…,” I:185a; and Nitzutzei Orot, ad loc. Set also Zohar I:175b; and cf. Avot 6:9; Sotah 21a; Tikkunei Zohar 31 (75b-76a). and suffice it for the initiated.

וְזֶהוּ ״רְחָבָה מִצְוָתְךָ מְאֹד״, הִיא מִצְוַת הַצְּדָקָה, שֶׁהִיא כְּלִי וְשֶׁטַח רָחָב מְאֹד, לְהִתְלַבֵּשׁ בָּהּ הֶאָרַת אוֹר־אֵין־סוֹף בָּרוּךְ־הוּא (וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: ״לְבוּשׁוֹ צְדָקָה״), אֲשֶׁר יָאִיר לֶעָתִיד בִּבְחִינַת בְּלִי גְבוּל וְתַכְלִית בְּחֶסֶד חִנָּם בְּ״אִתְעָרוּתָא דִלְתַתָּא״ זוֹ, הַנִּקְרֵאת ״דֶּרֶךְ ה׳״. וְזֶהוּ לְשׁוֹן ״מְאֹד״, שֶׁהוּא בְּלִי גְבוּל וְתַכְלִית.

And this is the meaning of “mitzvatecha is very wide,” i.e., the precept of charity, which is a vessel and a very wide area in which the radiation from the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, is invested (and as it is written: His garment is tzedakah Atah Hu Elokenu (Machzor, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur).) which in the future will radiate without limit and end, because of the gratuitous kindness in the arousal from below, called “the way of the L–rd.” And that is the meaning of the phraseology “very (wide),” because it is without limit and end. on Psalms 119:96; Eruvin 21a and Rashi, ad loc.

אֲבָל ״לְכָל תִּכְלָה רָאִיתִי קֵץ״, ״תִּכְלָה״ הִיא מִלְּשׁוֹן ״כְּלוֹת הַנֶּפֶשׁ״ שֶׁבְּגַן עֵדֶן, שֶׁהִיא בִּבְחִינַת ״קֵץ״ וְתַכְלִית וְצִמְצוּם כַּנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל, וּ״לְכָל תִּכְלָה״ הוּא לְפִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה מַעֲלוֹת וּמַדְרֵגוֹת גַּן עֵדֶן זֶה לְמַעְלָה מִזֶּה עַד רוּם הַמַּעֲלוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּלִקּוּטֵי הַשַּׁ״ס מֵהָאֲרִיזַ״ל בְּפֵירוּשׁ מַאֲמַר רַבּוֹתֵינוּ־זִכְרוֹנָם־לִבְרָכָה: ״תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים אֵין לָהֶם מְנוּחָה כוּ׳״, שֶׁעוֹלִים תָּמִיד מִמַּדְרֵגָה לְמַדְרֵגָה בְּהַשָּׂגַת הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁאֵין לָהּ סוֹף כוּ׳, עַד אַחַר הַתְּחִיָּה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לָהֶם מְנוּחָה כוּ׳:

But “To every tichlah I have seen an end”: tichlah is an idiom of kalot hanefesh, the yearning of the soul in the Garden of Eden, for there it is in a mode of end, limit, and contraction, as mentioned above. And (the reason it says) “to every tichlah” is because there are numerous levels and rungs of Gan Eden, one higher than the other, to the topmost of levels,, Bereishit 18a. as mentioned in Likkutei Hashass by the Arizal, in explanation of the saying of our Sages, of blessed memory: “Scholars (of Torah) have no rest…,” 64a. because they rise constantly—from level to level—in the apprehension of the Torah, which had no end…, until after the resurrection, when they will have rest….