From: murray.bbs@cybernet.cse.fau.edu
Newsgroups: soc.culture.jewish
Subject: Tanya, Epistle 13, 1 of 3
Date: 28 Aug 92 17:11:25 GMT
Organization: Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton

Epistle Thirteen
 
"How abundant is Your goodness which You have hidden away for those who
fear You, [which  You have wrought  for those who  trust in You  before
man]." (1)
 
[Now  the first  part of the  verse states  that the  reward is "hidden
away," while its conclusion implies that it is revealed to the sight of
man.
 
The Alter Rebbe will now explain that corresponding  to these two forms
of  reward,  the Jew's  spiritual service  (that  leads to  the reward)
likewise  assumes two forms: there  is both a  concealed and a revealed
form of divine service.]
 
Among those who  serve G-d [by fulfilling  the Torah and its  mitzvot,]
there are two distinct kinds and levels, depending on the root of their
souls above, in  the categories of the "right"  [Chesed] and the "left"
[Gevurah].
 
[In terms of the effect of the soul's root,] this means that the "left"
is  characterized  by  contraction  and  concealment  in  one's  divine
service.
 
Thus, [with  regard to  this manner  of service,]  it  is written,  (2)
"...and to  walk covertly [with  the L-rd  your G-d]"; [and  in another
verse we find], (3) "in secret places weeps [my soul]..."; [and, in the
words of our Sages], (4)  "Whoever engages in the study of the Torah in
secret...."
 
[The three above-mentioned  quotations refer to the three general modes
of  divine  service:  With regard  to  mitzvot  -  "to walk  covertly";
regarding prayer - "my soul weeps"; and with regard to Torah - "engages
in the study of the Torah in secret."
 
All the  above approaches  to divine  service result  from  one of  the
traits that  characterizes Gevurah, viz., concealment.  The Alter Rebbe
now goes on to speak of the other dominant trait that characterizes the
attribute of Gevurah, viz., contraction.]
 
From  this  attribute  derives  also the  element  of  contraction  and
limitation   in  the  service   of  G-d;  for   example,  having  one's
disbursements  to charity adjudged according  to one 's  means, (5) and
[setting one's limits in the spirit of the teaching], (6) "He who gives
lavishly, should not expend more than one fifth."
 
Likewise, as regards  the study  of Torah and  the other  commandments,
such a person is satisfied if he discharges his definite duty which the
Torah explicitly obligates  him to  do, such  as to  set aside  certain
times [for Torah study].
 
[Thus, the  soul's root  in the  Supernal "left", in  the attribute  of
Gevurah, will lead one to act in a manner consistent with its character
trait of  limitation: so that he will give only as much tzedakah, study
only as much Torah, and perform the mitzvot only to  the degree that he
is obligated.]
 
From it derives also the teaching of our Sages, of  blessed memory, (7)
"Cast awe upon the  pupils...." (8) By contrast, the  characteristic of
the "right" is the attribute of Chesed  and expansiveness - serving G-d
with amplitude, without any contraction or concealment whatever, as  it
is written, (9) "And I will walk about expansively...," and without any
contraction or limitation whatever. [I.e., with such an individual, not
only  the  approach  to  divine  service  but  also  its  execution  is
characterized by a broad sweep.]
 
There is  no restraint to the  spirit of his generosity,  whether it be
with  respect to charity, the study of Torah, or other commandments. He
is  not   satisfied  with   merely  discharging  his   obligation,  but
[continues] (10) "to the extent of never [saying] `Enough!'..."
 
[These, then,  are the two types of divine service that result from the
soul's being rooted either in the "right" or the "left".]
 
Now, every  Jew needs to comprise  both these traits: a  Jew whose soul
derives from Chesed [must  also incorporate the thrust of  Gevurah, and
vice versa,] for (11) "There is no thing that has not its place."
 
[Both  Chesed and Gevurah are  essential to one's  service; at times he
must use one attribute, at times - the other.]
 
Thus  we find  various matters  that exemplify  the leniencies  of Beit
Shammai  and the stringencies of Beit  Hillel. (12) This comes to teach
us that  even  Beit Shammai,  whose  soul was  rooted  in the  Supernal
"left", (13) (which is  why they always decided stringently  as regards
all the prohibitions of the Torah, [For stringencies stem from Gevurah,
inasmuch  as they  prevent  an  object  from  being  used  and  thereby
elevated.] whereas Beit  Hillel, who derived from the Supernal "right",
would  find arguments for leniency  in order to  render permissible the
things  prohibited  by  Beit  Sham-mai,  so  that these  should  become
released from their prohibitive bonds and be able to ascend), -
 
[The  word  Asur means  "bound" (i.e.,  to the  sitra achra)  and hence
"prohibited".   Its  opposite   Mutar   means   "released"  and   hence
"permitted". Declaring an object permissible thus unfetters it from the
bonds of the sitra achra,  thereby allowing it to ascend,  as explained
in Tanya, Part I,  ch. 7.]  nevertheless,  in numerous matters,  [even]
Beit Sham-mai were lenient.
 
[This is  so] because of the inclusiveness  of their soul's root, which
is  compounded of the "right" (Chesed) as well. And, likewise, the root
of Beit Hillel's soul was also compounded of the "left" (Gevurah).
 
For, as is known of the mode and the attributes (14) [i.e., the manner]
of  Supernal Holiness, "there is  no cleavage or  division there," (15)
heaven forfend;  rather,  all  the traits  that  derive  from  Supernal
Holiness incorporate  each other  [- Chesed  incorporates an  aspect of
Gevurah; Gevurah of Chesed; and so on.]
 
They are therefore in  union with each other, as is  known to those who
study  the  Kabbalah  [lit.,  "the  scholars  of  the  Hidden  Wisdom".
[Although Chesed and Gevurah are opposites, nonetheless, since they are
also compounded of each other, they are able to work together.]
 
Thus it is  written of Abraham, (16)  who personifies the attribute  of
Chesed and love, "Now  I know that you stand  in awe of G-d," -  for he
had garbed himself in the  attribute of Gevurah, [which was not  of his
essence,  (17)  "And  bound Isaac  his  son...and  took  the knife  [to
slaughter  his  son]."  [We thus  see  that  Abraham, who  is  the very
embodiment of Chesed, was able to respond as the occasion demanded with
even this expression of severity, the very epitome  of the attribute of
Gevurah.]
 
As for Scripture characterizing him as (18) "Abraham who loved Me," and
[in another verse characterizing  Isaac as] (19) "the Dread  of Isaac,"
[thereby indicating that Abraham's service was an  expression of Chesed
and  Isaac's  service an  expression of  Gevurah,  which would  seem to
contradict  the  earlier  statement  that  Abraham  also  revealed  the
attribute of Gevurah,] this difference and distinction exists [only] on
the scale of manifestation and concealment.
 
In Isaac's mode of divine service, the fear is manifest, while the love
is hidden,  in a state of  concealment and hiding. The  opposite is the
case  with the trait of our  father Abraham, peace be  to him [- Chesed
was manifest and Gevurah was concealed].
 
And  this is the meaning  of what was  said by King David,  peace be to
him, [who was (20) of the  attribute of Gevurah,] "How abundant is Your
goodness [which You have hidden away for those who fear You]."  That is
to say that the  attribute of goodness and Chesed, which  is in a state
of concealment and hiding within those whose soul-root derives from the
"left", [i.e., from  Gevurah,] and who  are referred to  as "those  who
fear  You," resembling the [above-mentioned]  trait of Beit Sham-mai, -
though  this is  a concealed  and hidden  goodness, beneath  a dominant
surface of Gevurah, it is nevertheless truly as abundant and immense as
the attribute of Gedulah (21) and Chesed, which is of the "right".
 
>>> Continued to next message
---
 *  Origin:   Chasidus   is  for   EVERYONE   L'ChaimBBS   718-756-7201
FidoNet(1:278/610) To respond, write yy@corner.wpb.fl.us 
Newsgroups: soc.culture.jewish