Iggeres Ha’Kodesh Epistle 15, Class 5

Tanya/ Iggeres Ha’Kodesh – The Holy Epistle, Epistle 15, Class 5

Afterward, once the attribute of either chesed, gevurah, or tiferet is aroused to dispense benevolence, as the diffusion is realized,

וְאַחַר כָּךְ, בְּבוֹא הַהַשְׁפָּעָה לִידֵי מַעֲשֶׂה,

that is, at the time of the actual diffusion,

דְּהַיְינוּ בִּשְׁעַת הַהַשְׁפָּעָה מַמָּשׁ

it is necessary to deliberate how to diffuse in such a way that the recipient will be able to absorb the effusion.32

צָרִיךְ לְהִתְיַעֵץ אֵיךְ לְהַשְׁפִּיעַ, בְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁיּוּכַל הַמְקַבֵּל לְקַבֵּל הַהַשְׁפָּעָה,

For example, when one wishes—and this is a powerful desire—to convey and teach an intellectual subject to his son:

כְּגוֹן שֶׁרוֹצֶה לְהַשְׁפִּיעַ דְּבַר חָכְמָה לְלַמְּדָהּ לִבְנוֹ,

If he will tell it to him in its totality, just as it appears in his own mind, the son will be unable to understand and to absorb it.

אִם יֹאמְרֶנָּה לוֹ כּוּלָּהּ כְּמוֹ שֶׁהִיא בְּשִׂכְלוֹ – לֹא יוּכַל הַבֵּן לְהָבִין וּלְקַבֵּל,

This could happen either (a) because the concept as understood by the father is too abstract and subtle for the son and needs to be lent a more tangible garb, such as a parable, or (b) because the concept is too comprehensive and too diverse and needs to be broken down into digestible segments, only some of which will be presented to the son.

Rather, one needs to arrange [it] for him in a different order and context, such as by providing an example from an alternative context,

רַק שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְסַדֵּר לוֹ בְּסֵדֶר וְעִנְיָן אַחֵר,

“every word fitly spoken,”33 presenting first one side of the issue at hand and then the other,

“דָּבָר דָּבוּר עַל אוֹפְנָיו”,

little by little, a little of the concept at a time.

מְעַט מְעַט,

The concept thus needs to contract with regard to its “length,” by lowering its stature until it is within the grasp of the recipient, and with regard to its “breadth,” by reducing its manifold details to match the capacity of the son or student.

This deliberation, regarding how best to present the concept, is referred to [by the terms] netzach and hod.

וּבְחִינַת עֵצָה זוֹ נִקְרֵאת “נֶצַח” וְ”הוֹד”,

These [attributes] are “the kidneys that advise,”34 in a manner similar to their physical counterpart,

שֶׁהֵן “כְּלָיוֹת יוֹעֲצוֹת”;

and they are also (in spiritual terms) the two testicles that prepare the spermatozoa,35

וְגַם [נוסח אחר: וְהֵן] ”תְּרֵין בֵּיעִין”, הַמְבַשְּׁלִים הַזֶּרַע,

Like their physical counterpart, the attributes of netzach and hod adapt the effusion of the concept.

i.e., the drop that issues from the brain.36

שֶׁהִיא הַטִּפָּה הַנִּמְשֶׁכֶת מֵהַמּוֹחַ,

That is, [they adapt] an intellectual subject deriving from the father’s mind in such a way that it will not issue unmodified, i.e., as a very subtle concept in his brain and intellect,

דְּהַיְינוּ דְּבַר חָכְמָה וָשֵׂכֶל הַנִּמְשָׁךְ מִשֵּׂכֶל הָאָב, שֶׁלֹּא יוּמְשַׁךְ כְּמוֹ שֶׁהוּא שֵׂכֶל דַּק מְאֹד בְּמוֹחוֹ וְשִׂכְלוֹ,

but that it change somewhat from the subtlety of his intelligence and become a somewhat less subtle concept,

רַק יִשְׁתַּנֶּה קְצָת מִדַּקּוּת שִׂכְלוֹ וְיִתְהַוֶּוה שֵׂכֶל שֶׁאֵינוֹ דַק כָּל כָּךְ,

so that the son will be able to absorb [it] in his mind and understanding.

כְּדֵי שֶׁיּוּכַל הַבֵּן לְקַבֵּל בְּמוֹחוֹ וַהֲבָנָתוֹ,

This is truly analogous to the seminal drop which descends from the brain;

וְהוּא מַמָּשׁ, עַל דֶּרֶךְ מָשָׁל, כְּטִפָּה הַיּוֹרֶדֶת מֵהַמּוֹחַ

it is extremely tenuous, and, through the kidneys and the two testicles, it becomes truly concrete and corporeal.

שֶׁהִיא דַקָּה מְאֹד [מְאֹד], וְנַעֲשֵׂית גַּסָּה וְחוּמְרִית מַמָּשׁ בַּכְּלָיוֹת וּתְרֵין בֵּיעִין.

This process parallels the progressive concretization of a concept as it descends to match the capacity of the recipient.

The Alter Rebbe now speaks of yet another function of the attributes of netzach and hod—separating a concept into its various components.

Netzach and hod are also referred to as “grinders” and “millstones” because they “grind the mannah for the righteous,”37 like the heaven which is named Shechakim (שְׁחָקִים), for it “grinds (שּׁוֹחֲקִים) the mannah for the righteous.”

וְגַם “נֶצַח” וְ”הוֹד” נִקְרָאִים “שְׁחָקִים” וְ”רֵחַיִים” שֶׁ”שּׁוֹחֲקִים מָן לַצַּדִּיקִים”,

Just as, by way of example, a person who grinds [wheat]38 with millstones crumbles it into very fine parts,

כְּמוֹ, הַטּוֹחֵן [חִטִּים] בָּרֵחַיִים, עַל דֶּרֶךְ מָשָׁל, שֶׁמְּפָרֵר הַחִטִּים לַחֲלָקִים דַּקִּים מְאֹד,

so, too, does the father need to taper the insight or the intellectual subject he wishes to convey to his son,

כָּךְ צָרִיךְ הָאָב לְהַקְטִין הַשֵּׂכֶל וּדְבַר חָכְמָה שֶׁרוֹצֶה לְהַשְׁפִּיעַ לִבְנוֹ,

and to divide them into many parts, relating [them] to him gradually, with devices and discernment.

וּלְחַלְּקָם לַחֲלָקִים רַבִּים וְלוֹמַר לוֹ מְעַט מְעַט בְּמוֹעֵצוֹת וָדַעַת.

Dividing a concept in this way so as to be able to determine what should be presented and what should be withheld is a contraction of the concept’s depth. Thus, netzach and hod serve to contract its length, breadth, and depth—the concept in all its dimensions.

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FOOTNOTES

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33. Proverbs 25:11.

34. Berachot 61a.

35. Zohar III, 296a.

36. Cf. Tanya, Part I, ch. 2.

37. Note by the Rebbe: “As above, conclusion of Shaar Hayichud VehaEmunah, quoting Chagigah 12b.”

38. Brackets are in the original text.