Tanya/ Iggeres Ha’Kodesh – The Holy Epistle, Epistle 18, Class 3

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Having spoken until now of the higher category in the love of G‑d called ahavah betaanugim, the Alter Rebbe now proceeds to consider the lesser love, ahavah zuta.

The second [category] is a love and desire in which the soul desires, loves, and wishes to cleave to G‑d,

וְהַשֵּׁנִית – הִיא אַהֲבָה וְתַאֲוָה, שֶׁהַנֶּפֶשׁ מִתְאַוָּה וְאוֹהֶבֶת וַחֲפֵיצָה לְדָבְקָה בַּה’,

“to be bound up in the bond of life.”²¹

לִצְרוֹר בִּצְרוֹר הַחַיִּים,

The proximity to G‑d is very dear to her, and that is what she desires.

וְקִרְבַת אֱלֹהִים טוֹב לָהּ מְאֹד, וּבוֹ תַּחְפּוֹץ,

It is most grievous unto her to become, heaven forfend, distanced from Him, blessed be He,

וְרַע לָהּ מְאֹד לְהִתְרַחֵק מִמֶּנּוּ יִתְבָּרֵךְ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם,

by having an iron partition of the chitzonim, the forces of kelipah and unholiness, separate her [from Him], heaven forfend.

לִהְיוֹת מְחִיצָה שֶׁל בַּרְזֶל מֵהַחִיצוֹנִים מַפְסֶקֶת חַס וְשָׁלוֹם.

Thus, inherent in the soul’s love for G‑d is its anxious fear of being alienated from Him by a partition resulting from those things that are opposite His will.

Likkutei Levi Yitzchak, authored by the father of the Rebbe, explains that the four terms used above—“desires,” “loves,” “wishes,” and “cleaves”—refer respectively to the soul-levels within the Four Worlds: “desires” relates to the World of Asiyah, “loves” relates to the World of Yetzirah, and so on.

This love is latent in the heart of all Jews, even in the wicked, as explained at length in Part I, chs. 18 and 19,

וְאַהֲבָה זוֹ הִיא מוּסְתֶּרֶת בְּלֵב כְּלַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֲפִילוּ בִּרְשָׁעִים,

and from this [latent love] derives their remorse, as in the phrase, “The wicked are full of remorse.”²²

וּמִמֶּנָּה בָּאָה לָהֶם הַחֲרָטָה.

The Alter Rebbe now answers the following implied question: If they indeed possess this love, why then are they wicked?

However, because it is latent and concealed, in a state of exile in the body, it is possible for the kelipah to dominate it;

אַךְ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהִיא מוּסְתֶּרֶת וְנֶעְלָמָה בִּבְחִינַת גָּלוּת בַּגּוּף, הֲרֵי הַקְּלִיפָּה יְכוֹלָה לִשְׁלוֹט עָלֶיהָ,

and this is the “spirit of folly” which causes a man to sin.²³

וְזֶהוּ רוּחַ שְׁטוּת הַמַּחֲטִיא לָאָדָם.

The “spirit of folly” cloaks this hidden love (ahavah mesuteret) so that one loses the sensitivity to realize that through sinning, he is jeopardizing his attachment to G‑d.

Therefore, a man’s service to his Maker consists of strengthening himself and prevailing over the kelipah in all its manifestations.

וְעַל כֵּן, עֲבוֹדַת הָאָדָם לְקוֹנוֹ הִיא, לְהִתְחַזֵּק וּלְהִתְגַּבֵּר עַל הַקְּלִיפָּה בַּכֹּל מִכֹּל כֹּל,

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FOOTNOTES

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21. I Samuel 25:29.

22. Note by the Rebbe: “Reishit Chochmah, Shaar Hayirah citing Sefer Chasidim; Shevet Mussar, sec. 25 citing the Sages; Tanya, ch. 11.”

23. Sotah 3a.