From the Teachings of Rabbi Levi Yitzchok

00:01 As we approach 20 Menachem Av, the yahrzeit of the Rebbe’s father, we’ll talk about several matters connected with the teachings of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak. In particular, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak’s teachings are not easy; they take work to understand. There is a great deal of Kabbalah in them, as you know, and many things that are difficult to understand. But I’ll speak about a few points. First, by way of introduction, about certain things we learn from Rabbi Levi Yitzchak and how Torah should be studied. After that, if there’s time, we’ll also share a vort from Rabbi Levi Yitzchak’s teachings. One of the remarkable things you can see in his teachings is that every word—not only in the Written Torah but in the Oral Torah too—is absolutely precise. Everyone knows that in Chumash, the Written Torah, in Tanach, every letter and every word certainly matters. The Gemara derives mountains of halachos from individual words. But when studying the Oral Torah, you don’t see that as readily. In the Gemara, there are different versions of the text. Usually the focus is more on the reasoning, on examining the sugya, rather than on scrutinizing the words and letters. One of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak’s innovations—and he demonstrates it again and again—is that in every teaching of our Sages, every word in the Oral Torah is also absolutely precise, and much can be learned from it. There is no word that is incidental. Sometimes he even examines letters: why is a word written with one letter here and a different letter there? The same word might appear in one place with a particular letter. Rabbi Levi Yitzchak offers explanations for that too, showing that it is all absolutely precise. Why is it written in precisely this way? And not only words

02:29 in the Holy Tongue—even Aramaic words. We all know that the Holy Tongue is a sacred language. Every word in it has meaning; its letters are precise. You already see in Tanya that Hakadosh Boruch Hu created the world through words in the Holy Tongue, so every letter and every word is precise. “The name by which it is called in the Holy Tongue”—when you read a word there, you can examine its numerical value and its letters and learn all sorts of things from them. Chassidus in particular teaches us to understand the depth of a name and, through that, the life-force of the thing it names. What did Rabbi Levi Yitzchak add to this? That even things not written in the Holy Tongue—things in the Torah written in Aramaic or another language—have depth and meaning. In Rabbi Levi Yitzchak’s teachings, we find this, for example, with the names of the Amoraim. Many of their names are not in the Holy Tongue, and he explains each name according to Kabbalah: its meaning, what it alludes to, its defining quality, and why that particular name was given. He offers explanations for all of it. For Rabbi Levi Yitzchak, when you say Rav Chisda, that means rav chessed, abundant kindness. It isn’t just a name. Rav Chisda’s spiritual level was one of abundant kindness. Rav Chisda was a Kohen, and a Kohen is associated with chessed. Rabbi Levi Yitzchak also explains why Chisda is written with an alef: that alef, too, has a reason and an allusion. He then explains numerous things about Rav Chisda in the Talmud on the basis of his being associated with abundant kindness.

04:16 That’s one example. Similarly, Abaye represents chochmah: Abaye contains av, “father,” and av is associated with chochmah. Rava represents binah. Abaye and Rava are chochmah and binah, and their disagreements are disagreements between chochmah and binah. Rabbi Levi Yitzchak explains various sugyos in the Talmud on this basis. That’s with names of people, but it applies to ordinary words too: names of objects, of things, of animals. For example, there are a number of mishnayos in Tractate Keilim. Keilim is full of difficult names for implements; it’s hard to know what the implements are. Rabbi Levi Yitzchak explains the name of an implement, its details, and what it alludes to among the sefiros and spiritual levels. Every single thing has a spiritual source. This is one of the remarkable things we learn from Rabbi Levi Yitzchak. What does it mean for us? Of course, we are not on Rabbi Levi Yitzchak’s level, able to explain everything and offer allusions according to Kabbalah. That is beyond us. But it gives you an entirely different sense of respect in your approach to Torah study. Incidentally, some people point out that Reb Yoel had a special ability in this area. Reb Yoel always spoke about it. I remember him once giving us an entire class on the subject. He argued that the Rebbe’s approach to studying Likkutei Sichos—the approach in the Rebbe’s teachings—is very similar to Rabbi Levi Yitzchak’s in this respect. In other words, you could see that the Rebbe had received this from his father: attentiveness to the exact letters and words, even in the Oral Torah and in the commentaries, including Rashi. You see how the Rebbe takes a Rashi, analyzes it, and shows you that every word and every detail in Rashi is precise—

06:12 why Rashi begins his comment with those particular words, why he writes it that way, and why he departs from the wording of the text or of the Midrash. There is precision in all of it. The difference between the Rebbe and Rabbi Levi Yitzchak, of course, is that Rabbi Levi Yitzchak explained these things according to Kabbalah. With the Rebbe, if it is Rashi, the explanation follows the plain meaning of the verse; if it is Rambam, it relates to the laws in Rambam. In each case, the explanation suits the subject. But the principle that every letter and every word is precise stands out strongly in Rabbi Levi Yitzchak’s explanations. And he gives us an approach, guidance in this: how to approach the study of the Talmud and Gemara, Rashi and Tosafos, and Rambam. Even when a person studies properly, there are many things to discover in the words themselves. There is another aspect to what we said about names, and here too we saw this approach in the Rebbe’s teachings. One of the remarkable things in the Rebbe’s explanations is that he shows how a sage’s views follow a consistent approach. In a number of sichos, the Rebbe explains disagreements in the Talmud by showing how each sage follows his own approach. We recently studied in yeshivah the respective approaches of Rabbi Yishmael and Rabbi Akiva. They disagree, and there are sichos in which the Rebbe explains their respective approaches. In the hadran on Pesachim, the Rebbe explains the approaches of Rabbi Yishmael and Rabbi Akiva. There is an explanation of the approach of Rabbi Shimon and [unclear], and one of Rabbi Yishmael’s approach. The Rebbe has a number of such explanations showing how disagreements between Tannaim are connected with their ways of learning. From those differences arise various practical distinctions in halachah, explaining why they disagree on these matters, and so on. And when we speak about their respective approaches, we also see in the Rebbe’s teachings that these are connected with a Tanna’s name and his life. It isn’t arbitrary. Why

08:09 does Rabbi Yishmael consistently take this approach, while Rabbi Akiva takes that one? It is because Rabbi Yishmael was a Kohen—and, according to some opinions, at times a Kohen Gadol—and Rabbi Yishmael was a tzaddik. Rabbi Akiva was [unclear]; he was a convert. So one had one way of looking at things, and the other had another, and that helps us understand their positions. It helps us understand Rabbi Akiva’s approach to learning throughout the Talmud and Rabbi Yishmael’s approach throughout the Talmud. Similarly, Shammai and Hillel: Shammai represents gevurah, while Hillel represents chessed. It is there in Shammai’s name: Shammai is connected with the left side, while Hillel is [unclear]. The point is that when you study a Tanna or an Amora, their names matter. That gives you respect and honor; it gives you a much more sensitive, holy, and pure perspective. You study Gemara, Mishnah, the Oral Torah, and you see the names of Tannaim and Amoraim. Often you don’t even pay attention: this one said it in that one’s name; what difference does it make who said what? One said this, another said that. In short, who exactly were they? Who was who? It doesn’t seem relevant. But when you look through the lens of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak’s teachings, you see that isn’t so. It is precise. It matters. And sometimes it also gives you a deeper understanding of the subject. If you want to understand the reasoning behind a disagreement, knowing who said what can help you enter more deeply into the reasoning and understand why each one holds as he does. It is built on a way of learning, an understanding, a perspective, a soul. It is essential. These are things we learn from the explanations of

09:55 Reb Levi Yitzchak. Another remarkable thing we see in Reb Levi Yitzchak, which the Rebbe repeated many times, is the way he brought together the revealed dimension of Torah and its inner dimension. There are several letters in Igros Kodesh that Reb Levi Yitzchak wrote to the Rebbe, in which he seems to be reproving him. You can see how a father writes to his son. Reb Levi Yitzchak writes to the Rebbe very forcefully, insisting that when studying the revealed dimension of Torah, after all that study one must pay attention and see how the teachings fit with Kabbalah, the inner dimension of Torah. He writes very sharply that when you begin looking at things through the inner dimension of Torah, you see how everything is precise and everything makes sense. It gives the study life; it gives you an entirely different perspective. He urges him on this point several times: the true way to study the revealed dimension of Torah is in harmony with its inner dimension. So these are a few points connected with Reb Levi Yitzchak’s explanations, which also give us a perspective, an understanding, a way to approach the true path of Torah study. Let’s discuss another one. In another of his explanations, Reb Levi Yitzchak cites a Midrash, Midrash Rabbah on Parshas Bo. The Midrash tells a story about Rabbi Tarfon and Rabbi Akiva. We know that Rabbi Tarfon and Rabbi Akiva were colleagues. Rabbi Tarfon, as we know, was wealthy—very wealthy. He gave Rabbi Akiva six hundred kantarin of silver, six hundred silver shekels, and said to him, “Go buy us a field with this money, so we can sit and study Torah and support ourselves from the field.” Rabbi Akiva went and took the

12:31 six hundred dinars, the six hundred in silver, and gave them to the teachers of Scripture and Mishnah. He gave them as tzedakah to the people who taught Chumash and those who taught Mishnah—people engaged in Torah. Some time passed, and when they got up from their studies, Rabbi Tarfon asked him, “So, what about that field?” Rabbi Akiva said, “Come, let’s see.” In short, he took him and showed him the people studying and teaching Torah—all those teachers and scholars. Rabbi Tarfon said, “So that’s how you used all the money, for other people, and now we have nothing left?” Rabbi Akiva answered, “Doesn’t the verse about King David say, ‘His righteousness endures forever’?” What you give is what remains yours. That’s the story the Midrash tells. What happened here? We have Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Tarfon. Rabbi Tarfon, the wealthy man, gives him six hundred in silver and tells him to buy a field, but Rabbi Akiva gives it to tzedakah instead. What is happening here at the root of it all? Reb Levi Yitzchak’s explanation is very interesting. He says that Rabbi Tarfon represents mochin—the intellectual faculties of chochmah and binah. Why Rabbi Tarfon? We’ll explain shortly. Rabbi Akiva represents the middos, Zeir Anpin, and specifically tiferes. Why is Rabbi Tarfon mochin? First of all, the numerical value of Tarfon is the same as that of Moshe. Moshe Rabbeinu represents mochin; he is the chochmah of Atzilus. So Rabbi Tarfon, whose name has the same numerical value as Moshe, was on the level of Moshe Rabbeinu in terms of mochin. There are also several other

15:00 numerical connections. Some are a little difficult, so I’ll leave them aside. We’ll soon see some other details about Rabbi Tarfon. For example, Tarfon is related to the word for food, as in the verse “Feed me the bread allotted to me.” That speaks of nourishment, of bread. The final nun in Tarfon can be read as nun, fifty: the fifty gates of binah. His bread was binah, the fifty gates of binah. In other words, his level was chochmah and binah, mochin. That is Rabbi Tarfon. Rabbi Akiva represents the middos, and specifically tiferes. The letters of Rabbi Akiva’s name form the words Avir Yaakov. It says that Rabbi Akiva has the same letters as Avir Yaakov. Yaakov represents the attribute of tiferes, the attribute of truth. Rabbi Akiva had a soul connected with Yaakov Avinu, which is why the words Avir Yaakov are found in his name. So Rabbi Akiva and Yaakov are on the same level. We know that Yaakov represents tiferes, the central attribute of Zeir Anpin. What happens here, then? Rabbi Tarfon gives Rabbi Akiva six hundred in silver. What does that mean? Rabbi Tarfon, who represents mochin, wants to transmit an influence to the middos. What does he want to transmit? Six hundred in silver. Reb Levi Yitzchak says this means drawing down the light of silver so that it shines within tiferes. Six hundred is six times one hundred. The six corresponds to the letter vav, which is connected with Zeir Anpin, particularly tiferes—the vav of Hashem’s Name. One hundred corresponds to silver. The idea is to draw silver into the middle line of the middos, into Zeir Anpin, particularly tiferes, where the silver shines. That is the meaning of six

17:21 hundred. In other words, Rabbi Tarfon wants to transmit an influence to Rabbi Akiva, who represents tiferes and Zeir Anpin, so that an influence from the source of the ancient days will be revealed within him and the silver will shine there. That is the meaning of the silver in the six hundred, as also discussed in the maamar [unclear]. The six hundred is the silver that shines within tiferes, within the middos, particularly in the middle line. By the way, Reb Levi Yitzchak makes a beautiful observation here. In Chassidus we often learn about the light of the kav, the line. The light of the kav is also connected with vav. How do you spell kav? With kuf and vav. Kuf has a numerical value of one hundred, and then there is vav. So this, too, represents drawing silver into Zeir Anpin. That is the idea of the kav: from the kav, the influence is drawn into the vav, just as with the six hundred. The light of the silver is drawn into the middle line. That is the very definition of the light of the kav. It’s an interesting point that adds an explanation of the kav. Reb Levi Yitzchak writes that Rabbi Tarfon wants to draw silver into Rabbi Akiva. Drawing down the silver comes through mochin, so Rabbi Tarfon is the one who does it: he gives him six hundred in silver. Then he tells him what to do with it—to buy a field. What does buying a field mean? It means the avodah of birurim, refining the sparks. A field is a field: “Esav was a man of the field.” One must go out into the field, where the sparks are found, and do the work of refining them. This relates to the sefirah of malchus. After all, the purpose of the entire order of creation is to refine the sparks of light and goodness that fell into the world of kelipos. That is the idea of a field. Buying a field means doing the avodah of birurim. And he tells him that by

19:23 buying the field, they will be able to study Torah. What does that mean in a person’s avodah? First, a person must refine the sparks. Then the purpose of refining them is to use them for the sake of Heaven. As the Alter Rebbe says in Tanya, “All your actions should be for the sake of Heaven.” When a person eats, sleeps, and goes about his activities, it is so that afterward he can use those things to study Torah and serve Hashem. So Rabbi Tarfon tells Rabbi Akiva, who represents tiferes, that he wants to draw down the silver into him. But for what purpose? So that he will buy a field. The field represents the avodah of birurim. Once we have refined the sparks, they will give us additional strength to study. This is explained in the maamarim on the weekly parsha: “Man does not live by bread alone, but by everything that comes from the mouth of Hashem does man live.” By refining a spark from the lights of Tohu, a person can then study Torah, and it gives him enjoyment and renewed strength in his Torah study. That is what Rabbi Tarfon advises Rabbi Akiva to do. Why is Rabbi Tarfon the one who understands that this is what needs to be done? Reb Levi Yitzchak says that Rabbi Tarfon is connected with gevurah, with Yitzchak. The name Tarfon is also connected with birurim. Tarfon is related to teref, “prey,” a word associated with gevurah and with seizing something, which is part of the process of birurim. In the Gemara, too, teref can mean striking, which is also associated with gevurah. Since Rabbi Tarfon’s name is connected with gevurah, it is connected with Yitzchak—and Yitzchak, after all, loved Esav. Yitzchak loved the

21:29 The whole matter of refining the sparks. Yitzchak looked at Esav and saw that Esav had a field. That is the purpose: to take Esav, to take the sparks that fell in the shattering of the vessels and elevate them. And this is accomplished specifically through Esav. That is why Yitzchak loved Esav in particular. Accordingly, Rabbi Tarfon, who was on the level of gevurah, was the one who advised elevating the sparks of Tohu that fell into the field when the vessels shattered. “She provides food for her household,” and so on. That is the whole idea of Rabbi Tarfon. But Rabbi Akiva—what did we say? Who was Rabbi Akiva? Rabbi Akiva was Yaakov. He was Esav’s opposite. So Rabbi Akiva took the other side, the approach of Yaakov. Yaakov was “a simple man, dwelling in tents.” Yankel was not in the field. On the contrary, Yankel had nothing to do with the field. Yankel’s whole concern was Torah: “a simple man, dwelling in tents.” What does “dwelling in tents” mean? The tent of Shem and the tent of Ever. Shem’s tent represents the Written Torah—all the teachings, all the names of Hakadosh Boruch Hu. Ever’s tent represents the Oral Torah, “across the river.” So Yaakov Avinu’s whole concern was Torah. Accordingly, Rabbi Akiva, whose soul was that of Yankel, was concerned with Torah. What did he do with this money? What did he do with the load? He said: Instead of going down into the field to refine the sparks through material things, let’s give it as tzedakah to the poor. Which poor people? Poor people who study Torah. This, too, is Malchus, because poverty also defines Malchus: Malchus has nothing of its own. But not the external aspect of Malchus, which descends into Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah. Rather, let’s take the inner aspect of Malchus, the level of Malchus that remains in Atzilus, which is the aspect of

23:25 Torah. By giving this money as tzedakah, he would provide them with the means to study Torah. That was Rabbi Akiva’s view, and that is why he gave it to the poor. To whom did he give it? He gave it to the scribes, to the Tannaim, and to those who delve into Torah. Rabbi Levi Yitzchak asks: What are these three groups? They correspond to the Written Torah, the Oral Torah, Mishnah and Gemara. The Gemara says that a person should always divide his years into thirds: a third for Scripture, a third for Mishnah and a third for Gemara. So that is a third for Scripture, a third for Mishnah and a third for Gemara. That is also how Rabbi Akiva divided the money among three groups: for the scribes, a third for Scripture; for the Tannaim, a third for Mishnah; and for those who delve into Torah, a third for Gemara. So this is what Rabbi Akiva said to Rabbi Tarfon: You are occupied with refining sparks of holiness, but I think it is better to give the money to the poor, to give it as tzedakah. And so he then told him where he learned this: from King David, from the verse, “He distributed freely; he gave to the poor.” Precisely by giving tzedakah to the poor, “his righteousness endures forever.” That gives you the strength to succeed afterward in Torah study. This is what Rabbi Levi Yitzchak brings. As the Alter Rebbe writes in Torah Or, when a person gives tzedakah, his mind and heart become refined a thousandfold. That is the point. Rabbi Akiva said that giving the money as tzedakah was what gave him the strength to succeed in Torah study. As the Alter Rebbe says, when a person engages in tzedakah—both material and spiritual tzedakah—through

25:25 this, his mind and heart become refined. It gives him added vitality and strength in Torah study, enabling him to succeed in learning. That is the point in brief. There is much more to it, but this is, briefly, an insight from Rabbi Levi Yitzchak’s explanation. And here we see again how he looks at Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Tarfon. They are not just two Tannaim. They are two Tannaim, each with an entire outlook and a different way of serving Hashem. Each had his own particular approach, and on that basis Rabbi Levi Yitzchak explains a number of matters in avodas Hashem. This concerns Rabbi Tarfon’s approach to Torah study as compared with Rabbi Akiva’s. In any case, that is one point in brief.