Likkutei Amarim Tanya - Chapter 47 - Part 4

00:01 Speaker 1 In the previous class, we explained what the Rebbe writes here on the last line of page 47, at the bottom of the first page of chapter 47. The Rebbe writes: “But for us, it is an inheritance and a gift.” This is the difference between us and Avraham Avinu. Avraham Avinu had “our G-d, the G-d of Avraham”: he became a vehicle for Hashem’s will. We, too, now have “Hear, O Israel, Hashem is our G-d.” A Jew becomes one with Hashem’s will, as we said when discussing Shema and the recitation of Shema. So the Rebbe explained the difference: Avraham Avinu attained this through his own service and toil. We, by contrast, received it as an inheritance and a gift, so it is easier for us. Since we received it from Above, as an inheritance and a gift, it is easier for us to reach this level. And that is the point of everything we explained about why the Alter Rebbe brings this here: he expresses it in several ways so we can appreciate the magnitude of the love with which Hakadosh Boruch Hu gives it to us as an inheritance and a gift. In the previous class, we explained why the Rebbe uses both terms, “inheritance” and “gift.” One explanation was that by “inheritance,” the Alter Rebbe means what we received from Avraham Avinu. That is our inheritance from him. By “gift,” he means what we received at the Giving of the Torah. At the Giving of the Torah, in addition to the inheritance, we also received a gift. A gift is something Hakadosh Boruch Hu gives—and one who gives, gives generously. He gave us the Torah as a gift, beyond what a person can attain through his own efforts. That is one explanation of the two terms. We explained last time that the Rebbe brings both points because each expresses the idea of love, “as water reflects a face to a face.” With regard to

02:06 Speaker 1 inheritance, love is not naturally passed down as an inheritance. Nevertheless, Hakadosh Boruch Hu gave it as an inheritance to every Jew. And the same applies to the gift we discussed last time. So according to this explanation, “inheritance” refers to what we received from Avraham, while “gift” refers to what we received at the Giving of the Torah. That is one explanation. There is another explanation in the commentaries on Tanya: here, both “inheritance” and “gift” refer to the Giving of the Torah. As is known, the Torah has several names and is described in several ways. The maamarim and sichos explain that we find several expressions used for the Torah. There is the language of a sale: “I sold you My Torah; as it were, I was sold along with it.” That is the language of a sale. There is the language of inheritance: “The Torah that Moshe commanded us is the inheritance of the congregation of Yaakov.” “Inheritance,” yes. And there is the language of a gift: “Who gave us His Torah.” This is explained extensively in the maamarim. For example, among the Rebbe’s maamarim is one entitled “The Torah that Moshe commanded us is an inheritance.” And there are also four maamarim of the Rebbe from Tishrei, [unclear], the major maamarim. In the maamar for Simchas Torah, the Rebbe explains at length the difference between inheritance, gift, and sale as they relate to the Torah. This distinction also appears in Likkutei Sichos, in several of the Rebbe’s sichos. Most of the bochurim have studied several of the Rebbe’s sichos on this subject of inheritance, gift, and sale. There is the bar mitzvah sicha, which all the bochurim know, and there is also the sicha on Parshas Matos-Masei. The Rebbe discusses this in several sichos, in several ways, with several explanations. Yes, the Rebbe discusses this point at length. In any case, let us return to our subject. When we come to these two terms that the Rebbe writes here,

04:14 Speaker 1 “inheritance” and “gift,” the explanation is as follows. The basic point is that the Torah is called both an inheritance and a gift, and Chassidus explains that each has an advantage. The advantage of inheritance is that it shows an intrinsic connection between the recipient and what he receives. A son inherits what his father leaves him because he is his son. So he has an intrinsic connection to it. In particular, as explained in Chassidus—and the Rebbe explains this in a sicha, also in terms of the revealed dimension of Torah—the heir actually stands in the place of the one from whom he inherits. The Rebbe explains this according to the revealed dimension of Torah. Inheritance is a case of “Your sons will take the place of your fathers”: the heir actually takes the place of the one from whom he inherits, becoming one with him, as though he himself were that person. In any case, we will not go into the whole... the whole intricate discussion now. But the point is that inheritance involves an intrinsic connection: the heir’s bond with what he inherits is deeper and more inward. A gift, by contrast, does not have that advantage. With a gift, the emphasis is quite the opposite: you are not entitled to it and did nothing to earn it, yet it was given to you. It emphasizes that it did not come to the recipient because he deserved it or had become one with it, but because the giver wished to give it to him. From this perspective, inheritance has an advantage over a gift. Now, as is mentioned in the sichos, there is also, as is known, an advantage to a gift over an inheritance. The point is that to receive an inheritance, a person must be fit to inherit. Not everyone receives an inheritance.

06:20 Speaker 1 An inheritance goes only to someone who qualifies—an eligible son, someone fit to inherit. A gift, by contrast, has no such limitations. You can give a gift to anyone; the recipient does not have to qualify. So what does that explain? What does it express? The very fact that an heir must qualify shows that he has some standing in relation to what he inherits, some connection to it. In other words, this is a level of which we can say that he is fit to inherit it: he qualifies for it; it relates to him. That shows that, to some extent, the recipient’s status—the heir’s standing—matters here. With a gift, by contrast, there is no requirement that the recipient qualify to inherit. On the contrary, this expresses that the gift is determined by the giver, pointing to a more unlimited level. So inheritance has its advantage, and a gift has its advantage. Here, the Alter Rebbe wants to explain this in order to emphasize “as water reflects a face to a face.” The Alter Rebbe wants to convey the greatness of Hakadosh Boruch Hu’s love in giving us the Torah: He gave it to us in the most complete way, with every advantage. Hakadosh Boruch Hu gave us the Torah as an inheritance, emphasizing a Jew’s intrinsic connection with the Torah. We received it as an inheritance. That means Hashem gave us the Torah in a way that establishes the deepest possible connection—and that is specifically through inheritance. Inheritance entails a more inward connection than a gift. Conversely, there is also the revelation. What level is that? It is the level of a gift. In other words, what level of Torah? The level of Torah that is beyond...

08:08 Speaker 1 inheritance. This aspect of Torah cannot be received as an inheritance; it is of the highest levels. Hakadosh Boruch Hu gave it to us as a gift. These, then, are the points the Rebbe is making with those two words. Yes, the Alter Rebbe is deliberately emphasizing just how far Hashem’s [unclear] extends: we received the Torah that is our life both as an inheritance and as a gift. That was not the case with Avraham Avinu. For him, it came through his own service, by way of a sale, by way of acquisition. In other words, he had to work for it and invest the effort of hard labor. Continue reading inside, page 200.

08:45 Speaker 2 Why didn’t he say “by way of acquisition”? That too...

08:49 Speaker 1 That doesn’t get us very far either way. On the contrary, it highlights the point. Avraham had that too. What we want to emphasize is what we have that Avraham did not have. But for us, it is an inheritance and a gift. No, we haven’t raised contradictions. Hakadosh Boruch Hu gave us His Torah and clothed within it His will and wisdom, which are united with His very Being and Essence in absolute unity. Hakadosh Boruch Hu gave us His Torah, and in the Torah He gave the Jewish people, He clothed His will and His wisdom. What level of will and wisdom? As they are united with the very Being and Essence of Hakadosh Boruch Hu. After all, there are many levels of wisdom, as explained in the sefer. And the great thing here is that in the Torah Hakadosh Boruch Hu gave us, He did not merely give us matters of wisdom and will. What level of wisdom and will did He give us? The wisdom and will that are united with His very Being and Essence. He gave us His will as it is connected with the Essence, and His wisdom as it is connected with the Essence. He gave us His will and wisdom as they are united with His very Being and Essence. That is what He gave us in practice. It is presented here in order. What exactly does this mean? It is explained that there are many levels. For example, in the wording of Patach Eliyahu, it says: “You are wise, but not with a knowable wisdom; You understand, but not with a knowable understanding.” In other words, there is a level of wisdom, and there is wisdom that is “not a knowable wisdom.” So there are different levels within wisdom. More generally, it is explained that there is the wisdom of Beriah and the wisdom of Atzilus, and there is still higher wisdom. That is, there is wisdom that is also G-dly wisdom, but as it is already more clothed in created beings. And there is wisdom as it exists within G-dliness itself, and within that

10:40 Speaker 1 itself there are several levels. “Wise, but not with a knowable wisdom”—let’s set aside for now the subject as explained by the Rambam and the Rif, who discuss it. The point the Rebbe wants to emphasize here about Torah is: What did Hakadosh Boruch Hu put into the Torah? He put His will and wisdom into the Torah as they are united with His very Being and Essence in absolute unity. Hakadosh Boruch Hu put His will and wisdom into the Torah as they are one with His very Being and Essence. It is therefore as though He gave us the Essence itself, in that union. So when you learn Torah, when a Jew connects with Torah, what is he connecting with? He is connecting with the Essence. Hakadosh Boruch Hu gave us His very Being and Essence within the Torah itself. This is an extraordinary new idea. Because Torah is wisdom; it is intellect. And we know what is always written: intellect is not the essence. Intellect is a faculty of the soul. Yes, that is what we are talking about: a faculty of the soul. Intellect is not the essence. Even will is not the essence; it is a faculty of the soul, an expression of the soul. The essence of the soul is distinct from intellect and wisdom and will. The essence of the soul is distinct from all intellect and the like. And when it comes to G-dliness, all the more so. Wisdom and will belong to the sefiros. Wisdom is a sefirah. Will is a sefirah; it belongs to the realm of the sefiros. The very Being and Essence is utterly beyond comparison with any sefirah or intellect, of whatever kind. It is above—above the sefiros, above intellect. So you might think: When you learn Torah, you are learning Torah. Torah is intellect, wisdom; will is mitzvos. Where is the very Being and Essence here? That is the new idea the Rebbe is saying here: Hakadosh Boruch Hu, in the Torah,

12:42 Speaker 1 also put Himself. He gave us His will and wisdom as His will and wisdom are united with His very Being and Essence. So it is as though this is the Infinite Light itself, so to speak. When I learn Torah, I am not only taking hold of wisdom; through the wisdom, I am also taking hold of the very Being and Essence of Hakadosh Boruch Hu Himself, as He is present in this world. And through this, Hakadosh Boruch Hu Himself, as He is revealed in His will—so the Essence itself is here too. This is the point we explained earlier: the new thing about the Giving of the Torah. What was new about the Giving of the Torah compared with the Patriarchs? Even though the Patriarchs did all kinds of good things, mitzvos and all these things, they did not reach the very Being and Essence. The Patriarchs did not reach those highest levels; they reached only the roots and branches. What was revealed at the Giving of the Torah was something new. So what did Hakadosh Boruch Hu give? He gave Himself. That is what the Rebbe brings: “Anochi” is an acronym for “Ana nafshi kesavis yehavis”—“I wrote and gave My very self.” This means that Hakadosh Boruch Hu put His very Being and Essence into the Torah. That is what is new about Torah. It is not merely wisdom and will; “I Myself” am present in the Torah. When a Jew learns Torah, he becomes one with the Essence itself. And as it says in the holy Zohar on the verse, “Let them take for Me an offering.” The Rebbe brings what the Zohar says on this verse in the Torah. What does it say about “Let them take for Me an offering”? He quotes it here in parentheses: “It does not say ‘for Me,’ but ‘Me.’” The meaning of “for Me” is as though He were saying “Me.” In other words, “Let them take for Me”—what does that mean? “Take Me.” “Let them take”: Hakadosh Boruch Hu is speaking to the Jewish people. One of the questions asked is: Why does it say “let them take”? It should say “let them give.” After all, we are talking about the offering the Jews gave for the Beis Hamikdash. So

14:45 Speaker 1 it should say “let them give.” They need to give the offering. And why does it say “for Me”? The word “for Me” seems completely unnecessary. “Let them give an offering”—we are talking about what the Jewish people need to give. Those are the questions asked. Rashi asks this too, because these are questions about the plain meaning of the verse. The Rebbe has several sichos on this. But the Zohar says, “Let them take for Me an offering.” The Zohar says this verse refers to Torah. Of course, this means the Giving of the Torah—the Torah. The Zohar says that “Let them take for Me an offering” refers not to the physical Mishkan, but to Torah. The Rebbe explains this in Likkutei Sichos as well. There is a very beautiful sicha of the Rebbe on the three offerings: “Let them take an offering,” “Let them take My offering,” and “This is the offering.” The word “offering” appears three times. One refers to Torah, one to prayer, and one to tzedakah. The Rebbe explains it in detail; perhaps that would take a little too long. But what matters for our discussion is the Zohar’s statement that “Let them take for Me an offering” refers to Torah. Where is Torah alluded to here? The Zohar says that the Hebrew word for “offering,” terumah, contains the letters of Torah, with an added mem: Torah-mem. What does the mem signify? On the simple level, it signifies the forty days over which the Torah was given, when Moshe was at Sinai receiving the Torah. More specifically, the Rebbe explains the mem in connection with what the Gemara in Shabbos says about the closed mem and the open mem: two distinct levels, and how each relates to Torah. In any case, the mem is connected with Torah. So “Let them take for Me an offering” means taking Me through Torah. That is the straightforward meaning: “Let them take for Me an offering”—in order to take Me, to take Hakadosh Boruch Hu. So “let them take,” to take; “let them take for Me,” to take Me. How do you

16:31 Speaker 1 Can they take Me? Through Torah. So the Zohar asks about that, and then asks: What is “terumah”? These are two things: one helps you take the other, but they still seem to be two things. Yes, “They shall take.” So it should have said, “They shall take Me and terumah”—take Me and My Torah—as though they were two things. Instead, it is because “they are all one.” The Zohar’s point is to explain why it does not say “and terumah,” with a vav. It says just “terumah,” to emphasize that they are all one. What does that mean? Why does he bring the Zohar? And what does he add here in parentheses? What does the Rebbe want to add to our understanding of this? The point is as follows. What the Zohar says is not, in fact, new to the Zohar. It is already in the Midrash. The idea that “They shall take for Me terumah” refers to Torah, and that through Torah one takes Hakadosh Boruch Hu, is also in the Midrash. On the verse “They shall take for Me terumah,” the Midrash says—and this wording is quoted several times in the Rebbe’s teachings—“I sold you My Torah; I was sold with it.” Hakadosh Boruch Hu, so to speak, is like someone selling something. When you sell an object, you sell the object, not yourself. You remain where you are; you go home. But selling something and selling yourself along with it is not normal. Yet Hakadosh Boruch Hu says, “I sold you My Torah; I was sold with it.” That is the wording. Yes, we spoke earlier about the idea of a sale: “I sold you My Torah; I was sold with it.” It is as though Hakadosh Boruch Hu sold Himself along with the Torah. So the Midrash gives a parable about a king who had an only daughter. The king loved his only daughter very much, and then the time came for her to marry.

18:25 Speaker 1 So he looked for a match for her and arranged the marriage, the whole thing. After the wedding, the king said to the new couple: “You are going to build yourselves a new home. Of course you need to build a new home now that you are married, but I have one request: make me one small room. Build me a little room in your house, so that I can be there with you too, in your home.” The Midrash says that something similar applies to Hakadosh Boruch Hu and Knesses Yisroel, the Jewish people. The Torah is the only daughter, the Torah is ... of Hakadosh Boruch Hu, and the groom is Knesses Yisroel. ... Hakadosh Boruch Hu sold the Torah, gave the Torah to the Jewish people. Hakadosh Boruch Hu says to the Jewish people: “One small room—I want to be with you too.” What does that mean? When you study Torah, do not study it on your own, merely as scholars do; study Torah together with the Giver of the Torah. In other words, when you study Torah, remember that Hakadosh Boruch Hu is present within it. That is the idea: “I sold the Torah; I was sold with it.” So “They shall take for Me terumah” means taking Hakadosh Boruch Hu along with the Torah. That, of course, is the point of the Midrash. Now, this explanation of the Midrash is wonderful and very important, and the Rebbe also speaks about it in the sicha. It is one of the fundamental ideas in Torah: we must study Torah and remember that there is a little room there, that the King also wants to be present. We must not forget the Giver of the Torah when we study Torah. But on the other hand, the Midrash itself can still be understood as speaking of two things. There is the Torah, the daughter, and there is the king, the father, who asks to be there too. But

20:29 Speaker 1 they are two things. So according to the Midrash, it is still not clear why it says “They shall take for Me terumah.” It should have said “and terumah,” because they are two things, even if one comes together with the other. They are not one thing. That is what the Zohar adds. That is what the Rebbe adds here in parentheses—or brings here—because this is the Zohar’s addition. After explaining that terumah refers, so to speak, to Torah, the Zohar adds: Why does the verse also say “for Me”? The Zohar answers: “They are all one.” Yes? That is the point the Rebbe brings here, because this is the Alter Rebbe’s novel point about Torah here. What is new about Matan Torah? What is new is that when a Jew studies Torah, he and the Torah connect with Hakadosh Boruch Hu in such a way that the Torah and Hakadosh Boruch Hu are all one. It is not that you take one thing by means of another; rather, they are all one. For “I have written and given My very self”: the Torah is united with His essence and being. Consequently, when a Jew now studies a verse of Torah or fulfills a mitzvah, His essence and being are present within that Torah and within that mitzvah, and the Jew takes Hakadosh Boruch Hu Himself. So this adds further to [unclear]. How does a Jew have the ability to connect with His essence and being? The Rebbe once spoke about this—about this idea—also in connection with hiskashrus. At a farbrengen in the early years, the Rebbe spoke about Torah study as one of the means of hiskashrus, as the Rebbe mentions in Hayom Yom in several

22:29 Speaker 1 places. Yes, through Torah study we form that connection. The Rebbe quotes the wording of the letter on hiskashrus: specifically through studying Torah. The Rebbe gives this explanation there as well, bringing this example, this Midrash and this passage from Tanya—the whole subject here. Yes, this is the idea of “I have written and given My very self.” Among chassidim, this also applies to a tzaddik, yes? As with Hakadosh Boruch Hu, his Torah contains not only his wisdom; the tzaddik also puts his essence and being into it. In the sichos and maamarim, in the tzaddik’s Torah, the tzaddik binds his yechidah to the Torah. He does not merely give you teachings, give you some fine tools. Rather, when a tzaddik teaches Torah, he puts his essence and being, his whole inner self, into his Torah. Therefore, when you study his Torah, you connect not only with the tzaddik’s wisdom but with his essence and being, with the very essence of the tzaddik himself. This is one of the major points discussed regarding hiskashrus. There is the Rebbe’s well-known sicha on this, in which the Rebbe explains what the Rebbe Rashab said before his passing: “I am going to heaven; I leave you the writings.” He left the writings. This is the whole innovation of the Rebbe Rashab, who established Chabad. When you give something to someone, you give it to him; it all comes from above, from the giver. But when you say, “I leave it to you,” you also leave him work to do. I leave this to you, but you have to take it yourself.

24:34 Speaker 1 This was the whole transformation the Rebbe Rashab brought about with Tomchei Temimim. The Rebbe Rashab wanted people not to be satisfied only with what the earlier Rebbes gave us; there also had to be understanding and avodah. So the Rebbe points out that we can see this in the maamarim the Rebbe Rashab wrote. He also made sure things were approached in the Chabad way, through chochmah, binah and daas, and he wanted several hours of Chassidus study every day. People should study Chassidus not only on the basis of faith, but as Chassidus that leads to avodah, Torah, reverence and prayer—not just rely on what the Rebbe said. The Rebbe explains all this at length there, in Sefer Hasichos, volume one: the whole point of the words “I leave you.” For the Rebbes wanted that, besides everything they give us, there should also be the study of Chassidus.