Likkutei Amarim Tanya - Chapter 26 - Part 4

00:00 We are in the middle of chapter 26. The Alter Rebbe is explaining how a person can rid himself of all his worries. He is offering guidance on how to clear away every kind of worry and sadness in the world. That is the way a person can overcome the yetzer hara: he has no worries, so he can serve Hashem with joy; through that, he can serve Hashem with energy, and then he can defeat the yetzer hara. This is a major principle in serving Hashem that the Alter Rebbe wants to explain. So here the Alter Rebbe is in the middle of discussing worries connected with material matters. The Alter Rebbe cites what the Gemara says: a person should accept suffering with joy. Why? Because he knows that this, too, is for the good. What does “this, too, is for the good” mean? It means that even in things that are not openly good, in suffering, Hashem’s influence is present there too. Just as the good we experience naturally comes from Hashem, His influence is present in these things too. The difference is that some Divine influence comes openly, while some comes in a concealed way. And here the Alter Rebbe begins to explain further that the Divine influence that comes in a concealed way is not merely good because Above everything is good. On the contrary, there is even greater good there, higher than the good that is revealed. That is what he brings here: alma d’iskasya, the concealed world, is higher than alma d’isgalya, the revealed world. Yud-Hei is higher than Vav-Hei. As we say, “Fortunate is the man whom You chastise, Yud-Hei.” The influence of Yud-Hei is higher than the influence of Vav-Hei. Suffering comes from Yud-Hei. What is the difference between Yud-Hei and Vav-Hei?

01:58 And why do I say that the influence of Yud-Hei is higher than that of Vav-Hei, and that this is why it does not come openly? We know the basic difference between Yud-Hei and Vav-Hei. We need to understand, in simple terms, what the Alter Rebbe is saying. In general, Yud-Hei represents the intellect—Chochmah and Binah. Vav-Hei represents the middos and Malchus. It is the difference between intellect and emotions. We know that intellect is for oneself, while emotions relate to another. In a person, the level of intellect is where the person is as he is in himself. There he does not descend to the level of another. On the contrary, he is in his true place. With emotions, by contrast, a person descends for the sake of another. There is a descent and a contraction of the influence, so that it reaches the recipients on their level. Above, too, this is the difference between the Name Yud-Hei and the Name Vav-Hei. Vav-Hei is how Hashem contracts Himself to the level of this world. There are contractions, there are middos—the middos through which Hashem gives influence so that it can exist in the world. Therefore, the influence of Vav-Hei, the influence of the middos, is contracted to the level of the world. And that itself is why it is called “revealed.” That itself is why we can feel it, receive it, understand it, connect with it. From it comes the influence of good that is visible and revealed. That is the whole point of the middos: they are attuned to the recipient, and so the influence is attuned to the recipient. When the influence is attuned to the recipient, the recipient can feel the good in it. Yud-Hei, by contrast, is the influence of Hashem’s intellect, which is beyond the recipient’s limits. It is how Hashem is in Himself. It is a light higher than the recipient can absorb, and that itself is why, when it reaches the recipient’s world, he

03:56 cannot understand it. He cannot grasp it because the revelation is so great, so lofty that it is beyond comprehension. So he does not grasp it; he does not see it. But precisely there is something higher to be found. Where is the higher level, the higher level of G-dliness? Surely Yud-Hei is higher than Vav-Hei. And so we say, “Fortunate is the man whom You chastise, Yud-Hei.” Why is he fortunate? Because when the influence comes from Yud-Hei, it comes from a much higher place. You are closer to Hashem. You are in a place of greater closeness to Hashem. And the Alter Rebbe goes on to explain this in Tanya. Let’s read it inside. “Therefore our Sages said of those who rejoice in suffering”—the Gemara says—“concerning those who rejoice in suffering, the verse says, ‘And those who love Him shall be as the sun rising in its might.’” Our Sages say that the reward of those who rejoice in suffering is “those who love Him shall be as the sun rising in its might.” Those who love Hashem—this refers to people who suffer. Why? What is the connection? We’ll explain that now. He calls people who rejoice in suffering “those who love Him,” as our Sages say. And what is their reward? “As the sun rising in its might.” So there are two things we need to understand here. First, why does the verse call those who rejoice in suffering “those who love Him”? Why are those who rejoice in suffering specifically called “those who love Him”? What is the connection? You can be among “those who love Him” without rejoicing in suffering. Why does the verse describe those who rejoice in suffering by that name? And why is their reward “those who love Him shall be as the sun rising in its might”? It is as though Hashem will reveal Himself to them like the sun at the height of its strength. What does that mean? They are beautiful words, but what is their meaning? So, based on

05:59 what he has explained here, the Alter Rebbe gives a wonderful explanation of this whole matter. The Alter Rebbe explains: “For the joy comes from loving closeness to Hashem more than all the life of this world.” The Alter Rebbe says something wonderful here. Why does a person—what is the reason? What did we explain? Why do we accept suffering with joy? What does it mean to rejoice in suffering? Because you reflect on the fact that Hashem is here. Here His presence is concentrated to a greater degree. In other words, the question a person must constantly ask himself is: What do I want in my life? Do I want a good life for myself, or do I want to be close to Hashem? If I want a good life for myself, then I want Vav-Hei. There I can have a good life. Hashem is there too, but on a lower level: Hashem contracts Himself. Vav-Hei means contraction, being clothed in something. Hashem does not overwhelm me. This is Hashem making room for me, so that I can have a good life. I have Hashem too, but He is more concealed. Why? Because I want things to be good for me. But with Yud-Hei, what do you want? You want closeness to Hashem. I am not looking for my own happy life; I want closeness to Hashem. That is what I want. Where can you find it? Well, if you want to be closer, that costs something. There is a price to it; it takes something out of you. But it is the truth. That is where His presence is, in its full strength. That is what he wants, and that is why the verse says “those who love Him.” This is why those who rejoice in suffering are called “those who love Him.” He does not love himself and his own life; he loves

07:54 Hashem. That is why he rejoices in suffering: he knows there is more of Hashem there. And that is precisely why we say the reward corresponds to the deed: “as the sun rising in its might.” That is exactly the point. What is he looking for? He is looking to be where Hashem shines more, where He is revealed in full strength, without contraction or garments. So that itself is his reward: in the future, that truth will be openly revealed, unlike here below. It will be “as the sun rising”—that is the meaning of “as the sun rising in its might”: a revelation without garments, without contractions. “For Your kindness is better than life.” What is a person saying? I prefer Your kindness, Hashem’s kindness, which is a higher kindness. Although down here, as it appears openly, it is clothed in something that does not look like kindness, that is where Hashem’s true kindness is found. “Your kindness is better than life.” Life is kindness in a revealed form, good that can be seen and felt. That is life. I want Your kindness, not an external, contracted kindness. I want the kindness where Hashem Himself is present. “And closeness to Hashem is infinitely greater in alma d’iskasya.” Where is there greater closeness to Hashem? Where is Hashem more fully revealed? Precisely in alma d’iskasya. “For there is the hiding place of His strength.” It is precisely in alma d’iskasya that the essence is hidden, that Hashem’s infinite light is hidden. “He dwells in the shelter of the Most High.” That means that it is precisely in the hidden place that the Most High is found; that is where Hashem conceals Himself. “And therefore he will merit the sun rising in its might.” That is exactly it: the reward corresponds to the deed. Because he wants Hashem. He is not looking for where he can enjoy himself. He is looking for where Hashem is found—“those who love Him.” So therefore, too

09:49 The result is that, in the time to come, they will be “like the sun going forth in its might”: the sun will emerge from its sheath, in which it is covered in this world. In the time to come, the sun will emerge. As is known in Chassidus, the sun is a metaphor for the name Havayah. The name Havayah is also concealed within the name Elokim; this relates to Yud-Kei-Vav-Kei. The point is that Hakadosh Boruch Hu will be revealed without concealing garments. This is what is meant by the time to come. The Gemara says, “Hakadosh Boruch Hu will take the sun out of its sheath.” His very self will then be revealed without concealing garments. That is the result, measure for measure, of accepting suffering with love in this world. In other words, what is covered in this world will emerge from its covering in the time to come. The hidden world, alma d’iskasya, will be revealed. In the time to come, the infinite light that shines in alma d’iskasya will shine openly down here, radiating with immense revelation for all who took refuge in His shade in this world. That light will be revealed and shine down here in a wondrous way, with tremendous intensity, for all those who accepted suffering with love during this time of exile. For them, the main thing was closeness to Hashem, not their material, external circumstances. They take refuge in His shade, “the shade of wisdom.” In this world, they sought the shade of Hakadosh Boruch Hu. That is the expression used here: “take refuge in His shade.” It is a familiar expression, often used about a chossid’s connection to the Rebbe. A chossid is in the tzila d’mehemenusa, the shade of faith. “Taking refuge in His shade” conveys that kind of relationship: he is in the shade. Literally, it means being in the shade, as though the shade surrounds you. As though the tzaddik, the Rebbe—or here, Hakadosh Boruch Hu—takes you under his wings. That is the expression. But here, too, the Rebbe wants to explain the root of the matter. Why specifically “shade”? Because shade is the opposite of revelation; it is associated with concealment. How does shade come about?

11:54 Shade comes about when something blocks the light. That is why the wording is specifically “take refuge in His shade.” In this world, it has the character of shade, of concealment: you do not see it openly. But it is His shade. It is the shade of Hakadosh Boruch Hu. He is there. You know that behind this shade is the essence, the hidden reality, the loftiest level, Yud-Hei. So they take refuge in His shade, “the shade of wisdom,” Yud-Hei. The Rebbe notes the precise wording: “the shade of wisdom” is a phrase from a verse in Koheles. But the Rebbe uses that phrase because we are speaking here about Yud-Hei. We say that Yud-Hei is alma d’iskasya, the hidden world, and therefore it is called “the shade of wisdom.” Chochmah is not openly revealed. On the one hand, chochmah is an exceedingly lofty light; but for the recipient, chochmah is like shade, because I cannot enjoy it. I cannot... Chochmah is—this is what is being asked of us. It is remarkable. At first glance, there are other explanations. Even later in Tanya itself, the Alter Rebbe gives further explanations of how to accept suffering with love. Yet here the Alter Rebbe chooses something that, when we learn it superficially, looks like Kabbalistic terms and sefiros. How is that supposed to relieve my worries? But if we read the words of Tanya carefully and think about what we have learned here, there is a remarkable avodah in them. And the Alter Rebbe asks this avodah of every Jew. What am I looking for? That is the question. A Jew needs to know: What am I looking for? What matters to me? Am I looking for a good life, or am I looking for Hakadosh Boruch Hu? This is what is asked of a beinoni. This is what is asked of a Jew. A Jew needs to work on himself so that G-dliness matters to him, so that closeness to Hashem matters to him.

15:57 This is the meaning of “For Your kindness is better than life”: the revelation of G-dliness should matter to him. Where does he find that within himself? “I want to be close to Hakadosh Boruch Hu.” When we think about it and contemplate it, we see that this theme recurs throughout Chassidus. It is fundamental to the whole of Chassidus. For example, the maamarim discuss the whole idea of “Ana nesiv malka”—“I choose the King”—including the maamar of 11 Nissan. A person says he does not want to receive his sustenance from the ministers; he wants to receive it from the King. The Rebbe’s explanation in the maamar leads in the same direction. Then there is the idea explained in Chassidus that a person says, “I don’t want Your Gan Eden.” He does not want Gan Eden; he wants... And there is also the explanation—where is it, in Likkutei Torah?—about serving for the sake of reward and serving not for the sake of reward. In Chassidus, this is a very central, fundamental point. Even in serving Hashem, a person needs to keep asking himself: What do I want? Do I want what I can gain from Hakadosh Boruch Hu? Do I want to receive something, to retain my own sense of self and enjoy Hakadosh Boruch Hu within that? Or do I want Hakadosh Boruch Hu, even if that requires me to set my sense of self aside? When we contemplate this, we can see that it is fundamental to Chabad Chassidus. We can also connect it to the well-known account the Rebbe tells about this. In sichos in Toras Menachem, the Rebbe explains the difference: What is the difference between someone who travels to the Rebbe and a Chabad chossid who travels to the Rebbe? There are two ways of going to the Rebbe. One person goes to the Rebbe. Why? Because he wants to receive

18:07 blessings. He comes to the Rebbe, and the Rebbe bestows blessings on him. His wife gives him food and helps him make the trip, because she knows that afterward, as the Rebbe said, there will be many blessings and much bounty, including material possessions. Then there is someone else who travels to the Rebbe, and when he arrives, his education begins. He gets pushed about during the maamar, and he does not understand it. Or he does understand it, but only after laboring over it. Finally, he goes into yechidus and is embarrassed to ask about material matters. “How can I stand in yechidus and talk about my own concerns?” So he asks for a blessing for his home. When he gets back, his wife asks him, “What did you bring?” In short, a year later she does not want him to go again. He struggles materially and spiritually. One needs to understand well what the Rebbe is explaining. What is the underlying point? It is the essence of the matter. The essential question here is: Am I looking for what will make me comfortable, or am I looking for the truth? The truth requires effort. That is what he came for. And that is also what the Rebbe is saying here. Being joyful in suffering is not a pathology, some kind of masochism in which a person wants to suffer and likes a hard life. G-d forbid—that is not the point. A person should not ask for suffering. We ask every day that we should not suffer. No, that is not the point here. A person should not seek out a hard life; that is the opposite of the intent. The point is what should matter to me. Closeness to Hashem should matter to me. So if I know that closeness to Hashem is here, even though outwardly it is more difficult and painful, and not so pleasant—that is where closeness to Hashem is found. I once heard someone explaining this passage in Tanya, and he

19:59 gave an interesting example that captures the whole point. He said: Suppose you give someone a choice. There are two rooms. In one room there is a speaker who speaks beautifully and explains things in a way you can understand wonderfully. You will enjoy his excellent explanation. You will hear a good class on a Chassidic topic, presented in a way that... In the second room is the Baal Shem Tov, but he is speaking about matters so lofty that you will not understand them. You will not grasp their depth. Which room will the person want to enter? In the first, he can hear a wonderful explanation that he will understand. He will come out feeling inward satisfaction: “I understood it. I got something out of it.” In the other room, he will see a very great tzaddik and hear a profound teaching he will not understand. He may come out feeling broken, so to speak—but he was with the Baal Shem Tov. So where do you want to be? Of course, there is no question. I have an opportunity to be where the truth is. True, there I will have to set myself aside, whereas here I can retain my sense of self. That is the same principle, the same point: “For Your kindness is better than life.” If I want things to be good for me, if that is what I am seeking, then... But if I am seeking the truth, that is something entirely different. In any event, there are further aspects to this point. Since today is 2 Nissan, there is the Rebbe Rashab.

22:00 A letter the Rebbe Rashab wrote 120 years ago, on 8 Nissan 5661—exactly 120 years ago—to the Rebbe’s grandfather, Reb Shlomo. Yes. It’s a wonderful letter connected with this matter of accepting suffering with love. Here you can see how a Rebbe teaches a chossid how to conduct himself. The Rebbe writes to Reb Shlomo that he heard from [unclear] that Reb Shlomo is broken, that he is in a state of... And the Rebbe Rashab writes to him: How can that be? Hakadosh Boruch Hu is breaking you? You have to look at the inner meaning of the matter, to reflect on it. [unclear]. Yes. He points him to chapters 34 and 26 of Tanya and tells him that he must study the chapters in Tanya that explain joy. Sadness, G-d forbid, is not the way at all—especially sadness over worldly matters, which is fundamentally rooted in self-love and attachment to oneself. A person who is sad because he lacks something lofty—that, too, is because he loves himself. And it is known that even sadness over spiritual matters is, in the end, also something undesirable. All the more so sadness over worldly matters—Hashem protect us. May Hashem keep us far from it. [unclear] He should make every effort to free himself of it. So he tells him how to get out of sadness over material matters. The advice, he says, is to study Torah. Torah gladdens the heart. In particular, he tells him to study Tanya, chapters 26 and 34: to study one chapter every day and review it several times. And if the letter arrives before Pesach, the Rebbe Rashab tells him to also study the Pesach series of maamarim by the Rebbe Maharash, spending several hours on it each day, as much as he can, until he finishes the whole series. And if he can study with his son-in-law—who was Reb Shlomo’s son-in-law? Rabbi Levik, the Rebbe’s father—all the better. He should keep that up; it’s a good study partnership, as they say. And if the maamar arrives in the middle of

24:21 Yom Tov, then he should study the maamar, another series of maamarim by the Rebbe Maharash. Besides that, he should also study Gemara with Rashi and study Midrash. In short, the main thing is to be joyful. After that, he concludes with various blessings. So that’s the point here. Chassidim always worked on themselves in this area of serving Hashem with joy, as explained here in Tanya.