Tanya Chapter 32
by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi
Saturday June 12, 2021
Translation and Commentary by Rabbi Gedalia Potash and William Schecter, MD
This draft has been neither edited nor approved by Rabbi Potash
In the previous chapters, the Elter Rebbe described how it is necessary for a person “to break his heart”, that is to experience an emotional crisis, to rid himself of all traces or arrogance in order for the G-dly Soul to subdue the Animal Soul. In Chapter 31 we learned that this process can go too far resulting in melancholia with all its negative implications.
The current Chapter, Chapter 32, is the most important Chapter that we have studied so far. Rabbi Potash commented that the number 32 in Hebrew Gematria can be written as לב – lev – which means heart. Indeed, this chapter is “the heart” of the Chassidic philosophy and does much to explain the how the Chabad Shlichim, who are so observant, can interact with less observant Jews in such a warm and friendly manner. Let’s begin our study of Chapter 32.
Through the fulfillment of the things described above, when one looks upon his body as despicable and contemptible, his only happiness would be derived from the happiness of the Soul, and this is the straight and simple path to achieve the Mitzvah of “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18), that is you shall love every Soul from Israel, from the most eminent to the lowliest.
Rabbi Potash comments: In response to the question “aren’t all Souls hewn from the same source according to Chassidic Philosophy and therefore have equal importance?”, Rabbi Potash commented that that statement is true. However, according to Kabbalistic thought, as the Soul descends through the myriad of worlds each Soul undergoes the process of Hitlabshut (התלבשות) -getting dressed or being enclothed- which changes the degree of spirituality. For example, a Tsadik Gamur (a pure Tsadik) has a minimal amount of Hitlabshut so the pure essence of the Divine Soul predominates. For the rest of us, the Hitlabshut diminishes our degree of spirituality as we are enclothed in layers of materialism to a greater or lesser extent.
Who knows the greatness and elevation of his Soul in its Root and Source in the Living g G-d, because he despises his material body? Also since all of the Souls are brethren with one Father for us all, therefore all of Israel are called true brothers based on the root of their Souls in the One G-d, only their bodies are separated (in terms of their physical attributes). Therefore, if they make their bodies their main focus, and their Souls subsidiary, it is impossible for there to be true love and brotherhood between them rather everything would be dependent on a physical entity. This is what Hillel the Elder meant when he said, referring to the Mitzvah “You shall love your neighbor as yourself”. (this is not the exact quote—see the comment below—but Rabbi Potash commented: “it is the essence of the quote”)
Comment: The previous sentence refers to the famous Talmudic story of a gentile who came to Hillel and asked him to teach him the entire Torah while standing on one foot. Instead of getting angry, Hillel responded: “Do not unto others as you would have others do not unto to you. The rest is all commentary. Now go and study” (Masechet Shabbat 31: a:6).
For the foundation and root of the entire Torah is the elevation of the Soul above the body until it reaches the Source and Root of all the worlds and to draw down the Blessed Eternal Light into the Knesset Israel (the Community of Israel) as it is written below, meaning that the Source of all the Souls of Israel is one entity and there is no separation, G-d forbid, among the Souls because G-d does not dwell in defective sites. As it is stated in the Amidah Prayer “Bless all of us Our Father as one in the Light of Your Countenance” as will be explained at length elsewhere.
As it is written in the Gemorrah, when one sees one’s fellow sin, one is commanded to hate him and tell his Rabbi to hate him. Here we are talking about a true friend who studies Torah and performs Mitzvot. And you have already fulfilled the Mitzvah “you shall not hate your kinsfolk in your heart. Reprove your kinsman but incur no guilt because of him.” (Leviticus 19:17) referring to the person who is equal to you in the study of Torah and fulfillment of Mitzvot but who has not repented from his sin as described in Sefer HaHaredim (a Kabbalistic text written in Safed in the 16th century).
But if the person is not a close friend (or a person who does not study Torah, perform Mitzvot and grown distant from Judaism), here is what Hillel the Elder said: “Be of the disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving mankind and drawing them close to the Torah”. (Pirkei Avot 1:12), love all creatures and draw them close to the Torah -- that is to say even those who are furthest from G-d’s Torah and His Service. Therefore, these people are referred to as creatures in the world, and one must draw them with the thick cables of love and perhaps be able to bring them close to the Torah and Service to G-d.
If not (if the efforts to draw them close to the Torah are unsuccessful), one did not lose the reward of the Mitzvah to love one’s neighbor. Also, regarding close friends, if you rebuked them but yet they did not repent of their sins, though you are commanded to hate them, you are also commanded to love them, and both of these commandments are true: Hatred for the evil within them and love for the attribute of the good hidden within them which is the Divine spark within them which vitalizes their Divine Souls. This also awakens the quality of mercy within one’s Soul because mercy has the attribute of revelation (of the G-dly Soul) within the Evil of the Sitra Achra (“the other side” =the Animal Soul) which overcomes the G-dly Soul in Evil Doers. This mercy nullifies the hatred and awakens the love as is known from the passage “for Jacob who redeemed Abraham” (and King David only said “I feel a perfect hatred toward them; I count them my enemies” (Psalm 139:22) when referring to the heretics and apostates who have no part in the G-d of Israel –beginning of Chapter 16, Masechet Shabbat)
Comment: “For Jacob who redeemed Abraham” Jacob represents compassion and Abraham love. But the exact meaning of the phrase Jacob who redeemed Abraham is not clear to me.
Summary: The Elter Rebbe is saying that we must recognize that each person has a G-dly Soul which is hewn from the same Supernal Source and that in the process of Histalshalut (the descent through the various spiritual levels of an infinite number of worlds to our own world, the G-dly Soul is invested with layers of materialism to a greater or lesser extent in each individual person. Although the Animal drive toward material pleasures may predominate in certain people, they are still worthy of love and compassion.
והנה, על ידי קיום הדברים הנזכרים לעיל, להיות גופו נבזה ונמאס בעיניו, רק שמחתו תהיה שמחת הנפש לבדה, הרי זו דרך ישרה וקלה לבא לידי קיום מצות "ואהבת לרעך כמוך" לכל נפש מישראל, למגדול ועד קטן. כי מאחר שגופו נמאס ומתעב אצלו, והנפש והרוח – מי יודע גדולתן ומעלתן בשורשן ומקורן באלקים חיים. בשגם שכולן מתאימות ואב אחד לכלנה, ולכן נקראו כל ישראל אחים ממש, מצד שורש נפשם בה' אחד, רק שהגופים מחולקים. ולכן העושים גופם עיקר ונפשם טפלה, אי אפשר להיות אהבה ואחוה אמיתית ביניהם, אלא התלויה בדבר לבדה. וזהו שאמר הלל הזקן על קיום מצוה זו, "זהו כל התורה כלה, ואידך פרושא הוא" כו'. כי יסוד ושורש כל התורה הוא להגביה ולהעלות הנפש על הגוף מעלה מעלה עד עיקרא ושרשא דכל עלמין, וגם להמשיך אור אין סוף ברוך הוא בכנסת ישראל כמ"ש לקמן דהיינו במקור נשמות כל ישראל למהוי אחד באחד דווקא, ולא כשיש פירוד חס ושלום בנשמות, דקודשא בריך הוא לא שריא באתר פגים. וכמו שנאמר: (תפילת עמידה - הודאה): "ברכנו אבינו כלנו כאחד באור פניך", וכמו שנתבאר במקום אחר באריכות. ומה שכתוב בגמרא, שמי שרואה בחברו שחטא, מצווה לשנאתו וגם לומר לרבו שישנאהו, הינו בחברו בתורה ומצוות, וכבר קיים בו מצוות "הוכח תוכיח את עמיתך", עם שאתך בתורה ובמצוות, ואף על פי כן לא שב מחטאו, כמו שכתב בספר חרדים. אבל מי שאינו חברו ואינו מקורב אצלו, הנה על זה אמר הלל הזקן: (משנה אבות א): "הוי מתלמידיו של אהרן, אוהב שלום וכו', אוהב את הבריות ומקרבן לתורה". לומר, שאף הרחוקים מתורת ה' ועבודתו, ולכן נקראים בשם "בריות" בעלמא, צריך למושכן בחבלי עבותות אהבה, וכולי האי ואולי יוכל לקרבן לתורה ועבודת ה'; והן לא, לא הפסיד שכר מצוות אהבת רעים. וגם המקורבים אליו, והוכיחם ולא שבו מעוונותיהם, שמצוה לשנאתם, מצווה לאוהבם גם כן, ושתיהן הן אמת: שנאה - מצד הרע שבהם, ואהבה - מצד בחינת הטוב הגנוז שבהם, שהוא ניצוץ אלקות שבתוכם המחיה נפשם האלקית. וגם לעורר רחמים בלבו עליה, כי היא בבחינת גלות בתוך הרע מסטרא אחרא הגובר עליה ברשעים. והרחמנות מבטלת השנאה ומעוררת האהבה, כנודע ממה שכתוב: "ליעקב אשר פדה את אברהם". [ולא אמר דוד המלך עליו השלום (תהלים קלט כב): "תכלית שנאה שנאתים" וגו' אלא על המינים והאפיקורסים שאין להם חלק באלהי ישראל, כדאיתא בגמרא ריש פרק ט"ז דשבת].