English translation — מאמר והי' עקב תשמעון תשכ"ז

With the help of Heaven.

"And it shall be, because you will hearken... and you will guard and you will do them..."

And the precise point in this is known,

for the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos depends on man's choice,

and it should have said "And it shall be, if you will hearken"

[like "If

you walk in My statutes,

and it shall be

if you surely hearken"],

so why does it say "And it shall be, because you will hearken"?

For the meaning of the language is that you will surely hearken.

And the Tzemach Tzedek explains

that "ekev" refers to the time of the heels of Moshiach,

and this is "And it shall be, because you will hearken" —

you will surely hearken,

for the Torah promised that ultimately Israel will repent at the end of their exile, and immediately they will be redeemed.

And he continues in the maamar,

that the three expressions,

"you will hearken," "you will guard," and "you will do,"

are thought, speech, and action.

"You will hearken" is thought,

for the essence of hearing is in thought

(and the ear is merely a vessel through which sound enters his thought),

and "you will guard" is speech,

for the essence of guarding is with the mouth, as it is said,

"arranged in all and guarded,"

and "you will do" is action.

And upon this it continues and says,

"And Hashem your G-d will guard for you the covenant and the kindness which He swore..."

Covenant, kindness, and oath are thought, speech, and action

(as explained there at length),

and through "you will hearken," "you will guard," and "you will do,"

the service of thought, speech, and action of man,

there are drawn to him the thought, speech, and action from above,

"the covenant and the kindness which He swore."

However,

this matter

(that the thought, speech, and action from above should be drawn to man)

is still insufficient,

for even before the soul's descent below, it was in the most supernal level of this,

the thought above —

"Israel arose in thought,"

and the descent of the soul below is for the sake of an ascent,

so that through its service below it will ascend to a level more elevated than it was before the descent,

even to the level of "And You

guard it within me"

(which is above even the level of "pure"

it is).

And this is what is said, "And He will guard... the covenant and the kindness which He swore...",

that through "because you will hearken," "you will guard," and "you will do,"

the service of thought, speech, and action in the "heel" of the soul, which refers to the soul within the body,

and particularly in the heels of Moshiach

[an addition in the descent,

and consequently,

also in the ascent that comes through the descent],

that through the descent into a body and animal soul

(and particularly in exile),

the service of thought, speech, and action of the soul is with will and desire and in a manner of self-sacrifice

(above comprehension),

through this there will be "And He will guard... the covenant and the kindness which He swore..."

(specifically "guard"),

that the thought, speech, and action from above will have within them the revelation of "And You guard it within me,"

which in general is the matter of

the revelation of the Awtsmoos.

b)

And behold, the above explanation

(of the Tzemach Tzedek)

regarding "And it shall be, because you will hearken"

(that "ekev" is an expression of end and refers to the end of days)

can be connected with the statement of the Midrash

on the verse,

The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them... their reward

(the reward of the mitzvos)

"in the heel" I give to you...

(as it is said)

"And it shall be, because you will hearken."

However, according to the Midrash which speaks of the reward of mitzvos,

the intent of "ekev"

(the end of days)

is for the time after the coming of Moshiach,

and according to the simple understanding of the matter which speaks of the fulfillment of mitzvos

("you will hearken... and you will guard and you will do them"),

the intent of "ekev"

(the end of days)

is for the end of the time of exile,

the heels of Moshiach.

And the connection between the two explanations is,

for the reward of mitzvos that will be "in the heel"

(in the future to come)

is that then there will be the revelation of the Awtsmoos,

as explained in Tanya.

And since this revelation is through the service

(of Torah and mitzvos in a manner)

of self-sacrifice

(as above),

therefore,

through "because you will hearken" according to the Tzemach Tzedek's explanation,

the service in the heels of Moshiach,

when self-sacrifice is greatest,

through this there will be the revelation of the future to come,

"in the heel I give to you."

3)

And this will be understood by prefacing what is stated in Tanya,

that the ultimate perfection of the days of Mashiach and the resurrection of the dead depends on our actions and our service throughout the duration of the exile,

and my master, my father, the Baal HaHilula wrote in his glosses on the margin of his copy of the Tanya

(which for several years was in captivity, and in the last period it was redeemed,

(his copy of the Tanya together with other books of his)

from captivity and arrived here),

that the matter of the two expressions,

"our actions" and "our service,"

will be understood from what is stated later in Igeret HaKodesh, Epistle 12, beginning with the phrase "And the act of charity etc.," see there.

And afterwards he continues,

that it can be said,

that "our actions" refers to the days of Mashiach, and "our service" refers to the resurrection of the dead.

And behold, the intention of the Baal HaHilula in what he references to Igeret HaKodesh, Epistle 12, beginning with the phrase "And the act of charity etc.," is apparently to what is explained in Igeret HaKodesh there,

the difference between "action" and "service,"

"for the term 'action' applies to something that has already been done, or that is done automatically constantly, and it is a thing that is ongoing and regular always, etc.,

(in contrast,)

the term 'service' applies only to something that a person does with immense effort against the nature of his soul, only that he nullifies his nature and his will before the will of the Supreme One, blessed be He."

From this it is understood,

that so too is the interpretation of the two expressions "our actions" and "our service" in the Tanya here,

that "our actions" refers to the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos according to nature and habit,

and "our service" refers to exertion in Torah and mitzvos beyond nature and habit.

But,

from the fact that he writes that the two expressions

("our actions" and "our service")

will be understood from what is stated in Igeret HaKodesh, Epistle 12,

and he concludes

(after referencing the aforementioned Igeret HaKodesh)

"see there,"

it implies that his intention in what he references to the aforementioned Igeret HaKodesh is

(in addition to the difference between "action" and "service" in general)

also to what is explained there regarding the matter of the act of charity,

that through contemplation of this

("see there")

the distinction between "our actions" and "our service" will be understood in greater depth,

For behold, it is explained in Igeret HaKodesh there regarding the matter of the act of charity, that this "that Israel by their nature are merciful

and performers of kindnesses

(it is)

because their souls are drawn from His attributes, blessed be He, in which kindness prevails over the attribute of judgment, etc., therefore the soul is called 'the daughter of a kohen'"

(a kohen being a man of kindness).

And he explains there,

that "the charity that is drawn from this aspect is called by the name 'the act of charity,' for the term 'action' applies to a thing that is ongoing and regular always,

(because)

the attribute of kindness and mercy was implanted in the souls of all the house of Israel from the time of their creation

and their descent from His attributes, blessed be He."

And this means,

that even though the nature of kindness within him is

(not from his animal soul,

but rather)

from his G-dly soul,

nevertheless,

the charity that he performs because of this nature,

is called by the name "the act of charity."

And the "service of charity" is when his giving of charity is beyond even the nature of his G-dly soul.

And from this it is understood,

that the distinction between "our actions" and "our service"

(in the entirety of Torah and mitzvos)

is,

that even when his animal soul conceals the nature of the G-dly soul,

and he needs to exert himself to remove the covering and concealment of the animal soul and to reveal the nature of the G-dly soul,

nevertheless, it is included in "our actions,"

since his exertion is only to reveal the nature of his G-dly soul,

and "our service" is when his exertion is beyond even the nature of his G-dly soul.

4)

And this will be understood based on what is explained elsewhere,

that regarding the superiority of baalei teshuvah over completely righteous tzaddikim,

there are two matters.

First,

that through teshuvah the powerful connection of his soul with the Holy One, blessed be He, is revealed,

so that even the separation caused by sins

("Your iniquities separate")

is only in the revelations and not in the essence of the soul,

therefore,

even after sins, etc.,

in one moment and in an instant,

he becomes a completely righteous person.

For this elevation in the baal teshuvah relative to the tzaddik is that in the baal teshuvah the powerful connection in the soul that exists

(in concealment)

also in the tzaddik is revealed.

And second,

that through teshuvah in a manner that intentional sins are transformed into merits,

a new elevation is added in him that does not exist in tzaddikim even in concealment,

as is known

that these merits are more elevated than the merits of tzaddikim.

And similarly regarding the elevation of teshuvah that occurs in the soul through its descent below,

and as is known

that the souls before their descent below are in the category of completely righteous tzaddikim, and the advantage that is made in them through their descent into a body is that they become in the category of baalei teshuvah,

which has an analogy to the two matters mentioned above.

First,

that through the body and the animal soul concealing and hiding the light of the soul,

thereby its hidden powers are aroused,

even to the essential powers that are above even the hidden powers.

And second,

that through the work of the soul below a new matter is made,

the clarification and refinement of the body and the animal soul and its portion in the world.

For this matter, since it is a renewal

(and not a revelation of the concealed)

is more elevated than the revelation of the hidden powers of the soul

[in addition that specifically through this

(clarification and refinement of the body, etc.)

the intention of the soul's descent below and of a dwelling place in the lower realms is completed].

And since also this elevation

(the novelty of refining the body and the animal soul and its portion in the world)

is accomplished through the work of the soul,

therefore,

also the ascent of the soul through its work below is

(not only that its inner and essential powers are revealed,

but rather)

in a manner of renewal.

And as explained in many places

regarding the advantage of the love of G-d that the soul produces in the animal soul over the love of the G-dly soul,

that the love of the G-dly soul,

is in the category of existence.

For even the love of the soul, that it desires to cleave to its root and source, even though it be naught and nothing and become nullified there in existence entirely,

nevertheless,

since this desire is from its nature,

behold through this desire its essential form is not nullified.

But not so the love of the animal soul,

since by its nature it is drawn to physical matters,

and love for G-dliness is the opposite of its nature,

behold through the love for G-dliness

(that was renewed in it through the work of the G-dly soul),

its form is destroyed and it is nullified entirely,

a nullification of existence.

And this also effects the nullification of the form of the G-dly soul,

so that its love will be in the category of nullification,

not from the nature and existence of the lover

(soul),

but rather,

love from the aspect of the Beloved

(G-dliness).

And similarly regarding the clarification and refinement of his portion in the world,

for since this effects that the matters of the world become vessels for G-dliness,

it is a matter of renewal,

the opposite of the nature of the world, from the term concealment and hiding,

behold this matter

(that the world becomes a vessel for G-dliness)

is not from the aspect of the world but rather from the aspect of G-dliness,

from the aspect that His oneness, blessed be He, has no limitation,

so that even the existence of the world is unified with Him, blessed be He,

and through this it is also effected in the person

(who effected the clarification and refinement of his portion in the world)

that his service of his Master will be in ultimate nullification,

not only from the aspect of the person's existence but from the aspect of G-dliness.

5)

And based on the above, we can also explain the greatness of the elevation of those who merited actual mesirus nefesh in practice for the sanctification of G-d's name

[and to note from the famous "in public" that my master, my father, the Baal HaHilula was arrested and exiled to a remote town in a distant country for his work in strengthening and spreading Judaism and suffered there

(during the arrest and afterwards while in exile)

severe sufferings and afflictions, etc., etc.,

to the point that these sufferings and afflictions caused

(according to nature)

that he passed away before his time],

for at first glance it is perplexing,

behold the matter of mesirus nefesh is a natural thing for every Jew, that it is absolutely impossible to deny the One G-d, and he is prepared to give his life for this and suffers afflictions, etc.

(and that they did not have actual mesirus nefesh,

is because they were not required for it),

and what is the great elevation of those who had actual mesirus nefesh?

And even more perplexing is what Rabbi Akiva said,

"All my days I was distressed over this verse,

'with all your soul,' etc., when will it come to my hand and I will fulfill it,"

for at first glance,

this very thing, that all his days he actually yearned to fulfill this verse,

is a revelation of his power of mesirus nefesh that shone within him,

and what was so lacking in his matter of mesirus nefesh

(as long as it did not come to actual practice,

due to a cause not dependent on him)

that he was distressed over it?

And the explanation can be said,

that this readiness of every Jew to give his life rather than deny G-d, heaven forbid, is from the aspect of the soul,

and even when he arouses his power of mesirus nefesh in revelation

(that if he would need to, heaven forbid,

he would actually give his life),

it is that the power of mesirus nefesh of the soul comes into revelation.

And the mesirus nefesh of the soul is from its nature,

and there is no novelty in this.

But not so in actual mesirus nefesh in practice, a matter that did not exist beforehand is renewed.

For in addition to this coming about through the concealment, hiding, and opposition of those who force him to deny G-d, heaven forbid,

and through his giving his life and agreeing to suffer from them he extracts the sparks that are in them and elevates them to holiness,

this matter

(the elevation of the sparks that fell so low)

is a novelty,

behold the novelty in actual mesirus nefesh is also regarding the person who stands in mesirus nefesh,

for when he gives his life in actual practice,

then,

the mesirus nefesh is

(also)

in the animal soul.

For not only is there no hindrance from it to mesirus nefesh, but it actually desires to give its life in practice.

And since the animal soul

(from its own perspective)

desires to live,

behold the mesirus nefesh that is effected in it

(by the G-dly soul)

is a renewal and the opposite of its nature.

And this is the greatness of the elevation that is specifically in actual mesirus nefesh in practice,

for the mesirus nefesh that is from the aspect of the soul,

since it is from its nature,

it is in the category of existence,

but not so the mesirus nefesh in practice,

since it is the opposite of the nature of the animal soul,

behold through its mesirus nefesh it is nullified from its existence,

and through this an elevation is also made in the G-dly soul

(that effected the mesirus nefesh in the animal soul),

so that also its mesirus nefesh is in the category of nullification.

6)

And it can be said that this is also, so to speak, the case regarding the descent of the first contraction

(the beginning of the descent that is in the entirety of the chain of descent),

that the intention of the contraction is for the sake of the revelation

[and from this it descends likewise in all descents, which are for the sake of ascent],

that there is in this an analogy of the two aforementioned matters56.

First,

that through the contraction it was innovated that the revelation of Ein Sof would also be in the worlds.

For before the contraction,

when "Ein Sof filled the place of the void,

there was no place

(possibility)

for the existence of the worlds"57,

and consequently there was no revelation in the worlds,

and through the contraction it was innovated that the revelation of Ein Sof would be in the worlds.

For the innovation in this matter is only relative to the worlds,

and not relative to the light,

since in the levels before the contraction, this light was already revealed previously.

And second,

that through the work of refinement there will be a revelation of a new light that did not shine before the contraction,

to the extent that this revelation is above not only the spreading of the light,

which is in the aspect of revelation,

but also above the essence of the light,

and even to the revelation of the essential concealment.

7)

And behold, it is known that these two matters,

the revelation of Ein Sof that also shone before the contraction,

and the revelation of the essential concealment,

will be in the future to come,

except that then there will be two periods.

And this is the explanation of the differing Midrashim regarding the future,

for they said58

that the Holy One, blessed be He, will in the future make a feast for the righteous, and they said59

that in the World to Come there is neither eating nor drinking,

and the explanation is known60,

that these two statements pertain to different times.

At first there will be the revelation of felt delight

(feast),

and it is the revelation of Ein Sof that also shone previously,

and afterwards there will be the revelation of unfelt delight,

and even the revelation of the essential concealment.

And in general, it is the distinction61

between the days of Mashiach and the resurrection of the dead62.

For our sages, of blessed memory, said63

that all the prophets prophesied only concerning the days of Mashiach, but regarding the World to Come, "No eye has seen a God besides You"64,

and it can be said that in the days of Mashiach there will be the revelation of Ein Sof that shone in revelation also before the contraction,

and in the World to Come

(at the resurrection of the dead)

there will be the revelation of the aspect of Eden, concerning which it is said "No eye has seen,"

the essential concealment65.

8)

And based on this, it can be said that in particular, the revelation of the days of Mashiach depends on our actions, and the revelation of the resurrection of the dead depends on our service,

for since the cause of the reward of a mitzvah is the mitzvah itself66,

the mitzvah

(the service)

must be similar to the reward

(the drawing down that is accomplished through it).

Therefore,

the drawing down of the revelation of Ein Sof that also shone previously is accomplished through the effort to reveal the nature of the soul that also existed previously,

our actions.

And the drawing down of the revelation of the essential concealment,

a new light,

is accomplished through the effort that is above the nature even of the divine soul

(through which a new matter is brought about in him that did not exist even from the aspect of his soul),

our service.

9)

And this is "And it will be, because you will listen" — "you will listen" surely,

for it is a certain thing that the intention will be completed, that the Holy One, blessed be He, desired to have a dwelling place for Himself in the lower realms,

in the two aforementioned matters.

Both the revelation of Ein Sof that shone even before the tzimtzum

(the revelation of the days of Mashiach)

and the revelation of the essential concealment

(the revelation of the resurrection of the dead).

And although these revelations depend on our deeds and our service, and permission is granted to every person,

nevertheless, regarding this we are promised

that no one from among us will be rejected,

and each and every one of Israel will complete the intention through our deeds,

the effort in Torah and mitzvos beyond the nature of the animal soul,

and also in our service,

the effort in Torah and mitzvos beyond even the nature of the G-dly soul.

And this is "And it will be, because you will listen" — "because" refers

(as above)

to the heels of Mashiach,

for

(in addition to the fact that then the promise "you will surely listen" is fulfilled)

the perfection of our service

(adding a new matter even regarding the G-dly soul)

is

(primarily)

through the refinement of the darkness of exile, and particularly the darkness of the heels of Mashiach.

[And particularly according to what the Tzemach Tzedek wrote,

that "And it will be, because" is the matter of "and His hand"

grasping the heel of Esav, and he explains

(in the first explanation)

that it refers to the actual heel of Esav].

And also regarding the righteous, for whom the darkness of exile does not darken so much for them,

and certainly they do not have the service of transforming willful sins into merits,

and also the elevation accomplished through the refinement and purification of the animal soul is not so powerful for them

(because their animal soul is not so material even before the service),

nevertheless, through the trials,

and particularly through self-sacrifice in actual practice,

the sparks that are also in the concealment of the primeval light are refined as above.

And after that in many righteous people there was also the elevation of the refinement of the sparks in the concealment of the primeval light through their self-sacrifice,

behold, this elevation is also drawn down to their children

[and as it is written, "And the L-rd your G-d will keep for you... which He swore to your forefathers"],

including also these children, the students,

who learned their Torah,

therefore they no longer need trials,

and certainly not self-sacrifice in its simple sense, but rather the surrender of the will,

and there will be for them and for all the children of Israel "our deeds and our service" from a place of rest and expansion in their simple and true sense,

with joy and a good heart,

and the prophecy will be fulfilled,

"Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust," and the master of the hillula among them,

and we will all go speedily, upright, to our land with the coming of Mashiach our righteousness,

literally immediately, speedily.