English translation — כ'-כ"ד טבת א

1.

20 Teves — the day of the hillula of the Rambam¹,

and 24 Teves,

the day of the hillula of the Alter Rebbe²,

fall out in several years

(as in the determination of this year)

in the same week — and of Parshas Va'eira.

And according to the known that the Alter Rebbe

(the baal hahillula)

himself explains,

that on the day of the histalkus

(of a tzaddik)

are included and ascend above "all his deeds and his Torah and his service which he served all the days of his life"³

and this is "revealed and shines in a manner of revelation from above downward"⁴

— and just as this is at the time of the histalkus,

so too is the atmosphere on the day of the yahrtzeit each year — as also stands from the customs of yahrtzeit each year,

which are there connected with the histalkus —

it is understood

(according to the known⁵

that all matters and events of the week are hinted at in the parshah of the week),

that the content of "his deeds and his Torah and his service" both of the Rambam and of the Alter Rebbe are hinted at in this parshah — "Va'eira"⁶.

2.

In this matter of "his deeds and his Torah and his service" one finds common points between the Rambam and the Alter Rebbe⁷.

As is known from the history of Israel regarding the great effort and activism of the Rambam for the benefit of Israel,

in a manner of self-sacrifice to raise the condition of Israel both physically,

and both spiritually⁸

— to bring Jews close to G-d and to His Torah⁹

and as he writes in one

from his responsa¹⁰

that when he came to Egypt "we found a great plague of sin which spread among most of the public in our iniquities, and it is that ..

they forgot the laws of our Torah and greatly lightened etc.'" and he

(began to rectify the matters and them)

rectified.

And likewise it was with the old Rebbe,

who, being still a youth in days, helped Jews

(and especially with the money that he received as a dowry — before he engaged in his livelihood)

simply materially¹¹,

and also to exalt the honor of Israel spiritually,

as is well known in the chronicles of his life,

about all those enactments that he instituted¹²,

and his work in making penitents¹³,

and more.

And so it is also regarding the Torah of the Rambam and the Alter Rebbe: both illuminated the world both in the revealed Torah,

up to settled halachos; and so regarding "the hidden things belong to Hashem our God"¹⁴,

in knowledge and service of God:

By the Rambam — in the revealed Torah,

in his book Yad HaChazakah,

Mishneh Torah,

which is "a compilation of the entire Oral Torah"¹⁵,

as he explains at length in his introduction to his book Mishneh Torah; and in

The hidden Torah¹⁶

could have come down in revelation in the time of the Rambam¹⁸)

— in the first chapters of his book Mishneh Torah and at great length in his book Moreh Nevuchim¹⁹.

And by the aforementioned Rebbe: the revealed Torah — his Shulchan Aruch²⁰

; and the hidden Torah — in the Tanya,

which is the Written Torah²¹

of the Torah of Chassidus — and in the multitude of maamarim before the Tanya and after it.

And in both of them both matters are also expressed in their names

(If .

"His name which they will call him" shows,

as known,

upon the essence of the person²²).

And as is known²³

about the name of the old Rebbe,

that "Shneur"

(his first name)

consists of two words "shnei ohr"

(two lights)²⁴,

which means,

as the Baal Shem Tov said,

that the old Rebbe will illuminate the world with the two lights of the revealed Torah and the hidden Torah:

And likewise regarding the name of the Rambam — Moshe,

Which .

"Torah commanded us Moshe"²⁶

both the revealed and the hidden),

and as the well-known saying about the Rambam: from Moshe to Moshe there arose none like Moshe²⁷.

And additionally to note: It is a custom of Israel that when one writes the name of the Rambam in acronym, the first mem is a mem open and the other — a mem closed<sup>28</sup>.

And it is known the saying

Our Sages of blessed memory<sup>29</sup>,

that mem open and mem closed allude to "an open statement a closed statement",

the revealed part of Torah and the hidden part of Torah.

3.

The common denominator of the books of the Rambam and the Alman Rebbe

(the aforementioned)

is prominent in many details:

a)

Regarding the cause and purpose of their composition: In connection with the book Yad, the Rambam elaborates in his introduction³⁰

how in his time "the strength of excessive foreign influences grew and the hour pressed everything, and the wisdom etc. was lost, therefore those commentaries etc. became difficult in our days, and one does not understand their subjects properly,

and needless to say the Gemara itself etc. that they require broad knowledge etc. and a long time etc., and because of this I shook out ..

and I saw fit to compose things that are clarified from all these works etc., all in clear language and a concise way, so that the entire Oral Torah will be arranged in the mouth of everyone without difficulty and without resolution.

Not this one says thus and that one thus.

Rather clear things, close, correct etc., laws laws."

Regarding this concerning the composition of the Shulchan Aruch of the old Rebbe,

they write the .

the rabbis, sons of the gaon the author z"l in their introduction to the Sh"a: .

And because the needs of Israel are many, and especially in these times of distress, etc., and therefore their mind is too short to come at length³¹

in the study of the sea of the Talmud and the poskim to know etc., and also for the great ones who have a name and reputation in the Talmud, the work would be heavy upon them to decide between the poskim to conclude the halachic discussion according to

the halacha ..

for in most places there are divided opinions, one raises a difficulty and one resolves, etc., therefore etc., Heaven agreed ..

to find a man in whom is the spirit of God to understand and to instruct clear halacha, deliberate and concluding according to the halacha, the laws with their reasons ..

in clear language ..

to bring forth the essence and inner reasons of the mentioned laws in all the words of the early and later authorities, refined sevenfold, each statement in its proper place without confusion and mixture, and the halachic ruling that is clarified and emerges from the words of all the poskim until the sages of our time*.

that although the order of the Alter Rebbe's Shulchan Aruch is not according to the order of the Sefer HaYad but according to the order of the Shulchan Aruch HaMechaber,

nevertheless his style and language is close to the language of the Rambam³²].

b)

Also in the beginning of the aforementioned books,

it is just as the Rambam begins his book with the words "Yesod HaYesodot VeAmud HaChochmot,

whose initials are Havayah³³

— as is known³⁴

the words of his grandson R. David HaNagid ,

that the Mishneh Torah composed by his grandfather the Rambam begins with the explicit Name"³⁵

— thus begins the Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe

(in the second edition³⁶)

with "Yehuda ben

Teima says*,

What the reasons that can be said in this are³⁷,

Because the name Yehudah is ,

all of it on the name of the Holy One, blessed be He³⁸

— There is in him the entire name of Havayah.

g)

So too regarding the content of the beginning of the books: in the Rambam* — ,

To know that there is a First Existent and He brings into existence every existent and all existents from heaven and earth and what is between them were not brought into existence except from the truth of His existence*.

And this is the content of the first sections in the Alter Rebbe's Shulchan Aruch:

(Up to ,

the foundation of foundations etc. to know that there is a First Existence* —),

a general³⁹

principle in Torah ..

as it is said⁴⁰

I have set the Lord before me always*

(as the Alter Rebbe elaborates on this⁴¹),

Be bold as a leopard, light as an eagle, swift as a deer, and strong as a lion to do the will of your Father in heaven*⁴²,

which,

as discussed at length once⁴³,

is that which one learns from the animals

(bold..

light ..

swift ..

strong)

specifically from animals comes to emphasize,

that the entire existence of a leopard, eagle, deer, and lion

(and this all matters in creation)

is ,

(the truth of its existence*,

and consequently)

for the sake of Israel and for the sake of the Torah⁴⁴,

that Israel, through and by means of the Torah, should use them in order ,

to do the will of your Father in heaven*.

4.

Up to as there is the common denominator in the revealed books of the Rambam and the Alter Rebbe,

so too regarding their books that are connected with ,

the hidden things are for the Lord our God*:

a),

"These four chapters" — the first of his book Yad<sup>45</sup>

— and at length the content of the book Guide of the Perplexed,

is not only to add knowledge in Divinity and the like,

but their purpose

(and especially the book Guide of the Perplexed — as the name of the book)

— is ,

Guide of the Perplexed,

to give clarity and light to those who are perplexed in opinions<sup>44</sup>

; and similar to this is regarding the book Tanya,

that even one who ,

his intellect and mind are confused and in thought they walk in the service of G-d"

(and therefore he cannot learn a path in the service of G-d from other books)<sup>47</sup>,

becomes illuminated for him through the book Tanya,

and as the Alter Rebbe writes in the introduction<sup>48</sup>,

"And all of them are answers to many questions which they ask in counsel etc. in them he will find rest for his soul and proper counsel for every matter that is difficult for him in the service of G-d."

b)

To note and add<sup>49</sup>

: and this is also regarding the verses which the Rambam brings at the beginning of his book in the Book of Knowledge:

Draw out Your kindness to those who know You, and Your righteousness to the upright of heart⁵⁰

And in his book Moreh Nevuchim⁵¹

Make known to me the way in which I should walk, for to You I have lifted my soul⁵²,

To you, O men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of man⁵³,

— there is something similar and analogous to their subject matter at the beginning of the Tanya:

On the title page the Alter Rebbe writes⁵⁵

: "To explain well how He is very near in a long and short way* — analogous to the content of "Draw out Your kindness* and of ,

Make known to me the way in which I should walk* from Torah and mitzvos: He begins the introduction with the verse ,

To you, O men, I call*

(The second verse in Moreh*Nevuchim)

: and afterwards he continues

(From the verse⁵⁶),

Listen to Me, you who pursue righteousness, who seek the Lord" — similar to the subject of the third verse in Moreh*Nevuchim: .

Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge"⁵⁴

Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge"⁵⁷.

5.

According to all this, it is possible to explain the connection of these two yahrzeit days of the Rambam and the Alter Rebbe — the 20th and 24th of Teves — to Parshas Va'eira:

Jews were in Egypt in a state of exile of ,

knowledge of My Name Havayah⁵⁸,

a state of "confusion",

and they walk in darkness: and as the Rambam writes in his book⁵⁹

until the time was prolonged for Israel in Egypt and they returned to learning their deeds etc. and almost the main thing that Abraham planted was uprooted and the children of Jacob were returning to the error of the world and their confusions.

And the Almighty sent Moses⁶⁰,

Say to the children of Israel: I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of Egypt etc. and you shall know that I am the Lord your God etc."

What the ,

suffering of Egypt*,

from which the Jews suffered,

were not only physically,

but also

(and primarily)

spiritually — and the Almighty sent Moses our teacher to redeem them from these "sufferings".

How did Jews come to the spiritual redemption,

since ,

they did not listen to Moses from shortness of breath and from hard work"⁶¹?

— This is also hinted in the name of the sedra — ,

Va'eira*,

which simply means that there was a revelation of G‑dliness in a manner of seeing,

until that it should be "I made Myself known etc. with My true attribute"⁶².

And this is also the intention of the plain meaning of the verses that the Almighty said to Moses⁶³,

that to the Patriarchs He revealed Himself "El Shaddai, and My name Hashem I did not make known to them",

and to him,

in order to take out Jews from Egypt,

there was the revelation of ,

I am Hashem",

higher than "El Shaddai.

Therefore,

last night, that from the aspect of their level at the time of this speech to Moshe — the Jews were still in exile

(the Daat)

in Egypt,

but from the aspect of the revelation of the

I am Hashem* in My true attribute<sup>64</sup>,

the revelation effected and illuminated the Jewish air where they find themselves under the burdens of Egypt and they were redeemed from there.

6.

And it may be said that this* also applies regarding the books of the Rambam and the Alter Rebbe,

that they are in a manner of

Va'eira*,

a special revelation.

The innovation in the Torah of the Rambam and the Alter Rebbe mentioned above is

(Not only that they wrote for themselves and not for their students,

but)

in that the matters which are in the category of Oral Torah were brought down by them in a manner of "

(Oral Torah)

Written Torah — close, ready and prepared for each one:

Before the Rambam wrote his book Mishneh Torah,

most matters of the Oral Torah

(also compositions and commentaries from the time of the Gemara until the time of the Rambam)

remained for most people in a manner of Oral Torah — because of the multiplicity of opinions and disputes,

difficulty and resolution, this one says thus and this one says thus,

it was not ready and revealed to all as the Rambam explains in his introduction⁶⁵.

But not so

In the Rambam's composition are the .

things that are clarified from all these compositions etc. all in clear language and concise way* in a manner that it became "the entire Oral Torah arranged in the mouth of everyone" and .

all the laws are revealed to small and great in the law of each and every commandment and in the law of all the things that the sages and prophets instituted",

until one does not need to come "to another composition in the world in a law of the laws of Israel",

and therefore he called his book .

Mishneh Torah" — "because a person reads the Written Torah first and afterwards reads this and knows from it the entire Oral Torah"⁶⁶,

— then the entire Oral Torah,

which was revealed previously only to "few in number"⁶⁷,

became for everyone in the manner of the Written Torah.

D.

E.

Although from the days of Rebbi they wrote down the Oral Torah,

because, from the aspect of "It is time to act for the Lord; they have made void Your Torah"⁶⁸

the limitation fell away⁶⁹

of "Things that are oral you are not permitted to say in writing",

nevertheless,

due to the decline of the generations after the time of Rebbi,

written matters also remained in the manner and in the mode of the Oral Torah — not known and revealed to everyone "that he will study it quickly and not forget"⁷⁰.

And just as this is regarding the Rambam,

similarly and akin to this it is related to the Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe

(regarding the halachot and the poskim before him up to the Rambam),

etc.

(Section 3)

in the language of the introduction of the rabbis, the sons of the gaon the author, may his memory be for blessing,

that in the Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe are "the words of the poskim until the sages of our time"

(from the master, the Rebbe)

compressed in "clear halacha ..

halachot with their reasons".

Furthermore, this is understandable regarding their esoteric Torah,

as the Rambam himself writes in his book⁷¹

about "attaining things on their true basis" and about "walking in the orchard",

and at length in the introduction to the Guide for the Perplexed⁷²

: I was very much afraid to compose the things which I wish to compose in this essay because they are hidden matters, no book at all was composed about them in our nation during this time of exile except this one,

but I relied on two premises, one of them is their saying in a similar matter: It is time

to act for the Lord, they have nullified Your Torah

(and the second is their saying: and all⁷³

your deeds shall be for the sake of Heaven)

" — and he revealed in this book the hidden matters which were previously in the manner of

(Oral Torah)

by heart,

for select individuals.

And etc. regarding the book Tanya from the old Rebbe

— and to note that the

(entire)

book Moreh Nevuchim is not for everyone⁷⁴,

and the Rambam in this his very book wrote several matters in hint⁷⁵.

But not so the book Tanya is a book suitable for each one

(and as below section 12 will be at length)

So the deep topics of the innermost part of the Torah

(the Torah of Kabbalah and Chassidus)

came down into the Tanya in the manner of a clear-cut halachah and until — ,

to do it"; and the book of Tanya became the ,

Written Torah" of the Torah of Chassidus: it was revealed and in understanding and comprehension,

that each one should be able to take it in his intellect,

and from this it should come out in his heart until it becomes "close" to you the matter very much in your mouth and in your heart to do it".

7.

The novelty in our parshah is additional to this, that a higher revelation came — "I am Havayah",

does this effect "and you shall know that I am Havayah your G-d who brings you out from under the burdens of Egypt",

so that it became their ,

knowledge",

although that Jews themselves were still in exile,

Regarding this, one can say concerning the books of the hidden [wisdom] of the Rambam and of the old Rebbe,

that that which through the book HaYad

(the four first chapters of Hilchos Yesodei HaTorah),

the Moreh Nevuchim and the Tanya are revealed,

"and you shall know that I am Hashem",

is not only for those who are worthy of it due to their level before this,

but for every single Jew.

8.

One will understand this in the context of that which regarding the Moreh Nevuchim one finds seemingly a limitation concerning its study

(not like the book HaYad,

which is for every single one —

"the small as the great")

About the Guide of the Perplexed, the Rambam writes,

"The intention of this treatise is to awaken a religious person whose soul has become accustomed and has risen in his belief in the truth of our Torah, and he is perfect in his religion and his character traits, and he studied the wisdom of the philosophers and knows their matters, etc."⁷⁸

"This treatise I speak in it with one who has philosophized ..

and knows true wisdoms and he believes, etc."⁷⁹

: "What is fitting for one excellent person is not fitting for ten thousand fools."⁸⁰

And he writes several warnings about how to study the book.

Nevertheless,

The very fact that the Rambam publicized his book,

and in a manner that it

(through Divine Providence)

reached all Jews,

compels one to say,

that this also has a relevance to every Jew.

And as we see regarding several laws in Sefer HaMada, and particularly at the beginning of Hilchos Yesodei HaTorah,

that the Rambam himself,

placed them in his book Yad HaChazakah,

because for learning the laws of the Torah it is relevant to know beforehand

(Hilchos Yesodei HaTorah)

the knowledge; and therefore⁸¹

he explains it in Sefer HaMada,

so that the Torah that one learns should be as it ought to be,

upon its foundations⁸²

"and they shall not cast the knowledge of God behind their back, but shall place their great effort and diligence upon that which will perfect them and bring them close to their Creator, etc."⁸³

It is understood that in this manner it is regarding several chapters in his book Moreh Nevuchim,

and particularly those where the matters that are in Sefer HaMada are discussed

(only with addition — with proofs, etc.⁸¹).

And as one sees,

that many topics in his book Moreh Nevuchim are foundations in knowledge of G-d and prophecy,

angels and interpretation of the verses etc. which are not directed specifically to one who "is perfect in his religion and his character traits and studied the wisdom of the philosophers and knows their matters etc. and remained in confusion and bewilderment",

but to every one⁸⁵.

And especially that the book Moreh Nevuchim is

(a book of — and a part of)

Torah⁸⁶,

about which regarding Torah one says⁸⁷

"the Torah is eternal",

and it pertains to Jews for all generations".

Until one finds in several poskim that one derives halachos from Moreh Nevuchim⁸⁹,

and the Rema⁹⁰

begins Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim

(the first se'if of the first siman of the first part of Shulchan Aruch)

with topics from Moreh Nevuchim.

And perhaps one can say that this that the Rambam writes the above-mentioned expressions that seemingly indicate limitations — this is not for the sake of limitation,

but on the contrary: this is in order to further open up and affect also each and every one of Israel,

as follows.

9.

The explanation of this will be understood according to a responsum of R. Moshe Hagiz⁹¹

(Regarding what was asked of him)

Concerning the oath of the Rambam z"l at the beginning of the Guide for the Perplexed⁹²

"And I adjure by the God of Israel⁹³

everyone who will read my essay etc. — that the oath takes effect when the one being sworn does not answer Amen."

He explains that the same question was for him regarding the words of the Ari z"l⁹⁴,

that he also adjured "like this oath and unfortunately they did not answer Amen and many breakers of the fence were found stumbling and lying under the fence of these oaths."

And he explains that the oath of the Rambam is like the oaths of Joshua and Saul, as the Rosh writes⁹⁵

such an oath is not an oath "but a decree of excommunication and ban upon future generations."

And he continues "and from him the Ari z"l learned",

that this is not an oath but an "excommunication and ban that they had the power to decree upon future generations as a fence for the matter",

and for this no consent and answering Amen is needed.

But at first glance it is puzzling, and an explanation in his commentary:

א)

One sees indeed in practice that despite the words of caution and restrictions of the Ari,

one nevertheless learns the subjects of the wisdom of Kabbalah; and not only does one learn it,

but according to the words of the Ari, that now it is "a mitzvah to reveal this wisdom"⁹⁶

one reveals and publicizes it.

Until there is the directive of "May your springs spread forth outward" —

Even though the "outsider" does not yet hold by all these boundaries and conditions that the RaCh"V writes.

And likewise regarding the Moreh Nevuchim, that one learns it and is not careful in all these restrictions etc. of the Rambam there⁹⁷.

ב)

Why did the Rambam and the Ra'avad write their warnings and restrictions in the language of "oath" and not in the language of excommunication and ban?

יוד.

And one can say the explanation in this in a possible way — that one difficulty is resolved by its companion:

And by way of introduction regarding the study of Torah — in general

Regarding the study of Torah in general, one says that Torah must be studied properly,

"Just as below

(at the time of the Giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai)

with awe and fear and trembling and sweat, but here etc."⁹⁸

: In the study of Torah one must remember that one is studying the Torah of the Most High,

and it must be "bless Him in the Torah first"⁹⁹.

Nevertheless, it stands in Torah

(Midrash)¹⁰⁰

"If only they had forsaken Me and kept My Torah,"

Because

(or then it is).

The light within it returns them to the good."

D.

E.

This is indeed not the desired order of Torah study,

but nevertheless this too must be Torah study¹⁰¹,

because in the end that one will also come to study properly — the Torah itself is ,

returns to the good".

And likewise it is regarding the manner of Torah study,

that although one must study Torah for its own sake,

nevertheless they say that one cannot wait until one reaches the level of for its own sake,

rather ,

always¹⁰²

a person should engage in Torah and commandments even if not for their own sake¹⁰³

that out of not for its own sake comes for its own sake".

Regarding this, it pertains to the study of every part of the Torah after it has been revealed — also the wisdom of truth,

the Torah of Kabbalah: The study of Torah reveals and strengthens a Jew in his connection to the Creator.

Through the revealed part of Torah, the revealed part of the soul becomes connected with the revealed part of the Holy One, blessed be He, and through the hidden part of Torah, the hidden part of the soul becomes bound with the hidden part of the Holy One, blessed be He¹⁰⁴.

And in order that the hidden wisdom should effect this,

it is required that the Jew who studies

should be a pure vessel.

And therefore the Rebbe Chaim Vital warns about all the conditions and boundaries that must be before the study — because specifically then the study effects its action properly.

One wants to demand,

Torah wants,

that each and every one should learn the hidden Torah,

as it is said: It is a mitzvah to reveal this wisdom,

and in the language of the old Rebbe in his Shulchan Aruch,

Hilchos Talmud Torah of him¹⁰⁵

: that every soul needs for its rectification to engage in Pardes, as if it did not, it will come into reincarnation until it attains and knows all that is possible for its soul etc., whether in the plain laws or in the hints and homilies and secrets.

And in this is dependent the coming of Moshiach¹⁰⁶,

and no one should hold himself back from learning this Torah until he will accomplish all these limitations.

Did the RaCh"V for this very reason not write, heaven forbid, in a language of ostracism and excommunication,

because then it would, heaven forbid, have taken effect and one would not have dared to learn until one reaches the level which the RaCh"V writes there.

he therefore wrote in the language of an oath which does not take effect

(without answering Amen).

that the intention in this is that when the times come¹⁰⁷

and not everyone can hold to the restrictions, one should nevertheless study the wisdom of the hidden,

but —

In the introduction of the knowledge¹⁰⁸

that the desired study is when one has all these restrictions before the study.

The purpose is, however, that the study should effect its effect¹⁰⁹,

and for this it is required that one actually become a pure vessel for this study — therefore the RaCh"V wrote "I the writer adjure",

and with this itself he gave a power

(as known regarding the matter "they adjure him" from the language of satiety"¹¹⁰)

that in every study of the wisdom of Kabbalah there should be able to be and be revealed the "light that is in it",

which connects the taamim of Israel with the taamim of the Holy One, blessed be He,

as,

that when he comes to this, then also openly he conducts himself so,

and holds by this during the study,

as the RaCh"V requires.

Yes.

Similar to this is also regarding the Moreh Nevuchim — in connection to the oath "and I adjure etc. that he not deviate from it even one thing and not explain from it to another except what is explained explicit in the words of those who preceded me etc." — as we see in several commentators of the Moreh who are explaining and interpreting his words,

— and likewise regarding this, in connection with what he writes that this is "to awaken a religious person who is accustomed in his soul and has risen in his belief in the truth of our Torah, and he is complete in his religion and in his character traits" etc.

— that the desired study of the Guide for the Perplexed is when one is strong in faith, etc., "complete in his religion and in his character traits,"

but due to the pressure of the times,

when one studies the book even before one is complete in his religion and in his character traits,

but with the prior knowledge that the desired study is after he is complete in his religion and in his character traits — the study of the Guide for the Perplexed itself helps him,

that he should come to this,

this brings to comprehension in Divinity and to strength of faith¹¹¹

etc.

12.

Regarding this, we can explain the language of the Alter Rebbe in his introduction to Tanya,

And as an introduction:

Regarding the holy book Tanya,

it is, besides this, that it is understood and simple,

that this is from the "books of fear [of Heaven] whose foundations are in the holy mountains"¹¹²

— the Tanya nevertheless contains in a special manner such instructions and matters,

which are essential foundations in the service of G-d for every Jew; as the Alter Rebbe himself writes in the Gate of the Book

(which describes its essence and purpose)

: "founded on the verse 'For the matter is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart to do it,' to explain well how it is very near, in a long and short way, with the help of G-d." —

It is simple that the verse

(and "to You")

speaks about every single Jew literally — and this is relevant to literally every Jew in whatever situation he is in.

And therefore the book is called by the Alter Rebbe himself

Book of Beinonim",

that regarding the level of the Beinonim the Alter Rebbe emphasizes¹¹³,

that "the trait of the Beinoni is the trait of every person, and after him every person should draw."

13.

Regarding an additional quality in the book of Tanya,

the Alter Rebbe writes a language that can be interpreted as if the advantage of the superiority is not relevant to everyone:

On the claim of Anash,

that

(with all the qualities of ,

reading in books",

books of fear [of Heaven],

there is),

hearing words of rebuke is not comparable to seeing and reading in books¹¹²

and for this reason Anash wanted to hear the matters relevant to him,

each one individually,

from the Alter Rebbe in yechidus — the Alter Rebbe warned in the introduction of the book,

that the Tanya also has the special quality of ,

hearing words of rebuke"

(from "yechidus"),

because "I speak to those who know and recognize me"¹¹⁴

— and knowing all their questions, he placed in the book "all the answers to all the questions" that are asked by "all Anash of our country always"¹¹⁴)

— and from this one can have a seeming contradiction at first glance,

that those who are not "knowers and recognizers of me" do not have the quality of hearing and yechidus.

Since however the Alter Rebbe this itself

(that the Tanya changes the matter of yechidus),

printed as a part of the Tanya,

and as the introduction of the book — this became a part of ,

the Torah is eternal” and which pertains to every Jew.

And consequently — in addition that the study and

instructions of the Tanya pertain

(and are necessary)

to every .

one,

it is also understood that each one can take out from the Tanya "all the answers to all the questions" and can take out ,

proper advice for every matter that is difficult for him in the service of G‑d"¹¹⁴

(in the manner of "those who know me and are acquainted with me").

Only this demands itself and needs to be with am — and choose life¹¹⁵,

The same demand as with every thing of Torah of life and its commandments on which it stands¹¹⁶

"he shall do them, the man, and live by them".

14.

And to add explanation in this — in the manner of the above:

With this that the Alter Rebbe inserted the introduction to the book of Tanya where he writes "I come to those who know and recognize me"

(that the book replaces a private audience)

in this book of Tanya,

the Alter Rebbe gave the power

(and consequently the possibilities have the quality of¹¹⁷

his vessel)

and also effected that everyone who studies the book of Tanya becomes one of the "those who know and recognize me" of the Alter Rebbe; so that then even when he is in a state of distress he is on a level of "in thought they shall walk"

(and consequently he cannot take out from other books of fear the ,

light that is good¹¹²

that is hidden in them)

the study of Tanya effects upon them,

and it is a manner of "and I appeared": the Alter Rebbe shows and illuminates for them that they should see the true path,

and especially upon this a clear bright path like "the matter is very close to you in your mouth and in your heart to do it",

and that with

It should be,

“Veyadata hayom*” the knowledge in G‑dliness and from this it should come down¹¹⁸

it should be,

“Vehashevota el levavecha”,

until he finds in the Tanya a,

“Eitza nechonah lechol davar hakah alav ba’avodat Hashem”¹¹⁴.

Tu.

And when one has the necessary introduction from the study of the inner dimension of the Torah as it was revealed in Chassidus Chabad through the Alter Rebbe,

then one can also extract from the book Moreh Nevuchim the matters in knowledge of G‑d in accordance with Chassidus¹¹⁹

and it becomes revealed how.

“Moshe veTorato emet”¹²⁰,

both in the revealed and in the hidden,

And through this one comes to the days of Mashiach in actuality when,

all Israel, their prophets and their sages¹²¹

will find for themselves rest¹²²

and will increase in wisdom etc. that in those days knowledge and wisdom and truth will increase" — as the Rambam says in Sefer HaMada¹²³

; and he also concludes and seals with this all of Sefer HaYad: ,

the occupation of the entire world will be only to know G‑d alone, and therefore Israel will be great sages and know hidden matters and will comprehend the knowledge of their Creator according to the capacity of man

(Chabad¹²⁴)

as it is said¹²⁵

for the earth will be filled with knowledge of G‑d as the waters cover the sea".

(From the talks of the eve of the 13th of Nissan 5738,

<b>24 Teves 5741)</b>