Living With The Times: Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi's Oral Teachings

7/30/2019 Living With The Times: Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi's Oral Teachings

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2/13g with the Times: R abbi Schneur Zalman of Liadis Oral Teachings - Works

1

While the five parts of

the Tanya fit comfortably

into a single book, the

full set of Rabbi Shneur

Zalmans oral discourses

fills no less than twenty-

eight volumes.

Printed from Chabad.org

By Eli Rubin

Part OneAn Overview

Introduction

Scholarship is usually associated with literacy and text, but in the Jewish tradition, oral discourse has always

played at least an equal role. Text is static. It is both limited and limiting. But a conversation is fluid and the

possibilities are endless. The canonized books of the Torah are the foundation of Judaism, but the oral

teachings, as redacted in the Mishnah, along with the dialogues and debates transcribed in the Talmud,

provide an ongoing conversation that ensures the Torahs relevance for eternity.

The same holds true with the works of Chabad. The Tanya is

undoubtedly Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadis magnum opus, and

the foundational text of the Chabad school of chasidism.1 But this

text has a monumental oral counterpart: While the five parts of

the Tanya fit comfortably into a single book, the full set of Rabbi

Shneur Zalmans oral discourses fills no less than twenty-eight

volumes.2 In his own times, the primary medium through which

Rabbi Shneur Zalman taught, and through which his followers

assimilated and perpetuated his teachings, was the orally

delivered discourse. In subsequent generations too, these oral teachings provided the seminal impetus for

Chabad learning and life to develop and flourish.

In the two hundred years since the passing of Rabbi Shneur Zalman much has been added to the Chabad

literary canon. All of it, however, is well rooted in his teachingsespecially his oral discourses. Subsequent

Rebbes of Chabad were themselves the disciples of Rabbi Shneur Zalman. They studied his teachings,

contemplated them deeply, developed innovative explanations, and broke new ground. The different styles

and perspectives of each left a unique mark. But in relation to the teachings of Rabbi Shneur Zalman they

are all as rays of light to the sun itself. To delve into the oral teachings of Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi is

to immerse oneself in the spring from which the pure waters of Chabad flow.

* * *

The Transcripts and their Scribes

Living with the Times: Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadis

Oral Teachings
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Transcript of a discourse delivered by Rabb

Shneur Zalman, in the handwriting of Rabb

DovBer

Rabbi Shneur Zalman formulated the Chabad doctrine and begun instructing young men in the service of

Gd in the early 1770s.3 In 1783 he was appointed to the position of Magid (preacher) in the town of his

birth, Liozneh, and began delivering public discourses on a regular basis.4 Over the next thirty years

several thousand of these orally delivered discourses (called derushim ormaamarim) were memorized and

transcribed by Rabbi Shneur Zalmans closest disciples. These transcripts were copied and distributed for

study amongst a wide network of Rabbi Shneur Zalmans disciples. Many of them have survived until today,

and are preserved for posterity in the Central Library of Agudas Chasidei Chabad in New York.

During the period that Rabbi Shneur Zalman lived in Liozneh (1783-

1801) the foremost transcriber of his oral teachings was his brother,

Rabbi Yehudah Leib of Yanovitch.5 Towards the end of this period, Rabbi

Shneur Zalmans oldest son, Rabbi DovBer (b. 1773), began transcribing

discourses too.6 The vast majority of his transcripts, however, date from

after the second imprisonment of Rabbi Shneur Zalman and his move to

Liadi (1801-1812).7 Discourses transcribed by Rabbi Shneur Zalmans

younger son, Rabbi Moshe (b. 1779), are extant from the year 1802 and

on. The only extant transcripts by someone outside Rabbi Shneur

Zalmans immediate family, are those of Rabbi Pinchos Reitzes, mostly

dating from 1807 and on.8

Rabbi Shneur Zalmans grandson, Rabbi Menachem Mendel (later the

third Rebbe of Chabad, called the Tzemach Tzedek, b. 1789), began transcribing his grandfathers

discourses as early as 1807, but the vast majority of his transcripts date from the very last years of Rabbi

Shneur Zalmans life 1811-1812.9

Rabbi Schneur Zalman passed away in the winter of 1812. Nevertheless, it wasnt until 1837 that his

grandson, Rabbi Menachem Mendel published the first anthology of Rabbi Shneur Zalmans oral teachings,

titled Torah Ohr. A second volume, titled Lekutei Torah, was published in 1848.10 This year (2012), Kehot

Publication Society completed the publication of all extant transcripts in honor of the two hundredth

anniversary of Rabbi Shneur Zalmans passing.11

* * *

The form of Rabbi Shneur Zalmans oral discourses certainly evolved over the course of the years. Initially,

they took the form of intense bursts of inspiration, expressed as brief and pithy interpretations of a biblical

verse or Kabbalistic statement. Over time these expositions became longer and more explanatory, and in

later years we find that many discourses are supplemented by an elucidation delivered a day or two later,

which further articulates the concepts mentioned in the initial delivery.12
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The style of Rabbi

Shnuer Zalmans

teachings evolved, andthe transcripts vary. But

the essential nature of

his teachings, and the

central themes of his

message, are constant

and clear.

While this evolution was gradual, Rabbi Shneur Zalmans 1798 and 1801 imprisonments in St. Petersburg

are seen as a pivotal catalyst in this process. As the fifth Rebbe of Chabad, Rabbi Shalom DovBer of

Lubavitch, related, It is known amongst chasidim, and it is true, that before Petersburg the chasidic

discourses (divrei elokim chaim) would burn the world due to their transcendent nature; no one could hear

a discourse from him and remain in their previous condition. However, after Petersburg it changed and was

no longer so, because when he returned from Petersburg the chasidic discourses began to be orientated

toward internal assimilation specifically ( ). This was especially so after he

returned from Petersburg the second time. It is difficult to say, but such is the truth; just as an olive releases

its oil when crushed, so through the persecutions in Petersburg specifically the interiority [i.e. the

intellectual aspect of chasidism that allows divinity to be assimilated and internalized] was revealed. 13

The form in which the discourses were transcribed also differs

substantively from one scribe to another. Rabbi DovBer, for

example, tends to expand on the conceptual themes and adds

explanatory depth and clarity. Rabbi Menachem Mendel, on the

other hand, was concerned to preserve the actual words used by

his grandfather as faithfully as possible. In addition, he often adds

contextual analysis, notes and references.14

The style of Rabbi Shnuer Zalmans teachings evolved, and the

transcripts vary. But the essential nature of his teachings, and the

central themes of his message, are constant and clear.

* * *

Practical Abstraction

The content of Rabbi Shneur Zalmans oral teachings, strongly reflects his project to make the chasidic

path of the Baal Shem Tov accessible to the everyman;15 these are profound meditations on the nature of

divinity, and yet they are permeated with immediately applicable relevance.16

Rabbi Shneur Zalmans oral deliveries address themselves to two themes: The first is cognitive (haskalah)while the second is affective and practical (avodah).

In the cognitive domain ( ), his focus is primarily upon the two facets of divine oneness: How all that

exists is absorbed within that oneness ( higher level unity), and how that oneness can be found

within all aspects of the creation ( lower level unity). This oneness is illustrated in discussions

that dance between the mystical and the existential. While discussing creation ex nihilo, for example, the

perpetually contingent state of all created existence generally arises. Discussions of divine immanence


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Without immersing ones

mind in the true attempt

to know Gd, nothing real

and lasting can be

achieved. A person

might be quite earnest

and full of excitement,

and yet will lack true

( ), divine transcendence ( ), divine infinitude ( , ) and the ten divine

modalities or sefirot ( ) serve as a platform to discuss the purpose of creation, mans relationship with

his Creator, and the paradox of his own existence. The divine nature of the soul is also a major theme,

along with discussions of its descent within the body, its purpose in the physical domain and the travails of

its journey. Such concepts are dealt with rigorously so that they can be cognitively assimilated through a

prescribed form of profound contemplation and ideation ( ).

The affective and practical domain ( ) is where the cosmic existential issues of the cognitive domain

become personally relevant. To a certain degree, cognitive engagement with such profound concepts

represents a departure ( ) from the concrete realm of the here and now. In the domain ofavodah,

however, Rabbi Shneur Zalman brings heaven down to earth ( ), entering into intimate discussions of the

affective and practical transformation that cognitive contemplation should inspire.

Here, there is a strong tension between the affective and the practical: The nature of the human psyche,

Rabbi Schneur Zalman asserts, is such that contemplation of divine truth, oneness, immanence,transcendence, etc. should draw forth varying degrees of love ( ), awe ( ), and longing ( ),

leading the soul into a state of mystic union ( ). While Rabbi Shneur Zalman discusses such

experiences in detail, he emphasizes that mans ultimate purpose is self transformation, and transformation

of the earthly realm ( ). Indeed, it is specifically through such transformation that mans

existential crisis is finally resolved. Self transformation requires you to recognize your personal role in the

cosmic purpose, and your responsibility to play your part. It requires you to set personal aspiration aside

( )even such spiritual aspirations as love, awe and mystic union. Ultimately, your sole aspiration must

be to actualize the divine purpose by transforming the physical realm into a place where divinity is openly

manifest. This can only be accomplished through the heartfelt service of Gd through prayer, Torah study,

and the practice ofmitzvot.

All of the above requires a rigorous program of introspection ( ), self discipline and commitment

( ). Such affective and practical issues are discussed with the same rigour and depth as the cosmic

issues of the cognitive domain.

One of the unique features of Rabbi Shneur Zalmans oral

teachings in comparison to other Chabad chasidic texts is the

degree to which these two themes (haskalah and avodah) flow in

and out of one another. In Rabbi Shneur Zalmans oral teachings,

mystical concepts are often illustrated with the description of an

affective experience, and every theosophical idea is shown to

have an affective or practical application. Likewise, every

discussion of affective and practical methodology is informed and


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integrity and the inner

sort of character that

chabad strives to instill.

Rabbi Shneur Zalmans

oral teachings are

theosophical meditations

on the nature of divinity.

At the same time, they

justified by theosophical principle.17

The manner in which Rabbi Shneur Zalman merges the cognitive

and the affective domains (haskalah and avodah) caused the fifth

Rebbe of Chabad, Rabbi Shalom DovBer Shneersohn of

Lubavitch, to wonder which preceded which.18 In a lengthy discussion he points out that earlier transcripts

of Rabbi Shneur Zalmans discourses imply that his initial concern was avodah, and that haskalah played asecondary role in his teachings. Ultimately, however, he concludes that this was not the case. Rabbi Shneu

Zalmans primary focus was always to engage his disciples in haskalahcognitive contemplation of divinity,

but the purpose of that contemplation was internalization and avodahaffective and practical

transformation of the self.

Rabbi Shneur Zalman once told a disciple, The verse says know G d19it doesnt say intellectualize

Gd. As Rabbi Shalom DovBer points out, the full verse reads, Know G d and serve Him with a full

heart. Evidently, Rabbi Shneur Zalman was not interested in abstract intellectualization: Knowledge of thedivine is only meaningful if it translates into avodah.

Without immersing ones mind in the true attempt to know Gd, nothing real and lasting can be achieved. A

person might be quite earnest and full of excitement, and yet will lack true integrity and the inner sort of

character that chabad strives to instill. About such a person, Rabbi Shalom DovBer says, I cant say what

he is. Now he is this, now he is something else... he himself doesnt know who he is.20 The focus of Rabbi

Shnuer Zalmans teachings, therefore, must be on the intellectual assimilation and internalization of divine

knowledge. Only then can the individual actually achieve the transformative goal ofavodah.

Rabbi Shalom DovBer further explained just how deeply intertwined cognitive ideation is with the ultimate

goal of inner transformation. If ones character is receptive, he says, contemplation and cognitive

assimilation alone will mold the inner self to reflect the divine concept, illuminating and entirely transforming

the natural faculties of ones character. True, in someone who is not yet so attuned, there must be a stage

of bitterness and re-orientation, so that they might become receptive. Nevertheless, it is intellectual

immersion that ultimately brings the whole individualmind, body and soulcloser to Gd. This intimacy is

strongly reflected in the sweeping fluidity with which Rabbi Shneur Zalman interweaves the dual threads of

haskalah and avodah.

Rabbi Shneur Zalmans oral teachings, then, are theosophical

meditations on the nature of divinity. At the same time, they are

ultimately concerned with the transformative purpose of

humankind upon this physical earth. Physicality must be

emancipated from its veneer of crass banality, and earthly life


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6

are ultimately concerned

with the transformative

purpose of humankind

upon this physical earth.

must be made transparent to the ultimate ineffability of the divine

self. A path of earthly ascent and refinement (

21,( reciprocated by divine descent and endowment (

22,( empowers humanity to bridge the existential gap

between Gd and creation. Bridging that gap is the ultimate

purpose of all existence.23

To some degree, affective and practical guidance itself paves the methodological road to earthly ascent

and refinement. Likewise, the cognitive representation of divine wisdom in a form that the human mind can

assimilate is itself a descent of the divine into our reality.24 Ultimately, however, this bridge can only be built

through the heartfelt service of Gd, embodied in the study of Torah and the performance of the ritual

commandments.

* * *

Living with the Times

In another display of striking fluidity, Rabbi Shneur Zalman often weaves exegetical interpretation of biblical,

talmudic and kabbalistic texts (drush) into discussions ofhaskalah and avodah. The most pervasive and

obvious instances of this phenomenon imbue the discourse with an overtly time relevant theme. While many

discourses directly address specific concepts, beginning with titles such as To understand the concept of

the tzimtzum25 many more begin with a verse from the weekly Torah portion or focus on some other

timely issue. Significantly, the discourses published in Torah Ohrand Lekutei Torah were organized not

topically, but seasonally. The former covers the period of the year when Bereishitand Shemotare read,

and the latter covers the period when Vayikrah, Bamidbarand Devarim are read.

It must be emphasized that even in such discourses, Rabbi Shneur Zalmans primary goal remains

unchanged. His purpose is not to provide a chassidic commentary to the Torah or to explain the chasidic

significance of the festivals. His chief purpose is to provide theosophical enlightenment and a practical path

of affective transformation. Exegetical interpretation is simply the tool, which Rabbi Shneur Zalman uses to

reveal, amplify and explain the theosophical, affective and practical import that is embedded deep within the

biblical narrative.26

In Rabbi Shneur Zalmans oral discourses, more than in other chasidic texts, exegetical interpretation

always remains completely transparent to the conceptual, affective and practical message. This is achieved

and underscored by the fluidity that marks these teachings: Typically, language borrowed from the current

Torah portion will partially replace the kabbalistic or conceptual terminology normally used to articulate such

topics. While it may take the form of a commentary on the past, the discussion is completely concerned with

cognitive ideation and affective transformation in the present. Consequently, the cognitive, affective and


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Torah Ohr, the first collection of Rabb

Shneur Zalman's oral teachings, publishe

in 1837

practical efforts of the contemporary chasid are vested with the same epic significance as the exploits of the

biblical patriarchs.27

* * *

The seasonal element which characterizes so many of Rabbi Shneur

Zalmans oral teachings stands in stark contrast to his topical approach in

the Tanya, the foundational work whose first three parts are systematic

treatments of specific topics. The first and most widely studied section of

Tanya, Lekutai Amarim, explains the key components of the Chabad

methodological approach to the service of Gd, along with the relevant

mystical concepts. Part two deals with the chasidic doctrine of divine unity

and uniqueness, vis--vis the apparent existence of other autonomous

beings, and part three deals with the Chasidic view of repentance or

return to G

d.28

It would seem that this difference between Rabbi Shneur Zalmans Tanya

and his oral teachings is largely rooted in the difference between the

intended audiences of these distinct genres:

The Tanya was intended for the widest possible audience, and was written to speak with eloquence and

relevance to people of different levels of scholarship, living in different places and in different times. Each

concept appears in its correct context, after the requisite premises have already been explained, so that its

place and function in the broader transformative path, or conceptual edifice, is easily apparent. Similarly,

Rabbi Shneur Zalman refrained as far as possible from using kabbalistic language. When he does make

use of kabbalistic concepts, he explains them using the more accessible language common to books of

ethics and philosophy, rather than the mystifying terminology of Lurianic Kabbalah. Indeed, aside from the

ten sefirotand the four celestial realms, there are almost no direct references to more esoteric kabbalistic

concepts such as keter, tohu vtikun etc.

Rabbi Shneur Zalmans oral teachings, on the other hand, were often intended for a far narrower audience.

By their very nature, the content of each discourse is tailored to inform and inspire a particular group of

people on a particular day of a particular year. Indeed, many of his discourses were delivered specifically to

new followers, who required a more fundamental grounding in axiomatic chasidic concepts, while others

were delivered to an elite circle of veteran disciples.29 Many discourses were delivered to wider audiences

too, and some were even delivered on the occasion of a wedding or some other celebration.

In all of these discourses Rabbi Shneur Zalmans purpose is far more localized than in the Tanya, and he is

free to enter into intensely concentrated discussions of specific themes and concepts. Consequently, the


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Rabbi Shneur Zalman

consistently links

contemplation of the

divine and its practical

application to time

relevant themes, so that

the discourse is imbued

with a strong sense of

immediate relevanceand urgency.

oral teachings represent a gold mine of rich and detailed insight into a wide range of topics that are often

barely alluded to in the Tanya. It is here that one is really able to delve into the mystic core of Rabbi Shneu

Zalmans theosophical worldview, and assimilate the full weight of its affective and practical implications.30

* * *

The sixth Rebbe of Chabad, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn,

related that in the early years of Rabbi Shneur Zalmans

leadership he declared, "One must live with the times... One must

live with the Torah portion (sidrah) of the week and the particular

section (parsha) of the day. One should not only studythe weekly

portion every day, but live with it.31 This principle is strongly

reflected in the oral teachings of Rabbi Shneur Zalman. He

consistently links contemplation of the divine and its practical

application to time relevant themes, so that the discourse isimbued with a strong sense of immediate relevance and urgency.

The biblical stories of the patriarchs, the various laws of the

Torah that are read and studied each week, and the seasonal holidays, are all understood to reflect

mystical, affective and practical themes that are reenacted in the daily lives of every Jew.

This results in one of the most striking features of Rabbi Shneur Zalmans oral teachings; even the most

abstract concepts are permeated with an intimate sense of urgency and practical relevance. This fluidity

with which theory and practice are so intertwined highlights the organic nature of these teachings. They arenot mere objects of study but the very fabric of the Chabad chasidic experience. Rabbi Shneur Zalmans

disciples were individuals who lived very much in the world, many were craftsman, innkeepers, or

tradesman, yet they were concerned with issues of metaphysical transcendence.32

Service of Gd, permeated every aspect of their lives,33 and was intrinsically bound up with this tension

with the quest to elevate earthly existence and make it receptive of divinity.

Not only in Rabbi Shneur Zalmans own times, but throughout the subsequent history of Chabad chasidism,

these oral discourses were a mainstay of chasidic learning and life. The custom to study the teachings

associated in Torah Ohr and Lekutai Torah with the current Torah portion was so widespread that such

discourses are often referred to as the chasidic Torah portion (der chasidisher parshah). After the Tanya

no works of Chabad chasidism were more widely studied than Torah Ohr and Lekutai Torah. Furthermore,

the ideas articulated (sometimes very briefly) in these discourses formed the basis for the further

development of many of the theosophical concepts and doctrines that are so lucidly explained in the

teachings of Chabad Rebbes of successive generations.34


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The primary mode ofreligious expression is

the practice of the ritual

commandments

mandated by the

Halacha... further

confirming the

paradoxical centrality of

earthliness to the Jewish

mystical path.

* * *

Part TwoA Sample

Introduction

In Judaism, the primary mode of religious expression is the

practice of the ritual commandments mandated by the Halacha.

This further compounds the tension between the earthly and the

sublime, and confirms the paradoxical centrality of earthliness to

the Jewish mystical path. The need to justify this paradox, and

explain why divinity can best be approached through the

apparent banality of concrete ritual, is a central theme in Rabbi

Shneur Zalmans oral teachings.35 In taking a closer look at Rabbi

Shneur Zalmans approach in these discourses it is instructive to

describe one instance in which the mystical doctrine oftohu and

tikunfirst articulated by Rabbi Isaac Luria (the Arizal, 1534-

1572)is used to illuminate this issue. Throughout his discourses, Rabbi Shneur Zalman makes use of

many concepts borrowed from kabbalistic works and the Jewish philosophical tradition, applying them in

many new and innovative ways. It is beyond the scope of this article to attempt a broad survey of such

varied, rich and complex material. Instead we will focus on the following sample, opening an illustrative

window on the actual content of a classic discourse.

* * *

The Flood

The discourse in question36 opens with the biblical story of Noahs flood, which Rabbi Shneur Zalman

reframes in contemporary terms as a flood of mundane concerns, threatening to extinguish the souls

ecstatic love for Gd:

Today, every individual is encumbered with the toil and burden of making a living. One is

obliged to become involved in the dealings of this physical world... The overwhelming financial

concerns so engross the individual, that they rise like a flood, and threaten to drown the divine

soul. It is these flood waters that are yet referred to as pleasant waters (mei noach)because

by means of immersion in these flood waters, the soul is raised to a spiritual station far loftier

than it could attain prior to its investment in the terrestrial realm37

When the individual toils the entire day in physical concerns and the burden of making a living,

which is called darkness, and afterwards contemplates during prayer, thatall the terrestrial


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A section of the discourse concerning toh

and tikun from the new edition of Torah

Ohr

and celestial beings receive their existence from malchut[the last of the ten sefirot]38 which

creates all realms ex nihilo, and that malchutis only a limited reflection in relation to the

essence and being of divinity, which is absolutely infinite, and eternally unchanging39after

contemplating all this with depth of mind, ones soul will be aroused with awesome love and

desire like flaming fire to leave the darkness and hiddenness of physicality and only to cleave

to blessed divinity, as it is written, Whom do I have in heaven, and with You I desired nothing

on earth40...

In this discourse, Rabbi Shneur Zalman takes the student on a course that seems terribly counterintuitive:

The optimal climate in which the soul might attain such unbound ecstasy, he asserts, is not the celestial

realm of Gan Eden where divinity is openly manifest. It is rather the banal realm of mundane physicality that

best impels the soul to seek out and achieve its real purpose and fulfillment. More specifically, it is via the

battle with the animal soul, and via the performance of the divinely mandated rituals, that the soul achieves

true union with divine essentiality. In this discourse, this paradoxical idea is justified by the doctrine of tohu

and tikun, first taught by the great Arizal, and a cornerstone of Rabbi Shneur Zalmans oral teachings.

This discourse provides us with a striking example of how Rabbi Shneur Zalman uses a mystical concept in

order to demystify the practicalities of the chasidic path of divine service. Rabbi Shneur Zalman is not

concerned with metaphysics, he is concerned with the here and now. He articulates the kabbalistic concept

oftohu and tikun in extraordinarily lucid terms, so that it can be properly understood and assimilated

intellectually. But his purpose is that this knowledge should be translated into practical action; that the

concept should be reflected in human character, and be implemented in mundane reality.

* * *

Tohu

What is tohu?

Essentially, tohu41 and tikun42 are two alternative blueprints for the inner

workings of reality. While these two systems are very different, they both

are composed of the the ten modalities (sefirot) via which Gd chooses to

be manifest. Moreovertohu and tikun actually function in tandem; the

physical world that we inhabit exhibits much of the divisive chaos that

results from tohu, and yet can be subjected to a regime of order and

cohesion that stems from tikun.

Paradoxically, the divisive chaos oftohu actually represents a more

intense manifestation of divinity. Here, each of the ten sefirotis manifest with such intensity that no other


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Counterintuitive as

might otherwise seem, it

is precisely due to the

intense illumination of

tohu that it fails tocommunicate the full

panorama of divine

manifestation.

form of divine manifestation can be tolerated. As Rabbi Shneur Zalman explains in the present discourse,

The illumination and vivification is manifest with great intensity... Therefore the different modalities [of the

ten sefirot] did not harmonize with one another... the one could not be balanced in accord with its opposite,

and each was isolated onto itself...

Counterintuitive as might otherwise seem, it is precisely due to the intense illumination of tohu that it fails to

communicate the full panorama of divine manifestation. Instead of presenting a unified projection of divinity,the intensity with which each individual modality project itself is translated as an opaque identity that has

lost its transparency to the divine source. The physical world as we know it is filled with a multiplicity of

apparently discordant beings, each of which asserts its individual presence, autonomy, power and

importance, and tries to grab our full attention. All of this immense diversity stems from the failure of tohu,

and yet holds within it all the vast potential that tohu embodies. Tohu is intense illumination and unity

masquerading as intense darkness and discord.43

* * *

Tikun

Tikun is the antidote to tohu. As Rabbi Shneur Zalman explains, In order for creation to survive there must

be tikunlimited streams of illumination, different forms harmonized and tempered with one another... The

illumination and vivification is not manifest with intensity... therefore... it is manifest with tolerance and,

contrary to tohu, two complete opposites can coexist. Each of the sefirotmust recognize and validate the

other forms of divine manifestation, though in doing so its own intensity is minimized. Divinity cannot be

manifest in a manner that fully projects the infinite, absolute and eternal potency of Gds most essential

being.

Ultimately, however, the purpose oftikun is to repairtohu, and

allow the true intensity of the divine self to be fully manifest. This

can only be achieved in the physical realm. It is here that the the

soul of manan agent oftikuncan turn the failure oftohu

around.

When the soul struggles with the burden of making a living, and

other worldly endeavors, it is brought into direct contact with a

more intense expression of divinity than it could ever have

experienced in the celestial realms. This intensity is often

perverted, giving rise to the banalities and profanities of earthly existence. But through prayer, acts of

charity and the performance of the ritual commandments, the soul unleashes the vast reservoir of divine

potential that lies dormant or misused in the mundane realm, and gives full expression to the absolute


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intensity of divine essentiality. It is weagents of tikunwho can bring order to the terrestrial realm,

allowing the complete panorama of divine revelation to shine forth in all its diverse glory.

It is in response to this repair (tikun) oftohu that Gd says, this is to me as the waters of Noahthis is to

me as waters of pleasantness.44 It is via the turbulent floodwaters of this earth that the celestial soul can

truly be united with the infinitude of the divine self. This form of divine union, achieved via the performance

of the ritual commandments, is described here (and elsewhere) by Rabbi Shneur Zalman with the Zoharicphrase to be absorbed into the body of the king. It is in this world that the existential gap between G d and

creation is bridged and the ultimate purpose of existence is achieved.

* * *

As taught by the Arizal, the doctrine oftohu and tikun represented a theosophical revolutiona rewriting of

the cosmic narrative. The imperfections of reality are attributed to divine design, rather than to the follies of

humankind, and the key to repair and redemption is placed squarely in human hands. Ultimately, however,

tohu and tikun yet represent a transcendentally mystical revolution. The esoteric path to redemption was

accessible only to those initiated in the byways of kabbalastic intention, and remained beyond the reach of

the everyman. We are told we have the keys, but how are we to use them if we dont know where the door

is? Here, Rabbi Shneur Zalman shows the way, opening the gates of illumination not only to the mystic but

to the everyman.

In this discourse Rabbi Shneur Zalman is addressing himself to people who are encumbered with the toil

and burden of making a living. His message is not that they should abandon their mundane obligations, bu

that they should realize the vast spiritual potential embodied specifically in the most mundane aspects of

life. This is a classic example of how Rabbi Shneur Zalman uses an esoteric mystical doctrine to pave the

practical path of affective and practical transformation. He teaches his disciples to embody the tikun oftohu

by harnessing the diverse elements of the spiritual and the mundane - that otherwise so confuse life -

synchronizing them so that they are all equally transparent to their divine purpose. For Rabbi Shneur

Zalman, the Torah and its commandments chart a life of tikun, enabling man to successfully communicate

the full spectrum of divine glory via the earthly intensity of physical reality.

FOOTNOTES

1. The differences betw een Tanya and Rabbi Shneur Zalmans oral teachings w ill discussed in more detail below. For an overview of

the content and composition of the Tanya see Nissan Mindel, What is the Tanya? An Introduction to the Tanya, its Sources and its

Composition. For a w ide range of w ritten and audio-visual resources on the Tanya see Chabad.org/tanya.

2. See below , note 11.

3. See Introduction to Igrot Kodesh Admur Ha-zaken (Kehot Publication Society 2012), p. 41.

4. Ibid., p. 42.
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5. See the title pages ofTorah Ohrand Lekutei Torah, w here it is stated that the most of the discourses printed in those anthologies are

draw n from the transcr ipts of Rabbi Yehudah Leib.

6. Most of the discourses published in Maamari Admur Ha-zaken Ethalech Liozneh (Kehot Publication Society 1957, Second Printing

2012) fall into this category. This volume w as prepared for publication by the seventh Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel

Schneerson

7. See the relevant discussion in Torat ShalomSefer Ha-sichot(Kehot Publication Society 1983), p. 214.

8. Many of these are published in Maamari Admur Ha-zaken Hanachot Ha-rap (Kehot Publication Society 1957, Third Printing 2012).

This volume too w as prepared for publication by the late Rebbe.

9. See Skirah klalit al dvar ha-maamarim ha-katzarim, in Maamarai Admur Ha-zaken Ha-katzarim (Kehot Publication Society 1981,

third printing 2012), p. 607-609.

10. See Igrot Kodesh Admur Ha-rayatzVol. 4 (Kehot Publication Society 1983), p. 560-564. This letter also appears as an apendix to both

Torah Ohrand Lekutei Torah. See also below note 14.

11. The tw enty-s ix volume set, w hich does not include Torah OhrorLekutei Torah, is available for purchase here.

12. See Skirah klalit al dvar ha-maamarim ha-katzarim, in Maamarai Admur Ha-zaken Ha-katzarim (Kehot Publication Society 1981,

third printing 2012), p. 589-208. See also Igrot Kodesh Admur Ha-rayatzVol. 2 (Kehot Publication Society 1983), p. 320-322.

13. Torat ShalomSefer Ha-sichot(Kehot Publication Society 1983), p. 26.

14. See Rabbi Menachem Mendel Shneerson, Reshimot Ha-yoman (Kehot Publication Society), p. 282. See also Rabbi Nochum Grunw ald,

Ayin Bet as the Culmination of a Conceptual Renaissance (video). When Rabbi Menachem Mendel published Lekutai Torah, the

chasidim beseeched him to publish his ow n supplementary material along w ith the original text of his grandfather. A t firs t he w as

reluctant, but ultimately he agreed to do so. Igrot Kodesh Admur Ha-rayatz, Ibid.

15. See Making Chasidism Accessib le: How Rabb i Shneur Zalman of Liadi Successfully Preserved and Perpetuated the Teachings of

The Baal Shem Tov.

16. On the essential relevance of Chabad Chasidic teachings, in contrast to Kabbalistic esoterica, see Rabbi Yoel Kahn, What is

Chasidus? An Introduction to Chasidic Mystical Thought(Hebrew / Video).

17. In the teachings of latter Chabad Rebbes, the diff erent themes are usually kept separate. In the classic structure, a discourse w illgenerally begin w ith an analysis of a biblical text, continue w ith a lengthy discussion of the relevant mystical, affective and practical

themes, and then return to reinterpret the biblical text in light of the concepts and themes explained. Some discourses are occupied

w ith exploration of mystical concepts specif ically, and others w ith aff ective and practical issues. In these texts any random selection

can be identified as belonging either to the domain of haskalah, oravodah, or exegetical interpretation. In the oral teachings of Rabbi

Shneur Zalman it is usually far more difficult to classify a text selection so neatly.

18. Torat ShalomSefer Ha-sichot, p. 214-218.

19. Divrei Ha-yamim 28,9.

20. Ibid, p. 218.

21. Referred to in kabbalistic terminology as .

22. Referred to in kabbalistic terminology as .

23. For more on the purpose of existence according to Chabad chasidic teachings, see Communicating the Ineffable: Manifestations of

the Chasidic Innovation.

24. Chabad teachings are replete w ith references to Torah in general, and chasidic teachings in particular, being a manifestation of divine

descent and endow ment. The seventh Rebbe of Chabad, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneersohn w rote in his def initive essay

Inyannah Shel Torat Ha-chasidut, that the essential core of chasidism is the manifestation of a new revelation drawn from the

infinite that is f ound in the beginning that cannot be known (ain sof ha-nimtza be-RaDLAh), i.e. the ineffable core of divinity.

Inyannah Shel Torat Ha-chasiduthas been published in English as On the Essence of Chassidus, (Kehot Publication Society:
http://chabadlibrarybooks.com/15630http://chabadlibrarybooks.com/pdfpager.aspx?req=30546&st=&pgnum=383http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2087776/jewish/Living-with-the-Times-Rabbi-Schneur-Zalman-of-Liadis-Oral-Teachings.htm#footnoteRef24a2087776http://www.chabad.org/blogs/blog_cdo/aid/1793366/jewish/Communicating-the-Ineffable-Cosmic-Manifestations-of-the-Chasidic-Innovation.htmhttp://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2087776/jewish/Living-with-the-Times-Rabbi-Schneur-Zalman-of-Liadis-Oral-Teachings.htm#footnoteRef23a2087776http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2087776/jewish/Living-with-the-Times-Rabbi-Schneur-Zalman-of-Liadis-Oral-Teachings.htm#footnoteRef22a2087776http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2087776/jewish/Living-with-the-Times-Rabbi-Schneur-Zalman-of-Liadis-Oral-Teachings.htm#footnoteRef21a2087776http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2087776/jewish/Living-with-the-Times-Rabbi-Schneur-Zalman-of-Liadis-Oral-Teachings.htm#footnoteRef20a2087776http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2087776/jewish/Living-with-the-Times-Rabbi-Schneur-Zalman-of-Liadis-Oral-Teachings.htm#footnoteRef19a2087776http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2087776/jewish/Living-with-the-Times-Rabbi-Schneur-Zalman-of-Liadis-Oral-Teachings.htm#footnoteRef18a2087776http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2087776/jewish/Living-with-the-Times-Rabbi-Schneur-Zalman-of-Liadis-Oral-Teachings.htm#footnoteRef17a2087776http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?AID=1931701http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2087776/jewish/Living-with-the-Times-Rabbi-Schneur-Zalman-of-Liadis-Oral-Teachings.htm#footnoteRef16a2087776http://www.chabad.org/blogs/blog_cdo/aid/1950603/jewish/Making-Chasidism-Accessible.htmhttp://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2087776/jewish/Living-with-the-Times-Rabbi-Schneur-Zalman-of-Liadis-Oral-Teachings.htm#footnoteRef15a2087776http://www.chabad.org/multimedia/media_cdo/aid/1931533/jewish/Ayin-Beis-as-the-Culmination-of-a-Conceptual-Renaissance.htmhttp://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2087776/jewish/Living-with-the-Times-Rabbi-Schneur-Zalman-of-Liadis-Oral-Teachings.htm#footnoteRef14a2087776http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2087776/jewish/Living-with-the-Times-Rabbi-Schneur-Zalman-of-Liadis-Oral-Teachings.htm#footnoteRef13a2087776http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2087776/jewish/Living-with-the-Times-Rabbi-Schneur-Zalman-of-Liadis-Oral-Teachings.htm#footnoteRef12a2087776http://store.kehotonline.com/index.php?stocknumber=HAR-SM.SB&deptid=3240&parentid=62&page=3&itemsperpage=10http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2087776/jewish/Living-with-the-Times-Rabbi-Schneur-Zalman-of-Liadis-Oral-Teachings.htm#footnoteRef11a2087776http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2087776/jewish/Living-with-the-Times-Rabbi-Schneur-Zalman-of-Liadis-Oral-Teachings.htm#footnoteRef10a2087776http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2087776/jewish/Living-with-the-Times-Rabbi-Schneur-Zalman-of-Liadis-Oral-Teachings.htm#footnoteRef9a2087776http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2087776/jewish/Living-with-the-Times-Rabbi-Schneur-Zalman-of-Liadis-Oral-Teachings.htm#footnoteRef8a2087776http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2087776/jewish/Living-with-the-Times-Rabbi-Schneur-Zalman-of-Liadis-Oral-Teachings.htm#footnoteRef7a2087776http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2087776/jewish/Living-with-the-Times-Rabbi-Schneur-Zalman-of-Liadis-Oral-Teachings.htm#footnoteRef6a2087776http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2087776/jewish/Living-with-the-Times-Rabbi-Schneur-Zalman-of-Liadis-Oral-Teachings.htm#footnoteRef5a2087776


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Brooklyn 1986). A new er edition is available for purchase here.

25. An entire volume of discourses belonging to this genre has been published, titled Maamarei Admur Ha-zaken Inyanim (Kehot

Publication Society 2007, Second Printing 2012).

26. This approach resonates strongly w ith the statement often cited in the name of Rabbi Isaiah Horow itz (1565-1630) in his w ork Shnei

Luchot Ha-brit(SheLaH), The Torah speaks of supernal realms and hints to the low er realms. See Shnei Luchot Ha-bri t13b, and

Rabbi Menahem Azariah daFano (RaMEh Mi-pano) inAsarahMaamarot, Maamar Chikur Ha-din 3:22.

27. For an explicit discussion in this vein, see Torah Ohr, 23c , and 55a.

28. See the article cited above, note 1

29. See Ramach Otiot, Section 81, and Shmuzen Mit Kinder#372, p. 3.

30. For an example of a concept that is almost absent from Tanya, but discussed countless times in Rabbi Shneur Zalmans oral

discourses, and which is particularly relevant to contemporary religious discourse, see below, Part-Two and below , note 43.

31. The amplification and explanation of the initial statement w as conveyed at a later date by Rabbi Shneur Zalmans brother, Rabbi

Yehudah Leib of Yanovitch. See Kuntres Bikur Chicago (Kehot Publication Society 1944), p. 7-8.

32. Several stories about R. Binyamin Kletzker, a leading disciple of Rabbi Shneur Zalman illustrate this point:

Once, w hile overseeing the preparation of timber to be f loated down the river from Riga, R. Binyamin Kletzker became engrossed incontemplation of chasidic teachings and for several hours w as oblivious to his surroundings. The onlookers w ere astounded, but he

said, Why are you surprised? I am astounded that one can say the w ord one in the recital of the Shemah (Hear O Israel, the Lord

our Gd the Lord is one) and yet think about timber on the bank at Riga... When Rabbi Shalom DovBer of Lubavitch told this story

(Torat ShalomSefer Ha-sichot(Kehot Publication Society 1983), p. 6-7), he added that Rabbi Shneur Zalman said of R. Binyamin

that he fulfilled the command, You shall know him in all your w ays. (Proverbs 3, 6.) Rabbi Shalom DovBer continued, In truth

commerce is not an impediment ...it is not contradictory to service of Gd. For other stories about R. Binyamin in a similar vein see

sources cited in Chasidim Ha-rishonim Vol. 1 (Kfar Chabad 2005) p. 8-14.

It is of ten said of the same R. Binyamin Kletzker that upon concluding a reckoning of his accounts he f illed in the space marked net

total (sach ha-kol) w ith the verse "There is nothing else but Him." (Deuteronomy 4, 35.) See the discussion and sources cited in Sefer

Ha-sichot 5680-86 (Kehot Publication Society 1992), p. 100.

33. A story is told about the chasid R. Yukusiel Liepler, that once Rabbi Shneur Zalman blessed him that he should have a long life, and R.

Yukusiel exclaimed, but not the years of a peasant, w ho has eyes but does not see and ears but does not hear! They do not see

divinity and they do not hear divinity. The seventh Rebbe of Chabad, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, w rote in his essay,

Inyannah Shel Torat Ha-chasidut(linked to above, note 24), Section 12, that R. Yukusiel w as not demanding an additional blessing

from Rabbi Shneur Zalman, but rather that the long life should actually be life. For it w as s imply axiomatic to him that w hole being of

life is to see and hear divinity... days and years w ithout seeing or hearing divinity w ere not considered by him to have any value at

all...

34. See Sefer Ha-sichot 5749 Vol. 1, p. 41 n. 29.

35. It is this paradox that Prof. Rachel Elior refers to in the title of her book, The Paradoxical Ascent to God: The Kabbalistic Theosophy

of Habad Hasidism.

36. The first discourse for Noach (and the explanation (biur) appended to it) in Torah Ohr, 8c-10b. I have not reproduced the entire

discourse here, but have instead summarized and explained the central points.

37. Here, Rabbi Shneur Zalman is alluding to the oft discussed question of the descent of the soul f rom its celestial origin to inhabit a

corporeal body in the physical w orld (lamah yardah ha-neshamah letoch ha-guf). The classic answ er that is is a descent for the

sake of ascent (yeridah letzorech aliyah).

38. Literally translated as kingship, malchutis the aspect of divinity that actually interfaces betw een the divine self and the created other.

As a king w ho is an individual of personal w isdom and depth of character, but w ho also interfaces w ith his subjects in real political,

economic and legislative terms, so Gds ow n self w holly transcends the aspect of kingship, i.e. the creation and ministry of the

universe. See below , note 34.
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39. See above, note 33. Here, Rabbi Shneur Zalman points out that it w hile malchutis vested w ith the infinite potency requisite for the act

of creation ex nihilo, it remains a most external and limited ref lection, w hich does not at all communicate the true qualitative nature of

the divine self.

40. Psalms 73, 25. This verse is frequently cited by Rabbi Shneur Zalman to illustrate the souls desire to enter into direct union w ith the

divine essentiality. The verse echoes the principle that such an ecstatic state that is best achieved via immersion in w orldly pursuits,

and the desired union is best ac tualized v ia the fulfillment of the ritual commandments.

41. Literally translated as chaos this term is borrow ed from Genesis 1,2.

42. Literally translated as correction. As will be explained, the function of tikun is to correct the chaos of tohu.

43. In a recent post on the New York Times OpinionaterBlog The Stone, Yoram Hazony discussed the question, Is Gd perfect? While

I didnt find the article as a w hole particularly compelling, I did find his discussion of the problems of perfection illuminating. The

following passage gives us a very access ible w ay to visualize the failure oftohu:

What w ould we say if some philosopher told us that... a perfect horse w ould bear an infinitely heavy rider, w hile at the same time

being able to run w ith perfectly great speed? I should think w ed say hes made a fundamental mistake here: You cant perfect

something by maximizing all its constituent principles simultaneously. All this w ill get you is contradictions and absurdities. This is not

less true of God than it is of anything else.

Indeed, tohu is the simultaneous maximization of all the constituent principles of existence. The result of such perfection is the

contradictory absurdity of the terrestrial realm.

44. Isaiah 54, 9.

BY ELI RUBIN

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Living With The Times: Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi's Oral Teachings

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