Epistle Twenty-Two

Part (a)

[In the present letter the Alter Rebbe bemoans the fact that his chassidim trouble him by seeking advice on physical matters, such as their livelihoods.

Such advice, he argues, is within the province of prophets, not of Torah scholars.

In conclusion he explains how one should accept physical suffering in such a way that it enhances his love and fear of G-d.

The opening and closing passages of the original letter, which were not reproduced in Tanya, [1] throw considerable light on the middle passage, which appears below.

At the beginning of the original letter, the Alter Rebbe defines set times during which he will henceforth receive people for private audience - yechidut.

He then protests in strong terms that the many requests for advice on mundane affairs interfere with other areas of his Torah activity.

As our Sages ask, [2] "Is it conceivable that Moses spent the whole day judging? When would he then find time to study Torah?"

This leads on to the portion of the letter that appears here in Tanya.

In the original letter, the Alter Rebbe then concludes by declaring that the appointed times for visits and private audiences must be adhered to.

Moreover, he "penalizes" those who will not heed his decree, going so far as to threaten to leave the country if he is not heeded.

As we all know, however, chassidim in every generation have in fact asked their Rebbe for advice in mundane matters and, moreover, each of the Rebbeim has in fact obliged.

How is this possible?

Elder chassidim of earlier generations used to explain that the Alter Rebbe himself sanctions this conduct - in the letter that he wrote "close to the time of his passing," [3] regarding the value of "fraternity and counsel from afar with regard to all family matters...."]

My beloved, my brethren and friends:

Out of [my] hidden love [for you, springs] an overt rebuke. [4]

"Come now and let us debate"; [5] remember the days of old, consider the years of every generation. [6]

Has such a thing ever happened in days past?

Where indeed have you found such a custom in any of the books of the early or latter sages of Israel, that it should be the custom and established norm to ask for advice in mundane matters, as to what one ought to do in matters of the physical world?

[Such questions were not asked] even of the greatest of the former sages of Israel, such as the tannaim and amoraim, [the authors of the Mishnah and the Gemara], [7] "from whom no secret was hidden," and [8] "for whom all the paths of heaven were clearly ill uminated."

[Such questions were asked] but only of actual prophets who used to live among the Jewish people, such as [9] Samuel the Seer to whom Saul went to inquire of G-d [through him] about the donkeys that his father had lost.

[Why, indeed, were sages of stature such as the tannaim and amoraim not asked about mundane matters?]

For in fact all matters pertaining to man, except for words of Torah and the fear of heaven, are apprehended only by prophecy.

[As the verse states,] [10] "there is no bread unto the wise," and as our Sages, of blessed memory, said, [11] "Everything is in the hands of heaven except for the fear of heaven."

Likewise, [12] "Seven things are hidden...: no man knows how he will earn his living, nor when the Kingdom of David will be restored...," [i.e., when Mashiach will come].

Note that these [two questions] are likened to one another.

[Just as no one knows exactly when Mashiach will come, so, too, no one knows by what means he in fact will obtain his sustenance.]

As for the phrase in Isaiah, [13] "A counselor and a man whose wisdom silences all," [suggesting that Torah wisdom qualifies one to advise in other fields as well], - and also, as for the statement of our Sages, [14] of blessed memory, [regarding one who studies Torah lishmah, "for its own sake,"] that "people derive from him the benefit of etzah [counsel] and tushiyah [wisdom]," - these teachings refer specifically to [counsel in] matters of the Torah, which is called [15] tushiyah [assistance].

Thus the Sages, of blessed memory, said:

A counselor is one who knows how to intercalate years, [making certain years leap years by interpolating an additional month of Adar], and how to determine the months, [establishing what day is Rosh Chodesh, the first day of the lunar month], for in Torah terminology the principle of intercalation is called "counsel" and "a secret," as stated in Tractate Sanhedrin, p. 87; see the commentary of Rashi there, [which states explicitly that the terms "counselor" and "advice" are related to the principle of intercalation].

   

Notes:

1. (Back to text) They appear in full in Igrot Kodesh (Letters) of the Alter Rebbe (Kehot, N.Y., 5740), sec. 24.

2. (Back to text) Shabbat 10a.

3. (Back to text) Igrot Kodesh (op. cit.), sec. 65.

4. (Back to text) Cf. Mishlei 27:5.

5. (Back to text) Yeshayahu 1:18.

6. (Back to text) Cf. Devarim 32:7.

7. (Back to text) Cf. Chullin 59a.

8. (Back to text) See Berachot 58b.

9. (Back to text) I Shmuel, chapter 9.

10. (Back to text) Kohelet 9:11.

11. (Back to text) Berachot 33b.

12. (Back to text) Pesachim 54b.

13. (Back to text) 3:3.

14. (Back to text) Avot, beginning of chapter 6.

15. (Back to text) Sanhedrin 26b, et al.