The previous chapter discussed the character flaw of envy. In this chapter, the Rebbe Rashab returns to the general discussion of baseless hatred and the yeshus from which it stems.

וְהִנֵּה כָּל הַדְּבָרִים הַנִּזְכָּרִים לְעֵיל

All the matters discussed earlier — i.e., baseless hatred and yeshus —

יֵשׁ שֶׁהֵם בְּגַסּוּת וּבְדַקּוּת כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד לְפִי מַעֲלָתוֹ וּמַדְרֵגָתוֹ בַּעֲבוֹדָה,

exist whether in a coarse or subtle form in each individual according to his own level of Divine service.

עַד שֶׁיָּכוֹל לִהְיוֹת בְּדַקּוּת כָּל כָּךְ

At times, these character faults can be so subtle

שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַרְגִּישׁ אוֹתָם בְּעַצְמוֹ כָּל כָּךְ

that one is not fully conscious of them.

אֲבָל יֶשְׁנָם בְּהֶעְלֵם בְּנַפְשׁוֹ,

Nevertheless, they exist, hidden in his soul.

דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁחוֹשֵׁב שֶׁאֵינוֹ מִכְּלַל הַדְּבָרִים הַנִּזְכָּרִים לְעֵיל

A person may think that the above-mentioned character faults are not relevant to him.

וּבֶאֱמֶת הֲרֵי זֶה גַם כֵּן בִּכְלַל הַנִּזְכָּרִים לְעֵיל.

However, in reality, this insensitivity to his shortcomings is also among the character faults resulting from yeshus.

וּבַאֲשֶׁר הָעִנְיָן הַזֶּה גָּרוּעַ מְאֹד

This matter (baseless hatred and yeshus) is particularly negative,

יוֹתֵר מֵאֵיזֶה מִדָּה רָעָה פְּרָטִית

more injurious than any specific negative character trait.

שֶׁהִיא פְּרָט א' מֵהַסִּטְרָא אָחֳרָא

A negative character trait is only one specific taint stemming from the sitra achra.1

וּפְרָט אֵינוֹ דוֹמֶה לִכְלָל

And a specific blemish, however serious, is not the same as a general and encompassing undesirable quality;

שֶׁאֵינוֹ בְּתֹקֶף כָּל כָּךְ,

it is not as powerful.

וְגַם לִהְיוֹתָהּ רַק פְּרָט לְבָד

Furthermore, since it is only a specific blemish,

כְּשֶׁהוּא בְּאֵיזֶה מִדָּה רָעָה

existing in one undesirable character trait,

יָכוֹל לִהְיוֹת שֶׁלֹּא יִפּוֹל בְּמִדָּה רָעָה אַחֶרֶת

it will not necessarily affect or lead to another negative character trait

שֶׁהִיא פְּרָט אַחֵר כוּ',

since that other trait is of a different type.

מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן שִׂנְאַת חִנָּם שֶׁהוּא כְּלָל

Baseless hatred, on the other hand, is a general and inclusive fault,

הַכּוֹלֵל כְּלָלוּת הַסִּטְרָא אָחֳרָא

encompassing the sitra achra as a whole,

שֶׁהוּא עִנְיַן הַפֵּרוּד וְהַהִתְחַלְּקוּת,

which is characterized by division and separation.

וְהוּא מְקוֹר וְסִבַּת כָּל הַמִּדּוֹת רָעוֹת כוּ' כַּנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל,

This — yeshus and baseless hatred — is the source of all negative character traits, as mentioned previously.2

וְהוּא הַהֵפֶךְ וּמְנַגֵּד לִכְלָלוּת שֵׁם הוי'

It is the antithesis and opponent of G‑d’s name Havayah as a whole,

כַּנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל וּכְמוֹ שֶׁיִּתְבָּאֵר.

as has been mentioned above3 and will be further explained in later chapters.4

לָזֹאת מִי שֶׁחָשׁ לְנַפְשׁוֹ

Therefore, one who cares for his soul —

שֶׁלֹּא תִהְיֶה בְּתוֹךְ הַקְּלִפּוֹת וְהַסִּטְרָא אָחֳרָא

and does not want it to be immersed in kelipah and the sitra achra

וְלֹא יִפּוֹל בְּמִדּוֹת רָעוֹת חַס וְשָׁלוֹם,

and/or develop bad character traits, Heaven forbid,

כִּי אִם יַעֲשֶׂה אֶת מְלַאכְתּוֹ

but rather desires to carry out his task of

לַעֲבוֹד אֶת ה' כִּדְבָעֵי לְמֶהֱוֵי

serving G‑d as befits him,5

וִיבָרֵר וִיזַכֵּךְ מִדּוֹתָיו הַטִּבְעִים כוּ',

refining and improving his natural character traits — should undergo thorough introspection.

צָרִיךְ לְחַפֵּשׂ בְּחִפּוּשׂ אַחַר חִפּוּשׂ

He should search6 time and again,

לְאוֹר הַנֵּר נֵר ה' נִשְׁמַת אָדָם

using the light of “the lamp of G‑d, the soul of man,”7

The Rebbe Rashab is borrowing the wording used by the Talmud when discussing the search for chametz. Torah law requires that search to be conducted by candlelight. As explained,8 “candlelight” refers to the light of the soul. Chametz is identified with yeshus. It is the light of our souls that enables us to find hidden traces of yeshus within our characters.

וְלִבְדּוֹק בְּחוֹרִין וּבִסְדָקִים

checking in every nook and cranny,

לִמְצוֹא כָּל חֶלְקֵי פְּרָטֵי הָרָע הַנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל

to find all particular dimensions of this abovementioned evil

(שֶׁהֵם הַמּוֹנְעִים אוֹתוֹ מֵעֲבוֹדָה אֲמִתִּית

— for this is what prevents him from genuine service of G‑d

וְאֵינוֹ מְבָרֵר וּמְזַכֵּךְ מִדּוֹתָיו כוּ' כַּנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל)

and refining and elevating his character traits, as mentioned above —

וּלְבַעֲרָם לְגַמְרֵי מִנַּפְשׁוֹ,

and utterly eliminate these qualities from his soul.

וְאָז יֵלֵךְ לָבֶטַח דַּרְכּוֹ בַּעֲבוֹדָה בִּתְפִלָּה בִּבְחִינַת בִּטּוּל

After doing so, he can proceed confidently on his path in the service of prayer with bittul,

וְזִכּוּךְ הַמִּדּוֹת

continuing to refine his character traits

וְקִיּוּם הַתּוֹרָה וּמִצְווֹת כִּדְבָעֵי כוּ'.

and fulfill Torah and mitzvos in a desirable manner.

קִצּוּר.

Summary:

שִׂנְאַת חִנָּם לִהְיוֹתָהּ כְּלָל וּמָקוֹר לְכָל מִדּוֹת רָעוֹת

In contrast to specific character flaws, baseless hatred is the underlying source for all a person’s negative character traits.

צְרִיכָה חִפּוּשׂ בְּיוֹתֵר וּבִעוּר לְגַמְרֵי.

Therefore, it must be carefully searched for — because it is not always consciously recognized — and utterly destroyed. The search is carried out using the light of “the lamp of G‑d, the soul of man.”