Iggeret HaKodesh, Epistle 13

13 “How abundant is Your goodness which You have hidden away for those who fear You, [which You have wrought for those who trust in You before man].”1

Among those who serve G‑d by fulfilling the Torah and its mitzvot, there are two distinct kinds and levels,

depending on the root of their souls above, in the categories of the “right” (chesed) and the “left” (gevurah).

In terms of the effect of the soul’s root, this means that the “left” is characterized by contraction and concealment in one’s Divine service.

Thus, with regard to this manner of service, it is written, “…and to walk covertly [with the L-rd your G‑d]”2;

[and in another verse we find], “in secret places weeps [my soul]…”3;

[and, in the words of our Sages], “Whoever engages in the study of the Torah in secret….”4

From this attribute derives also the element of contraction and limitation in the service of G‑d,

for example, having one’s disbursements to charity adjudged according to one’s means,5

and [setting one’s limits in the spirit of the teaching], “He who gives lavishly should not expend more than one-fifth.”6

Likewise, as regards the study of the Torah and the other commandments, such a person is satisfied if he discharges his definite duty which the Torah explicitly obligates him to do,

such as to set aside certain times [for Torah study].

From it derives also the teaching of our Sages, of blessed memory,7 “Cast awe upon the pupils….”8

By contrast, the characteristic of the “right” is the attribute of chesed and expansiveness—serving G‑d

with amplitude, without any contraction or concealment whatsoever,

as it is written, “And I will walk about expansively…,”9

and without any contraction or limitation whatsoever. I.e., with such an individual, not only the approach to Divine service but also its execution is characterized by a broad sweep.

There is no restraint to the spirit of his generosity, whether it be with respect to charity, the study of the Torah, or other commandments.

He is not satisfied with merely discharging his obligation but [continues] “to the extent of never [saying] ‘Enough!’…”10

Now, every Jew needs to comprise both these traits: a Jew whose soul derives from chesed must also incorporate the thrust of gevurah, and vice versa,

for “There is no thing that has not its place.”11

Thus, we find various matters that exemplify the leniencies of Beit Shammai and the stringencies of Beit Hillel.12

This comes to teach us that even Beit Shammai, whose soul was rooted in the supernal “left”13 (which is why they always decided stringently as regards all the prohibitions of the Torah,

whereas Beit Hillel, who derived from the supernal “right,” would find arguments for leniency in order to render permissible the things prohibited by Beit Shammai,

so that these should become released from their prohibitive bonds and be able to ascend),

nevertheless, in numerous matters, [even] Beit Shammai were lenient.

[This is so] because of the inclusiveness of their soul’s root, which is compounded of the “right” (chesed) as well.

And, likewise, the root of Beit Hillel’s soul was also compounded of the “left” (gevurah),

for, as is known of the mode and the attributes14 (i.e., the manner) of supernal holiness,

“there is no cleavage or division there,”15 heaven forfend;

rather, all the traits that derive from supernal holiness incorporate each Other—chesed incorporates an aspect of gevurah; gevurah of chesed; and so on.

They are therefore in union with each other, as is known to those who study the Kabbalah (lit., “the scholars of the Hidden Wisdom”).

Thus, it is written of Abraham, who personifies the attribute of chesed and love, “Now I know that you stand in awe of G‑d,”16

for he had garbed himself in the attribute of gevurah, which was not of his essence, “And bound Isaac his son…and took the knife [to slaughter his son].”17

As for Scripture characterizing him as “Abraham who loved Me,”18 and [in another verse characterizing Isaac as] “the Dread of Isaac,”19 thereby indicating that Abraham’s service was an expression of chesed and Isaac’s service an expression of gevurah, which would seem to contradict the earlier statement that Abraham also revealed the attribute of gevurah,

this difference and distinction exists [only] on the scale of manifestation and concealment.

In Isaac’s mode of Divine service, the fear is manifest while the love is hidden in a state of concealment and hiding.

The opposite is the case with the trait of our father Abraham, peace be to him—chesed was manifest, and gevurah was concealed.

And this is the meaning of what was said by King David, peace be to him, who was20 of the attribute of gevurah, “How abundant is Your goodness [which You have hidden away for those who fear You].”

That is to say that the attribute of goodness and chesed, which is in a state of concealment and hiding within those whose soul-root derives from the “left,” i.e., from gevurah,

and who are referred to as “those who fear You,”

resembling the [abovementioned] trait of Beit Shammai—

though this is a concealed and hidden goodness, beneath a dominant surface of gevurah,

it is nevertheless truly as abundant and immense as the attribute of gedulah21 and chesed, which is of the “right.”

Moreover, both [degrees of chesed]—that which is dominant in the souls deriving from the “right” as well as that incorporated in the souls deriving from the “left”—are manifest without limit, measure, or dimension.

And this is the meaning of the phrase, “How abundant is Your goodness”;

i.e., [it applies in both cases] without limit and measure;

whether it be the goodness “which You have hidden away for those who fear You” or that which “You have wrought for those who trust in You,”

referring to the trusting ones who derive from the “right,”

and whose kindness and goodness are also in a state of manifestation and expansiveness before [the sight of] man,

and by no means in a state of contraction and concealment.

(22The reason the verse says “for those who fear You,” which would seem to imply that the chesed from above is granted to them as a reward, rather than “in those who fear You,”

is that whatever is in a state of concealment within any soul

is not vested within the body—in the individual’s mind and heart, for they are incapable of receiving it.

Rather, it encompasses [the individual] from above, so to speak,

and from there it radiates to his mind and heart at those times which require an arousal of the attribute in question,

so that it will be aroused and will illumine his mind and heart in order to result in actual deeds.)

[King David] therefore said that whereas the “abundance of goodness” of the House of Israel, [both] that which is hidden and that which is manifest, is (so to speak) without limit and measure (relative to the category of their soul vested in the body),

therefore, “You, too, O G‑d, relate to them with the attribute of Your unlimited and infinitely great chesed, which is of the level known as gedulah, and which is called rav chesed”—the chesed of arich anpin that utterly transcends the lesser chesed of z’eyr anpin, from which the worlds evolve by means of the Seder Hishtalshelut.

“For there is chesed, and [then] there is [a far higher form of] chesed”23:

There is chesed olam (lit., “chesed of the world”)—i.e., a worldlike (and hence finite) chesed,

that has an opposite counterpart—the attribute of din, of severe justice, heaven forfend,

which would diminish and contract [G‑d’s] goodness.

The superior form of chesed, however, which is called rav chesed,

does not have the attribute of din opposed to it to diminish and contract the abundance of [G‑d’s] benevolence from extending without limit or end.

For it derives from the level of [Divinity called] sovev kol almin, which transcends (lit., “encompasses”) all worlds and limitations, and from [the level of Divinity called] Temira DeChol Temirin (lit., “that which is hidden [even] from all the hidden [worlds]),”

which is called keter elyon (lit., “the supernal crown”), i.e., the utterly transcendent level of Divinity known as keter.

This, then, is the meaning of the verse which follows our opening quotation and which continues to speak of “those who fear You” and “those who trust in You”: “Hide them in the concealment of Your innermost dimension…” (for, as explained above, פנים denotes both “countenance” and “inwardness”); “conceal them in a sukkah…” (i.e., in the sublime level of chesed which, deriving from the abovementioned level of keter, transcends the Seder Hishtalshelut and will encompass them like a sukkah).

After the above words, from the depths of my soul I seek

to arouse the [infinite] abundance of benevolence that is concealed in the heart of every individual in the Chasidic brotherhood,25

[so that it be manifested] from concealment to revelation and be translated into action,

and so that you will all “fill your hands unto G‑d” by giving charity with a full and open hand

through the trusted bearer of this message—and what is written [above] in the letter should suffice for the discerning.

I am not spelling it out, for this is not necessary; the above will suffice.

These are the words of one who loves you with all his soul and who seeks your welfare with heartfelt and soulful longing.

Shneur Zalman, the son of my master, my father, my mentor and Rebbe, Rabbi Baruch