Kuntres Acharon, Essay 9

It is written, “You shall surely reprove your comrade”1—“even one hundred times,” add our Sages,2 taking up the hint offered by the repetitive form of the Hebrew verb.

Therefore, writes the Alter Rebbe, I cannot contain myself and cannot refrain from crying out yet again, in a voice betraying [pained] weakness.3

I plead with you out of deep compassion,

have pity on your souls. Take care, be extremely vigilant, concerning the study of Torah and the service of the heart, which is prayer4 with proper intent.

All should begin [the prayers] in unison, as one, word by word, not one person here and another elsewhere, one mute and the other idly chatting, may G‑d protect us.

The main cause and instigator of [this] damage comes from those leading the services.

That office is abandoned to whoever wishes to stride forth and snatch the honor,5

or because not even one desires it…, so that ultimately the prayers are led by someone inappropriate to the task.

For this reason, this is the counsel offered, and a regulation established as law not to be violated further, G‑d forbid.

That is, choose fixed individuals fit for this office of leading the prayers, by lot or by consent of the majority of the worshippers.

These shall be men who pray word by word, at a moderate pace, aloud,

neither overly prolonging the prayers nor racing intemperately, G‑d forbid.

Theirs is the duty to lead the prayers, each on his day as determined.

He shall assemble close around him all those who pray audibly, at least, neither whispering nor rushing, G‑d forbid.

This is amplified in age-old communal regulations in many towns.

I come now, writes the Alter Rebbe, to renew them, to strengthen and invigorate them, never again to be weakened, G‑d forbid.

(6The following two words appear in Yiddish7 in the Alter Rebbe’s original manuscript: Gevald! Gevald!—an outcry of agonized consternation.)8

How long will this be an obstacle for us?9

Have we not sufficient reproofs and troubles that have overtaken us? May G‑d protect and console us with redoubled support10 and purify our hearts to serve Him in truth.

Strengthen and fortify your hearts, all who hope in G‑d.11

Also: Complete the study of the entire Talmud year after year,

and in every community apportion the tractates by lot or by consent, each individual choosing the tractate that he desires to study.

In a city with numerous synagogues, each congregation should complete [the Talmud]. And if a congregation is too small to implement this program, they should join forces with men of a larger one.

This Statute—that the entire Talmud be studied every year—shall not be varied or violated.

In addition, each of the participants shall individually read the whole of the eightfold Psalm 119 every week.12

Moreover, since, due to the frailty of our times, not everyone is capable of fasting as he ought,

the counsel offered follows the declaration of our Sages, of blessed memory, “Whoever observes Shabbat according to its law is forgiven all his sins.”15

The term “according to its law” is used advisedly, for the Shabbat cannot be properly observed without a knowledge of its laws.

It is therefore incumbent upon every individual to master the “great law” of Shabbat.

Also, be most careful [on Shabbat] not to indulge in idle chatter, G‑d forbid.

For, as is known to the students of the Kabbalah, all the mitzvot comprise an internal and an external aspect—the spirituality of the mitzvah and the physical act which it requires.

The externality of the [mitzvah of] Shabbat is the cessation of physical activity, just as G‑d ceased making the physical heaven and earth.

The internal dimension of Shabbat is one’s intention in the Shabbat prayers and during one’s Torah study to cleave to the One G‑d,

as it is written, “It is Shabbat to the L-rd your G‑d.”17

This [internal level of the mitzvah of Shabbat] is the element of “remembering.”

The inner dimension of the element of “observing” is refraining from speech about material affairs, just as G‑d ceased from the ten utterances through which the physical heaven and earth were created.

For20 “one opposite the other…”—speaking about material affairs on Shabbat is the inverse of the rest and elevation that a Jew secures on Shabbat through prayer and Torah study.