אגרת הקדש, פרק כ״ח

א[מ: טז חשון] [פ: יז חשון] מַה שֶּׁכָּתַב לִמְחוּתָּנוֹ, הָרַב הַגָּאוֹן הַמְפוּרְסָם, אִישׁ אֱלֹקִים קְדוֹשׁ ה׳, נֵר יִשְׂרָאֵל, עַמּוּד הַיְמָנִי, פַּטִּישׁ הֶחָזָק, מוֹרֵנוּ וְרַבֵּנוּ הָרַב לֵוִי יִצְחָק נִשְׁמָתוֹ עֵדֶן, אַב בֵּית־דִּין דִּקְהִלַּת קוֹדֶשׁ בַּארְדִּיטְשׁוֹב, לְנַחֲמוֹ עַל פְּטִירַת בְּנוֹ הָרַב הֶחָסִיד, מוֹרֵנוּ וְרַבֵּנוּ הָרַב מֵאִיר נִשְׁמָתוֹ עֵדֶן:

1TWENTY-EIGHT. What he wrote to his relative by marriage, the Rabbi, famous Gaon, G–dly and holy man of the L–rd, “Lamp of Israel, pillar of the right hand, mighty hammer,”¹ our master R. Levi Yitzchak,² may his soul rest in Eden, head of the Bet Din of the holy community of Berdichev, to console him on the passing of his son, the pious rabbi, R. Meir,³ may his soul rest in Eden.

בלָמָּה נִסְמְכָה פָּרָשַׁת מִרְיָם לְפָרָשַׁת פָּרָה, לוֹמַר לְךָ: מַה פָּרָה מְכַפֶּרֶת וְכוּ׳.

2“Why was the section of Miriam⁴ adjoined to the section of the heifer?⁵ To teach you that just as the heifer effects atonement….”⁶

גוְצָרִיךְ לְהָבִין, לָמָּה נִסְמְכָה דַּוְקָא לְפָרָה אֲדוּמָּה הַנַּעֲשֶׂה חוּץ לְשָׁלֹשׁ מַחֲנוֹת, אֶלָּא דְּחַטָּאת קַרְיֵיהּ רַחֲמָנָא [בכתב יד הנוסחא: ׳הַנַּעֲשֶׂה בַּחוּץ׳. ומן תיבת ״לשלש״ עד תיבת ״רחמנא״ ליתא בכתב יד] וְלֹא נִסְמְכָה לְפָרָשַׁת חַטָּאת הַנַּעֲשֶׂה בִּפְנִים עַל גַּבֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ – כַּפָּרָה מַמָּשׁ.

3Now it needs to be understood why it was adjoined precisely to the “red heifer” (⁷which was prepared outside the three camps;⁸ it is just that the Torah calls it a sin-offering⁹),¹⁰ and it was not adjoined to the section of the sin-offering that was prepared within, on the actual altar of atonement.

דאָמְנָם, נוֹדָע מִזּוֹהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ וְהָאֲרִיזַ״ל, סוֹד הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת שֶׁעַל גַּבֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ – הֵן בְּחִינַת הַעֲלָאַת ״מַיִּין נוּקְבִין״ מִנֶּפֶשׁ הַבַּהֲמִית שֶׁבְּנוֹגַהּ, אֶל שָׁרְשָׁן וּמְקוֹרָן – הֵן בְּחִינוֹת ד׳ חַיּוֹת שֶׁבַּמֶּרְכָּבָה הַנּוֹשְׂאוֹת אֶת הַכִּסֵּא, פְּנֵי שׁוֹר וּפְנֵי נֶשֶׁר וְכוּ׳, וְעַל־יְדֵי זֶה נִמְשָׁכִים וְיוֹרְדִים ״מַיִּין דּוּכְרִין״ מִבְּחִינַת ״אָדָם״ שֶׁעַל הַכִּסֵּא, הַנִּקְרָא בְּשֵׁם ״מַלְכָּא״ וּ״זְעֵיר אַנְפִּין״.

4However, it is known from the sacred Zohar, and from the Arizal,¹¹ that the principium of the sacrifices brought on the altar is that they are an aspect of the elevation of mayin nukvin:¹² from the animal soul, which is in (the class of) nogah,¹³ to their root and source, i.e., the forms of the four animals of the chariot bearing the throne:¹⁴ the face of the ox, and the face of the eagle….¹⁵ Thereby the mayin duchrin¹⁶ are elicited and descend from the aspect of the “man upon the throne,”¹⁷ referred to as malka,¹⁸ and z’eyr anpin.¹⁹

האָכֵן, בִּשְׂרֵפַת הַפָּרָה אֲדוּמָּה, הִנֵּה עַל־יְדֵי הַשְׁלָכַת עֵץ אֶרֶז וְאֵזוֹב וְכוּ׳ וּנְתִינַת מַיִם חַיִּים אֶל הָאֵפֶר – נִקְרָא בְּשֵׁם ״קִידּוּשׁ מֵי חַטָּאת״ בַּמִּשְׁנָה, וְהִיא בְּחִינַת ״קֹדֶשׁ הָעֶלְיוֹן״, הַנִּקְרָא בְּשֵׁם ״טַלָּא דִבְדוּלְחָא״, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּזּוֹהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת ״חָכְמָה עִילָּאָה״ וּ״מוֹחָא סְתִימָאָה״ דַ״אֲרִיךְ אַנְפִּין״, וַעֲלָהּ אִיתְמַר בְּדוּכְתֵּי טוּבָא בַּזּוֹהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ: ״בְּחָכְמָה אִתְבְּרִירוּ״, וְ״אִתְהַפְּכָא חֲשׁוֹכָא לִנְהוֹרָא״, דְּהַיְינוּ עוֹלַם הַתִּיקּוּן, שֶׁנִּתְבָּרֵר וְנִתְתַּקֵּן עַל־יְדֵי ״מוֹחָא סְתִימָאָה״ דַ״אֲרִיךְ אַנְפִּין״, מֵעוֹלַם הַתֹּהוּ וּשְׁבִירַת הַכֵּלִים, שֶׁנָּפְלוּ בִּבְרִיאָה־יְצִירָה־עֲשִׂיָּה וְכוּ׳, כַּנּוֹדָע. וְלָזֹאת – מְטַהֶרֶת טוּמְאַת הַמֵּת, אַף שֶׁהוּא אֲבִי אֲבוֹת וְכוּ׳, וּלְמַטָּה מַּטָּה מִנּוֹגַהּ:

5As for the burning of the red heifer, however, by throwing in the cedarwood, and the hyssop…, and the placing of running waters into the ashes, the Mishnah²⁰ refers to this as the sanctification (kiddush) of the waters of lustration. This is the aspect of kodesh ha’elyon,²¹ referred to as tala d’bedulcha,²² as mentioned in the sacred Zohar,²³ the aspect of the supreme chochmah and the mocha stimaah of arich anpin.²⁴ Of it is said in many places in the sacred Zohar that through chochmah they are disencumbered,²⁵ and darkness is converted to light.²⁶ That is, by means of the mocha stimaah of arich anpin, the world of Tikkun²⁷ is disencumbered and corrected from the world of tohu²⁸ and the breaking of the vessels²⁹ that fell into Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah…, as known. That is why (the red heifer) purifies from the defilement by a corpse, even though such is the highest degree of impurity, and much lower than nogah.³⁰

ו[מ: יז חשון] [פ: יח חשון] וְהִנֵּה, מוּדַעַת זֹאת, דְּ״אַבָּא״ יוֹנֵק מִמַּזָּל הַשְּׁמִינִי הוּא תִּיקּוּן ״נוֹצֵר חֶסֶד״, ״נוֹצֵר״ אוֹתִיּוֹת ״רָצוֹן״, וְהִיא עֵת רָצוֹן הַמִּתְגַּלֶּה וּמֵאִיר בִּבְחִינַת גִּילּוּי מִלְמַעְלָה לְמַטָּה, בְּעֵת פְּטִירַת צַדִּיקֵי עֶלְיוֹן, עוֹבְדֵי ה׳ בְּאַהֲבָה, בִּמְסִירַת נַפְשָׁם לַה׳ בְּחַיֵּיהֶם עַרְבִית וְשַׁחֲרִית בִּקְרִיאַת־שְׁמַע, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי זֶה הָיוּ מַעֲלִים ״מַיִּין נוּקְבִין״ לְ״אַבָּא״ וְ״אִימָּא״ בִּקְרִיאַת־שְׁמַע, כַּיָּדוּעַ. (וְכֵן בְּתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה דְּמֵחָכְמָה נָפְקָא), וְעַל־יְדֵי זֶה הָיוּ נִמְשָׁכִים וְיוֹרְדִים בְּחִינַת ״מַיִּין דּוּכְרִין״ מִתִּיקּוּן ״וְנוֹצֵר חֶסֶד״, וְהֵם הֵם הַמְּאִירִים בִּבְחִינַת גִּילּוּי בִּפְטִירָתָם, כַּנּוֹדָע – שֶׁכָּל עֲמַל הָאָדָם שֶׁעָמְלָה נַפְשׁוֹ בְּחַיָּיו לְמַעְלָה בִּבְחִינַת הֶעְלֵם וְהֶסְתֵּר, מִתְגַּלֶּה וּמֵאִיר בִּבְחִינַת גִּילּוּי מִלְמַעְלָה לְמַטָּה בְּעֵת פְּטִירָתו.

6Now,³¹ it is known that abba³² draws from the eighth mazal,³³ which is the tuft of notzer chesed.³⁴ Notzer is (composed of the same) letters (as) ratzon.³⁵ It is the et ratzon³⁶ that becomes revealed and radiates in a manifest way, from above downward, at the time of the passing of the great tzaddikim³⁷ who serve the L–rd out of love, surrendering their soul to the L–rd during their lifetime every evening and morning when reading the Shema.³⁸ For thereby they elevate the mayin nukvin to abba and imma, as known. (³⁹The same applies to (their) study of the Torah,⁴⁰ which derives from chochmah.⁴¹) Thus, the aspects of the mayin duchrin were elicited thereby and descended from the tuft of notzer chesed, and they, indeed, radiate in a manifest way at the time of their passing. For as known, all the effort of man, which his soul toiled⁴² during his lifetime, is above in a hidden and concealed state. It becomes revealed and radiates in a manifest way from above downward at the time of his passing.⁴³

זוְהִנֵּה, עַל־יְדֵי גִּילּוּי הֶאָרַת תִּיקּוּן ״וְנוֹצֵר חֶסֶד״ בִּפְטִירָתָן, מֵאִיר ״חֶסֶד ה׳ מֵעוֹלָם עַד עוֹלָם עַל יְרֵאָיו״, וּ״פוֹעֵל יְשׁוּעוֹת בְּקֶרֶב הָאָרֶץ״, לְכַפֵּר עַל עֲוֹן הַדּוֹר, אַף גַּם עַל הַזְּדוֹנוֹת שֶׁהֵן מִג׳ קְלִיפּוֹת הַטְּמֵאוֹת שֶׁלְּמַטָּה מִנּוֹגַהּ, לְפִי שֶׁמַּזָּל דְּ״נוֹצֵר״ מִ״מּוֹחָא סְתִימָאָה״ דַ״אֲרִיךְ אַנְפִּין״ מְקוֹר הַבֵּירוּרִים, וְאִתְהַפְּכָא חֲשׁוֹכָא דִשְׁבִירַת הַכֵּלִים לִנְהוֹרָא דְעוֹלַם הַתִּיקּוּן.

7Now, by the manifestation of the illumination of the tuft of notzer chesed at the time of their passing, the chesed of the L–rd radiates from world to world over those who fear Him⁴⁴ and effects salvations in the midst of the earth⁴⁵ to atone for the sin of the generation, even for the deliberate sins which are of the three impure kelipot [which are inferior to nogah]. For the mazal of notzer is of the mochin stimin of arich anpin, the source of the extractions (birurim). Thus the darkness of the shevirat hakelim is converted into the light of the world of Tikkun.

חמַה־שֶּׁאֵין־כֵּן בַּקָּרְבָּנוֹת שֶׁעַל גַּבֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ, שֶׁאֵינָן מְכַפְּרִים אֶלָּא עַל הַשְּׁגָגוֹת, שֶׁהֵן מֵהִתְגַּבְּרוּת נֶפֶשׁ הַבַּהֲמִית שֶׁמִּנּוֹגַהּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּ״לִקּוּטֵי תּוֹרָה״ פָּרָשַׁת וַיִּקְרָא.

8This is not the case, though, with the sacrifices that are upon the altar. They atone only for inadvertent sins which come about because of the strengthening of the animal soul which is of nogah, as mentioned in Likkutei Torah, section of Vayikra.

טוְלָכֵן נִסְמְכָה לְפָרָשַׁת פָּרָה דַּוְקָא – ״מַה פָּרָה וְכוּ׳״. וּבְיַלְקוּט פָּרָשַׁת שְׁמִינִי הַגִּירְסָא ״מֵי חַטָּאת וְכוּ׳״:

9That is why (the section of Miriam) was adjoined expressly to the section of the heifer: “just as the heifer….” Indeed, in the Yalkut, section of Shemini, the version is “the waters of lustration….”⁴⁶

101 See above, Epistle 27, notes 3 and 4.

112 R. Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev (1740-1810), author of Kedushat Levi. R. Levi Yitzchak was of the leading disciples of R. Dov Ber, the Maggid of Mezeritch, and a close friend and associate of R. Schneur Zalman.

123 Author of Keter Torah.

134 Numbers 20:1.

145 Numbers, ch. 19.

156 Moed Kattan 28a.

167 Brackets suggested by H. V.

178 Numbers 19:3; Rashi, ad loc.; Yoma 68a.

189 Numbers 19:9; Rashi, ad loc. Avodah Zarah 23b; Chullin 11a. The red heifer as such is not a sacrifice proper. It was not sacrificed on the altar but outside the camps of the Priests, Levites, and Israelites. However, Scripture terms it a sin offering, thus subjecting it to Halachic rulings applying to sacrifices.

1910 V. L.: (which was prepared outside) and….

2011 Cf. Zohar I:64b f.; II:268b f.; III:240a ff. Arizal, Likkutei Torah, Vayikra. (On the Arizal, see above, Epistle 5, note 103.)

2112 Feminine waters; see above, Epistle 4, note 46.

2213 See above, Epistle 15, note 63.

2314 See Ezekiel, ch. 1.

2415 See above, end of Epistle 20.

2516 The masculine waters, the supernal effusions; see above, Epistle 4, note 46.

2617 Ezekiel 1:26.—See Zohar III:217a.

2718 King.—Cf. Zohar III:10a.

2819 Microprosopus (see above, Epistle 19, note 11).—Cf. Zohar III:66b and 227a. The emanation elicited by the sacrifices proper thus stems from malka, and z’eyr anpin, corresponding to tiferet.

2920 Parah, ch. 6; et passim.

3021 Supreme holiness.

3122 The Dew of Bdellium (par. Numbers 11:7), referring to the emanations from arich anpin. See commentary of the Arizal on Sifra Detzeniyuta (Zohar II, beg. of 176b), in Shaar Maamarei Rashbi (ed. Tel Aviv 1961) 111b.

3223 See Zohar III:49a, 128b and 135b.

3324 The Concealed Brain; the aspect of chochmah in the partzuf of arich anpin.—See above, Epistle 10, note 41.

3425 See above, Epistle 26, and the references cited there in note 82.

3526 Zohar I:4a; Tikkunei Zohar 21 (50a).

3627 The World of Correction (or Restitution). See Addendum, Mystical Concepts in Chassidism, s.v. Tohu and Tikkun.

3728 The World of Chaos (or Disorder). See Addendum, ibid.

3829 See Addendum, ibid.

3930 The sacrifices proper, brought on the altar, elicit from the rank of z’eyr anpin and sublimate the class of nogah. The red heifer, however, elicits from the supreme rank of arich anpin. Its effect, therefore, is that much greater, and it is able to sublimate even ranks far below nogah.

4031 This paragraph is emended according to L. H.

4132 The partzuf of abba (the sefirah of chochmah).

4233 Etz Chaim, Shaar Hakelalim 5; ibid., 14: end of ch. 3, and 8; et passim.—Abba draws from the eighth of the thirteen attributes of mercy (Exodus 34:6 ff.) Both the eighth (related to abba) and the thirteenth of the attributes (related to imma; binah) are referred to as mazal, because everything flows (nozel) from them. The eighth attribute is regarded as the most important one and, accordingly, termed the “superior mazal,” while the thirteenth attribute is termed the “inferior mazal.” See Zohar II:177a; III: 134a ff. and 289a ff. Cf. Nachmanides on Genesis 24:1.

4334 The thirteen attributes are referred to as the “thirteen tufts of the dikna (beard)”; see ref. cited above, note 33 (and cf. Epistle 20, note 42). Notzer chesed (He guards chesed) is the eighth attribute according to the interpretation of the Zohar and the Kabbalists; see Likkutei Sichot, vol. 4, pp. 1348 ff., on the varying enumerations of the thirteen attributes.

4435 Will; or Favor. Arizal, Likkutei Torah, Toldot (on Genesis 25:21) and Ki Tissa (on Exodus 34:7); cf. Zohar III:280a.—See Igrot Kodesh by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, vol. 2, pp. 119-120.

4536 Lit., the Time of Will (or Favor). Auspicious time.

4637 Lit., the tzaddikim of the Most High.

4738 See Zohar I:124b; cf. Tikkunei Zohar, Introduction 10b and Zohar III:263b; Berachot 61b. See below, Epistle 32, note 18.

4839 Brackets appear in the text.

4940 See Zohar I:124b.

5041 See above, Epistle 19, note 35.

5142 Par. Proverbs 16:26 (cf. Isaiah 53:11); see Sanhedrin 99b.

5243 Cf. above, Epistle 27.

5344 Par. Psalms 103:17.

5445 Par. Psalms 74:12.

5546 Just as the waters of lustration effect atonement, etc., thus alleviating the difficulty raised at the beginning of this later.

Kehot Publication Society (English Translation)