1408 —סיום ששה סדרי משנה, משמעות האחדות ותורת החסידות

B"H, 7th of Shevat, 5712.

Brooklyn.

Haraha"ch vavac"h iy"a nu"n etc. Peretz

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In due time and pleasantly I received your letter, in which you inform me that in the coming days you will complete the Shisha Sidrei Mishnah. May it be the will of Hashem that just as He helped you finish now the six orders of Mishnah, so too He should help you to begin again and complete them—to learn and to teach, to observe, to do, and to fulfill. It is known that 'Mishnah' shares the same letters as 'neshamah' (soul), and through this an additional light is brought into the candle of mitzvah and Torah light; and the luminary within Torah is Chassidus. This will assist you in your personal matters.

To your brother Haraha"g veHaraha"ch vavac"h iy"a who is involved with tzt"z etc., Moreinu HaRav Gershon—I have already written a direct response to his letter to me.

Blessings for success in Torah study, fulfillment of mitzvos, and your personal matters.

P.S.: Here is a passage quoted from what was said at the farbrengen on the yahrzeit of our master the Alter Rebbe—that was on 24 Teves just passed. It is known that when the Maggid first welcomed the Alter Rebbe to Mezritch, he arranged for his son—the Malach—to study Chassidus with the Alter Rebbe, while the Alter Rebbe would teach Nigleh (revealed Torah) to the Malach. When they began learning 'Me'eimasai...' (the opening word of Tractate Berachos), and the Alter Rebbe began explaining the Mishnah, the Malach said he interprets 'Me'eimasai' as coming from 'eimah' (awe) and fear. Connecting the beginning of Shas with its end (for in dividing Shas here they also divide Seder Mishnayos; even though completion was in Niddah tractate—they are still connected): The end of Mishnah is: 'The Holy One Blessed Be He found no vessel that holds blessing for Israel except peace.' Peace and unity among all Jews—as explained also in Tanya chapter 32: 'Bless us our Father as one,' for true unity among people in general—and especially among Jews—cannot exist if there is any ulterior motive or benefit involved; then one does not truly unite with another but seeks his own benefit. True unity is only possible as explained in Tanya chapter 32: because all souls are equal and have one Father—their root is in Hashem Echad (the One G‑d). As explained in Chassidus: The root of souls is even higher than Torah and mitzvos—as our Sages say at the beginning of Bereishis Rabbah: The thought of Israel preceded everything—even Torah—as it says: 'Speak to Bnei Yisrael.' Thus Shas begins with Krias Shema ('Hear O Israel') and ends with peace—the vessel that holds blessing—because peace comes when one declares Krias Shema: Hashem Echad ('G‑d is One'). But for unity to be true it must come from awe ('Me'eimasai'), from acceptance as a fixed practice—not from intellect or reason—even holy intellect or reason. So it is explained in many places in Chassidus.

Summary

The Rebbe teaches that completing Mishnah brings spiritual illumination linked to one's soul, but true unity among Jews comes only through selflessness rooted above intellect—through recognizing our shared Divine source as taught in Chassidus.