79 —ארגון לימוד משניות, משמעות המליקה ותובנות בעבודה

B"H, Tuesday, the 12th of Sivan.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

Please forgive me for the delay in responding to your letter for various reasons; I am now writing regarding the completion of Shas Mishnah by heart, which is set for Sunday, Tov Sivan. At that time, a new division will be made for the coming year until after Shavuos, G‑d willing. We hope that you, together with our friend Haraha"g and Haraha"ch etc. Haramtz and all Anash will also arrange a division of Mishnayos by heart for the future with even greater strength than last year.

We have sent to their camp over time what was printed here by us—we sent it to the address of Haraha"g and Haraha"ch etc. Haramtz—and I ask greatly that you assist in this matter and also encourage all those connected to this to strive in spreading and selling them through organizing a special committee of energetic young people for this purpose or in another way suitable to your local conditions. May it be G‑d's will that the prophecy "Yafutzu mayanosecha chutzah—specifically—will be fulfilled speedily and Mashiach Tzidkeinu will come."

We wrote about this as above to Haramtz and surely it has arrived on time; each one should help his fellow and "the desire of G‑d will succeed in their hands."

To complete regarding Torah: about what you wrote explaining matters of melikah—briefly—the concept of melikah in man's service as explained in Chassidus: Melikah is from the nape, meaning it begins with separating the head from the body (especially the heart) from the nape, only then coming to the simanim (windpipe/esophagus). In avodah there is a distinction between face (panim) and nape (oref): Face means service according to reason and knowledge—the heart and its emotions are guided by instructions from the mind. Nape refers to "stiff-necked," requiring kabbalas ol (acceptance of yoke), compelling one's heart so that his conduct is as it should be.

Birds and animals represent beinonim (intermediates) and reshaim (wicked), while fish are tzaddikim (as explained elsewhere—that within a person there are three levels: tzaddikim, beinonim, reshaim; nefesh haElokis [G‑dly soul], nefesh hasichlis [intellectual soul], body/nefesh habehamis [animal soul]; this was explained further in my previous letter). Tanya (chapters 12–13 etc.) explains that even a beinoni never sinned but still has evil in his left chamber—it cannot express itself because his mind rules over his heart; nevertheless, the evil remains strong within him—even growing stronger over time. Therefore he needs 'the nape,' i.e., forcing his emotions without engaging intellectually with evil entirely; especially since often he experiences timtum halev (dullness of heart) when neither soul nor intellect shines strongly—then only forceful measures help against the yetzer hara (see Tanya ch. 29).

All the more so with an animal—a rasha—where evil even affects his thought/speech/action ('domem' within nefesh), requiring kabbalas ol at its most basic level; if before slaughtering an animal he loses this power—the animal is treif (see Chullin 19b). This applies outside [the Temple], but when offering a bird as a korban in Beis HaMikdash—where souls nullify themselves like a candle before a torch with no other desire at all (this is inner bowing)—there must be an arousal from below mirroring arousal from above; thus his service is also complete 'face' according to his level (unlike an animal where "according to the camel is its load"). Therefore melikah is done from the nape leaving only face; then he finishes at simanim—and only by a kohen himself—not via an agent—for through 'face' service there is unification face-to-face. This explains why shechitah can be done by a non-kohen but not melikah. Since destruction of Beis HaMikdash there remains something similar during prayer/Torah study—since shul/study hall are called 'miniature sanctuaries.'

The explanation/foundation for all above can be understood from Tanya ch. 12: "Except at specific times like during Shema/prayer which are times of expanded intellect," ch. 13: "And in Hashem's Torah he desires...as during Shema/prayer," where at chapter's end it's clear that beinonim's love during prayer resembles tzaddikim's service—see Likkutei Torah D"H Mizmor Shir Chanukas HaBayis p.62 Drushei Amalek etc.

Summary

The Rebbe urges communal effort in studying Mishnayos by heart and explains how melikah symbolizes compelling one's emotions toward proper service when intellect alone does not suffice. True avodah sometimes requires kabbalas ol—acceptance beyond reason—to overcome inner resistance.