328 —מקור האותיות במחשבה ובדיבור לפי תניא

B"H, 16 Shevat, 5708.

Brooklyn, NY.

Haraha"g Haraha"ch vavac"h iy"a nu"m etc. Avraham Aharon Axelrod

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In response to your letter regarding what is written in Tanya chapter 20, that letters are born when one begins to think about how to bring one's desire from potential into action (similarly in Boneh Yerushalayim, Siman 132), and you point out that revelation in the heart comes from the mind, and certainly knowledge in the mind is also impossible without letters. If so, there are already letters before thought. However, what Tanya comes to explain in these chapters is the concept of unity after creation just as before creation. The worlds are generally divided into two: those above Atzilus Kesser Sof (al da'at keser sof) and those above Atzilus Guf (al da'at guf), whose existence comes from the letters of thought and speech as explained elsewhere (see Shaar HaYichud VehaEmunah chapter 11). On this it explains that the letters of thought above, even after they come into actuality, remain utterly united as before they emerged into actuality.

The worlds also existed before they were created in their source and root above—up to the level where they were only estimated in potential—but there they do not exist as a separate entity; rather, they exist only in their source. From this we understand the intention regarding letters: that above thought they do not exist as a separate entity. Only intellect or emotion is sensed—not the letters themselves. One thinks an idea or feels love, etc., but does not sense the letters. (See Likkutei Torah's explanation on Bechukosai at its beginning and elsewhere.)

The order is as follows: Through one's connection (daas) to knowledge of G-dliness—for example—the desire to know is revealed within him. Through this, intellectual comprehension emerges from the potential of the intellect with a flash and scan of wisdom (chochmah). Afterwards, through his connection to the matter he delves deeper into understanding this comprehension (the inner aspect of binah), and consequently love and awe of G-d are born within him. He then begins to think and contemplate how to quench his thirst through Torah and mitzvos with renewed energy; at this point, letters must be born. See all this discussed in the discourse "Lulav VeAravah," 5659 [1899], and also "Ein Omdin," Hemshech 5666 [1906]. It is understood that one can sometimes skip parts of this order openly—for example, someone who suddenly cries during the Ten Days of Repentance as explained (in Arizal's writings brought in Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim Siman 584), because he is being judged at that moment above even though he has no conscious awareness of it; this can cause him to immediately begin reciting Tehillim or similar actions or suddenly have thoughts of repentance leading him to confess his sins verbally. In all these cases, speech becomes a garment for a light from his very soul without intermediaries.

However, aside from such skipping being rare occurrences, even then—hiddenly and by way of passage—the aforementioned illumination still passes through intermediate levels. See Shaar HaYichud VehaEmunah chapter 8: "And in every thought in the world some emotion is clothed within it," etc.

It is understood that there is no contradiction here with what is explained regarding Rosh Chodesh—that then Malchus receives from Chochmah Binah rather than from Zeir Anpin—which is like speech within wisdom and intellect; for even then there must be love for intellectual matters or fear lest one's study deviate when understanding intellect or similar matters. See also Or HaTorah (page 52) at the end of "Vehayah MiDei Chodesh." And see Siman on "Lehodia Livnei Adam" regarding attributes within intellect from which are born letters within thought.

Summary

The Rebbe clarifies how spiritual emotions and intellect give rise to letters only at certain stages—first existing only as undifferentiated qualities until expressed through thought or speech—emphasizing Tanya's teaching on unity before and after creation.