2758 —פירוש בית יוסף והשראת הנפש הבהמית להעריך את ה'

B"H, 29 Sivan, 5714. Brooklyn.

To the worshippers of the Beis Yosef synagogue in Jerusalem, the holy city, may G‑d be upon you and grant you life. Many greetings and blessings!

With pleasure I received your letter in which you write about your anniversary celebration as well as the farbrengen in the days following it, including on Shavuos, the time of the giving of our Torah.

I especially enjoyed reading in your letter about the lessons being learned both in Nigleh (the revealed part of Torah) and in Chassidus. May it be G‑d's will that your efforts succeed so that your house will be a house of prayer and a house of study, as our Sages said on the verse "Ohev Hashem Sha'arei Tzion Mikol Mishkenos Yaakov" (the L‑rd loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Yaakov), and perhaps there is a hint here regarding Beis Yosef: "Yosef Hashem Li Ben Acher" (May Hashem add for me another son). It is explained in Chassidus that from 'another' one makes a 'son' when one transforms darkness into light. This is accomplished through contemplation by the intellectual soul on G‑d's greatness until even the animal soul agrees with this. Then there is true advantage of light over darkness—when darkness itself is transformed into light—which draws down infinite additional light above as well. All this is explained at length in the discourse "Ben Porat Yosef" by Admor HaTzt"z (printed in Sefer Or HaTorah Shemos vol. 6 p. 72b).

The attribute of the Holy One, blessed be He, is measure for measure—except that He multiplies it many times over—so He adds infinite light above and below for all those involved in these matters, for them and their families both materially and spiritually.

With blessings for Yud-Beis and Yud-Gimmel Tammuz—the upcoming Festival of Redemption—which you will surely celebrate appropriately in your synagogue. May it be G‑d's will that you have outstanding success in actual deed.

Summary

The Rebbe teaches that by transforming one's inner darkness into light—even inspiring one's animal soul to appreciate G‑dliness—one brings down infinite blessings both above and below. The name Beis Yosef reflects this mission of spiritual transformation.