3784 —המדעים החיצוניים בתניא ומעמדם, אינסטינקט טבעי, ועונשי תורה

B"H, 19 Elul, 5715.

Brooklyn.

Haraha"g vavac"h iy"a nu"n oseik b'tzt"z ba'al middot etc. Dov Yehuda Shochat

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In response to your letter from the 14th of Elul, although I must be brief due to matters specific to these days—as is known from the saying of my father-in-law the Rebbe zatzal nevuga mezar ziya that in the month of accounting itself, which is Elul, from the 18th of Elul onward each day is an accounting for the month for this year—nevertheless, because of your question and its importance, I am writing these lines below. For you, this brevity will surely suffice. Please forgive me.

Regarding what you wrote in Tanya at the end of chapter 8 about the wisdoms of the nations: Is it referring only to philosophy or also to other sciences? It seems you wish to distinguish between them—that with philosophy there is a prohibition because it deals with matters contrary to religion, whereas with mathematics and so on this would not apply. But it is clear that Tanya refers to all sciences. Besides the proof that it says "wisdoms" in plural form, it explicitly states that their impurity is from kelipat nogah—that is, they are not heretical wisdoms forbidden in practice (which are from the three completely impure kelipot), like other aspects of idolatry. Furthermore, it explains: unless one uses them as a tool for earning a living etc. This is even clearer in Hilchot Talmud Torah by Rabbeinu HaZaken chapter 3 section 7.

(b) Regarding what you wrote about the Shabbat Mevarchim Elul talk—that one cannot say a person jumps into fire by accident—you were puzzled by this but did not explain your question. Perhaps you mean that one can imagine someone standing on a high roof who jumps off without knowing he will fall into a fire below; but this was not my intent nor is this true accidentalness. My intent was that when guarding against sin one does not need intellectual understanding; natural instinct alone suffices. Just as a baby before reaching understanding will not jump into fire—because when he feels heat from afar his unpleasant sensation keeps him away—not due to intellect but natural feeling. Note that just as every matter in nigleh (revealed Torah) has its parallel explained more deeply in nistar (the hidden/Pnimiyut HaTorah), so too every matter in Chassidus has its practical parallel in nigleh—for example regarding an animal (a fool). See Avot d'Rabbi Natan ch.16; Bava Kama 61b; etc.

(c) Regarding what you wrote about Torah punishments—their meaning and purpose: According to Chassidus they serve to repair the damage caused by sin. Just as the damage affects both the sinner himself and his environment, so too must repair address both areas. The second aspect of repair is found in verses such as "so that they will hear and fear..." See Tanya ch.24 note; Likkutei Torah Bamidbar 25c; Pinchas 86b.

(d) Regarding your wish to reconcile differing views among early Jewish scholars about whether angels have bodies—you think they all meant one thing but used different definitions for "body." However, it cannot be said there is no disagreement: according to one view angels have spatial dimension (as explained at length in Likkutei Torah on Mizmor Shir Chanukat HaBayit), while according to another there is no distinction even between form and substance—they are called separate intellects. See Rambam Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah ch.2 halacha 3 onward and commentaries there; if according to your suggestion they have bodies but on a higher level—this does not necessarily follow from halacha 5 there or Moreh Nevuchim part II ch.3. The Tzafnat Paneach already commented on Yerushalmi Chagigah ch.2 halacha 4.

As we approach the new year coming upon us and all Israel for good and blessing, I hereby express my blessing to you and all yours: may you be inscribed and sealed for a good and sweet year materially and spiritually.

Summary

The Rebbe clarifies that Tanya's reference to "sciences" includes all secular studies unless used for earning a living or serving Torah purposes. He emphasizes natural moral instinct over intellectual reasoning regarding sin avoidance and explains Torah punishments as means for spiritual repair.