6568 —תיקון לאיטר יד שהניח תפילין שלא כדין – הוספה בלימוד התורה בהתמדה

B"H, 27 Marcheshvan, 5719

Brooklyn.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In reply to your letter of 24 Cheshvan, in which you write about the manner in which you put on tefillin in times past.

Since the substance of the mitzvah of tefillin is the drawing down of mochin, the intellectual faculties (see Tanya, ch. 41), as is explained in many places, among them in the well-known maamar beginning Isa BeMidrash Tehillim, it is understood that to make amends one must add to the drawing down of mochin, that is, the study of Torah with diligence and assiduity, study without any ulterior motives, which is mochin as they are in themselves, before they are drawn down into the emotional attributes; and from there they must be drawn down below through the fulfillment of the mitzvah. And הרי זה משובח "whoever adds in this is praiseworthy" (after the Haggadah of Pesach).

With blessing for good news,

In the name of the Rebbe, may he live long and good days,

Secretary

Publisher's notes

Printed in Likkutei Sichos vol. 9, p. 258.

The manner of putting on tefillin (אופן הנחת תפילין): Amends for a left-handed man who had put on tefillin on his left arm.

Summary

This letter teaches that since tefillin draw down the mind's faculties, a left-handed man who wore them on the wrong arm makes amends by adding in that very area: diligent, selfless Torah study, which is the intellect in itself, then drawn down into practice through the mitzvah.