6603 —תודה על כרך פירוש הרמב"ן, הפצת התורות, והערות מערכתיות

B"H, 15 Kislev, 5719

Brooklyn.

The Rav and Gaon, the Chassid, a G‑d-fearing man, distinguished and honored, a man of many deeds, our teacher Rabbi Menachem Tzvi, may he live

Shalom u'Vrachah!

With pleasure I acknowledge receipt of your book, the Ramban's commentary on the Torah, Volume One, and many thanks.

May it be G‑d's will that you soon "say the blessing over the completion"^[1] of the remaining volumes, up to "before the eyes of all Israel," explaining "that which (the Rav) Moshe (ben Nachman) did."^[2] And may it be G‑d's will that this too, the explanation of the teaching of these early sages, who joined together the revealed and the hidden of the Torah,^[3] will hasten the spreading of the matter of "disseminating the wellsprings outward"; and, in the style of the Ramban at the end of his commentary on the Torah,^[4] may this be established and seen before the eyes of all the people, and may the promise of "when the Master comes"^[5] be fulfilled, that He bring what our heart asks (and note the statement of the Zohar Chadash, Bereishis 8a.

See also Zohar I, 253a; Sanhedrin 99a (with Rashi there), that the matter of the End,

"To the heart", above, it is revealed, but "to the mouth" it is not revealed^[6]) speedily in our days.

With respect and with blessing for success in the above.

P.S.

Out of fondness for the matter^[7], I copy here some notes, at least, from my passing through the pages of the book in haste.

Opening. Page 1. "The G‑d etc. and the awesome." Note Yoma 69b: Moshe said "the G‑d etc. and the awesome."^[8]

"With dread etc. with quaking, with awe." In the language of, and following the instruction of, our Sages (Berachos 22a)^[9]: "here too, with dread etc. and with quaking." And it is close to certain that he too holds that this is in the mystery of the four letters of the Name Havayah (as written in Likkutei HaShas, from the Arizal, on Tractate Moed Katan).^[10] And the addition "with awe" does not contradict this, for in a number of matters in the teachings of Kabbalah five aspects are enumerated in the Name Havayah: the four letters and the tip of the yud.^[11] He took this form here too, because the rhyme of this introduction requires the ending -ra.^[12]

Incidentally, in all the printings of Likkutei HaShas that I have seen, there is an evident omission in the above passage (before the words "the outer garment"). It also requires a little study why the above comment of the Arizal was entered in the Likkutei on Tractate Moed Katan and not on Berachos.

Page 2. I saw that your honor attached the verses "refined etc."^[13] to the opening (as you call this beginning).

With your pardon, in my humble opinion it is clear that they are a preface to the introduction.^[14] And the opening ends with the subject of the redemption, as is usual in a number of books (and like the conclusion of the Ramban's entire commentary on the Torah^[15]).

Incidentally, in the photograph of the Adler manuscript at the beginning of your book, there is an addition at the end of the opening: "Amen etc. and be strong." This too shows that the verses belong to what follows them.

Introduction. Page 3. Its beginning was apparently influenced by the beginning of the Rambam's introduction to his book.

There: "with the whole Torah". Perhaps he means to rule out a distorted interpretation of "from his own mouth" in Megillah (31b).^[16]

And in Zohar III (261a): "Mishneh Torah, Moshe said it from his own mouth." And see below, "and let the matter of Mishneh Torah not be difficult for you etc." And note also Bava Basra 15a: "Yehoshua wrote them etc."^[17]

On the statement of the Zohar about Mishneh Torah: see also the Ohr HaChaim at the beginning of Devarim; Likkutei Torah of the Alter Rebbe, Parshas Bamidbar (17c),^[18] and the sources noted there.

Introduction, at its end. Page 10. "A Sefer Torah in which one letter is mistaken etc. is invalid." So it is in Tikkunei Zohar, Tikkun 25. It is noted there to the Responsa Avnei Nezer, Yoreh De'ah, section 371, which I do not have at hand. And see Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, section 143, paragraph 4.

Commentary, at its beginning. Page 12. "He thinks that the world is eternal etc. at all." Note the Guide for the Perplexed, Part II, chapter 25.^[19]

Publisher's notes

Printed in Likkutei Sichos vol. 20, p. 549, and completed from the copy kept by the secretariat.

Our teacher Rabbi Menachem Tzvi: Eisenstadt, Brooklyn. Another letter to him: above, vol. 9, letter 2654.

Some notes: see also above there: notes on the booklet of the Ramban's commentary on the Torah.

Notes

[1] Say the blessing over the completion (יברך על המוגמר): that is, finish and complete the work. The phrase is from the Mishnah (Berachos 42b): "he says the blessing over the mugmar" (the mugmar is the incense of spices brought after the meal).

[2] That which (the Rav) Moshe (ben Nachman) did (אשר עשה (הר') משה (ב"ן)): the closing words of the Torah (Devarim 34:12): "...which Moshe did before the eyes of all Israel." With the words added in parentheses, "Moshe" becomes "the Rav Moshe ben Nachman", the Ramban. That is: may you publish all the volumes, to the end of the Ramban's commentary, which ends on this verse.

[3] The revealed and the hidden of the Torah (גליא וסתים דאורייתא): the Ramban weaves into his plain commentary on the verses allusions "according to the way of truth", that is, the Kabbalah.

[4] In the style of the Ramban at the end of his commentary on the Torah (ובסגנון הרמב"ן בסוף פירושו על התורה): the Ramban ends his commentary on the Torah (end of Devarim): "נשלמו חמשה הספרים האלה... ואלפי ברכות והודאות לאל, אשר גמלני כרחמיו וכרוב חסדיו ויבא אשר לבבי שואל... ובא לציון גואל..." "Completed are these five books, in which the wisdom of Agur and Isiel falls short. Thousands of blessings and thanks to G‑d, who has repaid me according to His mercy and His abundant kindness, and brought what my heart asks. May He, for His Name's sake, consent, and may a redeemer come to Zion. Speedily in our days may Michael arise, to build the House and the Ariel; and may the verse written by Yechezkel (37:28) be fulfilled: 'And the nations shall know that I am G‑d who sanctifies Israel, when My Sanctuary is in their midst forever.'" From here the Rebbe takes the words "that He bring what our heart asks": the Ramban thanks G‑d for completing his commentary and prays for the redemption; the Rebbe blesses the editor that he complete his edition of that commentary, and prays that "what our heart asks", the redemption, come soon.

[5] When the Master comes (דקאתי מר): from the letter of the Baal Shem Tov (printed at the beginning of Kesser Shem Tov): when he ascended to the chamber of Moshiach he asked, "When will the Master come?" and was answered: when your teaching is publicized and your wellsprings spread outward. That is the "disseminating the wellsprings outward" mentioned just before.

[6] To the heart it is revealed, but to the mouth it is not revealed (ללבא גליא, לפומי' לא גליא): Sanhedrin 99a: "'For the day of vengeance is in My heart, and the year of My redeemed has come.' What is 'the day of vengeance is in My heart'? Rabbi Yochanan said: To My heart I revealed it; to My limbs I did not reveal it." That is, the time of the End is revealed "to the heart", above, but was not given to be revealed by the mouth; as the well-known saying goes, "the heart does not reveal it to the mouth." This is how the Rebbe explains the request "that He bring what our heart asks": that what is still revealed only "to the heart" be revealed in actuality.

[7] Out of fondness for the matter (לחביבותא דמילתא): Aramaic: out of love for the subject.

[8] Moshe said (משה אמר): Yoma 69b: "Moshe came and said: 'the great, mighty and awesome G‑d'. Yirmiyahu came and said... he did not say 'awesome'. Daniel came and said... he did not say 'mighty'. They [the Men of the Great Assembly] came and said... they restored the crown to its former glory." The attributes "the great, mighty and awesome G‑d" are Moshe's own words in the Torah (Devarim 10:17); the note perhaps means that in opening his commentary on the Torah the Ramban chose specifically the wording of Moshe.

[9] Following the instruction of our Sages (ע"פ ציווי רז"ל): Berachos 22a, on Torah study, that one learn as at the Giving of the Torah at Sinai: "Just as there it was with dread, fear, trembling and quaking, so here too with dread, fear, trembling and quaking."

[10] Likkutei HaShas (ליקוטי הש"ס): a collection of explanations of Talmudic passages according to Kabbalah, from the writings of the Arizal. There it is explained that the four expressions "dread, fear, trembling, quaking" correspond to the four letters of the Name Havayah.

[11] The four letters and the tip of the yud (ד' אותיות וקוצו של יו"ד): although the Ramban lists five expressions (dread, fear, trembling, quaking, awe) and not four, this does not contradict his intending the four letters of the Name Havayah; for at times five aspects are counted in the Name Havayah: the four letters, and the tip of the yud, which alludes to the level above them all (Kesser).

[12] The ending -ra (תנועת רה): that is, the addition "with awe" (b'mora) also completes the rhyme, since the lines of the opening all rhyme on the ending -ra.

[13] The verses "refined etc." (הפסוקים צרופה כו'): after the poem that opens his commentary, the Ramban brings three verses from Tehillim 119, all from the tzadi section: "צרופה אמרתך מאד ועבדך אהבה" "Your word is very refined, and Your servant loves it" (Tehillim 119:140); "צדקתך צדק לעולם ותורתך אמת" "Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your Torah is truth" (Tehillim 119:142); "צדק עדותיך לעולם הבינני ואחיה" "Your testimonies are righteous forever; give me understanding, and I will live" (Tehillim 119:144). The editor attached these verses to the end of the opening (see note 14 below).

[14] A preface to the introduction (מבוא לההקדמה): the Ramban's commentary on the Torah begins with two parts: the pesichah, "opening", a rhymed poem that begins "In the name of the great and awesome G‑d" and ends with the redemption; and after it the hakdamah, the Ramban's introduction to his commentary. The editor attached the verses "Your word is very refined" etc. to the end of the opening. The Rebbe points out that the opening had already ended before these verses, with the subject of the redemption, as is usual in a number of books (and as the Ramban's whole commentary ends; see note 4). So the verses are not the end of the opening but the beginning of the introduction, its preface. The Adler manuscript supports this: there the words "Amen etc. and be strong" were added at the end of the opening, and the verses come after them, so the verses belong to what follows.

[15] The conclusion of the Ramban's entire commentary on the Torah (סיום כללות פי' הרמב"ן עה"ת): see note 4 above: the Ramban ends his commentary with a prayer for the redemption and the building of the Beis HaMikdash.

[16] From his own mouth (מפי עצמו): Megillah 31b: "The curses in Toras Kohanim... are said in the plural, and Moshe said them from the mouth of the Almighty; these [in Mishneh Torah] are said in the singular, and Moshe said them from his own mouth"; Rashi: "Moshe said them on his own." The Rebbe's note: the Ramban's words "with the whole Torah", that Mishneh Torah too was said from the mouth of the Almighty, perhaps come to rule out the mistake of one who takes "from his own mouth" literally, as if Moshe composed them by himself.

[17] Yehoshua wrote them (יהושע כתבן): Bava Basra 15a: "Yehoshua wrote his book and eight verses of the Torah", that is, the last eight verses, from "And Moshe died there" onward.

[18] Likkutei Torah, Parshas Bamidbar (לקו"ת פ' במדבר): Likkutei Torah, Bamidbar: "Mishneh Torah is the level of Malchus, as in mishneh lamelech, second to the king... 'And Moshe spoke etc.', unlike the first books, 'And G‑d spoke etc.'"; and there it refers to Zohar III, 261a, on Mishneh Torah.

[19] The Guide for the Perplexed, Part II, chapter 25 (מו"נ ח"ב פכ"ה): there the Rambam explains that belief in the eternity of the world, as Aristotle held, contradicts the foundation of the whole Torah, and would have a place only if it were proven by demonstration, which it has not been.