6722 —שיעור ברבים בקונטרס החלצו לתיקון העדר קירוב הלבבות: התורה מטהרת בחסד וברחמים

B"H, 15 Adar I, 5719
Brooklyn.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

…^[1] It is most proper indeed that among the regular study sessions held in public there be a shiur in the study of Kuntres HeChaltzu^[2], with an explanation such that it will be understood by each and every one^[3] of the listeners; the shiur should be arranged at times when everyone can attend, and a kind of obligation should be placed on every resident of …^[4] to take part in this shiur. For it has already been said of words of Torah^[5] in general, and of the inner dimension of the Torah in particular, "Is not My word like fire…"^[6], which purifies^[7]; but since the Torah is a Torah of kindness^[8], it purifies with kindness and with mercy^[9].

With blessings for good news^[10] in all the above.

Publisher's notes

In the study of Kuntres HeChaltzu (בלימוד קונטרס החלצו): to remedy the situation of the absence of closeness of hearts.

Notes

1. … (...): So printed: the beginning of the letter was not printed, and what is given here is its continuation.

2. Kuntres HeChaltzu (קונטרס החלצו): Kuntres HeChaltzu (5659): the Rebbe Rashab's maamar beginning HeChaltzu, published as a booklet in Cheshvan 5709 "with the additions" (letters 417, 419), the addition containing a maamar of the Previous Rebbe. Its subject is love of one's fellow Jew and closeness of hearts; as the Rebbe writes (letter 8732): "first of all, closeness of hearts is essential… See wondrous (and, in the negative, frightening) things on this subject in the discourse HeChaltzu of the Alter Rebbe… in Likkutei Torah, Parshas Matos… and in Kuntres HeChaltzu of the Rebbe (Rashab), and in the addition there." In the discourse HeChaltzu in Likkutei Torah, Matos: אך בבית שני, לא היה החטא במדות הרעות עצמן, כ"א בשנאת חנם. והיא קליפת מדין... שזהו לשון: מדין - ריב ומדון, "But in the Second Temple the sin was not in the evil traits themselves, but in baseless hatred; and that is the kelipah of Midian… for Midian means strife and contention." And, as the publisher's note here says, the study of the booklet is "to remedy the situation of the absence of closeness of hearts."

3. Each and every one (לכאו"א): לכאו"א = לכל אחד ואחד, "to each and every one"; שכ"א = שכל אחד, "that everyone".

4. Every resident of … (כל תושב...): So printed, with an omission.

5. Words of Torah (ד"ת): ד"ת = דברי תורה.

6. "Is not My word like fire…" (הלא כה דברי כאש גו'): Yirmiyahu 23:29: הלוא כה דברי כאש נאם ה' וכפטיש יפצץ סלע, "Is not My word like fire, says G‑d, and like a hammer that shatters rock?" From this the Gemara learns (Berachos 22a): אין דברי תורה מקבלין טומאה... מה אש אינו מקבל טומאה, אף דברי תורה אינן מקבלין טומאה, "Words of Torah do not become impure… just as fire does not become impure, so words of Torah do not become impure."

7. Which purifies (שהיא מטהרת): Fire not only does not become impure; it also purifies, as is said of koshering the vessels of Midian (Bamidbar 31:23): כל דבר אשר יבא באש תעבירו באש וטהר, "Whatever has come into fire, you shall pass through fire and it will be clean"; and Rashi there: ומה שתשמישו ע"י צלי, כגון השפוד והאסכלה, ילבננו באור, "what is used by roasting, such as a spit or a grill, he must make it red-hot in fire."

8. A Torah of kindness (תורת חסד): After the verse (Mishlei 31:26) "and a Torah of kindness is on her tongue," on which the Gemara says (Sukkah 49b): וכי יש תורה של חסד ויש תורה שאינה של חסד? אלא תורה לשמה זו היא תורה של חסד... איכא דאמרי: תורה ללמדה זו היא תורה של חסד, "Is there then a Torah of kindness and a Torah that is not of kindness? Rather, Torah studied for its own sake is a Torah of kindness… Some say: Torah studied in order to teach it is a Torah of kindness."

9. It purifies with kindness and with mercy (מטהרה היא בחסד וברחמים): Fire purifies by heating red-hot and burning; the Torah, being a Torah of kindness, purifies a person with kindness and mercy. This is the benefit of the shiur: the study of Kuntres HeChaltzu, especially as it is of the inner dimension of the Torah, will purify and remedy "the absence of closeness of hearts" (in the words of the publisher's note), with kindness and mercy.

10. Good news (לבשו"ט): לבשו"ט = לבשורות טובות.

Summary

The Rebbe asks that a regular public shiur in Kuntres HeChaltzu, the Rebbe Rashab's discourse on love of one's fellow Jew, be set up, explained so that all can follow, at hours all can attend, with every resident under a kind of obligation to come, so as to remedy the lack of closeness of hearts. Torah is like fire, which purifies; but as a Torah of kindness it purifies with kindness and mercy.