8298 —שלשה סוגי נשמות ישראל ועבודתן בלימוד תורה

B"H, Motzaei Shabbat Kodesh, 9 Tevet, 5722.

Brooklyn, NY.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

I was pleased to hear from Haraha"ch vavac"h iy"a nu"n Rav Pealim etc. Moreinu HaRav Moshe Pinchas HaKohen that on Motzaei Shabbat Parshat Vayechi, your group is completing Tractate Taanis and beginning Tractate Rosh Hashanah.

According to Jewish custom, at the completion of a Torah tractate—at a siyum—one recites "Hadran," etc., and words of inspiration. Therefore, as participation in your joy, I am sending these lines regarding the conclusion of Tractate Taanis. The text states: "The beautiful among them would say: Set your eyes on beauty—for a woman is only for beauty. The distinguished among them would say: Set your eyes on family—for a woman is only for children. The unattractive among them would say: Take your acquisition for the sake of Heaven—just adorn us with gold." In general, these three families correspond to the three statements taught by Rabbi Chiya: A woman is only for beauty; a woman is only for children; a woman is only for women's ornaments (that is—adorn us with gold—as Rashi explains there: give us jewelry).

Since all three statements are from one author, it is understood that there is no disagreement here; rather, each statement refers to a specific type of woman.

This can be explained regarding the service of Jewish souls to G‑d (in the language of Scripture): The daughters of Zion who say and request from King Shlomo—the king whose peace is his—that he should choose them at Matan Torah (the giving of the Torah), their wedding day. Accordingly, we can understand and appreciate the continuation in the Mishnah at the end of Tractate Taanis and how these matters are connected: They would say: Young man..., as it says: Go forth, daughters of Zion..., on his wedding day—this refers to Matan Torah. There are three types among souls and their service:

The beautiful ones—perfect and unblemished in their service; they serve not for reward but with true love. As it says: Forget your people and your father's house (and thereby) the king will desire your beauty. Therefore they say: Set your eyes on beauty—for a woman is only for beauty—the ultimate perfection; service out of pure love.

The distinguished ones—these require ancestral merit and inheritance; but their ancestral merit has not ceased—it is complete. Their service is not perfect nor does it stem from a lofty level of love for G‑d about which it says "How beautiful... love with delights," but rather from the hidden love within every Jew's heart inherited from our forefathers. Through this they fulfill all mitzvot. Therefore they say: Set your eyes on family—the lineage of Avraham My beloved—for a woman is only for children—the main offspring of tzaddikim (and all your people are righteous) are mitzvot—for the soul descended below to refine the body specifically through mitzvah observance.

The unattractive ones—even their merit (from "zichuch," refinement) from ancestors has ceased; their inherited love remains hidden beneath layers of klipah (spiritual concealment). What do they say? Take your acquisition for Heaven's sake—do it for Your sake if not ours—and just adorn us with gold. For Jewish daughters are inherently beautiful (believers descended from believers who wish to cleave to G‑d and not be separated), but poverty (there is no poverty except in knowledge) covers up their beauty and true desire and disgraces them—they ask that wealth be bestowed upon them—a spiritual awakening from Above—return us to You Hashem—and we will return.

In general these are three divisions: tzaddikim (righteous), beinonim (intermediates), resha'im (wicked). Based on what has been explained we can understand and sweeten what follows in the Gemara after this teaching: Ulla said... In the future G‑d will make a circle dance for tzaddikim (and all your people are righteous)... each one points... For none will be cast away—all types among Israel have their requests fulfilled as they declare Ani L'Dodi V'Dodi Li (I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine).

Based on this one can hint at connecting the end with the beginning of Tractate Rosh Hashanah: There are four New Years—the first of Nisan is New Year for kings—for specifically a king over Israel whose intent and thought is to elevate true religion (its elevation and perfection), fill the world with justice (Torah and mitzvot—the aforementioned children), break the arm of evildoers (the unattractive ones). All this comes through man's ascent up Jacob's ladder set upon earth with its head reaching heaven—a progression from lesser to greater—a journey upward during pilgrimage festivals—as explained in Gemara that during those times Israel was naked and bare sunk into forty-nine gates of impurity... then G‑d revealed Himself as King over kings and redeemed them.

Summary

The Rebbe teaches that every Jew belongs to one of three spiritual categories—serving out of pure love, inherited merit, or needing awakening—and that all ultimately connect through Torah study and Divine service leading toward redemption.