8620 —שני הענינים של אייר ומשמעותם הרוחנית

B"H, Eve of Rosh Chodesh Iyar, 5723. Brooklyn.

Haraha"ch iy"a nu"n oseik b'tzt"z mo"h Yehuda Leib

Shalom u'Vrachah!

I hereby acknowledge receipt of your letter. As we stand at the beginning of the month of Ziv, which is the month of Iyar—the second month from Nissan—this idea of being 'second' to the Festival of Matzos can be explained as follows: Just as matzah has two aspects—michla d'meheimnusa (bread of faith) and michla d'asvasa (bread of healing)—and as is well known from the words and explanations of our Rebbeim on this matter, particularly the Alter Rebbe—whose 150th yahrzeit is this year—and his son, the Mitteler Rebbe: michla d'meheimnusa is healthy from the outset, while michla d'asvasa refers to one who was ill and then healed, etc.

This duality can be hinted at in the two ways Iyar is written: "Iyr," an acronym for "Ani Hashem Rofecha" (I am G‑d your Healer), and "Iyar," an acronym for "Avraham Yitzchak Yaakov Rachel," who are the Merkavah (Divine chariot), whose entire lives were spent without ever ceasing—even for a moment—to connect their minds and souls to the Master of all worlds. This demonstrates a state akin to michla d'meheimnusa, unlike the order implied by "Ani Hashem Rofecha."

Even within "Ani Hashem Rofecha," there are also two modes: one where no illness occurs in the first place (as explained elsewhere), which also reflects a distinction between the revealed will (in Kabbalistic terms: Arich—an acronym for "Ki Ani Hashem Rofecha") and the inner will, where 'there is no left side in Atika; all is right,' and so forth.

Blessings for good news in general and in particular.

Summary

The letter teaches that Iyar embodies both healing and unwavering faith. By reflecting on these dual aspects through its acronyms and chassidic teachings, we are encouraged to strive for a constant connection with G‑d that brings both spiritual health and Divine closeness.