י"ד חשון – אגרת הקודש פרק כ"ז

This section is an explanation of the earlier point—the idea discussed previously about what a Tzaddik leaves behind after his passing. The Alter Rebbe is now going to clarify and expand on that concept, especially in light of the statements from the Zohar and the teachings of our Sages.

The זוהר הקדוש — Holy Zohar—states: דצדיקא דאתפטר אשתכח בכלהו עלמין יתיר מבחיוהי — when a Tzaddik departs from this world, he is found in all the worlds even more than during his lifetime. This is a very striking statement, and it requires explanation.

We can understand how a Tzaddik would be found more in the upper worlds after his passing, because his soul ascends on high and is more present there than before. But the question is: in this physical world, how can it be that the Tzaddik is found here even more than during his lifetime? What does it mean that his presence is greater here after his passing?

This can be explained based on what I have received regarding the saying of our Sages: דשבק חיים לכל חי — that he leaves life for all the living. This phrase is used about a Tzaddik after his passing.

It is well known that the life of a Tzaddik is not a physical life of flesh and blood. Rather, his life is a spiritual life — חיים רוחניים. What is the essence of this spiritual life? It is אמונה — faith in Hashem, יראה — awe and reverence for Hashem, and אהבה — love of Hashem. These are the true life-forces of a Tzaddik, and this is what he leaves behind for others.

We see that the Torah itself refers to these qualities as 'life.' Regarding אמונה — faith—it says: וצדיק באמונתו יחיה — the Tzaddik lives by his faith. When it comes to יראה — awe—it says: ויראת ה' לחיים — the awe of Hashem is life.

And regarding אהבה — love—it says: רודף צדקה וחסד ימצא חיים וחסד — one who pursues righteousness and kindness will find life and kindness. Here, חסד — kindness—refers to love, so the verse is telling us that love is also called 'life.' In other words, all three—faith, awe, and love—are described in Torah as true life.

These three qualities — אמונה, יראה, and אהבה — exist in every world, on every level, all the way up to the highest spiritual realms. In each world, these qualities are present, but their expression and their greatness are according to the level and nature of that particular world.

Everything is relative to the spiritual stature of each world compared to the others, in a manner of עילה ועלול — cause and effect, higher and lower. This means that while the essence of faith, awe, and love is present everywhere, their form and intensity are shaped by the world in which they are found, as is well known in Chassidus.