כג מנחם אב - אגרת הקודש פרק ז

The Alter Rebbe begins here by quoting the Gemara: שופריה דיעקב, מעין שופריה דאדה"ר—the beauty of Yaakov was similar to the beauty of Adam HaRishon. This statement is not just about physical beauty, but it points to a deeper connection between Yaakov and Adam HaRishon. The idea is that Yaakov, in a certain sense, took over the spiritual role that Adam HaRishon originally held.

By saying that Yaakov's beauty was a reflection of Adam's, Chazal are teaching us that Yaakov became the spiritual successor to Adam HaRishon. The qualities and the spiritual light that were present in Adam HaRishon were now manifest in Yaakov. This sets the stage for understanding how the souls of the Jewish people are connected through Yaakov, and how he becomes the channel for the spiritual energies that originally were in Adam HaRishon.

The Alter Rebbe continues and explains why Yaakov is so closely associated with Adam HaRishon. He says: שתיקן חטא אדה"ר—Yaakov is the one who rectified the sin of Adam HaRishon. Adam's sin with the Eitz HaDaas brought about a spiritual blemish in the world, and Yaakov, through his actions and his life, was able to fix and repair that damage.

This means that Yaakov didn't just inherit Adam's spiritual qualities; he also corrected what Adam had damaged. Yaakov's role is not just as a successor, but as a tikkun—a rectifier—of the original sin. This is why the souls of the Jewish people are especially connected to Yaakov, because he is the one who restored the spiritual level that was lost through Adam's sin.

The Alter Rebbe now explains another dimension of Yaakov's greatness: והיתה נשמתו ג"כ כלולה מכל הנשמות שבישראל, מעולם ועד עולם—Yaakov's soul was also included from all the souls of Israel, from the beginning of time until the end.

This means that just as Adam HaRishon contained within himself all the souls that would ever be in the Jewish people, so too Yaakov's neshama was a collective soul. All the individual souls of the Jewish people are rooted in Yaakov. He is the source and the root of all the neshamos of Klal Yisroel, and from him, all the sparks and individual souls branch out throughout history.

The Alter Rebbe continues: והיה מרכבה לתורה שלמעלה, שנק' בשם: "אדם"—Yaakov was a chariot for the supernal Torah, which is called "Adam." Here, the term מרכבה—chariot—means that Yaakov was completely nullified to the will of Hashem, and his entire being was a vehicle for the Divine.

The Torah above, the source of Torah, is called אדם—man—because just as a human being has 613 parts (248 limbs and 365 sinews), so too the Torah has 613 mitzvos. Yaakov, by being a chariot for this supernal Torah, embodied the spiritual structure of "Adam," and through him, the Torah's Divine light was able to be revealed in the world.

The Alter Rebbe brings a proof from the Navi: כמ"ש: "ועל דמות הכסא, דמות כמראה אדם וכו'"—as it is written, "And on the likeness of the throne was the likeness of the appearance of a man." This is from Yechezkel's vision, where he sees the Divine chariot and on it the image of a man.

This vision teaches us that the highest spiritual levels are described in terms of "Adam," and that the structure of the Torah and the soul of Yaakov are both reflections of this supernal "Adam." The connection between Yaakov and the Torah is thus rooted in the very way the Divine is revealed in the world, as seen in the prophetic vision.

The Alter Rebbe continues with another proof: כמ"ש: "וזאת לפנים בישראל כו'"—as it is written, "And this was formerly in Israel..." This phrase is used to refer to something fundamental and ancient in the Jewish people, and here it is being applied to Yaakov.

The use of the word זאת—this—refers to something specific and essential, which the Alter Rebbe will soon explain is a reference to the Torah itself. This shows that the connection between Yaakov and the Torah is not just incidental, but is rooted in the very identity of the Jewish people from the earliest times.

The Alter Rebbe now clarifies: אין "זאת" אלא תורה כו'—the word "this" (זאת) refers specifically to the Torah. Whenever the Torah uses the term זאת, it is hinting to the Torah itself.

This means that the verse about "this" in Israel is really talking about the Torah being given to and revealed through Yaakov and his descendants. The Torah, with all its 613 mitzvos, is the spiritual inheritance of Yaakov, and through him, it comes down to the Jewish people.

The Alter Rebbe explains further: שהיתה כלולה ומלובשת בנשמת ישראל סבא, הכלולה מכל הנשמות—that the Torah was included and clothed within the soul of Yisrael Saba, which is included from all the souls.

Here, ישראל סבא—Yisrael Saba—is a special name for Yaakov, emphasizing his role as the "elder" or the root of all the Jewish souls. The Torah itself, in its supernal form, is invested within Yaakov's soul, and because his soul contains all the souls of the Jewish people, every Jew has a share in this Divine inheritance.

This is why, when a Jew learns Torah or does mitzvos, he is drawing down a unique Divine energy that is rooted in the soul of Yaakov, the collective source of all Jewish souls. The connection between Torah, Yaakov, and every Jew is thus deep and essential, and it is through this connection that the light of Hashem is revealed in the world.

The Alter Rebbe now brings the verse ויקרא לו אל אלקי ישראל—and he called Him 'G‑d, the G‑d of Israel.' This is referring to Yaakov Avinu, who is called Yisrael, and the Torah tells us that he called Hashem by this special name.

Why is this significant? Because Yaakov is the one who, after Adam HaRishon, becomes the root and source of all Jewish souls. The connection here is that Yaakov, through his avodah and his fixing of Adam's sin, becomes the one who brings down the light of Hashem into the world in a new way. The verse is showing us that Yaakov is the one who draws down this unique revelation of G‑dliness, specifically as it relates to the souls of Israel.

The word אל—'Keil'—here is explained by the Alter Rebbe as referring to the drawing down of the illumination from the Infinite Light of Hashem, from a state of concealment to a state of revelation. This is not just a name of Hashem, but it describes a process: the light that was previously hidden is now being revealed.

This means that the soul of Yaakov, and by extension the souls of all Jews, are able to receive a revealed G‑dly light. The הארה מאור א"ס ב"ה—illumination from the Infinite Light, is drawn down into the soul, so that the G‑dliness is not just present in a hidden way, but actually shines openly within the person.

The Alter Rebbe brings a supporting verse: אל ה' ויאר לנו—'Keil Hashem, and He will shine for us.' This shows that the idea of Hashem shining His light upon us is not just a theoretical concept, but something that is described explicitly in the Torah.

It means that when a Jew learns Torah or does mitzvos, he is actually drawing down this illumination from Hashem, so that the soul is lit up with a revealed G‑dliness. The verse is used to show that this is a real, tangible effect that happens through our avodah.

After Yaakov, this process continues with all those who are upright of heart—כל ישרי לב—who engage in Torah and mitzvos. The Alter Rebbe says that for every Jew who is involved in Torah and mitzvos, the light of Hashem, the Infinite One, shines in a revealed way in their soul.

This is not something unique to Yaakov alone, but is available to every Jew. Whenever a person learns Torah or does a mitzvah, he is drawing down a specific G‑dly energy that is connected to that mitzvah or that part of Torah. The soul is illuminated with this G‑dly light, and it becomes a real, revealed presence within the person.

The Alter Rebbe now explains that the time when this revelation is strongest, when the illumination in the mind and heart is with the greatest force and intensity, is during davening.

It is specifically at the time of tefillah that the G‑dly light shines most powerfully in a person's mind and heart. This is when the connection to Hashem is most direct and the soul is most open to receiving this illumination. The avodah of davening is therefore a unique opportunity for a Jew to experience this revelation in a much more intense way than at other times.

The Alter Rebbe concludes this point by saying that this idea is explained elsewhere—כמ"ש במ"א—as it is written in another place. He is referencing that the concept of the special revelation during davening is discussed more fully in other places in Chassidus.