י' אלול – אגרת הקודש פרק י"ב

The Alter Rebbe begins by stating that it is well known that Yidden by their very nature are compassionate and do acts of kindness. This is something that is ingrained in the Jewish people; it is not something that needs to be acquired or learned. It is simply part of who we are.

He emphasizes that this quality of רחמנים וגומ"ח—being merciful and performing acts of kindness—is a natural trait of the Jewish soul. It is not just a matter of habit or upbringing, but something that is embedded in the very essence of a Jew.

The reason for this, the Alter Rebbe explains, is because the souls of Yidden are drawn from Hashem’s attributes. In particular, the attribute of kindness is dominant—it overpowers the attribute of judgment, strength, or contraction.

This means that the source of a Jew’s soul is from the מדותיו ית'—Hashem’s own attributes—and within those attributes, החסד גובר בהן—kindness is stronger and more influential than the measure of הדין והגבורה והצמצום—judgment, strength, and limitation.

So, the natural tendency of a Jew to be compassionate and to do kindness is not just a random trait, but it comes from the very root of the soul, which is rooted in Hashem’s kindness.

The Alter Rebbe brings a possuk to support this idea: גבר חסדו על יריאיו—His kindness prevails over those who fear Him. This verse teaches us that Hashem’s kindness is stronger than His attribute of fear or awe, which is associated with Gevurah, with strength and judgment.

So, just as in Hashem’s own attributes, kindness is dominant, so too in the soul of a Jew, which is drawn from those attributes, kindness is the prevailing force.

Because of this, the soul is referred to as בת כהן—the daughter of a Kohen. The Kohen represents the service of kindness, and so the soul, which comes from Hashem’s attribute of kindness, is called the daughter of a Kohen.

The Alter Rebbe points out that this is brought in the Zohar, that the soul is called בת כהן because it is rooted in the attribute of Chesed, just as the Kohen’s service is rooted in Chesed.

Now, the Alter Rebbe explains that the tzedakah that comes from this level—from the natural kindness of the soul—is called מעשה הצדקה—the act of tzedakah.

This means that when a Jew gives tzedakah out of his natural compassion and kindness, that is referred to as the act of tzedakah. It is something that flows from his essence, from his soul’s nature.

He clarifies what the word מעשה—act—means. The term can refer to something that has already been done, or to something that is happening constantly, something that is always present and regular.

So, when we talk about מעשה, it can mean either a past action or an ongoing, habitual action. In this context, it refers to the regular, natural acts of kindness that are always present in the Jewish people.

Therefore, in our case as well, the attribute of kindness and compassion has been embedded in the souls of all the Jewish people from the very beginning, from the time they were created and their souls descended from Hashem’s attributes.

This is not something that developed later or was acquired through effort. It is part of the very nature of the Jewish soul, present from the moment of creation and rooted in its divine source.

The Alter Rebbe brings several verses to illustrate this point: ויפח באפיו כו'—He blew into his nostrils, ואתה נפחת בי—You blew into me, and ומאן דנפח כו'—whoever blows, blows from within himself.

These verses show that the soul comes from the innermost aspect of Hashem, from His own attributes. Just as when someone blows, the breath comes from deep inside, so too the Jewish soul comes from the innermost level of Hashem’s attributes, and therefore carries this natural kindness and compassion.

The Alter Rebbe now explains that this quality of kindness is not just something that was given to the Jewish people once, at the time of creation. Rather, it is something that is renewed every single day. He brings the verse, טובו מחדש מעשה בראשית—His goodness renews the act of creation, and also חדשים לבקרים—they are new every morning.

This means that every day, Hashem gives new life and new energy to the world, and specifically to every Jew. The kindness and compassion that are part of our nature are not just a one-time gift, but are constantly being refreshed and renewed by Hashem. Every morning, when a person wakes up, he receives a new infusion of this quality from Above.

So, the natural compassion and kindness that a Jew feels are not just a result of something that happened long ago, but are continually being given to us by Hashem, as part of the ongoing renewal of creation.

However, the Alter Rebbe points out that the term עבודה—service or work, is used only in a very specific context. It does not refer to something that comes easily or naturally to a person. Rather, עבודה means something that a person does with great effort, something that goes against his natural tendencies.

In other words, when a person acts in a way that is contrary to his own nature—when he pushes himself beyond what is comfortable or easy for him, and he does so by nullifying his own will and desires in order to fulfill the will of Hashem—this is called עבודה.

This is a key distinction: natural kindness is called מעשה—an act, but when a person must struggle and exert himself, overcoming his own nature for the sake of a higher purpose, that is what the Torah calls עבודה.

The Alter Rebbe gives an example to clarify what he means by עבודה. He says, for instance, when a person exerts himself in Torah study or in prayer, to the point of מיצוי הנפש—squeezing out his soul, so to speak, putting in all his energy and effort until he feels he has nothing left to give.

This is not something that comes easily or naturally. It requires a person to push himself, to go beyond his comfort zone, and to invest himself completely. That total effort, that willingness to go all out in serving Hashem, is the essence of עבודה.

So, whether it is in learning Torah or in davening, when a person works hard and pushes himself to the limit, that is the true meaning of service—of עבודה.

The Alter Rebbe continues and applies this idea specifically to the mitzvah of tzedakah. He says that the same principle holds true here: when a person gives tzedakah in a way that is much more than what comes naturally to him—when he gives far beyond his usual level of compassion or what he feels comfortable giving—this is also called עבודה.

It is not just about giving tzedakah because you feel bad for someone or because you are naturally generous. Rather, it is about pushing yourself to give more than you would normally want to, stretching yourself for the sake of the mitzvah and for Hashem's will. That extra effort, that going beyond your nature, is what transforms the act of tzedakah into a true עבודה.

To support this idea, the Alter Rebbe brings a teaching from our sages. They interpret the verse נתן תתן—you shall surely give, to mean that a person should give even a hundred times more than he feels like giving.

This means that the mitzvah of tzedakah is not limited to what comes easily or naturally. Sometimes, a person must push himself to give far more than he would otherwise be inclined to. That is the true test of עבודה in tzedakah: not just doing what is comfortable, but being willing to go above and beyond, as the sages say—even a hundred times more.