אלול כ' – אגרת הקודש פרק טו

The Alter Rebbe begins by clarifying that והנה, כל זה הוא רק על דרך משל לבד—all of the above is only by way of example. In other words, everything discussed previously about the development of the middos, the emotions, and how they are influenced by the intellect, was just a משל—an analogy or illustration.

This is important because the previous discussion was not the ultimate reality of the Nefesh Elokis, the godly soul. Rather, it was a way to help us understand, using familiar human terms and experiences, how these processes might work. The Alter Rebbe is signaling that we are now moving from the realm of analogy to the true nature of the godly soul.

The Alter Rebbe explains that all of this—the process of intellect giving rise to emotions, as described earlier—applies specifically to the נפש השכלית התחתונה—the lower intellectual soul within a person. This soul, he says, הבאה מקליפת נוגה—comes from Klipas Nogah, the intermediate spiritual shell that is neither purely holy nor purely impure.

This intellectual soul is the natural, human aspect of a person. It is not the Nefesh Elokis, the godly soul, but rather the soul that is responsible for a person's natural intellect and emotions. It is called the נפש השכלית—the intellectual soul, and it is rooted in Klipas Nogah, not in holiness. This is the part of the person that operates on a natural, worldly level, as opposed to the higher, divine soul.

However, the Alter Rebbe now shifts to the true reality of the נפש העליונה האלהית—the higher, godly soul. This soul, he says, שהיא חלק אלוה ממעל—is literally a portion of G‑d from above. It is a piece of Hashem Himself, so to speak, within each Jew.

For the Nefesh Elokis, all of its middos—its emotional traits, both פנימיות (inner) and חיצוניות (outer)—are directed לה' לבדו—to Hashem alone. In other words, every aspect of the godly soul's emotional makeup is focused exclusively on G‑d. The inner emotions, like chesed and gevurah, and the outer ones, like netzach and hod, all exist solely for the sake of connecting to Hashem.

This is a fundamental difference from the natural soul, where emotions might be directed toward worldly matters. The godly soul's entire emotional life is about cleaving to, serving, and relating to Hashem.

The Alter Rebbe now explains how this exclusive focus on Hashem manifests in the Nefesh Elokis. Because of its love for Hashem, and its overwhelming desire to cleave to Him, the godly soul is drawn to חפץ חסד—a desire for kindness.

But what does it mean to desire kindness? It means that the soul wants to perform acts of chesed—not just for the sake of being kind, but specifically כדי לדבוק במדותיו—in order to connect to Hashem's own attributes. The soul yearns to emulate Hashem's kindness, to become attached to Him by acting in accordance with His middos.

This is not just a general inclination toward goodness, but a deep, spiritual longing to bond with Hashem by mirroring His ways. The godly soul's chesed is an expression of its yearning for divine connection.

The Alter Rebbe brings a teaching from our Sages to support this idea. He quotes the verse ולדבקה בו—"to cleave to Him." The Gemara explains this as הדבק במדותיו—attach yourself to His attributes.

In other words, the way a person can truly connect to Hashem is by emulating His middos. Just as Hashem is kind, compassionate, and just, so too should a Jew strive to act with kindness, compassion, and justice. This is the practical meaning of cleaving to Hashem: to live in a way that reflects His qualities in the world.

Thus, the godly soul's desire for chesed is not just about doing good, but about fulfilling the command to "cleave to Him" by living in alignment with Hashem's attributes.

The Alter Rebbe continues with the next emotional trait: gevurah. Just as the godly soul desires chesed to connect to Hashem's kindness, it also desires מדת הגבורה—the attribute of strength or discipline.

What does this mean in practice? The soul seeks to connect to Hashem through gevurah by being committed to justice, as the Torah prescribes. This includes the idea of להפרע מן הרשעים—to exact retribution from the wicked, and ולענשם בעונשי התורה—to punish them with the punishments of the Torah.

This is not about personal vengeance, but about aligning oneself with Hashem's attribute of justice. The godly soul wants to see the world run according to Hashem's standards, and is devoted to upholding those standards, even when it means acting with strength and discipline.

The Alter Rebbe now explains another dimension of gevurah: its role in self-mastery and spiritual discipline. The godly soul uses להתגבר על יצרו—to overcome its own inclination, the Yetzer Hara, and לקדש א"ע במותר לו—to sanctify itself even in matters that are technically permissible.

This means that a person exercises restraint, not only avoiding what is forbidden, but even holding back from what is allowed, in order to create a גדר וסייג לתורה—a fence and safeguard for the Torah. Why does one do this? מפני פחד ה' ויראתו—out of fear and awe of Hashem, פן יבא לידי חטא ח"ו—lest he come to sin, G‑d forbid.

For example, if a person knows that being in a certain environment might lead him to negative behavior, he uses his gevurah to avoid that situation altogether, even if being there is technically permitted. This is a proactive, protective use of strength, motivated by a deep reverence for Hashem and a desire not to risk spiritual failure.

The Alter Rebbe now turns to the attribute of teferes. He explains that the godly soul seeks לפאר את ה' ותורתו, בכל מיני פאר—to glorify Hashem and His Torah in every possible way, and ולדבקה בשבחיו בכל בחי' נפשו—to connect to His praises with every aspect of one's soul.

What does this mean practically? The soul strives to engage with Hashem's greatness through התבוננות שכלו ומחשבתו—reflection and meditation in one's intellect and thought, and גם בדיבורו—also in one's speech. This involves contemplating Hashem's greatness, expressing His praise, and striving to internalize and articulate that praise in every way possible.

In this way, teferes is about using the mind and speech to elevate and beautify one's relationship with Hashem, making His praise central to one's inner and outer life.

The next level the Alter Rebbe discusses is נצחון—victory. This means to stand firm with a sense of victory against anything that tries to prevent you from serving Hashem or from cleaving to Him. It's not just about having strength to resist, but an even deeper drive to overcome any obstacle in your spiritual service.

He explains that this is similar to the idea of fighting a war for Hashem, as King David did. Just as King David waged wars that were truly for the sake of Hashem, so too, when a person battles anything that stands in the way of Hashem's honor filling the world, he is fighting Hashem's battles. This is not only about physical wars, but more importantly, the internal struggles within a person to overcome all that holds him back from connecting to Hashem.

This level of נצחון is about having a strong will and determination, not letting anything stop you from your avodah, your service of Hashem. It’s a deeper level than just holding back or restraining yourself; it’s about actively overcoming and being victorious over all challenges in your spiritual life.

The Alter Rebbe now turns to the level of הוד—admission and submission. This involves bowing and admitting to Hashem, recognizing that He is the One who gives life and brings everything into existence.

He explains that everything is truly nullified before Hashem; all of creation is as nothing and absolute zero in comparison to Him. There is no independent existence outside of Hashem, and everything is completely batel—nullified—in His presence.

This level of הוד is about submitting yourself to Hashem, acknowledging His absolute reality and our own nothingness before Him. It’s an act of humility and surrender, recognizing that all that exists is only because Hashem gives it life and being.

The Alter Rebbe continues by addressing a possible question: Even though we do not fully comprehend how everything is truly nothing before Hashem, we still מודים אנחנו—we thankfully admit and acknowledge this truth with complete sincerity.

He emphasizes that our admission is not based on our intellectual grasp, but on a true and genuine acceptance that this is the ultimate reality. Even if we cannot understand it, we submit ourselves and agree that this is the emes, the real truth.

This is the essence of הודאה אמיתית—true admission. It’s about accepting and internalizing the truth of Hashem’s absolute unity and our own nullity, even when it is beyond our comprehension.

Included in this level is also the idea of thanking Hashem for all the goodness He has bestowed upon us. The Alter Rebbe stresses that we must not be ungrateful—we must not, G‑d forbid, fail to recognize and appreciate the kindness and favors that Hashem does for us.

Expressing gratitude is a fundamental part of our relationship with Hashem. We must always acknowledge and thank Him for every kindness, never taking His blessings for granted.

Also included in this level is to thank and praise Hashem for all of His praises, His attributes, and His actions—both in the higher and lower worlds. The Alter Rebbe explains that all of these are praiseworthy to no end, beautiful and fitting for Hashem, blessed be He.

This is connected to the meaning of the word הוד והדר—splendor and majesty. We recognize and praise the greatness and beauty of Hashem’s deeds, which are truly endless and beyond comprehension.

By acknowledging and praising Hashem’s attributes and actions, we express our appreciation for the wondrous and magnificent way in which He created and sustains all worlds, both spiritual and physical.

The Alter Rebbe now moves on to the level of צדיק יסוד עולם—the tzaddik is the foundation of the world. This refers to the middah of Yesod, which is about the soul being deeply bound to Hashem, the source of all life.

He explains that this means to cleave to Hashem with a powerful attachment and longing, with a wondrous desire and delight in that connection. The soul yearns to be united with Hashem in a deep and pleasurable way.

This level is about forming an unbreakable bond with Hashem, where the soul’s entire desire and pleasure is in its connection to the Divine.

Finally, the Alter Rebbe discusses the middah of מלכות—sovereignty. This means to accept upon oneself the yoke of Hashem’s kingship and to serve Him as a servant serves his master, with awe and reverence.

This level is about submitting to Hashem’s authority, recognizing Him as our King, and dedicating ourselves to His service in every aspect of our lives. It is the ultimate expression of humility and devotion, serving Hashem with fear and respect as a loyal servant.