אלול כ"ד – אגרת הקודש פרק יז

The Alter Rebbe begins by stating a foundational principle: it is well known that when there is an אתערותא דלתתא—an arousal from below, meaning when a person awakens within himself the attribute of kindness and compassion towards those in need of mercy—this causes an אתערותא דלעילא, an arousal from above.

In other words, when a person acts with chesed and rachamim—kindness and compassion—towards others, this stirs a corresponding response from above. The Alter Rebbe emphasizes that this is a recurring theme: if we want to draw down Hashem's compassion upon ourselves, we must first act compassionately towards others. Our actions below serve as the trigger for a Divine response from above.

Through this arousal from below, a person awakens upon himself great mercy—רחמים רבים—from the source of compassion. This results in Hashem bestowing upon him both the fruits of his actions in this world and the principle for the World to Come.

The Alter Rebbe is setting up the idea that our acts of kindness and compassion not only bring blessing in this world, but also have a lasting effect, with the main reward reserved for the next world. He will soon explain what is meant by "fruits" and "principle."

The Alter Rebbe now explains what is meant by the fruits—הפירות. The fruits refer to the flow of blessing that comes from the source of compassion and from the life of all life, which is Hashem Himself.

This flow descends from above, through the chain-like progression of the worlds—hishtalshelus—from the highest spiritual realms all the way down, until it becomes clothed in this physical world. Here, it manifests as tangible blessings: children, life, and sustenance—בני חיי ומזוני—and other material needs.

So, the "fruits" are the physical blessings we receive in this world as a result of our acts of kindness and compassion, which originate from the highest spiritual source but are drawn down into our everyday lives.

What about the principle—הקרן? The Alter Rebbe explains that this is as it is written: רחבה מצותך מאד—"Your mitzvah is exceedingly broad."

This phrase from Tehillim is brought to show that the main reward, the "principle," is something vast and enduring, not just a temporary benefit. The Alter Rebbe will soon clarify what exactly this "broad mitzvah" refers to.

The Alter Rebbe raises two questions about the verse: Why does it say מצותיך—"Your commandments"—in the plural? And what does it mean that the mitzvah is "broad"—רחבה? What is the significance of this wideness?

He is pointing out that the wording of the verse needs explanation. If we are talking about a specific mitzvah, why use the plural? And what is the deeper meaning of calling a mitzvah "broad"?

The Alter Rebbe answers that the verse is referring specifically to מצותך—your mitzvah, in the singular. This is the mitzvah of tzedakah, which is uniquely called Hashem's mitzvah.

He explains that this mitzvah is not just one among many, but is considered מצות ה'—the mitzvah of Hashem Himself. The reason is that tzedakah is the mitzvah that Hashem is constantly performing, so to speak, by sustaining and giving life to all the worlds. Therefore, it is called "your mitzvah"—the mitzvah that is most closely associated with Hashem's own actions.

The Alter Rebbe elaborates that Hashem Himself, in His glory and essence, is constantly engaged in this act—giving life to the worlds. This is the ongoing Divine kindness that sustains all of creation.

Furthermore, in the future, when Mashiach comes, this Divine act of giving will be revealed with even greater strength and intensity—with much more force and power than it is now. The flow of Divine kindness will be infinitely greater, and the world will experience Hashem's compassion in a way that far surpasses anything we know today.

To support this, the Alter Rebbe brings the verse: ושמרו דרך ה' לעשות צדקה—"And they shall keep the way of Hashem, to do tzedakah…" This shows that tzedakah is called the way of Hashem.

He explains this with an analogy: just as a road—דרך—connects one city to another, so too, tzedakah serves as the "road" that brings down the Divine light and blessing from above into this world. Through acts of tzedakah, we create a channel for Hashem's infinite kindness to be revealed below, just as a road allows for travel and connection between distant places.

The Alter Rebbe explains that צדקה—charity—is not just an act of kindness in the conventional sense. Rather, it is a channel for the גילוי והארת אור א"ס ב"ה—the revelation and radiance of the Infinite Light of the Blessed Ein Sof. This is the level known as סובב כל עלמין—the light that surrounds all worlds, transcending them entirely.

Through the act of אתערותא דלתתא—an arousal from below, meaning our own initiative in performing acts of charity and gratuitous kindness—this transcendent light is drawn down to shine and be revealed all the way into this physical world. The Alter Rebbe emphasizes that this will reach its ultimate expression in the future, at the time of the resurrection of the dead—לעתיד בתחיית המתים.

At that time, the revelation will be with much greater intensity and strength—ביתר שאת ויתר עז לאין קץ—than anything experienced even in the highest levels of Gan Eden, whether lower or upper. In other words, the illumination that will be drawn down through tzedakah in the future will be infinitely greater than the spiritual delight currently available to souls in the afterlife.

The Alter Rebbe continues by explaining what will happen to the souls of the righteous in the future. He says that all the souls of the tzaddikim, the Tannaim, and the prophets—those who are currently in the highest levels of Gan Eden—will יתלבשו בגופותיהם לעתיד—be clothed once again in their bodies in the time to come.

They will יקומו בזמן התחייה—rise at the time of the resurrection—to ליהנות מזיו השכינה—enjoy the radiance of the Shechinah. This means that the ultimate reward and pleasure is not just for the soul in the spiritual realms, but will be experienced by the soul together with the body in the physical world, in a way that is far greater than what is possible in Gan Eden alone.

Why is the future revelation so much greater? The Alter Rebbe explains that the illumination and revelation currently experienced in Gan Eden is from the level of ממלא כל עלמין—the Divine light that fills all worlds. This is a level of G‑dliness that is channeled through a process of evolution and descent—השתלשלות ממדרגה למדרגה—from one spiritual level to the next, through many intense contractions (צמצומים עצומים).

In other words, the spiritual delight that souls experience in Gan Eden is a result of G‑dly light that has been filtered and measured, so that it can be grasped and appreciated by created beings, each according to their own capacity.

The Alter Rebbe brings a teaching of our sages: "With the letter Yud, the World to Come was created"—ביו"ד נברא עוה"ב. This refers to the level of חכמה עילאה—supernal wisdom, which is also called עדן העליון—the supernal Eden.

This level of Chochmah, the highest wisdom, is what evolves and becomes invested in all the worlds. As the verse says, "You made them all with wisdom"—כולם בחכמה עשית—and "Wisdom gives life"—והחכמה תחי'. So the entire process of spiritual evolution and the life-force of all worlds comes from this Divine wisdom, which is the source of the light experienced in Gan Eden.

In Gan Eden, this Divine light is revealed in a way that can be grasped and comprehended—גילוי ההשגה. Each soul receives this revelation לכל חד לפום שיעורא דילי'—each one according to its own measure and capacity.

This means that the pleasure and delight of the soul in Gan Eden is tailored to the level of understanding and spiritual achievement that each person reached during their lifetime. The experience is individualized, based on the soul's unique spiritual stature.

The Alter Rebbe further clarifies that the delight of the souls in Gan Eden comes from השגת סודות התורה—grasping the secrets of the Torah. This is specifically the secrets of the Torah that one engaged with in this world through the revealed aspects—שעסק בעוה"ז בנגלה.

In other words, the spiritual pleasure in Gan Eden is a result of the deeper understanding and inner meaning of the Torah that a person merited to uncover through their study and observance in this physical world. The more one toiled in Torah here, the greater the delight in the next world.

This idea is supported by sources in both the Zohar and the Talmud. The Zohar in Parshas Shelach, as well as the story of Rabbah bar Nachmani in the Gemara, discuss how the reward and pleasure of the soul in the afterlife is connected to the Torah study and spiritual achievements of a person in this world.

These sources illustrate that the spiritual delight in Gan Eden is not arbitrary, but is directly linked to one's efforts and accomplishments in learning and understanding Torah during their lifetime.

However, the revelation that will take place at the time of the resurrection—בתחיית המתים—will be of a completely different order. It will come from the level of סובב כל עלמין—the light that surrounds all worlds. This light is not subject to צמצום ושיעור וגבול—contraction, measurement, or limitation.

Instead, it is without any boundary or end—בלי גבול ותכלית. The future revelation will be infinite, far surpassing anything experienced in Gan Eden, because it will not be filtered or limited in any way. This is the ultimate reward that will be experienced in the time to come, through the power of tzedakah and acts of kindness performed in this world.

The Alter Rebbe here references what he explains in Likkutei Amarim chapter 48, regarding the concept of סובב כל עלמין—the level that surrounds all worlds. He clarifies that this term does not mean, G‑d forbid, that it is like a physical circle or that it literally encircles the worlds in a spatial sense.

Rather, the meaning of סובב here is that this Divine light is not in a state of התלבשות—enclothing or being invested—within the worlds. It is not limited or defined by the boundaries and characteristics of the worlds it influences. Instead, it remains above and beyond, not being grasped or contained by the worlds, and thus is described as 'surrounding' them.

This is a crucial distinction: סובב כל עלמין does not refer to a spatial relationship, but to a quality of transcendence. The Divine light at this level is not internalized or measured according to the capacity of the recipient, as is the case with ממלא כל עלמין—the level that fills all worlds. Rather, it is infinite and unbounded, shining upon all equally from above, without being altered or diminished by the limitations of creation.

The Alter Rebbe directs us to look there—Likkutei Amarim chapter 48—for a fuller explanation of this concept. He encourages the reader to study that section well, as it elaborates in depth on the difference between the Divine light that is invested within the worlds and the light that transcends them, and how this relates to the idea of סובב כל עלמין.