״מָה רַב טוּבְךָ אֲשֶׁר צָפַנְתָּ לִּירֵאֶיךָ וגו׳" (תהלים לא, כ).

It is written, "How great is the goodness You have in store for those who fear You, which You have created for those taking refuge in You…" (Ps. 31:20). The letter opens with an explanation of a verse from Psalms that talks about the reward God gives to those who serve Him, for the good deeds they do, and He rewards them in accordance with the manner and intention with which they do those deeds. Yet what the author of the Tanya focuses on is not the reward but the service of the soul that is revealed by the reward, and he will clarify this through his explanation of the verse. The author points to the two parts of the verse, the first one revolving around "those who fear You," and the second speaking of "those taking refuge in You." As will be explained below, "those who fear you" and "those taking refuge in You," are two types of people. The author of the Tanya goes on to explain the nature of each one and how they differ from one another.

הִנֵּה בִּכְלַל עוֹבְדֵי ה' יֵשׁ ב׳ בְּחִינוֹת וּמַדְרֵגוֹת חֲלוּקוֹת,

Generally speaking, among those who serve God there are two different categories and levels, In the Tanya there is much discussion about the distinction between the tzaddik and the beinoni, (one who is neither righteous nor wicked), between one who serves God and one who does not. These distinctions are distinctions of rank, differences in the intensity of the person's service and its level, differences in the degree of individual revelation. The tzaddik and the beinoni are not on the same plane; one is above the other. It is not that they deal with the same problems in different ways, but rather they deal with different problems. Here, on the other hand, we are talking about a different type of distinction: a distinction between people who are on the same level, but differ in character, personality, and the way in which they approach life. If one person could perfectly fill the place of another person, God would not have created him. Each person has a certain facet, a particular point, that does not exist in anyone else. On the one hand, it can be argued that just as the roots of the souls of Israel number six hundred thousand, so do different types of people. Yet there are divisions that are more inclusive. There is the division into twelve tribes, with each Jew belonging to one of them at the root of his soul. There is the division into seventy (meaning the seventy people who first went down to Egypt), which is also the division into the seven attributes. But the most inclusive division is the division into two, into two different categories and levels.

מִצַּד שׁוֹרֶשׁ נִשְׁמָתָם לְמַעְלָה מִבְּחִינַת יָמִין וּשְׂמֹאל.

depending on the root of their souls above, whether they stem from the right side or the left. The distinction between the two types of service is not only an external expression of character or mode of behavior, but a distinction that stems from the root of the soul. The division here is on the horizontal plane, of right and left, as opposed to a division of above and below. This refers to right and left, not in the physical sense, but as spiritual directions, ways of conceptual and emotional progression in one direction or another.

דְּהַיְינוּ שֶׁבְּחִינַת שְׂמֹאל הִיא מִדַּת הַצִּמְצוּם וְהַהֶסְתֵּר בַּעֲבוֹדַת ה',

That is, the left side is the attribute of constriction and concealment in the service of God, In general, the left side is the side of restraint, fear, and justice. These are not expressions of evil as opposed to good. They are expressions of convergence, of constriction from the periphery to the center, of restraint and concealment, and therefore they are liable to be seen as harsh expressions of resistance to giving and even of evil. In the service of God, the left side is always the side that refers primarily to what occurs internally – inside the house, inside the walls, within boundaries and limitations.

כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: "וְהַצְנֵעַ לֶכֶת כו׳״ (מיכה ו, ח),

as it is written, "And to walk humbly with your God" (Mic. 6:8), There is a mode of divine service that involves "walking humbly with your God," serving Him in a discreet manner, on the inside. This is mainly a matter of character, the mark of a person who does not make his thoughts and actions known because that would bother him and he does not need it. There is also something virtuous about "walking humbly" in the realm of holiness.

״בַּמִּסְתָּרִים תִּבְכֶּה כו׳״ (ירמיה יג, יז), ״כָּל הָעוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה בַּסֵּתֶר כו׳״.

and it is written, "My soul will weep in concealed places..." (Jer. 13:17). Similarly, our Sages speak of one who studies Torah in secret, and so on. Even regarding God Himself there are aspects of revelation, of "might and joy in His place" (I Chron. 16:27), and there are aspects of concealment, where "My soul will weep in concealed places." The verse expresses the personality trait of a person who does not reveal his affairs in public. When he is in a concealed place, a place fit for crying, he cries. But he does not cry in public, nor does he reveal his feelings and experiences, but rather he keeps them to himself. The same is true of Torah study: There are those who study Torah in secret. They study Torah in secret, not because they are embarrassed to reveal what they are doing, but because they are that way, and that is the nature of their Torah study, which is no one else's business. The three expressions that the author of the Tanya uses here encompass all areas of divine service: Torah, prayer, and mitzvot. "Walking humbly" is related to the performance of mitzvot. "My soul will weep in concealed places" refers to the service of prayer performed with weeping and supplications. "Anyone who studies Torah in secret" describes the service of Torah study. This highlights how the two categories of divine service being discussed here is not a distinction between a higher level of service and a lower one, but between the different ways that people do the same thing, and this distinction applies to every area: Torah study, prayer, and the performance of mitzvot.

וְהִנֵּה מִמִּדָּה זוֹ נִמְשְׁכָה גַּם כֵּן בְּחִינַת הַצִּמְצוּם וְהַגְּבוּל בַּעֲבוֹדַת ה׳,

From this trait of the left side is also derived the aspect of constriction and limitation in the service of God, The trait of humility and concealment is also a trait of restriction, of setting limits in the service of God. All forms of refraining from something – from doing, from revealing, from thinking or from speaking – stems from the left, from the force of limitation, justice, and restraint. Even Gevura finds expression, not in a burst of strength, but rather in refraining from any outburst. The same is true of the attribute of justice and of "walking humbly" with God.

כְּמוֹ בִּצְדָקָה, לִהְיוֹת נִידּוֹן בְּהֶשֵּׂג יָד וְהַמְבַזְבֵּז אַל יְבַזְבֵּז יוֹתֵר מֵחוֹמֶשׁ,

such as charity being determined and limited according to one's means and abiding by the dictum that one who dispenses his money to charity should not dispense more than one-fifth. The mitzva of charity has certain halakhic parameters. A person may give only in accordance with his means and no more than that. A person must calculate how much he has and how much he can afford to give, and that is what he will give. Moreover, a person who dispenses charity should not dispense more than one-fifth of his assets, so that he does not end up in a situation where he himself is in need of charity.

וּכְהַאי גַּוְונָא בְּתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה וּשְׁאָרֵי מִצְוֹת, דַּי לוֹ שֶׁיּוֹצֵא יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ מֵחִיּוּב מְפוֹרָשׁ שֶׁחִיְּיבַתּוּ הַתּוֹרָה בְּפֵירוּשׁ, לִקְבּוֹעַ עִתִּים כו׳.

Similarly, regarding Torah study and the other commandments, it is enough for him to discharge his obligation by fulfilling the duty that the Torah explicitly obligates him to do, to set times for Torah study by day and by night. It suffices for such a person to fulfill his obligations regarding the commandments as dictated by the halakha. When it comes to Torah study, for example, a person is commanded to set fixed times to study Torah by day and by night, as the verse states, "You shall ponder it day and night" (Josh. 1:8). Such a person sets frameworks for his study: He has fixed times and fixed classes, and he sticks to his schedule and he will not give up one of his fixed classes under any circumstances. He will invest his energy and strength in meeting the times and classes he set for himself.

אַךְ בְּחִינַת יָמִין הִיא מִדַּת הַחֶסֶד וְהַהִתְפַּשְּׁטוּת בַּעֲבוֹדַת ה׳, בְּהִתְרַחֲבוּת בְּלִי צִמְצוּם וְהֶסְתֵּר כְּלָל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: ״וְאֶתְהַלְּכָה בָרְחָבָה כו׳״ (תהלים קיט, מה).

But the right side is the attribute of kindness and expansiveness in the service of God, serving Him openhandedly without any constriction or concealment at all, as it is written, "Let me walk in a wide, expansive place..." (Ps. 119:45). In contrast to the constriction, convergence, and withdrawal on the left side, the right side is characterized by openness, expansion, and going beyond boundaries. When such a person performs a mitzva, studies Torah, or prays, he does not adhere to fixed boundaries but rather expands and proceeds wherever possible. Such service, which does not stop at the borders, does not remain in the realm of "humbly walking with God." It is visible to the world.

וּמִמֶּנָּה נִמְשָׁךְ גַּם כֵּן מַה שֶּׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה: זְרוֹק מָרָה בַּתַּלְמִידִים כו׳ (כתובות קג, ב). [הערת העורך: צָרִיךְ עִיּוּן, וְנִרְאֶה שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת קוֹדֶם ״אַךְ בְּחִינַת יָמִין כו׳״].

Also derived from this attribute is the trait described by our Rabbis' statement "Cast fear upon your students..." (Ketubot 103b). [Editor's note: The appearance of this last sentence here requires scrutiny; apparently, it ought to appear before the words "But the right side…."] The talmudic Sage Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi made this statement when his eldest son, Rabban Gamliel, was appointed nasi, the head of the Sanhedrin, and he transmitted to him the procedures of the position. He said to him, "Conduct your term as nasi with assertiveness, and cast fear upon your students." These words express restraint, adherence to boundaries, and a refusal to compromise, all characteristics of the attribute of Gevura. In light of this, it would appear, as the parenthetical note points out, that this sentence was printed in the wrong place, since its content suggests that it relates to what was stated above regarding the left side.

וְגַם בְּלִי צִמְצוּם וּגְבוּל כְּלָל, וְאֵין מַעֲצוֹר לְרוּחַ נִדְבָתוֹ, בֵּין בִּצְדָקָה וּבֵין בְּתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה וּשְׁאָרֵי מִצְוֹת, וְלֹא דַּי לוֹ לָצֵאת יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ בִּלְבַד, אֶלָּא עַד בְּלִי דַּי כו׳.

The right side also means serving God without any constriction or limit at all and with no constraint to one's generous spirit, whether with regard to charity, Torah study, or any of the other mitzvot. Such a person does not suffice with fulfilling his obligation alone, but rather exerts himself endlessly, and so on. Such a person does everything in an expansive manner, above and beyond what is required of him. He knows that there are limits, but they are of no consequence to him, and therefore he breaches them, whether in the realm of charity, giving more than required and more than he can afford, or in the realm of Torah study, or with regard to the rest of the mitzvot. He does not act this way to fulfill an obligation, because he does not live with the sense of obligation but with the sense that he is acting willingly, with the sense of giving and benefaction that is never enough. He never feels that what he has done suffices, so he breaks out and continues doing more without limit.

וְהִנֵּה כָּל אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת כָּלוּל מִ־ב׳ בְּחִינוֹת אֵלּוּ,

Every Jew must comprise both these traits, In reality, this distinction between right and left is not so clear-cut. Almost no one epitomizes one side alone. For the most part, people are merely inclined to one side or the other, sometimes in a more extreme manner and sometimes less so. What is more, we are required to work on the nature of our soul in order to combine these traits and not express only one side. Part of our mission in this world is to try to live within ourselves also with the other attributes that are not natural to us.

וְאֵין לְךָ דָּבָר שֶׁאֵין לוֹ מָקוֹם (אבות פרק ד משנה ג).

and "there is no thing that does not have its place" (Mishna Avot 4:3). This division is not between good and bad attributes, but between different attributes, each of which has a time, place, and proportion that are appropriate for it. Everything in the world has a place, and the same is true of the different sides of a person's soul. It is only a question of finding the appropriate time, place, and manner for each side to find expression. Admittedly, an individual has more room for the particular attributes that are more active in his soul, but the other traits also have their time and place. A person who is incapable of uncovering a certain attribute inside himself is not fulfilling his mission completely. A person who has perfected himself can find all the sides and attributes within himself, and not in a way that they contradict each other but in a way that each one has its place, that he knows when and where to employ each attribute.

וְלָכֵן מָצִינוּ כַּמָּה דְּבָרִים מִקּוּלֵּי בֵּית שַׁמַּאי וּמֵחוּמְרֵי בֵּית הִלֵּל,

Therefore, we find several matters where the Sages of Beit Shammai ruled leniently and the Sages of Beit Hillel ruled stringently. Though Beit Shammai usually rules stringently, and Beit Hillel rules in a more lenient manner, there are matters regarding which Beit Shammai is lenient and Beit Hillel is stringent.

לְלַמְּדֵנוּ שֶׁאַף בֵּית שַׁמַּאי, שֶׁשֹּׁרֶשׁ נִשְׁמָתָם מִבְּחִינַת שְׂמֹאל הָעֶלְיוֹן,

This teaches us that even the Sages of Beit Shammai, whose souls were rooted in the supernal left side, Every soul below has a root and source above in the supernal attributes from which it receives its character traits. When the soul is rooted in one of the attributes belonging to the left side, this will also find expression in the person below: in his character, in his deliberations, in the way he sees things. This also explains why there are groups of people who think and feel in a similar manner (even if they are seemingly unrelated), in contrast to other groups, such as the Sages who belonged to the school of Shammai as opposed to the Sages who belonged to the school of Hillel.

וְלָכֵן הָיוּ דָּנִין לְהַחְמִיר תָּמִיד בְּכָל אִיסּוּרֵי הַתּוֹרָה. וּבֵית הִלֵּל שֶׁהָיוּ מִבְּחִינַת יָמִין הָעֶלְיוֹן, הָיוּ מְלַמְּדִין זְכוּת לְהָקֵל וּלְהַתִּיר אִיסּוּרֵי בֵּית שַׁמַּאי,

and therefore they would always rule stringently regarding all the prohibitions of the Torah, while the Sages of Beit Hillel, who stemmed from the supernal right side, would find arguments to be lenient and to permit that which Beit Shammai prohibited, Since the left side is the side of boundaries and limitations, the side of caution and concern, the Sages of Beit Shammai, whose souls were rooted in the supernal left side, was inclined to be stringent, to set limits and erect fences. The Sages of Beit Hillel, on the other hand, stemmed from the supernal right side and so tended to rule leniently and "permit that which Beit Shammai prohibited." When one performs a mitzva with a certain object or person (and not only a mitzva, but anything a Jew is occupied with in this world, such as eating), the goal is to elevate the object and everything related to it from the neutral realm to the realm of holiness. When something is ruled as prohibited, this means that it is bound to the material reality and to kelippa and cannot be released and elevated, and therefore a Jew must not engage with it. In light of this, the author of the Tanya explains elsewhere that the word for a prohibition, issur, is derived from the word assur, tied and bound. When something is ruled as mutar, permitted or "unbound," this means that it can be elevated. If a person makes an effort, if he directs his mind in the proper manner, it is possible to elevate the light and holiness within this permitted thing so that it is lifted out of this world and join them to the Divine. Therefore, Beit Hillel "would find arguments to be lenient." They recognized the difficulties and the problems, and they understood why Beit Shammai declared it prohibited, but nevertheless they sought a way to permit that which is prohibited, to loosen its ties to the kelippot and attach it to holiness.

שֶׁיִּהְיוּ מוּתָּרִים מֵאִיסּוּרָם וְיוּכְלוּ לַעֲלוֹת לְמַעְלָה,

so that they would be released from their prohibited state and be able to ascend above, The definition of Ḥesed as leniency and Gevura as stringency relates not to the person, but to reality. When we say that something is prohibited, the emphasis is not on the fact that it is prohibited to a certain person, but that is prohibited in itself. When we permit it, it is like the release of a prisoner. That which is prohibited is released from its shackles. It goes free, and it is able to ascend to holiness. Generally the Sages of Beit Shammai were more stringent, because they stem from the left side, from the attribute of justice. According to this approach, not everyone can ascend to holiness. Only those who actually meet the qualifications can do so. The Sages of Beit Hillel, on the other hand, were more lenient. Their basic approach is to accept that which extends even beyond the limitations and boundaries.

אַף עַל פִּי כֵן, בְּכַמָּה דְּבָרִים הָיוּ בֵּית שַׁמַּאי מְקִילִּין, מִפְּנֵי הִתְכַּלְּלוּת שֹׁרֶשׁ נִשְׁמָתָם, שֶׁהוּא כָּלוּל גַּם מִיָּמִין, וְכֵן שׁוֹרֶשׁ נִשְׁמַת בֵּית הִלֵּל כָּלוּל גַּם מִשְּׂמֹאל.

in certain matters Beit Shammai were nevertheless lenient. This is due to the integration between the different attributes in the root of their soul, which also comprised of the right side. Likewise, the root of Beit Hillel's soul comprised attributes from the left side as well. The soul of Beit Shammai belongs to the left side, and at the end of the unfolding succession, once a soul descends to this world from on high, where things are said and done, the left seems separate from the right. But at the soul's root, from which the attributes of the left and the right sides emerge, these attributes are integrated with one another, essentially a single essence that splits apart once they have descended to the worlds. Since there is an integration of the different attributes at the root of the soul, even down below nothing is entirely one-sided. This finds expression in the realm of halakha, since there are matters about which Beit Shammai are lenient and matters about which Beit Hillel are stringent, even more so than Beit Shammai.

כַּיָּדוּעַ דֶּרֶךְ וּמִדּוֹת קֹדֶשׁ הָעֶלְיוֹן, דְּלֵית תַּמָּן קִיצּוּץ וּפֵירוּד חַס וְשָׁלוֹם,

As is known, it is the way of the supernal holy attributes that there is no division or separation there, God forbid, As the holy attributes are found above, before they become intermingled and clothed in the lower worlds, so they are found below to the point that this is one of the most distinctive signs of holiness: Any attribute stemming from the side of holiness cannot be severed and detached from its origin or from other attributes. Conversely, wherever things are severed, when they cannot relate to each other and take each other into consideration, that is a sign that they are not from the side of holiness. Wherever you find extremism, where a thing cannot be incorporated into something else, it means that it is not from the side of holiness, that it stems from impurity. The Talmud says that "Beit Shammai did not refrain from marrying women from Beit Hillel, nor did Beit Hillel refrain from marrying women from Beit Shammai. This serves to teach you that they practiced affection and camaraderie between them" (Yevamot 14b). Despite their halakhic disputes, there was no division or hatred between them. This is a sign of holiness: when people who are not of the same nature, who disagree with each other, can live together and be integrated with one another.

וְכָל הַמִּדּוֹת כְּלוּלוֹת זוֹ מִזּוֹ, וְלָכֵן הֵם מְיוּחָדוֹת זוֹ בָּזוֹ, כַּיָּדוּעַ לְיוֹדְעֵי חֵ״ן,

and all the attributes are incorporated into one another. Therefore, they are united with one another, as is known to those initiated in the esoteric wisdom of Kabbala, When the attributes cannot unite and integrate with each other, when each attribute is a separate entity in itself, this is the world of chaos and broken vessels. It is a world and reality that cannot endure, that can exist only as fragments of what could not exist. This is in contrast to the world of rectification, where the attributes are integrated with each other, where the attribute of Ḥesed has a trace of the attribute of Gevura and the attribute of Gevura has a trace of the attribute of Ḥesed. If the attributes were completely separate, with the attribute of Ḥesed being all Ḥesed, and the attribute of Gevura being exclusively Gevura, there would be no possibility of contact and connection between Ḥesed and Gevura. In holiness, even though every attribute has one fundamental hue, the hue is complex, and therefore it also connects with other sides and other colors, until all of them together complete one picture of unity.

וּכְדִכְתִיב בְּאַבְרָהָם, שֶׁהוּא מִדַּת הַחֶסֶד וְהָאַהֲבָה, "עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי כִּי יְרֵא אֱלֹהִים אַתָּה" (בראשית כב, יב),

as it is written regarding Abraham, who represents the attribute of kindness and love, "Now I know that you are God fearing, and you did not withhold your son, your only one, from Me" (Gen. 22:12). After passing the test of the binding of Isaac, Abraham, who was the perfect human expression of the attribute of kindness and love, was told by God, "Now I know that you are God fearing…." The emphasis is on his fear of God and not on his love for Him. Abraham's test related, not to the attribute of kindness, but rather to the opposite attribute. When the angels appeared to him in human form on the third day, when Abraham was sick and in pain, this was not a test for Abraham. On the contrary, it may have been more difficult for him on the previous two days, when no guests arrived. This was true of all his trials. In all of them, he was asked to do something against his character, to break his nature and habits: from his leaving Ur Kasdim, his abandoning and severing of all his ties, until the binding of Isaac, where the man of kindness proved that he was God fearing.

עַל יְדֵי שֶׁלָּבַשׁ מִדַּת הַגְּבוּרָה ״וַיַּעֲקוֹד אֶת יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ... וַיִּקַּח אֶת הַמַּאֲכֶלֶת כו׳״ (שם פסוקים ט–י).

Abraham demonstrated his fear of God by adopting the attribute of Gevura at the binding of Isaac, as it is written, "And he bound Isaac his son...and took the knife to slaughter his son" (Gen. 22:9–10). At the binding of Isaac, Abraham conducted himself in a manner that was the opposite of Abraham. Abraham embodied Ḥesed with every fiber of his being, whereas the binding of Isaac, which involved overcoming and prevailing over his nature, his impulses, his feelings, and his opinions to the furthest extreme, was all Gevura. It is precisely for this reason that this test emphasizes Abraham's perfection. That Abraham was "Abraham who loved Me" had long been known, but now it became clear that he was also "God fearing," and this revelation immeasurably changed and elevated everything that had come before. The same is true on the other side: When a person conducts himself in accordance with the attribute of Gevura, we do not know whether this is merely a character trait, that he is closed and restricted within himself, maintaining limits and boundaries, or whether this flows from the side of holiness and the integration of the attributes. But when he also exposes another side, of love and broad-mindedness, he reveals that everything that came before was not just melancholy but Gevura in holiness.

וּמַה שֶּׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב: ״אַבְרָהָם אוֹהֲבִי״ (ישעיה מא, ח) וּ״פַחַד יִצְחָק״ (בראשית לא, מב), הִנֵּה הַהֶפְרֵשׁ וְהַהֶבְדֵּל הַזֶּה הוּא בִּבְחִינַת גִּילּוּי וְהֶעְלֵם, שֶׁבְּמִדַּת יִצְחָק הַפַּחַד הוּא בִּבְחִינַת גִּילּוּי וְהָאַהֲבָה מְסוּתֶּרֶת, בִּבְחִינַת הֶעְלֵם וְהֶסְתֵּר, וְהַהֵיפֶךְ בְּמִדַּת אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם.

As for the expressions in the verses "Abraham who loved me" (Isa. 41:8) and "the fear of Isaac" (Gen. 31:42), this difference and distinction pertains to which attribute is in a state of revelation and which is in state of hiddenness. In the trait of Isaac, the fear is manifest and the love is concealed, in a state of hiddenness and concealment. The opposite is true of the trait of Abraham, our father, may he rest in peace. If the holy attributes are incorporated into one another, why do the verses assign a particular attribute to each of the forefathers: to Abraham the attribute of love and kindness and to Isaac the attribute of justice and fear? But defining Abraham as a man of kindness does not deprive him of the attribute of fear, just as attributing to Isaac the attribute of fear does not deprive him of the attribute of love. Abraham is not only Ḥesed, and Isaac is not exclusively Gevura. The difference between them relates to which attribute is manifest and which is concealed, which is the revealed attribute and which is the hidden one in their respective souls. In Abraham, kindness is the manifest attribute, while fear is the attribute that is concealed, but the opposite is the case with regard to Isaac. When we characterize a person with a certain attribute, we mean that this attribute is the manifest one, the dominant attribute in his personality and in his life. But in that person's inner essence, all the attributes may be found.

וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר דָּוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם: ״מָה רַב טוּבְךָ וגו׳״ (תהלים לא, כ). כְּלוֹמַר: שֶׁמִּדַּת הַטּוֹב וְהַחֶסֶד, אֲשֶׁר הִיא בִּבְחִינַת הֶעְלֵם וְהֶסְתֵּר אֵצֶל כָּל מִי שֶׁשּׁוֹרֶשׁ נִשְׁמָתוֹ מִבְּחִינַת שְׂמֹאל, הַנִּקְרֵאת בְּשֵׁם ״יְרֵאֶיךָ״, כְּמִדַּת בֵּית שַׁמַּאי, הִנֵּה אַף שֶׁהוּא טוֹב הַגָּנוּז וְצָפוּן, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן הוּא רַב וְגָדוֹל מְאֹד, כְּמוֹ מִדַּת הַגְּדוּלָּה וְהַחֶסֶד מַמָּשׁ שֶׁמִּבְּחִינַת יָמִין.

This the meaning of the following statement of King David, may he rest in peace: "How great is the goodness You have in store for those who fear You" (Ps. 31:20). In other words, the attribute of goodness and kindness, which is in a hidden and concealed state in anyone whose soul is rooted in the left side, in those who are called "those who fear You," like the attribute of Beit Shammai, it is nevertheless very abundant and great, like the actual attribute of greatness and kindness that stems from the right side, even though the goodness is concealed and hidden. The author of the Tanya returns here to the verse with which he opened this epistle. The emphasis is on the abundant goodness, that the good that is hidden, though it does not appear so in a manifest manner, is in a certain sense even more abundant than the revealed attribute of kindness.

וּשְׁתֵּיהֶן הֵן מִבְּחִינַת גִּילּוּי, בְּלִי גְּבוּל וּמִדָּה וְשִׁיעוּר.

Both of these degrees of kindness, that which is in a revealed state and that which is concealed, are manifest without limit, measure, or estimation. This is the characteristic of Ḥesed: manifestation and expansion without limit. Even the hidden kindness of those who fall into the category of "those who fear You," is also kindness in the same manner. It is only a question of the appropriate place and need for it to be revealed in a way that is "without limit, measure, or estimation."

וְזֶהוּ שֶׁכָּתוּב "מָה רַב טוּבְךָ", כְּלוֹמַר בְּלִי גְּּבוּל וּמִדָּה. בֵּין הַטּוֹב "אֲשֶׁר צָפַנְתָּ לִירֵאֶיךָ", וּבֵין "אֲשֶׁר פָּעַלְתָּ לַחוֹסִים בָּךְ", שֶׁהֵם בַּעֲלֵי הַבִּטָּחוֹן שֶׁמִּבְּחִינַת יָמִין.

This is the meaning of the verse "How great is Your goodness": without limit or measure. This applies to both the concealed good that "You have in store for those who fear You," and the revealed good that "You have created for those taking refuge in You," those who embody trust in God, which comes from the right side. The one who takes refuge in God trusts in Him and confidently follows Him without calculations. On the other hand, everything that one who is fearful does is calculated and restrained. He will only choose a proven path that is guaranteed in advance after it has all the proper justifications.

וְחַסְדָּם וְטוּבָם הוּא גַּם כֵּן בִּבְחִינַת גִּילּוּי וְהִתְפַּשְּׁטוּת ״נֶגֶד בְּנֵי אָדָם״, וְלֹא בִּבְחִינַת צִמְצוּם וְהֶסְתֵּר כְּלָל.

The kindness and goodness of "those who fear you" are also in a state of manifestation and expansion "to be bestowed openly to the sons of man" and not in a constricted or concealed manner at all. The attribute of Ḥesed is found equally in those who fear You and in those who embody trust in You. There is a difference between them as to the degree of the attribute's accessibility and clarity to other people, but there is no difference regarding its existence and its ability to appear in a revealed and expansive state.

(וּמַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב ״לִירֵאֶיךָ״ וְלֹא ״בִּירֵאֶיךָ״, הַיְינוּ מִשּׁוּם שֶׁכָּל מַה שֶּׁהוּא בִּבְחִינַת הֶעְלֵם בְּכָל נְשָׁמָה, הִנֵּה בְּחִינָה זוֹ אֵינָהּ מְלוּבֶּשֶׁת תּוֹךְ הַגּוּף בְּמוֹחוֹ וְלִבּוֹ, אֶלָּא הוּא בִּבְחִינַת מַקִּיף, מִלְמַעְלָה,

(As for the verse using the phrase "to those who fear you" rather than "in those who fear you," this is because any attribute that is in a concealed state within any soul is not manifest within the body, in his mind and heart, but rather it encompasses from above, The author of the Tanya here adds a parenthetical note derived from a precise reading of the verse that illuminates all that has been said with more profound meaning. He points out that it has been explained that abundant goodness is stored within "those who fear You." If so, the verse should read "in those who fear You" and not "to those who fear You." He answers that in every person's soul there are parts that are manifest and there are parts that are concealed, that are not usually evident in the actions and expressions of the soul. The visible parts of a person's soul are those that are manifest within him, in his body and in his soul's faculties, his cognitive and emotive attributes – "his mind and heart" – and find expression in them. The person thinks and feels these parts of his soul in an active and conscious way. By contrast, the concealed parts of his soul, those parts that are not manifest in him, are found in him in an encompassing way. They affect him, because if they did not affect him at all, it would be impossible to say that they belong to him in any sense, but this influence is not direct and visible, but rather encompasses from above. These parts are concealed not only from other people, but in a deeper sense, are not directly and explicitly revealed even to the person himself. Those parts of his soul are manifest only in the way he sees things, in the atmosphere that envelops him, or they do not reveal themselves at all. In any event, they exist for him and have an impact, as will be explained below.

וּמִשָּׁם הִיא מְאִירָה לְמוֹחוֹ וְלִבּוֹ לְעִתִּים הַצְּרִיכִים לְהִתְעוֹרְרוּת בְּחִינָה זוֹ, שֶׁתִּתְעוֹרֵר וְתָאִיר לְמוֹחוֹ וְלִבּוֹ כְּדֵי לָבֹא לִידֵי מַעֲשֶׂה בְּפוֹעַל מַמָּשׁ.)

and from there it radiates to his mind and heart at those times when it is necessary for this attribute to be awakened, so that it will be awakened and radiate to his mind and heart in order to result in an actual deed.) As has been stated, a sign of holiness is that the hidden, encompassing part of the soul does not always remain in that state. Even an attribute that is the complete opposite of the manifest attributes in a person's soul, an attribute that is found only in the hidden and encompassing aspect of his personality, is sometimes revealed in practice in his consciousness and emotions, and of course in his thoughts and actions. Even in a person who embodies Gevura, for example, in whom the side of Ḥesed is completely hidden, the attribute of kindness and love, of openness and going beyond the limits, becomes manifest from time to time, where it is necessary.

וְאָמַר עַל כֵּן, אֲשֶׁר ״רַב טוּב״ לְבֵית יִשְׂרָאֵל הַצָּפוּן וְהַגָּלוּי הוּא בִּבְחִינַת בְּלִי גְּבוּל וּמִדָּה לְפִי עֵרֶךְ נַפְשׁוֹתָם הַמְלוּבֶּשֶׁת בַּגּוּף,

Thus King David said that inasmuch as the abundant goodness in the house of Israel, both the hidden goodness and the revealed goodness, is unlimited and immeasurable compared to the component of their soul that is enclothed in the body, The attribute of goodness and kindness, the readiness to give without limit and measure, is found in every member of Israel. This attribute is greater than the component of the soul that manifests itself in the physical life of this world. The soul is revealed in vessels, and when these vessels are limited material vessels, the element of the soul that is manifest in them is also small and limited in comparison to the hidden part of the soul that is not revealed in these vessels at this time.

לָכֵן, גַּם אַתָּה ה׳ תִּתְנַהֵג עִמָּהֶם בְּמִדַּת חַסְדְּךָ הַגָּדוֹל בְּלִי גְּבוּל וְתַכְלִית, הַנִּקְרֵאת "רַב חֶסֶד".

therefore, you too, God, act toward them with Your great, unlimited, and unending kindness, which is called "abundant kindness." Just as the Jewish people reveal within themselves, or can potentially reveal within themselves when necessary, kindness that is beyond limit and measure, so too we ask God to behave toward them with the same attribute of infinite kindness, which is called "abundant kindness."

דְּאִית חֶסֶד וְאִית חֶסֶד (זהר חלק ג קלג, ב). אִית ‘חֶסֶד עוֹלָם׳, שֶׁיֵּשׁ כְּנֶגְדּוֹ וּלְעוּמָּתוֹ מִדַּת הַדִּין, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, לְמַעֵט וּלְצַמְצֵם חַסְדּוֹ וְטוּבוֹ,

For "there is kindness, and there is kindness" (Zohar 3:113b). There is world-centered kindness, which has opposed and counter to it the attribute of judgment, God forbid, to minimize and constrict His kindness and goodness, The Zohar explains there are two general levels of Ḥesed: The first is Ḥesed that relates to the boundaries of the world and is limited by them, called "world-centered kindness." This level of Ḥesed has a counterpart in the attribute of judgment, which can minimize and constrict God's kindness and goodness. This world-centered kindness is part of the reality of the world, in which are also found the attributes of judgment and constriction. The pattern of the world is essentially a limited pattern: Nothing contained within it expands without limit. Every force is limited by other forces, and every reality is limited by other realities. With regard to the attribute of kindness, for example, even that of a person who is kind and a great lover of mankind, there are necessarily limits set by the attribute of judgment that restrict his kindness. He loves people, but there are some who are difficult even for him to love. He gives to everyone, but there are amounts that even he will not give, and there are some people that even he will concede do not deserve to receive. This is the attribute of world-centered kindness, of kindness that is limited within the dimensions of reality.

אֲבָל ‘חֶסֶד עֶלְיוֹן׳, הַנִּקְרָא ״רַב חֶסֶד״, אֵין כְּנֶגְדּוֹ מִדַּת הַדִּין לְמַעֵט וּלְצַמְצֵם רוֹב חַסְדּוֹ מִלְּהִתְפַּשֵּׁט בְּלִי גְּבוּל וְתַכְלִית. כִּי הוּא נִמְשָׁךְ מִבְּחִינַת ‘סוֹבֵב כָּל עָלְמִין׳, וּ'טְמִירָא דְּכָל טְמִירִין׳ הַנִּקְרָא ‘כֶּתֶר עֶלְיוֹן׳.

but in the case of supernal kindness, which is called "abundant kindness," there is no attribute of judgment opposing it to minimize and constrict His abundant kindness from expanding without limit or end, for it is derived from the level of encompassing all worlds, and that which is hidden even from all that is hidden, which is called the "supernal crown." Supernal kindness exists above and beyond the world's infrastructure. It derives from the level of "encompassing all worlds," which transcends the reality of the world, and from that which is hidden even from all that is hidden, also called the "supernal crown." Like a crown that is above the head and surrounds it, so too the level of encompassing all worlds is completely above all the worlds, encompassing and distinct from all of existence. The Ḥesed that comes from the supernal crown is therefore unlimited. It is the Ḥesed of Ein Sof. Nothing counters it, and nothing can limit it. World-centered kindness is the attribute of Ḥesed of the inner attributes, which relate to each other and limit one another. By contrast, supernal kindness flows from the inner will, the simple will that is at the root of all the soul's faculties, with nothing opposing it and no force limiting it. This is how one should understand the verse "How great is the goodness You have in store for those who fear You." In the soul of every Jew, both those in whom goodness is manifest as well as those in whom it is hidden within the attribute of Gevura that is manifest in them, there is the attribute of abundant goodness. This is the abundant goodness that is beyond the revealed attribute of goodness. It is the goodness that is found beyond the limits of the soul, yet operates within it. With this attribute of abundant goodness, one awakens the attribute of supernal kindness so that the abundant kindness may flow without limit.

וְזֶהוּ שֶׁכָּתוּב: ״תַּסְתִּירֵם בְּסֵתֶר פָּנֶיךָ וגו׳ תִּצְפְּנֵם בְּסוּכָּה וגו׳״ (תהלים לא, כא).

This is the meaning of the next verse, "Conceal them in the secret place of Your presence; shelter them...in Your pavilion..." (Ps. 31:21). These words are expressions of supernal Ḥesed, of "abundant kindness," which is stored away and hidden in the supernal crown that hangs over and encompasses reality. This is the implication of the word sukka in the verse, which has the same root as the word sokheh, which connotes a covering or that which envelops. This level of Ḥesed can reveal itself even in Jews whose souls are rooted in the left side, where the attribute of judgment conceals the attribute of Ḥesed in them. There is no judgment that cancels or limits supernal Ḥesed.