״וּצְדָקָה כְּנַחַל אֵיתָן״ (בְּעָמוֹס סוֹף סִימָן ה׳ פסוק כד)

"And charity like a constant [eitan ] river" (in Amos, end of chapter 5, verse 24). This verse juxtaposes charity with a "constant river." At first glance, these terms seem completely unrelated to each other. This essay of Kuntres Aḥaron is concerned with understanding the connection between them.

פֵּירוּשׁ: כְּמוֹ שֶׁנַּחַל אֵיתָן הוּא הַמְשָׁכָה הַנִּמְשֶׁכֶת מִבְּחִינַת ‘אֵיתָן׳

This means: Like an eitan river, which is a flow that flows from the aspect of eitan ["constant; firm"], First, the author of the Tanya discusses the concept of an "eitan river," in the spiritual sense rather than the physical. A river is a drawing forth. In the physical world, for example, water emerges and flows as a river. The river that is "eitan " is one whose flow possesses the aspect of eitan, meaning that it is strong, stable, and unchanging. This is a reference to the source of the flow, which is the essence and origin of all revelations and flows. This essence itself is immutable. In kabbalistic terms, the "eitan river" is the manifestation and illumination of Ḥokhma (Wisdom) in Bina (Understanding): Eitan is Ḥokhma and the river is Bina. Similarly, wisdom is the source of every manifestation and flow in the human soul. This is because wisdom receives the flow of the soul's essence, which is on a higher level than all of the soul's various manifestations. Furthermore, the lights of wisdom are revealed within the soul by means of the attribute of understanding. Through understanding, these lights expand and flow into all of the soul's faculties, attributes, and garments.

שֶׁהִיא

which is an expression of "a point in the sanctum," and "two spouses…" The "eitan river" is equated with two expressions used in the Zohar to refer to the union of Ḥokhma and Bina. Just like wisdom in the human soul, Ḥokhma is a "point," a flash of light that is lacking any dimension, having no length or width. It has reality and meaning only in the "sanctum" of Bina, which absorbs, develops, and reveals the light within its own, defined dimensions. This is the meaning of the expression "a point in the sanctum." Elsewhere, Ḥokhma and Bina are compared to "two friends who are not separated." They are the two cognitive faculties that have no substance or meaning when separate from each other. Consequently, they always occur together in reality.

וְאוֹתִיּוֹת ‘אֵיתָן׳ מְשַׁמְּשׁוֹת לֶעָתִיד

Each of the letters of eitan are used to indicate the future tense, Every future-tense verb in the Hebrew language begins with one of the four letters of the word eitan: alef, yod, tav, or nun. Accordingly, the word eitan contains an allusion to the World to Come.

פֵּירוּשׁ ‘אֲנָא עָתִיד לְאִתְגַּלְּיָא׳ כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: "הִנֵּה יַשְׂכִּיל עַבְדִּי וגו׳״ (ישעיה נב,יג)

meaning "I will reveal myself in the future," as it is written: "Behold, My servant will succeed…" (Isa. 52:13). The most significant difference between this world and the World to Come is that in this world, we act but do not see the results of our actions, whereas in the World to Come, we will see them clearly. In other words, the World to Come will be an era of revelation, namely the revelation that ensues from our labor. Therefore, it belongs only to the World to Come, the stage that comes after we have toiled, when everything that was previously concealed will be revealed. The verse cited here depicts the Messiah, who will reign in the World to Come. It illustrates the fact that the level of revelation in that era will surpass all previous revelations.

וְהַיְינוּ שֶׁיִּתְגַּלֶּה אָז אוֹר אֵין סוֹף בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְיִחוּדוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ תּוֹךְ פְּנִימִית נְקוּדַּת הַלֵּב

That is, the light of Ein Sof , blessed be He, and His unity, will then be revealed within the internality of the point of the heart, The tremendous revelation that is to take place in the World to Come consists of three key stages: The first stage is the revelation of the light of Ein Sof in this world. At this stage, we will not yet comprehend the nature, meaning, or impact of the light of Ein Sof, but simply the fact that it exists. In other words, the physical realm will no longer be closed off to it. The second stage is the revelation of the fact that the light of Ein Sof is "one": It is not made up of a number of lights from various sources. There is only one light, and it encompasses the whole of reality, both the upper and lower realms. The third stage is the revelation of these things within the innermost point of the heart. Since the revelation of the World to Come is a revelation granted to human beings, it has both an external aspect and an inner aspect: Intellectual revelation, the knowledge of reality, is external, while emotional revelation, which is manifested in the heart, is internal. It is a revelation that affects us; it moves us and can even change us. The revelation to the innermost point of the heart is very deep, to the core of the soul, which is truly the manifestation of the very essence of soul.

עַל יְדֵי הַמְשָׁכַת נַחַל אֵיתָן, הוּא הֶאָרַת חָכְמָה עִילָּאָה שֶׁיָּאִיר בִּפְנִימִיּוּת הַלֵּב

by means of the flow of the eitan river, which is an illumination of the supernal Ḥokhma that will illuminate the internality of the heart, The revelation in the World to Come is, as explained, the illumination of the "point" of Ḥokhma in Bina and in the attributes and the internality of the attributes (the point of the heart). The inner dimension of the emotive attributes, which is the inner dimension of the heart, is where the illumination is extremely impactful, affecting the essence of the soul itself. The illumination of supernal Ḥokhma in the inner dimension of the heart is the actual revelation of supernal Ḥokhma, and of the light of Ein Sof and the divine essence enclothed within it. This is the one and only level at which the soul's aspect of eitan is revealed. This illumination is the flow of the fine point of its very essence, to the extent that this can be described in words. It cannot be revealed in a person's intellect, nor even in his emotions, but only in the innermost point of his heart. By analogy, human beings are also "revealed" in different ways: With respect to his child, a person is revealed as a "parent." At his place of work, he may be regarded as an "employee" or a "manager," and so forth. But where is a person's essence revealed? One is most likely to reveal his true self to a person who truly cares about him, who does not wish to take anything from him, who is entirely concerned with his wellbeing, and who nullifies himself and his own needs for the sake of the person he cares about. Thus, the innermost point of the heart is more than just the revelation's end point: it is the place where the revelation actually takes place.

לִיבָּטֵל בְּיִחוּדוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּתַכְלִית מֵעוּמְקָא דְּלִבָּא אַחֲרֵי הֲסָרַת הָעָרְלָה מִתַּאֲווֹת הַגַּשְׁמִיּוֹת וכו׳

to be absolutely negated in God's unity, from the depths of the heart, after the removal of the foreskin, from physical lusts… When nullification occurs in the depths of a person's heart, he has the sensation, and even the status of being completely subsumed in the unity of the light of Ein Sof. However, this occurrence is subject to a certain condition. Although it is associated with the World to Come, this does not mean that it is purely time dependent. Time is a key element, but certain events must occur, and specific things must change, at the right time. If they do not, the era is largely insignificant, or it is significant in a different way. The condition is that the "foreskin of the heart" must be removed. When a person is consumed with physical desire, his heart becomes enclosed in an additional "covering," which prevents it from feeling anything other than physical desire. Consequently, it is capable of experiencing only those feelings that can be expressed in physical terms. In their lower form, these include physical desires for food, material possessions, and so on. In their higher form, they include more personal desires such as fulfillment and growth. In any case, such a person is unable to perceive what is good and true at all, and he is certainly incapable of sensing the spiritual reality, namely the existence and essence of God.

וְהִנֵּה עַתָּה, בַּגָּלוּת הַחֵל הַזֶּה, יֵשׁ גַּם כֵּן עֵצָה יְעוּצָה לְהָאִיר קְצָת אוֹר ה׳ מִבְּחִינַת אֵיתָן לְתוֹךְ נְקוּדַּת פְּנִימִיּוּת הַלֵּב, כְּעֵין לֶעָתִיד

Now, in this exile that has begun, there is also a devised plan to shine a little of the light of God from the aspect of eitan into the internal point of the heart, in the manner of the future. The phrase "this exile that has begun" (see Obad. 1:20) is a reference to the current exile. This is the final exile, which will come to an end only with the full redemption, in the World to Come. In that forthcoming, complete redemption, there will be no more evil. This exile, however, also refers to the different flaws of this world: not only was the Second Temple burned down and the Jewish people were driven out of their land, but even more significantly, the entire world is in a state of divine concealment and sorrow. This has been defined as the state in which the divine sparks are trapped in the husks, and we are obligated to extract them through the mitzvot. This exile of such a great scope will be rectified only when there is a fundamental shift in the center of gravity of the world. The entire belief system of the physical world must change: what is important and what is not, what is real and what is not, and so on. As mentioned, this shift is ultimately in the hands of God, and will be implemented in the World to Come. However, it states here that within the microcosm of the individual human being, there is a way to receive the aforementioned illumination, or something akin to this illumination, or perhaps "just a glimmer of it," in the here and now. The author of the Tanya explains this idea below. In theory, there is no question that this illumination, the light from the aspect of eitan, is capable of penetrating the innermost point of the heart even in the present day. However, the physical world, which is situated between them, prevents it from happening. The various possible paths that the light may take are false and lead elsewhere. Nonetheless, the world is not completely impermeable: occasionally, something that has the capacity to get through it succeeds in doing so. This is not possible everywhere, and moreover, it can change after a day, an hour, or even a minute, because the physical world, which is dynamic and ever-changing, will certainly proceed to conceal whichever paths are uncovered. Nonetheless, in the right time and place, and with the right person, God's light is able to shine from the aspect of eitan into the innermost point of the heart, as it will in the World to Come. The author of the Tanya observes that we are provided with a strategy for bringing on this momentous revelation:

וְהַיְינוּ, עַל יְדֵי שֶׁמְּעוֹרֵר עַל נִיצוֹץ אֱלֹקוּת שֶׁבְּנַפְשׁוֹ בְּחִינַת ‘רַחֲמִים רַבִּים׳ הָעֶלְיוֹנִים

That is, by arousing the aspect of supernal "great mercies" upon the divine spark in his soul. The ability to draw the light of Ein Sof into the innermost point of the heart is not within a person's ability, with his intellect or will, and so forth, but relates to something else entirely: the arousal of the supernal great compassion. Compassion is unique in that one can feel it for someone he does not know, or something that is totally outside his scale of values, even a drenched bird, a dying tree, and so on. Consequently, in order to arouse God's mercy, even though we are entirely worthless in comparison to it, if we are only aware that we are far from God, this ability is always within our grasp. For example, compassion is a force that emanates from the soul's essence and flows through the middle "array" of the sefirot, which rises to the sefira of Keter, Crown. This is especially true with regard to the supernal great compassion mentioned here, God's attribute of compassion, which is on a higher level than the intellectual faculties. More than any other spiritual faculty, the attribute of compassion embodies God's deep, essential connection to the world. Thus, we are capable of arousing the supernal great compassion, and moreover, this compassion flows from the highest level, the light of Ein Sof.

כִּי בֶּאֱמֶת כָּל זְמַן שֶׁאֵין הָאָדָם זוֹכֶה שֶׁיִּתְגַּלֶּה אוֹר ה' מִבְּחִינַת אֵיתָן בִּנְקוּדַּת פְּנִימִית לְבָבוֹ, לִיבָּטֵל בְּיִחוּדוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ מֵעוּמְקָא דְּלִבָּא עַד כְּלוֹת הַנֶּפֶשׁ מַמָּשׁ, אֲזַי בֶּאֱמֶת יֵשׁ רַחֲמָנוּת גְּדוֹלָה עַל הַנִּיצוֹץ שֶׁבְּנַפְשׁוֹ

For in truth, as long as a person does not merit that the light of God will be revealed from the aspect of eitan in the point of his internal heart, to be negated in His unity from the depths of the heart, until the actual expiration of the soul, then there is truly a great pity for the spark in his soul. The author of the Tanya teaches us the fundamental truth about the current exile. When the world, and the individual, are in exile, the divine spark within the soul deserves compassion. This does not pertain only to specific individuals who are worthy of compassion because they are either wretched or, whether intentionally or not, wicked. Rather, it is true for everyone, including complete tzaddikim. When the divine light illuminates the innermost point of a person's heart as it will in the World to Come, the person's self-conception is completely nullified. This means that the person himself, as we know him, is completely nullified.

כִּי הַנִּיצוֹץ נִמְשַׁךְ מִבְּחִינַת חָכְמָה עִילָּאָה מַמָּשׁ, וּכְשֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְהָאִיר מִבְּחִינָתוֹ לְתוֹךְ פְּנִימִיּוּת הַלֵּב שֶׁשָּׁם מְקוֹם גִּילּוּי הֶאָרָה זוֹ,

For the spark is drawn from the actual supernal Ḥokhma , and when it cannot illuminate from its own aspect into the internality of the heart, which is the place for the revelation of this illumination, then it is in an actual state of exile. The divine spark in the soul is drawn from the supernal Ḥokhma of God Himself, which is in the world of Atzilut. In other words, it comes from the source of all reality: the inner dimension of Ḥokhma, which enclothes the light of Ein Sof. In addition to being a part of the Divine, this spark is the supernal source of the human soul. As explained, the supernal illumination of the divine spark can be revealed only in the innermost point of the heart. This is analogous to a king who shows himself only in his royal chamber. Everywhere else, the king himself is concealed, though when necessary, he reveals himself partially in order to address different local needs. Likewise, the divine spark within a person is truly revealed only in the innermost point of the heart. Exile is the state in which a person's unique essence is not revealed or actualized. Instead, it is used for the benefit of other people and the surrounding environment. Likewise, when the soul's unique essence, the divine spark within it, is not revealed for its own sake, but is only something that gives strength and vitality to other parts of the human being, this is considered "true exile."

וְעַל יְדֵי ‘רַחֲמִים רַבִּים׳ הָעֶלְיוֹנִים יוֹצֵא מֵהַגָּלוּת וְהַשִּׁבְיָה

But through the supernal "great mercies" it emerges from exile and captivity, The spark can be brought out of exile by means of the great compassion. As mentioned, compassion refers to the capacity of the highest level to connect to that which is farthest away from it. Thus, it is the connection formed by the Divine, or the aspect of supernal Keter, to the human being who, with his thoughts and actions, is on an extremely low level. Likewise, it is the connection of the soul's essence, the aspect of eitan, to the farthest of all the places where the soul is concealed. When the connection described here is formed, and the feeling of compassion is experienced, the divine spark comes out of exile. Moreover, exile and spiritual captivity, and in a certain sense, physical captivity, too, depend more than anything else on the person's level of awareness. When one does not know that he is a captive, that he is serving others, he is in the deepest exile. However, once compassion has been aroused, he begins to understand that he is not who he thought he was, that he does not belong there, and that his current situation is dire. He realizes that he is deserving of compassion, and at that very moment, he begins to emerge from the exile. Thereafter, though his physical reality may be different, he knows that this reality is external and temporary.

וּמֵאִיר לְתוֹךְ נְקוּדָּה פְּנִימִיּוּת הַלֵּב בְּחִינַת אַהֲבָה רַבָּה זוֹ

and illuminates into the internal point of the heart, in this form of great love, The connection formed by compassion reveals the fact that a connection has always existed, though it may have been concealed. This refers to the concealed love between all Jewish souls, wherever they may be found, and the supernal divine essence. The Tanya discusses this love extensively. It is present in every Jew, even those who are furthest away, for it expresses the fact that the Jewish soul is truly part of God. Furthermore, when this bond of love is revealed within an individual, it is expressed as "great love." Ordinary, "minor" love relates primarily to divine revelation and action in the world. These are matters that we are able to comprehend. In contrast, great love is the love for God Himself, who is above all the worlds and beyond all comprehension. Consequently, the only "place" where great love can shine its light in a revealed manner is in the innermost point of the heart. This is where one's very being, and the divine soul itself, shines its light. Furthermore, God Himself, who is beyond all revelation, intellectual and emotional, also connects to this "place."

כַּנּוֹדַע מִמַּה שֶּׁכָּתוּב: ״לְיַעֲקֹב אֲשֶׁר פָּדָה אֶת אַבְרָהָם״ וּכְמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר בְּלִקּוּטֵי אֲמָרִים פֶּרֶק מ״ה

as is known from the verse: "To Jacob, who redeemed Abraham," and as explained in Likkutei Amarim , chapter 45. The Sages explain that this quote, which is based on Isaiah 29:22, means that Abraham was saved from the fiery furnace because of the merit of Jacob, his unborn descendant. In Likkutei Amarim, chapter 45, this verse is explained in terms of the spiritual attributes embodied by our forefathers. Each of the forefathers was the vehicle for one of the supernal attributes of Atzilut. Each embodied his particular attribute perfectly in his life, to the point where he and the attribute became one, over the course of his lifetime at least. Abraham was the attribute of kindness [Ḥesed ] and love, Isaac the attribute of restraint [Gevura ] and fear, and Jacob the attribute of beauty [Tiferet ] and compassion. Accordingly, the phrase "Jacob, who redeemed Abraham," indicates that the attribute of compassion redeems the attribute of love. Moreover, the attribute of compassion can even awaken within us the attribute of supernal love, the love of God that is concealed in our souls. The fact that Abraham is redeemed does not mean that the attribute of love was previously nonexistent, but that it was concealed or in captivity, and the attribute of compassion redeemed it. The next part of this essay is more practically oriented. Above, we were advised to arouse the supernal compassion. However, we do not yet know how to do this. How can a person in the lower world awaken an attribute of God? In the broader context, this is a fundamental question. In fact, it may be the most important question that can be asked about divine service: Do our efforts in the lower realm have the power to influence the operations of the upper realm? And if so, how does this work?

וּמוּדַעַת זֹאת כִּי אִתְעָרוּתָא דִּלְעֵילָּא בְּאִתְעָרוּתָא דִּלְתַתָּא דַּוְקָא תַּלְיָא מִלְּתָא

It is known that the matter of the awakening from above depends specifically on the awakening from below, We learn two things from this statement. The first is the simple fact that what it describes is actually possible. God established a connection in this world, between the flow from above and the events that occur below. Consequently, we are able to influence the divine conduct in the higher realm through our actions, speech, and thoughts in the lower realm, and likewise, God's actions in the higher realm influence our personal attributes and deeds in the lower realm. In truth, human beings have no significance whatsoever with respect to God, and accordingly, we are powerless to affect His actions. Nonetheless, when He created this world and determined its essential nature, He decreed that the awakening from above is contingent on the awakening from below. This means that an awakening from below is necessary in order to arouse the divine attribute of compassion and induce the divine flow. The second thing we learn is that this is actually the preferred order of things. Occasionally, when it is absolutely necessary, the awakening from above happens first and evokes the awakening from below. However, the ideal is that the awakening from below comes first.

דְּהַיְינוּ עַל יְדֵי הִתְעוֹרְרוּת רַחֲמִים רַבִּים בְּלֵב רַחֲמָנִים וְגוֹמְלֵי חֲסָדִים לְהַשְׁפִּיעַ לְמַטָּה הַשְׁפָּעָה גַּשְׁמִיּוּת – זָהָב וָכֶסֶף וכו׳

that is, through the awakening of great mercies in the hearts of merciful ones and those who perform acts of kindness, to bestow a material flow below – gold and silver… To awaken the attribute of supernal compassion, we must first awaken the great compassion within the individual in the lower world. Compassion and kindness are defining characteristics of the Jewish people. These attributes are part of our nature, even in the reality of the physical world, where they are found in our animal soul and the body. Human beings are capable of feeling a certain level of compassion and acting on it to help someone in need. When a person has "human" compassion for another, he carves out an opening and creates within himself a vessel for receiving supernal compassion. Just as we desire that the awakening from above should not remain in the upper realm, the compassion that is awakened in a person must not remain a mere "feeling" in his soul. Instead, it must produce a tangible result, a concrete action in the physical world. This is the act of giving charity to the needy.

וְלָכֵן פְּעוּלַּת הַצְּדָקָה הִיא פְּעוּלַּת נַחַל אֵיתָן מַמָּשׁ

Therefore, the act of charity is the actual act of the eitan river, As explained above, the eitan river is the flow from the aspect of eitan in the soul. It emanates from the soul's essence, which is enclothed in Ḥokhma, and travels to the soul's faculties: the intellect and emotions. Although the awakening from below begins in the lower realm, with the preparation of the vessels, and so forth, its function is to convey the flow of Ḥokhma from above. In this way, it resembles a real, physical "constant river." In particular, when a person gives charity, he feels what the other person is feeling, and provides for his needs. Even if the giver does not consider the fact that he is creating an awakening from below, he is nonetheless affected. Anyone who gives in the physical world feels an internal illumination: he senses that something is filling his soul from above. In some cases, the individual has a higher level of awareness, and he also reflects on the awakening from above, the flow of the eitan river, and the revelation of the Divine in the innermost point of the heart. At such times, the illumination acquires a higher and more clearly defined form: the flow of the eitan river itself. The author of the Tanya concludes this section of the essay with an idea that he discusses in a number of places: when charity is necessary for the sake of the giver's soul, the halakhic restrictions, such as not giving more than one-fifth of one's property, do not apply. These restrictions apply when a person gives away his money purely in order to help others. They are imposed to prevent the giver himself from becoming impoverished. However, in the case described here, the person's donation constitutes an investment in himself.

וְהִנֵּה מוּדַעַת זֹאת מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב (איוב ב,ד) כִּי ״עוֹר בְּעַד עוֹר וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר לָאִישׁ יִתֵּן בְּעַד נַפְשׁוֹ״ הָאֱלֹקִית לְהָאִירָהּ בְּאוֹר הַחַיִּים אֵין סוֹף בָּרוּךְ הוּא.

and the verse is known, that "skin for skin, everything that a man has he will give for his soul" (Job 2:4) – his divine soul, to illuminate it with the light of life, Ein Sof , blessed be He. A person's soul may require that charity be given so that it can receive atonement (see Iggeret HaTeshuva, chap. 3) or supernal great compassion. For, as explained here, supernal great compassion is drawn into the soul by means of an "awakening from below," namely the act of charity. When charity is necessitated by the soul, for either purpose, the individual is permitted to give everything he owns. The author of the Tanya explains the verse by attaching the word "divine" to it: one should be willing to give everything he has for the sake of his divine soul. On the other hand, he is not required to give everything he has for the sake of his life in the physical world, or for the sake of his animal soul, because these things change over time. They are not essential to the soul. Rather, they are vital only at a certain point in time, in a particular situation. Consequently, they are inherently limited. Through the actual, physical wealth that a person gives away for the sake of his divine soul, he is able to illuminate that soul with the light of Ein Sof.