Lubavitcher Rebbe
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Tanya/Iggeres Ha’Kodesh - The Holy Epistle, Epistle 1, Class 5

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And now once more I put forth my hand a second time with an additional explanation and a twofold request, extended and proposed to all men of the Chasidic brotherhood, those who are near and those who are far, to undertake the following:

וְעַתָּה הַפַּעַם, הִנְּנִי יוֹסִיף שֵׁנִית יָדִי בְּתוֹסֶפֶת בֵּיאוּר, וּבַקָּשָׁה כְּפוּלָה, שְׁטוּחָה וּפְרוּשָׂה לִפְנֵי כָּל אַנְשֵׁי שְׁלוֹמִים הַקְּרוֹבִים וְהָרְחוֹקִים, לְקַיֵּים עֲלֵיהֶם,

On all weekdays, businessmen who do not have so much time should not step down before the Ark [to lead the congregation in prayer].

שֶׁכָּל יְמֵי הַחוֹל לֹא יֵרְדוּ לִפְנֵי הַתֵּיבָה הַבַּעֲלֵי עֲסָקִים שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם פְּנַאי כָּל כָּךְ,

Only those who have the time [should lead the prayers], such as teachers or those who are supported by their parents,

רַק אוֹתָם שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהֶם פְּנַאי, אוֹ הַמְלַמְּדִים, אוֹ הַסְּמוּכִים עַל שׁוּלְחַן אֲבִיהֶם,

who at the morning service are able to pray at length for at least about an hour and a half 55 on all weekdays.56

שֶׁיְּכוֹלִים לְהַאֲרִיךְ בִּתְפִלַּת הַשַּׁחַר עֵרֶךְ שָׁעָה וּמֶחֱצָה לְפָחוֹת כָּל יְמוֹת הַחוֹל –

One of them should step down before the Ark, chosen by lot or by consent of the majority [of the congregants].

מֵהֶם יִהְיֶה הַיּוֹרֵד לִפְנֵי הַתֵּיבָה, עַל פִּי הַגּוֹרָל, אוֹ עַל פִּי רִיצּוּי הָרוֹב.

He should gather around him all those who are supported by their parents, or teachers, who are able to pray at length like himself, and will thus not be distracted by the haste of others.

וְהוּא יֶאֱסוֹף אֵלָיו בְּסָבִיב לוֹ כָּל הַסְּמוּכִים עַל שׁוּלְחַן אֲבִיהֶם, אוֹ מְלַמְּדִים שֶׁיּוּכְלוּ לְהַאֲרִיךְ כָּמוֹהוּ,

[This arrangement is] not to be changed, I beg and beseech you!

בְּבַל יְשׁוּנֶּה נָא וְנָא:

On the Sabbaths and festivals, however, when all the businessmen, too, have the time and opportunity to pray at length, devoutly concentrating their heart and soul to G‑d—

אַךְ בְּשַׁבָּתוֹת וְיָמִים טוֹבִים, שֶׁגַּם כָּל בַּעֲלֵי עֲסָקִים יֵשׁ לָהֶם פְּנַאי וּשְׁעַת הַכּוֹשֶׁר לְהַאֲרִיךְ בִּתְפִלָּתָם בְּכַוָּונַת לִבָּם וְנַפְשָׁם לַה',

moreover, their duty to do so is much greater, as is stated in Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim,57

וְאַדְּרַבָּה, עֲלֵיהֶם מוּטָּל בְּיֶתֶר שְׂאֵת וְיֶתֶר עֹז, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּ"שׁוּלְחָן עָרוּךְ אוֹרַח חַיִּים",

and as is written in the Torah of Moses: “Six days shall you work…and the seventh day is a Sabbath unto the L-rd your G‑d,”58

וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּתוֹרַת מֹשֶׁה: "שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תַּעֲבוֹד כוּ' וְיוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי שַׁבָּת לַה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ"

stating clearly that the Sabbath is to be devoted wholly unto G‑d—

דַּיְיקָא – כּוּלּוֹ לַה',

Unlike the festivals, which are “partially unto G‑d and partially unto you,” the Sabbath ought to be wholly dedicated to spiritual matters. Since the reason for this is that it was preceded by six mundane days of labor, it follows that those who were engaged in this labor during the weekdays, businessmen and the like, should surely utilize the Sabbath “wholly unto G‑d.”

on Sabbaths and festivals, therefore, they too can step down before the Ark,

וְלָזֹאת גַּם הֵם יֵרְדוּ לִפְנֵי הַתֵּיבָה בְּשַׁבָּת וְיוֹם טוֹב,

according to lot or by assent of the majority, as I wrote last year.

עַל פִּי הַגּוֹרָל אוֹ בְּרִיצּוּי הָרוֹב, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַבְתִּי אֶשְׁתָּקַד:

Moreover, it should be made known that, G‑d willing, it is my intention to send spies secretly to all congregations,59

וּכְגוֹן דָּא צָרִיךְ לְאוֹדוֹעֵי, שֶׁבְּדַעְתִּי, אִם יִרְצֶה ה', לִשְׁלוֹחַ לְכָל הַמִּנְיָנִים מְרַגְּלִים בַּסֵּתֶר,

to find out and to notify about anyone who has the ability and the time to worship at length and to meditate while at prayer but is slothful.

לֵידַע וּלְהוֹדִיעַ, כָּל מִי שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר לוֹ וְכָל מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ פְּנַאי לְהַאֲרִיךְ וּלְעַיֵּין בִּתְפִלָּה וּמִתְעַצֵּל,

He shall be punished by estrangement, being distanced by both hands when he comes here to hear Chasidic teachings.60

יִהְיֶה נִידּוֹן בְּרִיחוּק מָקוֹם, לִהְיוֹת נִדְחֶה בִּשְׁתֵּי יָדַיִם בְּבוֹאוֹ לְפֹה לִשְׁמוֹעַ "דִּבְרֵי אֱלֹקִים חַיִּים",

And from the negative, you may infer the positive61—that those who are more generous in the time they devote to their prayers will be assured of a warm welcome.

וּמִכְּלַל לָאו – אַתָּה שׁוֹמֵעַ הֵן.

Pleasant be the lot of those who hearken; may the blessing of goodness light upon them,

וְלַשּׁוֹמְעִים יוּנְעַם, וְתָבֹא עֲלֵיהֶם בִּרְכַּת טוֹב,

-and “there is no ‘good’ but Torah….”62

וְאֵין טוֹב אֶלָּא תוֹרָה וְכוּ':

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FOOTNOTES

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55. “Cf. Zohar I, 62b and its commentaries; the letter published in the anthology entitled Meah Shearim 2b and the sources indicated in the footnote there. See also op. cit. 9b.” (—Note by the Rebbe). [These letters have been reproduced in Igrot Kodesh by the Alter Rebbe (Kehot, N.Y., 2012), p. 318 ff.; Igrot Kodesh by the Mitteler Rebbe (Kehot, N.Y., 2012), p. 13 ff.]

56. Note by the Rebbe: “The statement (Berachot 32b) that even the early Chasidim [of Talmudic times] would devote one hour to the prayer itself refers to the Amidah [alone].”

57. Gloss to 290:2; see also the Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 290:5. Note by the Rebbe: “See also the maamar entitled Mi Yitencha in Torah Or.’’

58.Exodus 20:9.

59. In the original, minyanim; a minyan is a group of at least ten men constituting a congregation and, by extension, signifies a place of communal prayer.

60. Lit., “the words of the living G‑d.”

61. A Talmudic term; cf. Nedarim 11a.

62.Avot 6:3.