And now, it is incumbent on me to advise you of the purpose for the establishment of our association.[346] Let it be known that our association was not established merely for the purpose of supporting young men and enabling them to study the Torah. In other words, the goal of our association is not merely to augment and increase the study of Nigleh.[347] Instead, the goal of our association is that the young men who study the Torah’s revealed, legal dimension should be [G-d-]fearing Jews whose [connection with] G-d and His Torah is sound.[348]

We have already explained our ideas in another source (in the Epistle beginning “With thankful acknowledgment to G-d for all the good…”[349]), elaborating on the factors which motivated the founding of this association. For we had seen the Torah girding itself in very thick sackcloth,[350] for those who were occupied [in its study] were studying for utterly selfish motives, and many of the young men who were studying the Torah did not possess the fear of heaven at all. They and their Torah study are mired in the place of death, heaven forbid. And this evil is not sufficient; they compound its damage by becoming rabbinic authorities among the Jewish people, thus they “cast down many corpses,”[351] may G-d protect us from them.

For this purpose, we were motivated to found an association to support young men who occupy themselves in Torah study, to protect them from harmful forces. And to endeavor to the fullest extent possible to implant within them — with G-d’s help — an inner feeling for the awe of G-d and the love of Him, that they should know what they are studying (— i.e., they are studying G-d’s wisdom —), that they should know why they are studying, and that they should derive vitality from their study of the Torah. [They should realize] that the “path of life” which leads to these goals is the study of P’nimiyus HaTorah as explained above.

Therefore, we have established that, as a fundamental necessity, every [student] should study Chassidus for a significant time each day. [A student] will be expected to devote more time to the study of Nigleh, for this is appropriate as explained above. And he will be supervised to insure that he studies much of the Talmud and its commentaries,[352] in a desirable manner as will be explained. Nevertheless, the fundamental core [and purpose] is the study of Chassidus, that the students should know G-d and as a result be aroused to the love and fear of Him as explained above.

We have established a minimum, that every student will study Chassidus for at least four hours every day. (This represents approximately one-third of the time of the student’s daily Torah study. With regard to this, note the explanation of the maamar entitled Lo Tashbis in Likkutei Torah, ch. 8.[353] I heard explicit [instructions] from my revered father, the Rebbe, that during the week, one third of the time one devotes to Torah study should be directed to Chassidus, and two-thirds to Nigleh.)

Synopsis:

[This chapter states] the purpose of our association [— Yeshivas Tomchei Temimim —]: to study the Torah with inner feelings of love and fear [of G-d]. The path to accomplish this involves the study of Chassidus for a fixed time every day. (During the week, one-third [of the time one devotes to Torah study should be directed to] Chassidus, and two thirds [to] Nigleh.)

   

Notes:

346. (Back to text) [The Rebbe Rashab composed Kuntres Etz HaChayim for the students of] Yeshivas Tomchei Temimim, [the Lubavitcher yeshivah, in particular. This] is the “association” to which he is referring.

     [Although the concepts explained in the initial portion of the maamar are of general relevance, they were specifically intended to impress the students of the yeshivah with the importance of studying P’nimiyus HaTorah and laboring in prayer to attain the love and fear of G-d. In this final section of the maamar, the Rebbe addresses the students of the yeshivah directly and gives them clear directives concerning their study and daily conduct.]

347. (Back to text) [See also Sefer HaSichos 5689, p. 75, where these concepts are discussed.]

348. (Back to text) [See also Likkutei Sichos, Vol. XIV, p. 316ff., where these concepts are discussed.]

349. (Back to text) This Epistle is printed as an appendix to the Hebrew text of Kuntres Etz HaChayim.

350. (Back to text) Cf. Sanhedrin 101a.

351. (Back to text) Cf. Mishlei 7:26. Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Hilchos Talmud Torah 5:4, refers to this phrase in describing a “student who is not worthy of rendering halachic judgments and does so.”

352. (Back to text) [The reference is to the Hebrew term gefes which is an acronym for the words Gemara, Peirush Rashi, and Tosafos, meaning Talmud, the commentary (i.e., Rashi’s commentary) and Tosafos.

353. (Back to text) Likkutei Torah, Vayikra, p. 5c.