From Shaarey
Tzaddik, Vol. 2
Excerpts from
Letters 45 and 49
By Rabbi
Gedaliah Aharon Kenig, zatzal
L’ilui
nishmas our dear friend, a pillar of the Breslov community in Monsey, R’
Nachman ben Yaakov Halevi (Dov), zikhrono liverakha
Translated by
Dovid Sears
The four
parchments contained in the box of the Tefilah shel Rosh—the box placed on the
head—are arranged differently according to the view of Rabbeinu Tam than the
order of his grandfather, Rashi. The halakhah follows the view of Rashi;
however it is a custom of the pious to wear those of Rabbeinu Tam, as well
(either at the same time, or after donning those of Rashi). (See Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chaim 34:1-2; Rabbi
Chaim Vital, Pri Eitz Chaim, Sha’ar ha-Tefillin, 9.
The differences between the views of Rashi and
Rabbenu Tam, as well as Shemusha Raba and Ra’avad, are presented with diagrams
in Rabbi Avraham Yitzchok Sperling’s Ta’amei ha-Mitzvos,
p. 19)
Rebbe Nachman instructed his followers to don both the Tefillin of Rashi
and Tefillin of Rabbenu Tam
every day. (Si’ach Sarfey Kodesh IV,
194; Likkutei Halakhos, Tefillin 5:27-32;
ibid. 6:16).
Letter 45
Sec. 2:
You asked if you
should wear Rabbenu Tam Tefillin. Know, my dear friend, that in these times,
when we all long with all our heart and soul for the Final Redemption and our
true spiritual liberation, through the arrival of our righteous Mashiach, may
he come speedily in our days—we must strive with all of our ability to don the
Tefillin of Rabbeinu Tam, just as we don the Tefillin of Rashi.
The Redemption
essentially depends on drawing into the world a higher consciousness; [it is
this higher consciousness] to which the Tefillin of Rabbeinu Tam allude. Therefore,
it is necessary in these times to be all the more diligent to don the Tefillin
of Rabbeinu Tam, thus to hasten the Redemption, collectively and individually;
every person should merit to experience his own spiritual redemption, to be
delivered from the bitter exile in the vanities of this world, in which each
person is trapped in his own way, and to bear the “birth pangs” [of the
Redemption]… particularly at the beginning… All this is explained at length in Likutey
Halakhos, Orach Chaim, Hilkhos Tefillin, Halakhah 5, sec. 32 (see excerpt below).
Letter 49
Sec. 1:
Concerning your
question as to what age one should begin to don the Tefillin of Rabbeinu Tam,
according to the view of our master, the Arizal, may his merits protect us, who
states that both [those of Rashi and Rabbeinu Tam] are true—know: we may assume
that it is proper to wear them on the very day that one begins to don the
Tefillin of Rashi, which is the day that one becomes a Bar Mitzvah, when he
becomes responsible for performing the mitzvos. Since both viewpoints are true,
why should one be considered superior to the other? This is our practice, with
no debate about it whatever, according to the directive of our master, the
Gaon, Chassid, and truly humble one, Rabbi Avraham Sternhartz (Kokhav Lev), zatzal.
However, to avoid attracting attention to this, I instructed my sons to do so
privately at home, before going to the synagogue and praying Shacharis, except
when attending our synagogue which bears the name of our Rebbe [Rebbe Nachman
of Breslov], may his merits protect us, where doing so is not unusual.
Sec. 2
As for your
question about the meaning of wearing the Tefillin of Rabbeinu Tam, the
esoteric meaning (sod) of this matter is beyond measure, “deep, deep,
who can fathom it?” (Ecclesiastes 7:24)—for it is the knowledge of the Infinite
One, blessed be He and blessed be His will, which applies to all of the holy
mitzvos. However, a small glimpse of its meaning may be seen in the awesome and
wondrous explanation found in Likutey Halakhos, Orach Chaim, Hilkhos
Tefillin, Halakhah 5, at length. And because I know that at this time you
certainly can’t contemplate this entire discussion, I will cite for you a few
points that can be put into practice.
In section 28,
[Reb Noson] states: “Therefore, whoever wishes to come closer to Hashem, to
draw upon himself an additional degree of holiness, must don the Tefillin of
Rabbeinu Tam, as our Rebbe [Rebbe Nachman] adjured his followers to don the
Tefillin of Rabbeinu Tam… Thus, the main holiness that a person draws upon
himself is related to the Tefillin of Rabbeinu Tam… through this, all those who
are estranged elicit the power to break and nullify the Evil Urge…”
In section 29,
he writes: “Therefore, now, during [this period known as] the “heels of the
Mashiach,” at the end of the Exile, it is necessary to be diligent to wear the
Tefillin of Rabbeinu Tam, as all of the true tzaddikim of our day have urged
us. For now, the Evil One has strengthened itself greatly against us, seeing that
its end is near. And the main strengthening of the Exile that threatens us now,
G-d forbid, is the mighty effort of the Evil One to distance the souls of
Israel from the Blessed One, which is the main exile and affliction of the soul…
And the affliction of the soul is due to the effort of the Evil One to
introduce heresy and disbelief into the world, G-d forbid; and as our master
[Rebbe Nachman] predicted, great atheism is coming to the world (Sichos
HaRan 35). We see plainly that never before was such atheism prevalent
among the Jewish people, due to our many sins, as that which has broken out
among us… Therefore, each person must be careful to don the Tefillin of
Rabbeinu Tam, which reflect the higher consciousness of our great tzaddikim…
Thus, we may be empowered to break the Evil Urge that musters its strength
against us so intensely at this time.”
Additionally, in
section 32, he writes: “Therefore, at the present time, at the end of the
Exile, when the Evil One musters all of its strength … it is necessary to be
careful to wear the Tefillin of Rabbeinu Tam … Our primary hope at the present
time to go out from this bitter Exile … is through the power of the tzaddikim …
who are the paradigm of the higher consciousness (mochin) of the Tefillin
of Rabbeinu Tam, which are extremely lofty. Therefore, we must be most diligent
now to wear the Tefillin of Rabbeinu Tam, thus to hasten the Redemption,
collectively and individually, speedily in our days. May every individual merit
to attain the liberation of the soul, to redeem his soul from the bitter exile
of worldly vanities, within which each person is trapped in one way or another...
Thus, we will collectively merit to the Final Redemption, speedily in our
days.” These are the holy words of [Reb Noson, zatzal].
Reb Gedaliah
continues to address the questions of his young correspondent:
Sec. 3
You asked me to
explain to you at length the reasoning of the one who opines that whoever does
not wear the Tefillin of Rabbeinu Tam is deemed a “skull that has never borne
Tefillin” (a phrase of Chazal; see Rosh Hashanah 17a). I will tell you
the truth—the one who says this stands his ground, but we do not wish to take a
position on this issue, or to explain [this dispute] even in brief, since we do
not consider ourselves worthy of doing so. For how can we be so brazen as to adjudicate
and render a decision in this matter, and also explain it, since it is known
that the Light of the Diaspora, our master, HaGaon Rabbi Eliyahu of Vilna, may
his merits shield us, did not wear the Tefillin of Rebbeinu Tam; and perish the
thought that [he might be deemed as not having worn Tefillin], may Hashem
protect us. Even though “all the worlds
turn over” concerning this matter, no place is given within our hearts for us
to think this way, even though we do not share his view, and the majority of
Torah scholars in many lands used to wear the Tefillin of Rabbeinu Tam in their
day, as is discussed in Shaarey Teshuvah, siman 34, in the name of the Birkey
Yosef of the Gaon, the Chida [Rabbi Chaim Yosef David Azoulay), zatzal;
and may this be enough.
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