Approbation of the rabbis, long may they live Sons of the author of blessed memory Whose soul is in Eden

Whereas it has been agreed by us to grant permission and authorization to bring to the printing press, for a remembrance for the Children of Israel the [17] written works of uprightness and truth, [18] "words of the living G-d" [as chassidic discourses are called] by our lord our father, master and teacher, of blessed memory, recorded personally by his own holy hand in his own saintly expression, whose words are all like burning fiery coals which ignite people's hearts, to draw them near to our Father in heaven; -

These discourses are collectively entitled Iggeret HaKodesh ("the holy epistle"), being mostly epistles sent by his holy eminence to teach the people of G-d the way by which they should walk and the deed which they should do; -

[" The way..." probably refers to the chassidic paths of self- perfection, those letters offering guidance in attaining love and awe of G-d and in the proper service of G-d through prayer and Torah study; while "the deed..." refers to the inspirational letters dealing with charity and the like.]

Inasmuch as [our father] has made reference, in many places, [19] to his Sefer Likutei Amarim, and since [20] "the words of Torah are scanty in one place and ample in another," so that some subjects in Iggeret HaKodesh are more fully elucidated in Likutei Amarim, [and vice versa]; -

Especially also since the "Iggeret HaKodesh" introduces new material (pertaining to Likutei Amarim) in the form of a Kuntres Acharon ["Later Pamphlet"] on certain chapters, which he wrote when he composed the Sefer Likutei Amarim; -

[The Kuntres Acharon] consists of profound discussions and insights in passages of the Zohar and Etz Chayim which appear to contradict one another, and in his understanding spirit [the author] resolves each passage according to its context as explained in Likutei Amarim - [and thus this part of Iggeret HaKodesh is certainly directly connected to Likutei Amarim;] -

Accordingly, we have deemed it proper to join [the discourses in Iggeret HaKodesh] to the Sefer Likutei Amarim and Iggeret HaTeshuvah of his saintly eminence our lord father, master and teacher [i.e., to print them together].

Therefore we hereby place a great fence [i.e., prohibition] and the "Nun Chet Shin" [21] (i.e., excommunication) of the Rabbis for which there is no remedy, that no man lift his hand [12] to print [these discourses] in their present form together with the Likutei Amarim, or one without the other, for a period of five years from the date below. [22]

This, however, must be made known:

To our misfortune [23] the manuscripts written by his personal saintly hand which were composed with great precision without a superfluous or deficient letter, have become extinct.

All that has remained from the abundance of material is this small number of writings, which have been collected one by one from the copies spread amongst the disciples.

Should, therefore, an error be discovered - for "who can avoid errors" [24] the obvious error will be identified as deriving from a scribal slip, but the meaning will be clear.

Declared by Dov Ber, the son of my lord father, teacher and master, gaon and chassid, saint of Israel, our teacher and master Shneur Zalman, of blessed memory, whose soul rests in the hidden treasurehouses of heaven.

Declared also by Chayim Avraham, the son of my lord father, teacher and master, gaon and chassid, our teacher and master Shneur Zalman; may the memory of the tzaddik be blessed, whose soul rests in the hidden treasurehouses of heaven.

Declared also by Moshe, the son of my lord father, teacher and master, gaon and chassid, Shneur Zalman, of blessed memory, whose soul rests in the hidden treasurehouses of heaven. [25]

   

Notes:

12. (Back to text) From Bereishit 41:44; i.e., "shall take any liberties."

17. (Back to text) Paraphrase of Kohelet 12:10.

18. (Back to text) Siddur, from the passage preceding Keriat Shema.

19. (Back to text) In sections 3, 5, 6, 17, 18, 20, (25?), 29, and in Kuntres Acharon, sec. beg. "And charity like a mighty stream..."

20. (Back to text) Paraphrase of Talmud Yerushalmi, Rosh HaShanah 3:5, which is quoted in Tosafot on Keritot 14a, s.v. Ela.

21. (Back to text) Niduy, Cherem, Shamta - three forms of excommunication, which also form in acrostic the word Nachash - snake -, hence the expression "which (i.e., `for whose bite') there is no remedy" (cf. Tractate Shabbat 110a).

22. (Back to text) The Shklov 5574 edition bears the date "Thursday, the 22nd of Iyar, 5574," subsequently omitted.

23. (Back to text) Literally, "on account of our many sins."

24. (Back to text) Tehillim 19:13.

25. (Back to text) "To date, I have found no explanation for the variations in the titles with which each of the Alter Rebbe's sons describes his father in his signature, and why each in succession omits two words from the signature of the one before him (as the text appears in all editions beginning with that of 5660 (1900). [Comment by the Rebbe Shlita.]

    It has been suggested that at the time of signing the approbation, the first signatory, as the Alter Rebbe's successor, was himself a Rebbe, a "saint in Israel;" he therefore emphasizes the Alter Rebbe's greatness in being a "saint in Israel." The second signatory was at the time, a rav and a halachic authority, and he therefore places the emphasis on the Alter Rebbe's greatness as "our master and teacher." The third signatory was then a gaon and a chassid, (as is known from the traditions handed on by the leaders of Chabad), and he therefore emphasizes the Alter Rebbe's greatness as a gaon and chassid.

    In the same vein we could also understand the distinctive phrase, "the memory of the tzaddik be blessed," in the second signature - based on the tradition that the second signatory wasoutstanding in his righteousness and humility.