The Alter Rebbe now completes his explanation of the verse:
“וְהָיָה מַעֲשֵׂה הַצְּדָקָה שָׁלוֹם, וַעֲבוֹדַת הַצְּדָקָה הַשְׁקֵט וָבֶטַח עַד עוֹלָם.”
His main point is that there are two levels of tzedakah, and each produces a different result.
- Ordinary Tzedakah Brings “Peace”
Earlier he explained that even ordinary charity (ma’aseh ha-tzedakah) awakens a great Divine revelation.
Through the principle of:
“אִתְעָרוּתָא דִלְתַתָּא – אִתְעָרוּתָא דִלְעֵילָּא“
“An awakening below arouses an awakening Above”
tzedakah brings:
- Divine illumination
- Harmony between spiritual forces
- “Peace in the heavens”
and also contributes to the ultimate peace and rectification of the world.
- But That Peace Is Not Yet Permanent
In this world, during the period of exile, the struggle between good and evil continues.
Even when a person achieves spiritual clarity during:
- Prayer
- Torah study
- Reflection
the effect may not last.
After prayer:
- The inspiration can weaken.
- The evil inclination can return.
- Good and evil can again become mixed.
This is normal human experience.
- “Avodat HaTzedakah” Is Different
When charity becomes avodah, meaning:
- Giving beyond one’s natural generosity
- Overcoming selfishness
- Breaking personal comfort and habit
then something deeper happens.
The Alter Rebbe stresses:
The person has nullified his natural desire for the sake of Hashem’s will.
This is called:
“אִתְכַּפְיָא סִטְרָא אָחֳרָא“
The subduing of the side of evil.
- Why Is This So Powerful?
Because spiritual growth that comes through struggle is stronger than spiritual growth that comes naturally.
The Alter Rebbe alludes to the principle:
“כיתרון האור מן החושך“
“The advantage of light that emerges from darkness.”
When a person overcomes resistance, a deeper transformation occurs.
- The Evil No Longer Returns So Easily
This is the practical difference.
Ordinary tzedakah may bring a temporary elevation.
But avodat ha-tzedakah changes the person himself.
After that inner work:
- The negative tendencies lose strength.
- Evil does not automatically return as before.
- The person has actually refined part of his character.
Only if he consciously reawakens those tendencies can they regain power.
- What Does “Hashket” Mean?
The Alter Rebbe explains:
“הַשְׁקֵט“
through the image of wine settling on its lees.
When wine rests:
- The sediment sinks.
- The impurities separate.
- The wine becomes clear and pure.
- The Nimshal (Application)
The “sediment” represents:
The mixture of evil within the soul.
Through sustained spiritual work and self-sacrifice in tzedakah:
- The impurities gradually separate.
- The good becomes clearer.
- The soul becomes more refined and stable.
This is not merely inspiration—it is purification.
- “And You Will Cast Their Sins into the Depths of the Sea”
The Alter Rebbe concludes that the evil is gradually removed from the person’s inner life and returned to its source.
This is why the verse promises not only shalom, but:
“הַשְׁקֵט וָבֶטַח עַד עוֹלָם“
a lasting tranquility and security.
Not just a moment of spiritual elevation, but an enduring inner transformation.
Key Peshat
“Ma’aseh ha-tzedakah” brings peace and spiritual illumination. “Avodat ha-tzedakah”—giving beyond one’s nature and overcoming selfishness—actually refines the person. It separates the good from the evil within him, like clear wine separating from sediment, and therefore produces a more permanent state of spiritual stability, called “hashket va’vetach ad olam.”