The Alter Rebbe is making a practical and historical point.
He urges his followers:
“My beloved brothers, take these words to heart.”
The main message is that in the generation of Ikvesa D’Meshicha (“the footsteps of Mashiach”), the central form of serving Hashem is tzedakah and acts of kindness.
- Chazal Say Redemption Comes Through Tzedakah
The Alter Rebbe quotes:
“Israel will be redeemed only through tzedakah.”
His point is simple:
- If redemption depends on tzedakah,
- Then tzedakah must be especially important in our generation.
- Earlier Generations Were Different
The Alter Rebbe explains that in the days of the:
- Tannaim
- Amoraim
Torah study was the primary focus of Divine service.
They were great Torah scholars whose spiritual level made Torah learning the dominant avodah.
Therefore Chazal emphasized:
“Talmud Torah is equal to all of them.”
- Our Generation Is Different
The Alter Rebbe says that in the era before Mashiach:
“The Sukkah of David has fallen to the level of the feet and heels.”
On the simple level this means:
- We live in a spiritually lower generation.
- We are not on the level of the earlier sages.
- Therefore the main repair must come through practical action.
- Action Must Be Repaired Through Action
Since the spiritual challenge of this era is in the realm of ma’aseh (action), the response must also be action.
That action is:
Ma’aseh HaTzedakah
The act of giving tzedakah.
Not merely thinking, feeling, or understanding, but actually helping another person.
- What Is Tzedakah Doing?
The Alter Rebbe describes tzedakah as:
Giving life and sustenance to someone who lacks what he needs.
In plain terms:
- A poor person cannot manage alone.
- The giver provides what is missing.
- Through this, the giver becomes a partner in sustaining another person’s life.
- The Real Test: Opening the Hand and the Heart
The Alter Rebbe stresses:
“Whoever sacrifices his inclination in this matter and opens his hand and his heart…”
The struggle is not only financial.
A person naturally wants to keep what belongs to him.
Tzedakah means:
- Opening one’s hand.
- Opening one’s heart.
- Overcoming selfishness.
- Transforming Darkness Into Light
When a person gives despite his resistance:
- He subdues the evil inclination.
- He turns selfishness into generosity.
- He transforms spiritual darkness into light.
This is why the Alter Rebbe views tzedakah as such a powerful form of avodah.
Key Message
This passage is very practical:
In earlier generations Torah study was the primary spiritual labor. In the generation before Mashiach, the most important avodah is concrete acts of tzedakah and kindness. By helping people in need and overcoming selfishness, a person transforms the world and helps bring redemption closer.