The Alter Rebbe begins this letter by explaining the verse:
โืื ืจื ืืืื ืืฉืจ ืฆืคื ืช ืืืจืืืโ
โHow abundant is the good that You have hidden away for those who fear You.โ
He then introduces an important idea:
Among sincere servants of Hashem there are two distinct spiritual paths, rooted in two different kinds of souls.
- The Two Paths: Left and Right
The Alter Rebbe says that souls are rooted either in the spiritual quality of:
- Left (ืฉืืื) โ restraint and limitation.
- Right (ืืืื) โ kindness and expansion.
He is not describing good versus bad.
Both are valid ways of serving Hashem.
- The โLeftโ Approach: Measured Service
The left side is characterized by:
- Humility.
- Concealment.
- Restraint.
- Precision.
The Alter Rebbe cites verses such as:
โืืืฆื ืข ืืืชโ โ โWalk modestly.โ
And Chazalโs praise of serving Hashem privately and discreetly.
A person of this type naturally serves Hashem within defined boundaries.
Examples:
- Giving tzedakah according to halachic guidelines.
- Following the rule:
โืืืืืื ืื ืืืืื ืืืชืจ ืืืืืฉโ
โOne who spends should not spend more than a fifth.โ
- Learning Torah according to the fixed obligation established by halachah.
His focus is faithful fulfillment of duty.
- The โRightโ Approach: Expansive Service
The right side is characterized by:
- Chesed.
- Generosity.
- Openness.
- Spiritual expansiveness.
The verse he cites is:
โืืืชืืืื ืืจืืืโ
โI will walk in spaciousness.โ
Such a person is not satisfied with merely meeting the minimum requirement.
- Not Just Fulfilling Obligations
For a person rooted in the โrightโ side:
- Tzedakah flows generously.
- Torah learning expands beyond obligation.
- Mitzvot are performed with abundance and enthusiasm.
The Alter Rebbe writes:
โืื ืื ืื ืืฆืืช ืืื ืืืืชื ืืืืโ
โIt is not enough for him merely to fulfill his obligation.โ
He seeks to go further.
- The Main Point
The Alter Rebbe is teaching that people are not spiritually identical.
Some souls are naturally drawn toward:
- Discipline.
- Measure.
- Boundaries.
Others are drawn toward:
- Expansiveness.
- Generosity.
- Overflowing devotion.
Both can be genuine expressions of serving Hashem.