Daily Tanya Tuesday 2nd Elul Igeres Hakodesh 10: The Nature of Mitzvos and Measurement

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2nd elul

📏 The Nature of Mitzvot and Measurement

  • Mitzvot (commandments) were given through the attribute of Gevurah (strength/discipline) and Tzimtzum (constriction of divine light).
  • As a result, most mitzvot have precise, limited measurements.

📐 Examples of Specific Measurements in Mitzvot

  • Tzitzit: 12 thumb-breadths in length.
  • Tefillin: 2 fingers by 2 fingers, perfectly square.
  • Lulav: 4 handbreadths.
  • Sukkah: 7 handbreadths.
  • Shofar: 1 handbreadth.
  • Mikveh: 40 se’ah of water.
  • Korbanot (Sacrifices): Age limits — lambs (1 year), rams (2 years), bulls (specific age).

💰 Charity and Kindness – Also Measured

  • Even though tzedakah (charity) and gemilut chasadim (acts of kindness) are pillars of the world (“The world is built on kindness”), they also have defined limits:
    • Optimal: One-fifth of one’s wealth.
    • Average: One-tenth.

🌍 “Chesed Olam” – Worldly Kindness

  • Refers to kindness that manifests within the created worlds (spiritual and physical) through human action.
  • This is the charity and kindness people do for one another, which draws divine kindness into the worlds.

⏳ Why Limits Exist in Kindness and Mitzvot

  • The world itself is defined by boundaries and measurements (“From earth to heaven is 500 years’ distance… six thousand years is the world’s span”).
  • Therefore, even mitzvot of kindness are given specific measures, just like all other mitzvot in the Torah.

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.

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