Daily Tanya Tuesday 6th Marcheshvan Igeres Hakodesh 26 Part 3: Beyond Good and Evil: The Spiritual Roots of Permitted and Forbidden

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6th MarCheshvan

Beyond Good and Evil: The Spiritual Roots of Permitted and Forbidden

Core Clarification by the Alter Rebbe

The passage today provides a clarifying answer to several of the Alter Rebbe’s earlier questions and concerns regarding the Zohar’s statement that issur veheter (forbidden and permitted) are rooted in the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. The Alter Rebbe addresses this misunderstanding that may arise from the Zohar’s language in Raaya Mehemna, explaining that it is only the objects of issur and heter that are rooted in duality, while the study of these laws is rooted in unity and holiness.

Key Points of Clarification

  1. Precise Language Matters
    • The Zohar does not say “Torat issur veheter” or “Hilchot issur veheter,” but rather refers to the objects themselves—the forbidden and permitted items—as being rooted in the realm of duality, i.e., Kelipat Nogah.
  2. Nature of Kelipat Nogah
    • Kelipat Nogah is a neutral spiritual shell that can be elevated or degraded depending on human intention.
    • A permitted item (מותר) is not bound by impurity and can be elevated through proper use (e.g., eating with intent to serve God).
    • A forbidden item (אסור) is bound by impurity and cannot be elevated, even if used for spiritual purposes—except in cases like pikuach nefesh (saving a life).
  3. Elevation Through Intent
    • When a person eats permitted food and uses the energy to learn Torah or pray, the food becomes spiritually elevated.
    • On Shabbos, even Kelipat Nogah itself ascends, which is why indulgence in physical pleasures (meat, wine) is a mitzvah.
  4. Distinction Between Objects and Torah Study
    • The study of halachic laws—even those about issur and heter—is not from the Tree of Knowledge, but is part of Torah SheBe’al Peh, which corresponds to Malchut of Atzilut.
    • Torah study, including Mishnah, Gemara, and halachic rulings, is pure Divine speech, and thus part of the Tree of Life.
  5. Unity in Atzilut
    • In the world of Atzilut, God’s light unites with His speech and wisdom, meaning that even the laws about impurity and prohibition are expressions of Divine will.

Takeaway

The Alter Rebbe clarifies that the Zohar’s reference to issur veheter as stemming from the Tree of Knowledge applies to the physical items, not the Torah laws about them. The study of halacha remains part of the Tree of Life, and is a direct expression of Divine wisdom and speech.

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.