[Title Page The title page written by the Alter Rebbe reads as follows]:

SEFER LIKUTEI AMARIM [Compilation of Teachings] PART ONE ENTITLED SEFER SHEL BEINONIM [The Book of the Intermediates]

Compiled from sacred books and from teachers of heavenly saintliness, whose souls are in Eden; based upon the verse, in [Devarim 30:14] "For this thing is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it"; explaining clearly how it is exceedingly near, in both a lengthy and a short way, with the aid of the Holy One, blessed be He.

[This verse on which the Tanya is based speaks of the obligation to fulfill G-d's commandments, saying that it is very "near", i.e., accessible, to every Jew to do so - through three channels, which are here alluded to by the three phrases, "your heart," "your mouth," and "to do it."

These phrases represent, respectively, the three faculties of thought, speech and action. These are, as it were, the functional organs of the soul; the soul vests itself in them in order to implement its wishes.

In a deeper sense, "your heart" refers to the emotions - experienced in the heart - of love of G-d and awe of Him.

When one fulfills a mitzvah out of his love of G-d, knowing that the only way to unite with Him is by fulfilling His commands, he will do so with an inner vitality and pleasure, just as one does when he fulfills the wishes of a dear friend. The love of G-d is thus a channel for the performance of the positive mitzvot. On the other hand, one's awe of G-d will prevent him from acting in violation of His wishes. He who is pervaded by this sense of awe will be most vigilant in avoiding any transgression of the prohibitive mitzvot.

The verse thus declares that acquiring these two emotions of love and awe of G-d, so that they motivate one's observance of the mitzvot, is likewise "very near to you."

This declaration is the basis of the Tanya. The Alter Rebbe now sets out to explain, in both a lengthy and a brief way, how it is very near.

By nature, man's heart desires material things. To develop a love and a desire for G-dliness is actually to shift one's natural desire from one extreme - worldliness, to another - G-dliness. Nor is awe of G-d easily attainable. As the Gemara attests, "Is awe of G-d such a small matter?!" How then does the verse state that it is, indeed, "very near to you"?

The Alter Rebbe will explain two ways by which the attainment of love and fear is very near: one "lengthy", and the other "brief."

The lengthy route is contemplation; by pondering deeply on the greatness of G-d and His kindness, one will generate within himself a love and awe of Him. The shorter route consists of arousing and bringing to the surface the hidden love and awe of G-d inherent in the soul of every Jew; it is "short" because in this case he does not create these feelings but merely reveals them.

This, then, is the basis of the Tanya.

In his modesty, the Alter Rebbe named the book Likutei Amarim - "A Compilation of Teachings," claiming that he did no more than collect teachings "from books and teachers." Chassidic tradition understands "books" as a reference to the works of the Maharal, and the Shelah, and "teachers" as the Baal Shem Tov and the Maggid of Mezritch.

The book is popularly called Tanya, for the word with which it begins.]

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Approbations

[Concerning the approbations of the tzaddikim, Rabbi Yehudah Leib HaKohen [1] and Rabbi Zusya, [1] the previous Rebbe [2] cites a tradition originating with the Mitteler Rebbe, the son of the author of the Tanya, as follows:

For twenty years the Alter Rebbe wrote the Tanya, revising, adding and deleting, [3] critically examining every word and even (literally) every letter, so that in the final manuscript there was neither a missing nor a superfluous letter, not even the seemingly optional letter vav. Only then did he permit it to be copied and distributed to the public. As a result of the many copies and copyists, however, a great many errors found their way into the text. (It is recorded elsewhere that there were those who intentionally corrupted the text in order to ascribe to the Alter Rebbe heretical views, so that they could later attack him.) [4]. At that point the Alter Rebbe sent messengers [5] to the aforementioned tzaddikkim, to confer with them on the printing of the Tanya and to request their approbations.

Both his colleagues expressed their enthusiasm over the book. R. Yehudah Leib HaKohen said: "The Tanya is an incense to counter all the spiritual plagues besetting the generations just before the arrival of Mashiach." R. Zusya predicted: "With the Tanya the Jewish people will go out to greet the righteous Mashiach."

Both indicated in their approbations that they were writing in the week of Parshat Ki Tavo ("when you enter the Land"). One of the emissaries, R. Moshe Vilenker, gave two reasons for this: Firstly, by studying the Tanya thoroughly one "enters the Land" in a spiritual sense, meaning that he makes the essential will of his soul manifest - for the word - Ratzon ("will") is related to Eretz ("land"). [6]

Secondly, the ways of serving G-d taught in the Tanya serve to transmute the curses enumerated in Parshat Ki Tavo into blessings.

Both tzaddikkim, R. Moshe Vilenker went on to explain, similarly indicated their esteem for the Tanya in the way they dated their approbations. R. Yehudah Leib HaKohen wrote "the year" Taf Kug Nun Vav [7] which is an acrostic for" Tanya Ketoret Neshama Veruach" - Tanya is the incense for the spirit and soul. In keeping with his comment quoted above; R. Zusya wrote the date as Shnat Pdusainu - " the year of our Redemption" - indicating, as above, that the Jewish people will greet Mashiach with the Tanya.]

Approbation by the famous rabbi and chassid A G-dly man of saintly renown Our teacher Rabbi Meshulam Zusil of Anipoli

I have seen the writings of this rabbi [8] and gaon; this G-dly man, saintly and pure; this luminous lens [9] [who brings every subject into sharp focus.]

He [with his own talents has done well,] and moreover G-d in his wonderful kindness has placed in his pure heart [additional strength] to do all this [i.e., to write the Tanya]), in order to show G-d's People His holy ways.

It was (the Alter Rebbe's) intention not to publish these writings, for it is not his custom. But because these pamphlets [10] have spread amongst all Israel in numerous copies by sundry copyists, and, as a result of the many and various transcriptions, the copyists' errors have multiplied exceedingly, he was compelled to bring these pamphlets to the printing press.

G-d has aroused the spirit of the (two) partners, the outstanding and distinguished scholar, R. Shalom Shachna, son of R. Noach, and the outstanding and distinguished scholar R. Mordechai, son of R. Shmuel HaLevi, [11] to bring these pamphlets to the printing house in Slavita.

I congratulate them on this good deed.

They were, however, apprehensive of the growing number of printing establishments which are wont to cause damage and ruin to the accredited ones.

In view of this we have resolved to give this approbation so that no man shall lift hand or foot [12] to cause any damage, G-d forbid, to the aforementioned printers by encroaching upon their exclusive right in any manner.

It is forbidden to any person to reprint this book without the knowledge of the said printers for a period of five full years from the date below.

May he who heeds these words of mine be blessed with good.

These are the words of one who demands this for the glory of the Torah, this day, Tuesday - the day on which the Creator twice saw that "it is good" [13] - of the weekly portion Tavo, in the year Pdusainu (556) of the (sixth) millenium.

The insignificant Meshulam Zusil of Anipoli

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Approbation by the famous rabbi and chassid A G-dly man of saintly renown Our teacher Rabbi Yehudah Leib HaKohen [14]

The wisdom of the man illumines the face of the earth - when one sees the hand (writings) [15] of the author, the rabbi and gaon, this G-dly man, saintly and pure, pious and humble, whose hidden (powers) have been revealed long ago [i.e., despite his efforts to the contrary]), when he sat at the seat of wisdom [16] with our lord, master and teacher, the world gaon [i.e., the Maggid of Mezritch, who was a world authority in the revealed aspects of Torah, as well as the supreme authority in the realm of chassidic thought], and he drew water from the well of living waters - [some understand this as an allusion to R. Avraham "the angel," son of the Maggid, for the letters "Mib-air" meaning "from the well," also spell Avram.]

Now Israel [an allusion to the Baal Shem Tov, whose name was Israel] will rejoice in the revelation of his holy words - [for in Tanya, the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov find lucid intellectual expression], which have been compiled in preparation for the press, to teach the nation of G-d the ways of holiness, as anyone can perceive in the inner meaning of [the author's] words.

That which is common knowledge needs no proof, [and thus the Tanya would actually need no approbation], but for the fear of damage, so that no harm be caused to the printers, I hereby sound a firm warning- that no man raise his hand or foot [12] to print [the Tanya] for a period of five years from the date below.

May he who heeds these words of mine be blessed with good.

These are the words of one who speaks thus for the glory of the Torah, This day, Tuesday, of the weekly portion Tavo, in the year 556 of the "sixth" millenium.

Yehudah Leib HaKohen

   

Notes:

1. (Back to text) The Alter Rebbe's colleague, and a disciple of the Maggid of Mezritch.

2. (Back to text) Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn of Lubavitch. See Iggerot Kodesh - Admur HaRayatz (KPS, Brooklyn, N.Y., 5742/1982), Vol. IV, pp. 264-267.

3. (Back to text) Examine well the first redaction of Likutei Amarim (reproduced by KPS, Brooklyn, N.Y. 5742/1982), and notes there. It is reasonable to assume that there were also many emendations in the text before the manuscript was released to the public to be copied. [Comment by the Rebbe Shlita.]

4. (Back to text) This adds insight to the Alter Rebbe's reference - at the end of his Compiler's Foreword - to "sundry and diverse" copyists (who caused errors to creep into the text), and likewise his statement that the printed Tanya would be "cleared of dross and errors" [Comment by the Rebbe Shlita.]

5. (Back to text) As recorded in Iggerot Kodesh, loc. cit., the messengers were three renowned chassidim - R. Moshe Vilenker, R. Pinchas of Shklov and R. Yitzchak Moshe of Yass (Jassy).

6. (Back to text) See Bereishit Rabbah 5:7: "Why is it called Eretz - land? Sheratzta laasot retzon kona - Because it desired to do the Will of its Creator."

7. (Back to text) I.e., the year 556 (corresponding to 1796); if written in full (Heh Taf Kuf Nun Vav) it would appear as 5556.

8. (Back to text) Note that the author's name appeared in neither the title page nor the approbations in the first seven editions. Only beginning with the eighth edition (Shklov, 5574/1814) was the author's name included, posthumously, when also the approbation by the Alter Rebbe's sons first appeared.

9. (Back to text) See Yevamot 49b on the superiority of Moshe Rabbeinu: "All the prophets gazed [at Divinity] through a non-luminous (or reflective') lens; Moshe Rabbeinu gazed through a luminous (or clear) lens." Rambam defines this superiority in his Yad, Yesodei HaTorah, ch. 6; Moreh Nevuchim II, ch. 35; and his commentary on the Mishnah, introduction to the chapter known as Chelek, in Tractate Sanhedrin, Principle 7. [Comment by the Rebbe Shlita.]

10. (Back to text) The Tanya was first distributed in the form of kuntreisim ("pamphlets"). See Tanya, KPS edition (Brooklyn, NY 1958), p. 407.

11. (Back to text) The first is the Alter Rebbe's son-in-law and father of Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Lubavitch, third leader of Chabad; the second is R. Mordechai Gorowitz, the printer of Shklov.

12. (Back to text) From Bereishit 41:44; i.e., "shall take any liberties."

13. (Back to text) Bereishit 1:10, 12.

14. (Back to text) Author of Or HaGanuz. Perhaps this approbation explains the most unusual phenomenon of the Tzemach Tzedek's granting an approbation to the above work. [Comment by the Rebbe Shlita.]

15. (Back to text) The original reads, "the hands of" perhaps a copyist's error. [Comment by the Rebbe Shlita.]

16. (Back to text) From II Shmuel 23:8.