Maamarei Admur HaZaken – HaKetzarim (Book)

Title page of the first edition

Maamarei Admur HaZaken – HaKetzarim (lit. The Short Discourses of the Alter Rebbe) is a volume in the Maamarei Admur HaZaken series, collecting brief Chassidic discourses — known as maamarim (singular: maamar), Torah talks that explore Kabbalistic and Chassidic themes in depth — delivered by the Alter Rebbe before the year 5562 (1801–02), a period referred to in Chabad tradition as "before Petersburg" (a reference to his imprisonment and miraculous release), or whose dates of delivery are unknown.

The volume was edited by Rabbi Shalom Dovber Levin, with annotations written by Rabbi Yitzchak Wilhem and Rabbi Dovid Moshe Ulidort.

History

According to Chabad tradition as received from the Frierdiker Rebbe (the Previous Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn), the Alter Rebbe initially delivered very brief discourses — deeply stirring and intensely inspiring — which were called derachim ("ways" or "paths"). These were followed by longer ones called igros ("letters"). After that came what were called Toros ("teachings"), which form the roots of the discourses in Torah Ohr and Likkutei Torah. Still longer discourses followed, called kesavim ("writings"), which offer broad and expansive elucidation.

Publication History

The Rebbe's Request

Urgent.Template:BrRegarding his [Rabbi Levin's] sacred work in the near future:Template:BrWithin the [project of] the Alter Rebbe — the publication of the short maamarim (Toros) (together with his letters, aside from those already printed in Tanya where there are no manuscript additions). For completeness — it should also include those already published in Maah She'arim, Boneh Yerushalayim, Diskin, Hillman, HaKan.Template:BrPerhaps: to publish a bikhel containing many such Toros, like the small bikhel of R. Efraim Volf — as a beginning, and afterward a supplementary volume.Template:BrThe above requires that he involve several others, so that the matter comes to actual fruition.

In late Teves 5740 (January 1980), the Rebbe wrote a note to Rabbi Shalom Dovber Levin directing him to publish the "short maamarim (Toros)" of the Alter Rebbe, and — "for completeness" — to include in the volume the short discourses and letters already printed in various earlier works. The Rebbe instructed Rabbi Levin to enlist additional helpers "so that the matter comes to actual fruition."

Initially, the Rebbe proposed that Rabbi Levin begin by publishing a single bikhel (booklet) containing many such discourses, and then follow up with a supplementary volume — citing as a model the small bikhel compiled by Rabbi Efraim Volf. Rabbi Levin then wrote to the Rebbe noting that this manuscript also contained discourses from the Mitteler Rebbe and the Tzemach Tzedek, making attribution difficult; ultimately the volume was compiled from all the available manuscript booklets.

The Rebbe initially directed that the Alter Rebbe's letters be included in the volume — except for those already printed in Tanya for which no manuscript variants existed. In a subsequent communication, however, the Rebbe instructed that the Alter Rebbe's letters be joined together with those of the Mitteler Rebbe and the Tzemach Tzedek and published as a separate volume. This resulted in the publication of Igros Kodesh — Admur HaZaken, Admur HaEmtzaei, ve-Admur HaTzemach Tzedek.

Editing Begins

While Rabbi Levin was editing that Igros Kodesh volume, the Rebbe did not respond to his questions about the present book. Only on 8 Tammuz 5740 (July 1980), as Rabbi Levin was completing that work, did the Rebbe write to explain that he had withheld reply because additional manuscripts would only now be made available.

After the Igros Kodesh appeared, the Rebbe wrote to Rabbi Levin:

Since you have succeeded — both in the substance of the publication and in the speed — with the Igros HaKodesh of the Alter Rebbe, the time is right and propitious to throw yourself into publishing the short maamarim of the Alter Rebbe in quantity, as has been discussed — and may you bring good tidings and be blessed upon its completion soon.

— Tzom Gedaliah 5740 (September 1980), Avodat HaKodesh etzel HaRebbe MiLubavitch, p. 36 (including photograph of the note)

Rabbi Levin replied to the Rebbe that the list of discourses was more or less ready and that he and Rabbi Yitzchak Wilhem were working on preparing them for print — work that would take "a few months." In response, the Rebbe underlined the words "a few months" and wrote "??!"

Rabbi Levin also mentioned his efforts to determine the exact dates of the discourses. The Rebbe replied: "There is great doubt whether this will be possible (it appears the copyists were not at all precise in this)."

On 3 Cheshvan 5741 (November 1980), Rabbi Levin informed the Rebbe that the first draft of the volume was complete. The Rebbe responded with thanks and, invoking the saying "one who has a hundred wants two hundred," added that it would be worthwhile to also include the discourses already printed in Maah She'arim and Boneh Yerushalayim.

Printing

By the Rebbe's guidance, Rabbi Levin did not delay the editing of the first issue of Yagdil Torah for 5741 in order to work on the short discourses. The Rebbe subsequently directed him to compile the index volume for the Alter Rebbe's works, describing this as equivalent to working on the maamarim themselves since it was "a key — also in the literal sense" to editing the volume. This pushed the editing of the present book past 19 Kislev 5741.

On 28 Shevat 5741 (February 1981), Rabbi Levin informed the Rebbe that editing of the annotations was complete. The Rebbe asked how many pages were involved and stressed that preparations for print should proceed "with all speed (not at the expense of precision, obviously)." The volume was printed during Adar Rishon 5741 (February–March 1981).

Supplementary Volumes

Following publication, Rabbi Levin directed that any short discourses of the Alter Rebbe discovered thereafter be recorded among the longer discourses rather than separately.

Beginning in 5772 (2011–12), Otzar HaChassidim began issuing supplementary fascicles to this volume, containing previously unpublished short discourses of the Alter Rebbe, edited by Rabbi Eliyahu Matusov and Rabbi Gavriel Shapiro. As of 5782 (2021–22), seven such fascicles have appeared.

Contents

By the Rebbe's directive, discourses were included in the volume on the basis of their length, not their depth — "for who can adjudicate on quality?"

The Rebbe directed that the order of discourses follow "the sequence of Torah verses, followed by rabbinic sayings and the like." When Rabbi Levin wrote to the Rebbe suggesting that discourses on the Zohar form a separate section, the Rebbe replied that these "seemingly belong in the rabbinic category." The discourses were arranged in three sections: (1) Tanach; (2) Rabbinic sayings (including the Zohar and the liturgical order); (3) Themes (arranged according to the order of the Hebrew alphabet).

External Links

• Maamarei Admur HaZaken – HaKetzarim, Kehot Publication Society, Brooklyn, 5741
• Supplementary fascicles, Kehot Publication Society, Brooklyn: Fascicle 1, 5774 / Fascicle 2, 5775 / Fascicle 3, 5777 / Fascicle 4, 5779 / Fascicle 5, 5781 / Fascicle 6, 5781 / Fascicle 7, 5782