The Rebbe devoted every available moment to his sacred studies. He spent much time studying the Talmud, the Shulchan Arukh,9"Set Table," the standard legal compendium governing all aspects of Jewish life, compiled in the sixteenth century by Rabbi Joseph Karo (1488-1575), with glosses added by Rabbi Moses Isserles (1530-1573). the Bible, the Ein Yaakov,10"The Well of Jacob," a compilation of all the portions of the Talmud that do not deal with legal questions. and the mystical books of the Zohar,11The classic of Kabbalistic literature, written by Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai in the second century C.E. the Tikkuney Zohar12"Emendations of Zohar," a seventy-chapter commentary on the first word of the Torah, also written by Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. See "His Wisdom" #285. and the writings of the holy Ari.13An acronym for Ashkenazi Rabbi Isaac, referring to Rabbi Isaac Luria (1534-1572), dean of all Kabbalists and leader of the mystic community in Safed. He also delved into many other sacred works, especially those involving Mussar.14Books involving devotion and morality.
The Rebbe said that his father’s library contained all the small Mussar books and that he went through every one. He also spent much time with the Reishit Chokhmah,15"Beginning of Wisdom," one of the great Kabbalistic Mussar classics, written by Rabbi Eliyahu DiVadish of the Ari's school in 1575. stating that he reread this remarkable work countless times.
The Rebbe’s unique expertise in all sacred literature was obvious. He was particularly unique in his knowledge of the Bible, the Ein Yaakov, the Ari’s writings, and the Zohar and Tikkuney Zohar, to the point that literally no one could be compared to him.
He was fluent in the entire Torah. He could quote anything in the sacred literature as if the book were opened in front of him. It was like a table set before him, where he could see everything and choose what he desired. The entire scope of our sacred literature was like this, standing ready before his mind’s eye to be used whenever he desired. This can be seen to some extent in the Rebbe’s writings.
וְהָיָה מַתְמִיד בְּלִמּוּדוֹ מְאֹד. וְלָמַד הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד שַׁ"ס וּפוֹסְקִים וְתַנַ"ךְ וְעֵין יַעֲקֹב וְסִפְרֵי הַזֹּהַר וְתִקּוּנִים וְכָל כִּתְבֵי הָאֲרִ"י־ז"ל, וּשְׁאָר סְפָרִים הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד וְסִפְרֵי מוּסָר הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד.
The Rebbe devoted every available moment to his sacred studies. He spent much time studying the Talmud, the Shulchan Arukh,9"Set Table," the standard legal compendium governing all aspects of Jewish life, compiled in the sixteenth century by Rabbi Joseph Karo (1488-1575), with glosses added by Rabbi Moses Isserles (1530-1573). the Bible, the Ein Yaakov,10"The Well of Jacob," a compilation of all the portions of the Talmud that do not deal with legal questions. and the mystical books of the Zohar,11The classic of Kabbalistic literature, written by Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai in the second century C.E. the Tikkuney Zohar12"Emendations of Zohar," a seventy-chapter commentary on the first word of the Torah, also written by Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. See "His Wisdom" #285. and the writings of the holy Ari.13An acronym for Ashkenazi Rabbi Isaac, referring to Rabbi Isaac Luria (1534-1572), dean of all Kabbalists and leader of the mystic community in Safed. He also delved into many other sacred works, especially those involving Mussar.14Books involving devotion and morality.
וְאָמַר: שֶׁכָּל הַסְּפָרִים קְטַנִּים הַמְדַבְּרִים מִמּוּסָר כֻּלָּם הָיוּ בְּבֵית אָבִיו. וְלָמַד מִכֻּלָּם. גַּם לָמַד הַרְבֵּה "רֵאשִׁית חָכְמָה" וְאָמַר בְּפֵרוּשׁ: שֶׁלָּמַד אֶת סֵפֶר "רֵאשִׁית חָכְמָה" פְּעָמִים אֵין מִסְפָּר.
The Rebbe said that his father’s library contained all the small Mussar books and that he went through every one. He also spent much time with the Reishit Chokhmah,15"Beginning of Wisdom," one of the great Kabbalistic Mussar classics, written by Rabbi Eliyahu DiVadish of the Ari's school in 1575. stating that he reread this remarkable work countless times.
וְגֹדֶל בְּקִיאוּתוֹ בְּכָל הַסְּפָרִים כְּפִי מַה שֶּׁרָאִינוּ בְּעֵינֵינוּ קְצָת הָיָה בְּלִי שִׁעוּר וּבִפְרָט בְּסִפְרֵי תַּנַ"ךְ וְ"עֵין יַעֲקֹב" וְכָל כִּתְבֵי הָאֲרִ"י וְסִפְרֵי הַזֹּהַר וְתִקּוּנִים, לֹא נִמְצָא דֻּגְמָתוֹ בָּעוֹלָם.
The Rebbe’s unique expertise in all sacred literature was obvious. He was particularly unique in his knowledge of the Bible, the Ein Yaakov, the Ari’s writings, and the Zohar and Tikkuney Zohar, to the point that literally no one could be compared to him.
כִּי כָּל הַתּוֹרָה כֻּלָּה הָיְתָה מוּכֶנֶת לְפָנָיו וְשָׁגוּר בְּפִיו כַּשֻּׁלְחָן הֶעָרוּךְ מַמָּשׁ, כְּדָבָר הַמֻּנָּח לִפְנֵי הָאָדָם לִפְנֵי עֵינָיו שֶׁיָּכוֹל לִקַּח לְעַצְמוֹ מַה שֶּׁיִּרְצֶה, כֵּן מַמָּשׁ הָיוּ כָּל הַסְּפָרִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים מוּכָנִים לִפְנֵי עֵינֵי שִׂכְלוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בְּכָל־עֵת שֶׁרָצָה. וּקְצָת מִזֶּה יְכוֹלִים לִרְאוֹת וּלְהָבִין בִּסְפָרָיו הַקְּדוֹשִׁים.
He was fluent in the entire Torah. He could quote anything in the sacred literature as if the book were opened in front of him. It was like a table set before him, where he could see everything and choose what he desired. The entire scope of our sacred literature was like this, standing ready before his mind’s eye to be used whenever he desired. This can be seen to some extent in the Rebbe’s writings.