@ 5ish
“This is one of the things which is a machlokes between The Nefesh Hachaim and the Baal Hatanya. (It is entirely possible that this machlokes has earlier roots but I am not in the know about that, and since we are speaking about Chabad chassidim and their beliefs I feel it is relevant to mention that there is a major machlokes about how tzimtzum works and The Baal Hataya holds one way while the Nefesh Hachaim holds the other way”
That’s fine. They certainly do disagree. I think SL or DY already pointed this out. His position on this matter is crystal clear to anyone who cares to read it.
But let’s not be hasty. Let’s not jump to the conclusion that citing his words as a support was a deliberate misrepresentation. Let’s not assume that it was an error in interpretation. Let’s not attribute it to a failure to even bother reading what he wrote in context.
There is an alternative explination
Perhaps Rav Chaim repented his position. Really he agrees with the Ba’al HaTanya and and was mramez it hiddenly in his sefer, you just have to know where to look. This way he will rectify the error of his Rebbe, the GRA, who refused to meet with the Baal HaTanya. Some might even say that the Gaon himself instructed his talmid to do this. This supposition, while not 100% verified is eminently reasonable since everyone knows that the GRA repented his hisnagdus and was seeking a way to be mitakein the situation. Of course Rav Chaim didn’t write any of this openly so that his sefer would gain acceptance in the Litvish world. He knew b’ruach haKodesh that the truth would eventually come out. And loe and behold, Adif Chocham M’Navi! Here on YWN we learn the truth.
The above dovetails nicely with the messorah from YDS (mentioned in the mashichistim explained thread) regarding the reason the GRA jumped out of the window to avoid meeting the Baal HaTanya. Of course the rest of Beis Brisk also know this messorah they where just hiding it until the right time.
Freilichen Purim!!