English translation — מאמר כי תשא תשכ"ח

With the help of Heaven.

Shabbos of Parshas Tisa,

the 16th of Adar,

5728

(A transcription)

"When you take [a census] etc.,"

behold, in this portion1

the matter of the service in the Mishkan and the Beis HaMikdash, which is called Mishkan,2 is explained,

the matter of the act of the incense offering,

for this was one of the primary services in the Mishkan,

and even though also in the preceding portion,

Parshas Tetzaveh,3

the matter of the incense offering is discussed,

and likewise in the following portion,

Parshas Vayakhel,4

but there it is discussed only in general,

and in this portion the matter is explained in detail,

namely the preparations for it,

and from what the incense offering was made,

and also the greatness of the matter in this,

and the negative commandments connected to it and the severity of the matter in them, and even the matter of the opposite of life for one who transgresses them,

and also this matter of the opposite of life is specifically explained in this portion, since here the severity of the matter is explained,

and although also regarding sacrifices there are several negative commandments, like [offering] unconsecrated animals in the courtyard and slaughtering outside [the Temple] etc.,

but this does not reach [the level of] the incense offering, which is so severe, even to the matter of the opposite of life for one who makes [an incense offering] in its likeness.

Now, the matter of the sacrifices and the act of the incense offering is the service of the Mishkan,

and as explained in the maamar of the day of the Hilula, the primary service in the Mishkan and the Temple is the matter of the sacrifices

(which also includes the act of the incense offering),

and therefore the Mishkan was specifically made of acacia wood, etc.

(as explained there)

And nevertheless, "I will dwell among them" was fulfilled,

for behold, the general concept of the sacrifices is the matter of drawing near all the powers,

and even to the drawing near which is the secret of the sacrifice ascending to the secret of Ein Sof,

However, there is a distinction between ordinary sacrifices and the act of the incense offering,

for sacrifices are called "eating," as it is stated,

"My sacrifice, My food, My fire-offerings," etc.,

and therefore Israel is called "My friend,"

for the explanation of "My friend" is "My sustainer" through the two daily offerings, etc., as brought in the Midrash,

"Israel sustains their Father in Heaven,"

In contrast, the act of the incense offering is the matter of smell,

And although from the perspective of the concept of inclusion in holiness, there is also the matter of smell in the sacrifices,

as it is stated, "a pleasing fragrance to the L-rd,"

nevertheless, the essence of the sacrifices is the matter of eating,

And therefore, the place where they distinguish between the right nostril and the left nostril

is specifically regarding the incense,

because specifically with the incense, its primary concept is smell,

And therefore, it is specifically in the power of the incense to transform the side of impurity,

For behold, the sacrifices must be specifically from what is permitted to the mouth,

In contrast, with the incense there is also the matter of mor (myrrh), which is the concept of the side of impurity, as the Alter Rebbe explains

regarding the matter of "six months with the oil of myrrh" and "Mordechai, pure myrrh,"

And not only is the myrrh from the side of impurity,

but rather, each and every one of the incense spices is connected with the matter of the side of impurity,

for specifically in the incense there are eleven spices

(and if one is missing, etc.),

meaning that each of the incense spices is one of the eleven,

for eleven is the concept of the side of impurity, which is not

(as in holiness, where it is)

ten and not eleven,

And furthermore, these eleven spices correspond to the eleven chieftains of Esau,

meaning that each of the incense spices corresponds to one of the chieftains of Esau,

and thus each of the eleven spices is connected with the matter of the side of impurity,

for the concept of the incense is to transform the side of impurity into holiness,

and the power for this is because the incense is the matter of smell, which reaches higher than sacrifices.

Now, the superiority of smell is that it reaches the very essence of the soul,

and therefore, it is in the power of smell,

and specifically a strong smell,

to awaken from sleep,

for this is specifically in the power of smell and not in the power of eating,

and on the contrary,

eating causes sleep,

and therefore it is stated in Tractate Yoma

that the High Priest must minimize his eating on the eve of Yom Kippur,

because food brings sleep,

in contrast, smell awakens from sleep,

since it reaches the essence of the soul,

And this is why the service of the High Priest on Yom Kippur, once a year, was specifically with incense, which is the matter of smell,

For just as in a person below, smell has the power to awaken the essence of the soul,

so too in the Temple, the service with smell is in the Holy of Holies,

And although he also entered there with the blood of the sacrifices,

nevertheless, the primary service in the Holy of Holies was with incense,

and the innovation of the act of the incense on Yom Kippur is in the Holy of Holies,

And due to the superiority of the concept of the incense, therefore "no man shall be in the Tent of Meeting," etc.,

and also throughout the year

(in Chassidus, this concept is explained regarding Yom Kippur,

but it is so throughout the year

due to the superiority of the incense),

for it is the matter of smell that reaches the essence of the soul,

And just as in the physical, it is specifically in the power of smell to awaken from sleep, so too in the spiritual, in order to awaken from sleep, it is specifically through smell,

Now, the concept of sleep is explained in the maamar of Purim

regarding the verse,

"I am asleep, but my heart is awake; the voice of my Beloved knocks," etc.,

And this means that although the Congregation of Israel is asleep in exile,

nevertheless, since "my heart is awake,"

meaning that the Yechidah of the soul is complete and awake for each and every one,

therefore "the voice of my Beloved knocks: Open for me,"

in order that I may be "my sister, my friend, my dove, my perfect one,"

(And in the aforementioned maamar, this verse of "I am asleep," etc., and the continuation of the verses, "I have taken off my tunic," etc., are explained,

the explanation of which is that after "the voice of my Beloved knocks,")

the Congregation of Israel answers, "I have taken off my tunic; how can I put it on again?"

And the Rebbe Maharash and the Tzemach Tzedek bring in their notes on Shir HaShirim

(on the verse,

"My Beloved sent forth His hand," etc.)

that in Midrash Rabbah on Shir HaShirim on the verse "I have taken off my tunic," etc., it is stated,

that it refers to the priestly garments and the royal garments that were removed from them in exile,

for at first glance, the connection of the priestly garments, etc., to here is not understood,

and they explain,

that since "I am asleep in exile and the voice of my Beloved knocks to awaken from sleep,"

therefore the response to this is "I have taken off my tunic,"

for she lacks the priestly garments, etc.,

and therefore it is impossible for there to be the service of the sacrifices, which are called "a pleasing fragrance to the L-rd,"

and especially the act of the incense, which is the matter of smell,

and smell awakens from sleep,

and since "I have taken off my priestly garments" and there is no fragrance of the sacrifices and the incense,

therefore "how can I put it on again" to be aroused to the level of "my sister, my friend," etc.,

And to this, the Holy Spirit responds in the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, "I have washed my feet; how can I soil them?"

For the Holy Temple is called

the "footstool" of the Holy One, blessed be He,

and in the Holy Temple was the indwelling of the Shechinah,

as it is stated,

"Behold, the heavens and the heavens of heavens cannot contain You, how much less this house,"

which is a standing question,

but after "I have washed my feet,"

meaning, I have washed Myself from being clothed in the Holy Temple,

therefore "how can I," etc.

And although even in the time of exile there is the matter of the sacrifices of prayer, for "they instituted prayers corresponding to the sacrifices,"

and likewise there is also the matter of the incense now,

which is the concept of the Minchah prayer,

which is called the "Minchah offering of incense,"

and as explained in the discourses that elucidate the superiority of the Minchah prayer over the other prayers,

and even Elijah was not answered except during the Minchah prayer,

as stated in the Haftarah of this Shabbos,

However, the drawing down that comes through prayer is only in the internality of the worlds,

and it is known that the drawing down must also be in the externality of the worlds, as explained regarding the matter of Torah, that it must be "to those who bring it forth" by mouth

specifically,

and as the Alter Rebbe elaborates in Tanya,

and likewise with mitzvos, it must be specifically the action of the mitzvos,

to the extent that the entire concept of Torah and mitzvos is specifically below in this physical world, for "you descended to Egypt,"

And with sacrifices, indeed it is so, that through them there is a revelation of the drawing down also in the externality of the worlds,

in contrast, through the prayers that "they instituted in place of the sacrifices," the drawing down is only in the internality of the worlds,

And because through the mitzvos the drawing down is in the externality of the worlds,

therefore the Congregation of Israel answers, "I have taken off my tunic," etc.

And regarding this, the verse continues,

"My beloved sent his hand from the hole,"

meaning that although the Holy Spirit responds in the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, "I have washed my feet, how can I defile them?" etc.,

nevertheless, from the aspect of the matter of "my beloved sent his hand,"

where "my beloved" refers to the intrinsic love of the Holy One, blessed be He, for the souls of Israel

(and as the Alter Rebbe explains in the maamar on the verse "I arose to open for my beloved,"

and it is explained in the sicha of the Rebbe

(the Rebbe Rashab)

of blessed memory27),

and from the aspect of intrinsic love,

behold, "He sent his hand from the hole,"

where "hole" (chor) is also related to the term "fine linen" (chur) and also to the term "freedom" (cheirus)28,

and through this, "Open for me" is brought about,

and after "Open for me," the four levels of "my sister, my beloved, my dove, my perfect one,"

which are four levels both in the service regarding love,

for there is no worship like the worship of love29,

and in the service of fulfilling the commandments,

for these four levels correspond to the four letters of the Name Havayah30,

and through this, "For the Jews there was light, and joy, and gladness, and honor"31,

and it can be said that the four matters of light, joy, etc., correspond to the four letters of the Name Havayah,

for "light" is Torah32,

and as it is written33,

"For a mitzvah is a lamp and Torah is light,"

which is the aspect of the Sefirah of Chochmah,

"joy" is the aspect of the Festivals32,

for joy,

which is the aspect of the Sefirah of Binah,

and "gladness" is circumcision32,

which is the aspect of the Sefirah of Yesod, which is the main part of Zeir Anpin,

and "honor" is Tefillin32,

which are the aspect of Malchus, as explained at the end of Shaarei Orah34,

and as it is in its root in the Essence (Atzmus) of Ein Sof, blessed be He,

which is what is said in the Zohar Chadash35,

that Tefillin are the likeness of the seal of the Supreme King,

for "likeness" and "seal" are the aspect of the Sefirah of Malchus,

meaning that through "Open for me," the four letters of the Name Havayah are drawn into service,

and likewise into the light, joy, etc.

And this is also what is written, "For the Jews there was light, etc.," and as it is stated in the Gemara36,

that anyone who denies idolatry is called a Jew,

meaning that first there is the matter of self-sacrifice (mesiras nefesh), with which they stood at that time in the days of Purim,

and this is the aspect of "Open for me like the eye of a needle," which is the aspect of self-sacrifice,

and afterwards come the four levels of light, joy, gladness, and honor,

and this is also what is written37,

"There was a Jewish man in Shushan the capital, and his name was Mordechai,"

for Mordechai—from where in the Torah? As it is said38,

"Mar Dror" (pure myrrh),

and we translate it as "Mira Dakhya"39,

and as explained in Torah Or40,

and "Jew" (Yehudi) is the aspect of self-sacrifice as above,

for "Yehudi" is from the term "thanksgiving" (hoda'ah), which is above intellect and reason,

and this affected in all of them the matter of self-sacrifice, so that they are all specifically called "Jews," as per the Sages' statement, which is the opposite of their previous state when they bowed to the idol as related in the Gemara41,

and afterwards, from this self-sacrifice, there is drawn down into the four letters of the Name Havayah,

light, joy, gladness, etc., and even to light, joy, gladness, and honor below ten handbreadths,

as the simple meaning of the verse.