English translation — מאמר וקבל היהודים תשל"ח

With the help of Heaven.

Tuesday,

Purim Katan 5738*.

"And the Jews accepted that which they had begun to do"1,

and it is explained in this by my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, our leader, in his well-known maamar2

which he said on Purim Katan

(5687)

in Moscow

[which this year is the beginning of the Jubilee3

second4

of its recitation]

that now, in the time of exile, they accepted what they had already begun at the time of the Giving of the Torah.

And as the words of our Sages, of blessed memory5,

on the verse6

"They fulfilled and accepted the Jews, etc.",

that they fulfilled now

(in the days of Achashverosh)

what they had already accepted at the time of the Giving of the Torah.

And he precisely notes in this maamar,

that at first glance it is a wondrous thing

[and he precisely notes in his question that this is a matter of "wondrous"

(and not like the usual language in most maamarim – "it needs to be understood")

because the matter

(that they accepted in the time of exile what they had begun at the time of the Giving of the Torah)

is in the aspect of wondrous.

And as explained7

regarding the matter of "It is not wondrous... and not distant"8,

that distance and closeness are relative to each other,

but "wondrous" indicates a matter of separation and distinction, even to the point that it is in the aspect of "wonder" relative to it,

and this means it is a matter that is entirely incomparable.

And as is known9

(regarding the Sefiros)

that the aspect of "wonder" is the aspect of Kesser,

and in particular, the aspect of the innerness of Kesser,

which is entirely beyond comprehension in relation to the entire order of the chain of descent.

And from this it will be understood also regarding the matter of the wondrous mentioned in the maamar],

that at the Giving of the Torah

(when they began to do)

the Jewish people were at the ultimate level of elevation and in a most praiseworthy state and condition,

and it was then after the Splitting of the Sea and the Exodus from Egypt,

which are matters that established each and every Jew and the entirety of the Jewish people in a most elevated state,

for in the Exodus from Egypt, the King of Kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed Himself upon them in His glory and redeemed them,

and at the time of the Splitting of the Sea

[which is the conclusion and seal of the Exodus from Egypt10]

a maidservant saw at the sea what the prophets did not see11,

and certainly the ultimate elevation of the Jewish people at the time of the Giving of the Torah,

for the Giving of the Torah was only once, as is known12

that the Giving of the Torah will not occur again,

and it is also explained in Tanya13

that at the time of the Giving of the Torah there was already a semblance of the ultimate perfection of the world that will be in the future,

which was a revelation of G-dliness in tangible sight,

that due to these revelations the Jewish people were at the ultimate level.

In contrast, in the time of exile it is the exact opposite,

that the Jewish people are at the lowest point of descent.

And especially in the time of Haman

(when "And the Jews accepted, etc., they fulfilled, etc." occurred)

who sought, Heaven forbid, to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the Jews, from youth to elder, infants and women, in one day, etc.14,

for this decree was most severe, as it was all at once upon all the Jews throughout the entire world,

for Achashverosh ruled over the entire globe, as stated in the Midrash15,

and it was impossible to escape to a place that was already after the decree, since it was in one day

(throughout the entire world),

which is

(within the exile itself)

the most terrible exile.

And it is explained in the maamar there that the force of

(the decree and)

the exile in spirituality was the decree regarding the matter of education.

And as stated in the Midrash16

[Haman] said

(Haman)

"I will not send my hand first except upon these children."

And this means that in order to carry out, Heaven forbid, his evil plot and wicked thought which he thought against the Jews, may G-d have mercy, to destroy them17,

the beginning is with these children of the study hall.

For the intention in this is the decree upon the entirety of the matter of education,

and it can be said that even though in the above "young students" refers to a child in years, but analogous to this is also a child in matters of Judaism,

even if he is an adult in years, and in the language of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, "he already has white hair",

nevertheless, in his state regarding matters of Torah and mitzvos he is in the aspect of a child.

[And from this very fact

(that the existence of the Jewish people depends on education)

one understands the greatness of the self-sacrifice that must be for the education of the Jewish people.

For one must give his soul so that "Do not touch My anointed ones"18

refers to these children of the study hall, as stated in Tractate Shabbos19,

which is accomplished by bringing the children to their proper place,

to the study hall,

and there itself, the manner of education is in a manner of "house

(of study)

" and permanent,

meaning that the children will receive from their teacher the foundation

(the entire structure)

for all the days of their lives].

And after all this,

behold, at the Giving of the Torah there was only "they began to do,"

a matter of a beginning only,

and the fulfillment

(of the Torah of the Giving of the Torah),

"they fulfilled and accepted,"

was specifically in the time of exile,

and particularly in the time of Haman when Israel were at the ultimate low of exile in physicality and spirituality,

which is a most wondrous matter.

2)

And this will be understood

(as explained in the maamar20)

according to the explanation of the verse21

"pure pressed oil for illumination,"

where it is precisely noted22

that it does not say "oil to give light" but rather "oil for illumination,"

and he explains regarding this23

that "illumination" refers to the light source itself,

meaning the source of light.

And this is what is said, "pure pressed for illumination,"

that when a person is in a state of being crushed,

broken and crushed,

behold, then he reaches the light source.

And this being broken and crushed is also when physically he is in a state of the greatest expansion, yet nevertheless he lacks in spirituality,

in his service,

and moreover,

that even if also in spirituality he is perfect in fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos,

and even to the point that he is at the ultimate level and expansion, serving his service as is proper for him to do24,

nevertheless, when he contemplates that "and Your people are all righteous"25,

and each and every Jew is "a planting of My planting, the work of My hands in which to take pride"

(the plantings and the works of the hands of the Holy One, blessed be He, and in them He takes pride),

and he contemplates the greatness of the Holy One, blessed be He,

behold, he will weep bitterly in his soul,

for what is all his service considered

(even if it is perfect)

relative to his true value and level that he must be a planting of His planting and the work of His hands for the pride of the Holy One, blessed be He, in a revealed way, so that all who see him will recognize this,

and if so, even the perfection of his service is not at all as it should be,

and behold, even one who strikes with a hammer before the king, this is the opposite of life and existence26,

and all the more so when his service is not as it should be,

that it is not commensurate with what should have been according to the powers given to him.

And behold, when he contemplates the greatness of his descent and weeps bitterly in his soul,

he will come to repentance,

and even to the point of reaching "and the spirit returns to God who gave it"27

and even higher,

that the soul returns with self-sacrifice to its source and supernal root from which it was taken, etc.28.

And this is what is said, "pure pressed for illumination,"

that through this, that a person is broken and crushed,

in a state of being crushed

[from within expansion in physicality and from within expansion in spirituality,

as above],

behold, then he reaches the light source itself,

to the level of "the God who gave it," etc.

3)

And behold, the aforementioned service of being in ultimate self-nullification in a state of being crushed then also affects actual practice.

And the matter is,

as the Alter Rebbe explains in Torah Or29

that the Jews gave themselves over to death all year long and no extraneous thought arose in them, G-d forbid,

that the explanation of this is that they stood with self-sacrifice in all manners of changes that occurred,

for this is "shanah" (year), a term of change30

because the year includes within it all possible changes31.

And in the known manner32

regarding the virtue of the esrog, which dwells on its tree from year to year33

that it bears upon itself all the changes of the airs of the four seasons of the year and is not affected by this at all, and dwells on its tree

[that its vitality and place of dwelling is on its tree,

in its root and source],

and not only is it not affected by the changes, but moreover it grows from the changes,

as explained in the continuation "and so"34,

behold, in this manner is the service of man,

that in all manners of changes of levels in service,

the entire year,

his service is in ultimate perfection,

that no extraneous thought arises, G-d forbid.

And one reaches this specifically when he is in ultimate self-nullification in a state of being crushed,

because since there are different modes of service from one extreme to the other, like kindness and severity,

therefore even if his service in the line of kindness is as it should be, it might be difficult for him that his service in the line of severity should also be with that same perfection

[in the manner that even regarding Avraham Avinu,

since his service was in the aspect of kindness35,

"Avraham who loves Me"36,

it is said of him37

"Now I know that you are a G-d-fearing man,"

after he also stood in the tenth trial38],

and through the self-nullification of being crushed, the perfection of his service is without changes in all the different modes of service39.

d)

And behold,

another effect of the aforementioned nullification,

that one who recognizes that he is at the ultimate descent etc. causes him that even if his service is proper, nevertheless he will educate himself in the manner of the education of young children literally,

for he feels himself to be like an infant in his service

(and as above, for what is he considered relative to his true value).

And the matter of education must be with self-sacrifice

(as above),

and as is explained in the aforementioned maamar,

the self-sacrifice that existed in this during the time of Mordechai,

and behold the Torah is eternal,

that in this there is an instruction

[Torah from the term instruction,

as it is brought in the Zohar]

eternal for each and every one in every time and in every place,

that one must give over his soul for the matter of education,

whether for the education of himself,

as the statement of the Mishnah,

"Who is wise? One who learns from every person,"

that this education must be every single day throughout all the days of his life,

for behold, every day he must ascend in his service, as the statement,

"We ascend in holiness,"

that even when he is in the category of holy,

for "holy" is a word in and of itself,

it is the category of wisdom

[which is in the level of wise, for yesterday he already learned from every person],

behold even then there must be an ascent,

that when a new day arrives, "he does his work"

and adds to learn from every person and rises in his level of wisdom,

meaning that every single day there must be the education of himself.

And so too is understood from the well-known teaching of the Baal Shem Tov,

that in every matter that a Jew sees or hears, he must see and hear

(perceive and overhear)

the instruction within it for his service to his Master,

meaning that in every matter he sees or hears, he must educate himself.

And all the more so must one give over his soul for the matter of the education of young children literally.

And especially there is in this an obligation upon the young men and young women, as my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, adds in his letter in connection with his aforementioned maamar,

that the times demand,

that each and every one of the young men and young women, may they live,

behold not only that they themselves, in their private lives,

must be firm and strong in the observance of the practical mitzvos in all their beauty etc.

[and through this be a living example]

but furthermore,

[and this too is essential]

to make an environment of Torah learners and mitzvah observers,

to the extent that they will see among them openly that they are "a planting of My planting, the work of My hands, to be glorified."

And in general,

this obligation is upon each and every one,

for each and every one is included in "young men and young women" when it is recalled that every single day he becomes a new creation.

And behold, through the education of young children, "from the mouths of babes and sucklings You have established strength... to silence the enemy and the avenger,"

and as is explained in the aforementioned maamar,

that the enemy is the revealed hater,

and the avenger is a hidden hater who invents pretexts etc.

[And in the service, this is the matter of what Yaakov said,

"which I took from the hand of the Emorite with my sword and with my bow,"

for the difference between a sword and a bow is that the sword kills the hater who stands near him, close by,

and the bow can also kill the hater who stands from afar,

for the close hater refers to

(coarseness)

the evil that a person knows and understands is evil,

and the hater who stands from afar is the subtlety of evil that he does not know about etc.

And the removal of the enemy and avenger is through the work of "my sword and my bow,"

as is explained in the maamarim

regarding the matter of the five weapons enumerated in the Mishnah of Shabbos.]

e)

And behold, the power for the aforementioned service is through Moshe Rabbeinu.

As is explained in the aforementioned maamar,

that this is the meaning of "And you shall command the children of Israel etc.,"

for "tetzaveh" is a term of connection and bonding,

and "you" refers

(in the simple meaning of the verse)

to Moshe,

and the extension of Moshe in every generation,

that in each one of Israel there is something of the aspect of Moshe, as it is brought in Tikkunei Zohar

and cited in Igeres HaKodesh of the Alter Rebbe,

and in each one, behold the aspect of Moshe within him is revealed to the extent that "even a trivial matter" is

"small" relative to it, as it is brought in Tanya, Part One,

and the aspect of Moshe within each one of Israel connects in a manner of connection and bonding

(tetzaveh)

the

root of the soul

to the soul that is clothed in the body, together with the animal soul and his body and his portion in the world,

and gives power that it should be "crushed for light,"

that from this being crushed and broken due to the descent of the soul into this lowly world, below which there is no lower,

which is a tremendous descent,

for even when this world is at its ultimate perfection it is called a "deep pit,"

from which it is understood that the very fact that the soul descended into this world is a great descent.

And due to the descent,

even if he is in a state of ultimate expansion in physicality and also in spirituality, nevertheless, what is he considered relative to his true standing and state

(before the descent)

which is in the category of "son,"

the only one of the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He,

(as is known the parable regarding this in the maamar of 5666),

behold from the crushing

(that is broken and crushed)

it becomes a light that reaches the light itself, as above.

6)

And based on the above, one can understand what is written, "And the Jews accepted that which they had begun to do,"

for although at the time of the Giving of the Torah the Jewish people were at the ultimate level

(and then everything was already given,

as above),

nevertheless, then it was only "they had begun to do,"

a mere beginning,

because this was only from Above downward.

And afterward, in the service during the time of exile,

in the time of Mordechai and Esther,

when the strength of exile is in doubled and redoubled darkness

(as it was literally),

then the service is from the side of the lower beings,

"and the Jews accepted,"

which was not the case at the time of the Giving of the Torah.

And furthermore,

in the service during the time of exile there is an advantage over the time of the Giving of the Torah,

for specifically then the fulfillment of the Torah that they received at the Giving of the Torah, which was only in the aspect of "they had begun to do," is achieved,

because specifically during the time of exile

[in its simple sense,

and also in the subtlety of the matters,

when one contemplates

(in the manner mentioned above)

that even after all the matters he has effected through his service,

even when they are at the ultimate perfection,

nevertheless he is still in a state of exile

(spiritually),

because since the Holy One, blessed be He, assists him

he has the ability to reach an even higher level, to an incomparable degree,

in the manner of the expression of our Sages, of blessed memory,

("You toiled")

"and found," for the finding is beyond proportion to his toil and effort]

then each person is broken and crushed,

then they reach the light itself.

7)

And one should connect what was stated above about the greatness of the advantage of the service of the lower beings,

that specifically through it the fulfillment of what they began to do is achieved,

with the weekly portion

[and in this itself, with the lesson of today, the third day

[whose concept is that "it is good" was doubled in it,

good for the heavens and good for the creations]

— according to the enactment of my master, father-in-law, the Rebbe, to learn each day of the week one portion of the weekly portion]

based on what is explained in the maamarim

and particularly in the maamar of my master, the Rebbe

(the Rebbe Rashab)

of blessed memory, from sixty years ago,

on our portion, on the verse,

"And now, if I have found grace in Your eyes... so that I may find grace in Your eyes... for I have found grace in Your eyes... for you have found grace in My eyes"

[for through this it will be, "and we shall be distinguished, I and Your people, from every nation on the face of the earth"

(and "we shall be distinguished" is like the concept of "wondrous" mentioned above)]

that one must understand what is the advantage of the matter of grace that Moshe Rabbeinu requested and pleaded so much for, to the point that this was the ultimate perfection of his request,

and through grace there will then be "and we shall be distinguished, I and Your people,"

for is it not written,

"Grace is false,"

and this is because grace is an aspect of an arousal from Above by itself,

and there is a great advantage in that which comes through an arousal from below.

And it is explained there about this, that there is an aspect of an arousal from Above that is drawn after the arousal from below, which is a drawing from the aspect of the Essence of the Ein Sof, which the arousal from below does not reach at all, and it is only in the aspect of a gift

(and this is called a free gift, which is the language of grace, etc.)

only that this is drawn after the perfection of the arousal from below,

like regarding a gift, our Sages, of blessed memory, said,

"Were it not that he had satisfaction for himself, etc.," even though it is in the aspect of a gift.

And the service in this is

[as understood from what is explained in the maamar there],

that there is

the matter of faith in the aspect of Memaleh Kol Almin (immanent light), but in this aspect it is possible that there is something similar among the righteous of the nations of the world, and even among Israel it is possible that the aspect of Memaleh Kol Almin is in the aspect of knowledge.

And the main faith of the souls of Israel is in the level of Sovev Kol Almin,

for this faith is only relevant to Israel,

for this is what is written,

"Hear, O Israel, the L-rd our G-d, the L-rd is One," which is the concept of acceptance and faith in the aspect of Sovev Kol Almin, and about this it is said "Hear, O Israel" specifically, for this faith is only in the souls of Israel

[in contrast to what is said, "Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom forever and ever," which applies to the contemplation of the aspect of Memaleh Kol Almin].

And this is also what is stated in the Zohar,

that the ayin of "Shema" and the dalet of "Echad" are large letters, and through their combination the word "eid" (witness) is formed,

and it is explained in many places

that regarding something revealed there is no need and it is not applicable to have testimony,

and even regarding a matter that is destined to be revealed, the Torah does not require testimony,

but only specifically regarding something completely hidden,

the aspect of Sovev Kol Almin.

And this is what is written, "Hear, O Israel, the L-rd is One,"

which applies to each and every one of Israel, for they specifically are the witnesses who testify

that the L-rd is One

[to the point that in every situation and state that may be in his service, each and every one of Israel says "Hear, O Israel,"

as explained in the talks of my master, father-in-law, the Rebbe],

for the chet and dalet of "Echad" allude to the seven firmaments and the earth and the four directions of the world, and the alef alludes to the Alufo shel Olam (Master of the World),

and Israel, through their service, effect that He is One,

meaning that they draw into the world

(the chet and dalet)

the Alufo shel Olam

(the alef),

until they become unified in the pattern of the word "Echad," where the alef is the first letter together with the chet and dalet

(and the content of the word itself is the concept of unity),

and in such a manner that the alef of the Alufo shel Olam is the head

and the beginning of the word.

And behold, through this arousal from below of the service of Israel in the aspect of Sovev Kol Almin

("the L-rd is One"),

they draw an arousal from Above proportionate to the arousal from below, and afterward an arousal from Above that is above the aspect of the arousal from Above that comes through the arousal from below is drawn.

For the aspect of the arousal from Above drawn through the arousal from below is an aspect commensurate with the order of Hishtalshelus,

and one could say that this also applies to what is written,

"Behold, My angel will go before you,"

but Moshe's request was for the drawing of the aspect of the arousal from Above that is above this, by itself,

"And now, if I have found grace in Your eyes,"

the concept of grace,

until it would be "and we shall be distinguished, I and Your people,"

which applies

(in the Sefiros)

to the Sefirah of Kesser,

the innerness of Kesser, and to His very Essence, may He be blessed.

For although this aspect of the arousal from Above is drawn by itself, meaning that the arousal from below does not reach there,

nevertheless, the Holy One, blessed be He, does not dwell except in a place that is complete,

for there must first be the service of the lower beings in an arousal from below and the drawing of the arousal from Above proportionate to the arousal from below, and then, in the complete place, He dwells, as explained in Likkutei Torah on Shir HaShirim.

8)

And this is what is written, "And the Jews accepted that which they had begun to do,"

that through the self-sacrifice during the time of exile,

in the days of Mordechai and Esther,

they effected the permanence of the Torah of the Giving of the Torah,

and likewise, in every single year, when these days are recalled and observed,

all the matters are drawn down as they were in the first time.

And known is the teaching of the Baal Shem Tov

that one who reads the Megillah backwards has not fulfilled his obligation,

for when the reading of the Megillah is in a manner of backwards,

that is, a matter that was in the past,

behold, he has not fulfilled his obligation,

because the Megillah is a lesson in the service of man in every time and in every place and for every single individual,

including the lesson from the aforementioned,

that they stand in self-sacrifice,

and throughout the entire year

[with whatever changes there may be]

it is not relevant for a Jew that it should even enter his mind a foreign thought, G-d forbid,

and certainly not speech or deed.

And this self-sacrifice brings that for the Jews there was light and joy and gladness and honor,

literally,

founded and prefaced by "light" — this is Torah, and "honor" — these are tefillin,

which refers to the entirety of the matter of the mitzvos,

for the entire Torah is compared to tefillin,

and they also educate the young children in this,

as it is brought in the Midrash

that Mordechai asked three schoolchildren, "Recite to me your verses,"

and they answered, "Do not fear sudden terror, nor the destruction of the wicked when it comes,"

"Take counsel and it will be foiled, speak a word and it will not stand, for G-d is with us,"

"And until old age I am He, and until hoary hair I will bear; I have made, and I will carry, and I will bear and deliver."

When Mordechai heard this, he laughed and was joyous with great joy, etc.

And so may it be for us,

that each and every one should serve his service with light and joy and gladness and honor, according to all the matters explained in this in the words of our sages,

which include the entire Torah,

and certainly the Holy One, blessed be He, will fulfill His promise, "And I will give your rains in their time,"

and all the blessings enumerated in the portion, until there will be light and joy and gladness and honor literally.

And adjacent redemption to redemption,

from the redemption of Purim to the true and complete redemption through our righteous Moshiach.

For although for a little while we are still servants of Achashverosh,

nevertheless, very soon and speedily in our days, our righteous Moshiach will come and redeem us and lead us upright to our land,

quickly, literally in our days.