English translation — מאמר וקבל היהודים תשי"א

B'Siyata D'Shmaya.

Purim 5711*

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

and the Rebbe, my father-in-law, explains in his maamar beginning with the words "Zeh"

(which has just been published)

that they accepted what they had begun at the time of the Giving of the Torah.

For their saying "We will do and we will hear" was only a beginning

("they had begun to do"),

and in the days of Achashverosh

(at the time of Haman's decree)

was the acceptance,

"and the Jews accepted."

And he notes precisely regarding this,

that at first glance it is an astonishing thing,

for at the Giving of the Torah, Israel was at the ultimate level of elevation,

both physically, as they were then in the most excellent state and condition regarding the matter of freedom,

and spiritually, as there was then for them a revelation of G-dliness at the most sublime level,

and in the days of Achashverosh, Israel was at the ultimate level of descent,

for in addition to the concealment and hiding that is in every exile, "and darkness will cover the earth,"

with numerous tzimtzumim, concealments, and hidings,

then,

(at the time of Haman's decree)

the concealment and hiding was even greater,

and also physically they were then at the lowest state, utterly,

for the decree was to destroy, kill, and annihilate, G-d forbid, all the Jews, from youth to elder, infants and women, in one day,

and nevertheless,

at the time of the Giving of the Torah,

when Israel was at the ultimate level of elevation,

there was only the beginning

("they had begun to do"),

and at the time of Haman's decree,

when they were at the ultimate level of lowliness,

specifically then they accepted what they had begun at the Giving of the Torah.

And he explains regarding this,

that at the time of the decree,

their fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos was with mesirus nefesh.

[And it is worth noting,

that in the maamar "Vekibel HaYehudim"

it is explained,

that their mesirus nefesh at that time was that if they had converted from their religion, G-d forbid, nothing would have been done to them,

for the decree was only against the Jews,

and nevertheless, no extraneous thought entered their minds, G-d forbid.

And he explains,

that their mesirus nefesh was

(not only not to deny [their faith], G-d forbid,

but they also gave their lives)

for the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos,

to the extent that they gathered congregations in public to study Torah with mesirus nefesh.]

And the arousal of their mesirus nefesh was through Mordechai the Jew,

the Moshe of that generation,

who gathered congregations in public to strengthen their faith.

And the main

work of Mordechai was in the study of Torah with young schoolchildren,

who are the foundation of all of Israel

[as is explained at length in the maamar

regarding the greatness of the merit of the breath of young schoolchildren],

as it is stated in the Midrash

that Mordechai the Jew gathered twenty-two thousand students

and taught them Torah with mesirus nefesh,

to the point that when Haman the wicked came and Mordechai said to them, "Flee, lest you be burned by my coal," they said, "We are with you, whether for life or for death,"

for they accepted upon themselves any punishment that might come, solely in order not to be separated from the Torah.

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

that at the Giving of the Torah there was only the beginning, and at the time of Haman's decree was the acceptance,

for through their having actual mesirus nefesh for Torah and mitzvos at that time, they were elevated

(in one aspect)

to a more sublime level than they were at the time of the Giving of the Torah,

and therefore

specifically then was the acceptance,

"and the Jews accepted."

B)

And it must be understood,

the point of the explanation in the maamar is that specifically at the time of the decree was the acceptance, due to their mesirus nefesh,

so what relevance is there here that the arousal of their mesirus nefesh was through Mordechai, and that the main work of Mordechai was the study of Torah with young schoolchildren?

And also, an explanation is needed regarding what is stated with precision

(at the beginning of the maamar)

that at the time of the Giving of the Torah, Israel was at the ultimate level of elevation, and at the time of the decree they were at the ultimate level of lowliness,

and this was both spiritually and physically.

For at first glance,

according to the precision of the maamar,

how is it possible that at a time when they were at the ultimate level of elevation there was only the beginning, and at a time when they were at the ultimate level of lowliness, specifically then was the acceptance?

The elevation and lowliness in their spiritual state is relevant,

so why does the maamar bring that the elevation at the time of the Giving of the Torah and the lowliness at the time of the decree were also physical?

3)

Now, in addition to the precise points above,

we must also understand the content of the explanation

(in the maamar)

that this "and the Jews accepted" was at the time of the decree because then they had mesirus nefesh for Torah and mitzvos,

for seemingly,

regarding the vast majority of mitzvos it is written,

"which a man shall do and live by them,"

and even regarding the three mitzvos about which it is said "be killed and do not transgress,"

they are not a matter of mesirus nefesh, but rather that the manner of their fulfillment is even if one is killed because of it,

and the mitzvah of mesirus nefesh for sanctification of G-d's Name is only one mitzvah,

so what was the necessity for mesirus nefesh for the acceptance

(and the Jews accepted)

of the entire Torah?

And what is said in Tanya,

that the reason Moshe Rabbeinu commanded the generation that entered the Land to recite Kriyas Shema twice daily to accept upon themselves the yoke of the kingdom of heaven with mesirus nefesh

(even though He promised them "your fear and dread shall G-d place" etc.)

is because the fulfillment of the Torah and its mitzvos depends on this, that one always remember the matter of his self-sacrifice to G-d,

the matter of mesirus nefesh upon which the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos depends is mesirus nefesh in potential

(that if he would need to give his life for the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos, he is prepared for this)

and not actual mesirus nefesh,

and yet at the giving of the Torah,

when they said "we will do and we will hear"

(and certainly after they were commanded to recite Kriyas Shema twice daily)

they accepted upon themselves to fulfill whatever they would be commanded, even if it would require mesirus nefesh for this,

and nevertheless,

there was not a complete acceptance

(and the Jews accepted)

until the time of Haman's decree,

when they had actual mesirus nefesh.

Now, it is known that at two times there was actual mesirus nefesh

[of all of Israel]

for Torah and mitzvos,

at Chanukah

(at the time of the Greek decree)

and at Purim

(at the time of Haman's decree).

And since all matters in the Torah are with utmost precision,

it must be said,

that this matter of "and the Jews accepted" was specifically through the mesirus nefesh of Purim,

it is

(not only because the mesirus nefesh of Purim preceded the mesirus nefesh of Chanukah,

but also)

because the mesirus nefesh of Purim is more connected to

(the completion of)

receiving the Torah.

And we must understand the difference between the mesirus nefesh of Chanukah and the mesirus nefesh of Purim,

that because of this difference,

the completion of receiving the Torah is specifically through the mesirus nefesh of Purim.

4)

And this will be understood by prefacing

the known

that the innovation of the Giving of the Torah regarding the Torah and mitzvos that existed before the Giving of the Torah,

is that the mitzvos of the Patriarchs

(and in general—before the Giving of the Torah)

were only in spirituality.

For in addition to the fact that many mitzvos were fulfilled only spiritually

(like tefillin, which mention the Exodus from Egypt, and at that time the Egyptian exile had not yet occurred),

even regarding the mitzvos they fulfilled in physicality,

the drawing down of holiness was only in spirituality and not in the physical object with which they fulfilled the mitzvah.

For before the Giving of the Torah, there was the decree that "the upper ones shall not descend to the lower, and the lower ones shall not ascend to the upper,"

and therefore there was no connection of the holiness of the mitzvah

(upper ones)

with the physical object with which the mitzvah is performed

(lower ones),

unlike the fulfillment of mitzvos

after the Giving of the Torah,

when the decree and partition between the upper and lower was nullified,

the connection was made of the physical object

(with which the mitzvah is performed)

with the holiness of the mitzvah,

to the extent that in several mitzvos,

the physical object becomes the object of the mitzvah.

And based on the known

that the connection of two opposite things is through a matter that transcends both of them,

it is understood,

that the connection of upper and lower that occurred at the Giving of the Torah is through the fact that at the Giving of the Torah there was a drawing down of the Ein Sof light that is beyond the category of above and below

(upper and lower).

And from all this it is understood,

that in the mitzvos after the Giving of the Torah,

there are three matters.

The lower

[for even after the Giving of the Torah,

that the physical object with which the mitzvah is performed becomes the object of the mitzvah,

it is not transformed into spirituality and remains a physical object],

the upper

[for even after the Giving of the Torah,

when the holiness of the mitzvah is drawn down and fixed in the physical object,

it is a spiritual matter],

and the nullification of the categories of upper and lower,

that this that the upper and lower connect with each other

(despite being opposites)

is through the nullification of their category,

which is brought about by the drawing down of the Ein Sof light that transcends both of them.

And it can be said,

that these three matters have their parallel also in the fulfillment of mitzvos.

When a person fulfills the mitzvos in the manner of "a mitzvah of men, learned,"

that is, out of habit that he has become accustomed to,

since habit becomes nature,

his fulfillment of mitzvos is from the side of the nature of the body and the animal soul,

the lower in man,

and when he fulfills the mitzvos because he loves G-d and desires to cleave to Him, and it is impossible to truly cleave to Him except through fulfilling the 248 positive commandments, which are

the 248 limbs of the King,

his fulfillment of mitzvos is from the side of the soul

(the G-dly soul),

the upper in man.

And when he fulfills the mitzvos for their own sake,

not because of the benefit that will come to him through this

(nor even spiritual benefit)

but because the mitzvos are the will of the Blessed One,

his fulfillment of mitzvos is not from the side of his own existence

(nor even the existence of the soul)

but in self-nullification,

that his entire being

(at the time he fulfills the mitzvah)

is only to fulfill the will of the Supreme One.

5)

And one may add,

that the root of these three modes in the fulfillment of the mitzvos

is,

that also in the mitzvos themselves there are three aspects

(paralleling the three modes in the fulfillment of the mitzvos).

And the explanation is,

that the giving of the mitzvos

(below)

is as our Sages, of blessed memory, said,40

“The mitzvos were only given to refine the creations through them.”

That is,

that the intention in giving the mitzvos is

(not for the sake of the mitzvos themselves,

but rather)

for the sake of the clarification and refinement of the powers and limbs of the person who fulfills the mitzvah, and for the sake of the clarification and refinement of the things of the world with which the mitzvah is fulfilled.41

And there is a more elevated aspect in the mitzvos,

that they are the mitzvos of the Holy One, blessed be He,

as the exposition of our Sages, of blessed memory,42

on the verse,43

“He declares His words to Yaakov, His statutes and judgments to Israel,”

“What He does, He tells Israel to do,”

that this—that the Holy One, blessed be He, fulfills the mitzvos

(first,44

before He tells Israel to do them)—

is from His own essence

(from the perspective of Above).

[And this is also understood from the fact that the 248 positive commandments are the 248 limbs of the King,45

that this—that the mitzvos are His limbs, as it were—is from the perspective of Above].

And through Israel doing the mitzvos that He does,

they walk in the ways of the Holy One, blessed be He,46

and are attached to Him,47

and through this, vitality is drawn down to the person who fulfills the mitzvos,

as it is written,48

“which a man shall do and live by them,”

for through the doing of the mitzvos he attaches himself to the Holy One, blessed be He,

(as above),

and through “and you who cling to Havayah your G-d”

(through this)

“you are all alive today.”49

And since this aspect in the mitzvos

(that they are the ways of the Holy One, blessed be He,

through the fact that the Holy One, blessed be He, does the mitzvos)

is above any connection to worlds,

therefore,

also the vitality drawn down to the person who fulfills the mitzvos is the vitality of the aspect of Sovev (the Encompassing),

which in its own essence is holy and separate from worlds, and nevertheless, through the fulfillment of the mitzvos, he lives by them with an inner vitality.50

However, also this aspect in the mitzvos

is on a level that has form.

And therefore the mitzvos that are on this level are divided,

“the ways of Havayah”

(plural),51

the 248 limbs of the King,

for the drawing down through each mitzvah is a particular drawing down

(like the power of sight in the eye and the power of hearing in the ear).

And therefore it is possible for a person to do the mitzvos that the Holy One, blessed be He, does,

for the 248 limbs of the lower man are, as it were, a parallel to the 248 limbs of the King,

“Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”52

And there is a more elevated aspect in the mitzvos,

that the mitzvos are the Supernal Will

(a will that is above reason),

for the will in the mitzvos is equal in all 613 mitzvos

(above the 248 limbs).

And since the will in the mitzvos is incomparably above the lower man who fulfills the mitzvah

(all the more so from the fact that it is above the form of the Supernal Man),

therefore,

with regard to53

this level

(as it is in its own essence)

the person occupies no place,

for the self-nullification of the absence of occupying place is a nullification of existence.54

And also after there is the command to the person, through which he becomes an existence,

his entire existence is only to fulfill the command,

and through his fulfilling the command he becomes joined

(mitzvah from the term tzavta, connection55)

with the Commander,

(Who is incomparably above him).

6)

And similarly is it in the study of Torah,

that there are these three modes in it.

For in addition to the three modes that exist in the mitzvah of Torah study

(as in all mitzvos),

behold, also in the aspect of the study of Torah itself there exist

(parallels to)

these three modes.

For when one studies Torah from the perspective of the wisdom and intellect within it,

that the Torah is “your wisdom and your understanding

(even)

in the eyes of the nations,”56

his study of Torah is from the nature of his body and his natural soul,

for by his nature he loves intellectual concepts.

And when his study of Torah is from the perspective that the Torah is the medium that connects Israel and the Holy One, blessed be He,

as the statement of the Zohar,57

“Three knots are bound one with another: Israel, the Torah, and the Holy One, blessed be He,”

that through Israel being bound in the Torah they are bound to the Holy One, blessed be He,

his study of Torah is from the perspective of the soul within him.

That is,

that also this mode in Torah study is from the perspective of his existence

(that he be connected to the Holy One, blessed be He)

except that it is the existence of the soul.

And there is a more elevated mode in Torah study,

that one who studies Torah does so

(not because of the elevation he will have through it,

but rather)

from the perspective of the Torah itself.

For since “the Torah and the Holy One, blessed be He, are entirely one,”58

and moreover, it is one with the Atzmus (Essence),

as our Sages, of blessed memory, said,59

that “Anochi” is an acronym for “Ana Nafshi Ketavit Yahavit” (I wrote and gave My very Self),

that “Ana”

(My Self)

is His very Essence,

and the explanation of “Ana Nafshi Ketavit Yahavit” is60

that He wrote and gave Himself,

“Ana Nafshi,”

that through the Torah “you take Me,”61

therefore, just as the Holy One, blessed be He, is not, heaven forbid, a means to some other end, and the “purpose” is in Himself,

so too62

is it also in the Torah study of man,

that he feels that the purpose of his Torah study is the Torah itself.

For this—that he knows that “the Torah and the Holy One, blessed be He, are entirely one”—

causes him to give and surrender himself to Torah study without any calculations

(not even the calculation that through this he will be connected to the Holy One, blessed be He),

and his Torah study is with ultimate self-nullification.

And these three modes in Torah study are drawn from the three aspects in the Torah itself,

that the Torah is wisdom and intellect

(that is, it is the wisdom of the Holy One, blessed be He, and afterwards descended and became clothed in the intellect of man63),

that the Torah is the medium that connects Israel to the Holy One, blessed be He,

and that “the Torah and the Holy One, blessed be He, are entirely one.”

7)

And behold, these three above-mentioned aspects have their parallel also in the laws and halachos of Torah study.

For the obligation to study the halachos that are necessary for action64

in order to know the deed that one must do,

is analogous to Torah study from the perspective of the

(nature of the)

body and the natural soul,

since the doing of the mitzvos

(including the mitzvos that depend on speech65)

is through the body and the animal soul.66

And the obligation of the mitzvah of knowing the Torah,

to know the entire Torah

(also matters that are not necessary for action),

since the purpose of this mitzvah is that the person know the Torah,

is analogous to Torah study for the sake of the soul.

And one could say,

that this is the reason why there is a measure and limit to the mitzvah of knowing the Torah

[for what is said,67

“It is longer than the measure of the earth” refers to the fact that there is no end to the depth of the reasons of the halachos,

but the halachos themselves, as well as the midrashim, etc., have an end and a number,68

and there were many who learned and knew the entire Torah69],

for since the mitzvah of knowing the Torah is that the person know the Torah,

and the person is limited,

therefore also the Torah

(that pertains to this mitzvah)

is with measure and limitation.

And the obligation of “and you shall meditate in it day and night”70

[even after one has learned the entire Torah,

and similarly regarding those whose intellect is limited and will not attain knowledge of the entire Torah71]

is the obligation of Torah study from the perspective of the Torah itself.

And since the Torah

(as it is in its own essence)

is above measure and limitation

(“it is longer than the measure of the earth”),

therefore,

also the mitzvah of Torah study

(as it is from the perspective of the Torah itself)

is that one should engage in it constantly, day and night, in every free moment,

above measure and limitation.72

8)

And one may say, on a deeper level,

that even the commandment of "and you shall meditate in it day and night,"

since the commandments are commands to man

[and not like the Torah as it is the wisdom of the Holy One, blessed be He

(which is above any connection to the world)

and only afterward descended below],

behold, the Torah that one learns by virtue of the commandment of "and you shall meditate in it day and night" is

(not the Torah as it is in its own essence,

but rather)

as it relates to man.

And the true essence of the matter of the study of Torah itself

(as it is above any connection to man)

is in the study of Torah for its own sake,

where the study is not in order to fulfill the commandment of Torah study, but rather from the perspective of the Torah itself.

And one may add that the superiority in the study of Torah for its own sake over study in order to fulfill the commandment of Torah study is not only in the intention of the study, but also in the actual study.

For when the study is in order to fulfill the commandment of Torah study,

the study is within limitation,

for even in the commandment of "and you shall meditate in it day and night" there are various limitations, as explained in the Laws of Torah Study.

However, in the study of Torah for its own sake,

one does not take into account measures and limitations

(even if in such a manner he is obligated to learn or not73),

and his study is above the measure and limitation of time,

and likewise above the measure and limitation of place, as our sages, of blessed memory, said74

"one who is forced is different."

And the reason for this

(in the inwardness of the matters)

is,

because the commandment of "and you shall meditate" is a command to man,

therefore it has limitations

(according to man).

However, in the study of Torah for its own sake,

since the Torah

(as it is in its own essence)

is above measure and limitation

("its measure is longer than the earth"),

therefore,

also the Torah study of man,

when his study is for its own sake

(from the perspective of the Torah itself),

is in a manner that he emerges from the limitations of time and place.

9)

And one may say,

that the union of upper and lower realms that was renewed at the giving of the Torah is revealed primarily in the study of Torah for its own sake.

For in addition to the fact that in order for the union of upper and lower to be possible, it is through the nullification of the boundary of upper and lower by means of the drawing down of the Ein Sof light that is above both of them

(as above, section 4),

whose parallel in man is when he engages in Torah for its own sake, for then he is in a state of self-nullification both with regard to the body

(lower)

and with regard to the soul

(upper),

behold, also the union of upper and lower themselves is revealed in this study,

for the boundlessness of the Torah

(upper)

acts upon man

(lower)

so that his Torah study will be above limitation.

And one may add,

that by means of the boundlessness of the Torah acting also within man

(and likewise through the descent of the Torah below in general),

the boundlessness of the Torah is revealed even more,

for this—that the Torah is boundless—is not only in the place and level of the Torah, but that it is drawn down also below75

and even in its drawing down below, the boundlessness within it is felt in revelation,

so that also the Torah study of man is in a manner of boundlessness76.

10)

And 4)

And based on all the above, we can explain the reason that the completion of receiving the Torah

(And the Jews accepted)

depends on self-sacrifice (mesirut nefesh),

for the union of the upper ones and lower ones is through the nullification of the boundaries and existence of upper and lower

(as above),

and therefore,

in order for there to be the perfection of receiving the Torah,

the nullification of self-sacrifice was necessary.

And even though at the time of the giving of the Torah, when they said "We will do and we will hear," they accepted upon themselves to do all that they would be commanded, even if it would require self-sacrifice for this,

nevertheless, as long as the self-sacrifice is potential, it is from the aspect of the soul and is not in the body,

and since the nullification

(through which the union of upper and lower is effected)

must be both in the upper and in the lower,

therefore the perfection of receiving the Torah depends on actual self-sacrifice,

for actual self-sacrifice is

in the body and the animal soul.

And based on this, one can also understand the superiority of the self-sacrifice of Purim over the self-sacrifice of Chanukah,

for even actual self-sacrifice is primarily from the aspect of the soul,

except that the self-sacrifice of the soul also affects the body and the animal soul,

and since the body and animal soul

(from the perspective of their essence)

are existence,

therefore the revelation of the giving of the Torah

(the union of upper and lower)

that is drawn into them through the nullification of self-sacrifice from the soul's side is something additional to them.

And this is the superiority of the self-sacrifice of Purim over the self-sacrifice of Chanukah,

for in Purim they were at the ultimate level of nullification

(and lowliness)

also from the body's perspective,

for they were completely abandoned to slaughter by anyone who wished,

and in the natural way there was no way to be saved from this.

[And even though the decree was only upon the Jews, and if they had denied [their faith] G-d forbid, nothing would have been done to them

(as brought above in section 1 from Midrash Tanchuma),

nevertheless,

since the decree at that time was not about fulfilling Torah and mitzvos but about the body,

to kill and destroy G-d forbid,

it follows

that their bodies were then at the ultimate level of lowliness.

For when the decree is about Torah and mitzvos

(as in Chanukah,

where the decree was to cause them to forget Your Torah and to make them transgress the statutes of Your will),

so that if one fulfills Torah and mitzvos they would kill him,

then,

the body

(from the perspective of its essence)

is not abandoned.

But when the decree is to kill and destroy G-d forbid, yet he has the possibility to be saved from the decree by denying [his faith] G-d forbid,

since the decree to kill him is

(not because he does not want to deny,

but rather)

upon the body,

it follows that the body

(from the perspective of its essence)

is abandoned.

And this is that specifically through the self-sacrifice of Purim there was the completion and perfection of receiving the Torah,

for through the fact that their nullification then was also from the body's side,

therefore they were vessels for the revelation of the giving of the Torah both from the soul's side and from the body's side.

And it can be said that this is also what is stated in the maamar, that at the time of the decree Israel was at the ultimate level of lowliness even in physicality,

for this hints at the reason that they were then vessels for the revelation of the giving of the Torah also from the body's side.

10)

a)

And now, based on what was explained above

(section 4)

that in the union of upper and lower there are three matters – the upper,

the lower, and their nullification – it is understood

that in order to merit the completion and perfection of receiving the Torah, the nullification of the soul and the body is not sufficient;

rather, their existence must also be present,

and as they are in their ultimate perfection,

and that their existence be connected and joined with the Torah.

And in the manner explained above

(sections 6 and 8)

that the advantage of Torah study for its own sake is not only in the matter of nullification

(that his study is not for the sake of his own perfection,

nor even for the perfection of the soul)

but also that the existence of the person studying

(the soul and the body)

becomes connected with the Torah, through which he emerges from his limitations and rises to the boundlessness of Torah.

And it may be said

that this is what is brought in the maamar – that the arousal of mesirus nefesh of Israel was through Mordechai,

Moshe of his generation,

for Mordechai's Torah study was in the ultimate elevation,

and by arousing Israel to study Torah with mesirus nefesh

[and particularly since Mordechai was the head of the generation

(like Moshe)

from whom it is drawn to all the limbs],

he drew into them

(not only the matter of nullification,

but)

also the elevation of Torah study as it is from the perspective of the perfection of the person,

the perfection of the soul and the body.

And based on this, we may also explain what is brought in the maamar that Mordechai gathered twenty-two thousand schoolchildren,

for this advantage in Torah study

(which is from the perspective of the perfection of the soul and the body)

is primarily in schoolchildren.

And this will be understood based on what our sages said,

"The world endures only for the sake of the breath of schoolchildren."

Rav Pappa said to Abaye, "What about mine and yours?"

He said to him, "The breath that has sin is not like the breath that has no sin."

For although the Torah study of Rav Pappa and Abaye was

(certainly)

for its own sake in the most exalted levels, and the Torah study of schoolchildren is from fear of the strap,

nevertheless,

there is an advantage in the breath of schoolchildren,

for specifically on this breath the world endures.

And the explanation of this is known,

that the advantage in the breath of schoolchildren is both from the perspective of their souls,

which are closer to G-dliness because they have recently come from the spiritual world,

and from the perspective of their bodies, which have not become so materialized in coarse desires and lusts,

as explained elsewhere at length.

And based on this, it may be said

that this which is brought in the maamar – that at the time of the decree Mordechai gathered twenty-two thousand schoolchildren –

is

in order to explain that in the Torah study that took place then,

there was

(not only the nullification of the soul and the body,

but)

also the perfection of the soul and the body.

[However, the advantage of the soul of schoolchildren is not relevant

(so much)

to their Torah study,

since their study is from fear of the strap

(the nature of the body)

and not from the soul,

and there is also no nullification of mesirus nefesh in it;

therefore the maamar brings that the study of schoolchildren was through Mordechai,

through which their Torah study was also with mesirus nefesh, as explained in the maamar.]

And it may be added

that by Mordechai gathering twenty-two thousand schoolchildren, there was added to him the elevation of the breath of schoolchildren,

and through this

he drew this matter also to all the Jews of his generation.

10)

b)

And based on this, we may also explain what is required – that a person is obligated to become intoxicated on Purim until he does not know,

for on the days of Purim, every year, the matter of "the Jews accepted" is reawakened as it was the first time,

and moreover – in a manner of ascending in holiness.

[And it may be added

that the innovation of the days of Purim relative to the giving of the Torah is in two matters.

On the days of Purim there was the completion and perfection of receiving the Torah

("and the Jews accepted"),

as explained above at length,

and also the permanence of the Torah,

as it is stated in the Gemara

on the verse

"The Jews fulfilled and accepted" – they fulfilled what they had already accepted,

for what they received at the giving of the Torah was not in a manner of eternal permanence,

since after they sinned with the calf they removed the ornaments,

and on the days of Purim it is written

"These days of Purim shall not pass... and their memory shall not cease from their seed,"

for what they accepted on Purim endured with eternal permanence.

And likewise on the days of Purim every year,

there are these two matters.

Each year, additional perfection is added to the receiving of the Torah

(as above),

and also this addition has eternal permanence.]

Therefore on Purim there must be the service of "does not know,"

going out of oneself,

for the perfection of receiving the Torah comes through nullification.

And this is also that the departure from one's existence

(until "does not know")

must be through becoming intoxicated with wine

(physical),

for the nullification

(of Purim)

must also be from the perspective of the body,

as explained above at length.

And from this is drawn the empowerment for the entire year,

that bodily matters will not occupy a place for him, and consequently there will be no hindrance from the body to Torah study.

And according to what was explained above, that the virtue of Torah study for its own sake is not only in the matter of self-nullification, but also that a person's study is in a manner of "I do not know,"

it can be said,

that this is also the case regarding the level of "one who does not know,"

that this brings about

(afterwards)

upon her also in the knowledge

[for Torah study must specifically be with understanding and comprehension],

that he understands with his intellect matters in the Torah that previously he had no connection to.

And as explained by his honor, my father-in-law, the Rebbe, in one of the sichos of Purim,

that by reaching the level of "I do not know,"

the knowledge that comes afterwards is in an entirely different manner.

And in general, it is that the limited intellect of man becomes united with the unlimited Torah that he studies,

and through this he also becomes one with the Holy One, blessed be He,

Israel, the Torah, and the Holy One, blessed be He, are all one.