English translation — מאמר אני לדודי תשכ"ו

With the help of Heaven.

Shabbos Parshas Re'eh,

Rosh Chodesh Elul,

the year 5726

"I am for my Beloved and my Beloved is for me"

is the acronym for Elul,

and it is explained in Likkutei Torah in the maamar beginning with the words "Zeh"

the connection of Elul to "I am for my Beloved and my Beloved is for me,"

for in Elul there is an arousal from below,

"I am for my Beloved,"

and on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur there is the drawing down from above to below

(an arousal from above),

"and my Beloved is for me."

And the drawing down on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur comes about through the arousal from below that is in Elul.

And this is that Elul is the acronym for "I am for my Beloved and my Beloved is for me"

[that also "and my Beloved is for me" is included in the acronym of Elul],

for the arousal from below in Elul

("I am for my Beloved")

is

(also)

a preparation for the drawing down

("and my Beloved is for me")

that is on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

And explanation is needed,

for from the fact that the letters vav and lamed

(the acronym for "and my Beloved is for me")

are from the word Elul itself,

it implies,

that the month of Elul is not only a preparation for "and my Beloved is for me,"

but that in the month of Elul there is also the concept of "and my Beloved is for me."

B)

And the maamar continues,

that in Elul is the time of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy.

For although in Elul it is "I am for my Beloved,"

an arousal from below,

nevertheless,

the arousal from below of the person,

and especially when he is distant from G-dliness,

is through an awakening and giving of power from above.

And the revelation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy in Elul,

for this revelation is for each and every one of Israel,

even for those who are most distant,

is the giving of power from above for the service of "I am for my Beloved."

However, the revelation in Elul is

(primarily)

only a giving of power

(and not that the revelation awakens the person),

and the service itself comes from the person,

"I am for my Beloved."

And this is the advantage of Elul over the Ten Days of Repentance,

for during the Ten Days of Repentance and especially on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur,

the revelation is in a manner that the revelation awakens the person and the person's service is like a result of the revelation from above.

And the main concept and advantage of the person's service

(service with his own power)

"I am for my Beloved,"

is in Elul.

3)

And in order to explain the two aforementioned matters regarding the revelation of the King’s countenance in Elul—that the revelation of Elul is for each and every one, even for the most distant,

and that nevertheless the revelation does not awaken the person and is only a giving of power—the maamar continues,

that the revelation of the King’s countenance in Elul is analogous to a king in the field.

For from the distinctions between a king in the field and a king in his palace come the two matters.

Regarding the level of the revelation,

the essential revelation of the king in his beauty

(your eyes shall behold)

is in the palace of his kingdom,

when he is in royal garments and the royal crown,

unlike when he is in the field.

But the revelation itself is primarily when he is in the field.

For when he is in his royal palace, none may enter except by permission and only the choicest of the people and select individuals,

and when he is in the field,

all are permitted

[and able]

to greet him, whoever wishes,

and the king receives them all with a pleasant countenance and shows a smiling face to everyone.

And so it is in the analogy,

that the revelation of Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, and likewise the Ten Days of Repentance in general, which is analogous to a king in his palace, is in a manner that the revelation awakens the person,

like a king in his palace

(in royal garments and the royal crown),

which instills awe and fear.

But in order for a person to feel the revelation of Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur,

it is

(primarily)

after the preceding service in the month of Elul,

through which he becomes one of the choicest of the people and the select individuals who enter the king’s palace.

And the revelation of Elul, which is analogous to a king in the field,

is in a manner that the revelation does not awaken the person and is only a giving of power for service,

but the giving of power for service through this revelation is for each and every one, even for the most distant.

Like a king in the field,

for when the king is in this state, he does not instill awe and fear.

And especially regarding those who are in the field,

who are on a low level.

And moreover,

when the king is in this state,

he does not even awaken a desire to greet him.

And this is what the maamar precisely states: “whoever wishes to go out to greet him,”

that their going out to greet the king is from their own will.

Rather, the giving of power to greet the king is through the king being in the field.

For then,

(when he is in the field)

there is permission and ability for each and every one to greet the king.

4)

And it must be understood,

that seemingly, in order to explain that the revelation of Elul

(and the giving of power through the revelation)

is for each and every one,

it would only be relevant that when the king is in the field, all who wish are permitted and able to greet him,

so why does it add that the king receives them all with a pleasant countenance and shows a smiling face to everyone?

And especially, that the king receiving them all with a pleasant countenance and showing them a smiling face is the drawing down and revelation from above that comes after the service,

and it is not understood,

that the drawing down and revelation after the service

(and my Beloved is mine)

is during the Ten Days of Repentance,

while the analogy of the king in the field is an explanation of the revelation of Elul, which is

(a giving of power and)

before the service.

Also, the two matters—that he receives them with a pleasant countenance and that he shows them a smiling face—need to be understood.

And also,

that regarding receiving them it says “with a pleasant countenance,” and regarding showing them it says “a smiling face.”

And the explanation of this can be given by first prefacing that the novelty in the revelation of the King’s countenance in Elul, relative to the revelation on Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, is in two matters.

That in order to receive the revelation of Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, it is through lofty service

(the choicest of the people and select individuals),

and in order to receive the revelation of Elul, only the greeting of the king is needed,

which in the analogy is the arousal of accepting the yoke of the kingdom of heaven.

And another novelty in the revelation of Elul is that the revelation is also for those who are in the desert

—for matters that are contrary to His will.

And this is also understood from the fact that the essential revelation of the King’s countenance in Elul is a giving of power for repentance,

for repentance in its simple sense is for undesirable matters

(the aspect of desert),

and the essence of repentance is for casting off the yoke,

from which it is understood,

that the revelation of Elul is also for those who are at the ultimate distance.

And what the maamar says, that the revelation of Elul is in the field

(and not in the desert),

is

because the revelation of the King’s countenance is

(not in the desert itself,

for in matters that are contrary to the will of God,

it is not possible for there to be a revelation of Divinity,

but rather)

in the Jews who are in the desert,

and the revelation within them is the giving of power to leave the desert for the field to greet the king.

And based on this, it can be said,

that what the maamar says, that the king receives them all with a pleasant countenance,

the intention in emphasizing “all of them” is,

that even those who only wish to greet the king but are captive in the hands of their evil inclination, and even when a desire to repent and accept the yoke of the kingdom of heaven is aroused in them, it does not come into actuality,

even them he receives with a pleasant countenance,

and this arouses in them a strong and powerful desire to greet the king,

and through this desire they overcome the obstacles and delays.

5)

And it adds in the maamar, "and shows a smiling face to everyone,"

for the difference between "receives"

(with a pleasant countenance)

and "shows"

(a smiling face)

is,

that the term "receives" applies to something that exists beforehand

(before he received it)

and he receives that thing,

while "showing a smiling face" is that his smiling face

(which exists even before he shows it)

he shows and reveals to his fellow.

And this is that after it says that the king receives everyone with a pleasant countenance, it adds that he shows a smiling face to everyone,

for this that he receives them with a pleasant countenance is that the will of the people

(to greet the king)

is received by the king with a pleasant countenance,

and the addition of "shows a smiling face" is that when one is aroused in will to repent, there is drawn to him the revelation of the smiling face from above,

the delight

(laughter)

of the king himself.

For this delight is above the delight

(of the aspect of a pleasant countenance)

that comes from the arousal of repentance,

and as explained elsewhere,

that the root of laughter

(smiling face)

is in the essence of delight

(essential delight that is not composite)

which is above delight that comes through something

(composite delight).

And it can be said,

that the matter of a smiling face in the analogue is the supernal delight that is in Israel themselves

(which is above the delight from the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos of Israel,

and above also the delight from the service of repentance)

for this delight is in the Essence [Atzmus].

And by his showing them a smiling face,

that this delight is revealed to the person

(who is aroused with a will to repent),

this awakens in him

(as in water, face to face)

the delight in G-dliness, until the delight in G-dliness is the very essence of his delight,

and this gives him even more strength to overcome obstacles and hindrances and to return in complete repentance.

6)

And it must be understood,

that from the above it is understood that the revelation in Elul is not only a granting of power for service

[for when the king is in the field there is permission and ability for everyone to greet him]

but also awakens the person

[for by the king receiving everyone with a pleasant countenance, and especially by his showing a smiling face to everyone,

this awakens them to return in complete repentance],

and nevertheless the service in Elul is "I am to my Beloved,"

the service of man.

And one may add,

that this matter—that the revelation of Elul is not only a granting of power but also an awakening—

is also understood from the general concept of the king in the field,

for when the king is in the field, there is additionally that then each person has permission and ability to greet the king,

the knowledge of the people that the king is in the field,

in that same place where they are,

awakens within them the desire to greet the king.

And one may explain this,

that the desire of the people to greet the king is from the very essence of their existence.

For since the king is the heart of all the people,

therefore their connection to the king is in their very essence,

but nevertheless,

when the king and the people are in a distant place,

it is possible that their connection to the king,

and

(consequently also)

their desire to greet him, will be in concealment,

and by the king being in the field,

in that same place where they are,

the desire is revealed.

And likewise in the analogy,

that the awakening to teshuvah that comes through the revelation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy in Elul is that through the revelation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy, the inner desire of Israel is revealed

[and as is also understood from what is explained later in the maamar

(after the parable of the king in the field),

that the Name E-l is the beginning of all the Thirteen Attributes and their source and their totality.

And the concept of the Name E-l is the light of Ein Sof, blessed be He, itself,

as it is written,

"E-l, Hashem, and He illuminated for us,"

for light is like the essence

[and as explained in many places

the difference between light and influence,

that influence is when the influencer contracts himself according to the capacity of the recipient,

and light is of the same kind as the luminary].

And in each one of Israel, this revelation shines,

and moreover, the revelation of the Name E-l in each one of Israel is the prince and ruler within him,

for "Israel" is the letters of "Yud"

"Sar E-l" (prince of G-d).

And this is that the self-nullification to G-dliness in each one of Israel is a self-nullification that transcends reason and intellect,

for in Israel there is a revelation of the light of Ein Sof, blessed be He, itself, which is above the chain of descent.

And through the revelation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy

(in Elul)

whose beginning, source, and totality is E-l,

the aspect of E-l in each one of Israel is awakened and revealed].

And this is that the service of Elul is "I am for my Beloved,"

even though the awakening is through the revelation from above,

for the revelation from above is only a cause through which the inner desire of the person is revealed.

7)

And it can be said,

that through the revelation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy arousing and revealing the inner will of Israel,

that the will of Israel for G-dliness is because they are rooted in the Awtsmoos,

an elevation is effected in the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy.

And the explanation is,

that [the fact] that creation is for the sake of Israel,

the intention in this is

not only for the creation of the world, but for all revelations,

even the most lofty revelations.

That through the descent of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy from their place

(the Heichal of His Kingship,

above the chain of descent)

to the field in order to arouse and reveal the inner will in Israel, it is revealed in them that their intention is for the sake of Israel, whose root is in the Awtsmoos.

And this can be connected with what is said,

"A king is served by the field,"

that even the king, above whom there is none, is served by the field, for from it is his sustenance,

and according to what is said in the Zohar,

"Who is the king? That is the supernal King who joins with the field," it can be said that even the sustenance, so to speak, of the supernal King

is through His descending and being drawn into the field,

for through this it is revealed that His intention is for the sake of Israel, whose root is in the Awtsmoos.

And based on what is said in the Zohar,

"There is a field and there is a field,

a field of holiness and a field of idolatry,"

it can be said,

that the matter of "a king is served by the field"

(that through the descent and drawing down into the field, an elevation is effected in the supernal King)

is primarily through the revelation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy that are above the chain of descent

(which in general is the supernal King)

being also for Israel who are in the desert

(the field

of idolatry),

through which their inner will is revealed and they emerge from the desert

(the field of idolatry)

to the field of holiness to greet the King.

For through the repentance of Israel, who were initially at the ultimate distance, the innerness of Israel is revealed even more—that their true will

(even at the time of sin)

is for G-dliness, only that their evil inclination overpowered them,

[as per the explanation of the Tzemach Tzedek

on the verse,

"For in the field he found her; the betrothed maiden cried out, but there was no one to save her,"

that even when the maiden

(the soul)

is in the field of idolatry,

and moreover,

this caused that "Esau, a man of the field, seized her and lay with her,"

nevertheless, even then the will of the soul is for holiness,

and she cries out bitterly about this, that Esau, a man of the field, seizes her,

"the betrothed maiden cried out,"

and through this "there was no one to save her,"

meaning that salvation from the aspect of "nothingness" (Ayin), which is above the chain of descent, is drawn to her].

And since the revelation of the inner will of Israel

(which stems from their root in the Awtsmoos)

is through the repentance of Israel who were initially in the field of idolatry

(desert),

therefore the elevation that is effected in the Thirteen Attributes through their descent and drawing down below to arouse the person is primarily through arousing those who were initially at the ultimate distance.

8)

And this is "I am my Beloved's and my Beloved is mine," the acronym of which is Elul,

for it can be said

that "my Beloved is mine," which is in the acronym of Elul, refers

(primarily)

to the revelation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy in Elul.

And that it is stated "my Beloved is mine" after "I am my Beloved's"

[even though the revelation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy in Elul is the empowerment for the service of "I am my Beloved's"]

is,

because in the innerness of the matters,

"I am my Beloved's"

(the service of man)

is higher than "my Beloved is mine"

(the revelation from above),

and as explained above

(sections 6 and 7)

that the intention of the revelation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy is to arouse the service of man,

and through this an elevation is effected in the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy.

And there are two aspects in this.

The elevation that is effected in the revelation from above through its descent below in order to arouse man

(as above, section 7),

and the elevation that is effected through the actual arousal of repentance of man.

And in this itself—two aspects.

The elevation stemming from the delight above in the service of man, and particularly in the service of repentance—He receives it with a pleasant countenance,

and through this, afterwards the essential delight of Israel themselves is revealed

(for the root of souls is above the root of Torah and mitzvos,

even the mitzvah of repentance)

—a smiling countenance

(as above, section 5).

And it can be said,

that since the arousal of repentance of man

(through which the revelation of a pleasant countenance and a smiling countenance comes)

comes through the revelation of "my Beloved is mine"

(the revelation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy in Elul),

therefore,

the effect of "I am my Beloved's" within "my Beloved is mine" is that even the revelation of "my Beloved is mine" is elevated to the delight of a pleasant countenance and a smiling countenance.

May it be His will,

that through our deeds and our service,

and particularly through the service of the month of Elul,

we will merit very soon the future redemption,

when there will be the true aspect of showing a smiling countenance,

and as explained in many places

regarding the matter of the contest that the Holy One, blessed be He, will conduct for the righteous in the future,

that they will see in revelation that all the war of good and evil

(in this world)

is only in order that there be laughter and delight,

and then "our mouths will be filled with laughter,"

and all this—very soon.