English translation — מאמר אני לדודי תשל"ב

With the help of Heaven.

Fourth day of the week, Parshat Shoftim,

the night of the second day of Rosh Chodesh Elul, 5732

"I am my Beloved's and my Beloved is mine"

the acronym of Elul,

and it is explained in Likkutei Torah in the maamar beginning with this statement,

that in Elul there is an arousal from below,

"I am my Beloved's,"

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

(an arousal from above),

"and my Beloved is mine."

And it needs to be understood,

that at the beginning of the maamar it says that Elul is the acronym of "I am my Beloved's and my Beloved is mine,"

and immediately afterwards it explains that in Elul there is

(only)

"I am my Beloved's,"

and "my Beloved is mine" is on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

And he continues in the maamar,

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

And he explains that the revelation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy in Elul is for each and every one,

even for those who are most distant.

And it is like a king who, before his arrival in the city, the people of the city go out to greet him and receive him in the field,

and then anyone who wishes is permitted

[and able]

to greet him,

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

And it needs to be understood,

how this fits with what the Tur says,

that from Rosh Chodesh Elul and onward they blow the shofar every day in order to warn the people to repent,

as it is stated,

"If a shofar is blown in a city, will the people not tremble?"

For seemingly, since in Elul the king receives everyone with a pleasant countenance and shows a smiling face to everyone,

the primary service of Elul is

(seemingly)

love,

and also the repentance of Elul should be

(seemingly)

repentance out of love,

and if so, why do they blow the shofar then in order to arouse fear and trembling?

2)

And one can explain the elucidation of this,

that from the distinctions between love and fear is,

that love comes through a revelation of light from above,

and fear comes

(primarily)

through the service of man.

And analogous to fear of a mortal king,

that the reason the people of the land fear the king is because they have accepted him to be king over them,

for the acceptance of the kingship is by the people,

"You shall surely set a king over you."

Therefore,

since in Elul it is the service of "I am for my Beloved,"

the service of man,

there must then be fear.

And one should add,

that the primary service in Elul,

"I am for my Beloved,"

is the acceptance of the yoke of the kingdom of heaven.

For this is what is said in Likkutei Torah, that the service of Elul is the going out to the field to greet the face of the king.

And that which they blow the shofar

(in Elul)

to arouse fear and trembling,

it is,

because the concept of "You shall surely set a king over you" is that his awe be upon you,

and in order that the acceptance of the kingship be complete, it is specifically through the arousal of fear.

3)

And the explanation of the concept in more detail will be understood according to what the Tzemach Tzedek said in a discourse,

that explains the concept of the shofar blast on Rosh Chodesh Elul,

that this blowing of the shofar in the month of Elul is a preparation for the shofar blast of Rosh Hashanah.

For the distinction between the shofar blast of Elul and the shofar blast of Rosh Hashanah is,

that the fear

(and trembling)

that comes through the shofar blast of Elul is lower-level fear,

and the fear

(and trembling)

that comes through the shofar blast of Rosh Hashanah is higher-level fear.

And this is why they instituted blowing the shofar on Rosh Chodesh Elul and throughout the month,

because in order to come to higher-level fear, one must first have lower-level fear.

And another reason for this, that they blow the shofar in the month of Elul before Rosh Hashanah, is,

because during the Ten Days of Repentance,

beginning from Rosh Hashanah,

one must draw down from the encompassing light in order to fill that which they blemished during the entire year,

and the drawing down of the encompassing light is specifically through self-nullification.

And as explained in Torah Or

on the verse,

"The heavens are My throne and the earth is My footstool; which house... But to this one I will look: to the poor and broken of spirit,"

that "heavens" and "earth" are Torah and mitzvos,

for the drawing down through Torah and mitzvos is internal light,

"My throne" and "My footstool,"

and in order to draw down the encompassing lights,

"which house...,"

for "house" is an encompassing light

(and within the encompassing lights themselves, the distant encompassing light),

it is through self-nullification,

"the poor and broken of spirit and who trembles at My word."

And therefore they blow the shofar in Elul,

because in order for there to be the drawing down of the encompassing light on Rosh Hashanah, there must be "broken of spirit" and trembling,

and through the shofar blast they come to trembling.

And one must understand,

behold, also through blowing the shofar on Rosh Hashanah they come to trembling,

and on the contrary,

the trembling of Rosh Hashanah is greater than the trembling of Elul,

and as mentioned above in the discourse, that the trembling that comes from the shofar blast of Elul is lower-level fear,

and the trembling that comes from the shofar blast of Rosh Hashanah is higher-level fear.

And nevertheless,

the drawing down of the encompassing light on Rosh Hashanah is through the trembling that comes from the shofar blast of Elul.

4)

And this will be understood by first explaining that the fear of Elul is lower fear, and the fear of Rosh Hashanah is higher fear.

For the difference between lower fear and higher fear is,

as explained in Tanya18

and in many places19,

that lower fear is from His greatness in the creation and bringing into being of the worlds.

For the self-nullification in this fear is the nullification of the sense of self (bitul hayesh).

And higher fear is from His greatness and sublimity that is above worlds,

for everything before Him is considered as nothing.

For the self-nullification in this fear is nullification of existence (bitul bimetziut).

And this is that in order to come to higher fear,

it is specifically through a revelation from above,

because what a person can attain through contemplation is the G-dliness that is relative to the worlds,

and in order for the sublimity of the Ein Sof that is above worlds to be felt by him, it is specifically through a revelation from above.

And this is what is stated20

"And the L-rd commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the L-rd,"

that in order to come to fear the L-rd,

higher fear21,

it is impossible to come to this through contemplation, but only through a revelation from above that is drawn down through the mitzvos22.

And this is that the fear of Elul is lower fear, and the fear of Rosh Hashanah is higher fear,

because in Elul,

when the king is in the field,

where being in the field, his greatness and sublimity are not felt23,

and the fear then is

(not from the aspect of revelation from above,

but rather)

through the service of man,

therefore,

the fear then is lower fear.

And on Rosh Hashanah,

when the king is in his palace of royalty,

when his sublimity is felt,

that he is elevated and separate from the people24,

for in the analogue, it is the revelation of the sublimity of the Ein Sof that is above worlds,

the fear on Rosh Hashanah is higher fear.

And it can be said,

that this that one must blow the shofar on Rosh Hashanah in order to come to higher fear,

even though at that time it is a time of the revelation of His kingship,

meaning that in the time of Rosh Hashanah, from its own essence, the sublimity of the Ein Sof that is above worlds shines in revelation,

this is,

because time is from the definitions of the world25,

and therefore,

the sublimity of the Ein Sof that is revealed on Rosh Hashanah from the aspect of the time of Rosh Hashanah is related to worlds,

and the revelation of the Ein Sof as it is holy and separate from worlds is primarily through the mitzvos,

"Who sanctified us with His commandments"26.

And since the shofar blast on Rosh Hashanah is a mitzvah,

the fear and trembling from the sound of the shofar of Rosh Hashanah is fear and nullification to the utmost,

higher fear.

And based on this, there is further explanation in this, that the fear that comes from the sound of the shofar of Elul is

(only)

lower fear,

because this that the sound of the shofar of Rosh Hashanah brings about such an immense fear,

nullification of existence

(higher fear),

is from the aspect of the mitzvah of shofar blast,

and since the shofar blast in Elul is not a mitzvah

(and we do not recite the blessing "Who sanctified us with His commandments" over it),

therefore,

the fear

(and nullification)

that comes from the sound of the shofar of Elul is

(only)

nullification of the sense of self,

lower fear.

However, nevertheless,

this fear is an introduction and preparation for the higher fear of Rosh Hashanah,

because in order to come to higher fear, one must first have lower fear

(as mentioned above in the maamar).

5)

And it is known27

that in order to come from lower fear to higher fear, one must first have love.

For the order of service is: fear, love, love, and fear.

Fear

(the first)

is lower fear,

and afterwards, two levels in love,

lower love (ahava zuta) and great love (ahava rabbah),

and afterwards, fear,

higher fear.

And from this it is understood,

that this that from the lower fear of Elul one comes to the higher fear of Rosh Hashanah is through the prior introduction of love.

And this can be explained based on what is stated in Likkutei Torah, that when the king is in the field, he receives everyone with a pleasant countenance and shows a smiling face to all,

for a pleasant countenance and a smiling face are the matter of love,

and by the king receiving everyone with a pleasant countenance,

and especially by showing a smiling face to all,

this arouses in them

(as in water, face to face28)

love for the king.

And based on this, it can be said,

that in the details of the analogy in Likkutei Torah, the four aforementioned matters are hinted at.

For this that they go out to greet the king to receive his face,

pertains to lower fear.

And afterwards,

the king receives them with a pleasant countenance and shows them a smiling face – the two levels of love

(pleasant countenance – lower love,

and smiling face – great love),

and afterwards comes the matter of when he enters his palace of royalty – higher fear.

6)

And behold, even though in the levels of fear,

the fear of Elul is lower than the fear of Rosh Hashanah,

for the fear of Elul is a lower fear and the fear of Rosh Hashanah is a higher fear,

nevertheless, there is an advantage in the fear of Elul over the fear of Rosh Hashanah.

For the fear and self-nullification of Rosh Hashanah,

since then is the time of the revelation of His kingship,

the fear and self-nullification then are not a novelty.

For since everything before Him is considered as nothing, and whatever is more before Him is more nothing,

behold, that Israel are in a state of self-nullification of higher fear during the time of Rosh Hashanah when they are in the palace of His kingship,

there is no novelty in this.

[And this is analogous to the self-nullification in Atzilus,

in which there is no novelty,

since in Atzilus the revelation of the light of Ein Sof shines.

And likewise in Atzilus itself,

the self-nullification in the Sefirah of Chochmah,

in which is the primary self-nullification,

is not a novelty,

for in Chochmah is the revelation that He is alone and there is nothing besides Him.

And all the more so the self-nullification of Kesser,

for although it is a clear light etc., it is "black" before the Cause of causes,

for the explanation of "black" is that Kesser is in a state of self-nullification

(like a black appearance that is not elevated relative to a white appearance)

relative to Ein Sof which is above Kesser

(the Cause of causes),

which is not a novelty,

since Kesser perceives

that it is incomparable relative to Ein Sof].

But the fear and self-nullification in Elul,

when the King is in the field

(when His greatness and loftiness are not felt)

and nevertheless there is the self-nullification of Israel,

that they accept His kingship upon themselves,

and moreover they even blow the shofar to arouse fear and trembling

(so that the acceptance of the kingship will be complete),

behold this self-nullification,

even though it is a nullification of the yesh (the tangible self),

is very precious in the eyes of Havayah.

And it can be said,

that through the delight of the King from the fact that they go out to greet Him

(the acceptance of His kingship)

while He is in the field, it is further added that He receives them all with a pleasant countenance and shows a smiling face to all.

And it can be added,

that the advantage in the fear and self-nullification of Elul over the fear and self-nullification of Rosh Hashanah is not only from the aspect of its novelty,

but also in the matter of the self-nullification itself.

For the self-nullification that comes through revelation,

since the self-nullification is because one recognizes and feels the superiority of the revelation

(which is incomparable relative to him),

behold, the self-nullification is connected with the existence of the person

(his awareness).

But the true essence of self-nullification is in the service of acceptance of the yoke,

which is like a servant,

who, because of the yoke of the master that is placed upon him, is compelled to fulfill the will of the master.

7)

And based on this, we can explain what is said in the maamar, that the drawing down of the encompassing light (makif) of Rosh Hashanah is

(primarily)

through the fear and trembling that comes from the shofar blasts of Elul,

for this, that through the trembling

(and "trembling at His word")

is the drawing down of the encompassing light

(Beis),

is

(primarily)

when the trembling is in a manner of self-nullification and lowliness,

"poor and contrite of spirit."

And as explained in the maamar, that the more a person humbles himself,

the encompassing light that is drawn down is a higher encompassing light.

Therefore, the primary drawing down of the encompassing light is through the fear and trembling of Elul,

for the fear and trembling of Rosh Hashanah is through feeling the revelation from above,

and the self-nullification through the feeling of revelation is not in a manner of lowliness,

and the primary matter of "poor and contrite of spirit,"

self-nullification in a manner of lowliness,

is in the fear and trembling of Elul.

And we can add further explanation regarding the advantage of the fear of Elul over the fear of Rosh Hashanah,

for since the fear and self-nullification of Elul come through the service of Israel,

"I am for my Beloved,"

and the root of Israel is in the Atzmus (Essence),

therefore,

the drawing down that comes through this fear and self-nullification is a drawing down of Atzmus.

And it can be said,

that this is the inner reason for the fact that from the lower fear of Elul they later come on Rosh Hashanah to the higher fear,

for through the fear of Elul there is a drawing down of Atzmus,

and through this are drawn down

(afterward)

also the revelations.

8)

And behold, similarly it is regarding the matter of repentance of Elul,

that this blowing of the shofar in Elul is

(as brought above from the Tur)

in order to warn Israel to repent,

which has an advantage over the repentance of Rosh Hashanah.

For although the repentance of Elul is for undesirable matters,

as understood from what is said in the writings of the Ariza"l38

that Elul is an acronym for A.

neh L.

ido V.

samti L.

ach39,

that the cities of refuge are a correction for undesirable matters

[And it could be said,

that this that the repentance of Elul is hinted at in A.

neh L.

ido V.

samti L.

ach, that the atonement of the cities of refuge is for one who kills a soul unintentionally40,

is because through the repentance of Rosh Chodesh Elul, intentional sins become like unintentional ones, and the repentance of Elul is to correct the unintentional sins],

and the repentance of Rosh Hashanah, which comes after the undesirable matters have already been corrected

(also the unintentional sins)41

through the repentance of Elul, is

(primarily)

supernal repentance42,

nevertheless,

there is an advantage in the repentance of Elul over the repentance of Rosh Hashanah.

For the repentance of Rosh Hashanah

is hinted at in the mitzvah of shofar blowing,

as the Rambam says43

even though shofar blowing on Rosh Hashanah is a decree of Scripture,

it contains a hint,

meaning: Awaken, sleepers, from your sleep, etc., and return in repentance.

And although the matter of repentance hinted at in the shofar is above the mitzvah of shofar blowing44,

as is known regarding the concept of a hint,

that the hinted matter is above the thing that hints at it, to the extent that it is not clothed in the thing and is only a hint alone45,

nevertheless, this that the matter is at least hinted at in the thing,

is because there is a similarity between them.

And since shofar blowing on Rosh Hashanah is a mitzvah,

therefore,

also the repentance hinted at in it has a connection to the service of Torah and mitzvos.

And the main quality of repentance,

that it reaches the Owner of Will

(above the will of mitzvos)46,

is the repentance of Elul.

For this that repentance reaches above the will of mitzvos is47

because Israel preceded the Torah48,

and therefore,

the quality of repentance is primarily when the repentance comes from the person

(Israel)

himself,

the repentance of Elul,

"I am for my Beloved."

9)

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

that this that "my Beloved is for me" is included in the acronym Elul,

is,

because this that through the service of "I am for my Beloved"

(in Elul)

the drawing down of "my Beloved is for me" is effected on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, is because the service of "I am for my Beloved" reaches the Awtsmoos from which all revelations are drawn

(as above at the end of section 11),

and it is found that in "I am for my Beloved" of Elul, the drawing down of "my Beloved is for me" is also included.

And it could be said,

that this is what the shofar blasts of the month of Elul

(according to the custom of Chabad49)

are Tashrat, Tashat, Tarat,

all the sounds that are blown on Rosh Hashanah,

for in the shofar blasts of Elul exist all the matters that are in the shofar blasts of Rosh Hashanah.

And this that in Elul they blow ten sounds and not one hundred sounds,

perhaps it could be said,

that this is because the shofar blasts of Elul

(since they are the root of the matters that are drawn down on Rosh Hashanah)

are above division.

10)

And 4)

May it be His will that through our deeds and our service50,

and particularly through the service of Elul,

the redemption will be brought closer and hastened even more,

and as hinted in this that Elul is an acronym for "To Hashem I will sing, I will sing to Hashem"51,

for then all sparks will go out from the exile52.

And since in Elul the king receives all of them with a pleasant countenance and shows a smiling face to everyone,

surely the king fulfills the request of each and every one of Israel,

that he should have a good inscription and sealing for a good and sweet year in the revealed and manifest good,

both in spiritual matters—in the study of Torah and fulfillment of the commandments—

and in material matters—in children, life, and ample sustenance—

and all the more so regarding the primary request—the true and complete redemption through our righteous Moshiach,

may he come and redeem us and lead us upright to our land,

very soon.