English translation — מאמר א"ר אושעיא תשל"ט

With the help of Heaven.

19 Kislev 5739*

Rabbi Oshaya said: What is the meaning of that which is written,

“The righteousness of His strong ones in Israel… The Holy One, blessed be He, performed an act of charity with Israel by scattering them among the nations,”

And it is explained by the Rebbe, my father-in-law, the leader, in his maamar beginning with the words “Zeh”

[which was said on 19 Kislev

of the year 5689 at the festive meal,

and was printed in the pamphlet “Drushei Chasunah” of 5689],

that through the fact that Israel are scattered in many countries,

behold, even when in one country they oppress and pressure the Children of Israel and do not allow them to study Torah and fulfill mitzvos,

to the extent that regarding several mitzvos they are literally compelled [against their will]

that they have no possibility at all to fulfill them even through self-sacrifice,

[For example,

when there is a royal decree not to bring the Four Species into the country,

then even through self-sacrifice it is impossible to fulfill the mitzvah],

behold, through the fact that the Jews who are in the other countries engage in Torah and mitzvos,

they give strength and might also to those who are in the place where there are decrees,

so that they will be able to study Torah and fulfill mitzvos.

And from the light to the heavy,

first that they will be able to fulfill the mitzvos through self-sacrifice at least

[as is known that there is an opinion among the halachic authorities

that even regarding mitzvos about which they said “transgress and do not be killed,” one is permitted to sanctify the Name and give himself over],

and until afterwards they will not need self-sacrifice at all,

and until they will have no trials and not even hindrances and delays,

for they will go out to freedom and will be able to engage in Torah and mitzvos out of expansiveness,

as our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said,

“Whoever fulfills the Torah out of poverty, will ultimately fulfill it out of wealth.”

B)

Now, since the Torah is eternal in every time and season and in every place

(as explained in the maamar),

it is understood that this charity also applies in places where there are no decrees against Torah and mitzvos.

And this will be understood based on what the Rebbe, my father-in-law, the leader, said

(in the aforementioned Drushei Chasunah)

regarding the matter of the mitzvah of redeeming captives, which also exists in spirituality.

For just as a captive in the physical sense

(one who sits in prison)

cannot leave from there,

so too is it in spirituality,

that sometimes a person is captive, heaven forfend, in the hands of his evil inclination

[and this is like businessmen who are extremely busy and troubled by the troubles of their business,

who are bound

(captive)

in confusing thoughts and cannot get out of them],

and to the point that sometimes he is like one who is compelled,

and in the language of the Rambam

(regarding halachah)

“his evil inclination overpowered him.”

And this is the matter of the charity through His scattering them among the nations, also regarding places of ease,

for when a Jew is captive in the hands of his evil inclination, heaven forfend,

(regarding a particular matter),

his release from captivity is

[not through his own power,

since “a prisoner cannot free himself from his imprisonment,”

but rather]

through a Jew who is not in captivity regarding this matter.

That is to say,

that even when the one who redeems him from captivity is himself captive in the hands of his evil inclination,

and to the point that he is like one who is compelled

(his evil inclination overpowered him)

regarding another mitzvah,

nevertheless,

since regarding many mitzvos he is not captive in the hands of his evil inclination,

for the opposition of the evil inclination for each person is

(primarily)

in a different matter

[for just as

in every time there is a particular service most relevant to that time,

and the main temptations and opposition of the evil inclination are to prevent this service,

therefore the trials of one generation differ from the trials of other generations

[like in the time of Menasheh when the inclination for idolatry was dominant,

unlike in the generations after him,

all the more so after they killed the inclination for idolatry],

so too is it within one time itself,

that each Jew has a particular matter

(a mitzvah or custom and the like)

that is most relevant to him,

as is known

in the explanation of our Rabbis, of blessed memory, saying,

“Your father, in what was he most careful?”

and the main temptations and opposition of his evil inclination are regarding this matter],

And through his fulfilling the mitzvos against which his evil inclination does not fight

(so much),

he redeems from captivity the one whose evil inclination overpowered him regarding these mitzvos.

And this is “The Holy One, blessed be He, performed an act of charity with Israel by scattering them among the nations,”

for redeeming captives is the most elevated charity,

and as explained in the aforementioned maamar

that regarding the mitzvah of charity, redeeming captives takes precedence over everything, and there is no mitzvah as great as redeeming captives,

And through His scattering them among the nations,

so that the evil inclination of one differs from the evil inclination of the other,

through this the charity of redeeming captives is fulfilled,

as above.

3)

And the maamar22 points out,

that according to this interpretation of "tzedek parzono"

(charity etc. that He scattered them etc.)

it should have said "tzedek pizrono" — why does it say "parzono"?

And he explains23,

that "parzono" is like the verse24

"Parzot teishev Yerushalayim" (Jerusalem shall dwell as open villages).

That is,

the charity that the Holy One, blessed be He, did with Israel in scattering them among the nations is in order that through this they will reach a higher level than they were before the descent of their scattering,

even to the level of "parzot teishev Yerushalayim"

(parzono).

4)

And this will be understood based on the Sages' statement25

that everything that exists in the world exists in man

[therefore man is called a small world26,

and each person is obligated to say "for my sake the world was created"27].

From this it is understood,

that in man,

"you are called man"28,

there is the aspect of Jerusalem.

That is,

that even during the time of exile, when "because of our sins we were exiled from our land and distanced from our soil"29

[this matter

(we were exiled from our land and distanced from our soil)

applies also to the children of Israel who are in the Holy Land, may it be built and established30],

nevertheless,

the spiritual concept of Jerusalem is eternal even now,

in each and every Jew.

And the explanation is,

that it is known31

that Yerushalayim means "yirah shalem" (complete awe)

[and this matter applies also regarding the actual city of Jerusalem,

as it is brought in Tosafot32

in the name of the Midrash33

that the name Yerushalayim is from "Shalem" which Malki Tzedek king of Shalem called it, and from "Yirah" which Avraham called it],

which is the completeness of awe.

And this is that the spiritual Jerusalem is eternal even now during the time of exile,

for in each and every Jew, even during the time of exile, there is

(at least in a concealed state)

the completeness of awe,

as will be explained below.

And this will be understood by first prefacing,

that regarding the concept of Jerusalem

(completeness of awe)

in man's divine service,

there are two interpretations.

For in many places34

it is explained that Jerusalem is the awe as it comes in the form of awe,

and this is the concept of the lower Jerusalem and the upper Jerusalem,

for in awe there are generally two levels,

lower awe — the lower Jerusalem,

and higher awe — the upper Jerusalem.

And this is the statement of the Holy One, blessed be He, "I will not enter the upper Jerusalem until I enter the lower Jerusalem"35,

for although in terms of revelations, lower awe is very low compared to higher awe,

nevertheless,

since lower awe has its root in higher awe36,

to the extent that both are one37,

therefore,

through lower awe

(the lower Jerusalem)

one reaches higher awe

(the upper Jerusalem)38.

And from the continuation of the topics in this maamar it is understood39,

that Jerusalem is the point of fear of Heaven that is above intellect,

a point that is above form,

which exists in each and every Jew,

from the essence of the soul within him that is above revelations40.

And it can be said,

that among the reasons why this point is called by the name Jerusalem,

completeness of awe,

is,

that the true meaning of completeness is that it cannot have any deficiency.

Therefore,

awe as it comes in revelation

(in the form of awe),

since it is possible for it to have a deficiency,

does not have true completeness,

and true completeness is in the point of fear of Heaven that is above revelation,

for this point always exists in each and every Jew.

5)

Now, even though the point of fear of Heaven that is above intellect is beyond limitation,

nevertheless,

it has within it

(in its revelation)

many levels,

and its true essence will be in the future to come.

And this is that in the future

(specifically)

"Jerusalem will be inhabited as open villages,"

and Rashi explains41

that it will have no measure or limit, etc.

And even then there will be ascents without end,

as Rashi says41

that it will grow from day to day.

And this is "the righteousness of your open villages in Israel... the Holy One, blessed be He, performed charity with Israel by scattering them among the nations,"

for this that is stated in the verse regarding this matter

("charity... that He scattered them...")

is in the language of "open villages,"

because the charity that the Holy One, blessed be He, performed with Israel by scattering them among the nations is that through this they will reach the "open villages" that are above measurement and limitation.

And there are two matters in this.

That through the hindrances and obstacles of the time of exile

(He scattered them among the nations)

the point of fear of Heaven that is in each Jew is aroused and revealed

(as explained at length in the maamar42)

which is above measurement and limitation.

And moreover,

the matter of "open villages" alludes

(as brought above in section 3 of the maamar)

to "Jerusalem will be inhabited as open villages,"

that through the arousal of the point of fear of Heaven in the time of exile,

there will afterwards be an addition and ascent in the point of fear of Heaven,

its essence as it will be in the future.

6)

And it can be said,

that in "Jerusalem will be inhabited as open villages"

(the point of fear of Heaven)

there are two matters.

That the point of fear of Heaven itself is beyond limitation

(as above in section 5),

and also its expansion43

is without limit.

And within this itself there are two matters.

That the point of fear of Heaven acts upon all the powers of the soul to be in accordance with the point,

and that also the point itself spreads into all the powers of the soul44,

even into the garments of thought, speech, and action.

And analogous to "Jerusalem will be inhabited as open villages" in its simple sense,

that in addition to Jerusalem being the point of the center of the world and from the foundation stone in the Holy Temple the entire world was founded45,

also Jerusalem itself will spread throughout the entire world,

for in the future Jerusalem will spread throughout all the Land of Israel and the Land of Israel will spread throughout all the lands46.

7)

And seemingly one should add,

that this which is stated "open villages"

(and not "scattered"),

the matter of "Jerusalem will be inhabited as open villages,"

also relates to the charity of scattering explained at the beginning of the maamar,

that the involvement in Torah and mitzvot of Jews who are in places of ease gives strength and might to Jews who are in a place of decree so that they can study Torah and fulfill mitzvot.

For this that the involvement in Torah and mitzvot of one gives strength and might to another is because all Jews are one reality,

especially from the aspect of the point of fear of Heaven and their self-nullification,

which is the point that unifies all of Israel.

Therefore,

in order that the involvement in Torah and mitzvot of one gives strength and might to another

(the matter of charity in this that He scattered them)

it is when his involvement in Torah and mitzvot is in the point of fear of Heaven,

"Jerusalem will be inhabited as open villages,"

that his fear of Heaven

(Jerusalem)

is in a manner of "and you shall break forth47

westward and eastward and northward and southward,"

that it spreads and penetrates all the powers of the soul,

even into his thought, speech, and action.

And it can be said that this is also the reason for this, that the engagement in Torah and mitzvos of one gives strength and power

(not only to those who are in a place of decree,

but)

also to those who are captive in the hands of their evil inclination,

to redeem them from captivity

(as above in section 2),

because in each and every Jew,

even in the wicked,

there is

(at least in concealment)

the point of fear of Heaven,

and therefore all the categories of Israel

(righteous, intermediate, and wicked)

are one reality.

And as is hinted also in the word "tzibbur"

(that Israel are a tzibbur48),

"tzibbur" is an acronym for tzaddikim, beinonim, and resha'im49,

that all these three types are one reality

[And the vav

(that is in the word "tzibbur")

is the vav that connects the wicked with the intermediate and the righteous,

and even the head of the entire word is the letter tzaddik,

and Your people50

are all righteous].

And therefore the engagement in Torah and mitzvos of the righteous and the intermediate

[and especially when their engagement in Torah and mitzvos is in a manner that they include themselves with all of Israel51,

"Love your fellow as yourself"52]

also affects those who are captive in the hands of their evil inclination,

that they will go out from captivity and become righteous

(also openly).

8)

And behold, the above matter

(that the engagement in Torah and mitzvos of one gives strength and power also to another)

applies not only when the coercion

(regarding some mitzvah)

is due to a decree of the kingdom or because his evil inclination overpowered him,

but also when the coercion is because according to Torah it is impossible to fulfill this mitzvah,

like Jews who are in the diaspora, for whom according to Torah it is impossible to fulfill the mitzvos dependent on the Land,

and similarly in the totality of the time of exile, when it is impossible

(even for the children of Israel who are in the Land of Israel)

to fulfill the mitzvos dependent on the time when the Holy Temple existed,

behold, from the aspect that all Israel in all places and in all times are one reality,

therefore, through the fact that the children of Israel who are in the Land of Israel fulfill the mitzvos dependent on the Land,

this also benefits the children of Israel who are in the diaspora,

and similarly regarding the mitzvos dependent on the time of the Temple that Israel fulfilled then,

this also benefits the children of Israel in the time of exile,

since all Israel throughout all the generations are one tzibbur, for there is no death for a tzibbur53

[therefore the sacrifice that was offered in the days of Ezra also atoned for the Israel who were in the generation of Tzidkiyahu54].

9)

And this is "the righteousness of His nobles in Israel, charity..." that He scattered them among the nations,

for that which it says "perazono"

(and not "pizrono")

is,

because the charity that the Holy One, blessed be He, did with Israel in scattering them among the nations is that through this they will in the future come to "open villages shall Jerusalem dwell"

(as explained above at length).

And another reason for that which it says "perazono" is,

because in order to come to "open villages shall Jerusalem dwell" it is through that also the service in the time of exile

(when He scattered them among the nations)

is in a manner of "open villages shall Jerusalem dwell."

For in addition to this that the entry into Jerusalem in the physical sense,

in the true redemption through our righteous Moshiach,

is through the service of Jerusalem,

the perfection of fear

[for the coming of Moshiach will be through "in His voice you shall listen"55,

that this

(the matter of "in His voice you shall listen")

is through fear,

which is the beginning of service and its essence and root56,

for although in order for the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos to be complete, love is also needed57,

nevertheless, the essence of service is fear58],

behold, in order that there be "open villages shall Jerusalem dwell,"

the service must be even now in a manner of "open villages,"

above measure and limitation,

which in general is the service of mesirus nefesh,

surrender of the will59,

and this service is a close preparation that there will be "open villages shall Jerusalem dwell" also in its simple sense,

"In the future Jerusalem will spread out over all the Land of Israel, and in the future the Land of Israel will spread out over all the lands."

And this is accomplished

(like all the matters of the future60)

through our deeds and our service during the time of exile,

the totality of which are the three lines of Torah, service, and acts of kindness

[and as our sages, of blessed memory, said in Tractate Berachos at its beginning and outset61

on the verse62

"He redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me, for many were with me,"

"Whoever engages in Torah and acts of kindness and prays with the tzibbur, I consider it as if he redeemed Me and My children from among the nations of the world"],

and especially through the service of "spread forth your wellsprings outward," through which "the master, King Moshiach, will come"

[as stated in the letter of the Baal Shem Tov63

what he heard in the palace of Moshiach,

"from the King Moshiach"].

And this is the matter of charity etc. that was scattered among the nations,

that through our deeds and service during the time of exile

(in the three lines of Torah, service, and acts of kindness, and particularly in the spreading of the wellsprings outward)

that [occur] each and every day,

behold, in addition to that which each and every day

(when we are still in exile)

a spiritual redemption is accomplished

(as if He redeemed me),

behold, each and every action among the aforementioned combines into a great account of charity

that brings closer the redemption

in its simple physical sense,

so that then "Jerusalem will dwell as unwalled cities" also physically,

with the coming of Moshiach our righteous one,

very soon.