English translation — הוספה משיחות ש"פ וישב-מקץ תשכ"ו

– Addition –

..

In the maamar beginning with the words "Padeh BeShalom"

(which was said at the gathering of Yud-Tes Kislev 5726¹)

there are two precise points that were not explained in the maamar.

And they are:

(a)

That which it divides Torah, Gemilus Chasadim, and prayer in a minyan into two categories.

(b)

The precise wording "all who occupy themselves etc.,"

meaning that it speaks here about a person who occupies himself with Torah etc., and not about the matter of Torah, Gemilus Chasadim, and prayer in a minyan themselves

(as the language of the Mishnah in Avos: "The world stands on three things: on Torah, on service, and on Gemilus Chasadim").

A.

Now, the explanation of the first precise point will be understood by first prefacing the reason for the order of these three matters: Torah,

Gemilus Chasadim, and prayer.

For seemingly, prayer

(in a minyan)

should have been placed before Torah and Gemilus Chasadim,

since the main time for Torah study²

and the virtue of Torah study is specifically when it comes after prayer,

as is known regarding the matter that "my prayer should be adjacent to my bed"³.

And likewise, Gemilus Chasadim is after prayer and Torah study,

as per the ruling⁴

– from the synagogue

(prayer)

to the study hall

(Torah)

and afterwards he should go to his business – he should conduct himself with derech eretz

(which is then the service of Gemilus Chasadim).

And even though even before prayer one must give gemilus chassadim,

as our sages said,

"One gives a coin to a poor person and then prays,"

nevertheless, the nature of this charity

is that it is a preparation for prayer,

and not the matter of the service of gemilus chassadim

(in its own right).

And certainly giving a coin is not a matter of "one who occupies himself with gemilus chassadim,"

the occupation with gemilus chassadim.

(And so too regarding the study of Torah,

for even though before prayer one recites the verses of "I will bless You" etc. — this study is not the occupation with Torah,

and the essence of "one who occupies himself with Torah" is specifically after prayer.)

And seemingly it would be possible to explain,

that the reason for the order in the Gemara is due to the order in the verse.

For first it is stated "in peace" which is Torah and gemilus chassadim,

and afterwards — "for many were with me" which is the matter of communal prayer.

But still there is a difficulty in the order of the verse itself,

for seemingly it should say first "for many were with me" and afterwards "He redeemed my soul in peace."

And even though according to its simple meaning "for many were with me" is a reason for "He redeemed my soul in peace,"

and a verse does not depart from its simple meaning,

nevertheless we find in several verses

that they precede the reason for the matter to the matter itself.

And the explanation is,

that the entirety of man's service is in two ways: elevation from below to above and drawing down from above to below.

And this is the difference between Torah and gemilus chassadim and prayer,

that Torah and gemilus chassadim are a matter of drawing down from above to below, and prayer is a matter of elevation from below to above.

And the ultimate intention is to make for Him a dwelling place in the lower realms,

a drawing down from above to below through Torah and gemilus chassadim,

except that in order for Torah and gemilus chassadim to be as they should,

it is through the precedence of the elevation of prayer.

And according to this, it will be understood why it divides these three matters into two categories, and why it places Torah and Gemilus Chasadim before prayer,

for first it speaks about the intention and the intended purpose,

which is the drawing down that comes through Torah and Gemilus Chasadim,

and afterwards—about the preparation for this,

which is the elevation of prayer.

And within Torah and Gemilus Chasadim themselves, it places Torah before Gemilus Chasadim,

even though the dwelling in the lower realms is accomplished more through Gemilus Chasadim than through Torah

(as explained in Tanya,

regarding the superiority of charity)

—in addition to the fact that this is their order during the day, from the study hall to one's business affairs, etc., as mentioned above,

nevertheless, within Torah and Gemilus Chasadim themselves,

our Sages, of blessed memory, said,

"Torah study is equivalent to all of them."

And even though it is explained in Igeres HaKodesh

that now the primary service is through charity,

this is specifically now,

in the footsteps of Moshiach, when the Sukkah of Dovid has fallen to the level of feet and heels, which is the level of Asiyah,

but in the days of our Sages,

(who said "whoever engages, etc.")

the primary service was Torah study,

as explained in Igeres HaKodesh there.

And based on all this, the order of these three matters will be understood: Torah,

Gemilus Chasadim, and prayer

(in public),

for this order is from higher to lower,

according to the importance of the matters: Torah,

which

(in their days)

is the primary virtue,

then Gemilus Chasadim,

which is lower than Torah as mentioned above,

and then prayer,

which is preparation for the drawing down of Torah and Gemilus Chasadim.

But still, it must be said,

for the Torah is eternal.

From this it is forced that the order of these three matters in this maamar

is also applicable now.

And it can be explained according to what is explained elsewhere

that in elevation one can reach a higher level than in drawing down.

And accordingly,

prayer, which is an elevation from below upward,

its virtue is greater than that of Torah and charity.

And based on this, the order of these three matters will be understood even now,

that this order is from below upward: first—Torah,

then charity,

which

(now)

is above Torah,

and then prayer,

whose virtue is greater than the drawing down of Torah and charity,

as above.

2.

And to understand what is said, "All who engage, etc.,"

which speaks about a person who engages, and not about the matters of Torah, charity, and communal prayer themselves,

in the engagement of Torah, charity, and communal prayer,

which are the general three lines,

there are two matters: one—what pertains to the world,

that in the world the matters of the three lines should be actualized,

so that through this there will be a dwelling place for Him, blessed be He, in the lower realms.

And the second—what pertains to the person who serves,

that he must do [his service] in these three matters.

(And analogous to what is in the eating of holy offerings, where there are two matters: one—it is a mitzvah to eat the sacrifice,

and this mitzvah is upon the person who eats,

and it has several conditions

(regarding anointing,

for greatness,

he is not liable).

The second—regarding the holy offerings themselves,

that they should not come to be leftover

(and in this matter, the conditions of anointing, etc., are not relevant).

And now, regarding our topic

(the redemption of our Rebbe, the Alter Rebbe16),

it is understood

that these three matters — pertain to the divine servant,

namely our Rebbe, the Alter Rebbe,

who was redeemed in peace.

And as he writes, "When I read the verse 'He redeemed in peace... I went out in peace,'"

he himself engaged in these three matters while he was imprisoned

(and therefore his reading was effective)

and through this he was redeemed in peace.

And one must understand,

how was the service of communal prayer possible while he was in prison?

For the study of Torah, and in the manner of being engaged in it, is also applicable while in prison,

and also engaging in acts of kindness while in prison, as Hillel said,

when he would go to eat,

that he is going to perform kindness with the wretched and poor — that is his own body17,

but how could he pray with a minyan? And the explanation is,

as explained by his holy honor, the Tzemach Tzedek18

(this year19

being the centennial year of his passing)

— that the prayer of an individual which the many need is like communal prayer.

And now, the explanation of our Rebbe, the Alter Rebbe20

author of the redemption and joy, on the Sages' statement21

"Here for an individual, there for the community,"

that "here for an individual" is the aspect of Yechidah in the soul.

And from the fact that the Gemara compares "there for the community" to the matter of "here for an individual"

(during the Ten Days of Repentance),

it is understood that also the matter of communal prayer

pertains to the aspect of Yechidah.

For in the matter of the Sefiros, it is the aspect of the innerness of Kesser,

as explained in the maamar

(section 13)

that communal prayer is from the aspect of the innerness of Kesser.

And so it is also regarding the matter of engaging in Torah

(the innerness of Torah)

and acts of kindness

(which is above charity)

that they are from the aspect of the innerness of Kesser — which in divine service is the aspect of Yechidah.

And according to this, it will be understood what is said here, "all who engage, etc.,"

that it speaks regarding the person,

for the aspect of Yechidah in the soul is above the aspect of world.

Therefore,

it does not speak here regarding Torah, charity, and communal prayer themselves,

which need to be done and performed in the world,

but rather regarding the person who engages,

his aspect of Yechidah,

which is above the matter of the world.

(This is not the case in the Mishnah in Avot, which speaks about the matter of the world's standing,

"on three things the world stands,"

for there, the matter of these three lines pertains as they are connected to the world).

* * *

And according to this, the connection of "I will redeem him in peace, etc." and "all who engage in Torah, charity, and pray with the community" to the redemption of our elder Rebbe, whose matter is the spreading of the wellsprings of the Torah of Chassidus as mentioned above, is further sweetened.

For the matter of the Torah of Chassidus is the aspect of Yechidah.

And as explained above

(in the sicha of Yud-Tes Kislev22)

that because Chassidus is the aspect of Yechidah,

therefore it gives vitality to all four parts of Torah,

Peshat, Remez, Derush, Sod,

which are the aspects of Nefesh, Ruach, Neshamah, Chayah.

And therefore,

the preparation for the granting of permission from above for the spreading of the wellsprings,

the revelation of the Yechidah of Torah,

was the service of our elder Rebbe in his aspect of Yechidah,

and his aspect of Yechidah illuminated all three lines—Torah, acts of kindness, and prayer—

which are the totality of man's service.

And through this service—the revelation of the Yechidah and its manifestation in all three lines—permission was granted from above to reveal the wellsprings,

the aspect of Yechidah of Torah,

so that it would illuminate and instill vitality in all four parts of Torah,

the Nefesh, Ruach, Neshamah, Chayah of Torah,

down to the aspect of Nefesh, Ruach, Neshamah, Chayah in the world,

down to the lowest level in the world,

until even the power of the active agent in the passive object, and even the passive object itself

(the aspect of "outside")

will recognize and feel that "there is nothing besides Him."