English translation — מאמר שלום רב לאוהבי תורתך תשל"ח

With the help of Heaven.

Motzaei Shabbat Parshat Vayeishev,

Erev Rosh Chodesh Tevet — in his room — 5738*

"Great peace have those who love Your Torah..."1,

And the Rebbe, my father-in-law, the Rebbe, precisely analyzes in his maamar beginning with the words "Zot"

[of Shabbat Parshat Vayeishev 57042,

which is a continuation of the maamar beginning "Padeh b'Shalom" of Yud-Tes Kislev 57043],

what is the concept of "great peace,"

from which it is understood that there is an ordinary peace

[and in the language of the maamar there — "a small peace"4]

and a great peace.

And also, what is [the meaning of] "those who love Your Torah"?

Is not Torah wisdom and understanding

[as it is written5,

"For it is your wisdom and your understanding"]

and it would be fitting to use the language of study, which is attributed to wisdom and understanding, and not the language of love.

And he explains there6,

that "those who love Your Torah" means that they love the Torah not only from the perspective of the Torah itself

(from the perspective of the wisdom within it)

but rather from the perspective of the Giver of the Torah

("those who love Your Torah"7).

And this is [the meaning of] "Great peace have those who love Your Torah,"

that the peace which is made through the study of Torah

(ordinary [study])

is an ordinary peace

(a small peace),

but not so for "those who love Your Torah,"

when the study of Torah is not only with love of Torah but also with love of G-d

[and it is understood that this also [includes] love of Israel,

for love of Israel is a vessel for love of G-d8,

to the extent that they are entirely one9],

then a great peace is drawn down

(which is above ordinary peace).

2)

Now, the concept of "those who love Your Torah"

(that the love for Torah is from the perspective of the Giver of the Torah)

is explained in the aforementioned maamar6,

that this is accomplished through the prior service of prayer.

And the explanation is,

for the primary service is love of G-d, as the statement10

"There is no worship like the worship of love."

And this also applies to the line of service,

the entirety of the concept of service, the concept of prayer,

for the service and toil of prayer is11

to come to love of G-d.

And this is that the concept of "those who love Your Torah" is through the prior service of prayer,

for through prayer one comes to love of G-d,

and through this he becomes "one who loves Your Torah,"

[meaning] that his love for Torah is from the perspective of the Giver of the Torah,

as above.

And this is also what is explained in many places12

(regarding the prayer of Abba Binyamin, "May my prayer be near my bed"13)

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

[although the service of prayer is a distinct line and Torah study is a distinct line],

for through the prior service of prayer, the study is in a more elevated manner,

even to the level of "those who love Your Torah."

3)

And this will be understood with a preface from the saying of our Rabbis, of blessed memory,

on the verse,

"For what has the land been destroyed?... Because they abandoned My Torah, because they did not bless the Torah first,"

From this it is understood

that the matter of "bless the Torah first" is a fundamental matter not only in the service of man in general

(to the extent that because they did not bless the Torah, the land was destroyed)

but also in the study of Torah itself,

for

("they did not bless the Torah first")

is called in the verse "they abandoned My Torah"

(the abandonment of Torah).

However, this is not an abandonment of Torah in general,

but rather,

as the verse states, "they abandoned My Torah"

(the Torah of the Holy One, blessed be He).

For the matter of "bless the Torah first" is to draw down,

the drawing down of blessing and abundance into the Torah,

and as is also understood from the language "bless the Torah"

(for ostensibly it should have said "bless before",

before the study of Torah,

and what is "bless the Torah"?),

for "blessing" is a term of drawing down, like one who "bends" (mavrich)

the vine

[And this matter

(sowing and planting,

including the bending of the vine)

is particularly relevant here,

for Torah and its mitzvos are a matter of sowing in the land],

and "bless the Torah" is the matter of drawing down Ein Sof into the Torah.

And it is the matter of engaging in Torah for its own sake, for the sake of the Torah itself,

to draw into it the revelation of Ein Sof that is above wisdom,

and in the manner of what is said in the Book of Bahir

and in the Book Maayan HaChochmah,

that Dovid would compose Torah with the Holy One, blessed be He.

And this is "because they abandoned My Torah, because they did not bless the Torah first,"

for by means of blessing the Torah, it becomes "My Torah"

[that one draws Ein Sof into it],

and when they did not bless the Torah first, it is "they abandoned My Torah,"

for the Torah then is as it is in its own essence and the revelation of Ein Sof is not drawn into it

(which is above wisdom).

And even though the Torah as it is in its own essence is also the Torah of the Holy One, blessed be He, for He and His wisdom are one,

and even when an impure person studies it, it is the words of the Holy One, blessed be He, and therefore

it does not receive impurity, as our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said

on the verse,

"Behold, My words are like fire," just as fire does not receive impurity, so too the words of Torah do not receive impurity,

[for even though an impure person who studies the Torah is not connected to the service of composing Torah with the Holy One, blessed be He,

and is also not connected to the service of "bless the Torah first" to draw down Ein Sof into the Torah,

nevertheless, even his Torah is the words of the Holy One, blessed be He, and is compared to fire, whose nature is to ascend

upward],

it is nevertheless understood

that this—that the Torah studied by an impure person is the words and wisdom of the Holy One, blessed be He, for He and His wisdom are one—

is in a state of concealment,

and it is not comparable to the level of Torah that is "My Torah"

(the Torah of the Holy One, blessed be He)

in a revealed manner.

And particularly since the matter of "bless the Torah first" is

(as above)

to draw down into the Torah the revelation of Ein Sof that is above wisdom.

4)

And based on this it will be understood

that the superiority in the study of Torah after prayer is not only regarding the study

(of the person),

that his study after the preparation of the service of prayer is in the manner of "those who love Your Torah"

(as above in section 2),

but also regarding the Torah

(that he studies),

for the matter of "bless the Torah first,"

the drawing down of Ein Sof into the Torah,

is

(primarily)

in the study of Torah after the preparation of the service of prayer.

And the explanation:

for in order to draw down Ein Sof into the Torah, it is

(primarily)

when the study of Torah is with self-nullification (bittul).

And in order for the study of Torah to be with self-nullification, this is achieved through the preparation of the service of prayer.

For prayer is a matter of self-nullification,

for during prayer one must stand as a servant before his master,

which is a self-nullification superior even to the self-nullification of the Shema.

For in the Shema, although it is forbidden to hint with one's eyes, or to motion with one's lips, or to point with one's fingers,

nevertheless there are several matters for which one may interrupt the Shema,

unlike in prayer.

And even the Shema is

(also)

said while sitting, unlike prayer which is

(specifically)

while standing, to the extent that there is no standing except for prayer,

for the difference between sitting and standing is that sitting indicates a matter of settlement

[This is what Rashi explains on the verse,

"And Yaakov settled," that Yaakov sought to settle in tranquility,

for the true meaning of settlement

("and he settled")

is to settle in tranquility],

unlike standing which indicates self-nullification.

And through the self-nullification of prayer,

the study of Torah after prayer is also with self-nullification,

and the revelation of Ein Sof is drawn into it.

And it can be said that this is the connection between the two interpretations in the Midrash

on the verse,

"And behold, a ladder was set upon the earth and its head reached the heavens,"

one interpretation: the ladder is the ramp

(prayer)

and the second interpretation: the ladder is Sinai

(Torah),

for through the preparation of the service of prayer, an elevation is made

(also)

in the Torah,

that the revelation of Ein Sof is drawn into it.

5)

However, it still needs to be understood why this verse

(“Great peace for those who love Your Torah”)

comes

as a continuation and addition to what is stated

“And all your children shall be taught of the L-rd, and abundant peace shall be your children,”

for seemingly, even the Torah study of “your children taught of the L-rd… your children” is after the prior service of prayer,

since it is written of them “and abundant peace,”

and it is explained in the maamar that “great peace”

(“abundant peace”)

is specifically for “those who love Your Torah”

(who love the Torah from the aspect that it is Your Torah),

for this love comes through the prior service of prayer

(as above, sections 1 and 2),

and what is the addition in “great peace for those who love Your Torah” over “and abundant peace for your children.”

But the explanation is,

that our sages, of blessed memory, said

(on the verse “and abundant peace for your children”)

“Do not read ‘your children’ (banayich) but rather ‘your builders’ (bonayich),”

and the explanation of “your builders” is as our sages, of blessed memory, said,

“What are ‘builders’? These are Torah scholars who engage in the building of the world.”

And this is the difference between the two verses,

for in the verse “and abundant peace for your children,” which speaks about the effect of Torah in the world

(that Torah scholars build the world through their engagement in Torah),

the intention in “and abundant peace for your children” is also

(primarily)

regarding the peace that is made in the world

through engagement in Torah,

for the Torah was given

to make peace in the world.

And in the verse “great peace for those who love Your Torah,” it adds that the great peace is drawn down also to the Torah scholars themselves

(“for those who love Your Torah”).

And this is why specifically in this verse it says “for those who love Your Torah”

(that the love for Torah is from the aspect of the Giver of the Torah,

which is achieved through the prior service of prayer),

for in order to draw down an abundance of peace in the world, the prior service of prayer is not necessary,

but in order for great peace to be drawn down to the Torah scholars themselves, this drawing down is specifically through the service of prayer.

6)

And this will be understood by prefacing what is explained in the maamar

(the discourse “Shalom Rav” 5704)

regarding the service of the tzaddikim who sustain the world that was created with Ten Utterances

[which is also the matter of “Torah scholars who engage in the building of the world”],

that the Ten Utterances with which the world was created correspond to the Ten Commandments,

and as it is written,

“Ten, ten for each shekel of the holy shekel,”

and that which Torah scholars build the world is that they draw the Ten Commandments

[in which all of the Torah is included,

including also what a veteran student will innovate in the future]

into the Ten Utterances with which the world was created.

And although even at the beginning of creation, the world was created in its fullness

(meaning that through the Ten Utterances there is a revelation of G-dliness in the world),

nevertheless, the intention of creation is that man, through his service, should draw down additional light into the world,

even to a light that is above the source of created beings,

and this drawing down is specifically through the Torah

(the Ten Commandments).

Specifically.

And this is “Torah scholars increase peace in the world”

(specifically “increase”),

for the peace in the world that is made by the Torah scholars is not merely the negation of undesirable matters

(the opposite of peace)

that are caused by sins,

meaning that the world should be in its fullness as it was at the beginning of creation

[and even to the extent that due to their great level

(that they are “your children taught of the L-rd”)

they do not need special effort for this,

for sin and the concealment of the world caused by sin does not exist for them

(relative to them),

and they see the world as it is in its fullness as it was before the sin],

but moreover,

they increase peace in the world,

“and abundant peace for your children,”

(similar to)

the increase of peace that will be in the future to come,

for through their engagement in Torah they draw down from the Essence of Ein Sof that is above the source of the worlds,

and through this they complete the intention of “I desired

that the Holy One, blessed be He, have a dwelling place in the lower realms.”

7)

And the explanation of the matter

(of "He increases peace in the world")

in greater depth,

will be understood from what is said in the maamar60

that the sustenance of the world is by drawing down into the Ten Utterances

(through which the world was created)

the Ten Commandments,

and it can be said that his intention in emphasizing specifically the Ten Commandments

(which were given at the Giving of the Torah)

is,

that the sustenance of the world is specifically through the service of Torah and mitzvos after the Giving of the Torah.

For although even through the service of the Patriarchs

(the Patriarchs themselves are the Chariot61)

additional light was drawn into the world

(beyond the light of the Ten Utterances)62,

nevertheless,

since the service of the Patriarchs was with their own power

(for they were not commanded regarding this),

therefore,

the light drawn by their service is

(generally)

only from the aspect of the root of created beings

(as is known the proof of this63

from the spring of Ein Eitam64),

and this is not at all comparable to the drawing down through the fulfillment of the mitzvos after the Giving of the Torah65.

And moreover,

even the service of Adam HaRishon,

as it was in the Garden of Eden

("And He placed him in the Garden of Eden to work it and to guard it"66)

and before the sin,

which is more elevated than the service of the Patriarchs67,

and the light drawn by his service is an incomparable addition relative to the world as it is in itself

[to the extent that it can be said that this is analogous to the drawing down through the mitzvos after the Giving of the Torah,

and as our sages, of blessed memory, said68

"to work it" — these are the 248 positive commandments, "and to guard it" — these are the 365 negative commandments,

that the service of Adam HaRishon in the Garden of Eden

("to work it and to guard it")

is analogous to the 248 positive commandments and 365 negative commandments after the Giving of the Torah],

nevertheless,

even the drawing down through the service of Adam HaRishon in the Garden of Eden was only an illumination69,

because until the Giving of the Torah there was the decree70

that the upper ones shall not descend below and the lower ones shall not ascend above.

But not so the drawing down through the Torah and mitzvos after the Giving of the Torah

(when the decree70 was nullified)

is the drawing down of Atzmus.

And based on this, the matter of "He increases peace in the world" will be understood in greater depth,

that the increase of peace in the world is not only that the revelation of Ein Sof, which is above the root of the worlds, is drawn into it,

but moreover,

that Atzmus is drawn into it,

the perfection of the matter of a dwelling place in the lower realms,

a dwelling place for His very Self71.

8)

And now, since the Holy One, blessed be He, does not withhold the reward of any creature72,

therefore,

the increase of peace that is made in the world through the Torah scholars is also drawn to the Torah scholars themselves73.

That is,

the gratification to the Creator from the fact that a dwelling place for Him, blessed be He, is made in the lower realms,

will be revealed to the Torah scholars who made the dwelling place,

and this revelation is beyond the reward of the World to Come as it is in itself.

For the reward of the World to Come in itself is an aspect of the gratification of the created being, which is incomparable to the gratification of the Creator,

therefore, one hour of repentance and good deeds in this world is better than all the life of the World to Come74,

because the World to Come

(the reward of a mitzvah)

is the gratification of the created being, which is incomparable to the gratification of the Creator — repentance and good deeds in this world75.

But since the Holy One, blessed be He, does not withhold the reward of any creature,

there will be drawn to the righteous

(who made the gratification of the Creator)

also the aspect of the gratification of the Creator76.

However, in order that they be able to receive this aspect of gratification, which is not at all commensurate with them

[for this gratification is the essential pleasure of His very Self,

to which no boundary whatsoever applies],

for this they must be in a state of utter self-nullification,

that they are not an independent entity at all

[in the manner of our sages, of blessed memory: "Who is the face of the Lord, G-d?"77

— that is Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai78,

"And the L-rd is in His holy Heichal"79

— that is Rabbi Yitzchak bar Elazar in the assembly of the study hall of Caesarea80],

for through this they are able to receive the gratification and pleasure of the Creator,

for the pleasure of the Creator is their pleasure.

And analogous to a servant,

who, since he is not an independent entity and his entire existence is the existence of the master81,

the pleasure of the master is the pleasure of the servant82.

And this is “great peace for those who love Your Torah”

(specifically for those who love Your Torah),

for the vessel for “great peace”

(the pleasure and satisfaction of the Creator)

is total self-nullification

(as above),

the matter of “those who love Your Torah,”

that their involvement in Torah

(and also their fulfillment of the commandments)

is not in order to receive reward

(for they do not want anything for themselves),

and all their service in Torah and mitzvos is only out of love for G-d,

like Avraham our father, who served only out of love.

And this is accomplished through the service of prayer

[as explained above

(section 2)

of the maamar

(beginning “Shalom Rav” 5704)

that the matter of “those who love Your Torah” is when the study of Torah is preceded by the service of prayer],

for prayer is the matter of self-nullification

(as above, section 4),

and therefore through the service of prayer one comes to this self-nullification, where he has no existence of his own and his entire existence is the Master.

And this is also the reason that in the verse “and abundant peace to your children” it does not say “those who love Your Torah”

[the service of prayer],

for regarding the drawing down of peace into the world

[the matter of “your builders,” those who engage in building the world],

it is known

that even without the service of prayer

(and even when there is a lack in the completeness of fear of Heaven)

it is possible to direct the halachah to its truth,

and by issuing a true ruling

[and all the more so when one actually acts in accordance with the ruling]

abundant peace is drawn into the world.

But in order for this to be drawn to the Torah scholars themselves,

this is specifically when they become vessels for it,

through the precedence of the service of prayer,

as above.

9)

And it can be said that the vessel for the revelation of the pleasure and satisfaction of the Creator is not only the service of the level of a servant,

but also the service of the level of a son.

And especially since the essence of the Jewish people is

(primarily)

“You are children to the L-rd your G-d,”

as explained in Tanya.

And this is that the verse “great peace for those who love Your Torah” comes in continuation of “and abundant peace to your children,”

meaning that it is a reward for “your children”

(for their service that increases peace in the world,

as above, section 8),

the level of sons.

And although they said “do not read it as ‘your children’ but rather as ‘your builders,’”

it is known the principle

in the study of “do not read” that it does not negate the literal interpretation

(but rather adds another interpretation),

from this it is understood

that the reward of “great peace,”

which is the pleasure and satisfaction of the Creator

(as above),

is

(also)

for “your children” literally,

the level of sons.

10)

And 4)

And this will be understood by prefacing what our Rebbe, the Alter Rebbe, explains

(the Baal HaGeulah of Yud-Tes Kislev89)

in Torah Ohr, the discourse beginning "Vayeishev Yaakov b'Eretz Megurei Aviv"90

regarding the difference between Torah and mitzvos,

that in the fulfillment of mitzvos,

the person who fulfills the mitzvos is in the category of a servant,

like a servant who fulfills the king's command and does his bidding,

but not so in the study of Torah, where he is the king himself91,

as per the statement92

"Who are the kings? The Rabbis."

For when his engagement in Torah is in a state of self-nullification (bittul),

then "I place My words in your mouth"93,

My actual words,

meaning

(it is not the person who speaks,

but rather)

that "the word of G-d, this is the halachah"94

is itself revealed within him and it speaks from his throat.

And this is "Who are the kings? The Rabbis,"

for because their study of the halachos is in a state of self-nullification,

their study of the halachos is in a manner that the King Himself

(the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He)

decrees and speaks the ruling

(the halachah).

And he continues there,

that this is the meaning of "Vayeishev Yaakov b'Eretz Megurei Aviv,"

"Megurei" is an expression of awe (yirah)95

and also an expression of a storehouse (otzar)

[like "a granary (megurah) filled with produce"96,

which is a vessel in which one stores things],

and both align with one another, as it is written97

"The awe of G-d is His storehouse," and likewise in the words of our Sages, of blessed memory98

"a storehouse of fear of Heaven."

[And this explanation was written by the Maggid99

(the Baal HaHilula of Yud-Tes Kislev100)

in Ohr HaTorah101

that "Megurei Aviv" is the awe of his Father in Heaven,

and in the continuation of the topic there102

: "Megurei" is an expression of gathering and ingathering, like "one who gathers (oger)103

in the summer."]

And the explanation of "Megurei Aviv" is,

that the self-nullification of awe (yirah)

[and particularly the self-nullification of sublime awe (yirah ila'ah)]

is a vessel of reception

[a storehouse]

for the revelation of supernal wisdom (Chochmah Ila'ah)

[for supernal wisdom is called "his father" (aviv)104].

And as above,

that when his engagement in Torah is in a state of self-nullification,

then "I place My words in your mouth,"

that "the word of G-d, this is the halachah," speaks from his throat.

10)

A)

Now, from the explanation in Torah Ohr that the self-nullification of awe, which is a vessel for supernal wisdom, is called "Megurei Aviv,"

meaning that the Holy One, blessed be He, is referred to here not with the title "Master" (Adon) but with the title "Father" (Av)

[as per the language of the Maggid that "Megurei Aviv" is the awe of his Father in Heaven],

it is understood from this,

that this self-nullification is

(not the self-nullification of a servant,

but rather)

the self-nullification of a son,

and through this self-nullification

(of a son),

"the word of G-d, this is the halachah, is itself revealed within him and it speaks from his throat,"

for in the service of the category of a son, it is possible to have a truly absolute self-nullification,

where he has no independent existence at all, and his entire existence is the existence of the father.

[And as explained in Likkutei Torah105,

that the fact that souls are called "sons" is not like a son below, who, although he is taken from his father's brain, is later separate from him

(therefore, his lost object and his father's lost object, his lost object takes precedence106),

but rather,

the soul is completely one (kula chad) and is not separate from Him, blessed be He, at all].

Moreover,

this self-nullification is superior to the self-nullification of a servant,

and even more so, as above

(from Torah Ohr)

that through engaging in Torah with self-nullification, he is not like a servant fulfilling the king's command, but rather he is the king himself.

10)

B)

And this is "And all your children (banayich) shall be students of G-d, and great shall be the peace of your children (banayich)" — do not read "banayich" (your children) but "bonayich" (your builders)

(and it continues)

"Great peace have those who love Your Torah,"

that the service of the Torah scholars, who are called "sons"

(banayich)

is as the Maggid's explanation102

on the verse "Vayeishev Yaakov b'Eretz Megurei Aviv"

(which is the matter of the service of the category of sons,

as above)

"to gather and collect the holy sparks and to bring them in and elevate them upward."

[For this is also what continues in the verse "in the land of Canaan,"

Canaan being an expression of a merchant (sochar),

that the purpose of the soul's descent below is "to acquire for itself merchandise and acquisition specifically in this world"107

through the sparks that it refines,

and this is also what continues in the parshah108

"And behold, we were binding sheaves (me'al'mim alumim),"

which refers to the refinement of the sparks109].

And through this, "Vayeishev Yaakov"

(Yaakov sought110

to dwell)

in tranquility — the matter of peace (shalom),

both the peace in the world, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: "Torah scholars increase peace in the world,"

and also peace for the Torah scholars themselves,

as it continues, "Great peace have those who love Your Torah,"

for since the Torah scholars, called "sons," are in a state of absolute self-nullification, as above,

therefore, the category of the satisfaction (nachas ruach) of the Creator, from the fact that they increase peace in the world, is also drawn down to the Torah scholars themselves.

And this is "Great peace have those who love Your Torah,"

that because their service in Torah and mitzvos is

(not in order to receive reward,

but rather)

out of love for G-d,

to bring satisfaction (nachas ruach) to the Creator

[and they know that their reward,

the satisfaction of the created being,

is

(as above, section 8)

incomparable to the satisfaction of the Creator],

behold, through this self-nullification, the satisfaction and delight of the Creator is drawn down to them in revelation,

for since they have no independent existence at all,

the delight of the Creator is their delight.