English translation — מאמר ציון במשפט תפדה תשל"ה

With the help of Heaven.

The third day, which was doubled with "it was good,"

Erev Rosh Chodesh Menachem-Av,

5735*.

An unedited discourse.

"Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and her captives with charity."

Now, this verse is at the beginning of the book of Yeshayahu,

whose subject matter

(of Yeshayahu)

is as his name implies

(Yeshayahu from the word yeshuah—salvation),

and as it is stated in the Gemara:

"All of Yeshayahu is consolation."

And even those matters in the prophecies of Yeshayahu that seemingly are not salvation,

in truth they too are salvation and consolation,

as is explained in Kabbalah

that they are aspects of sweetened gevuros (might/severities),

and because the salvation

(redemption)

of the future will be through the sweetening of the gevuros,

therefore Yitzchak will be the main one, etc.

[And as it is stated in the Gemara,

that in the future they will say to Yitzchak

(specifically)

"for you are our father,"

for Yitzchak is the aspect of gevuros],

therefore in the salvations in the book of Yeshayahu there are the salvations in the aspect of revealed chassadim (kindnesses),

and the salvations of the aspect of sweetened gevuros,

gevuros that are transformed into chassadim

(which are loftier

than revealed chassadim).

And likewise is it also with the prophecy at the beginning of the book,

which contains the two aforementioned types,

concluding with the two [matters]: "Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and her captives with charity,"

as will be explained further.

2)

Now, it is explained in the discourses beginning “Tzion b’mishpat tipadeh u’shveha b’tzedakah”

(of the Alter Rebbe and our Rebbes, his successors),

that this verse speaks about two levels.

Tzion,

which, although it is in exile and therefore requires redemption,

nevertheless is not in a state of captivity,

and therefore its redemption from exile is through judgment.

And the level of “and her captives,”

who are actual captives,

and their redemption from captivity is specifically through charity.

And the explanation of these two levels in man,

is in the soul, which is the essence of man

(as stated in Tanya, chapter 32),

“You are called ‘man’”

on account of “the likeness of the Supernal One,”

the soul

exists as it is above its investment in the body,

the essence of the soul,

the innermost point of the heart, etc.,

and the part of the soul that is invested in the body,

which generally are the revealed faculties of the soul that are in a state of investment,

called the “foot” of the soul.

And concerning this it is said, “Tzion shall be redeemed through judgment and her captives through charity,”

“Tzion” refers to the essence of the soul, the level of the innermost point of the heart,

and in this level, the matter of captivity and subjugation to the other side, G-d forbid, does not apply,

only the matter of exile.

However, regarding the soul’s powers that are in a state of investment in the body, the matter of captivity does apply,

and concerning this it says, “and her captives through charity,”

that even the soul’s powers

(that are in a state of investment in the body)

which are actual captives of the other side,

will be redeemed through charity.

3)

And to explain the matter of the level of the innermost point of the heart

(called by the name “Tzion”),

the aforementioned discourses bring

the verse,

“And these words which I command you today,” and our sages said,

“Every day they should be in your eyes as new.”

One must understand how this is possible

[for this matter of “every day they should be in your eyes as new” must be

(like all matters of the true Torah)

in truth,

and since the Holy One, blessed be He, only asks according to one’s ability,

it is proven that it is within man’s power to attain this,

yet seemingly, since man is limited and subject to change,

how can he come to the point that every day they are in his eyes as new?]

And the explanation of this

(as understood from the aforementioned discourses),

is that this is due to the level of the innermost point of the heart, which is above the matter of change,

and therefore,

when the innermost point of the heart is as it should be

(i.e., it is revealed),

it also affects the soul’s powers that are invested in the body,

and also the soul’s garments—thought, speech, and action—

so that even in them the words of Torah will be as new,

for through the revelation of the level of the innermost point of the heart,

even the revealed faculties of the soul are in their perfection.

And this is why Israel are called

(in this verse)

by the name “Tzion”

[as the Tzemach Tzedek said,

that the interpretation

(of “For Tzion shall be redeemed through judgment”)

that Tzion refers to the city

(or to the entire Land of Israel)

is somewhat forced.

And he explains that Tzion refers to the people of Israel],

for Tzion is a term meaning “sign,”

and when the

(revelation of the)

level of the innermost point of the heart shines in a person,

then he is in the level of Tzion, meaning “sign,”

(a mere sign),

that his entire existence is only a sign of the matters above.

4)

Now, the aforementioned explanation

(of the Tzemach Tzedek)

that Tzion refers to the people of Israel,

is understood there based on the statement of the Jerusalem Talmud

on the verse,

“And I have placed My words in your mouth and covered you with the shadow of My hand, to plant the heavens and to lay the foundations of the earth, and to say to Tzion, ‘You are My people.’”

We searched the entire Scripture and did not find that Israel are called Tzion except here

(where it is stated)

“and to say to Tzion, ‘You are My people.’”

And the Tzemach Tzedek explains,

that through the three things in this verse

(according to the Jerusalem Talmud’s interpretation there)

“And I have placed My words in your mouth”—this is Torah

[“The word of the L-rd”—this is halachah,

i.e., Torah],

“and covered you with the shadow of My hand”—this is acts of kindness

[which is the entirety of all the mitzvos,

and the mitzvos are garments,

“covered you”],

“to plant the heavens and to lay the foundations of the earth”—these are the sacrifices

[for through the sacrifices the statutes of heaven and earth are sustained.

And through the sacrifices

(and prayer)

the unification of Zeir Anpin and Nukvah, called heaven and earth, is effected],

through the fulfillment of these three things, Israel are in the level of Tzion.

That is,

when these three things are in their perfection

(and as they are hinted at in this verse),

the study of Torah is with ultimate self-nullification, to the point that the speech does not come from itself, but rather the word of G-d speaks in it, like the manner of the Shechinah speaking from the throat

(of Moshe),

for this is “And I have placed My words in your mouth”—that the word of G-d speaks in his mouth,

and likewise his fulfillment of the mitzvos is in a state of self-nullification,

so that his existence is not felt, but rather he is covered

(“covered you”)

in the shadow of My hand

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

i.e., the level of the mitzvos as they are the mitzvos of G-d.

And certainly this is so in the area of service,

that his service is “to plant the heavens and to lay the foundations of the earth.”

(And as it is stated in the Zohar,

that through one’s involvement in matters of Torah, that matter becomes new heavens and a new earth,

meaning that his speech of Torah is analogous to the speech of the Holy One, blessed be He,

“Just as I, through My speech, created heaven and earth… so too you.”)

Now, through the fulfillment of the aforementioned three things in such a manner,

the Congregation of Israel are called by the name “Tzion,”

meaning they are not in a state of independent existence, but rather their existence is that they are a sign of the supernal matters.

5)

However,

when there is a deficiency in the service of the aforementioned three lines,

because of our sins,

although the matter of sin is from the aspect of the soul that is clothed in the body,

nevertheless, this also affects the essence of the soul.

As it is written,

"Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled in your iniquity,"

for the one who stumbles in action is the foot, and "Israel" is the letters "Li Rosh" (a head to Me),

the head of the soul,

and it says "Return, O Israel,"

because the stumbling of the foot of the soul affects even the aspect of the soul above.

This is like a person who stumbles with his foot,

whereby his head also falls.

And this is the concept of "Tzion shall be redeemed through justice,"

that the aspect of Tzion,

the essence of the soul called Tzion,

requires redemption from the things that cover it,

which prevent the revelation in the soul that is in the body.

That is, the redemption that must occur in the aspect of Tzion is not a redemption from captivity,

for in the essence of the soul, the concept of captivity, heaven forbid, does not apply,

as it is written,

"And My glory I will not give to another,"

where "My glory"

refers to the aspect of the innerness of Malchus,

and in man this is the concept of the innerness of the heart,

the innerness of the soul, even to the aspect of the essence of the soul,

that this aspect "I will not give to another,"

and the concept of redemption that must occur in the aspect of Tzion is only the departure from the things that cover it, as above.

[See what is explained in Igeres HaKodesh,

and in the discourses on the verse,

"He redeemed my soul in peace," regarding the redemption of the general Shechinah from exile and regarding the redemption of each particular spark of the Shechinah in the soul of every Jew, and specifically through peace.]

And this redemption is through justice,

that is, through the Torah,

for through engagement in Torah, the aspect of the innerness of the heart is revealed.

But in order to redeem from exile the powers of the soul

(which are in the clothing of the body)

that are truly captive,

it requires specifically charity,

"and her captives [shall be redeemed] through charity."

And by redeeming them from captivity,

there is thereby a superiority of light in ultimate perfection,

like the parable of a king's son who, when he is always in his father's house,

the joy is not so intense,

but when the king's son was in captivity and grinding in the prison house, etc., and goes free to his father's house, the king,

then specifically the joy becomes very great, and both rejoice with great and immense joy.

And analogous to the well-known concept

regarding the greatness of the joy that will be in the future in the time of the three weeks,

and especially in the nine days,

and especially in the days of the Seventeenth of Tammuz and Tisha B'Av,

that the joy of these festivals

[that these days will be turned into joy and gladness and good festivals]

will be a great joy with surpassing excellence and strength beyond the joy of the festivals in the usual manner.

6)

Now, the essence of the matter and one of the reasons that the redemption of the aspect of the essence of the soul is through justice, which is Torah,

and the redemption of the aspect of the soul-powers that came into captivity is through charity, which is the totality of the mitzvos,

is because Torah and mitzvos themselves are also analogous to these two concepts.

For behold, the Torah, even as it descended below,

and even when it is studied by an impure person,

is as it is above,

the word of the Holy One, blessed be He,

as per the exposition of our sages, of blessed memory,

on the verse,

"Behold, My word is like fire."

And since the Torah is not in a state of clothing,

therefore the concept of captivity, heaven forbid, does not apply to it.

Nevertheless, the concept of redemption does apply to it,

for due to the things through which it descended

(even though it is not clothed in them),

it can be in a state of concealment.

However, the mitzvos,

since they are clothed in physical objects,

tzitzis in physical wool, tefillin in physical parchment, etc., and even the mitzvos of the heart's duties must be felt in the physical brain and heart,

therefore the concept of captivity applies to them,

as explained elsewhere regarding the verse,

"I rejoice over Your word like one who finds great spoil,"

that in mitzvos there is the concept of spoil,

meaning that they plunder and extract from the other side.

7)

Now, these two concepts

(the aspect of "Tzion shall be redeemed through justice" and the aspect of "her captives through charity")

exist in all three aspects of world, year, and soul.

And in the aspect of soul, they exist

both in each individual Jew and in the collective of Israel

[for since each individual Jew is a complete world,

it is understood that the concepts in each individual Jew exist also in the collective of Israel, and the concepts in the collective of Israel exist also in each individual Jew].

For each individual Jew,

by virtue of his service in the line of Torah, is in the aspect of "Tzion shall be redeemed through justice,"

and by virtue of his service in the line of mitzvos, he is in the aspect of "her captives through charity."

And likewise in the collective of Israel,

who are divided into two types: Yissachar and Zevulun,

masters of Torah and masters of good deeds.

For the masters of Torah are in the aspect of "Tzion shall be redeemed through justice,"

and the masters of good deeds are in the aspect of "her captives through charity."

And more generally,

this is the distinction between the righteous and baalei teshuvah.

For regarding the righteous, the concept of captivity, heaven forbid, does not apply, for no harm befalls the righteous,

and certainly regarding the righteous who are in the aspect of "my heart is hollow within me."

Nevertheless, even for them the concept of redemption applies,

in the manner that sometimes the righteous person is seized for the sin of the generation,

or as it is written regarding Moshe, "Go down, for your people have corrupted themselves,"

that because "your people have corrupted themselves," a descent occurred

also for him,

but nevertheless, since the descent

(and even when he is seized for the sin of the generation)

is only due to matters external to him,

therefore even then he is not in captivity, heaven forbid, for the essence of the righteous is a sign

(of G-dliness)

in the world,

so to speak,

just as G-dliness is below,

for his existence

(of the righteous)

is that he is an agent of the Supernal Man,

and a person's agent is like himself.

Therefore,

even when he is in a state of descent, etc.,

his redemption is through the Torah.

For in the Torah,

this concept

(that even below it is G-dliness in revelation,

as above regarding "Behold, My word is like fire")

is more revealed.

However, the baalei teshuvah,

whose service is to extract the sparks that fell and were captured in the other side

(analogous—in holiness—to "and he took captive from them a captive"),

therefore their redemption must also be analogous to this.

And this is "her captives through charity,"

that their redemption is in the line of charity,

which is the totality of the mitzvos

[for the entire body is included in the right],

for the service of the line of mitzvos is in a manner of captivity and spoil.

And as explained in Igeres HaKodesh,

that the main service of G-d in these times of the footsteps of Moshiach is the service of charity

(unlike in the time of the Talmud,

when Torah study was their main service),

for in order to raise the fallen Sukkah of Dovid to the aspect of feet and heels, which is the aspect of Asiyah, the service must specifically be in the aspect of Asiyah,

which is the deed of charity.

8)

And likewise in the aspect of world,

place,

there are also these two matters.

For the world of Atzilus is clarified,

and the worlds of Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah, about which it is said “and from there it separates,” specifically in the world of separation, the world of Asiyah, the service is that of practical mitzvos.

And likewise Eretz Yisrael, upon which the eyes of Hashem are from the beginning of the year until the end of the year,

unlike the land of the nations, whose body is impure and whose air is impure,

behold, in order to make the land of the nations into Eretz Yisrael

there must be the greater service of “and her captives [shall be redeemed] with tzedakah.”

And likewise in the aspect of year,

time,

there are also these two types.

For in general, this is the distinction between the summer season and the winter season,

as explained elsewhere,

that in the summer season the service is easier than in the winter season,

for in the days of heat the sun shines,

and it is the aspect of the name Havayah,

(and the festivals in summer are more frequent).

And as it is brought in the Midrash,

“Because they go out from summer to winter… to a distant place… not in its season, to go and come.”

That is, the service in the winter season is distant,

more difficult than in the summer season.

And likewise is the distinction between the days of merit and days that are the opposite of merit.

For the service in the days of the opposite of merit is in the manner of “and her captives [shall be redeemed] with tzedakah,”

that Israel,

(through their service)

transform these days into joy and gladness,

in the future redemption that will come soon, literally.

And this matter,

(the transformation of these days into joy and gladness)

is accomplished specifically through the service of the line of teshuvah,

for the matter of teshuvah is the transformation of darkness into light,

for this is the advantage of the service of the Baal Teshuvah over the service of the righteous.

And this is also the connection of the future redemption specifically to the matter of teshuvah,

[that Israel does teshuvah,

(and specifically through this)

and immediately they are redeemed,

to the extent that the superiority of the future redemption

is that Mashiach comes to bring the righteous back in teshuvah],

for the innovation of the future redemption is the matter of transformation.

9)

Based on the above, one can understand why this verse speaks only of the two matters of Torah

(judgment)

and tzedakah,

even though there are three lines,

for the intention in the matter of Torah

(judgment)

and tzedakah

(in this verse)

is for the two general categories within all the aspects of world, year, and soul,

(likewise, the matter of lights and vessels,

the name Havayah and the name Elokim, etc.).

And in each one, there must be service in all three lines.

For the redemption from exile

[in these matters

[masters of Torah and the righteous

(soul),

Eretz Yisrael

(world),

and days of merit

(year)]

their redemption from exile is in the manner of “Zion shall be redeemed with judgment”

(Torah)

“shall be redeemed.”

And in these matters

[masters of good deeds and Baalei Teshuvah,

the land of the nations,

and days that are the opposite of merit]

that their redemption is in the manner of “and her captives [shall be redeemed] with tzedakah,”

it is specifically through service in all three lines.

And as our sages, of blessed memory, said,

“Whoever engages in Torah, gemilus chasadim, and prays with the congregation… it is as if he redeemed me and my children from among the nations of the world,”

for the redemption of the Holy One, blessed be He, and Israel from among the nations of the world is through service in all three lines,

(and in a congregational manner).

And as explained above regarding the aspect of Zion,

that this that Israel are the aspect of Zion is through their service in all three lines,

[and moreover,

through this that all three lines are in perfection].

And that which it says “Zion shall be redeemed with judgment”

(Torah)

“shall be redeemed” is because the redemption of the aspect of Zion

(in all three aspects of world, year, and soul)

is primarily through Torah,

likewise in the matter of “and her captives [shall be redeemed] with tzedakah,”

the redemption of the captives

(in all three aspects of world, year, and soul)

is specifically through service in all three lines.

And that which it says “and her captives [shall be redeemed] with tzedakah”

(specifically)

is because their redemption

(of the captives)

is primarily through tzedakah.

And additionally,

even in the matter of the mitzvos themselves

(for tzedakah is the entirety of the mitzvos,

as above)

there are all three lines,

the halachah in this, which is the matter of Torah,

the action in the physical object, which is the line of gemilus chasadim,

the elevation of the physical

(in which the mitzvah is performed)

which is the line of service,

for regarding offerings it is said “a pleasing aroma,” the aroma being the matter of elevation from below to above,

and likewise prayer,

(which corresponds to offerings)

about this it is said,

“A ladder set upon the earth and its head reaches the heavens.”

In addition to the known fact that in every mitzvah there are the three matters of thought, speech, and action, which are the three lines.

And based on the above, one can also understand the order of these three things

(in the aforementioned statement of our sages, of blessed memory),

Torah, gemilus chasadim, and prayer

(not in the usual order),

for in the general matter of “redeem me and my children from among the nations,” it is through engagement in Torah and gemilus chasadim,

“Zion shall be redeemed with judgment and her captives with tzedakah,”

except that in every matter

(and particularly in the matter of redemption from exile)

all three lines must be present,

“and prays with the congregation.”

10)

And this is “Zion shall be redeemed with judgment and her captives with tzedakah,”

that this verse is established in the haftarah of the Shabbat before Tisha B'Av

(for from Shabbat all the days are blessed,

including Tisha B'Av),

for this is analogous to the conduct of the Holy One, blessed be He, Who precedes the healing to the blow,

for His healing is in a manner that “from the outset I will not place [the blow] upon you,”

and through this one effects the redemption of each and every Jew, both in his soul and in his body and animal soul,

that the redemption of the soul is

(in general)

in the manner of “Zion shall be redeemed with judgment,”

and the redemption of the body and animal soul is in the manner of “and her captives [shall be redeemed] with tzedakah,”

[as is understood from what is explained in Tanya,

that the soul itself requires no rectification at all, and its descent below is only in order to rectify the body and animal soul].

And in order that Torah and tzedakah

(ascend above,

through which)

they effect actual redemption,

it is through prayer,

the line of service,

as above.

10)

a)

And through the service in all three lines,

behold, in previous generations, through this it was as if "He redeemed me"

(with a "kaf" of comparison),

and this is in the manner explained in Iggeret HaKodesh88

regarding the matter of individual redemption.

However, now, since "behold, He stands behind our wall," and as is known the talk of the Baal HaGeulah

(10-12 Tammuz),

that all the clarifications have already been completed and only a "tsuptsen di kneplach"89 is needed,

behold now,

through engaging in Torah, acts of kindness, and prayer with the community, it will be "He redeemed me," etc., literally,

and in the manner of "He redeemed my soul in peace,"

for the true essence of the matter of "redeem in peace" will be specifically at the coming of Moshiach,

as explained by the Mitteler Rebbe90.

And this is also what the Alter Rebbe wrote

(in his Iggeret HaKodesh upon his return from Petersburg91)

"And when I read in the book of Tehillim the verse 'He redeemed my soul in peace'... I went out in peace from 'Hashem Shalom,'"

for it is known92

that the essential matter of "Your springs will spread outward" began after [the year] 5562.

And therefore he went out in peace when he read the verse "He redeemed my soul in peace,"

for

(the essential)

matter of "redeem in peace" is in the future redemption

(as above),

and "Your springs will spread outward" is the preparation93

for this,

"until the Master comes."

And through this he opened and paved the way,

so that each and every one can

(and therefore must)

engage in this preparation and bring the redemption, by doing what depends on him, as per the ruling of the Rambam94

that through one action

(whether in deed,

speech, or thought)

he tips himself and the entire world to the scale of merit and causes for himself and them salvation and deliverance,

so that "He redeemed my soul in peace" is actualized,

"He redeemed me and my children from among the nations,"

very soon and in our time,

in the true and complete redemption through Moshiach Tzidkeinu.