English translation — מאמר ציון במשפט תפדה תשל"ה

With the help of Heaven.

Shabbat Parshat Devarim,

Shabbat Chazon,

5735*.

"Tzion b'mishpat tipadeh v'shaveha b'tzedakah"1,

and the Alter Rebbe2 explains

and the Tzemach Tzedek3

(and our Nesi'im who followed),

that Tzion refers to the aspect of the innerness of the heart.

And it is called Tzion, a term for a sign,

because the aspect of the innerness of the heart is a sign and marker for that which is above.

And in this aspect, it is impossible for there to be captivity, G-d forbid,

rather it only requires redemption,

and the redemption is through mishpat, meaning Torah,

as its Targum [translates] "according to the first judgment"4

"as the first law."

And "shaveha" (her captives) are the revealed powers of the soul that are in the aspect of enclothing in the body,

the aspect of the "leg" of the soul,

which are in a state of actual captivity,

and their redemption from captivity is specifically through tzedakah,

which is the performance of the mitzvos,

as explained elsewhere

(in the discourse "Tzion b'mishpat"5)

at length.

1)

2)

Now, according to this explanation,

"Tzion b'mishpat tipadeh"

(redemption through Torah)

is higher than "shaveha b'tzedakah"

(redemption through mitzvos),

and consistent with what is explained in many places that Torah is higher than mitzvos.

However, in the Reshimot of the Tzemach Tzedek on the Prophets and Writings6,

on the verse "Tzion b'mishpat tipadeh v'shaveha b'tzedakah",

he brings an explanation,

that "shaveha" is the matter of bringing righteous ones to repentance.

For Tzion refers to the righteous7,

and the "captives" of Tzion are the matter of bringing righteous ones to repentance8,

and the redemption of the righteous is through the Torah,

but bringing righteous ones to repentance is accomplished specifically through tzedakah.

And according to this explanation, "v'shaveha b'tzedakah" is higher than "Tzion b'mishpat tipadeh",

and moreover, it is an incomparably greater elevation.

And this is also understood from the fact that bringing righteous ones to repentance is specifically through Mashiach,

as per the statement9

"Mashiach has come to bring righteous ones to repentance",

for the level of the soul of Mashiach is incomparable to the levels of other souls,

as is known in the writings of the Arizal10,

that the level of soul that the great ones of Israel merited until Mashiach is only in the aspects of Nefesh, Ruach, Neshamah, and Chayah,

and Adam HaRishon merited Chayah,

but Mashiach will merit Yechidah,

the general Yechidah of all of Israel.

And the elevation of the aspect of Yechidah over the aspects of Nefesh, Ruach, Neshamah, and Chayah is an incomparable elevation.

And this is also understood from the fact that it is called Yechidah, from the word Yachid (singular),

a term which indicates that it has no comparison to the aspects of Nefesh, Ruach, Neshamah, and Chayah.

And as is known11

the difference between Yachid and Echad,

for Echad indicates that it has a relation to another thing

[for although the term Echad is not like the term Rishon (first),

for Rishon necessitates that there is a second,

unlike Echad, for there is one and no second to it12,

nevertheless,

from the very fact that it is necessary to say "and no second", it proves that a second to it could possibly exist,

in relation to it, etc.],

but the term Yachid,

this itself indicates that there is no second to it.

And from this the magnitude of the elevation of bringing righteous ones to repentance is understood,

since this is one of the matters that will be innovated specifically by Mashiach,

the aspect of Yechidah.

10)

3)

And behold, this interpretation—that the aspect of "and her captives in charity" is higher than the aspect of "Zion will be redeemed through justice"—aligns with the explanation in Likkutei Torah and in the book of Likkutim of the Arizal13.

On the verse "Zion will be redeemed through justice,"

[except that there he explains the two aspects on a lower level],

for Zion is the point of Zion, the Yesod of Nukva, and because it is hollow and the lights are revealed there, that is where the external forces have a hold; therefore it says that through justice etc., they cause it to be redeemed and drive out the external forces from there.

But all this is only so that they should not take hold of her alone, and she will be recognizable there in her place, but she has not yet ascended to her first place and emerged from among them completely.

But in order to remove her from among them and to elevate her and seat her in her first place, one must perform etc. charity etc., and this is "and her captives in charity"—to return her to her place requires charity, and through the merit of charity she will return to her first place.

Thus, "and her captives in charity" is higher than "Zion will be redeemed through justice."

And this is also understood simply,

as it is written there,

that justice

(although justice is mercy14)

its essence is according to the strict line of law,

unlike charity, which is beyond the line of law.

10)

4)

And behold, it is explained elsewhere15

that interpretations that are on a single verse are related to each other,

and from this it is understood

that the interpretation that "and her captives in charity" is lower than "Zion will be redeemed through justice" has a connection with the interpretation that "and her captives in charity" is higher than "Zion will be redeemed through justice"

(and it is in the manner of the known concept16

regarding the matter of a reversible seal).

And the explanation is as follows:

It is known17

that our Sages, of blessed memory, said18

"Study is great now,

but in the days of Moshiach, action will be great."

And behold, study and action are analogous to the vegetative and the inanimate,

and in the future, action will be great,

for then the superiority of the inanimate will be revealed.

And it is in the manner explained elsewhere19

on the verse "And Yehudah approached him," regarding the difference between the Mishkan and the Beis HaMikdash

[that this matter has a special connection to Shabbos Chazon,

and as the Rader of Paritch wrote20

: And the depth of this matter will be explained

(that on Shabbos Chazon, the future Beis HaMikdash is shown to each person)

with what is explained elsewhere regarding the matter of "And Yehudah approached him,"

the history of our Temple etc.].

That the Mishkan was made of shittim wood,

cedars,

vegetation,

unlike the Beis HaMikdash, which was specifically made of stones and earth

(and it is forbidden to make protruding wood in it etc., as it is written21

"You shall not plant for yourself an asherah, any tree").

Because in the Beis HaMikdash there was a revelation of the superiority of the inanimate.

And the main revelation of the superiority of the inanimate will be in the future

(in the third Beis HaMikdash),

for then Yehudah will be elevated

(the aspect of the inanimate)

to be above Yosef

(the aspect of the vegetative),

as it is written22

"Behold, I will take the stick of Yosef etc. and place them upon it, the stick of Yehudah etc., and My servant Dovid shall be king over them etc., and Dovid My servant shall be their prince forever."23

For this is also what will be in the future—"action will be great,"

for the essence of Dovid is action,24

and as explained elsewhere25

regarding the difference between Dovid and Yehonason

(Malchus and Yesod, analogous to Yehudah and Yosef)

the son of Shaul,

that Yehonason the son of Shaul is the matter of study

(his service was according to Torah knowledge, unlike "to obey is better than sacrifice"

(the aspect of Kabbalas Ol of Dovid)

and it is said "Shaul from Rechovos HaNahar,"

for "Rechovos HaNahar" is the matter of understanding and comprehension,

study)

and Dovid is the aspect of action.

And it is said, "Until Dovid, he magnified."

9)

6)

And behold, although now study is great,

nevertheless there are several matters

(even now)

in which action is superior to study.

For example, that one suspends Torah study for a mitzvah that cannot be performed by others.26

And the content of Igeres HaKodesh, beginning "Hu v'Chayohi"

[which was written by the Alter Rebbe in the village of Poyena in the days before his passing27]

is about the superiority of practical mitzvos.

And the reason that even now they emphasize the superiority of action can be said to be because all the revelations of the future depend on our actions and service throughout the entire time of exile,28

and since in the future action will be great,

therefore even now they emphasize the superiority of action,

for through this the revelation of the future will come, when action will be great.

And in the manner explained in Igeres HaKodesh29

that our Sages, of blessed memory, did not say "Torah study is equivalent to acts of kindness" except in their days, but in these times, at the heels of Moshiach,

the primary service of G-d is the service of charity.

9)

7)

And based on this, the two interpretations of "and her captives with righteousness" will be reconciled,

[in] that the interpretation that "her captives with righteousness" is below "Zion shall be redeemed with justice" is in the manner of "Torah study is greater."

However, from the aspect that in the future there will be a great deed

[and this matter also exists now,

as above],

behold, from this aspect,

"and her captives with righteousness" is above "Zion shall be redeemed with justice."

And as it is regarding the matter of charity,

that from the aspect of the matters of the future, it has an advantage over Torah, as above,

so too is it regarding the matter of teshuvah

(and "her captives"),

that it has an advantage over Torah,

and as our sages, of blessed memory, said,30

"They asked the Torah... they asked the Holy One, blessed be He; He said: Let him do teshuvah and it will be atoned for him."

However, this advantage that is in teshuvah comes after the precedence of Torah,

therefore they first asked the Torah, etc.

[And so too is it regarding what they first asked Wisdom, etc., they asked Prophecy, etc.],

because first there must be the matter of

[Wisdom, Prophecy, and]

Torah,

and from this one comes to the advantage of teshuvah,

[for] the true essence of the advantage of teshuvah will be revealed in the future,

and "Mashiach comes to bring the righteous back in teshuvah,"

and our sages, of blessed memory, said that the future redemption will be specifically through teshuvah,

"Israel does teshuvah and immediately they are redeemed,"31

speedily, indeed.