English translation — מאמר ושננתם לבניך תשל"ח

With the help of Heaven.

Erev Shabbat Parshat Va'etchanan,

the fifteenth of Av, 5738*

(A draft.

Not proofread.)

"And you shall teach them to your children and speak of them,"

and afterwards it is stated, "And you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, etc.,"

the mitzvah of tefillin,

about which our sages, of blessed memory, said,

"The entire Torah is equated to tefillin,"

the intention of which is regarding the mitzvos of the Torah,

and this means,

that the verse precedes the matter of Torah to the matter of mitzvos.

And it is known the precise observation of our Nesi'im,

that in the second paragraph of Shema it is stated,

"And you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, etc., and you shall teach them to your children, etc.,"

that this verse is in reverse order,

preceding the matter of mitzvos

(the mitzvah of tefillin)

to the matter of Torah.

Also, one must understand what is the reason that the order where Torah precedes mitzvos is specifically in the first paragraph of Shema,

and the order where mitzvos precede Torah is specifically in the second paragraph of Shema.

Also, one must understand the precise language regarding the matter of Torah,

that in the first paragraph it is stated, "And you shall sharpen them, etc.,"

according to Rashi's explanation

(from the midrashim of our sages, of blessed memory),

that it is an expression of sharpening,

that they should be sharp in your mouth, so that if a person asks you something

(a halachah)

you will not need to stammer over it, but rather tell him immediately

(and only afterwards is it stated, "and speak of them"),

whereas in the second paragraph it is stated, "And you shall teach them, etc.,"

which this term includes all modes of study

(even if the study is not in a manner of being sharp in your mouth, etc.).

2)

And this requires explanation, preceded by an explanation of the concept of the fifteenth of Av

(this being a matter that is dependent on time),

as it is stated in the Mishnah9

"There were no better days for Israel than the fifteenth of Av and Yom Kippur"

(as explained in the Gemara10

at length regarding the details of the matter).

And it is explained in the discourses of our Nesi'im11,

that from the wording of Chazal "there were no better days etc.",

it is implied

that the fifteenth of Av is superior even to the festivals of Pesach, Shavuos, and Sukkos.

And at first glance12,

even if one accepts the explanation of the superiority of the fifteenth of Av relative to Shavuos,

that this is due to the elevation of the fifteenth day of the month13,

on which the moon stands in its fullness14,

there still requires explanation and clarification regarding the superiority of the fifteenth of Av over the fifteenth of Nissan

(Pesach)

and the fifteenth of Tishrei

(Sukkos),

even though in all three there is the elevation of the fifteenth day of the month on which the moon stands in its fullness.

And the explanation of this is known15,

that the superiority of the fifteenth of Av is because it is in the month of Av, whose beginning is in a manner of great descent,

and even descent after descent,

this being the concept of "struck with double",

because of the descent in the spiritual state, in that they sinned doubly16.

Therefore, the ascent that follows — which comes after the work of teshuvah in the manner of "weeping, she will weep"17,

a double weeping18

— is in a manner of double consolation,

and even to the most supernal ascent19,

incomparable to the ascent of the fifteenth of Nissan and the fifteenth of Tishrei.

3)

And in more detail,

the fifteenth of Tishrei is also an ascent after a descent.

And it is known20

the difference between Nissan and Tishrei,

that the concept of Nissan is the service of the righteous,

for when they left Egypt, Bnei Yisrael were on the level of the righteous,

a convert21

who converted is like a newborn child22.

And this is that the festival of Pesach corresponds to Avraham Avinu23,

whose attribute is the attribute of Chesed24,

and his service was in a manner of influence from above downward,

as it is stated25

"And he called there in the name of Hashem, the G-d of the world",

meaning,

that he drew down Elokus into the world to make for Him a dwelling place in the lower realms26,

not only in a manner that the Holy One, blessed be He, is the G-d of the world,

but in a manner that Elokus and the world become completely one27,

this being the general concept of the service of the righteous.

In contrast, Tishrei,

the name Tishrei itself is in the order of Tishrak, which is from below upward28,

and also the service of the month of Tishrei is the service of teshuvah,

which is why it comes after the preparatory service of the month of Elul,

with regret for the past and then acceptance for the future,

until one arrives at the fifteenth of Tishrei,

when the moon stands in its fullness,

which is the festival of Sukkos,

until its conclusion and seal on Shmini Atzeres and Simchas Torah29

(as explained at length in the discourses regarding the difference between Nissan and Tishrei).

However, this concept that the month of Tishrei is also an ascent after a descent,

due to the service of teshuvah within it,

is only relative to the month of Nissan,

but relative to the month of Av

(in which alone the descent was incomparable — the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash, exile, etc. — in all its details),

even the service of the month of Tishrei, whose concept is the service of teshuvah, is in the manner of the service of the righteous.

And the explanation of this is,

behold,

the service of teshuvah in the month of Tishrei is in a manner of progression level after level,

which is why the preparation of "a month of days"30 is necessary,

as explained in Likkutei Torah of the Arizal31

and in Likkutei Torah of the Alter Rebbe32

that this refers to the service of the month of Elul,

through which the progression level after level is made, until one arrives at the level of Rosh Hashanah

(which is also the head of the month of Tishrei),

and afterward one arrives at the completion of the moon standing in its fullness,

during the days of Sukkos,

which begin on the fifteenth of the month.

In contrast, in the month of Av,

it is not in a manner of progression from level to level,

rather the ascent is immediately after the ultimate descent of Tisha B'Av,

from one extreme to the other,

and even the concept of consolation is already present on Tisha B'Av itself,

this being that in the Minchah prayer we say "Menachem Tzion and Boneh Yerushalayim",

because then Mashiach was born,

the Redeemer of Israel33,

whose concept is the point, the essence, and the core of teshuvah34.

Meaning,

that the concept of the birth of Mashiach begins on that very day immediately

and at that very moment

of the ultimate descent,

and in a manner that it is drawn into revelation in several matters that begin after midday of Tisha B'Av37,

the reason for this being because this is the time of the birth of Mashiach.

And only so that the revelation should be complete,

one must wait until the fifteenth of Av38.

And this is analogous to what we find regarding the reason for the festival of the fifteenth of Av being the day on which the generation of the desert ceased to die39,

that until the fifteenth of Av there was doubt about the matter,

and when the moon stands in its fullness,

then it became clear that the generation of the desert had already ceased to die on Tisha B'Av40,

and they are a complete congregation41,

about whom it is written42

"And you who cling to Hashem your G-d are all alive today",

and they stand to enter the Land43,

in the true and complete redemption44

through the first redeemer,

which is connected with the redemption through Mashiach Tzidkeinu,

who is the final redeemer45

[as is known that all exiles are called by the name of Egypt46,

because they contain the concept of the Egyptian exile,

and likewise there is the redemption from Egypt in all redemptions47,

and all redemptions are named after it48,

until the final redemption,

the true and complete redemption from this last exile,

after which there is no exile49,

about which it is said50

"As in the days of your going out from the land of Egypt, I will show him wonders"].

And it is noteworthy,

that so it is also regarding the weekly parshah,

that Tisha B'Av and its elevation are in Parshas Va'eschanan

(and in many years the fifteenth of Av also falls in Parshas Va'eschanan),

which comes in an instant after Parshas Devarim and Chazon.

And this is the superiority of the month of Av even over the service of the month of Tishrei

(and certainly over the service of the month of Nissan),

because,

the service of the month of Tishrei is in a manner of progression from level to level,

which movement is appropriate for the service of the righteous,

whereas the ascent of the month of Av is from one extreme to the other,

which is the movement of the service of baalei teshuvah,

for the concept of teshuvah is in one moment and in an instant51.

And this is also the precision in the statement of our Rabbis, of blessed memory: "There were no better days for Israel than the Fifteenth of Av and Yom Kippur,"

that at first the Fifteenth of Av is mentioned and afterward Yom Kippur,

to indicate that the quality of the Fifteenth of Av is greater than the quality of Yom Kippur,

for,

although regarding Yom Kippur it is explained in the Gemara

that its quality is "because it has forgiveness and pardon,"

which is the matter of the service of teshuvah (repentance)

[and from this we learn that also the concept of the Fifteenth of Av is the matter of teshuvah],

nevertheless,

the quality of the Fifteenth of Av is greater than the quality of Yom Kippur,

because on it the service of teshuvah is emphasized in one hour and in one moment,

from one extreme to the other extreme,

which is not the case on Yom Kippur, where the service of teshuvah on it comes after a long service with many details and sub-details,

beginning from Rosh Chodesh Elul,

as mentioned above.

D)

And an explanation of the general concept,

as brought in the discourses,

the rule that the ascent is in proportion to the descent,

and therefore,

when the descent is to the very lowest,

then "according to the pain is the reward,"

that specifically then the ascent is made to the very highest.

And analogous to what is explained in many places,

that when a spark of holiness is found in the lowest place,

this itself indicates that its root is in the very highest place,

for,

that which is highest descends and is found in the lowest.

And as it is stated in the writings of the AriZal

and brought in the discourses of our Nesi'im in many places,

in explanation of the verse,

"For not by bread alone does man live, but by every utterance of the mouth of Hashem does man live,"

that although even in man there is an "utterance of the mouth of Hashem,"

nevertheless,

specifically through the "utterance of the mouth of Hashem" that is in the bread, which is lower than man,

does man live with the "utterance of the mouth of Hashem" that is within him,

and this is,

because the "utterance of the mouth of Hashem" that is in the living

(and lower than this)

in the vegetative and inanimate,

which are lower than man,

its root is from a higher place,

and therefore, specifically through man's service with the "utterance of the mouth of Hashem" that is in the inanimate, vegetative, and living, to elevate it to its root and source

(which is above man's root),

an elevation is also effected in man,

"man will live,"

analogous to the statement of our Rabbis, of blessed memory,

"The ark carried its carriers."

And similarly is it regarding the general concept of descents,

beginning from the descent of the order of the chain of descent,

until the descent of the exile

(as explained in Iggeret HaTeshuvah),

that this is the concept of the month of Av and Tishah B'Av,

when the matter of exile in its simple sense occurs in the most lowly manner – that through all this one comes to the greatest ascent,

and this is the purpose of the entire concept of exile,

that it is not for the sake of punishment, Heaven forbid,

but rather so that they will come to purification,

and purification leads to holiness,

and from holiness, etc., until the ultimate ascent

(as per the conclusion of the well-known Baraitha)

– the coming of Eliyahu the prophet and the resurrection of the dead,

beginning from the concept of the resurrection of the dead as in "the least of them revives the dead,"

which in general is the matter of the service of refinement,

to refine the sparks of holiness that fell below,

for "one who falls from his level is called dead,"

and by refining them, he revives them,

and afterward purifies and elevates them until the ultimate perfection,

as in "to fulfill Your will."

And as stated above, that this ascent

(which is after the descent of exile)

is already revealed on Tishah B'Av itself, at the beginning of the time

(and the prayer of)

Minchah,

when He, as it were, spent His wrath on the wood and stones,

which revealed openly the greatness of the love of the Holy One, blessed be He,

that He spent all His wrath – completely,

so that nothing of it remained,

and immediately Mashiach, the redeemer of Israel, was born.

And as stated,

that this matter is revealed in the conduct of Tishah B'Av after midday.

But this is still not the ultimate perfection of revelation,

and it becomes increasingly revealed from day to day,

as the moon approaches the state of "the moon stands in its fullness,"

until the perfection of revelation on the Fifteenth of Av,

which becomes a very great festival,

to the extent that "there were no better days for Israel than the Fifteenth of Av."

5)

Now, according to what was stated above, that specifically through the descent downward and downward can one effect that the ascent be upward and upward,

to a place higher than the place from which the descent originated,

it is also understood the superiority of the matter of action (deed) relative to the matter of study,

for this is the general distinction between commandments

(action)

and Torah

(study).

For, behold,

Torah, its matter is a drawing down from above to below,

and together with this,

"Behold, My words are like fire, etc."66,

therefore words of Torah do not receive impurity67,

meaning,

that even when they are found below,

and even with one who is in a state and condition opposite to purity,

even there they do not receive impurity.

However, the commandments, their matter is specifically in physical things68,

to the extent that even the commandments whose matter is understanding and comprehension in the brain or feeling in the heart,

they are connected to physical limbs,

the physical brain and the physical heart,

and particularly according to what is explained in many places69,

that the perfection of the service in fulfilling these commandments is when a change is also made in the physicality of the vessel of the brain and the vessel of the heart

(contraction and expansion and extension).

And since in the commandments there is a matter of descent further downward

(into physicality),

therefore specifically through them one reaches the highest of the high.

6)

And the explanation of the matter:

Behold, there are two opinions70

(and these and those are the words of the living G-d71)

whether study is greater or action is greater.

And this is also the difference between the two orders in the verse

(as above, that these and those are the words of the living G-d),

the order in the first portion of the Shema,

that first it says "and you shall teach them" and afterwards it says "and you shall bind them,"

according to the opinion that study is greater

(for precedence in Torah indicates precedence in level),

and the order in the second portion of the Shema,

that first it says "and you shall bind them" and afterwards it says "and you shall teach them,"

according to the opinion that action is greater72.

And the explanation of this:

Behold,

the matter of study is simply in order to know the deed that one should do and those that one should not do73

(this being the general matter of the commandments,

positive commandments and negative commandments),

and only afterwards can one speak of the actual fulfillment of the commandments.

And this is the reason that study is greater,

because study brings to action

(as explained in the Laws of Torah Study by the Alter Rebbe74).

That is,

the matter of study is connected to the head of the person,

which is called "head" because it is prior in level and rules and governs over the entire body,

and its parallel is the matter of the commandments,

248 positive commandments corresponding to 248 limbs and 365 negative commandments corresponding to 365 sinews75,

which are lower than the head,

therefore the decision of the head must come first as to how the conduct of the body will be.

And only when there already exist both matters of Torah and commandments,

then there is room for two opinions as to what precedes,

study or action,

even to the second opinion that action is greater,

due to the superiority that specifically through the descent downward

(this being analogous to the general superiority of the month of Av,

as above).

And nevertheless it says "and you shall teach them" before "and you shall bind them,"

study before action,

because,

even though the superiority of action is great,

nevertheless,

in order for the matter of action to be possible, the matter of study, which brings to action, must first exist.

And as it is in the general service of man,

that even though it was stated above

(in section 4)

that the vitality of man is specifically through "every utterance of the mouth of G-d" in the bread that is lower than man

(due to the superiority of specifically the descent downward),

nevertheless,

in order for man to live through eating bread, one must first prepare the bread so that it is fit for human consumption,

as it is stated in the Gemara76

"Does a person bring wheat and chew it?"

(in astonishment),

rather, one must make the wheat into human food

(through the "helpmeet opposite him"77).

And likewise is it with the matter of study and action,

that even though action is greater

(due to the superiority of the descent downward),

nevertheless,

in order for the matter of action to be possible, the preparation of study must exist.

And through this, an additional quality of action is also added to study,

just as an addition is made to the person through eating bread,

as above.

7)

And this is also the explanation

(in the words of the Admor HaZaken)

regarding the order of the two paragraphs of Shema and the differences between them.

For our Sages, of blessed memory, said78

(Why)

does the paragraph of "Shema" precede the paragraph of "Vehayah Im Shamoa"?

And its precedence in the order of the verses is because this is the order of divine service,

and since the order of divine service is that first there must be the study of Torah,

and afterwards study leads to action,

therefore in the first paragraph the order is "Veshinantam" and afterwards "Ukshartem",

that through study

("Veshinantam")

one knows how to fulfill the commandments

("Ukshartem")

and fulfills them in their completeness

(and this serves as preparation for the fulfillment of the commandments in the future to come, as the commandments of Your will79).

And this is also the precise meaning of the expression "Veshinantam",

that they should be sharp in your mouth, so that if a person asks you a matter of halachah, etc.,

because,

in order for study to lead to action,

this is only when the study is in a manner of raising the discussion to reach the halachah80.

However, after the paragraph of "Shema" has preceded,

that there already exists the study

("Veshinantam")

and the action that comes through it

("Ukshartem"),

then comes the second paragraph,

in which the order is first "Ukshartem" etc. and afterwards the study of Torah.

And since the study of raising the discussion to reach the halachah already exists beforehand

(this is what is stated in the first paragraph, "Veshinantam" etc. and "Ukshartem"),

therefore it is stated here "Ulemadtem" simply,

which includes all modes of study

(even the mode of "expound and receive reward"81).

And additionally regarding this matter72,

for it is known that in the future to come there will be a great action.

And therefore the order of "Ukshartem" and afterwards "Ulemadtem"

(great action)

is stated specifically in the second paragraph,

because,

among the distinctions between the first paragraph and the second paragraph,

the first paragraph is in the language of command

(in the past and present),

and the second paragraph is in the language of command and also in the language of narrative

(in the future),

and the narrative is that "you will turn away and serve" etc.82,

and afterwards will be the matter of repentance,

which is what is stated "and you shall place these words of Mine" etc.

And therefore it is stated afterwards "Ukshartem" etc. and "Ulemadtem",

since in the future to come there will be a great action.

8)

And this is the entirety of the matter of "this day causes"83

— the fifteenth of Av — which is the perfection of the ascent after the descent of Tisha B'Av,

as it was drawn in revelation during the time when the Holy Temple stood,

and even to the extent that even during the time of exile there are several customs on the fifteenth of Av, because during the time of the Holy Temple it was a great festival for many reasons stated about this in the Gemara

(as brought in the supplement to the Shulchan Aruch of our master, the Alter Rebbe84),

and in Pri Etz Chayimd

(cited in the discourses of our Nesi'im, the discourse "Nachamu"11)

it enumerates seven good qualities of that day, which correspond to the Sefirah of Yesod, which is seven.

And through all this, the fifteenth of Av attains its superiority and level as it will be in the future to come,

when the greatness of the ascent that was in the descent of exile will be revealed,

and then there will also be a great action.

And so it will be for us, very soon,

that through the service of teshuvah during the time of exile

(as hinted in the second portion of the Shema in the future tense),

the verse85 will be fulfilled:

"And Hashem your G-d will return your captivity and have mercy on you, and will return and gather you from all the nations, etc.,"

that is,

that the Shechinah that is in exile86

will return from exile together with the Jewish people87,

and in a manner that "you will be gathered one by one, O children of Israel"88,

that the Holy One, blessed be He, gathers each and every one of Israel89

— through the "One" that is within him,

and leads him to greet Moshiach our Righteous One,

with our young and our old, with our sons and our daughters90,

and their silver and their gold with them91,

with all the clarifications and all the holy sparks,

and even "and you will be saved, etc."92,

that they will clarify everything,

and "the spirit of impurity I will remove from the land"93,

and it will be seen openly that "there were no better days for Israel than the fifteenth of Av",

below ten handbreadths,

in Jerusalem the holy city and in the Holy Land in its entirety,

very soon,

with the coming of Moshiach our Righteous One.