English translation — מאמר כימי צאתך תשל"ח

B"Sd.

Acharon Shel Pesach 5738*

"As in the days of your exodus from the land of Egypt I will show him wonders"1,

And the Rebbe, my father-in-law, the Rebbe, brings in his maamar beginning with the words "Zeh"

[which was said thirty years ago2]

the precise point of the Zohar3

regarding this, that it says "kimei" (as the days of) in the plural,

[when] the exodus from Egypt was in one day

(in one moment they left),

and likewise regarding the remembrance of the redemption from Egypt it is written4

"in order that you remember the day of your exodus from the land of Egypt"

(day, in the singular),

so why is it stated here "kimei" in the plural?

And he explains,

that all the days from the time of the exodus from Egypt until the future redemption are "the days of your exodus from the land of Egypt",

therefore it says "kimei" in the plural.

And he continues in the maamar,

that to understand this we must preface that it is stated in the Mishnah5

on the verse4

"in order that you remember the day of your exodus from the land of Egypt all the days of your life",

"the days of your life" — this world; "all the days of your life" — to include the days of Moshiach.

And it needs to be understood,

[for] the future redemption will be much loftier than the redemption of the exodus from Egypt

[both regarding the redemption itself,

that the future redemption will be a complete redemption after which there is no exile, unlike the redemption of the exodus from Egypt6,

and regarding the revelations of the redemption,

that the revelations that will be in the future redemption will be much loftier than the revelations that were in the redemption of the exodus from Egypt7],

so why will they mention in the future the redemption of the exodus from Egypt?

And he explains8

that in the redemption of the exodus from Egypt a fundamental matter was innovated — the opening of the channel of all redemptions,

also of the future redemption.

Therefore,

all the days from the time of the exodus from Egypt until the future redemption are "the days of your exodus from the land of Egypt",

"days" in the plural.

And ostensibly it could be said,

that the connection of the two matters in the maamar

[the matter of "days" in the plural,

and that they will mention the exodus from Egypt also in the days of Moshiach],

is,

that the matter of "days" in the plural is because in the redemption of the exodus from Egypt the channel of all redemptions, also of the future redemption, was opened,

and therefore they will mention the exodus from Egypt also in the days of Moshiach.

And ostensibly this explanation requires additional clarification,

for the connection of the two matters is that both are from the same reason,

and from that which it says in the maamar that to understand the matter of "days" in the plural we must preface that they will mention the exodus from Egypt in the future,

it implies,

that through the matter of remembering the exodus from Egypt, additional explanation is added to the matter of "days" in the plural.

2)

Now, the precise point

(in the maamar)

regarding the mention of the Exodus from Egypt in the future redemption is seemingly also in the verse "As in the days of your exodus, etc.,"

for since the revelations that will be in the future redemption will be vastly superior to the revelations that were in the Exodus from Egypt,

what does it mean when it says "As in the days of your exodus from the land of Egypt, I will show him wonders,"

[implying] that the superiority of the future redemption is that even then there will be "I will show him wonders" like it was in the Exodus from Egypt.

And to add,

the precise point in the verse "As in the days of your exodus, etc." is seemingly a greater precision than that of mentioning the Exodus from Egypt in the future redemption.

For the remembrance of the Exodus from Egypt in the future will only be in a secondary manner,

[And the precise point in the maamar is that due to the magnitude of the superiority of the future redemption relative to the redemption of the Exodus from Egypt, there would not need to be

(seemingly)

a mention of the Exodus from Egypt then, even in a secondary manner],

but not so in the verse "As in the days of your exodus from the land of Egypt, etc."

("As in the days" with a comparative kaf)

implies that the main matter of wonders was in the Exodus from Egypt, and the verse innovates that also in the future redemption there will be wonders like those that were in the Exodus from Egypt.

And although it is explained in many places

that the interpretation of "As in the days of your exodus from the land of Egypt, I will show him wonders" is that the wonders that will be in the future redemption will be wonders also relative to the wonders that were in the days of your exodus from the land of Egypt,

[as our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said

on the verse "I will show him wonders,"

"I will show him what I did not show to the forefathers, for the miracles and wonders that I am destined to perform for the children are greater than the wonder and wonders that I performed for the forefathers, and so it says,

'To Him Who alone does great wonders, for His kindness endures forever'"],

nevertheless,

from the fact that the verse says that the wonders that will be in the future redemption will be "as in the days of your exodus from the land of Egypt,"

it implies that in the wonders that will be in the future redemption there will be two virtues.

That the wonders will be exceedingly great wonders,

wonders also relative to the wonders that were in the Exodus from Egypt.

And an additional virtue,

that the wonders then will be "as in the days of your exodus from the land of Egypt."

And the main innovation and virtue is

(not that the wonders then will be exceedingly great wonders,

but rather)

this: that the wonders then will be "as in the days of your exodus from the land of Egypt."

3)

Now, the explanation of the matter is,

that in miracles there are

(generally)

two types.

Miracles that are above nature

[like the miracles that were in the Exodus from Egypt,

the turning of water into blood, etc., and up to the miracle of the Splitting of the Sea, where the sea became dry land],

and miracles that are clothed in natural ways.

And within these themselves there are three modes

(generally).

The natural garments are in a manner that it is recognizable that they are only a garment for the miracle that is clothed within them.

Like the miracles of Chanukah and Purim,

and likewise all miracles for which one recites the blessing "Blessed... Who performed miracles"

(a wall fell on him and he was saved,

and the like),

for although they are clothed in natural ways, nevertheless the miracle within them is openly recognizable.

Below this – the natural garments conceal the miracle that is clothed within them,

but nevertheless it is recognizable that an unusual event occurred,

like the four who are required to give thanks,

for on these miracles one does not recite the blessing "Blessed... Who performed miracles," but one brings a thanksgiving offering and recites the blessing of HaGomel.

Below this – the natural garments completely conceal and hide the miracle,

to the extent that it is not at all recognizable that an unusual event occurred.

As it is written, "To Him Who alone does great wonders," and our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said,

"Even the beneficiary of the miracle does not recognize his miracle."

And one must understand why the maamar brings the aforementioned statement of our Rabbis, of blessed memory, on the verse "I will show him wonders," [citing] the verse "To Him Who alone does great wonders,"

for in this very statement of our Rabbis, of blessed memory, it says that the wonders that will be in the future redemption will be greater wonders than the wonders that were in the Exodus from Egypt,

and nevertheless it brings on this the verse "To Him Who alone does great wonders," which refers to miracles that are completely hidden, to the extent that even the beneficiary of the miracle does not recognize them.

And the Tzemach Tzedek explains,

that the source of miracles clothed in nature is from a place more elevated than the source of miracles that are above nature.

And the more miracles are clothed in nature, it indicates that their source is from a more elevated place.

And this is "To Him Who alone does great wonders,"

that the source of miracles that are completely clothed in nature, in a manner that the beneficiary of the miracle does not recognize his miracle,

is from the aspect of "Alone."

And this is why the aforementioned statement of our Rabbis, of blessed memory, regarding the wonders that will be in the future redemption brings the verse "To Him Who alone does great wonders,"

that the wonders that will be in the future redemption will be drawn from the aspect of "Alone."

And to add,

that based on this we can also explain what the verse precisely states, "I will show him wonders,"

that the main novelty is not that there will be wonders then, but rather that G-d will show the wonders,

for wonders exist even now,

and even great wonders that are drawn from the aspect of "Levado" (Alone) exist,

and the novelty in the future redemption is that then it will be "I will show him wonders."

For now,

the miracles drawn from the aspect of "Levado" are in a manner that only He alone knows that it is a miracle,

and in the future redemption it will be "I will show him wonders,"

that the miracle within them will be seen in revelation.

D)

Now, the two types of miracles

(miracles above nature and miracles clothed in nature)

each have an advantage20.

And since in the future all matters will be at the ultimate perfection,

it must be said,

that what is written "I will show him wonders" is not only regarding miracles clothed in nature

(that in the future the miracle within them will be seen in revelation,

as above in section Gimmel),

but also regarding miracles that are not clothed in nature.

And this is also understood from that which it says that the wonders of the future redemption will be "as the days of your exodus from the land of Egypt,"

for the miracles of the Exodus were above nature21.

And to add,

that the reason miracles are called "wonders" (niflaos) is

(simply)

because they are a wonder that has no place in nature,

and from this it is understood,

that what is written "I will show him wonders" and it is brought in the Midrash that the wonders of the future redemption will be greater than the wonders of the Exodus

[to the extent that they will be wonders relative to the wonders of the Exodus]

— the intention in this is,

that the wonder

(above nature)

in the miracles of the future redemption is a wonder also relative to the wonder of the miracles of the Exodus22.

And we need to understand what is meant by "I will show him wonders,"

for seemingly,

according to the interpretation that "I will show him wonders" refers to miracles above nature

(and especially since the above-nature of the future wonders will be even greater than the above-nature of the miracles of the Exodus),

what is the novelty in that they will see the wonders?

E)

And this will be understood by prefacing what was brought above

(section Gimmel)

that the root of the drawing down of miracles whose owner does not recognize his miracle is from the aspect of "Levado."

And we need to understand,

how is it possible that the garments of nature will conceal and hide a miracle drawn from the aspect of "Levado"?

And the explanation is,

that the advantage of miracles clothed in nature over miracles above nature,

is as explained by the Mitteler Rebbe in Shaar HaEmunah23,

that by the miracle being clothed in nature, it comes into revelation.

For regarding miracles that are not clothed in nature,

one knows only their existence, not their essence.

Like the miracle of the resurrection of the dead,

for although one sees in actuality that initially there was a dead person and now he is alive,

one does not know or comprehend how he came back to life.

And so it is with all miracles above nature.

Therefore these miracles are called "wonders" (niflaos),

for a wonder is that which is not grasped by the intellect

[to the extent,

that when a person sees a wondrous thing he is astonished by it,

for astonishment is the nullification of the intellect24].

And by the miracle being clothed in nature,

it comes into revelation,

for one grasps its essence.

Like the miracle of Purim,

where one knows and comprehends how the decree was nullified

(which was through Esther, etc.).

And likewise the four who are required to give thanks,

one knows and comprehends how the sick person was healed

(which was through medicinal herbs),

and so forth.

And it can be said,

that this matter

[that in miracles clothed in nature,

the essence of the miracle is in revelation]

is primarily regarding miracles where the recipient of the miracle does not recognize his miracle.

For miracles in which it is openly apparent that the garments of nature are merely a garment for the miracle that is clothed within them,

and even miracles in which it is not openly apparent that they are a miracle, but nevertheless it is apparent that they are something unusual

(like the four who are required to give thanks),

they are in the category of wonder that is not understood by the intellect

[therefore they are required to give thanks for them,

for thanksgiving (hoda'ah) is the nullification of the intellect25],

but miracles where the recipient of the miracle does not recognize his miracle are so clothed in nature that they are grasped by the intellect.

And based on this, it can be said that this—that the miracles drawn from the aspect of "Levado" (Alone) are in a manner that the recipient of the miracle does not recognize his miracle—

is,

because the matters drawn from the aspect of "Levado" are in revelation in every place

(for it is not possible that there be something that could conceal them),

and therefore they are clothed in nature in a manner that the recipient of the miracle does not recognize his miracle,

so that there is no wonder in them at all

(not even like the wonder of the four who are required to give thanks)

and they are grasped by the intellect26.

6)

And behold, the distinction between the two types of miracles in their root is

(as explained in Shaar HaEmunah there27)

that the miracles clothed in nature, the source of their drawing down is from this—that Ein Sof is below, below, to no end28

—the matter of the spreading forth and revelation of Ein Sof,

which spreads forth and is revealed down to the lowest level29,

and therefore they come in revelation,

to the extent that they are grasped even by human intellect,

but the miracles that are above nature, the source of their drawing down is from this—that Ein Sof is above, above, without end28

—the matter of the concealment and elevation in Ein Sof,

which is elevated and concealed in concealment after concealment and in elevation after elevation,

above, above29,

and therefore,

even when they are drawn down below, they are above revelation,

wonders (nifla'ot).

And this is30

"As the days of your exodus from the land of Egypt, I will show him wonders,"

that in the future redemption,

even the wonders whose source of drawing down is from this—that Ein Sof is above, above, without end—

will be in revelation,

and the revelation will be in a manner of seeing31,

"I will show him."

And it can be said,

that in "I will show him wonders" that will be in the future,

there are two matters.

That even the miracles of the future that will not be clothed in nature

[like the splitting of the sea and the river—"And Hashem will dry up the tongue of the Sea of Egypt and wave His hand over the River etc."32]

will be in revelation,

similar to the miracle of the splitting of the Sea of Reeds that was at the Exodus from Egypt,

for although it was above nature, nevertheless they then saw in revelation

(not only the splitting of the sea,

but also)

the revelation through which the sea was split,

that each one pointed with his finger and said "This is my G-d and I will glorify Him"33.

And the innovation in "I will show him wonders" of the future relative to the revelation of the splitting of the Sea of Reeds is,

that the wonders that will be in the future will be wonders even relative to the wonders that were at the Exodus from Egypt,

that is,

that the wonders of the future will be drawn from a more elevated place than the wonders that were at the Exodus from Egypt34

[and therefore they will also be greater wonders in simple terms],

and nevertheless they will be in revelation and in a manner of seeing.

And also,

that the revelation that was at the Splitting of the Sea of Reeds was only temporary,

but the revelation of the future

(although it will be a more elevated revelation than the revelation that was at the Splitting of the Sea of Reeds,

nevertheless)

will be in a constant and eternal manner35.

And there is another matter in "I will show him wonders,"

that by means of the future revelation of the wonders to Israel,

their drawing down will also be in the world in a manner of revelation,

and therefore they will then be clothed in nature.

And nevertheless they will be wonders,

for this—that they will be clothed in nature—is not because they are in the category of revelation

[like the miracles clothed in nature now,

whose source of drawing down is from this—that Ein Sof is below, below,

the matter of the spreading forth and revelation of Ein Sof],

but rather,

that although the source of their drawing down is from this—that Ein Sof is above, above, without end,

the concealment that is above revelation

[and moreover,

that it is a concealment that is above even the category of revelation,

and as explained in the continuation of the Hilula36,

that this—that Ein Sof is above, above etc.—is that even in His Essence (Atzmus) He is not in the category of revelation],

nevertheless they will be clothed in nature,

for in the future, even the concealment

(that is above revelation)

will be in revelation.

7)

And it can be said,

that in the clothing of wonders within nature that will be in the future,

there are two matters.

That the wonders that are above nature will be clothed in nature is because then also the concealment that is above revelation will be drawn into revelation.

And that nature will not conceal the wonders is because then there will be an elevation of nature,

that even nature will be a vessel for the wonders that are above nature.

Based on this, we can explain the connection between the two interpretations of "I will show him wonders" — the interpretation of the Mitteler Rebbe that even the wonders above nature will then be seen in revelation

(and not like now, when only the existence of wonders above nature is known),

and the interpretation of the Tzemach Tzedek that even in the miracles clothed in nature

(great wonders drawn from the aspect of Levado [Alone]),

the miracle within them will be seen in revelation

(as above in section 3)

— because the content of the two interpretations is that in the future, nature will be a vessel for that which is above nature,

therefore nature will not conceal the miracles clothed within it.

However, according to the interpretation of the Tzemach Tzedek,

the matter of "I will show him wonders" is that nature will not conceal the miracles that are related to nature

(that is,

the miracles drawn from the fact that Ein Sof is below, below, etc.,

the matter of the revelation of Ein Sof).

For nature as it is now conceals even these miracles.

Because the root of the miracles clothed in nature is in the revelation of Ein Sof,

which in general is the Name Havayah, which is above nature,

and the root of nature is from the Name Elokim

(Elokim has the numerical value of haTeva [nature]37)

which conceals and hides the Name Havayah.

And in the future, the Name Elokim will be a vessel for the revelation of Havayah.

And according to the interpretation of the Mitteler Rebbe,

the matter of "I will show him wonders" is that nature, drawn from the Name Elokim, will be a vessel

(also)

for the wonders above nature, drawn from the fact that Ein Sof is above, above, etc.,

the concealment that is above revelation

(above Havayah).

8)

And based on what was brought above

(from the maamar)

that in the redemption of the Exodus from Egypt, the channel for the future redemption was also opened,

it can be said,

that in the redemption of the Exodus from Egypt, there was also drawn the empowering for the matter of "I will show him wonders" that will be in the future redemption.

And the explanation is,

that this — that in the future nature will be a vessel for that which is above nature

[the matter of "I will show him wonders"]

— is through the refinements (birurim),

through which the world is refined and elevated and becomes a vessel for that which is above nature.

For the beginning of the matter of refinements was in the Exodus from Egypt.

For through our being slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt38

[Pharaoh — a harsh king,

in Egypt — a harsh country,

from which39

a slave cannot escape40]

and nevertheless they withstood the trial,

through this they refined the sparks that were in Egypt.

And even to the point of "and they emptied out Egypt"41,

making it like a net without fish and like a sieve without grain42,

and through this the power was given for the work of refinements in all the days after the Exodus from Egypt

(days, in the plural),

including also the days of the time of exile.

And it can be said,

that one of the reasons we mention the Exodus from Egypt every day is that through this, there is an addition to the empowering drawn from the Exodus for the work of refinements each day.

And through each and every day refining more and more sparks,

we draw closer to the coming of Moshiach,

for through each spark that is refined,

the world becomes more purified,

until, at the completion of the refinements, the world will be a vessel for the revelation of G-dliness that is above worlds,

which in general is that the nature of the world will be a vessel for that which is above nature,

"I will show him wonders."

And therefore they will mention the Exodus from Egypt even in the days of Moshiach,

because this — that then the world will be a vessel for the revelation of G-dliness that is above worlds — is through the redemption of the Exodus from Egypt.

And this is "As in the days of your exodus from the land of Egypt, I will show him wonders,"

that this statement that "I will show him wonders"

(in the future)

will be "as in the days of your exodus from the land of Egypt" means,

that the empowering for the matter of "I will show him wonders" that will be in the future is from the Exodus from Egypt.

And it is precise: "as the days of your exodus,"

"days" in the plural,

for in the Exodus from Egypt there was only the empowering for the matter of "I will show him wonders,"

and in order for the matter of "I will show him wonders" to be drawn into actuality, it is through the work of refinements in the days between the Exodus from Egypt and the future redemption,

which are "the days of your exodus from the land of Egypt"

(as above in section 1 of the maamar),

"days" in the plural.

9)

And it can be said,

that from the distinctions between the verse "As in the days of your exodus from the land of Egypt I will show him wonders" and the verse "So that you remember the day of your exodus from the land of Egypt all the days of your life," from which we learn that we mention the exodus from Egypt even in the days of Moshiach,

it is,

that the verse "As in the days of your exodus from the land of Egypt I will show him wonders" speaks of the future redemption,

and it says "As in the days of your exodus from the land of Egypt," that the empowerment for "I will show him wonders" of the future redemption comes from the days of your exodus from the land of Egypt,

and the verse "So that you remember etc." is stated in the portion "Guard the month of spring and make the Pesach offering etc."43,

for Pesach is the matter of the exodus from Egypt,

and it says "So that you remember the day of your exodus from the land of Egypt all the days of your life, to bring in the days of Moshiach,"

that the intention in the redemption of the exodus from Egypt is that it will be

(remembered and)

drawn also into the days that follow,

in the days of Moshiach.

And based on this, we can explain what is said in the maamar, that to understand the concept of "days" in the plural, we must preface the concept of remembering the exodus from Egypt in the future,

because this—that we mention the exodus from Egypt in the days of Moshiach—is because this is the essence of the exodus from Egypt,

and based on this it will be better understood that all the days from the time of the exodus from Egypt until the future redemption

[through which the power of the exodus from Egypt is drawn

(upon the future redemption)

from potential to actual]

are "the days of your exodus from the land of Egypt,"

"days" in the plural.

And according to the above, that the essence of the exodus from Egypt is to bring about the future redemption,

it is understood,

that through the remembrance of the exodus from Egypt every day,

and especially through the telling of the exodus from Egypt on the night of Pesach

[at the time44

when matzah and maror are placed before you45.

And in the time when the Holy Temple stood—at the time when the Pesach offering, matzah, and maror are placed before you46],

we hasten even more the fulfillment of the promise "As in the days of your exodus from the land of Egypt I will show him wonders,"

in the future redemption through Moshiach Tzidkeinu,

may he come and redeem us with the true and complete redemption,

speedily in our days.