English translation — מאמר ועבדי דוד תשמ"ו

With the help of Heaven.

Acharon Shel Pesach 5746*

"And My servant Dovid shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd," etc.1,

And it is known the discourse of the Rebbe, my father-in-law, the Nasi of our generation, on the verse2,

which he explains there,

that this verse refers to King Moshiach, who is called by the name Dovid,

Dovid, the King Moshiach.

And the content of the matter is,

that in the future to come, Moshiach will be

(Dovid)

the one shepherd for all of them,

so that they will no longer be divided into two kingdoms3.

For among Israel there were two kingdoms,

the kingdom of the House of Dovid and the kingdom of the House of Yosef

(Ephraim),

for the kings of the House of Dovid were from the tribe of Yehudah and the kings of the House of Yosef were from the tribe of Yosef,

but in the future to come there will no longer be two kingdoms,

rather, one shepherd will be for all of them, and that shepherd will be Dovid,

from the tribe of Yehudah.

And it needs to be understood,

for from the fact that in the future to come there must be a special promise that one shepherd will be for all of them and they will no longer be divided into two kingdoms,

it is understood that even then there is a possibility that there would be two kingdoms,

what is the rationale that in the future to come there would be two kingdoms.

Also, it needs to be understood,

what is the certainty of the superiority in this, that Dovid

(from the tribe of Yehudah)

will be king over them and the one shepherd for all of them,

for ostensibly we find a superiority in Yosef over Yehudah.

For regarding Yosef and Yehudah themselves, behold Yosef was king over all his brothers,

including Yehudah4,

as is explicit in the dreams of Yosef.

And also, there is a superiority in the kingdom of Yosef, which was over ten tribes, unlike the kingdom of Yehudah, which was over only two tribes.

Also, it needs to be understood the content of these matters in the service of man in the present time.

And particularly according to the known principle5

that all the revelations of the future to come depend on our actions and service throughout the time of the exile,

and our Sages, of blessed memory, said6

"Today to do them, and tomorrow to receive their reward."

2)

And the explanation is7,

for behold, the difference between Yosef and Yehudah will be understood from the names

(Yosef and Yehudah)

themselves,

for Yehudah is from the term "thanksgiving" (hoda'ah) and Yosef is from the term "addition" (hosafah), as is explicit in the verse.

And in the powers of the soul, it is the difference between the power of action in man and the power of intellect within him.

For behold, the power connected with thanksgiving (hoda'ah)

[in people in general

(the speaking species),

and certainly in the children of Israel

(literally a part of G-d above8)]

is the power of action,

for in order for there to be an action in the power of action,

there must be acknowledgment (hoda'ah) and submission.

For the simple meaning of thanksgiving (hoda'ah) is that one acknowledges a certain thing even though it is not understood in his intellect, or moreover, that it is contrary to his intellect9.

For this matter is in the power of action in actuality,

because when a person performs an action, he lowers his will and intellect, etc., until he comes to this action,

and this descent

(in every person,

and particularly in Israel as mentioned above)

is a descent into a deep pit,

therefore there must be within him acknowledgment (hoda'ah) and submission, etc.10

(And this is analogous to the descent of the soul below from a high roof11

to a deep pit,

which descent is in a manner of coercion, as per the statement12

"against your will you live").

However, the matter of addition (hosafah) is the opposite of this.

For addition indicates that the matter is not only received

(settles)

in his intellect,

but furthermore, that through this he adds in wisdom and intellect,

and particularly when there is addition after addition.

For this is the matter of true wisdom and intellect.

And in the powers of man, it is the power of Binah (understanding) within him,

which is called "the expanses of the river"13,

which is in a manner of adding and going and adding,

generating further matters of intellect and reasoning,

for this is the true intent of pilpul (dialectical analysis) and give-and-take, etc.

And it is understood,

that this is the opposite of the matter of coercion and acknowledgment (hoda'ah)

(against your will),

for in the speaking species in general and particularly in Israel,

the intellect is something that is received

(settles),

to the point that one adds in it, etc.

3)

Now, these two matters in the overall service of man are the two matters

(two modes of service)

of the study of Torah and the fulfillment of the mitzvos.

For the essence of Torah is that the Torah and the Holy One, blessed be He, are entirely one,

and as it is brought in Tanya

that through the study of Torah, the person studying becomes united with the Giver of the Torah in a wondrous unity, the likes of which there is no other unity comparable or equal to it at all,

and in whatever world he studies the Torah,

behold, through the study he reaches the Torah as it is in its truth and inwardness in this world.

And it is understood,

that since through the study of Torah one attains this elevation,

behold, the person studying has pleasure

(taste)

in the matter.

However, the matter of the fulfillment of mitzvos is specifically through the power of action,

for the fulfillment of mitzvos is with physical things,

things that are outside the person himself

(it is not he),

and for this there must be action, from the term "submission"

(and acknowledgment),

that he descends from his level,

from a high roof

to a deep pit,

that is, from the power of intellect and his mental faculties to the power of action within the person himself, below which there is no lower level.

And as is brought in many discourses,

that the power of action exists also in an animal

(the animal species),

and in this power the speaking species is equated with the animal species.

This descent is through submission and acknowledgment.

And this is also what is found in the mitzvah of Torah study,

that according to Torah there must be vitality and pleasure

(taste)

in the study of Torah,

and the essence of the fulfillment of mitzvos is specifically through acceptance of the yoke,

and the yoke primarily applies to an animal.

And they are the two aspects of Yosef

(Torah)

and Yehudah

(mitzvos).

4)

Now, regarding these two modes of service of Torah and mitzvos

(study and action)

there is a discussion in the Gemara

as to which of them is greater.

And as is brought in the maamar there,

they disagreed about this,

one said study is greater and one said action is greater.

And from the language of the Gemara it is understood,

that when they compared the virtues of study and action in themselves,

they did not decide which is greater.

For the virtue of study is the matter of the pleasure in it

(as above),

and there is a virtue in action that is not in study,

the matter of subjugation,

which is a novelty that one does something that is contrary to his nature and his pleasure.

And this is,

that even without the matter of acceptance of the yoke of the kingdom of heaven

(which is above),

behold, there is a novelty in the very matter that a person can also do something that is contrary to his nature and his pleasure.

And finally they voted and concluded that study is greater, for study leads to action,

behold, this is not because study

(pleasure)

in itself is above action

(submission),

but rather because in study there is also the virtue of action,

that it leads to action.

For in order to know the action that one should do, study is needed beforehand.

And one may add to this,

that in study itself there is also the virtue that is in action, which is submission.

For after one studies Torah with the utmost perfection from the aspect of his pleasure and its broad rivers and his joy,

behold, afterwards he reaches a higher level,

of studying from the aspect of submission and acknowledgment,

that he nullifies his entire existence and studies because of acceptance of the yoke.

5)

However, all this is only in this present time,

but in the future, action will be greater.

And the explanation is,

that in the future it is written,

"And the spirit of impurity I will remove from the earth,"

and therefore the service then will be only in ascents from strength to strength in the good itself and in holiness itself,

and the perfection of the ascent is that the service will be above even the aspect of pleasure,

rather, the service of G-d out of acceptance of the yoke,

to fulfill the will of the Holy One, blessed be He.

And furthermore,

for in this present time they are still within the confines and boundaries of holiness,

and there are categories of virtues and so forth,

and they say that there is a virtue in action and there is a virtue in study,

but in the future, when there will be an exit from all confines and boundaries,

behold, then it is not applicable to speak of virtues,

but only the true service,

that they serve G-d with acceptance of the yoke without any ulterior motives,

even not ulterior motives of holiness.

And one can explain this in the revealed aspect according to what the Rambam wrote,

that the perfection of man's service is service out of love, and this is the virtue of Avraham our father, whom the Holy One, blessed be He, called His beloved,

and this is service without any ulterior motives,

and as the Rambam wrote there,

that the service must be even not for the sake of the ulterior motive that I will merit the life of the World to Come.

And this perfection will be in the future

(in the days of Moshiach).

And this is that in the future action is greater,

the virtue of submission and acceptance of the yoke that is above all the powers of man.

And one can say that this is hinted at in what the Rambam wrote, that the service must be even not for the sake of meriting the life of the World to Come, for the matter of the World to Come is the matter of Torah

(as explained in many places),

and the service in perfection is above this.

6)

With this will be understood the statement, “And My servant Dovid shall be king over them, and they shall have one shepherd… and they shall no longer be divided into two kingdoms.”

For even in the future there will be the two kingdoms of Yehudah and Yosef,

meaning the two modes of service of Torah and mitzvos,

and on the contrary,

then there will be the ultimate perfection of Torah study,

for then their work will be done by others,

and it will be possible to engage in Torah in the manner of “Torah is their craft.”

And the novelty is in this,

that nevertheless, “My servant Dovid shall be king over them,”

a great deed,

that all the services then

(even the study of Torah)

will be in a manner of deed and action,

meaning above all boundaries and limitations.

And this is also the precise wording, “and Dovid My servant” specifically,

that he will be in the aspect of a servant,

a faithful servant,

the ultimate perfection,

the aspect of Yechidah to unify You,

that there is only the matter of the singular without any diversions.

And this is drawn down,

as above,

also in the Torah study of the future,

and as above that then Torah study will be in the manner of “Torah is their craft,” etc.

And until “they shall no longer be divided into two kingdoms”

(and two camps),

and as it says before this,

“And bring them close, one to the other, for yourself, into one stick, and they shall become one in your hand.”

7)

Now, it was explained above that all the revelations of the future depend on our deeds and service.

And likewise, this matter of “and My servant Dovid shall be king over them” will be understood,

that this is accomplished through the preparation in the service of man in the present time.

And it can be said that this is what the Rambam stated there,

that the beginning of service is not for its own sake, and through not for its own sake one comes to service for the sake of the life of the World to Come,

until ultimately one comes to service for its own sake,

to the service like Avraham our father,

whom the Holy One, blessed be He, called “My beloved.”

From the fact that this matter is ruled as law in the book of the Rambam,

it is understood that this matter is required of every single Jew,

and is sought according to their power,

for there exist the powers in every single Jew to reach this service.

And perhaps it can be said by way of hint,

that this above is a preparation for the revelations of the future,

is hinted at in that the Rambam states this matter in the tenth chapter of the Laws of Repentance,

for it is known

that the matter of repentance is the novelty of the future,

as the statement,

“The Mashiach is destined to bring the righteous back in repentance.”

From this it is understood,

that through this service of “for its own sake” in ultimate perfection

(ten),

one comes to the revelation of the future,

“and My servant Dovid shall be king over them.”

8)

May it be His will that it be so, speedily in our actual days,

that the prophecy be fulfilled,

“For the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the L-rd as the waters cover the sea,”

meaning not only that they will attain knowledge of their Creator according to human capacity,

and in a manner of a wondrous unity unlike any other unity, etc.,

but moreover,

that they will reach the aspect of “as the waters cover the sea,”

the aspect of a faithful servant who is not a separate entity at all.

And the prophecy will be fulfilled,

“And the kingship shall be the L-rd’s over the entire world,”

and especially over Israel, His close nation,

each of whom is like an only child to the Holy One, blessed be He,

connected with the aspect of the singular above,

“Yechidah to unify You.”

And the continuation of the verse will also be fulfilled,

“And the L-rd shall be King over all the earth; on that day the L-rd shall be One and His Name One,”

as “I am written, so I am called,”

that He will be called

(openly)

by the Essential Name and the Explicit Name and the Unique Name,

and there will be a revelation of the aspect of the simple oneness above,

which is connected with the simplicity of the simple man below,

in the true and complete redemption,

speedily in our actual days,

through our righteous Mashiach.