English translation — מאמר בהעלותך את הנרות תשל"ד

B"S.

Fourth day of the week, Parshat Beha'alotecha,

15 Sivan 5734*

"When you raise up the lamps, toward the face of the menorah shall the seven lamps give light."

And the Rebbe, my father-in-law, the leader of the captivity and the redemption, precisely notes in his maamar beginning with the words "Zeh" (this),

that first it says "when you raise up the lamps"

(lamps, without specification)

and does not mention their number,

and after this it says "shall the seven lamps give light."

And also one must understand

what is written "toward the face of the menorah shall the seven lamps give light,"

for the face of the menorah is the middle lamp,

and it should have said "toward the face of the menorah shall the six lamps give light."

And the point of the explanation of this is,

that the lamps about which it is said "when you raise up the lamps,"

and the lamps about which it is said "shall the seven lamps give light,"

are two matters.

"When you raise up the lamps,"

lamps without specification,

are the souls which are called lamps, as it is written,

"The lamp of Hashem is the soul of man."

For just as the nature of a flame is to ascend upward and cleave to its source

(in the general fire-element that is beneath the sphere

of the moon),

so too the soul has a natural ratzo (yearning) to ascend upward to be included in its source of hewing.

However, in the souls of Biyah (Creation, Formation, Action),

the nature of ratzo within them is in concealment,

and the service of Aharon is to arouse and reveal their natural ratzo and ascent,

"when you raise up the lamps,"

so that the nature of ascent within them will be revealed.

And "shall the seven lamps give light" refers to the luminaries in the firmament of the heavens,

as it is brought in the Midrash,

that the Mishkan is equivalent to the world,

for all the matters that were in the creation of the world had their counterpart in the Mishkan,

and the menorah that was in the Mishkan is the counterpart of "Let there be

luminaries in the firmament of the heavens."

And what is written "shall the seven lamps give light,"

even though in the statement "Let there be luminaries" it is written

"And Elokim made the two great luminaries etc.,"

this is,

because the sun and moon are the primary luminaries,

but in detail there are seven luminaries.

And this is "when you raise up the lamps... shall the seven lamps give light,"

that through the service of Aharon to raise up the lamps,

so that the souls of Biyah will have ratzo for Elokus in revelation,

through this "shall the seven lamps give light,"

that an addition of light is made in the utterance

"Let there be luminaries,"

in the manner of Sarah who added to the luminaries.

B)

And behold, from this that "when you raise up the lamps" according to its simple meaning refers to the lamps of the menorah,

it is understood,

that this that "when you raise up the lamps" in the inner aspect of the matters refers to the souls, is because the lamps of the souls are the inner aspect of the lamps of the menorah.

[For in addition to this that the souls are lamps in general,

they are the lamps of the menorah.]

And this that in the menorah there were seven lamps is because the lamps of the souls are divided into seven types.

And based on this, one must understand the reason for the change in the language of the verse,

that regarding the lamps of the luminaries it is written "shall the seven lamps give light" and regarding the lamps of the souls it is written "when you raise up the lamps,"

lamps without specification.

And this will be understood based on what is stated in Likkutei Torah,

that the seven lamps of the Menorah are the seven types of Yisrael in the service of G-d:

there is one who serves from a love drawn like water

(Chesed),

and there is one who serves from a love like fiery flames

(Gevurah),

and so on.

And it can be said,

that these seven types

(even though the distinction between them is only in the manner of their service)

are called seven lamps

(from the fact that the soul is called a lamp,

implying that they are seven types of souls),

because,

since "I was created to serve my Master"

(and particularly according to the version

"I was not created except to serve my Master"),

therefore,

the distinction in the manner of their service

(the service of their Master)

pertains to their essential existence.

And based on what is explained elsewhere

regarding the precise wording of our Sages, "I was created to serve my Master,"

that the purpose of man

(the soul)

is to serve his Master,

this relates to his creation,

the descent of the soul into creation,

but the soul itself, as it is in the aspect of "pure is she"

(above the aspect of "You created her"),

since it is truly a part of G-d above,

is not a means for any other matter

(not even for the matter of serving its Master),

and the purpose is in itself.

It is understood,

that the division of souls in their manner of service is only in the level of "You created her,"

and not in their essential being.

And based on this, it can be said,

that what is written, "When you raise up the lamps,"

"lamps" in an unqualified sense

(and not "the seven lamps"),

alludes that the elevation of the souls

("when you raise up the lamps")

is

(also)

in the level of "pure is she," which is above division,

"lamps" in an unqualified sense.

For that which is brought above

(from the maamar)

that "when you raise up the lamps" refers to the souls of Biyah,

since through their descent into Biyah, the nature of ratzo and their ascent is in concealment, therefore one must arouse and reveal the nature of their ascent,

"when you raise up the lamps"

is the beginning of the ascent.

But through this, there is effected in them

(afterwards)

a more elevated ascent,

that they ascend to a level higher even than they were before their descent.

3)

And this will be understood based on the teaching of the Maggid

on the verse "When you raise up the lamps,"

that "lamps" are the mitzvos, as it is written,

"For a mitzvah is a lamp."

For just as a lamp contains light,

so too the inwardness

(the light)

of a mitzvah is love and fear.

And the explanation of "When you raise up the lamps"

(for the explanation of "es" is

(also)

"with")

is,

that you shall elevate yourself with the mitzvos,

and the elevation is "toward the face of the Menorah,"

to the inwardness.

And analogous to what is stated,

"And G-d spoke all these words, saying, 'I am [Hashem your G-d]' etc.,"

that the intent is that all the mitzvos

("all these words")

are for "saying,"

that a person

(should think and)

say "I am" and "You shall not have,"

that is, the initials of "I am" and "You shall not have"

(the acronym of "Anochi" and "Lo Yihiyeh,"

and also the acronym of)

love and fear

(for "I am" is love, and "You shall not have" is fear),

"upon the face" means inwardness,

that the inwardness is the Holy One, blessed be He.

And this is "toward the face of the Menorah."

"The seven lamps shall give light" are the seven days of building,

love, fear, tiferes, etc.

And seemingly, the intent in this is,

that in the inwardness of mitzvos there are two matters.

That through the performance of mitzvos

(the lamp,

the vessel)

one comes to love and fear

(the light),

for this is that "I am" and "You shall not have"

(the entirety of all mitzvos)

are the acronym of love and fear,

and this inwardness is like the light of a lamp, where the light and the lamp are relative to each other,

and through this, there is drawn into them afterwards a more elevated inwardness—"upon the face,"

the true inwardness, which is the Holy One, blessed be He.

And based on this, the connection between the two matters of "When you raise up the lamps" will also be understood: the interpretation that "lamps" are the souls, the revelation of the nature of ratzo and the ascent in the souls of Biyah, and that through this there is effected in them an ascent to a level higher even than they were in Atzilus before their descent into Biyah.

[This is understood, for]

that the soul is aroused in ratzo

(a great love above reason and intellect),

although this ascent is "toward the face of the Menorah"

(the aspect of inwardness),

it is the first level of inwardness

(analogous to love and fear that are drawn through mitzvos),

and through this it ascends to a level higher even than it was in Atzilus,

the second level of inwardness,

"upon the face."

4)

The explanation is,

that the soul, even as it is above,

is analogous to a son

(like)

that is drawn from the father's brain,

but the essence of the soul as it is rooted in His essence, may He be blessed,

in the analogy of the son as he is in the father's brain itself

(before being drawn),

is not in the category of drawing and revelation.

And through the service of the soul in its descent below,

to arouse and reveal the nature of ratzo and ascent within it,

which is analogous to the nature of the son's yearning for his father,

through this the essence of the soul is revealed as it is rooted in the Atzmus.

For regarding the level of the soul that is analogous to a son drawn from the father's brain,

the descent to BYA

(and all the more so the descent below in this physical world)

conceals and hides this

[as is known

that only souls of Atzilus are called by the name sons],

and that even in its descent below it is in the aspect of a son in revelation,

that its ratzo and ascent is revealed like a son yearning for his father,

this is through the revelation of the essence of the soul as it is in the father's brain

(before being drawn),

for regarding this level

(the essence of the soul as it is rooted in the Atzmus),

Atzilus and BYA are equal.

And based on this, we can explain what is said in Likkutei Torah

on the verse

"I saw and behold a golden Menorah entirely... this is the word of G-d to Zerubavel,"

that the connection of the Menorah to the word of G-d to Zerubavel is,

that the word of G-d is the source of the souls of Israel,

and what is said "the word of G-d to Zerubavel" is,

because Israel then

(at the time of the Babylonian exile)

were called by the name Zerubavel, from "and I will sow them"

for Me in the land

(Zerubavel from the term "sown in Babylon").

And this is the connection of the golden Menorah with the word of G-d to Zerubavel,

for the collective souls of Israel are called a Menorah.

For at first glance it is not understood,

what does the matter of the Menorah have to do with Israel being sown in Babylon.

And the explanation can be said,

based on the known principle

that the descent of exile is called sowing because the intention of the descent is for the sake of ascent,

analogous to sowing in the earth which is for the sake of growth

(in multiplicity,

for does a person sow a se'ah except to bring in many korim).

And this is the connection of the golden Menorah with Zerubavel,

for the matter of "when you raise up the lamps,"

which is the revelation of the essence of the soul

(as above section 2),

is primarily through the service in the time of exile

[for what was stated above, that the revelation of the essence of the soul is through its service in its descent below,

is in general,

and the primary revelation is through the service of Israel in their descent specifically in exile],

and therefore Israel are called here by the name Zerubavel because they were sown in Babylon

(the first exile of the four exiles),

in order to hint,

that not only are Israel a Menorah even in the time of exile

[for even when I am asleep

in exile

my heart is awake],

but moreover,

the descent into exile is a sowing through which growth is achieved in greater multiplicity,

"when you raise up the lamps."

5)

Now, just as according to the interpretation that "When you raise up the lamps" refers to the souls,

the main aspect of their elevation is the revelation of their root as they are rooted in the Awtsmoos,

so too is it according to the interpretation that "When you raise up the lamps" refers to the mitzvos,

that their elevation is that [the Awtsmoos] is drawn into them.

For through the fact that Yisrael fulfill the mitzvos,

[and] the root of the souls of Yisrael is in the Awtsmoos,

they draw this also into the mitzvos.

For this that was stated above, that through fulfillment of mitzvos one comes to love and fear [of G-d],

means that the mitzvos are above the person who fulfills them and they affect him so that he comes to love and fear [of G-d],

a love and fear that is above reason and intellect, which he is incapable of attaining through [his own] service

(contemplation)

and are drawn from above through the mitzvos,

this is at the beginning of the service.

But after he attains these loves and fears,

the first level of the "face"

(inwardness)

of the Menorah,

there is revealed in him the root of the soul as it is rooted in the Awtsmoos,

the second level of the "face" of the Menorah,

the aspect of "upon My face,"

the Holy One, blessed be He,

and this matter he also draws into the mitzvos,

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

on the verse,

"He declares His words to Yaakov, His statutes and judgments to Yisrael,"

"What He does, He tells Yisrael to do,"

and the explanation of this is known,

that through Yisrael doing and fulfilling the mitzvos,

through this they cause that the Holy One, blessed be He, performs these mitzvos.

[And in the manner known

regarding the Torah,

that after Yisrael become bound to the Torah and through it to the Holy One, blessed be He,

the root of Yisrael, which is above the root of the Torah, is revealed,

and after the root of Yisrael is revealed in His very Essence,

they draw this also into the Torah,

in the manner that Dovid would connect the supernal Torah with the Holy One, blessed be He.]

And it can be said,

that this is what the Baal HaMaor said

(brought above)

that the explanation of "When you raise up the lamps" is "with the lamps,"

"When you raise up yourself with the mitzvos,"

that the intention in this is,

that a person elevates the mitzvos to the place that he himself ascends to,

the second level of the "face" of the Menorah,

the aspect of "upon My face."

6)

And it can be added,

that just as according to the simple meaning of the verse,

"Toward the face of the Menorah" the seven lamps shall give light,

so too is it in the inner dimension of the matters,

that "toward the face of the Menorah," which refers to the aspect of "upon My face,"

there comes an additional consequence beyond "When you raise up the lamps," which refers to the souls,

also that "the seven lamps shall give light."

For this, that through the service of Yisrael light is added to the luminaries

(in the manner that Sarah added to the luminaries),

is in addition to the filling of the deficiency that was caused by the diminution of the moon,

there is also made in them an additional elevation relative to their level as they were [originally] the two great luminaries.

For although the world was created in its fullness,

nevertheless,

through the service of man, an elevation is made in the world, even higher than it was at the beginning of its creation

[all the more so from this, that through service an elevation is made in the mitzvos and even in the souls],

that the world becomes a dwelling place for Him, blessed be He,

for His very Essence.

7)

And through the service of "When you raise up the lamps... the seven lamps shall give light" in all the matters mentioned above,

they bring near and hasten the promise

that "night will shine like day,"

in the true and complete redemption through our righteous Moshiach.

And even before this,

in the final days of the darkness of exile,

"for all the children of Yisrael there will be light in their dwellings,"

through each one adding light and vitality in his service,

and this will hasten even more the fulfillment of the promise that "night will shine like day,"

with the coming of our righteous Moshiach,

may he come and redeem us and lead us upright to our land,

for then there will be the elevation

("When you raise up")

in all the matters to the ultimate perfection,

in inwardness and externality together.