English translation — מאמר באתי לגני תש"מ

B"S.

10 Shevat 5740*

Transcription

"I have come to My garden, My sister, My bride"1,

And on this, the Rebbe, my master, father-in-law, the Rebbe of the hillula, brings in his maamar for the day of his histalkus and hillula,

that it is brought in Midrash Rabbah2

"To My garden" — to My bridal chamber,

to the place that was My primary [residence]

[meaning, the primary place of My dwelling]

at first,

for the primary Shechinah was in the lower realms,

and through the seven undesirable things, the Shechinah departed from below to above,

the Holy One, blessed be He, ascended higher and higher3,

up to the seventh firmament,

and afterwards, seven tzaddikim arose and brought down the Shechinah from above to below,

until Moshe, who is the seventh — and all sevenths are beloved4 — came

and brought it down below to earth.

And this is "The tzaddikim shall inherit the land and dwell forever upon it"5,

for the service of the tzaddikim is to cause the Shechinah to dwell and draw it down from above to below,

in the aspect of "ad" (until)

(as it is in the aspect of "He Who dwells on high and holy")

they shall cause it to dwell upon it,

below on earth,

in this lowest world, below which there is no lower.

Now, the beginning of the drawing down below through Moshe was at the time of the Giving of the Torah, as it is written6

"And God descended upon Mount Sinai,"

but in a permanent manner7

and in revelation, this was in the making of the Mishkan, as it is written8

"And they shall make Me a Sanctuary, and I will dwell in their midst."

And he continues in the maamar,

that the drawing down of the primary Shechinah in the lower realms

("and I will dwell in their midst")

was accomplished through the service of transforming darkness into light.

And this is why the Mishkan was made of shittim wood,

from which the planks were made,

as it is written9

"And you shall make the planks for the Mishkan of shittim wood, standing upright,"

"keresh" (plank) is the letters of "sheker" (falsehood), and it is the falsehood of the world,

which comes from the foolishness of idolatry,

"No person commits a transgression unless a spirit of foolishness enters into him"10,

and through the service of "And you shall make the planks for the Mishkan of shittim wood, standing upright,"

that they transform the foolishness of idolatry into the foolishness of holiness

("shittim wood"),

the falsehood of the world into the planks of the Mishkan

("planks for the Mishkan"),

through this is fulfilled "and I will dwell in their midst,"

the drawing down

(of the primary)

Shechinah in the lower realms.

And he adds in the maamar a precise reading of the verse "and I will dwell in their midst,"

"in its midst" is not said, but rather "in their midst" — within each and every one11,

for in each and every Jew, through the service of transforming darkness into light,

through this, the primary Shechinah dwells within him, as it was at the beginning of creation,

"I have come to My garden, to My bridal chamber,"

to the place that was its primary [place] at first,

and the primary dwelling is made in the lower realms.

2)

Now, since the Torah is eternal,

it is understood

that this matter

("And they shall make Me a Sanctuary and I will dwell in their midst")

is eternal throughout all generations,

even during the time of exile,

when because of our sins we were exiled from our land and distanced from our soil,

that even then there exist

(spiritually)

all the instructions and commandments

(of which it is written "and live by them")

that are dependent on the Mishkan and the Temple.

And so too is it regarding all the details that were in the Exodus from Egypt,

and even before that in the Egyptian exile,

that they are eternal instructions in every generation,

until this very day.

And as is known

regarding the matter of "and they embittered their lives with hard labor, in mortar and bricks, etc.",

that even now in the final exile there is the labor of mortar and bricks

(as it is in spirituality),

"mortar" refers to kal v'chomer (a fortiori reasoning) and "bricks" refers to libun hilchesa (clarification of halachah),

and through this they will subsequently merit the future redemption,

similar to the redemption of the Exodus from Egypt

(after the hard labor of mortar and bricks, etc.),

"and the children of Israel went out with an upraised hand."

3)

Now, the greatness of engaging in Torah study during the time of exile

is explained by the Baal HaHilula in the tenth section

[the tenth shall be holy]

of the continuation of maamarim of the day of the Hilula,

which section is the conclusion and seal of the second maamar of the continuation,

beginning with the discourse "You who dwell in the gardens, companions listen to your voice, let Me hear it"

(according to Rashi's commentary on the verse),

"The Holy One, blessed be He, said to the Congregation of Israel, who are scattered in exile and shepherds in the gardens of others, etc., and nevertheless dwell in synagogues and study halls to engage in Torah,"

"the companions, who are the ministering angels

(and also the Holy One, blessed be He,

so to speak)

listen to your voice."

And the maamar continues,

that because of this Israel are called the "hosts of Hashem," as it is written,

"And it came to pass on that very day, all the hosts of Hashem went out of the land of Egypt."

For this name

("hosts of Hashem")

was given to Israel specifically at their Exodus from Egypt.

And one must explain the connection of the matters,

for that at the time of the Exodus from Egypt Israel were called "hosts of Hashem" is because of the sparks

(the hosts)

that were refined during the Egyptian exile

(as will be explained later).

And this is the connection of the matter of Israel being called "hosts of Hashem" to the subject of "You who dwell in the gardens,"

for through the service of the Congregation of Israel in their engagement with Torah and the fulfillment of its commandments while they are scattered in exile and shepherding in the gardens of others,

through this they refine the sparks that are in exile,

similar to "and they despoiled"

Egypt.

And behold, in addition to Israel being called by the name "Tzivos Hashem," they are also called "Tzivos"

(as the maamar brings the verses:

"And it came to pass on that very day, Hashem brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies,"

"For on that very day I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt").

And the difference between "Tzivos Hashem" and "Tzivos" is,

that "Tzivos Hashem"

(Tzivos with a chirik)

is a construct form,

meaning the armies are attached to Hashem,

whereas "Tzvos"

(Tzivos with a sh'va)

is an independent entity.

d)

And it is known that Israel being called "Adam" is because they are "like the One above."

From this it is understood

that Israel being called

(also)

by the name "Tzivos" relates to the name "Tzivos,"

which is one of the seven names that may not be erased.

And this will be understood based on what the Alter Rebbe said,

that the name "Tzivos" was revealed through the prophets,

as it is stated:

"From the day the Holy One, blessed be He, created His world, no one called the Holy One, blessed be He, 'Tzivos' until Channah came and called Him 'Tzivos,' and the Holy One, blessed be He, said:

'Your son is destined to open prophecy with this name.'"

And the main prophecy with this name was in the later prophets, who were at the end of the First Temple period and the beginning of the exile,

most of their prophecy being with this name.

And behold, although the words of the prophets,

words of tradition,

are lower in level than the words of the Torah

[and even regarding the prophecy of Moshe it is written:

"And no prophet arose again in Israel like Moshe,"

and certainly they are lower than the words of the Torah],

nevertheless, the name "Tzivos" is not mentioned in the Torah, only specifically in the Prophets,

and there is an advantage in the words of a prophet over the words of the Torah.

And as we find that one who transgresses the words of a prophet has a more severe punishment than one who transgresses many words of the Torah,

and from this it is understood that this is also the case regarding the defect.

And based on this, the Mitteler Rebbe explains at length,

that the punishment and defect of one who transgresses the words of a prophet is more severe than one who transgresses

(many)

words of the Torah, which relates to the fact that the name "Tzivos" is drawn down specifically through the prophets.

e)

And the explanation is,

behold, the meaning of the name "Tzivos" is "a sign is in His army,"

meaning that "Tzava" is a multitude of creations,

and the name "Tzivos,"

"a sign is in His army,"

is the aspect of G-dliness as it is drawn into the creations.

And as explained in Torah Ohr

regarding the matter of the name "Tzivos,"

that "Tzivos" is a term for armies, and they are legions of souls and angels of Beriah which

(in themselves)

are not G-dliness at all.

And this is the difference between the name "Tzivos" and the other names that may not be erased,

for all the names indicate Ein Sof as it is in Atzilus, which is the world of unity,

"He and His life are one, He and His limbs are one,"

unlike the name "Tzivos," which indicates Ein Sof as it is drawn down and enclothed in Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah,

which are worlds of separation,

separate creations, as it is written:

"And from there it was divided."

Therefore, there is an opinion in the Gemara

(and not just a logical assumption)

that "Tzivos" is not a holy name,

for it is called "Tzivos" only on account of Israel.

And even according to the halachic conclusion

that "Tzivos" is among the names that may not be erased,

behold, this name refers to Ein Sof as it is drawn down and enclothed in creations.

And one can explain this based on what is stated in the Zohar, Tikkunei Zohar, and the writings of the Arizal,

that the name "Tzivos" is in Netzach and Hod,

for Netzach and Hod are outside the body,

meaning their purpose is

(not for Atzilus itself,

but rather)

in order to draw down into the worlds of Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah, which are below Atzilus,

and analogous to the known concept

that Netzach and Hod are the kidneys that advise, in order to influence the son and the student.

6)

And this is why the name Tzevaot is not mentioned in the Torah, only in the Prophets specifically,

for Moshe Rabbeinu was the soul and conduct of Atzilus,

therefore he was called Moshe, from “for from the water I drew him,”

water, wisdom, is the aspect of Atzilus.

And likewise the Torah, which was given through Moshe and is called by his name, as it is written,

“Remember the Torah of Moshe My servant,” is the aspect of Atzilus.

Therefore the name Tzevaot is not mentioned in the Torah,

for the name Tzevaot indicates

(as above)

Ein Sof as it is drawn down into created beings,

which are below Atzilus.

And this is

in the manner of what is said

regarding Yehoshua: “And he said, ‘No, for I am the captain of the host of Hashem; now I have come.’”

And our sages, of blessed memory, said,

“Now I have come, but your teacher Moshe did not receive [this].”

For in the days of Moshe,

“the face of Moshe was like the face of the sun,”

there was the drawing down of the aspect of Atzilus,

and also the conduct of wars

was not through the captain of the host of Hashem, but as it is written,

“Hashem will fight for you.”

For this is what happened at the Exodus from Egypt and the Splitting of the Sea: there were revealed miracles that departed entirely from the ways of nature, with no garment of nature at all,

because the war was through the Name Havayah,

the aspect of Atzilus.

But after the passing of “the face of Moshe like the face of the sun,” and the conduct was through “the face of Yehoshua like the face of the moon,”

then specifically the captain of the host of Hashem came,

“now”

(specifically)

“I have come.”

And although even then,

(through the conduct of war being through the captain of the host of Hashem)

there were several miracles above nature,

nevertheless, the war as a whole was somewhat within garments of nature,

and not like the war in the days of Moshe, which was entirely above garments of nature,

“Hashem will fight for you.”

And this is the matter of the name Tzevaot, which was drawn down through the prophets,

“A sign is He in His host,”

that even in the created beings of Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah

(host)

there will be a sign of He Himself, literally, in His host,

that even in Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah, He and His organs shall be one, as in Atzilus.

And this matter is above the aspect of the captain of the host of Hashem

(which was with Yehoshua),

for the captain of the host of Hashem is an angel,

but the name Tzevaot is among the seven names that may not be erased,

for even in Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah, He and His organs become one.

And this is why the name Tzevaot was innovated through the prophets,

for the prophets drew down that even in the vessels of Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah there should be the enclothing of Ein Sof, blessed be He, in ultimate unity,

as in the vessels of Atzilus,

and through this He is called by the name Tzevaot,

just as He is called by the names

(E-l,

Elokim, etc.)

which indicate the vessels of Atzilus

(because He and His organs are one),

for even the hosts

(the term for armies,

the legions of souls and angels of Beriah)

become one with Him, blessed be He,

as explained at length in Torah Ohr.

7)

And now, regarding the above matter of the name Tzevaot, that He and His organs are one even in Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah,

the Rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek, writes

that in the Pri Etz Chaim this is not found.

From this it is implied that this is an innovation of the Alter Rebbe,

as is evident from the fact that the Rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek, does not cite any other source for this.

And the magnitude of the innovation and elevation of the name Tzevaot, which is accomplished through the service of the children of Israel when they are in the state and condition of the time of the prophets, is understood

(after the time of “the face of Moshe like the face of the sun”),

and particularly when Israel is in the state and condition of the time of the later prophets, which was at the end of the First Temple and the beginning of the time of exile,

and likewise in the time thereafter,

that even in the worlds of Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah, which in themselves are created and separate beings

[for the matter of “He and His organs are one” is in Atzilus,

the world of unity]

there shall be “He and His organs are one” as in Atzilus.

And it can be said that this is the explanation of the statement that Tzevaot is a holy name, and yet it is called after His host

(as in the Gemara),

after Israel,

for this—that Tzevaot is a holy name,

meaning that even in Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah, He and His organs are one—

is accomplished through the service of Israel,

as above.

And this is accomplished through drawing down light from a most supernal place,

which is higher even than the aspect of the Torah

(as it was revealed in the time of Moshe).

For in the Torah the name Tzevaot is not mentioned

(meaning that from the perspective of the aspect of the Torah,

the matter of “He and His organs are one” is only in Atzilus),

and in order for there to be “He and His organs are one” even in Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah, one must draw down from a higher place.

8)

And now, this drawing down is through the service of refining the sparks.

For behold, the teaching of the Baal Shem Tov is known,

that in every object found in the possession of a Jew there are holy sparks that belong to the root of his soul.

And with this he explains why the Torah is sparing with the money of Israel

(even though it is only their money),

for since the money

(and likewise other things)

belongs to a Jew,

this indicates

(for all matters are with Divine Providence)

that these sparks belong to the root of his soul,

and the refinement of these sparks is part of his service,

and by refining the sparks, purifying them, and elevating them to their root, they also add elevation to him.

For similarly it was in the Egyptian exile,

that through “they emptied out Egypt,” making it like a marsh without fish and like a net without grain,

they refined the sparks belonging to the hidden world

(like a marsh without fish)

and the sparks belonging to the revealed world

(like a net without grain),

and through this an elevation was also effected in Israel.

And as the Rebbe Maharash explains

at length regarding the matter of “And it came to pass when Pharaoh sent out the people,” that he sent out branches and twigs and made fruit above, “the people,”

that through the sparks they refined in the Egyptian exile, an addition and increase was effected in them.

For this is what is said

(regarding the Egyptian exile)

“And I will sow her for Me in the land,”

the matter of sowing is as our sages, of blessed memory, said,

“Does a person sow a kor

except in order to bring forth several korin?”

That is,

that Israel being sown in the Egyptian exile was for the sake of the addition effected in them through the refinement of the sparks.

As the Rebbe Maharash explains at length, several details regarding the addition effected through the refinement of the sparks.

9)

And this is the meaning of "And it was on that very day, all the legions of Havayah went out of the land of Egypt," and afterward it is written, "And it was on that very day, Havayah brought out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt upon their legions."

"Legions of Havayah" in the construct state are the legions that were refined in the Egyptian exile and elevated to be included in the name Havayah.

Therefore they are called "Legions of Havayah" because they are subordinate to and included in the name Havayah.

And from the aspect of the sparks that were refined by Israel,

Israel also are called "Legions of Havayah."

And even more so—"Havayah brought out the children of Israel... upon their legions" means that Israel are above the aspect of the sparks that were refined.

For since Israel are the refiners of the sparks, they are above them.

And this is the connection of "Legions of Havayah" and "upon their legions" to the name Tzevaos,

for through the work of refining the sparks and their inclusion in Havayah,

"Legions of Havayah,"

that through this work Israel become "upon their legions,"

above the aspect of the sparks,

behold, through this they draw down a multitude of light from a most supernal place

(which is above the aspect of Torah as it is revealed),

and this light breaks through all the partitions and screens between Atzilus and Biyah,

until even in Biyah it becomes "He and His causations are one" as in Atzilus.

10)

And the explanation of the matter

(the connection of "Legions of Havayah" to the name Tzevaos)

in greater depth,

behold, the name Tzevaos is in Netzach and Hod.

And it is explained by my father-in-law, the Rebbe, in the continuation of the discourse of the day of the Hilula,

that the attribute of Netzach is rooted and embedded in the essence of the soul,

and for the sake of victory in battle, it is revealed from the essence of the soul.

Therefore, through the work of the attribute of Netzach,

victory in battle

(with the Nefesh HaBahamis),

there is drawn and revealed from the Essence of Ein Sof,

as explained at length in the continuation,

and at greater length

(with several additional details)

in the discourses of my father-in-law, the Rebbe

(the Rebbe Rashab)

of blessed memory,

up to the matter of "the righteousness of his nobles in Israel,"

"nobles" (parzono) a term meaning open (parzah), as in the verse

"Open (parzot) shall Jerusalem dwell without walls,"

above the measure of the attributes.

And based on this, it will be understood that through the work of "Legions of Havayah" they draw down the name Tzevaos,

for behold, the teaching of the Maggid is known

(regarding "Whom did He consult? The souls of the righteous"),

that Israel, even before they were created

(before the entire order of Hishtalshelus about which He consulted),

their form was engraved in Him, blessed be He.

And through the work of the children of Israel, this matter is drawn and revealed.

And therefore, through the work of "Legions of Havayah,"

the name Tzevaos is drawn,

for this name is

(as above)

in Netzach and Hod,

and as my father and teacher, the Rebbe, explains

at length, that the letters of the name Tzevaos and their order

(Tzadi, Bet,

the two Yuds of Aleph,

and Tav)

indicate Netzach and Hod

[In the Pardes

and in many places in Kabbalah it is stated that the name Tzevaos is also in Yesod,

but what is relevant here is the aspect of the name Tzevaos as it is in Netzach and Hod],

and since the form of Israel is engraved in Him, blessed be He,

(as above),

therefore, through the work of "Legions of Havayah,"

the work of Netzach,

the matter of the name Tzevaos which is in Netzach

(and Hod) is effected.

And this means that through the work of victory in battle,

there is drawn and revealed from the Essence of Ein Sof,

and through this drawing, it becomes "He and His causations are one"

(also)

in Biyah.

And this gives strength for the work of refining during the time of exile,

and to take along all the matters,

vessels of silver and vessels of gold and garments,

in the future redemption which will be with an upraised hand

(just as was the redemption of the Exodus from Egypt,

as it is written,

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

that through our deeds and our service during the time of exile

and especially in the period of the footsteps of Moshiach, it will be that the children of Israel will go out with an upraised hand to greet Moshiach our righteousness,

speedily in our actual days.