English translation — מאמר ואלה המשפטים תשל"ח

With the help of Heaven.

Motzaei Shabbat Parshat Mishpatim,

Rosh Chodesh Adar Rishon – in his room – 5738*

"And these are the judgments that you shall place before them"

And the Alter Rebbe, in Torah Or at the beginning of our parshah,

precisely notes that "before them" implies plural, while "you shall purchase" is singular,

and it should have said "they shall purchase."

Also, the precise point is known

why all the judgments begin specifically with the law of the Hebrew slave

[for this is also the intent of the Midrash

on the verse when it says "I acquired you in Egypt, etc.,"

to explain the reason for beginning "And these are the judgments" with the law of the Hebrew slave].

And there are several more precise points on the verse,

as explained in the discourses of our Nesi'im who fill his place.

2)

And the concept is,

that what is written "And these are the judgments, etc." is a general matter, as is also understood from the explanation of our Rabbis that it refers to the entire matter of Torah study.

And this is also what is written "you shall place"

(singular form)

which refers to Moshe,

for the matter of Moshe is the matter of the Torah,

and afterwards it says "before them"

(plural form),

meaning that through him the Torah was drawn down to each and every Jew until the end of all generations,

as it is written

"Remember the Torah of Moshe My servant,"

even to an infant beginning to speak, whose father teaches him Torah,

and this is the verse

"Torah was commanded to us by Moshe, etc."

And likewise, there is a general instruction in this verse also regarding the manner of Torah study,

that it must be in a specific manner, as our Rabbis said

regarding what is written "you shall place before them," that the teacher who taught, etc., goes back and reviews the matter even several times until they understand the depth of the halachah with its reasoning well,

and the Alter Rebbe adds to this at the end of his Hilchot Talmud Torah

that you must place before them a reason that settles their learning and places it in their heart

[and it can be said that in what the Alter Rebbe says "places it in their heart," he explains that what is written

("you shall place")

"before them" means before their innerness,

for this is when he places it in the heart],

and this is a general matter in the study of Torah for each and every Jew

(for the study of Torah is a mitzvah that is on his body,

which each one is obligated in).

And as it is written

"And you shall teach them to your children," and our Rabbis said

that the words of Torah should be sharp and clear in your mouth

(which is like the above matter that the halachah must be clear and ordered, etc.),

and this is an obligation upon each and every Jew

[for in addition to the obligation of "and you shall teach them to your children,"

the sharpening of the words of Torah must also be in the study of the father

(and the teacher)

himself,

and on the contrary,

specifically through this, that first there is within him the sharpening of the words of Torah, then afterwards he can "teach them"

(also)

to his children].

And based on this, it is understood

what is written "And these are the judgments that you shall place before them" immediately after the portion of the Giving of the Torah,

for in this verse there is a general instruction regarding the manner

[of Torah study for each one

[both in studying with himself,

and also in "and you shall teach them to your children" literally,

and "your children" refers to students, as our Rabbis said

on the verse]

according to the above teaching of our Rabbis, and primarily in the manner]

of man's divine service to his Master.

3)

And the verse continues to explain the details of the service, and in order from the light to the heavy,

for the service must be in a manner of "little by little I will drive them out."

And the beginning of the service is in what is written,

"When you acquire a Hebrew slave," etc.,

for in this are included two aspects in service,

the aspect of a Canaanite slave and the aspect of a Hebrew slave,

as understood from what is stated in the Mechilta

and brought in Rashi's commentary on the Torah

(from which it is understood that this is also according to the simple meaning of the verse),

that "a Hebrew slave" means a slave who is a Hebrew, or perhaps it means the slave of a Hebrew

(a Canaanite slave that you purchased from a Jew),

the verse teaches, etc.,

for the conclusion is that it refers to a slave who is a Hebrew,

but nevertheless there is a possibility to think

(also in the simple meaning of the verse as above)

that it is a Canaanite slave, and a special teaching is needed

(the verse teaches)

to negate this reasoning,

from which it is understood that there is room to say

(as a possibility to think)

that it also refers to a Canaanite slave.

And in this

(in the aspect of a Canaanite slave)

is the beginning of the service,

and afterwards he elevates in his service and reaches the aspect of a Hebrew slave,

until he reaches the aspect of a Hebrew maidservant,

and as will be explained below.

4)

And the explanation is,

as explained in the discourses

at length

[and particularly in the discourse about which the Tzemach Tzedek writes in Ohr HaTorah

that this discourse is from our great master, may his soul be at rest, etc., and it is a very esteemed discourse, etc., and it is about the levels of the righteous, the wicked, and the intermediate mentioned in the Tanya],

that there are three levels in the soul of man,

Canaanite slave,

Hebrew slave, and Hebrew maidservant,

and their meaning is the three levels of Nefesh, Ruach, Neshamah,

and it is explained there that they are the matter of the righteous, the wicked, and the intermediate.

And in this is the order of service: first is the service of the aspect of a Canaanite slave, and afterwards a Hebrew slave and a Hebrew maidservant,

as it is stated in the Zohar in Saba DeMishpatim,

"When a person is born, they give him a Nefesh... if he merits more, they give him a Ruach... if he merits more, they give him a Neshamah,"

for immediately at the time of birth, the aspect of Nefesh is drawn to everyone

(among the levels of the soul),

that from this aspect, the service is in the aspect of Nefesh,

and afterwards, through his service, he ascends to the aspect of Ruach, which is more elevated,

until he reaches the aspect of Neshamah

(and to the service that comes from these aspects),

as explained in the details of the differences in the service of Nefesh, Ruach, Neshamah in Kuntres HaAvodah.

5)

And behold, in the explanation of the matter of a Canaanite slave, there is a discussion in the glosses and notes and explanations of the Tzemach Tzedek in Ohr HaTorah

whether this is the aspect of a wicked person who has it good, or the intermediate mentioned in the Tanya,

and he concludes there

that both are true.

Accordingly,

the aspect of a Canaanite slave refers to both the wicked and the intermediate.

And at first glance, it requires explanation,

for how is it possible that one who is in the aspect of a slave,

"a slave prefers to be licentious"

[that his main desire and satisfaction is in licentiousness... and he goes after the stubbornness of his heart,

and what he does and serves is only against his will, due to fear of judgment, lest he be struck with a rod,

as explained at length in the discourses],

could be in the aspect of an intermediate

[and fulfill the oath to be an intermediate],

for the intermediate has never committed a transgression and will never commit one, as explained in the Tanya,

and as is known the saying of the early Chassidim, "If only I were an intermediate."

But the explanation is,

that being an intermediate is within the capacity of every person

(including this one who "prefers to be licentious")

as understood from the fact that in the title "Book of Intermediates"

(which is the subject of the book)

the Alter Rebbe writes

[and it is known

that even the title was written by the Alter Rebbe]

"For the matter is very near to you"

"in your mouth and in your heart to do it,"

and in the body of the Tanya

he further writes that the trait of the intermediate is the trait of every person

[meaning that even from the perspective of measurement and limitation

(for the matter of measure

(trait)

can only be said when there is a defined measure of limitation)

behold, the aspect of the intermediate is according to the action and measure of each person,

for whoever it may be from Israel

(every person)

is included in "you are called 'man'"

referring to "likeness to the supernal."

And moreover

(as he continues in the Tanya there)

"and

afterwards every person

will draw"

[for in this

(in the word "will draw")

there are two interpretations—like in "and you shall love"

—a command and a promise for the future].

And the reason for this is,

for even this that "he prefers to be licentious"

(as above)

is only in externality,

but his inwardness—"the trait of every person and afterwards every person will draw"—is that he is literally a part of G-d above,

and as the well-known ruling of the Rambam,

that when they coerce him

(for he prefers otherwise)

and he says "I desire," this is his true desire

[for that he prefers to be licentious is not him, but his evil inclination compelled him],

and surely his inwardness

(his inwardness)

will come into actuality as above

("will draw" is future tense and a promise)

"in your mouth and in your heart to do it,"

in thought, speech, and deed,

including the fulfillment of the oath that they administer to him

(at least "do not be wicked"

(rather an intermediate))

as in the Tanya

[for this is also the interpretation of "and afterwards every person will draw,"

that the person

(from the perspective of his soul)

is drawn to be an intermediate,

which takes him out of whatever state and situation he may be in his service],

for surely

(even if he needs to repent)

his end is to repent, and as the promise

"for no outcast shall be cast out from Him"

[and on the contrary,

through repentance he will come to a more elevated level,

as the statement,

"In the place where penitents stand, even the completely righteous cannot stand"].

And until, from the perspective of his inwardness,

behold, he is always very near to this

(that it be "in your mouth and in your heart to do it,"

in thought, speech, and deed—like an intermediate)

very.

And based on this, it will also be understood in our matter, that even though a Canaanite slave "prefers to be licentious," nevertheless his level is the aspect of the intermediate,

for ultimately he will surely say "I desire"

(from the perspective of his inwardness)

for "no outcast shall be cast out," etc.

6)

And behold, this that it is possible to have a logical premise in the Torah that "Or it could be that he is only the slave of a Hebrew," but he himself is a Canaanite slave,

meaning that the level of service should be in the aspect of a Canaanite slave, for whom "abandonment is pleasing,"

is only from the descent of the soul below,

that it descended from a high roof to a deep pit.

[And even then, there is no logical premise that he would be a completely Canaanite slave, G-d forbid, but rather "his slave

(Canaanite)

of a Hebrew,"

for the influence and mastery of the "Hebrew" is upon him,

because even one who is on the lowest level among Israel

(in the aspect of a Canaanite slave,

due to the descent of the soul below)

nevertheless, because he is a child of Avraham our father

[for Avraham was one,

Avraham the Hebrew]

he has as an inheritance the love

(and fear)

that is hidden, as explained at length in Tanya,

that this love and fear of G-d acts upon each and every one

(even if it seems to him that abandonment is pleasing to him,

that his desire is for other matters,

even for matters that are the opposite of what is desired, G-d forbid)

that he must do as the Most High wants,

and therefore it is impossible that he be a complete Canaanite, G-d forbid, but only a Canaanite slave of a Hebrew,

that in a revealed way he is in the aspect of a Canaanite slave,

but within him is found

(in concealment)

the hidden love inherited from Avraham the Hebrew].

And the intent of this descent,

that there is a logical premise in the Torah that "Or it could be that he is only the slave of a Hebrew,"

is only so that through his service in "the teaching says" – the study of Torah in a manner that he learns from it what is the will of the Torah – behold, he will immediately see and reveal his true self, that "here too, he is a slave who is a Hebrew,"

and that he himself is a Hebrew

(and not that he is a Canaanite and only the mastery of the Hebrew is upon him),

meaning that his place and level is in the aspect of "the other side of the river,"

and also as it is brought in the Midrash

that what Avraham is called Avraham the Hebrew is because the entire world is on one side and he is on the other side,

and so he acts in his service to be

(a slave)

a Hebrew,

that he stands himself against the entire world,

beginning from the concealment and hiding

(world from the term concealment)

of his animal soul,

and transforms it,

and goes and ascends from level to level,

from the aspect of a Canaanite slave

(that you took from Israel)

to the aspect of a slave

(who is)

a Hebrew,

and afterwards also to the aspect of a Hebrew maidservant,

until he acts through his service that he, or his son, will betroth her,

as explained at length in the esteemed discourse of our great master, of blessed memory, mentioned above.

7)

And behold, the entirety of the above matter also exists in the service of each and every person every day.

And the explanation is,

that the aspect of a Canaanite slave is when Israel is in a state of being clothed in worldly matters in order to

refine them,

and as it is written,

"And you shall do all your work,"

that there must be work in matters of this physical world and also in the materiality of the world in order to transform it into holiness,

that from this clothing in worldly matters,

through the refinement, it is possible that an undesirable matter from the thing being refined will cling to the one who refines, as is brought in Tanya,

and through this it is possible that at the beginning of the service he will appear as in the aspect of a Canaanite slave.

However, this descent is for the purpose of an ascent,

and therefore it is only for a moment,

and immediately afterwards is the beginning of the ascent,

and moreover, through the descent an ascent is made with greater excellence and greater strength,

in the manner explained in Tanya

regarding the matter that confuses a person in his prayer,

that from the confusion itself he must be aroused to pray with more intention from the depths of the heart.

And it is when he contemplates that since the Holy One, blessed be He, is the one who gives life to the matter that confuses him, behold, surely this that was shown to him

(from above)

this confusion,

and the confusion is found within his domain of knowledge,

and even confuses him in his prayer,

it is

(not because it is a matter in itself, G-d forbid,

but rather)

only so that the person, through his service, will make from the confusion delicacies for the Many,

first through the service in the aspect of subjugation

(the entirety of the service of the intermediate ones),

until he also reaches the aspect of transformation

(the entirety of the service of the righteous)

as explained in Tanya,

and likewise is the matter in the above, that from the descent itself he must be aroused with greater excellence to perform his service in the aspect of a Canaanite slave,

a Hebrew slave and a Hebrew maidservant,

until he reaches the state of having "he, or his son, will betroth her,"

and until "she shall go out free, without payment"

[for all this is the entirety of the service of subjugation and transformation mentioned above]

as explained at length in the aforementioned discourse.

And through the aforementioned service of "six years he shall serve,"

that

("he shall serve")

refers to the entirety of man's service to his Master,

behold, they arrive at "and in the seventh"

("he shall go out free, without payment"),

which refers to the most sublime perfection that will be in the future,

the day

that is entirely Shabbat and rest for the life of the worlds,

for then there will be a revelation of G-dliness below,

a dwelling place for Him, blessed be He, in the lower realms

[and a foretaste of this revelation also shines now on Shabbat,

and especially

in the time of the "desire of all desires"].

8)

And one must connect this with the matter of the Mishkan explained in Parshat Terumah

[the parshah of the coming week, which is read on Shabbat during Minchah time,

for then it is already the beginning of connection to Motzaei Shabbat],

whose purpose is that through it, “I will dwell in their midst.”69

And primarily, this indwelling was through the Ark

[therefore the command to make the Ark preceded all other matters of the Mishkan,

for the inner essence and ultimate intention of the entire Mishkan was

(the indwelling of the Shechinah which is in)

the Ark, as explained at length in the Ramban on the Torah.70

And this is in line with the explanation of the Midrash cited above, that the reason it begins specifically with “And these are the judgments” regarding the law of the Hebrew slave is that in this mitzvah is hinted the inner point of the service of Israel – “I was created to serve my Master,”71

and as explained in the Midrash there, “I acquired you in Egypt, etc.”

And likewise in actual service, one first precedes the ultimate purpose of service,

which is the drawing down of the Shechinah through the Ark]

through which it is drawn to make for Him a dwelling place in the lower realms.

For by first having “I will dwell in their midst,”72

within each and every one,73

then afterward it is drawn to be “I will dwell in their midst” literally, in the Mishkan and in the Holy Temple, and even to the entire world

(and this will be complete in the seventh [millennium],

in the seventh thousandth year74).

And the service to effect the drawing down of the Shechinah is the making of the Ark, which is the matter of the Torah,

for through it the Shechinah is subsequently drawn also into the world,

for “a mitzvah is a lamp and Torah is light,”75

that the Torah illuminates76

and shows the path of each and every Jew to know the deed that they should do77

and those that they should not do.78

And first they draw down the indwelling of the Shechinah into the gold, silver, copper, etc.79

of the Mishkan,

and from the Mishkan and the Temple, light goes out to the world,80

until the world is filled with this light in a revealed manner,

and as the statement:81

“In the future, Jerusalem will spread throughout all the Land of Israel, and the Land of Israel will spread throughout all the lands,” in the true and complete redemption.

For this redemption depends on our deeds and service during the six thousand years that the world exists,82

and particularly in the service during the time of exile,83

and especially in the service at the conclusion and seal of the time of exile, in the footsteps of Moshiach

[and everything follows the conclusion84],

through which they bring the redemption, when the Holy Temple will be built in its place, revealed and literal,

and in the elevation that will be in the Third Holy Temple, of which it is said, “The Sanctuary, O L-rd, which Your hands established,”85

which is superior even to the First and Second Holy Temples86

and also superior to the elevation that was in the Mishkan.

For although the Mishkan was the handiwork of Moshe, and the handiworks of Moshe are eternal, as stated in the Gemara,87

and therefore the Mishkan is also eternal,

nevertheless, through the service of Israel during the time of exile, there will be

(in the Third Holy Temple)

an elevation that is superior even to the level of the Mishkan

[similar to the elevation of Moshiach over Moshe Rabbeinu88],

which will be the elevation of the service of teshuvah,

that from the very concealment and hiding of the world, they make a dwelling place for Him in the lower realms,

and as is known, the matter of Moshiach is the matter of teshuvah,89

as the statement:90

“Moshiach comes to bring the righteous back in teshuvah.”

“And a shoot will emerge from the stem of Yishai, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit,”91

until “the earth will be filled with knowledge of the L-rd as the waters cover the sea,”92

in the true and complete redemption.

And through the aforementioned service, they hasten,

speed up, and accelerate its coming even more,

so that it comes with the greatest speed, in our very own days, below ten handbreadths.

And it will be seen openly that “nations will walk by your light,”93

“and kings will be your attendants and their queens your nursemaids,”94

and so it will be for us even in the latter days of the exile,

for although “we are still servants of Achashverosh,”95

nevertheless, even then “the fear of the Jews fell upon them,”96

and even Achashverosh himself “kicked and gave the house of Haman to Queen Esther,”97

and this is a close preparation for the fulfillment of the prophecy98

that “then I will transform the peoples to a pure language, etc.,”

in the true and complete redemption through Moshiach Tzidkeinu.