English translation — מאמר זה היום תחילת מעשיך תשמ"ב

B"S.

The night of Erev Rosh HaShanah 5742*

"This day is the beginning of Your works, a remembrance of the first day,"

and the Tzemach Tzedek

[the one whose birthday is on Erev Rosh HaShanah]

notes that there appears to be a contradiction from the beginning to the end,

for the meaning of "This day is the beginning of Your works"

(a literal beginning)

is that on Rosh HaShanah

(this day)

is the beginning of the coming into being of all the worlds,

meaning that on every Rosh HaShanah all worlds come into being anew

as they were the first time,

and the meaning of "a remembrance of the first day" is that Rosh HaShanah is only a remembrance of the first day.

And he explains regarding this,

that on Rosh HaShanah there are two matters,

that it is "the beginning of Your works" and that it is "a remembrance of the first day."

And from the fact that first we say that Rosh HaShanah is the beginning of Your works and afterwards we add that it is a remembrance of the first day,

it is proven

that this that Rosh HaShanah is a remembrance of the first day is more elevated

than that it is the beginning of Your works.

2)

And this will be understood by prefacing the explanation of that which we say about the day of Rosh HaShanah, "This day is the beginning of Your works,"

for the question regarding this is well-known,

behold, on the twenty-fifth of Elul the world was created,

and Rosh HaShanah is the day when Adam, the first man, was created, which is the sixth day of creation, on which was the end and completion of creation,

so how can we say about this day that it is the beginning of Your works?

And the explanation of this is,

that the ultimate intent of the creation of the world is that there should be a revelation of G‑dliness within it,

to the extent that through every single detail of creation the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He, will be revealed,

as our sages, of blessed memory, said

(at the conclusion and seal of tractate Avot)

"Everything that the Holy One, blessed be He, created in His world, He created only for His glory."

And this revelation is accomplished through the service of man.

Therefore we say about the day of Rosh HaShanah, "This day is the beginning of Your works,"

for this matter

(that there should be a revelation of G‑dliness in the world),

which is the intention of "Your works,"

began on the day when man was created.

For in addition to the fact that it was then that the possibility for a revelation of G‑dliness in the world was made,

it was then also actualized,

as our sages, of blessed memory, said

that Adam, the first man,

(on the day he was created)

proclaimed to all the creations, "Come,

let us bow down and prostrate ourselves, let us kneel before Hashem, our Maker,"

and they all answered and said, "Hashem

reigns, He is clothed in grandeur."

And it can be said,

that this that we say "This day is the beginning of Your works"

(although Rosh HaShanah is seemingly only the beginning of the intention of Your works),

is,

because "works" (maaseh) indicates completion,

for just as in man the completion of any matter is specifically when it comes into actuality,

so too is it above

[and moreover,

from this it is drawn down to lower man as well,

"man is an image of the supernal"],

that the completion of the entire order of Hishtalshelus is specifically in Asiyah.

And this is "This day is the beginning of Your works,"

for "works" indicates completion,

that the day of Rosh HaShanah, the day when Adam, the first man, was created,

is the beginning of the completion of creation.

And it can be said that this is also the reason that Rosh HaShanah is called here

(in continuation of "the beginning of Your works")

by the name "this day,"

for "this day" is revelation in the ultimate sense

["this" indicates revelation,

like one who points with his finger and says "this,"

and "day" indicates revelation,

as it is written,

"And G‑d called the light day,"

and "this day"

(two expressions of revelation)

is the ultimate revelation],

and this is "This day is the beginning of Your works,"

that this that Rosh HaShanah is the beginning of Your works,

the beginning of the completion of creation,

is that then the matter of revelation began

(for through the service of Adam, the first man, a revelation of G‑dliness was made in the world,

as above),

this matter of "this day."

3)

And the explanation of the matter

(that Rosh Hashanah,

the day when the first man was created,

is the beginning of Your works)

in a deeper sense,

it is known that the service of man has the power to change even the past.

And from this it is understood

(all the more so)

regarding the service of the first man, who was the handiwork of the Holy One, blessed be He,

that the elevation he effected in all created beings through his proclamation, "Come, let us bow down... before Hashem our Maker," also applies to their existence prior to his service.

For since

the original intent of creation was that man, through his service, should draw down a revelation of G-dliness into the world,

therefore,

after a revelation of G-dliness is drawn into the world, an elevation is thereby effected also in the existence of the world that preceded it,

and especially since its purpose is the preparation for the revelation that is drawn down through the service of man.

And this is what [is meant by] the day of Rosh Hashanah,

the day when the first man was created,

is the beginning of Your works,

for the simple explanation

(and a matter does not depart from its simple meaning)

[is that] "the beginning of Your works" is the beginning of all the works,

even the works that were in the first five days of creation

(including also the time of those days),

for through the service of the first man, an elevation and renewal was effected also in the existence of the world that preceded this,

and therefore this day is the beginning of Your works,

the beginning of all of creation.

And just as on the first Rosh Hashanah,

on the day when the first man was created,

the perfection of creation was effected

(Your works),

and in a manner of renewal

(the beginning of Your works),

so too is it on Rosh Hashanah of every single year,

for through Israel crowning the Holy One, blessed be He, that He be King over them and over the entire world,

perfection and renewal are effected in all of creation,

and even to the extent that through this, perfection and renewal are effected also above,

according to the teaching of the Baal Shem Tov

and the Alter Rebbe

on the statement of the Mishnah,

"Know what is above from you,"

[meaning] that all the matters that are above are from you.

4)

And after it says "this day is the beginning of Your works," it adds "a remembrance of the first day,"

for that Rosh Hashanah is a remembrance of the first day is loftier than that it is the beginning of Your works.

For "the beginning of Your works" is the perfection and renewal of creation that is brought about through the service of man

(as above),

for the drawing down from Above that comes through this is only from the level that arousal from below reaches there.

However, the matter of the first day is

(as the Tzemach Tzedek explains in the aforementioned discourse28)

that the drawing down then was from His own essence,

for there was not yet anyone to arouse, as it is written29

"and there was no man" etc.30

[That is,

not only was there no actual arousal from below, but it was not even possible for there to be arousal from below],

and the drawing down then was from His kindness,

for31

"He desires kindness."

That is,

in addition to the fact that the drawing down now

(through arousal from below)

is of the aspect of judgment and justice, while the drawing down then was from His kindness28,

"the world is built with kindness"32,

this kindness

(of the first day)

is above not only kindness as it is in the emotions, but also above its root as it is in the intellect, etc.,

for its essence is

(not kindness, but)

"desire for kindness,"

the matter of desire

(delight33),

except that the desire is that there be kindness,

and from this it is drawn that "the world is built with kindness,"

for from this desire the kindness is built, from which the world is built34.

And it can be said,

that the inner reason why the first day of creation is called "first day" is,

that the revelation of the desire for kindness that shone on this day is a light and revelation

("day" is light and revelation)

that is first,

which is the cause and root for the drawing down of the attribute of kindness from which all worlds came into being.

And this is "a remembrance of the first day,"

that on every Rosh Hashanah,

by recalling the manner of creation that was on the first day,

when the revelation of the desire for kindness shone,

through this they draw down35

this revelation.

And this is that the matter that Rosh Hashanah is a remembrance of the first day is loftier than that Rosh Hashanah is the beginning of Your works,

for "the beginning of Your works" is what is drawn down through arousal from below,

while the first day

(the revelation of the desire for kindness)

is the first light and revelation that is the root and cause of the entire order of Hishtalshelus

(above and below),

and it itself is above the category of above and below

(upper and lower).

5)

Now, that Israel, through their service

(in which they mention the manner of creation that was on the first day)

draw down the aforementioned revelation, reaches in its root to the desire for kindness from His own essence, and arousal from below does not reach there,

for the root of Israel is higher even than the concept of the desire for kindness.

And as is known regarding the matter, "In whom did He consult? In the souls of the righteous"36

("and Your people are all righteous"37),

that this, that there was an arousal, as it were, to be a desire for kindness, is from the aspect of that which arose in thought38

(essential thought,

which is above the revelation of the desire for kindness)

that in the future Israel will fulfill Torah and mitzvos and make a dwelling place for Him, blessed be He, in the lower realms39.

Therefore,

through the service of Israel, there is drawn down

[and made40]

also the revelation of the desire for kindness.

And from this it is understood,

that the revelation of the desire for kindness that is made now through our deeds and our service,

is more elevated than this revelation was at the beginning of creation,

for through our deeds and our service, there is made a satisfaction above,

"satisfaction before Me that I spoke and My will was done"41,

that this satisfaction and delight

(that "My will was done,"

through Israel)

is in His Essence

("satisfaction before Me")

which is above the delight of the desire for kindness,

and through the fact that the revelation of the desire for kindness is aroused and drawn down through the service of man,

there is drawn into it the satisfaction and delight of "My will was done"42.

And this is also the reason

(the inner reason)

for that which before saying that Rosh Hashanah is a remembrance of the first day, we say that it is "the beginning of Your works,"

that the remembrance of the first day that comes after the precedence of the concept of "the beginning of Your works"

(the drawing down of the revelation of the desire for kindness that comes after the precedence of service)

is more elevated than it is from its own side,

as it was at the beginning of creation.

6)

And even though also the revelation of the desire for kindness that was at the beginning,

the root of its drawing down is from the essential delight in the service of Israel

[and as above,

that this is the cause for the arousal to be a desire for kindness],

nevertheless,

through the actual service of Israel,

an even more elevated superiority is added,

and as is understood from this, that in order for the intention that "the Holy One, blessed be He, desired to have a dwelling place for Himself in the lower realms"43 to be completed,

it was necessary for there to be the actual creation of the worlds,

down to this lowest world44,

and afterwards it was necessary for there to be the Giving of the Torah, for then specifically the permanence of the world was established, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said45

on the verse46

"The earth feared and was still,"

and afterwards there must be the service of man

(after the Giving of the Torah)

in actuality,

the study of Torah,

and in the manner of "great is study that brings to deed"47

in the actual fulfillment of the mitzvos – even though all this was in His knowledge and thought, blessed be He, beforehand

(and this thought is the cause for the arousal to be a desire for kindness)

– for the thought that was beforehand is an essential thought in His Essence, blessed be He, which is above revelation,

and this, that from this thought the arousal of the desire for kindness comes about, is only in a manner of separation

[i.e.,

that the thought remained in its essence and was not drawn into the concept of the desire for kindness48,

and the concept of the desire for kindness that was made through this is only the desire and delight in kindness,

its revelations],

and through the actual service of man,

there is made a revelation of the Essence49,

a dwelling place for Him, blessed be He,

for Him, for His Essence50.

7)

And this is51 that the perfection of the world that will be in the future,

"These are the generations of Peretz"52

"generations" is written fully53,

will be more elevated than the perfection that was at the beginning of creation,

"These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created"54

"generations" is written fully53,

"the world was created in its fullness"55,

that the perfection of the world as it is from the side of creation

["These are the generations

(full)

etc. 'when they were created,'

the world was created in its fullness"]

is within measure and limitation.

For since the definition of "world" is measure and limitation,

it is therefore understood,

that also its perfection is within measure and limitation.

And even though the creation was from the aspect that "He desires kindness,"

which is above limitation

(as above, section 4),

nevertheless, the concept of the desire for kindness is only the cause for creation,

but the creation itself was in a manner of a chain of descent from above to below42.

However, the perfection that will be in the future,

since it is made through the service of man, through which the revelation of the essential delight in His Essence, blessed be He, is drawn down

(in which no definition applies),

therefore56

the perfection of the world in the future will be above measure and limitation,

"These are the generations of Peretz,"

for the concept of Peretz

[who was so called because of the phrase "What a breach you have made for yourself! The breach is upon you"57]

is that he breaks through all measures and limitations.

And this perfection that is brought about through the service of man began on the sixth day of Creation, when man was created and began to work the ground,

first the ground that is within man himself,

"And Hashem Elokim formed the man, dust from the ground"58,

and afterwards, and through this, also the ground that is outside of him,

namely the entire order of the chain of descent

(for everything was from the dust59),

and as mentioned, he effected in all of creation the matter of "Come, let us bow down and kneel, let us bend the knee before Hashem our Maker."

And particularly after the sixth day of the Giving of the Torah

[for then an elevation and perfection was made in the sixth day of the Act of Creation60],

that the service of man and the effect in the world

(which is brought about through his service)

after the Giving of the Torah is in a more elevated manner.

And particularly on Rosh HaShanah,

"This day is the beginning of Your works,"

which is analogous to the beginning of Your works that was brought about through the service of Adam the First on the first Rosh HaShanah,

and even more so,

and in Rosh HaShanah itself, behold, in each and every year this matter is in a more elevated manner,

as per the commandment61

"We ascend in holiness,"

until on each Rosh HaShanah a new, higher light is drawn down that had not yet shone from the days of the world, such a supernal light62,

and until the Redemption, when "the breaker will go up before us"63

and will break through all measurements and limitations.

8)

And behold, the three matters mentioned above that are drawn down on Rosh HaShanah

(the beginning of Your works,

remembrance of the first day

(the revelation of the desire for kindness),

and the drawing down of the revelation of the essential delight that is above the desire for kindness)

are

(in a manner of)

the three matters of Malchiyos, Zichronos, and Shofros.

And the explanation is,

that Malchiyos is in the aspect of the immanent, filling all worlds

(as explained in the aforementioned discourse of the Tzemach Tzedek64),

a light that is valued by the worlds, to which the arousal from below reaches,

and this is what is said: "Recite before Me Malchiyos, so that you make Me King over you"65,

for just as the matter of kingship below is brought about by the people, as it is written66

"You shall surely set a king over you,"

so too is it in the kingship of heaven67,

that this—that the Holy One, blessed be He, becomes King—is through "you shall make Me King,"

that Israel accept upon themselves the yoke of the kingdom of heaven and request "Reign..." etc.

[for in this request and acceptance is also included the request that He decree decrees upon us, and the acceptance of the yoke of commandments68,

to fulfill all that He will decree and command in the manner of acceptance of the yoke,

and as per the wording of the blessing of

(all)

the commandments, "Who sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us,"

that the fulfillment of the commandments is by virtue of the command and decree69],

through which the Holy One, blessed be He, becomes King over all of Israel,

"so that you make Me King over you,"

and through them also King over all the earth.

And this—that through the service of Israel they arouse the matter of kingship—is,

for the matter of kingship is

(generally)

in the light that fills,

that an arousal from below reaches there.

And it is analogous to the matter of "the beginning of Your works."

And although on Rosh HaShanah all things return to their primordial state,

and the drawing down of kingship on Rosh HaShanah is from the Essence of Ein Sof that is above the matter of kingship

[and this—that it is in the power of Israel to draw down from the Essence of Ein Sof—is because they are rooted in the Essence70,

and analogous to what is explained in Likkutei Torah71,

that this—that it is within the capacity of Israel to arouse the revelation of His kingship, may He be blessed, from His Essence and Being—is by virtue of the covenant which Hashem has cut with us, to be a people for Him72,

that they should be similar to the King,

people like Him],

behold, this is that the root of the drawing down is from the Essence of Ein Sof,

but the drawing down itself is that the matter of kingship is drawn down73,

which generally is the immanent, filling all worlds.

And the matter of Zichronos is in the Ein Sof that encompasses all worlds74,

which is holy and separate from the worlds.

For the matter of remembrance applies only to something distant,

in place or in level,

to the extent that the thing does not occupy a place relative to Him.

And this is that Zichronos is in the Essence of Ein Sof, for "everything before Him is considered as nothing"75.

And it is analogous to the matter of "remembrance of the first day"76.

However, even so, the matter of remembrance applies specifically to something that exists in reality even before one remembers it

(except that the thing is distant from him in place and level).

And this is that Zichronos is in the aspect of the encompassing,

for even regarding the encompassing, there is the existence of worlds

(only that they are in a distant place,

for they are considered as absolutely nothing)77.

And the matter of Shofros is as explained in the aforementioned discourse of the Tzemach Tzedek78,

that the voice of the shofar is an inner voice from the aspect of the innerness of the heart,

from which it is understood,

that the drawing down through the shofar is from the innerness and Essence of Ein Sof that is above even the encompassing79.

And as it is written80,

"To You my heart said, 'Seek My face'; Your face, Hashem, I will seek,"

that through "Seek My face,"

the cry of the innerness of the heart,

through this "Your face, Hashem, I will seek,"

the drawing down from the innerness and Essence of Ein Sof.

And it is analogous to the drawing down and revelation of the essential delight that is above even the matter of the desire for kindness.

And particularly according to what is known81,

that shofar

(from the term "improve your deeds"82)

is delight,

and the aspect of the delight of the shofar is the source of delights,

until the King's delight in His very Essence.

9)

And behold, these three matters

(Filling, Surrounding, and Atzmus Ein Sof)

have, so to speak, their parallel in man.

For since man is a microcosm of the Above,

therefore there is in him a parallel to all the matters that are above.

For the internal powers in man,

which are revealed in the limbs of the body,

are a parallel to the Filling light that clothes itself and influences the worlds in a revealed manner83.

And the encompassing powers in man,

like the will that acts upon all the powers and limbs but is not revealed in them84,

are a parallel to the Surrounding light85

whose influence on the worlds is in concealment83.

And the essence of the soul, which is above even the encompassing powers, is a parallel to Atzmus Ein Sof.

And from this it is understood,

that the services of Malchiyos and Zichronos are in the powers

(internal and encompassing)

of the soul,

and the service of Shofros is in the essence of the soul.

And as mentioned above,

that the sound of the shofar is an inner voice from the innerness of the heart.

And behold, although the matter of the shofar is an inner cry from the innerness of the heart,

nevertheless,

the cry must be specifically through a blast in a physical shofar,

a shofar of a lamb or ram,

a living being

(which is below the level of speech),

as explained in the aforementioned discourse of the Tzemach Tzedek86,

and moreover,

that the horn of the shofar must be detached

(from the lamb or ram),

inanimate.

For from this it is understood also in spiritual service,

that the service of the shofar, despite being from the innerness and essence of the soul,

must be

(also)

in the inanimate aspect of man.

And specifically through this, the inner cry from the innerness of the heart is aroused and revealed.

And in the known manner87

regarding the matter of inanimate, vegetative, animate, and speaking in man, that specifically the inanimate in man relates to the speaking within him,

so too is it regarding the encompassing aspects of man, which are above the distinctions of levels of inanimate, vegetative, animate, and speaking

(parallel to the Surrounding light, which is above the distinctions of levels of the chain of descent),

and also in the essence of the soul

(which is above even the encompassing powers),

that their arousal and revelation is specifically through the inanimate in man.

And therefore one must blow specifically a physical shofar,

inanimate,

for the revelation of the inner voice from the innerness of the heart is not in the will of the head

(Galgaltha),

and certainly it is not revealed and clothed in Chabad of the intellect or in the emotions of the heart,

but rather specifically in the inanimate within him,

the service of acceptance of the yoke,

the inanimate of the human soul

[And in the known manner88

regarding the matter of lower awe, that specifically through it the aspect of higher awe is revealed],

and lower than that – the matter of action

(which relates to the inanimate of the human body),

the blast of a physical shofar.

And to the extent that this matter

(the blowing of the shofar in action)

specifically is the singular commandment – the commandment of the day of Rosh Hashanah,

as our sages said89

"The commandment of the day is with the shofar."

And with this will be understood the statement of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe90

in the name of the Alter Rebbe

(in connection with Rosh Hashanah)

"One has absolutely no comprehension

of how precious the body of a Jew is to the Holy One, blessed be He,"

for the intention is not that even the body is precious to the Holy One, blessed be He,

but rather that the main preciousness is in the body.

For this is what he says, "One has absolutely no comprehension,"

because the preciousness of the body is beyond comprehension and understanding,

for the preciousness of the body of a Jew

(inanimate)

is from the aspect of Atzmus91.

And one may add,

that since the Holy One, blessed be He, desired to have a dwelling place in the lower worlds,

that even the physical world

(outside of man)

should be a dwelling place for Him, blessed be He,

therefore it is not sufficient that the inner voice

(the aspect of the innerness of the heart)

is revealed through the inanimate

(acceptance of the yoke,

and action)

within man,

but rather the revelation of this voice

(the inner voice,

from the aspect of the innerness of the heart)

must be through a shofar of an animal,

and in this itself,

as it is severed from its source of life,

inanimate,

for specifically through this does man effect

(also)

in the world

(and in its inanimate aspect)

that it should be a dwelling place for Him, blessed be He.

In a parallel to how it was on Rosh Hashanah the first time,

when Adam the First effected

(also)

in the creations

(outside of himself)

that there should be in them "we will prostrate and bow, we will kneel before the Lord our Maker."

And this matter of the shofar

[the blowing of the shofar in physicality,

in a shofar of an animal,

and as it is made inanimate]

is from the term "improve your deeds" (shapru ma'aseichem),

the innerness of delight

(as above),

for specifically through this is perfected the intention that the Holy One, blessed be He, desired.

And so it is also in the simple understanding of matters, that the satisfaction and delight above this, that "My will is done"

[for this satisfaction is the innerness of delight,

above the delight of "He desires kindness"

(as above in section 3)]

is from the fulfillment of the commandment in its simple physicality

(in an inanimate shofar of an animal),

"My will is done."

10)

And 4)

And behold, the satisfaction and delight above this, that "My will is done," is throughout the year,

except that on Rosh Hashanah it is the main commandment of the day, etc.,

and the elevation that occurs on Rosh Hashanah is according to the manner of service and the satisfaction brought about through it during the entire year.

For when Israel increase

(in their service,

and consequently)

in the satisfaction throughout the year,

there is also an increase in the satisfaction from "My will is done" on Rosh Hashanah.

And since each and every Jew certainly effected in the past year all the matters,

all Jews are in the presumptive state of fitness92,

for the matter of presumption (chazakah) is a strong pillar in the Torah,

and particularly after the service of the month of Elul,

and in Elul itself after the 18th of Elul, which infuses vitality into all the matters of the month of Elul93

[in addition to it being the luminous day on which the two great luminaries were born94],

then the presumptive fitness of each and every Jew is with greater strength and power,

and from day to day

(in the days from the 18th of Elul onward)

the fitness of each and every Jew is in a manner of increasing and adding light,

and particularly in the days of Selichos,

behold it is clear that "you are standing today, all of you"95,

as stated in the portion that was read on the Shabbos from which96

all the days are blessed,

and according to the explanation of the Baal Shem Tov97

that "today" refers to Rosh Hashanah98

which is the day of judgment,

and "you"

(each and every Jew,

all of you)

"are standing" – existing and enduring, that they prevail in judgment,

for this matter

(prevailing in judgment)

already exists on the eve of Rosh Hashanah,

therefore on the eve of Rosh Hashanah they wear white and wrap themselves in white99

etc.,

and they go with joy,

and with great joy100,

to crown the King on Rosh Hashanah,

for already on the eve of Rosh Hashanah all the necessary preparations exist,

for joy breaks all boundaries101.

And this also serves as a close preparation for "the breaker will go up before us" very soon,

that with a good inscription and sealing for a good and sweet year, it will be included and emphasized that the year will be a year of redemption,

the true and complete redemption through our righteous Moshiach,

"the breaker will go up before us,"

and speedily in our actual days.