English translation — מאמר תקעו בחודש שופר תשמ"ז

With the help of Heaven.

The second day of Rosh HaShanah,

the year 5747*

– Transcription –

"Blow the shofar at the new moon, at the concealment [bakeseh] for our holiday" etc.1,

And it is explained in this regard by the Rebbe, my father-in-law, the Nasi of our generation

[in his maamar beginning with the words "Tik'u" of the year 57072,

forty years ago,

(for after forty years a person stands on the understanding of his teacher3)],

that our sages, of blessed memory, said4

regarding the verse: "Which is the holiday on which the month is concealed? You must say this is Rosh HaShanah."

For "bakeseh" [means] the throne [keseh] of Hashem, where "Hashem" refers to the Sefirah of Malchus, and "keseh" means concealment; and Rosh HaShanah is called "Keseh" because on Rosh HaShanah the Sefirah of Malchus is concealed and hidden in the essential concealment, etc.

(And perhaps one may add a connection to the matter of "the holiday on which the month is concealed" simply,

for "month" simply refers to the moon,

and it is known that the moon is the Sefirah of Malchus),

and therefore the primary service of Rosh HaShanah is the building of the Sefirah of Malchus, as our sages, of blessed memory, said5

"Recite before Me [verses of] Kingship, so that you make Me King over you," etc.,

and in order to draw down the aspect of Malchus, it is through the shofar blast, as it is written, "Blow [the shofar]" etc.

And behold, there is a known precise point of our teacher the Baal Shem Tov

(in Kesser Shem Tov6)

regarding this verse,

that it should have said "Blow a shofar in the month."

And the Baal Shem Tov explained this,

that a person should constantly see that he be "in the month" — meaning to renew good deeds, that it should not be like a fixed routine.

And one can explain the matter,

that since this verse speaks about a fundamental and general matter,

the matter of Rosh HaShanah and the matter of "Make Me king over you,"

therefore it contains a fundamental and general instruction in the general service of each and every Jew,

that the service must be in a manner of renewal,

that at every time and every moment and in every single thing he does,

he should do it as something truly new7.

[And perhaps one can add to this further,

that this is also the precise meaning of the word "Tik'u" (blow),

"Tik'u" also from the term strength and might8,

that he should embed himself with the greatest strength and might without any changes in his service,

until he embeds himself in an eternal manner,

so that through this every moment of his service is a new thing].

And with this one can explain the connection to what was said previously in the teaching of the Baal Shem Tov there,

that the matter of a miracle is that the thing was renewed for the first time, and when it comes repeatedly it is called nature — meaning that in truth everything is a miracle.

And one can connect this with the teaching of the Baal Shem Tov9

that every thing in the world is renewed at every moment,

and what is called by the name "nature" is only because the renewal already occurred previously

(and was not renewed now for the first time).

And through contemplation on this very matter — that in truth everything is a miracle and a new thing — this gives power to every matter in service, that he should do it in a manner of something truly new.

And it continues afterward in the maamar

(of 5707)

there,

that the explanation of "Keseh" is

(also)

a term for time and season10,

that there is a limited time and season to draw down the aspect of Malchus.

And one must explain the connection of this matter

("Keseh" as a term for time and season)

to the matter of Rosh HaShanah,

based on the well-known teaching of the Maggid

[which is brought in the discourse of the Alter Rebbe printed in the Siddur with Chassidus11

that was written by his son and successor, the Mitteler Rebbe],

that time is created.

And from this it is understood,

that just as on Rosh HaShanah a renewal is effected in the creation of the entire world,

as the statement12

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

so too, on Rosh HaShanah there is the renewal of the entire creation of the boundaries of time and place and their existence

(for time and place are boundaries of the world13).

And the matter is,

that behold, there is a known precise point

(in Likkutei Torah14

etc.),

that on the 25th of Elul the world was created15,

and on Rosh HaShanah it is the sixth day of Creation,

the day of the creation of Adam, the first man,

and what is this "This day is the beginning of Your works, a remembrance of the first day"?

And it is explained in this14,

that although the creation of the entire world was in the first moment of the six days of Creation,

as it is written16

"In the beginning, G-d created the heavens and the earth,"

and all the more so that then the boundaries of time and place and their existence were created

(for they are boundaries of the world as above),

nevertheless,

the perfection of creation was specifically on the sixth day of Creation,

the day of the creation of Adam.

Therefore specifically this day is called "the beginning of Your works and a remembrance of the first day."

And with this one will also understand that this day is called by the name "Keseh" simply,

which is a time and season,

for although the coming into being of the boundaries of time and place and their existence was in the first moment,

nevertheless, specifically on this day is the perfection of the coming into being of the boundary and existence of time

(and place),

because this is the day of the creation of Adam, the first man.

For Adam, the first man, effected perfection in all of creation through drawing down G-dliness

(His kingship)

into creation17,

for this is what is called "Adam" from the term "I will be like the Most High"18,

that he drew down His G-dliness below to make for Him a dwelling place in the lower realms within the boundaries of time and place.

And behold, just as it was the first time,

that Adam, the first man, then effected perfection in all of creation,

including in the matter of time,

so too it is every single year through the service of each and every Jew,

who is also called "Adam" from the term "I will be like the Most High"19,

meaning that each and every Jew through his service draws down His G-dliness below.

And on the contrary,

therefore man was created alone, to teach you that whoever sustains a single soul of Israel, it is as if he sustained an entire world20,

meaning that this that Adam, the first man, was created alone,

"I will be like the Unique One of the world"

(the aspect of Yechidah, which is above the aspect of Echad21),

because of a single soul of Israel.

And the explanation of the matter

(that the drawing down of His kingship, blessed be He, on Rosh Hashanah is specifically connected to a specific time and specifically to the service of Israel),

is that it is known

that the ultimate intention of creation is to make for Him, blessed be He, a dwelling place in the lower realms,

meaning that the revelation of G-dliness below

(the dwelling place for Him, blessed be He)

will be specifically within the limitations of the lower realms,

within the limitations of time and place, and the making of the dwelling place is through Israel.

And for this reason, the drawing down of the kingship of Rosh Hashanah is specifically within the limitations of time and specifically through the service of Israel.

And this is what is written,

"You have affirmed [he'emarta] Hashem today," etc.,

and the Tzemach Tzedek explains this

and the Rebbe Maharash

(in the discourse of this [topic] from the year 1870),

at the beginning,

that "he'emarta" has three interpretations,

and the first interpretation

(the primary one)

is "he'emarta" as a term of praise and delight,

and "today" refers to Rosh Hashanah,

meaning,

that "you have affirmed today" refers to the drawing down of delight on Rosh Hashanah.

And as explained elsewhere,

that this is also what the shofar of Rosh Hashanah is—the matter of delight,

shofar from the term "improve [shapru] your deeds."

From this it is understood,

that the primary service of Rosh Hashanah is to complete the delight and desire of the Above to make for Him, blessed be He, a dwelling place in the lower realms,

and this is accomplished through the service of Israel,

specifically "he'emarta."

And it continues afterwards in the discourses,

that the matter of the building of the kingship—which is on Rosh Hashanah,

as explained in the writings of the AriZal

—that it is accomplished through the service of "make Me king over you,"

behold, for this there must be the removal of all concealments and veils, etc.

And one can explain the continuation of the matters with what was explained previously,

that since on Rosh Hashanah the kingship is covered and concealed,

therefore the service of "make Me king over you" is through the prior nullification of the covering, concealment, and veil.

For this includes the nullification of all matters that cause confusion

[including the nullification of confusions of the body,

that there should be a speedy and complete healing, etc.],

and on the contrary, that it should be in a manner of "double for salvation."

And behold, after the prior removal of the concealments and veils

(which is the matter of refinement of the vessel)

there must be the service with will

(through which the intensity of the light becomes much greater than the drawing down through refinement of the vessel)

as explained in the discourse,

that it can be said that this is the matter of accepting His kingship, blessed be He, in its simple sense,

which is specifically with will,

and "His kingship

they accepted upon themselves with will."

And through the service of nullifying the concealments and veils,

and the service of "His kingship they accepted upon themselves with will,"

the building of the kingship is accomplished,

and even to the perfection of this,

the unification of Havayah and Elokim,

the unification of light and flow,

and even the concealment of the name Elokim

(the aspect of Malchus)

itself will shine,

for this is that the kingship is built in the aspect of a partzuf,

for the advantage of the aspect of a partzuf of Malchus

(over the point within it)

is that it is in the aspect of the revelation of light,

as explained in the continuation there at length.

And it continues there,

that this is also the explanation of the wording of the blessing of Shofaros,

"Who hears the sound of the teruah of His people Israel with mercy."

For teruah is the matter of breaking materiality and selfhood,

through which one causes the kingship to be in the aspect of the revelation of light.

Therefore, the festival of Rosh Hashanah that falls on Shabbat

(as

(the first day of

Rosh Hashanah of the determination of this year)

we do not

blow [the shofar],

because on Shabbat the service is not in the manner of breaking and refinement,

for on Shabbat it is forbidden to separate.

For the reason for this is that on Shabbat there is the perfection and truth of the matter of physicality,

and in this there is no need for the service of refinements, etc.

And it continues,

"Nevertheless, in the Temple they would blow [the shofar] even on Shabbat,

because in the Temple, the physical [entity] is in its proper state,

for it is in the most choice place,

meaning that the physical is as it should be,

and therefore in the Temple they would blow [the shofar] even on Shabbat, for this is not a matter of refinement but rather an action of a more elevated perfection in the perfect physical."

And perhaps one can add to this,

based on what is known

that in the Holy of Holies, the place of the Ark is not within measurement,

meaning that there was in this a matter of measurement and limitation,

"measuring ten cubits in every direction,"

and similarly the Ark itself had measurement and limitation,

"two and a half cubits its length, and a cubit and a half its width, and a cubit and a half its height,"

and together with this it is not within measurement,

because the physical is in its proper state,

so that the measurement itself is without limit.

And it can be said,

that in the innerness of the matter, that same drawing down that was drawn through the tekiah in the Temple

(on Shabbos)

is drawn also in every place and at every time.

And it is analogous to the fact that even when they do not blow [the shofar] when the festival of Rosh HaShanah falls on Shabbos,

nevertheless, through the recitation of the verses of Malchiyos, Zichronos, and Shofros, the matter that would have been drawn in the Holy Temple is drawn,

meaning that the recitation of the verses in every place and at every time draws that same drawing down of the building of Malchus,

and this is also understood from the fact that the verses that are recited

(in every place and at every time)

are specifically ten in number, corresponding to the ten Sefiros from which the building of Malchus is made,

meaning that through the recitation they effect a complete building, etc.

For in this manner it can be said, even more than this,

that in every place and at every time, there is also drawn the aforementioned drawing down that [comes] through the tekiah in the Temple.

And the explanation of this can be said,

behold, it is known from the saying of our Rabbis, of blessed memory,

on the verse,

"And I will dwell in their midst" — it does not say "in its midst," but rather "in their midst," within each and every one of Israel,

and it follows,

that in each and every one of Israel there is the aspect of the aforementioned Temple

(in which they would blow [the shofar] even on Shabbos).

And furthermore, this verse

("And I will dwell in their midst")

was said

(simply)

about the Mishkan that Moshe made,

and this Mishkan is eternal,

like all the works of Moshe's hands, which are eternal.

And particularly according to what is explained in Tanya,

that there is an aspect of Moshe within the interior of each and every Jew,

that penetrates within him — "it takes him through."

And particularly, in each and every Jew there is also the aspect of the aforementioned Ark

(which is not of measure)

which is the aspect of the innerness of the heart,

as explained in Likkutei Torah and in the discourses of the Mitteler Rebbe.

And it follows,

that it is within the power of each and every Jew to effect, on the festival of Rosh HaShanah that falls on Shabbos, the elevation of physicality even beyond the ultimate perfection that was in the Holy Temple, such as through the shofar blast in the Holy Temple.

And particularly according to what is brought in the continuation of the maamarim

from the Zohar,

that on Shabbos there is a spreading out of this point,

meaning a complete building of the Sefirah of Malchus, so that it will be in a state of revelation of light.

And particularly according to what is explained in the well-known continuation,

that every Shabbos is a foretaste of the World to Come.

From all this it is understood,

that through the service of Israel in the matter of "Blow the shofar at the new moon, at the covered [moon] for our festival day" on Rosh HaShanah,

they effect above the building of Malchus in ultimate perfection,

to the point that this effects below, even in this physical world,

and as explained in the continuation of the aforementioned maamarim,

that the true service is that even the physical entity is in the aspect of a vessel for Ein Sof,

and this is "Elokim ascends with a teruah,"

the ascent of the name Elokim,

that is, the measurement and limitation of the world, which was created through the name Elokim

(as it is written, "In the beginning Elokim created," specifically),

and the measure of the ascent is that it is included in the name Havayah,

and also the name Havayah ascends with the sound of the shofar, which is the matter of the unification of Havayah and Elokim,

meaning a new action in the name Havayah and in the name Elokim.

And may it be His will that it be so for us,

that all the aforementioned matters be drawn down,

and in this is simply included that there be a writing and sealing for good immediately, for a good life, in the book of the completely righteous,

and "the righteous will return in the future"

(the completely righteous)

in repentance,

in the true and complete redemption through our righteous Moshiach,

and as explained in the continuation there,

that teruah is Yaakov and Dovid,

Dovid, the King Moshiach,

our righteous Moshiach,

speedily in our days, literally.