English translation — מאמר בסוכות תשבו תשל"ו

B’S”D.

13 Tishrei

(the yahrtzeit of the Rebbe Maharash),

The eve of the Sukkos festival,

5736*

“You shall dwell in sukkos for seven days”

(and adds another command)

“every native-born Jew shall dwell in sukkos”

(and the reason for this)

“so that your generations may know that I caused the children of Israel to dwell in sukkos when I brought them out of the land of Egypt” etc.1

And the precise points in this are known from the discourses of our Nesi’im,

and prefacing with what the Baal HaHilula2 said,

that sukkah is the matter of peace, as it is written3

“and spread over us the sukkah of Your peace,”

and one must understand what is the connection of sukkah to peace.

Now, during the seven days of Sukkos there are several matters,

which are related to “you shall dwell in sukkos for seven days.”

And like the mitzvah of taking the Four Species

(“And you shall take for yourselves4

on the first day” etc.)

which has a connection to the matter of sukkah.

And as is known5

that the optimal mitzvah is that the taking of the Four Species be in the sukkah.

And also during the seven days of Sukkos there is the matter of offering seventy bulls, corresponding to the seventy nations, as brought in the Midrash6.

And this matter also exists now, as it is written “and we will render [the] bulls [of] our lips”7,

and particularly according to what is explained8

that “venashalmah” is not only the matter of completion but also from the term shleimus (perfection),

meaning that even during the time of exile,

through reciting the verses of the offerings of the seventy bulls, the matter is in its perfection,

and even though during the time of exile,

since the action is only through “our lips,”

it is not apparent openly in physicality, and certainly not in the materiality of the world,

nevertheless,

since the movement of one’s lips is considered an action9,

and as is explained at length in Tanya10,

so even now the action is in its perfection in spirituality

(and at least in a minor action).

And one must understand,

what is the connection of these matters

(taking the Four Species and offering the seventy bulls)

to the matter of sukkah.

Now, when the first day of the festival falls on Shabbat

[as in the determination of this year]

there is a difference between the time of the Temple and the time of exile

[similar to11

the sounding of the shofar on Rosh HaShanah that falls on Shabbat,

that in the Temple they would sound it but not in the provinces],

that during the time of the Temple, on the first day of the festival, the lulav overrides Shabbat even in the borderlands,

but since the destruction of the Temple, the lulav does not override Shabbat even on the first day,

as explained in the Mishnah and Gemara12.

2)

And the point of the explanation in all these matters,

is that the sukkah is a matter of the encompassing [light]13.

And not like the encompassing of a garment,

which, despite being in the category of encompassing, nevertheless has division,

garments of the head, garments of the body, and garments of the leg

(and in each one according to the measure of the one clothed in it).

But not so the encompassing of the sukkah, which has no division,

for it encompasses his head and most of him14

[and the intention in this is—like his head and his entirety,

for the majority is like the entirety],

the head, the body, and the leg as one15.

And based on this, one must understand what is said, "In sukkot you shall dwell"

[as is precisely stated in many places in the discourses of our Nesi'im,

and also in the Hemshech of 566616],

behold, an encompassing [light]

(and especially as above)

is not in the category of settlement,

and if so, what is the matter of "in sukkot you shall dwell"

[and also it says "in sukkot"

(with the letter beit17)].

And this matter

(settlement in the sukkah)

is stated three times,

"In sukkot you shall dwell... dwelt in sukkot... in sukkot I caused to dwell."

Also, one must understand what is said, "so that your generations may know that I caused the children of Israel to dwell in sukkot"

(that the reason for "in sukkot you shall dwell" is so that future generations18

will know that "I caused [them] to dwell in sukkot"),

for since the mitzvah of sukkah is not among the mitzvot dependent on the land nor among the mitzvot dependent on the time of the Temple,

its observance will be throughout all generations19,

for this Torah shall not be exchanged, Heaven forbid.

And if so, behold, the knowledge

(that "I caused [them] to dwell in sukkot")

of future generations will be through the fact that they themselves dwell in sukkot,

and what is [the meaning of] "in sukkot you shall dwell... so that your generations may know,"

that the knowledge of future generations will be through the "in sukkot you shall dwell" of the previous generations.

3)

And the explanation of this is

(as stated above)

that the sukkah is a matter of encompassing.

For it is written20,

"In the covert for the day of our festival,"

that all the matters that are in concealment

(covering and concealment)

in the days before our festival day, are revealed in Sukkot21.

And like the matter of the shofar of Rosh HaShanah,

that the mitzvah of the day is with the shofar22,

it comes in revelation to our festival day,

in the roofing (skhakh) of the sukkah.

For this is what [the word] skhakh

[for all "sukkot" in scripture means roofing, implying that a wall is not called a sukkah23]

has the numerical value of one hundred24,

corresponding to the one hundred sounds of the shofar that it is the custom25

of Israel

(and the custom of Israel is Torah)

to blow on Rosh HaShanah.

And also the details of the sounds are hinted at in the letters of skhakh,

the letter samekh (60) for the sounds of tekiah,

the letter khaf (20) for the sounds of shevarim and the letter khaf (20) for teruah26.

And similarly, it is also regarding the matter of the incense of Yom HaKippurim that comes in revelation to our festival day,

as is known27,

that the roofing of the sukkah is made from the cloud of the incense of Yom HaKippurim.

And even though on Yom HaKippurim there already exists the matter of revelation,

for the main matter of "in the covert"

("the month is covered")

is at the beginning of the month,

on Rosh HaShanah,

nevertheless, the revelation of Yom HaKippurim

(its essence)

is above28,

but not so on Sukkot, the revelation is drawn down below, to the extent that

(the roofing of the sukkah,

which comes from the cloud of the incense of Yom HaKippurim)

is also seen by fleshly eyes

[And it can be said that the beginning of this revelation is in the days between Yom HaKippurim and Sukkot,

for then is the preparation for the mitzvah of sukkah and then the making of the sukkah29.

That is, in these days there is the preparation and the beginning of the drawing down of the revelation

(of Yom HaKippurim)

whose essence is above—also below].

And this is that the sukkah is a category of encompassing.

For behold, the difference between incense and sacrifices is30,

that regarding sacrifices it is written31,

"My bread for My fire,"

for bread is a matter of inwardness

(and there are sacrifices that are also eaten by the kohanim,

and sacrifices that are eaten also by the owners and by every person),

but not so incense

(and especially that of Yom HaKippurim)

is encompassing.

Therefore, its revelation to our festival day is also in a matter of encompassing,

the encompassing of the roofing.

And since it is related to the Holy of Holies, which is the true essence of the matter of encompassing,

therefore, the encompassing of the sukkah, drawn from the cloud of the incense of Yom HaKippurim, is above the encompassing of a garment and has no division,

to the extent that it encompasses even the garments of the head, body, and leg as one.

4)

And this is the connection of the sukkah to the matter of peace, as it is said, "And spread over us the sukkah of Your peace,"

for since the sukkah is a matter of encompassing

(which is above division),

from the encompassing of the sukkah is drawn the matter of peace,

peace is made between the Nefesh HaElokis and the Nefesh HaBahamis,

and also peace in all the levels of the Nefesh HaElokis itself,

for since the sukkah encompasses all the matters of a person,

from his head to his foot,

therefore through it peace is made in all the levels within a person.

And to the extent that through the sukkah peace is also made in the world,

and as is known32,

that the sukkah is analogous to Noah's ark,

in which there was the matter of peace

(for even though all the animals were together in the ark,

nevertheless they did not harm nor destroy each other),

and similar to the peace that will be in the future, "they shall not harm nor destroy"33.

And even though the encompassing of the sukkah is the category of the externality of Binah, and Noah's ark is the category of the inwardness of Binah,

and in the future it will be above even the category of the inwardness of Binah as it is in its place,

nevertheless, the peace of the category of the encompassing of the sukkah is analogous to the peace of the future.

For the reason that "they shall not harm nor destroy"

(in the future)

is through Daas

(and as the verse concludes)

"for the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of Havayah,"

and therefore, the encompassing of the sukkah, whose matter is "so that they may know"34

(the matter of Daas),

also brings about the matter of peace analogous to the peace of the future.

And especially according to the explanation35

of the connection of the sukkah's roofing to the cloud of the incense of Yom HaKippurim, whose matter is the category of Atik

[and analogous to the totality of the matter of Yom HaKippurim,

the day obligated in five prayers36,

because it is the category of Atik],

for in the category of Binah

(even in the externality of Binah37)

there is the revelation of Atik,

for the revelation of Atik is in Binah,

behold, the category of Atik that is revealed in the roofing of the sukkah

brings about the matter of peace,

therefore the sukkah is called "the sukkah of Your peace."

5)

Now, the intention in drawing down the encompassing lights (makifim) of the Sukkah is that they should be drawn down and also act within the internal (penimiyus).

And this is the matter of the taking of the Four Species, which follows after "In sukkot you shall dwell"

[for the mitzvah of dwelling in the Sukkah is from the beginning of the seven days of Sukkot,

and after this, in the morning

(at dawn or sunrise38)

the mitzvah of taking the Four Species begins],

for the concept of taking the Four Species is to draw down the encompassing light

(of the Sukkah)

into the internal,

as is explained in Kabbalah

(M"Ch)

and in Chassidus39

that the concept of the waving movements is to draw down the aspect of Daas into the Nukva of Zeir Anpin, which stands at the chest of Zeir Anpin

[therefore the lulav and its species must touch the chest],

for the concept of drawing down into the Nukva is that the drawing down should also be in worldly matters,

even to the matters of this lowest world, below which there is no lower.

And therefore, the effect of peace brought about through the drawing down of Daas is also below, in this lowest world,

analogous to the future era, when "they shall not harm nor destroy... for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of Havayah."

And the connection between "the earth shall be filled with knowledge" and "they shall not harm nor destroy" is40

because quarrels and arguments stem from smallness of Daas.

And the parable for this is well known:

a small child who has no Daas,

when his desire is not fulfilled,

immediately becomes angry, etc.

(as explained in the holy Tanya41

that a small child gets angry over small things),

but not so an adult who has Daas,

he can tolerate even its opposite.

And likewise regarding the peace of the Sukkah,

since the concept of the Sukkah is, as it is written, "in order that they know,"

therefore, through the Daas drawn down by the Sukkah,

peace is made,

"the Sukkah of your peace."

6)

However, in order to draw down the encompassing light of the Sukkah into the aspect of the internal,

even to the point of being in a settled state, as it says "in sukkot you shall dwell"

[and so that through the taking of the Four Species this will also be drawn into the aspect of Nukva of Zeir Anpin],

for although the encompassing light of the Sukkah is exceedingly lofty

[and as above, the encompassing light of the Sukkah is above even the division into garments of the head, garments of the body, and garments of the leg,

and certainly it does not have the division of head, body, and leg],

nevertheless, there will be in this a matter of settlement,

the explanation comes from: "For I caused the children of Israel to dwell in sukkot when I brought them out of the land of Egypt,"

the beginning was from the Holy One, blessed be He,

"I began."42

And through this, that "I caused them to dwell in sukkot,"

the granting of the power was drawn down so that "in sukkot you shall dwell."

And regarding this it says "in order that they know,"

that the matter of dwelling in the Sukkah must not be in a manner of "I engraved a decree, I decreed a decree,"

but rather it should be drawn and come into Daas,

into the internal,

and be drawn also into the aspect of time,

and this is "in sukkot you shall dwell for seven days,"

for seven days include the entire duration of time and all the changes within them.

And as explained in many places43

on the verse44

"I was young and also I have aged,"

that on every Sunday, the matter of the seven days of creation begins anew.

And this is similar to what was explained above, that through the waving movements we draw down into the aspect of the Nukva,

(the aspect of Malchus)

which is the beginning45

of the matter of time.

7)

And the verse continues: "All the citizens (ha-ezrach) in Israel shall dwell in sukkot."

And it must be understood:

The command "in sukkot you shall dwell" is for all of Israel,

so what does "all the citizens in Israel" add?

And the explanation of this is:

"Ezrach" refers to the aspect that will shine (yizrach) in the future,

and therefore the word "ezrach" begins with an aleph,

which is one of the letters used for the future tense.46

And this is "all the citizens in Israel shall dwell in sukkot,"

which has two meanings:

that from the aspect of "the citizen in Israel" that will be in the future,

there is power even now for "in sukkot you shall dwell,"

that also in the aspect of "the citizen in Israel,"

and also as it will be in the future,

even in this aspect there is addition through dwelling in the Sukkah.

And it can be said that this is the reason that the mitzvah of Sukkah will be in the future with greater excellence and strength,

as explained in the prophecy of Zechariah47

(which is the haftarah during the days of Sukkot).

8)

Now, in the continuation

of the mitzvah of dwelling in the sukkah and taking the four species, comes the mitzvah of offering seventy bulls corresponding to the seventy nations,

meaning that through the offering of the seventy bulls, they protect the seventy nations

and reveal the ultimate purpose of their creation,

for the entire world was only created to serve this one,

and I was created to serve my Maker.

For the true essence of them

(of the nations of the world)

is as it will be in the future, to serve Israel, etc.,

and as it is written,

"And kings shall be your nursemaids, and their princesses your wet nurses,"

and certainly those below kings and their princesses.

And since all the matters and revelations of the future depend on our actions and service during the six thousand years

(including the time of exile,

and on the contrary, they depend primarily on the service during the time of exile),

the matter of "and kings shall be your nursemaids, etc." that will be in the future is accomplished through the offering of the seventy bulls during the time of the Temple,

and through "and let us render the bulls of our lips" since the destruction of the Temple, etc., during the time of exile.

For it is known that the service of the offerings

(and likewise the service of "and let us render the bulls of our lips")

affects the entire world,

for through the offering of one animal, an elevation is made in the entire animal species, etc.,

(for through the raising of the blood and fat, which are the vitality and pleasure of the animal being offered, an elevation is made in the entire animal species),

and through the drawing down from above to below that results, a drawing down is made in the entire animal species, etc.

And likewise is it with the offering of the seventy bulls, which correspond to the seventy nations,

that the elevation and drawing down through these offerings affect all seventy nations,

and so too is it with the recitation of the verses, for the movement of one's lips is an action,

that through reciting the verses of the offerings of the seventy bulls that correspond to the seventy nations, a drawing down and subjugation is made in them,

and the purpose of their creation is revealed in them,

that they were only created to serve this one, etc.,

and it is revealed that "You have chosen us from all the nations."

And this is what is written,

"Praise Hashem, all nations; extol Him, all peoples, for His kindness has overwhelmed us," etc.,

for seemingly, what is the connection of "His kindness has overwhelmed us" that because of this the nations and peoples should praise and extol Him?

And the explanation of this is known,

that because His kindness has overwhelmed us, a refinement, purification, and elevation is made also in the nations and peoples,

to the point that this is discernible in them in a revealed way,

and therefore they praise and extol Hashem.

And this matter is accomplished through the offering of the seventy bulls,

and likewise through the service of "and let us render the bulls of our lips,"

for since the movement of one's lips is an action, therefore the effect through our lips is also in the world of Action.

9)

And this is the connection and link of the offering of the seventy bulls to "in sukkot you shall dwell,"

because in order to affect the nations and peoples, there must first be a drawing down of the encompassing light that comes through the sukkah,

for an encompassing light blinds the eyes of the external ones.

And even though the refinement of the nations and peoples is specifically through internal service

[therefore the refinement of the seventy nations is accomplished through the offering of the seventy bulls,

for offerings are a matter of internality,

"My bread for My fire"],

and analogous to the general matter of refinements, which is through internal service, as per the statement,

"Bread on the edge of a sword he eats"

[for eating is a matter of internal refinement],

nevertheless, first there must be a drawing down of the encompassing light of the sukkah,

through which a general nullification and subjugation is made in them,

and this nullification is an introduction, preparation, and qualification for their refinement afterwards through the offering of the seventy bulls,

and likewise through "and let us render the bulls of our lips" during the time of exile,

and it is also an immediate preparation for the offering of the seventy bulls in its literal sense.

10)

And this is "in sukkot you shall dwell... so that your generations may know, etc."

That through "in sukkot you shall dwell,"

the fact that the encompassing light of the sukkah is in a manner of "you shall dwell,"

and on the contrary,

the entire matter of the mitzvah of sukkah is "you shall dwell"

["you shall dwell" as in "you shall reside,"

that his eating and drinking and all his affairs that he does in his house should be in the sukkah],

this causes that the encompassing lights will be drawn down also into "your generations,"

meaning into the revealed powers

(Chabad and the seven emotive attributes),

and to the point that "your generations may know,"

"know" from the term of connection,

that the effect of the encompassing lights upon the revealed powers is in a manner of knowledge and connection.

And the reason

(and the enabling power)

for this is,

"for in sukkot I caused the children of Israel to dwell when I brought them out of the land of Egypt."

For since I

(the Holy One, blessed be He)

am the initiator,

"in sukkot I caused to dwell,"

this gives power to each and every one of Israel,

"you are called 'man'"

from the term "likeness to the Supernal One,"

that he too will effect an action analogous to the action of the Holy One, blessed be He,

that he will draw down the peace of "the sukkah of Your peace" into all matters of his service and in all his imagery

(until "your generations," his revealed powers, will know),

and to the point that the drawing down of the encompassing light of the sukkah will be felt by him also in his prayer,

including also the Musaf prayer and the recitation of the verses of the offerings of the seventy bulls,

through which he also affects the seventy nations in their literal sense,

and as we say in Hallel

[for on all seven days of Sukkos we recite the complete Hallel]

"Praise Hashem, all nations; extol Him, all peoples,"

which refers to nations and peoples in their literal sense.

And this also serves as an immediate preparation for "every citizen in Israel,"

that he will shine in the future,

"they shall dwell."

For it is known what the Rambam wrote

in his explanation of the World to Come,

that the World to Come is existing and standing

(even now),

and what it is called "the World to Come" is because it comes after

(and subsequent to)

the service in this world.

For so too is it regarding the matters of the future,

that the matters

(are made and)

exist also now,

and what they are called "future to come" is because their drawing down and revelation is after and through the precedence of service in this world.

And this is "in sukkot you shall dwell... every citizen in Israel, etc.,"

that through the fulfillment of the mitzvah of "in sukkot you shall dwell," they draw down even now the aspect of "every citizen in Israel,"

and this serves as an immediate preparation for the revelation of this aspect in the future,

when it will be revealed in all its full force.

10)

A)

And this is [the reason] why the first festival day of Sukkot that falls on Shabbat, the lulav does not override Shabbat,

for taking the lulav is in order to draw down the aspect of the encompassing light

(of the sukkah)

into inwardness; therefore on Shabbat, when the encompassing light shines in the aspect of inwardness

(due to the nature of Shabbat),

there is no need

(so much)

for taking the lulav,

and therefore Rabbah's decree suffices to set aside the taking of the lulav.

And that in the time of the Holy Temple they would take it even on Shabbat,

is because there are several levels in encompassing lights,

and through taking the lulav in the time of the Temple they drew down a higher encompassing light than the encompassing light drawn on Shabbat by itself

(that Shabbat is sanctified and stands [by itself]68)

and also outside the Land

(in the time of the Temple).

But in the time of the exile,

even through taking the lulav it is impossible to draw down the higher encompassing light,

and what they draw down now is only the aspect of the encompassing light that is drawn through Shabbat.

And behold, as stated above,

"In sukkot you shall dwell,"

the drawing down of the encompassing light of the sukkah,

is a close preparation for "every native in Israel" to shine in the future,

the revelation of the aspect of the true encompassing light,

the aspect of the inner aspect of Atik.

For this is the innovation in the revelation of the future,

that now all revelations are only from the aspect of the external aspect of Atik, but in the future there will be a revelation of the aspect of the inner aspect of Atik69.

And this is what is said70

"Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth" — that they will learn the Torah of Moshiach from the mouth of Moshiach,

whose concept is the aspect of the inner aspect of Atik

[for this is that Moshiach is above even Adam HaRishon,

and as it is written71

"He shall be high and exalted and lofty exceedingly,"

"exceedingly" (me'od) are the letters of Adam (Adam), but in a permutation that indicates [being] without [the letter] lamed-gimmel,

meaning above even Adam HaRishon72].

And this is "In sukkot you shall dwell... every native...,"

that the drawing down of the encompassing light of the sukkah is a close preparation for the revelations of the future redemption through our righteous Moshiach, may he come and redeem us and lead us upright to our land,

and there we will perform before You our obligatory sacrifices according to the commandment of Your will,

speedily, truly.