English translation — מאמר תורה צוה תשכ"ג

B’Siyata D’Shmaya.

The day of Simchas Torah 5723.

"Torah tzivah lanu Moshe morashah kehilas Yaakov,"

that the Torah is an inheritance

for each and every one

of the congregation of Yaakov.

And the precise points in this are known,

for our sages, of blessed memory, said,

"Prepare yourself to study Torah, for it is not an inheritance for you,"

yet here it is said that the Torah is an inheritance.

Also, it needs to be understood,

that the simple meaning of "inheritance" is that one inherits from one's ancestors

(meaning that in and of himself he has no connection to the thing, but rather he inherited it from his ancestors),

yet all of Israel were

(their souls)

at Mount Sinai

and they themselves received the Torah.

Also, it needs to be understood,

that in the following verse

it is said, "And He was a king in Yeshurun, when the heads of the people gathered, the tribes of Israel together,"

what is the connection of "And He was a king in Yeshurun, etc." to "morashah kehilas Yaakov."

Also,

in this verse Israel is called by the name Yaakov

("morashah kehilas Yaakov"),

and in the following verse, at its beginning, they are called by the name Yeshurun

("And He was a king in Yeshurun"),

and at the end of the verse they are called by the name Israel

("the tribes of Israel together").

B)

And the point of the explanation in this

(as understood from the discourses),

is that there are two aspects in the Torah.

The Torah as it is in itself,

which is the wisdom and will of the Holy One, blessed be He,

and as the Torah descended below,

and clarifies and refines the world,

beginning with the clarification and refinement within the person who studies,

that the intellect of the animal soul is clarified, refined, and included in holiness.

And this is

what our sages, of blessed memory, said,

"A person should always occupy himself with Torah and mitzvos even not for their own sake, for from not for their own sake he comes to for their own sake,"

for at the beginning of the service,

a person's occupation with Torah is in order to clarify and refine his soul,

as our sages, of blessed memory, said,

"Initially, when a person acts, he acts for his own sake,"

that his occupation with Torah is in order to refine his soul,

and through this he later comes to occupation with Torah for its own sake,

for the sake of the Torah itself

(which is above the matter of clarifications).

And this is that the Torah is called an inheritance, and nevertheless they said, "Prepare yourself to study Torah, which is not an inheritance,"

for that the Torah is called an inheritance is from the aspect of the clarifications [that come] through the Torah.

For the sparks that are in physical things,

and likewise the sparks that are in the intellect of the animal soul,

their source is in Tohu,

and the source of the souls of Israel is in Tikkun.

For this is that Esav is called "great" and Yaakov is called "small,"

because the root of Esav is in Tohu,

for the lights of Tohu are abundant lights

(great),

and the root of Yaakov is in Tikkun,

for the lights of Tikkun are limited lights and are bounded within vessels

(small).

And since Yaakov and Esav are brothers,

as it is written,

"Is not Esav a brother to Yaakov,"

and brothers inherit from one another,

therefore,

by means of the souls of Israel clarifying the sparks,

they inherit the lights of Tohu.

And what is said, "Prepare yourself to study Torah, which is not an inheritance for you," is regarding the Torah as it is above the matter of clarifications,

for the drawing down of this aspect of Torah is through the study of Torah for its own sake.

And this is "prepare yourself to study Torah,"

that one must toil himself so that his study be for its own sake, without any ulterior motive at all

(even not the motive to refine his soul),

and through the study of Torah for its own sake, he draws down the Torah as it is in its own essence.

For this level of Torah is above even the lights of Tohu

(which Israel inherit through the work of clarifications),

which is not an inheritance for you.

3)

And this is, "May my teaching drop as the rain, my speech flow as the dew,"

for rain comes from clouds that are made from the moisture of the earth,

"and a mist ascended from the earth and watered the entire face of the ground."

And dew comes from above.

For so it is in spirituality,

that rain is the matter

that comes through clarification, refinement, and elevation of that which is below,

as the statement of our sages, of blessed memory,

on the verse "May my teaching drop as the rain,"

that when creatures break their stubbornness, immediately rain descends,

and dew is a revelation from above.

And the reason that the Torah is compared to dew and to rain is,

because in the Torah there are these two matters.

The matter of the descent of the Torah below in order to clarify the world,

the drawing down of this aspect of Torah is through the study of Torah for one's own sake—"May my teaching drop as the rain,"

and the Torah as it is in its own essence

(as it is in Atzilus,

above its descent into BiY"A),

the drawing down of this aspect of Torah is through engaging in Torah for its own sake—"my speech flow as the dew."

And perhaps it can be said that regarding this they said,

"Whoever reads and reviews, the Holy One, blessed be He, reads and reviews opposite him,"

that through engaging in Torah for its own sake, there is the drawing down and revelation of the Torah as it is from the aspect above,

the Holy One, blessed be He, reads and reviews,

the dew of Torah.

And it can be said,

that these two matters

(the rain of Torah and the dew of Torah)

are the revealed aspect of Torah and the inner dimension of Torah.

For in the revealed aspect of Torah, which is clothed in physical matters,

the Divine light is in concealment,

and in order for the light to be revealed in the person who studies the Torah, it is through his refining himself,

for this is that "if he merits, it becomes for him an elixir of life,"

for through his meriting—from the term refinement—then specifically it becomes for him an elixir of life.

And in the inner dimension of Torah, the Divine light is revealed.

And to add,

that even after a person refines himself,

so that then even in the revealed aspect of Torah the light is revealed,

it is not like the revelation that is in the inner dimension of Torah.

For since the light in the revealed aspect of Torah is clothed in physical matters that conceal the light,

therefore even after the removal of the concealment, the light is not as revealed as the light in the inner dimension of Torah.

And this is that the revealed aspect of Torah is the rain of Torah,

[with] two matters in this.

That in the study of the revealed aspect of Torah, there must be the work of "meriting,"

the study for one's own sake to refine his soul—in the manner of the matter of "when creatures break their stubbornness."

And even then,

the Divine light that shines to the person is as it is clothed in the world—rain.

And the matter of the dew of Torah is in the inner dimension of Torah.

4)

And behold, in addition to the two matters mentioned above regarding Torah

(the inheritance of Torah,

and "prepare yourself to learn Torah"),

Torah is also called by the name "gift".

As in the wording of the blessing over the Torah: "and He gave us His Torah," and we conclude "Who gives the Torah,"

and the holiday of Shavuos is called

"the time of the giving of our Torah."

For the matter of the gift in Torah is above even the aspect of "prepare yourself to learn Torah."

And the explanation is,

that the difference between dew and rain is,

that the descent of rain depends on the work of man

(as it is written,

"And it will be, if you surely listen...")

(and then

"I will give the rain of your land..."),

but dew does not depend on the work of man

(as our sages said,

"Dew is not withheld"),

and so it is in spirituality,

that rain is the drawing down that comes through an arousal from below, and dew is the drawing down from Above, from its own accord.

And from this it is understood,

that what was explained above, that the aspect of the dew of Torah is the drawing down of Torah as it is Above, through engaging in Torah for its own sake

("Whoever reads and reviews, the Holy One, blessed be He, reads and reviews opposite him"),

is in general,

but in particular,

even the drawing down of Torah as it is Above,

"the Holy One, blessed be He, reads and reviews,"

since the drawing down is through man reading and reviewing,

it is included in the aspect of the rain of Torah,

and the aspect of the dew of Torah is a more elevated level in Torah,

which is not drawn down through man's engagement in Torah

(not even through engaging in Torah for its own sake),

and its drawing down is from its own accord.

And this is what our sages said,

"During the first three hours, the Holy One, blessed be He, sits and engages in Torah,"

and the precise point in this is known,

for "whoever reads and reviews, the Holy One, blessed be He, reads and reviews opposite him,"

and since Israel engages in Torah throughout the entire day

(one learns at this hour and another learns at that hour),

then the Holy One, blessed be He, also engages in Torah throughout the entire day,

and nevertheless they said that during the first three hours the Holy One, blessed be He, sits and engages in Torah.

And the point of the explanation in this is,

that this matter of "whoever reads and reviews, the Holy One, blessed be He, reads and reviews opposite him" is a drawing down from Above that comes through an arousal from below

(man's engagement in Torah),

and therefore,

the drawing down is according to the measure of the arousal from below.

For this is what they said, "whoever reads and reviews, the Holy One, blessed be He, reads and reviews opposite him,"

that this that the Holy One, blessed be He, reads and reviews is "opposite him,"

according to the measure of man's study.

And this, that during the first three hours the Holy One, blessed be He, sits and engages in Torah, is a drawing down from Above from its own accord,

from a place that arousal from below does not reach there.

And this matter is the aspect of the dew of Torah,

for the root of dew is in the first three of Atik.

And this is the connection of "the Holy One, blessed be He, sits and engages in Torah"

(the dew of Torah)

to the first three hours,

for the first three

[hours]

are the first three of Atik.

And this can be explained based on what is known,

that even in the inner dimension of Torah there is an external aspect and an internal aspect.

For that which the inner dimension of Torah speaks about matters of the chain of descent is its revealed aspect.

[And it is similar to the revealed dimension of Torah, which speaks about worldly matters.

Except that the revealed dimension of Torah speaks about physical matters,

and the inner dimension of Torah speaks about spiritual matters.]

And this level within the inner dimension of Torah is in the category of comprehension.

But the essential matter of the inner dimension of Torah is that Torah is the delight of the Above,

a delight that is beyond comprehension.

And it can be said,

that the drawing down of the inner dimension of Torah through engaging in Torah for its own sake,

about which they said "whoever reads and reviews, the Holy One, blessed be He, reads and reviews opposite him"

[the matter of "prepare yourself to learn Torah"],

is the revealed aspect of the inner dimension of Torah,

which speaks about matters of the chain of descent and the like.

And the drawing down of the inner dimension of Torah from its own accord,

about which they said "during the first three hours the Holy One, blessed be He, sits and engages in Torah"

[the matter of the gift of Torah]

is the aspect of the delight of Torah that is beyond comprehension.

5)

And this is: "Torah tzivah... morashah kehilas Yaakov. Vayehi biYeshurun melech... yachad shivtei Yisrael."

That the Torah is an inheritance for every Jew is from the aspect of Yaakov within them

("morashah kehilas Yaakov").

And the concept of "prepare yourself to learn Torah," which is not an inheritance for you, is from the aspect of Yisrael,

and the gift of Torah is from the aspect of Yeshurun.

The explanation is:

Yaakov is the aspect of a servant, as it is written,34

"Hearken to Me, Yaakov My servant,"

and Yisrael is the aspect of a son, as it is written,35

"My firstborn son Yisrael."36

And the service of Yaakov is37

that he serves G-d,

to rectify the concealment that comes from the name Elokim.

And Yisrael is from the term "for you have striven with G-d,"38

meaning he rules and dominates over the name Elokim.

And this is what is stated in the Zohar,39

that Yisrael and Yaakov correspond to the two names Havayah and Elokim.

For regarding the aspect of Yaakov—"Yud, ekev" (heel)40—

there is the concealment of the name Elokim, and his service is to rectify the concealment.

And even after he rectifies the concealment of the name Elokim,

through which the revelation of Havayah is drawn down,

it is the revelation of Havayah as it is through the name Elokim.

But Yisrael, which is from the term "for you have striven with G-d,"

for whom there is no initial concealment or hiding of the name Elokim,

the revelation of Havayah drawn down through Yisrael is the revelation of Havayah itself.

And it is explained in Likkutei Torah41

that the service during the six weekdays is

(generally)

the service of Yaakov,

the service of refinement,

to rectify the concealment of the name Elokim.

And the service of Shabbos is in the aspect of Yisrael.

For on Shabbos it is written,42

"And Elokim completed,"

meaning the measure of contraction and concealment of the name Elokim ceased, and the revelation of Havayah is drawn down,

and therefore there is no need then for the service of refinement,

and the service of Shabbos is to delight in Havayah,

which is above the service of refinement.

And the aspect of Yeshurun is higher even than the aspect of Yisrael.

For Yeshurun is from the term "shir" (song),

a round thing like a ring that has no beginning or end.43

And it is explained in Likkutei Torah44

that Yisrael is called by the name Yeshurun from the aspect of the root of souls as they arose in thought.

And it can be said

that the difference between Yeshurun and Yisrael,

even though the concept of Yisrael—"for you have striven with G-d"—is also from the revelation of the root of the soul that is above its enclothing in the body

[as explained in many places45

that Yaakov is the soul enclothed in the body, and Yisrael is the root of the soul above its enclothing in the body],

for Yisrael is the aspect of a son

(as above),

and the term and concept of "son" applies specifically after the son is drawn from the father's brain,

but Yeshurun is the essence of the soul as it is rooted in His very Essence,

analogous to the son as he is within the father's brain itself

(before being drawn forth).

And this is that Yeshurun is from the term "shir" (song) that has no beginning or end,

for in the level of souls as they have already been drawn from the father's brain

(even as they are above)

there are distinctions of levels,

but the concept of a song that has no beginning or end is in the essence of souls as they are rooted in the Ein Sof.

And this is the meaning of "Vayehi biYeshurun melech," and it is stated in Likkutei Torah44

that this refers to Rosh Hashanah,

"Make Me king over you,"

for the concept of "Make Me king over you" is through the revelation of the essence of the soul as it is rooted in the Atzmus of Ein Sof.

And this is the connection of these three matters in Israel

(Yaakov,

Israel and Yeshurun)

to the three matters in Torah,

that the matter of inheritance in Torah, which is from the side of the clarifications

[that through the clarifications of Torah one inherits the lights of Tohu,

as above in section 2],

is from the aspect of Yaakov,

for the service of clarifications is in the aspect of Yaakov.

And the matter of "prepare yourself to study Torah,"

that through engaging in Torah for its own sake the revelation of Torah as it is above is drawn down

(the innerness of Torah),

is from the aspect of Israel,

for the engagement in Torah of the aspect of Israel is

(not in order to clarify clarifications,

but rather)

in order to draw down a revelation of G‑dliness.

And the matter of the gift of Torah, which is the drawing down of the delight of Torah

(which is beyond comprehension)

that is beyond division, is from the aspect of Yeshurun.

6)

And it must be understood,

that according to the above explanation,

the reason the Torah is called by the name "inheritance" is because the Torah brings about inheritance

(that through the clarifications through Torah one inherits the lights of Tohu),

but the meaning of "Torah... is an inheritance"

(simply,

for a verse does not depart from its simple meaning)

is,

that the Torah itself is an inheritance.

And it can be said,

that the matter of the inheritance of Torah

(according to the interpretation that the Torah itself is an inheritance)

is higher even than the matter of the gift of Torah.

For that which is brought above from the discourses that inheritance is lower than a gift,

is

because inheritance is from the side of the existence of the heir

(who is a relative of the testator)

and is not dependent on the will of the testator,

whereas a gift is from the side of the will of the giver.

This matter is regarding an inheritance that is

(only)

from the side of kinship.

But regarding an inheritance whose matter is

that the heir stands in the place of the testator

(and consequently inherits his possessions),

it cannot be said that it comes from the side of the existence of the heir,

since the heir is not a separate existence from the testator, but rather stands in the place of the testator.

And on the contrary,

this inheritance is above a gift.

For a gift is from the side of the will of the giver,

but in inheritance

(in this manner)

the heir stands in the place of the testator himself

(which is above his will).

And accordingly, it must be said,

that the reason that regarding the matter of the inheritance of Torah

(which is above even the gift of Torah)

it is stated "an inheritance of the congregation of Yaakov,"

is because Israel and Yeshurun are names of elevation,

and therefore they pertain to the matter of revelations,

whereas the matter of inheritance, where the heir stands in the place of the testator himself, is revealed in the name Yaakov,

as it is the essential name,

in which all of Israel are equal.

And one must understand,

that the matter of the essence of the soul, from which perspective all Jews are equal,

is emphasized more

(seemingly)

in the name Yeshurun,

for Yeshurun is from the term “song” (shir) that has no beginning or end,

and nevertheless the name Yeshurun relates to the matter of a gift

(of the Torah)

which belongs to the will of the giver,

while regarding inheritance, which belongs to the bequeather himself, it is said “Morashah Kehilas Yaakov.”

And this will be understood by prefacing what is said,

“He will choose for us our inheritance, the pride of Yaakov, etc.,”

which mentions two matters here.

“He will choose for us” —

the matter of choice,

and “our inheritance” —

the matter of inheritance.

And it can be said,

that the matter of choice, that the Holy One, blessed be He, chose Israel, is that He chose to desire them.

And the matter of inheritance, that the heir stands in the place of the bequeather,

is

that Israel are rooted in the very Awtsmoos.

And although the matter of choice is from the aspect of the Essence, which is not compelled by anything and can desire or not desire,

nevertheless,

the matter of choice is

(not regarding the Essence itself,

but rather)

regarding His will,

that His choosing Israel is that He chose to desire them

[And there is another matter in this,

that even the choice itself

(which is the cause of the will)

is the wondrousness of the Essence

(which is not compelled by anything and can desire or not desire),

and not the Essence itself].

And based on this, it can be explained that regarding the matter of a gift the name Yeshurun is said, and regarding the matter of inheritance the name Yaakov,

for a gift is that it is from the aspect of the will of the giver

(as above),

coming from the choice

(that He chose to desire).

As it is said in the blessing of the Torah, “Who chose us from all the nations

(and therefore)

and gave us His Torah.”

And since the matter of choice is the wondrousness of the Essence, which is not compelled by anything,

therefore,

the vessel for this is the matter of Yeshurun, from the term “song” (shir),

a circle that has no beginning or end,

the elevation and wondrousness of the essence of the soul, which is above the division of beginning and end.

And the matter of inheritance,

that Israel are rooted in the very Awtsmoos,

is revealed in the name Yaakov,

the essential name of Israel themselves.

7)

And it can be said,

that this, that in the verse “He will choose for us our inheritance” it says “the pride of Yaakov,”

is from the aspect of the matter of “our inheritance,”

for the matter of inheritance relates to Yaakov.

And the request “He will choose for us our inheritance”

is

that the matter of “our inheritance,”

the essence of the soul that is rooted in the very Awtsmoos,

should be drawn into revelation.

And just as on Rosh Hashanah the main emphasis is “our inheritance, the pride of Yaakov,” but we request that this matter be drawn into revelation,

so too is it on Simchas Torah,

that the main emphasis is “Morashah Kehilas Yaakov.”

And it says “Kehilas Yaakov,”

for from the aspect of the matter of Yaakov,

all of Israel are one existence

(a congregation),

similar to what is on Rosh Hashanah, “You are standing, etc., all of you,”

as one unit.

And this is that the commandment of the day

(of Simchas Torah)

is with dancing,

for dancing is with the legs,

and in the legs themselves—in the heel (eikev) within them

(Yaakov from the term eikev),

in which all of Israel are equal.

And to add,

that this that all of Israel unite to become one reality,

Kehilas Yaakov,

is not because a superiority above division is felt in them

[in the manner of the unity of Yeshurun, from the term “shir” (song),

which is through the revelation of the encompassing [light] that is above division],

for Yaakov is from the term “eikev” (heel),

and in the heel no superiority is felt,

but rather an intrinsic unity.

And likewise regarding the unity of Israel in the matter of dancing with the heels.

And through the matter of Kehilas Yaakov,

the matter of “morashah” (inheritance) is revealed,

the inheritance of Torah,

[that] Israel, the Torah, and the Holy One, blessed be He, are all one.

For in the gift of the Torah,

there are three matters:

the giver, the receiver, and the gift

(the Torah),

but not so regarding the matter of the inheritance of Torah,

[where] Israel, the Torah, and the Holy One, blessed be He, are all one.

And the drawing down of this matter

(morashah,

the inheritance of Torah)

on Simchas Torah,

is with great joy.

And from Simchas Torah this is drawn forth upon the entire year,

that it should be a year of delight in the study of Torah without any hindrances or delays,

for this reason all of Israel yearn etc. for the days of Moshiach, for then there will be no hinderer or delayer from engaging in Torah and mitzvos, as explained,

until [it will be] “and the earth will be filled with knowledge of the L-rd as the waters cover the sea,”

with the coming of Moshiach Tzidkeinu, speedily and truly.