English translation — מאמר ביום השמיני עצרת תש"מ

With the help of Heaven.

The day of Simchat Torah, 5740.

"On the eighth day, an assembly (Atzeret) shall be for you."

And the precise observations of our Nesi'im regarding this are well known.

For Shemini Atzeret is a festival in its own right regarding the matters of PZR KShB.

And if so, it should have said "on the twenty-second day of the seventh month," like in the other festivals where the day of the month is stated.

(And in the seventh month, on the first of the month,

and on the tenth of the seventh month,

and on the fifteenth day of the seventh month),

so why does it say "on the eighth day"?

And although Shemini Atzeret comes in sequence after the seven days of Sukkot,

and it is known

that on Shemini Atzeret the matters of the seven days of Sukkot are restrained and absorbed,

nevertheless, on Shemini Atzeret the matters of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are also restrained and absorbed,

and yet it is not called by a name that indicates its connection

(and that it comes in sequence)

to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur,

so why is it called by the name "eighth"

(Atzeret)?

And particularly according to the teaching of the Baal Shem Tov

that this name by which it is called in the Holy Tongue indicates the content of the thing,

and even indicates its vitality and existence,

from which it is understood

that the essential matter of Shemini Atzeret

(which is called by the name Shemini Atzeret)

is that it comes in sequence after the seven days of Sukkot.

Also, one must understand what is written: "an assembly (Atzeret) shall be for you,"

and it is brought in the Midrash

as it is stated,

"They shall be yours alone, and no strangers with you,"

that there are two matters in this.

The matter of "yours alone,"

Israel and the King alone,

but nevertheless, from this very thing that it is necessary to negate that there are strangers with you, it is understood that there is room for an assumption that Shemini Atzeret is also for strangers, and therefore it is necessary to negate and say that it is only for you.

Also, one must understand that Shemini Atzeret also includes Simchat Torah,

to the extent that in the Land of Israel,

the land which... the eyes of the L-rd your G-d are always upon it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year,

Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah are on one day,

and even in the Diaspora, where they are two days, Simchat Torah is on the second day of Shemini Atzeret,

and the precise point in this is known, that they established Simchat Torah on Shemini Atzeret,

for ostensibly, they should have made Simchat Torah on the festival of Shavuot, the time of the giving of our Torah.

B)

And behold, in many places

it is explained that this that we make Simchat Torah on Shemini Atzeret is because of the later tablets that were given on Yom Kippur,

but this very thing

(that the joy of Simchat Torah is specifically over the later tablets and not over the first tablets)

requires explanation,

for the primary revelation and perfection of the Giving of the Torah was specifically in the giving of the first tablets,

both regarding Israel, who were then at the ultimate level of perfection,

for at the standing at Mount Sinai their impurity ceased,

and regarding the world, for there was then a revelation of the actual Ein Sof below, as it is written,

"And the L-rd descended upon Mount Sinai," and the Targum translates, "and He revealed Himself,"

and this revelation affected the entire world,

as our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said,

"No bird chirped, no fowl flew, no ox lowed,"

to the extent that the voice of the Ten Commandments was heard from all four directions and from above and from below,

so that the world

(and all the realms of space within it)

cried out, "I am"

"the L-rd your G-d...,"

"You shall not have...,"

for all this was specifically with the first tablets,

so why did they establish Simchat Torah on Shemini Atzeret specifically for the later tablets?

And what is explained in many places,

that this that we make Simchat Torah specifically over the later tablets is because regarding the later tablets it is written, "He will tell you the secrets of wisdom, for they are double to that which you have,"

requires explanation,

for since the matter of the revelation

(of the Giving of the Torah)

in Israel and in the world was specifically with the first tablets, as above,

ostensibly the joy of Simchat Torah, which is with melodies and dances

(the matter of revelation)

should be on the festival of Shavuot, on which the first tablets were given, with revelation and publicity.

And particularly according to what is explained

regarding the matter of the dances

(of Simchat Torah)

that the matter of the dances is primarily with the feet,

and in them specifically, in the heel of them,

the lowest part of the person,

(except that through this, the head is also elevated and dances).

From this it is understood that the joy of Simchat Torah is primarily not from the aspect of the Torah's activity in Israel, "I am first,"

but rather,

from the aspect of the Torah's activity in the world, which is secondary

to Israel,

analogous to the feet which are secondary to the head,

and in the world itself, in its lower matters

(the aspect of "eikev").

According to this, it is even more difficult to understand why they established Simchat Torah specifically for the later tablets,

for the superiority of "double to that which you have" in the later tablets is in Israel.

Also, it is not understood,

that according to this

(that the joy of Simchat Torah is over the later tablets that were given on Yom Kippur)

they should have made Simchat Torah on the day after Yom Kippur.

That they did not establish Simchat Torah on Yom Kippur itself, one could say that this is because there is no joy without eating and drinking,

but it should have been immediately after Yom Kippur.

And perhaps one could say even more than this,

for we find that in that year

(of the inauguration of the Holy Temple)

Israel did not observe Yom Kippur,

and a Heavenly Voice went out and said to them, "You are all invited to the life of the World to Come,"

because the joy of the inauguration of the Holy Temple is more sublime than the affliction of Yom Kippur.

And since the joy of Simchat Torah is a very great joy,

to the extent that it is even greater than the joy of the Simchat Beit HaShoevah,

for "one who has not seen the Simchat Beit HaShoevah has never seen joy in his life,"

if so, it would have been fitting to establish Simchat Torah on Yom Kippur itself.

3)

And this will be understood by first prefacing the matter of the First Tablets and the Last Tablets in the service of man.

For behold, the primary intent of the Giving of the Torah is that there should be the reception of the Torah,

the service of man.

For the First Tablets are the matter of the service of the righteous, and the Last Tablets are the matter of the service of the penitent.

And the superiority of the Last Tablets over the First Tablets is because the service of repentance is more elevated than the service of the righteous.

And the explanation is,

For behold, the general distinction between the First Tablets and the Last Tablets is that the giving of the First Tablets was from the aspect of Above,

"And Hashem descended upon Mount Sinai."

For although the revelation of the Giving of the Torah also affected the world and even its inanimate objects,

to the extent that the world

(even its inanimate objects)

was permeated by the revelation of the Giving of the Torah,

nevertheless, this was not that a permanent refinement and ascent was made in the world,

but only that the revelation from Above shone within it.

And likewise regarding Israel,

that what the revelation of the Giving of the Torah also affected the body

(that their impurity ceased)

was from the aspect of the soul.

For at the time of the Giving of the Torah, there was for them a revelation of the essence of the soul,

the level of Yechidah

[which is not an existence unto itself, and its entire existence is that it is a vessel and receiver from the level of Yechidah],

and since even the level of Yechidah is connected to the body,

therefore,

the revelation of the level of Yechidah also shone in the body,

even in the aspect of its "heel,"

and like the statement regarding Avraham,

"Because [eikev] Avraham hearkened to My voice,"

And the reason for this is because the revelation of the Giving of the Torah was in a manner of an arousal from Above without an arousal from below,

for although there was the service of the Counting of the Omer during the seven weeks between the Exodus from Egypt and the Giving of the Torah,

behold it is understood,

that through this service

(during the forty-nine days and fifty days)

they were not of a level to be in the aspect of a vessel for the revelation of the Giving of the Torah,

but rather,

the revelation of the Giving of the Torah was in a manner of an arousal from Above from His own accord,

"And I [He] began,"

And what was necessary for there to be service before the Giving of the Torah was only in a manner of preparation alone.

And analogous to what is explained in many places

regarding the difference between an arousal from Above that is commensurate with the arousal from below, and the arousal from Above that comes in a manner of a gift, where the arousal from below does not reach there at all,

for although even the arousal from Above that is in the manner of a gift is drawn specifically after the precedence of the arousal from below

(and the arousal from Above commensurate with the arousal from below),

nevertheless, this is not that the arousal from below draws it,

for the drawing of this arousal from Above is from a level that the arousal from below does not reach there,

and that it is drawn after the precedence of the arousal from below

(and the arousal from Above commensurate with the arousal from below)

is because the Holy One, blessed be He, does not dwell except in a complete place.

That likewise is also regarding the service during the seven weeks before the Giving of the Torah, that the service was not a vessel for the revelation of the Giving of the Torah

(and it is not applicable to say that the service drew the revelation of the Giving of the Torah),

and only in a manner of preparation alone,

that through their service they became a sort of vessel

(but not an actual vessel)

for the revelation of the Giving of the Torah.

And this itself

(that they were a sort of vessel for the revelation of the Giving of the Torah)

is from the aspect of their root and source,

from the aspect of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs, until "Avraham was one,"

therefore there is

(it is possible to say)

in the writings of the AriZal

that the matter of the Giving of the Torah began in the days of the Patriarchs.

For all this was in the First Tablets.

However, the giving of the Last Tablets was through an arousal from below.

For the service of repentance of the Children of Israel

(regarding the sin of the Golden Calf)

was an arousal from below that aroused and drew the revelation of the Last Tablets.

And this is why the giving of the Last Tablets was in the month of Tishrei,

for the matters of the month of Tishrei come through the service of Elul, which is a vessel and an arousal from below that arouses and draws the matters of Tishrei.

And therefore, through this, a refinement and ascent is made even in the lower realm from its own aspect

(unlike the First Tablets).

And this is that the First Tablets and the Last Tablets in the service of man are the service of the righteous and the service of repentance,

for the service of the righteous

(including also the drawing down through service)

is in the aspect of direct light,

from above to below,

however, through the service of repentance, a new thing is effected,

that also the lower realm itself becomes refined and elevated.

4)

And the explanation is,

that the service of the righteous is when a person is in a state of "G-d made man upright,"

for every Jew, in whatever state he desires, is by his nature to fulfill the will of his Creator

(as per the well-known ruling)

in the study of Torah, the performance of mitzvos, and the service of prayer,

and therefore, through the service of the righteous, no true renewal is made,

since the service is according to the nature of their innate disposition.

And just as the service of the righteous is not a true innovation in the person, since the service is according to the nature of his innate disposition,

likewise is it also regarding the matters above,

since the intent of creation

(from the outset)

is in order to bestow goodness upon His creations, etc.

(through their service in Torah and mitzvos)

from the nature

of the Good to do good.

And so it is also on a higher level, in the aspect of the root of souls as they are rooted in His Essence,

according to the teaching of the Maggid of Mezeritch

regarding "In whom

did He consult? In the souls of the righteous,"

that it can be said that this matter is in His Essence

(above the level of the nature of the Good to do good),

for since even initially, the delight that He would delight in the service of the righteous arose before Him,

behold, through the service of the righteous

(in actuality)

there is no true innovation.

For all this is regarding the service of the righteous,

and as the precise language of our Sages: "In whom did He consult? In the souls of the righteous."

However, the true intent

(which is above even the level of "In whom did He consult")

is as it is written,

"Which G-d created to do,"

"to do, to repair,"

that man, through his service, should make an innovation in creation,

that there will be

(not only "These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created,"

"generations" [toldos] full,

"the world was created in its fullness,"

but also)

"These are the generations of Peretz,"

"generations" [toldos] full,

above "These are the generations of the heavens and the earth,"

Peretz is Moshiach, of whom it is said,

"The breaker [Poretz] has gone up before them,"

that then the world will be above how it was at the beginning of creation, that "the world was created in its fullness"

(rather "new heavens and a new earth").

And so it is also regarding the souls of Israel,

that the souls of the future will be higher even than Adam HaRishon as he was before the sin,

and as explained in Likkutei Torah at its conclusion and seal,

regarding the new souls that will be in the future, which are higher than all the souls that were included in Adam HaRishon.

For this innovation is made specifically through the service of repentance,

for this is what Moshiach

(specifically)

"comes to bring the righteous to repentance."

And through this, the true intent is completed,

which is above the matter of "In whom did He consult? In the souls of the righteous."

5)

And likewise, this is also the case with simple repentance,

for when a person sins and blemishes and transgresses the path

(which is the opposite of human nature and the nature above)

and afterwards rectifies this through repentance,

and especially when the repentance is in a manner that intentional sins become for him like merits,

behold, through this a new matter is created that is above human nature and above the nature above

(the nature of good to bestow good),

and also above the root of souls as they are in the aspect of "in whom He took counsel."

And the explanation is,

for the service of repentance is in a manner of a leap,

in that a person changes and is transformed

(not in order and gradation)

and becomes a new existence.

For this is that repentance is above time, therefore even as it is drawn down within time, it is in one hour and in one moment,

because

the service of repentance is not in gradation.

And this is also that regarding a penitent it is said, "And it will be, before they call I will answer,"

that this matter

(answering before the call)

is the opposite of nature and the chain of descent,

for through the leap

(of repentance)

which is not in the order of the chain of descent within man,

through this it is also caused above, not in the order of the chain of descent,

and in the manner of the verse,

"From the depths I called You, O Lord,"

"From the depths"

(plural)

means from depth to depth,

for through the service of repentance from the depth of the innermost point of the heart,

through this one calls and draws from the aspect of the depth and innerness of Ein Sof, blessed be He,

[to the extent that the matter of repentance reaches His very Essence,

as is known regarding the matter of "they asked the Holy One, blessed be He... He said, 'Let him repent and he will be forgiven.'"]

And through this drawing,

intentional sins become for him like merits.

For just as through repentance a new matter is made in man, in that he becomes a new existence as above,

so too, through this a new matter is made in the world,

that intentional sins are transformed into merits.

And these merits

(that come from transforming intentional sins),

since they are made through the leap of repentance,

they are more elevated

than the merits of the righteous.

6)

And this is that regarding the later tablets

(which in terms of man's service is the matter of the service of repentance as above)

it is written, "double for wisdom,"

that the intention of "double" is not only a numerical doubling

but rather a greater multiplicity, to the point of being beyond comparison,

[as is also understood from the fact that in the later tablets many matters were added,

laws, midrashim, and aggadot],

for in addition to the fact that a penitent has two types of merits

(a numerical doubling)—

the merits of Torah and mitzvos

(as with the righteous)

and the merits made from the transformation of intentional sins—

behold, the merits made from the transformation of intentional sins are more elevated, to the point of being beyond comparison, than the merits of the righteous.

And furthermore,

even the Torah and mitzvos after repentance are more elevated,

with greater power.

And this is also from the explanations on this, that the future redemption will be specifically through the prior service of repentance,

for also the comprehension of Torah in the future will be "double for wisdom."

And not only a numerical doubling—

the comprehension of all that one learned now in the revealed aspect of Torah and in the inner aspect of Torah

(and his study is in his hand)

and the comprehension of the Torah of Mashiach—

but also to a greater multiplicity, to the point of being without comparison,

for at the coming of Mashiach there will be "Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth,"

that the secret of its reasons and the hidden treasures of its secrets will be revealed

(the hidden things of wisdom).

And furthermore,

that through this, even the comprehension of the revealed Torah will be in a more elevated manner.

And likewise, through the service of Torah and mitzvos during the time of exile,

for the entirety of the service during the time of exile

(even the service of Torah and mitzvos)

is the service of repentance, and through repentance, "double for wisdom."

7)

And this will be understood based on the known principle

that the difference between the Babylonian Talmud and the Jerusalem Talmud is analogous to the difference between the first tablets and the later tablets.

For the Jerusalem

Talmud is in the manner of direct light

(analogous to the service of the righteous,

the first tablets),

and the Babylonian Talmud is the dialectic with many questions and concealments,

"In darkness He placed me"—

this is the Babylonian Talmud,

and nevertheless, the halachah is specifically like the Babylonian,

for through the toil in clarifying the questions, etc., one arrives at the true intent,

at the aspect of the hidden essence of the Torah,

the aspect of "hidden things of wisdom"

(analogous to the superiority of the merits of the penitent, which are made from intentional sins,

over the merits of the righteous).

And this is that specifically regarding the later tablets it is written, "And He will tell you hidden things of wisdom, for double for wisdom,"

"hidden things of wisdom" is

(up to)

the innerness of Chochmah,

and in its root it is the innerness and Essence of Ein Sof,

and this is revealed specifically through the dialectic, etc., of the Babylonian Talmud.

And this revelation will be primarily in the future,

and as it is brought in the Zohar

on the verse,

"No eye has seen, O God, besides You, what He will do for one who waits for Him"—"Who waits for Him"? These are those who press the word of wisdom and analyze it and wait for it to know the clarity of the matter, etc.,

that through much contemplation and toil in many questions, etc.,

there will be

(in the future)

the revelation of the aspect of Eden, about which it is said, "No eye has seen,"

the aspect of the hidden essence.

And through this, an elevation and perfection is also made in the Torah, in that it is connected with the Essence

(analogous to "Dovid would connect the Torah above with the Holy One, blessed be He"),

for the Torah in its own right

(as it was given at the Giving of the Torah,

in the first tablets)

is the aspect of Chochmah,

for "the Torah emanates from Chochmah,"

and although at the Giving of the Torah the Torah that will be revealed in the future was also given

(for the Giving of the Torah was only once),

behold, at the time of the Giving of the Torah this was given in an aspect of concealment,

"hidden things of wisdom,"

and in order to draw this into revelation

(in a manner of "Torah is light"),

this power was given specifically in the later tablets.

And this is that specifically through the engagement in Torah during the time of exile

(the Babylonian Talmud)

there will be the revelation of the future, when the intent of the dwelling

in the lower worlds will be completed,

for in the dwelling in the lower worlds there are two matters:

a dwelling for His Essence

and a dwelling in the lower worlds,

and these two matters are made

specifically through the engagement and toil in the Babylonian Talmud.

For through the toil in clarifying the questions, one arrives at the aspect of the hidden essence as above,

"for His Essence,"

and through this one also arrives at the true intent to rule halachah for practical application as above,

and through the actual deed

(according to the halachic ruling)

a dwelling is made for Him, blessed be He, in the lower worlds.

And this is "In darkness He placed me"

(this is the Babylonian Talmud),

that through "in darkness"

(the toil in many questions, etc.)

"He placed me" is made—

a dwelling for Him, blessed be He, in the lower worlds.

8)

And likewise regarding the fulfillment of the mitzvos specifically during the time of exile,

for although the mitzvos during the exile are not at the ultimate perfection

[In addition to the fact that the main perfection of the performance of the mitzvos will be in the days of Moshiach, as it is written, "And there

(specifically)

we will perform before You... as Your commandments of Your will,"

for this perfection did not exist even during the time of the Temple100,

behold, the mitzvos of the time of exile do not even have the perfection that existed during the time of the Temple101],

nevertheless, through the very contemplation that during the exile perfection is lacking,

through this the performance of the mitzvos is with greater power.

And it is like that which is explained in Tanya102

regarding the superiority of the Baal Teshuvah over the righteous,

that because he was distant from G-dliness, therefore his thirst is more intense,

with a great love from the depths of the heart.

And through this very thing

(that the performance of mitzvos during the exile is with greater power)

they refine the darkness of exile and transform it into holiness,

like that which is explained in Tanya102,

that through teshuvah from great love and thirst, intentional sins are transformed into merits

(that initially they become intentional sins like merits with a "kaf" of comparison,

until they become actual merits).

And this is that the ultimate perfection of the future is brought about

(primarily)

specifically through the fulfillment of the mitzvos during the time of exile103,

and especially through the service of teshuvah,

for the two aspects of the dwelling in the lower realms

(which is the perfection of the future),

a dwelling for His very Essence (Atzmus) and a dwelling in the lower realms,

are brought about

(primarily)

specifically through the fulfillment of the mitzvos during the time of exile,

and especially through the service of teshuvah.

For through the thirst and greater power of the time of exile,

and especially through the cry of teshuvah from the depths of the heart,

they draw down from the aspect of the depth and inwardness of the upper realms,

to Him, to His very Essence (Atzmus),

and through the refinement and transformation of the darkness of exile,

and especially the transformation of intentional sins into merits

(through teshuvah),

they refine and purify even the lowest matters, and they become a dwelling for Him, blessed be He.

9)

And this is that the ultimate perfection of the world will be specifically in the future,

"These are the generations of Peretz,"

for this perfection is higher than the perfection that existed at the beginning of creation, "the world was created in its fullness,"

and higher even than the perfection of the world that existed at the Giving of the Torah,

although also at the Giving of the Torah the world proclaimed "Anochi,"

"Lo Yihiyeh Lecha"

(which are the entirety of the entire Torah104),

for at the Giving of the Torah this was primarily from the side of the revelation from Above

(that the utterances "Anochi" and "Lo Yihiyeh Lecha" were emitted and heard from all six directions of the world),

as mentioned above,

but in the future this will be from the world itself105,

as our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said106

"In the future, if a person goes to gather a fig on Shabbos, it will cry out and say, 'It is Shabbos today...' the stone will scream and say..."

(that this will be from the fig and the stone themselves).

And moreover,

that through our actions and service during the time of exile in the occupation with Torah and fulfillment of mitzvos, through which we also refine the darkness of exile,

and especially through teshuvah, intentional sins become for Him like merits,

through this the purification of the world in the future will be also in the lowest matters,

until even the darkness will be transformed into light.

And this is "These are the generations of Peretz," this is Moshiach, about whom it is said, "The one who breaches goes up before them,"

who will breach all boundaries,

meaning that even the boundaries

(from the side of holiness107)

will be breached.

10)

And 4)

Now, since in the service of man there must be order,

therefore,

even the service of teshuvah,

although it is above order and gradation,

has a specific time,

in the forty days between Rosh Chodesh Elul and Yom Kippur,

which are the four Yuds of the acronym "Ani L'Dodi V'Dodi Li"108.

For the service of teshuvah is from below upward,

first "Ani L'Dodi" and then "V'Dodi Li."

And although the last ten days of these forty days

(the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur)

are in the manner of drawing down and revelation from above downward, as our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said109

on the verse110

"Seek the L-rd when He is to be found, call upon Him when He is near; these are the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur"

(for "when He is to be found" and "when He is near" is a revelation from above downward),

and as is known111

that in these days there is a drawing near of the Luminary to the spark,

nevertheless, even these days belong to the service of teshuvah from the side of the lower one,

for the drawing down and revelation from above that occurs in these days is brought about through the service and arousal from below of the month of Elul,

that through the service in the first three Yuds

("Ani L'Dodi V'Dodi")

the Yud of the word "Li" is made,

the drawing near of the Luminary to the spark.

And in these ten days there are many ascents,

until the ultimate ascent of Yom Kippur,

and on Yom Kippur itself the ultimate ascent is in the Neilah prayer

(at its conclusion and seal of the day),

and it can be said that in Neilah itself – in the recitation of "Shema Yisrael"

(which is at its conclusion and seal),

and as it is brought in the Shlah that one should intend then to give his soul for the sanctification of G-d's Name, and this intention is considered for him as if he had actually done it

[And perhaps it can be said that it is like the statement of the Baal Shem Tov112

"In the place where a person's thought is, there he is."]

For all this is an ascent from below upward.

And afterwards begins the matter of drawing down from above downward

(through which the intention of "for He created it to be inhabited"113 is completed),

for the beginning of the drawing down is in the four days between Yom Kippur and Sukkos, when all of Israel are occupied with mitzvos, one occupies himself with his sukkah and another with his lulav114,

and afterwards, during the days of Sukkos themselves, through the actual fulfillment of the mitzvah of dwelling in the sukkah and taking the Four Species,

for through the fulfillment of the mitzvah of sukkah the drawing down is in the aspect of makif (encompassing light),

and through taking the Four Species it is drawn into inwardness, "And you shall take for yourselves"115.

And all this must be in the aspect of absorption,

and this

(the absorption)

is accomplished on Shemini Atzeret,

"Atzeret" from the term "absorption."

[For this is also what is written116

"Blow the shofar at the new moon, at the covered time for our festival day,"

and the explanation of this is known,

that what on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is in the manner of "bakeseh"

(covered and hidden)

is revealed on "our festival day" on the festival of Sukkos117,

and nevertheless it is said "for our festival day" in the singular

(and not "for our festival days" in the plural),

for the main revelation

(of the matters of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur)

in the manner of absorption is on Shemini Atzeret,

"for our festival day" in the singular118].

And as is known that on Shemini Atzeret is the union119,

even to the aspect of "and they shall become one flesh"120,

from which is born the offspring of T.U.M.Tz

(the offspring of the righteous are good deeds121)

throughout the entire year,

to make for Him, blessed be He, a dwelling in the lower realms.

And this is also that "Atzeret" is from the term for kingship

(like this122

"he will restrain [ya'atzor] my people"123),

for on Shemini Atzeret a Jew becomes a king and a master over the entire order of the chain of descent,

to make from it a dwelling for Him, blessed be He.

10)

A)

And this is, "On the eighth day, it shall be a solemn assembly (Atzeret) for you,"

that it is called by the name "Shemini Atzeret" indicates that it comes specifically in continuation of the seven days of Sukkot,

even though on Shemini Atzeret the matters of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are also gathered and absorbed,

for on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur it is the matter of ascent from below to above,

and since the intention is "to settle the world,"

an influence from above to below,

therefore it is called by the name "Shemini Atzeret,"

in which all the matters that were drawn down from above to below during the seven days of Sukkot are gathered and absorbed,

which is why it is specifically called "Shemini" (eighth)

[in addition to the fact that "Shemini" is related to the word "fat" and "oil"].

Nevertheless, Shemini Atzeret is a festival in its own right,

for through this very thing—that on Shemini Atzeret the matters of the seven days of Sukkot are gathered and absorbed—

a new matter is created in it,

a festival in its own right.

For during the seven days of Sukkot, there are drawn down

(in the manner of a surrounding light)

the matters of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur and of the entire Ten Days of Repentance, until the completion of repentance on Yom Kippur,

and through the drawing down of this matter into inwardness and absorption on Shemini Atzeret,

"the day of our festival," in the singular,

there is revealed

(and in a manner of absorption)

the connection and unification of the aspect of Yechidah in the soul with the aspect of Yachid (the Singular One),

which is the goal of the matter of repentance,

"one bull, one ram."

And this is also "It shall be a solemn assembly (Atzeret) for you," and it is stated in the Midrash: "May they be yours alone, and no strangers with you,"

that this need to negate and say "no strangers with you" is because a baal teshuvah, whose nature is evil, requires extra caution,

and therefore one must negate the matter of "strangers"

(undesirable matters).

But through this very thing

(the extra caution of the baal teshuvah)

it becomes "May they be yours alone,"

for through the fact that repentance reaches His very Essence,

there is no place there for any giving of place to strangers,

"Israel and the King alone."

And on the contrary,

from the perspective of the drawing down of the Essence

(through the service of repentance)

the inner and true intention of the performance of undesirable matters is revealed,

that this was with prior intention

(as is known

regarding the matter of "terrible dealings with mankind")

in order that there be a transformation of darkness into light,

the turning of intentional sins into merits.

10)

B)

And this is also why they established Simchat Torah on Shemini Atzeret specifically for the second tablets

[that the revelation of the second tablets

(the matter of repentance of Yom Kippur)

in inwardness and absorption is on Shemini Atzeret,

as above],

for the joy of Simchat Torah is

(primarily)

from the fact that the Torah also affects the lowest matters of the world,

and this is why the joy of Simchat Torah is with dancing with the feet, and specifically in the heels of them,

and therefore the joy is specifically for the second tablets,

the matter of repentance,

for through this, even the lowest of the world is refined,

until even intentional sins are turned into merits.

And just as in dancing

(physically),

through the feet and heels being lifted up

(they lift themselves)

and dancing,

they also lift up the head

(and the power of intellect within it)

so that it too dances with great joy beyond measure and limitation,

so too is it in the spiritual matters,

that through the joy and dancing of Simchat Torah, there is an ascent and elevation also in the aspect of the head of the soul.

And since "man is a microcosm,"

behold, through this there is an ascent and elevation, as it were, also in His wisdom, which is the Torah

[and this is also understood from the fact that in the dancing of the hakafot, the Torah itself also rejoices and dances,

as per the well-known statement of our Nesi'im],

and "joy breaks through boundaries,"

that the joy of Simchat Torah also breaks through the boundary of the Torah, as it were,

for the Torah in its own right is within measure and limitation, and through the joy and dancing of Simchat Torah, they draw into it from His Essence,

and as above, in the manner of the Sages' statement that Dovid would connect the upper Torah with the Holy One, blessed be He.

And just as it is with the Torah, so too is it with the souls of Israel,

that through the joy and dancing of Simchat Torah, there is an ascent and elevation in the aspect of the head of the soul

(as above),

that it becomes connected and literally one with the Essence,

"Lift up the head... to their skulls,"

that the main aspect of this will be in the tenth count, "the sheep shall again pass under the hand of the one who counts."

And all this is accomplished

(as above)

through our deeds and service during the time of exile,

and especially after the revelation of the Torah of Rashbi, and in the manner of "they will be sustained"

through the Torah of the Baal Shem Tov and through the Torah of Chabad Chassidus,

"and they will go out from exile with mercy,"

"and eternal joy upon their heads,"

in the true and complete redemption, very soon, with the coming of Moshiach Tzidkeinu,

Dovid Melech HaMoshiach.