English translation — מאמר להבין ענין שמח"ת תשמ"ב

With the help of Heaven.

The day of Simchas Torah 5742.

To understand the concept of Simchas Torah,

and the precise points regarding this are known

(in the maamar beginning with the words "This" of the Rebbe, my father-in-law, the Admor1)

— that the manner of the joy

(of Simchas Torah)

is that we take a Sefer Torah as it is, rolled up and covered with a mantle, and we circle the reading table with it,

and after circling the reading table, we dance with the Torah.

For despite the fact that it is written about the Torah2

that "it is your wisdom and understanding," etc.,

nevertheless,

the manner of the joy of Simchas Torah is not through study and contemplation,

understanding and comprehension that are in the head,

but specifically through dancing with the feet.

And this concept

(that Simchas Torah is specifically related to the feet)

is not only regarding the person

(that the joy is specifically through dancing with the feet)

but also regarding the Torah.

For the joy

(of Simchas Torah)

is that Israel rejoices with the letters of the Torah,

as understood from the fact that the manner of the joy is that we circle the reading table with the Sefer Torah, where throughout the year we read the letters of the Torah,

and it is known3

regarding the concept of the four levels TaNaT"A in the Torah, that the letters of the Torah are the lowest level within it,

the aspect of the "feet" of the Torah.

And this concept

(that the joy is in the letters of the Torah)

is also understood from what is known4

— that this day is called Simchas Torah because on it we finish the Torah, and it is fitting to rejoice at its completion,

for this finishing and completing of the Torah

(on this day)

is that we then finish and complete the reading of the letters of the Torah.

For regarding the understanding and comprehension of the Torah, there is no concept of completion or finishing at all,

since it is "longer than the earth and broader than the sea"5,

and it is written6

"and maidens without number" — these are the halachos7.

For although the halachos that have already been revealed are a specific number,

"sixty are the queens"6

— these are the sixty tractates, "and eighty concubines"6

— these are the eighty baraitos8,

nevertheless, there is absolutely no end or limit to the halachos that are innovated9.

For they too were given at Sinai,

as the statement10

"Everything that a diligent student will innovate was given to Moshe at Sinai."

From this it is simply understood that this finishing and completing of the Torah on Simchas Torah is that we finish only the letters of the Torah.

And furthermore,

regarding the matter of the Torah reading, understanding and comprehension are not relevant,

for even an ignoramus who does not know what is being said ascends to the Torah and recites the blessing over the Torah11.

From all this it is understood

that the joy that we make

(on Simchas Torah)

for the completion of the Torah is the joy in the letters of the Torah,

the aspect of the "feet" of the Torah.

Therefore, also in the person,

the joy is specifically through dancing with the feet.

One must also understand

(as is precisely noted there in the preceding maamar12)

why they established Simchas Torah on Shemini Atzeres,

for ostensibly it should have been made on Shavuos, the time of the giving of our Torah,

and why do we make Simchas Torah on Shemini Atzeres.

2)

Now, this precise point

(that we make Simchas Torah on Shemini Atzeres and not on Shavuos)

is addressed in the aforementioned maamar, following the precise point noted there earlier, that regarding Shemini Atzeres it is written13

"On the eighth day, it shall be an atzeres for you,"

and yet all the festivals and holy days

[and likewise all the Torah and mitzvos]

were given to Israel,

so why specifically regarding the holiday of Shemini Atzeres does it say "for you,"

what is the novelty of Shemini Atzeres over all the festivals and holy days?

And he brings on this,

that it is stated in the Midrash14,

"The Atzeres of the Festival [of Sukkos] should have been fifty days distant, corresponding to the Atzeres of Pesach."

And one could say,

that by bringing this Midrash that the Atzeres of the Festival should have been fifty days distant like the Atzeres of Pesach,

the precise point is strengthened

(that he brings afterwards)

— why we make Simchas Torah on Shemini Atzeres, when ostensibly it should have been made on Shavuos,

for from this Midrash it is understood that Shemini Atzeres itself is analogous to Shavuos

(the Atzeres of Pesach),

and based on this, it is even less understood why they established Simchas Torah specifically on Shemini Atzeres and not on Shavuos.

And the Midrash15 explains

the reason for this, that the Atzeres of the Festival is not fifty days distant,

"because they are going out from summer to winter, and it is not in their power to go and come [easily]."

To what can this be compared? To a king who had many daughters,

some married in a nearby place and some married in a distant place.

One day, they all came to inquire about the welfare of the king, their father.

The king said: 'These who are married in a nearby place have the ability to go and come,

but those who are married in a distant place do not have the ability to go and come.

Until they are all here with me, let us make one festival and rejoice with them.'

So too, regarding the Atzeres of Pesach,

since they are going out from winter to summer, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: 'They have the ability to go and come.'

But regarding the Atzeres of the Festival, because they are going out from summer to winter, etc., the Holy One, blessed be He, said: 'They do not have the ability to go and come,

but until they are here, let us make one festival and rejoice.'

Therefore, Moshe warns Israel: 'On the eighth day, it shall be an atzeres for you.'"

3)

And the point of the explanation in this is,

that "near" and "far" refer to tzaddikim and baalei teshuvah.

And as it is written,

"Peace, peace, to the far and to the near,"

and it is known

that "peace to the near" refers to tzaddikim,

and "peace to the far" refers to baalei teshuvah,

to the far who has become near.

And through teshuvah,

a closeness after the distance,

behold, specifically through this they draw from a higher aspect,

the aspect of "far"

(which is above the chain of descent),

the aspect of concealment that is not in existence.

Therefore, in the place where baalei teshuvah stand, even completely righteous tzaddikim cannot stand.

For although even in tzaddikim there is the service of teshuvah,

since teshuvah is a mitzvah

(for every single person),

it can be said,

that the advantage of teshuvah is that teshuvah is in a manner of leap,

and this matter is in simple teshuvah.

For when the performance of teshuvah is because it is a mitzvah to do teshuvah,

his teshuvah is in order and gradation,

and the matter of the leap in teshuvah is primarily in simple teshuvah,

in those who were initially in a far place.

And although even by tzaddikim there is a feeling of distance,

for even by them there is contemplation

(of the exaltedness of G-d, blessed be He, and)

of the lowliness of man,

it is understood,

that the feeling of distance from this contemplation is not comparable to the feeling of distance of evil

and "the bitterness of your forsaking the L-rd your G-d."

And since the baalei teshuvah were

(initially)

in a most distant place,

in the lowest of low places,

therefore their service is with greater force, with a storm,

with superior strength,

and through this they reach the most exalted place.

And particularly according to the known teaching of the AriZal,

that the reason a person needs to go to the desert [to elevate sparks] is because the sparks in the desert are more exalted than the sparks in the settled land,

for whatever is highest, when it descends, it descends to the lowest of low places.

From this it is understood a fortiori regarding the matters

(transgressions)

upon which the matter of simple teshuvah applies,

that the sparks within them are most high,

therefore they descended to the lowest of low places.

For this is also one of the reasons that simple teshuvah is with the inner and hidden powers of the soul,

even to the inner voice that is not heard,

because in order to refine and elevate these sparks that are most high and fell to the lowest,

it is specifically through the inner and hidden powers,

the aspect of concealment that is not in existence.

4)

And this is a parable: to what can this be compared? To a king who had many daughters,

some married in a near place and some married in a far place.

"Daughters" are the souls clothed in the body.

And the daughters are married,

for the matter of the descent of souls below to be clothed in a body is in order to make for Him, blessed be He, a dwelling place in the lower worlds,

through the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos,

beginning with the first mitzvah, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it,"

the matter of "be fruitful and multiply" in spirituality

(addition of light, etc., through the service of Torah and mitzvos in general),

and also the matter of "be fruitful and multiply" in its simple sense,

"He created it to be inhabited,"

through which the world becomes a dwelling place for Him, blessed be He.

And this is the matter of "daughters married,"

for the matter of marriage is for the sake of procreation

in spirituality and in physicality,

so that there will be a drawing down and revelation of the power of the Ein Sof below.

However, within this itself, there are those married in a near place,

and this is the matter of the service of tzaddikim who engage in Torah and mitzvos,

and there are those married in a far place,

and this is the matter of the service of refinement in matters of the permitted, and particularly the service of teshuvah.

And this is what [the parable] says, that those married in a near place have the ability to come and go, unlike those married in a far place who do not have the ability to come and go,

for tzaddikim,

since they did not descend so low and are in a near place,

therefore no special effort and special alacrity is needed for this,

and this can take time

("they have the ability in their time"),

meaning that their service is in order and gradation.

In contrast, baalei teshuvah,

since they descended to the lowest and were in a far place,

and even after teshuvah there is a concern that they might return to their [evil] ways, G-d forbid,

therefore this requires effort and alacrity, and it is impossible to wait

("they do not have the ability in their time"),

meaning that their service is specifically in a manner of leap, above order and gradation,

and also regarding time in its simple sense, the service of teshuvah is in one hour and in one moment,

one acquires his world in one hour.

And although that baalei teshuvah need special effort and alacrity is due to their deficiency,

because they were in a far place

(and it is impossible to wait,

"they do not have the ability in their time"),

nevertheless,

this very thing

(that they were in a far place)

awakens in them also the matter of distance for the better.

For tzaddikim who were in a near place,

their service is with the near powers of the soul

(the revealed powers),

and also the service itself,

their ascent each and every day

(for each and every day one must ascend in holiness),

is in closeness,

in order and gradation

(meaning that each level is in relation and closeness to the level they were in initially),

and also the place

(the aspect above)

that they reach through their service is an aspect of a near place,

a concealment that exists.

In contrast, baalei teshuvah who were in a far place,

their service is with the distant and hidden powers of the soul, even to the essential powers,

for this, that they were initially in a far place,

this distance awakens the distant powers of the soul,

and also the service itself

(their ascent)

is in an aspect of distance and leap, not in order and gradation

(meaning that the level they ascend to is in distance and not at all comparable to the levels they were in initially),

and also the place

(the aspect above)

that they reach is an aspect of a far place,

a concealment that is not in existence.

5)

And this is the difference between the Atzeret of Pesach and the Atzeret of Sukkot,

that the Atzeret of Pesach is the matter of the Giving of the Torah

(the first tablets)

which follows the Exodus from Egypt,

"When you bring the people out of Egypt, you will serve God on this mountain,"

the service of the righteous,

for Israel was then

(at the time of the Exodus from Egypt)

in the aspect of righteous ones,

as "God made man upright."

Therefore,

all the matters from the Exodus from Egypt until the Giving of the Torah are in order and gradation,

first the Exodus from Egypt,

then the days of the Counting of the Omer, which are the forty-nine gates of holiness and also the fiftieth gate as it relates to the forty-nine gates,

and up to the drawing down of the fiftieth gate as it is in itself,

as explained in the discourses of the Giving of the Torah.

But the Atzeret of Sukkot comes following the repentance of the month of Elul, the days of Selichot, Rosh Hashanah, the Ten Days of Repentance, and Yom Kippur,

for this is also that the joy of Simchat Torah

(which was established on Shemini Atzeret)

is over the second tablets that were given

on Yom Kippur,

the matter of repentance.

And this is also the reason for the greatness of the joy on Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah,

for the matter of repentance is peace for the distant one who becomes close,

and the joy of closeness after distance is the greatest joy.

6)

And this is also that on the Atzeret of Pesach we go out from winter to summer, and on the Atzeret of Sukkot we go out from summer to winter,

for the fact that travel in the days of winter is more difficult than in the days of summer is because so it is in the spirituality of matters

[like all physical matters that are derived from them].

For in summer

the sun is at its strength,

and this is because so it is also in the spirituality of matters,

that the aspect of "a sun and a shield is Havayah Elokim"

shines then in revelation.

For although even then there is the shield and covering of the Name Elokim,

nevertheless it does not conceal and hide so much,

and therefore travel on the path of Torah and mitzvos then is easier,

"carried to a near place."

But in the days of winter,

the shield and covering of the Name Elokim conceals and hides greatly,

and therefore travel on the path of Torah and mitzvos then is more difficult,

"carried to a distant place."

And this is that the exit from winter to summer is connected to the Atzeret of Pesach, and the exit from summer to winter to the Atzeret of Sukkot,

for Pesach

(and the Atzeret of Pesach)

is the matter of the service of the righteous,

and Sukkot

(and the Atzeret of Sukkot)

is the matter of the service of repentance.

And it is known the explanation of the verse "Blow the shofar at the new moon, at the covered one for our holiday,"

that on Sukkot there is the revelation of the matters of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur,

the matter of repentance.

And the explanation of the matter in more detail:

Behold, the service of Rosh Hashanah is "Make Me king over you,"

the matter of the elevation of kingship,

up to the aspect of self-elevation.

And this is drawn down afterwards on the one day of Yom Kippur,

"once a year."

And this is what the Midrash says: "On one day they all came to greet the King, their Father,"

that "one day" refers to the day of Yom Kippur,

"once a year,"

on which all of Israel are equal, and therefore they all came to greet the King, their Father.

And this is also the precision of the phrase "the King, their Father,"

that it precedes "the King" to "their Father,"

because then is the conclusion of the building of kingship,

the service of "Make Me king,"

the drawing down of self-elevation,

and therefore it precedes "the King" to "their Father,"

for the main emphasis then is the matter of the King,

and this

(the matter of the King)

is drawn down through the aspect of "their Father" downward.

However, even on Yom Kippur it is still "covered,"

for this is that Yom Kippur is above eating and drinking, and Israel are like angels

[and only the matter of "like angels,"

when a person is like an angel,

it is a higher level than an angel],

that this is not drawn down into physical matters of eating and drinking.

And the revelation from this is on "our holiday,"

for through the sukkah the matters that were initially

(on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur)

in concealment are drawn down in revelation,

and up to that through "You shall dwell in sukkot for seven days"

the revelation is in settlement.

However, even so this is not yet sufficient,

for a sukkah is a temporary dwelling,

and the ultimate intention is that there be a permanent dwelling for Him, blessed be He,

which will be in the Third Holy Temple, which will be an eternal dwelling,

behold, for this is the mitzvah of taking the Four Species,

through which the encompassing light of the sukkah is drawn down in an internal manner,

and as explained in many places

the reason for this, that in the waving the lulav and its kinds must touch the chest,

for the matter of taking the Four Species is to draw down into the female principle at the chest of Zeir Anpin.

But even this is not yet sufficient,

and the ultimate perfection is the absorption,

for specifically through this is the birth brought about,

and this is done on Shemini Atzeret,

"Atzeret" from the term "absorption,"

that all the matters of the month of Tishrei

(Rosh Hashanah,

the Ten Days of Repentance,

Yom Kippur,

the four days between Yom Kippur and Sukkot, and Sukkot)

are drawn down on Shemini Atzeret in an aspect of absorption internally,

through which the birth is brought about,

the revelation of the power of Ein Sof,

down to the lowest level.

7)

And this is why specifically on Shemini Atzeret it is said, “It shall be a solemn assembly for you”

(even though all the festivals and holy days were given specifically to Israel),

for since on Shemini Atzeret is the absorption of all the influences of the month of Tishrei,

Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, etc.,

the matter of teshuvah that reaches

(as above)

to the level of concealment that is not in existence,

until the level of the essential concealment,

behold, this matter is specifically “for you,” “they shall be yours alone, and not for strangers with you,”

Israel and the King alone.

And this is also the reason for establishing Simchat Torah specifically on Shemini Atzeret,

because on Shemini Atzeret is the absorption of all the influences of the month of Tishrei that are drawn through teshuvah,

including also the matter of the Second Tablets that were given on Yom Kippur,

and the joy of Simchat Torah is over the Second Tablets, as above

(section 5).

And this is that the joy of Simchat Torah is in the letters of the Torah

[and as above

(at the beginning of the maamar),

that the manner of joy is that they encircle the reading table with the Torah scroll, where they read

(throughout the year)

in the letters of the Torah],

because the revelation through the letters of the Torah

[letters from the term “ata boker” (the morning has come)]

is above comprehension and intellect,

and as explained elsewhere regarding “Anochi” being an acronym for “Ana Nafshi Ketavit Yahavit,”

that this—that the Holy One, blessed be He, dictated and gave His very Essence

(Ana Nafshi)

in the Torah—

is primarily in the letters of the Torah,

and because on the Atzeret of the festival is the absorption of the matters drawn through teshuvah,

the distant becoming near,

through which is drawn from the level of a distant place, a concealment that is not in existence, until the essential concealment of His Essence,

and the drawing is in a manner that Israel becomes one with His Essence,

Israel and the King alone,

therefore the joy then is specifically in the letters of the Torah,

because the drawing of the Essence is primarily in the letters of the Torah

(as above),

and through them Israel becomes one with the Essence.

And as explained in the maamar,

that each and every Jew has a letter in the Torah,

that this letter gives him vitality,

and also protects him from all undesirable matters,

and it is also a channel and vessel for the blessing of Havayah for everything he needs,

beginning with the matter of the absorption

(on Shemini Atzeret)

of all the influences drawn for him in the month of Tishrei,

“the letters of Rosh” (initial letters),

for the entire year.

And from the joy of Simchat Torah,

“we will all become one festival and rejoice,”

there is drawn empowerment for the journey of “and Yaakov went on his way,”

also in the journey of the winter days, which is a difficult journey as above,

that they actually fulfill all the resolutions they make on Simchat Torah,

for since the resolutions are with joy, joy is above all the attributes and breaks all boundaries,

so that they pay no attention to any obstacles or delays and fulfill all the resolutions with strength.

And since the joy is in the letters of the Torah, which are the channel and vessel for the blessing of Havayah for everything needed

(as above),

behold, through this there is drawn an addition of the greatest blessing and success in all matters throughout the entire year,

and particularly in the essential matter,

that it be a year of redemption,

the true and complete redemption through our righteous Moshiach,

speedily in our days, literally.