English translation — דברים ד

A.

On the verse¹

"The Lord God of your fathers add to you a thousand times as many as you are, and bless you, as He has spoken to you" stands in the Midrash²

: "Israel said to him,

Our teacher Moses, the Holy One, blessed be He, did not set a limit to our blessings, and you said a thousand times,

He said to them: What I have blessed you with, I have blessed from my own,

When the Holy One, blessed be He, comes, He will bless you as He has spoken to you"

(- a blessing that has no limit).

It is known³

the difficulty in this: since the Most High blesses with His blessing that has no limit,

what then does the blessing of Moses "add etc. a thousand times" contribute - it is indeed included and nullified etc.,

all the more so and a fortiori from "if it includes two hundred, it includes fifty"?*³

Commentators⁴

answer,

that the advantage of the blessing of Moshe is in this,

that the blessing of the Holy One, blessed be He, is only then when Jews fulfill Torah and mitzvos,

but the blessing of Moshe is not dependent on any condition.

And this corresponds⁵

with that which the Gemara⁶

says on the verse⁷

"And the number of the children of Israel etc. which cannot be measured nor counted": "Here, when Israel does the will of the Omnipresent; here, when they do not do the will of the Omnipresent."

a blessing with a limit

("number")

exists even at a time when they do not do the will of the Omnipresent,

but the blessing of the Holy One, blessed be He, which is without limit

("cannot be counted")

applies only at a time when Israel does the will of the Omnipresent.

: The blessing of Moshe is in this world,

and the blessing of the Holy One, blessed be He, will be in the future to come.

Which is in accordance⁹

with what is stated in the Midrash¹⁰

that "in this world they have a number ...

but in the future, the children of Israel will be like the sand of the sea which cannot be measured nor counted"].

But from the language of the Midrash here,

in our portion,

it is understood,

that the difference between the two blessings consists only in this,

that one is "of Moshe" and the second is "of the Holy One, blessed be He" — but both exist in the <b>same</b> time.

I.e.

That

that

is

that also when there is the blessing of the Holy One, blessed be He, which has no limit,

there is a place for the activity of the blessing of Moshe, which has a limit.

Further - thus it is <b>necessarily</b> from the plain meaning of Rashi here,

which brings the language of the midrash without¹¹

addition of explanation in it,

and from this it is also understood that this is the plain meaning of Scripture,

And this also accords with the plain meaning of the verse "And the number of the children of Israel etc. which shall not be measured nor counted",

which the plain meaning is,

that it does not speak here about specific times,

but that there will be "<b>the number of</b> the children of Israel" at the same time when the blessing of "shall not be measured nor counted" will be fulfilled.

2.

Regarding the matter mentioned above,

that the limited blessing of Moshe Rabbeinu is not nullified relative to the blessing of the Holy One, blessed be He,

one also finds in the blessing "Hashem ... Yosef aleichem ..." itself - according to how the Midrash¹²

interprets it: "Yosef aleichem kachem ... why did he bless them with the language of addition? Because the addition of the Holy One, blessed be He, is greater than¹³

the main [blessing]"

(and brings upon this several examples)

Which superficially is not understood: since the "additional" blessing of the Holy One, blessed be He, is "<b>greater</b> than the main [blessing]",

then why does Toras Emes call the earlier blessing "<b>main</b>" [blessing]

(relative to the "addition")

—superficially, being lesser than the "addition" of the Holy One, blessed be He, does it then become a matter of <b>secondary</b> and not main?

Is from this itself the proof,

that although "the addition of the Holy One, blessed be He" is "greater than the main thing",

but the previous is not nullified,

and moreover: it is called "&lt;b&gt;main&lt;/b&gt;" in relation to the addition of the Holy One, blessed be He.

3.

One will understand this by prefacing an additional explanation in the above-mentioned statement of our Sages, that "here

("it shall not be measured nor counted")

when Israel does the will of the Omnipresent, here

("it is counted")

when they do not do the will of the Omnipresent":

A blessing in general comes specifically through the service of Jews; and consequently it is understandable,

that also the limited blessing of "And it will be &lt;b&gt;from the number &lt;/b&gt;of the nations'"

(like the blessing of Moses "May [God] add a thousand times to you")

is connected with the service of the Children of Israel&lt;sup&gt;14&lt;/sup&gt;

- but this is a service in which there is lacking perfection - until those who serve are called "they do not do &lt;b&gt;His will &lt;/b&gt;of the Omnipresent" - like Cain who &lt;b&gt;brought &lt;/b&gt;an offering to God and moreover - he was the first to bring and only afterwards "and Abel brought &lt;b&gt;also he&lt;/b&gt;"&lt;sup&gt;15&lt;/sup&gt;,

but it was "from the inferior."

Similarly - although above the offering of Cain,

of course - every limited service,

since it is in measure and in number one does not through it

(do and)

draw down &lt;b&gt;His will &lt;/b&gt;of the Omnipresent which is above limit&lt;sup&gt;16&lt;/sup&gt;.

Until we find the two matters - "number" and "it shall not be measured nor counted" in yet a higher level: the Alter Rebbe&lt;sup&gt;17&lt;/sup&gt;

explains,

in the service of God in its completeness - "number" means the service of fulfilling the commandments,

which were given "&lt;b&gt;in the number &lt;/b&gt;of 613 etc." and "you shall not add nor diminish"&lt;sup&gt;18&lt;/sup&gt;

- a limited service,

and "it shall not be measured nor counted" is the service of repentance - a service which is above the chain of descent and limitation&lt;sup&gt;20&lt;/sup&gt;.

4.

As discussed earlier,

is the simple explanation of "and it will be numerous etc. which cannot be measured nor counted",

that

(These are not two separate matters,

but)

the number itself is in a manner of "cannot be measured nor counted";

And from this it is understood also regarding "number" and "cannot be counted" in the service of G-d,

that also the matter of "number" is connected with the elevation of "cannot be counted": although commandments are in number and in limitation,

through them one also "does &lt;b&gt;His will &lt;/b&gt;of the Omnipresent" - draws down the supernal will which is above limitation - "cannot be counted"&lt;sup&gt;21&lt;/sup&gt;.

that in mitzvos the drawing down of the infinite light does not shine in revelation,

because the avodah in revelation is not in a matter of above limitation; but the avodah of teshuvah,

which is in revelation

(from the aspect of the person who serves)

an avodah that is above limitation,

there is revealed the matter of "it cannot be measured nor counted"²²].

The explanation in this: mitzvos are the will of the Holy One, blessed be He,

and just as the Most High is without limit,

so too is His will - without limit.

And therefore through mitzvos is drawn down His will, which is without limit

("it cannot be counted")

And that the commandments are in measurement and limitation,

it is not a measurement "from outside" in the Divine light that is drawn down through commandments,

but the Most High has Himself, as it were, measured Himself,

that the drawing down of the infinite will should be drawn down specifically when one does this and that limited action.

And moreover — He should become in a manner

(measurement)

that the action can receive it,

vessel and light.

- Since this is not a measurement of something external to Him, heaven forbid,

but that the Infinite One, blessed be He, Himself measures and limits Himself

(in the language of Chassidus: self-measurement and self-limitation),

this is truly not a limitation²³.

for the world is indeed a limited reality,

which cannot receive the unlimited Divine light,

because then it would become nullified; and since the service of Torah and commandments is connected with the reality of the world,

therefore there must be the measurement and limitation in the commandments].

And this means "and it will be the number of the host which will not be measured and will not be counted,"

that the "number" of mitzvos is not a true measurement,

because there is drawn into them and through them the aspect of "will not be counted."

Heh.

One must however understand: since the purpose of mitzvos is to draw down the Divine light that has <b>no</b> limit,

then why did Hashem do thus,

that the service should be connected specifically with a world that <b>cannot</b> contain the light,

and it must be that the measurements of mitzvos are needed in order to bring down the unlimited will into a limited world?

Is the explanation in this: That which the commandments were given below and in limitation,

is it not from the aspect that they must be drawn down below and the below has the deficiency of limitation — otherwise one cannot receive here the light of the unlimited except through its clothing in the measurement and limitation of the commandments — but because the ultimate elevation is

(Not in the unlimited of “cannot be numbered” &lt;b&gt;by itself&lt;/b&gt;,

but)

The connection of limit and unlimited,

That “number” itself should be elevated into “cannot be measured and cannot be numbered”; specifically in this is expressed the power of the Essence which is higher both from limit and from unlimited&lt;sup&gt;24&lt;/sup&gt;.

And therefore this can be only through the measurement itself of the Essence of the Infinite One, blessed be He: From the aspect of lights and revelations, the unlimited and limit are two &lt;b&gt;separate &lt;/b&gt;matters&lt;sup&gt;25&lt;/sup&gt;

; specifically through the measurement of the &lt;b&gt;Essence &lt;/b&gt;of the Infinite One, blessed be He,

can there be the &lt;b&gt;connection &lt;/b&gt;of limit and unlimited — in the manner of “the place of the Ark is not from the measurement”&lt;sup&gt;26&lt;/sup&gt;

: The place of the Ark must, according to the &lt;b&gt;Torah &lt;/b&gt;, have a measurement — “two and a half cubits its length, etc.”&lt;sup&gt;27&lt;/sup&gt;

- and the place is “&lt;b&gt;not &lt;/b&gt;from the measurement”.

And this is also why the blessing of Moses is not nullified even after the Almighty blesses Jews with a blessing &lt;b&gt;that has &lt;/b&gt;no limit - because the ultimate intention is not that the matter of boundary should be nullified,

but on the contrary,

there should be the connection of boundary and without limit;

And therefore there is both the blessing of Moses "May [He] add etc. a thousand times",

which brings about that the creation

(measurement)

should be in ultimate perfection until there is a multiplication of "a thousand times"&lt;sup&gt;28&lt;/sup&gt;

; and afterwards - when the Holy One, blessed be He, will come - then in this &lt;b&gt;very thing &lt;/b&gt;the blessing of the Holy One, blessed be He, which has no limit is drawn,

there becomes

(not only a multiplication as much as is possible from the side of the boundaries of creation,

but)

a multiplication that has no limit.

6.

With this one can explain that which the Rebbe, my father-in-law, the Rebbe, said,

that his father the Rebbe

(Moharashab)

of blessed memory would sometimes add to the language of the midrash²⁹

"The Holy One, blessed be He, desired to have a dwelling place in the lower worlds" the word "yisbarach"

("to have for Him <b>yis.</b> a dwelling place in the lower worlds").

At first glance, it requires explanation: Indeed, it is true that when one mentions the name of the Most High, one must praise Him*²⁹,

but one does not find that when repeating a language from the statements of our Sages, of blessed memory, where the name of the Most High is mentioned,

that our Rebbes, our leaders, should add the word "yisbarach" and the like?

One must say,

that there is a connection and special relationship between the concept of "yisbarach" and the concept of "the Holy One, blessed be He, desired to have a dwelling place in the lower realms."

And one can explain the explanation in this: The concept of "dwelling place in the lower realms" includes both extremes — "dwelling place" is a term that indicates that here is drawn down His very Essence and Being, blessed be He, the unlimited

(similar to a dwelling place below where the person is found in his entire essence)³⁰,

"in the lower realms" means this world "the lower one, etc., that there is no lower beneath it"³¹

— the ultimate limit.

And "dwelling place" — the connection of the unlimited and the limited³².

How can limited lower ones become a dwelling place for Him - for His Essence, blessed be He, who is unlimited - and yet remain in their existence?

Is the explanation in this - the addition of the Rebbe

(Maharashab)

of blessed memory - "yisbarech": the concept of "a dwelling place for Him" is explained through the content of the concept of yisbarech,

blessing³³.

7.

And the explanation: the difference between blessing and prayer is³⁴

- blessing draws down that which exists in the root and source,

but prayer brings about a <b>new</b> will - "May it be [His] will" - a new thing,

which is not in the root and source.

This is however only regarding the blessing of flesh and blood.

But regarding the blessing of the Holy One, blessed be He,

since the Almighty is indeed not bound, heaven forbid, by the measures and limitations of the root of the created being that is blessed,

His blessing also has the advantage of prayer: it can also bring about a new matter,

which is higher than the root and source of the created being.

D.

E.

That in the blessing of the Holy One, blessed be He, there are both extremes: it "reaches" higher than the root and source of the created being,

higher than the chain of descent,

and brings it down,

<b>blessing and drawing down </b>

(from above <b>downward</b>),

so that from higher than the chain of descent it is drawn down to the <b>created being </b>in the chain of descent.

And this is the explanation in the addition "The Holy One, blessed be He, desired to have for Himself, blessed be He, a dwelling place in the lower realms": That which "lower realms" can become a dwelling place for Him—for His Essence,

is explained through the concept of &lt;b&gt;the blessing of the Holy One, blessed be He&lt;/b&gt;,

which brings about "&lt;b&gt;blessed be He&lt;/b&gt;",

it draws down from &lt;b&gt;above &lt;/b&gt;the order of the chain of descent &lt;b&gt;into &lt;/b&gt;the order of the chain of descent&lt;sup&gt;35&lt;/sup&gt;.

8.

It still remains not understood: Since the connection of the limited and the unlimited is only in the power of &lt;b&gt;the Holy One, blessed be He &lt;/b&gt;

(which is higher than both of them)

—why is this connected with the service of a &lt;b&gt;created being&lt;/b&gt;,

which,

seemingly,

being a limited service, has it

(from its own perspective)

the power to draw down only a limited light?

is the explanation in this

(as spoken several times³⁶)

: the will of the Above One is,

that the revelations from above should not come in a manner of "bread of shame"³⁷

; and therefore all the effluences,

also those that are <b>higher</b> than the category of created beings,

are connected and dependent on the service of man.

And therefore,

although the "dwelling place for Him, may He be blessed, in the lower realms" comes from above as a gift,

there must be the "make for Me a satisfaction to My soul"³⁸

from the giver of the gift,

and specifically then "He gives him a gift".

D.

H.

First there must be the completeness of service on the part of the created beings,

and only then is drawn to them from above from the root of the created beings³⁹.

That this is also the explanation in the matter of the Priestly Blessing,

that they bless Jews as emissaries of the Holy One, blessed be He — a blessing that is <b>higher</b> than the chain of descent⁴⁰.

At first glance: Since the Supreme One wants to bless Jews,

why must it be through the priests,

that they should bless Jews with the power of the Holy One, blessed be He — the Supreme One Himself can surely bless them?

But the matter is as above: The supernal intention is,

that also the blessings and effluences that are higher than the chain of descent,

must be drawn down through the service of man,

through the “lower ones.”

9.

Based on this it is understood,

that although one has the blessing of the Holy One, blessed be He,

it is however through the blessing of Moshe which brings perfection of the created beings,

that also the perfection, as it were, in the blessing of the Holy One, blessed be He, which has no limit, becomes

(not bread of shame and the like).

And this is also the precise wording "the addition of the Holy One, blessed be He, is greater than the &lt;b&gt;main&lt;/b&gt;": since the "&lt;b&gt;lower ones&lt;/b&gt;" draw down "the addition of the Holy One, blessed be He" through their service,

therefore they and their blessing are called "&lt;b&gt;main&lt;/b&gt;",

because they are the "main" and cause that "the addition of the Holy One, blessed be He" should be drawn down&lt;sup&gt;41&lt;/sup&gt;.

Yud.

As above — is also the "wondrous matters" that are in Rashi,

which brings the content of the Sifri and the aforementioned Midrash.

What is the plain meaning of Rashi

(according to the plain meaning of the verse)

*&lt;sup&gt;41&lt;/sup&gt;?

Rashi says&lt;sup&gt;42&lt;/sup&gt;

that the blessing of the Holy One, blessed be He, here — one means the promise "which if a man could count etc."&lt;sup&gt;43&lt;/sup&gt;

— thereby he connects it specifically with "Who has counted,"

which is when — according to Rashi "like its Targum" whose time is when "the world will be genealogized"&lt;sup&gt;44&lt;/sup&gt;

— in the future to come.

(From the talk of Shabbos Parshas Vayishlach 5729)