English translation — אלול ב

A.

The month of Elul,

as is known,

connects the past and the coming year.

And therefore the service in Elul is twofold: a)

The accounting of righteousness regarding the deeds of the previous year,

to do repentance for the not good deeds and through this to correct and complete the past year.

b)

The preparation for the coming year by accepting good resolutions etc.,

and through this to ensure a

(writing and sealing for good for)

good and sweet year.

Since the names of the months

(Nissan,

Iyar etc.)

are names that the Torah<sup>1</sup>

uses them

(until that some of them - including the name Elul<sup>2</sup>

- are brought also in the Written Torah<sup>3</sup>),

it is understood,

that they express the inner content of the month<sup>4</sup>

; and so too in our matter<sup>5</sup>,

that in the name "Elul" are hinted the aforementioned two services of the month.

And therefore one finds among the “hints” in the word “Elul”,

that the word divides into two parts

(as follows in section b),

which one might say,

that the two parts correspond to the two

aforementioned services.

2.

From the aforementioned hints in Elul:

a)

The explanation of his honor, our master, teacher, and rabbi, the Tzemach Tzedek⁶,

that Elul is composed of two words “lo” and “lo”,

that “lo”

indicates Keter,

which is above the chain of descent,

and “lo”

indicates Zeir Anpin,

in the matter of "in all their affliction He is afflicted"<sup>8</sup>

- that the "written" is "<b>lo </b>

(afflicted)

" and the "read" "<b>lo </b>

(afflicted)

" - that "<b>lo </b>afflicted" is from the aspect of Keter which is above the chain of descent,

where the matter and condition of the lower ones does not occupy place,

and therefore it is "in all their affliction <b>lo </b>afflicted"; and "in all their affliction <b>lo </b>afflicted" is from the aspect of Zeir Anpin,

the chain of descent.

the chain of descent,

where the condition and matter of the lower ones does have an occupation of place].

And the connection of these two matters - "lo"

(with an alef)

and "lo"

(with a vav)

- to the month of Elul is: in the month of Elul the thirteen attributes of mercy shine, which are above the chain of descent - "lo"

(with an alef)

(with an alef)

; but the illumination of the thirteen attributes is in such a manner that it is drawn down into the chain of descent

(in the aspect of inwardness)

- "lo"

(with a vav)

(with a vav).

b)

The explanation of the father⁹

: the name

Elul is composed of the word "או" and two lamed's:

“Av” indicates Malchus

(as it states in the Zohar¹⁰),

and the two letters of “Av” allude to the two primary aspects of Malchus¹¹

: the Alef — Kesser d’Malchus,

and the Vav — Daas d’Malchus;

The two Lamed’s indicate the “thirty levels” with which “Malchus is acquired”¹²

by them,

and since that which “Malchus is acquired through thirty levels”¹²

— the supernal flow that is drawn into Malchus — must be actualized in both of the aforementioned aspects of Malchus,

therefore there is a Lamed both after the Alef and after the Vav.

And the connection of this matter to the month of Elul is: the destruction of the Temple in the month of Av begins

(mainly)

in the sefirah of malchus,

and in the days of favor of the month of Elul

(which comes immediately after the month of Av)

the building of malchus begins.

3.

The connection between the explanation of the Tatte and the commentary of the Tzemach Tzedek is

But what in both interpretations the alef points to keter which is above the chain of descent,

and the vav to the extension in pnimiyus

(i.e.

(according to the explanation of the Tzemach Tzedek)

or "daas" - which is "the key that includes six"¹³)

- but]

also regarding the words "lo" and "lo",

which are interpreted in the explanation of the Tzemach Tzedek:

The reason why the two primary aspects of malchus are "keter of malchus" and "daas of malchus",

the father explains¹⁴

: First of all there must be the pleasure and will in the matter of kingship - which is "keter of malchus"

(as is known that keter is pleasure and will)

; however since "there is no king without a people"¹⁵,

the king must contract himself and convey to the people,

which is daas of malchus.

The difference between the two aspects is: from the side of “the pleasure and will to rule”¹⁴

the king is still entirely detached from the people,

here is felt <b>His</b> exaltation and loftiness,

and therefore in this the people do not occupy space;

But unlike the level of daat of malchut,

which is like the king carries himself toward the people and leads them

(through the statutes of the king etc.)

- there the conduct of the people begins.

And this is the connection of the explanation of the father with the commentary of the Tzemach Tzedek

(that the word Elul is "lo" and "lu")

: in the aspect of keter of malchut,

where the actions of the lower ones do not occupy

place,

is "in all their distress <b>lo</b> [was] distressed"; but in the level of daat of malchut — there they do occupy place,

it is "in all their distress <b>lu</b> [was] distressed".

4.

Corresponding to the two matters mentioned above, in Elul there are,

in general,

the two modes of service of the month of Elul — the correction for the past year and the preparation for the coming year:

The main¹⁶

service of Rosh Hashanah is to effect the “make Me king over you”¹⁷,

the “coronation” of the Most High,

to arouse the <b>essential</b> exaltation where the actions of the lower ones have no grasp,

as above;

And this is the reason that one says then "&lt;b&gt;Yivchar&lt;/b&gt;&lt;sup&gt;18&lt;/sup&gt;

for us our inheritance etc.’”,

because the “make Me king” over Jews is

(not from the aspect of their service in Torah and mitzvos,

but)

from the aspect of the &lt;b&gt;free choice &lt;/b&gt;above,

from the aspect of that the souls of Israel are rooted in Atzmus — even higher than the root of Torah and mitzvos&lt;sup&gt;19&lt;/sup&gt;

not looking at their state in the service of Torah and mitzvos],

and this is accomplished through that Jews themselves arouse the inner bittul that is from the aspect of &lt;b&gt;Atzmus &lt;/b&gt;of the soul.

But the correction for the past year is through accounting of tzedakah in the service of Torah and mitzvos — how one carried out the &lt;b&gt;laws of the king &lt;/b&gt;— which this is

Connected with the aspect in Malchus as it is in connection with the nation.

H.

Since that "Elul" is <b>one</b> word,

it is understood,

that the "lo" and "lu" of Elul

(are not separate matters,

but they)

are in a manner,

as the language of the Tzemach Tzedek⁶

- "In Elul <b>is joined</b> lu lo".

The explanation of this:

The account of tzedakah of last year — the “lo” of Elul — is connected with <b>teshuvah</b> on the bad deeds and their correction,

and the forgiveness and atonement for the bad deeds comes from the thirteen attributes of mercy that are above the chain of descent — “lo” of Elul — that specifically because there the actions of lower beings do not reach,

from there is drawn down atonement and correction for sin and deficiency in the actions of lower beings and in the service of Torah and mitzvos²¹.

And so too conversely - the "Make me king over you" of Rosh Hashanah,

that which Jews crown the Most High as king,

which is the aspect of malchus where the nation has no grasp

as above - is the intention in this,

that this should bring to the service of Torah and mitzvos,

to observe completely the statutes of the king

That through this one brings about that the "He will choose for us" on Rosh Hashanah does not remain above the chain of descent

("lo"),

("lo"),

but rather this becomes revealed below

("lu"),

("lu")

in a writing and sealing for a good year and a sweet year for each and every one of Israel in the revealed and evident good below ten handbreadths.

(From the talk of Shabbos Parshas Re'eh 5733)