English translation — תבא-ח"י אלול

1.

18 Elul,

the birthday of the “two great luminaries”¹

- the Baal Shem Tov²

(founder of the general Torah of Chassidus)

and the Alter Rebbe³

(founder of the Torah of Chabad Chassidus)

- always occurs in proximity⁴

to Parshat Ki Tavo

(or in Parshat Ki Tavo itself).

And since all the appointed times

(from the term “designated” - a time with a special content)

of the year are hinted in the portions of the Torah that are read in the times in which they occur⁵

- one must say,

that in Parshat Ki Tavo is also hinted the content of 18 Elul

(and especially since it is called “Yom Tov” and “Moed” as is known⁶).

B.

The name of our parshah

as known⁷,

the content of the entire parshah]

is -

(ch y⁸)

Tavo.

The translation of "Tavo el ha'aretz" is "after inheritance and settlement";

and not only in our parshah where the verse specifies "and you shall inherit it and dwell in it",

but as Chazal⁹

say,

that <b>everywhere</b> where it says "ki tavo"

(and the like¹⁰)

it means "after inheritance and settlement".

And since this is the meaning of "Ki Tavo" in every place,

it is understandable,

that although we learn it from that which "the verse specified for you in one of them after inheritance and settlement"¹¹,

this lies however in the content of the word "Tavo" itself.

Furthermore: "inheritance and settlement" does not mean the "inheritance and settlement" of the individual

(that after <b>he</b> receives <b>his</b> portion in the Land of Israel he must bring first fruits)

but rather — after the fourteen years¹²

that they conquered and divided,¹³

<b>the whole</b> Land of Israel

the precise language of Rashi at the beginning of our parshah — "it tells that they were not obligated in first fruits until <b>they conquered the land and divided it</b>"

(and does not say — in the manner of the language of the verse — "after <b>inheritance and settlement</b>")

— that thereby Rashi emphasizes,

that "and you shall inherit it and settle in it" here¹⁵

means <b>conquest and division of the land</b> - of the <b>entire</b> land

(which took fourteen years¹²)]

and consequently,

is also <b>the</b> matter in "and you shall inherit it and dwell in it" - lies in the content of the word "Tavo".

3.

The explanation of this: The correct meaning of "bia" is - <b>entering entirely</b>,

in the manner of the statement of our sages of blessed memory¹⁶

"Partial entry is not considered entry"; and if even just a little is missing in this entering - it is not called the true completeness¹⁷

of "bia".

In the manner of entry into water "and he shall be purified"¹⁸

- immersion - must indeed be even a hair also entering the water¹⁹.

Therefore "tavo" means specifically "after

“inheritance and settlement”,

because only then is one <b>entirely</b> entered into Eretz Yisrael,

in a manner of <b>settlement.</b>

furthermore: from the aspect of the unity of Jews,

as long as there was not the settlement of <b>all</b> Jews

(who need to be there²⁰)

in Eretz Yisrael,

there is also lacking in the “Tavo” of every Jew²¹,

although regarding him individually it is already “after inheritance and settlement” of his portion — and therefore the true “coming” into Eretz Yisrael is specifically after conquest and division of the entire Eretz Yisrael.

And this is also the connection between Parshat Tavo and Chai Elul: the innovation of the teachings of Chassidut

is,

that the service of Torah and mitzvot should be done in a manner of “Tavo” — entering <b>entirely</b> into the service,

until there remains no point in a person that is not permeated with Torah and mitzvot,

as follows.

And just as in the matter of "Tavo" there are two matters²²

The <b>general </b>matter of "Tavo",

The details and manner in the "Tavo" — "and you shall inherit it and dwell in it",

So too in the 18th of Elul there are similar two matters²²

: a)

: a)

The birthday of the Baal Shem Tov,

The founder of the teachings of Chassidut <b>the general</b>,

b)

b)

The birthday of the Alter Rebbe,

The founder of the teachings of Chassidut <b>Chabad</b>;

What the difference between them is,

as the saying of His Holiness, our master, my father-in-law, the Rebbe²³,

that the Baal Shem Tov demonstrated how one <b>must</b> serve the Most High,

which is analogous to the <b>general</b> aspect of "Tavo" — and the Alter Rebbe demonstrated how one <b>can</b> be a servant of Hashem,

h.

how to bring it down <b>into actuality</b> — including

(and the main point)

in details,

analogous to "and you shall inherit it and dwell in it,"

as below section 10.

d.

d.

will one understand this with the known preface²⁴

that the revelation of the teachings of Chassidus is a preparation for the coming of Moshiach,

and as it is known²⁵

the answer of Moshiach to the Baal Shem Tov,

that "when your wellsprings spread forth outward" is "the Master will come" — it stands in the books of Kabbalah²⁶,

that until the coming of Moshiach all "revelations" in the world are only from the "externality of Atik" and Moshiach will reveal the revelation of "<b>internality</b> of Atik".

Since a preparation contains within itself a "taste" of the matter for which it is a preparation - one must say²⁴,

that the innovation of Chassidus is the matter of "inner dimension" in the service of man in Torah and mitzvos,

and therefore Chassidus draws down the "inner dimension"²⁷

of G-dliness,

"inner dimension of Atik"²⁸.

H.

The difference between "inner dimension" and "external dimension" simply

(in a person)

: "Inner dimension" means as the person is <b>to himself</b>,

and "external dimension" - as he already stands in relation to the outside,

to an "other" that is outside him.

The practical difference between them in the service of man:

When a person does a thing only with his externality,

he is not invested in it with his entire "essence" and "internality",

but only with his externality

(and in this itself - only the "level" in him that has a connection to the matter that is "outside" him).

And therefore "he" and the thing that he does remain two separate things.

But when a person does with his &lt;b&gt;innerness&lt;/b&gt;,

he is entered into it.

Because since from the side of his innerness there is no place for something that is "outside" him,

it consequently turns out,

that doing a thing

(even a particular one)

with his "innerness" and "essence" the thing becomes unified with him,

like one reality&lt;sup&gt;29&lt;/sup&gt;.

6.

This is also the effect of the revelation of Chassidus:

Chassidus

(and in general the inner dimension of Torah which is called³⁰

“the soul of the Torah”)

reveals the point of vitality*³⁰

of a Jew in all matters of Torah and mitzvos,

that the nature of “vitality” is,

that it becomes unified³¹

with the thing that it animates: “vitality” does not add any <b>new details</b> to the thing that it animates

—vitality <b>in actuality</b> is not a <b>separate</b> thing from that which it animates³²,

rather it is the soul of the body of the animated thing,

every point of the body is a living point.

And the reason for this is,

because "chayos" is the soul and inwardness of man.

And therefore in a place where "chayos" arrives,

it takes over the entire place through this.

And this is the function of Chassidus in the matter of Torah and mitzvos: the study of Torah and the fulfillment of mitzvos can be in a manner that the Jew and the Torah and mitzvos are like two things; even in the study of Torah through which becomes

(as explained in Tanya³³)

a "wondrous unity the likes of which there is no unity etc. to become as one etc." with the Above - it is in relation to his intellectual faculty.

Chassidus but,

points and shows the way how <b>everyone</b> can reveal his “innerness” and “vitality” - and from the aspect of <b>innerness</b> a Jew is <b>one thing</b> with Torah and mitzvos³⁴.

7.

This is also the explanation

(in a possible way)

why Chassidus is the preparation for the coming of Moshiach,

when there will be revealed “the innerness of Atik”:

All levels of the chain of descent,

until "externality of Atik",

give a place for an existence that is "outside" of His essence, may He be blessed.

And therefore,

even when they become revealed in the world,

it is still in a manner,

that it does not utterly negate the existence of the world;

"<b>Pnimiyus </b>Atik" means the <b>essence </b>of Divinity,

from whose perspective there is no place for anything that is "outside" Him.

And therefore,

when Pnimiyus Atik becomes revealed in the worlds,

it is in a manner,

that the world

(in its existence)

and Divinity become,

as it were,

<b>one </b>thing — "There is none besides Him"³⁵.

8.

In the life-force of man,

which spreads itself into the body, there are two levels³⁶

a)

The general life-force which animates the entire body,

with all its limbs,

<b>equally</b>; in this life-force there are no differences from one limb to the other.

b)

The vitality³⁷

particular,

which is measured in each limb according to its characteristics

the “angel

of death” that is in man,

since this vitality does not shine in revelation].

And it can be said that the difference between the “life” of Chassidus that was drawn down and revealed through the Baal Shem Tov and the “life” that was drawn down and revealed through the Alter Rebbe — is like the difference between the two modes of life³⁹

The Baal Shem Tov revealed a life <b>general</b> in Torah and mitzvos,

which in general expressed itself in the matter of <b>faith</b>.

And although the power of faith permeates all the powers of the soul and acts upon them in a manner of <b>life</b>,

which permeates them <b>in their entirety</b>,

and as it is written⁴⁰

“And the righteous <b>by his faith shall live</b>” — this means, however, not that the life of faith permeates each power also according to its <b>particular</b> nature,

but rather according to the general aspect of each power,

which is connected with the point of faith of the soul.

And in the manner of the general vitality,

which passes through all the limbs and becomes unified with them - but it is not connected with the matter of the <b>particular</b> of each limb,

but with the general point of all the limbs

(which they are a part of the human body)⁴¹.

The Alter Rebbe, however, drew down a vitality into every faculty of the soul

(and into every service in Torah and mitzvos)

also from the aspect of the particular content of that faculty; in the manner of the particular vitality which

is measured according to the particular matter of each limb; therefore it is connected with <b>Chabad</b>,

that intellect and the operation of intellect is by grasping the details

(extremities)

of the concept and in a manner that it enclothes itself in the soul-powers and acts within them in an internal manner,

also from the aspect of the particular content of the power.

9.

Although the particular vitality is seemingly a lower level in vitality than the general vitality - because: a)

it is a limited vitality

(since it is measured according to the limb),

b)

the nullification of the limb to the vitality is not such a deep nullification

(since the vitality gives a place for the particular matter of the limb)⁴²

- however there is an advantage in the particular vitality over the general vitality

(to the extent that in it a new thing is generated)

This itself that the general life-force is not connected with the particular aspect of each limb,

is a proof that in him is not expressed the completeness of the life-force itself,

because of which it does not also absorb the particular aspect of the limb.

Specifically in this particular life-force,

which absorbs the limbs from the aspect of their <b>particular</b> aspect—and in a manner of life-force,

which absorbs them entirely—is expressed the completeness of the life-force itself.

And so too is it regarding the Torah of Chassidus Chabad: specifically through that which the Alter Rebbe drew down the vitality of Chassidus into the particular powers of the soul according to their content,

he drew down

was in its completeness the Torah of the Baal Shem Tov⁴³

(for which also the particular powers are dealt with through the vitality of Chassidus).

Yud.

And this is also the connection between Chai Elul and Parsha Tavo:

The general vitality of the general Chassidus is hinted at in the matter of "Tavo",

which means

(as above sec. 63)

<b>coming in entirely </b>

(in the service of

t.m.tz.),

which this is from the aspect of the point of vitality that the Torah of Chassidus gives into the service of t.m.tz.;

Afterwards one must draw down the general vitality into the particular powers themselves — which this means "and you shall inherit it and dwell in it" — one brings down the general vitality of Chassidus into a <b>settlement</b>⁴⁴,

into the particular powers of the soul,

which this is through the Torah of Chassidus Chabad.

Chai Elul,

5730.

5733)