English translation — תצא ב

1.

On the verse¹

"When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof" it says in the Sifri²

: "House — to include the Sanctuary",

That the parapet on the roof of the Holy Temple³

was

(not only "for beauty"⁴

and the like,

but)

an obligation,

the commandment of the parapet.

It is known the question⁵

: The law is,

that synagogues and study halls are <b>exempt </b>from a parapet,

as the Gemara⁶

derives "your roof ..

to exclude synagogues and study halls" — why is the Holy Temple obligated in a parapet?

B.

The Rogatchover⁷

answers on this,

that the obligation of a parapet applies

(as it stands in Sifri⁸)

"from the time of its renewal"⁹

— immediately when the house is built

(even before one begins to use it¹⁰)

: And since by the Temple it is

The law¹¹

"Building on a weekday and afterwards consecrating",

turns out,

that "at the time of its renewal"

(when the sanctuary is built),

it does not yet have any holiness and consequently it is then obligated in a parapet.

The answer is however tzarich iyun¹²

a)

That which synagogues and study halls are exempt from a parapet is

(not because they are "holy"¹³,

because they are not "your roof" — they have no owners¹⁴

; and if so, also the Sanctuary of the Temple should have been exempt from a parapet,

for although it is built in non-holy [time],

it is nevertheless not thereby "your roof".

One cannot answer that his answer is according to the reason of the Rambam¹⁵

— that that which synagogues and study halls are exempt from a parapet is

(not because they do not belong to individuals,

but)

but)

"because they are not made <b>for dwelling</b>": unlike the Sanctuary which at the time of its building is still "non-holy",

it can then be used for dwelling,

and therefore it is obligated in a parapet,

Because¹⁶

Even though "they build it as a weekday structure and then consecrate it",

However, since it is built <b>for the sake of a Sanctuary</b>,

it is logical,

that one did not make use

(or — one may not make use)

of the house for mundane purposes¹⁷.

b)

A house obligated in a parapet — after one made it into a synagogue

(and the like — a house exempt from a parapet),

the obligation of the commandment of the parapet is automatically nullified¹⁸.

3.

And one must say the explanation in this:

Rashi¹⁹

explains,

that what synagogues and study halls are not included in "your roof" is because "there is no portion for any one of them in it, for even for the inhabitants of across the sea it is."

With this Rashi warns why synagogues etc. are different from a house of partners:

The law is,

that a house of partners is

obligated in a parapet,

as the Gemara⁶

says,

that although from the word "your roof" it implies "yours, not of partnership",

nevertheless,

since the verse expresses the reason for the parapet — "for the fallen one may fall from it",

and from the perspective of this concern there is no difference whether it is a house of an individual or of partners,

therefore a house of partners is obligated in a parapet²⁰

It becomes therefore according to this difficult: with what are different synagogues and study halls that become diminished from the word "your roof"?

Even if it is not "your roof",

One must however protect against the concern of "for the fallen one may fall from it".

Rashi explains,

that by synagogues and study halls there is no one to obligate: the obligation of a parapet is upon the owners of the house

(and by a house of partners — the obligation of a parapet is upon each and every partner),

but the townspeople

(who built the synagogue or study hall)

have no portion for any one of them in the synagogue and study hall,

because "even for the inhabitants of across the sea it is"²¹,

therefore it is not applicable to impose upon them the obligation to make a parapet.

It is no contradiction from what one finds,

that regarding other laws²²

the townspeople are indeed considered as the

owners of the synagogue etc. — because regarding the obligation of a parapet it is relevant

(not only the acquisition of the body of the synagogue etc.,

which belongs solely to the townspeople,

but also)

that this is his a place of residence²³,

Not so in the synagogue, which all Israel have the right to enter and make use of every synagogue that is in all cities of the world²⁴

; and in the language of the Rogatchover²⁵

: “Regarding a railing ..

Depends <b>on a dwelling</b> and a synagogue dwelling belongs <b>to all</b>"²⁶.

4.

Based on this, it also becomes clear why the Holy Temple is obligated in a railing:

In the Temple all Jews had a portion,

(as it were)

partnership: both in the place of the Temple,

which King David bought from Aravnah the Jebusite with the money that he took from all the tribes²⁷

; and likewise the Temple itself is built from the donations of the public

(and just as all Jews participated in the donation of the Tabernacle,

it is logical,

that all Jews participated also in the fund and chamber from which they built

(or the repair of the Temple)

the Temple)

And even though when the individual gives his donation into the fund,

it is in the manner of "he shall hand them over to the public, nicely nicely"²⁸

(not like money that belongs to several individuals as a partnership)

— nevertheless, through this it is not nullified

(completely)

the individual's portion²⁹

(as is known the proof of this from the request of Moses

(in connection with Korach and his assembly)

: "<b>Their portion</b>

(in the communal daily offerings)

shall not be accepted"³⁰)

; and therefore the Temple is

(at least)

<b>a kind of</b> partnership of all Israel³¹.

And since every Jew has a <b>portion</b> in the Beis HaMikdash — <b>as mentioned above</b>

(and all the more so — from the Tamid),

therefore the Jews³²

became obligated to make a fence when they built the Beis HaMikdash³³.

And to be obligated in a parapet, it does not have to be "your roof" in complete actuality

(and as above section 3,

that also a house of partners is not a true "your roof")

and one must protect the "for the fallen one will fall from it"³⁴.

E.

One can still, however, ask:

The obligation of a parapet is specifically on a "house

dwelling"³⁵

(because otherwise it is indeed "he does not need it"³⁶)

: that

(also)

for this reason synagogues and study halls are exempt from a parapet,

because a synagogue "is not a dwelling house"³⁷

— as above section b]

And the Sanctuary is indeed not a dwelling place?

And one may say regarding this³⁹

: The concept of dwelling is connected primarily with <b>eating</b>,

as the law by Sukkah,

where it must be "You shall dwell

as you shall dwell"⁴⁰,

that "the <b>essence</b> of the mitzvah of dwelling in the sukkah" is the <b>eating</b> in the sukkah⁴¹.

And therefore he sanctifies a "house of dwelling",

because this is the fixed place for eating holy things⁴²

; and even though eating holy things is only in the azarah and not in the heichal

(on which there was the parapet

(on its roof))

— but the law is⁴³,

that one may

And more than this — one needs and one must

(in a time of pressing need)

eat the holiest of holy things in the Sanctuary.

(and all the more so in a study hall⁴⁵)

and nevertheless they are <b>not</b> called "a dwelling house" as above — because there the permission is from the aspect of that such eating and drinking

(and sleeping)

is in a <b>temporary</b> manner,

and therefore it is not called a "dwelling house" to become obligated in a parapet,

because it is only in the manner of a <b>temporary</b> dwelling

(Sukkah⁴⁶

: a house outside the Land [of Israel] less than thirty days which is exempt from mezuzah⁴⁷)

But not so the eating of most holy sacrifices,

whose eating is a <b>mitzvah</b> that the Torah considered it significant⁴⁸

And especially since it must be in a manner of "for anointing — <b>for greatness</b>"⁴⁹,

this is a matter of <b>permanence</b>.

The Torah commanded eating most holy sacrifices in the Sanctuary

(at least in a time of pressing need),

it is a "dwelling place"⁵⁰].

6.

The explanation of the difference between the synagogue etc. and the Holy Temple

(regarding the obligation of a parapet)

in the inner aspect of the matters — will be understood according to the explanation of the matter of the parapet in spiritual service:

The inner explanation of "And you shall make a fence for your roof, etc., for the faller will fall from it" is: "your roof" indicates elevation and pride⁵¹,

and "And you shall make a fence for your roof" means,

that one must fence in and limit the pride⁵²

; "for the faller will fall from it" — because the trait of pride is the root of every spiritual fall,

as is known⁵³

that evil traits in a person derive from his selfhood and pride.

And this is also the general lesson from the fact that also the Sanctuary must have a fence:

One can think,

that the protection of a railing is necessary only in the matters of "a non-holy house,"

whose "roof"

(haughtiness and pride)

is simple pride,

opposite of holiness;

When it speaks, however, about the Sanctuary,

which is entirely holy — then also the roof of the Sanctuary is a holy service: "And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord"⁵⁴,

and as our sages, of blessed memory, [said]⁵⁵

that "a Torah scholar must have in him one-eighth of an eighth" — what need is there <b>here</b> to protect — that is the matter of the railing?

is the instruction,

that even the roof of the Temple needs to have a parapet; and moreover: in the Temple itself,

the parapet was on the roof of the <b>Heichal</b>,

and also from the <b>Holy of Holies</b>⁵⁶.

For even when one already holds at the ultimate height,

one must be warned and restrained by the feeling of self-nullification; and on the contrary — "vessels finished in purity require immersion for holiness"⁵⁷

: even at the time when one holds at a level that gives a place to think that one is already a "finished" vessel,

such a one that was finished <b>in purity</b> — one must then <b>specifically</b>⁵⁸

have "immersion — the letters of self-nullification⁵⁹

— for holiness".

7.

A railing in its simple sense is indeed not

(thus)

to prevent &lt;b&gt;yourself&lt;/b&gt;,

but

(mainly)

to protect that an &lt;b&gt;other &lt;/b&gt;should not fall from "your roof".

And so too regarding the matter of the railing in spirituality: the "railing for your roof" its subject is not only to guard oneself from a spiritual fall,

but also for the sake of another Jew,

that "your roof" — your haughtiness and pride — should not cause a spiritual fall for another.

When a Jew occupies himself with spreading Judaism and bringing Jews closer to their Father in heaven —

That this is also included⁶⁰

in "when you build a new house"

(according to the inner aspect of the matter),

that a Jew should not be satisfied with his own service,

but he must "build" a <b>house</b> for G‑d,

establish a complete and perfect "house",

an environment that should be permeated with Judaism⁶¹

And along with this he has pride,

it is not only a deficiency in his service

(particular),

but it can cause a fall for the other upon whom he needs to influence.

When he influences upon the other with words that come from the heart,

without any personal agendas etc.,

one is certain that the words will also enter the heart and accomplish their effect;

If however in his words there is an admixture of selfhood and pride,

then besides this that it is an impediment in the influence and success of his words to draw close the other,

it is liable to

Causing the opposite of this — the pride in his words can still distance the listener,

i.e.

And furthermore, the verse warns — "for the fallen one will fall from him",

and as Chazal explain⁶²

"This one was fit to fall from the six days of creation...

but they cause merit through the meritorious and liability through the liable":

A Jew can claim,

that the fall of the second is not his fault,

but because that one is "fit

to fall",

or even more — "falling" literally,

he is already a fallen one⁶³

If the second had been an upright man,

he would have discerned between the truth of his words

(which are words of Torah)

and the selfhood etc.

(of the person)

which is mixed into them,

in the manner of the saying of our Sages of blessed memory⁶⁴

"His inside he ate, his peel he threw away"⁶⁵

Only because that one is &lt;b&gt;already &lt;/b&gt;a fallen one,

therefore,

when he hears a matter of yeshus etc., it causes upon him a greater descent — now what is &lt;b&gt;he &lt;/b&gt;guilty in this,

that he should need to guard &lt;b&gt;his &lt;/b&gt;"roof",

that the one who is already a "fallen one" should not have an even greater fall?

They say to him,

that regardless of that one being a fallen one,

there lies upon him an obligation to prevent,

that from "roof&lt;b&gt;your&lt;/b&gt;" — from &lt;b&gt;your &lt;/b&gt;roof — should not come out also the

Fall of a fallen one&lt;sup&gt;66&lt;/sup&gt;

: You need not be among those about whom it is said "they roll ..

Obligation through &lt;b&gt;obligated&lt;/b&gt;" — the cause of the second fall.

Ch.

On this one can have a claim: Since he knows that he has egotism,

then why should he enter into a doubt — whether he will be able or not able to make a "fence" properly,

which should protect

(his own and)

the second's fall — he will entirely not occupy himself with "building the house",

And especially — with building up and bringing close another Jew!

So the verse precedes "oz" as a blessing⁶⁷

"When you build a new house": a Jew must build a house for G‑d by establishing around himself an environment of Judaism,

as above; and he cannot rely on others,

rather it must be "a <b>new</b> house": for each Jew a portion in the world has been allocated⁶⁸

which <b>he</b> must clarify and he must <b>renew</b> it — make from it a dwelling place for Him, blessed be He.

He cannot rely on the service of all previous generations,

or on the service of other Jews of his generation — rather there lies upon him a personal obligation to build <b>his</b> portion in the world,

which is <b>his innovation</b>

(and not a second one).

And therefore,

when he meets another Jew — which this itself is

(In Divine Providence,

and consequently)

A proof that the other's clarification is connected with <b>him</b> — he must occupy himself with him.

If even the second is a "fallen one,"

and with him there is a "your roof" that can cause a

(addition)

fall for the second — is it because with him there is selfhood and pride,

must <b>be lacking</b> by a second,

by the one whose correction is connected with him?

Make a fence and fence in your selfhood! And you are not free to exempt yourself from it — from occupying yourself with a second Jew.

And as is known, the story of Chassidim in the name of the Mitteler Rebbe:

The Mitteler Rebbe made a decree that the Chassidim who used to come to Lubavitch should, on their way back home, review Chassidus in the towns that they pass by.

A certain young man, a chossid — who used to review Chassidus with good taste — complained to the Mitteler Rebbe,

that when reviewing Chassidus he feels a sense of pride,

he wants to stop reviewing Chassidus.

The Mitteler Rebbe answered him: “An onion⁶⁹

should become of you,

but Chassidus you should review”!

9.

According to all the above, one will also understand the difference between the synagogue etc. and the Holy Temple:

The concept of the synagogue and the study hall is — the service of prayer and the study of Torah,

which is the spiritual service of a person in himself and with himself; in contrast, the Holy Temple expresses <b>the totality</b>

The service of man⁷⁰

— not only the service with oneself,

but also

(and on the contrary — primarily)

the service of "a dwelling place in the lower realms",

to make from physical matters and the world in general a dwelling place for Him, blessed be He.

For which one of the primary services in the Holy Temple is the service of the offerings⁷¹,

to elevate the animal etc. <b>physical</b> to G‑d,

and there is the eating of the priests and the eating of the owners,

which is a matter of the service of clarification.

And so it is the general concept of the Sanctuary to influence the world around,

for which the windows of the Sanctuary were "narrow within and wide without" so that "light" should shine and illuminate the outside and be a testimony "to all the inhabitants of the world that the Divine Presence rests upon Israel"⁷².

And since the primary function of a parapet is to protect from "the faller falling from it" — another who is on a level of "faller",

and so it is with oneself,

when one is occupied with the service that is connected with descending from one's own level and engaging in the refinement of the world

("you shall build a new house")⁷³

Therefore a synagogue and study hall must,

by which the person is <b>out-</b>

<b>done </b>from worldly matters,

not have any railing.

But not so the Beis HaMikdash which acts in the physical world — and in spiritual service this is the service of building a house for Hashem,

making from the environment a dwelling place for Him, blessed be He — regarding this, the protection of a fence is required⁷⁴.

Nevertheless, the ultimate perfection is specifically connected with the Beis HaMikdash,

because specifically through this service the purpose of creation is realized,

that it becomes "You shall build a new house" — one establishes a dwelling place for Him, blessed be He, in the lower realms,

And through this one also merits the building of the Third Holy Temple,

speedily in our days, literally.

(From the sicha of Shabbos Parshas Matos 5741)