English translation — יו"ד כסלו

1.

The determination of Yud Tes Kislev — the holiday of redemption of the Rebbe the middle one¹

— occurs in several years in the week of Parshas Vayeitzei²

— in the very Parshas Vayeitzei).

And according to the known words of the Shelah³

(that the "appointed times of the entire year ..

it is understood,

that the redemption of the middle Rebbe — one can learn its content from the current sedra,

or even more — it is hinted in the sedra⁴.

The general content of Parshas Vayeitzei is — exile and redemption: the sedra begins with the descent of Yaakov into exile⁵

"And Yaakov left Be'er Sheva and went to Charan",

the departure from Eretz Yisrael to chutz la'aretz,

and in chutz la'aretz itself — "Charan",

in "the burning anger of the Omnipresent"⁶,

and further — to Lavan the Aramean,

until "I served you"⁷

; and at the end of the sedra it is told about the "redemption" from this exile⁸

— how Yaakov saved himself from Lavan the Aramean and "went on his way"⁹

— on the road to Eretz Yisrael¹⁰.

And the special connection with the true redemption of the middle Rebbe — one must say:

One of the requests of Yaakov going to Charan was "and I will return in peace to my father's house"¹¹,

and the emphasis in this is that

(in addition to this that he should return wholeheartedly¹²

to his father's house,

is also)

the manner of this returning should be "in peace" — in a manner of peace and tranquility¹³.

And as it was in practice,

that although Lavan chased after him with not good intentions — and as he himself said to him "It is in the power of my hand to do you harm"¹⁴

— it nevertheless passed entirely in peace

(without any war etc.).

And this is the connection to the redemption of the holy middle Rebbe — which was in this manner,

as is known,

that his redemption was connected with

(the verse¹⁵)

"He redeemed my soul in peace"

(and particularly according to how it is told — in stories of chassidim¹⁶,

that the news of the redemption was "when he said Tehillim¹⁷

the verse 'He redeemed my soul in peace'")

— that the explanation of "He redeemed my soul in peace" is¹⁸,

that

(one does not have only a redemption from the enemy,

but also that)

the manner of the redemption is "in a way of peace without any war at all" — like "and I returned in peace".

2.

And although the redemption of the Alter Rebbe emphasizes its connection with the recitation of the verse "He redeemed my soul in peace" — as the Alter Rebbe writes in his well-known letter¹⁹

"And when I read in the book of Psalms the verse 'He redeemed my soul in peace' ..

I went out in peace" —

one finds however that the connection of this verse "He redeemed in peace my soul" to Yud Kislev

(the day of redemption of the middle Admor)

is — in a principal matter — in a stronger manner than to the day of Yud-Tes Kislev

(the day of redemption of the old Admor)

it is known the story and explanation of his holiness my father-in-law the Admor²⁰,

that that which the old Rebbe said at the time of his redemption the verse "He redeemed in peace my soul"

(although the verse is not found in the assigned portion of Tehillim of the nineteenth of the month)

— was because during the days of imprisonment the old Rebbe had added in the recitation of Tehillim

(said Tehillim "at ease"),

that is

(air)

the assigned portions of Tehillim as it is divided for the days of the week.

and since Yud-Tes Kislev was then on the third day of the week,

he said then the chapter 55 of Tehillim

(which belongs to the assigned portion of the third day of the week).

It comes out according to this,

that in a revealed manner

(and in speech)

the connection of "He redeemed in peace my soul" to the redemption of the Alter Rebbe

(a)

is only in the years when Yud-Tes Kislev falls on the third day of the week; and

(b)

also then it is specifically by those who say Tehillim "beshofi",

but not by each and every one

(that by them the connection is only in thought<sup>21</sup>,

due to the content of the matter<sup>22</sup>).

But not so the connection of "He redeemed in peace my soul" to Yud Kislev is in a manner that this is said on the day of redemption for each and every one and in every year,

because the verse "He redeemed in peace my soul" is in the Tehillim portion of the day of the tenth of the month

that everyone should say the daily portion of Tehillim as it is divided according to the days of the month,

and he emphasized thereby²⁴

that this is a matter equal for every soul].

And this itself demonstrates,

that the content of "He redeemed my soul in peace" is

(in which essential matter)

in a more revealed manner in the redemption of the middle Rebbe as related to the redemption of the Alter Rebbe.

3.

will then become understandable according to the explanation of the connection of "He redeemed in peace: my soul" to the redemption of the Alter Rebbe and of the Mitteler Rebbe:

In "He redeemed in peace my soul" there is,

as above,

a double action: the actual redemption from the enemy,

and that the manner of the redemption is in a way of peace.

The two modes of redemption — redemption by way of war and redemption by way of peace — exist in the matter of the Torah.

And in general — this is the difference between the revealed part of Torah and the inner dimension of Torah:

The inner dimension of Torah is "the Tree of Life where there is no difficulty etc. and no dispute"²⁵

; but the revealed part of Torah,

in which there exists a multiplicity of give-and-take,

difficulty and contradiction etc. — is analogous to redemption by way of war.

("Milchamta shel Torah"²⁶)

: in order to win the light of the halacha and the conclusion of Torah, one must wage war with the concealment and hiding²⁷

of the difficulties and discussions etc.

It is like we find in the revealed part of Torah itself the difference between the Babylonian Talmud and the Jerusalem Talmud²⁸

: about the Babylonian Talmud it says²⁹

"He placed me in darkness",

because the matters of Torah come there in a manner,

that until one reaches the clarity of a matter,

to the conclusion,

one must go through discussions, difficulties, etc.

("in darkness")

; but in the Jerusalem Talmud there are not so many difficulties and discussions,

there the matters of Torah are from the outset in a

(more)

luminous manner,

so that one comes more quickly to the conclusion.

But nevertheless,

Since the Jerusalem Talmud is the revealed aspect of Torah,

where one speaks about matters of the world

("Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil"²⁵),

which represent the truth of Torah,

Therefore, in the Jerusalem Talmud there is also the representation of — at least some — difficulties etc.

But not so in the inner dimension of Torah,

there is "no difficulty etc. and no dispute" — because in the inner dimension of Torah one speaks openly

About G‑dliness and spiritual matters which are also openly<sup>30</sup>

above the concealment and hiding of the world,

and therefore there difficulties and etc. have no place there — it is a redemption in a way of peace,

"He redeemed my soul in peace"<sup>31</sup>.

And this is the connection of the redemption of the Alter Rebbe and the Mitteler Rebbe with the recitation of the verse "He redeemed my soul in peace" — because their redemption was

(not only a private redemption,

but)

a general redemption,

and of Torah,

redemption of the Torah of Chassidus,

the inner dimension of the Torah,

whose subject is

(as above)

the "He redeemed in peace" in the Torah itself.

4.

It is known³²

that the totality of the revelation of the teachings of Chassidus is in an orderly manner — corresponding to the order of revelation of a new intellect,

that first the point of the intellect is revealed

(Chochmah),

the general point which is above details,

and afterwards the point descends into Binah,

into understanding and comprehension,

so that the intellectual matter becomes understood with all its details.

And as we find in the order of revelation of the revealed part of Torah: first comes "Mishnah" which is "a brief thing encompassing many matters"³³,

and only later the give-and-take in the Mishnah

(to learn and afterwards

Lisbon³⁴)

and also simply — generations

(the Tannaim and)

the Mishnah and afterwards the later generations of

(the Amoraim and)

the Gemara,

where the "brief matters"³³

of the Mishnah become explained and clarified in breadth and length.

And likewise it is in the order of the revelation of the Torah of Chassidus first through the Alter Rebbe and then through the Mitteler Rebbe:

The Alter Rebbe revealed the matters of Chassidus in a manner that their details etc. are

(Nad)

included in a point — the level of chochmah of the Torah of Chassidus; and the Mitteler Rebbe brought them out in a broad explanation,

with the expansion of length and breadth of binah.

And as we see it in his Chassidic discourses,

that in them there is an extensiveness with many explanations etc.

And through that which the Mitteler Rebbe revealed the matters of Chassidus in the expansion and extension of binah,

understanding and comprehension — the matters of the Torah of Chassidus were brought down in a manner that everyone should be able to

(Nad more)

grasp and comprehend in his intellect³⁵.

which is higher than being able to be grasped in the vessel of comprehension and understanding.

Specifically when he brings down the point of the intellect into "Binah,"

whose function is to break down the intellect into its details,

thing spoken in its proper manner,

can the person grasp the intellectual concept and it becomes unified with him in the vessel of comprehension].

And this is the reason why

(with emphasis it is)

specifically the redemption of the Mitteler Rebbe is connected with the recitation of "Padah BeShalom" by each and every one

(as above)

— because in this is expressed the innovation of the revelation of Chassidus through the Mitteler Rebbe

(relative to the revelation through the Alter Rebbe),

that he revealed Chassidus

(which is — "Padah BeShalom" in Torah)

in a manner that it can be grasped in the understanding and comprehension of each and every one.

5.

And one could say a deeper concept in this:

That which the matter of "He redeemed my soul in peace" stands in a more revealed manner in connection with the redemption of the Mitteler Rebbe — is because with this was opened up an even higher perfection in the matter of "He redeemed in peace"<sup>36</sup>.

The difference is not only in how much the matter

(He redeemed in peace)

stands in revelation

(whether only in a general point manner,

or also in expansion until it reaches each individual),

but it is a difference in the manner

(and quality)

of the peace.

And also the matter is hinted at in the portion of Vayetze — in the above-mentioned verse "And I will return in peace to my father's house":

The Alter Rebbe explains in Torah Or<sup>37</sup>,

that "And I returned in peace" means — "two [kinds of] peace",

that there are two aspects in peace: "peace from above downward"

(the peace comes from the side of the "above")

and "peace from below upward"

(that the peace comes from the side of the "below").

And "And I returned in peace to my father's house" means,

that Jacob prayed that there should be with him both aspects of peace,

the "peace from above downward" and "peace from below upward"<sup>38</sup>.

that the "peace" between him and Laban was accomplished not only in the manner of "from above downward" — "And God came to him in a dream, saying, 'Beware for yourself, etc.'"<sup>39</sup>

but also in the manner of "from below upward" — from Laban himself,

a covenant and peace,

that he

(of his own accord)

said: "Come, let us make a covenant, I and you, etc."].

And likewise it is to be said in our matter,

that the task of the redemption of the Mitteler Rebbe

(which is connected with the revelation of Chassidus in the manner of "binah")

regarding the redemption of the Alter Rebbe: in the matter of "He redeemed in peace"

From the Mitteler Rebbe there exists

(in revelation)

the advantage of the air of the second manner in peace,

"peace from below upward".

6.

And it can be explained the explanation in this:

The word "shalom" its content proves,

that initially there is a state of division and opposition

(in actuality or in potential at least),

which becomes nullified and transformed into an opposite state through the matter of "shalom" — there becomes peace and unity between the differing and opposing opinions

— if there is not from the outset any division and opposition or differing opinions, then the matter of "peace" has no place.

That this is also one of the interpretations⁴¹

in the verse "He redeemed my soul in peace etc. for many were with me": "many" signifies opposing opinions

(because from this there is no peace and unity,

only division and dispute,

"many")

; and the reason for this that the redemption is through peace

("He redeemed my soul in peace")

— is because "many were with me": also the "many"

(the opponents)

are

(become)

"with me"

on the verse,

that the men of Absalom prayed for the victory of David].

Based on this, one can explain the connection of "He redeemed my soul in peace" to Chabad Chassidus specifically:

In the general teachings of Chassidus,

where the main emphasis is on faith,

the concept of "peace" is not fitting — because in faith there is initially no place for two

(and certainly not for multiplicity)

opinions,

in faith it is easy the truth⁴³

a concealment etc.,

until in a manner of simple unity:

The innovation of Chabad Chassidus is,

that one brings down the matters of the teachings of Chassidus into the world of intellect,

which is,

seemingly,

a thing and its opposite: by nature there is in the intellect of human beings a multiplicity of opinions

(their opinions are not equal⁴⁴),

intellect⁴⁵

gives a place for disputes

(and consequently — disagreement)

; and likewise is the order of reaching an intellect,

that one goes through a question and concealment etc. until one understands correctly the conclusion⁴⁶

— and together with this are brought down into intellect the matters of the inner dimension of the Torah, "there is no question etc. and no disagreement" — intellect takes the matters without difficulties⁴⁷

and without disagreement.

It turns out,

that through the Torah of Chassidus Chabad one draws down "peace" into the "many".

7.

But this itself — to draw down "peace" into the "many"

(and that they should be "standing")

— can also be in two ways:

One manner is — in the way "from above to below",

that one draws down the concept of unity into the place of multiplicity and division; and a second manner — "peace from below to above",

that

(one does not merely draw down peace and unity into the place of multiplicity,

but)

the concept of peace is brought about from the side of the multiplicity

("below")

itself — which, of course,

is a far greater novelty,

that the multiplicity itself becomes transformed into unity.

An example of these two manners in halachah — a ruling of the Sanhedrin:

A Sanhedrin must have an aspect of "many" specifically⁴⁸,

that according to nature each has a particular approach in understanding and knowledge

(their opinions are not equal),

that therefore "a father and his son, a teacher and his student, are counted as only one"⁴⁹

— because since they have from the outset one manner and way in intellect etc.⁵⁰

it is not considered that they are two opinions.

But on the other hand,

in order to rule on the law,

all these different opinions must come to unity and rule also in one manner.

And this is accomplished through the principle "follow the majority"⁵¹

and in a manner that the judges of the dissenting minority must nullify their opinion to the opinion of the majority.

But in this itself there are two ways

(and as explained in the later authorities⁵²)

One way is,

that although the minority judges from their own perspective hold differently,

since however they know that the Torah says "after the majority to incline",

they nullify their opinion before the opinion of the majority — which in this way,

the "unity" comes not from their opinion,

but from the majority and the Torah's ruling

(after the majority)

A second manner is,

that after they stand for a minyan and they decide according to the majority opinion,

it becomes transformed into a ruling of all the members of the Sanhedrin,

because all of them are

(afterwards)

in agreement with the majority opinion:

(knowing that the Torah says "after the majority to incline")

they contemplate again in the matter etc. until also their opinion agrees and is transformed to the majority opinion.

And in this manner the "peace" comes from the "majority" itself.

8.

The above explanation of the two manners in "peace" — also gives an explanation of the custom of Israel,

that when two Jews meet each other with a greeting of peace,

the first one says "Peace be upon you" and the second one answers: "Upon you be peace"⁵³.

What at first glance is not understood:

(a)

Why does one say

(even to an individual)

(Shalom)

Aleichem" — not "Alecha"⁵⁴

the phrase "Shalom Alecha Rebbi

(uMorei)

Why does the second one answer "Aleichem Shalom" — in a reversed order⁵⁶

relative to how the initiator says it⁵⁷?

And one can explain the elucidation of this⁵⁸

: When two Jews meet together,

there is created a reality of many

(the minimum of many is two⁵⁹)

whose "opinions are not equal" — and their service then consists of creating unity within that "many".

And therefore one says "Shalom Aleichem" — that one must establish peace and unity

("Shalom" is the name of the Holy One, blessed be He⁶⁰,

simple unity)

in that "Aleichem"

(many).

But in the unity

(between the recipients)

there are two levels⁶¹

When the "opener" says "Shalom Aleichem" one knows only that he is ready for peace,

and it is required that also the second one respond peace; but if the response of peace will be in the same wording as the opener

("Shalom Aleichem")

— it gives room to think,

that his response of peace comes

(not from himself,

but)

merely as acknowledgment and confirmation to the one who opened with peace; therefore he changes from the opener and says "Aleichem Shalom" — to emphasize,

that he is not entirely "agreeing" to the other's "Shalom Aleichem",

but he from himself wants peace.

And this is also the reason for the difference in the order of the wording:

The first one says "Shalom Aleichem"

(the "Shalom" before the "Aleichem"),

because he is the one who opens with peace,

the peace comes from his side,

that he "demands" that there should be peace between "Aleichem"

(the plural)

— "peace from above to below";

At the time the second one answers "shalom",

with this he opens that the "shalom" comes

(not only from the side of the opener,

but)

also from the side of the responder — he says "aleichem shalom".

Because with his answering "shalom" the novelty was opened,

that the many themselves make peace

(from "aleichem" becomes "shalom")

— peace from below upward.

9.

According to all the above one will also understand

(in a possible manner)

in our matter,

the two modes of "redeem in peace" — by the Alter Rebbe

(Chochmah)

and by the Mitteler Rebbe

(Binah)

That the nature of intellect is connected with "multiplicity"

(as above section 6)

— is

(mainly)

from the aspect of "binah",

i.

e.

from the aspect of the multiplicity of details

(and division)

of the intellectual thing

But not so in "chochmah": the revelation of the point of intellect which is above details — and consequently there is not

(so much)

any room for dispute and questions etc.

And this is the difference in the “peace” that is established through Chochmah or through Binah:

When the point of intellect shines

(Chochmah)

— one feels that all the questions in this matter are nullified

(although he still does not know how they will be answered).

And this is because the point of intellect is the “general principle”

(and truth)

of the intellectual reasoning through which all the details of intellect are unified.

It follows,

that

(also)

through “Chochmah” a “peace” is established among the details of intellect

(“many”)

— but the “peace” comes

(not from the side of the details

intellect

(multiplicity)

itself,

but)

from the perspective of the point of the intellect,

"peace from above to below";

but not so in binah, it is opened up that every particular matter in the intellect, from its own perspective, is explained to him,

so,

that the "peace"

(in the intellectual thing)

is created from the multiplicity

(particulars)

itself — "peace from below to above".

And so it is regarding the revelation of the teachings of Chassidus — whose content is "He redeemed [them] in peace,"

in a manner of peace and tranquility

("for where there is no [wisdom], there is no difficulty, etc.")

as above:

In this revelation of the teachings of Chassidus through the Alter Rebbe — in a manner of "wisdom" — the "peace" is in a way from above downward;

And the "redeemed in peace" that was revealed through the revelation of Chassidus of the Mitteler Rebbe,

in the way of understanding and comprehension of Binah — is a "peace from below to above",

that the vessels of understanding and comprehension of the lower one grasp and are apprehending the matters of Pnimiyus HaTorah,

through which the multitude of intellect itself becomes unified and transformed into a matter of "redeemed in peace".

And from the sichos of Yud Tes Kislev 5744,

5745;

ד״ה and I returned in peace 5738*)