English translation — ניסן

Nissan<pg>19</pg>

A.

From Rosh Chodesh Nissan until the 12th of it "it is customary to read the portion of the prince who brought an offering on that day"¹.

And for this reason it is customary that we do not say Tachanun on these days²,

because "on the first³

of Nissan

(the day of the establishment of the Tabernacle in the desert⁴)

the princes began to offer their offerings for the dedication of the altar, one prince per day⁵

until the 13th of Nissan, and each prince on the day he offered his offering was his festival"

(and since together with the days of Passover that follow "most of the month came out in holiness"⁶

— we do not say Tachanun the entire month of Nissan²).

And we need to understand:

Although all the matters

(and stories)

of the Torah are eternal⁷,

nevertheless,

we do not find that they established in the order of prayer

(and the like)

a remembrance for generations for every event in the Torah,

but only in specific matters — that are general and fundamental matters,

like "remembrance of the Exodus from Egypt"; "remembrance of the Temple" and the like

[and also regarding the "Temple" we do not make a remembrance for all the services that were performed in the Temple

(even services that were performed many times)]

;

And why do we make a remembrance for generations for the offerings of the princes for the dedication of the altar — which were

(a)

one-time⁸,

(b)

in the Tabernacle

(that is,

which preceded in time not only this our last exile,

but also the Second Temple,

the Babylonian exile and the First Temple)

!

And in this itself — a double remembrance⁹

:

(a)

the recitation of the portion of the prince,

(b)

the non-recitation of¹⁰

Tachanun¹¹

(and even for a full month)

!<pg>20</pg>

2.

Also in the manner of this male we found a novelty:

After the saying of the "Nasi" they are accustomed to say "Yehi Ratzon"¹².

And this is its wording: May it be Your will, Hashem my God and God of my fathers, that if I, Your servant, from the tribe

(so-and-so)

that I read in Your Torah the portion of the Nasi today,

then may there shine upon me all the holy sparks and all the holy lights included in the holiness of this tribe, to understand and to comprehend in Your Torah and in Your fear, to do Your will all the days of my life, I and my offspring and the offspring of my offspring from now and until forever, Amen.

That is to say,

each and every one of Israel

(not only exceptional individuals)

prays that "may shine upon me all the holy sparks..

that are included in the holiness of this tribe",

and furthermore — that this illumination should not remain in concealment and hiding,

but rather should influence his actual service "to understand and to comprehend in Your Torah and in Your fear to do Your will

(and furthermore)

all the days of my life I

(and furthermore —)

and my seed and the seed of my seed

(and in a manner of)

from now and forever"!

And beyond this: since we do not pray for a miracle,¹³

it must be that this prayer

(of each and every one of Israel)

can be fulfilled in a natural way,

in the double and multiplied darkness of the time of exile! And further,

in general — the prayer of Israel is fulfilled in actuality,

and in particular prayer by many,

as it is said¹⁴

"Behold, God is mighty and does not despise".

And in particular that they conclude the "Yehi Ratzon" with the saying of "Amen"

(from the word truth¹⁵),

which gives special strength to the blessing,

brings about the completion of the "victory"¹⁶.

And it is found that the remembrance for generations of the offerings of the princes "for the dedication of the altar"

(which is through the recitation of the portion of the princes)

is not merely a remembrance

(for an event that occurred in the past),

but rather it is an eternal action,

and to such an extent — that "all the holy sparks and all the holy lights included in the holiness of this tribe" illuminate in actuality

(as above)

"to understand and to comprehend in Your Torah and in Your fear to do Your will all the days of my life, I and my offspring and the offspring of my offspring from now and forever"!

This is a novelty also regarding matters of "remembrance" that are from the words of the scribes.

For the fact that all the actions and prayers etc. that come as a remembrance for a specific thing

("a remembrance of the Exodus from Egypt" and the like,

as above)

are not merely a simple remembrance,

but rather through this remembrance "is made" something akin to the thing remembered — nevertheless,

such an action we have not found its parallel in the prayers

(and matters of "remembrance")

of the entire year¹⁷.

3.

Moreover — and with the introduction of the question:

How is it possible that each and every one of Israel says the portion of each and every one of the twelve princes with the "May it be His will"

(that the lights etc. of the holiness of this tribe shine upon him)

— and behold each one of <pg>21</pg>

Israel is only from one tribe

[of course the "May it be His will" itself that it is in the language of doubt — "If I am Your servant from the tribe

(such-and-such)

etc.'&lt;sup&gt;18&lt;/sup&gt;,

because it is possible that he is not from this tribe],

and it follows,

that out of twelve times of the saying of the princes,

behold in eleven of them they say a prayer that does not pertain to the one praying&lt;sup&gt;19&lt;/sup&gt;

!

And it must be said,

that each one of Israel

(it is possible that he is)

included from all the rest of Israel

(the tribes),

to the extent that each one of Israel can receive the lights of all the tribes,

so that the saying of the prince and the "May it be His will" can be about the certain — that "let shine upon me all sparks etc. and all lights etc. that are included in the holiness of this tribe etc.",

since the matter is possible&lt;sup&gt;20&lt;/sup&gt;

that he has a connection to all the tribes&lt;sup&gt;21&lt;/sup&gt;.

And along these lines, the instruction of His Holy Honor the Rebbe

(the Maharash”B)

of blessed memory²²,

that even a Kohen and a Levi should say “the Nasi” and the “Yehi Ratzon” every day

(even though certainly they are from the tribe of Levi²³)

— “because this relates to Ibbur”,

and from the aspect of “Ibbur”²⁴

it can be said that there is relevance to every tribe and to all the tribes.

And based on this,

since each and every Jew says the portions of all the Nesi’im and the “Yehi Ratzon” of each and every one — and the Holy One, blessed be He, fulfills these requests — therefore, upon the completion of the saying of the Nesi’im

(on the 12th of Nissan)

there shine in each and every Jew “all the holy sparks and all the holy lights that are included” in each and every tribe — in which are included all the sparks of holiness in the entire world

(— which was created “for the sake of Israel”²⁵),

and as is known²⁶

that the twelve tribes include all possible modes of service²⁷

(twelve general modes).

And from this is understood the greatness of the action of the saying of the princes in "to understand and to comprehend in Your Torah and in Your fear to do Your will etc." — since it comes through all the "holy sparks" of all the tribes.

&lt;pg&gt;22&lt;/pg&gt;

4.

And one must explain the reason for this innovation in the offerings of the princes and the saying for their remembrance:

The dedication of the altar is the foundation and the beginning of the service of all Israel throughout all the generations²⁸.

And as is known²⁹

that the dedication of the altar, its matter is like the matter of education,

that just as education establishes the foundation of all the service of the educated one throughout all the days of his life³⁰,

so too through the dedication of the altar the foundation was established for the service of the Mishkan,

which is the purpose of all the service of man

(and throughout all the generations)³¹

— "And they shall make³²

for Me a Sanctuary and I will dwell in their midst"³³.

And for this reason

(a)

all the tribes participated in the dedication of the altar — for in them are included all the categories

(particular)

that are in the service of God

(as above),

(b)

the offerings for the dedication of the altar were brought specifically by the princes — "for the prince is everything"³⁴

(all his tribe,

and through this — all the tribes

(the children of Israel)

all of them).

And based on this, the reason is understood that we make a remembrance for generations for the offerings of the princes

(by saying the portion of the princes and not saying Tachanun)

— even though their offering was a one-time event,

and thousands of years ago,

and in a specific place and time — because the offerings of the princes for the dedication of the altar were an eternal matter for all generations&lt;sup&gt;35&lt;/sup&gt;,

a matter that continues and influences in actuality in the service of each and every one of Israel,

including also in the double and multiplied darkness of the exile — that they illuminate "all the sparks etc. to understand etc. all the days of my life etc. from now and forever".

5.

According to what was said above

(that the offerings of the princes are an eternal matter that continues in each and every one in all generations)

it is understood,

that from the special matters of the month of Nissan is — the emphasis on the matter of

(a)

the eternity of the princes of Israel&lt;sup&gt;36&lt;/sup&gt;,

for every prince in his generation is like the first prince in his generation&lt;sup&gt;37&lt;/sup&gt;,

(b)

the connection etc. of each and every one&lt;pg&gt;23&lt;/pg&gt;

from Israel

(in every generation)

to the Nesiim of Israel, drawn from the connection etc. — that was at the time of the consecration of the Mishkan — an eternal connection etc.

And it can be said that the relevance

(of the eternality)

of the Nesiim of Israel to the month of Nissan is most emphasized regarding the Nasi of our generation,

His Holiness, our master, my father-in-law, the Rebbe:

2 Nissan is the day of the hillula of the Nasi, the Rebbe

(the Rebbe Rashab)

n"e,

and the day of the beginning of the presidency of

(his son, successor³⁸)

the Rebbe, my father-in-law, the Rebbe, the Nasi of our generation³⁹.

And in both of them we find the matter of eternity

(also)

in the physicality of the world,

and the eternal connection of each and every one of them to all of Israel⁴⁰

(and likewise — of all of Israel to them)

:

Known are the words of the Rebbe

(the Rebbe Rashab)

of blessed memory before his passing⁴¹

— "I am going to heaven,

the writings I leave you"

(I am ascending to heaven,

and the writings

(the Chassidic writings)

I leave to you).

The explanation of these words⁴²

: "The righteous are like their Creator"⁴³,

and just as the Holy One, blessed be He, "gave

(inserted)

Himself" into His Torah,

as our Sages, of blessed memory, said⁴⁴

"I gave My very self in writing",

so too with the righteous,

that they "give"

(and insert)

themselves into the words of their Torah.

And this is the intention in the words of the Admor N"E "I go to heaven, the writings I leave you" — that through

(study)

his writings

(his Torah)

that study leads to actual deed and even to their dissemination outward,

they become connected etc. with him himself

(since he put himself into his writings),

himself — as he is found in the state of ascent to heaven.

And since the "writings" are found below in the physicality of the world — therefore through them the Admor N"E is found in the physicality of the world,

that is,

that this is an eternal connection in physicality between the Nasi the Admor N"E and all of Israel.

And so it is regarding his son who fills his place⁴⁵,

the leader of our generation — that through his writings,

his books and his<pg>24</pg>

end and also the physical

(as will be explained below)

— they connect with him himself and in physicality⁴⁶.

6.

And it can be said that His Holiness, our master, our teacher, and our Rebbe, the Nasi of our generation, emphasized this immediately in his discourse

(His Torah)

the first⁴⁷

(as Nasi⁴⁸)

— from this it is understood that this is the beginning and essence and foundation of his presidency — the discourse beginning "First of nations is Amalek, and his end etc."⁴⁹

:

In the discourse there, he explains,

that matters of holiness exist in "intrinsic existence

(and eternal)

",

like the commandments⁵⁰

that are clothed in physical matters, the physical parchment and the wool of the tzitzis and the like, and everything that in His will, may He be blessed, are vessels fit for the illumination of the upper light, they exist in the aspect of intrinsic existence",

and he continues "and it can be said that this is the matter of holiness does not move from its place⁵¹,

and vessels of holiness⁵²

stand in their holiness etc."

That is to say: since all matters of holiness are drawn from the source of holiness — the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself,

therefore,

just as He, may He be blessed, exists with an intrinsic existence

(and eternal⁵³)

(since His existence is from His essence etc.),

so too His holiness and His light

(which is attached to the luminary and of the same kind as the luminary)

— exists with an intrinsic and eternal existence.

And continuing from this, he writes there:

And the place of Torah and service of a tzaddik in his holiness is also after his ascent from the life of bodies to the true life, and the illumination of the light of his service remains in its place,

it can be said that the place where he learned and engaged in Torah and all the vessels he used for the needs of service, their holiness is upon them from the parts of his refinement in the world.

And he brings on this

(Explanation —)

A story from his father⁵⁴

"And I saw once that his honor, our master and teacher and rabbi, the holy rabbi, the honored memory of the righteous, entered the room of his father, his honor, our master and teacher and rabbi, of blessed memory, and the arrangements of the room were still as they were in his lifetime

(This was approximately in the year 45 or 46)

And he entered dressed in a belt and stood by the table opposite the chair of his sitting,

And his lips moved as if speaking,

And he wept much."

And the explanation of this is most understandable according to what was discussed and explained in the discourse there — that the matter mentioned

(in the manner of the eternity of the place of his service etc. of the tzaddik)

comes in continuation to what was explained there "&lt;pg&gt;25&lt;/pg&gt;

Regarding the vessels that through their attachment and unification of the light within them, they are also in the category of self­-sustaining existence"

(like the light⁵⁵),

from this it is understood,

that the eternal existence of the holiness of the physical place and all its vessels that he used

(the tzaddik)

— for "the needs of the service" — is "even after his ascent from the life of bodies" in the manner and likeness of the self-sustaining existence

(and eternal)

of the vessels of the ten sefirot

(due to their nullification and unification with the light).

And it can be said, beyond this — that this is

(not only in the likeness,

but)

that same matter itself,

namely that the eternal existence that is "in the place of the Torah and service of the tzaddik, etc., and all his vessels that he used, etc." is in that same level of eternal existence of the vessels of the ten sefirot

(of the world of Atzilut).

And it can be said that this is also understood from what is written in Tanya⁵⁶

in explanation of the statement of our Sages of blessed memory⁵⁷

"the Patriarchs are themselves the chariot",

that in all their matters they were a chariot of Atzilut,

and so too with tzaddikim and nesi'im who are their likeness.

7.

The upshot of all the above — that the life of the tzaddik is eternal⁵⁸,

and not only in the spirituality of matters but also — regarding the physical place and his physical vessels

(his table and his chair, etc.)

— and as the precise wording "holiness does not move from its place"⁵⁹,

the physical place in "his father's room"

(in addition to the spiritual place — level and rank⁶⁰)

— because the holiness of the tzaddik penetrates all his matters

(also in the place and vessels that he used for the needs of service⁶¹)

; and as the words of the maamar "the place where he learned and engaged in Torah and all his vessels that he used for the needs of service, its holiness is upon them."

And beyond this: the holiness of the place and the vessels etc. of the tzaddik

(also after his passing)

is in the same manner as the time when the tzaddik used them in practice,

soul in body; and as understood from the aforementioned story — that "he entered the room of his father..

and the arrangements of the room were still as they were in his lifetime etc. and he entered dressed in a belt and stood by the table opposite his seat,

and his lips moved as if speaking,

and he wept much" — that is "as it was in his lifetime" when he would enter for yechidus

[which can be said that its content — the unification of the "yechidah" of the one entering for yechidus and of the "yechidah" of the Rebbe]

— in the living vitality of the Admo"r Maharash!

And according to the aforementioned saying of the Admo"r of blessed memory "I go to heaven,

the writings I leave you" — it is understood,

that through the connection to the nasi of the generation — through the "connection" with his writings,

his books etc.,

in which he inserted himself as mentioned — there is drawn from the self-sustaining and eternal existence of the holiness of the tzaddik and the nasi,

to all who go "in the path⁶²

<pg>26</pg>

May He be pleased who taught us from His ways and we will walk in His paths forever and ever, until the end of time.

And in particular through the study of the writings and the books,

and bringing the study into actual deed,

both himself and — through the spreading of the wellsprings

(of the writings and the books)

outward.

And through this there shine for him "all the holy sparks and all the holy lights that are included" in the Nasi of the generation — who includes "everything",

for the Nasi is everything⁶⁴,

and this brings about "to understand and to comprehend in Your Torah

[including and in particular in our subject — the writings and books of the Nasi]

and in Your fear to do Your will all the days of my life, I and my offspring and my offspring's offspring from now and forever

(eternal)

".

8.

The instruction regarding the practical:

We need to connect with the leaders of Israel in each and every generation,

and in our generation — with the leader of our generation,

His Holy Honor, our Master and Teacher, the Rebbe,

and through this we receive from the "eternity" of the leader.

And this brings about "to understand and to enlighten in Your Torah" — the revealed part of Torah and the inner dimension of Torah,

including the teachings of our Rabbis, our leaders,

And great is study that brings to deed⁶⁵

— to do Your will of the Holy One, blessed be He, all the days of my life — the actual fulfillment of the commandments,

And in particular the fulfillment of the commandments and the instructions in matters that are time-dependent: "Mivtza Pesach",

to prepare oneself,

his fellow Jews his brothers and all of Israel — for the holiday of Passover,

to endeavor and to ensure that each and every one of Israel has all his needs for the holiday,

both in material matters,

and both

(and primarily — the deed which one does)

— his spiritual needs,

knowledge of the laws of Passover and the commandments of the holiday,

beginning from the start

(the laws of the eve of Passover)

and from the Seder night.

9.

All of the above applies especially to the matter that was discussed recently⁶⁶

regarding "And they shall make Me a sanctuary and I will dwell in their midst" — that the power for the services throughout the days of the Tabernacle came from the dedication of the altar through the offerings of the princes

(as above section 4)

— and "Every place where it is said 'to Me' it never ceases forever"⁶⁷,

all of Israel,

men, women, and children,

shall make their home and their room etc. — in the manner of "a minor sanctuary"⁶⁸,

a house of Torah, prayer, and gemilus chasadim

(charity),

until the physical house and its physical vessels

(the table,

chair and the like)

become vessels for holiness

(Torah,

prayer and charity),

that it be "a house full of books"⁶⁹

etc.,

And as is emphasized also in the holiday of Pesach — "that⁷⁰

He passed over the houses of the children of Israel."

And special attention regarding the education of the children,

who are among the main participants in the Seder of Pesach

(And even that they do for them several matters even before Pesach,

and they make changes in order that the infants not fall asleep and in order that the infants ask&lt;sup&gt;71&lt;/sup&gt;),

including also — that every boy and girl should have

(— theirs)

a Siddur,

a Chumash and

(to differentiate)

a charity box,

and also — a "Haggadah of Pesach"&lt;sup&gt;72&lt;/sup&gt;

(with illustrations&lt;sup&gt;73&lt;/sup&gt;),

&lt;pg&gt;27&lt;/pg&gt;

That which in contrast makes his room,

his table and his bed etc. — a "minor Sanctuary",

a vessel for holiness,

and is drawn

(as above)

an essential existence in the physical room and physical vessels and in the entire house,

for "holiness does not move from its place."

And they enter there "dressed in a belt" and stand "by the table",

in a manner of "know before Whom you stand"⁷⁴,

and speak,

with tears of joy,

as a son speaking to his father,

an only son to elderly parents⁷⁵,

Israel

(You are children to the Lord your God⁷⁶)

to our Father in heaven,

which causes great delight to the father,

and the delight of the Creator becomes the delight of the created⁷⁷.

Until this comes in the ultimate revelation and perfection in the "Great Temple",

the Third Holy Temple,

and there — in the Holy of Holies,

the singular essence in the place

(in the world),

where there the singular essence of every soul of Israel connects with the aspect of the singular essence above,

the Only One of the world,

In the true and complete redemption through our righteous Moshiach — the general yechidah⁷⁸,

and immediately, right away.

(From the sichah of Shabbos Parshas Vayikra,

5 Nissan,

5747)