English translation — כ"ד טבת

It is known what the Alter Rebbe, the present Baal HaHilula himself,

explains in the matter of histalkus and hilula,

that then,

at the time of the histalkus

(of a tzaddik),

become included and ascend above "all his deeds and his Torah and his service which he served all the days of his life"¹,

and this then also becomes "revealed and shines in a manner of revelation from above to below"²

And just as this is at the time of the histalkus,

so too is it also every year on the day of the yahrtzeit,

because it is indeed known³

that in each and every year, there are repeated and reawakened — there are awakened and repeated — the matters that were initiated the first time,

and even more so"⁴.

All the festivals of the year

(and likewise birthdays and yahrtzeits of tzaddikim and the like)

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

And since the fixed date of the 24th of Tevet,

the day of the yahrtzeit of the Alter Rebbe,

falls out

(in most years)

in the week of the portion Va'eira⁶

— one must seek — and especially according to the statement of the baal hahillula that one needs to live with the weekly portion⁷

— in this very portion a connection and a lesson — at least in hint — regarding this matter,

the importance and virtue of the day of the yahrtzeit,

that is: "all his deeds are his Torah and his service" of the Alter Rebbe.

The unique greatness of the Alter Rebbe can be known and understood from his name: both from his own name — Shneur Zalman,

which his parents gave him

(And as it is known that the name of a person<sup>8 </sup>

indicates his essence<sup>9</sup>

— and so it is even when in giving the name the parents did not intend to express<sup>10</sup>

with the name the essence of their child<sup>11</sup>

— all the more so is this so in this case: knowing the greatness of the parents of the Alter Rebbe<sup>12</sup>,

it is logical to say,

that although they gave the Alter Rebbe a name after his grandfather,

they nevertheless had thereby also an additional special intention: they "saw" that the name presents the quality of the essence of their son<sup>13</sup>)

And also from the name with which he is called by all of Israel — "Baal HaTanya and HaShulchan Aruch"<sup>14</sup>.

And although this is only a descriptive name

(named after his books)

— however, since with this name he is called in all the dispersions of Israel,

it is thereby a Torah name<sup>15</sup>,

and it is therefore certain,

that also in this name is expressed the Alter Rebbe's unique essence.

And since this is expressed through these two names,

"Shneur Zalman" and "Baal HaTanya and the Shulchan Aruch",

it is understood that the two different names indicate,

on the same content that stands in the name that one gives "with your coming" — into the world — in potential and in concealment and comes out in actuality and in revelation during the course of his life — until into a revelation that reaches "in all of Israel" and is expressed in the name that one is called in all of Israel.

It is known*¹⁵

that the interpretation of "Shneur"

(the first name of the Alter Rebbe¹⁶),

is: two lights

(two lights)

; and as the Baal Shem Tov said about the Alter Rebbe¹⁸

(when he was three years old),

that he will illuminate the world with the two lights of the revealed Torah and the hidden Torah¹⁹.

And the same matter expresses itself also in the name "Baal HaTanya and the Shulchan Aruch" — because Tanya

(Pnimiyut HaTorah)

and Shulchan Aruch

(Nigleh d'Torah)

are the two lights with which the Alter Rebbe illuminated the world.

And although also before the Alter Rebbe there were great ones of Israel who were great in both parts of the Torah,

both in Nigleh d'Torah and in Nistar d'Torah — but the accomplishment of "Shneur" is,

that both lights — of the revealed Torah and the hidden Torah — are in one and the same word¹⁷

; i.

e.

that by the Alter Rebbe, Nigleh and Nistar became and were truly unified.

And this is also the connection of the day of the hillula of the Alter Rebbe to Parshat Va'eira: because also the content

(of beginning and first)

of the sedra is the unification of that which is above intellect — hidden,

with intellect — revealed,

which was revealed through Moshe Rabbeinu,

as follows.

This will become understandable after we explain what Rashi writes in his commentary on the Torah²⁰,

that regarding what Moshe argued to the Almighty "Why have You done evil etc."²¹,

the Almighty said to him: "It is a pity on those who are lost and are not found,

I have cause to lament over the death of the patriarchs ..

and they did not question My attributes, and you said 'Why have You done evil.'"

It is not understood in this: one of the fundamentals of faith is,

that Moshe Rabbeinu was the "chosen of all the human species"²²

; both from the entire "human species" that comes after him and from all those who were before him,

including also the Patriarchs — and as he says about this also in the Midrash²³

: all the sevenths are beloved in the Patriarchs ..

Moshe

as the verse here itself brings this out

(regarding the time of <b>before</b> the giving of the Torah)

that the revelation to the Patriarchs was through the name A-l Sha-dai,

and to Moshe Rabbeinu — also the revelation of the name Havayah]

Today how is it possible to say,

that Moshe Rabbeinu was, heaven forbid, a "one who reflected upon the attributes of the Holy One, blessed be He",

and especially after emphasizing that the Patriarchs had <b>not</b> reflected?

In the notes of the Rebbe, my master and father-in-law, the Tzemach Tzedek on the verse "And I appeared" etc.²⁴,

it is explained,

that Moshe Rabbeinu is of the aspect of "wisdom" and the Patriarchs are of the aspect of "attributes".

And since the root of attributes is higher than wisdom,

therefore specifically by the Patriarchs was the matter of "they did not reflect etc." — because by them shone the "aspect that is above intellect and knowledge".

It requires further explanation:

a)

Even if one assumes that the superiority of Moshe was only in the matter of wisdom and comprehension&lt;sup&gt;25&lt;/sup&gt;

(and prophecy&lt;sup&gt;26&lt;/sup&gt;),

but in the matter of self-nullification

(which is connected to that which is above intellect)

the Patriarchs were superior to him — one still cannot in any way say,

that Moshe lacked something, heaven forbid, in the &lt;b&gt;completeness&lt;/b&gt; of self-nullification etc.,

and that therefore he had a thought of hesitation.

b)

The superiority of the Name Havayah over the Name E-l Sha-dai

(as this expresses itself in the service of man)

consists in this,

that the revelation of the Name E-l Sha-dai,

since it is a light that has a connection to worlds,

calls forth in service the attribute of love,

which has a connection with the “existence” of man — “to love Havayah your G-d etc. for He is your life”²⁷

; and the revelation of the Name Havayah,

which indicates

the Essence of Ein Sof,

“which is not in the category of worlds at all”,

brings out the matter of self-nullification and self-sacrifice above reason

According to this,

since to Moshe was revealed the Name Havayah,

he had indeed an advantage over the Patriarchs also in this matter of self-nullification above intellect²⁹

— then how is it that he should have had a thought of sin,

while the Patriarchs did not have a thought of sin?

6.

Is the explanation in this:

That which the Most High chose Moses our teacher,

that specifically he should be the redeemer of the Jews,

is this itself the proof that this mission is especially connected with the essence of Moses — the level of wisdom.

4.

5.

It was the will of the Most High,

that the redemption be carried out according to the order of wisdom and intellect of holiness.

And therefore He chose Moses our teacher,

the aspect of wisdom.

Therefore,

it is true that Moshe Rabbeinu was also in this matter of self-nullification above intellect on a very high level,

but here it was required — from the perspective of the mission itself

(to redeem the Jews through the aspect of Moshe,

Chochmah)

— to <b>understand with intellect</b> of holiness the details and ways that are in the carrying out of the mission.

And therefore³⁰

Moshe Rabbeinu — Chochmah of holiness — asked: "Why have You done evil etc. Why have You sent me?" — how does it hold according to the aspect of Chochmah?

And although according to this it turns out,

that the question of Moshe Rabbeinu "Why have You done evil etc." is

(in addition to that there was no deficiency, G-d forbid,

it is even <b>on the contrary</b>,

it was)

a part of the fulfillment of his role and mission — nevertheless the Almighty said to him "Woe for those who are lost etc. and you said 'Why have You done evil'",

because the Exodus from Egypt was indeed a preparation for the Giving of the Torah³¹

where there was accomplished "connection of upper and lower [beings]"³²,

that in intellect

("lower [beings]")

should be heard and be absorbed the self-nullification and faith that are above intellect

("upper [beings]")

And as the Alter Rebbe, the master of the hillula,

interprets it

(in Torah Or³³),

the verse³⁴

"And you shall know that I am the Lord etc."

(which was an answer to the question "Why have You done evil etc."³⁵),

that the Giving of the Torah needed to effect that also the "I am the Lord" which is above wisdom should come into knowledge —

therefore also at the Exodus from Egypt there needed to be the connection of wisdom — the essence of Moses,

with

above wisdom — the essence of the patriarchs³⁰,

so that <b>in</b> the wisdom of Moses there needed to shine and be deposited the essence that is above intellect

("He did not ponder etc."³⁶).

And this is also the connection of the beginning of Parsha Va'eira with the 24th of Teves,

the day of the hilula of the Alter Rebbe,

because also the Alter Rebbe's task was,

to accomplish the matter of "&lt;b&gt;and you shall know&lt;/b&gt; that I am &lt;b&gt;Hashem&lt;/b&gt;",

i.e.

that

to continue the &lt;b&gt;Hashem that is above intellect&lt;/b&gt; into knowledge.

And as is known³⁷

that the general Chassidus,

as it was revealed through the Baal Shem Tov and the Maggid,

was in a manner of faith that is above intellect; and the Alter Rebbe,

through revealing the Chassidus of Chabad,

accomplished that also within intellect itself the matters that are above intellect should be absorbed and perceived.

8.

Based on this it also becomes understandable,

that the connection of the hidden light with the revealed light,

which was innovated by the Baal HaHilula

(and which is also hinted at in his name "Shneur",

as above section 3),

expresses itself not only in that he was the author of the Tanya

(the inner dimension of the Torah)

and of the Shulchan Aruch

(the revealed aspect of the Torah),

but also in the Tanya itself³⁸

The Tanya is the Written Torah of Chabad Chassidus³⁹,

and among the matters that were opened up in the teachings of Chabad Chassidus is indeed — that also the part of the <b>hidden</b> of the Torah,

the secrets of the Torah,

came <b>in revelation</b> to every Jew,

even in a manner of "to explain <b>well</b>",

as the language of the Baal HaHilula on the title page of the Tanya.

9.

In the book Tanya

(as it was published the first time)

there were

(only)

two parts:

The first part is "to explain well that it is very near",

as for every Jew "it is very near in your mouth and in your heart to do it"⁴⁰

; and the subject of the second part is: "to understand a little from the little ..

yichudo'

(and)..

yichudto".

And since "it is very close in your mouth and in your heart to do it" is a matter that pertains to &lt;b&gt;Jews&lt;/b&gt;

(As every Jew can serve the Most High also&lt;sup&gt;41&lt;/sup&gt;

"in your heart")

; and the matter of His unity above and His unity below pertains to &lt;b&gt;the world&lt;/b&gt;,

as also "in the heavens above and on the earth below" is "there is none else"&lt;sup&gt;42&lt;/sup&gt;

Therefore it is understandable that in the second part of Tanya,

where the Alter Rebbe drew down the "there is none else" also &lt;b&gt;in&lt;/b&gt; the world — "&lt;b&gt;in&lt;/b&gt; the heavens above and on the earth below"&lt;sup&gt;37&lt;/sup&gt;,

he drew down the light of the inner dimension of the Torah even more in revelation and lower down.

And the two matters are hinted at in the two names of the Baal HaHilula — "Shneur" and "Zalman":

The name "Shneur",

although also it indicates "connection of upper and lower [beings]",

as above,

since however that the meaning of "Shneur" is two <b>lights</b>,

it means then that also the "lower [being]" is a matter of light and revelation; in contrast the name "Zalman" letters "Lezman⁴³,

is connected⁴⁴

with olam⁴⁵

language of concealment⁴⁶.

And the accomplishment of the Baal HaHilula is,

that he connected the "Shneur" to the "Zman" — <b>l</b>ezman,

that also <b>in</b> olam language of concealment should stand in revelation "Ein Od".

(From sichos of Shabbos Parshas Va'eira 5728-9)