English translation — משיחות ש״פ ויחי ה׳תשמ״ז

This Shabbos is "Shabbos Chazak" — named for the completion of a full book of the Torah,

the book of Bereishis,

which is the first book of the Torah

(first in rank and importance,

and consequently,

also first in the simple order)

and as is the custom of Yisroel

("Torah is")

That at the conclusion² of the book, the entire congregation declares in a loud voice, "Chazak, chazak, v'nitchazeik."

And the content of the matter — that the conclusion of a book of Torah

(and especially the first book³)

grants strength and validity to all matters of Yisrael,

beginning with matters of Torah,

and from this it extends also to worldly matters,

as the saying⁴ "The Holy One, blessed be He, looked into the Torah and created the world,"

And likewise, "A person looks into the Torah and sustains the world"⁵.

And behold,

Since the declaration "Be strong, be strong, and let us strengthen ourselves" comes in direct continuation and proximity to the conclusion of the book⁶,

it is understood

that the main strengthening is taken from the conclusion of the book,

namely,

its last verse,

And the effect of strengthening is,

first and foremost

(and primarily)

in the Torah portion adjacent to it,

the beginning of Parshat Shemot

(which is called "Chazak" in the Mincha prayer of Shabbat)

As follows.

And by way of introduction — that this matter must be understood not only according to the secrets of secrets of the Torah,

but rather,

from the secrets of secrets of the Torah it is drawn down and revealed until the manner of study in the plain sense,

in a way that is also understood by "a child of five years for Scripture,"

for since all matters of the Torah are "a heritage of the congregation of Jacob"⁷,

that is,

that each and every Jew inherits everything,

The entire Torah,

Surely they can and must explain these matters to him according to his intellect and understanding,

until this matter becomes for him in the category of "Torah of life",

a lesson in life²,

as is known³, the saying of the Alter Rebbe

(as explained by the Mitteler Rebbe)

that one must "live with the times",

even to physical life literally⁴.

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The conclusion of Sefer Bereishis is— "And Yosef died at the age of one hundred ten years, and they embalmed him and he was placed in a coffin in Egypt."

At first glance,

the simplest question arises even for a five-year-old learning Scripture:

At the beginning of the parshah it is related about Yaakov's request to Yosef: "Please do not bury me in Egypt; but I will lie with my fathers.

And you shall bury me in their burial place"⁵.

Blumer,

They are from the aspect of the elevation of "and you buried me in their burial",

"In the cave which is in the field of Machpelah.

There they buried Abraham.

and Isaac etc."⁶,

And they are from the aspect of the deficiency of the land of Egypt,

"the nakedness of the land"¹⁷,

the purpose of the descent.

But regarding Yosef — the end of the Parsha and the Book emphasizes "and he was placed as lord over Egypt,"

that is,

not only was he not buried in the Cave of Machpelah,

and also not in Eretz Yisrael at all,

but furthermore,

specifically in the diaspora — specifically "in Egypt,"

And in this itself — "they embalmed him and he was placed in a coffin,"

an action that emphasizes the matter of permanence⁸.

[In the previous verse it is stated indeed "Joseph adjured the children of Israel saying, God will surely visit you and you shall bring up my bones from here,"

but:

this matter is stated in the previous verse,

while in the last verse,

the conclusion of the book,

The point of "and he was placed in a coffin in Egypt" is emphasized,

"And you shall bring up my bones from here" is due to Yosef's oath

which was fulfilled in practice only after a long time,

Whereas regarding immediate action — "and they embalmed him and he was placed in a coffin in Egypt" in a permanent manner,

and for generations.

"And you shall bring up my bones from here,"

"the bones only",

and as it is stated: “And they embalmed him, and he was placed in a coffin in Egypt” — the perfection even of flesh etc.⁸]

And the question is asked — what strengthening

("Be strong, be strong, and we will be strengthened")

do we learn and receive from the conclusion of the book, “and he was placed in a coffin in Egypt”?!

And it can be explained that — that this strengthening is connected,

As mentioned,

With the beginning of Parshat Shemot,

"And these are the names of the children of Israel coming to Egypt etc.":

In Parshat Shemot begins the main focus of the Egyptian exile²⁰,

the difficulty of the bondage etc.,

because,

even though the descent to Egypt already happened before this,

in Parshat Vayigash²¹,

Thus,

Regarding that period it is stated²² "And he dwelt

(dwelling in tranquility")

Israel

Sh'9 and he lived,

Sh'chut chazak

in the land of their sojourning in the land of Goshen

("in the best of the land"²⁴)

And they took hold of her

(expression of holding²⁵)

And they were fruitful and multiplied greatly,

And only in the names,

After "And Joseph died, and all his brothers, and all that generation"²⁶,

Then,

began

(main)

Affliction of the exile,

The hardship of the bondage etc.

(for "as long as one of the tribes existed, there was no bondage"²⁷)

Beginning from the concept of "Let us act cunningly — what is it to him etc.""².

And accordingly, it is understood that before the beginning of the exile and the hardship of the bondage,

There is a factor in the giving of power and special strengthening — this is the matter of "and he placed it in the ark with the staves":

Yosef,

Who sustains and supports Israel² — is placed together with Bnei Yisrael,

"And he was placed in the ark in Maggarians,"

And in a manner that his burial is complete

(not only the bones"⁵,

but also the flesh etc.)

Also according to nature,

"And they embalmed him and he was placed in the ark,"

And he was placed there in a permanent manner

(until the exodus of Bnei Yisrael from the exile of Egypt)

Therefore,

after concluding "And they embalmed him and he was placed in a coffin in Egypt,"

they proclaim "Chazak

Chazak venitchazek"⁵¹ — which is the strengthening for the continuation of "those who come to Egypt,"

not to be affected by the difficulty of the exile and the enslavement,

since we are not in exile alone,

but together with Yosef.

And in particular — that "Yosef" is also the "ruler over all the land of Egypt"⁵²

(a monarchy that ruled with absolute power⁵⁵)

until "without you no man shall lift his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt"⁵⁴,

from this it is understood,

that no one can interfere,

G‑d forbid,

To Bnei Yisrael even when they were in exile, etc.

And behold,

This matter provides strengthening regarding all the exiles — "All the kingdoms are called by the name of Egypt, etc."⁵⁵,

all the exiles,

until the last exile,

And in the last exile itself — until the final days of the exile,

the very footsteps of Moshiach,

This generation of ours and this era of ours.

And on the contrary — from the aspect of the concept of the decline of the generations,

behold,

specifically in this generation of ours there is a special need for this,

and therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, arranged that all the instructions of the Torah

(and in our case,

the strengthening of “and he was placed in a coffin in Egypt”)

should be in an open manner.

Indeed,

this is emphasized openly to all — for his name

(the first)

of the Rebbe, our master, teacher, and leader, is "Yosef,"

the Yosef of our generation.

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And it is emphasized also in his actions and work,

that his main innovation is the matter of spreading Torah and Judaism and spreading the wellsprings outward,

In the manner of 'explained the Torah,'

"In seventy languages"³⁶ — this is the aspect of "Yosef",

"Has added YHVH to me another son"³,

That is,

to also engage with those Jews who without his work would be

(openly)

in the category of "other"³⁸,

that they too will be "my son"³⁹

(also openly)

and until the most sublime "son",

"Benjamin",

"son of the right",

who alone was born in the Land of Israel"⁴

(and it can be said that this is the elevation of the "Other" who becomes a "son" — the service of repentance relative to the service of the righteous⁴)

And this is the matter of "And it was placed in a coffin in Egypt," which is especially emphasized in our generation.

(The last generation of exile, which is also the first generation

of redemption),

— that Yosef of our generation,

is with us until the very last moment that we leave

(and he is included,

literally),

from exile,

and grants strength and fortification

("Be strong, be strong, and let us be strengthened")

not to be affected at all, and entirely, by the difficulties of exile,

but on the contrary — to add with greater vigor and greater strength in our deeds and our service,

in order to finish and complete the 'polishing of the buttons'⁴³,

until the perfection of the victory⁴³ of the 'War of the House of David'⁴⁴,

with the coming of David, the king Moshiach.

And one should add in this matter:

Since we are in the days of the final exile,

after all matters have already been completed,

as per the words of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, the leader of our generation, that nothing remains for us except "to polish the buttons",

and immediately and at once,

"Stand all ready"⁴⁵ to greet our righteous Mashiach,

— and in particular since from then until now several decades have passed in which they also engaged in "polishing the buttons" -

behold,

it is necessarily to say that when a Jew encounters some matter of prevention and delay in matters of Judaism,

in the manner of "let us deal wisely with him" — this is nothing but a matter of trial,

in the manner of "G-d tested Abraham"⁴⁶,

"tested"

(also)

from the word <i>nes</i> and elevation,

namely,

so that through this he will come to the ultimate elevation — elevation to

Shabbos Parshas Vayechi,

Shabbos Chazak

The mission before / regarding the distinction of their judgment and nature

(as explained at length in the discourses of Chassidus⁴⁷)

That is: It is understood and simple how great is the virtue of our father Avraham — even before the trials⁴⁸,

and certainly after several trials,

among them the trial of the furnace of Ur Kasdim,

And up to the nine trials,

that surely there was no deficiency in Avraham Avinu's service and greatness; rather,

since Hashem wanted to elevate him and raise him to an even higher level,

and to an incomparable degree

(added)

— He tested him

(added and elevation)

also with the tenth trial⁴⁹.

And likewise in our case:

After the completion of the work in all the matters

(as above)

including also the matter of the trials that Bnei Yisrael underwent throughout all the generations,

and especially regarding the Yosef of our generation

(the Nasi of the generation,

who,

"After the head, the body goes"⁵⁰)

All the trials that were in Soviet Russia,

that he stood through all of them with strength and supernal valor,

until his departure from there on a mission,

with all the members of his household,

together with the holy books and writings of our Rabbis, our leaders, etc.

(including — an ongoing activity also

In that country,

fruits and the fruits of fruits, etc.,

also in our days)

— certainly nothing is lacking, etc.; rather,

that the Holy One, blessed be He, wants the humility of the miracle and wonder to be in an even more elevated manner,

and therefore,

brings an additional test⁵¹.

And another point in this — that the test is through a thing that has no reality at all,

And its entire purpose is only to bring about grace and elevation,

By means of showing that one is not affected at all,

Then,

the truth is revealed that it has no reality at all,

but rather,

to bring about grace and elevation:

Regarding the tenth test — it is stated in the Midrash⁵²: "On the third day,

And since the road was near, why did he delay three days,

When he saw

(the Satan)

that they did not accept from him

(Abraham and Isaac)

he went and became a great river before them,

immediately Abraham descended into the water.

Since he reached the middle of the river, the water reached his neck,

At that moment, Abraham lifted his eyes to heaven,

He said before Him: 'Master of the Universe, etc.,'

Immediately, the Holy One, blessed be He, agitated the spring and dried up the river, and they stood on dry land."

That is,

All of the "great river,"

which,

Already in "half the river the water reached his neck" — he had no existence at all

(Not only in spirituality,

but)

also in this physical world,

because if,

it is only a matter of imagination,

and therefore,

when Abraham showed that he was not affected by this

(Rather, he continues walking in order to fulfill G‑d’s command)

And “Avraham lifted his eyes to the heavens” — then the truth was revealed,

that there is no reality of a river here at all,

“The river dried up and they stood on dry land,”

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And on the contrary — all that remains of it,

is nothing but the matter of a miracle and elevation.

And so too in our case — that trial has no reality at all even in this physical and material world,

"World of the Shells"⁵³,

And therefore,

When he "lifted up.

his eyes to Heaven",

then it was revealed in a manner visible to all that there is no reality here at all,

and all that remains,

It is only the humble prince and the elevation — that through this there will be even more addition in the spreading of the wellsprings outward,

through the addition in publishing and printing the writings of our Rebbes and Nesi'im, may their merit protect us,

And in the language of the Midrash

(in another place*⁵)

Regarding the declaration "Ours is the victory, ours is the victory,"

that 'they did not leave from there until they saw a kind of redness of blood on the face of the water'

(a sign of nullification of the existence of the evil spirit)

that then it is quiet

(the opposite of the previous state of "like a mixture in water")

the wellspring and the good river of the Midrash from which Bnei Yisrael drank,

that is,

that thereby there is added with greater distinction and greater strength in the intensity of the river's spread from the wellspring,

until the dissemination of the wellsprings

(not only the river,

but also the wellspring itself)

Outside.

According to this, it is simply understood that all emphasis must be solely regarding the matter of the miracle and the elevation,

and not regarding the actual event of the trial:

The event of the trial — has no reality at all,

as mentioned,

and since that is so,

behold,

The speech about it is about something insubstantial,

And consequently,

Without any benefit,

And on the contrary — through speaking about it and considering it as a exist-.

Sign⁵⁵,

He confuses himself and his evil inclination etc.

On the other hand,

The concept of the miracle and the elevation — it is the true reality,

The intention and purpose of the trial,

as mentioned,

that through this there will be even more addition in spreading Torah and Judaism and spreading the wellsprings outward.

And in simple letters — that all the vitality and enthusiasm etc. must be in the matter of "and he kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My teachings."

(as it is stated regarding our patriarch Abraham)

beginning with the study of the books and writings of Chassidus

(and it is obvious,

In the introduction to the study of the revealed part of Torah — "his Torah study is in his hand"⁵⁷)

That is,

that when a new book is published,

a pamphlet or article, etc.,

it needs to be studied by each one,

and with emphasis — that one should not be satisfied that there are several who study this matter,

but,

"Every single person⁵⁸ is obligated to say: The world was created for me."⁵⁹,

And in our case,

For my sake this book was printed,

this pamphlet or article!

And one may add,

that the comprehensiveness of the matter of the two modes of Torah

(the revealed aspect of Torah and the inner aspect of Torah)

Most emphatically in this year:

This year is the Sabbatical year — "a Sabbath to the L-rd"⁶⁰,

"so that the entire year [be] null

Shabbos Parshas Vayechi,

Shabbos Chazak

from the labor of the land is prepared for His service.

that even the workers of the land, when they rest in that year, will be aroused to seek the L-rd"⁶¹.

And in addition to this,

its beginning and its origin,

Rosh HaShanah"

(like the head which includes the entire body⁶²)

on the day of Shabbat,

when,

all your work

(In worldly matters)

made⁶²,

and his entire being is only involvement in the "work of heaven",

Torah, prayer and mitzvos,

until the ultimate perfection — in a manner of delight

("and you shall call the Shabbos a delight"⁶⁴)

which is the aspect of teshuvah ila'ah (supernal return)

(as discussed above at length⁶⁵)

And in all these matters — as per the instruction of the days of Chanukah⁶⁶

(from which we derive)

which,

Rosh Chodesh

(which includes all the days of the month⁶²)

Tevet⁶⁷ always falls during Chanukah — to illuminate,

at the entrance of his house from outside"⁶⁸,

until the foot wears out

of a Tarmodaite"⁶⁸,

nullification of the matter of rebellion against G‑d

("Tarmod" is the letters of "rebellious")

until the lowest level,

"leg of a Tarmodai",

for,

these candles "are never nullified"⁷,

And on the contrary - "it increases and goes.

ascending in holiness"⁶⁸,

through the addition in establishing houses of Torah,

Tefillah and Gemach,

including - that the private home of each and every Jew becomes a house of Torah,

Tefillah and Gemach

(as discussed at length many times recently)

And an extra emphasis on all the above — in these days:

We are in the midst of the days of preparation for the Tenth of Shevat — which begin, according to the words of our Sages of blessed memory⁷², "thirty days before the holiday",

As discussed above at length⁷³ regarding the details of the preparations of each and every one,

men, women, and children,

through the increase in Torah and charity,

including — the three aspects,

one aspect after each ten days: on the twentieth of Tevet — the yahrtzeit of the Rambam, may his memory be a blessing,

on Rosh Chodesh Shevat — "In the eleventh month, on the first of the month, etc., Moses began to explain the Torah, etc."

and towards the tenth of Shevat,

"The tenth shall be holy"⁷⁴,

The day of the hillula.

And all of Israel are presumed to be kosher⁷³ — that they have certainly already begun these preparations,

And there is no

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One urges only those who are already eager⁷⁸ — to add in this more and more⁷⁷,

Including — the publication and influence upon many of Israel,

As discussed above⁷⁸ that this matter pertains to literally every single Jew,

Without exception.

And may it be His will that through our deeds and our service in all the matters mentioned in the days of the final exile⁷⁹ we merit, truly soon, the completeness of the matter of "And these are the names of the children of Israel" — as the Midrash says⁸ "They are mentioned here for the sake of the redemption of Israel",

And as it is explained and detailed: "Reuben, as it is said⁸ 'I have surely seen the affliction of My people',"

And similarly with the names of the rest of the tribes,

Until "Asher⁸²,

Because all who hear of their redemption and greatness would praise them,

As it is written⁸³ "And all nations shall call you happy, for you shall be a desirable land, says the L-rd⁸⁰ of Hosts",

And similarly "Yosef,

See that in the future, the Holy One, blessed be He, will add and redeem Israel from the wicked kingdom just as He redeemed them from Egypt,

as it is said⁸⁴ 'And it shall be on that day, the Lord will again stretch out His hand and gather,'

and all the poor!"

(continuation of the verses regarding the future redemption)

And in the manner of "And these are the names, etc." — an expression of revelation

(also the explanation of the names)

Regarding the verse (in Yetzias Mitzrayim) "And the children of Israel went out with a high hand"⁸⁵,

In the manner of "This is my G-d and I will glorify Him"

(as it is written in the Song of the Sea)

pointing with the finger and saying "This"⁸⁷,

So may it be for us in "Then sang"⁸⁸,

"Sang" is not said, but "will sing"

(future tense)

From here to the resurrection of the dead etc.״”,

When "those who dwell in dust awake and sing""⁹,

and they are among them,

that "Then Moses and the Children of Israel will sing" the tenth song'⁹,

in the true and complete redemption,

when "The Lord will again extend His hand a second time to a stranger and lift a banner to the nations, and gather the dispersed of Israel and the scattered of Judah He will gather from the four corners of the earth"⁹²,

until the prophecy⁹³ is fulfilled: "And you will say on that day: I will thank You, Lord, for You were angry with me; Your anger has turned away and You comforted me",

Since the ultimate perfection of the miracle and elevation through the entirety of the matter of exile will be revealed,

speedily in our actual days,

"Immediately they are redeemed"⁹⁴,

immediately and at once.

Sefer HaSichos - 5747