English translation — משיחות ש״פ משפטים, מבה״ח וער״ח אדד, פ׳ שקלים, ה׳תשמ״ז

Shabbat Mevorchim of the month of Adar distinguishes itself from other Shabbasos of the year in two ways:

It blesses the month of Adar,

whose holiday content is — Chag HaPurim.

Furthermore: the miracle of Purim has an effect on the entire month

(beginning from Rosh Chodesh Adar)

As it is written, "the month which was turned for them."

Most years

(as this year)

Do they read Parshas Shekalim now? Because in the time of the Beis HaMikdash, every Jew was obligated to give a half-shekel each year for the communal offerings,

and "On the first of Adar they announce about the shekalim"⁴,

Therefore, they would read Parshas Shekalim,

in order to announce to bring the shekalim.

And all the remembrance of the Temple likewise remained in the present time⁵,

that we read Parshat Shekalim on the Shabbat of Blessing Adar.

And to add,

that also — in the manner of the essence of the matter of giving the half-shekel exists in the present time

(although the commandment was during the time when the Holy Temple existed⁵)

— as the custom of Israel⁷ "to give before Purim half of the fixed coin in that place and in that time,

as a remembrance of the half-shekel that they used to give in Adar".

And these two matters on the Shabbat of Blessing Adar are only more strongly emphasized this year — when the Shabbat of Blessing Adar is "tomorrow is Rosh Chodesh",

So from Shabbos one goes directly into

(Motzaei Shabbos)

— Rosh Chodesh Adar.

And moreover: Already in the Minchah prayer of Shabbos one does not say "Tzidkascha Tzedek" because tomorrow is Rosh Chodesh.

And only earlier — one says in the Haftarah of Shabbos the

(two)

Verses from the Haftarah of Machar Chodesh.

It shows that,

that already on this Shabbat of Parshat Shekalim,

the matters of the month of Adar begin.

The two aforementioned matters on Shabbat Mevarchim Adar

(Purim and Parshat Shekalim)

— have a connection between them,

As the Gemara says⁵: "It was revealed and known before the One who spoke and the world came into being, that in the future Haman would weigh shekels against Israel; therefore He preceded

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their shekels to his shekels, as we learned: 'On the first of Adar they announce about the shekels, etc.'".

One must understand: What is the connection in content between 'their shekels' of the Jews in the month of Adar and every year, with 'his shekels' of Haman; and in what does the power of the shekels of the Jews consist to nullify Haman's decree?

And it can be said that one of the explanations in this — that the half-shekel and Purim both reveal the inner connection between the Almighty and Jews,

and especially — with, so to speak, the Jewish body and Jewish physicality.

One will understand it through the introduction of the explanation in the content of Haman's decree and the Purim miracle:

It is well known the difference between Purim and Chanukah,

That the decree of the Greeks was not upon the bodies of Jews,

But upon their souls and spirituality — "to make them forget Your Torah and to make them violate the statutes of Your will"

However, the decree of the wicked Haman was

(mainly)

upon the bodies of Jews,

"to destroy², kill, and annihilate all the Jews, from young to old, children and women."

And therefore there is also the difference,

So the decree of the Greeks was not

upon all Jews equally,

Because the decree was not upon the bodies,

but upon their religion,

it measured itself according to a Jew's devotion to "Your Torah" and "the statutes of Your will",

But Haman's decree was upon all Jews equally,

"all the Jews, from youth to elder, infants and women",

Because that was in order to destroy their bodies,

Their very existence as Jews, r"l

(Not looking at the level of revelation of the soul)

For in this, all Jews are equal.

And therefore, the advice to nullify the decree was — 'Go, gather all the Jews'⁴,

Unify the Jews,

And not only a spiritual unification in spirituality,

But also and mainly — a physical unification of the bodies,

We should gather together simply,

And "v'tsumo" — the body should not eat,

a reduction of its fat and its blood,

and to strengthen anew the acceptance of the Torah and the mitzvos specifically by souls in bodies.

So the content of Purim is — the rescue and victory of the body of a Jew,

and of all Jews.

And therefore Purim differs from Chanukah in that it is a 'day of feasting and joy'⁷ — a physical feast and joy,

which is also connected with

Parshas Mishpatim,

Mevorchim HaChodesh v'Erev Rosh Chodesh Adar,

Parshas Shekalim

and 33

a unity in physicality,

as it is known that true joy is specifically when one fulfills it together with others? And so too the other mitzvos of Purim are connected especially with unity through physical things — 'sending portions each to his fellow and gifts to the poor'?

And one can possibly say the reason for this

(That Purim means the salvation and victory of the bodies of Jews)

— according to what the Gemara²¹ says on the verse²² "קיימו וקבלו היהודים",

That in the days of Purim "they fulfilled what they had already accepted" at the giving of the Torah:

The acceptance of the giving of the Torah was

(Although Abraham was old and sat in the academy,

and so too Isaac and Jacob etc.²²)

: The giving of the Torah specifically below in this physical world to souls in bodies²⁴,

and not in

In such a manner that one has lifted the lowly and physical body above²⁵,

But the Almighty wanted specifically "וירד ה׳ על הר סיני""²,

Brought down the Torah specifically below²⁵.

To the extent that — that the Torah "לא בשמים היא"²⁷,

but below,

and therefore "כשמתכנסין מלאכי השרת לפני הקב״ה לומר אימתי ר״ה ואימתי יום הכפורים הקב״ה אומר להם לי אתם שואלים? אני ואתם נלך אצל בית דין של מטה""².

And as our Sages say¹⁸,

"They argue in the Heavenly Academy: the Holy One, blessed be He, says etc., and all the Heavenly Academy say thus,

Who refuted,

(They ruled, lowly ones? — the Holy One, blessed be He, and all the Heavenly Academy)

refuted Rabbah bar Nachmani",

a soul in a body specifically"⁵.

The Giving of the Torah brought out the ultimate intention of the Above in creating the world — so that a Jew, as a soul in a body here below in this lowly physical world, lower than which there is none,

should learn Torah and fulfill the commandments,

And making a dwelling for Him, blessed be He, in the lower realms².

Sefer HaSichos - ה׳תשמ״ז

And on a deeper level:

At the giving of the Torah, there was the choice of the Most High in Jews³².

For this choice was not needed at all regarding the souls of Jews — but specifically regarding the physical body of Jews,

"And You chose us from all nations and languages³³ — this is the physical body that in its materiality resembles the bodies of the nations of the world"³⁴.

And particularly according to what is explained in several places³⁵,

That specifically the body of a Jew,

That Hashem chose in him,

takes itself and is connected specifically with

(as it were)

His Essence, may He be blessed,

that "His existence³⁶ is from His essence and is not caused by any prior cause, G-d forbid"³².

That regarding the choice in the physical body — all Jews are equal: regarding the revelation of the soul in the body — Jews divide,

One is a complete righteous person,

Another is a righteous person who is not complete, etc.

That is to say, regarding the choice of His essence²⁷ in this physical body

("which, in its materiality, resembles my body, etc.")

— all Jews are truly equal,

from a newborn infant to the greatest of the great,

and according to the saying of our Sages, may their memory be for blessing,³⁸ "Either way, you are called children."

And due to the choice in the physical body of Jews — the Supreme-

See Sefer HaSichos Toras Shalom p. 11.

Sichos of Purim 5672 — copied in a letter of the Rebbe, my father-in-law, the Rebbe

(His holy letters, Vol. 3, p. ■■, from p. 550 and on)

And more.

Prevented Jews [from observing] Torah and mitzvos below in the land

(came the giving of the Torah)

— as is known, the story about the Rebbe

(the [Rashab])

may his soul rest in peace,

that he once rolled up his sleeve⁴⁰ and showed on his hand to his son,

His Holy Honor, my father-in-law, the Rebbe,

and said: See how precious a Jewish body is,

that because of it, so much Torah and mitzvos have been poured out*⁴.

And during the days of Purim,

When "they fulfilled what they had already accepted" comes from the giving of the Torah,

the choice of His Essence, blessed be He, becomes necessary in the physical body of a Jew.

And it could be said that therefore the main emphasis during the days of Purim regarding the victory of a soul in a body in this physical world,

which nullified Haman's decree on the bodies of Jews²*.

Similar to this is the content of the shekels that the Jews brought in the desert for the adonim of the Mishkan⁴³,

and afterwards — for the communal offerings:

Shabbos Parshas Mishpatim,

from B'HaCh and Erev Rosh Chodesh Adar,

Parshas Shekalim

One gave the half-shekel in order to atone "to make atonement for your souls"⁴/ for "everyone who passes through the count"⁴⁵,

passes through the count of Torah commandments⁴⁶.

As our Sages⁴ say,

that the half-shekel was an atonement for the sin of the calf.

The concept of "passing through the count"

(on the count of Torah commandments)

remains only with a soul in a physical and material body

(not with a soul above)

And this touches and defiles the physical body.

All the more so the sin of the calf — a general sin,

which affected the entire matter of the giving of the Torah

(specifically for souls in bodies,

as above)

And the recipients of the Torah

(souls in bodies)

— as our Sages of blessed memory said,

that at the giving of the Torah "their contamination ceased"•⁴,

and through the sin of the Golden Calf their contamination returned⁴,

The contamination in human bodies that came about through the sin of the Tree of Knowledge"⁵.

Then the sin of the calf blemished the revelation of the choice of His Essence, may He be blessed, in the physical body of Jews.

And to such an extent,

that this affected all Jews⁵,

from a greatest of the great to a smallest of the small,

from a "rich one",

to a "poor one",

including — there is no poor except in knowledge and there is no

rich only in knowledge⁵²,

and not only in that generation,

but in all generations until the end of all generations — as it is written⁴² "And on the day I make an accounting, I will account their sin against them" — "and always, always when I account their iniquities, I will account upon them a little of this sin along with the rest of the sins,

And no calamity comes upon Israel that does not contain some of the retribution for the sin of the Golden Calf"⁵⁴.

And this is indeed a powerful outcry: Because of a sin that was committed thousands of years ago — Jews suffer all generations!.

It follows from this,

So the mitzvah of machatzit hashekel primarily brings atonement and rectification for the defect and impurity in the physical body

(which was caused by the sin of the golden calf)

And since the defect of the sin of the golden calf affected the bodies of all Jews,

from "rich" to "poor" — therefore, the mitzvah of machatzit hashekel is in a manner that "the rich shall not give more and the poor shall not give less."

And furthermore: In the mitzvah of machatzit hashekel, the unity of all Jews is emphasized — and that physical unity

(through a physical coin)

— because every Jew brings only a "half" of a shekel,

And in order for him to become a complete shekel⁵⁵, he must reach another Jew.

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And further: through the unity of Jews by means of giving the machatzit hashekel, they made the adnei hamishkan,

the foundation of the Mishkan.

That the unity of Jews expressed⁵⁶ itself in establishing a physical Mishkan in this physical world,

"And they shall make Me a Sanctuary, and I will dwell in their midst."⁵⁷

(As one goes to read in the Minchah prayer of this Shabbos: the indwelling of the Shechinah below in this physical world⁵⁸

[And also afterward — through the unity of the Jew

(by means of the half-shekel)

purchased the communal offerings,

which is the primary service in the Mishkan and the Beis HaMikdash,

“Beis.

ready to offer in it the sacrifices”⁵]

Therewith,

י״ל,

is understandable why the shekels of Jews have

The zealous anticipate! for the commandments*

(Pesachim 4,

And see Igros Kodesh, sec. 21, regarding the negation of the poor! to wait for charity that they volunteered.

to give annually* to give it "every Sabbath on its own and at least every month" — that is specifically on the twelfth

• times! And in general the greatness of the humility of alacrity in the matter of charity,

That "the alacrity" of Avraham Avinu, peace be upon him, is that which stands forever for us and for our children forever because the Akeidah itself is not considered so much a great test relative to the level of Avraham Avinu, peace be upon him, in it,

And in the continuation of the igros kodesh there: But also this we have found seen in the work of charity, a great particular virtue beyond compare is that the act of charity is done many times, and the one who increases, behold, he is praiseworthy, and not in one time.

as Maimonides, of blessed memory, wrote in his commentary on the Mishnah: "The Sages, of blessed memory, taught: 'And everything is according to the majority of the deed.'"

(cited in Ohr HaTorah on [the statement of] our Sages, of blessed memory, from page 100 onward)

was nullified

(the shekalim of)

the decree of Haman — because the content of giving the half-shekel is the atonement and rectification for a blemish, Heaven forbid,

so to speak, in the revelation of the choice of His Essence, may He be blessed, in the physical body of Jews that was revealed at the Giving of the Torah: and this subsequently gave the strength to overcome the decree of Haman on the bodies of Jews.

(And likewise of the seed of Haman 'that in every generation etc., and the Holy One, blessed be He, saves us from their hand.')

until then the people should be 'they fulfilled what they had already accepted,'

a reinforcement further in the choice of His very Essence in the physical body of Jews.

And so too the physical unity among Jews,

"The rich shall not give more and the poor shall not give less,"

the half-shekel gave the power to nullify Haman's decree,

by 'gather all the Jews,'

The physical unity, emphasized during the days of Purim.

According to the above explanation — one can also explain a connection between the two matters in Shabbat Mevarchim Adar

(Parshat Shekalim and Purim)

with the weekly Torah portion — Parshat Mishpatim■/

On "Ve'eleh HaMishpatim" Rashi says "Just as the first ones were from Sinai, so too these are from Sinai".

So the "Mishpatim" were given at the Giving of the Torah.

Specifically to souls in bodies.

As one simply sees the content of the "Mishpatim" in the Parsha — that they all discuss conduct in the physicality of the world.

Based on this, one can also understand why the first of the

Parshas Mishpatim,

Mevarchim HaChodesh and Erev Rosh Chodesh Adar,

Parshas Shekalim

"Mishpatim" is — "When⁶² you acquire a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing."

And at first glance this is not understandable: The mitzvah of a Hebrew slave is an altogether unusual thing; specifically during the time of the Temple⁶³,

and then itself — it is about a thief

(a minority of a minority⁶⁴ among the Jewish people,

since all of Israel are presumed to be kosher⁶⁵)

and a thief who is sold for his theft by a Beis Din*⁶ and only "he does not have."

The question arises: Why does the Torah begin with a mitzvah that is altogether unusual and connected to sin etc. — and not with other mitzvos in the same Parsha which are incomparably more regular?

And one can say the explanation — because specifically the mitzvah brings out the content and purpose of all the 'mishpatim' _

As the conduct of a physical body of a Jew must be,

the preciousness of the physical body,

that specifically to it were given all the 'mishpatim' and the entire Torah and mitzvos:

Among Jews themselves, a Hebrew servant is on a very low level — a thief,

who was sold because of his theft.

So by him it begins mainly with his material and physical body,

and his soul remains in concealment.

And in the inner meaning: due to their body, Jews are called "servant",

and due to their soul, they are called "son"⁶.

One might have thought,

that a)

Why does the Torah need to occupy itself first and foremost with explaining laws about a seemingly simple etc. Hebrew servant — it would have been better to begin and speak about higher and in general — spiritual matters,

Since this speaks about a thief sold for his theft made from a Jew — a Jewish slave — one need not be careful about his honor etc.

It says that the Torah "When you acquire a Jewish slave" — the Torah does not speak here about the essential law of a thief,

but about the laws how one must conduct oneself if

("if")

one has already purchased a "Jewish slave": a)

Regardless of the fact that he is a Jewish slave sold for his theft — the Torah devotes itself to state the laws of how one must conduct oneself with him,

and b)

How must one conduct oneself with him — with kindness and mercy,

"Six years he shall serve, and in the seventh he shall go free without payment"⁶,

"If he comes in by himself, he shall go out by himself, etc.,"

"And his wife shall go out with him,"

"He is obligated for the sustenance of his wife and children"⁶⁹,

etc.

Since this speaks about the physical body of a Jew,

That specifically in it was the choice of His essence, may He be blessed,

And therefore he fulfilled the entire Torah and mitzvos,

And in this choice there is no difference — this is clear among all Jews,

regardless of whether his soul is revealed or not.

And the preciousness of a Jewish body is seen more clearly specifically by a Hebrew servant — where his soul is in concealment,

and nevertheless the Torah tells us how we must conduct ourselves with him with kindness

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and with mercy.

And this brings out the content and purpose of the entire portion of Mishpatim — the clarification and refinement of the physical body, for which the Torah and mitzvos were given.

From this we have a wonderful lesson in the tremendous preciousness of a Jewish body,

and of every Jewish body without exception,

that because of it so much Torah and mitzvos have been poured

(in the language of the Rebbe, of blessed memory, as above)

And this teaches everyone,

that not looking at his own external appearance,

or the external appearance of another Jew,

Regardless of whether he is a complete tzaddik whose soul shines openly or not—every Jew has an advantage,

from a newborn infant to a complete tzaddik"⁷,

a body in which the Almighty Himself chose with His free choice.

And furthermore: the choice of a body affects and influences the Jew⁷,

so much so that it brings him to reveal the choice in his body,

through the revelation of the physical,

through Torah and mitzvot.

And we should connect this to the air of the Maimonides lesson from this Motza'ei Shabbat

(Rosh Chodesh Adar)

: "A person should always⁷² engage in Torah

(and mitzvos■⁷)

even not for its own sake, for from not for its own sake, one comes to [study] for its own sake":

In this halachah, two matters are emphasized:

"A person should always engage in Torah even not for its own sake,"

Even when he is still at the level of "שלא לשמה"

(And it will take some more time until he reaches "לשמה")

As it is in קטנים⁶¹׳⁷ — he must still occupy himself with Torah and mitzvos — because this concerns a Jew,

who has a physical body,

a holy body,

in which the Almighty has chosen

(even if his soul is not yet enlightened in the body)

And the soul and intention lishmah of the mitzvah is not yet revealed openly.

And furthermore: b)

"She-mitoch shelo lishmah ba lishmah": since his essence is always complete,

As the Rambam rules that every Jew "desires to be of Israel and desires to perform all the mitzvos etc." — he will certainly come in the end to service "lishmah".

And especially according to the explanation of "She-mitoch shelo lishmah ba lishmah" — that the "inner" and pnimiyus of "shelo lishmah" is "lishmah"⁷⁶.

And therefore,

When one encounters a Jew who appears not yet connected to fulfilling the commandments with the utmost beauty,

or he is even a child

Parshas Mishpatim,

Mevarachim Chodesh and Rosh Chodesh Adar,

Parshas Shekalim

who was captured among the gentiles,

and who does not yet know at all about the alef-beis of Judaism — one must not despair of him, nor of any Jew, G-d forbid,

Rather, one must engage with him with all one's might in order to reveal in him the preciousness of his physical body through revealing in him his soul through the study of Torah and fulfillment of the commandments.

And regarding the practical:

Being on Shabbat Mevarchim of the month of Adar,

whose festival content is the holiday of Purim,

and Parshat Shekalim,

and Parshat Mishpatim — one has a directive and empowerment,

to reflect and as needed⁷⁷ on the preciousness of every Jew,

"From youth to elder, children and women*,

in order that he should bring him to influence the Jews that they should strengthen themselves in Torah study and observance of mitzvos.

including and especially — the proposal and double request about which it was written in the letters⁷,

both in the general collective letter,

and part in the letter to the children — that one should designate the coming year as a time dedicated especially to making every Jewish home — a "Mikdash Me'at*⁷⁹,

a house of Torah,

prayer and acts of kindness,

and especially — through the children,

and also adults,

should have their own siddur,

Chumash

(or another Sefer Torah)

and

(lhavdil)

tzedakah pushke.

and write there "LaHashem Ha'aretz U'Melo'ah",

And his name.

As explained in detail in the letters.

Yud.

And simply: standing on the threshold of the month of Adar — one must do with increase and alacrity and properly in all preparations for "Operation Purim": see that every Jew,

"From youth to old, children and women,"

Should know and fulfill the mitzvot of Purim: reading the Megillah,

Mishloach Manot, each man to his fellow,

Matanot LaEvyonim,

Simchas Purim,

Feast of Surim, etc.

Including simply — the inner content of Purim — "they fulfilled what they had accepted in the covenant" at the giving of the Torah,

A renewed strengthening in all matters of Torah and mitzvos,

Which are divided generally into "light and joy and gladness and honor",

"Light this is Torah, etc., and honor these are tefillin."

May it be His will,

So that all these things should further hasten the "connection of redemption to redemption"⁷*,

the redemption of Purim to the redemption of Passover,

this speaking now on Shabbat about the redemption of Purim should be in immediate proximity to the future redemption,

which will be "as in the days of your exodus from the land of Egypt",

through our righteous Moshiach,

and immediately, right away — still on this Shabbat Mevarchim Adar,

they will automatically celebrate Purim and Passover in the Holy Land,

in Jerusalem, the holy city,

in the third Beis HaMikdash,

and out of joy and a good heart.

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