English translation — משיחות ש״פ אמרי, מבה״ח אייר ה׳תשמ״ט

It is known the custom of Israel to say and study Pirkei Avot on the Shabbatot between Pesach and Atzeret

(Shavuot)

Starting from the first chapter this Shabbat,

the first Shabbat after Pesach.

On this custom there are several reasons²,

and among them — that the study

(and fulfillment)

The instructions in Pirkei Avos on the Sabbaths are a preparation; this is the time of the giving of our Torah.

(with the help)

And perhaps we may add,

then the study of Pirkei Avos

(or preparation for the Giving of the Torah)

What the general content is,

ethics and character traits"⁵,

is similar to the service of the Counting of the Omer — refining the character traits

(from the animal soul•)

from

Chesed sheb'Chesed until Malchus sheb'Malchus — as preparation for the time of the giving of our Torah.

One must also understand: from that which on the first Shabbos after Pesach one learns

(also)

The beginning of Pirkei Avot,

What does he speak about there?■

(Not about the preparation for receiving the Torah,

but)

about the receiving of the Torah itself —,

Moses received the Torah from Sinai, etc.

(And afterwards — about the order of transmission and chain of reception of the Torah from generation to generation)

And we learn

(also that)

before the giving of the Torah

[And — in Hebrew,

Moshe received")

— it is reasonable to say,

that the preparation

(from learning Pirkei Avos after Chag HaMatzos)

Is in a manner that in this there is also present

(in this)

The concept of receiving the Torah itself.

One must understand what is the explanation in this — that the learning is the study in Pirkei Avos following Pesach and not

(that the main thing)

preparation for the giving of the Torah?

And one can say, the explanation in this:

The Exodus from Egypt

(on the festival of Pesach)

is a preparation for Matan Torah,

as it is stated: "When you bring the people out of Egypt, you will serve God on this mountain."

Sefer HaSichos - 5749

as explained in many places,

that before

(- a preparation for)

the Giving of the Torah

(when the Almighty gave the Torah to the Jewish people)

and the Receiving of the Torah

(when the Jewish people,

took the Torah)

— had to be the preparation from the Exodus from Egypt,

through the fact that "revealed Himself"¹ upon them the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He — in His glory and His essence — and redeemed them,

And in the language of Chassidus⁶ — a revelation of an arousal from Above of itself,

And this gives the power that afterwards there should be the service of Jews during the forty-nine days of the Omer,

"And you shall count for yourselves from the morrow of..."¹²,

the service

(an arousal from below)

of the lower one, from below to above

(in clarifying and refining the attributes from Chesed shebeChesed until Malchus shebeMalchus)

And through this comes afterwards the Giving of the Torah on the fiftieth day,

the revelation of the Gate of Nun,

(in addition to the extension of the forty-nine gates)

and both levels and aspects in the Gate of Nun

(in addition to the lower level within it,

which has a connection to the forty-nine gates,

also the upper level within it that is above connection to the forty-nine gates)

bis — that which is above the category of level and manner; and the revelation at the giving of the Torah,

since this came after the preparation

(completeness)

the service of Jews during the days of Sefirah,

is drawn down in innerness.

And based on this, it can be said,

that the beginning

(In general)

And the Koach (C"Y) regarding the matter of Matan Torah

(The revelation of Sha'ar HaNun)

Is in the "revealed upon them the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He" on Passover — because then was given the power for

(The service in the 49 days of the Omer count,

which brought)

Matan Torah; but since this was a revelation from above,

it was then a temporary revelation.

(from the perspective of the recipients below)

And one must come to the service of Jews

(the recipients)

during the Counting of the Omer,

the service of the lower one from below upward step by step

(with the power of awakening from below in Yetzias Mitzrayim)

In order that this should be drawn down in a permanent and internal manner,

until the Giving of the Torah

(the revelation of the Gate of Nun below in inwardness)

when the Almighty actually gave the Torah to the Jewish people; which at that time was the lofty revelation of the Exodus from Egypt

(revealed upon them from the King of Kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, in His glory and essence)

was drawn down below in a permanent and internal manner⁵.

And especially on the holiday of Passover from year to year,

after the giving of the Torah,

When it is already*¹⁰ on Passover the revelation and innovation of