English translation — בס"ד. שיחת ליל ערב יוהכ"פ ה'תשמ"ב - בבית הכנסת, אחרי תפלת ערבית -

We are now entering the twenty-four-hour period of Erev Yom Kippur,

on Erev Yom Kippur one performs several matters due to the concept of Yom Kippur:

The "mitzvah of confession of Yom Kippur" begins "from before the day";

on Erev Yom Kippur one must appease one's fellow if one transgressed a matter between man and his fellow

(and specifically then Yom Kippur can atone for that sin).

That the matter of appeasing one's fellow on Erev Yom Kippur is connected specifically with the concept of Yom Kippur,

as will be explained further:

Our Sages, of blessed memory, say "Whoever eats and drinks on the ninth, Scripture accounts it to him as if he fasted on the ninth and the tenth",

as it is written "and you shall afflict your souls on the ninth"³ –

it is explained in Pri Etz Chayim¹,

that on Erev Yom Kippur

(the ninth of Tishrei)

one must eat "in the measure of two days",

one eating corresponding to the day itself and one eating in place of the eating and drinking that would have to be on Yom Kippur,

and through this that there is the "external eating and drinking"

(eating,

in its simple sense)

on Erev Yom Kippur, afterwards there can be the concept of "internal eating and drinking" on Yom Kippur,

which is the concept of the fast on Yom Kippur.

It emerges that the "eating and drinking on the ninth causes the fast on Yom Kippur from internal eating and drinking"⁶,

and therefore "whoever eats and drinks on the ninth is as if he fasted also on the tenth, because without the eating of the ninth there would be no fast on the tenth"⁷.

And from this it is understood,

that similarly, regarding all matters that are Yom Kippur matters but on Yom Kippur one cannot do them

(for several reasons) –

one must do them on Erev Yom Kippur instead of on Yom Kippur.

The concept of Yom Kippur is –

unity:

Yom Kippur is "once a year"⁵,

that is a singular and unique day

(unlike the other festivals).

And similarly, Yom Kippur is connected specifically with the concept of "a unique nation in the land"⁸;

Yom Kippur brings out specifically the concept that Jews are "a unique nation in the land"

(even though this exists by every Jew throughout the year,

however, at the time appropriate for it in the year,

on Yom Kippur,

this stands out more emphatically etc.):

The mission of a Jew down here as a soul in a body is –

that there should be "and the spirit shall return to God Who gave it"⁹,

the concept of teshuvah,

that as a soul in a body he stands together in complete unity with "God Who gave it",

as understood from what is explained in Likkutei Torah by the Alter Rebbe on Haazinu HaShamayim¹⁰.

That is,

that teshuvah brings out the concept that Jews are "a unique nation in the land",

that Jews are in complete unity,

both from the perspective of the inwardness of matters,

until also how Jews stand as souls in bodies,

until even in matters of the body –

because in teshuvah there is no division of levels:

Although when teshuvah comes down below by a Jew as a soul in a body there are in it many levels,

according to the measure of each Jew how he stands as a soul in a body

(and according to the measure of the variations that exist by each Jew himself in his service) –

but the concept of teshuvah is one singular thing "and the spirit shall return to God Who gave it",

that a Jew as he stands as a soul in a body stands together in complete unity with "God Who gave it",

which "God

(Who gave it)

" is indeed the ultimate unity and the ultimate simplicity,

and together with it he includes in himself all the matters entirely until the most particular details of souls

(as will be explained from the holy Tanya)

and the most particular details of "our deeds and our service"¹¹ of the souls in bodies.

And since the essence and purpose of teshuvah is on Yom Kippur,

as the Rambam writes¹²

(that "although teshuvah and crying out are good at all times,

during the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur it is most good and is accepted immediately etc.",

and even more specifically on the day of Yom Kippur itself,

which "Yom Kippur is a time of teshuvah for all, for the individual and the community etc.") –

then it is brought out more openly

(as throughout the year)

how Jews are "a unique nation in the land".

The aforementioned concept –

that on Yom Kippur the unity of Jews is brought out from the aspect of teshuvah that exists on Yom Kippur –

is brought out more emphatically in that Yom Kippur's content is also,

that then was the receiving of the Torah of the latter Tablets:

The Mishnah¹³ says "on the day of His wedding, this is the giving of the Torah,"

which refers to "Yom Kippur, on which the latter Tablets were given"¹⁴; until,

that therefore "there were no better days for Israel etc. than Yom Kippur,"

because then there was the giving of the Torah

(of the latter Tablets).

And just as the preparation for the giving of the Torah of the first Tablets

(on Shavuot)

was "and Israel encamped there –

as one man with one heart"¹⁵ –

so too it is understood regarding the giving of the Torah of the latter Tablets,

that this must be connected with the fact that Jews are "as one man with one heart,"

in complete unity.

And in the unity connected with "the day of His wedding, this is the giving of the Torah" of Yom Kippur, there is an advantage over the unity connected with the giving of the Torah of the first Tablets

(on Shavuot):

The giving of the Torah on Shavuot is connected with the service of the righteous,

but the giving of the Torah on Yom Kippur

(of the latter Tablets)

is connected with the service of penitents,¹⁶

and repentance is connected especially with the matter of unity,

as above.

It follows,

that on Yom Kippur one has the unity that is brought about through both matters –

both through Torah

(that "the day of His wedding, this is the giving of the Torah" of the latter Tablets)

and through repentance;

and consequently, then the matter of the unity of Jews is emphasized much more,

"one nation in the land."

Since Erev Yom Kippur comes as a preparation for Yom Kippur,

and moreover –

then one performs matters from the aspect of Yom Kippur

(as above, section 1) –

it is understood,

that just as the essence of Yom Kippur,

"once a year,"

is unity

(both from the aspect of the matter of repentance and from the aspect of the matter of Torah,

as above),

so too the service on Erev Yom Kippur must be connected with the matter of the unity of Jews,

and through this one brings about that it should be in ultimate perfection on Yom Kippur itself.

And as it was at the giving of the Torah of the first Tablets

(on Shavuot):

On the eve of the giving of the Torah

(of Shavuot),

on the fifth of Sivan,

the preparation of the precedence of "we will do and we will hear"¹⁷ had to be,

and this effected

(after the eve of the giving of the Torah)

that there should be the matter of the giving of the Torah;

And so it is understood regarding Erev Yom Kippur,

the eve of "the day of His wedding, this is the giving of the Torah,"

that then there must be the preparation for the service of Yom Kippur, including

(and primarily)

the matter of the unity of the children of Israel that exists on Yom Kippur,

and through this one brings about that these matters should come out more in revelation,

until in the ultimate revelation,

on Yom Kippur.

That is to say, that through the fact that on Erev Yom Kippur one appeases one's fellow

(and so too every Jew and all Jews),

which brings about unity among all Jews,

that they should be like one thing,

in the manner as it was as a preparation for the giving of the Torah of the first Tablets,

"and Israel encamped there –

as one man with one heart" –

this brings about that this should come out in ultimate revelation on Yom Kippur.

Since Yom Kippur is also connected with the matter of Torah

(as above) –

"the day of His wedding, this is the giving of the Torah" –

therefore the unity of Jews on Erev Yom Kippur

(as a preparation for Yom Kippur)

must be connected with a unity that comes from the aspect of Torah.

And this is revealed in a revealed manner through the fact that all Jews unite in the writing of a Torah scroll,

as discussed many times.¹⁸

Here the intention is not –

the fulfillment of the commandment "write for yourselves this song"¹⁹ –

which is also a lofty matter –

but rather to unite all Jews with a true unity and an eternal unity,

Which is brought about through writing a Torah scroll,

for every Torah scroll includes within itself all of Israel, all of them,

all the souls of Israel from the beginning of all levels until the end of all levels,

from the beginning of all generations until the end of all generations,

because "Israel" is an acronym for "there are six hundred thousand letters in the Torah,"²⁰

and these six hundred thousand letters correspond to the six hundred thousand general souls,

each of which has six hundred thousand particular souls,

as explained in the holy Tanya,²¹

and as discussed in the farbrengen before this.²²

It follows that a Torah scroll unifies all Jews of all generations until the end of all generations,

And since Torah is eternal,²³

all matters that are connected with it –

are also eternal –

therefore the unification of all Jews in the Torah scroll is an eternal unity.

Therefore,

all those who

(for whatever reason)

have not yet signed up and purchased a letter in one of the Torah scrolls that is currently being written should do so immediately for themselves

(and all those connected to him),

on the eve of Yom Kippur.

And "one may benefit a person in his absence"²⁴ –

one should also benefit good friends –

those who cannot do this themselves, etc. –

with the great merit of having a letter in the Torah scroll.

And also the one who benefits another with a letter in the Torah scroll should do so in a manner that it costs money

(one should purchase a letter for those whom one benefits) –

because this adds to the unity between them,

as the Alter Rebbe explains in Tanya²⁵,

that when one gives a prutah to charity,

he gives "the life of his soul",

and consequently this brings out more the "and you shall love your fellow as yourself"²⁶,

since he gives "the life of his soul" to benefit him with a letter in the Torah scroll.

Until he unites all the Jews whom he benefits with a letter in the Torah scroll with "your fellow²⁷ and your father's friend" –

with a "wondrous unity, the likes of which no unity like it or comparable to it exists at all, etc."²⁸,

because this is connected with

(the study of)

the Torah

("the day of his wedding, this is the giving of the Torah" –

Yom Kippur),

with a Torah scroll,

And the unification is even higher because the Torah on Yom Kippur is like the Torah from the aspect of teshuvah,

which teshuvah is higher than division

(as above, section 2) –

its essence is "and the spirit shall return to God who gave it",

and consequently it unites Jews in the most elevated manner –

"Israel and the King alone"²⁹.

To summarize the matter:

Just as the essence of Yom Kippur is "once a year" –

the unity among all Jews,

and a unity that is connected with the essence of Torah

(and as Torah is from the aspect of teshuvah),

And the Yom Kippur matters that cannot be done on Yom Kippur itself,

must be done on the eve of Yom Kippur

(as above (section 1) from Pri Etz Chaim),

Therefore,

all those who have not yet signed up in one of the Torah scrolls,

should immediately sign up on the eve of Yom Kippur,

And whoever is zealous, this is praiseworthy.

And we ask that this be conveyed to every place that can be reached,

and certainly they will announce about this tomorrow after the morning prayer and the afternoon prayer.

And as above,

doing this on the eve of Yom Kippur,

which includes all the preceding days –

because every day must be the matter of teshuvah,

as our sages, of blessed memory, said³⁰ "all his days in teshuvah"

(and as the Rambam writes that "teshuvah is good at all times" as above),

and since the essence and purpose of teshuvah is on Yom Kippur,

it follows,

that the essence and purpose of all the days is Yom Kippur

(and preparation for it –

the eve of Yom Kippur),

And since this is connected with the matter of teshuvah,

as above,

which is greater than all the commandments,

and with a matter that is the greatest –

the unity of all the six hundred thousand souls, general and particular, from the beginning of all generations until the end of all generations,

they will certainly do this with joy and a good heart.

And through this that we will unite on the eve of Yom Kippur in the "one Torah",

and we will sign up from the aspect of "one" in the soul –

as Tosafot³¹ explain that "one" refers to the yechidah of the soul –

that one means it truly

(both the purchase for oneself,

and that which one does for another and for all of Israel),

and the unity consists of both matters:

on one hand, this concerns particular souls in bodies,

which divide into sixty thousand general categories and within that sixty thousand particulars and details of details,

and together with this, one unites them all in simple unity –

This becomes the appropriate preparation for "once a year" of Yom Kippur,

And this draws down a single and unique writing and sealing for good,

which includes all the blessings, all of them,

because it comes from the Essence and Being of the Ein Sof,

which contains both matters:

He is the ultimate unity,

and He includes all matters, all of them,

down to the most particular details,

So too His blessing on Yom Kippur –

one general blessing that includes all the blessings, all of them, down to the most particular details,

And this is drawn down in a revealed manner,

lights in vessels,

in children, life, and sustenance in abundance,

Until the totality of the matter is drawn forth –

the true and complete redemption,

through our righteous Moshiach,

which then is also openly the matter of unity,

until, as I am written, so I am called³²,

"Hashem is One and His Name is One"³³.

Surely they will do all the above with joy and a good heart in true truth,

The true and complete redemption will also come down in true truth,

and beyond measure and limitation in time –

"immediately they are redeemed"³⁴,

through our righteous Moshiach,

who will take every Jew and all Jews,

and take them all as a "great congregation"³⁵,

as one single thing.

And they will all go together,

"the completeness of the people",

to our holy land,

which is also the choicest of all lands³⁶,

"the land" with the definite article,

the one and only land,

And there together with "the completeness of the Torah" –

to merit that "every male among you shall appear before Hashem your God"³⁷ in the year of Hakhel, "the men, the women, and the children"³⁸,

so that all Jews are united –

united together to see and be seen³⁹,

united also with the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He,

And all these three completions –

"the completeness of the people",

"the completeness of the Torah" and "the completeness of the land" will be revealed,

speedily in our days, literally.

And even in the time of exile –

surely the sudden fear will be nullified from the outset,

and on the contrary –

this will further strengthen the revelation of Divinity in the good that is seen and revealed,

below ten handbreadths,

the good for us will be seen and revealed.

And very soon may all these matters be in true unity –

true love of Israel,

which is a vessel for "I have loved you, said Hashem"⁴⁰,

according to the teaching of the Alter Rebbe⁴¹,

And may "I have loved you, said Hashem" come down in all the good that is seen and revealed,

Beginning with the true and complete redemption, seen and revealed,

and with joy and a good heart.

May one have a sealing and a final sealing for good.