English translation — בס"ד. שיחת ליל א' דחגה"ס ה'תשמ"ב

In the synagogue,

after the evening prayer

Years ago, we spoke at length,

that even though in the time of the Temple they began the Simchat Beit HaShoevah

(in practice)

on the second night of Sukkot,

on Motzaei Yom Tov Rishon

(because the joy was connected with a flute (and musical instruments),

and "the flute...

does not override Shabbat nor Yom Tov" ³)

however, in the present time,

in the time of exile

(when the joy is not connected with musical instruments)

Simchat Beit HaShoevah begins

(in several matters)

immediately with a storm from the first night of Sukkot.

This is among the matters of "our ruin is our remedy" ⁴ — because of the matter that since the Beit HaMikdash is not present today, there comes the addition that we begin Simchat Beit HaShoevah from the first night of Sukkot.

The matter of Simchat Beit HaShoevah

(which was on Chag HaSukkot)

is a joy that comes as an addition to the joy that exists on Chag HaSukkot inherently:

On Chag HaSukkot there is the obligation of joy because it is Yom Tov,

for all festivals are "appointed times for joy" ⁵

(and the obligation of joy exists at every moment of Yom Tov, including also Chol HaMoed,

as the Alter Rebbe ruled in the Shulchan Aruch ⁶),

and in addition to this, there comes an additional special joy on Chag HaSukkot beyond the other festivals —

which is "the time of our joy"

(as we say in the Amidah prayer) ⁷;

To this comes yet another additional special joy

(and especially at night) —

Simchat Beit HaShoevah —

the joy that is connected with the water libation that was on Chag HaSukkot. The drawing of the water that they poured as a libation on Sukkot upon the altar,

and they drew it at night before the libation, which was done with joy —

"And you shall draw water with joy, etc." ⁸

The explanation of this elevation of joy of Simchat Beit HaShoevah —

connected with the water libation ⁹:

Water is a thing that is not inherently joyful by nature,

and therefore the joy connected with the water libation upon the altar is not a joy connected with the nature of water,

the joy that is connected with the water libation was only because of the command of the Holy One, blessed be He,

"And you shall draw water with joy",

unlike the joy connected with the wine libation upon the altar which is connected with the nature of wine,

for wine by its nature is a thing that brings joy ¹⁰.

From this it is understood,

that in order for there to be a joy connected with water

(the water libation),

that it should be "and you shall draw water" in a manner of "with joy" —

one needs for this a higher —

an empowerment from Above

(as when there is joy connected with wine),

for water inherently is not a thing that brings joy.

From this is understood the novelty and elevation in Simchat Beit HaShoevah,

the joy connected with drawing water and the water libation.

Another novelty that exists in Simchat Beit HaShoevah:

Simchat Beit HaShoevah is a joy of a mitzvah —

a joy connected with the mitzvah of pouring water as a libation upon the altar on Chag HaSukkot.

Generally, however,

one celebrates a joy of a mitzvah at the time of the act when one fulfills the mitzvah;

but regarding Simchat Beit HaShoevah, the innovation is,

that one celebrates the joy even before one has fulfilled the mitzvah:

The mitzvah of the water libation upon the altar was fulfilled in the morning,

like the offering of all the sacrifices,

but the joy was already celebrated at night beforehand, at the time when they drew the water ¹¹.

From this it is understood that one needs even more power from Above for Simchat Beit HaShoevah,

for in addition to the fact that there needs to be the novelty that the joy should be connected with water

(which by its nature is not a thing that brings joy),

there also needs to be the novelty that the joy should be before one fulfills the mitzvah,

at the night beforehand.

And since the Above says that there should be Simchat Beit HaShoevah

(connected with water,

and beginning from the time before the actual fulfillment of the mitzvah) —

it is a certain thing that He gives the power and the ability to be in joy and in joy with a true joy,

for this is stated in the Torah of truth which was given by the true G-d,

to the Jewish people whose purpose is to bring truth into all matters of the world,

The world, ¹² which is from the term concealment and hiding,

conceals, hides, and covers the truth of the world,

for the truth of the world is

that its coming into being is every single moment anew,

according to the teaching of the Baal Shem Tov; ¹³

but when one looks at the world without contemplation—

one sees that the world follows its usual course,

and that it is as if it were an independent existence.

And in this world,

of concealment and hiding,

a Jew draws down the truth.

This is the service of a Jew throughout the entire year;

and especially is his service in this on a festival,

for

(day)

“good” refers to the matter of light, ¹⁴

so that all matters are illuminated with light and consequently one sees their true existence.

And in particular

(on the festival itself)

when it is the time of the Rejoicing of the Water-Drawing,

at which time a Jew is given a special power to draw down truth and light into the world,

And in particular to carry out his most difficult mission—

that in a world which the Most High created in a manner of concealment and hiding—

the Jew should reveal the matter of joy,

And a joy connected with water,

which by its nature is not joyous,

and a joy that begins even before the fulfillment of the commandment of the water libation,

a joy that is not celebrated at the time of performing a mitzvah:

The joy

(of the Rejoicing of the Water-Drawing is not connected with Kiddush over wine, nor with the fulfillment of the mitzvah of taking the lulav and the like,

for that joy is celebrated before the fulfillment of the mitzvah of the lulav,

and after the matter of prayer (at night) also with an interval of time after the prayer)—

consequently, this joy is not celebrated together with the fulfillment of a mitzvah,

from this one understands the greatness of the elevation and novelty in that one celebrates joy at that time.

And this is a joy that pervades the world

(which by its nature is in a manner of concealment and hiding):

The Rejoicing of the Water-Drawing must be not only in the synagogue and study hall,

and confined within one's own four cubits—

rather it must be analogous to how it was in the Holy Temple,

where the joy was certainly not in the Sanctuary,

and certainly not in the Holy of Holies,

and not in the Entrance Hall,

but in the Courtyard,

and within the Courtyard itself,

not in the Court of the Israelites,

but in the Court of the Women, ¹⁵

which is the intermediate between the Holy Temple and the world, and the part of the Holy Temple closest to the world outside it.

And as the Mishnah says in Sukkah, ¹⁶

that “there was no courtyard in Jerusalem that was not illuminated by the light of the Water-Drawing.”

Even though now it is after the destruction of the Holy Temple,

the physical Holy Temple where the Rejoicing of the Water-Drawing was celebrated is not here,

and consequently, seemingly, the matter of the Rejoicing of the Water-Drawing, which is specifically connected with the Holy Temple, is also not here—

However, the spiritual Holy Temple is within every single Jew ¹⁷ in its entirety,

and on the contrary—

since the physical Holy Temple was destroyed,

the Most High gives special powers so that the spiritual Holy Temple within every single Jew should be complete in all its details.

Therefore, even in the present time, one must celebrate the Rejoicing of the Water-Drawing with full force,

until it descends

(even in the present time)

into physical joy,

And a joy that is not only within one's own four cubits etc.,

but rather it pervades also the world,

analogous to how it was at the time when the Holy Temple stood,

as above:

The joy indeed begins in the Courtyard,

and what the “Courtyard” is in the present time in spirituality—

but from there it is then drawn into the world.

What was discussed above is regarding the Rejoicing of the Water-Drawing in every single year,

whatever the calendar determination may be;

however, upon this comes a special instruction from the calendar determination of this year.

In this year, the first day of the festival of Sukkot falls on the third day of the week.

From this, one immediately has the instruction regarding what was discussed above:

Regarding the third day, it is said that then “the ‘it was good’ was doubled,” ¹⁸ and the matter of “good” is

(as above)—

light and joy. Consequently, from this emerges the instruction simply—

that all these matters discussed above regarding the Rejoicing of the Water-Drawing,

connected with “good,”

light and joy—

are in a manner of “doubled.”

To this is added that which is explained ¹⁹ that the “the ‘it was good’ was doubled” of the third day consists of “good for the heavens” and “good for the creations.” ²⁰

What the concept of “

(good for)

heaven” in avodah is simply –

matters connected with the Above;

and the concept of “

(good for)

creatures” in avodah are matters connected with another person.

And corresponding to this there is the concept of “

(good for)

heaven” and “

(good for)

creatures” within each person himself:

“Good for heaven” is –

the study of Torah and fulfillment of mitzvos of a Jew;

and “good for creatures” is –

the avodah of “all your deeds shall be for the sake of heaven”²¹,

that his deeds he does for the sake of heaven,

and “in all your ways know Him”²²,

that his matters of permission,

“your ways” are in a manner of “know Him”,

they are connected with the Above²³.

And this is particularly connected with Sukkos:

Sukkos is “the time of our rejoicing”. The Alter Rebbe explains²⁴ that that which we say “the time of our rejoicing” in the plural,

it is because it indicates two rejoicings –

the rejoicing of “Yisrael will rejoice in its Maker”²⁵ and the rejoicing of “Hashem will rejoice in His works”²⁶.

And these two concepts of “Yisrael will rejoice in its Maker” and “Hashem will rejoice in His works” are analogous to “good for creatures” and “good for heaven”:

“Yisrael will rejoice in its Maker” means –

that the essence of “creatures”,

the Jewish people,

rejoice in that they know that “its Maker” is the Above;

“Hashem will rejoice in His works” means –

that the Above has a special joy in that He is connected with those who are the essence of His works

(“His works”),

and for their sake all His works were created –

that is, the Jews.

And correspondingly, regarding the concept of the third day on which “ki tov” was doubled,

good for heaven and good for creatures,

it is not that one moment of the third day is “good for heaven”,

and another moment is “good for creatures”,

rather when one is asked about whatever moment it may be of the third day,

of which day this moment is,

he will say of the third day,

so too the concept of the third day on which “ki tov” was doubled,

good for heaven and good for creatures,

is both of them together in every single moment of that day,

as discussed at length²⁷.

So too regarding the two rejoicings in the time of our rejoicing,

“Yisrael will rejoice in its Maker” and “Hashem will rejoice in His works”,

it is not the simple meaning that in the time of our rejoicing there is the concept of “Yisrael will rejoice in its Maker” separately and the concept of “Hashem will rejoice in His works” –

rather they both stand together in one word “time of our rejoicing”,

because they both come together and cannot be separated.

From this it follows that in the fixed calendar of this year,

when the first day of Sukkos falls on the third day –

there comes a special instruction in the matter of the rejoicing of the House of Drawing –

that all these matters connected with “good”,

light and joy –

must be in a manner of “was doubled”,

and “was doubled” in a manner of “good for heaven and good for creatures”,

“Yisrael will rejoice in its Maker”,

joy connected with “creatures”,

and “Hashem will rejoice in His works”,

joy connected with G‑dliness,

as they both come together and cannot be separated –

The concept of “good for creatures” is simply

(as above) –

that one does good things with other people.

And this includes within itself also the concept of hospitality. And this is particularly connected with Yom Tov,

as is known that the concept of hospitality applies more on Yom Tov than on Shabbos²⁸.

And even more particularly it has a connection to Sukkos –

for then there is the concept of “Ushpizin”

(guests),

Beginning with Ushpizin in a physical sense,

simple guests,

and through this one also draws down the Ushpizin about which the Zohar speaks²⁹:

Avraham,

Yitzchak,

Yaakov, Moshe,

Aharon,

Yosef and David,

and sometimes also Shlomo³⁰,

And also the Chassidic Ushpizin,

as my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, related³¹,

which are not a separate thing and an addition to the Ushpizin that are in the Zohar,

rather they reveal the concept of the Ushpizin in the Zohar:

the Baal Shem Tov,

the Maggid,

the Alter Rebbe,

the Mitteler Rebbe,

the Tzemach Tzedek,

the Rebbe Maharash

(yesterday was his yahrtzeit)

and the Rebbe

(Rashab)

of blessed memory³².

The matter of the ushpizin was revealed to Jews so that they should take from it a lesson in their daily life,

take a lesson from the fact that the Baal Shem Tov and with him the other ushpizin, and Avraham and with him the other ushpizin, come into the sukkah,

and especially on the first night of Sukkot,

when Avraham and with him the other ushpizin come, and the Baal Shem Tov and with him the other ushpizin.

The practical lesson from all the above:

First of all, there must be a joy on this night that will be noticeable also in the street literally,

and a very great joy that is connected with water

(which in its essence is not joyous)

and a joy even before the time of the mitzvah,

but nevertheless one is in very great joy,

to the extent that they say, "Whoever has not seen the rejoicing of the House of Water-Drawing has never seen joy in his life."

And a joy that is connected with G‑dliness,

with the Supreme One,

and with Jews, with the entirety of Israel and with every individual Jew.

And this is also connected with the portion of Chumash of today during the day

(the second day according to Vezot HaBerachah),

where it is stated³³:

"And of Levi he said... 'They shall teach Your judgments to Jacob and Your Torah to Israel,'"

And the Rambam says³⁴,

that "Not only the tribe of Levi, but every person... whose spirit moves him... to stand before Hashem, to serve Him and to worship Him...",

such a one who dedicates himself in a manner of generosity to disseminate G‑dliness and Judaism and wellsprings in the world –

his matter is also "They shall teach Your judgments to Jacob and Your Torah to Israel."

And also that which we celebrate the rejoicing of the House of Water-Drawing to the extent that the joy is noticeable in the world,

in the street –

this is the matter of "They shall teach Your judgments to Jacob and Your Torah to Israel."

Beginning from that which we celebrate the joy at the start of "the time of our rejoicing" –

the first night of Sukkot

(tonight),

and this is a joy that is greater than the joy that was celebrated in all the previous years,

And afterwards –

on each and every night of "the time of our rejoicing" the joy is drawn forth, and on each day more than the previous day.

Until the joy is drawn forth upon all the days of the year,

Until we come to the true matter that will bring joy –

"Our mouth will be filled with laughter"³⁵,

with the coming of Mashiach our righteousness,

in the true and complete redemption,

speedily in our days, literally.