English translation — שיחה לילדי "צבאות השם" שיחיו, יום א' פ' משפטים, כ"א שבט ה'תשמ"ב – בבית הכנסת, אחרי תפלת מנחה

They recited the twelve verses and sayings of our Sages¹.

Afterwards they sang the melody "We Want Moshiach Now"².

A gathering of Jewish children

(like the gathering now),

and especially in a place where one learns

(Torah)

and where one prays – is always a good thing,

a holy thing and a joyful thing,

and a joyful thing also for the One Above – because when the One Above sees that Jewish children,

who are His children,

gather together and conduct themselves like brothers one with another,

that between them there is love and unity,

they demonstrate a living example of what was just said

(in the twelve verses and sayings of our Sages)

"And you shall love your neighbor as yourself. Rabbi Akiva says: This is a great principle in the Torah"³ – this brings Him great joy and pleasure⁴.

And especially when one connects the gathering

(in a place where one prays and where one learns)

with praying

(in actual practice)

before and to the One Above,

and especially the Minchah prayer,

which is indeed one of the most important prayers⁵,

and beseeching from the One Above all good things,

beginning with "You graciously grant man knowledge"⁶,

that the One Above should give to each one of you,

and to each one of the Jewish people,

and to everyone together – the correct understanding,

wisdom, understanding and knowledge,

how to conduct oneself in daily life,

and afterwards all the requests and prayers that follow

(and precede) that.

And immediately after the prayer there is also the matter of Torah study

(in actual practice),

both verses from the Written Torah and sayings of our Sages from the Oral Torah.

And afterwards they will conclude the gathering with the matter of charity.

For these three things,

Torah,

service

(prayer)

and acts of kindness

(charity),

are the three pillars

(columns)

upon which the entire world stands⁷,

and upon which also the world and health of each individual Jew stands.

And especially

(as mentioned several times at the gatherings)

that the gathering will surely be connected – as is fitting for "Tzivos Hashem" – with taking upon oneself good resolutions

(good decisions)

to conduct oneself even better and more broadly in all good things,

in all matters connected with Judaism and with Torah and mitzvos,

and also to influence friends,

boys – upon their friends,

and girls – upon their friends,

that they should also do likewise.

And to do all these things with joy,

as was just said

(in the twelve verses and sayings of our Sages⁸)

the greatness in "Yisrael rejoices in its Maker"⁹,

that a Jew rejoices with the One Above and with every matter that is connected with the One Above,

and "Hashem rejoices in His works"¹⁰,

that the One Above rejoices with the matters that are connected with Him,

with His creation in general,

and especially with "all of Israel",

(who "have a share in the World to Come"¹²,

therefore)

who are "the shoot of My planting, the work of My hands, in which I take pride"¹¹,

and especially when He sees that Jews utilize this to rise and grow,

even in daily life,

more Jewishly,

and thus influence also the entire surroundings.

Therefore, since the gathering

(of Jewish children)

is connected with all these matters

(mentioned above)

– this increases even more the goodness and holiness and joy that exists when Jewish children gather together in general.

The above is connected with every gathering of "Tzivos Hashem",

with all the gatherings that have been until now

(as mentioned at each gathering)

and also with the present gathering;

However, there are also particular matters,

special things,

that are especially connected with the day and with the occasion for which one has gathered this time specifically. This brings an additional directive to each one of "Tzivos Hashem",

and an additional strength and blessing from the One Above to be able to fulfill

(carry out)

also the additional directive,

which one must utilize to grow,

even in daily life,

in matters of Judaism,

and thus influence also the entire surroundings.

One of the special emphases that are connected with today's gathering – is that the gathering takes place immediately after Shabbos Parshas Yisro:

On this Shabbos

(Parshas Yisro)

they read in the Torah,

so that one should learn anew from it,

the entire story and lesson that the One Above gave the Jews the holy Torah,

and "The Torah that Moshe commanded us is an inheritance of the congregation of Yaakov"¹³

(as was just said¹⁴)

– the Torah comes down as an inheritance to every single member of the Jewish people,

down to each one of you and to each one of your families.

It is related in the Midrash¹⁵,

that when the One Above wanted to give the Torah to the Jews

(the first time at the Giving of the Torah)

He wanted that there be a guarantee that it is worthwhile

(fitting)

to give the Torah,

because they would learn the Torah and conduct themselves according to what is indicated in the Torah by fulfilling its mitzvos and instructions – He asked that the Jews give Him guarantors,

those who would guarantee that they would learn the Torah and conduct themselves according to it;

and specifically when the Jews said "Our children will be our guarantors",

that Jewish children would be the guarantors for this,

they take upon themselves to learn Torah and conduct themselves according to what is indicated in the Torah by fulfilling its mitzvos and instructions – it was specifically then that the One Above was satisfied and accepted the guarantors,

and this caused the One Above to give the Torah to the entire Jewish people through Moshe Rabbeinu,

and "The Torah that Moshe commanded us is an inheritance of the congregation of Yaakov" – through this it came to each one of you and to each one of us and to each one of the entire Jewish people for all generations!

The directive from this:

When one hears how they read in the Torah just this past Shabbos from which we now come regarding the matter of the Giving of the Torah,

and one learns it – surely this refreshes and renews and adds to the conduct of each one of you in learning Torah and in fulfilling its mitzvos – knowing,

that this

(your conduct in this)

is the guarantee that the One Above accepted in order to give the Torah to the Jews,

and specifically through this the Torah exists in all generations,

until the end of all generations,

Consequently, each one of you understands the greatness and importance and joy with which you must add even more in diligence and persistence in learning Torah more and more and deeper and broader,

and fulfilling its mitzvos with beauty,

even while still before Bar Mitzvah and Bas Mitzvah,

because these are mitzvos about which the Torah speaks.

And through your adding in diligence and persistence in Torah study and in fulfilling mitzvos with beauty – this strengthens even more the blessings of the One Above in everything that one needs,

beginning with success in learning Torah and fulfilling mitzvos in health and joy,

and also having great success in influencing thus all those around you.

Beginning with "And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children"¹⁶ – influencing your parents,

upon father and mother,

that they should do more in learning Torah and fulfilling mitzvos.

And to do all these things,

as discussed earlier,

with great joy,

and in a manner of "ascending in holiness"¹⁷,

more and more.

A second matter that is especially connected with today's gathering:

The gathering

(as discussed last week¹⁸)

comes in connection and as a continuation of the "Tzivos Hashem" gathering that was supposed to be on the fifteenth of Shevat,

and in many places it indeed was on the fifteenth of Shevat.

And the intention in this is,

as in all good things,

that it should have a continuation afterwards,

and a continuation in the essential matters,

for "the deed is the main thing"¹⁹,

in actual practice.

That is,

the gathering,

which comes as a continuation of the fifteenth of Shevat

(even though it takes place a few days later)

– reminds, in a renewed and refreshed manner, of the memory of the fifteenth of Shevat with its directives,

until – one must conduct oneself according to the directives in actual deed.

From the main directives of the fifteenth of Shevat:

The fifteenth of Shevat is the New Year for Trees²⁰. Therefore there is also the custom of Israel – which surely you all fulfilled – that on the fifteenth of Shevat one should

(increase in)

eating fruits of trees²¹,

and especially the fruits with which the Land of Israel is praised,

the fruits that are the praise,

the glory,

of the Land of Israel,

which connects a Jew even more strongly with the Land of Israel,

as follows

And according to what is stated in the verse²² "for man is a tree of the field"

(as our Sages, may their memory be blessed, explain it²³),

that every person

(man),

and especially every Jew,

of whom it is said "you are called man"²⁴,

man from the word for being similar to the One Above²⁵ – is likened to a "tree of the field"

(in several aspects (details)),

and as it is also stated

(as mentioned earlier (section d))

"the shoot of My planting",

that every Jew is a branch that the One Above Himself planted – it is understandable the connection of the fifteenth of Shevat,

the New Year for Trees,

to every Jew and to his service,

and how the matters that exist by trees

("tree of the field")

in their simple sense are a lesson and a directive to him in his service.

And in general

(as the Gemara says²⁶)

– that just as a tree of the field produces fruits,

so too must a Jew learn Torah and fulfill mitzvos and produce fruits.

And in particular²⁷:

The essence of a tree of the field,

a "tree"

(a tree) is

(first and foremost),

that it is "growing",

it constantly grows and becomes ever higher and stronger and larger²⁸;

and its purpose and perfection is,

that it should produce fruits,

and in these fruits there are also seeds,

that when one plants a seed, from it also grows a new tree,

which further produces fruits with seeds like them, and so on forever.

And in our context

(the fifteenth of Shevat,

the New Year for Trees)

this speaks primarily about the fruits with which the Land of Israel is praised

(as said earlier that it is the custom of Israel to eat on the fifteenth of Shevat specifically the fruits with which the Land of Israel is praised).

The directive from this for every Jew,

and especially for every Jewish child,

including – all of you:

Each individual child is like a small tree that begins to grow

(from his youth),

and as he grows and becomes older, so he becomes larger and stronger

(physically),

and according to how he grows and becomes larger and stronger, so too do his fruits appear,

as each one of you sees it simply in himself.

You must all know,

that every Jew,

and each one of you

(every Jewish child)

in particular, is

(not merely like a small tree that grows only physically etc., but)

a "tree of the field", "the shoot of My planting",

a branch,

that the One Above planted in His field and garden,

with the purpose and mission

(which is the essence of every "shoot of My planting") –

and the One Above "looks upon him and examines the kidneys and heart whether he serves Him properly"²⁹,

He observes how one fulfills the mission that He gave to each branch of "the shoot of My planting" –

that one conducts himself as is fitting for a "tree of the field" of the One Above's field and garden,

by not standing still in one place,

but with each day one adds even more in all matters of Judaism,

in all matters connected with "Hashem"

(with the One Above,

which is indeed His field and garden),

since you are specifically from "Tzivos Hashem",

until one achieves the purpose – that one produces fruits that have in them seeds from which will grow more trees that will produce fruits with seeds and so on forever,

and one produces the true and important fruits,

fruits with which the Land of Israel is praised:

one has the greatest praise in learning Torah and fulfilling mitzvos,

and in general – in all matters of Judaism,

for then they are such fruits for which one praises the One Above

(because this is His "field" that has trees that have produced such fruits),

and one praises the Land of Israel,

and one praises the Jewish people,

for all of these are connected one with another.

As this is simply:

Through the custom of Israel on the fifteenth of Shevat to eat specifically the fruits with which the Land of Israel is praised – it connects a Jew even more strongly with the Land of Israel,

and especially when he makes a blessing on each fruit,

that one blesses the One Above Who created this fruit,

and afterwards he also concludes with an after-blessing on the fruit.

And through mentioning again the Holy Land

(by virtue of the fruits with which the Land of Israel is praised),

and likewise through the service of every Jewish child

(especially)

to produce such "fruits" of Torah and mitzvos with which the Holy Land is praised etc. – it reminds even more that with every matter one learns in Torah and with every mitzvah one fulfills

(in a manner of "fruits with which the Land of Israel is praised")

one

(even more)

brings closer the true and complete redemption,

when the One Above will redeem each one of you,

and each one of us,

and the entire Jewish people,

also those who are already now in the Land of Israel.

It will be a true redemption,

and Judaism will have a victory,

and a victory with joy and peace,

and a victory for which one will give praise,

Why will there be the perfection of the land,

we will have the greatest perfection as it needs to be in Eretz Yisrael,

through that which each one of you,

and each one of the Jewish people,

will have the greatest perfection and praise in learning Torah and fulfilling its commandments — perfection of the Torah,

then the entire Jewish people becomes one complete people — perfection of the people,

And especially since every Jew registers and receives a letter in the Sefer Torah — as each one of you has certainly already done — which unites you,

and every Jew,

with all Jews,

in the Torah,

"Torah tzivah lanu Moshe",

up to the first Sefer Torah that Moshe Rabbeinu wrote³⁰.

And after the aforementioned service, still in the time of exile

(that we learn from the fifteenth of Shevat,

Rosh Hashanah for the trees)

that one produces "fruits",

true, correct fruits for which we praise the Most High and we praise Eretz Yisrael and we praise the Jewish people —

Moshiach comes "now",

very soon,

and brings the true and complete redemption,

then we will see all this openly,

that each one of us and each one of you and the entire Jewish people go to the Holy Land,

"a land which Hashem your G-d cares for; the eyes of Hashem your G-d are always upon it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year"³¹,

in a complete manner,

in a peaceful manner and in a joyful manner,

And speedily in our days, literally,

"now".

Just as this gathering now comes as a continuation of the fifteenth of Shevat

(as discussed at length above)

— so too, regarding every good thing and holy thing,

and regarding every matter connected to Judaism — this must also be a preparation to rise and go even higher — "ma'alin bakodesh" — even more than it was until now:

We are now a few weeks,

less than thirty days³²,

before the festival of Purim,

that we must already begin to prepare for Purim starting from Rosh Chodesh Adar,

which is blessed from this Shabbat Mevarchim Chodesh Adar,

which is the Shabbat of the week that begins from today.

Therefore, this gathering must also be the correct,

fitting and good preparation for the gathering of Jews in general,

and of

(the children of)

"Tzivos Hashem" in particular,

in connection with the festival of Purim,

For Purim is also connected with a gathering of Jews in general,

and of Jewish children in particular.

The explanation of this:

The festival of Purim was connected with a matter of gathering — with the matter of "gather all the Jews etc."³³,

that all the Jews gathered at the call of Mordechai HaYehudi — who "Mordechai in his generation was like Moshe in his generation etc."³⁴,

and therefore Mordechai instructed the Jews in his generation how to conduct themselves according to the Torah of Moshe.

And our Sages, of blessed memory, tell us³⁵ that especially did Mordechai

(who was "like Moshe in his generation")

gather Jewish children and learned Torah with them. And at the time that the Most High saw and heard the voice of the Jewish children — all the bad things were immediately nullified,

all the evil decrees³⁶,

And it became "for the Jews there was light and joy and gladness and honor"³⁷,

with all the explanations thereof,

beginning with the simple explanation thereof

(explanation according to the simple meaning),

that while still in exile, there was light for the Jews,

and there was also for them true joy and true preciousness of every matter connected to Jews and Judaism.

And in order to bring this, one needed to have,

as said,

the preparation of Jews,

and especially of Jewish children,

that they should gather to learn Torah,

and also make the good resolution to do so ever more,

higher,

deeper and broader in the time thereafter.

The lesson from this now:

Every year when the days of Purim come — one must remember the things that occurred the first time in the days of Purim. And moreover — then there occur

(in a good state)

the same matters that were the first time in the days of Purim³⁸.

Therefore,

standing in the days when we must already begin to prepare for the festival of Purim

(today,

from which begins the week of Shabbat Mevarchim Chodesh Adar etc.,

as above)

— this reminds each one of us and each one of you,

and you must remind every Jewish child wherever he may be — that we must already begin to prepare that there should be the matter of "gathering",

that we should all gather together,

boys — gather all friends,

girls — gather all friends,

and strengthen one another in all matters of Judaism,

and especially — for more learning of Torah and in a manner of "gathering",

all together.

And doing this in a manner of "light and joy":

with a luminous intellect and with a clear intellect,

and with joy³⁹

(as discussed earlier (section d)),

Until one makes light with all matters of Judaism also around oneself,

beginning with the house in which one lives,

and the school where one learns,

and in the entire surrounding neighborhood,

And doing all these things in a manner of "ma'alin bakodesh", ascending constantly ever more and more and higher,

for this is indeed the nature of every "netzer matai",

of every planting of the Most High that the Most High planted in His field and garden,

that he should constantly ascend more and more and higher in all matters connected to Judaism

(as above section 68).

And at the time that there is this "gathering" also now,

that all gather together and strengthen themselves in all matters of Judaism,

and especially in learning Torah — this brings the redemption from all bad things while still in the time of exile

(as it was in the days of Purim the first time).

And on the contrary — it becomes "ve'nahafoch hu"³⁹,

that Jews through Judaism stand in the strongest manner,

and they receive "honor"

("for the Jews there was light and joy and gladness and honor"),

honor and "respect" from all the surrounding nations⁴⁰,

because all the surrounding nations see that even though Jews are "scattered and dispersed among the nations"⁴¹,

dispersed in exile — nevertheless they are "one people",

a people that is distinguished by one Torah,

through learning the one and only Torah and fulfilling its commandments,

that they are connected to Hashem, the One,

with the one and only Most High who gave us the Torah.

And simply:

In the days close to Purim or on the day of Purim itself — one should make a gathering of "Tzivos Hashem",

in order to know,

and make sure that one has done and utilized the time before Purim as it ought to be.

And then also take on fresh powers to go even higher and do even more in all matters connected to Judaism.

And afterwards

(as mentioned several times)

— from time to time

(from season to season)

all these "Tzivos Hashem"¹ should gather together,

in order to constantly refresh the powers to go higher and do more in all matters connected to Judaism,

and especially — in order to renew and strengthen the "ve'ahavta lerei'acha kamocha".

Then comes "barecheinu avinu kulanu ke'echad"*⁴²:

When Jews are "kulanu ke'echad" it adds more to the "barecheinu avinu",

in the blessings of the Most High⁴.

Beginning that still in the days before Purim,

from now on,

there will be more "light and joy and gladness and honor",

there will be more of the true light and true joy and true honor and preciousness that every Jewish child,

and every Jewish person,

and people in general,

have through that which they conduct themselves according to how the Most High illuminated and showed the way in His "Torah ohr"⁴³,

in His luminous Torah.

And from the redemption of Purim about which we just spoke,

and to which we are already beginning to prepare now,

and especially through the vitality and liveliness and strength that each one of you will invest in yourself and in the entire surroundings — there becomes a "connection of redemption to redemption"⁴⁴,

that this brings closer even more quickly and even earlier the true and complete redemption through Moshiach Tzidkeinu,

Moshiach comes "now" and takes us out of exile,

and in a manner of joy.

We spoke earlier

(section e)

that one must learn from every special matter connected to the day — one must also learn from the daily Chumash portion of today⁴⁵:

The daily Chumash portion of today begins

(the first verse of Parsha Mishpatim):

"And these are the ordinances which you shall set before them".

This is especially connected with every Jewish child — because every Jewish child

(especially)

learns Torah,

"these are the ordinances",

which Moshe transmitted to the Jews

("Torah tzivah lanu Moshe").

The verse here gives the instruction,

that the study of Torah must be in a manner of "set before them as a table set and ready to eat before a person"

(as Rashi explains):

learn in such a way that he understands what he learns "as a table set and ready to eat before a person",

that this is prepared for him,

and this is "before them" prepared,

and clear,

exactly like a prepared table with food,

because he learns Torah as one ought to learn Torah.

And this is in a manner of "tashim

(before them)

"⁴⁶,

for "tashim" also contains a hint

(a "hint"),

that this is from the term "simah"⁴⁷,

a precious stone,

a precious diamond. The lesson from this is,

that when he learns Torah

("these are the ordinances")

and he fulfills commandments — he knows that this is like a precious stone and diamond that the Most High gave him,

and he guards it and learns it with such joy as befits a precious stone and diamond.

And then one is more successful in learning Torah and in fulfilling commandments,

And through this — be a source of nachat for the parents and for the teachers and guides,

and for the entire Jewish people.

And we will go very soon,

"with our youth and with our elders etc. with our sons and with our daughters"⁴⁸ to greet Moshiach Tzidkeinu,

speedily in our days, literally.

We will now conclude

(as mentioned earlier)

with the third pillar

("pillar")

— the matter of tzedakah:

We will give each of you two coins,

of "asara asara"

(two coins of ten cents),

one to give to gemach and tzedakah,

and one — do with it as you see fit.

And before this,

in order to emphasize the matter of joy

(as mentioned earlier in one of the twelve pesukim and maamarei Chazal¹),

and so that the giving of tzedakah afterwards should be with joy — we will sing a melody of joy,

on the words that are connected to that the Most High nullifies all decrees,

and will,

speedily in our days, literally,

also nullify the decree of exile — "One who devises a plan will be thwarted, speak a word and it will not stand, for G-d is with us"⁴⁹:

Even though there is "one who devises a plan" and "speak a word" for bad things — it is a certainty that it will be "thwarted" and "will not stand",

because "for G-d is with us",

the Most High is with each one of you and with each one of us and with the entire Jewish people.

And the "One who devises a plan will be thwarted, speak a word and it will not stand, for G-d is with us" — will also be the preparation for the "But the righteous will give thanks to Your name, the upright will dwell in Your presence"⁵⁰,

And this will be in — "and they will dwell there and inherit it"⁵¹,

in the Holy Land.

And speedily in our days, literally.

Let us sing "One who devises a plan etc. for G-d is with us". "But the righteous" "for G-d etc. and inherit it etc.".

The Rebbe, shlita, gave to the male and female guides, may they live, coins of ten cents,

to give to each and every boy and girl, may they live, two coins:

one — to give to tzedakah,

and the second — to do with it as they see fit.