English translation — שיחה לילדי "צבאות השם" שיחיו - בבית הכנסת, אחרי תפילת מנחה - יום ה' פ' אחו"ק ו' אייר ה'תשמ"ב.

They recited the twelve verses and sayings of our Sages.

Afterwards they sang "We Want Moshiach Now".

We have gathered together now in the days of the Counting,

and in the days of the Counting itself –

in the month of Iyar,

Which month distinguishes itself from all other months of the entire year in that in addition to all the other commandments that one must perform in the days of this month

(as in all days of the entire year) –

there is added that on each day of this month there is the commandment of Counting the Omer¹. The same commandment of Counting the Omer,

but it is added anew each day of the month of Iyar.

There are various commandments that are connected to specific days,

or to specific weeks;

but the only commandment that is connected to each day of an entire month –

is the commandment of Counting the Omer in the month of Iyar.

And since we have gathered together in the days of the Counting,

and at that very time –

in the month of Iyar –

this emphasizes

(even more)

that we must learn from the unique commandment of Counting the Omer

(which is fulfilled each day of the month of Iyar) –

which each of you certainly fulfills this commandment –

how we must conduct ourselves in this month itself,

and afterwards also learn from it how we must conduct ourselves in all the days and months of the entire year.

One of the main lessons from this:

Each one of you,

each one of us and each one of the entire Jewish people,

must learn from the fact that each day of the month of Iyar one fulfills the commandment of Counting the Omer in addition to all the other commandments that one fulfills at that time –

that in addition to all the commandments that he

(or she)

fulfills,

there must be by him

(her)

each day "ascending in holiness"³:

Each day,

whether a Shabbat or a weekday,

he (she)

must strive to seek,

perhaps he can find another commandment that he can add to the regular commandments that he must fulfill,

or to the commandments that all those around him fulfill;

perhaps he can do even better and more in matters connected to commandments.

And at that time there is the promise

(as you just said in the twelve verses and sayings of our Sages⁴)

"I have toiled and found" –

If one will seek

(add another commandment (more commandments))

as one should seek,

"I have toiled" –

it is a certain thing that one will find a possibility to actually add more to the commandments that he does in a regular manner,

so that each day another commandment will be added.

For example:

However much Torah a Jewish child learns according to the schedules of his class in school,

or however many blessings or other commandments that he fulfills according to what he is told –

he always has the possibility to take from the time that he has at his disposal,

which he can use the time as he wishes –

to learn another verse in Torah or another Mishnah in Torah

(from the twelve verses and sayings of our Sages),

or another matter in Torah;

and likewise in commandments:

to add another "penny" to charity,

or another good deed in love of Israel,

or in similar commandments.

And then,

when the Jewish child

(and in general –

every Jew)

sees that he has "found"

("I have found")

and has succeeded in fulfilling the will of the Most High in learning more Torah and fulfilling more commandments –

it is understood that tomorrow it will come to him even easier to overcome the war with the evil inclination,

that the evil inclination wants to convince him that he has learned enough for today,

or done enough commandments for today,

the Jewish child is not influenced by this,

and learns again anew on the new day from what the month of Iyar teaches him

(and now it is easier to fulfill this because yesterday he already conducted himself thus) –

that each day he has the possibility and the assurance and the addition that he will succeed

(if he only wants) –

in adding more in the study of Torah and in the fulfillment of commandments in a good manner and a successful manner.

The emphasis that every day one must add even more in the study of Torah and the fulfillment of the commandments

(as one learns this from the mitzvah of counting the Omer in the month of Iyar) –

is even more so regarding those who have merited and find themselves in the army of the Most High,

"Tzivos Hashem":

It is a certain thing that every "soldier" of the army wants to please the "Commander-in-Chief" of the army,

in "Tzivos Hashem" –

the Most High,

the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He,

which the "soldier" does by doing more than he must do

(according to the instructions of the "Commander-in-Chief"),

he adds from his own will. Then he becomes even more pleasing to the Most High.

And it is a certain thing that the Most High therefore also gives him more of His blessings.

For example, regarding the mitzvah of counting the Omer in the month of Iyar:

Through the fact that a Jew adds each day of the counting of the Omer a blessing of the counting of the Omer

(in addition to all the other blessings that he says every day) –

it is certain that the Most High conducts Himself with him "measure for measure",

that he receives from the Most High each day an additional blessing for himself,

and also for his parents who raised him and educated him in such a manner,

that he should always want to add in Torah and mitzvos,

and also an additional blessing for his teachers and teachers,

male and female guides,

who also educate him in this way. Until through this there is an addition to the blessings of the Most High to the entire Jewish people,

who have merited and have established "Tzivos Hashem",

Jewish boys and girls before Bar Mitzvah and Bas Mitzvah,

who add in conducting themselves in their daily life as is fitting for "Tzivos Hashem".

And one does all this with joy and a good heart,

with gladness,

liveliness and strength,

until in a manner that this itself influences all their friends,

and girls –

all their friends –

that they should also do likewise.

And then one establishes from everyone together an even stronger army,

"Tzivos Hashem",

through which the learning of Torah and fulfilling commandments becomes easier for everyone.

And through this the redemption from the exile is brought closer –

for through the fact that every Jewish child frees himself from the exile of the evil inclination,

and this comes down in actual deed through an addition in Torah and mitzvos –

so too does his liberation from exile in the simple sense come about,

and the liberation of the entire Jewish people from exile,

speedily in our days,

very quickly,

through our righteous Moshiach,

who comes and takes us out of exile,

"Now",

now,

now,

in actual reality.

In the month of Iyar itself there are twenty-nine days.

The "rally" takes place on one of the 29 days. Certainly there is also a lesson from the fact that they gathered specifically on that day of all these 29 days,

and also a lesson that has special importance and relevance to those who have gathered –

those who have merited and are members,

members of "Tzivos Hashem",

how they should be even better members of "Tzivos Hashem",

in carrying out all that the "Commander-in-Chief",

the Most High,

expects of them,

gives them strength to carry this out in a good manner,

and blesses them afterwards more and more.

The gathering takes place on the sixth day of the month of Iyar,

and this year it falls on the fifth day of the week of the portions of Acharei and Kedoshim,

which the daily portion of Chumash that one learns on that day

(as we learned today),

is –

the portion from Chamishi until Shishi in the portions;

and the sixth day of the month of Iyar is also connected with the portion of Tehillim that one says on the sixth day of the month.

A main instruction that "Tzivos Hashem" need and can take from this daily portion of Chumash,

is –

"And you shall love your fellow as yourself"

(which is a verse in this daily portion of Chumash),

as you yourselves just said

(in the twelve verses and sayings of our sages):

Since this gathering takes place on the special day in the month of Iyar, whose lesson in Torah also includes the verse "And you shall love your fellow as yourself" –

this immediately underscores the special instruction to do even more in the mitzvah of "And you shall love your fellow as yourself",

and especially knowing that this is a "great principle in the Torah" as Rabbi Akiva says.

The instruction is further emphasized in the days of the Counting of the Omer:

The Counting of the Omer is connected with the students of Rabbi Akiva,

as the Gemara relates,

that between Pesach and Shavuot

(in the days of the Counting of the Omer)

the twenty-four thousand students of Rabbi Akiva were punished "because they did not treat each other with respect".

And on the other hand,

there were students of Rabbi Akiva who did treat each other with respect,

they followed the instructions of Rabbi Akiva,

certainly beginning with his main instruction that "And you shall love your fellow as yourself" is a "great principle in the Torah".

And the lesson from this for each one of us,

and especially when the days of the Counting come –

that there must be a special emphasis on the matter of "And you shall love your fellow as yourself" which is a "great principle in the Torah",

that each one of you treats your friends with respect,

boys –

with their friends,

and girls –

with their friends.

And one expresses "And you shall love your fellow as yourself" in a Torah way –

by showing everyone a living example of how a Jewish child,

and especially from "Tzivos Hashem",

must conduct himself in his daily life,

also in adding in this every day,

as discussed earlier.

Upon this comes the question and the difficulty:

Since he

(or she)

is still a small Jewish child before Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah –

how can he accomplish all this,

how can he wage war with his evil inclination,

and not only not obey it regarding learning Torah and fulfilling mitzvos which one must learn and fulfill,

but also add more in this

(as discussed earlier the learning of the entire month of Iyar)?!

To this comes the answer from today's Tehillim lesson

(the sixth day of the month):

The Tehillim lesson begins:

"Plead, Hashem, my cause against those who strive with me; fight those who fight me." That is:

The Almighty goes together with every Jewish child and with every Jew in the war against the evil inclination,

and the Jewish child

(and every Jew)

wages the war against the evil inclination knowing that the Almighty,

the "Commander-in-Chief",

is together with him in the war against the evil inclination,

and therefore it is a certainty that he will be victorious in this,

and will accomplish all that he has undertaken in good resolutions,

And this will be in a manner –

as one concludes the Tehillim lesson –

of "Hasten to my help, my Lord, my salvation":

The help and salvation from the Almighty in waging war against the evil inclination is in a manner of "Hasten" –

very quickly,

so that very soon he will no longer suffer from waging war against the evil inclination,

for the Almighty helps him and helps him in a manner of "Hasten" to be victorious in the war against the evil inclination,

and consequently he learns Torah and fulfills mitzvos more than he had previously resolved to do.

Through all this, one also comes to more of the Almighty's blessings in general,

and in the main blessing –

that one be redeemed from the exile of the evil inclination in a manner of "Hasten",

and the entire Jewish people be redeemed from the general exile in a manner of "Hasten".

That the entire Jewish people –

"the completeness of the people",

every Jewish child and every Jewish adult –

should take with them all the additions that were made in learning Torah and fulfilling mitzvos,

through which comes "the completeness of the Torah",

that the Torah stands in its wholeness,

and one receives the complete redemption,

a full redemption from exile,

and one receives this in a manner of "Hasten",

"I will hasten it",

and one goes to the Holy Land,

and one finds the Holy Land in its completeness

("the completeness of the Land").

And even though due to the darkness of exile parts of it were given over to non-Jews –

the Almighty takes it back,

and takes it in a peaceful manner and in a good manner,

until the entire Land of Israel stands in its completeness,

and the Almighty gives it over,

in a peaceful manner,

to the entire Jewish people,

beginning with young Jewish children who conduct themselves as the Almighty desires.

And this all occurs in a manner of "hasten to my aid, Lord, my salvation",

that one sees how the Almighty Himself takes out every Jew and all Jews,

helps them go out from exile,

in a manner of "hasten",

speedily in our days, literally.

In addition to that each day has its special content and lesson for the person,

including –

regarding learning Torah and fulfilling commandments –

the day is also a preparation,

that in the coming days the person's conduct will be in an even better manner,

in an even more Jewish manner,

That is, that he utilizes what he learned and did on that special day to become even better and even more Jewish in the days thereafter.

And in connection with "Tzivos Hashem" this means –

that each one of "Tzivos Hashem" utilizes the things that he learned and did on that special day,

that in the days that come thereafter he should be an even better part of "Tzivos Hashem",

that in the coming days he should be even more pleasing to the "Commander-in-Chief",

the Almighty.

That if the above-said

(that one must utilize each day also as a preparation to become better etc. in the days thereafter)

is so for every day of the year,

it is understood how much this must be on a special day,

on a day when Jewish children gather together in order to make good resolutions in doing in all matters of Judaism,

beginning with learning Torah and fulfilling commandments –

how much one can and must utilize the lessons and good deeds and good actions on that day,

that the days that will come after this –

should be even better and even more Jewish and with more success.

The above-spoken is in general,

that from what one learns and does each day and especially when Jewish children gather together,

one must especially utilize to become better in the days thereafter;

This is even more emphasized on this present day –

the sixth day of the month of Iyar –

which is thirty days before the holiday of Shavuos,

the time of the giving of our Torah:

Torah teaches us that thirty days before the holiday one must begin to learn the laws of the holiday. And so it is also regarding the holiday of Shavuos

(the time of the giving of our Torah),

that from the sixth of Iyar one must begin to learn the laws of Atzeres*,

thirty days before the time of the giving of our Torah.

In the Gemara it is stated

(that thirty days before the holiday one should learn the laws of the holiday)

specifically regarding the holiday of Pesach;

but from this one also learns regarding the holiday of Sukkos and regarding the holiday of Shavuos etc.

That is:

Standing today on this day of the sixth of Iyar,

thirty days before the holiday of Shavuos,

the time of the giving of our Torah –

one must begin to learn about the matters connected with the holiday of Shavuos,

one must already begin to prepare how the holiday of Shavuos should be conducted even better and even more Jewishly.

And since the day of the sixth of Iyar contains within it special lessons

(as discussed several of them earlier) –

one must also utilize this to the fullest extent in order to become even better in the days that come thereafter in general,

and in particular –

that the holiday of Shavuos

(which comes within thirty days)

should be even better and even more Jewish,

and that the Jewish child should already be even better and even more Jewish.

And in particular that it concerns "Tzivos Hashem":

The main thing and purpose of "Tzivos Hashem" is to learn Torah and fulfill commandments

(which are stated in the Torah and which one learns from the Torah) –

which Torah was given to all Jews and to every Jewish child at the giving of the Torah.

What is understood from this is how much the time of the giving of our Torah is related to "the legions of the Lord",

and consequently –

also the preparations for it which begin on the sixth day of Iyar,

thirty days before the time of the giving of our Torah.

The practical lesson from this:

Standing on the sixth day of the month of Iyar,

thirty days before the time of the giving of our Torah –

every Jewish child must begin to prepare for the time of the giving of our Torah,

to say then "we will do and we will hear" to accept upon themselves the study of Torah and the fulfillment of the commandments for the entire year and even more,

and with more vitality and more life and joy and goodness of heart,

than it was until now.

And when one begins to prepare for it from the sixth day of Iyar and in the days after that –

it will be in the best manner and in the ultimate perfection at the time of the giving of our Torah.

And especially since at this gathering on the sixth of Iyar there were

(as at all gatherings)

the three lines of "Torah, service, and acts of kindness":

they prayed, and especially the afternoon prayer;

they studied Torah together,

the "twelve verses and sayings of our sages of blessed memory",

the written Torah and the oral Torah;

and afterwards they will also give coins to give to charity.

This causes that there should be an even better preparation to have the blessing of the Most High,

and to succeed in this more than one imagines –

then the time of the giving of our Torah should be "with joy and with inwardness",

and also the preparation for it the entire year,

and especially beginning from the sixth of Iyar –

should also be with joy and with inwardness.

And that which the evil inclination wishes to disturb in this, heaven forbid –

he will certainly not succeed because we have the promise

(as was said earlier):

"Take counsel and it will be foiled, speak a word and it will not stand, for G-d is with us",

that with us is "my Lord, my salvation",

and He is "the Lord who fights my battles, who fights those who fight me":

He helps us to wage war and to overcome the evil inclination;

since "G-d is with us" will certainly be the "take counsel and it will be foiled".

And this will further hasten the fulfillment and the promise that is connected with the true and complete redemption –

that it will be "the righteous will give thanks to Your name, the upright will dwell in Your presence",

which will be in the third Holy Temple,

"the sanctuary of my Lord which Your hands established",

where one sees "the face of the Lord, my Lord",

the face of the Lord,

And especially since we all unite together through "love your fellow as yourself",

"all of us as one",

we then have the blessing of the Most High "in the light of Your face",

consequently this further hastens the seeing of "the face of the Lord, my Lord" in the third Holy Temple –

"the righteous will give thanks to Your name, the upright will dwell in Your presence",

speedily in our days, literally.

Therefore they will also conclude

(before giving to charity)

with repeating again with joy and with a melody

(on the words of)

the verse "take counsel etc., G-d is with us",

and afterwards also sing

(the melody on the words of the verse)

"but the righteous etc.",

and this should be with an addition of joy

(as discussed earlier regarding the lesson of the month of Iyar).

And in general –

to add more in rejoicing over that which we have merited to belong to the people of the Most High,

to the people of Israel.

And to go to greet our righteous Mashiach,

and to receive the "the upright will dwell in Your presence",

the face of the Most High in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, the holy city, in the Holy Land,

speedily in our days, literally.

They sang "take counsel etc., G-d is with us". "But the righteous" "for G-d etc. and they will inherit it etc.".

His Holy Honor, our master, our teacher, and our Rebbe, may he live for many good days, amen, gave to the male and female counselors, may they live, ten-cent coins,

to give to each and every one of the boys and girls, may they live, two coins:

one –

to give to charity,

and the second –

to do with it as they see fit.