English translation — שיחת ליל שמחת תורה קודם הקפות ה'תשמ"ג.

As is customary every year, at this farbrengen someone should make Kiddush and be motzi the entire congregation.

Afterwards he said:

As was announced last night¹, they should also now begin with the niggun "Melchatchilah Ariber".

This farbrengen comes as a continuation of the discussion on the previous nights of the festival of Sukkos,

because Shmini Atzeres,

and Simchas Torah,

the second Yom Tov of Shmini Atzeres,

is a continuation of Sukkos,

"On the eighth day

(after the seven days of Sukkos)

there shall be a solemn assembly for you"².

Therefore,

just as we spoke on the previous nights regarding the daily Chumash portion of each of those days, so too we will now speak about the daily Chumash portion of today,

according to the teaching of the Alter Rebbe³ that one must live with the time,

with the weekly portion that is studied at that time.

Regarding the daily Chumash portion of today

(Simchas Torah)

there can be a question as to what the portion is:

On one hand, one could say that the portion is in Parshas Bereishis,

because at Minchah on this Shabbos

(before Sunday, when Simchas Torah occurs this year)

they read from Parshas Bereishis,

and moreover, on Simchas Torah itself they read from Parshas Bereishis.

And within this itself

(whether the daily Chumash portion is in Parshas Bereishis)

there can be a question as to which part of the portion is the portion for Simchas Torah:

whether the portion is the entire Parshas Bereishis,

because since on the weekdays after Simchas Torah

(Sunday)

they will study Parshas Noach,

therefore one must complete the entire portion of Bereishis,

and they study on Sunday the entire portion;

or the portion is only the part of the portion connected to this day,

Sunday,

i.e., from the beginning of the portion until the second section in Parshas Bereishis. And especially since in the previous weeks they have already studied the entire Parshas Bereishis,

therefore there will be no lack in the study of Parshas Bereishis if they study on Simchas Torah only until the second section.

On the other hand, one could say that the daily Chumash portion of Simchas Torah

(Sunday)

is in Parshas Noach

(from the beginning of the portion until the second section),

because Simchas Torah is on the day of Parshas Noach

(the portion that will be read on the following Shabbos).

And moreover:

On Simchas Torah itself they read Parshas Noach

(from its beginning until the second section).

And especially since if they do not study on Sunday

(Simchas Torah)

from the beginning until the second section in Parshas Noach, it would seemingly be lacking the study of this part of the portion,

because on Monday they seemingly study only from the second section until the third section, etc., on all the weekdays

(similar to the reasoning discussed regarding Parshas Bereishis).

On the other hand, there is a reasoning that one should not study on Simchas Torah from Parshas Noach but from Parshas Bereishis –

because Parshas Noach begins from Isru Chag,

and that which they read the beginning of Parshas Noach already on Simchas Torah is

(not because that is when this portion begins)

but because "we hasten the beginning to the completion"

(as is said in the piyut "Reshus leChasan Bereishis" before the reading of Parshas Noach),

but not because the day has a connection to Parshas Noach.

And similarly, that which they read at Minchah on Shabbos the beginning of the portion of the following week

(as they will read on Shabbos Bereishis at Minchah the beginning of Parshas Noach) –

this is not because the portion begins on this Shabbos,

rather it begins on Sunday,

but because they finish one portion on this Shabbos, they immediately read on that same Shabbos the beginning of the next portion.

In truth, however,

according to the instruction of which daily Chumash portion one should study on Simchas Torah that is printed in "Hayom Yom"

(in the year 5703⁴),

which was printed during the lifetime of my father-in-law, the Rebbe,

that on Simchas Torah one should study in Parshas Bereishis the portion relevant to this day of the week until the end of the sedra

(in that year,

when Simchas Torah was on the sixth day of the week –

from the sixth section until the end of the portion) –

it is understood regarding Simchas Torah in every year,

that one must study the portion in Parshas Bereishis of that day of the week until the end of the portion

(and not in Parshas Noach),

even though it falls on a weekday

(not on Shabbos. And actually, Simchas Torah cannot fall on Shabbos,

because then the first day of Rosh Hashanah would be on Friday,

and that cannot be –

"Lo Adu Rosh"⁵).

From this it is also understood regarding Simchas Torah in the fixed calendar of this year,

on Sunday,

that on this day one must study the entire Parshas Bereishis,

and thereby live

(according to the instruction of the Alter Rebbe).

Certainly, if someone wants to learn and draw into his life also from Parshas Bereishis,

may blessing come upon him;

but the instruction and empowerment from the Alter Rebbe regarding living with the time,

with the weekly parshah that is learned in that time,

applies

(on Simchas Torah of this year)

to learning the entire Parshas Vezos Haberachah.

Based on the above

(according to the understanding of "Hayom Yom")

it is understood that on Simchas Torah of this year one must learn and live with the entire Parshas Vezos Haberachah.

And the principle is known that "their beginning is embedded in their end" as it states in Sefer Yetzirah⁶ regarding the ten sefiros,

from which it is understood that this is so regarding all matters,

because from the ten sefiros all matters are drawn,

beginning from the ten utterances,

"With ten utterances the world was created"⁷,

as explained in Sefer HaPardes⁸ that they come from the ten sefiros. From that which it is said "With ten utterances the world was created" it is understood,

that from this were created the entire world and all matters in every world,

"the heavens⁹ to include their offspring and the earth¹⁰ to include its offspring"¹¹.

From this it is understood that it is also so in Torah,

and moreover –

He looked into the Torah and created the world¹¹,

including also in Parshas Vezos Haberachah,

that there "their beginning is embedded in their end",

the beginning of the parshah in the end of the parshah.

And according to the above instruction,

that on Simchas Torah one must learn the entire parshah,

it follows,

that "their beginning is embedded in their end" is not only in the latter part of the parshah

(from Shevi'i until the conclusion),

but in the entire sidrah,

that the beginning of the sidrah is embedded in the end of the sidrah.

The beginning of Parshas Vezos Haberachah is "And this is the blessing with which Moshe blessed" and the end of the sidrah is "before the eyes of all Israel". And in this there must be "their beginning is embedded in their end"

(as is especially emphasized on Simchas Torah of this year when one learns and lives with the entire sidrah).

And according to the explanation of how "their beginning is embedded in their end" of the beginning of the parshah with the end of the parshah, one will understand a perplexing matter in the beginning of the parshah –

"And this is the blessing with which Moshe blessed".

The wording "And this is the blessing with which Moshe blessed" is seemingly entirely not understood, and especially since in several Chumashim the name of the parshah is printed not merely "Blessing" but "And this is the blessing":

What does this come to teach us –

what does the word "And this" add here? If it would have stated only "the blessing with which Moshe blessed" and afterwards all the blessings would be enumerated –

it would seemingly also be entirely understandable,

so what does the word "And this is the blessing etc." add?

When it states¹² "This is my G-d and I will glorify Him"¹³,

it is because this was in a manner of "pointing with a finger and saying 'this'"¹³.

And similarly when it states¹⁴ "This is the animal which you may eat etc.",

it is because "Moshe would hold an animal and show it to Israel: This you may eat and this you may not eat"¹⁵,

similar to pointing with a finger and saying 'this';

However, regarding "And this is the blessing with which Moshe blessed" it is entirely not understood seemingly what the word "And this" adds?

And especially if one contemplates the content of the matter of "And this is the blessing with which Moshe blessed" –

when was this said:

When Moshe blessed the Jewish people with the blessings that are in the parshah, he did not say "And this is the blessing with which Moshe blessed";

rather, this was added when Moshe wrote it –

now, why did he then need to also write the word "And this":

"And this is the blessing with which Moshe blessed" means that this is the blessing which Moshe blessed –

now, what relevance is there to write it so that it should be known for all generations,

seemingly the blessings are only relevant to that time?

One cannot say that he wrote "And this" because the Torah is eternal¹⁶,

therefore the blessing is "And this is the blessing",

a blessing that exists in all generations –

because if so, "And this" and the like should have been stated regarding every matter that is in the Torah so that it be known that it is eternal!

Beginning from "In the beginning G-d created the heavens and the earth"⁹,

there should have been stated "And this" and the like

(and added another word so that it would read smoothly),

because "In the beginning G-d created the heavens and the earth" is an eternal matter

(since it is stated in the Torah which is eternal)!

Only from this itself, that it does not say "v'Zos"

(and the like)

but every matter in the Torah is proven,

that where it says "v'Zos" it indicates a special matter and a special emphasis in addition to the fact that all matters in the Torah are eternal.

And the explanation of this:

Regarding the Torah

(and all matters that are stated in the Torah)

it is not only said that "this Torah shall not be exchanged"¹⁷,

which could mean that it was only once and this itself shall not be exchanged,

but the Torah is eternal,

which means that the very matter that is stated in the Torah exists and is eternal in every time,

it repeats itself in every time.

For example, the matter of "vayyoel Moshe"¹⁸:

If someone makes a vow contingent upon the vow of Moshe Rabbeinu to Yisro that he would not leave Midian,

which vow was later nullified when he left Midian¹⁹,

it is a valid vow²⁰,

because it is stated in the Torah and the Torah is eternal in every time²¹.

And there

(by "vayyoel Moshe")

the term "v'Zos" and the like is not stated –

it is therefore proven that when it says "v'Zos" this is not only because the Torah is eternal,

but it gives a special emphasis.

Seemingly, how is it possible to say that there is something that is more of an existing and eternal reality than a matter that is stated in the Torah,

even a matter of halacha,

like the matter of "vayyoel Moshe"?

So the matter in this is –

that "v'Zos" gives the special emphasis,

that the matter

(upon which "v'Zos" is stated) is

(not only existing and eternal in all times,

but also)

in a manner of "pointing with the finger and saying 'this',"

that is, in actual revelation in this world,

so that one can point to it with the physical finger.

And as Chassidus explains regarding the soul,

that it cannot be seen with physical eyes,

because it is spiritual,

and consequently, regarding it there can only be knowledge of existence but not of essence;

in contrast, the body can be seen with physical eyes and touched and pointed to with the physical hand,

regarding it there is also knowledge of essence.

That is, even though the soul is the main thing in a person,

it gives him life and sustains him, etc.,

nevertheless, one cannot say about it "zeh"

(or "zos"),

because there is no knowledge of essence in it,

only knowledge of existence. One can indeed have faith in it,

and even more –

a most elevated knowledge,

but this is all knowledge of existence;

In contrast, regarding the body,

although it is secondary, it has within it the advantage that one can have knowledge of essence regarding it,

because one sees it with physical eyes,

and one can point to it with the physical finger –

"pointing with the finger and saying 'this'."

Similarly, this is also regarding "v'Zos haBerachah asher beirach Moshe",

that regarding it "v'Zos" is stated not only because the Torah is eternal,

but even more –

this is a blessing in a manner of "pointing with the finger and saying 'this',"

it is revealed in this world and one can point to it with the physical finger,

because it includes within it blessings not only in spiritual matters,

but also in physical matters in their simple sense,

to which one can point with the physical finger and say "this."

There are blessings that are stated in the Torah which are indeed constant, enduring, and eternal,

but they are only in spiritual matters,

and this does not necessarily come out in a manner revealed to the physical eyes so that one can say about it "pointing with the finger and saying 'this'."

Like the blessing of Yitzchak, "And may G-d give you of the dew of the heavens and of the fatness of the earth, etc."²²,

which blessing,

since it is stated in the Torah, is certainly eternal and enduring in all times²³,

but in what does the eternity of this blessing consist in a revealed way –

the spiritual matters within it,

as our Sages, of blessed memory²⁴, say, "the dew of the heavens – this is Scripture, and the fatness of the earth – this is Mishnah, etc.,"

in contrast, the physical matters

("And may G-d give you of the dew of the heavens and of the fatness of the earth, etc." in their simple sense, physically)

are not seen in a revealed way at present.

Certainly it will be fulfilled in the future

(through our deeds and service now),

because so it is stated in the Torah,

but now it is not yet present in a revealed way²⁵,

consequently, one cannot say about it "zeh",

that one points with the finger and says "this";

In contrast, the blessing of Moshe,

"v'Zos haBerachah asher beirach Moshe",

is an eternal and enduring blessing also in physicality,

in a manner that one can say about it "v'Zos",

"pointing with the finger and saying 'this',"

because it is revealed in this physical world.

And this is said regarding all the blessings that are in Parshat Vezot HaBerachah,

beginning with the blessings to the entire Jewish people and also the blessings to each tribe individually,

which are all included in "Vezot HaBerachah asher berach Moshe."

And now we will explain how the concept of "Vezot" is present in one of the first blessings that appear in the parshah

(from the blessings to the entire Jewish people) –

"Torah tzivah lanu Moshe morashah kehilat Yaakov"²⁵,

that this blessing is in a revealed manner in this physical world, in the manner of pointing with a finger and saying "this."

The explanation:

"Torah tzivah lanu Moshe morashah kehilat Yaakov" is simply the explanation,

that every Jew has the entire Torah as an inheritance,

to the extent that he is a master over it,

and when he desires and occupies himself with the Torah,

i.e., when he learns and toils in the Torah properly, it becomes his possession, to the extent that it is called by his name

(because he gave his soul for it²⁶,

as it is stated regarding Moshe Rabbeinu²⁷),

it is his Torah.

From this it is understood that "Torah tzivah lanu Moshe morashah kehilat Yaakov" is a matter of "Vezot" – pointing with a finger and saying "this",

because it is seen openly in this world how a Jew is a master over the Torah and that it is his and is called by his name.

And even if a Jew, for whatever reason, does not learn Torah properly in a way that it is seen openly that it is his as an inheritance,

this does not detract from his ownership.

As is the case with ownership and inheritance in the simple sense regarding physical assets,

that even though it may be that it is not openly apparent that someone is the owner and heir of the assets,

this does not detract from his ownership of the assets.

To the extent that the Gemara²⁸ relates about Rabbi Tarfon,

that he once entered his own orchard and ate something there,

and it was not apparent to the one who was working in the orchard that Rabbi Tarfon was the owner of that orchard,

Rabbi Tarfon received the true ruling.

And not because the worker in the orchard acted not in accordance with the law,

but on the contrary –

he acted in accordance with the law,

that when he sees someone eating from the fruits in the orchard that are not his,

the worker must prevent and guard against this. And since it was not apparent that Rabbi Tarfon was the owner

(also not because Rabbi Tarfon acted not in accordance with the law),

the worker related to him as to a stranger who comes to eat from the fruits of an orchard that is not his.

From this we see regarding physical assets that it is not necessarily apparent who the owner is.

And this is not a matter of something improper,

but rather such is the nature of the world. And the proof:

Chassidus²⁹ brings an example specifically from the Maggid, that he recognized in a vessel the power of the craftsman in the crafted object,

he recognized how the one who made the vessel appears. And Chassidus does not say that similarly to how it was with the Maggid, it was also with others, as explained elsewhere,

or in the language that this was the case with several others

(etc.).

From this it is proven that this is a novelty that is not found in anyone,

except with the Maggid,

because this

(seeing the power of the craftsman in the crafted object)

is connected specifically with the essence of the Maggid.

Nevertheless,

although according to nature it is not apparent in assets who their owner is,

this does not detract from his ownership of the item.

So too regarding ownership and inheritance in spiritual matters,

and on the contrary –

that which it is so with physical assets is because it is so with spiritual assets.

And so too regarding the ownership and inheritance that Jews have in the Torah,

that this is a permanent ownership in which no changes are possible. Except that sometimes it may be that a Jew does not use his Torah properly, Heaven forbid,

in which case it is not openly apparent that he is an owner,

but even then he remains an owner of it and the heir of it,

and the matter depends only on will,

he can immediately sit down to learn Torah with toil,

and then it is also seen openly that it is his,

to the extent that it is called by his name

(as above) –

pointing with a finger and saying "this."

According to this, it is understood that regardless of which topic Jews are discussing,

he is a complete heir and master of the Torah,

because "Torah was commanded to us by Moses, an inheritance for the congregation of Jacob."

One indeed sees that there are Jews, heaven forbid, who do not know what is written in the Torah,

and furthermore –

there are those who do not know at all about the entire existence of the Torah

(for now).

But according to the above, it is understood that this does not detract at all from their ownership and inheritance of the Torah. And immediately when he decides to learn Torah,

he goes to learn Torah that belongs to him

(not to another).

So much so that one also sees among those who learn Torah,

and learn with great diligence and persistence,

and also learn Chumash, Tehillim, Tanya,

including also the verse "Torah was commanded to us by Moses, an inheritance for the congregation of Jacob" –

and nevertheless they do not know everything that is written in the Torah.

When one will ask him whether he has learned the tractate Uktzin –

he will say "no". Furthermore:

one will ask him what is the meaning of Uktzin –

he also does not know! Not only does he not know what is written there,

he does not even know its explanation!

He learns other topics in Torah,

and with great diligence and persistence,

and innovates novellae there,

he answers difficult Rambams,

even to the extent of "everything that a diligent student will innovate in the future" –

he is the diligent student for whom one had to wait throughout all the generations to innovate that novelty;

When one asks him, however, what is the meaning of "Uktzin" –

he does not know!

He claims that he is like Rabbi Yehuda,

of whom it is said "all my learning was in Nezikin"³⁰,

therefore he cannot learn the order of Taharos,

and additionally the tractate Uktzin *³⁰!

This past Shavuos,

the time of the giving of our Torah –

which is connected to Simchas Torah,

because at the time of the giving of our Torah the first tablets were given, and on Yom Kippur the latter tablets,

over which one rejoices on Simchas Torah –

he said in the "Tikkun Leil Shavuos" the beginning and end of the tractate Uktzin. And one says the beginning and end because it includes everything that is between them –

but nevertheless he does not know what it means.

If you do not believe me,

you can ask not just one or two,

for the minimum of a multitude is two,

but perhaps also three,

and perhaps even more of those who are here,

whether they know what the meaning of "Uktzin" is,

and you will see that they do not know!

And this discussion is not, heaven forbid, to his detriment,

but on the contrary –

this comes from the fact that he learns Torah with great diligence and persistence,

in a manner of "all my learning was in Nezikin",

so much so that he is of "who are the kings? The Rabbis"³¹.

But after all this, this

(that a Jew does not yet know a topic in Torah)

does not affect at all his ownership of Torah,

and if he only wants, he has the choice to sit and learn Torah,

because it is his own thing.

By a non-Jew,

since Torah was not given to him,

when he learns Torah it is a matter of robbery *³¹ as it is written³² "He declares His words to Jacob, His statutes and judgments to Israel,

He did not do so for any nation"³³,

or as our Sages say on "Torah was commanded to us by Moses, an inheritance for the congregation of Jacob" –

"Do not read 'inheritance' but 'betrothed'"³⁴;

however, regarding a Jew it says "Torah was commanded to us by Moses, an inheritance for the congregation of Jacob",

Torah is his own thing,

and not only is there no concept of robbery in this regarding him,

and when he makes the blessing over the Torah it is not, heaven forbid, in the category of "and the one who profits blesses and despises Hashem"³⁴,

but on the contrary –

it is his,

his inheritance,

So much so that every Jew can be called up to the reading of the Torah,

and furthermore –

on Simchas Torah every Jew is called up to the reading of the Torah³⁵,

and not only is he called up, but he ascends to the Torah,

and he recites a blessing before and after,

even if he does not know what he is saying³⁶.

And regarding the study of the Oral Torah, he recites a blessing beforehand –

there one does not recite a blessing afterwards³⁷,

because the mitzvah of Torah study "is all day and all night, and there is no hour when one is not obligated to engage in Torah" therefore "it is not applicable to recite a blessing afterwards"³⁷,

but regarding an aliyah to the Torah there is a beginning and an end³⁷.

All of this brings out how the entire Torah belongs to every Jew.

And one cannot say to him:

Listen here –

since you have studied the entire Seder Nezikin,

Masekhet Uktsin is not relevant to you and you cannot learn it, heaven forbid,

rather, because this is a part of Torah,

of the "sixty are they, the queens³⁸ –

sixty tractates"³⁹,

and the entire Torah belongs to the Jew,

he can and must learn it, as it is his own thing.

And even if he has not yet learned something in Torah, this does not at all indicate a lack of ownership,

and the matter depends only on his will –

he has the choice to learn everything that is in Torah,

because it is his own thing,

to the extent that it is called by his name,

the Torah becomes entirely his own thing.

From this one sees how the blessing of "Torah tzivah lanu Moshe morashah kehilat Yaakov"

(to which also applies "Vezot haberakhah asher berakh Moshe")

is in a manner of "Vezot",

showing with the finger and saying "this" –

that one sees openly in this physical world how every Jew is an heir and owner of Torah,

and one can point to this with the physical finger.

So too the blessing after the blessing "Torah tzivah lanu Moshe morashah kehilat Yaakov" –

"Vayehi bishurun melekh behitasof rashei am yachad shivtei Yisrael"⁴⁰ –

is also in a manner of "Vezot",

in revelation in this physical world,

showing with the finger and saying "this".

And the explanation:

"Vayehi bishurun melekh" refers to the Holy One, blessed be He

(as Rashi⁴¹ explains from the midrashim of our Sages, of blessed memory⁴¹).

And the concept of "Vayehi bishurun melekh" is,

not that the King,

the Most High,

is above the world,

but rather He is the King of the world,

and it is openly recognizable in the world that the Most High is King there –

"Vayehi bishurun melekh",

in a manner that in the world one shows with his finger and says "this" regarding G‑dliness,

world and G‑dliness are one thing.

This concept was generally initiated through Avraham Avinu⁴² –

the first ushpizin of the festival of Sukkot⁴³,

as our Sages, of blessed memory, said⁴³: until Avraham, the world was conducted in darkness, and when Avraham came, he began to illuminate,

and it became openly recognizable in the world that there is a Master to this palace⁴⁴.

That is, it is openly recognizable in the world, to the extent of showing with the finger and saying "this", that "Vayehi bishurun melekh",

that the Most High is the King of the world.

And particularly when one stands during the festival of Sukkot and on Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah,

for then that which on Rosh Hashanah was "bakeseh" is revealed and in a manner of absorption

("bakeseh leyom chageinu"⁴⁵),

for on Rosh Hashanah we coronated the Most High as "King of Israel" and through this as "King of the world"⁴⁶. It follows that on Sukkot and on Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah there is revelation and a manner of absorption in the world that the Most High is there the King –

"Vayehi bishurun melekh",

showing with the finger and saying "this".

And when one arrives at such recognition,

that in the world it is revealed in a manner of showing with the finger and saying "this" that the Most High is King of the world,

there is a Master to this palace,

"Vayehi bishurun melekh" –

then it becomes "Behitasof rashei am yachad shivtei Yisrael",

For when a Jew hears and recognizes that the Most High is King of the world,

and world and G‑dliness are one thing,

it causes him to have love of Israel,

to the point of unity of Israel,

that he should unite with all other Jews,

as it is now apparent⁴⁷ –

"Behitasof rashei am yachad shivtei Yisrael",

that all Jews stand in a manner of "together",

in unity

(which is brought about through "rashei am". For with them there is "behitasof" and then it becomes "yachad shivtei Yisrael" among all Jews through the heads of the people. And this brings about an elevation in the heads of the people,

for "from my students more than from all of them"⁴⁷).

As explained in Tanya, chapter 32,

that through the contemplation that all souls of Israel "are all fitting

(woe⁴⁸)

and one Father to all of them,

and therefore all Israel are called actual brothers from the aspect of the root of their soul in the one Hashem, only the bodies are separate",

therefore, when one makes their soul primary and their body secondary, it brings about love of Israel.

And this contemplation that "one Father to all of them" is similar to the contemplation that "Vayehi bishurun melekh",

that the Most High is the King of the world and it is openly recognizable in the world that He is the King there –

consequently, it brings about love of Israel,

to the point of unity of Israel –

"Behitasof rashei am yachad shivtei Yisrael".

And it is understood that the recognition of "And He was King in Yeshurun,"

then the Supreme One is King of the world in the manner of pointing with the finger and saying "this" –

brings about that all matters in the world should conduct themselves as the Supreme One

(the King)

wills,

And first and foremost it brings about that Jews should conduct themselves as the Supreme One wills,

because all matters of the world are for the sake of Israel, who are called "first," and for the sake of the Torah, which is called "first"⁴⁸,

and consequently, when it is openly recognizable in the world that the Supreme One is the King there,

it certainly brings about that Jews should conduct themselves as the Supreme One wills,

as stated in His Torah.

Including also the matter that there should be "Torah was commanded to us by Moses, an inheritance of the congregation of Jacob" in a revealed manner,

pointing with the finger and saying "this,"

through the fact that Jews study Torah and it is revealed how they are the masters and heirs of it.

Until this also brings about the matter of "When the heads of the people assembled, the tribes of Israel together" –

love of Israel until the unity of Israel,

as understood from what is explained in Tanya,

as mentioned above.

And the matter of the unity of Israel is even more than love of Israel:

"And you shall love your fellow as yourself"⁴⁹ emphasizes that there are two things,

the lover and your fellow,

only it must be "and you shall love your fellow as yourself,"

but ultimately they are two;

however, the unity of Israel simply means that they become one thing,

"together,"

they become one,

for most of the letters of "together" are the same as in "one."

And even more:

"Together" is more than "one,"

just as "singular" is more than "one." For "together" is closer to "singular" than to "one,"

because "together" has only most of the letters of "one,"

but the first letter is different

("one" is alef,

chet,

dalet,

and "together" is yud,

chet,

dalet);

however, in "singular" all the letters of "together" are present.

And it is known that "singular" is a greater unity than "one":

Regarding "one" one must interpret that it is "like one to the many" literally⁵⁰;

however, regarding "singular" one need not explain it literally at all.

And as explained in Chassidus⁵¹ regarding the difference between "singular" and "one" in the matter of the unity of G‑d with the world:

"One" indicates that there is an existence of the world,

only that it is one thing

(one)

with the Supreme One. "One" is the acronym alef,

chet,

dalet,

where the chet refers to the seven firmaments and the earth,

and the dalet refers to the four directions

(sides)

of the world,

and they are connected with the alef,

the Master of the world⁵².

However, "singular" indicates a much deeper unification of G‑d with the world,

that they are literally one thing,

completely beyond the matter of division –

the matter of "there is none else."

And as explained regarding the difference between "there is none else" and "there is none else besides Him"

(as it states in the verse "You have been shown to know that Hashem, He is G‑d, there is none else besides Him"⁵³,

the first verse recited before the hakafot) –

as also understood from that which the baal hahillula of "ACh"D"

(in gematria thirteen)

in Tishrei,

but his essence was from the beginning a transgression⁵⁴,

explains⁵⁵ –

That "there is none else besides Him" means that without Him

(besides Him)

there is nothing at all,

but with Him there is an existence of the world,

and all the existences in the world,

for "all existences etc.:

they exist only from the truth of His existence"⁵⁶;

"There is none else" means that from the beginning there is no other existence at all except for Essence and Being,

rather everything is in a manner of "singular."

And this is so not only from the aspect of G‑d,

which is no novelty at all,

because G‑d is beyond the world,

but the novelty is,

that it is so also from the aspect of the world,

i.e., that also in the world there is this level of "there is none else,"

that it is from the beginning one thing with Essence and Being,

"singular,"

As emphasized in that "singular" also contains within it the letters chet and dalet,

seven firmaments and earth and the four directions of the world,

i.e., that the matter of "singular" is also in the world

(which is composed of seven firmaments and the earth).

There is yet a level lower than "Yachid" and "Echad" –

the concept of "Chad",

which also has the letters Chet and Dalet,

seven firmaments and earth and four directions of the world,

and this is in a manner of "Chad",

which means one thing,

that is, that the world is one thing with G‑dliness,

but "Chad" is in the Aramaic language from the Holy Tongue,

and therefore in "Chad" the Alef

(the Aluf of the world)

is concealed.

However, in the Holy Tongue one says "Echad" where the Alef

(the Aluf of the world)

is revealed,

and even more so is this in "Yachid".

And as explained in the Shelah⁵⁷ the quality of the Holy Tongue,

that there the truth of the matter is visibly apparent,

and specifically with this language the world was created⁵⁸.

And this is also understood simply by a child of five years of age studying Scripture,

as it is written⁵⁹ "This shall be called woman, for from man was this taken",

and Rashi explains on this:

"A play on words,

from here [we learn] that the world was created in the Holy Tongue".

Yet a child of five years could seemingly ask Rashi:

In the vernacular,

in the language of the people,

where he lives,

in France,

one says "woman" with a word that is not similar to "man" in that language –

how then does it fit in this language to say "This shall be called woman, for from man was this taken"?

Rashi addresses this simply,

to the extent that he does not even ask the question.

Rashi immediately says "the world was created in the Holy Tongue",

that is, that this is the true language,

in which the content of all matters is openly revealed,

and this language existed before there was a country of France,

before there was a kingdom and a French language, etc.

Consequently, all matters are determined according to their names specifically in the Holy Tongue.

And based on this it is understood that the unity between G‑dliness and the world which is expressed in "Chad" does not reach the unity expressed in "Echad",

and certainly not in "Yachid".

And accordingly it is also understood regarding the quality of the unity of Israel,

"Yachad"

("When the heads of the people assembled, the tribes of Israel together")

in relation to Ahavas Yisrael –

that this is in a manner where Jews become literally one thing, above any category of division,

similar to the quality of "Yachid" over "Echad".

And the concept of the unity of Israel

("When the heads of the people assembled, the tribes of Israel together")

comes as a result of "And He was King in Yeshurun",

the recognition that the Supreme One is King of the world and the world is one thing with G‑dliness,

as understood from what is explained in Tanya chapter 32,

that Ahavas Yisrael comes as a result of "One Father to all of them",

as discussed above.

And although in Tanya there he speaks about Ahavas Yisrael

(which is lower than the unity of Israel),

nevertheless, since the concept of Ahavas Yisrael exists, this necessarily leads that afterwards,

one arrives at the unity of Israel. Consequently, the concept of the unity of Israel is already included in and a part of Ahavas Yisrael.

However, since man's service is in an order from the light to the heavy,

there is a command in the Torah for "And you shall love your fellow as yourself",

and the Alter Rebbe explains this at length in Tanya chapter 32,

and since this certainly brings afterwards the unity of Israel,

the unity of Israel is a part of this command of Ahavas Yisrael,

and there is no need to give a separate command for the unity of Israel.

And it is known in the explanation of the Maggid and the Alter Rebbe⁶⁰ regarding the command in the Torah "And you shall love Hashem your G‑d"⁶¹,

that seemingly how can there be a command regarding a trait of the heart? Rather, the command is regarding contemplation,

"to fix one's thought and mind

(that one should immerse oneself)

in matters that arouse love",

and as the Rambam says⁶² "And what is the way to love and fear Him,

when a person contemplates His wondrous deeds and creations, etc."

The question arises:

Is it not that Scripture does not depart from its plain meaning,

and the command in the Torah is for love in its simple sense,

and not for contemplation of matters that bring to love?

And especially since from contemplation it is not certain that love will come⁶² –

it could be that one contemplates matters that bring to love,

with deep and great contemplation,

and not come to actual love. He could study about this for seventy years,

and not come to actual love.

The explanation of this is⁶³:

When one meditates properly on matters that lead to love,

with attention⁶²,

then it is necessarily brought about that this leads to love,

therefore the meditation is not a preparation and qualification for the commandment "And you shall love Hashem your G-d",

but rather a part of it and is included in this commandment.

So too in the matter at hand:

When one has love of Israel and is immersed in it,

it will necessarily bring about afterwards the unity of Israel,

therefore the unity of Israel is included and is a part of the love of Israel.

Based on what was explained above, it is understood that two of the first verses in the portion of Vezos Haberachah,

"The Torah that Moshe commanded us is an inheritance of the congregation of Yaakov" and "And He was a king in Yeshurun when the heads of the people gathered, the tribes of Israel together",

are blessings in a manner of "Vezos",

pointing with a finger and saying "this".

And so too it is understood regarding the other matters and blessings that are in the portion,

that all of them are a part of "Vezos haberachah which Moshe blessed",

that they are all in a manner of "Vezos",

pointing with a finger and saying "this".

And it is also understood the "interweaving of their beginning with their end" of the beginning of the portion of Vezos Haberachah,

"Vezos haberachah which Moshe blessed",

with the end of the portion,

"before the eyes of all Israel"

(and with this the expression "Vezos" is understood,

as above section 4):

"Before the eyes of all Israel" also emphasizes the matter that one sees with physical eyes in a manner of pointing with a finger and saying "this".

And this speaks about a revelation to "all Israel"

("before the eyes of all Israel"),

which emphasizes the matter of the unity of all Israel,

in a manner of "together",

because here it does not say the expression "before the eyes of" the twelve tribes and the like,

but rather "before the eyes of all Israel",

which simply means all Jews,

not only "the heads of the people" and "the tribes of Israel".

This matter is also connected to Simchas Torah,

that in this year its Torah reading portion is the entire portion of Vezos Haberachah,

from "Vezos haberachah which Moshe blessed" until "before the eyes of all Israel"

(as above):

On Simchas Torah the matter of the unity of all Israel is most emphasized in the most revealed manner,

even more than on Simchas Beis Hashoevah:

For on Simchas Beis Hashoevah indeed all Jews participate,

and it is a very great joy,

as our Sages, of blessed memory, said⁶³: "Whoever has not seen the joy of Simchas Beis Hashoevah has never seen joy in his life"⁶³,

but nevertheless there are still distinctions between Jews and in the manner of their joy:

There were the "pious ones and men of deed" whose joy was that "they would dance before them with flaming torches in their hands, etc."⁶³,

and there were other types of Jews whose joy was in a different manner, etc.,

as the Mishnah⁶³ relates;

However, on Simchas Torah all Jews celebrate equally,

to the extent that they dance with the feet,

regarding which, concerning feet, all are equal. Concerning their opinions and their faces, "their opinions are not equal and their faces are not alike"⁶⁴,

but regarding the feet this is not said,

because the feet are equal for everyone

(at least in their essential nature).

And consequently the joy on Simchas Torah is for all Jews equally and in a revealed manner –

all Jews equally become the feet of the Torah through their joy on Simchas Torah,

as is known the saying of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe⁶⁵.

And this is the lesson of Simchas Torah in this year in particular,

connected with the Torah reading portion of this day

(in this year),

the entire portion of Vezos Haberachah,

as understood from the lesson of the year 5703 printed in "Hayom Yom",

And the intention in this learning is,

that it should have an effect upon the Jew,

even in actual deed,

that he should not only hear it but internalize it⁶⁶,

and it should teach him that one should celebrate Simchas Torah with great joy, with dancing and melodies, etc., in a manner that it effects and brings about the unity of all Israel,

who all dance with their feet equally.

To the extent that we will go out to greet our righteous Mashiach with great joy,

all Jews together in unity,

"with our young and with our old, etc., with our sons and with our daughters"⁶⁷,

"a great congregation⁶⁸ –

in the singular –

shall return here"⁶⁷,

the perfection of the people,

and the Holy One, blessed be He, is with them,

And we go in the perfection of the land,

"a land which, etc., the eyes of Hashem your G-d are always upon it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year"⁶⁹,

And also in the conquest of the Land of Israel there were distinctions:

There was the conquest of Yehoshua,

the conquest of the returnees from Babylon,

and before that –

the conquest of David,

and afterwards David added to it,

the conquest of Ezra, etc.⁷⁰;

With the coming of Moshiach Tzidkeinu in the future redemption, there will be the perfection of the land in a manner of the unity of the land,

one land,

until "Hashem your G-d will expand your border"⁷⁰,

all territories,

including also the territories that we do not yet have now,

and also those that we do have,

but they are in exile,

in the manner that Jews are in exile –

they will all be redeemed in the true and complete redemption.

And all this is accomplished through our deeds and our service now,

and especially through the unity of Israel through the dancing and joy on Simchat Torah of all Jews equally.

And whoever increases in this in quantity and quality hastens even more the true and complete redemption in the manner of "I will hasten it"⁷¹,

And in the manner of "before the eyes of all Israel",

"and this",

showing with the finger and saying "this" –

one will point with the physical finger that here is Moshiach,

here are the Ushpizin,

here are "Moshe and Aharon etc. with us"⁷²,

right now one is entering the Holy Land, –

immediately, literally.

What was said above is the concept and lesson of "the end is wedged in the beginning" in Parshat Berachah;

so too there is a concept and lesson of "the beginning is wedged in the end" in this parshah.

In general it is known that there are two manners regarding which precedes which,

whether "the end is wedged in the beginning" comes first or "the beginning is wedged in the end" comes first –

but in our case we first spoke of the concept of "the end is wedged in the beginning" in Parshat Berachah,

because the beginning of the parshah

(Berachah)

is always studied on the first day of the week,

and that which we study on Simchat Torah

(which falls on the first day)

also the end of the sedrah is a novelty

(through the lesson in "Hayom Yom",

as above),

and "the frequent and the infrequent, the frequent takes precedence"⁷⁴,

therefore we first spoke of the concept of "the end is wedged in the beginning" in this parshah. And now we will speak about "the beginning is wedged in the end" in this parshah and the lesson from it.

And since the entire Parshat Berachah

(where there is "the beginning is wedged in the end",

the end of the parshah in the beginning of the parshah)

is the Chumash portion of Simchat Torah

(in this year),

the lesson of "the beginning is wedged in the end" must be connected to Simchat Torah.

And furthermore:

This must be a general lesson for all the days of the year,

because Simchat Torah,

like all matters of Tishrei,

is a general matter,

from which one takes for the service throughout all the days of the year:

from Rosh Hashanah one takes the acceptance of the yoke of the kingdom of heaven for the entire year,

and so too from Yom Kippur and the festival of Sukkot one takes matters for the service throughout the year,

and so too from Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah one takes joy for the entire year.

And even more:

In the month of Tishrei itself

(which is a general month)

at the conclusion and seal of the month,

on Sukkot,

on Shemini Atzeret and on Simchat Torah,

all the matters of the entire month of Tishrei come out in revelation

("it is hidden for our festival day"),

and in this itself it comes out in a manner of absorption on Shemini Atzeret,

and in revealed joy –

on Simchat Torah. –

It follows,

that on Simchat Torah all the matters of the entire month of Tishrei stand in revelation and in a manner of absorption and in a manner of joy,

beginning from the matters of Rosh Hashanah and of Yom Kippur and of Sukkot,

including the Ushpizin of all the days of Sukkot,

Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov, Moshe, Aharon, Yosef and David⁴²,

and sometimes also Shlomo⁷⁵ who is connected to Shemini Atzeret,

when the haftarah about King Shlomo is said⁷⁶,

and the Chassidic Ushpizin⁷⁷ –

the Baal Shem Tov,

the Maggid,

the Alter Rebbe,

the Mitteler Rebbe,

the Tzemach Tzedek,

the Rebbe Maharash and the Rebbe

(the Rashab) of blessed memory,

including also the joy of the festival of Sukkot,

Simchat Beit HaShoevah,

of which "whoever has not seen Simchat Beit HaShoevah has never seen joy" –

but this does not compare to the joy of Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah,

which is in a manner of the actual unity of Israel

(as above p. 9) –

it is understood, however, that the absorption on Shemini Atzeret includes also the matters of Sukkot and Simchat Beit HaShoevah.

And since all the matters of the month of Tishrei are general, pertaining to the entire year⁷⁸,

and they all stand in a manner of revelation and absorption and joy on Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah –

it is certain that all matters connected to Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah are general matters pertaining to the service throughout all the days of the year,

including also the Chumash portion of Simchat Torah,

with which one must live on this day,

in the fixed calendar of this year –

the entire Parshat Berachah,

so that from it,

both from "the end is wedged in the beginning" and from "the beginning is wedged in the end" in this parshah,

there must be a general lesson in the service of man throughout all the days of the year.

And since Simchat Torah is connected with all Jews,

all Jews dance then with feet which are equal among all

(not like their opinions and faces) –

the instruction must be understandable for all Jews,

also for simple people,

"hewers of your wood" and "drawers of your water"⁷⁹,

and also for converts,

as Rashi explains that "hewers of your wood" and "drawers of your water" refers to converts,

And on the other hand –

the instruction must also be for "your heads, your tribes"⁸⁰,

"heads of the people",

and no less than for the simple people,

even though "when the heads of the people assemble" causes that there should be "together the tribes of Israel",

with simple Jews,

but together with this "the tribes of Israel" effect,

all Jews,

an elevation in "heads of the people",

because from my students more than from all of them.

The concept and instruction of "their end is embedded in their beginning" in the portion of V'Zot HaBerachah:

The end of the portion of V'Zot HaBerachah is "before the eyes of all Israel". And the beginning is "And this is the blessing with which Moses blessed". And when one says "their end is embedded in their beginning" it means –

that the end of the portion,

"before the eyes of all Israel" "stands" and adds to the beginning of the portion,

"And this is the blessing with which Moses blessed".

The lesson and instruction from this is –

the greatness of the concept and the elevation and the necessity of service in his own capacity:

Even though at first it is indeed "And this is the blessing with which Moses blessed",

that one receives a blessing and an effusion and a giving of power from above through Moses,

but afterwards there must be the service of a Jew,

the service of Israel,

"before the eyes of all Israel",

and this is embedded in their beginning,

because of this the entire concept of "And this is the blessing with which Moses blessed",

of the effusion from above,

and this

(the service of Israel)

contributes to "And this is the blessing with which Moses blessed".

And as the statement of our Sages, may their memory be for blessing⁸¹, "Did I give you

(Moses)

greatness except for the sake of Israel?"

That the instruction is not only for Moses but for each and every one of Israel in his entire service,

regarding the greatness of the necessity and the elevation of service in his own capacity,

and this adds to all the matters that are given to him from above.

And the explanation:

Before there is the service of man, the beginning is with "the Holy One, blessed be He, helps him"⁸² and "the soul that You placed within me is pure, etc."⁸³ and "The Torah that Moses commanded us is an inheritance of the congregation of Jacob" etc.,

with help and assistance and effusion and giving of power from above –

the concept of "And this is the blessing with which Moses blessed";

But afterwards there must be the service of man in actuality. That which is expressed in the word "Israel" which stands at the end of the portion of blessing,

that "Israel" means that there must be the service of Jews

(and as will be explained),

and one cannot rely on the blessing and effusion from above through Moses. And the entire intention in the blessing and effusion and help from above is so that there should be the service of man. And when there is the service of man in his own capacity, it contributes to the blessing and effusion and help from above,

that it should be in a more elevated manner,

until in an entirely different manner.

That which is brought out from the "their end is embedded in their beginning" in the portion of blessing:

The beginning of the portion is "And this is the blessing with which Moses blessed",

and afterwards "The Torah that Moses commanded us is an inheritance of the congregation of Jacob" and "And He was king in Jeshurun" etc. with all the verses and blessings that are spoken in the entire portion,

whose concept is a blessing and effusion and giving of power from above through Moses our teacher to Jews to be able to perform their service.

Until one comes to the end of the portion,

where it tells about Moses our teacher that "Hashem knew him face to face",

and the signs and wonders that the Most High performed through him,

"and all the strong hand and all the great awe which Moses performed" –

that all this is also a part of the effusion and giving of power from above in the service of Jews.

And afterwards at the end of the portion it concludes that all this was "before the eyes of all Israel". And seemingly, what do these words add? One would have understood all about the signs and wonders etc. that the Most High performed even without these three words.

Rather, the words add that the intention of all these effusions and blessings from above is,

that this should be "before the eyes of all Israel",

in order that this should descend into the service of a Jew in his own capacity. And then "And this is the blessing with which Moses blessed" and all the blessings and effusions are remade so that they become in an entirely different manner.

And as it is written⁸³ "And now, Israel, what does Hashem your G-d ask of you, but to fear Hashem your G-d..." and to fulfill Torah and mitzvos. The Gemara asks⁸⁴ "Is fear a small matter?" And it answers –

"Yes,

in relation to Moshe it is a small matter." And the Alter Rebbe explains⁸⁴ that this is because every Jew has the "Moshe" within him which gives him the power to do his service,

and in relation to that Moshe within him, fear is indeed a small matter.

That is, the intention in that every Jew has a Moshe within him is not that it should remain there,

but that it should give him the power to do his service in actuality in his own line in the service of fear etc.

And as "Did I give you

(Moshe)

greatness except for the sake of Israel." And in the letters of the portion of Blessing –

"And this is the blessing with which Moshe blessed" its intention is "before the eyes of all Israel",

the service of Jews.

And when there is the service of a Jew in his own line, it acts further upon the Moshe within him.

And in particular, the necessity of the service of Israel in their own line is expressed in the three words at the end of the portion –

"before the eyes of all Israel":

"Israel"

(which stands literally at the end of the portion)

indicates the general matter of the service of Jews in their own line.

And this exists in every Jew without exception,

because "even though he sinned, he is Israel"⁸⁵,

every Jew always stands in a state of "Israel",

he is always connected to the Supreme One. As the Alter Rebbe explains in Tanya⁸⁶ that "even the lightest of the light and the transgressors of Israel give their lives for the sanctity of Hashem etc." in a case where they feel that they are being torn away, G-d forbid, from Divinity.

It follows that service applies to every Jew. And as the Torah of Truth testifies that "the transgressors of Israel are full of mitzvos like a pomegranate"⁸⁷.

Then it comes to that it must be "all Israel"

(the words in the portion):

The service of a Jew

(in his own line)

must also consist of doing with another Jew,

until with "all Israel",

because one looks at the other Jew according to his true essence,

as he truly is,

for in truth every Jew neither wants nor can be torn away from Judaism and G-dliness,

according to the teaching of the Alter Rebbe⁸⁹ regarding "Shema Yisrael"⁸⁸. So when one looks at a Jew in this way, it is certain that one must do with him and draw him close,

until all Jews achieve complete unity,

"all Israel".

And as our Sages, of blessed memory, taught⁹⁰ "Whoever sustains one soul of Israel, Scripture considers it as if he sustained a full world." The precise point in this is:

Not only "sustains a world",

but "a full world",

that this is a full world,

filled with all the good matters with which it needs to be filled.

And this is accomplished by drawing close the other Jew and explaining to him what the true reality is,

that he is "Israel",

and "even though he sinned, he is Israel".

And when he is at that point, one explains to him further,

that "Israel" is from the term "for you have striven with G-d and with men and have prevailed"⁹¹. And therefore it does not matter what his past was,

because regarding the future and certainly regarding the present he is the master,

and everything is dependent on his service in his own line,

and then certainly "you will prevail".

And from this one then comes to "one mitzvah brings about another mitzvah"⁹² in its simple sense,

until as the Maggid explains⁹³,

"And to say...

one mitzvah brings about another mitzvah,

meaning when he performs the mitzvah,

it brings about and causes attachment and cleaving" to the Supreme One,

because mitzvah is from the term togetherness and connection.⁹³

Then it comes to that all this must be in a manner of "before the eyes of all Israel"

(the last three words in the portion):

One must effect in oneself and in the other that all matters should be in revelation,

that one should see it with a physical sight,

pointing with a finger and saying "this". For then one fulfills Torah and mitzvos in service in his own line in an entirely different manner.

This service can be in a manner of hearing,

or even lower than that,

which is also a service,

but then it is not with such certainty as it is in the service in the manner of sight. Hearing is not like sight⁹⁷. As the law is that "a witness cannot become a judge"⁹⁸,

"since they saw him etc. they cannot find merit for him"⁹⁸. Because they themselves saw it –

"our eyes saw and not a stranger"⁹⁹.

And this is emphasized by "before the eyes of all Israel",

that all these matters discussed must be in a manner of sight.

And when one acts upon another so that it should be "before the eyes,"

in a manner of sight,

it brings about an elevation also in oneself,

because "from my students more than from all of them,"

as above. –

And especially at the conclusion of the portion of blessing,

"all of Israel,"

is also connected with the beginning of the Torah:

The first commandment in the Torah

(in the portion of Bereishit)

is "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it"⁹⁴. And known is the saying of our Nesi'im⁹⁵ that so it must also be in spiritual service,

that every Jew must make another Jew.

And from this, as it is in spirituality, it then becomes in physicality,

because through one action a Jew can tip "himself and the entire world to the scale of merit and bring about for him and them salvation and deliverance"⁹⁶ –

consequently, he brings about that there should be "all of Israel" literally in physicality.

And the matter that it should be "before the eyes of all of Israel,"

in a manner of sight,

is also connected with the service of man in his own capacity –

that he should remove the concealing things and he should open his own eyes,

then he will see.

There can be a situation, Heaven forbid, of "eyes they have but they see not"*⁹⁹

(as it is with the nations of the world),

the "alien god which is within you"¹⁰⁰ does not allow that there should be "Lift up your eyes on high" and then "see who created these"¹⁰¹,

and the evil inclination persuades him that he should look downward,

because the spirit of the beast descends downward,

consequently, he looks not to the heavens but downward;

But even below one sees that there is a Master to this palace –

the evil inclination acts upon him so that with him there should be "they turned to Me their back and not their face"¹⁰²,

as known the explanation of this in Chassidus¹⁰³,

that "even when they turn to Me, behold they turn to Me with their back,"

i.e., that he stands right near Him

("they turned to Me"),

but he stands with his back to Him and not with his face to Him

("their back and not their face"),

consequently, he does not see Him;

But even then one sees Divine Providence,

as it is written¹⁰⁴ "If I make my bed in the nether-world, behold You are there" –

the evil inclination tells him that he should close his eyes,

whereby he can see absolutely nothing at all.

About this it is said that it must be "before the eyes of all of Israel" –

one must remove the covering things that cover the eyes and look,

then one will see wherever one looks Divinity and Divine Providence.

The aforementioned lesson from "before the eyes of all of Israel" as it is brought about in "And this is the blessing with which Moses blessed"

(their end is embedded in their beginning),

with the three matters therein – is

(as said)

a general instruction in the service of man each and every day of the days of the year:

Every day in the morning a Jew says "I give thanks before You, living and enduring King, for You have returned my soul within me, etc."

(the matter of acceptance of the yoke),

and afterwards "The soul You have given me is pure; You created it, You formed it, You breathed it into me, and You preserve it within me." And this is all that is drawn from the Holy One, blessed be He, from above to a Jew down here below.

The intention in this, however, is not that one should remain with this,

but rather that there should be the service of a Jew,

in his own capacity.

One might think that he will perform service only as much as his soul compels him,

as much as is necessary from the aspect of the revelation of the soul within him which the Most High has given him from above.

It is said to him that this is entirely insufficient,

rather there must be service with his own power, in his own capacity, to accomplish much more than that

(which his soul compels him),

until thousands of thousands and myriads of myriads of times more good deeds

(similar to precious stones and pearls).

True, indeed, that at first he has the giving of power from above,

"The soul You have given me is pure, etc."

(with all the levels therein),

but afterwards there must be the service of man as "Israel,"

for "even though he sinned, he is Israel,"

as above.

When one gives someone a "portion,"

the intention in this is not that he should remain with it,

rather "one who has a hundred wants two hundred, etc."¹⁰⁵,

he should use the portion to obtain two hundred, etc.

And afterwards, further in the Blessings of the Dawn

(before "Mah Tovu")

one says,

as the Alter Rebbe writes in his Siddur

(from the writings of the AriZal¹⁰⁶)

"I hereby accept upon myself the positive commandment of 'You shall love your fellow as yourself.'" And this is the matter of "all of Israel." –

And afterwards,

that all this should be in a manner of "before the eyes of all of Israel" –

service in a manner of sight¹⁰⁷,

this is the service of a Jew in his own capacity¹⁰⁷.

And then,

when the service is in the most elevated manner and in his own capacity,

there are drawn down from above influences and blessings in the most elevated manner

(a completely different manner)

until in a completely different manner.

Indeed, primarily comes the matter of "And this is the blessing with which Moshe blessed,"

with all the blessings with which he blessed the Jewish people,

and all the most elevated influences spoken of in the portion,

until that Moshe "Hashem knew him face to face"¹⁰⁸,

and regarding the signs and wonders that the Most High showed through him etc.

All these matters in their essence are most elevated matters.

And when one studies these matters in Torah, they are also in their essence an elevated matter,

and thereby is fulfilled the [saying] "whoever reads and reviews, the Holy One, blessed be He, reads and reviews opposite him"¹⁰⁹.

But the intention in all this is "before the eyes of all Israel,"

the service of a Jew in his own capacity. And then, from the aspect of "their end is embedded in their beginning"

(the end of the portion,

"before the eyes of Israel" in the beginning of the portion,

"And this is the blessing with which Moshe blessed" etc.)

elevates "before the eyes of all Israel" into "And this is the blessing with which Moshe blessed" and into all the matters that are in this portion,

so that they become in the most elevated manner,

until in a manner even more elevated:

The "And this is the blessing with which Moshe blessed" which includes within itself all the blessings in the portion,

becomes in a higher manner. That which Moshe "Hashem knew him face to face" becomes in a higher manner. "All the signs and wonders which Hashem sent him to do in the land of Egypt etc. and all the strong hand and all the great awe which Moshe performed" becomes in a higher manner –

because of the fact that all this is "before the eyes of all Israel."

And as discussed above

(section 28)

that the matter of "before the eyes of all Israel" is also connected with the service of man in his own capacity.

And simply of the matters –

since that through "before the eyes of all Israel"

(the service of man in his own capacity)

the "And this is the blessing" becomes in the most elevated manner,

there are drawn down to the Jewish people most elevated blessings,

all those blessings that are in the portion,

most elevated blessings in all matters in which the Jewish people are in need,

in children, life, and ample sustenance, and in all of them ample.

And in a manner of "from the bounty"¹¹⁰,

out of delight,

like the blessing of Moshe to Yosef,

"And of Yosef he said etc."¹¹⁰,

connected with the Rebbe, my father-in-law, the leader of our generation,

Because this is indeed a part of the blessing of Moshe,

"And this is the blessing with which Moshe blessed,"

whose blessing is "until the last sea –

until the last day"¹¹¹,

a blessing until the end of days,

the heels of Moshiach,

And all the matters that are in the prophecy of Yeshayahu are fulfilled –

the prophet who speaks of salvation¹¹² –

which will be "in the end of days"¹¹³,

until also the matter of "for from Tzion shall go forth Torah and the word of Hashem from Yerushalayim"¹¹⁴

(the last verse recited in "Atah Hareisa" before the hakafos).

And there will be "He set an end to darkness"¹¹⁵,

"the poverty of exile,"

and immediately comes the beginning of the redemption,

and the commencement of the redemption

(in the Holy Tongue),

and then immediately the true and complete redemption.

And all these matters take place in a manner of "and this,"

showing with the finger and saying "this" –

that one points with a physical finger, here is the redemption,

with the coming of King Moshiach,

"and He was a King in Yeshurun,"

King Moshiach,

"Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust"¹¹⁶ includes also Moshe Rabbeinu,

to whom also applies "and He was a King in Yeshurun,"

as stated in the Midrashim of our Sages¹¹⁷,

for "and He was a King in Yeshurun" is a part of "And this is the blessing with which Moshe blessed."

And this is meant as matters in their simple sense,

and since this comes from the Most High, Who is the essence of good and Whose nature is to do good¹¹⁸ –

this takes place in a revealed and evident good, –

and speedily, in our actual times, and out of joy and goodness of heart.

As discussed above, the conclusion of the Torah,

the completion of the Torah with the word "Israel."

And it is known¹¹⁹:

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

corresponding to the six hundred thousand of Israel

(general souls and particular souls,

as explained in Tanya¹²⁰),

because every Jew has a letter in the Torah¹²¹.

As also explained in the well-known discourse of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, which he said on Simchat Torah¹²²,

that "every single Jew has a letter in the Torah...

And this letter gives him strength and fortitude to stand against any hinderer or preventer from Torah study,

and that besides this it protects him, moreover it is the vessel through which and by which the supernal blessing in all goodness etc. reaches him,"

with all the details therein

(and this discourse has already been printed,

everyone can look into it and see it).

And this is connected with what has been stirring in the past year,

that every individual should receive

(also in a revealed manner)

a letter in one of the general Torah scrolls,

to be

(also in a revealed manner)

among those who are "found written in the book"¹²³.

Through this, the unity of all Jews together is further strengthened. And this is the intention and emphasis of the writing of the general Torah scrolls –

the unity of all Israel.

Therefore,

even if someone has already written a Torah scroll for himself,

or "purchased it, and if it was erroneous and he corrected it, it is as if he wrote it"¹²⁴, –

he must also have a letter in one of the general Torah scrolls¹²⁵:

because through this he becomes united with all other Jews

(in contrast, through the Torah scroll that he has for himself, there is no aspect of the unity of all Israel). –

And as has been discussed at length many times regarding this,

that in the general Torah scrolls, each individual Jew becomes united with all other Jews,

because each Jew receives one letter in the general Torah scroll,

and just as the Jew is an individual person,

so too is the letter an individual letter,

surrounded by parchment¹²⁶ etc.

On the other hand –

hundreds of thousands of other Jews also receive letters in the Torah scroll,

and specifically when all the letters are present in the Torah scroll, it is a fit and complete Torah scroll,

and one Torah scroll in which all these letters and all the Jews who received the letters have become united.

And the general Torah scroll is connected with all other Torah scrolls,

as the law is –

that one must correct a Torah scroll

(a new one)

not from memory,

but from a Torah scroll that was already written previously.

And this goes back to the Torah scrolls that Moshe wrote for each and every tribe¹²⁷. And those Torah scrolls were also corrected from the Torah scroll that Moshe wrote and placed in the Temple Courtyard¹²⁸.

It follows from this,

that when one receives a letter in a general Torah scroll, he becomes united with all Jews, all the way back to the Torah scroll written by Moshe Rabbeinu.

And this is analogous to Moshe's blessing in the portion of "Vezot Haberachah" –

that there is a general blessing for all Jews,

"And this is the blessing with which Moshe blessed,"

and within it there is also Moshe's blessing for each and every tribe individually.

My revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, said¹²⁹ that on Simchat Torah it is not enough to think or speak,

rather one must do, in actual deed –

Therefore, now too we will connect the matter of writing the aforementioned general Torah scrolls with an actual deed:

We will

(at least)

distribute drinks to the entire congregation through the committees for writing general Torah scrolls in several places,

to the activists who have already completed a general Torah scroll,

or have already begun writing a new Torah scroll

(and are still in the middle)

and will soon complete it.

And this should further add encouragement and alacrity in the writing of these Torah scrolls,

that it should be finished even more quickly,

and also encouragement and strength in the effort to draw in more Jews into the Torah scrolls,

until drawing in all the Jews of the entire world.

And the very resolution regarding this now, that we will complete the Torah scrolls and we will continue in all the aforementioned matters –

will accomplish the effects as if we had already fulfilled it. As the ruling in the Shulchan Aruch¹³⁰.

And especially since we are on Simchat Torah,

in a time of divine favor.

And likewise regarding all the resolutions that are now undertaken to increase in Torah study and in the fulfillment of mitzvot with hiddur and in all good matters.

Until the resolution of the Holy One, blessed be He, will be fulfilled,

that He resolved that "immediately they will be redeemed,"

as is ruled in halachah,

as the Rambam writes in his book –

to which he gave the name "Mishneh Torah" –

that "the Torah promised that Israel will repent at the end of their exile and immediately they will be redeemed"!

And this is further hastened by our deeds and our service now,

and especially through the unity of Israel,

which is accomplished through the fact that all Jews receive letters in the general Sifrei Torah.

And this is also connected with the conclusion of the Sefer Torah and the beginning of the Sefer Torah:

The conclusion of the Sefer Torah is with the letter lamed

("Yisrael"),

and the beginning of the Sefer Torah is with the letter beis

("Bereishis"). –

And it is known ¹³¹ that these two letters form the word "lev" (heart).

And the Alter Rebbe explains in Iggeres HaKodesh ¹³²,

that the Shechinah is called by the name "lev" (heart),

and the souls of Israel are the limbs of the Shechinah,

the Holy One, blessed be He, is the heart of Israel. And just as the health of the body in its simple sense depends on the circulation and flow of blood that issues from the heart,

from which one receives vitality,

being properly in all the limbs constantly in its order etc.,

then "the person is perfectly healthy because all the limbs are connected together and receive their proper vitality from the heart etc.,"

and then the person can perform his service properly,

as the Rambam ¹³³ rules that "having a healthy and whole body is among the ways of Hashem" –

So too regarding the souls of Israel

(the limbs of the Shechinah, which is called by the name "lev" (heart)),

that "when all the souls are attached and connected together, then the circulation and flow of vitality and influence circulates...

to connect and unite them all to Hashem, one, and to cleave to Him, blessed be He, etc."

And as mentioned,

this further hastens the conclusion of the exile,

and we will go to greet the face of Moshiach our righteousness,

and out of great joy,

the joy of Torah and the joy of a mitzvah.

Now let those from the Tomchei Temimim Yeshivah who have engaged in writing general Sifrei Torah come forward to take the bottles of mashkeh.

For the Tomchei Temimim Yeshivah indeed has a connection to Simchas Torah –

as is known the sichah of the Rebbe

(the Maharash)

of blessed memory ¹³⁴

(which has already been printed ¹³⁵)

on "all who go out to the war of the House of David etc.,"

connected with the Tomchei Temimim Yeshivah.

And also those from the "Beis Rivkah" institution. Which is also connected with Simchas Torah:

As a preparation and introduction to the giving of the Torah,

from the first tablets and then the latter tablets

(over which one rejoices on Simchas Torah ¹³⁶),

there was first "Thus shall you say to the House of Yaakov –

these are the women" ¹³⁷,

and "say in a gentle language" ¹³⁸,

and then "and tell the House of Israel –

these are the men" ¹³⁹,

"and tell in a harsh language" ¹⁴⁰.

And also, and primarily –

the activists who have engaged in the writing of the Sifrei Torah in Eretz Yisrael. For "there is no Torah like the Torah of Eretz Yisrael" ¹⁴¹. And this is a preparation for "a new Torah will go forth from Me" ¹⁴² speedily in our days,

and they will learn Torah from the mouth of Moshiach who will teach the entire nation Torah ¹⁴³,

which will simply be in Eretz Yisrael.

Also let those who have engaged in writing the general Sefer Torah for the children of Israel come forward. For the first general Sefer Torah that was completed,

was that Sefer Torah for the children of Israel.

And the activists should distribute the mashkeh to the entire congregation. And if, due to idleness, something still remains now –

they should finish distributing it tomorrow.

And may this further help and hasten the completion of the writing of those Sifrei Torah which are in the midst of being written,

and may they begin writing additional Sifrei Torah,

and thereby include all Jews throughout the entire world.

And all together will go to greet the face of Moshiach our righteousness in the true and complete redemption.

And especially the Jews who are now in the countries where there is siege and captivity. And especially since many of them already have letters in the general Sifrei Torah,

which also includes within it the Jews from there who do not have this.

And all together,

as mentioned,

"with our youths and with our elders etc., with our sons and with our daughters,"

will very soon go out from exile and go to Eretz Yisrael,

and in the manner of "and I will carry you on the clouds of heaven" ¹⁴⁴,

in the true and complete redemption,

speedily in our days, literally.

The Rebbe gave bottles of whiskey to the aforementioned activists (to Rabbi S.G. and to Rabbi A.Tz.Z. shlita (the scribe) –

"Tomchei Temimim". To Rabbi M. HaKohen V. shlita and to Rabbi M.M. HaKohen A. shlita (the scribe) –

"Beit Rivkah". To Rabbi N.T. shlita and to Rabbi Y.Y. shlita (Eretz Yisrael).

And afterwards to Rabbi Ch.S.D.B. L. shlita (secretary of the Vaad Rabbani of Lubavitch) –

on behalf of and in place of the "Mara d'Asra" Rabbi Z.S.D. shlita. And afterwards to Rabbi S.K. shlita (California).

After the distribution of the drink, he began to play the niggun of the Hakafot of his father, of blessed memory.

And afterwards he said:

Regarding the distribution of the drink –

it is understood that one can add to the drink,

because "kama kama batel"¹⁴⁵. One should add to it,

so that from this it should be drawn forth for the entire year,

and in every place,

and finish it before the holiday of Pesach,

in order not to sell it to a non-Jew for the holiday of Pesach, Heaven forbid.

As usual,

we will now make a break so that one can prepare for Hakafot,

and as is customary, they should announce what the order will be now.

Afterwards he began to play the niggun "Melchatchilah Ariber".

Afterwards he said:

Here is the place also to mention regarding the instruction of my father-in-law, the Rebbe¹⁴⁶, that on Shmini Atzeret one should review the weekly portion of Vezot HaBerachah,

Shnayim Mikra ve'Echad Targum –

that all those who, for whatever reason, have not yet done so, can still do so.

And the announcement that is customarily made throughout the year –

that all those who need to recite a blessing after meals,

should now recite a blessing after meals.

Before his departure, he began to play "Ki Besimchah Teitzei'u".