English translation — שיחה לילדי "צבאות השם" שיחיו לאחרי תפלת מנחה יום ב' פ' ברכה, ה' תשרי ה'תשד"מ

They recited the twelve verses and sayings of our Sages¹.

Afterwards they sang "We want Moshiach now".

Regarding every gathering

(coming together)

of Jews,

even of very small children,

especially such children who are "Tzivos Hashem",

they are "soldiers"

(members of the army)

of the Most High –

the Torah says,

that this is "a pleasure for them and a pleasure for the world"².

This was said regarding a gathering that takes place at any time and in any place.

However, it is understood that additionally, when the gathering is in a special place,

a place where one prays to the Most High and where one studies His Torah

(every day),

and when the gathering is at a special time –

immediately after praying the afternoon prayer³ to the Most High

(by everyone together),

and after studying the Most High's Torah –

the twelve verses from the Written Torah and sayings of our Sages from the Oral Torah that you just reviewed –

then a special blessing and pleasure for the entire world results from this.

Additionally, there is another point:

The gathering takes place during the time of the Ten Days of Repentance,

a time when by the Most High every individual is as important as an entire congregation

(as the Gemara says⁴),

because then the Most High is "when He is to be found" and "when He is near"⁵,

He is then found in a special closeness to every Jew

(more so than the entire year when He is also "the examiner of kidneys and heart"⁶) –

it is understood,

that being in such days,

every good deed that is done

has a special influence,

and especially when Jewish children gather together,

in order to strengthen themselves and those around them,

and in a manner of "Love your fellow as yourself",

to influence every Jewish child who does not yet know about it,

and the influence should be with love,

affection

(a boy to a boy and a girl to a girl)

then the great importance that this has by the Most High is even greater and stronger.

And therefore,

when He sees that one accepts true good resolutions for the entire year,

and one accepts them in a holy place and in holy days,

when the Most High is "when He is to be found" and "when He is near" –

it is a certainty that He gives the fullest success that one can carry out the resolutions,

and carry them out with joy and a good heart.

This

Just as it is written regarding the Ten Days of Repentance,

whose beginning is Rosh Hashanah,

when each of you fulfilled "Make Me king over you"⁷,

with the entire storm and with the shofar blast in the synagogue,

and it was proclaimed that one crowns the Most High, the King of kings of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He,

as King of Israel –

the emperor,

king,

of every Jew,

starting from very small children –

this gives strength and light and even more power in that one crowns the Most High every day,

as you say every morning "Modeh ani Lefanecha etc.",

whereby every day of the entire year becomes even healthier and more alive and more Jewish and brighter.

And since immediately after Rosh Hashanah one gathered together again in order to help one another,

"A man helps his fellow"⁸,

and strengthen him in all matters that are connected with Judaism,

studying Torah and fulfilling mitzvos,

and influence in the home and upon the entire family and everywhere a Jew is found –

it is certain that the success in this is very great.

And especially that also the children who are in distant countries where they do not have

(unfortunately)

the possibility and the freedom to study Torah and fulfill mitzvos freely –

they nevertheless sacrifice themselves and do it

It must be a living example for each of us and each of you,

how one must be happy and satisfied with that which one merited that the Most High chose us as His nation,

and gave us the strength,

that we should proclaim "Make Me king over you",

and the satisfaction must be shown publicly to all.

And from the satisfaction of Rosh Hashanah,

over the fact that we merit to crown the Most High as King over Jews –

one must draw down and take the satisfaction for the entire year.

For knowing that the Most High is the One Who "In the beginning, G‑d created the heavens and the earth"⁹

(as I just said¹⁰),

i.e., He created and leads the entire world –

and nevertheless He descends and concentrates,

and looks at each one of you

("and examines the kidneys and heart")

how you conduct yourselves –

this must arouse in you an extraordinary joy.

And when the Most High sees that Jewish children conduct themselves as they should,

including also that they have gathered together on a holy day and in a holy place for the sake of a holy resolution –

the Most High causes it to be recognized in the resolutions that they have been accepted in a time of "when He is found" and "when He is near",

and there is special success in carrying out the resolutions.

And this gives strength and an addition to the writing and sealing for good that each of you had on Rosh Hashanah,

and it comes into the subsequent [days],

And one brings in more blessings from the Most High by bringing in more Judaism into the home,

and one does it with joy and a good heart,

and consequently with more success.

The above is valid for every day of the Ten Days of Repentance;

however, there is a special instruction for each individual day.

For each day one must have a new instruction and empowerment as to how to serve the Most High,

and not listen to the evil inclination.

Which may think to itself,

that since it is about a small child,

perhaps he will be able to persuade him.

[For this reason one sees,

that even after Rosh Hashanah and after Shabbat,

one still says "Tachanun",

at which time one apologizes to the Most High for having been a moment when one allowed oneself to be persuaded by the evil inclination,

together with the promise that from now on one will do everything possible to fulfill only the Most High's instructions,

and not take the evil inclination into account at all,

until he will see that he has nothing to do with a Jewish child,

and consequently he will stop bothering him].

The special instruction of today's day is learned from today's Chumash lesson¹¹,

the second portion of "Vezot HaBerachah".

In today's portion¹² we learn:

"And of Levi he said, 'They shall teach Your judgments to Jacob and Your Torah to Israel, etc.'" Since the Torah of Moses is "The Torah that Moses commanded us is an inheritance of the congregation of Jacob"¹³,

it is an inheritance for every Jew and all Jews,

including also Jewish children,

it is understood,

that the matter of "They shall teach Your judgments to Jacob and Your Torah to Israel" has relevance to every Jewish child.

Here the evil inclination comes and begins to bother:

How can you,

a child,

say that also the matter of Torah is your inheritance –

you are after all a small child! So how can you teach the Most High's judgments to the entire people,

when you have only just started going to cheder,

or you are still before cheder altogether!

Arguing thus,

the evil inclination wants to dissuade the child,

that for now he should wait,

and later,

when he will be a scholar,

when he will be bar mitzvah –

then he will occupy himself with "They shall teach Your judgments to Jacob, etc."

To this the Torah comes and says

(through the Rambam¹⁴):

"And not only the tribe of Levi, but any person whose spirit moves him, etc., to stand before Hashem to serve Him, etc., he is sanctified as holy of holies" just like the tribe of Levi. Consequently it is understood,

that every child who is of "Tzivos Hashem",

who is in a state of "to stand before Hashem to serve Him" also belongs to the tribe of Levi.

And from this it is understood that the blessing with which the Most High blessed the tribe of Levi applies to him –

"They shall teach Your judgments to Jacob, etc."

And that which the child can ask –

he is after all a small child,

so how can he truly teach the Torah of Hashem and His judgments to other Jews –

this is merely the argument of the evil inclination,

to whom one must not listen because he is a fool,

and only wants to mislead a Jewish child;

in truth, however, it is a lie,

because a child can explicitly be the one who "they shall teach Your judgments to Jacob etc.":

When a Jewish child will demonstrate a living example,

and one will see how he conducts himself –

they will learn from him. Not only other children but also adults.

For example:

When one will see that there is a tasty food and he

(the child)

is very hungry,

and nevertheless he does not take and does not want to taste from it unless he makes a blessing;

or when he is thirsty and does not want to drink any water unless he says the blessing "shehakol nihyeh bidvaro"

[i.e., that everything was created through the utterance of the Most High,

as I just said ¹⁰ "In the beginning G-d created the heavens and the earth"] –

through this a living example is shown,

and one teaches everyone,

that everything was created "bidvaro" of the Most High,

and that before eating or drinking one must make a blessing.

The same is also through saying every day "Modeh ani lefanecha Melech chai vekayam etc." –

through which you proclaim before the entire world that the Most High is a King,

thereby strengthening again the coronation of the Most High as King on Rosh Hashanah,

and you thank Him for "shehechezarta bi nishmati",

which lasts throughout the entire day.

In continuation of this, there is also a lesson in the last verse of today's Chumash lesson:

After the child knows that he is in a state of "they shall teach Your judgments to Jacob and Your Torah to Israel" –

the evil inclination comes to him with an argument:

How can you think that you are the one who can teach Torah to other Jews;

you are a child,

will they not want to learn from you and obey your instructions?

To this the verse says ¹⁵:

"And of Binyamin he said, the beloved of Hashem" –

that every Jew

[for Binyamin is one of the tribes,

and all the brothers received all the blessings* ¹⁵]

should know that he is a "beloved of Hashem",

the personal close friend of the Most High.

Consequently,

when another child sees how the personal close friend of the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, conducts himself –

he will consider it a fortune for himself that G-d's beloved has turned away from his affairs and occupied himself with instructing him how to behave,

so that he too may become a "beloved of Hashem"!

And as a result of this, the reward is immediately fulfilled

(which is stated further in the end of the verse):

"And between his shoulders He dwells" –

One merits the true and complete redemption through Moshiach our righteousness,

when the Holy Temple will be in utmost glory and utmost perfection,

which is the meaning of "and between his shoulders He dwells" ¹⁶.

That is, the Most High becomes a "tenant"

(an inhabitant)

among Jews,

as it is stated "and I will dwell in their midst" ¹⁷,

and not only in their soul ¹⁸,

but in the Holy Temple literally.

And when you will do another good deed,

another good word,

learn another matter in Torah and fulfill another mitzvah –

you will thereby hasten further the fulfillment of the promise "and between his shoulders He dwells".

As I just sang with strength and with liveliness that "We want Moshiach now" –

Because since each one of you is a "beloved of Hashem",

the Most High will surely listen to your prayer and request,

and it will be "and between his shoulders He dwells" in the eternal Holy Temple ¹⁹,

which will be built on the Temple Mount,

in Jerusalem the holy city,

which is after all a "city of the great King"

(as it is called in the "Song of the Day" of Monday ²⁰),

i.e., it is the "capital"

(the capital city)

of the entire Land of Israel in its completeness,

together with the people of Israel in its completeness,

together with the completeness of the Torah and mitzvos,

All of which hastens further the true and complete redemption through Moshiach our righteousness.

You certainly know

that King Moshiach descends from King David²¹,

who was our "sweet singer of Israel"²²,

who gave us the Book of Tehillim,

and the Rebbes instituted that each day of the month one should say the chapters of Tehillim that belong to that day²³.

Why do they belong to that day? –

Because each day has a "special mission",

which is connected to that day²⁴,

and the "special mission" is learned from the chapters of Tehillim

(in addition to what is learned from the daily portion in Chumash).

The first chapter of today's Tehillim portion is –

"A psalm of David... Hashem will bless His people with peace"²⁵.

[For this chapter has a special connection to these days,

since we recite it every Friday evening for Kabbalas Shabbos –

which is connected to Rosh Hashanah that occurred on the sixth day.

And particularly according to the determination of this year,

where according to the custom of Chabad²⁶ we begin with this chapter of Kabbalas Shabbos

(and we do not say the preceding chapters),

both on the second day of Rosh Hashanah,

and on the second day of Sukkos,

and on Simchas Torah,

and on Erev Yom Kippur].

And the content of this chapter is –

as explained in the Oral Torah²⁷ –

that it speaks about the matter of the Giving of the Torah,

how the Jewish people received the Torah from the Almighty,

as you just said that it is "an inheritance of the congregation of Yaakov",

and it also speaks about the matter of the Ingathering of the Exiles²⁸,

which will be in the true and complete redemption through Moshiach Tzidkeinu.

From this chapter one draws more strength in the good resolutions that each of you and each of us has made

(also regarding influencing one's surroundings) –

Because we will fulfill "Yisrael rejoice in their Maker"²⁹,

that one must rejoice in the Almighty's Torah and in His mitzvos –

the matter of receiving the Torah;

And this will fulfill "Hashem will rejoice in His works"³⁰,

for through fulfilling the Torah we bring about the Ingathering of the Exiles.

And the conclusion of the chapter is fulfilled –

"Hashem will give strength to His people, Hashem will bless His people with peace",

that there will be peace in our Holy Land,

through there being peace between the good inclination and the other inclination,

Through the other inclination submitting to the good inclination and making peace with it,

and obeying everything the good inclination tells it to do.

And this is in a manner of "Hashem will bless His people with peace",

not merely peace,

but a peace that is a blessing from the Almighty,

a true peace according to the Torah of truth.

And thereby we come to the fulfillment of the conclusion of today's Tehillim portion³¹,

"and none who take refuge in Him will be held guilty",

that all those who rely and lean upon the Almighty –

they have certainly "merited" and have no "guilt" from the Day of Judgment

(Rosh Hashanah);

and on the contrary –

the Almighty "sits on the throne of mercy",

and has blessed each one of you,

and through you

(added in)

your families –

with a good inscription and sealing for a good and sweet year in revealed and evident good,

Until the main blessing –

the blessing of the true and complete redemption through Moshiach Tzidkeinu.

In continuation of this

(that one is blessed with the blessing of redemption),

we will now conclude the gathering with a matter that is a special segulah for the redemption –

"Great is charity, for it brings the redemption near"³²,

with the matter of charity.

We will give each one three coins:

one to give for charity in connection with the Ten Days of Repentance,

one for charity in connection with the Minchah prayer,

and the third –

you may do with it as you see fit

(as is good in your eyes).

Together with this,

in order to show that it is done with peace and joy –

we will sing a melody of victory

(and peace),

"Take counsel and it will be thwarted, speak a word and it will not stand, for G-d is with us"³³,

that all the counsels of the evil inclination will be nullified because "G-d is with us",

for each of you is a "beloved of Hashem",

and "behold, Hashem stands over him"⁶;

Afterwards we will recite

(with a melody)

the request "We want Moshiach now";

And also they will sing and pray with truth and with heartfelt feeling the request that the Holy One, blessed be He, will surely fulfill –

"He will build the Holy Temple speedily in our days"³⁴;

And also –

it should be "But the righteous will give thanks to Your Name; the upright will dwell in Your presence"³⁵,

and "the upright will dwell in Your presence" is connected with dwelling in the Land of Israel,

and in Jerusalem, the holy city,

and on the Temple Mount and in the Holy Temple.

And all these things should be "now",

and with joy and a good heart,

to receive and accept the sealing and the final sealing for good.

And they will go very soon,

together with the blessings of the Holy One, blessed be He,

which He gave "until the last day",

until the last day of the exile

(as it is stated at the end of our portion³⁶ –

"until the last sea",

and our Sages, may their memory be for a blessing,³⁷ interpret that this means "until the last day") –

which will also be the first day of the redemption,

speedily, in our very days.

They sang "Take counsel together, and it shall be brought to naught; speak the word, and it shall not stand, for G-d is with us",

"We want Moshiach now",

"He will build the Holy Temple etc.",

"But the righteous".

[The Rebbe, the Admor, may he live for many good years, gave to the counselors and counselors, may they live, ten-cent coins,

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

one –

to give to charity in connection with the Ten Days of Repentance,

the second –

for charity in connection with the Minchah prayer,

and the third –

to do with it as they see fit].