English translation — שיחת יום ב' דחול המועד פסח, ועש"ק פ' קדושים לצבאות השם שיחיו, אחרי תפלת מנחה

They recited the twelve verses and the sayings of the Sages.

Afterwards they sang the melody "Vi Vont Moshiach Now".

We now have the opportunity and the merit to gather together during the days of the festival of Pesach,

which is also called "the time of our freedom",

the time when Jews were freed from the exile of Egypt,

And this

(the redemption from Egypt)

is also a beginning for the liberation from every exile,

also from our,

present,

exile,

which is brought about through the fact that every Jew remembers the Exodus from Egypt,

which was in order that they should go serve the Most High at Mount Sinai,

as Moshe Rabbeinu conveyed to the Jews in the exile of Egypt what he heard from the Most High — "When you bring the people out of Egypt, you will serve God on this mountain",

and the Jews had already then

(in the exile of Egypt)

begun to prepare for "you will serve God on this mountain"

(as will be discussed),

So too now, while still in this exile,

through the fact that Jews,

each one of you and each one of us and each one of the Jewish people — remembers and takes upon himself and gives to the "Redeemer of Israel",

the Most High — Who is the "Commander-in-Chief" of each and every one — the promise,

that in addition to the fact that he already serves the Most High now as well as he possibly can,

he will prepare himself to serve the Most High even more,

even better,

more lively and with even more strength than he has done until now —

this brings closer the departure also from the present exile in a manner of "haste"

(similar to what was in the redemption from Egypt),

specifically in a manner of "in stillness and quietness you shall be saved",

in an easy manner,

a simple manner and a pleasant manner,

but the redemption will come "in the blink of an eye",

in a moment,

"I will hasten it",

they will go out from the exile,

"when you bring the people out",

and be able then to fulfill the promise of "you will serve God" even more than they had done until then.

And especially when one accepts the resolution

(to prepare oneself for "you will serve God" even more)

during the days of Pesach,

"the time of our freedom"

(as above),

then it is a particularly propitious time for liberation,

also from the evil inclination,

that the inclination should not be able to weaken the service of the Most High,

for the Most High Himself then weakens it and frees us from it,

It is then even easier to accept all good resolutions,

and the main thing — immediately to demonstrate a living example that one fulfills the resolutions while still in exile.

Just as it was also in the exile of Egypt,

that while still in Egypt "for all the children of Israel there was light in their dwellings",

among Jews it was bright,

for they were connected with Judaism and had already prepared themselves to go receive the Torah,

So too should it be in this exile — that each one of you and each one of the Jewish people adds to "a mitzvah is a lamp and Torah is light", fulfilling mitzvos and illuminating through Torah,

Through completely nullifying the inclination,

just as they nullified and burned the chametz

(on the eve of Pesach),

as was then said in the "Yehi Ratzon":

"Just as I remove chametz from my house and my domain, so may You remove all the external forces and remove the spirit of impurity from the land and remove our evil inclination from us, etc.",

the evil inclination with all its foolishness should also be burned,

and it will not be able to hinder a Jew from serving the Most High in a manner of freedom,

true freedom from all matters and thoughts that are distracting.

And in addition to having the propitious time of the festival of Pesach — there is also the merit of the especially auspicious days that are in the month of Nissan in general,

whose name

("Nissan")

emphasizes that when one needs to reach it,

the Most High helps even with a miracle,

so much so — that the entire month is called "Nissan"

(from the word for miracle).

And in addition, this is Yom Tov and Chol Hamoed — "festivals for joy".

Grant further strength regarding the service of each of you and of every Jew — that the Almighty helps in a miraculous manner so that one may serve Him with joy and a good heart,

and constantly increase in learning Torah and fulfilling commandments and conducting oneself in a daily Jewish life,

and in harmony with the festival,

"festivals for joy" — specifically with great joy.

And on the festival itself, being the festival of Pesach,

the time of our freedom — one has additional strength to do all these things in a manner of freedom,

without any confusions.

In this context, there is a special "mission"

(shlichus)

for Jewish children:

It was already spoken once about what the prophet Yechezkel relates and explains,

that when leaving Egypt, Jews were then born as a nation unto themselves,

whose religion is different,

the Torah of this nation,

commandments and customs are entirely different from all other nations.

From this it is understood:

Just as we see with a child that after he is born, he is raised,

he is educated,

and he himself also contributes to this,

until he becomes bar-mitzvah or bas-mitzvah — so too it was when leaving Egypt for the first time

(when Jews were born as a nation),

"when you take the people out of Egypt",

that afterwards there was "you shall serve G-d on this mountain",

Jews became "bar-mitzvah" and "bas-mitzvah" through the giving of the Torah on the festival of Shavuos,

And also in the interim, they were gradually educated and given knowledge in Torah and commandments:

the commandment of Shabbos and other commandments that were commanded at Marah;

and they were also given to eat "bread from heaven",

upon which they made a blessing,

as it is stated in the books;

so too the various events that occurred between the Exodus from Egypt,

the time of our freedom,

and the time of the giving of our Torah,

And particularly the matter that connects the two times

(periods)

together — the commandment of Sefiras HaOmer,

as explained that immediately upon leaving Egypt,

when Jews were born as a nation,

they immediately began counting the days,

how many days had already passed until they would finally become "bar-mitzvah" and "bas-mitzvah" by receiving the Torah.

According to this, it is understood that there is a special lesson from a gathering of "Tzivos Hashem",

children before bar-mitzvah and bas-mitzvah,

which occurs in the days between the fifteenth of Nissan,

the first day of the festival of Matzos,

and the festival of Shavuos,

the time of the giving of our Torah:

that this is a particularly fitting time for each of you to contemplate that the entire Jewish people,

together with you,

stands in a manner of being further raised,

further educated and further prepared to receive the Torah with all its commandments,

and to fulfill them,

beginning already from now.

And particularly when I have shown the living example,

that even while being before bar-mitzvah and bas-mitzvah,

you do not content yourselves with that and you add more and more in learning Torah as one must learn Torah,

with taste and vitality,

and fulfilling commandments in a beautified manner,

and you do not occupy yourselves at all with "Mitzrayim",

with chametz and with the evil inclination,

for they were all burned already on Erev Pesach by your parents,

or by your siblings,

or by yourselves.

And now one has the merit of these especially auspicious days — that it is Yom Tov and Chol HaMoed Pesach,

and in general — in the month of Nissan.

One has the merit in these days - that the service of each one of you and of all Jewish children wherever they may be,

and of every Jew,

for every Jew is a child of the Most High,

as it is written "You are children to the L-rd your G-d" - the Most High helps,

until in a miraculous manner,

that one may serve Him with joy and with a good heart,

and constantly increase in learning Torah and fulfilling commandments and conducting oneself in a Jewish daily life,

and doing all these things in a manner of freedom,

without any confusions,

and in harmony with the Festival,

"Festivals for joy" - specifically with great joy.

And while I will thus also influence your friends,

a boy upon a boy and a girl upon a girl - as you just said "Love your fellow as yourself" is "a great principle in the Torah" - you will add yet more Jewish children until all Jewish children will be included in "Tzivos Hashem",

And all together we will go to greet the face of Moshiach our righteous one,

and "As in the days of your exodus from the land of Egypt I will show you wonders",

He will show us wonders as it was the first time when leaving the exile of Egypt and the land of Egypt,

So may it also be with each one of you,

together with your parents,

teachers,

male and female guides,

and each one of us with the entire Jewish people,

Speedily in our days literally,

the time of our freedom - true and complete freedom.

As discussed at every gathering,

in addition to the lesson from the general time when the gathering takes place,

which is the same in all years - there is also the "order of the day",

a special lesson from the specific day on which the gathering occurs,

in which it distinguishes itself from the gatherings during the Passover season in previous years.

The gathering always takes place during the days of Passover and in the month of Nissan,

but it is not always in the same Torah portion,

not always on the same day of the month,

consequently not in the same portion of Tehillim that is connected to that day of the month

(as is the custom of the Baal Shem Tov,

transmitted by the Rebbe the father-in-law).

Today's gathering takes place in the days connected to Parshas Kedoshim,

and in the portion itself - the part of the portion that begins from the sixth,

because it is the sixth day of the week,

its Chumash portion is the sixth part of the portion.

And it is the eighteenth day of the month of Nissan,

which is connected to the Tehillim portion of the chapters that are designated to be said and prayed with on that day - the eighteenth day of the month.

And in this there is the "order of the day" - a special matter and possibility that is a novelty on this day of Chol Hamoed Pesach.

What do we learn from Parshas Kedoshim? This is immediately interpreted in the name of the portion - "Kedoshim":

To whom does "Kedoshim" apply? It applies to every Jew and all Jews in all times and in all places:

The Most High commanded every Jew and all Jews,

that wherever they find themselves,

in whatever time and place - they should know that "You shall be holy",

that they are a "special" holy people.

Someone may come and confuse by saying to a Jewish child:

What is all the fuss that you say you are "holy" - where do you have the strength, being still a small child and from a people that is small in number, to stand up against the worldliness of the world?!

The Torah immediately gives the reason for "You shall be holy":

Why "You shall be holy",

as a promise and an assurance

(in addition to it being a commandment),

that surely each one of you and all of you will be holy - "for I am holy":

Therefore, because the Almighty is holy and He wanted Jews to be "holy,"

consequently, the Almighty can make whomever He wants holy,

because He is the master of the entire world,

as it is first said "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth,"

the world cannot prevent the Almighty, Heaven forbid, from choosing every Jewish child and every Jew that they should be a "holy nation,"

"You shall be holy."

And furthermore:

the Almighty gives strength to every Jew that he should not be affected and should not be impressed by the mundanity of the world around him,

for "behold, the Lord stands over him,"

As discussed several times:

Your and our "commander-in-chief" is, lehavdil, not like a "commander-in-chief" of an army in the world,

that he is located somewhere,

and the "soldier" is located in another place,

rather the "commander-in-chief," the Almighty, is located together with every Jew,

As you have just proclaimed,

that every Jew and every child must know,

that not only is the "commander-in-chief"

(the Almighty)

together with him,

but He pays special attention to him,

"stands over him" and "looks upon him and examines the kidneys and heart if he serves Him properly,"

He leaves all His affairs

(so to speak)

and occupies Himself with the Jewish child,

and makes it known to him.

Then it is understandable that even a child will not pay attention to the foolishness that others might tell him, that he is a small child and from a small nation in a big world - if one says this to the child,

he says:

This is foolishness,

because the Almighty created the entire world,

and furthermore:

the Almighty is located together with him

(the child),

and looks

("looks upon him")

how he conducts himself,

and through that looking itself He gives him strength,

that he should be able to carry out the Almighty's mission in the entire world,

in heaven and earth,

and "the heavens and the earth,"

all things that are found there.

And since he knows that the "commander-in-chief" is with him,

and in him,

and gives him strength,

and looks how he carries out the mission - it is understandable that he does it with joy,

as you have just said - "Yisrael shall rejoice in its Maker." And regarding the doing in general,

he does it with the greatest joy,

for he knows that "the Lord shall rejoice in His works,"

the Almighty rejoices with him Himself,

and through him - with all his deeds in which the "soldier" of the Almighty,

the member of "the Hosts of the Lord,"

carries out the Almighty's mission.

Consequently it becomes "our joy"

(plural),

"festivals for joy,"

the joy of each one of you

("Yisrael shall rejoice in its Maker"),

and the joy of the Almighty

("the Lord shall rejoice in His works"),

and the joy of both together.

However, then comes a non-Jew,

or non-Judaism,

and begins to confuse a Jew with the claim:

You are, after all, in exile,

and in exile it is stated that then Divinity is not as revealed as it was in the Holy Temple,

and the Jew himself sees that now the Passover sacrifice is not offered,

Now how - asks a Jew - are both things demanded of him:

On one hand he is told that he does not offer the Passover sacrifice,

he only mentions it,

and says on the eve of Passover how the Passover sacrifice was offered,

and likewise in the prayers of the Festival;

and together with that he is told,

that he should know that he is completely free,

for he is with the "commander-in-chief"?!

The explanation is in this:

In order to be freed from this exile of the body - it depends on a Jew freeing his soul,

that it be completely redeemed

(beginning in the time of our freedom)

from the evil inclination with all its foolishness,

and he frees his entire soul as it should be,

through the fact that it dominates and leads his body:

When he needs to eat something, he chooses an item that the soul permits him to eat,

i.e., that it is a kosher drink and a kosher food,

and then he asks the soul,

the soul tells him that he needs to make a blessing,

and also teaches him in Torah what blessing one must make on each thing.

And likewise,

how he must fulfill "Honor your father and your mother",

give honor to his parents. And likewise in general - learn Torah and fulfill commandments in the best and most living manner,

and so regarding all details of Torah and commandments.

And when a Jew frees his entire soul as it should be,

through the soul dominating his body as above - then he also frees his body,

until the true freedom - the true and complete redemption.

As also emphasized in today's lesson of Tehillim:

A Jew,

even a very small child,

says to the Almighty. That since he learns Torah and fulfills commandments,

including also that he prays to the Almighty and asks for every matter of his from the Almighty - may the Almighty listen to his prayer,

As he says in today's lesson of Tehillim,

of the eighteenth day of the month,

in the first chapter:

"Let my prayer come before You, incline Your ear to my cry." And as it is also written afterwards "And in the morning my prayer shall come before You."

And in what does his main prayer consist, which the Almighty must fulfill - one goes over in the chapter after beginning to recount "the kindnesses of the Lord",

"Of the kindnesses of the Lord forever I will sing, etc. for I said, the world is built with kindness",

the goodness that the Almighty prepares and has given to Jews and the entire world,

And with what goodness does one begin:

"I have made a covenant with My chosen one, I have sworn to David My servant, forever I will establish your seed, and build your throne for generation and generation, Selah",

the promise and oath to David My servant that even though there is an exile, the throne of his kingdom will return through King Moshiach.

That this is the first matter of "the kindnesses of the Lord etc. the world is built with kindness" that is mentioned in this chapter - that just as the Almighty created the world, it was in a manner of "kindness will be built",

that immediately then there was already "the spirit of Moshiach"

(as it says in the Midrash),

the soul of Moshiach was created.

And this is the request and prayer of Jews in all generations beginning from King David in the book of Tehillim - that the Almighty fulfill His promise to David My servant to bring King Moshiach.

And then he concludes in this chapter:

"Where are Your former kindnesses, O Lord, which You swore to David in Your faithfulness

(fulfill Your oath with the coming of the redeemer),

Remember, O Lord, the reproach of Your servants

(that others reproach them),

which I bear in my bosom of all the many peoples,

With which Your enemies, O Lord, have reproached Your servants,

with which they have reproached the footsteps of Your anointed":

Since Jews learn Torah and fulfill commandments in the time of exile,

and so have done generations and generations before us,

now already "all the ends have passed",

one has already completed everything - one asks the Almighty in this prayer,

"Let my prayer come before You." "In the morning my prayer shall come before You"

(as it says in the beginning of the lesson of Tehillim,

as above),

And in what does the main prayer consist:

How is it that there are "many peoples",

nations,

who "have reproached, etc., the Lord",

and "have reproached the footsteps of Your anointed",

they come to a Jew and say to him:

Listen,

you find yourself in exile among nations,

now how can it be that you are connected to Moshiach?!

Jews ask and urge the Almighty:

Until when will He wait and see that "many peoples" are "reproaching the footsteps of Your anointed"?!...

And one immediately concludes this lesson of Tehillim with a language of a blessing - "Blessed is the Lord forever, amen and amen":

He strikes the Most High that He should bless every Jew and all Jews in the prayer that Jews had just prayed - that instead of "the reproach of Your anointed's footsteps,"

the Messiah should come,

and all will see Him coming;

and this will be "forever" - eternally,

a complete redemption,

And upon this one says "Amen and Amen,"

two times Amen:

It is certain that the Most High will fulfill your prayer and our prayer and the prayer of all Jews in all places and in all times - and it is also the prayer of David, King Messiah, in the Book of Psalms

(as mentioned above)

- that our righteous Messiah should come,

And the Most High fulfills this "Amen and Amen,"

with certainty and with truth,

and "forever" - the true and complete redemption after which there is no exile,

Speedily, in our very own days.

[Talk in Russian - translation from this will be printed, G-d willing, later].

As is always the custom at the gatherings,

we will conclude with the matter of charity,

which is one of the greatest commandments.

This (the commandment of charity)

is also connected to today's Chumash lesson - in Parshat Kedoshim itself,

the portion that begins from the sixth [Aliyah]:

The conclusion of the lesson for Thursday is "And you shall sanctify yourselves and you shall be holy":

The Most High tells the Jewish people that in addition to the Most High having created the Jewish people as a holy people,

and every Jew as one of a holy people,

as it is stated at the beginning of the portion

("You shall be holy, for I am holy")

- the Most High desires that one should add further in holiness,

that you should make yourselves even holier.

And through what is this accomplished - He says immediately afterwards. At the beginning of today's Chumash lesson - "And you shall keep My statutes etc.",

through fulfilling the Most High's laws. Which are Torah, service, and acts of loving-kindness.

All these three things are fulfilled at this gathering

(as at all gatherings):

Torah:

Earlier we studied the twelve verses and sayings of our Sages, of blessed memory,

(at least)

from the Written Torah and the Oral Torah.

Prayer (service):

We all prayed together the afternoon prayer.

Acts of loving-kindness:

Now we will distribute, through the male and female counselors, to each of the "Tzivos Hashem" - coins for giving to charity,

which is one of the forms of acts of loving-kindness.

The matter of acts of loving-kindness and charity also has a special connection to the festival of Passover,

the Festival of Matzot:

Surely you have heard that the three main festivals among Jews,

the Festival of Matzot,

the Festival of Weeks and the Festival of Tabernacles,

correspond to and they remind one of one of the three Patriarchs. And each of the festivals,

like each of the Patriarchs,

is especially connected with certain special commandments.

[And although all Jews and also the Patriarchs fulfilled all the commandments - nevertheless, in each festival one of the Patriarchs is emphasized with special prominence,

and the matter in which he particularly excelled].

The special "order of the day" of the "festival" of Passover - corresponds to and reminds one of Abraham our Patriarch,

as it is stated that he told Sarah "Knead and make cakes,"

that she should bake matzah cakes

(not leavened bread, Heaven forbid)

for the guests who had come,

because it was Passover.

The special aspect of Abraham our Patriarch in general is - first and foremost, love of Israel,

which is why he is called "Abraham My beloved,"

And especially how love of Israel is expressed in commandments - in the commandment of charity,

as it is written regarding Abraham "For I have known him, that he will command his children and his household after him to do charity."

And so too, the matter of love of Israel and charity is revealed openly and prominently on the festival of Passover - which reminds one of Abraham - as is emphasized in the very act from which we learn the connection of Abraham to Passover,

that he told Sarah "Knead and make cakes" for Passover - which was altogether a matter of hospitality,

one of the forms of charity,

and especially that the very thing that Sarah baked cakes for the guests is itself a matter of charity.

We also see today on the holiday of Passover - the connection with hospitality. For this you have certainly heard at the beginning of the Seder,

before one begins to recite the Haggadah and before one eats the "Shulchan Aruch",

the actual meal - "All who are hungry, let them come and eat,

all who are in need, let them come and partake of the Passover offering":

Wherever there is someone who is hungry or needs something - you invite him,

and your parents at their head,

to your table,

before you yourselves eat and drink.

From this is understood the lesson and the special "order of the day" of Passover,

beginning with the Seder of Passover - the mitzvah of charity.

And then we take the lesson of Passover and the Seder of Passover for the entire year - that there is a special emphasis on the mitzvah of charity.

For the mitzvah of charity

(which is emphasized on the holiday of Passover,

the time of our freedom)

also brings "our freedom",

liberation from all undesirable matters during the year,

As it is known that charity has the special virtue,

that when a Jew,

even a small child,

gives charity,

and gives it to a poor person,

a "needy person",

and through this he removes a worry from the person to whom he gives the charity - then the Almighty removes

(measure for measure)

from the one who gave charity many worries,

and does so with the measure of the Holy One, blessed be He,

many times more than how much he gave the other person.

Therefore we will also conclude the gathering with giving coins for charity.

And as is customary, we will then also conclude with singing melodies:

First of all - that "We want Moshiach now":

Just as there are those who "have insulted the footsteps of Your anointed",

and there are "many peoples" who say thus - Jews say in their prayer that they want our righteous Moshiach,

"The shoot of David Your servant may You speedily cause to flourish" and the like,

and say it with an expression of "Blessed is the L-rd forever" and say it with an "Amen and Amen" - that it is a certain thing that this comes from the Almighty Himself. And that the Almighty will not take into account what "many peoples" say,

and on the contrary - this will further hasten that the Almighty fulfill every prayer and especially the prayer of "The shoot of David Your servant may You speedily cause to flourish",

that this should be speedily, in our very own days.

And then also sing

(as is customary at all gatherings)

the melody on the words "But the righteous will give thanks to Your name; the upright will dwell in Your presence",

and also the melody "May the Holy Temple be rebuilt speedily in our days, and grant us our portion in Your Torah".

And to emphasize that this is connected with the holiday of Passover - we will also sing the melody "And it is this that has stood for our ancestors and for us",

which refers to the faith that every Jew has in the Almighty,

and every Jew is of "believers, children of believers",

And also the melody "All the more so, twofold and multiple goodness from the Omnipresent upon us":

As was said in the chapter of Psalms,

that just as the Almighty gave "the kindnesses of the L-rd",

which is the attribute of "twofold and multiple goodness" - it is a certain thing that very soon there will be the "Blessed is the L-rd forever, Amen and Amen" in the true and complete redemption,

with the completeness of the people,

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

with the completeness of the Torah and its mitzvot,

with the completeness of the Land,

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

together with "the L-rd will enlarge your territory",

speedily in our very own days,

by means of David, the king Moshiach, regarding whom "I have made a covenant with My chosen one; I have sworn to David My servant",

as stated in the lesson of Psalms,

in the Book of Psalms of David, the king Moshiach,

and it will be "Amen and Amen" very soon,

speedily in our days.

[They sang "We want Moshiach now". "But the righteous". "And it is this that has stood".

(The chazzan, may he live long, began) "May it be His will etc., that the Holy Temple be rebuilt speedily in our days etc.". "All the more so etc.".

His Holy Honor, our Master, Teacher, and Rebbe, may he live for many good days, Amen, gave to the male and female counselors, may they live long, ten-cent coins,

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

two of them - to give to charity,

and the third - to do with as they see fit.

Afterwards, he gave to the members of the Kollel, may they live long, ten-cent coins,

to distribute to each one of those present one coin to give to charity].