English translation — שיחת יום ג' פ' נצבים-וילך, כ"א אלול ה'תשד"מ – לצבאות השם שיחיו אחרי תפלת מנחה

After the Minchah prayer, they blew the shofar.

They recited the twelve verses and the sayings of our Sages¹.

Afterwards, they sang the melody "Vi vont Moshiach now".

We will begin with a blessing,

as the Alter Rebbe begins his Igros Kodesh² "Poshchin bivracha"³ –

as we always begin,

only –

in different words.

And the meaning of "Poshchin bivracha" is,

that we begin with a blessing that was given by the Most High to every Jew and to all Jews.

And especially since we are in a special time and in a special state,

when many Jewish children have gathered together to unite further as "Tzivos Hashem".

And what "Tzivos Hashem" means,

that each one of them

(and all together)

belongs to the army of the Most High,

that He has enlisted them to make the world a "dirah lo yisbarech b'tachtonim"

(as you just said⁴),

until there will be "Yismach Hashem b'maasav"⁵,

that the world is in such a manner that the Most High is "Sas v'sameach b'diraso b'tachtonim"⁶.

And the matter of joy is increased through that which the "shluchim",

the soldiers of the army,

carry out their "order of the day",

every day –

especially on a day when they gather together specifically for a "parade" of the army,

because then the duty of the army is more emphasized,

and it must be done with more vitality and joy,

consequently it is understood,

that also the joy of the Most High is,

so to speak,

greater and larger.

Therefore, also the blessing,

with which we begin,

is even greater than an ordinary blessing,

for the blessing is indeed "b'Shem Hashem"⁷,

from the Most High,

consequently it becomes greater according to the joy of the Most High.

And especially since now we certainly need a great blessing for the entire year,

that there should be a kesivah vachasimah tovah l'shanah tovah umesukah.

There is another special matter in this gathering –

that this gathering is with the resolution,

not to be satisfied with just carrying out oneself the mission of the Most High in "Tzivos Hashem" –

but also to fulfill the great principle of "V'ahavta l'reiacha kamocha"⁸

(which was just mentioned⁹),

by influencing additional Jewish children –

that they should also go in the same path.

And this is,

by explaining to the children who do not yet know about this –

that they have a holy mission from the Most High,

to make of the heavens and earth that the Most High created¹⁰

(as you just said)

that there should be seen that they are a "dirah" for the Most High.

Through that which every Jewish child does what he must "b'ficha uvilvavcha la'asoso"¹¹

(as you just said⁹),

i.e., that both "la'asoso",

in his actions,

and "b'ficha",

in his speech,

and also "bilvavcha" in his thought

(in the heart –

for the Most High indeed knows what transpires in the heart¹²) –

one sees how one carries out the mission of the Most High.

And as mentioned,

this is one of the intentions of the gathering,

to arouse Jewish children,

that they should influence other children

(a boy on a boy and a girl on a girl),

who do not yet have

(for whatever reason)

the fortune,

the greatest fortune –

to be included in "Tzivos Hashem" –

that they should also know about the "tachlis briyaso" of man

(as you just said⁴),

by learning the Torah of the Most High and fulfilling His commandments,

and influencing the same on the surroundings.

And this matter also causes,

that the blessing in this gathering is even greater and stronger and more alive.

Another matter in this gathering:

The gathering is conducted in a beis haknesses and beis hamidrash,

a place where one prays to the Most High¹³,

and a place where one learns the Torah of the Most High¹³,

and a place where one makes a resolution to fulfill His commandments,

beginning with the mitzvah of tzedakah.

And all this

(including what was stated above)

prepares,

and makes more certain and greater –

the blessing of the Most High for each one of you,

and through you –

to your families,

parents and relatives,

and to the entire Jewish people.

And the blessing consists of this –

that there should be,

already in these present days of Elul,

even before the New Year,

all the blessings that one needs,

in an open manner,

b'tov hanireh vehangaleh.

And especially since one accepts upon oneself the "malchus" of the Most High,

for He is indeed the "Commander-in-Chief",

but the feeling of this

(that He is the "Commander-in-Chief")

is strengthened further during the gathering –

consequently it makes the blessings of the Most High even greater already in the last days of the year in which we find ourselves.

And this also makes greater the blessings of the Most High for a good and sweet year –

which each one of you and each one of us and each one of the Jewish people throughout the entire world,

will receive on Rosh Hashanah.

For since "v'amecha kulam tzadikim"¹⁴

(as you just said⁹),

every Jew will be inscribed and sealed immediately¹⁵ in the book of the righteous¹⁶,

immediately on the day of Rosh Hashanah,

for a good and sweet year.

I.e., that the entire year will be a good year and a sweet year,

and every day will be good and sweet,

and every thought, speech, and deed

("b'ficha uvilvavcha la'asoso")

of this year

(and also,

certainly,

of the coming days at the conclusion of this year)

will be good and sweet.

And all these matters will be in a manner of "huchpal bo ki tov",

as is fitting for the third day

(for the gatherings are generally set for Tuesday),

for regarding the first third day it is stated that the Most High gave it a special blessing,

that it should have a double tov¹⁷,

and from this it is drawn to all Tuesdays of the entire year.

May it indeed be a double tov,

both lashamayim and labriyos¹⁸,

both regarding oneself and in matters of Judaism,

both regarding the entire surroundings and also in mundane matters.

And may it be b'tov hanireh vehangaleh,

such a tov that one understands it,

and one takes it,

and one absorbs it,

and one spreads it around oneself,

And this is the true tov,

"ein tov ela Torah"¹⁹,

i.e., when one conducts oneself according to the instructions of the Torah

(Torah from the word hora'ah²⁰) –

then it comes down "b'ficha uvilvavcha la'asoso",

in tov hanireh vehangaleh.

All the above is indeed relevant to the gathering of "Tzivos Hashem" –

that it is held on the third day,

and that this is connected with that which each one of "Tzivos Hashem" accepts upon himself anew

(but with more vitality)

the kingship of the Most High,

the King of Israel and King of the entire world.

However, there is also the special lesson of the day on which the gathering takes place.

And this includes several matters:

It is a day in a specific month,

and also a day that is connected with a specific parshah in the Torah that is learned during the week

(and one already begins learning it at the end of the Shabbos before the start of the week),

and especially –

with a specific portion in this parshah.

And these details are also matters of Torah and instruction,

throughout all the days of the year,

and especially in special occurrences –

as in a gathering of Jewish children who belong to Tzivos Hashem.

Today is (a)

in the month of Elul, (b)

in Parshas Nitzavim, (c)

in the portion of the parshah that pertains to the third day.

The special lesson of the month of Elul is:

As has been mentioned several times,

the month of Elul is distinguished from all the months of the year,

by that which then the Most High is found "in the field",

like a king in the field

(as the Alter Rebbe explains²¹).

And this is especially relevant to "Tzivos Hashem",

for the King is their "Commander-in-Chief".

And the explanation of this is,

that in this month He is found with all Jews as they are "in the field",

in the field. Not as they are found in the city or in the palace of the king,

but specifically in the field. And in the field there are not all the servants and guards –

through which one must pass in order to reach the king,

rather the king is found near each one of those who are in the field,

and shows each one a bright countenance and receives all their requests with a pleasant countenance.

It is therefore understood, that in the month of Elul the Most High receives the requests of all Jews,

and first and foremost –

the requests of those who are in "Tzivos Hashem" –

that they should fulfill their mission to be good soldiers who produce the greatest measure of pleasure and nachas ruach for the "Commander-in-Chief",

that "Yismach Hashem b'maasav"⁵ should be regarding them to the greatest degree.

And this is also the preparation –

that afterwards one goes with the king from the field to the capital city,

as the Alter Rebbe explains. And there itself one enters the king's palace,

until –

into the king's special chamber.

And so it will also be regarding each one of us,

and especially the "Tzivos Hashem" –

that all this becomes a close preparation to go in the true and complete redemption through Moshiach Tzidkeinu to the king's "capital",

the main city,

which is Yerushalayim,

"Kiryas Melech Rav"²²,

and there itself –

in the king's palace,

the Beis Hamikdash,

"Mikdash Ado-nai konenu yadecha"²³.

And it will be,

as I just said during the Minchah prayer,

"Vesechezenah eineinu etc.",

that one will see with one's own eyes all the aforementioned matters.

The special lesson of the weekly parshah,

which is called by its beginning –

"Nitzavim":

The manner in which every Jew finds himself near the King in the month of Elul,

is not only in a manner of "omdim" but in a manner of "nitzavim", a standing with one's entire strength²⁴.

And as I just said

(in the twelve verses and sayings of our Sages)

that "V'hinei Hashem nitzav alav"²⁵,

that the term "nitzav" is said regarding the Most High Himself

(for He is a "King" (and as it is written "nitzav melech"²⁶),

from this every Jew takes the strength how he should stand,

so that the strength of that which he belongs to the King is evident upon him,

to the Most High.

And in this is the special lesson of the portion of the sedra that pertains to this day,

the third day –

whose conclusion is the verse mentioned above

(section 3),

"Ki karov eilecha hadavar me'od b'ficha uvilvavcha la'asoso".

And although this verse is said at every gathering –

it nevertheless has a special strength and appropriateness when this is on the day when it is a part of the Torah portion of that day,

to the extent that this verse is the conclusion and seal of the parshah that pertains to this day.

Consequently, the lesson from this is,

that one accepts all the aforementioned resolutions with even more vitality,

and it is even easier for them

(karov)

to fulfill,

and with ultimate perfection.

And through all this one also receives the blessings of the Most High in perfection,

including all the blessings,

and especially –

the aforementioned blessing,

that one has the true and complete redemption through Moshiach Tzidkeinu.

And then all the nations will indeed see how every Jew belongs to the army of the Most High,

and how each one is in a state of "Atem nitzavim hayom",

with a strength and connection to the King of the world,

to the extent that one makes a "bris" with Him

(as related at the beginning of the sedra),

and the bris comes down into "la'asoso",

i.e., it is evident in everyone's actions of daily life.

And "Kol ro'eiham yakirum ki zera berach Hashem heimah"²⁷ –

everyone who looks at you,

and at all Jewish children,

and at every Jew –

will immediately perceive,

in a revealed and evident manner,

that this is "zera",

children,

who come from Hashem,

from the Most High,

and therefore they are also in a manner of "berach Hashem",

i.e., that the Most High blesses them in everything they need.

Including the blessing of a good and sweet year,

b'tov hanireh vehangaleh.

It was already mentioned on a previous²⁸ occasion,

that you certainly know what was instituted, that one should learn a daily portion in Rambam²⁹,

and children should learn Sefer HaMitzvos of the Rambam³⁰.

And from this Sefer HaMitzvos as well, one must learn a special lesson,

for this is a part of Torah from the word hora'ah²⁰.

And especially one must learn a special lesson from the mitzvos that are learned on this day –

instructions in connection with the gathering and with the good resolutions that are accepted at this gathering.

For since you indeed belong to the "am chacham venavon"³¹,

to the nation to which was given the wisdom of the Holy One, blessed be He,

"Nasan lanu es Toraso"³²,

consequently it became permeated with the wisdom of the Most High, so to speak.

Therefore it is fitting,

that you should contemplate the Torah portions that are learned every day in general,

in order to extract from them a lesson,

and especially –

from Sefer HaMitzvos of the Rambam.

The mitzvah that is learned on this day in Sefer HaMitzvos of the Rambam is –

the mitzvah of Shevi'is³³.

There are indeed other things about which one learns;

but this is a mitzvah that includes a positive commandment and several negative commandments –

consequently it further strengthens the lesson of the mitzvah regarding the occurrences of this day.

And since we speak of this at a gathering that is connected with good resolutions for the entire year –

it is understood,

that the lessons have an influence on the conduct of each one of Tzivos Hashem,

throughout the entire year.

In what does the mitzvah of "Shevi'is" consist,

and what can one learn from it regarding every day of every year,

throughout one's entire life?

In Eretz Yisrael, at that time, most of the Jewish inhabitants were occupied with working the land,

"Tizra sadecha".

And the mitzvah of Shevi'is consisted of this,

that after "Shesh shanim tizra sadecha"³⁴ there should be "V'shavsah ha'aretz"³⁵.

It is stated in the commentators on the Torah

(in the Oral Torah)³⁶,

that the intention in this was,

in order to free the Jews who were occupied with working the land from their labor,

that it should be a "Shabbos LaHashem"³⁵,

a year that one must utilize for matters that are connected with "Hashem",

with the "Commander-in-Chief",

with the Most High.

Consequently it is understood,

that in that year there was a very great increase in Torah study,

and also in vitality in Torah study,

since one was not exhausted by work in the field and vineyard.

Although every day one must have a set time for Torah study,

here, however, an entire year was designated,

and it became a mitzvah of "Shemittah,"

that one should devote a great deal of time to Torah study,

and one should know,

that any time one is free from other matters –

one must dedicate it "to Hashem,"

through Torah study and fulfillment of the mitzvos with vitality and understanding.

And this is also the lesson and instruction of the mitzvah of "Shemittah" even during the time when one lives outside the Land where this mitzvah is not applicable,

and also in the Land of Israel,

during the six years when "you shall sow your field, etc.":

One must always remember,

that in everything the main thing is –

the "Shabbos for Hashem,"

serving the Almighty as He instructed in His Torah,

and therefore one must study Torah more and more.

And this must be done both by those who are occupied with "you shall sow your field" and "you shall prune your vineyard,"

and also by those who are occupied with other matters.

And also to Jewish children,

who do not have the occupation of "you shall sow your field" etc.,

because all their needs are provided for them by their parents –

they have a lesson from Shemittah:

since they have free time –

it must be for them "Shabbos for Hashem,"

to bind their time and utilize it for doing the things that the Almighty has commanded.

Which includes both Torah study,

and –

study leads to action³⁷ –

fulfillment of the mitzvos with more vitality and more joy,

and also the mitzvah of "Love your fellow as yourself,"

to influence the same matter upon other Jewish children around them. That they too should be taken up with the thought,

that since "all your work is done"³⁸,

it is a state of Shabbos,

it must be "for Hashem,"

utilized in Torah study and fulfillment of His mitzvos.

And the service of "Shabbos for Hashem" –

prepares and hastens further the "I will hasten it"³⁹ of the redemption.

For then too will be the situation,

as the Rambam writes at the end of his book⁴⁰,

when Jews will be provided with all their needs by the Almighty Himself,

consequently they will be "free for Torah and its wisdom,"

and "will attain knowledge of their Creator,"

studying the Torah of the Almighty and being connected with the Almighty,

until –

they effect this upon the entire world,

"the earth will be filled with knowledge of Hashem"⁴¹.

And something similar to this is already done now by Jewish children,

who, being free from worries,

are engaged in "Shabbos for Hashem,"

for they receive all their needs without any trouble –

and consequently they occupy themselves with Torah and mitzvos.

– In this context, one must also mention

(since we are speaking about the needs that children receive from their parents),

that since it is certain that many of you will receive gifts from your parents,

clothing in honor of the festival

(whether Rosh Hashanah or Sukkos) –

one should tell the parents

(as mentioned at the previous gathering⁴²)

that both when they buy clothing for themselves,

and when they buy clothing for you,

they must make sure that these are kosher garments,

and do not have the matter of shatnez, Heaven forbid.

And likewise –

when one buys food or drink etc. for the home,

it should be kosher,

for then it is truly good as the Almighty has commanded.

And all these matters will further hasten for you,

and in your merit

("from the mouths of infants and sucklings"⁴³),

for every one of the Jewish people –

that there be fulfilled "as in the days of your exodus from the land of Egypt I will show you wonders"⁴⁴,

"Hashem brought out the children of Israel etc. by their legions"⁴⁵,

that all Jews, as the army of the Almighty,

will go out from exile through our righteous Moshiach.

And in a manner of "with a high hand"⁴⁶,

with pride⁴⁷ –

as it is said at the beginning of this week's Torah portion⁴⁸,

that one makes a "covenant"

(a bond)

between the Almighty and the Jews,

"in order to establish you today as a people for Him and He will be for you a God"⁴⁹,

that one becomes, with renewed vitality, the people of the Almighty,

and one accepts upon oneself a renewed acceptance of the yoke of the kingdom of Heaven,

the kingship of the Almighty,

and one prepares for Rosh Hashanah in the appropriate manner.

And following this –

one will,

as is customary at every gathering,

conclude with charity which brings the redemption closer⁵⁰ and includes all the mitzvos⁵¹.

Each of you will be given three coins,

to give one coin for Keren HaShanah⁵²

(since we are in the days before Rosh Hashanah),

i.e., a charity that is connected with the days of the coming year,

together with a resolution,

without a vow,

to fulfill the mitzvah of charity in the days after the gathering until Rosh Hashanah,

and also in the days of the coming year,

indeed without a vow⁵³ but with a firm decision.

And do all these matters with joy and a good heart.

Therefore one will also conclude,

as usual,

with a melody,

with the march "For with joy you shall go out"⁵⁴,

that one goes out from this year with joy,

"and in peace you shall be led"⁵⁴,

that the Almighty leads each one of us,

and everyone together,

with true peace,

"and I will grant peace in the land"⁵⁵,

for one takes with the Torah which "the entire Torah was given to make peace in the world, as it is said⁵⁶ 'its ways are ways of pleasantness and all its paths are peace'"⁵⁷.

And also –

preceding the melody "But the righteous will give thanks to Your Name, the upright will dwell in Your presence"⁵⁸.

And also the melody "May the Beis HaMikdash be rebuilt speedily in our days"⁵⁹.

And this will further hasten the "I will hasten it"³⁹,

that there be "May the Beis HaMikdash be rebuilt speedily in our days,"

speedily in our days, literally.

They sang "Ach Tzadikim."

The Rebbe began to sing "Yehi Ratzon etc. May the Beis HaMikdash be rebuilt speedily in our days and give us our portion in Your Torah."

They sang "Ki Besimcha Teitzei'u etc."

The Rebbe began to sing "Vi Vont Moshiach Now."

[The Rebbe gave the counselors and counselors ten-cent coins, one for Keren HaShanah, the second for charity, and the third to do with as they see fit.]