English translation — שיחת אור לו' תשרי ה'תשמ"ה - בבית הכנסת, אחרי תפלת ערבית

Regarding the evening prayer, we find two matters:

The evening prayer comes as a continuation and conclusion of the morning and afternoon prayers.

As explained in Chassidus¹,

in that "the evening prayer is optional"²,

that this indicates a superiority in the evening prayer,

that it reaches such a high place where the lower levels cannot reach,

therefore the drawing down from there is in a manner of "optional",

by itself

(and as we bring several examples for this).

That is, that the evening prayer comes as a conclusion, and completion and perfection of the morning and afternoon prayers that preceded it,

and then there is drawn from the aspect of "the Holy One, blessed be He, dwells in a complete place"³,

after one stands in the level of "a complete place" through the morning and afternoon prayers that preceded this.

As this is also according to the revealed [Torah],

because of that which "the prayers were instituted corresponding to the daily offerings"⁴:

The order of the service of the offerings in the Holy Temple is,

that the beginning is with the daily morning offering,

the conclusion is with the daily afternoon offering⁵,

and at night they burn the fats and limbs that remained from the service of the day⁶.

So too in the personal Holy Temple of each and every one,

"and I will dwell in their midst, within each and every one"⁷,

in the prayers corresponding to the offerings:

The beginning is with the morning prayer and the conclusion with the evening prayer,

and also,

that the morning and afternoon prayers are obligatory

(like the daily offerings),

and the evening prayer is "optional" "corresponding to the limbs and fats"⁸,

which was not a constant matter,

"that if⁹ they were not consumed during the day, they are offered and go up all night."

The evening prayer is considered the first prayer,

as the Mishnah begins with "From when may one recite the Shema in the evening?"

The explanation of these two matters in the evening prayer:

The Gemara explains¹⁰ that which the Mishnah begins with "From when may one recite the Shema in the evening?",

that this is learned "from the creation of the world",

"and there was evening" and afterwards "and there was morning".

That is:

These are, in general, two orders¹¹:

"In holy matters, night follows the day" and "in the work of creation, day follows the night."

And it can be said that in the evening prayer there are both superiorities:

From the aspect of "holy matters", the superiority of the evening prayer is in that it comes after the morning and afternoon prayers

(night follows the day)

and reaches the level of "optional",

the Holy One, blessed be He, dwells in a complete place;

and from the aspect of "the world", the superiority of the evening prayer is in that it is the beginning and primary service

(day follows the night).

The difference between these two orders

(in holy matters - night follows the day,

in "the world" - day follows the night)

- in their root in the spiritual aspects¹²:

"Holy matters" refers to the drawing down of Divine light from above to below. Then the order is that first comes light

(day)

and afterwards it is drawn into darkness

(night)

- night follows the day.

"In the work of creation, day follows the night":

The possibility for the order of the chain of descent is through that which first there was the darkness of the contraction

(night),

and afterwards the light of the line was drawn¹³

(day),

and as explained in many places¹⁴ in that which we say

(in the evening prayer)

¹⁵ "Who rolls away light from before darkness and darkness from before light",

that first there was the "rolling away light from before darkness" in the contraction of the Infinite light,

and afterwards there is "and darkness from before light" in the illumination of the short, limited line.

Thus it is explained¹⁶,

that that which before the illumination of the line there was the contraction,

the darkness that precedes the light,

and afterwards there was the drawing down of a short and limited line,

this is in order to bring about a most supreme elevation

(which would not have been were it not for the contraction)

- that there should be a possibility for the order of the chain of descent,

until this lowly world, below which there is no lower - and there in the world

(within its limitations)

there should be drawn, through the service of man

(our deeds and our service)

Divine light,

until the light that preceded the contraction,

until a dwelling place for Him, blessed be He - for His Essence - in the lower realms,

the drawing down of the Essence here below.

And through this one effects,

that although the line is a short line - there is an elevation,

which is even higher than the place from which the line was drawn - that the short and limited line should be connected in the great circle below as above¹⁷,

that is, that it reaches the place that is even higher than the light that preceded the contraction

(from which the line was drawn),

In the language of the Likkutei Torah¹⁸,

in the place “that has no aspect of beginning and end”,

because this is connected with the ultimate simplicity,

until a place

(insofar as it can be called “place”)

that is above the boundaries of “simplicity” and non-simplicity or lower and higher.

And this is the superiority that in the order of the world, the day follows the night specifically — the extension of the line after the contraction specifically,

and through this the aforementioned superiority is then achieved.

And the matter in the service of man:

The service of a Jew is generally divided into two parts¹⁹:

a) The service that is connected with matters of holiness,

adding in matters of light and holiness. Which comes from the side of the Jew himself,

from the aspect that Jews are a “holy nation”²⁰,

and in the language of the Tanya²¹,

that the soul of a Jew is “literally a part of G-d above”. And although the Sages say²² “One might think [I am] like Me; therefore the verse states²³ ‘for I am holy’,

My holiness is above your holiness.” It is nevertheless explained elsewhere²⁴ the rationale in this,

that this means from the side of the Jew himself,

but from the aspect of “I am holy”,

the holiness from above,

there is also drawn into Jews the holiness that is “above your holiness”.

b) The service that is connected with effecting in the world,

as the Alter Rebbe explains in Tanya²⁵,

that one must make “a dwelling place for Him, blessed be He, in the lower realms”²⁶,

in the lowest level, beneath which there is no lower,

which is a place of darkness,

at least darkness relative to the level to which one must bring it

(through the service)

[for everything that the Holy One, blessed be He, created in His world, He created only for His glory²⁷,

consequently, in every single thing there are matters of light that are “for His glory” (similar to the language of the Sages²⁸ “go and say to the craftsman who made me”),

nevertheless, they are in a category of darkness relative to what one must reveal in them].

And in this are the two modes of the aforementioned service²⁹:

From the aspect of the service in matters of light and holiness,

which is the service in the place where light and holiness already exist and there needs to be an addition of light and holiness — the day precedes the night,

the light precedes the darkness:

However, from the aspect of the service in matters of the world and matters of darkness in this lowly world, the lowest level beneath which there is no lower,

the night precedes the day,

one must begin from darkness,

the lowest level beneath which there is no lower,

because the beginning of the service is to affect the darkness of the world,

until transforming the darkness,

and making a dwelling place for Him, blessed be He, in the lower realms, revealed and complete.

Which is the ultimate intention — that the Holy One, blessed be He, desired to have a dwelling place for Him, blessed be He, in the lower realms,

until it will be complete in the future to come — when the line will be connected below as above.

Based on all the above, one will also understand the unique quality of the women and daughters of Israel³⁰:

The two modes of the aforementioned service

(holiness and world,

light and darkness)

are generally analogous to “man” and “woman”:

It is known,

that the matter of man and woman below is derived from the aspects of Zeir Anpin and Malchut

(the Congregation of Israel)

above,

which correspond to day and night³¹,

in their source — line and contraction.

And similarly, the Most High and Israel are compared to man and woman,

as explained in Song of Songs and in the words of the Sages at length.

And corresponding to the aforementioned superiority in the service of man

(the souls of Israel,

the Congregation of Israel)

below in the world

(where the order is that the day follows the night)

— this is reflected among people themselves in a woman

(Malchut,

night)

more than in a man

(Zeir Anpin, day)

— that specifically women actualize the dwelling place for Him, blessed be He, in the lower realms in the darkness of the world,

and draw light there.

And through this they also affect in the man, in the aspect of Zeir Anpin, day

(in its source — the line).

[However, the superiority of the man is primarily the service of “holiness” where the order is that the night follows the day (light)].

The Sages say³² that the woman is called³³ “a helpmate opposite him” because “if a man brings wheat, he chews wheat

(literally)

etc., she enlightens his eyes and sets him on his feet.” And this means spiritually — the superiority that is effected through the clarifications of the world and the darkness of the world through the sefirah of Malchut in general and the service of the souls of Israel.

And through this a superiority is effected in the man

(Zeir Anpin)

— “she enlightens his eyes and sets him on his feet”.

And as the Alter Rebbe explains in Likkutei Torah on our parshah,

(and with this the parshah in Likkutei Torah is concluded)

that which Chazal say, "A man is sustained for the sake of his wife,"

"and one must understand, for in the marriage contract the man writes to his wife, 'I will honor and provide for you, etc.'

[as it is written, 'her food, her clothing, and her conjugal rights shall not be diminished']

and superficially it is perplexing...

did they not say, 'A man is sustained only for the sake of his wife'?"

But the explanation of this is that "for the sake of his wife" refers to the Nukva, Malchut of Atzilut...

it is the drawing down of the encompassing light (makif ha'elyon) which gives the power for the drawing down into physicality."

That is, in order for the influences to come down in actuality, in revelation, in physicality, and in the revealed and manifest good, it is "for the sake of his wife."

And one could say

that this is also the precise meaning of the term "for the sake of" (bishvil) specifically,

according to the teaching of the Baal Shem Tov

(printed in Keter Shem Tov)

on "the entire world is sustained for the sake of (bishvil) Chanina my son,"

"the explanation is that he is the opening of the channel (tzinor) and the path (shvil) of influence for the world"

(i.e., shvil is a term for a path)

— that is, that through the Sefirah of Malchut, the path and way is opened for it to be drawn from the Essence and Being (Atzmut uMahut) into the ultimate good,

until it becomes a revealed and manifest good.

Just as this is in the Sefirah of Malchut,

the source of the souls of Israel,

so too does it emerge below,

in the souls of Israel below,

that specifically through them the drawing down of the Essence (Atzmut) occurs.

For all matters are opened through our deeds and our service,

the service of Jews specifically,

which is the delight above,

"You desire the work of Your hands."

And this matter will be revealed in the future to come,

when "a female will surround a male" and it will be "a woman of valor is the crown of her husband,"

as it is stated in Song of Songs that in the future to come there will be "let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth,"

the matter of the kiss and delight,

i.e., there will be revealed the delight that the Essence and Being (Atzmut uMahut) has from the service of Jews,

together with the delight of Jews in the Essence and Being (Atzmut uMahut),

"and your desire shall be for your husband."

And as Rashi explains on "let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth" — "to explain to them the secret of My reasons and the hidden mysteries of My hidden things,"

the revelation of the Torah of Moshiach,

about which it is stated "a new Torah will go forth from Me,"

i.e., there will be a matter of a general innovation in the entire order of the chain of descent (hishtalshelut),

which is drawn from the Essence and Being (Atzmut uMahut).

The aforementioned matter is also connected to Rosh Hashanah

(from which we have just come):

The essence of Rosh Hashanah is specifically the building of the Sefirah of Malchut,

the world of speech.

And this is also opened through the service of Israel,

through the fulfillment of the request from above "make Me king over you," which relates to every Jew and all Jews,

"a holy nation,"

the Congregation of Israel (Knesset Yisrael).

The service of Rosh Hashanah is also connected with unifying the two extremes

(so that from the highest extreme (up to the Essence and Being (Atzmut uMahut) which is above extremes) it should be drawn down to the lowest low),

as we see in the service of "make Me king over you...

and with what? With the shofar":

On one hand, the shofar draws down from above the source of delights,

therefore shofar is a term of delight

("shapru"),

which means the delight that is supernal and above,

up to beyond the boundaries of above and below,

and together with this it is from the term "improve (shapru) your deeds" *51,

i.e., it is drawn into "your deeds,"

into the lower world of Action (Asiyah), below which there is no lower.

And from Rosh Hashanah it emerges throughout the entire year,

that it is a "year that is improved (meshuparet)" and filled with true delight.

And in the language of the Baal Shem Tov

(which was transmitted through the Maggid to the Alter Rebbe,

and afterwards transmitted to each one of us through the Nasi of our generation,

His Holiness, my father-in-law, the Rebbe)

that "the blessing of the Holy One, blessed be He," with which He blesses the seventh month,

is in such a manner that the seventh month "is the one that is sworn (mushba) and that satiates (masbia) with abundant good all of Israel for the entire year,"

i.e., all the months of the year and all the days of the year and all the moments of the year.

This means,

that every Jew,

within the entirety of the Jewish people,

receives the sealing and final sealing for a good and sweet year in the revealed and manifest good.

And from all this it is understood regarding our matter,

the virtue of the women and daughters of Israel,

for the aforementioned virtue of the Sefirah of Malchut and of the souls of Israel is reflected particularly in every Jewish woman and daughter,

about whom it is stated simply, "a man is sustained for the sake of his wife,"

and all the other virtues mentioned.

And from this it is also understood regarding the aforementioned blessing on Rosh Hashanah

(which is also connected to the sefirah of Malchut,

as above),

that the blessing is drawn down specifically on such a day that is related and connected to the women and daughters of Israel.

And particularly when one stands "all of you before the L-rd your G-d",

in a "place where Torah is magnified" and a "place where prayer is magnified",

in the synagogue which is also a study hall,

then the blessing is drawn down with even greater vigor and strength.

And the drawing down of the blessing is even more so when one connects the standing "all of you" with a resolution regarding actual deed.

A matter connected with the women of Israel

(like every thing)

must be derived from Torah,

"He looked into the Torah". It is stated in the Torah that the matters that are given specifically to the women of Israel are — three matters of family purity,

kashrut of eating and drinking, and lighting Shabbat and Yom Tov candles:

During the year — twenty years since the passing of my mother my teacher of blessed memory — one should:

a) Build twenty new mikvaot

(connected with family purity)

in places where there is not yet a kosher mikveh

(for whatever reason).

b) Establish twenty new "funds" to help Jews with kashrut of eating and drinking,

by assisting them in creating kosher vessels,

or buying kosher foods and the like.

c) In order to hasten and increase the effort that every Jewish woman and girl should light candles of holy Shabbat and Yom Tov — one should establish twenty funds from which assistance and prizes will be given to those women and girls,

who until now did not know of their holy mission of lighting Shabbat and Yom Tov candles,

and will now begin to do so.

For by giving them assistance through prizes, this will further add to drawing them in and revealing within them the powers they have from above to make light around them on erev Shabbat and Yom Tov.

For the assistance in this is in addition to the power that every Jewish woman and daughter has from Sarah our mother,

with whom there was a "lamp burning from one Shabbat eve to the next Shabbat eve". And afterwards the light is not extinguished, G-d forbid,

but on the contrary:

As with every matter of light and holiness,

the command of "ascend in holiness" applies to it — so after one week of "lamp burning from one Shabbat eve to the next Shabbat eve" passes,

one lights a new lamp that adds even more light.

And particularly coming from Rosh Hashanah,

when there was drawn down a "new light, higher than any that had shone until now from the days of the world, such a supernal light",

even not at the time when the Holy Temple existed,

even not in the First Temple — and it can be said that this new light also descends into the Rosh Hashanah candle that a woman lights,

which is seen with physical eyes,

and the new light of Rosh Hashanah is drawn upon the entire year and upon the lighting of candles of every Shabbat and Yom Tov.

And may it be His will that through our fulfilling the aforementioned three resolutions of establishing the new funds,

and doing so with joy and a good heart,

and with the greatest possible alacrity —

this will further add to the alacrity of the One Above

(so to speak),

to give Jews the good that is seen and revealed, in children, life, sustenance, and ample means, still in these last days of exile,

all the more so the true good,

the general good and the inner good — the true and complete redemption through our righteous Moshiach.

Which will then be fulfilled regarding every Jewish woman,

all the more so regarding the select among them — "a woman of valor is the crown of her husband",

"a female shall encompass a man",

and the prophecy will be fulfilled that "yet — soon — there shall be heard in the cities of Judah and in the outskirts of Jerusalem etc." in addition to "the voice of the groom" also "the voice of the bride",

And this comes as a continuation of "And He was King in Jeshurun etc."

(as the two verses — "And He was King in Jeshurun etc." and "Yet there shall be heard etc." — are connected),

which refers to the day of Rosh Hashanah

(as interpreted in Likkutei Torah),

when the One Above becomes "King",

and effects this regarding every Jew and all Jews,

through "when the heads of the people gather, the tribes of Israel together",

And from there it is drawn into the continuation — into "yet there shall be heard in the cities of Judah and in the outskirts of Jerusalem etc., the voice of the groom and the voice of the bride",

And all these matters — speedily in our actual days,

below ten handbreadths,

and in our times.