English translation — שיחה לילדי "צבאות השם" שיחיו לאחרי תפלת מנחה יום ג' (ד' דחול המועד סוכות), כ' תשרי ה'תשמ"ה

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

Afterwards they sang the melody "We Want Moshiach Now"].

To understand the meaning of today's gathering of "Tzivos Hashem",

of the children whom the Almighty has granted merit and taken into His army,

one must look at what the "Torah" says about a gathering of an army.

Because all the orders that are conducted in the world,

the good orders — are taken from the Torah,

which shows how it should be,

and this is good for those who conduct themselves according to these orders and those who help them.

Consequently,

even when one sees an order and practice in the world that is conducted only among people

(here below),

since this is a good thing that is maintained, and especially if it is so among Jews

(of whom it is said "You have chosen us from all the nations"²),

this itself is proof that it was taken from the Torah — and one must learn from it in the conduct of the service of Hashem.

And especially knowing that the Torah is an instruction and the "order-book",

how every Jew

(who must each be a "soldier" in the army of the Almighty)

should conduct himself in his daily life.

And especially when many children gather together

(or many Jews in general)

and conduct themselves according to this order,

and this takes place in a place where one prays to the Almighty and studies His Torah — this is certainly a matter connected with the instruction of the Torah.

Regarding the armies

(hosts)

that were in Israel,

under Moses

(when he was a king³)

and under his disciple Joshua

(when he was a king⁴)

and under King David and his sons — one sees

(in the Torah),

that the army always had specific orders.

Among these orders was the matter,

that at a specific time all the men of the army would gather together and present themselves before the king,

before the "Commander-in-Chief". This was done primarily at the beginning of the year,

at the start of the time when they were inducted into the army,

and also afterwards on various occasions.

And in general, the "parade" of the army was in two general manners and types:

One manner was,

when the "parade" was a preparation and introduction to carrying out the mission of going to war;

and a second manner was,

when the army gathered for a "parade" after the conclusion of the war,

and then the king would distribute gifts and "medals"

(etc.)

to each one for his achievements as a member of the army,

and thereby he would "promote" the men of the army to:

"higher" titles and positions in the army,

for example from a simple "soldier" to an "officer" etc.

And it is understood,

that the mood in these two types of gatherings

(parades)

and the "clothes" that one puts on are very different:

At the first type of gathering one is dressed in army clothes,

simple clothes,

and one stands in a serious mood,

because one must prepare to carry out the king's mission and go to war;

in contrast, at the second type of gathering,

when the king distributes gifts and gives each one according to his merits as a good member of the army — one comes with festive clothes,

and one stands in a festive and joyful mood.

Just as this is in every army,

so it is with you,

Tzivos Hashem — and therefore two gatherings were made at the beginning of the year:

The first gathering was in a serious mood,

in the days of the Ten Days of Repentance,

before Yom Kippur,

when one prepares for the war with the evil inclination,

to repent for all the undesirable things of the past,

and to accept upon oneself to fulfill the Almighty's commandments as the Almighty desires,

to vanquish the evil inclination in a manner that no remnant, fugitive, or impression remains from it,

and in completeness.

Since this requires a great and immense effort,

one must be dressed in work clothes,

such "clothes" that are suited for waging war with the evil inclination.

And therefore the aforementioned gathering was in a manner that one was not dressed in festive clothes — because the work must be done in daily life,

on weekdays

(which are more numerous than the days of Shabbos and Festivals),

and must be done with toil to vanquish the evil inclination. And during this one also does not have time to interrupt and receive gifts from the king — because one is occupied with the war.

And the second gathering,

today's gathering — is a gathering that takes place in the time of our joy,

a Festival,

Sukkos,

about which it is written⁴ "and you shall rejoice in your Festival",

that every Jew

(and especially one who belongs to Tzivos Hashem)

stands in immense joy.

That is, the purpose of this gathering is like the second type mentioned above,

to bring out the joy that every Jew has for having fulfilled and carried out the resolutions of the previous gathering,

having repented and accepted upon himself to conduct himself as is proper,

and one carried it out in the intervening days — and when the Almighty sees this,

He distributes to the men of the army the sealing and good final sealing,

and tells them to take symbols that prove they have been victorious,

which is indeed the matter of an esrog and a lulav.

And as discussed at length last year⁵,

that even this detail is a matter that is practiced in all armies,

that during a parade of joy and victory,

one carries certain items and symbols of victory,

such as lulavim and other flowers or branches⁶.

And especially that this is done in a mood of joy,

so much so that the entire time

(all eight-nine days)

is called "the time of our joy".

The purpose of this gathering is not only for its time,

but it should have an influence for the entire year.

And simply,

one should take from the joy for the entire year,

it should be a joyful year.

Because throughout the entire year one will carry out the resolutions that were accepted during the Ten Days of Repentance

(in the previous gathering),

and carry them out as the Almighty desires,

and earn from the Almighty more gifts and more blessings.

And this will be in a manner of "going and adding",

because just as each one is a good "soldier",

he is not satisfied with having accepted a good resolution,

but rather he adds in his good deeds, in the observance of the commandments, and with all his might.

And all this adds to the Almighty's blessings.

And through this one draws the joy of the time of our joy upon the entire year — as you just reviewed that "Yisrael shall rejoice in its Maker⁷ means that everyone who is of the seed of Israel must rejoice in the joy of Hashem, Who rejoices and delights in His dwelling in the lower realms"⁸,

and especially those who are "Tzivos Hashem".

And this itself brings more of the "joy of Hashem",

because it becomes "Hashem shall rejoice in His works"⁹,

the Almighty rejoices with His army and with all deeds.

And since the Almighty is in a state of joy,

it is therefore understood and simple that one is dressed

(not in weekday clothes, but)

in festive clothes,

and one stands in a state of joy.

And especially that one also does in this the matter of "and you shall love your fellow as yourself"¹⁰

(which you mentioned earlier)

— that one also gladdens other children,

that is, that even the children who have so far

(for whatever reason)

not merited to be in "Tzivos Hashem",

one influences them to enter Tzivos Hashem and accept good resolutions upon themselves.

And when the Almighty sees what transpires in a person's heart — He also gives the sealing and good final sealing,

with all the blessings connected to it —

May it be a year of joy,

which will be a year of Torah,

a year when Jews will add more in the study of Torah,

and a year of prayer,

a year when Jews will add more in vitality in prayer

(praying)

to the Almighty.

This will also add that it be a year of light and a year of blessing,

a luminous year and a blessed year,

in all that is needed.

And the blessings are both to Tzivos Hashem and also

(in their merit)

to their parents and brothers and sisters,

and their educators,

that is, in addition to that which they earn the Almighty's blessings from their own conduct — they receive a special blessing

(a special "medal"),

and special blessings in the plural,

for having raised such children who are Tzivos Hashem, about whom the Almighty says "Hashem shall rejoice in His works",

that they bring Him joy.

And through this the Almighty also draws blessing into the entire world that was created by Him

(as I just said "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth"¹¹)

— that even the world receives blessings and successes in the merit of Jewish children who conduct themselves as Tzivos Hashem should conduct themselves.

Because since they do what they can,

it is indeed "If you have toiled and found, believe"¹²,

that they carry out what they need to carry out,

and they bring true pleasure and joy to the Almighty,

and this adds to the blessing in the entire world.

And it becomes a year of light and a year of blessing,

until — a year of redemption through Moshiach our righteous one,

which is the greatest and truest blessing,

That "Moshiach Now" should come,

and take out each one of us,

together with the entire Jewish people,

from this exile,

and lead us to our holy land,

"a land which the L-rd your G-d cares for; 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"¹³,

and all this happens "now",

"may the Holy Temple be rebuilt speedily in our days".

The above explains the content of the gathering from the aspect that it is in the "time of our joy".

But the time of our joy lasts eight

(and in exile nine) days;

so since a specific day was chosen from these days to hold the gathering,

it is certain,

that from this too one must derive a lesson.

And since this is a gathering of Tzivos Hashem,

it is understood,

that the lesson must be in a matter connected with Tzivos Hashem.

Today has several aspects:

a) It is the third day of the week. b) On this day a specific portion in the portion of Vezos HaBerachah is studied

(from the third to the fourth aliyah).

c) There is a specific lesson in the Rambam for this day. d) It is a specific day of the Festival of Sukkos,

which has a special Song of the Day for this day.

And it is certainly,

that each of these things has a lesson and instruction for every Jew in his conduct,

and for Tzivos Hashem — in their matter,

how to vanquish even more quickly in the war with the evil inclination,

and to increase the joy of the Almighty,

through which the blessings that the Almighty gives to Tzivos Hashem will also increase,

and to every person and every Jew in general.

The lesson of the third day of the week:

As discussed several times,

the unique aspect of the third day of the week is that "it was doubled with 'that it was good'"¹⁴,

and the doubling of 'that it was good' alludes¹⁵ to "good for heaven and good for the creatures"¹⁶,

that is, it is not enough that one is "good" for oneself

(for heaven),

but one must also be good for the creatures,

do with another.

It follows from this,

that the day reminds of a special emphasis on how there must be "and you shall love your fellow as yourself",

and regarding you — how you must influence also children who are not yet in "Tzivos Hashem",

until they become "Tzivos Hashem",

"as yourself",

like you,

and receive the same blessings from the Almighty.

And since both aspects

(good for heaven and good for the creatures)

are in the same day — this emphasizes how much the "as yourself" must be:

just as there is the "if you have toiled and found" regarding working on oneself,

that one should be a good member of Tzivos Hashem — so too must there be toil to work on another child,

a boy on a boy and a girl on a girl.

And one does this until that one becomes "as yourself",

until that one will be in a high "position".

To this is added also the emphasis and the lesson from the portion of the weekly Torah reading pertaining to this day:

In today's lesson it is written about the blessing that Moses our teacher blessed Joseph.

This blessing is drawn through Joseph to all Jews,

because every Jew descends from the Jews that Joseph sustained in Egypt etc.,

and therefore all Jews are called by the name Joseph¹⁷.

And the blessing is¹⁸:

"And of Joseph he said: Blessed of Hashem is his land, with the bounty of the heavens, with dew, and with the deep that crouches beneath."

That is, that each one of you and each one of us and each one of Tzivos Hashem and each one who conducts himself as the Almighty desires is given blessings in all matters — both blessings in matters of "heaven",

that one has success in the study of Torah and the fulfillment of the commandments and praying to the Almighty,

and also blessings in matters of "earth",

the things one needs to eat and drink and have a good dwelling and good friends

(or girlfriends).

And the blessings are in a manner of "and with the bounty",

as Rashi explains¹⁹,

that this is a blessing that brings delight,

pleasure.

The lesson from today's lesson in the Rambam:

In today's lesson²⁰ it discusses the commandment of "nosar" (remnant).

The matter of "nosar" is,

that when the Almighty commanded that an offering be brought to Him,

one gives a part of the offering "for heaven",

on the altar,

and a part "for the creatures",

the kohanim or the owners

(who brought the offering),

there is a set time when one should benefit from the offering

(by eating it etc.).

And if one does not benefit from it within that time,

it becomes called "nosar",

a "leftover thing",

and it becomes a forbidden thing.

The lesson from this:

A Jew in general,

and especially one who belongs to "Tzivos Hashem",

has a gift from the Almighty,

which is Torah and commandments,

and this is such a gift from which one has benefit and success in matters of "heaven" and in matters of "earth",

a healthy year with tasty foods and beautiful garments and a good dwelling,

and the main thing — good parents and older brothers and sisters etc.

I must not put off the gift from the One Above,

and do with alacrity everything that the One Above has told him.

And when one does not pay attention to this,

one does not invest in it and it does not occupy a place — one does not do it with the appropriate alacrity,

which is connected with joy,

and it passes through a day or a day and a half or two days etc. — one should know that this is an "averah",

a matter of notar!

From this also follows, as it were, like the prohibition of eating and deriving benefit,

because through the fact that he did not engage in the study of Torah and the fulfillment of mitzvos with the proper alacrity — he has harmed himself!

Therefore the lesson is that it should be "yagata",

the study of Torah with toil and with joy,

and the fulfillment of mitzvos with joy — for when there is joy,

it brings to alacrity,

as one sees simply,

that when one does something in which one is happy and satisfied — one does not put it off even for a short while,

The lesson from the shir shel yom of today

(as one of the days of Sukkos):

The Gemara relates in Maseches Sukkah ²¹

(where it discusses the laws of Sukkos),

that each day the Leviim would recite the shir shel yom

(upon the offering)

from the chapters of Tehillim

(which King David wrote),

and on this day ²² they sang the verses from "Hasirosi misivel shechmo" until

(the end of the chapter)

"Vayachilehu meichelev chitah umitzur devash asbi'eicha" ²³.

The content of these verses

(in brief)

promises

(and in a manner that it has already been done),

that "Hasirosi misivel shechmo",

that the One Above removes all burdens and suffering from the shoulder of the Jewish people,

beginning with the "suffering" of exile.

And while still in exile, "Vayachilehu meichelev chitah umitzur devash asbi'eicha",

that the One Above provides the best even in simple things,

in physical things like eating and drinking.

And simply — you should have good Jewish toys

(playthings),

and have pleasure from the eating and drinking,

because you have a healthy soul,

consequently you have a healthy body,

you can eat whatever you want,

because you make a brachah before and after.

When it becomes "asbi'eicha" — that one is sated,

one has no hunger, G-d forbid,

no hunger or thirst,

rather one is completely sated,

and one can engage with tranquility in the study of Torah and fulfillment of mitzvos and carry out the mission that Tzivos Hashem has,

to make a dwelling place for Him, blessed be He, in the lower realms.

And this should be "now",

speedily in our days.

It is customary to conclude every gathering with a matter of tzedakah.

And especially such a gathering where the day's Chumash lesson includes all kinds of blessings — it is certainly that one must not forget, G-d forbid, in such a situation, about another Jew who has not yet merited to know the preciousness of Torah and the holiness of its mitzvos and about the joy of "Zeman Simchaseinu",

"Yismach Yisrael be'osav" and "Yismach Hashem be'maasav".

Consequently, it is a time when one must do "Ve'ahavta lerei'acha kamocha",

give another Jew "tzedakah" in spirituality.

It also reminds about the matter and the virtue of the mitzvah of tzedakah in physical terms

(for one who needs it).

Until one says "Gedolah tzedakah shemekareves es hageulah" ²⁴,

this brings closer the greatest blessing and salvation and success that can be for every Jew and all Jews — the redemption through Moshiach Tzidkeinu.

And in addition to this, it is known

(and mentioned several times)

that on the festival of Sukkos

(already on Erev Sukkos)

one must increase in tzedakah.

And following this — in addition to the matters of prayer,

which we prayed Minchah together,

and matters of Torah — the twelve verses and sayings of our Sages — there will also be the matter of tzedakah.

For when one has all three things together,

it brings that one should have a peaceful world around oneself ²⁵,

and one can even better study Torah and fulfill mitzvos,

and even more quickly and better prepare oneself to greet Moshiach Tzidkeinu,

even before the time that one expects

("mekareves es hageulah").

Therefore,

one will

conclude the gathering by distributing three coins to each of you:

one coin for tzedakah in general,

the second coin for a tzedakah that is connected with Sukkos or the Four Species or giving the possibility to another Jew,

another child,

that he should have the true joy of Zeman Simchaseinu

(because he will not lack what he needs),

and the third coin — to do with it according to the generosity of their heart,

as it will turn out for each one,

in a Jewish manner and a joyful manner.

And since everything must be done with joy,

and connected with a "song",

which shows that one is truly joyful,

and a song that is connected with matters of Judaism,

Torah and mitzvos,

and also with the redemption —

One should also sing,

as usual,

the matter of "Moshiach now",

and conclude with "Yibaneh Beis HaMikdash bimheirah veyameinu",

and in between — "Ach tzadikim yodu lishmecha yeshvu yesharim es panecha" ²⁶.

All these things will certainly add even more to your activities as "Tzivos Hashem",

to study more Torah and fulfill more mitzvos,

and influence all those around you,

that they too should act in the same direction,

and do this with perfection.

And consequently, one will have the fulfillment of the blessing of the One Above,

that "Bine'areinu uvezkeineinu etc. Bivaneinu uvivnoseinu" ²⁷

(where here it mentions first the young,

"Bine'areinu",

and only later "uvezkeineinu";

and then it specifies the young — "Bivaneinu uvivnoseinu"),

with small Jewish boys and Jewish girls — one will go out of exile.

And one will go to our holy land,

which will be in a "peaceful" manner and in a joyful manner,

because it will be with perfection,

and "Yarchiv Hashem es gevulecha" ²⁸.

And one will take with oneself all the good deeds,

with all the "medals",

and all the "points"

(nekudos)

and all the "stars"

(kochavim)

that one received for all the good deeds,

until in a manner of perfection.

And go,

as said,

in a manner of alacrity,

in a quick and holy manner,

which comes

(as mentioned above)

together,

that more joy — ever more alacrity,

And Moshiach Tzidkeinu will come speedily,

and bring the true and complete redemption,

literally "now"!

Let us sing "We want Moshiach now". "Ach tzadikim yodu lishmecha yeshvu yesharim es panecha".

The chazzan should sing "Yehi ratzon etc. Yibaneh Beis HaMikdash bimheirah veyameinu vesein chelkeinu beSorasecha".

[The Rebbe shlita gave the counselors and counselors, may they live, ten-cent coins,

to give to each and every child, may they live, three coins:

1 — for tzedakah. 2 — tzedakah in connection with Sukkos. 3 — to do with it "as they see fit"].