English translation — שיחת יום ד' פ' וילך, צום גדלי', יהפך לשמחה, ה'תשמ"ו - אחרי תפלת מנחה

According to the custom that was instituted in recent years¹ –

a few words are said,

"words of rebuke,"

on the fast day.

For the essence of a fast day in general is,

as the Alter Rebbe brings in Iggeret HaTeshuvah²,

a time of favor,

and he brings a proof from an explicit verse³,

"the verse states an explicit text,"

"Is this the fast I choose, a day for a person to afflict himself? ... a day of favor to Hashem" –

therefore it is understood,

that this is a time suitable for words of awakening and words of rebuke.

And this matter is especially emphasized during the Ten Days of Repentance

(for the Fast of Gedaliah is indeed during the Ten Days of Repentance),

according to what is explained in the writings of the AriZal

(Siddur HaAriZal⁴ and elsewhere⁵)

that during the Ten Days of Repentance is the time of building the world of speech,

the Sefirah of Malchut

(and the ten days correspond to the ten Sefirot within Malchut⁶) –

therefore the matter of "words of rebuke" is especially emphasized.

And furthermore:

as has been spoken several times,

although the words on the fast day are called

(in the Oral Torah⁷)

"words of rebuke,"

nevertheless,

since they are "rebukes" from a "Merciful Father,"

this is not a matter of deficiency but of superiority. And also in this particular aspect

(the superiority of these "words of rebuke")

there is a novelty and emphasis on this fast day that falls during the Ten Days of Repentance,

according to what the Gemara⁸ says that the matter of "Seek Hashem when He is found, call upon Him when He is near"⁹ refers to the Ten Days of Repentance,

that then the prayer of an individual has the superiority of the prayer of the community during the entire year,

for the prayer of the community is always accepted Above

(as we learn¹⁰ from the verse¹¹ "Behold, G-d is mighty and does not despise"),

then certainly at that time the "words of rebuke" are for superiority. And especially since the aforementioned superiority of the Ten Days of Repentance is connected to the matter of prayer, which is also in speech

(just like words of rebuke).

In the manner that was discussed earlier regarding the general matter of saying "words of rebuke" on the fast day,

that in this there is the general aspect found in every fast and the addition and emphasis of this in today's fast,

so too, when one delves into the content of the matter of this fast

(the Fast of Gedaliah),

there are two general aspects in it:

There is the general aspect common to all fasts,

and within this comes the particular and unique aspect of this fast,

"the Fast of Gedaliah."

What, in general, is the common denominator of all fasts –

the prayer of "Aneinu" and the Torah reading and Haftarah of the fast day,

and the addition of charity on every fast day¹²

(according to what is stated in the Haftarah (of the fast day)¹³ "Keep justice and do charity, for My salvation is near to come").

And in addition to this –

is the matter of the "fast" itself,

the "affliction,"

common to every fast.

And within this matter comes a unique thing on each individual fast day,

"each day does its work,"¹⁴

the unique aspect of this particular fast day.

And so too regarding the "words of rebuke,"

that within this general "time of favor" of every fast day,

a unique aspect comes in the fast of "the Fast of Gedaliah,"

due to its unique essence,

as will be explained below.

The Torah reading of every fast day is –

"And Moses implored the face of Hashem his G-d"¹⁵,

and the "Forgive our iniquity and our sin and take us as Your inheritance"¹⁶

(which request was accepted,

and the Almighty said "I have forgiven according to your word"¹⁷).

What the content of the matter is in general –

a matter of pardon, forgiveness, and atonement,

until pardon and forgiveness in perfect completeness,

when then "intentional sins become for him like merits"¹⁸,

meaning that a new thing comes,

a new ascent that is higher than the state and condition before the descent. For in addition to simple "merits," one has a special type of "merits" that are created through the transformation of intentional sins¹⁹.

And this is indeed one of the simple reasons for that which "in the place where penitents stand, the completely righteous cannot stand"²⁰,

to the extent that "the completely righteous cannot stand in their place"

(as brought in the version in many places²¹),

for specifically penitents have the superiority of such "merits" that are created through the transformation of intentional sins,

and they have the superiority of "the advantage of light from darkness"²².

And in this matter comes an additional emphasis on the Fast of Gedaliah during the Ten Days of Repentance,

since all these days emphasize the superiority of repentance,

to the extent that then this is a primary and elevated matter relative to all other matters.

The unique aspect of charity on any fast day is

the addition in charity beyond the usual

(as above).

And also in this there is a special emphasis on the Fast of Gedaliah:

Although charity is appropriate every day,

nevertheless the novelty on a fast day is

that then it is a time most fitting and auspicious for the mitzvah of charity,

because a fast in general is connected to "your sins"

(as above),

and regarding sins we have the principle "and your sins be redeemed with charity"²³,

so charity nullifies the matter of sins.

And in this there is a special advantage during the Ten Days of Repentance,

since they follow the days of Selichos,

when we began the Selichos each day with "To You, Hashem, is the righteousness"²⁴,

from which, because the cause and preparation and preface

(the days of Selichos)

is the matter of charity,

it is proven

that also the result

(the Ten Days of Repentance)

is particularly connected with charity.

For since the service from below must be in a manner that it brings from above "measure for measure"²⁵ the "To You, Hashem, is the righteousness",

consequently it is certain that during these days one adds simply in charity,

and especially on the Fast of Gedaliah itself.

Another matter common to all fasts –

is the very "affliction" and "fast".

And also in this there is a novelty and special emphasis on the Fast of Gedaliah,

as will be explained.

Regarding the seventh fast²⁶ "the Fast of Gedaliah" it states in the Gemara²⁷,

that the reason for the fast is that on this day the killing of Gedaliah ben Achikam occurred.

There is an opinion among the Rishonim²⁸

(brought down in the Acharonim²⁹),

that actually the killing of Gedaliah occurred on Rosh Hashanah itself,

but because that is a festival,

as the verse says³⁰ "eat the fat and drink the sweet, for the joy of Hashem is your strength",

therefore the fast was postponed to the 3rd of Tishrei.

[The question on this is already known³¹,

that then festivals were only one day,

for it speaks of the time when they would sanctify based on sighting,

and especially since this was in the Land of Israel (in Mitzpah³²),

in proximity to a court? And one of the answers to this is,

that Rosh Hashanah is not like the other festivals,

and it could have been two days even in the time when they would sanctify based on sighting³³,

as the Alter Rebbe brings in his Shulchan Aruch³⁴.

What we see here is the emphasis,

that although generally the Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe speaks only about laws relevant in our time,

nevertheless he explains at length

(regarding the laws of "a long day" which are relevant in our time),

that in the time when they would sanctify based on sighting there could be a case where witnesses came after Minchah,

in which case they make that day holy and the next day holy,

and on the contrary,

the primary holiness is actually on the second day of Rosh Hashanah. Consequently it is understood,

how could it be that the Fast of Gedaliah was postponed from Rosh Hashanah to the 3rd of Tishrei].

According to this opinion, the unique aspect of this fast is already understood

(the Fast of Gedaliah),

that it is ab initio a postponed fast. This is a matter which is not found by other fasts. And even regarding the 17th of Tammuz about which it is said³⁵ that "there is a miscalculation here",

this was said only regarding one of the reasons for the fast

(the 17th of Tammuz),

but regarding the doubling of the matter

("the troubles were doubled"³⁶)

on that day there is no "postponement",

rather it occurred on that day.

The accepted opinion, however, is

according to the simple language of the Talmud²⁷ that "on the 3rd of Tishrei

Gedaliah ben Achikam was killed"³⁷.

And so it is also ruled in the writings of the AriZal³⁸,

where it is brought,

that during these ten days there is an abundance of "Gevurot",

only on the first two days the Gevurot are sweetened through the sounding of the shofar,

therefore the act of killing Gedaliah could not occur then,

unlike on the day after, "the judgments are not sweetened...

therefore Gedaliah ben Achikam was killed on it"³⁹.

But even according to this there is a unique aspect in this fast of the Fast of Gedaliah,

because the fast is during the Ten Days of Repentance,

which begin with the sweetening of the Gevurot,

i.e., the general matter of these days is a matter of sweetening the Gevurot.

And in particular, according to what is explained in the writings of the AriZal⁴⁰,

then the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are like "Chol HaMoed",

so that therefore one should not occupy oneself at that time with extraneous labors,

but only with matters of Torah, mitzvos, prayer, and the like.

It follows,

that these days have within them the advantage of a "Moed"

(even though this is Chol HaMoed relative to the first days).

It therefore follows,

that also according to this explanation, the day of the Fast of Gedaliah comes in sequence to Rosh Hashanah,

a day of joy,

when "the joy of Hashem is your strength",

and one has the command and empowerment from the Torah of truth "eat the fat and drink the sweet".

Based on all this, one will understand the advantage of this fast over the other fasts in the matter of "fasting" and "affliction":

It is known what Chassidus⁴¹ explains regarding the fast of Yom Kippur,

that then it is "their life through hunger"⁴²,

the life-force is with greater intensity and strength than the "hunger",

than the absence of eating and drinking.

This is indeed called by the name "affliction",

as the verse states⁴³ "you shall afflict your souls",

but together with this, the Torah reveals the inner aspect of the matter and the soul of the matter,

that this is a matter of "life",

only from a more elevated place,

which cannot be drawn down through eating and drinking, but specifically through hunger.

And from Yom Kippur this is drawn down also into the other fasts,

that also then there should be "their life through hunger".

And one can explain this simply according to medical science⁴⁴:

One sees indeed,

that the life of a person throughout the entire year is through eating and drinking

(for although "not by bread alone does man live"⁴⁵,

nevertheless the life-force is also through bread,

as the verse states⁴⁶ "and bread sustains the heart of man").

Thus the question arises,

from what does a person live on a day when he does not eat? The explanation of this according to natural science is,

that at that time he lives from the blood that he has from the eating of before.

It therefore follows,

that on the fast day one receives life-force not from a silent [inanimate] thing, nor from a growing thing, nor from a living thing –

but from the blood of the speaker [human]!

In another style:

On that day one lives from the life-force that the brain draws down into the heart,

and the heart draws down into all the limbs of the body⁴⁷.

This emphasizes,

according to nature,

how the life-force on every fast day is a most elevated life-force,

when one does not need to wait until the silent, growing, and living thing becomes "blood and flesh like his flesh"⁴⁸,

but one lives from the outset from the blood as it is at the level of "speaker",

and moreover –

at the level of "you are called 'man'"⁴⁹ –

on account of "earth to the Most High"⁵⁰.

And in the advantage that is in every day of fast and affliction –

the aforementioned advantage of the Fast of Gedaliah is added,

which is connected with Rosh Hashanah

(according to both opinions,

as elaborated above),

a day of special joy,

"the joy of Hashem is your strength",

for at such a time it is revealed how the matter of the fast is not a matter of sorrow etc.,

but on the contrary,

a matter of most elevated life-force and joy,

as above.

One of the special matters of the "Fast of Gedaliah" relative to the other fasts,

is the weekly portion which is read and studied on the Fast of Gedaliah,

i.e., both the weekly portion in general and the portion of the day

(within the weekly portion itself)

in particular.

And as is known the instruction and teaching of the Alter Rebbe⁵¹,

that one must "live with the time –

with the weekly portion,

and with the portion of the day".

In this there are changes in the Fast of Gedaliah itself from year to year.

And it is understood,

that also in this matter there is a special instruction and emphasis in the content of the Fast of Gedaliah.

The novelty of the weekly portion on the Fast of Gedaliah in this year over other years is:

The Fast of Gedaliah always falls in the week after the portion of Nitzavim,

because "this portion

[Nitzavim]

is always read before Rosh Hashanah"

(as the Alter Rebbe brings⁵²);

but there are differences whether one reads the portion of Vayeilech before Rosh Hashanah

(in which case the Fast of Gedaliah is in the week of the portion of Haazinu)

or after Rosh Hashanah.

And this is the novelty of this year –

that the Fast of Gedaliah is in the portion of Vayeilech because they divide Nitzavim-Vayeilech into two portions.

It is well known the sign that is brought on this⁵³,

from the language of the verse⁵⁴ "Pat-Bag HaMelech" –

"Bag HaMelech Pat VaYelech",

meaning that when "the King"⁵⁵,

Rosh HaShanah

(about which it is stated⁵⁶ "cause Me to reign over you")

occurs on the days "Bag",

the second or third [day of the week],

then it is "Pat",

from the term⁵⁷ "break it into pieces",

they separate the portions of Nitzavim-VaYelech.

In this is also alluded the matter mentioned above regarding the Ten Days of Repentance,

that then there is the sweetening of the severities⁵⁸:

The matter of Rosh HaShanah is the sweetening of the severities of Yitzchak,

so that the blessing should be with an increase specifically with a true storm even more than the blessing of Yaakov and the blessing of Moshe⁵⁹

(as explained in the discourses of Taf-Shin-Kuf on the intention of the Baal Shem Tov, of blessed memory⁶⁰);

and therefore the future redemption that has no exile after it is connected specifically with Yitzchak,

and therefore they will say to Yitzchak "for You are our father"⁶¹

(as explained at length in many books,

also in the revealed [Torah]⁶² and especially in Kabbalah⁶³ and Chassidus⁶⁴).

And this is the matter of "Pat Bag",

because "Bag" alludes to the five severities⁶⁵

(as mentioned before this briefly⁶⁶),

and the purpose is,

that it should be "Pat Bag",

one breaks, shatters, and sweetens the severities,

so that from them should emerge a blessing with increase.

In this itself comes the instruction of "the portion of the day",

the portion of the fourth day of Parshas VaYelech.

The content of "the portion of the day" is –

the commandment of "Hakhel",

that one must gather together "the men, the women, and the children"⁶⁷ in the Beis HaMikdash.

And this is connected specifically with the fast day,

because regarding a fast it is stated "in your distress, your gatherings will deliver you"⁶⁸,

that this is a time of gathering and assembly of many Jews together⁶⁹,

in order to save them from undesirable matters

(as brought in the Midrash⁷⁰ and in the books of ethics⁷¹).

And in this comes the special emphasis in the Fast of Gedaliah of this year,

where the portion of the day speaks about the matter of "your gatherings" with ultimate perfection,

the matter of "Hakhel" of the entire Jewish people in the Beis HaMikdash.

One can say another explanation in this –

regarding the Fast of Gedaliah:

In general, the meaning of "your gatherings will deliver you" is from the term of rescue from undesirable things;

but in this Fast of Gedaliah, this is connected with the commandment of "Hakhel" which is not related to undesirable matters.

And especially when one is at the level of completely righteous people already before Rosh HaShanah and before the month of Elul,

as it is said⁷² "and Your people are all righteous",

until one also has the virtue of penitents.

And according to this, one can explain,

that "your gatherings will deliver you" is from the term "shadow",

according to the teaching of the Baal Shem Tov on the verse⁷³ "Hashem is your shadow at your right hand"

(and the Ropshitzer writes⁷⁴ that the Baal Shem Tov, of blessed memory, was accustomed to explain the verse thus),

that the Supreme One is,

so to speak,

like a "shadow"

(a shade)

of every Jew,

and does exactly what the Jews do

(just as a shadow in its simple sense does exactly what the one causing the shadow does).

And this is the matter of "in your distress, your gatherings will deliver you":

Through the fact that Jews fulfill the command "cause Me to reign over you",

it indeed becomes so above,

that the Supreme One becomes "King",

because "Hashem is your shadow";

and especially that this is accomplished through "in your distress",

through the matter of speech,

and through "your gatherings",

"love of Israel",

until in a manner of "unity of Israel";

and specifically standing in a time about which the Gemara says "this is a unique one",

which means,

that all Jews together reveal the singular essence of their soul,

and together with this one is a "public",

a new reality even regarding the singular essence of the soul –

through this is accomplished in perfection the "your gatherings will deliver you",

the "Hashem is your shadow at your right hand".

And through the fact that one does this "in your distress, your gatherings will deliver you" –

it is accomplished simply in physical matters,

the most physical of the physical,

blessings in their simple sense.

For one comes from Rosh HaShanah,

where the essential judgment on Rosh HaShanah is on physical matters

(as explained in Likkutei Torah of the Alter Rebbe⁷⁵,

and at length in the previous farbrengen⁷⁶).

And as the Tatte brings⁷⁷,

that this is the explanation of the verse⁷⁸ "for a statute for Israel is it, a judgment for the G-d of Yaakov"

(which speaks about Rosh HaShanah),

that "statute" is from the term "give me my allotted bread"⁷⁹⁸⁰,

the matter of eating and drinking,

which includes all physical matters.

And from Rosh Hashanah it is drawn into all the Ten Days of Repentance,

until Yom Kippur,

which is also called by the name Rosh Hashanah

(in Torat Kohanim,

in the book of Yechezkel ⁸¹),

and as explained in Chassidus ⁸² that then all these matters are drawn in inwardness and the inwardness stands revealed.

And this is also connected with the ultimate blessing,

the true and complete redemption,

for Yom Kippur is called Rosh Hashanah simply regarding "Yovel" ⁸³,

and the concept of "Yovel" is connected with the future redemption to come,

for "from the time the tribe of Reuven and the tribe of Gad and half the tribe of Menasheh were exiled, the Yovels were nullified" –

Yovel is practiced only when "all its inhabitants are upon it" according to the ruling of the Rambam ⁸⁴ –

and this will only be in the future redemption to come,

when "all its inhabitants are upon it."

May it be His will,

that this be fulfilled very soon,

that "with our young and with our elders etc. with our sons and with our daughters" ⁸⁵ we will all go out from exile,

and not a single Jew will remain in exile,

together with all the holy sparks,

"their silver and their gold with them" ⁸⁶,

in ultimate perfection.

And we will come together to the "land which etc. the eyes of Hashem your God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year" ⁸⁷.

And there will be "all its inhabitants are upon it" –

in a manner of "settlement",

just as the first time when they entered the land

(that "had they merited" it would have been the eternal redemption then ⁸⁸),

as it is written ⁸⁹ "and you shall inherit it and dwell in it",

that it should have been "seven years of conquest and seven years of division" ⁹⁰,

a matter of true settlement.

And then we will also have the concept of "gather the people, the men, the women, and the children",

for there will be all Jews

("the people"),

in Jerusalem,

whose concept is "a city that was joined together" ⁹¹,

that it makes all Jews into one "congregation".

And in Jerusalem itself we will be on the Temple Mount,

"and bow down to Hashem on the holy mountain" ⁹²,

and there itself,

in the "Sanctuary of Hashem, Your hands established" ⁹³.

Where there was "standing crowded and bowing spacious" ⁹⁴,

that there must specifically be a matter of "crowding",

because all Jews gather together,

each one feels the other physically;

but when it comes to service of Hashem,

"and bowing",

each one has his own path of service,

therefore it is "bowing spacious",

each one in his path,

and also "spacious" in a manner of "expansion",

"He answered me with broadness, Yah" ⁹⁵,

Speedily in our days, literally,

in the true and complete redemption;

a complete redemption with the completeness of the people and the completeness of the land and the completeness of the Torah and its mitzvos.

It is also customary lately to connect every matter with the daily Rambam study.

For the book of the Rambam has a general connection with the above regarding the future redemption,

as we see that he concludes and seals his book with the matter of "Laws of Mashiach". And particularly according to what we find in one of the first printings of the Rambam ⁹⁶ a special heading

(a separate chapter)

on the last two chapters of his book –

"Laws of Kings and their Wars and the King Mashiach". And in any case –

the content and beginning of these two chapters –

is the matter of Mashiach,

and as it already stands in the Torah of Moshe Rabbeinu,

and he brings double proofs on this,

that it was in the days of David,

"the first Mashiach",

and as it will be soon through David Melech HaMashiach.

And one may say the reason for that which the Rambam brings the lengthy verses,

and explains how every matter was both by David,

the first Mashiach,

and by David Melech HaMashiach,

because there was already a possibility for this in the days of David ⁹⁷.

In any case, we see the connection of the book of the Rambam with the future redemption.

Today's daily Rambam study includes a wondrous halachah,

that in addition to it being a halachah simply,

"halachos halachos" ⁹⁸,

it contains within itself a most wondrous matter,

and a connection to the Ten Days of Repentance.

In today's daily study ⁹⁹ it discusses laws of offerings that were offered in the Chosen House and the Holy Temple

[which also this is connected with the coming of Mashiach Tzidkeinu in the future redemption,

for then there will also be the "coming of the Holy Temple" which is prepared above and needs to come down below to Jerusalem ¹⁰⁰],

for the concept of the Holy Temple is a "house for Hashem prepared to offer the offerings in it"

(as the Rambam writes at the beginning of Laws of the Chosen House).

What the offering of the sacrifices in the Temple was upon the altar,

as he brings down in the Laws of the Chosen House in the continuation of the subject¹⁰¹,

and as is simple to understand,

that a sacrifice must be offered upon the altar.

[So that even when a son of Noah (to differentiate) offers a sacrifice,

although he does not have the same laws that Jews have¹⁰²,

nevertheless there is an obligation that he should offer it upon an altar,

a "bamah"¹⁰³ which is similar to the altar].

And behold,

a sacrifice that one offers to the Most High,

must be "tamim" and complete¹⁰⁴,

because its essence is "Adam ki yakriv mikem korban"¹⁰⁵,

to make the Jew into a tamim and complete,

consequently the kohen who offers must be a tamim and also the sacrifice a tamim.

And all the more so, the altar upon which one offers the sacrifice, which is indispensable regarding the matters of the sacrifice

(as above) –

must certainly be tamim and complete.

In continuation of this, the Rambam writes in the law in today's lesson¹⁰⁶:

"An altar that was damaged invalidates all the holy offerings that were slaughtered there in the Temple whose blood had not yet been sprinkled,

for there is no altar upon which to sprinkle, and it is stated¹⁰⁷ 'and you shall slaughter upon it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings,'

meaning, you shall slaughter while it stands in its proper state, not damaged." And the Rambam continues regarding holy offerings "that were slaughtered",

"but living holy offerings that were there in the courtyard when it was damaged are not invalidated,

rather when the altar is rebuilt they will be offered,

for living beings are not rejected."

From this there is a wonderful lesson regarding every Jew:

Every Jew is truly a "living being",

as it is written¹⁰⁸ "And you who cling to Hashem your God are all alive today",

and every Jew has a soul that is "literally a part of God above"¹⁰⁹.

And this clinging to the Most High which brings to "alive all of you today" is not only hidden in the innermost part of his soul,

rather it comes out in a revealed way through the fulfillment of the commandments and the study of Torah,

and consequently it is understood,

that this is done through the Jew's thought and speech and action,

and as it is stated¹¹⁰ "which a man shall do and live by them".

And regarding this there is the principle –

"that living beings are not rejected":

Every Jew must know that he is always a "living being" and "alive" with true life,

and that which to him

(or to another)

appears that it is not so,

and from this comes an undesirable deed or the like –

this is only because "his evil inclination overpowered him"¹¹¹,

but in truth "living beings are not rejected"!

Consequently from this it is also understood,

that when the time of "Seek Hashem when He is found, call upon Him when He is near"⁹ comes,

and especially there is a "time of favor" in general,

and especially every day when a Jew arises and becomes a "new creation"¹¹² through the "literally a part of God above" –

a Jew must remember that "living beings are not rejected".

Because every single day the "living and enduring King" instills in him a new soul which is "literally a part of God above",

also "literally" from the word actuality¹¹³

(as mentioned earlier¹¹⁴),

meaning, one can touch with the hand how one lives with a vitality that is connected to the Source of life,

with the Most High.

And especially when one sees that a Jew gives charity and prays to the Most High and learns a subject in Torah

(the Written Torah and the Oral Torah),

for then one sees how his thought and speech and actual deed are connected to life and the Giver of life¹¹⁵,

consequently it is certain that "living beings are not rejected".

And since "living beings are not rejected" –

that which the Rambam writes must be fulfilled, that "when the altar is rebuilt they will be offered",

that the Most High repairs the altar,

that the third Holy Temple descends¹⁰⁰,

the Sanctuary of Hashem, Your hands have established,

and there the altar is in its innermost essence with the utmost completeness possible,

consequently then the "Adam ki yakriv mikem korban la'Hashem" is fulfilled with all its interpretations to the utmost completeness,

and from it light goes forth to the entire world¹¹⁶,

so that also the children of Noah receive the advantage from it.

And all the more so that "from it light goes forth" to Jews,

for even the Jews of this time who are currently not in the place of the physical Holy Temple,

nevertheless every Jew is found in the spiritual Holy Temple,

and on the contrary,

in the Holy of Holies,

in the Giver of life and the Source of life.

And furthermore –

the fact that there can be a matter of "delay" brings the "advantage of light" and "advantage of wisdom" and "advantage of closeness,"

until the closeness in the manner of a sacrifice,

as brought in the discourses of the hillula of His Holiness, my father-in-law, the Rebbe, the Nasi of our generation¹¹⁷,

that the concept of a sacrifice is from the term closeness¹¹⁸ and ascends to the secret of the Infinite¹¹⁹.

Until there comes the "and the glory of Hashem shall be revealed, and all flesh together shall see"¹²⁰,

and in the language of Kabbalah¹²¹

(brought in Chassidus¹²²),

the revelation of the innerness of Atik. When it will be "they shall all know Me, from their smallest to their greatest"¹²³,

speedily in our days, literally,

in the true and complete redemption,

through our righteous Moshiach,

amen, may it be His will.

Afterwards he said:

Now they will distribute,

by means of the "tankists,"

as usual –

to each one a dollar,

in order to give to charity,

with an addition according to the generosity of his heart.

His Holiness, the Rebbe, shlita, gave to the "tankists," may they live, dollar bills,

to distribute to each of those present, may they live, one dollar bill,

to give it

(or its equivalent)

to charity,

and with an addition from their own.