English translation — שיחת ליל א' דחג הסוכות ה'תשמ"ו – אחרי תפלת ערבית

His Holiness the Rebbe shlita announced

(and hinted with his holy hand that the audience should recite with him)

"Gut Yom Tov"

(three times).

Afterwards he began to sing "VeSamachta BeChagecha".

In "VeSamachta BeChagecha"¹

(as was just said)

one first says the general point –

"VeSamachta",

and then as it descends into the particular of "BeChagecha".

That is, there is the general concept and common point of all matters of joy which is not necessarily connected with "BeChagecha",

afterwards one adds that here we speak in the joy itself about the unique joy as it is connected with "BeChagecha",

as is known that all festivals are "appointed times for joy"²,

that is, that "BeChagecha" is even more emphasized in the matter of joy than in other times.

In "appointed times for joy"

("VeSamachta BeChagecha")

itself there are also different levels:

All three pilgrimage festivals are "appointed times for joy",

but among them themselves, the festival of Sukkot is distinguished by that which one then says

(in addition to the general concept of "appointed times for joy") –

"the time of our joy"³,

unlike on the festival of Pesach one says "the time of our freedom" and on the festival of Shavuot –

"the time of the giving of our Torah".

That is, that although all three pilgrimage festivals are "appointed times for joy",

it comes down on Pesach specifically in the matter of freedom

("the time of our freedom"),

and on Shavuot it comes down specifically in the matter of Torah

("the time of the giving of our Torah"),

unlike the festival of Sukkot, the main service consists of

(the "appointed times for joy" itself)

the matter of joy,

therefore one then says "the time of our joy".

And although there is an opinion⁴ that on all three pilgrimage festivals one should say "the time of our joy" –

this was not accepted,

to the extent that this opinion was not publicized and there are those who do not know of this entire concept.

In "the time of our joy" itself, the joy at night is specifically distinguished –

the Joy of the Water-Drawing,

and as the words of our Sages⁵ that "whoever has not seen the Joy of the Water-Drawing has never seen joy in his life".

That is, this is not merely a greater joy than other joys,

but it is incomparably higher,

to the extent that "whoever has not seen the Joy of the Water-Drawing has never seen joy in his life".

And as is known the explanation of this⁶,

that "whoever has not seen the Joy of the Water-Drawing" cannot absorb in a manner of seeing other joys in his life. And from this the opposite is also understood,

that specifically one who has seen the Joy of the Water-Drawing can absorb all other joys in his life

(the joys before this and after this),

to absorb them in a manner of seeing

("saw joy in his life"),

for seeing brings about the ultimate attachment in the joy. As is known the difference between seeing and hearing⁷:

Hearing also has an effect,

but it does not reach the effect that is brought about by seeing. One says that in order to absorb all the joys in his life in a manner of seeing,

in ultimate attachment,

one must first see the Joy of the Water-Drawing,

and without this one can indeed be joyous in other joys with feeling of the heart and in the aspect of hearing etc.,

but not in the manner of "saw joy",

in a manner of seeing.

It was spoken many times⁸,

that even after the destruction of the Holy Temple,

when the concept of "you shall draw water with joy from the springs of salvation"⁹ is no longer –

the concept of the Joy of the Water-Drawing also exists.

And all the more so from "let our lips compensate for bulls"¹⁰:

Although the bulls of sacrifices are indeed something external to man,

and furthermore, the sacrifices of bulls are the choicest of sacrifices,

in addition to that a bull is the king of animals¹¹ –

nevertheless a person can compensate for this

(even in the language of completeness¹²)

through "our lips" also after the destruction when there are no bulls.

So if "let our lips compensate for bulls",

something external to us etc. –

all the more so can a person compensate,

also after the destruction,

the matter of joy,

which is not a thing external to man

(like bulls),

but it is a matter of the feeling of his heart,

as it is understood that the essence of joy is not the bodily movements,

clapping hands and dancing with feet,

but the feeling of the heart,

which the Most High created in a manner that every person is master over his heart's feeling and he has the choice and power to be in joy.

With this a question arises:

Human nature is that specifically a new thing brings joy.

However, if a thing continues for a duration of time, there is not so much joy in it.

And so it is also according to Torah,

for this reason there is the law¹³ that during the seven days of feasting of a wedding celebration,

"joy in His abode"¹⁴,

one must have "new faces" in order to be able to make the blessings. That is:

Although throughout the seven days of feasting the joy is from the same groom and bride,

in continuation of the same wedding canopy,

and there is also wine there,

for wine "gladdens"¹⁵ –

nevertheless one must have "new faces" for this,

because specifically a new thing brings joy.

Therefore one must understand what is the new thing that comes into the Joy of the Water-Drawing relative to the preceding times that brings about joy,

to the extent that this is an incomparable joy and it is said that "whoever has not seen the Joy of the Water-Drawing has never seen joy in his life"?

That is:

The matter of joy exists indeed in all matters and in all creations in the world and in all times. For the very fact that a created existence came into being

(a speaker, a living being,

a growing thing and even a silent thing)

itself brings out a joy in the created being,

because through this the will of Hashem is fulfilled through it –

"I said and My will was done"¹⁶ –

the will to create that thing. And this is the explanation of "Yisrael will rejoice in its Maker"¹⁷,

that Yisrael rejoice with "its Maker",

with the Most High who created them and through this is fulfilled

(through the very coming into being of creations)

the will of Hashem¹⁸.

And this matter exists constantly in all times,

according to the teaching of the Baal Shem Tov¹⁹ that the coming into being of creations is in a constant manner,

consequently it turns out that in all times there is this joy in the creations from the aspect of their very coming into being by the Holy One, blessed be He, in a constant manner.

And particularly according to what is explained in Iggeret HaKodesh²⁰ that the coming into being of something from nothing is from "His essence and being of the Emanator, blessed be He, whose existence is from His own being and is not caused by any preceding cause, Heaven forbid" –

then it is understandable the greatness of the joy of the creation from this that its coming into being is from essence and being!

All the more so when in the creation there is not only the power that brings it into being from nothing,

but also a soul that gives it life,

for the life-force of the soul is a revelation of Divine power. As is known that every single creation has a soul,

even a silent thing has a silent soul

(as the Alter Rebbe explains²¹ in the name of the Ariza"l²²).

And this is indeed not a necessary thing –

the Most High could have created a creation without a soul²³.

From this it is understood that when He created a creation with a soul,

even a silent thing –

with a silent soul,

that is, that in the creation there is, in addition to the power of the essence that brings it into being, also a revelation of Divine power through the soul that gives it life –

an additional joy results from this:

In addition to the essential joy that the Most High created it,

also a joy from this that it has a soul and a revelation of this Divine power,

as is known that joy is specifically over a revealed thing²⁴.

And this is even regarding a silent thing from the aspect of the silent soul,

for the soul is also a greater revelation of Divinity than from the aspect of the very coming into being;

all the more so when it speaks of a growing thing that has a growing soul where there is even more revelation of the Divine power²⁵,

all the more so a living being that has a living soul,

where there is even more revelation of the Divine power,

all the more so a speaker²⁵,

and in the speaker itself –

all the more so a Jew,

"you are called man"²⁶ on the name of being similar to the One above²⁷,

and particularly that "You have chosen us from all the nations etc."²⁸,

where there is even more revelation of Divinity –

it certainly brings out even more joy.

That is, the more revelation of Divine power in the creation –

the more is added to the joy,

as above that joy is connected with revelation,

so the more revelation of Divinity –

the more joy.

And this joy mentioned above is all from the aspect of the very matter of coming into being and life-force of the soul,

and from the aspect of the very existence of a Jew that "You have chosen us etc.",

before the entire matter of man's service.

To this comes additional joy from the aspect of the matter of man's service in the fulfillment of the commandments,

for through the very command of the commandments

(even before their actual fulfillment)

there is "Who sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us",

through this holiness comes to Jews –

as explained in Chassidus²⁹ on "You shall be holy for I am holy"³⁰,

that "it could be like Me"³¹ with a tone of satisfaction,

and the reason for this is "for I am holy".

And since from the aspect of the command of the commandments holiness comes to Jews,

that is, more revelation of Divinity –

it is understood that this adds to the joy.

And particularly that commandments

(laws)

are in the aspect of the Supreme Will

(Keter,

the crown of Torah³²)

as it stands in revelation,

as explained in Iggeret HaKodesh³³. And so it comes out in the actual fulfillment of the commandment –

that then it stands in revelation in this world.

And from this it is understood,

that since commandments are connected with revelation,

and not just any revelation but the aspect of the Supreme Will as it stands in revelation –

it adds to the joy

(which is specifically over revelation).

All the more so after one fulfills commandments in practice,

for through this there is even more togetherness and connection

(in revelation)

of the Jew with the Most High³⁴ –

it adds even more joy,

from the aspect that with this one causes "satisfaction before Me that I said and My will was done"¹⁶,

for the will in the fulfillment of commandments is higher than the will for mere coming into being

(which also the fulfillment of the will for coming into being causes joy,

as above,

all the more so the fulfillment of the will for commandments).

And this is so regarding all commandments equally. And particularly regarding a general commandment like the commandment of tefillin,

for "the entire Torah is equated³⁵

(here it means –

commandments,

as understood from the continuation of the Gemara³⁶)

to tefillin".

All the more so regarding a commandment whose content –

from the aspect above and consequently also from the aspect below –

is the matter of joy,

as in our case –

the matter of "appointed times for joy",

and in this itself –

"the time of our joy",

and in this itself –

the Joy of the Water-Drawing,

of which "whoever has not seen the Joy of the Water-Drawing has never seen joy in his life" –

in this there is an additional joy,

beyond all these levels in the aforementioned joy.

But according to the above,

that in all creations

(even in a silent thing)

and in all times there is the matter of joy,

with all the levels in this –

explanation is needed: what is the novelty that comes into the Joy of the Water-Drawing relative to other things and times that makes it evoke the greatest joy,

to the extent that it is said "whoever has not seen the Joy of the Water-Drawing has never seen joy in his life",

that all these levels of joy before and after

(including all the levels in the aforementioned joy,

from the aspect of the very coming into being,

and from the aspect of the life-force of the soul,

and from the aspect of commandments etc.)

are completely incomparable to the Joy of the Water-Drawing?!

And one can say the explanation of this in a possible way –

according to the teaching of the Baal Shem Tov¹⁹,

the ushpizin of this night of Sukkot*³⁶,

as it is brought and explained in the manner of "they will be sustained from Me"³⁷ through the Alter Rebbe in the teachings of Chabad Chassidus –

that the coming into being of the world is every single moment anew from absolute nothing and naught.

And based on this it is understood,

that when one contemplates this until the manner of Chabad,

that they will be sustained from Me,

through which he becomes unified with the intellectual thing,

in the manner of "blood and flesh as his flesh"³⁸,

and even more –

a "wondrous unity that there is no unity like it nor comparable to it at all"³⁸,

which is even more than "blood and flesh as his flesh",

because one cannot say that the heel of the foot becomes one thing with the innermost life-force in the brain and heart,

unlike regarding a matter of intellect, one says indeed that "the intellect, the perceived, and the perceiver" become one thing³⁹,

there becomes between them a "unity",

and in the "unity" itself –

"wondrous unity" –

So when one contemplates the teaching of the Baal Shem Tov in a manner that one becomes with it one thing in a "wondrous unity etc.",

one understands that when the Joy of the Water-Drawing comes, then all matters are brought into being anew from absolute nothing and naught –

there is no greater "new faces" than that the entire world and the entire person are brought into being anew at this moment from absolute nothing and naught,

because all these matters in the moment before are now non-existent

(for everything was only just brought into being anew exactly as the first time),

consequently it brings out the greatest joy!

Particularly taking into consideration that the new coming into being comes from essence and being itself which "is not caused by any preceding cause, Heaven forbid",

and the coming into being of physical existence is analogous to the true existence

(as the Mitteler Rebbe explains in Biurei HaZohar⁴⁰,

as spoken many times),

And particularly that the coming into being anew is together with a soul that gives life,

from which aspect Divinity stands revealed in the creation,

all the more so in a growing thing, living being, and speaker,

until in a Jew –

for the more revelation of Divinity there is in the coming into being of the creation anew,

the more is added to the joy of the creation.

And the more Divinity within him comes out in revelation –

the more is added to the joy. As the order is every day,

also on Sukkot:

In the morning he says "I give thanks before You etc. for You have returned my soul to me",

afterwards comes more revelation of the soul when he says "Who did not make me a gentile",

and "Who did not make me a slave",

until he is a man on the name of being similar to the One above,

a Jew,

until he comes to the silent prayer

(when he must stand like a servant before his Master⁴¹)

where he says "You have chosen us from all the nations",

which is even more revelation of Divinity.

All the more so when he also has the fulfillment of commandments,

and in the commandments themselves –

a commandment connected with joy,

appointed times for joy,

and in this itself –

the time of our joy,

and in this itself –

the Joy of the Water-Drawing,

of which "whoever has not seen the Joy of the Water-Drawing has never seen joy in his life".

It turns out,

that standing at the Joy of the Water-Drawing he contemplates in a manner that he becomes unified in a wondrous unity with the contemplation that he was just brought into being anew from absolute nothing and naught and was brought into being in a manner that he is an "I" that now stands at the Joy of the Water-Drawing –

this is the greatest "new faces" that evokes in him the greatest joy,

to such a great joy about which it is said that "whoever has not seen the Joy of the Water-Drawing has never seen joy in his life".

And a double joy both for Jews and for the Most High –

as the Alter Rebbe explains in Likkutei Torah⁴² that "the time of our joy"

(plural language)

means a double joy: "Hashem will rejoice in His works"⁴³ together with "Yisrael will rejoice in its Maker"¹⁷.

That is, that through the contemplation in the teaching of the Baal Shem Tov –

the ushpizin of this night –

until in a manner that one becomes unified with it in a "wondrous unity etc.",

through which one also becomes unified with the master of the Torah,

the Baal Shem Tov,

as is known that the righteous are similar to their Creator⁴⁴,

and just as the Most High says "I gave My soul in writing"⁴⁵,

so too the righteous give themselves into their Torah –

through this the greatest joy comes out in the Joy of the Water-Drawing.

The above is regarding all seven days of the Simchas Beis HaShoevah,

then, from the contemplation that creation is renewed every moment, there emerges in him the greatest joy;

In addition, there is in this an elevation of joy from the aspect of "new faces" on the first night of Simchas Beis HaShoevah, also from the aspect of its clothing in the order of time

[And as discussed many times,

that in the time of exile, "our ruin is our remedy" *⁴⁵,

and they begin to celebrate Simchas Beis HaShoevah on the first night,

unlike in the time of the Temple, when they began to celebrate it on Motzaei HaChag]:

The first night of Simchas Beis HaShoevah is the new opening and beginning of Simchas Beis HaShoevah. And it is known the advantage of an opening in a matter,

that it has within it the advantage of a new thing, and one must thereby break through a new path and a paved way ⁴⁶.

Accordingly, it follows,

that in addition to having the aspect of "new faces"

(which brings joy)

from the aspect of creation anew every moment

(which exists throughout the seven days),

on the first night of Simchas Beis HaShoevah one has the advantage of "new faces" also from the aspect of its descent into the order of time,

that being the first night, it opens a new path in the matter of Simchas Beis HaShoevah in this year,

consequently, it brings out a matter of joy, being a new thing.

And especially since the matter and power for a new opening is particularly connected with the matter of joy –

as is known, joy breaks the fence ⁴⁷,

also the fences of holiness. And the main point and beginning of the matter of breaking the fence is at the time of the opening and beginning of a matter,

when one must break the fence and break through the new path.

The above are the common and general matters in Simchas Beis HaShoevah. In addition, there are specific matters in Simchas Beis HaShoevah.

First and foremost, there are the Ushpizin that come each and every night –

the Ushpizin that are in the Zohar ⁴⁸:

Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov, Moshe, Aharon, Yosef ⁴⁹

[or as it sometimes states ⁵⁰ –

Yosef, Moshe and Aharon (according to the order of the generations)]

and David. And also the Chassidic Ushpizin which my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, revealed and publicized and commanded to print ⁵¹:

the Baal Shem Tov,

the Maggid,

the Alter Rebbe,

the Mitteler Rebbe,

the Tzemach Tzedek,

the Rebbe Maharash and the Rebbe

(the Rebbe Rashab) of blessed memory

(as discussed in previous years and the common point among them was printed).

And this

(the Chassidic Ushpizin)

is also, in general, a matter of innovation that was revealed in our generation by the Nasi of our generation,

consequently, it is connected with a special joy

(as above, that joy is specifically over a new thing).

Even though he related it in the name of the one who said it,

in the name of his father,

the Rebbe of blessed memory,

nevertheless, the Nasi of our generation revealed it, and through him it was subsequently publicized,

and it goes and spreads more and more, "with a multitude of people is the King's glory" ⁵²,

which also teaches that one must publicize it even more,

because the explanation of "with a multitude of people is the King's glory" is,

that even though there is already a multitude of Israel, one must endeavor to bring even one more,

for this is a matter that pertains not only to that individual but also to "the King's glory" of the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He.

The first night and day of Sukkos, the Ushpizin are –

Avraham Avinu and the Baal Shem Tov.

In addition, there are also changes in Simchas Beis HaShoevah from year to year.

And in order to know the changes –

one must first look into the Torah,

for "He looked into the Torah and created the world" ⁵³,

and especially according to the explanation of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, the Nasi of our generation ⁵⁴ on "Oraisa"

(as the Torah is called in the language of the Zohar)

that it is the letters "Ohr Yisa",

meaning that it brings in light and brightness and clarity in all matters of the Jewish people

[and conversely –

the Jewish people add light in the Torah,

which is the matter of the blessing of the Torah,

with several proofs in the matter,

as explained in many places].

And in order to know the changes from one time relative to another time, one must look into the Torah connected with that time,

first and foremost –

into the Written Torah,

as is known the teaching of the Alter Rebbe ⁵⁵ that one must live with the time,

and as the Mitteler Rebbe explained it –

with the weekly portion that is studied at that time,

and in the weekly portion itself –

with the measure and portion in the Chumash that pertains specifically to that day.

In addition, recently the custom was added to study a daily portion in the Rambam,

as this custom was accepted and is spreading.

And this

(the daily portion in the Rambam)

is also a matter of innovation –

which opens a special joy

(as above).

That is, in addition to the fact that the general matter of Torah is a matter of joy,

as it is written ⁵⁶ "the precepts of Hashem are upright, rejoicing the heart",

as explained in Shulchan Aruch ⁵⁷ that this refers to the study of Torah –

there is additional joy when in the Torah itself it is connected with a new thing in Torah.

And the order in this should be,

as the Rambam writes in his introduction,

"A person reads the Written Torah first and afterwards reads this." And in our matter –

first one must extract the lesson from the daily portion in the Chumash of the Written Torah,

and afterwards from the daily portion in the Rambam,

which also has the advantage of "halachos halachos" which opens up in the world,

as it is written ⁵⁸ "the ways of the world are His",

do not read 'ways' but 'halachos'" ⁵⁹.

And these two daily portions in Torah should illuminate and give forth the content of tonight's Simchas Beis HaShoevah,

and they should also be connected with today's Ushpizin.

Today's portion in the Written Torah is Parshas Vezos HaBerachah. And its explanation:

that we have the matter of blessing and drawing down in a manner of "Vezos",

in a revealed manner,

"showing with his finger and saying 'this'"

(or in the feminine language –

"Zos") ⁶⁰,

which revelation gives in the joy

(as above).

And in Parshas Vezos HaBerachah itself, the daily portion of Chumash for the first day of Sukkos

(the 15th of Tishrei),

starting from tonight –

from the second to the third,

where it speaks about Moshe's blessing to two tribes:

At the beginning of the portion –

"And of Levi he said... they shall teach Your judgments to Yaakov and Your Torah to Yisrael." And at the end of the portion –

"Of Binyamin he said, the beloved of Hashem shall dwell securely beside Him; He hovers over him all day..."

And although this speaks only about specific tribes,

nevertheless, since it is written in the Torah,

from the word "hora'ah" (teaching) ⁶¹,

it is understood that there is a lesson from this for all Jews

(from all tribes).

And especially since we are now in the festival of Sukkos

("our festival" ⁶²)

when all matters that were on Rosh Hashanah "in concealment" ⁶² are revealed,

including also the matter that on Rosh Hashanah all Jews from all tribes stood together "you are standing today, all of you..." ⁶³. Consequently, it is understood that now it is emphasized how the matters of each individual tribe in particular,

in our matter –

Levi and Binyamin,

are connected with all Jews.

In the tribe of Levi itself, there are many matters,

up to infinite matters

(and all the more so from this, that in all of Israel there are infinite matters,

certainly in the tribes –

the aspect of the lower chariot *⁶³].

But on this day, when one must live with today's daily portion of Chumash,

the "gate" through which all matters ascend on this day ⁶⁴ –

is the matter of the tribe of Levi,

as expressed in the verses of the portion of tonight.

And this is:

"They shall teach Your judgments to Yaakov and Your Torah to Yisrael" ⁶⁵.

That is, Moshe's blessing to Levi is,

that they give forth

(instructions)

and teach Torah to all Jews.

And this was the specific matter of today's Ushpizin –

the Baal Shem Tov and Avraham Avinu:

The Baal Shem Tov was the founder of the general Chassidic teachings ⁶⁶. And the manner in which he revealed it was by going out to Jews in every place and to all types of Jews and speaking with them until calling out that they should say "Blessed is the Supreme One" and the like ⁶⁷.

That is, simply –

the matter of "they shall teach Your judgments to Yaakov and Your Torah to Yisrael",

teaching Torah to the Jewish people.

And this is also connected with the fact that the name of the Baal Shem Tov was "Yisrael" –

the general name of all Jews ⁶⁸,

even one who was previously in a state of the opposite is also "Yisrael is he" ⁶⁹,

which is connected with what my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, writes in his well-known letter in connection with his redemption on Yud-Beis Tammuz ⁷⁰,

that "not only me did the Holy One, blessed be He, redeem on Yud-Beis Tammuz,

but also all lovers of our holy Torah,

observers of mitzvos,

and also those who are called by the name Yisrael" ⁷¹,

that is, all Jews in his generation,

also one who "is called by the name Yisrael" are called "Yisrael" and were redeemed together in that redemption,

and this is drawn down through his students and the students of his students until the end of all generations, that by his light we shall go in his ways forever and ever ⁷².

And the matter that the name of the Baal Shem Tov was "Yisrael",

the general name of all Jews –

is connected with the fact that his purpose was to teach Torah to all Jews,

"they shall teach Your judgments to Yaakov and Your Torah to Yisrael".

Similarly regarding Avraham:

Avraham had many and various virtues. But the greatest virtue with which the Supreme One in the Torah praises Avraham Avinu is –

"For I have known him, so that he will command his children and his household after him, and they will keep the way of Hashem to do righteousness and justice" ⁷³. And since this is his main virtue,

therefore, regarding this the Supreme One says "For I have known him". And especially according to the explanation ⁷⁴ that "I have known him" is an expression of endearment,

and as explained at length in Chassidus ⁷⁵.

That is, that the love of the Holy One, blessed be He, for Avraham is "so that he will command his children and his household after him, and they will keep the way of Hashem to do righteousness and justice" –

the matter of "they shall teach Your judgments to Yaakov and Your Torah to Yisrael".

Accordingly, it is understood the connection of today's Ushpizin with the daily portion of Chumash –

the blessing to Levi

("And of Levi he said")

"they shall teach Your judgments to Yaakov and Your Torah to Yisrael". And this is also hinted at in "And of Levi he said",

that it causes that "Levi" should be "said" and give forth instructions and Torah to Yisrael.

And afterwards, one comes to the end of the daily portion in the Chumash –

"Of Binyamin he said...":

Also in the tribe of Binyamin, there are many matters up to infinite matters.

But the "gate" through which all matters ascend on this day –

is the matter of Binyamin as expressed in the verses of the daily portion of Chumash of tonight. And this is:

"The beloved of Hashem shall dwell securely beside Him; He hovers over him all day, and He dwells between his shoulders."

Rashi explains

[whose matter is the simple meaning of the verse, and together with this, Rashi in itself includes "the wine of Torah" (as per the words of our Nesi'im ⁷⁶),

and wine is connected with joy –

wine "rejoices" (as above),

we do not recite song except over wine ⁷⁷)],

that in the blessing to Binyamin, it speaks about the Beis HaMikdash that was built in the portion of Binyamin in Yerushalayim. And this is "He hovers over him all day" ⁷⁸ –

"forever" in an eternal manner,

because "once Yerushalayim was chosen, the Divine Presence never rested in another place."

As it states in the Mechilta ⁷⁹ "Before Eretz Yisrael was chosen, all lands were fit, etc.; once Eretz Yisrael was chosen, all lands were excluded,

before Yerushalayim was chosen, all of Eretz Yisrael was fit for altars; once Yerushalayim was chosen, Eretz Yisrael was excluded, etc.,

before the Eternal House was chosen, Yerushalayim was fit for the Divine Presence; once the Eternal House was chosen, Yerushalayim was excluded."

The connection with the beginning of the daily portion of Chumash and with today's Ushpizin:

The matter of "they shall teach Your judgments to Yaakov and Your Torah to Yisrael" by the Baal Shem Tov and by Avraham Avinu,

that is, the instructions and teachings of the Baal Shem Tov and of Avraham Avinu,

which are instructions according to the Supreme Will –

are in a manner of "He hovers over him all day",

they are eternal until the end of all generations.

And in a manner of "He hovers over him all day",

that it becomes clothed in time and place. And this is the function of the Beis HaMikdash

(which was in the portion of Binyamin) –

the resting of the Divine Presence and the clothing of Divinity in time and place,

and as it is in time and place, it is an eternal matter,

"forever",

because "once Yerushalayim was chosen, the Divine Presence never rested in another place." And according to the ruling of the Rambam ⁸⁰ "they offer sacrifices (and)

even though there is no Temple",

and therefore one may offer sacrifices there literally

(not only "let our lips substitute for bulls").

Similarly regarding "they shall teach Your judgments to Yaakov and Your Torah to Yisrael",

the instructions and teachings of the Baal Shem Tov and Avraham Avinu –

descend into time and place,

"all day",

and there itself they are in an eternal manner until the end of all generations.

The daily portion of Rambam for the first day of Sukkos, starting from tonight, is in the Laws of the Paschal Offering ⁸¹.

In this portion, the Rambam writes ⁸²:

"Eating the meat of the Paschal offering on the night of the fifteenth is a positive commandment, as it is stated ⁸³ 'and they shall eat the meat on this night, roasted over fire, etc.'"

The early authorities raise a question on this, and at length in the later authorities ⁸⁴,

that specifically regarding the Paschal offering, the Rambam also counts the eating of the offering as a separate commandment,

in addition to the commandment of slaughtering and offering the sacrifice,

unlike regarding other sacrifices, where he counts only the commandment of offering and does not count the eating of the sacrifice as a separate commandment, even though there too there is eating and one recites a blessing "on the eating of the sacrifice" ⁸⁵,

because the eating is a detail of the offering

(and is not counted as a separate commandment).

As explained with several explanations in the commentaries. One of the explanations in this is:

The Paschal offering is distinguished from other sacrifices in that "it did not come from its inception except for eating" ⁸⁶. From this it is understood that regarding the Paschal offering, eating is a great essential,

to the extent that the entire offering came only for eating. Therefore, the Rambam counts it as a separate commandment.

In contrast, regarding other sacrifices, there is indeed also eating,

but it is not an essential

(as in the Paschal offering)

rather it comes as a detail in the totality of the offering of the sacrifice,

therefore it is not counted as a separate commandment.

The explanation in this –

in the content of the matters:

The Paschal offering comes as a remembrance of the Exodus from Egypt. And the Egyptian exile was, simply, a physical exile –

"and they will enslave them and oppress them" ⁸⁷,

"hard labor",

"with mortar and bricks" ⁸⁸.

In the Oral Torah, and especially in Kabbalah and Chassidus, it is explained how this was a spiritual exile –

an exile in the forty-nine gates of impurity ⁸⁹:

But simply, in the verses of the Written Torah, it states that this was a physical exile,

"and they will enslave them and oppress them",

"hard labor", etc.

Therefore, the redemption from this exile is also connected with physicality –

"and they will enslave them and oppress them... and afterwards they will go out with great wealth" ⁹⁰,

which means simply

(first and foremost)

in physicality,

the silver vessels and gold vessels of the Egyptians.

Until then, "and afterward they will go out with great wealth" is a condition, and on this condition the entire exile was based –

As it says in the Gemara⁹¹: "The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: 'Please, go and say to Israel: Please, ask from the Egyptians vessels of silver and vessels of gold, so that that righteous one

(Abraham)

should not say, "They will enslave them and oppress them" I fulfilled in them,

but "and afterward they will go out with great wealth" I did not fulfill in them.'" And this is so essential,

that even though Israel argues, "If only we could go out by ourselves... they brought me out today and I ask for nothing,"

and one forgoes this wealth,

so that Israel should be taken out of exile more quickly,

the Omnipresent cannot fulfill their request, because the "and afterward they will go out with great wealth" must be fulfilled,

"so that that righteous one should not say, 'They will enslave them and oppress them' I fulfilled in them,

but 'and afterward they will go out with great wealth' I did not fulfill in them."

From this it is understood,

that "they will enslave them and oppress them" must come together with "and afterward they will go out with great wealth",

meaning that the "they will go out with great wealth" is a necessity and condition in the Exodus from Egypt⁹².

It follows that the Exodus from Egypt was specifically a physical redemption –

so that there should be "they will go out with great wealth",

and the entire exile was on this condition. And "great wealth" simply means

(first and foremost)

the vessels of silver and vessels of gold etc. of the Egyptians,

meaning specifically physical and material things that belong to the Egyptians,

and they must give them to Israel willingly,

not against their will,

because there must be a transformation,

so that the physical and material things of the Egyptians and all those holy sparks should be transformed and transferred to Israel.

And since the Paschal offering is as a remembrance of the Exodus from Egypt –

therefore "it came initially only for eating" physically,

corresponding to the fact that it commemorates the Exodus from Egypt, which was a physical redemption. And therefore the Rambam counts eating the Paschal offering as a separate commandment

(unlike with other offerings) –

because this is an essential matter specifically in the Paschal offering, that "it came initially only for eating" because of this, that the Exodus from Egypt was a physical redemption.

And in physicality itself,

just as the physical redemption from Egypt was in a manner of "and the children of Israel went out with an upraised arm"⁹³,

so too the eating of the Paschal offering itself must be eating roasted⁹⁴,

which indicates a significant eating,

"for anointing –

for greatness, in the way that kings eat"⁹⁵,

and in this itself there are the details of the laws

(as the Rambam continues in this lesson⁹⁶)

that "one may not roast the Paschal offering on a stone vessel or a metal vessel etc.",

and one may not pour a libation of water upon it⁹⁷,

so that it should be a significant eating etc. –

and all this is because the Paschal offering is in remembrance of the Exodus from Egypt, which was a physical redemption and in a manner of expansiveness in physicality

("they went out with an upraised arm").

This matter is also connected with the present ushpizin:

The Baal Shem Tov wanted that all the most elevated matters should be drawn down to Israel in physicality. And it is known the stories of the Baal Shem Tov, that he would travel around and occupy himself with simple people⁹⁸ –

in addition to the fact that they are in the category of body

(physicality)

relative to the heads and great ones of Israel,

with them themselves he would speak first and foremost about their physical matters

(and only afterwards about spiritual matters)⁹⁹.

Similarly, regarding Abraham we find that the Torah praises him for the fact that he was a host,

which first and foremost simply consisted of providing guests with physical food and drink. And this is so emphasized with him, hospitality through physicality,

that it caused that even with the angels who came to him,

whom he thought were Arabs,

that with them there should be "and they ate"¹⁰⁰

(even though an angel, by its nature, does not need to eat)

because of "when you come to a city, follow its customs"¹⁰¹.

And it is known that Abraham is the man of kindness,

corresponding to the sefirah of kindness¹⁰²

[which is why Abraham is the first ushpiz,

because kindness is the first of the seven attributes,

corresponding to which are the seven days of Sukkot¹⁰³,

in addition to the fact that kindness goes with all the days¹⁰⁴].

Therefore his service consisted of hospitality –

the flow of kindness. And first and foremost –

physical kindness,

physical food and drink,

as above.

One sees from this the connection of this lesson of the Rambam, where the matter is emphasized that Israel should have physicality in eating the Paschal offering, with the matter of the Baal Shem Tov and Abraham –

the ushpizin of the first day of Sukkot.

The emphasis on physicality is also connected with the Simchat Beit HaShoevah:

All our deeds and service,

including the joy of Simchat Beit HaShoevah,

is a preparation for "and the glory of Hashem shall be revealed, and all flesh together shall see"¹⁰⁵ in the future redemption,

the revelation of Divinity in this physical world¹⁰⁶,

and "there was already something similar to this at the time of the giving of the Torah"¹⁰⁷,

but the ultimate perfection of this will be in the future.

And since our deeds and service in this time are a preparation for this,

therefore our deeds and service must be in the physicality of the world¹⁰⁸.

And so it is also regarding Simchat Beit HaShoevah,

which is a part of our deeds and service,

that it must be a physical joy that descends into the body and physicality of the person, even into the physicality of the world.

In practice this means –

that one should celebrate Simchat Beit HaShoevah of this night with the greatest joy,

corresponding to the fact that "whoever has not seen the Simchat Beit HaShoevah has never seen joy in his life",

and especially since this is the first night –

a new beginning –

of Simchat Beit HaShoevah of this year,

in which every year a "new, higher light descends that has never shone from the days of the world, such a high light"¹⁰⁹,

meaning with a greater joy than the Simchat Beit HaShoevah of previous years,

and relative to all previous years together,

And a joy that is not only in spirituality

(in the feeling of the heart)

because of "and we will render [the prayer of] our lips instead of bulls"

(as above section 2),

but primarily that the joy should descend into the body and physicality of the person. And simply –

that one should clap with hands and dance with feet and sing with lips,

"and they would dance and clap and slap etc."¹¹⁰, until

(that he is not only playing music with his lips, but)

as it was with King David –

"the king¹¹¹ David leaping and dancing

(with all his might¹¹²)

before Hashem",

as the Rambam concludes the laws of Lulav, following what he writes about Simchat Beit HaShoevah,

And even more –

that one should extend the joy also into the street,

into the public domain,

which is a public domain according to Torah law,

and to such an extent that one should make the street itself dance,

the physicality and materiality of the world,

until all those around,

also the nations of the world,

see this with physical eyes,

and this affects them,

meaning that "in the midst of the earth"¹¹³

(the lowest, beneath which there is no lower)

becomes "He works salvation in the midst of the earth"¹¹⁴ because of the joy of Simchat Beit HaShoevah,

"and all the peoples of the earth shall see that the name of Hashem is called upon you, and they shall fear you"¹¹⁵,

until they participate in the joy.

And in this joy all Israel should participate,

men, women, and children

(but of course –

men separately and women separately),

as it was at the Simchat Beit HaShoevah in the Holy Temple, that all Israel participated in it¹¹⁶. And similarly, as it was at the Exodus from Egypt¹¹⁷ and with the Paschal offering

(as above, the lesson from this regarding Simchat Beit HaShoevah) –

that all Israel ate it¹¹⁸,

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

And the more one adds in Simchat Beit HaShoevah,

within all our deeds and service,

the more one hastens –

"I will hasten it" in the "I will hasten it"¹¹⁹ –

the true and complete redemption,

And even before that –

one brings about, through the addition in Simchat Beit HaShoevah,

that there should be "he saw joy in his life",

that he should receive, in a manner of seeing, joys all his days.

And simply this means

(as above) –

that one should celebrate Simchat Beit HaShoevah simply in physicality,

by clapping with hands and dancing with feet and singing with lips,

until as it was with King David –

"and the king David leaping and dancing before Hashem",

Through this one will merit to see how David, the King Messiah, is "leaping and dancing before Hashem" in the true and complete redemption,

speedily, in our very own days.