English translation — שיחת ליל א' דחג הסוכות ה'תשמ"ו

– To the guests, may they live,

during their visit to the sukkah –

First of all, it is customary to say "Gut Yom Tov",

and three times constitutes a chazakah¹,

and "be'rov am hadrat melech"². But let it not be in a manner that I will speak and you will be silent,

rather you should speak and I will hear!

And His Holiness the Rebbe shlita hinted with his holy hand that they should say "Gut Yom Tov"

(three times).

B. Last year³ we spoke the word of the Alter Rebbe (brought in the letter of His Holiness my father-in-law the Rebbe which is already printed⁴), that when Jews gather together, it causes the One Above a great joy.

And this is so regarding every gathering at all times;

all the more so when Jews gather together on Yom Tov,

"Mo'adim le'simchah"⁵,

when there is also joy among Jews below –

it causes an even greater joy

(also)

above, as it were. And especially in "Mo'adim le'simchah" itself –

in "Zeman Simchateinu"⁵,

and in that itself –

on the night of Sukkot,

when we celebrate Simchat Beit HaShoevah,

which is the greatest joy, to the extent that "Whoever has not seen Simchat Beit HaShoevah has never seen joy in his life"⁶

(as was discussed earlier in the shul,

in the Beit HaKnesset and Beit HaMidrash),

when an even greater joy comes to Jews –

it increases even more the joy above, beyond that which comes from Jews gathering together at that time and standing in great joy.

And by way of example, as this is in the nature of a person below,

that after he stands in joy and hears another good and joyous tidings,

it causes him additional joy

(relative to the joy he had before the addition),

to the extent that sometimes the additional joy can be greater than the first joy.

So too is it understood regarding our matter –

that through each addition mentioned above in joy,

there comes additional joy relative to the preceding joy, etc.:

In "Mo'adim le'simchah" there is additional joy compared to other days

(when Jews gather together),

and in that itself –

there is additional joy in "Zeman Simchateinu",

and additional joy in Simchat Beit HaShoevah.

And according to the principle that "I do not ask... except according to their power"⁷,

it is understood that even before this time, a Jew is given

(or will be given)

the powers and ability to stand in joy,

and to add to the joy in all the aforementioned levels.

And the more that is added to the joy of Jews below –

the more is added to the joy of the Holy One, blessed be He, above. And this is the explanation of "Zeman Simchateinu" in the plural⁸,

that it includes "Yismach Hashem be'ma'asav"⁹

(the joy of the Holy One, blessed be He, in Israel)

and "Yismach Yisrael be'Osav"¹⁰

(the joy of Israel in the Holy One, blessed be He),

and when there is an addition to "Yismach Yisrael be'Osav",

there is also an addition to "Yismach Hashem be'ma'asav".

C. In addition to the above, there is additional joy (in Simchat Beit HaShoevah itself) also below (and through this – also above) when one rejoices together with other Jews and a multitude of Jews, and especially – Jews from different places.

As we see in human nature, that the joy a person has when he is by himself is not comparable to the joy he has when he rejoices with other Jews¹¹.

All the more so when he rejoices with Jews who come from distant places,

to the extent of those whom he may never have seen¹².

And this is the innovation in the matter of joy that comes when guests gather in one place –

as this is regarding the current situation and circumstance:

When each person is in his home in his place,

he can indeed invite guests –

but for the most part they are nearby

(relatives and the like),

and furthermore, he cannot invite very many guests;

However, in the current situation and circumstance, there are many guests who have traveled from their places,

including also those who have come from very distant countries across the seas,

to the extent of even those who have never seen one another,

or have not seen each other for a length of time.

– And although from the aspect of the souls they are "all compatible and one father to all of them, etc."¹³,

nevertheless, from the aspect of the bodies they are located

(for various reasons)

in different distant places –

And they have come here and all stand together and celebrate Simchat Beit HaShoevah together –

this brings about a very great joy,

a joy from the fact that they meet and rejoice together with many other Jews,

including those who come from very distant places whom one has never or rarely seen.

For although these Jews, from the aspect of their bodies, are indeed scattered throughout the entire world and are distant from one another –

nevertheless, in truth, they are not at all distant from one another, because they all belong to the same Father in Heaven; therefore, in truth, they are always together,

only for reasons, the One Above scattered their bodies in places distant from each other.

So when these Jews,

who are essentially always close to one another,

meet together also from the aspect of their bodies and celebrate together Yom Tov and Simchat Beit HaShoevah –

then, although for the guests there was "tilulei gavra"¹⁴ and they are, as it were, wandering –

on the contrary:

specifically through this, a more elevated joy comes about,

a joy and closeness that comes after the distance.

And from this it is understood,

that in addition to all the aforementioned joys

(from the very gathering itself,

and from the fact that it is "Mo'adim le'simchah",

"Zeman Simchateinu" and Simchat Beit HaShoevah)

there is additional joy in this from the fact that this is a joy of "be'rov am hadrat melech" in a manner of Achdut Yisrael,

of a multitude of Jews

(guests)

who come from different, even very distant, places,

and among them –

those whom one has never seen or has not seen for a length of time.

And through the fact that there is an extra joy among the guests from Achdut Yisrael, there also comes an addition of joy to the host,

to the extent that through this there comes an addition of joy to the One Above, as He sees how Jews from different places stand together in unity and great joy.

And simply –

that we celebrate Simchat Beit HaShoevah with the greatest joy,

beginning with dancing in the sukkah,

and then continuing it into the street,

with dancing with the feet and clapping with the hands and singing melodies with the lips,

as discussed above in the shul.

To the extent that we draw the joy of the seven days of Simchat Beit HaShoevah upon the entire year,

as is known, that from the joy of the festival of Sukkot we take joy for the entire year¹⁵,

and in this year, which is a leap year,

a complete year¹⁶ –

we take joy for an additional month,

and the month of Adar,

whose significance is "which was turned for them from sorrow to joy"

(as it is stated in the Megillah¹⁷).

D. According to the teaching of the Baal Shem Tov¹⁸ that from every thing one must derive a lesson in the service of Hashem – we must also derive a lesson from the fact that the current gathering of guests is on the first night of Simchat Beit HaShoevah, with the matters connected to this night.

Beginning with the matter that during all seven days of Sukkot

(and Simchat Beit HaShoevah)

the Ushpizin come into the sukkah

(guests),

as enumerated in the Zohar¹⁹ –

Avraham,

Yitzchak,

Yaakov, Moshe,

Aharon,

Yosef and David,

and the Chassidic Ushpizin

(as His Holiness my father-in-law the Rebbe revealed²⁰) –

the Baal Shem Tov,

the Maggid,

the Alter Rebbe,

the Mitteler Rebbe,

the Tzemach Tzedek,

the Rebbe Maharash, the Rebbe

(the Rashab) n"a,

and on Shemini Atzeret²¹ –

His Holiness my father-in-law the Rebbe, the Nasi of our generation.

As explained in the Zohar¹⁹,

that during all seven days, all these seven Ushpizin come into the sukkah,

all our forefathers and all our Nesi'im,

and they all draw down their influences to those who are in the sukkah. But on each night and day, one of them comes specifically and bestows his special influences, "and with him"²² come the other Ushpizin.

And this is so in every sukkah.

All the more so in a sukkah where the matter of Hachnasat Orchim is fulfilled literally,

and there are guests there,

and a multitude of guests from different places

(as above) –

this creates an even greater vessel to receive the Ushpizin

(guests)

from the world of truth and their influences²³,

so that they will add even more in bestowing their influences.

And through the fact that they see that there is an increase in Hachnasat Orchim among Jews and in unity and joy among Jews,

from the fact that Jews from distant places

(among them also those who have never seen each other)

meet and celebrate Simchat Beit HaShoevah together –

this also causes an addition in the Ushpizin,

and consequently, it also effects an addition in their influence below.

E. This matter is particularly emphasized in the Ushpizin of the first night (and day) of Sukkot – Avraham Avinu and the Baal Shem Tov:

It is known the stories about the Baal Shem Tov,

that he went as a guest to every place where Jews were found,

in order to gladden Jews there and to influence them. And through this, an addition came to him himself –

that through this he was later revealed and became a Nasi in Israel,

which has an influence until the end of all generations.

So too regarding Avraham Avinu, it is explicit in the Torah that he was a host,

and he himself served the guests and endeavored that they should have all good and that they should stand in joy. And through this, an addition came to him himself:

When he saw that the guests were in joy,

this caused him an addition of joy.

F. And the Ushpizin also have a connection to the study of Rambam of the first day of Simchat Beit HaShoevah (in the Laws of the Paschal Lamb²⁴) – as discussed earlier in the shul, and presumably you have heard it, we will not repeat it now, except to add an additional point in the connection of (the laws of) the Paschal Lamb with Avraham Avinu (today's Ushpiz) and in the aforementioned matter – the influence on other Jews:

The law in the Laws of the Paschal Lamb is that the Paschal Lamb can only be made by a Jew who has entered the covenant of Avraham Avinu²⁵;

circumcision is a prerequisite for making a Paschal Lamb.

[And from this we indeed derive regarding all sacrifices²⁶ –

but the source for this is from the Paschal Lamb].

And not only his own circumcision is a prerequisite for making the Paschal Lamb –

rather, "Just as his own circumcision prevents him from making the Paschal Lamb, so too the circumcision of his minor sons and the circumcision of all his slaves, whether adult or minor, prevents him"²⁷.

And from this we see that the matter of Ahavat Yisrael and Achdut Yisrael and the influence on one's fellow

(the matter of Avraham Avinu –

the host²⁸)

is so relevant that one must also circumcise the slaves and bring them into the covenant of Avraham Avinu,

and if not, this prevents him himself from making the Paschal Lamb!

G. And this is also particularly connected to the matter of the sukkah – where we are now and where the Ushpizin come –

For in a sukkah, all Jews stand together in unity. And therefore, we can then make Birkat HaMazon together and say "Nevarech Elokeinu etc.",

because we stand in unity as one congregation.

And this is even more emphasized in a sukkah where the mitzvah of Hachnasat Orchim is fulfilled,

and especially –

guests from different places,

which brings out even more the unity among Jews,

as above.

And all this becomes a preparation for the time when we will see openly how "all of Israel are fit to sit in one sukkah"²⁹ in the sukkah made from the skin of the Leviathan³⁰ in the true and complete redemption.

H. And the preparation for this is through all our deeds and service, including and especially – celebrating Simchat Beit HaShoevah with the greatest joy (after all the aforementioned elevations that add even more to the joy), with dancing with the feet and clapping with the hands and singing melodies with the lips, beginning in the sukkah, with drinking wine which gladdens³¹, and then continuing the joy into the street, into the public domain,

to the extent that even the surrounding gentiles see this,

and this effects upon them that they should participate in the joy by clapping with their hands and the like,

and through this we sanctify and make Judaism precious in the eyes of the gentiles,

and the effect of this continues also afterwards,

that they help Jews in all their matters,

in matters of livelihood,

and primarily –

in matters that help and make it easier for Jews to fulfill Torah and mitzvot,

which gives Jews the ability to add even more in Torah and mitzvot,

and especially in the matter that is time-dependent –

"Ve'samachta be'chagecha"³² and Simchat Beit HaShoevah.

I. May it be His will that from Simchat Beit HaShoevah of the year 5746, beginning with the opening of this on the first night, when joy breaks through all barriers³³, also the barriers and limits of the time of exile, and especially since "all the limits have ended"³⁴ – may we merit to dance in a manner of "simchat olam al rosham"³⁵ to greet Moshiach Tzidkeinu, David Melech HaMoshiach, who is one of the seven Ushpizin who come each and every day. And although he is not the main Ushpiz who comes openly tonight – nevertheless, we have openly the Baal Shem Tov and his Torah, and it is known the promise of Moshiach to the Baal Shem Tov³⁶, that "when your wellsprings spread forth outward" "the Master will come", that is, Melech HaMoshiach.

And Moshiach will take out all Jews from exile,

"a great congregation shall return here"³⁷,

"a great congregation" in the singular,

all Jews together,

and their silver and gold with them³⁸,

for to the One Above, all the possessions of Jews are beloved,

and we will go all together in a manner of "and behold, with the clouds of heaven"³⁹ to the Holy Land,

"a land which the eyes of Hashem your God are upon it from the beginning of the year to the end of the year"⁴⁰,

and in that itself –

in Yerushalayim, the holy city,

"the city that is united together"⁴¹,

and in that itself –

on the holy mountain and in the Beit HaMikdash,

"the Sanctuary, Hashem, which Your hands established"⁴²,

where there will be "standing crowded and prostrating in spaciousness"⁴³,

i.e., that although in the eyes of flesh and blood, to the nations of the world, it appears that they are "standing crowded",

nevertheless, in truth, they are "prostrating in spaciousness"!

And likewise in the Holy Land there will be "spaciousness" –

"Hashem your God will expand your border"⁴⁴,

to the extent that in the future, the Land of Israel will spread to all lands⁴⁵.

And the "spaciousness" and expansion already begins in the time of exile –

that the One Above blesses each one with children, life, and ample sustenance, and in all things ample,

and every Jew and all Jews see that now it is "Yom Tov",

according to its simple meaning –

a good day,

good in the physical and in the spiritual,

and in the spiritual and in the physical,

to the extent that we merit the true and essential good –

the true and complete redemption,

speedily in our days, literally.

Gut Yom Tov,

and may we hear good tidings always, all the days.