English translation — יחידות אור לי"ג שבט

"Private audience" of the group of Bar Mitzvah and their parents, may they live.

There is no addition to all that was said before this

(in the general audience),

and certainly a Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah are included in that,

and on the contrary –

with greater emphasis and strength,

because for them this is a time of special merit and a time of greatest joy,

since "on this day you became a nation" ²,

on this day they become full members of the Jewish people of all generations

(from the Giving of the Torah until the end of all generations) –

therefore, in addition to this, there is a special matter and a special blessing that pertains specifically to them:

It is known ³ that when the Holy Temple was built, they celebrated a "Chanukas HaBayis" (dedication of the House),

at which time they brought many gifts,

and many and special blessings were drawn down. And as the Alter Rebbe explains and elaborates ³,

that at the time of the Chanukas HaBayis the custom is to give gifts in a very great manner,

even in an extraordinary manner,

and in a way that this should influence the entire life,

until one hundred and twenty years.

And accordingly, it is understood also regarding a Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah,

for whom this is the beginning and dedication of "And I will dwell in their midst" ⁴ within each and every Jew ⁵,

of the "Mikdash Me'at" (Minor Sanctuary) that is in every Jewish heart. Because then one becomes a "Mitzvah ve'Oseh" (one who is commanded and performs) ⁶ –

that then the Almighty gives special blessings and gifts that are drawn down until one hundred and twenty years.

And it is self-understood,

that those who educated them and brought them to such a state,

that they should accept upon themselves the yoke of Torah and the yoke of Mitzvos,

and before that *⁶ –

the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven,

"that you make Me king over you" ⁷,

accepting upon themselves the Almighty,

so that the Almighty becomes their entire existence –

also receive the aforementioned blessings.

Consequently, the greatness of the merit and the reward and the blessings that come to the parents is understood,

the mother and the father,

and to the grandmothers and to the grandfathers,

and likewise to the older brothers and older sisters,

who also took part in the education of this Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah,

and all the more so to their male and female teachers,

male and female guides,

and also to the entire Jewish people –

for the Almighty blesses every Jew and all Jews,

especially in these days of special merit,

that for them the wishes of their hearts for good should be fulfilled;

and these are also days of special merit to receive all these blessings.

And especially since they have succeeded,

and the Almighty has granted them the merit,

to raise children,

sons or daughters,

to a state where they become Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah –

this certainly brings success to the entire Jewish people.

And as is known,

that every matter of Judaism that is done by one Jew –

it is with the participation of all Jews,

as the Alter Rebbe brings in his Siddur ⁸ equal for every soul,

at the beginning of the day,

that "it is proper to say before prayer: I accept upon myself the positive commandment of 'Love your fellow as yourself'",

because ⁹ the entire prayer must be permeated with the thought that "your fellow" is literally "as yourself",

and only afterwards does one ask the Almighty for all good things,

and especially –

that it should be a successful day,

until the next morning,

when one will say again "Hareini Mekabel alai etc.",

with renewed strength and warmth and seriousness and Chassidic vitality,

because the Almighty gives even more success than the day before.

Based on the above regarding the virtue of the day of Bar Mitzvah –

it is also understood the custom that is spreading and being accepted,

that a Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah should give on their day of joy ¹⁰

(or –

if this is on Shabbos or Yom Tov –

on Erev Shabbos or Erev Yom Tov or the day after or both times)

a sum for charity,

which is "equivalent to all the Mitzvos" ¹¹,

all the Mitzvos that they now begin to fulfill as "Mitzvah ve'Oseh".

And likewise, their educators should also do this,

starting with the father and mother and the simple educators

(as discussed several times).

And in continuation of this –

I will participate in this great matter,

to have the merit of giving each of you a monetary note with the condition to give it to charity on the day of joy,

or close to it.

Likewise, we will also mention the second custom that is connected to it –

founded on the words of the Baal Shem Tov as transmitted by the Nasi of our generation, His Holiness, my father-in-law, the Rebbe ¹²,

that one should say the chapter of Tehillim corresponding to his age –

that on the day of Bar Mitzvah,

when one becomes thirteen years old,

one should begin to say every day after prayer chapter 14,

and do so each year –

adding the chapter that comes after it,

and since this

(the recitation of the chapter on the day of Bar Mitzvah)

is a beginning

(and especially since this is a day of special merit),

one should also learn the chapter.

And all these matters together should add even more to the blessing of Hashem in all that is needed,

both the Bar Mitzvah and the Bat Mitzvah,

and their families,

and the entire Jewish people.

Until one comes to the primary Mitzvah and the primary matter,

the Mitzvah of the Holy One, blessed be He,

the true and complete redemption through our righteous Moshiach,

speedily, literally in our days.

For which also there is a special merit in the Mitzvah of charity that brings the redemption closer ¹³,

as has been discussed many times.

"Private audience" of the group of bridegrooms and brides, may they live.

It is a principle that "He looked into the Torah and created the world" ²,

that as matters stand in the Torah, so they are reflected in the world,

and especially with the Jewish people who were built as the Torah was built,

"This is the Torah, man" ³.

From which it is understood,

that just as the Torah was stated in general principles and details ⁴,

so too regarding the Jewish people,

that the matters as they are in the generality of the people,

one nation,

"one nation in the land" ⁵,

then descend also into the details,

first into the twelve tribes which are also generalities,

until in more detail –

into families in Israel,

that each family is like the entire Jewish people.

Accordingly, it follows,

that just as regarding the entirety of the Jewish people it is stated *⁵ "And I will dwell in their midst" ⁶,

so too with each family –

"a man and a woman, if they merit, the Divine Presence dwells between them" ⁷,

that there is realized for them "And I will dwell in their midst",

meaning that just as the Almighty is the Master of His dwelling which is the entire world,

as it is written *⁷ "Mine is all the earth",

so He becomes the Master in every Jewish home,

which becomes a "Mikdash Me'at".

And since there the Almighty is found,

the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He,

then "in the light of the King's face is life" ⁸,

it brings with it all the blessings and all the matters that one needs,

including the blessings that are recited at the Sheva Brachos at every match and wedding and marriage,

until the blessing of the true and complete redemption,

"speedily...

may be heard in the cities of Yehuda and in the streets of Yerushalayim etc." ⁹.

This is also the reason for the blessing "Who sanctifies His people Israel through Chuppah and Kiddushin":

just as it was regarding the entirety of the Jewish people,

that the entire Jewish people became sanctified through Chuppah and Kiddushin to the Almighty ¹⁰,

so it is,

so to speak,

at every Jewish match and every Jewish wedding,

when there is the "if they merit –

the Divine Presence dwells between them",

which brings the aforementioned blessings,

both physically and spiritually,

from His full, open, holy, and expansive hand ¹¹.

With this, the custom of Israel that is spreading is also understood,

that the bridegroom and bride should give on the day of their wedding ¹² in the morning to charity from their money,

so that the true foundation should be laid in all the foundations of Torah and Mitzvah –

the foundation of charity which is equivalent to all the Mitzvos ¹³,

upon which foundation will be built the "eternal edifice" ¹⁴,

sons and daughters engaged in Torah and Mitzvos ¹⁵,

and out of expansiveness in all matters,

both physically and spiritually,

a house blessed with children, life, and ample sustenance,

and in all of them, ample.

Likewise, it is customary,

that all the relatives and all those who wish all blessings to the bridegroom and bride,

should also give to charity from their money,

for the merit of the bridegroom and bride,

on the day of the wedding.

This adds even more to the blessings of the Holy One, blessed be He,

which are without end,

because the Almighty Himself is without end,

meaning that however good it was before,

each giving to charity adds to the blessings of the Holy One, blessed be He, to the bridegroom and bride and the marriage,

and consequently,

in the blessings of the children who will later be born and marry and build their own families,

until the end of all generations.

Therefore, I will also take the merit to participate in the joy also through the giving of charity to the bridegroom and the bride and the relatives who are here,

so that they should give it on the day of joy for a matter of charity,

in addition to what they will give from their own.

And all these charities should combine and should further hasten the marriage of the Holy One, blessed be He, with His people Israel,

and as it states in the Midrash ¹⁶ that at the time of the Exodus from Egypt and the Giving of the Torah there was the betrothal between the Holy One, blessed be He, and His people Israel,

and the marriage,

the eternal edifice,

a redemption after which there is no exile ¹⁷,

will be in the true and complete redemption through our righteous Moshiach.

And great is charity that brings the redemption closer ¹⁸,

that it will come even sooner than one thinks,

in actual reality,

below ten handbreadths,

through our righteous Moshiach,

speedily, literally in our days.