English translation — שיחת ש"פ ויגש ה'תשמ"ז.

First talk

(and part of the second talk)

Proofread by the Rebbe,

may he live for many good days, and published in a separate pamphlet *.

There are those who ask:

The eternally repeated

(that the mission of every Jew in this time is to build the third Beis HaMikdash)

is seemingly "wild" talk,

new talk,

that was never heard;

in all generations until now the order of service was in the manner of "the regular offerings in their order",

and now suddenly they say that the order of service is to bring Moshiach and build the third Beis HaMikdash?

Firstly:

The first aspect regarding any matter is to see whether it is upheld –

is by looking into the Torah,

and seeing what the Torah says. And if the Torah says in a certain way –

then that is the truth,

and that is how one must conduct oneself,

and there is no reason to be impressed by the fact that the world holds that this is not the order.

And regarding our matter –

it is stated explicitly in the Torah,

in verses of Tanach and in statements of Chazal¹ and in books of the great ones of Israel throughout the generations,

that faith in the coming of Moshiach is a foundation of the Torah,

"I await him every day that he will come"¹,

and as we say in the Amidah prayer every single day –

"for Your salvation we hope all day"²,

"the sprout of David Your servant speedily cause to flourish"²,

and on Shabbosos and Yomim Tovim –

"and may our eyes behold Your return to Tzion with mercy"²,

and so forth.

And as explained in many places³,

that Jews must pray and demand "until when" will the exile continue,

as has been discussed many times at length.

And furthermore:

The service that Jews do now hastens the coming of Moshiach.

Consequently, there is no reason to be impressed by the claims of the world,

that "mourn, mourners, and embalm, embalmers"⁴ and so forth,

and by the fact that others hold assemblies and conferences in order to investigate:

What should the Jewish people do? Should they apologize,

should they ask questions,

should they do nothing, and so forth.

Take a "Bible"

[in which they also believe,

all the more so those who believe in our holy Torah,

the Torah of truth]

and look inside and you will see that it states explicitly what the Jewish people must do:

In the book of Yeshayahu⁵ –

which we say in one of the Haftaros⁶ it states explicitly:

"This people I have formed for Myself

(in order that⁷)

they shall declare My praise." And this yields a clear instruction of what the Jewish people and every individual Jew must do:

Every Jew

(including one who "is called by the name of Yisrael"⁸,

as a continuation of the aforementioned Haftarah),

must recount the praises of the Holy One, blessed be He,

until the main praise –

"for Hashem has redeemed Yaakov"⁹

(as the conclusion and seal of the aforementioned Haftarah)!

And furthermore, the main point:

Faith in the coming of Moshiach and crying out "until when" and doing all that depends on it to bring about the building of the third Beis HaMikdash

(the service of the present time) –

is no contradiction to the service of "the regular offerings in their order":

Just as the Almighty wants one to believe in the coming of Moshiach our righteousness,

so too He wants one to perform the service in the manner of "the regular offerings in their order",

and to invest oneself in every single detail.

The question arises –

how can one do both things simultaneously:

In order to fulfill a mitzvah properly,

and all the more so the mitzvah of Torah study,

one must apply oneself to the particular subject one is learning,

without any worries or distractions from the outside,

even worries about matters of holiness. And Chazal say¹⁰ that "if one says I have toiled and not found, do not believe",

even [regarding] faith

(which is above intellect,

all the more so within intellect).

Now how can one fulfill this at the same time as one cries out "until when" and thinks about the matter that is time-dependent –

to build the third Beis HaMikdash?

And regarding this, there is a question concerning the fact that one immerses oneself in learning Rashi on the Torah,

and is precise in his words,

just as one is precise in every matter in the Torah.

As is known that everything that a diligent student will innovate in the future was all given to Moshe at Sinai¹¹,

including Rashi which was written with ruach hakodesh¹². And according to what the Rambam writes in his commentary on the Mishnah¹³,

that "there is no difference between...

and the name of his wife Meheitavel¹⁴...

and 'I am Hashem your G-d'"¹⁵,

to the extent that "one who says that the Torah is not from Hashem, even one verse, even one word...

he is a denier of the Torah"¹⁶ –

from this it is understood that one must be precise in the words of Rashi just as one is precise in the Ten Commandments!

The above question arises:

How can one be precise in the words of Rashi,

for which one must have complete attention,

that the Supreme One, for Whom the "impossible of impossibilities" ¹⁸ is with Him,

has given the power of "impossible of impossibilities" to every Jew,

that he should be able to do both things –

opposites –

simultaneously:

To be completely involved in his particular service

(as if there is nothing else in the world),

and at the same time –

to be lying in the general intention of building the Third Holy Temple!

For example:

Immediately after this Shabbat, one must engage in the service connected with the preparations for building the Third Holy Temple and bringing the Redemption,

and especially since it is the meal of King David, the Messiah.

And together with this, one must, according to law, make Havdalah over a cup with a measure,

and with the precise blessing,

and dip the fingers in the wine and rub the eyes, etc. ¹⁹,

with the recitation of the verse

(as is the custom in many places),

then recite the after-blessing exactly as it states in the Siddur –

it is not enough that he run around all night shouting that one must make an after-blessing,

with that he does not fulfill his obligation,

and on the contrary –

if one does not do it in practice,

it turns out that he spoke idle words –

rather, he must make the after-blessing in practice,

and not only as a blessing is above Atzilut and in Atzilut,

and in Beriah

(the world of blessing)

etc.,

but a blessing simply in this physical world,

exactly as it states in the Siddur,

precisely as a small child says it,

[And on the contrary:

A child says it with more innocence and fervor than an adult. As one sees simply:

When one tells a small child that before he drinks water he must make a blessing "Blessed are You, Hashem, etc., shehakol nihyeh bidvaro" (or –

an after-blessing after eating).

He asks why? He is answered because so the Supreme One commanded. The child asks:

How does it come that he,

a small child,

can thank and bless the Supreme One Who created the entire world? He is answered –

because just as the Supreme One created the entire world and the water that you drink,

so He created you in order that you should bless Him.

The child opens his eyes wide and says the blessing with enthusiasm!

If only such enthusiasm would be in an adult,

knowing that the Supreme One gave man the power to bless Him

(the Supreme One)

.

And this is not a contrived thing, Heaven forbid,

but rather this is the truth,

that when one knows that the Supreme One gave him the power –

then he truly blesses the Supreme One, as it were!];

Afterwards, wash for the Melaveh Malkah,

with a quarter [log] that must be a whole vessel without any hole, etc. ²⁰,

and dry with a towel,

and then conduct the Melaveh Malkah meal;

And together with all this –

the precision in the details and minutiae –

his intention is to build the Third Holy Temple,

and immediately,

in the blink of an eye,

to go to the Holy Land together with Mashiach our Righteous One.

And just as this is regarding the service with oneself,

so too is this in the service with others:

On one hand, one is careful to occupy himself with doing a favor for another Jew,

for each one is a particular individual and it is about a particular favor, etc.

And to such an extent is this relevant –

that this could even be the purpose of the descent of his soul below,

as the Baal Shem Tov said to R. Mordechai

(a hidden tzaddik),

that the soul descends for seventy or eighty years in order to do a favor for a Jew one time ²¹. This could be a small favor,

and even a favor to a small child;

And together with this, one says that his service must be to make the preparations for the building of the Third Holy Temple,

and for this is the intention of all the worlds,

upper and lower,

in the entire order of the chain of descent,

until from all the nine thousand jubilees!

How can one do both things simultaneously? Because the Supreme One,

for Whom "impossible of impossibilities" is with Him,

has given the power to Jews that they should be able to do both things simultaneously –

boundary and without boundary together.

As discussed in the farbrengen of the previous Shabbos²² regarding the praise of Aharon the Kohen "that he did not deviate"²³ –

Because at the very moment when he stood in a state of enthusiasm beyond measure and limit, capable of kindling the Menorah which is even "greater than theirs"²⁴

(than the offerings of the princes),

he kindled the Menorah in the manner of "he did not deviate",

with exactness regarding the details and the minutiae.

And after all this it is understood,

that there is nothing to be enthusiastic about from the world. Because the Supreme One has given Jews the mission and the powers to fulfill it –

to do both things together:

the service of "the daily offerings in their order",

individual service,

and together with this –

to prepare for the Redemption and the building of the Third Beis HaMikdash.

And when a Jew will only hold strong in his service –

he will succeed and see that not only does the world not interfere,

but on the contrary –

the world is already prepared. One only needs that he should tell it to the world and to the nations of the world,

and speak in pleasant ways and ways of peace and words that come from the heart,

then one will see that there is no opposition,

and certainly that one need not come to any wars.

From where do we know? Because those who went with this approach indeed succeeded!

On this one asks the question:

If the world is already prepared and it is so simple –

why does the world need to hear it from him?

King David already asked this question long ago to the Supreme One²⁵,

why did the Supreme One create poor and rich,

and not in a manner that "all would be equally rich"²⁶,

the Supreme One is after all the One who "feeds and sustains all"²⁷? And the Supreme One answered "If I make My world equal in kindness²⁸, who will preserve truth?",

"For whom will they perform charity?"²⁶.

And if one still has questions –

then first and foremost there must be the precedence of "we will do and we will hear"²⁹,

first one must do,

and only afterwards,

if one has time and one wants to understand and one has questions,

there must be "we will hear and we will understand",

one must sit down to learn and contemplate until one answers the questions that one has.

And precisely –

the questions that the fool has,

questions that the "clever one" throws at him in order to confuse him from his service –

but from the perspective of Torah they are not questions. From the perspective of Torah there are no questions at all,

because in Torah there are no concealments and hidden things,

which are the source of all questions. And simply:

the Torah is the Torah of the Supreme One,

and regarding the Supreme One, no questions are applicable, Heaven forbid.

Because regarding the Supreme One, no limitations are applicable at all. Upon which one could ask a question and say that it is crooked,

or answer a resolution and say that it is straight:

Regarding the Supreme One, straight –

is not an advantage,

and crooked –

is not a deficiency!

And the questions that do exist in Torah –

are not questions stemming from concealments and hidden things

(like the questions that come from the "clever one"),

but rather questions as the order of study:

because the Supreme One desired that there should be two orders and methods of study:

study from the aspect of direct light,

like the Talmud Yerushalmi,

where one arrives directly at the conclusion,

without questions in between;

and study from the aspect of reflected light,

like the Talmud Bavli,

whose order of study is through questions.

[He spoke here,

that after all the descents of the exile of more than 1900 years,

it is understood that the Third Beis HaMikdash is in the most elevated manner (more elevated than it would have been had it been built in previous generations),

because every descent is for the purpose of an ascent (and this is included in the sicha that was edited by the Rebbe shlita and published in a separate pamphlet).

And in continuation of this he said:]

But after all these explanations regarding the length of the exile,

that this is in order that the "great wealth"³⁰ should be even greater

(descent for the purpose of ascent) –

Jews ask:

"Until when" –

how much is the measure?!

And all the more so from the claim of the children of Israel in the Egyptian exile –

"And if only we could go out ourselves...

Please take us out today and I ask for nothing"³¹,

one gives up on the "great wealth" –

I already want to go out of exile;

all the more so now,

when one already has the greatest wealth,

through the increased labor of Jews throughout all these generations,

and an increase of the spreading of the wellsprings outward –

one cries out:

How much is a measure of tormenting Jews in exile?!

At the end of this "great wealth" –

one will not come to it anyway,

because it is taken from the Infinite above;

and that which one can have –

one has already accomplished –

the redemption must already come.

Even if one wants to add to this "great wealth" –

one can add it after the building of the third Beit HaMikdash and the future redemption,

why must this be dependent on the suffering of the children of Israel in exile?!

Certainly one has simple faith in the Most High,

but since the Most High desires a "dwelling place in the lower realms",

He gave intellect,

so that the "lower realms" can understand

[indeed, "the Holy One, blessed be He, desired to have a dwelling place in the lower realms"³²,

and regarding a "desire" there is no question³³ –

but this very thing ("the Holy One, blessed be He, desired etc.") was said as a reason for the creation of the world,

only in this very reason it is explained that this is such a reason that is connected with "desire",

about which there is no question].

One must say,

that there is some intellectual explanation –

why the Most High still does not take Jews out of exile. One cannot say that it is because of the "great wealth" –

because that has already been accomplished etc.

And also from the account above it is held that it has already been accomplished.

One must say that the only reason for this is –

because "the Holy One, blessed be He, desires the prayer of the righteous"³⁴,

"and Your people are all righteous"³⁵,

the Most High wants that Jews should cry out one more time "Until when"³ with a great voice,

we already want Mashiach our righteousness,

and right now –

he comes immediately!!

[At the conclusion of this sicha –

the entire congregation cried out together and with a great voice several times:

"Until when". And the Rebbe shlita hinted with his holy hands to increase the cry *.]

Maamar (like a sicha)

beginning "And My servant David shall be king over them forever".

It is also customary to dwell on a matter in the weekly portion together with Rashi's commentary

(as above sec. 3);

a matter in the notes of the Tatte on the Zohar of our parshah;

and a matter in today's lesson of Rambam.

And according to the request³⁶ several matters in Rashi were proposed,

but one dwells only on the beginning of the matter.

One will dwell at least on one matter that was raised:

Rashi dwells on the words of Yehudah to Yosef³⁷ "My lord asked his servants saying, 'Do you have a father or a brother?'",

and he explains Yehudah's intention:

"From the beginning you came to us with a pretext,

why did you need to ask all these –

were we seeking your daughter or are you seeking our sister".

The commentators explain,

that it is not the way to ask "Do you have a father or a brother" unless it concerns a match³⁸.

That is, it is understandable if "we were seeking your daughter or you are seeking our sister",

it would be understood why Yosef asks about "Do you have a father or a brother",

because it is customary regarding a match of a daughter to inquire about the father and brothers of the groom,

and similarly regarding a match with a sister –

about the father and brothers of the bride³⁹;

but since Yosef did not inquire because of a match,

it is proof that with his question "Do you have a father or a brother" "from the beginning you came to us with a pretext",

because if not "why did you need to ask all these".

The first question arises:

Rashi is for a five-year-old studying Scripture. From where does a five-year-old studying Scripture know how a match is made?!

Also one must understand:

Yosef had no daughter,

as we learned earlier "and to Yosef were born two sons"⁴⁰.

And similarly the tribes –

they told Yosef that "your servants are twelve brothers, we are etc. and behold the youngest is with our father today and one is no more"⁴¹,

and did not tell about their sister

(Dinah).

Now how is it fitting that Yehudah should say to Yosef "were we seeking your daughter or are you seeking our sister" –

when Yosef had no daughter at all,

and the tribes had no sister at all

(as Yehudah thought Yosef thought)?

Another matter in our parshah on which we will focus –

is at the end of the parshah,

the conclusion of the daily Chumash lesson

(the seventh day):

At the end of the parshah ⁴² it says "And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen, and they took hold of it, and they were fruitful and multiplied exceedingly." Rashi focuses on the word "vayachazu",

and explains "an expression of achuzah (possession)."

Simply, the content of Rashi's words is:

One could have interpreted that "vayachazu bah" means that they held onto it. But it is not that this is "an expression of achuzah",

i.e., like an inheritance,

in which case "vayachazu" is much stronger than merely holding –

as we learned earlier

(in the Covenant Between the Parts)

"And I will give to you and to your seed... all the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession" ⁴²*.

Rashi comes and explains that "vayachazu bah" does not mean mere holding,

but "from the expression of achuzah",

like an inheritance,

which is stronger than mere holding.

The question arises:

a) What is lacking in the verse that Rashi needs to explain anything at all? Who is bothered that one should interpret "vayachazu bah" simply,

not from the expression of achuzah? Especially since earlier, at the beginning of the Chumash lesson, it says ⁴³ "And Joseph settled his father and his brothers and gave them a possession",

and Rashi does not explain there at all.

b) And primarily:

Since one could have interpreted "vayachazu bah" simply

(not from the expression of achuzah) –

from where does Rashi know that it means "an expression of achuzah"?

And as will be explained below.

Since recently we are especially occupied with the matter of tzedakah,

which "brings the redemption closer" ⁴⁴ –

we will focus on the notes on the Zohar, on the note on the Zohar regarding the matter of "His tzedakah stands forever" ⁴⁵,

the same note on which we focused on Shabbos Parshas Vayigash a year ago ⁴⁶

(when the calendar was the same as this year),

but now we will discuss a different matter within it.

The father focuses ⁴⁷ on what is stated in the Zohar ⁴⁸ on the verse "His tzedakah stands forever" –

"This is Knesses Yisrael, because of which she stands in the secret of Shalom, in a complete existence." And he explains:

"That is, when the yesod called Shalom influences her

[to Malchus,

Knesses Yisrael]

she stands in the secret of Shalom,

and as it says ⁴⁹ 'And I will give peace in the land',

peace is yesod,

land is Malchus etc.,

afterwards 'she takes hold of a complete existence' is that she

[Malchus]

ascends and stands before Tiferes."

We must understand:

a) What is the novel point?

b) Regarding the entire Torah, it says ⁵⁰ "Her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace" –

so what is the novelty in the mitzvah of tzedakah

(relative to all other mitzvos)

regarding the matter of peace? c) What is the lesson from this in the service of man.

In today's lesson of the Rambam at the end of Hilchos To'en v'Nit'an ⁵¹,

the Rambam writes:

"Reuven who sold a field to Shimon, and Levi was among the witnesses of the deed, and Levi came to contest the field and to claim that Reuven had stolen it from him,

we do not listen to him and we do not pay attention to any proofs he brings regarding that field,

and he has lost all his right, for we say to him: How can you testify about the sale and then come and contest?"

Afterwards, the Rambam adds another law:

"And similarly, if Levi testified in a deed that it is written that the field of Reuven is on the east side or the west side, since he made the field a landmark for another and testified in the deed, he has lost his right and cannot go back and contest,

for we say to him: How can you testify in this deed that it is written that this field is on such-and-such side, and then go back and contest against me?"

The novelty of the second law over the first law –

can be explained simply:

Since there is a principle "They testify about the sum stated in the deed" ⁵²,

i.e., that testimony is only about the general matter and not about all the details,

one could possibly say that Levi

(the witness)

cannot contest the general matter,

but regarding details

(concerning the location of the field,

on the east side or the west side) –

he could indeed contest;

the Rambam rules,

that even regarding this he cannot contest.

We must, however, also explain the matter in this above

(in the root of matters in spirituality)

and in the service of man

(as the Rambam writes ⁵³ that "most of the laws of the Torah were given only to... correct the opinions and straighten all deeds") –

because "He declares His word to Yaakov, His statutes and judgments to Yisrael" ⁵⁴,

As discussed (and with addition to this) in the farbrengen before this⁵⁵ regarding the "order of collecting the debt" of a lender and borrower⁵⁶,

that in this there are several details and conditions,

"When the lender brings his note to the court and it is validated, they say to the borrower 'Pay,' and they do not descend to his property initially until they sue him,

And if he claimed, meaning the lender descended to the borrower's property before suing him,

they remove him, etc."

And in particular, the Rambam brings here –

And likewise in several places in the Talmud and Rambam –

an example of Reuven, Shimon, and Levi. And simply, the reason for this is:

So that one should not become confused among the three people

(the seller,

the buyer, and the witness)

they call them Reuven, Shimon, and Levi,

and specifically these three names –

because they are simply the foundation and beginning of all the house of Israel.

But since every matter in Torah is with utmost precision,

and all the more so from that which every matter in the world is with Divine Providence,

certainly in Torah,

certainly in the halachah that is in Torah –

one must say that there is an inner reason why they call them specifically with these three names. And in particular, since we see in several other places in the Talmud and Rambam,

even in places where it speaks about three people,

they do not bring these three names,

rather they call them one, two,

three,

etc.

And as will be explained below.

It was said above

(section 3)

that regarding the entirety of Torah, there is the ruling of the Rambam that "One who says that the Torah is not from Hashem, even one verse, even one word...

behold this one is a denier of the Torah,"

"And there is no difference...

between Meheitavel...

and between 'I am Hashem your G-d.'"

On the other hand, however, it is understandable that every matter and detail in Torah is expressed in a particular depiction and comes to teach a specific matter:

There is a part of Torah that speaks about holy matters,

a part of Torah that speaks about forbidden matters

(which are below the public domain).

As we see it in the different sections of the Shulchan Aruch,

and in Rashi

(as discussed above that every word in Rashi is precisely like the Ten Commandments)

etc.

Only together with this, every detail in Torah is equal to all the other details, and in this detail is involved the completeness of the entire Torah.

As this is simply in a Torah scroll:

Every letter must be written individually,

but together with this, the fitness of the entire Torah scroll depends on every letter and all the letters,

and if one letter is missing,

the fitness of the entire Torah is lacking.

Just as this is in Torah –

so too is this among Jews:

It is known that every Jew has his letter in the Torah⁵⁷,

in which he is separated from the rest of the children of Israel. And simply:

their opinions are not the same,

their faces are not the same, etc.⁵⁸;

On the other hand, however, the completeness of all Jews and of every Jew depends on having every particular Jew,

just as this is regarding the letters in a Torah scroll

(and as explained in the talks of our Nesi'im⁵⁹).

Which again emphasizes the greatness of the matter of love of Israel and unity of Israel.

And in addition to the emphasis on this in all times,

there are special times when this is even more relevant. Therefore, recently this is especially emphasized –

that all Jews must unite as a "great congregation."

And one of the ways in this is through Jews gathering together,

for "wherever ten are, the Divine Presence dwells"⁶⁰ "even if they are not speaking words of Torah"⁶¹;

all the more so when one connects it with words of Torah.

And therefore,

all those who have prepared bottles of drink in connection with a farbrengen,

a gathering etc. connected with a "Chabad House,"

or the spreading of the wellsprings outward in general,

etc. –

should now go up and themselves say "L'chaim,"

and afterwards –

since it is Shabbos –

also distribute from it to those assembled here,

and the continuation –

at their gatherings;

And in addition –

also announce regarding the time and place of the gathering,

and invite those assembled here,

which will connect everyone together,

also those who will not participate in person,

and this will further add to the success of all matters.

[After distributing the drink to several,

and after they announced –

the Rebbe shlita began to sing "And I will pour out for you a blessing."]

The explanation in Rashi:

Even though the five-year-old indeed does not know the procedure of how one makes a shidduch and that one inquires about the father and brothers –

he nevertheless remembers what he learned regarding Dinah and Shechem,

that Chamor spoke about the proposal of the shidduch with Yaakov, father of Dinah, and with the brothers of Dinah,

and the flaw of Shechem was that Dinah touched her father

(Yaakov)

and her brothers. Consequently, the five-year-old understands from this,

that a shidduch is connected with the father and the brothers.

The explanation of that which Yehudah said "Your daughter we seek or our sister do you seek" –

when Yosef had no daughter,

and the tribes had

(according to Yosef)

no sister:

With this Yehudah brought out the greatness of the libel of Yosef against the tribes –

to such an extent,

that the entire question of Yosef "Do you have a father or brother" has no place,

and he asked it only because "from the beginning you came upon us with a libel":

It could be said that if Yosef at least had a daughter,

or the tribes at least had a sister –

there would still be a place for Yosef to ask "Do you have a father or brother",

but since Yosef knows that he has no daughter,

and they have no sister –

how does he come to ask this. "Why would you have to ask all these?" Therefore from this there is proof that "from the beginning you came upon us with a libel."

And based on this it is also understandable why Yehudah "spoke to him harshly"⁶²,

for seemingly –

it is not understood the magnitude of the sin of Yosef in that which "from the beginning you came upon us with a libel"? Only because this was to such an extent a libel that has no place,

that Yosef asked "Do you have a father or brother",

a thing which has no place here

(for Yosef has no daughter and the tribes have no sister) –

therefore "he spoke to him harshly."

And based on this all the precise points according to the plain meaning are understood. Even though Rashi brings his explanation from the Midrash,

it has been said many times,

that Rashi does not bring it because it is written in the Midrash,

but because this is the explanation according to the plain meaning.

[The explanation of Rashi on the verse "And they took hold of her" ("language of a holding"),

and the lesson from this in the service of man,

and in connection with the establishment of a Chabad house,

also in his private home,

and a new proposal –

regarding conducting farbrengens in every private home –

is included in the sicha that was edited by the Rebbe shlita and published separately (in the aforementioned pamphlet).

And below come the matters that were not included there:]

[Regarding the establishment of a Chabad house in every private home – he added:]

And as discussed above⁶³ that this pertains not only to a public activist,

or a wealthy person,

or a bustling person

(so that he should have where to utilize his bustling nature)

and the like –

but to every Jew,

men, women, and children,

from the eldest of the elders to the youngest of the young.

As explained explicitly how this applies both to all men and women –

through their making of their home

(and all things in the home)

a place where words of Torah are heard,

and the service of prayer and acts of kindness and charity,

and this illuminates the entire surroundings;

and also to children –

first and foremost in their room

(and afterwards in the entire house)

there should be placed by them a Chumash and the like,

a siddur and a charity box. And they should use them in practice,

so that they make of their room and little bed and all their possessions –

a "Chabad house",

where Judaism and G-dliness shine.

And one sees in practice,

that specifically because of their innocence it is easier to effect in children than in adults that they should make of their room a "Chabad house". For a child believes simply that the Creator created everything,

his room,

with his little bed and all things in his room,

and likewise his fork and his spoon etc.,

just as He created the water

(or tea)

which he drinks and upon which he makes the blessing "Shehakol nihyeh bidvaro";

Consequently, one can easily explain to him,

why he needs to make of his room and of all his physical things –

a place upon which the Creator says "And I will dwell in their midst" openly,

just as he does regarding the water that he drinks by making the blessing upon it.

I received a letter from parents,

where they write that they want to give me nachas,

therefore they inform me,

that from their child's classroom they made a "Beit Chabad",

where it is written on a poster that the classroom is a "Beit Chabad" of so-and-so

(the name of the child).

They inform me,

that on such-and-such street, in such-and-such house, a new "Beit Chabad" has been added –

their child's classroom!

And it is understandable the nachas and pleasure and pride in Judaism that comes to the child when he has his own "Beit Chabad",

and can bring in there a friend

(and even a non-Jewish child),

and show:

See, I have my own "Beit Chabad".

And what more:

Through this "Beit Chabad" he connects with "⁷⁷⁰"⁶⁴,

and through this –

with all the "Batei Chabad" throughout the entire world! So it is understandable the pride the child has from this –

when all who enter his room see that this is a "Beit Chabad",

connected with all the "Batei Chabad" throughout the entire world!

[At the conclusion of the sicha –

continuing from the proposal regarding holding farbrengens in every private home – he said:]

And there is further reinforcement for this from the words of the Rema at the end of Shulchan Aruch, section Orach Chaim:

"And a good⁶⁵ heart makes a constant feast"⁶⁶

[as is known what is stated in the Acharonim⁶⁶,

that the "seal" of the Rema is "similar to the opening" of Orach Chaim (which shows the way of life of every Jew):

The beginning of Orach Chaim is "I have set Hashem before me always"⁶⁷,

and the conclusion of Orach Chaim is "And a good heart makes a constant feast",

which the two instances of "always" correspond to the "two perpetual offerings in their order"⁶⁶,

in the morning (beginning of the service) and in the afternoon (conclusion of the service)].

May it be His will that very soon we should offer the "two perpetual offerings in their order" in the Third Beis HaMikdash,

together with the lighting of the Menorah and the offering of the sacrifices by the Kohanim and the Kohen Gadol,

And we hasten this further through that which every Jew performs his service in a similar manner –

as per the ruling of the Rambam⁶⁸ "And not only the tribe of Levi, but any person... whose spirit moves him... to stand before Hashem, to serve Him and to worship Him... he is sanctified as holy of holies..."

In the true and complete redemption through our righteous Moshiach,

and speedily in our days, literally.

The explanation of this Rambam –

at least briefly

[because if not, we will delay (Mincha) also the time for Maariv...]:

Reuven, Shimon and Levi, whom the Rambam brings as an example for the seller,

buyer and witness

("Reuven who sold a field to Shimon and Levi was among the witnesses of the deed") –

are derived

(they are derived from them⁶⁹)

from Reuven, Shimon and Levi as they are in their root above and in the service of Hashem⁷⁰:

Reuven is the aspect of sight. As Divinity and service of Hashem stand in a manner of sight. Therefore he is the seller

("Reuven sold a field to Shimon").

At first glance this is not understood:

How does he become a master over a part of the world and have the power to apportion parts in the world and sell them to another? Since, however, he is "Reuven",

the aspect of sight in Divinity –

he stands at the ultimate level of elevation, therefore he is a master also over property and can sell it to another.

Shimon is the aspect of hearing. Therefore he is

(only)

a buyer,

a receiver,

not like Reuven who is a seller and bestower.

But on the other hand –

Shimon has the power, according to Torah, to buy with his own money the field from Reuven,

and through this it is a sale according to Torah,

and Shimon becomes a complete master over it,

and in a manner of sale,

which is even stronger than a gift⁷¹. For even though he is indeed "Shimon"

(the aspect of hearing),

indeed, initially he cannot be the master,

nevertheless, hearing is also a level in service,

and through the service of Shimon,

through the purchase of the field with money,

he can buy and become a master also over this part of the world –

a sale and change of ownership according to Torah.

But in order that the sale should have further strength,

there must be a deed of sale with witnesses of the deed. And this is the concept of Levi,

from the phrase "Now this time my husband will be joined to me"⁷²,

from the term connection⁷³,

therefore he has the power to be a witness on the deed of sale,

and to effect that the sale

(and change of ownership)

should have an eternal and everlasting existence,

and so may it stand.

This is, however, from the perspective of Levi's root

(aspect of connection);

But unlike how Levi is found here below, he has free will,

and consequently he can later protest "about the field and claim that Reuven stole it from him"

(the opposite of how Levi is from his root).

However, since from the perspective of Levi's root he was a witness and established an eternal ratification in the sale –

the law is that if he comes to protest, "we do not listen to him and we do not pay attention to any proofs he brings regarding that field,

and behold, he has lost all his right, for we say to him: How can you testify about the sale

(from the perspective of Levi's root)

and then come and protest?"

And this is similar to the law even regarding Above, so to speak,

that "words of calamity that a prophet says" can possibly not be fulfilled,

because "the Holy One, blessed be He is slow to anger...

and perhaps they repented," unlike "a good thing that the Almighty decrees, even conditionally, does not revert" ⁷⁴.

Afterwards, it is said further:

The testimony of Levi

(connection)

has validity not only regarding the sale itself,

but also regarding the details –

the location of the field

("on the east side or the west"),

whether the Shechinah should be in the west ⁷⁵,

or in the east,

in the south –

which is also a level in holiness,

or in the north –

"from the north evil will open forth" ⁷⁶. And to such an extent,

that if Levi signed testimony on this –

"since he made a boundary for the field and testified in the deed, he has lost his right and cannot go back and protest,

for we say to him: How can you testify in this deed, which is written that this field is on such-and-such a side, and then go back and protest against me?"

From this there is also a lesson regarding the relationship and approach one must have towards a fellow Jew:

Even when a fellow Jew stands on the level of Shimon,

the aspect of hearing

(which is below the aspect of sight),

or even lower –

Shimon from the term "I am hated" ⁷⁷ –

one must know that he is a Jew,

and the Most High

(as He stands as Reuven,

the aspect of sight)

sold to him the entire order of descent and all the worlds. So that he becomes the owner of it,

because "In the beginning, for the sake of Israel" ⁷⁸,

the Most High gave over to the Jews the entire world,

and the worlds of the entire order of descent.

And consequently, it is understood,

that if the "clever one" comes with a claim –

how can a Jew go and make a dwelling place in the lower realms in the world of the Holy One, blessed be He –

we say to him,

that the Most High gave over His world to the Jews,

"In the beginning, for the sake of Israel" –

"and I will give your rains" ⁷⁹,

it is your physicality ⁸⁰,

"and I will give peace in the land" ⁸¹,

in your land.

And not in the manner of "bread of shame" ⁸², Heaven forbid,

but rather the Jew

(Shimon)

paid for this

(and bought it)

with his self-sacrifice and with his faith and with his soul

[and not only in the manner of a gift from the one who "were it not that it gives Me satisfaction, I would not give him a gift" ⁸³].

And after it is ruled and signed in a deed of sale with witnesses

(by Levi, from the term connection) –

so shall it stand that "My children have defeated Me, My children have defeated Me" ⁸⁴!

And if there is an entity in the world that wishes to interfere with this –

"he set his eye upon it" and it ceases to exist:

A Jew gives a look –

and he nullifies it completely!

Until we come to the main sale –

the true and complete redemption through our righteous Moshiach,

And all Jews,

"with our young and with our old etc., with our sons and with our daughters" ⁸⁵,

"a great congregation shall return here" ⁸⁶,

go to our holy land,

to Jerusalem, the holy city,

to the Temple Mount,

and to the third Holy Temple,

For the third Holy Temple is also a "dwelling place" –

because a dwelling is primarily connected with eating

(as is proven from the law of Sukkah,

"you shall dwell as you reside" ⁸⁷,

that "the primary mitzvah of sitting in the Sukkah" is eating in the Sukkah ⁸⁸),

as is known that the essence of the Temple is "prepared to offer the sacrifices in it" ⁸⁹,

"My bread for My fire offerings" ⁹⁰,

My sustenance ⁹¹.

And it is also known –

that the place for eating holy offerings is in the Courtyard,

to the extent that it is permitted

(and in a time of pressing need –

one is obligated)

to eat the most holy offerings also in the Sanctuary ⁹²,

Even in the Holy of Holies –

as is known that they hid Jehoash

(a one-year-old child)

in the chamber of the couches,

the upper chamber of the Holy of Holies,

for six years ⁹³,

due to the necessity of the existence and continuation of the dynasty of the House of David.

And all this –

speedily, in our very own days.

Our Rebbe, the Admor Shlita, instructed the holy congregation Shy" to play with alacrity "Yehi ratzon etc. that the Temple be built speedily in our days etc."

Afterwards he said:

Those who need to make an after-blessing,

will certainly make an after-blessing.

Appendices to the first talk

[Regarding the general lesson in this time to be prepared for the building of the Third Beis HaMikdash –

he said that this applies to all of the Jewish people:]

This is not a matter that applies to one circle in Israel;

rather, a general matter for all Jews –

regardless of whether he is a Chabadnik,

a Bobover,

a Gerer,

a Kalter,

a Litvak,

and so forth;

without distinction between versions of the prayer text,

or different customs,

the custom of our fathers in our hands,

and so forth.

[Regarding the matter that this mission is understood simply by seemingly everyone –

he added:]

The question arises:

If it is such a simple thing –

why does not everyone understand it on their own?

We see in practice,

that the very simplest things in life –

one overlooks. For example:

When one goes out into the street and goes to his work,

“to his work until evening”⁹⁴,

he can walk around and see where he is going and what he is doing with the power of the sunlight that illuminates the earth. But how many people think during the act at all about the sun and the sunlight etc.?!

One must first arouse him that he should think about this.

An even closer example:

A healthy person does not feel his limbs,

his hand or his foot. On the contrary:

Specifically when he is not healthy, G‑d forbid,

he feels something.

Therefore the Supreme One gave a person intellect in general,

and “Torah Ohr” in particular –

which reveals and illuminates the reality of things,

that even though a matter is in the utmost simplicity,

specifically because of the simplicity of the matter –

one needs to arouse him and illuminate him about it. As is known that light does not create,

light merely reveals the reality.