English translation — שיחה לילדי "צבאות השם" שיחיו, יום א' פ' משפטים, כ"א שבט ה'תשמ"ב – בבית הכנסת, אחרי תפלת מנחה

Recite the twelve verses and teachings of our Sages¹.

Afterwards, they sang the melody "We Want Moshiach Now"².

A gathering of Jewish children

(like this gathering now),

and especially in a place where one learns

(Torah)

and where one prays – is always a good thing,

a holy thing and a joyful thing,

and a joyful thing also for the One Above – because when the One Above sees that Jewish children,

who are His children,

gather together and conduct themselves as brothers one with another,

that there is love and unity among them,

they demonstrate a living example of what was just said

(in the twelve verses and teachings of our Sages)

"Love your fellow as yourself. Rabbi Akiva says: This is a great principle of the Torah"³ – this causes Him great joy and pleasure⁴.

And especially when one connects the gathering

(in a place where one prays and where one learns)

with praying

(in practice)

before and to the One Above,

and especially the Minchah prayer,

which is indeed one of the most important prayers⁵,

and beseeching from the One Above all good things,

beginning with "You graciously grant man knowledge"⁶,

that the One Above should give each one of you,

and each one of the Jewish people,

and everyone together – the correct understanding,

wisdom, understanding and knowledge,

how to conduct oneself in daily life,

and then all the requests and prayers that follow

(and precede) this.

And immediately after the prayer there is also the matter of Torah study

(in practice),

both verses from the Written Torah and teachings of our Sages from the Oral Torah.

And afterwards the gathering will be concluded with the matter of charity.

These three things,

Torah,

service

(prayer)

and acts of kindness

(charity),

are the three pillars

(columns)

upon which the entire world stands⁷,

and upon which also the world and health of every individual Jew stands.

And especially

(as mentioned several times at these gatherings)

that the gathering will surely be connected – as is fitting for "Tzivos Hashem" – with taking upon oneself good resolutions

(good decisions)

to conduct oneself even better and more broadly in all good things,

in all matters connected with Judaism and with Torah and mitzvos,

and also to influence friends,

boys – upon their friends,

and girls – upon their friends,

that they should also do likewise.

And to do all these things with joy,

as was just said

(in the twelve verses and teachings of our Sages⁸)

the greatness of "Yisrael rejoices in its Maker"⁹,

that a Jew rejoices with the One Above and with every matter that is connected with the One Above,

and "Hashem rejoices in His works"¹⁰,

that the One Above rejoices with the matters that are connected with Him,

with His creation in general,

and especially with "all of Israel",

(who "have a share in the World to Come"¹²,

therefore)

who are "the shoot of My planting, the work of My hands, in which I take pride"¹¹,

and especially when He sees that Jews utilize this to rise and become,

even in daily life,

more Jewish,

and thus also influence the entire surroundings.

Therefore, since the gathering

(of Jewish children)

is connected with all these matters

(mentioned above)

– this increases even more the goodness and holiness and joy that exists when Jewish children gather together in general.

The above is connected with every gathering of "Tzivos Hashem",

with all the gatherings that have been until now

(as mentioned at each gathering)

and also with the present gathering;

However, there are also particular matters,

special things,

that are especially connected with this day and with the occasion for which we have gathered together this time. This brings an additional directive to each of the "Tzivos Hashem",

and an additional strength and blessing from the Almighty to be able to fulfill

(fill)

also the additional directive,

which one must utilize to rise,

even into daily life,

in matters of Judaism,

and thereby also influence the entire surroundings.

One of the special emphases connected with today's gathering is that the gathering takes place immediately after the Shabbat of Parshat Yitro:

On this Shabbat

(Parshat Yitro)

the Torah was read,

so that one should learn from it anew,

the entire story and lesson that the Almighty gave the Jewish people the holy Torah,

And "Torah tzivah lanu Moshe morashah kehilat Yaakov"¹³

(as was just said¹⁴)

— the Torah comes down as an inheritance to every single member of the Jewish people,

down to each one of you and each one of your families.

It is told in the Midrash¹⁵,

that when the Almighty wanted to give the Torah to the Jewish people

(the first time, at the Giving of the Torah)

He wanted to be certain that it was worthwhile

(fitting)

to give the Torah,

therefore, because they would learn the Torah and conduct themselves according to what is indicated in the Torah by fulfilling its commandments and instructions — He asked that the Jewish people give Him guarantors,

those who would guarantee that they would learn the Torah and conduct themselves according to it;

And specifically when the Jewish people said "Baneinu arevim otanu",

that Jewish children would be the guarantors for this,

they take upon themselves to learn Torah and conduct themselves according to what is indicated in the Torah by fulfilling its commandments and instructions — it was specifically then that the Almighty was satisfied and accepted the guarantors,

and this caused the Almighty to give the Torah to the entire Jewish people through Moshe Rabbeinu,

and "Torah tzivah lanu Moshe morashah kehilat Yaakov" — through this it came to each one of you and to each one of us and to each one of the entire Jewish people for all generations!

The directive from this:

When one hears how the Torah was read just this past Shabbat from which we now come regarding the matter of the Giving of the Torah,

and one learns it — it certainly refreshes and renews and adds to the conduct of each one of you in learning Torah and in fulfilling its commandments — knowing,

that this

(your conduct in this)

is the guarantee that the Almighty accepted in order to give the Torah to the Jewish people,

and specifically through this the Torah is had in all generations,

until the end of all generations,

Consequently, each one of you understands the greatness and importance and joy with which you must further increase in diligence and devotion in learning Torah more and more and deeper and broader,

and fulfilling its commandments with beauty,

even while still before Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah,

because these are commandments about which the Torah speaks.

And through your increasing in diligence and devotion in Torah study and in fulfilling the commandments with beauty — this further strengthens the Almighty's blessings in everything one needs,

Starting from success in learning Torah and fulfilling commandments in health and joy,

and also having great success in influencing all those around you.

Starting from "Vahashev lev avot al banim"¹⁶ — influencing your parents,

upon your father and mother,

that they should do more in learning Torah and fulfilling commandments.

And doing all these things,

as discussed earlier,

with great joy,

And in a manner of "Ma'alin bakodesh"¹⁷,

more and more.

A second matter that is especially connected with today's gathering:

The gathering

(as discussed last week¹⁸)

comes in connection with and as a continuation of the "Tzivos Hashem" gathering that was supposed to be on the fifteenth of Shevat,

and in many places it indeed took place on the fifteenth of Shevat.

What the intention in this is,

as in all good things,

that it should have a continuation afterwards,

and a continuation in the essential matters,

for "the deed is the main thing"¹⁹,

in actual deed.

That is,

that the gathering,

which comes as a continuation of the fifteenth of Shevat

(even though it occurs several days later)

— recalls in a renewed and refreshed manner the memory of the fifteenth of Shevat with its directives,

until — as one must conduct oneself according to the directives in actual deed.

From the main directives of the fifteenth of Shevat:

The fifteenth of Shevat is the New Year for Trees²⁰. Therefore, there is also the custom of Israel — which surely all of you have fulfilled — that on the fifteenth of Shevat one should

(increase in)

eating types of fruits of trees²¹,

and especially the fruits with which the Land of Israel was praised,

the fruits that are the praise,

the glory,

of the Land of Israel,

which connects a Jew even more strongly with the Land of Israel,

as follows

And according to what is stated in the verse²² "for man is a tree of the field"

(as our Sages, may their memory be for a blessing, interpret it²³),

that every person

(man),

and especially every Jew,

of whom it is said "you are called man"²⁴,

man from the term "likeness to the One above"²⁵ — is comparable to a "tree of the field"

(in many respects (details)),

and as it is also stated

(as mentioned earlier (section d))

"a shoot of My planting",

that every Jew is a branch that the Most High Himself planted — it is understandable the connection of the fifteenth of Shevat,

the New Year for Trees,

to every Jew and to his service,

and how the matters that exist by trees

("tree of the field")

in their simple sense are a lesson and a directive to him in his service.

And in general

(as the Gemara says²⁶)

— that just as a tree of the field produces fruits,

so too must a Jew learn Torah and fulfill commandments and produce fruits.

And in particular²⁷:

The essence of a tree of the field,

a "tree"

(a tree) is

(first and foremost),

that it is "growing",

it constantly grows and becomes ever higher and stronger and larger²⁸;

And its purpose and perfection is,

that it should produce fruits,

and in these fruits there are also seeds,

so that when one plants a seed, a new tree also grows from it,

which further produces fruits with seeds like them, and so on, forever.

And in the matter at hand

(the fifteenth of Shevat,

New Year for Trees)

it speaks primarily about the fruits with which the Land of Israel was praised

(as said earlier that it is the custom of Israel to eat on the fifteenth of Shevat especially the fruits with which the Land of Israel was praised).

The directive from this for every Jew,

and especially for every Jewish child,

including — all of you:

Every individual child is like a small tree that begins to grow

(from his youth),

and as he grows and becomes older, so he becomes larger and stronger

(physically),

and according to how he grows and becomes larger and stronger, so too his fruits appear,

as each of you sees this simply in yourselves.

You must all know,

that every Jew,

and each of you

(every Jewish child)

in particular, is

(not merely like a small tree that grows only physically, etc., but)

a "tree of the field", "a shoot of My planting",

a branch,

that the Most High has planted in His field and garden,

with the purpose and mission

(which is the essence of every "shoot of My planting") —

And the Most High "looks upon him and examines the kidneys and heart whether he serves Him properly"²⁹,

He observes how one fulfills the mission that He gave to every branch of "shoot of My planting" —

Then one details how it is fitting for a "tree of the field" of the field and garden of the Most High,

through the fact that one does not stand in one place,

but with each day one adds more in all matters of Judaism,

in all matters connected with "Hashem"

(with the Most High,

for this is indeed His field and garden),

since you are specifically from "Tzivos Hashem",

until one fulfills the purpose — that one produces fruits that have in them kernels from which will grow more trees that will produce fruits with kernels, etc., until eternity,

and one produces the true, important fruits,

fruits with which the Land of Israel is praised:

one has the greatest praise in learning Torah and fulfilling mitzvos,

and in general — in all matters of Judaism,

so that then they are such fruits for which one praises the Most High

(because this is His "field" that has trees that have produced such fruits),

and one praises the Land of Israel,

and one praises the Jewish people,

for all of these are connected one with the other.

As this is simply:

Through the custom of Israel on the fifteenth of Shevat to eat specifically the fruits with which the Land of Israel is praised — it connects a Jew even more strongly with the Land of Israel,

and especially when he makes a blessing on each fruit,

that one blesses the Most High Who created the fruit,

and afterwards he also concludes with an after-blessing on the fruit.

And through the fact that one mentions again the Holy Land

(by virtue of the fruits with which the Land of Israel is praised),

and likewise through the service of every Jewish child

(especially)

to produce such "fruits" of Torah and mitzvos through which the Holy Land is praised, etc. — it mentions even more that with every matter that one learns in Torah and with every mitzvah that one fulfills

(in a manner of "fruits with which the Land of Israel is praised")

one

(even more)

brings closer the true and complete redemption,

when the Most High will redeem each one of you,

and each one of us,

and the entire Jewish people,

also those who are already now in the Land of Israel.

It will be a true redemption,

and Judaism will have a victory,

and a victory with joy and with peace,

and a victory for which one will give praise,

For there will be the completeness of the land,

one will have the greatest completeness as is proper in the Land of Israel,

through the fact that each one of you,

and each one of the Jewish people,

will have the greatest completeness and praise in learning Torah and fulfilling its mitzvos — the completeness of the Torah,

so that then the entire Jewish people becomes one complete people — the completeness of the people,

And especially since every Jew inscribes himself and receives a letter in the Sefer Torah — as each one of you has certainly already done — which unites you,

and every Jew,

with all Jews,

in the Torah,

"Torah tzivah lanu Moshe",

up to the first Sefer Torah that Moshe Rabbeinu wrote³⁰.

And after the aforementioned service while still in the time of exile

(that one learns from the fifteenth of Shevat,

the New Year for Trees)

that one produces "fruits",

true, proper fruits for which one praises the Most High and one praises the Land of Israel and one praises the Jewish people —

Moshiach comes "now",

very soon,

and brings the true and complete redemption,

when all this will be seen openly,

that each one of us and each one of you and the entire Jewish people go to the Holy Land,

"a land that the eyes of Hashem your G-d are always upon it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year"³¹,

in a complete manner,

in a peaceful manner and in a joyous manner,

And speedily in our days, literally,

"now".

Just as this gathering together now comes as a continuation of the fifteenth of Shevat

(as elaborated above)

— so too, regarding every good thing and holy thing,

and regarding every matter connected with Judaism — this too must be a preparation to ascend and go even higher — "maalin bakodesh" — even more than it was until now:

We are now a few weeks,

less than thirty days³²,

before the festival of Purim,

when one must already begin preparing for Purim starting from Rosh Chodesh Adar,

which is blessed from the Shabbat Mevarchim of the month of Adar,

which is the Shabbat of the week that begins from today.

The gathering together must also be the proper,

fitting and good preparation for the gathering together of Jews in general,

and of

(the children)

"Tzivos Hashem" in particular,

in connection with the festival of Purim,

For Purim is also connected with a gathering together of Jews in general,

and of Jewish children in particular.

The explanation of this:

The festival of Purim was connected with a matter of gathering together — with the matter of "gather all the Jews etc."³³,

when all the Jews gathered together at the call of Mordechai the Jew — for "Mordechai in his generation was like Moshe in his generation etc."³⁴,

and therefore Mordechai instructed the Jews in his generation how one must conduct oneself according to the Torah of Moshe.

And our Sages, of blessed memory, tell us³⁵ that in particular Mordechai

(who was "like Moshe in his generation")

gathered together Jewish children and learned Torah with them. And when the Holy One, blessed be He, saw and heard the voice of the Jewish children — immediately all the bad things were nullified,

all the evil decrees"³⁶,

and it became "for the Jews there was light and joy and gladness and honor"³⁷,

with all the interpretations thereof,

starting from the simple interpretation thereof

(the interpretation according to the plain meaning),

that even while in exile, the Jews had light,

and they also had the true joy and the true preciousness of everything connected with Jews and Judaism.

And in order to bring this about, one needed to have,

as said,

the preparation of Jews,

and especially of Jewish children,

that they should gather together to learn Torah,

and also make the good resolution to do so even more,

higher,

deeper and broader in the time thereafter.

The lesson from this now:

Every year when the days of Purim arrive — one must remember the things that occurred the first time in the days of Purim. And furthermore — then there occur

(in a good state)

the same matters that were the first time in the days of Purim³⁸.

Therefore,

standing in the days when one must already begin preparing for the festival of Purim

(today,

from which begins the week of Shabbat Mevarchim of the month of Adar etc.,

as above)

— this reminds each one of us and each one of you,

and you must remind every Jewish child wherever he may be — that one must already begin to prepare that there should be the matter of "gathering",

that we should all gather together,

boys — gather all friends,

girls — gather all friends,

and strengthen one another in all matters of Judaism,

and especially — to learn more Torah and in a manner of "gathering",

all together.

And doing this in a manner of "light and joy":

with a luminous intellect and with a clear intellect,

and with joy³⁹

(as discussed earlier (section d)),

Until one illuminates with all matters of Judaism also one's surroundings,

starting from the house in which one lives,

and the school where one learns,

and in the entire surrounding neighborhood,

And doing all these things in a manner of "ascending in holiness", rising continually more and more and higher,

for this is indeed the nature of every "sapling of My planting",

of every planting of the Holy One, blessed be He, that the Holy One, blessed be He, planted in His field and garden,

that he should continually rise more and more and higher in all matters connected with Judaism

(as above sec. 8).

And at the time when there is the "gathering" also now,

that everyone gathers together and strengthens themselves in all matters of Judaism,

and especially in learning Torah - this brings the redemption from all not good things still in the time of exile

(just as it was in the days of Purim the first time).

And on the contrary - it becomes "and it was turned around"³⁹,

that Jews through Judaism stand in the strongest manner,

and they receive "honor"

("for the Jews there was light and joy and gladness and honor"),

honor and "respect" from all the nations around them⁴⁰,

because all the nations around them see that although even Jews are "scattered and dispersed among the nations"⁴¹,

dispersed in exile - nevertheless they are "one nation",

a nation that is distinguished through one Torah,

through learning the one and only Torah and fulfilling its commandments,

that they are connected with Hashem the One,

with the one and only Supreme One who gave us the Torah.

And simply:

In the days close to Purim or on the day of Purim itself - one should make a gathering of "Tzivos Hashem",

in order to know,

and make sure that one has done and utilized the time before Purim as it ought to be.

And then also take upon oneself fresh powers to go even higher and do even more in all matters connected with Judaism.

And afterwards

(as mentioned several times)

- from time to time

(from time to time)

all these "Tzivos Hashem"¹ should gather together,

in order to regularly refresh the powers to go higher and do more in all matters connected with Judaism,

and especially - in order to renew and strengthen again the "and you shall love your fellow as yourself".

Then comes the "Bless us, our Father, all of us as one"*⁴²:

When Jews are "all of us as one" it adds more in the "Bless us, our Father",

in the blessings of the Supreme One⁴.

Beginning that still in the days before Purim,

from today onward,

there will be more "light and joy and gladness and honor",

there will be more of the true light and true joy and true honor and glory that every Jewish child,

and every Jewish person,

and people in general,

have through that which they conduct themselves according to how the Supreme One illuminated and showed the way in His "Torah or"⁴³,

in His luminous Torah.

And from the redemption of Purim about which we just spoke,

and to which one is already beginning to prepare now,

and especially through the vitality and liveliness and strength that each of you will invest in yourself and in the entire surroundings - there becomes a "connection of redemption to redemption"⁴⁴,

that this brings closer even faster and even earlier the true and complete redemption through Mashiach our righteous one,

Mashiach comes "now" and takes us out of exile,

and in a manner of joy.

We spoke earlier

(section 5)

that one must learn from every particular matter that is connected with the day - one must also learn from the daily portion of Chumash of today⁴⁵:

The daily portion of Chumash of today begins

(the first verse of Parsha Mishpatim):

"And these are the ordinances which you shall set before them".

This is especially connected with every Jewish child - because every Jewish child

(especially)

learns Torah,

"these are the ordinances",

which Moshe transmitted to the Jews

("Torah was commanded to us by Moshe").

The verse here gives the instruction,

that the learning of Torah must be in a manner of "set before them as a table set and ready to eat before a person"

(as Rashi explains):

learn in such a way that he understands what he learns "as a table set and ready to eat before a person",

that this is prepared for him,

and this is "before them" prepared,

and clear,

just like a prepared table with food,

because he learns Torah as one ought to learn Torah.

And this is in a manner of "you shall place

(before them)

" ⁴⁶,

which "you shall place" also contains a hint

(a "hint"),

that this is from the term "simah" ⁴⁷,

a precious stone,

a precious diamond". And the lesson from this is,

that when he learns Torah

("these are the judgments")

and he fulfills the commandments - he knows that this is like a precious stone and diamond that the Almighty has given him,

and he guards it and learns it with such joy as befits a precious stone and diamond.

And then one is even more successful in learning Torah and in fulfilling commandments,

And through this - to be a source of nachat for the parents and for the teachers and guides,

and for the entire Jewish people.

And we will go very soon,

"with our young and with our old etc. with our sons and with our daughters" ⁴⁸ to greet our righteous Mashiach,

speedily in our days, literally.

We will now finish

(as mentioned earlier)

with the third pillar

("pillar")

- the matter of tzedakah:

We will give each of you two coins,

of "ten ten"

(two coins of ten cents),

one to give to gemach and tzedakah,

and one - do with it as you see fit.

And before this,

in order to emphasize the matter of joy

(as mentioned earlier in one of the twelve verses and sayings of our Sages ¹),

and so that the giving of tzedakah afterwards should be with joy - we will sing a joyous melody,

on the words that are connected with the fact that the Almighty nullifies all decrees,

and will,

speedily in our days, literally,

also nullify the decree of exile - "He devises a plan and it is foiled, He speaks a word and it does not stand, for Hashem is with us" ⁴⁹:

Although even if there is "He devises a plan" and "He speaks a word" for bad things - it is a certain thing that it will be "and it is foiled" and "and it does not stand",

because "for Hashem is with us",

the Almighty is with each of you and with each of us and with the entire Jewish people.

And the "He devises a plan and it is foiled, He speaks a word and it does not stand, for Hashem is with us" - will also be the preparation for the "But the righteous will give thanks to Your Name, the upright will dwell in Your presence" ⁵⁰,

And this will be in - "and they will dwell there and inherit it" ⁵¹,

in the Holy Land.

And speedily in our days, literally.

We sang "He devises a plan etc. for Hashem is with us". "But the righteous" "for Hashem etc. and inherit it etc.".

His Holy Honor, our Rebbe, may he live for many good days, Amen, gave to the guides and guide counselors, may they live, coins of ten cents,

to give to each and every one of the boys and girls, may they live, two coins:

one - to give to tzedakah,

and the second - to do with it as they see fit.