English translation — שיחת ש"פ וילך, שבת שובה, ו' תשרי ה'תשמ"ט.

Completion of the first two talks

[Regarding the difference between Moshe who said "Give ear, O heavens, etc. and hear, O earth" when he was "close to heaven,"

and the prophet Yeshayahu who said "Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth" because he was "far from heaven and close to earth":]

And the matters of Moshe are drawn down to every Jew,

and give him the power in his service that he should be "close to heaven and far from earth" – that is,

that even though initially he is "close to earth,"

he was created with a physical body,

even a material body,

which in its materiality is comparable to the bodies of the nations of the world, etc.¹,

and finds himself on this physical earth,

"close to earth"

[All the more so from the fact that even the prophet Yeshayahu was "close to earth" – even though his prophecy was in the time of the First Temple,

and there was then the Ark and the five items (as is also understood from that in Yeshayahu's prophecy he speaks about the cherubim),

and he saw the Merkavah in the world of Beriah,

like a resident of a large city who saw the king, etc. (therefore in his prophecy there are not as many details as in the Merkavah of Yechezkel, which was like a resident of a village, etc.,

for being a resident of a large city, in closeness to the king, he is not so impressed and affected by the revelation, etc.);

And the matters of Yeshayahu are drawn down to every Jew,

not only in the time of the Second Temple but also in the time of exile,

as is also understood from that the haftarah of the time of the Giving of our Torah is the Merkavah of Yeshayahu,

which haftarah is recited in public and with a blessing before and after,

and from the "one time a year" of the time of the Giving of our Torah

(from the year 5748,

rejoice and rejoice and Hakhel)

it is drawn down upon the entire year,

including this time,

until the festival of Sukkot of the following year

(the year 5749)],

Nevertheless, his service consists of that his soul should be primary and his body secondary.²

[And in continuation of the matter of the time of the Giving of our Torah as above,

he spoke about Simchat Torah,

which is also connected to Parshat Vayelech,

in which it is stated about the completion of the writing of the Torah by Moshe].

[At the conclusion of the talk,

about the connection of Simchat Torah to Parshat Vayelech]:

And therefore it is fitting that we now celebrate Simchat Torah,

upon that which we read in the current parshah that Moshe completed writing the Torah

[and when we read this it is not mere words,

but such is the true essence of the matter].

And just as everything is connected with physicality and in simplicity – one must celebrate the joy by going in a dance in simplicity,

a dance with the feet,

and in a manner of "all my bones shall say,"

[And it is noteworthy that so too regarding "your springs shall spread forth outward,"

through learning it with understanding and comprehension,

with wisdom and understanding, even also with knowledge,

he shall fix his thought with strength, etc.,

and through this there is also the birth of the emotions,

love and its branches and fear and its branches³],

and in a manner that others also see this

[until as is the custom of Israel,

that on Simchat Torah one also dances in the street,

in the public domain (even in a neighborhood with few Jews,

all the more so in a neighborhood or city where there are many Jews),

until that one makes the street also dance,

as has been spoken about many times].

And this should all be immediately and forthwith,

and not delayed even for a moment,

that all those assembled here demonstrate how they celebrate Simchat Torah,

with a dance with the feet,

and a melody of Simchat Torah,

and out of great joy,

until – beyond measure and limitation,

And as stated – immediately and forthwith.

[The Rebbe, shlita, began to sing the melody of the Hakafot of his father, z"l,

and stood to his full height and danced with great joy].

[Regarding that several undesirable matters were written in the Torah in the future tense,

and the intention in this is not to lower the spirits of the Children of Israel, G-d forbid,

but rather to arouse the Children of Israel that through their service they will nullify these matters (in their simple sense)]:

And all the more so when it speaks about matters that will occur after much time – certainly there is no reason to distress a Jew by telling him about such things.

And although there is the excuse "at a time of joy, joy" even though one knows that afterwards there will be a contrary matter – this, however, is an answer to a question of a non-Jew;

but in the truth of the matter,

the explanation in this is,

that one tells Jews about those things that will be in the future,

in order to arouse their service to nullify these matters in their simple sense.

[Conclusion of the talk]:

And through the fact that Jews cry out "Until when?",

and then there comes a new "Immediately to repentance",

there also comes a new "Immediately to redemption",

a new repentance brings a new redemption,

which in truth is the "very ancient" true and complete redemption through our righteous Mashiach,

immediately and at once, literally.

Discourse (in the manner of a talk)

Beginning with the words "Return, O Israel, etc."

Completion of talk 3

(after the discourse):

[Regarding the custom of bringing boys and girls to the synagogue]:

And one should connect this with the matter of Hakhel — "Why have the little ones come?

To give reward to those who bring them"⁵,

and the effort of those "who bring them"

(and consequently also the reward)

is for the boys and girls themselves

(unlike regarding the pilgrimage, where the obligation is only "Every one of your males shall appear"⁶),

and especially according to the opinion that "little ones" also includes very young children.

[Regarding the study of the laws of the three things upon which every Jewish household stands, the initials of which are "Chanah"]:

And the addition in the study of these laws should be for the elevation of the soul of the one whose yahrtzeit is today,

and whose service stands revealed today and brings about salvations in the midst of the land.

[Regarding "Chen" (grace/favor)]:

That "Chen" in its simple meaning indicates more than the usual manner,

more than "According to the pain is the reward"⁷,

and even more than "I have toiled and found"⁸,

up to beyond all measure and limitation,

as explained regarding the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy,

and as the verse states⁹ "And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy",

and even more than this — not only "to whom I will be gracious",

but to each and every one literally.

There is someone who merited to help my mother

(in the last years in that country)

in matters of eating and drinking, literally,

and he did this with a pleasant countenance,

and he did it without regard for the difficulties associated with it in that country.

(The Rebbe, of blessed memory, smiled,

and said:)

From the perspective of honoring one's mother, this is an obligation that rests upon me,

and therefore, until this day, I cannot repay him for this,

and in truth — I do not wish to repay him for this.

And surely the Almighty will bless him and his wife,

with all that is needed, in goodness that is seen and revealed,

and they will see nachas from children and grandchildren who are engaged in Torah and mitzvos,

for length of days and good years,

and they will merit to dance at the greeting of our righteous Mashiach.

And it is understood that this also includes a blessing and success to increase in the service of Hashem,

which hastens the coming of Mashiach even more.

One of the ways that help in the service of Hashem is — "fear of flesh and blood",

as Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai said to his students, "May it be His will that the fear of Heaven be upon you like the fear of flesh and blood"¹⁰.

And the explanation is simply,

that fear of flesh and blood is a natural matter in every Jew,

due to the trait of shame that he has by nature — as is known the three signs of Jews: "compassionate, shamefaced, and performers of acts of kindness"¹¹,

the initials of which are "Gever"¹².

So it is certainly that one must use this

(the trait of shame and fear of flesh and blood)

in the service of Hashem,

all the more so from that which "In all your ways know Him"¹³,

and certainly a trait in Jews that they possess by their nature.

And one should connect this with the daily study portion in the Rambam,

at the beginning of the Laws of Theft:

The Rambam begins the Laws of Theft:

"Whoever steals property worth a perutah or more violates a negative commandment, as it is stated¹⁴ 'You shall not steal',

and they are not lashed for this negative commandment, since it is subject to payment,

for the Torah obligated a thief to pay."

This law is also found at the beginning of the Laws of Robbery — "Whoever robs his fellow of something worth a perutah violates a negative commandment, as it is stated¹⁵ 'You shall not rob',

they are not lashed for this negative commandment, since the Scriptural text has transferred it to a positive commandment,

for if one robbed, he is obligated to return [it],

as it is stated¹⁶ 'He shall return the robbed object which he robbed'."

One must understand:

The way of the Rambam in such a case — when two matters have the same law — is to include both laws together,

and not to repeat the same law twice. In our case, the Rambam should have written "Whoever steals or robs something worth a perutah, etc.",

and enumerated the laws in which they are alike,

and not repeated the law twice,

both regarding a thief and regarding a robber?

The explanation of this is — in "to correct the opinions"¹⁷:

There is a fundamental and diametric difference between a thief and a robber — in the matter of "fear of flesh and blood":

"A thief is one who takes a person's money in secret, and the owners do not know"¹⁸,

i.e., he hides himself,

in contrast to a robber who "takes a person's money by force"¹⁹,

"openly and publicly, with a strong hand"¹⁸,

because he has no "fear of flesh and blood".

And since a thief and a robber are two entirely separate categories — a thief who has no fear of Heaven,

but he nevertheless has the human trait of "fear of flesh and blood",

and a robber who has lost even his human trait of "fear of flesh and blood" — therefore,

the Rambam cannot include their laws in the same halachah,

because even the laws that are common to both,

are entirely separate matters,

and also their repentance is entirely different one from the other — and consequently, it would be contrary to uprightness of heart to mix the two categories together.

Based on this, there is also a lesson in connection with Shabbos Shuvah,

that although the service of repentance in general is in a manner of skipping,

nevertheless there are levels in repentance,

to the point of diametric opposition,

and the repentance of a thief and the repentance of a robber are not at all comparable,

and likewise regarding other levels in repentance.

And one should connect this

(the levels in repentance)

with the notes of the Tatte on the Zohar of our parshah²⁰,

where he explains the statement of the Zohar²¹ "Fortunate are Israel that the Holy One, blessed be He, desired them, etc.",

and he explains that "desired means will,

the aspect of Kesser".

The connection of this with repentance — according to the known principle that repentance is connected and reaches the aspect of will, Kesser,

even to the innermost aspect of will and delight, etc.

And this is stated openly and emphatically in the Ten Days of Repentance — because although throughout the entire year the service of repentance is required,

"repentance and good deeds"²²,

nevertheless then the main emphasis

(in the service of the regular offerings)

is on "good deeds"

(and repentance is primarily in order to bring about that the deeds should be good,

good and illuminating²³),

and not so much on the aspect of will;

in contrast, during the Ten Days of Repentance the main emphasis is on the service of repentance itself

(additional offerings, in their entirety),

in the aspect of will,

but this is drawn down also into particular service.

And likewise in the totality of service of Hashem and fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos,

there are many levels within it:

fulfillment of mitzvos in themselves

(regular offerings, in their order),

beautification of mitzvah

(which adds an addition — additional offerings — to the mitzvos),

in a manner of "in a multitude of people is the King's glory",

in a specific place — a house where Torah and prayer are magnified²⁴,

which adds greatness in Torah and prayer, etc.

And in continuation of this, it is appropriate to mention here,

that those who provided a drink that gladdens for various joyous farbrengens,

in connection with matters of Torah and mitzvos,

including especially — building houses,

houses of Torah, prayer, and charity, etc.,

or — in connection with laying a cornerstone and the like —

should now come up,

and announce and invite those assembled here to participate with them in body, soul, and money,

or one of them.

And from them they will see, and so shall many do.

And may it be His will that the involvement in these buildings should further hasten the most essential building — the building of the third Beis HaMikdash,

which comes down

from above to below,

"built and perfected, and it will be revealed and come from heaven"²⁵

(in the manner discussed earlier that there are buildings that are erected today from above to below),

and together with this it descends and is clothed in a physical Beis HaMikdash in this physical land,

i.e., that in this there are both advantages together,

from above to below and from below to above,

and the union of both together,

in the manner explained in the matter of "and I will walk among you"²⁶,

with two walkings,

from above to below and from below to above²⁷,

and likewise "komemiyus"²⁸,

with two levels,

two hundred cubits²⁹ — as it is stated³⁰ "two hundred for those who guard its fruit"

(in addition to "the thousand for you, Shlomo"),

as discussed above.

And not delayed even for the blink of an eye,

with utmost alacrity,

until — with utmost perfection.

[After the distribution of the drink, the Rebbe shlita began to sing "And I will pour out for you a blessing".

Afterwards he instructed the shatz shlita to sing "May it be His will, etc., that the Beis HaMikdash be built, etc."].

One should conclude with what was begun — the matter of "rejoice and cause to rejoice" and Hakhel and building houses,

And in a manner of increase with greater vigor and strength in this year, the year 5749,

"may your hands release" from all debts,

relative to the past year,

the year 5748, a year of joy and a year of Hakhel,

so that all matters must be in this year with an increase,

adding according to their law in addition to the perpetual offerings in their order as before.

And particularly since this year is also a leap year — when there is an increase in the number of months,

so that instead of twelve months there are thirteen months.

And this corresponds to the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy,

and the thirteen principles by which the Torah is expounded

(as discussed above).

And this becomes a preparation for the thirteen gates and portions in the Land of Israel, may it be rebuilt speedily,

also the gate of Levi one.

And they all dance together,

souls in bodies,

together with all the souls that do not yet have bodies,

and those that have never yet been in bodies

(all the souls that are in the body can),

to greet our righteous Mashiach,

and out of joy and goodness of heart.

"And of Zion it shall be said: 'This man and that man was born in her, and He, the Most High, will establish her.'"

[The Rebbe, the Admor Shlita, began to sing the melody of the Hakafot of his father, of blessed memory.

Afterwards he said:

Those who need to recite the after-blessing,

will certainly recite the after-blessing.]