Sichos In English, Volume 7: Tishrei-MarCheshvan, 5741

By Sichos In English

Excerpts of Sichos delivered by Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, The Lubavitcher Rebbe, at his periodic public addresses, translated into English, Tishrei-MarCheshvan, 5741

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sichos In English
• Release date: Jul 24, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310084997

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Sichos In English, Volume 7 — Tishrei-MarCheshvan, 5741

Excerpts of Sichos delivered by Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, The Lubavitcher Rebbe, at his periodic public addresses, translated into English

Published by Sichos In English

5742 - 1982

Sichos In English, Volume 7 — Tishrei-MarCheshvan, 5741

Published by Sichos In English at Smashwords

Copyright 1982 Sichos In English

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ISBN 978-1-3100-8499-7

Chapter 1: Publisher’s Foreword

This volume contains a free translation of Sichos delivered by the Lubavitcher Rebbe in the Farbrengens held from Tishrei-MarCheshvan, 5741, with excerpts from every Farbrengen held during that period. It is the seventh volume published by Sichos In English.

The translations are structured to appeal to an English speaking reader who is somewhat familiar with the teachings of Chassidus. The Sichos are not adapted or altered in context, but are presented, with slight changes, in the same form and thought style in which they were originally said. Great effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the translations; however, they carry no official authority. As in all translations, the possibility of inadvertent error exists.

A central theme running through the Sichos in this volume is the year of Hakhel, when in the times of the Bais HaMikdash all Jews gathered together during the festival of Sukkos. Emphasis is also laid on Simchas Bais HaShoeivah, when the Rebbe delivered a Sicha every night of Sukkos. The Sichos elaborate on the relevance of both these topics today, and the lessons they contain for everyday life.

Perhaps the most revolutionary idea initiated by the Rebbe during this time was Tzivos Hashem, the Army of G-d. While Jewish children have always occupied a special place in Jewish thought, never before have they been given so much attention and importance. Every child, the Rebbe says, is a soldier in G-d’s Army, and G-d Himself is their Commander-In-Chief. Each child’s mission is to defeat evil and bring light into the world, and their weapons are Torah and mitzvos. Today, Tzivos Hashem has become a permanent fixture on the Jewish world scene, with hundreds of thousands of Jewish children registered as members. The beneficial effect on these children is incalculable.

As in previous volumes, an index of topics is included at the end, and a detailed table of contents at the beginning. Again, current issues have been presented in essay form, departing from the more literal translation of most of the Sichos Those appearing in this volume are all adapted from Sichos said in this period.

The 11th of Nissan this year marks the 80th birthday of the Rebbe. When a person reaches eighty years of age, our Sages tell us, it is a sign of special strength It is our hope that this publication contribute to the growing knowledge of the teachings of Chassidus and of the Rebbe in particular, especially to those who were formerly unable to study them.

Sichos In English

11th Day of Nissan, 5742

80th Birthday of the Lubavitcher Rebbe Shlita

Chapter 2: Second Day of Rosh Hashanah

[The Rebbe Shlita opened the farbrengen by requesting that an announcement be made, asking everyone to wash for bread and say LeChaim before sunset (after which the meal could not be continued because of the beginning of Shabbos). He reiterated his request.]

1. The Alter Rebbe declared (Likkutei Torah, Nitzavim) that the day referred to in the verse you are all standing before the L-rd, your G-d is Rosh Hashanah. Because the Jews are standing... before G-d, oneness is established among them, unifying your heads with your hewers of wood and drawers of water.

On one hand, this unity results from the great spiritual influences revealed by G-d at this time. (They are alluded to by the usage of the word Nitzavim — standing which is in passive rather than active form. Thus, Nitzavim literally means made to stand i.e. brought to this state by G-d’s spiritual influences.) However, there is a need for effort and service on our part, for our natural tendency is to prefer something we have earned and worked for, as the Talmud (B. Metzia 38a) declares a person prefers one Kab (measure) of his own to nine Kabbim of his friend’s.¹ That service is referred to in their explanation (Berachos 49a) of the blessing Blessed are You G-d, Who sanctifies Israel and the [festive] seasons. They explain that G-d sanctifies Israel and they sanctify the festivals. In addition, this service consists of joining together as one man with one heart. That unity should be expressed through physical means, through drinking wine together; as our Sages (Sanhedrin 103b) said, of great [importance] is a mouthful [of food] for it draws people close. In this manner, the concept of unity will become part of our flesh and blood. This is particularly true since our gathering is connected with Rosh Hashanah which is a festival and is specifically connected with Drinking sweet beverages, as well as eating sumptuously; for as the Book of Nechemiah (8:10) declares, the joy of the L-rd is your strength. The fact that this year Rosh Hashanah begins a Hakhel year further intensifies the stress on unity.

From the above it should be obvious that now is the time for everyone to say LeChaim, before sunset. it is not necessary to do so publicly. What is necessary is the actual deed, drinking a little Mashke or more preferably, wine. The latter brings joy to G-d and man (Shoftim 9:13) causing happiness to be assimilated into our flesh and blood.

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2. The Maamar recited is discussed in the Maamarim of the Tzemach Tzedek. Rosh Hashanah is intrinsically connected to the Tzemach Tzedek who was born Erev Rosh Hashanah with his bris taking place in the days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

On the occasion of his birth, the Alter Rebbe recited the Maamar Mashbiim Oso — The soul is given an oath which later became the basis for the first three chapters of Tanya. That Maamar is relevant to the birth of every Jewish child, for every child is given the oath Become a Tzaddik and don’t become a Rasha before he is born. Similarly, it applies to Rosh Hashanah, for Rosh Hashanah marks the creation of Adorn, the first man. Similarly, each year on Rosh Hashanah the original pattern of creation is repeated and each Jew is born anew.²

During this year, the connection to the first Rosh Hashanah is intensified. According to the rules of the Jewish calendar, Rosh Hashanah can never occur on Sunday, Wednesday, or Friday.³ Hence, it is impossible for Rosh Hashanah to occur on a Friday as did the original Rosh Hashanah. However, in a year such as the present when Rosh Hashanah falls on Thursday, its second day is celebrated on Friday. Since the two days of Rosh Hashanah are considered one long day, it follows that there is a unique connection between our celebration of Rosh Hashanah this year and the original Rosh Hashanah. This is particularly true at the present time, the conclusion of the day, for Adorn was also created at the day’s close.

3. Rosh Hashanah is always celebrated for two days, even in Eretz Yisroel. Thus, it further emphasizes the concept of Jewish unity. A difference exists between the Jews of Israel and of those of the Diaspora in regard to the celebration of all other holidays and it is only in the case of Rosh Hashanah that their celebration is uniform.

Furthermore, there is an explicit mention of the second day of Rosh Hashanah in the Written Torah. The Book of Nechemiah⁴ relates that on the first day of the seventh month, the entire Jewish people assembled before Ezra, who read passages of the Torah to them. At the conclusion of the reading the Jewish people were told: Go your way, eat sumptuously, drink sweet beverages, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy unto the L-rd; do not be grieved, for the joy of the L-rd is your strength (8:10). The people followed the directive as the verse (12) states: And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to celebrate with great joy. The passage continues (13) And on the second day... which the commentaries (Rashi) explain to mean the second day of Rosh Hashanah (not the day after Rosh Hashanah). That passage continues, relating how the chiefs of the fathers’ houses of all the people, the priests, and the Levi’im, were gathered to Ezra the scribe, in order to study the words of the Torah. (14) And they found written in the Torah which the L-rd had commanded...that the children of Israel should dwell in Sukkos (booths) in the feast of the seventh month. Ezra then commanded them (15) to Go out to the mountain, and fetch olive branches, and branches of wild olive, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make Sukkos as it is written. The people heeded his words, as the text (16) continues So the people went out, and brought them, and made themselves Sukkos, everyone on the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of G-d... (17) and their was great joy.

Thus, the second day of Rosh Hashanah is connected to Sukkos. The firm decision accepted by the Jews on Rosh Hashanah was fulfilled on Sukkos.

The construction of Sukkos in the Temple courtyard is connected to a question raised in the responsa of the Geonim: Should a Sukkah be built outside a synagogue or not? On the surface, a Sukkah should only be built outside a private dwelling. The general principle Dwell (in the Sukkah) as you live (in your house) governs all laws concerning Sukkos. A synagogue is not a private dwelling and hence does not require a Sukkah. However, the responsa concludes that it is proper to build a Sukkah there for the use of guests. It supports its rationale with the above-mentioned quotation from Nechemiah and concludes: and this is the custom.

We can derive a lesson from the above. On the second day of Rosh Hashanah we must begin thinking, and also make firm resolutions, concerning the celebration of the festival of Sukkos, ensuring that it will be a time of great joy. Also, as mentioned in previous farbrengens and in previous years, provisions must be made to send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared. This will lead to the celebration of Sukkos with great joy which, in turn, will bring about the ultimate joy, the coming of the future redemption led by Mashiach. He will build the Temple in its place and gather the dispersed of Israel. He will perform the Mitzvah of Hakhel collecting together the nation: men, women, children, and the stranger in your midst. We will all be inscribed for a good and sweet year with open and revealed good.

Chapter 3: Shabbos Parshas Haazinu, Shabbos Shuvah, 3rd Day of Tishrei

1. The name Shabbos Shuva comes from the Haftorah for this Shabbos which begins Shuva Yisroel — Return 0’ Israel. The general conception of Teshuvah is that it is a return, a coming back to one’s true self. Many interpret Teshuvah as regret; a change from one’s behavior. This interpretation is completely erroneous. When one sins he turns away from his true behavior. A Jew is essentially good, even when he sins. When a Jew does Teshuvah he is returning to his true self.

Teshuvah is connected to Shabbos. In fact, when rearranged the letters of the word Shabbos spell Teshuvah. This connection is easily understood: On Shabbos a Jew is free from work and is free from involvement in material affairs; this is his true nature. Our true nature is to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. The phrase a kingdom of priests, refers to the soul; a holy nation, to the body. The Hebrew word for holy, Kadosh, means separate, set aside. Even a Jew’s body, which appears to be similar to that of the non-Jew, is in fact holy — separate from their bodies and set aside from them. By nature a Jew is above work and above material affairs. When he works during the weekdays, he does so against his nature, and he does so only because he has been charged with the mission to draw holiness down into the realm of mundane affairs. Hence, on Shabbos, when these activities cease, a Jew returns to his true self. From this we see that Shabbos and Teshuvah emphasize the same concept: the return of the Jew to his essential nature — that of a holy nation. It is possible for a Jew’s true nature to be obscured by foreign objects. Nevertheless, as the Rambam declares, the true desire of every Jew — even one who has to be forced to obey Torah law — -is to follow Torah and Mitzvos. With Teshuvah a Jew openly reveals that this is his true nature.

Just as every Jew is connected with Shabbos, also every Jew has a connection with the Torah.⁵ Our name, Yisroel, is an acronym for the phrase There are 600,000 letters in the Torah — this is also the number of Jewish souls. Every Jew has his letter in the Torah. This letter is the source of his life; it is the force which actualizes his existence. The prophet Isaiah (54:13) declares that all your children shall be learners of the [Torah of the] L-rd.⁶ Without exception every Jew has a connection with Torah.

This connection with Torah is brought out in actuality through the Mitzvah of Hakhel which involves the gathering together of the entire Jewish people — men, women, and children... that they may hear, and that they may learn... all the words of the Torah. From this context we learn that there are three preparations for a Hakhel year. First, Hakhel follows a Shemitah year; a year that is a Shabbos unto G-d. On the Shabbos day a Jew returns to his true self — the aspect of his nature connected with Torah. Similarly, in the Shemitah year a Jew rises to his true state, i.e., he is above mundane affairs and he establishes his connection with Torah. We see from this that it is necessary to prepare for a year in which the entire Jewish people gather together to hear the Torah. Hakhel must also be preceded by Shabbos and Teshuvah, both of which stress the return of the Jew to his/her true nature.⁷

To return to the original concept: True, Shabbos and Teshuvah have a fundamental similarity in that they both return a Jew to his true state of existence. However, there is a difference between them. Shabbos is one of the seven days of the week; it is connected with time. Teshuvah is above time. In one moment and with one turn it is possible to atone for one’s entire past and to transform one’s sins into merits. Furthermore, since every man is an entire world, and each man is obligated to say: ‘the world was created for me,’ it follows that when one atones for his past, he effects the totality of existence. Thus, Shabbos Shuva represents a fusion of two types of service — Shabbos and Teshuvah. This concept is related to the Zohar’s statement that Mashiach will bring Tzaddikim to do Teshuvah. We can compare Shabbos to the service of the Tzaddikim since both represent the service of G-d within the natural order. In contrast, Teshuvah is above the natural order; it is able to transform sins into merits.⁸ Shabbos Shuva shows us that these two types of service can be fused together and that every Jew has the potential to reach these levels of service; furthermore, G-d will help him achieve this goal. The very nature of Shabbos influences our behavior, lifting it to a higher level.⁹

The above lesson is particularly appropriate in this generation. G-d has promised us that no-one will ever be banished from Him. Every Jew will eventually do Teshuvah and return to G-d. However, before this age it was possible that this promise wasn’t fulfilled in the case of every individual (note Tanya Ch. 39, Hil. Talmud Torah 4:3). It was possible that an individual’s soul was destined to come to fulfillment in a later incarnation. Now all the appointed times for Mashiach’s coming have past and all that is necessary is, in the Previous Rebbe’s words, to polish the buttons. There is no time to wait; every Jew must reach his state of fulfillment now.

May this come to be soon. Then, immediately the redemption will come and Mashiach will build the Temple in its place, and there we will fulfill... the commands of Your will. Among those commands will be the Mitzvah of Hakhel. The Melech HaMashiach, as the emissary of G-d,¹⁰ will read the Torah to the entire Jewish people on the holiday of Sukkos,¹¹ and there will be great joy.

2. In a year such as this one, when Shabbos follows directly after Rosh Hashanah, Parshas Haazinu is always read on that Shabbos. This fact must surely contain a lesson in the service of G-d. Furthermore, since this lesson is derived from Torah, it must be clear and able to be understood by all.

The source for this lesson is the commentary of the Sifri on the opening verse of the Torah portion: Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak, and let the earth hear the words of my mouth. Noting that the expression give ear implies a state of close proximity, and the expression let... hear, implies a state of distance,¹² the Sifri comments: Since Moshe was close to the heavens he declared ‘give ear, O heavens:’ since he was far from the earth he declared, ‘let the earth hear’.

This statement is difficult to understand: The words of my (Moshe’s) mouth were words of Torah. Seemingly, the state of being close to the heavens and far from the earth, contradicts the general principle that Torah is not in the heavens — it was given only on the earth.

This is the explanation: Although Torah was given on earth [and is close to us], its objective is to bring us to a level which is close to the heavens, i.e., involved with spiritual matters, and far from the earth, i.e., far from material concerns.

This state is connected to Shabbos. Shabbos represents a state of completion. Our ultimate state of completion exists when we become aware of the G-dly force that brings all of creation into existence. On Shabbos we approach this level; we draw closer to the heavens and move further away from the earth.

This level of service is also related to the unique nature of this Shabbos. This year we went from Rosh Hashanah into Shabbos without any separation between the two. The uniqueness of this progression is further emphasized by the fact that Havdalah, the prayer which separates Shabbos and festivals from the succeeding days, is not recited after Rosh Hashanah.¹³ Furthermore, we continue to wear our Yom Tov clothes. Thus, the service of Rosh Hashanah continues through Shabbos.

The central aspect of the service of Rosh Hashanah is Kabbalas Ol — acceptance of G-d’s yoke. Throughout the year Kabbalas