12-13 Tammuz: the Rashbi Connection, the Geuloh Connection
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12-13 Tammuz: the Rashbi Connection, the Geuloh Connection

After his arrest by Communist authorities for the “crime” of being involved in spreading Yiddishkeit, the Previous Rebbe was imprisoned under terrible conditions for 18 days in 5687 (1927).1 He was sent to exile in the city of Kostrama on Gimmel Tammuz of that year. Nine days later, on the 12th of Tammuz, he was informed that he would be released from his exile, but due to the official offices being closed the certificate of release did not come until the next day, the 13th of Tammuz. Thus, his release is celebrated as a two-day yom tov: 12-13 Tammuz.

Those are the external causes as they enclothed themselves in this world. But we know from Chassidus that the real reason for events is deeper, sourced in a more spiritual dimension. The “hasgacha protis” that the release of the Previous Rebbe from this ordeal is eternally celebrated on the 12th and 13th of Tammuz should grab our attention. What is this fact coming to tell us?

THE RASHBI CONNECTION

We know that there exists a “Rashbi connection” with the Previous Rebbe. The verse2 which states that Bnei Yisroel left Mitzrayim with an upraised hand (יד רמה) is translated to Aramaic by Onkelus as “b’reish g’lei” (בריש גלי). The letters of “b’reish” are the initial letters of Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai’s name (RASHB”I). The Rebbe points out3 that these letters are also found in the name of the Previous Rebbe: Rabbi Yosef ben Sholom Dovber, solidifying the connection between them. Going out of Mitzrayim for Rashbi was going out of his exile in the cave where he hid from the Romans, just as the Previous Rebbe went out from his exile “with an upraised hand”. How many years was Rashbi in the cave? Correct: 12 years and a 13th year. Let’s examine the connection:

As described in the Gemara4, Rashbi (and his son Rebbi Elazar) sat in the cave where they had fled from the Romans for 12 years. Eliyahu Hanovi came and stood at the entrance to the cave and announced that the decree had been cancelled — Rashbi was free to leave. After 12 years in the cave, Rashbi reached very high levels of holiness. But he could not tolerate the sight of Yidden who chose to be involved in their physical life at the expense of eternal life. “Every place that they cast their eyes was immediately burnt.” A Bas Kol sent them back to the cave, where they remained for another year. After the 13th year a Bas Kol announced that they should go out from the cave. This time, “everywhere that Rebbi Elazar would strike, Rashbi would heal.” What is the connection of the 12 years and the 13th year?

As taught in Chassidus, there are 12 “diagonal boundaries” (י”ב גבולי אלכסון), which refers to the diagonal interconnections between the 7 sefiros (see diagram). As their name suggests they are boundaries which are the limiting dimension of “gevuros“. From this we see how 12 is connected to gevuros, just as Rashbi and his son came out of the cave after 12 years with an abundance of gevuros of kedusha, burning everything that wasn’t up to par. The number 13 is associated with the 13 Attributes of Mercy (Midos Harachamim, י”ג מידות הרחמים) — only after the 13th year in the cave was Rashbi (and later his son, as described in the gemara) able to have a merciful perspective even on those who were busy with the life of this world.

We see how the Previous Rebbe’s release from his exile in the dark Communist caves comes out, by hashgacha protis on the 12th and the 13th. But unlike Rashbi, the Previous Rebbe only came out once: on the 13th, implying that his release was completely on the level of the 13 Midos Harachamim, and lechatchila his redemption included not only those who love the Torah and its Mitzvos, but also “those who are only referred to by the name Yisroel” (ורק אשר בשם ישראל יכונה).

THE GEULOH CONNECTION

We can identify also in these days of the 12th and 13th a connection and a hint to the true and complete Geuloh. It’s well-known that a girl becomes bas mitzvah on her 12th birthday. A boy, however, only becomes bar mitzvah on his 13th birthday. Based on what we learned above about 12 and 13, how does this fit with the age of Mitzvos by a girl and a boy? We could suggest as follows:

A girl’s bas mitzvah at the age of 12 is connected to the words of chazal5: “man releases seed first and a female is born”. Which Chassidus6 explains to mean that when the awakening for Geuloh comes from Above (from the Mashpia to the mekabel), the result is a “female”, implying a weaker offspring, a weaker form of Geuloh which does not have sustaining power. This is the aspect of 12 — a limited form of Geuloh, analogous to the age 12 bas mitzvah of a girl.

A boy’s bar mitzvah at the age of 13 is connected with the verse7 “a woman releases seed first and a male is born”. This is when the awakening for Geuloh is an awakening from below, from the awakening of Yisroel down below. This is an awakening which gives birth to a “male” — a strong and enduring Geuloh, the Geuloh ho’Amitis v’hoShleimoh!

Thus, the Geuloh of the Previous Rebbe includes both dimensions — the assistance of an awakening from Above, together with the critical awakening from below. But the day the Previous Rebbe actually left his exile, the day of his Geuloh b’poal was davka the 13th, the dimension of rachamim unfettered by limitations (even limitations of Holiness), the dimension of complete Geuloh!

  1. Reshimas Hamaasar: https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2295408/jewish/A-Prince-in-Prison.htm ↩︎
  2. Beshallach 14:8. ↩︎
  3. Likkutei Sichos 3:874. ↩︎
  4. Shabbos 33b. ↩︎
  5. Niddah 31a. ↩︎
  6. Likkutei Torah, Parashas Tazria. ↩︎
  7. Tazria 12:2. ↩︎

10) Kuntres 12-13 Tammuz: How We Can Burn Down Golus!
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10) Kuntres 12-13 Tammuz: How We Can Burn Down Golus!

The maamor released for 12-13 Tammuz 5751 was originally said on 12 Tammuz 5729, a day before the maamor that was released on Yud Alef Nissan, 5751 (three months earlier).  Both maamorim speak about the “prayer of the rich man”.  Here, the Rebbe stresses the the connection between Yisroel and Moshe Rabbeinu, and adds the distinction that Moshe’s connection with Yisroel is his inward dimension (pnimiyus),  and everything else is secondary and external (chitzoniyus).  “All of his levels, including that he was also wealthy in ruchniyus, they are secondary, the external [chitzoniyus] dimension, relative to the fact that he is the shepherd of Yisroel…”  This, of course, is true also of the extension of Moshe in every generation — the Rebbeim — and now the Rebbe explains how this applies to the Geuloh of 12-13 Tammuz (and 19 Kislev):

Through the imprisonments that preceded the Geuloh of 19 Kislev and the Geuloh of 12 Tammuz came a great elevation, which is like the additional light that comes from the darkness.  Seemingly, since as regards the Nessiim it’s not possible to say that even while they were imprisoned there was a state of darkness by them [as the [Rebbe Rayatz] said about the imprisonment of the Alter Rebbe, that it was with his agreement, from which it is understood that by them all the concealments of imprisonment were only in chitzoniyus], then how could there come about an “additional light from darkness”?  We can say that since the main inyan of the Nessiim is that they are the shepherds of Yisroel, therefore, the concealments of the imprisonment as it was experienced by Yisroel is also found by the Nessiim.

This reveals to us how Moshiach can be holding by all the giluyim we can imagine and more, and yet he “bears our sufferings” and himself endures terrible suffering (as stated in Midrashim) — because of his identification with Yisroel who have not yet come out of Golus!  This means that our effort to bring an end to Golus is a great rachmones on the Rebbe!

The maamor begins with the verse from parshas Chukas about the Pora Adumoh (red heifer), and the Rebbe explains that the burning of the Pora Adumoh is also a metaphor for burning down golus.  What’s the connection?  How do we “burn down” the golus?

The Rebbe explains that the mitzvah of Pora Adumoh is “the” mitzvah, which is not understood and therefore must be performed with the most complete level of kabolos ‘ol.  But since Moshe Rabbeinu himself did understand the mitzvah, where does kabolos ‘ol come in for him, and how can he, through this mitzvah, draw it down to all of Israel?  The Rebbe explains that this is the concept of bittul and kabolos ‘ol in seichel.  

The inyan of seichel derives from the level of memaleh kol almin, which is the inyan of nature.

Emunah, belief in things that are above seichel, derives from the level of sovev, which is the inyan of miracles.

Generally speaking, seichel obscures emunah, nature obscures miracles.  The way to overcome this is through the revelation of Atzmus, which is truly unlimited and has the power to unify opposites.  The imprisonment and Geuloh  of 12 Tammuz drew down the level of Atzmus, which in fact brought about a unification of opposites, to such an extent that those who hated and imprisoned the Rebbe Rayatz were forced to release him, even as they remained in power, a miracle enclothed in nature.  How does this connect with burning down golus and the burning of the Pora Adumoh?

As regards the Pora Adumoh, we find that the closeness between Moshe and Yisroel goes in both directions: the mitzvah being a “chok“, the reason for it not being understood, is primarily by Yisroel and is drawn from Yisroel to Moshe (“take for you” in our posuk), so that also for Moshe it is a “chok” (even though he in fact knows the reason).  But as regards fulfilling the mitzvah with bittul and kabolos ‘ol, this is something Yisroel receives from Moshe.  The Rebbe adds that “We could say that via the fact that Moshe knew the reason for Pora Adumoh, and that the bittul of kabolos ‘ol is drawn into his comprehension (הסגה) this gives the power to every single Yid that emunah and kabolos ‘ol can exist also in his seichel.”  In other words, this mitzvah is what enables us to unify the opposites of seichel and emunah, nature and miracles, as the Rebbe explains:

His kabolos ‘ol is in a way that not only does he fulfill Hashem’s command (even when he doesn’t understand), but also he doesn’t question it at all (אינו מהרהר כלל), because the inyan of kabolos ‘ol is settled in his mind.  And we can connect this with the Midrash that that the Pora Adumoh hints at the exiles…because through this that kabolos ‘ol above intellect is settled in his seichel, this is a preparation for the Geuloh and the revelation of G-dliness that will occur… and through this that he doesn’t question…this is the burning of (the Pora Adumoh which hints at) the golus….

Meaning that when we utilize the power of this mitzvah — to have bittul and kabolos ‘ol settled in our intellect, to such an extent that our lack of understanding doesn’t bring us to question at all (and surely not to insist that we do understand things which are not fully understood) — we succeed in unifying seichel with emunah above seichel, unifiying nature and miracles (in our avoidas Hashem and in the world), thereby burning down the golus!  In this way we have the power to bring the true and complete Geuloh, and to finally redeem the Rebbe himself from our sufferings, in a way of “additional light from the darkness”!

Balak 5751: To Recognize the Inner Good
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Balak 5751: To Recognize the Inner Good

In the year 5751 the fast of 17th Tammuz fell out on Shabbos parshas Balak.  In this sicha the Rebbe addresses the special quality of a fast that falls out on Shabbos, which causes the fast itself to be pushed off until the next day.

First, we must understand that although the fast itself is a matter of “discomfort which is the opposite of desire and pleasure, but its inner dimension (b’pnimiyus) it is a good thing, as stated in the verse ‘a day of Will to Hashem’.”  More specifically, the fast of the 17th of Tammuz is on the day of the month which has the numeric value (gematria) of “good” (טוב = 17).  The Rebbe finds this completely natural:

Since the intent and ultimate purpose of the churban and the golus is only in order to come to the elevation and perfection of the (true and complete) Geuloh, meaning that the golus is an external matter, and it’s inner dimension is the Geuloh.

From this, we understand that since the time of the churban itself, everything is for the purpose of the Geuloh.

Interesting to note that the Rebbe mentions four times in this sicha that there is an aspect of Geuloh which is to rectify the churban and golus, but additionally there is a higher level: Continue reading →

Chukas: Revealing the Hidden
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Chukas: Revealing the Hidden

There is a common thread running through almost all of the Dvar Malchus sichos of 5751-52: the concepts of “ratzo v’shov” (ascending and returning); and the contrast between influence from Above the effort from below. These concepts are explained at great length in the teachings of Chassidus, and they receive added emphasis in Dvar Malchus.

The year this sicha was said (5751) Shabbos parshas Chukas was the 10th of the month of Tammuz. This means it carries the influence of the number seven (Shabbos) and the number ten (10th of the month). The Rebbe explains that seven represents the complete perfection of the world as it is created from Above, exemplified by the Written Torah which was given from Above, the revealed aspect of Torah. The number ten represents the perfection that is attained (and added to) via our effort from below, which finds expression in the Oral Torah, including Pnimiyus Hatorah.  The added quality of ten, deriving from our effort, is that it brings to revelation the “concealed good” which is not openly revealed in the revealed Torah.

The difference between 7 and 10 is 3, which refers to the “moichin“, the three intellectual dimensions of Chochma, Bina and Da’as (Chaba”d).  It is our effort to use our intellectual abilities which brings out the hidden good.  Says the Rebbe here:

To point out that last Shabbos was 3 Tammuz, the beginning of the Geulah. This Shabbos. the 10th of Tammuz, comes after 7 days of the week have passed — the avodah of refining the 7 midos.  Together with this is the avodah of the 3 moichin (of 3 Tammuz) — and this brings about the revelation of the aspect of 10 (of Tammuz)…  

This is the special quality of our effort (3 [moichin]) which adds to the completeness from Above (7 [midos]) and brings to the ultimate completeness and perfection of revealing the hidden good (10).  [This is also connected with our parsha which speaks of the Red Heifer (Pora Adumoh), in which the Torah instructs that the sprinkling of the purifying waters take place on the third day and the seventh day.]

The Rebbe explains further: “through understanding Pnimiyus Hatorah and the soul of the matter, one is able to see there also the hidden good, even though one does not see this revealed, or one even sees the opposite (the opposite of good).”  According to Torah (and emphasized in Chassidus), everything is really good because Continue reading →

Gimmel Tammuz: What is the Moment When the Sun Stands Still?
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Gimmel Tammuz: What is the Moment When the Sun Stands Still?

Would you like to know at what moment the sun stood still on Gimmel Tammuz, 5754?

In the sicha of parshas Korach, Gimmel Tammuz, 5751, the Rebbe explains at length the great miracle which occurred on Gimmel Tammuz in the days of Yehoshua bin Nun: the sun and the moon (and the entire cosmic system) stood still.  “Shemesh b’Givon dom“.

This miracle doesn’t seem to have such an obvious connection to the miraculous Geuloh of the Rebbe Rayatz in 5627 (the subject of the Rebbe’s farbrengen), but mashpiim find an obvious connection to the events of Gimmel Tammuz 5754: that just as it was by Yehoshua bin Nun, that he commanded the sun and the moon (and the entire cosmos) to stand still, causing time to “freeze” in order to enable the Yidden to win the war they were waging on their own effort, so too we are in a “frozen moment” where the Rebbe wants us to finish the war to end golus with our own effort.  But there is an even greater insight, as we hope to explain with Hashem’s help.

When Gimmel Tammuz comes around, half the farbrengens are on the theme of celebrating “as’chalta d’Geuloh” (the beginning of the Geuloh), and the other half are  on the theme of Hillula.  Come and hear an amazing reconciliation of this widespread confusion:

When Eliyahu HaNovi was preparing to ascend heavenward, he asked his disciple Elisha what he could do for him “before I will be taken from you.”  Elisha responds with a puzzling request: a double-portion of Eliyahu’s prophetic spirit should rest upon him.  Eliyahu replies that this is a difficult request — meaning it is impossible to give more than one has! (Rashi)  Nonetheless, Eliyahu adds that if he (Elisha) will see him being taken from him, then he can fulfill his request.

There are various answers given to the question: how could Eliyahu HaNovi give his disciple more than what he possesses.  The answer we will present here will open our eyes to something amazing:

In the maamor for L’ag B’Omer (summarized here), the Rebbe notes that the revelations of Pnimiyus Hatorah that Rashbi revealed on the day of his passing (histalkus) were much greater than what he had revealed over the course of his life up to that point.  The Rebbe offers an explanation for this (footnote 19): that generally the aspects of Nefesh-Ruach-Neshoma are enclothed in the body, whereas the aspects of Chaya and Yechida are above being enclothed in the body.  However, at the moment of histalkus there is a revelation of the aspects of Chaya and Yechida even while the neshoma is still enclothed in the body.   Thus, in the case of Rashbi, he was still alive in the simple sense of a neshoma in the body, yet he was experiencing a revelation of the higher levels of Chaya and Yechida, and therefore he revealed greater things than he had ever revealed previously when he the Chaya–Yechida were not revealed to him.  Obviously, this has relevance to Elisha’s request from Eliyahu.

This matter is explained similarly, with slightly more specifics in the sefer Likkutei Mohoron (ch. 66), based on the Zohar.  It is explained there that when the time of his histalkus arrives, the higher aspect (of Chaya-Yechida) descends to this world and unites with the lower aspect (Nefesh-Ruach-Neshoma).  Once the two aspects unite, the higher level has to leave this world (because its nature is that it cannot tolerate to be here), and it ascends together with the lower level, which has united with it, and this is the Tzaddik’s histalkus.

This means that the life of every Tzaddik goes through three distinct stages:

  1. his life in this world when only his lower aspect (Nefesh-Ruach-Neshoma) is accessible;
  2. his final moments when the higher aspect (Chaya-Yechida) is revealed in this world;
  3. his departure from this world, together with both dimensions of his neshoma.

In the story of Eliyahu and Elisha, it was these “final moments” which provided the opportunity for Elisha’s request to be fulfilled: Eliyahu was still physically alive in this world, but on a higher level — with the revelation of his Chaya-Yechida.  Prior to this moment, he could not give a double portion because he himself didn’t have it;  after this moment, he was already gone from the world and couldn’t give it over; but in exactly these final moments he had both aspects, and thus he could in fact fulfill Elisha’s request for a double portion.

These final moments paradoxically combine the elements of physical life with the lofty qualities the Tzaddik attains when he is nistalek.  At that moment he is both “chai v’kayam” and at the same time “more than he was in his lifetime” (יתיר מבחיוהי, in the loshon of Igeres Hakodesh).

Now imagine that at this very moment the sun and the moon stand still.  Time freezes and the Tzaddik’s ascent is also “frozen” at the moment of opportunity: he remains “chai v’kayam“, alive as a soul in a physical body in this world, and he also has received the lofty level of revelations that are reserved for a histalkus.  But here, instead of a fleeting moment of opportunity for his disciples and mekusharim to receive a double portion, this moment of opportunity doesn’t end…

We could say that this is a deeper dimension of the Rebbe’s lengthy explanation of the sun and moon standing still: that the time will come (3 years to the day after the Rebbe spoke the sicha) when the Rebbe will make use of this Gimmel Tammuz miracle of “Shemesh b’Givon dom” to create an unprecedented situation: the Rebbe will be holding by both realities!  He will continue to be chai v’kayam without histalkus (as the Rebbe tells us in the sicha of Bo 5752 that our generation will not experience histalkus), yet at the same time “more than he was in his lifetime” (יתיר מבחיוהי), which is a lofty state which is achieved at the time of — histalkus!

This explains (and even validates) the divergent perspectives: yes, the Rebbe remains chai v’kayam b’guf gashmi, and yes, he also possesses the qualities of “more than in his lifetime”.  Practically speaking, it gives each and every one of us the opportunity to receive from the Rebbe even greater koichos than were available all the years, because the Rebbe himself is holding by greater koichos.  And it also gives us the keilim to understand how half of Lubavitch looks at Gimmel Tammuz differently from the other half!*  These feel the Rebbe lives, those feel “more than in his lifetime”, and both share the limited perception that you can’t have the two together.  But, in fact, we can, and apparently we do!

May we utilize these great koichos to bring the Geuloh b’poel mamash and truly open our eyes to the reality of the Redemption.

Kuntres Lag B'Omer 5751

From Kuntres Lag B’Omer, 5751

*) This recalls the explanation, attributed to the Helige R’ Yisroel of Ruzhin, of the machloikes between the Alter Rebbe (who advocated spreading the wellsprings of Chassidus) and R’ Boruch of Mezhibuzh (who was opposed to spreading Chassidus broadly).  He said that when Moshiach told the Baal Shem Tov that he would come when “your wellsprings will spread out”, the Baal Shem Tov’s eyes welled up with tears.  R’ Baruch, a grandson of the Baal Shem Tov, felt the pain of his grandfather’s tears that his wellsprings would have to descend to “chutza”, and therefore opposed something which caused his grandfather pain.  The Alter Rebbe, though, was a spiritual grandson of the Baal Shem Tov, and he felt the pain of the Baal Shem Tov that derived from the long time it would take to spread out the wellsprings before Moshiach would come, therefore he worked to speed it up.  We could say that the Rebbe has Chassidim that are more attuned to the reality of “chai v’kayam“, and Chassidim that are more attuned to the reality of “more than in his lifetime”, and all that is lacking for unity is to expand the vessels of understanding.

The text of the above-mentioned section of Likkutey Mohoran in Hebrew and English here (this link does not indicate our approval of other material on that website, some of which may not be kosher).

Rebbi Akiva’s Opinion on Gimmel Tammuz
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Rebbi Akiva’s Opinion on Gimmel Tammuz

Everything in the life of the Rebbe’s chassidim is guided by the Rebbe’s teachings. But when something occurs for which we don’t have explicit instructions — such as Gimmel Tammuz — we must look in the Rebbe’s Torah for guidance.

Many will say that the Rebbe in fact does give explicit instructions for Gimmel Tammuz. For example the most recent sicha of 5751 where the Rebbe informs us that in 5687, despite the confusion as to what was going on, the transfer of the Rebbe Rayatz to exile in Kostrama was “the beginning of the Geuloh” (as would be determined later with his ultimate release on 12-13 Tammuz, 5687). Nonetheless, not every chosid can accept that what the Rebbe said regarding the “beginning of the Geuloh” of the Rebbe Rayatz can so easily be applied to the far more confusing event of Gimmel Tammuz, 5754. Yet, even this split as to how to respond to the situation after Gimmel Tammuz 5754 is explained in the Rebbe’s teachings, as we hope to show.

In Likkutei Sichos volume 19 is printed a famous sicha explaining an aggadeta at the end of Mesechta Makos. The aggadeta describes two incidents involving Rebbi Akiva while he was travelling with three other sages (Rabban Gamliel, Rebbi Elazar ben Azaryah, and Rebbi Yehoshua). What concerns us here is the second incident:

The four were going up to Yerushalayim (after the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash). When they reached the point where they could see the Temple Mount they tore their garments (including Rebbi Akiva) as a sign of mourning. As they proceeded and approached the site of the Temple, they saw a fox run out of the Holy of Holies, upon which the three sages began crying, and Rebbi Akiva laughed. “Why are you laughing?!” they asked him. He responded: “Why are you crying?” They answered: “The place about which the verse states ‘a non-Kohen who approaches will die’ and now foxes are are going there and we shouldn’t cry?!” Rebbi Akiva responded: that is why I am laughing. The verse states (Yeshayahu 8:2) “two faithful witnesses will give testimony: Uriah haKohen and Zecharia [the prophet].” The prophecy of one is dependent on the other. Uriah prophesied (about the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash) that “Zion will be plowed like a field”. Zecharia prophesied (about the Geuloh) that “elderly men and women will yet sit in the streets of Yerushalayim.” “Now that I see that Uriah’s prophecy was fulfilled, I’m certain that Zecharia’s will be fulfilled.” They said to him: “Akiva, you have comforted us. Akiva, you have comforted us.”

The Rebbe explains Rebbi Akiva’s view as follows: first of all, he could see the good that will come in the end (the Geuloh), and his opinion was that the future good triumphs over any “not pleasant” present. Thus, knowing that the destruction leads to Geuloh demands relating to the future Geuloh and not the present destruction. And more than that: the destruction itself is likened to a “plowed field”, which is not a negative step which one must endure in order to get to better things, but rather the plowing itself is part and parcel of the sowing and reaping. In other words, not only the future good triumphs over the unpleasant present, but the present itself is part of the future good! In the Rebbe’s words: Rebbi Akiva only saw the future good. And this is why the other sages were comforted by his words: because he showed them how the future good was actually already present in the “here and now” (despite how unpleasant it might appear).

Let us translate this as it might apply to Gimmel Tammuz:

All of our four sages agree that on the face of it Gimmel Tammuz is not a happy event. The Rebbe is not seen, the Rebbe is not heard, we don’t see the Rebbe by farbrengens or dollars or kos shel brocha. At the same time, it is appreciated by all that we are proceeding towards Moshiach, and whatever is lacking now is only temporary. The future is good, but the present is “not-so-pleasant”. Why do the sages cry? Because of what is lacking in the present, even if they know that the future will be good. Along comes Rebbi Akiva and not only does he not cry — he laughs! He makes a leibedik farbrengen on Gimmel Tammuz, without even mentioning the word “yohrzeit“!

What is Rebbi Akiva’s “secret”? He sees the future good that will come from this, and that is all he sees! Not only that, but he understands (based on learning the Rebbe’s sichos, especially Dvar Malchus) that “this one is dependent on the other” — that the revelations of the true and complete Geuloh, the revelation of Hashem’s essence, atzmus umahus, are in fact dependent on us doing the work under our own power without relying on the Rebbe visible presence to inspire us. This is the “plowing” that brings to the “sowing” and the “harvesting” — the future good is already here with us, hidden in the “not-so-pleasant present”. From Rebbi Akiva we learn that this knowledge is enough to transform crying to laughter, even while the future good is still hidden.

One more point:

The Rebbe in the sicha asks: why do we need be told the names of all three sages? The Rebbe answers that from their identities we learn that they were all of distinguished lineage: Rabban Gamliel was the Nosi Hador, a scion of the tribe of Yehuda; Rebbi Elazar ben Azarya (himself a future Nosi) was a Kohen, the tenth generation from Ezra Hasofer; Rebbi Yehoshua was a Levi, of those who sang and made music in the Beis Hamikdosh. Due to their outstanding yichus they were overwhelmed to see how low things had fallen after the churban. Rebbi Akiva, however, was the son of converts (“ben geirim“), and he himself was an ignoramus until the age of 40 when he first began learning the basics of Torah. Rebbi Akiva’s very existence was proof of the tremendous good that comes out of “the other side”, and he was thus able to see clearly the future good that will come out of a not-so-pleasant situation in the present. This is unlike the the other sages in our aggadeta, each of whom came from a superlative background, yet they could not see the future good hidden in the not-so-pleasant present until Rebbi Akiva explained it to them.

If we translate that to our present situation, we see that the Rebbe is apprising us of what to expect: those with the most illustrious “gezha” yichusin, those who held the visibly important positions in the Rebbe’s staff, may find it difficult to get past the “not-so-pleasant” change in the state of affairs. To the contrary, the baal tshuvahs, the “newcomers”, and their children may find it easier to grasp the Rebbe Akiva perspective: to see that Gimmal Tammuz is — as the Rebbe states in the sicha — the actual beginning of the Geuloh.

If there are those who, after over 30 years, still haven’t adopted Rebbi Akiva’s perspective, we are forced to say that those who do see Gimmel Tammuz as the beginning of the Geuloh must shoulder a lion’s share of the blame. How many years of wasted efforts were spent arguing with and ridiculing each other?  If we, the Rebbi Akivas, will properly explain these concepts (as a result of we ourselves following the “derech hayashara” of properly learning Inyonei Moshiach and Geuloh), then we are assured by this aggadeta that the others will come around to see things as Rebbi Akiva sees them. Not only that, but they themselves will tell us “Nichamtanu! Nichamtanu!” — you have consoled us!

This alone will surely bring the Geuloh faster!

View the sicha in Likkutei Sichos volume 19 (in Yiddish) here.

28 Sivan a Preparation for Gimmel Tammuz?

We find that the Rebbe teaches a firm principle: the flow of the year is a continuum.  This means to say that each holiday or commemoration day is a preparation for the one that follows it on the calendar.  For example: Pesach (coming out of Egypt) is a preparation for Matan Torah on Shavuos; the day of Yud Kislev (the redemption of the Mitteler Rebbe) is a  preparation for Yud-Tes Kislev (the day of redemption 29 years earlier of his father, the Alter Rebbe).  The year that things happened in history is of much less significance than the order that they happen on the calendar.

From this we understand that since 28 Sivan precedes Gimmel Tammuz by 5 days — according to the Rebbe’s principle it serves as a preparation for Gimmel Tammuz.  In what do we see this?  On 28 Sivan we celebrate the Rebbe coming to America, being miraculously saved from the “valley of tears” of war-torn Europe.  Gimmel Tammuz is marks the end of the era (until now, at least) when we could see and hear the Rebbe in the usual ways.  What sort of preparation is this one for that one?

The day of 28 Sivan is noted in the “Shalsheles Hayachas” printed (at the Rebbe’s behest) at the beginning of the sefer Hayom Yom.  It begins with the Maharal of Prague, indicating the 7 generations to the Alter Rebbe.  Then it lists by year the major events and accomplishments of each of the Rebbeim of Chabad, concluding with the Rebbe.  For the Rebbe it states (after the year he was born and married) that in “5701 — Sivan — came to the city of New York”.  Not “arrived” (as a refugee) but “came” (purposefully).  A few comments about the Rebbe’s coming to New York:

Firstly, in the farbrengen of Shavuos 5701, about 10 days before the Rebbe and the Rebbetzin would set sail for America, the Previous Rebbe said:

According to universal custom, preparations for an important guest begin well in advance.  Every corner in the house is cleaned two weeks in advance, the family talks about the upcoming visit, and the neighbors are duly updated. He’s arriving soon. It’s now close to the time when Mashiach will come. It’s time to prepare for his arrival….  

Many see in this a hint to the arrival to America of the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach.  The old-timers who were in New York at the time tell that from the moment the Rebbe arrived, “everything changed”.  In fact, the Rebbe even testified on himself that something changed when he arrived to the USA.  At a farbrengen (Chol haMoed Pesach, 5748), the Rebbe addressed his arousal to cry out “Ad Mosai” (“until when” must we remain in golus):

I never heard this from my father, and certainly not from my grandfather. Even from myself, I never heard such talk before I arrived here in the United States…

So even the Rebbe’s impatience for Geuloh started when the Rebbe came to America (on 28 Sivan)!

We could say that 28 Sivan is an aspect of Moshiach being revealed.  Revealed to the Chassidim in America, revealed to the Rebbe himself, revealed in the new activities of Lubavitch that began only after the Rebbe’s arrival.

Based on this, we can see how 28 Sivan is a preparation for Gimmel Tammuz: on 28 Sivan Moshiach is revealed, on Gimmel Tammuz Moshiach is concealed.  As Rashi brings from on Daniel 12:12:

“in the future our Moshiach will be concealed after he has been revealed and will return and be revealed [again]” (שעתיד משיחנו להתכסות אחר שנגלה וישוב ויתגלה)

In order to fulfill the second step of being concealed (with the great value of the Divine service of the period of concealment, as discussed, for example, in the Kuntres of Rosh Chodesh Kislev, 5751 which addresses the concealment of Erev Rosh Chodesh), there must be the preparation of Moshiach being revealed.  The aspect of revelation of 28 Sivan precedes and prepares for the aspect of concealment of Gimmel Tammuz (and it’s connected to Erev Rosh Chodesh, which is the day after 28 Sivan).  Of course Gimmel Tammuz is not an end in itself — it leads to the ultimate redemption of 12-13 Tammuz.  And as the Rebbe says many times: the Geuloh of 12-13 Tammuz showed in retrospect how Gimmel Tammuz itself was “the beginning of the Geuloh”.  May we bring it about now!

Korach (3 Tammuz) 5751: The Sun Stood Still For a Reason
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Korach (3 Tammuz) 5751: The Sun Stood Still For a Reason

The Miracle of the Sun standing still was only in order to allow Israel to defeat the enemy by their own power in a natural way.

Gimmel Tammuz is the day that the Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe was released from Soviet prison in 5687 (1927).

Prior to that, we find that it was on this day that Yehoshua bin Nun performed a tremendous miracle, causing the sun to stand still.  The story behind the miracle is that Israel were doing battle with the enemy.  Sunset was approaching, and with the setting of the sun the battle would cease and the enemy would be able to escape.  In order to enable Israel to defeat the enemy, Yehoshua instructed the sun to “be silent”, causing it to cease it’s flight in the heavens, preserving the daylight so that the battle could be won.

The Rebbe asks an obvious question: if one has the power to cause the sun (and the entire heavenly system with it) to pause, why not simply bring about the defeat of the enemy in a direct fashion?  The preceding verses in Sefer Yehoshua tell us that more of the enemy were killed by stones which fell upon them from heaven than were killed by the sword.  Is it not a simpler matter to rain down some more stones than to freeze the entire heavenly system?

The answer the Rebbe gives is that the battle is Israel’s battle, it must be won by them under their own power.  Of course Hashem is helping with miraculous assistance from above, but this is only assistance.  The war must be fought and pursued by Israel in a natural fashion, even if on top of that there is super-natural assistance.  Thus, instead of Yehoshua simply bringing about the defeat of the enemy and Israel stand by passively, he used his power to give Israel more time to overcome the enemy in a natural way.

In our day, Gimmel Tammuz is primarily associated with the transition from the years when we saw the Rebbe to the current situation where the Rebbe is not seen except in videos and dreams.  Moshe Rabbeinu is likened to the sun, and the Rebbe, Moshe Rabbeinu in our generation, is still providing all the assistance necessary to win the war against evil.  But the war must be won by us, under our own power.  While the Rebbe was visible to all, it was possible to “rely on the Rebbe” to win the war.  Today, when it seems that the sun, Moshe Rabbeinu, has “stopped moving” it is only in order to allow us to overcome the enemy using natural means.

For a more detailed explanation, with comprehensive references from Chassidus, see the Kuntres Inyonei Moshiach and Geulah for Gimmel Tammuz.

Chof-Ches Sivan, 5751: Where is the Beis Hamikdash Now?
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Chof-Ches Sivan, 5751: Where is the Beis Hamikdash Now?

The Rebbe spoke this sicha on the 50th anniversary of his arriving safely to the shores of America (together with the Rebbetzin) from war-torn Europe in 5701 (1941).  America is identified in Chassidus as a place where Matan Torah did not take place (in a revealed way), and is referred to as the “lower half of the world” (חצי כדור התחתון).  It is, in this regard, the lowliest place.  But specifically from the lowest place one can elevate everything (like a lever  positioned under a building, which can lift up the entire building).

Here, in the lower half of the world, the Previous Rebbe settled in 5700 (1940), joined by the Rebbe and the Rebbetzin a year later.  The (now-famous) building at 770 Eastern Parkway was acquired as the home, shul, and study-hall of the Previous Rebbe, and the Rebbe explains the significance of this number.  (This sicha is one of the talks that would be compiled into the unprecedented sicha of “Beis Rabbeinu sh’b’Bavel“.)

As is know, there are 7 sefiros, from Chesed to Malchus.  The state of perfection is represented by 10, so the ultimate perfection of 70 is 700, and of 7 is 70, both of which combine to make 770.  The completion of the task of refining the sefiros.  This is not just number-play, as the Rebbe goes on to explain:

And from this place the Geuloh begins, and the building of the Beis Hamikdosh, “the Sanctuary of G-d, which Your hands established” (מקדש אדנ”י כוננו ידיך)… Even though its place is in the Holy Land, in Yerushalayim, on the Holy Mountain, [but the work of achieving this] is done via our avoidah in the time of golus, so we have in this place, specifically in this place, the entire preparation for the “Sanctuary of G-d”…until in this place will be the revelation of “the Sanctuary of G-d”, in this place (770).

The Rebbe continues to say that this refers to the entire building (of the Beis Hamikdosh), including the roof, as the Midrash states “Melech Hamoshiach stands on the roof of the Beis Hamikdosh and announces to Yisroel: the time of your redemption has arrived”.

Immediately, all Jews will find themselves standing (איבערגעשטעלט) in our Holy Land together with the third Beis Hamikdosh WHICH WE HAVE HERE (וואס מ’האט דא)…

Those words have been translated in capital letters to draw attention to their significance.  In this and other sichos, one could arrive at the mistaken understanding that 770 is merely the “small sanctuary in the time of golus” where, “at some point in the future”, the 3rd Beis Hamikdosh will be revealed first (see Kuntres “Beis Rabbeinu sh’b’Bavel”).

It is correct that 770 is that place where the 3rd Beis Hamikdosh will be revealed first.  But only the revelation to you and me is in the future; because the essential presence of the 3rd Beis Hamikdosh we have here מ’האט דא (present tense)!  This is a critical point to grasp, which enables many things to be understood.  For example: the Rebbe’s assertion (parshas Vayakhel) that the ingathering of the Exiles has begun.  This is something which comes about, as the Rebbe himself explains elsewhere, through the 3rd Beis Hamikdosh (and not merely the “small sanctuary in the time of golus”)!  We have it here!

The Rebbe continues and says that Eybershter agrees to the words and requests of Yidden, revealing His love for them down below in this low world, that everything in the world is working for Geuloh.  And further: the 28th of Sivan leads into the 29th, which is Erev Rosh Chodesh, when the moon is not visible.  This aspect of “your place will be empty” (יפקד מושבך) brings to “you are remembered” (see Kuntres Beis Iyar for more explanation), a term which also refers to the intimacy of husband and wife — the unification with the Eybershter, becoming “one reality”, “one flesh”.

Finally, the Rebbe makes a statement that, if understood, resolves all of the difficulties as to whether the Rebbe is really saying (here and elsewhere) that the Geuloh is here, which is contrary to what we see, or if we have to bring it.  The Rebbe states that:

The Eybershter “needs” (so to speak) the partnership of every Yid, specifically as soul in a body; and through our deeds and avoidah comes the Geuloh.  The Yid must come to agree that not only the time of your redemption has arrived, but more than that: the Geuloh b’pashtus is already here…Geuloh from the root that means revelation (through the avoidah of a Yid in Golus)…

Reading this closely, we note that the Rebbe is saying that what is needed in order to BRING the redemption (in the future, even if only the next moment) is that a Jew who is still in GOLUS (present tense, meaning that he has not yet experienced the Geuloh) nonetheless will AGREE and PROCLAIM that the Geuloh is ALREADY here “b’pashtus”!  To agree, and to go so far as to proclaim, that the Geuloh is already here while you yourself are still in golus — this what brings the Geuloh.

Furthermore, we can note the Rebbe’s exacting choice of words: “agree” (מסכים), which has a different meaning than “acknowledge” (מודה).  Agree means that the Yid, with his own level of understanding, comes to the same conclusion — agrees — with what the Rebbe is saying.  This is the “partnership” with the Eybershter the Rebbe is speaking about.  Because if we did not need to reach this through our own intellect and understanding, if it would be sufficient to simply to believe what the Rebbe is saying (that the Geuloh is already here b’pashtus), or to accept it unconditionally as a loyal Chosid, then the Rebbe would not have chosen the word “agree” (מסכים).  To reach the level of “agreement”, one has to learn and understand and on his level reach the same conclusion — much like a Rov who must rule according to his own understanding and not because he has unconditional acceptance of one who is greater than him.  (As the Gemara* tells about Rebbe Meir — that in his generation he was acknowledged as being uniquely great, but the sages did not rule the halacha according to his opinion because they could not understand the depth of his reasoning.)

We can readily grasp how the direct path to our “agreement” is learning about the subject of Moshiach and Geuloh, especially in the Rebbe’s teachings.  Only in this way can we do more than merely acknowledge the Rebbe’s words — we will be able to truly agree!

* Eruvin 13b:

גלוי וידוע לפני מי שאמר והיה העולם שאין בדורו כמותו. ומפני מה לא קבעו הלכה כמוהו? שלא יכלו חבריו לעמוד על סוף דעתו.

9) Kuntres 28 Sivan: I Will Show You Wonders Behind the Miracles
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9) Kuntres 28 Sivan: I Will Show You Wonders Behind the Miracles

A Chassidic discourse on the verse “As in the days when you came out from Mitzrayim, I will show you wonders” was edited and distributed by the Rebbe on 28 Sivan, 5751 (50th anniversary of the Rebbe’s arrival to America together with the Rebbetzin).  The subject is the nature and varying levels of miracles and wonders in general, and particularly as they will be in the Messianic age.  This not only shares an obvious connection with the miraculous escape of the Rebbe and Rebbetzin from Europe to America 50 years earlier, but also with the year 5751 תנש”א, which the Rebbe repeatedly referred to as the year of “I will show you wonders” (the letters of the Jewish year — Nun-Alef — standing for the  Hebrew words in our verse “I will show you wonders.”)

First, we need to understand the varying levels of miracles: there are miracles above nature (transforming water into blood, splitting the sea), and also miracles enclothed in nature.  Miracles enclothed in nature themselves divide into 3 types: recognizable miracles (Purim, Chanukah); miracles concealed by nature but there is still a recognition that something out of the ordinary occurred for which one is obligated to thank Hashem (an ill person who is healed, a prisoner who is freed, etc); the third and lowest level is where nature so completely obscures the miracle to the point that one doesn’t even recognize that a miracle occurred (אין בעל הנס מכיר בניסו).

The Rebbe proceeds to explain that the last type of miracle, unrecognizable from the ordinary process of nature, is actually the highest in it’s source. As the verse states עושה נפלאות גדולות לבדו, Hadhem performs great wonders “alone”, no one knows about them.  It is from this level that the great wonders of the Messianic age will come, which will be wonders even compared to the wonders of Mitzrayim.  This can explain why regarding the Messianic wonders it states “I will show you wonders” — because they will come from the high level which today are unrecognizable.  Hashem will have to “show” us that they are wonders.

But, the Rebbe explains, this verse of “showing wonders” doesn’t only apply to miracles enclothed in nature, but also miracles above nature.  Those miracles will be wonders even in comparison to the wonders that were seen in coming out of Mitzrayim.  But we are left with a question: what need is there to “show” the wonder of a miracle so above nature that it is already a wonder?  The answer the Rebbe gives is amazing.  But to reach that answer, we have to first understand the following:

First, the difference between these miracles is the degree to which they are grasped by human intellect.  A wonder like the splitting of the sea is so beyond human comprehension that we cannot grasp it at all, we can only gaze at it speechlessly.  The more the miracle is enclothed in nature, the more we can grasp it intellectually; to understand not only what happened, but how it happened.  The Rebbe gives examples: we don’t understand how a dead person is brought back to life, we only know that before he was dead and now he is alive.  But looking at the miracle of Purim, for example, we can see exactly how the decree was abolished, or when a sick person is healed we can grasp how it was brought about through certain drugs.  From this out comes out that being enclothed in nature is really what reveals the miracle, making it accessible to the human intellect.  The ultimate form are the miracles that we don’t even recognize — they are so fully grasped by our intellect that there is no sense of wonder that would cause us to notice something unusual has happened, which would cause us to give thanks to Hashem.

Mitteler Rebbe asks a question on the miracles that are unrecognizable: since they derive from the lofty level of “Him alone” (לבדו), then how is or possible for anything to conceal them?  He answers that, in fact, nothing can conceal them.  They are so fully and seamlessly revealed by nature that we can’t even recognize that something out of the ordinary has occurred!

But really, all miracles come from the Ohr Ein Sof; the difference of whether that are enclothed in nature or not depends on whether they are from the aspect of concealment within the Ohr Ein Sof (למעלה מעלה עד אין קץ), or the aspect of revelation (למטה מטה עד אין תכתית).  And all the wonders of the Messianic era will revealed, including those that derive from the aspect of concealment.

So, the wonders of the Messianic era will come from the highest levels, and will also be revealed even into the human intellect.  But more than that, the Rebbe explains that even the miracles of the Messianic era that will not be enclothed in nature (like the future splitting of the sea and the river) will be in the following manner: not only the splitting of the sea down here will be seen openly, but the revelation [of Elokus] that brings about the splitting of the sea will be seen openly! (As by the splitting of the sea upon coming out of Mitzrayim, when everyone pointed with a finger and said “this is my G-d” (זה א-לי ואנוהו). While by Yetzias Mitzrayim this was a one-time event, in the Messianic era it will be the ongoing reality!)

So we find that the miracles of the Messianic era will be wonders, from a higher level than even the wonders of Yetzias Mitzrayim, and at the same time they will be able to be grasped by human intellect.  (And they will be seen in a way where the Divine revelation itself will be perceived!)  But how will nature — which derives from the Divine name Elokim which conceals the level of G-dliness that is above world — be able to accommodate such a degree of revelation?  The Rebbe explains that  through avoidas habirurim, refining the Divine sparks that fell in physicality, the Jewish people effect a refinement of nature.  Nature itself becomes elevated  (עלית הטבע), so that instead of obscuring the level of G-dliness that is above the world, it becomes a vessel for that G-dliness to be revealed!

It will be interesting to note (for those who have learned the Sicha explaining the “New Torah That Will Go Forth From Me”) that the Rebbe references chapter 16 in Shaar HoEmuna by the Mitteler Rebbe.  There, the Mitteler Rebbe explains this same subject of miracles, and also the difference between the aspect of concealment within the Ohr Ein Sof (למעלה מעלה עד אין קץ), and the aspect of revelation (למטה מטה עד אין תכתית).  He brings out that these two aspects correspond to Halacha (revelation to the lowest levels) and Kabbala (hidden secrets above revelation). Through this reference we can tie together everything in our maamor (which seems to be speaking only about miracles and wonders in physical objects) with the concepts discussed in the Sicha explaining the “New Torah That Will Go Forth From Me” — the ability of Moshiach to draw down the loftiest secrets of Torah to the point where they become Halacha! 

But what is the connection between the secrets of Kabbala, rulings in Halacha, and miracles in the physical world?  As explained by the Rebbe elsewhere, a Halacha ruling (psak din) has an affect on the world, and thus we can understand that when Moshiach draws down the secrets of Torah into Halacha (unifying the aspect of concealment in Torah with that of revelation) that this causes the same effect in the physical world.  This results in miracles and wonders which themselves unify the levels of concealment and revelation — above nature and within nature, as explained in this maamor of 28 Sivan!

Shaar Hayichud, Mitteler Rebbe, Ch. 15