Insights

Lech Lecho: The 3 Nations and Geuloh
by

Lech Lecho: The 3 Nations and Geuloh

We present this worked-over translation of a maamer of the Tzemach Tzedek to give a deeper understanding of the land of the 3 nations mentioned in Dvar Malchus and the connection to Geuloh.

The Borders of the Land of Israel in the Future

We are promised in the Torah that in the time to come the Jewish people will receive the land of Israel consisting not only of the land of the 7 nations of Canaan but also the land of the three nations of Edom, Moav, and Amon (the Keni, Kenizi and Kadmoni).

This being so, we are confronted with a question: The prophecy of Yechezkiel describes the borders of the land of Israel as they will be in the time to come, but in his prophecy they are clearly defined as being the same borders as were conquered by Yehoshua ‐‐ the land of only 7 nations. His prophecy is about the time to come: why doesn’t he mention the lands of the other 3 nations?

This is also connected to the additional three refuge cities (arei miklat) which we are instructed to establish in those lands. These refuge cities are, in turn, associated with the rectification of Hevel.  Kayin was able to kill Hevel because Hevel was already condemned to death (“chayav misa“) for having “gazed at the shechina” while offering his sacrifice.

Chazal (Sanhedrin, 98a) explain the verse “in its time I will hasten it” (“B’itah Achishena“) as referring to two distinct end times (ketz, plural: kitzin): “if they merit, I will hurry it (Achishena), if they don’t merit, [Hashem will bring the Geuloh] in its time (B’itah)”. If the ketz comes in its last possible moment ‐‐ B’itah ‐‐ all the descendants of Hevel will be rectified. But, if the Jewish people will merit to the redemption before the ketz of the rectification Hevel is completed, then there will be need for refuge cites (arei miklat) for those (descendants of Kayin) who will kill accidentally (but not intentionally).

[Important to note what is explained in Chassidus: that the rectification of the souls that derive from Hevel are the basis of “refining the sparks of holiness”, the “avoidas habirurim“, which the Jewish people accomplish during the time of golus. See also Toras Chayim, Shemos II, 277a.]

Achishena — An Awakening from Below

In order to understand this matter of B’itah and Achishena, we find that chazal say “the woman conceives first and a male is born; the man conceives first and a female is born.” This means that when Knesses Yisroel (the collective soul of the Jewish people) will “conceive first”, which is the aspect of “elevating the feminine waters” (hala’as ma”n) from below to above, like the yearning of the woman for her husband, then this awakening from below will generate the awakening from Above which draws down the masculine waters (hamshachas ma”d) from a very lofty level so that a male will be born, meaning a higher level [than a female].

We are talking here about the avoidah that gives birth to love in the Jewish people, a male child representing “great love” (ahava raba). But, if the man (Hashem) will conceive first, then a female will be born, meaning the aspect of love [of Hashem] in order to receive a reward in Gan Eden (see Likkutei Torah, Tazria, “Sos Tasis“).

So, too, in our case: if the ketz will be via the awakening of Knesses Yisroel, meaning that through the awakening from below there will be an awakening from Above to speed up the matter before its time, which is the aspect of Achishena, then Hashem will widen the borders and we will inherit the land of the Keni, Knizi and Kadmoni. But, if it will be the man conceiving first, meaning the ketz will come due to an awakening from Above in its (pre‐determined) time, then the borders of the land will remain unchanged, as in the prophecy of Yechezkiel, and the lands of the three nations will be left a desolate wasteland.

Refining the Sparks (Avodas Habirurim)

To explain this matter: the shattering of the vessels occurred primarily in the 7 midos of Tohu (the emotions), but not so much in the Kesser, Chochma and Bina (intellect and super‐intellect) of Tohu.  Thus, as regards their rectification, which is the avoidas habirurim performed by the Jewish people down in this world via Torah and Mitzvos, this is performed on the 7 midos.  At the same time, the three dimensions of Kesser, Chochma and Bina of Tohu are being rectified together with them.

According to this, it would be fitting that the Jewish people should inherit these lands when they finish the task of refining the 7 midos of Tohu; however, this depends on the actions of the Jews in this world, whether it will be “in its time” or “I will hasten it” (B’itah or Achishena, which was explained above as dependent on whether there is first an awakening from below). The expression “inheriting these lands” means the revelation of the good found in the aspect of Kesser, Chochma and Bina of Tohu.

[In other words, we have two factors: the avoidas habirurim and the awakening from below. If the avoidah is finished before there is an awakening from below, this is called B’itah. If the awakening occurs before the avoidah is completed, this is called Achishena. This determines the inheritance of the land.]

Inheriting the Land of the 7 or the 10 Nations?

If the good that is in them will be revealed in a tangible way in the Jewish people, then these lands will be considered part of the Land of Israel and this will take place in the simple sense as well. But, if we will not inherit these lands, then the gentiles in those places will (as stated in the prophecies) be wiped out along with the evil that is there, however, the lofty good that is there will not be revealed directly; rather, it will only be revealed through being enclothed in the 7 midos (the land of the 7 nations of Canaan). Which case will take place depends on the actions of the Jewish people down in this world.

If we bring about Achishena, an awakening from below (hala’as ma”n), the woman conceives first: this will cause a drawing down from below (hamshachas ma”d) and the inheriting of the 3 lands of Kesser, Chochma and Bina of Tohu, and the good that has been refined from them will actually shine forth there. Those lands will be considered as part of the land of Israel, and physically the borders of Israel will reflect this.

However, if it will be B’itah, from Above, even though the spirit of impurity will be removed, nonetheless the good in them will not be revealed; rather, it will only appear through being enclothed in he midos, the land of the 7 nations. In such a case, the lands of the 3 nations will be left desolate.

[We could explain that these revelations will not have a vessel in which to be revealed. These levels of lofty understanding cannot be revealed in the regular vessels of intellect which we presently possess.  Thus, they will only be revealed in the midos, like a person who feels strongly attracted to something or feel vehemently against something without understanding the reason.]

Why Yechezkiel Saw a Future of the Land of 7 Nations

Since the expansion of the land of Israel to include the 3 lands is dependent on the ketz being in a way of Achishena (love that derives from an awakening from below, as explained above), this is why Yechezkiel’s prophecy describes only the land of the 7 nations: because he prophesied about the final ketz which is the ketz B’itah where the borders of the land of Israel remain as they were in the days of Yehoshua.

We notice that in the prophecy of Yechezkiel, the land is divided into 13 sections. The question is: how do we arrive at the number 13 when there are only 10 sefiros? The answer is that the 7 midos each possesses 3 moichin (the Chabad of the midos, bringing to 10) and further the Kesser, Chochma and Bina of Tohu are enclothed in them in a hidden way (bringing to a total of 13).

Thus, we see that the prophecy of Yechezkiel is on the ketz B’itah wherein Kesser, Chochma and Bina will be enclothed in the 7 midos in a hidden way, because the awakening is from Above, that the supernal Man conceives first and there will not be an actual inheritance of the 3 lands. But, afterwards, in the days of Moshiach, through the avoidah of Yisroel they will arrive and merit after several years to the aspect of Achishena, inheriting the 3 lands as part of the land of Israel, until the good in Kesser, Chochma and Bina of Tohu will be actually revealed there.

We see from this maamar of the Tzemach Tzedek that if the Jewish people finish avoidas habirurim but still have not had an “awakening from below” on their own, then the Geuloh arrives but they lack the vessels to perceive the lights of Tohu that have been refined from level of Kesser, Chochma, and Bina of Tohu. If this occurs, then they will have to do the avoidah in Yemos Hamoshiach in order to reach the level where they will “inherit the land of the Keni, Kenizi and Kadmoni”, meaning a revelation of the lights of Tohu in a revealed way.

This explains the assertion of the Rebbe that:

  1. Avoidas habirurim has been completed,
  2. We only need shout “ad Mosai”, to open our eyes to see that the Geuloh is here, and
  3. That we are presently found in Yemos Hamoshiach.

Based on the maamor of the Tzemach Tzedek printed in Ohr HaTorah, Bereishis, page 1167 תתשסז

This article in downloadable PDF format

Noach “Saw a New World”
by

Noach “Saw a New World”

The opening verse in Parshas Noach says that “נֹ֗חַ אִ֥ישׁ צַדִּ֛יק תָּמִ֥ים הָיָ֖ה בְּדֹֽרֹתָ֑יו” “Noach was a righteous man, he was perfect in his generations”.  The Midrash on this posuk (Midrash Rabba Noach, 30:8) says in the name of R’ Levi: “Whoever it is said about them ‘he was’ saw a new world.”  The Midrash then enumerates five individuals, the first being Noach, citing that when he and his family exited the ark, they saw a new world.

In what sense did Noach see a new world?  Obviously, it was the same Earth, although following the waters of the flood surely the surface of the Earth looked different than it did previously.  And of course, the evildoers who populated the Earth previously were no longer around.  But can we really say that this is what it means to see a “new world”?

The Rebbe, in the sicha of Noach 5752, clues us in to what is being implied here according to pnimiyus haTorah:

In the creation of the world, the Torah refers to Hashem using two names: YKVK and Elokim.  YKVK is G-dliness that is above the world.  Elokim is the name which indicates concealment, allowing independent-feeling worlds to come into existence.  In the words of Tehillim: “The Sun and a shield [these are the names] YKVK [and] Elokim”.  The name YKVK is the emanation of worlds, the infinite “light” of the worlds, and Elokim is the “shield” or “filter” that conceals the light in order that finite worlds can come into existence.

“That in the reality of the world as it is created via the name Elokim is revealed the name YKVK, until it is recognizable in a revealed way that “YKVK is Elokim” (הוי’ הוא האלקים), that in truth the contraction and concealment (Elokim)  are really the name YKVK. הצמצום וההסתר (אלקים) הוא לאמיתתו שם הוי-ה

(Sicha Parshas Noach, 5752)

Meaning that the world is still the same world that was created via the name Elokim, only that it becomes revealed that really even this name Elokim is just a reduction of the light of YKVK, but not something independent or separate.

So the “new world” that Noach saw was not a new form of creation, but a new perception: he could now perceive how the world of Elokim is really a world of YKVK.  It was recognizable and revealed to him.  He saw the same world but in an entirely new way, thus he saw a “new world”.

We can use this to understand many things the Rebbe is trying to tell us in these Dvar Malchus sichos, giving us the tools to “open our eyes”, including the subject of last week’s sicha regarding “servitude to the nations”.  Over there the Rebbe explains how there is servitude to the nations in the time of Golus, but that this servitude does not extend to our neshomas, nor to our bodies as regards matters of Torah and mitzvos.  And even those things where we must follow the law of the land because “dina d’malchusa dina” (the law of the land is the law) is not because we are in servitude to the nations of the world, but because this is how Hashem wants it to be in the time of Golus.

In those short paragraphs, the Rebbe has opened our eyes to a “new world”: a world where there is no servitude to the nations, which is the definition of (the first period of) the Days of Moshiach!  In other words, if one is in a personal Golus and in fact believes that the Jewish people is in servitude to the nations, then in fact he is in such a state, r”l.  But when one internalizes what the Rebbe says there, he discovers that not only our neshomas and our bodies (as regards performing Torah and Mitzvos) are not in servitude to the nations, even those areas where we do go according to their decisions (monetary matters and the like) — this is not due to any form of “servitude” but rather it is Hashem’s will!  So by following civil monetary law, we are in fact fulfilling Hashem’s will no less than in other halachic matters!  Externally, it is the same Golus, but the Rebbe has given us the tools to “see through” the darkness of Golus and realize that the concealment of the name Elokim (Golus) is really coming from YKVK — a new world!

This is one example of many to be found in Chassidus in general, the Rebbe’s teachings in particular, and the Dvar Malchus sichos most especially.  By making these changes in our perception and understanding of the world, we place ourselves in a state of Geulah even while the world “continues in its natural way”.  This is the beginning of Yemos Hamoshiach, each one coming to the realization based on his own efforts to internalize these concepts.

The Main Prophecy of “Immediately to Geuloh”
by

The Main Prophecy of “Immediately to Geuloh”

You may have learned the sicha of Parshas Shoftim many times, but you probably never noticed the real meaning of what the Rebbe calls “the main prophecy” of this generation: “Immediately to Geuloh”. Let’s read the original:

There is an instruction to publicize to all the people of the generation that the Holy One, blessed be He, chose and appointed an individual with free choice, who in and of himself is immeasurably higher than all the people of his generation, who will be … the Novi of the generation … who will give advice regarding the Divine service of the entire Jewish people and all the people of this generation, in all matters of Torah and Mitzvos, and as regards the general conduct of daily life … up until — the main prophecy — the prophecy of “immediately to Geuloh” and immediately “behold this one (Moshiach) comes”.

(Dvar Malchus, parshas Shoftim, section 11)

There is much to understand in this short excerpt from the sicha, but we wish to examine one small (or maybe not so small) point. We will focus on the words “the main prophecy — the prophecy of “immediately to Geuloh…”

The first thing to know is that in 5701 (1941) the Frierdicker Rebbe came out with the call of “L’alter L’teshuva L’alter L’Geuloh” — “immediately to repentance, immediately to Redemption.” First there is the Jew’s act of repentance, then comes the Redemption. The Rebbe repeated this message over the years, even after the “immediately” may have seemed to have expired due the length of years since it was said.

The first chiddush here is obvious and well known: that the “main prophecy” is not that of the Frierdicker Rebbe. Teshuva is not mentioned, only “immediately to Geuloh”. This is easily clarified by the Rebbe’s words in the month of Marcheshvan, two months after this sicha, when the Rebbe states that the Jewish people have already done Teshuva. Indeed a significant chiddush!

Since “L’alter L’teshuva” literally means “immediately to [do] teshuva”, it is self-understood that the amount of time this will take is dependent on the Yidden themselves — how long until they do teshuva? Thus, it is clear that this is both a promise/prophecy as well as a call to action (note that it was initially published in 5701 in a “Kol Koreh”, translated as a “call to action”). The prophecy is that when Teshuva will be done, then immediately begins the process of Geuloh. The call to action is: you must do teshuva! No one would mistakenly think that the Frierdicker Rebbe was giving a prophecy that in a few moments a spirit of repentance will come from Above and arouse everyone to Teshuva “immediately” and then “immediately” there will be Geuloh. Quite obviously, the Teshuva is dependent on our action.

And this is the model for the “main prophecy” of the Novi of our generation, the Rebbe MH”M, in saying “L’alter L’Geuloh”, “immediately to Geuloh”. If the words of this nevuah were “immediately Geuloh”, then we could take it to be a forecast of the immediate future, a “heads-up” that the Geuloh is going to fall from the heavens any moment. After all, one of the tasks of a Novi is to tell the people what is going to be.

But a Novi is not just a G-dly future-teller. He tells what is going to happen in order to arouse the Jewish people to action. The prophecies of the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash that Yirmiyahu said, for example, were not just glimpses into future events — they were for the purpose of warning and awakening the Jewish nation to do Teshuva and prevent his prophecies from materializing. As the Rebbe brings from the Yalkut Shimoni (Yirmiyahu remez 264; see maamar “Gadol Yihiyeh Kvod Habayis Hazeh…” note 26): Hear the words of Torah so you won’t need need to hear the words of the prophets. Hear the words of the prophets so you won’t need to hear words of rebuke…hear it while alive so you won’t need to hear it dead…” Prophecy is a call to action.

So, too, in this “main prophecy” of the Novi of our generation, which doesn’t mention repentance. What is the call to action here? As noted, the words are “immediately to Geuloh” (and not “immediately the Geuloh”) — just as there is a path of individual and collective avoidah of repentance, there is also a path and avoidah of Geuloh! This explains why the Rebbe “wraps” this main prophecy in his description that the Novi gives advice and guidance regarding the Divine service of the entire Jewish people in all matters of Torah and Mitzvos, and the general conduct of daily life…up until the main prophecy (and main avoidah) of proceeding to Geuloh.

The Dvar Malchus sichos are filled with instructions. Instructions to us how to behave in a Geulohdike manner, how to think in a Geulohdike manner, how to respond to events in a Geulohdike manner. The Rebbe is giving us a Shulchan Aruch of the avoidah of Geuloh, of bringing Geuloh and internalizing Geuloh. Not “L’alter Geuloh” but rather “L’alter L‘Geuloh” — not “immediately Geuloh” but rather “immediately to Geuloh” by following the instructions of the Novi. By understanding this properly it accomplishes two things:

First, it removes any questions about an expiration date, chas v’sholom. This is a call to action, and depending on our actions we determine the amount of time of this word “immediately”.

Secondly, it gives us the proper recallibration: once there was avoidas habirurim, once there was avoidas haTeshuva, now there is avoidas HaGeuloh. Just as there were no shortcuts and no free-lunches in the earlier avoidos, nor any time limit other than our own diligence in performing the avoidah — same thing now with avoidas HaGeuloh. Geuloh is “standing on the doorstep”, waiting for us to shlep it into our lives in accordance with the instructions and guidance and prophecies of the Novi of our generation, the Rebbe, Melech haMoshiach, whose main prophecy is calling us to action!

יחי אדוננו מורנו ורבינו מלך המשיח לעולם ועד!

Re’eh: It’s All Good, Including the Curses!
by

Re’eh: It’s All Good, Including the Curses!

Our parsha begins with the verse “Behold (re’eh), I am placing before you today a blessing and a curse.”  The Rebbe, very noticeably, does not include that last word (“curse”) when discussing the verse in our Sicha.  The point will become clear as we examine how the Rebbe illustrates this with a story from the gemora.

In tractate Moed Koton the gemora tells how Rebbi Shimon, the famous Rashbi, instructed his son Elazar to approach two sages they encountered and to request their blessings.  Elazar obeyed his father and asked them for their blessings.  The two sages were happy to oblige, but their blessings don’t sound like blessings at all!  Among their choice words: “You should sow but not reap… confusion should reign at your table…” — These are blessings?!

Elazar returned to his father and complained that not only didn’t these sages give him blessings, but their words left him disturbed!  Rashbi asked him Continue reading →

Golus — Even While the Light of Geuloh is Shining?
by

Golus — Even While the Light of Geuloh is Shining?

The human eye can perceive light.  But only when it has a wavelength between approximately 380 nanometers (seen as violet) and 750 nanometers (seen as red). But these light rays are only a small fraction of the very broad spectrum of rays that exist, from 0.0001 nanometers in wavelength to a full meter.  This covers Gamma rays, x-rays, ultraviolet, infrared, microwaves, and radio waves — none of which the human eye can perceive.

But this is not a science lesson — what does it have to do with Geuloh?

We will see that it is a basis for understanding how the Rebbe can say that the Geuloh is here, all the end times have passed, and yet we remain in golus.  On the face of it, there is no logical basis to say that Continue reading →

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

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 Continue reading →

Rebbi Akiva’s Opinion on Gimmel Tammuz
by

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 Continue reading →

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 Continue reading →

The Hidden Connection: 28 Sivan and July 4th
by

The Hidden Connection: 28 Sivan and July 4th

The year 5751 marked the 50th anniversary of the Rebbe’s arrival to the United States (together with the Rebbetzin).  That year, the Rebbe received well-wishes from then-President of the United States, George Bush, in honor of the anniversary of the Rebbe’s arrival.  We have the Rebbe’s response to President Bush, dated the 3rd of Elul, 5751 (13 August, 1991)1.  After the formal pleasantries, the Rebbe writes something that perhaps conceals more than it reveals.  The Rebbe writes:

“By Divine Providence your kind letter was dated on the morrow of the anniversary of the Nation’s birthday.  It is well to remember that the founders of this Nation considered Independence Day as ‘a day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to G-d Al-mighty.’  By Divine Providence also my arrival in the United States in 1941 coincided with Continue reading →

The Decree is Nullified? But…
by

The Decree is Nullified? But…

What does it mean that a decree has been nullified?

In various sichos*, including the Dvar Malchus sicha of Tetzaveh, the Rebbe uses the expression that Haman’s decree was nullified (ביטול גזירת המן).  This expression is actually quite surprising: where in the Megillas Esther do we see that the King’s order containing Haman’s evil decree was rescinded?  The Megillah actually tells us the opposite: Haman’s decree was sealed with the King’s ring, and “a writ that is written in the name of the king and sealed with the king’s ring cannot be rescinded.”**  What actually happened was that the a follow-up decree was issued: the right of the Jews “to assemble and to protect themselves, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish the entire host of every people and province that oppress them.” (Esther 8:11).  The original decree of Haman remained in full force (“cannot be rescinded”), and still the Rebbe calls this the nullification of Haman’s decree?

If we examine this, we will see how it is very relevant to the Geuloh and the sichos of Dvar Malchus.

The question is: how can Haman’s decree be considered to have been nullified?  There are two aspects to the answer.

Firstly, Continue reading →