קריאת שמע ב

This is the aspect of the Haftarah of Shabbos Nachamu: "Kol korai bamidbar, panu derech Hashem, yashru ba'Aravah m'silah lailokainu" — "A voice calls in the wilderness: clear the way of Hashem, make straight in the desert a highway for our God" (Yeshayahu 40). This is the essential nechama and hope: through the power of the true Tzaddikim who make a paved path to draw close to Hashem even in the midbar and aravah — meaning they sanctify all places very, very distant from Hashem (which are in the aspect of desolate wildernesses, deserts, and ruins) with kedushas Yisrael (= kedushas Eretz Yisrael). All through the Chesed Chinam they draw (= the path to Eretz Yisrael) → we have hope to return to our land soon. Our essential hope = through the Chesed Chinam (= the path to Eretz Yisrael) → by sanctifying distant places with kedushas Yisrael → we will return to our land.

All this power is received from the aspect of the Zakein d'Kedushah — the Blind Beggar — the elder of elders, Sava d'Savin, who merited such holy ziknah until he said he is exceedingly old yet exceedingly yanak. From him all the Tzaddikim receive the power to strengthen themselves in their avodah and renew their strength and service each time. Through these great Tzaddikim who begin anew each time — even when they reach the highest of levels, even the level of the greatest bnei aliyah — they are never satisfied. Rather, they say: "Who knows what more there is to attain?" And they begin anew each time. As I heard from our Rebbe much regarding this matter. Until they arrive each time at new, wondrous, and awesome attainments. Therefore, through the power of these Tzaddikim, even those who fall — as is very common now in the darkness of this exile, where the Sitra Achara and the Baal Davar have greatly overpowered anyone who wishes to begin engaging in Avodas Hashem, casting him down each time — these fallen ones need to be strengthened and revived each time with seven kinds of consolation, that they should never despair and should begin anew each time. All this power is received from the Tzaddikim described above. For the greater the illness, the greater the physician needed, as explained elsewhere (LM I:30). Through the immense power and attainment of these Tzaddikim — who began anew each time and attained ever more of the greatness of Hashem's chassadim, how He devises plans at every moment so that the banished not remain banished — through this they have the power to draw new chiyus and encouragement to all who have fallen, to strengthen and awaken them each time, that they should never fall from anything. Rather, they should extend their patience and spirit over everything and believe in Hashem and in the power of the true Tzaddikim, for His chassadim have never ceased. They should strengthen themselves to begin drawing close to Hashem anew, each time, in whatever way they can. For through the power of these Tzaddikim who never stood still but always rose higher — even though they reached levels that seemed the highest possible, levels that many great and wondrous Tzaddikim never attained, and yet they reached these and more — nevertheless they were never satisfied and constantly devised ways to begin anew. Even though they did not know the name of any higher level, they would still say: "Who knows what more there is?" As I heard from our Rebbe: once he was in great distress before me and said, "How does one merit to be a Yid?" This was a great wonder in my eyes, because just moments before he had revealed wondrous and awesome things. He answered and said: "Who knows what there is yet to attain? For I never in my life imagined seeking or yearning to reach such an attainment and such a level. Therefore — who knows even now what more there is?" This was always his way, all the days of his life. Thus there are Tzaddikim so great that even when they reach the highest level imaginable, they still yearn and seek and search and begin anew completely — for who knows what more there is? Even though their current attainment is truly exceedingly lofty, they say: Hashem is Ein Sof — who knows what more can be attained in this world? Therefore they begin anew each time, until they truly arrive at an even higher level — and then again say "Who knows what more there is?" — and begin again. And so forever. Therefore, through the power of these Tzaddikim, there is hope for all who have fallen, and there is no despair in the world at all. Even if it seems to him that from such a descent it is impossible to rise — nevertheless, who knows the greatness of Hashem's chassadim? There is such Chesed with Him that even from there one can ascend. Even if, Heaven forbid, one has fallen many, many times beyond count — nevertheless, every movement he makes to lift himself each time from his fall, and every cry he cries — even from the lowest depths — is never, ever lost. As our Rebbe said: even a cry from the lowest abyss is never lost, however things may be afterward. For Hashem and His Torah are Ein Sof — without limit. Just as there is no ceiling to ascent (for there is always higher), so too there is no floor to descent — from any fall, there could be worse. Therefore one must strengthen himself not to fall further, and the essential strength comes from the Tzaddikim described above. For they merited to perceive that just as there is no ultimate ascent, likewise there is no descent from which one cannot rise. In truth it is all one: the more the Tzaddik ascends, the more he perceives Hashem's chassadim — which is the essential greatness of Hashem, for the attribute of Chesed is called Gedulah [greatness]: "Lecha Hashem haGedulah" — and Gedulah = Chesed. The more one perceives Hashem's greatness, the more one perceives His chassadim. Therefore, these Tzaddikim who never stand still, ascending ever higher and perceiving ever more of His greatness (His chassadim) — through this they merit to perceive that there is no fall and no despair in the world at all. For they perceive such chassadim — the essential greatness of the Creator — through which everyone can ascend. This is what our Rebbe said in the Torah "Mishra d'Sakina" (LM I:30): one specifically needs a Tzaddik exceedingly great in stature, for the greater the illness, the greater the physician and healer needed. The greater the Tzaddik, the more he can raise up even those who have fallen very far — until through the power of the Tzaddikim described above, there is no fall and no descent from which one cannot rise by their power, if he merits to believe in them and draw close to them. All this is the aspect of Arichas Apayim: Erech Apayim for the righteous (who must extend their spirit — not letting their additional spirit and chiyus cease on account of their great ascent and lofty level, but extending their spirit to seek an even higher level and begin anew), and Erech Apayim for the wicked (even those who have fallen to complete wickedness — as long as the neshamah is within him, as long as he can still move even one limb, he must extend his patience and spirit to constantly await Hashem's salvation and to strengthen himself to begin anew in whatever way he can). For no movement of holiness, no sigh, no cry, no holy yearning is ever lost — for Hashem never casts away forever. All this is the aspect of Tefillin, which are the aspect of Arichas Apayim — the new Mochin and life that one draws through the mitzvah of Tefillin, from the holy elders who receive from the uppermost elder, the Blind Beggar. This is the aspect of the ma'abarta [housing/passageway] of the Tefillin through which the retzuos [straps] pass, which is the aspect of Ma'avar Yabok [the crossing of the Yabok], as brought in the Kavanos. For the retzuos are the aspect of the drawing-down of the Mochin of the Tefillin — the light of the countenance — the aspect of the Thirteen Tikkunei D'ikna, the aspect of Erech Apayim. Therefore retzuah [strap] has the numerical value of 370 — the aspect of the 370 lights of the countenance (shin-ayin nehorin). The retzuos are long — this is the aspect of Erech Apayim — extending upon oneself the lengthening of spirit. Through this, the aspect of retzuah bisha [the evil strap] is sweetened and nullified — the strap for striking the wicked, from which all suffering and harsh judgments originate. Through the aspect of Erech Apayim drawn through the long retzuos drawn from the light of the countenance (the Tefillin-Mochin), one passes over all sufferings and sweetens them. They lose the power to nullify and prevent one from serving the Creator — for one merits Arichas Apayim: extending his spirit over everything, his spirit never shortened by any suffering or obstacle, simply doing what he must: engaging in Torah and avodah — until he merits to pass over them and nullify them. For by not looking at the obstacles at all, through Arichas Apayim, they are nullified of themselves. All suffering and obstacles come only as a test — and when one is firm in his mind and extends his spirit and pays them no attention, they are nullified of themselves before him. Therefore the length of the retzuah — which is the drawing-down of the light of the countenance, the aspect of Arichas Apayim — nullifies the retzuah bisha from which all sufferings derive, for everything is sweetened and nullified through Arichas Apayim, which is the sweetening of judgments, the suppression of anger and din. This is the aspect of the ma'abarta of the Tefillin through which the straps pass — the aspect of Ma'avar Yabok. Yabok has the numerical value of Havayah Elokim [= 112]. This is the aspect of "BaHashem ahaleil davar, bEilokim ahaleil davar" — "In Hashem I will praise a word, in Elokim I will praise a word" (Tehillim 56:11). One must recognize Hashem and draw close to Him always — whether in good or in trouble, in ascent or in descent: "BaHashem ahaleil... bEilokim ahaleil..." As brought in the Torah "Mi ha'ish hechafetz chayim" (LM I:33). This is itself the aspect of being baki baHalachah [expert in the law], as brought in the Torah "Kra es Yehoshua" (LM I:6) — that whoever wishes to do teshuvah must be a "baki": baki b'ratzo [expert in running forward], baki b'shov [expert in returning], baki b'ayil [expert in entering], baki b'nafik [expert in going out] — the aspect of "Im esak Shamayim sham Atah, v'atziah She'ol hineka" — "If I ascend to Heaven — You are there; if I make my bed in the depths — behold, You are there" (Tehillim 139:8). One must always seek to draw close to Hashem wherever he is — in ascent or descent — and even if he is in the lowest abyss, from there too he can draw close to Him: "V'atziah She'ol hineka." All this is the aspect of Arichas Apayim — to always extend one's spirit all the days of his life, however things may be, never falling from anything, always beginning to draw close to Him. Similarly, one should never weary even if he has merited a great ascent to a lofty level — he should know that even in the heavens Hashem is found ("Im esak Shamayim sham Atah") — even though it seems he has ascended to the heavens, he still needs to seek Hashem and begin anew, for Hashem is found even in the heavens. As our Rebbe said in the Torah "Ki seitzei lamilchamah" (LM II:82). All this is merited through Tefillin — Arichas Apayim. This is the ma'abarta — the aspect of Ma'avar, the name Yabok. For Yabok is the letters baki — baki b'ratzo, baki b'shov — as our Rebbe himself said there: this baki is the aspect of Yabok. And Yabok has the numerical value of Havayah Elokim — "BaHashem ahaleil, bEilokim ahaleil" — whether with the attribute of Mercy or the attribute of Judgment, whether in good or in trouble, in ascent or in descent: one must always serve Hashem and extend his spirit, never falling, never tiring, never ceasing his yearning for Hashem — on account of nothing in the world. All this is merited through Tefillin — Arichas Apayim. This is the aspect of the long retzuos passing through the ma'abarta — through which one passes over all sufferings, obstacles, and confusions that are drawn from the retzuah bisha. Everything is nullified before him through Arichas Apayim. This is the aspect of: "Vaya'avor Hashem al panav" — "Hashem passed over his face" (Shemos 34:6) — which is the aspect of the ma'abarta. For then, when Hashem passed over his face, He revealed the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy — the Tleissar Tikkunei D'ikna. There it says: "Vay'maher Moshe" — that he saw Erech Apayim. This is the aspect of Tefillin. Then He revealed the light of Tefillin, as written there in that parshah: "Ani a'avir kol tuvi... v'raisa es achorai" — "I shall pass all My goodness... and you shall see My back" — and our Sages expounded (Berachos 7a): "This is the knot of Tefillin." For the essential Tefillin are drawn from there — from the Tikkunei D'ikna, the Thirteen Attributes, the aspect of Erech Apayim. The essential Arichas Apayim is merited through Eretz Yisrael, which is the aspect of emunah, as written there in the Torah cited above on the verse "Vay'maher Moshe" (LM I:155). This is the aspect of Tefillin: the parshiyos in Tefillin speak of Eretz Yisrael and emunah. The first two parshiyos primarily concern Yetzias Mitzrayim and the entry into Eretz Yisrael: "Zachor es hayom hazeh asher yetzasem miMitzrayim... v'hayah ki yevi'acha Hashem el ha'Aretz" (Shemos 13). And the second parshah begins: "V'hayah ki yevi'acha..." For the essential Tefillin are the aspect of Arichas Apayim merited through Eretz Yisrael — the opposite of Mitzrayim, which is full of idolatry, the opposite of emunah. Therefore, when they were in Mitzrayim, it says: "V'lo sham'u el Moshe mikotzer ruach" — "They did not listen to Moshe because of kotzer ruach [shortness of spirit]" (Shemos 6:9) — they could not draw close to the Tzaddik (Moshe) and listen to him, due to kotzer ruach, the opposite of Arichas Apayim through which is the essential drawing close to Hashem and to the true Tzaddikim. The latter two parshiyos speak of emunah: Shema Yisrael = faith in the Unity; V'hayah im shamoa = acceptance of the yoke of mitzvos and nullification of avodah zarah — which is the aspect of charon af [fierce anger], the opposite of Arichas Apayim: "Hishamru lachem... v'sartem va'avadtem elohim acheirim v'charah af" (Devarim 11:16-17). Thus all four parshiyos of Tefillin speak of leaving Mitzrayim (= avodah zarah, charon af, kotzer ruach) to merit entering Eretz Yisrael (= emunah, Arichas Apayim) — the essential aspect of Tefillin. Therefore the final parshah concludes: "L'ma'an yirbu yemeichem vimei vneichem" — "That your days may be lengthened, and the days of your children" (Devarim 11:21) — long life merited through Tefillin = Erech Apayim, extending the spirit, from which comes long life. The essential life is through the breath of the spirit — through Arichas Ruach = Erech Apayim = the holy Zakein = long life. Therefore our Sages said (Pesachim 113b): "HaRaschan, chayav einam chayim" — "The hot-tempered person — his life is not a life." For the hot-tempered person is the aspect of kotzer ruach, the opposite of Arichas Apayim — therefore his life is not a life. The essential life comes from Arichas HaRuach = Erech Apayim. Therefore one must bind the Tefillin on the left arm — the aspect of yad keihah [the weaker hand], as our Sages said. For the essential Tefillin = Erech Apayim: to sweeten and nullify the aspect of yad keihah, from which all suffering and obstacles originate. One must extend his spirit through Arichas Apayim and pass over everything — not having kotzer ruach, which is the aspect of "Ruach necheiah mi yisa'enah" — "A broken spirit, who can bear it?" (Mishlei 18:14). Rather, he must extend his spirit over everything — this being Tefillin, Arichas Apayim — through which yad keihah is sweetened. This is: "Vayomer Hashem el Avram: Lech lecha mei'artzecha umimoladtecha umibeis avicha el ha'Aretz" — "Hashem said to Avram: Go forth from your land, your birthplace, and your father's house, to the Land" (Bereishis 12:1) — to Eretz Yisrael. This is juxtaposed to the verse: "Vayamas Terach b'Charan" — "Terach died in Charan." Rashi explains: until here was the charon af [fierce anger] of the Omnipresent. Therefore, juxtaposed to this, Hashem commanded Avraham to go to Eretz Yisrael — for through this he would sweeten and nullify the charon af. Through Eretz Yisrael one merits Erech Apayim, the opposite of charon af. For Avraham is the head of the believers — therefore he was the first to whom the holiness of Eretz Yisrael was revealed, as brought in the holy Zohar: "He weighed on the scales until it was revealed to him." For Eretz Yisrael is the aspect of emunah, the aspect of Arichas Apayim. This is the aspect of: "Kadeish li chol bechor peter kol rechem bivnei Yisrael" — "Sanctify to Me every firstborn, the first issue of every womb among the children of Yisrael" (Shemos 13:2) — which is the beginning of the first parshah of Tefillin. The essential Tefillin are drawn from the aspect of the holiness of the bechoros [firstborn] — the first birth, the aspect of Yetzias Mitzrayim, which is the aspect of birth. Because of this, one must sanctify the first birth — the bechor. All this is to draw upon oneself the holiness of the birth of the Mochin — the essential birth: to merit renewing his chiyus and brain each time as if born today — the essential long life = Tefillin. Therefore one must give the bechor to the Kohen, or redeem him from the Kohen. The Kohen is the aspect of the holy Zakein: "Kashemen hatov al harosh yored al hazakein, z'kan Aharon" — "Like the fine oil upon the head, descending upon the beard — the beard of Aharon" (Tehillim 133:2) — the aspect of the T'manya Tikkunei D'ikna d'Chahana Rabba [eight rectifications of the beard of the High Priest]. And our Sages said (Shabbos 151b): "V'shemen al roshcha al yechsar" — "Let not oil be lacking on your head" (Koheles 9:8) — these are the Tefillin shel Rosh. For the essential Tefillin are drawn from "Kashemen hatov al harosh... z'kan Aharon." By giving the bechor (the first birth) to the Kohen, one draws the holiness of the birth of the Mochin and chiyus — meriting to renew himself each time as if born today. This is the essential Tefillin — the Mochin and long life received from the holy Zakein who said he is exceedingly old yet has not begun to live at all, as if born today — beginning anew each time. This is the aspect of Mashiach, of whom it says: "Ani hayom yelidticha" — "I have this day given birth to you" (Tehillim 2:7). Mashiach will merit this aspect in perfection — long life where one begins living anew each moment as if born today: "Ani hayom yelidticha." For Mashiach will attain the aspect of above time, as explained in the words of our Rebbe on this verse. The Blind Beggar's boast — exceedingly old yet yanak, the whole world not amounting to a blink of an eye — this is the aspect of above time. This is the long life Mashiach will merit: "Chayim sha'al mimcha, nasata lo" — "He asked life of You, You gave it to him" (Tehillim 21:5) — the aspect of Dovid Melech Yisrael chai v'kayam. For Dovid is Mashiach. This is the aspect of Tefillin — there is the root of Mashiach's neshamah. The root of Mashiach's kingship is in the kesher shel Tefillin [knot of Tefillin]. As our Rebbe said (LM I:54): "V'haysah nefesh adoni tzerurah bitzeror hachayim" — "The soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life" (Shmuel I 25:29) — said regarding Dovid, who is Mashiach. "Tzeror HaChayim" = the kesher shel Tefillin, which is the aspect of life — long life. This is the aspect of the retzuah of the head that descends from the knot down to the navel. The holiness of Tefillin comes from the zekeinim who merited to sanctify their brains so greatly that they remembered what happened from the beginning of their birth — when the umbilical cord was cut. The essential completion of birth — the aspect of Tefillin, "Kadeish li chol bechor peter kol rechem" — is the cutting of the umbilical cord. Therefore it says regarding Yetzias Mitzrayim (Yechezkel 16:4): "Umolodosayich b'yom huleches osach, lo karas shorereich" — "On the day of your birth, your navel cord was not cut" — before the Exodus they were like a child whose umbilical cord was not yet cut. For although the other elders remembered even further back, nevertheless it is impossible to reveal their holiness outwardly — only the holiness of the brain of the elder who remembered the beginning of birth (cutting the umbilical cord) — the essential aspect of Tefillin, which speak of birth: "Kadeish li chol bechor." Would that we merit to receive even his holiness! The holiness of the Mochin of the other elders is not revealed outwardly at all — their light is concealed only in the parshiyos hidden inside the batim [housings]. From there, their holiness is received in a hidden and concealed manner — for the holiness of their memory is exceedingly beyond us, as the discerning will understand. One retzuah extends down to the heart. For the retzuah is the aspect of the light drawn from Arichas Apayim. Therefore it must be drawn down to the heart — to introduce Arichas Apayim, the suppression of anger, into the heart — so that one has no hakpadah [resentment/ill-feeling] at all, not even in the heart. This is the essential Arichas Apayim. As our Rebbe said of himself: he merited this aspect in Eretz Yisrael — that he would have such Arichas Apayim that there would not be in his heart even the slightest trace of anger or resentment, even against his greatest enemy who causes him all manner of suffering. Nevertheless, he has in his heart against that person no hatred and no resentment. This is the essential Arichas Apayim. Therefore the retzuah must be drawn to the heart — to introduce Arichas Apayim into the heart — so that nothing bothers him at all, not even in the heart.