לקוטי שיחות חלק ט׳ - נצבים ב

Likkutei Sichos Vol. 9 – Nitzavim 2

1. The reason why we do not recite the blessing for the month of Tishrei on the Shabbat before it, as we do for all other months, was explained by the Alter Rebbe. He said that he heard from the Maggid in the name of the Baal Shem Tov, as follows:

"The seventh month, which is the first of the months of the year, is blessed by the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself on the Shabbat Mevarchim, which is the last Shabbat of the month of Elul. With this power, the Jewish people bless the months eleven times a year."

What constitutes the blessing of the Holy One, blessed be He, on this "Shabbat Mevarchim" of the month of Tishrei? The Baal Shem Tov continues:

"It is written, 'You are standing today,' where 'today' refers to Rosh Hashanah, which is the Day of Judgment, as it is written, 'And it was the day,' which is translated as 'and it was the great day of judgment.' And 'you are standing' means you are established and standing, meaning that you are victorious in judgment. On the Shabbat before Rosh Hashanah, which is the last Shabbat of the month of Elul, we read the portion of 'You are standing,' which is this blessing of the Holy One, blessed be He, on the Shabbat Mevarchim of the seventh month, which is the month that is full and satiates with abundant goodness for all of Israel for the entire year."

2. From this, it is understood that even the month of Tishrei, although "the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself blesses it," the blessing is also drawn through the Jewish people, through their reading of the portion "You are standing" on this "Shabbat Mevarchim of the seventh month." The difference is only that for the other months, the blessing itself comes from the Jewish people, as they say and bless, "May the Holy One, blessed be He, renew it for life and peace, for joy and gladness, for salvation and comfort, etc." However, for the month of Tishrei, the blessing itself is the blessing of the Holy One, blessed be He. But in order for the blessing of the Holy One, blessed be He, to be drawn down below, it is done through the Jewish people reading the portion "You are standing."

3. To understand why even for the month of Tishrei we need to rely on the service of the Jewish people — even though "the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself blesses it" — we must first explain the aforementioned language of the Baal Shem Tov: "The seventh month, which is the first of the months of the year, etc."

Seemingly, the phrase "the first of the months of the year" is stated in the verse regarding the month of Nissan, but the month of Tishrei is the "seventh month" (as the Baal Shem Tov himself states here). So why does he say "(the seventh month) which is the first of the months of the year"?

When learning this simply, one could say that with the phrase "the first of the months of the year," he means to emphasize (not in "the months of the year," but) in the word "the year." And regarding "the year," Tishrei is indeed the first, as the Mishnah states, "On the first of Tishrei is the New Year for years," and also in the language of the verse, Tishrei is called "the beginning of the year."

4. The reason the Baal Shem Tov brings here that Tishrei is the "first of the months of the year" is because he is explaining why specifically the month of Tishrei is "the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself blesses it." Since it is the "first month of the months of the year," therefore, the first month is blessed by the Almighty Himself. The subsequent eleven months are blessed by the Jewish people with the power that the Almighty has blessed (at the beginning) — the first month.

However, this explanation seems insufficient: Since we are discussing the blessing of the month, the relevant matter is not "the New Year for years," but rather "the New Year for months." And since "on the first of Nissan is the New Year for months," if the first month needs to be blessed by the Almighty (which is necessary for the Jews to have the power to bless the following eleven months), it should have been that the Almighty blesses the month of Nissan.

This implies that with the phrase "which is the first month of the months of the year," the Baal Shem Tov indeed means to emphasize "the first of the months of the year." The reason that specifically the month of Tishrei is "the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself blesses it" (and gives the power to the Jews to bless the other eleven months) is because it was once the "first of the months of the year," as it is stated in Targum Yonasan, that before the Almighty said "This month shall be for you," Tishrei was the "first month."

But it is not understood: Now Nissan is the "first of the months of the year" and Tishrei is the seventh — why should it be that today the beginning (and the empowerment) for the blessing of the months is from the month of Tishrei, because it was once the "first month"?

5. The difference between Nissan and Tishrei lies in the fact that Nissan is the time of an awakening from above, and Tishrei is the time of an awakening from below. Based on this, it is even more difficult to understand why the month that "the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself blesses" is specifically Tishrei and not Nissan. Seemingly, the fact that "the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself blesses it" is a matter of an awakening from above — it should have more connection to the month of Nissan. Why is it that the month which the Almighty Himself blesses is actually Tishrei, whose essence is an awakening from below?

5. The aforementioned teaching of the Baal Shem Tov, that we do not recite the blessing for the month of Tishrei because the Almighty Himself blesses it, is (like all matters of the inner dimension of the Torah) also alluded to in the revealed aspect of the Torah. The reason — according to the revealed aspect — for not reciting the blessing for the month of Tishrei is: "As it is written, 'Blow the shofar at the new moon, at the full moon for our feast day.'

At first glance, this is not understood: If Rosh Chodesh Tishrei were distinct from all other Rosh Chodeshim in the matter of Rosh Chodesh, such that in all other months the Rosh Chodesh is revealed and Rosh Chodesh Tishrei is concealed — then there would be a reason to say that since Rosh Chodesh Tishrei is "concealed," we do not reveal it by reciting the blessing of the month on the preceding Shabbos.

However, since regarding Rosh Chodesh there is (seemingly) no difference between Rosh Chodesh Tishrei and the other Rosh Chodeshim: every Rosh Chodesh is "the month is concealed," and the word (and novelty) "concealed" in the verse (which is stated regarding Rosh Chodesh Tishrei) refers to "for our feast day," to the festival which is the first day of Tishrei, as the Gemara states: "A festival on which the month is concealed" — what reason is there, then, not to recite the blessing of the month because the festival — Rosh Hashanah — is on the day "on which the month is concealed"?

But the explanation is that in the reason "as it is written, 'concealed for our feast day'" is alluded to the aforementioned reason of the Baal Shem Tov: "for our feast day" is drawn from "concealed."

The drawing down from above that comes through an awakening from below comes from a place where the service of the creations can reach; however, when "the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself blesses" — an awakening from above on its own (which is higher than an awakening from above that is drawn through an awakening from below) — then the drawing down is from the level of "concealed," the most hidden of all hidden.

6. In the aforementioned teaching of the Baal Shem Tov, he states another matter — in addition to the reason why Jews do not recite the blessing for the month of Tishrei because "the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself blesses it" —

that the fact that Jews bless the other eleven months is with the power that the Almighty blesses the month of Tishrei — and this matter is also alluded to in the revealed aspect:

It is stated in the Pesikta: "Before the Israelites left Egypt, the Holy One, blessed be He, would sit and calculate the months... and renew the months. Once the Israelites left Egypt, He handed them over... from then on, they are entrusted to you."

From this language "handed them over" and "entrusted to you," it is evident that when the Israelites left Egypt, the Almighty commanded the Jews to renew and sanctify the months, it was not a new matter, but rather that He handed over to them the renewal that "the Holy One, blessed be He, would renew the months." That is, the sanctification of the months that the Almighty had previously performed — this is the power with which the Jews later sanctified the months.

From this, it is understood that the same applies to the blessing of the month on the preceding Shabbos, that the power Jews have to bless the months is due to the fact that initially (the first month of each year) the Almighty blesses the month.

7. At first glance, one might question this: Regarding the blessing of the month, it is stated that "this is not a sanctification by the court but rather an announcement to the world of when Rosh Chodesh is." Furthermore, it is stated that the blessing of the month is not even a remembrance of the sanctification of the month. Today, what proof can be brought from what is stated in the Pesikta concerning the sanctification of the month (that the power to sanctify the months comes from the fact that the Almighty had previously sanctified the months) that this also applies to the blessing of the month?

However, from the fact that the blessing of the month was instituted after the sanctification of the month was nullified, and in connection with this, it is understandable that the blessing of the month has a connection to the sanctification of the month.

This means that in the time when the court would sanctify the month, in the act of the court declaring "sanctified" (and the people responding "sanctified, sanctified"), the aspect of blessing was also included. And after the sanctification of the month was nullified, it was instituted that there should at least be the blessing of the month.

The connection between the blessing of the month and the sanctification of the month is also evident in the revealed aspect: (a) According to some customs, "they request mercy for the sages during the announcement of Rosh Chodesh... because they were the ones who sanctified the month." (b) "It is customary to stand during the announcement of Rosh Chodesh on a certain day, similar to the sanctification of the month which was done standing."

8. Based on the above, that the blessing of the month is connected to the sanctification of the month, we find another hint in the revealed aspect regarding the fact that the month of Tishrei is "blessed by the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself":

Concerning all other new months, except for Rosh Hashanah, there are opinions that even when the previous month was full, Rosh Chodesh was observed — in the time when they sanctified the month based on sighting — for only one day (the thirtieth and first day). And even according to the opinions that in such a case two days of Rosh Chodesh were observed, the first day of Rosh Chodesh (the thirtieth day) was only due to doubt — in case witnesses would come then.

9. Therefore, on this day (the thirtieth), it would be necessary to sanctify it. However, regarding Rosh Hashanah, even after the afternoon of the thirtieth day of Elul, when it was already known for certain that the thirtieth day would not be sanctified, the law is that "we observe that day as holy and the next day as holy," and (furthermore) both days are considered "one sanctity."

Just as with the sanctification of the month, we see a distinction in this matter, that (specifically) on Rosh Hashanah, even when the court did not sanctify the thirtieth day, it is still "observed as holy" because "by law, it was fitting to be a festival from the Torah" (meaning, by law — from above, it is fitting; in other words, because on that day was the new moon — which is from above);

Similarly, regarding the blessing of the month, which is analogous to the sanctification of the month (as mentioned in section 7), Rosh Chodesh Tishrei does not require the Jews to bless it, but "the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself blesses it."

10. Although the sanctity of Rosh Hashanah is not dependent (to such an extent) on the court — as mentioned above, even when the court did not sanctify the thirtieth day, it is "observed as holy" (at least rabbinically) — nevertheless, the very existence of Rosh Hashanah, the fact that it is "the head of the year" (the beginning of the new year), is dependent on the court.

And as the law states, when the witnesses came after the afternoon — at which point the court did not accept them, the first day of Rosh Hashanah was (a part of) the month of Elul (even though "they would complete it with the prohibition of a festival"), and consequently — from the previous year.

11. The explanation of this is:

It is stated in the Gemara that the Almighty says to the Jews, "Say before Me on Rosh Hashanah... Kingship, so that you will make Me king over you." In this, we see two opposite aspects:

On one hand, it is understood that since the "make Me king over you"...

...one must first accomplish, meaning that before the "make Me king," the Almighty (so to speak) is not a king. It would seem, therefore, that it is not possible to say that the Jews, through their service, can cause the Almighty to become a "king." For the service of the "people" can only reach the level of "king," but to the essence which is beyond the concept of kingship, from which the desire for kingship must first be drawn — the "people" have no connection.

This is why on Rosh Hashanah (before the sounding of the shofar) we say, "He will choose for us, etc." — since the drawing down on Rosh Hashanah is "from the essence itself," it comes "without any arousal at all," but through His free choice.

Nevertheless, on the other hand: since the Almighty says, "Say before Me... Kingship, so that you will make Me king over you," and the "make Me king" is achieved through the recitation of the verses of Kingship by the Jews — it is understandable that also the "He will choose for us," which is from the essence, comes through (and by) the Jews, but this itself is in a manner of free choice.

11. And this is the explanation of the two aforementioned aspects (section 9) regarding Rosh Hashanah: In terms of the aspect of Rosh Hashanah that it is "the beginning of Your works," it is therefore not possible for anyone to effect the drawing down of Rosh Hashanah (for on Rosh Hashanah the existence of "Your works" is first brought into being), but it comes from "the desire for kindness" [similar to how it was at the beginning of creation — which is why Rosh Hashanah is called "a remembrance of the first day"]. In this, the drawing down of the sanctity (of Rosh Hashanah) is not dependent (to such an extent) on (the court) the Jews.

However, nevertheless, since the very fact that on Rosh Hashanah there is the "desire for kindness" for it to be "the beginning of Your works," it is due to the service of the Jews [which is why the day of Rosh Hashanah was established on the first of Tishrei (and not on the 25th of Elul), the day Adam was created]. Therefore, the very existence of Rosh Hashanah (in which the sanctity of Rosh Hashanah is drawn) is dependent on (the court) the Jews.

12. Just as with Rosh Hashanah — the "remembrance of the first day," it is not considered that the drawing down comes from "the desire for kindness," yet it is accomplished through the service of the Jews as mentioned above; similarly, this is also true regarding the "first day" itself — the 25th of Elul, that although at that time there was no possibility of any arousal...

12. Although on the 25th of Elul there was no possibility of any arousal from below ("And there was no man to work the ground"), nevertheless, since "with whom did He consult? With the souls of the righteous," it follows that even the consultation (and will) and the drawing down at the beginning of creation were connected with the service of the Jews.

The difference is only that on Rosh Hashanah — the day of the creation of man — the arousal from below is also present in actuality, whereas on the 25th of Elul, it is only that "it arose before Him, blessed be He, the delight that He would take, as it were, in the service of the righteous."

13. Based on all the above, we can also understand the expression of the Baal Shem Tov regarding the month of Tishrei, "that it is the first month of the months of the year," which is (as mentioned above in section 3) the reason why specifically the month of Tishrei is "blessed by G‑d Himself."

The distinction between the first five days of the Six Days of Creation, when the drawing down (in actuality) was due to the "desire for kindness," and the "sixth day" (Rosh Hashanah of that year), when the concept of arousal from below was revealed, is similar to the difference between the twenty-six generations before the Giving of the Torah, which were sustained by the kindness of the Holy One, blessed be He, and the time from the Giving of the Torah onward, when all drawing downs come through service.

From this, it is understood that the time before Rosh Hashanah (the day of the creation of man) is (every year) — regarding matters connected with the renewal of the world, with the new year — similar to the time before the Giving of the Torah.

It can be suggested, perhaps, that this is why the Baal Shem Tov says that Tishrei is the "first month of the months of the year" — because in the Shabbat before Rosh Hashanah, which is similar to the time before the Giving of the Torah, before the Holy One, blessed be He, said "This month shall be for you," Tishrei was the "first month."

And with this, he hints at the reason why Rosh Chodesh Tishrei (Rosh Hashanah) is "blessed by G‑d Himself" — because in the time before Rosh Hashanah (which is similar to the time before "This month shall be for you"), the drawing down is due to the "desire for kindness," as mentioned above.

14. Nevertheless, the Baal Shem Tov here also uses the expression "the seventh month" (twice) — the concept that Tishrei is the seventh month only came about after the Holy One, blessed be He, said "This month shall be for you."

This implies that even in the time before Rosh Hashanah, when the drawing down is due to the "desire for kindness," there is also the aspect of service (as mentioned above in section 12).

With this, he explains the reason why "the blessing of the Holy One, blessed be He" comes through the fact that Jews read the portion of "You are standing" (Nitzavim).

And because the drawing down from above is connected with the service of the Jews, there is an addition to the blessing of the Holy One, blessed be He.

And all of this comes down sweetly, that the month is — in the words of the Baal Shem Tov — "satiated and satiates with abundant goodness for all of Israel for the entire year."

May we be inscribed and sealed for a good year, and may the upcoming Rosh Hashanah bring elevation upon us and all of Israel for good and blessing.