לקוטי שיחות חלק כ״ט - נצבים

Likkutei Sichos Vol. 29 – Nitzavim

1. On the verse "And the L‑rd your G‑d will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring," the Targum translates it as "And the L‑rd your G‑d will remove the foolishness of your heart."

Simply put, the Targum clarifies: How does the phrase "And He will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring" fit? The concept of "circumcision" is specifically related to the foreskin of the heart, not the heart itself. As it is indeed stated in an earlier portion, "And you shall circumcise the foreskin of your heart," it should have seemingly stated here as well, "And the L‑rd your G‑d will circumcise the foreskin of your heart and the foreskin of your offspring's heart."

Therefore, the Targum adds—similar to its translation in the aforementioned portion—the word "foolishness (of your heart)," meaning that it is like a "shortened verse," as if the verse explicitly stated "the foreskin of your heart."

However, we need to understand: Why does the Targum...

...question in a previous explanation, as discussed several times).

...itself, as in the portion of Lech Lecha "Every male among you shall be circumcised," and similarly in many places—and based on this, in our context, the term "circumcise" also fits in relation to the heart itself.

But it is not so. For in the simple act of circumcision, whose meaning is known (the removal of the flesh of your foreskin), there is no necessity to interpret the term "foreskin" everywhere.

Especially since in most places where the term "circumcise" is mentioned regarding the person himself, it is stated in proximity to the act of circumcising the flesh of the foreskin, as in the portion of Lech Lecha: "Every male among you shall be circumcised (and immediately after—there, 11) and you shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin" it precedes "to a man who has a foreskin." And in the portion of Bo there (verse 48) "And no uncircumcised person shall eat of it").

However, in our case, the "circumcision" of the heart, which is mentioned (above) in the Torah only once (in Eikev there)—it is a great difficulty to say that the scripture would obscure "And He will circumcise your heart," without specifying "the foreskin of your heart." And at the very least, Rashi should have explained this (and certainly the Targum who explains).

6) It seems difficult to say that Rashi relies on his explanation that there are verses "that shorten their language and omit one word". Vayechi "many in the scripture," "and many verses, etc.")—for in similar places Rashi explains "a shortened verse" and the like. Lech Lecha 13:6. Vayeitzei 29:2. Vayeishev 39:4. Miketz 41:13. There,

2. Regarding the reason why the verse does not state "the foreskin of your heart"—one could say that this is understood from the continuation of the verses themselves:

Earlier it states, "And it shall be when all these things come upon you... and you return to the L‑rd your G‑d and obey His voice... you and your children with all your heart and with all your soul," and then the Torah continues, "And the L‑rd your G‑d will return your captivity... and bring you to the land... and the L‑rd your G‑d will circumcise your heart," meaning that the "And the L‑rd your G‑d will circumcise your heart" will occur after the Jews are already in a state of "and you return... with all your heart and with all your soul."

It is difficult to say that "And He will circumcise, etc." refers to the foreskin of the heart, because if the Jews are already in a state of "and you return... with all your heart and with all your soul," then they no longer have a "foreskin of the heart", meaning the heart is blocked "from understanding"!

3. Therefore, it must be said that "And He will circumcise, etc., your heart" refers to a higher level in the service of G‑d. In addition to the previous negation (removal of foolishness, taking away the "blockage" of the heart), there should be a positive matter and action, as the verse continues — "(And He will circumcise, etc.) to love the L‑rd your G‑d, etc."

In a slightly different version: Earlier it states that the Jews will repent and obey the L‑rd "with all your heart and with all your soul," which can occur even when they serve the L‑rd out of fear; however, "And the L‑rd your G‑d will circumcise, etc." will accomplish for them — "to love the L‑rd your G‑d with all your heart and with all your soul."

— However, it remains to be understood: What is the connection between "And He will circumcise" — an act of cutting (removal) — and the action upon the heart "to love, etc."?!

It is also not understood: From the language of the verse "And the L‑rd your G‑d will circumcise, etc.," it appears that this is an action that is accomplished not by the person himself, but through the action of the Holy One, blessed be He; but if the effect of "And He will circumcise, etc." consists only in "to love, etc." — then the love of G‑d is a commandment upon every Jew, "And you shall love the L‑rd your G‑d with all your heart and with all your soul," twice every day!

4. And it can be said that this question is also answered in the continuation of the verses:

The verses "And it shall be when all these things come upon you... and you return... and the L‑rd your G‑d will return... and He will circumcise, etc." follow the lengthy description earlier about the unfavorable state in exile, which comes because "they abandoned the covenant of the L‑rd": and the Torah describes the reason for such behavior — "For you know, etc., the land of Egypt, etc., and you saw their abominations, etc., lest there be, etc., whose heart turns, etc., to serve the gods of those nations, etc."

5. From this, it is understood that the phrase "And the L‑rd your G‑d will circumcise your heart, etc." (which will occur after "And He will bring you to the land, etc.") is meant to remove the cause of the spiritual decline — the possibility of "and you saw their abominations, etc., whose heart turns, etc."

And the explanation of this is:

In the matter of a Jew's heart turning away from G‑d, there are two general causes:

a) A deficiency in the very nature of the heart itself — there is a foreskin of the heart (foolishness or insensitivity), and because of this, the heart is drawn to evil and forbidden things.

b) An external cause — from the heart, in the words of Rashi, "the eye sees and the heart desires." This is the manner of a person's decline: before there is a change (for the worse) in the very nature of the heart itself — he does not yet have foolishness or insensitivity, so that on his own he would not have a desire for improper things — the sight of the eye comes and generates a desire in his heart.

And this is the precise language of the verse in our portion, that the primary cause of the spiritual decline of the Jewish people is "a man or woman whose heart turns" — the expression indicates a deficiency (not in the heart itself — like "their uncircumcised heart" — but) only in the inclination of the heart (which can come from an external cause); as explicitly stated in the verse about the progression of the situation — "For you know how we dwelled in the land of Egypt, etc., and you saw their abominations, etc., whose heart turns, etc., to serve the gods of those nations" (the manner of "the eye sees and the heart desires").

6. According to the above, it is understood:

a) How the term "circumcise" (cutting) is appropriate here — because the effect of "circumcise" is to remove the possibility of "his heart turns," for which it is necessary to cut the connection between the sight — and the heart (so that the heart should not desire the "and you saw (with the eye) their abominations").

b) Specifically "And the L‑rd your G‑d will circumcise, etc." — one must rely on the action of the Holy One, blessed be He, in this: a person has the ability to remove the foreskin of the heart — his insensitivity and foolishness; however, the connection between the sight of his eyes and his heart is an aspect that the Almighty has implanted within him, and it is only within His power to nullify it.

And this is also why the verse continues "And the L‑rd your G‑d will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring) to love the L‑rd your G‑d with all your heart, etc., for your life": since the possibility of "his heart turns" will be completely removed, it will naturally be "to love the L‑rd your G‑d with all your heart and with all your soul for your life": not just a simple love of G‑d, but in a manner that it will become the entire life of a Jew.

7. From the above matter, a practical implication emerges in the content of the service during the time when we read the portion of Nitzavim — the conclusion of the month of Elul:

On the verse "And He will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring," it is stated in Baal HaTurim that "your heart and the heart of your offspring" are the initials of Elul, therefore...

8. From the fact that the Baal HaTurim connects the initials of this verse with the recitation of Selichos, it is understood that he interprets the content of the verse "And He will circumcise, etc." as the service of teshuvah.

It can be said that this aligns with the interpretation of the Targum that "And He will circumcise your heart" means removing the foolishness of the heart.

However, according to the aforementioned explanation, the effect of "And He will circumcise, etc." is expressed in the continuation of the verse — "to love the L‑rd your G‑d for your life" (since the removal of the foolishness and insensitivity of the heart has already occurred before "And the L‑rd will circumcise") — it turns out that the service of Elul (alluded to in the verse "And He will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring") is not the service of teshuvah and forgiveness, but rather the service of love.

For the effect of Elul is also in the line of love, as is understood from the initials "I am my Beloved's and my Beloved is mine," where "my Beloved" is indeed an aspect of love. This is also understood from the well-known parable that the Alter Rebbe gives regarding the illumination of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy in the month of Elul, which is comparable to a king who "receives everyone in the field... and he receives them all with a pleasant countenance and shows a smiling face to all" — which, of course, arouses love for the king in everyone, like the reflection of water to a face.

9. It can be said that according to the Baal Shem Tov, in the service of Elul (alluded to in the verse "And He will circumcise, etc."), the continuation of the verse "to love the L‑rd your G‑d" is not included, because according to the teaching in the way of remez (the interpretation of the Baal Shem Tov), "to love the L‑rd your G‑d" is a higher level than the love of G‑d in the month of Elul.

10. To preface: The Alter Rebbe explains the difference between the service of the month of Elul and the service of the subsequent Days of Awe. Elul is primarily the time of "I am my Beloved's," an arousal from below; whereas the Days of Awe are primarily the time of "and my Beloved is mine" — "the time of the revelation of His kingship" (similar to one who "receives the king in his royal palace" — which is merited only by the "select of the nation and the unique individuals"), at which time G‑d's love is "implanted in the heart of man."

This means that the level of love in the month of Elul is not as high as the love that is attained during the Days of Awe, the primary time of "and my Beloved is mine."

Based on this, we can explain the difference between the two aforementioned approaches (whether "to love the L‑rd your G‑d" is part of the month of Elul):

The interpretation according to peshat — the straightforward understanding accessible to every soul — corresponds to the not-so-high levels in the service of G‑d, levels to which all Jews can relate. In our context, "to love the L‑rd your G‑d" in the "world of peshat" is a level of love to which all Jews can relate — and therefore it is part of the service of Elul, because it is a love that can be reached even when one is "in the field";

However, in the interpretation according to remez — higher levels in (the study of Torah, and consequently in) the service of G‑d — "to love the L‑rd your G‑d" is a higher level.

6. The verse "And the L‑rd your G‑d will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring" refers to a love that comes from Above, as previously mentioned. This aligns with the scriptural phrase "And the L‑rd your G‑d will circumcise... to love the L‑rd your G‑d with all your heart and with all your soul, for the sake of your life." The circumcision of the heart signifies the removal of barriers, allowing for a deeper, more profound love of G‑d that is bestowed from Above. This love is not something that one can achieve solely through personal effort; rather, it is a divine gift that enables one to love G‑d with complete devotion.