004 —ויקרא משה אל כל ישראל

Vayikra Moshe El Kol Yisrael Vayomer Aleihem Atem Re'isem etc. HaNisos HaGedolos Asher Ra'u Einecha etc. V'Lo Nasan Hashem Lachem Lev Lada'as Ve'einayim Liros etc.

And this is puzzling: at first it says, "You have seen etc.," and afterwards it says, "But Hashem has not given you a heart to know and eyes to see etc."?

To understand this, behold it is written: "Vayita Eshel B'Ve'er Sheva Vayikra Sham B'Shem Hashem Kel Olam" (He planted an Eshel in Be'er Sheva and called there in the name of Hashem, G‑d of the world).

(Mentioned in Bereishis Rabbah, end of section 54; Vayigash, section 94; Zohar I:102b, III:22b, 52b.)

Behold, it is written: "Ram Al Kol etc. Mi Lo Yira'acha etc." (Yirmiyahu 10) — even idol worshippers call Him the G‑d of gods, as it says: "From the rising of the sun to its setting, My Name is great etc."

But they are in a state of separation, being a self and an entity unto themselves. Avraham, however, stood and proclaimed "B'Shem Hashem Kel Olam" — meaning, the name Havayah is G‑d of the world, all is one. Not "of the world" as if the world is an entity and He enlivens it, but rather, just as a person's name is not his essence but the life-force enclothed in the letters of his name — for when one is called by his name, he is aroused — so too, the name Havayah is enclothed within all worlds, and they are only garments and secondary to Him, and all is truly one.

And this is "Kel Olam," as it says: "On that day Hashem will be One and His Name One" — that is, two times Yud-Heh, that there will not be a Vav-Heh.

For the Vav represents the drawing down that allows for descent below until there can be an independent entity, but then all will be Yud-Heh below as above.

See Likkutei Torah on Zechariah on this verse, and what is written there on the discourse beginning "Vehayah Mispar Bnei Yisrael," and in the discourse "Shishim Heimah Malchos" regarding "Tamasi."

But it is written: "Venirgan Mafrid Aluf" (Mishlei 16:28). See Zohar III (16a) and Bereishis Rabbah, section 22: "L'taavah Yevakesh Nifrad"^[1] — when a person sets his desires on worldly pleasures or on victories and negative traits, G‑d forbid, he is in a state of separation and cannot be in the state of "Hashem Echad U'Shemo Echad" as above.

And it is written: "Ya'er Panav Itanu Selah" — the aspect of the shining of the face is like a person who gives to his true beloved; he gives with a good eye and goodwill, and his face shines with light and joy. In contrast, to his enemy, he gives as one who throws behind his back, unwillingly. And this is "Ya'er Hashem Panav Eilecha" — that He bestows vitality from the aspect of the shining of the face, unlike the other case.

But this shining of the face is specifically "Itanu" — meaning, when we too are in a state of shining face. As it says: "Kamaim HaPanim L'Panim Ken Lev HaAdam LaAdam" (As water reflects a face to a face, so the heart of man to man).

Meaning, "the man" below is Knesses Yisrael, as it says: "And I will make My flock, the flock of My pasture, man are you — you are called man etc." "To man" means to the supernal man, upon the likeness of the throne, etc.

The aspect of shining face among Israel is as it says: "Yismach Yisrael B'Osav" (Israel will rejoice in its Maker), just as He, may He be blessed, rejoices in us, as it says: "And from Your joy that You rejoiced in him You called etc." This is the joy of Hashem from His infinite greatness. Like a person whose face shines with light and joy when he sees his true beloved in the state of shining face, and he completely forgets his own pain and sorrow because of the joy and delight in seeing his beloved.

So too, when a person remembers Hashem, his true beloved, in the aspect of shining face, and contemplates His greatness — that He fills all worlds and surrounds all worlds, and all before Him is as nothing — he will forget himself entirely, even if he has worldly troubles, and will forget the pain because of the joy in Hashem, as it says: "Mi Li VaShamayim VeImcha Lo Chafatzti BaAretz" (Whom have I in heaven, and with You I desire nothing on earth), nullifying all desires except the desire for Hashem alone.

And the time of arousal of this shining face is on Rosh Hashanah: He sits on the throne of mercy. Then it is written: "S'molo Tachas L'Roshi" (His left hand is under my head), the beginning of closeness, until on Yom Kippur and Simchas Torah it is "V'Yemino Techabkeini etc." (His right hand embraces me).

And during the Ten Days of Teshuvah, a person should feel shame before Hashem, Who draws us close with the shining of His face, while we are in utmost distance from Him because of the sins that separate. As it says: "Boshti V'Nichlamti Leharim Elokai Panai Eilecha" (I am ashamed and humiliated to lift my face to You, my G‑d).

And as it says in Zohar, end of Parshas Bechukosai, on the verse: "Ve'af Gam Zos Biheyosam B'Eretz Oyveihem Lo Me'astim V'Lo Ge'altim Lechalotam" — "Lechalotam" is written (without a vav), like a bride in a tanner's market, and because of his great love for her, it is as if she were in a market of perfumers with good fragrances.

And this is why we ask: "Mechal Lanu" — that He should not smell the bad odor of the tanner's market. That is, by Him sprinkling upon us pure waters, to wash away the bad odor of the tanner's market, etc.

And the concept of pure waters is the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy, the thirteen rivers of pure balsam. They are drawn from the place called "Tamira D'Kol Tamirin" (the hidden of all hidden), "Re'usa D'Kol Re'usin" (the will of all wills).

Meaning, like the source of a spring that is not seen or revealed, only the rivers that flow from it are visible. So too, He is called "Tamira D'Kol Tamirin," from which the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy are drawn.

Therefore, He is called "Yoshev Al Kisei Rachamim" (He sits on the throne of mercy), which is the will of all wills.

And this level, the will of all wills, exists in every man and woman of Israel; it is the point of the heart that is above knowledge, and it is called Yechidah (the singular essence).

And this is what is written: "MiYad Kelev Yechidati" (from the hand of the dog, my singular one) — to take one's desire and will out of matters of this world and to cleave with attachment and longing, the will of all wills, to Hashem alone.

And with the shofar, this level is awakened, which was in a state of sleep, and it exists in every single Jew.

And through this level, every day of the Ten Days of Teshuvah, the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy are drawn, which are the rivers mentioned above, drawn from their source, as explained.

And they are called pure waters that wash away the bad odor, etc. The shofar draws out the lengthening of the shining of the face in general, and in particular, each day of the Ten Days of Teshuvah, another aspect of the ten faculties in a person — Chabad and his emotions — is restored face to face.

And our Sages said: "Seek Hashem when He is found, call Him when He is near — these are the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur." "When He is near" means when He is in the aspect of shining face, the arousal from above, "S'molo Tachas L'Roshi" as above, and then it is easy to have an arousal from below. As it says: "Here for the individual" — meaning, the level of Yechidah mentioned above.

And in that time, all the sparks among Israel receive the aspect of awe and love from above (Zohar III, 214b), and it is a very lofty awe and love that cannot be attained through one's own arousal from below.

As it says: "Lev Tahor Bera Li Elokim" (Create in me a pure heart, O G‑d), the aspect of "Bar Levav" (pure-heartedness) cannot be attained by a created being on his own, only as a gift given from above at the time of the shining of the face as above.

(See the discourse on "Ki Seitzei" regarding "Yahavin Lei Brata D'Malka," and the discourse on "Veyadata Hayom" regarding "Vehanora.")

And one must prepare for this through affliction and self-denial. Therefore, during the Ten Days of Teshuvah, we fast and do not complete the fasts, for a fast is only considered an affliction, so that the soul is not satiated and the stomach is not full, for one cannot receive the aspect of a pure heart when eating to satisfaction and with a full stomach, etc.

And this is what it means when it says "Atem etc." — that until now you were "the ones who see etc." through your own arousal from below, but "V'Lo Nasan Hashem etc." — the aspect of a pure heart is given from above, which a created being cannot attain through his own arousal.

And this was the matter of the manna, as it is written: "Vaya'ancha Vayar'ivecha etc." — that through the manna and through affliction and self-denial, they merited a higher level, to receive the aspect of a pure heart.

(See in Parshas Eikev on the verse "Vayachilcha Es HaMan etc.")

And so it is during the Ten Days of Teshuvah. Therefore, we read this parsha before Rosh Hashanah:

Summary

This maamar teaches that while personal effort is important, the deepest spiritual transformation — a "pure heart" and true closeness to G‑d — is a Divine gift, especially accessible during the Ten Days of Teshuvah. Preparation through humility and self-refinement allows us to receive this gift from above.