007 —מאמרים מלוקט חלק ד - י"ב תמוז ה'תשל"ח

B"H, 12 Tammuz 5738.

Zeh HaYom Asah Hashem Nagilah VeNismechah Vo.

Our Sages teach on the verse Zeh HaYom Asah Hashem Nagilah VeNismechah Vo (^[1]), as brought by the Frierdiker Rebbe in his maamar on the first Yud-Beis Tammuz celebration in 5688 (^[2]). The Midrash (^[3]) says: Rabbi Avin said, we do not know whether to rejoice in the day or in the Holy One, blessed be He. Shlomo came and explained (^[4]): Nagilah VeNismechah Bach—rejoice in You, in Your awe, in Your Torah, in Your salvation (^[5]). Rabbi Yitzchak said: "In You" refers to the twenty-two letters You wrote for us in the Torah. The maamar analyzes: Why is there a question whether to rejoice in the day or in Hashem, since the day's greatness is only because Hashem made it? Also, what are the three aspects: awe, Torah, and salvation? And why does Rabbi Yitzchak interpret "in You" as the twenty-two letters, when it simply means in Hashem?

2) The explanation for the greatness of the day (and why there is a thought to rejoice in the day) is (^[6]) that the day on which a miracle occurs is an elevated day. There are two aspects: the day itself is already meritorious (even beforehand), which is why the miracle occurred on it—"merit is brought to a meritorious day" (^[7], ^[8]). Additionally, through the miracle, the day becomes even more special. Furthermore, the main elevation is in the specific time (day or night) when the miracle happened. The Midrash (^[9]) says: When You perform miracles for us by day, we sing to You by day (as in the song of Devorah and Barak by day ^[10]), and when You perform miracles by night, we sing by night (as in "the song shall be to you as a night sanctified for a festival" ^[11]).

It can be said that the difference between a miracle occurring by day or by night corresponds to the nature of the miracle—whether it is in a manner of light and revelation (day) or concealment (night). This explains why a miracle that happens by day is one of light and revelation (^[12]).

3) The connection between the time of the miracle and the miracle itself can be understood by prefacing the well-known idea that "nes" (miracle) means elevation (^[13]). Through a miracle, nature is elevated (^[14]). This is why we say, "Blessed is He Who performed a miracle for me in this place" (^[15])—even the place, which is limited and natural, is elevated through the miracle, which is beyond nature. Similarly, the time in which the miracle occurred is elevated, as we say in the blessings for Chanukah and Purim: "Who performed miracles for our ancestors in those days at this time."

4) More specifically, it is known (^[16]) that there are generally two types of miracles: those that are completely above nature (like the miracles of the Exodus, the plagues, and the splitting of the sea), and those enclothed within nature. Even within the latter, there are two forms: sometimes the natural "clothing" is obviously just a garment for the miracle, as in Chanukah and Purim (and similarly the miracles of Yud-Tes Kislev and Yud-Beis Tammuz), where, despite being enclothed in nature, the miracle is openly revealed (^[17], ^[18], ^[19]). Other times, the natural garment conceals the miracle, to the extent that it is not recognized at all, and even the beneficiary does not realize it (^[20]).

5) It is known (^[21]) that the root of nature is from the Divine Name Elokim (Elokim has the same gematria as "hateva"—nature ^[22]), which is the "memaleh" light that fills all worlds. The root of miracles is from the Name Havayah, the "sovev" light that transcends worlds. Thus, miracles not enclothed in nature are drawn from the revelation of Havayah itself, above Elokim, while miracles enclothed in nature are from the revelation of Havayah as it is enclothed within Elokim (^[23], ^[24]).

This can be compared to the power of will in a person (will is a metaphor for "sovev"), which has two levels: will above reason, and will enclothed within reason. Even within will enclothed in reason, there are two forms: sometimes, even though it is enclothed in reason, it is clear that it is primarily will, and the will bends the intellect so that the intellect itself seems to agree (^[25], ^[26]). Similarly, in the nimshal, the revelation of "sovev" has three levels, paralleling the three types of miracles: completely above nature, enclothed in nature but the miracle is apparent, and enclothed in nature but concealed.

6) The idea that a miracle means elevation, that through the miracle nature is elevated, applies mainly to miracles enclothed in nature (^[27]). In miracles above nature, the revelation of Havayah nullifies nature, but the concept of "elevation"—that nature itself is uplifted by the revelation of Havayah—applies mainly to miracles within nature. Yet, since even miracles not enclothed in nature are called "nes" (elevation), it follows that even through these, nature is elevated. Since the disruption of nature by the miracle is only in one aspect (e.g., the splitting of the sea, where only the water's form changed, but its substance remained ^[28], ^[29], ^[30]), the revelation of Havayah is still enclothed within the nature of the thing, and thus it is elevated (^[31]).

7) This is the meaning of "we do not know whether to rejoice in the day or in Hashem." Every miracle contains both aspects: the elevation of nature (the day), and the miracle itself, which is above nature and rooted in the Infinite Light as it is revealed in the world (^[32], ^[33]). The term "Hakadosh Baruch Hu" refers to the Essence of the Infinite, which is holy and separate from the worlds, as it is drawn into the worlds in a surrounding manner. We do not know which to rejoice in, because each has a unique advantage. In terms of the light, the miracle itself is much higher than the elevation of nature, but in terms of revelation, the elevation of nature is greater, since the miracle itself is incomprehensible and causes a sense of wonder and nullification (^[34], ^[35], ^[36]). In the world, a miracle nullifies nature, and for the person, it brings him to gratitude and self-nullification. In contrast, the elevation of nature is a revelation that can be understood and internalized (^[37]). Since joy is associated with understanding, there is a reason to rejoice in the day. Day represents light and revelation (^[38]), and thus the joy in the day is the joy in the revelation and understanding of the miracle.

8) Shlomo came and explained: Nagilah VeNismechah Bach—in You, in Hashem, in Your awe, etc. The meaning of "in You" (as explained by Shlomo) is in Hashem Himself, even above "sovev." It is explained elsewhere (^[39]) that "in You" means in Your very Essence. The novelty of Shlomo (the wisest of men ^[40]) is that the root of miracles is from the Essence. The fact that the revelation of Havayah above nature is enclothed in Elokim (nature), and even after being enclothed in nature it is still apparent as a miracle, is due to the Essence, which unites opposites.

This is the connection between the two explanations of Nagilah VeNismechah Bach: in Hashem (as the Midrash explains) and in Your Essence. The unification of "Kadosh" and "Baruch" (sovev and memaleh) is through the Essence. Since the verse is brought in the Midrash after the two opinions—whether to rejoice in Hashem (the miracle itself from sovev) or in the day (the enclothing of sovev in memaleh)—and Shlomo's innovation is that the joy should be in the Essence that unites both, he says "in You, in Hakadosh Baruch Hu" (not "in You, in Your Essence"), because the Essence is revealed in the unification of Kadosh and Baruch.

9) The Midrash continues: "in Your awe, in Your Torah, in Your salvation." The drawing down of the Essence is through awe. It is explained elsewhere (^[41]) that the difference between love and awe is that love, being an expansion, reaches the revelations of the Infinite, while awe, which is self-nullification, reaches the Essence. However, this is in a concealed way, and for the Essence to be revealed, it is through Torah, which is light (^[42]). Although the self-nullification of awe comes from the essence of the soul, whose root is higher than Torah (^[43]), the revelation of every matter (even the root of souls as they are rooted in the Essence) is through Torah.

It can be added that since "He looked into the Torah and created the world" (^[44]), all the Divine influences in the world are through Torah. The two aspects of infinity and limitation in the world come from the infinite and finite aspects of Torah. It is explained elsewhere (^[45], ^[46]) that the revealed part of Torah is measured and limited, while the inner part is infinite. Through uniting these two aspects in Torah—especially when one learns the revealed Torah in a way that the inner dimension is felt—this draws down into the world the unification of above nature and nature, so that even within nature the wonders above nature are openly felt.

This is the meaning of "in Your awe, in Your Torah, in Your salvation": first comes awe, which draws down the Essence; then Torah (Torah Or), which reveals the Essence; and from this comes salvation. Even when one is in need of salvation, and even afterwards (since we are still in exile), the salvation comes through natural means, but it is openly apparent, a revealed miracle above nature.

The Midrash continues: Rabbi Yitzchak said (^[47]): "in You"—in the twenty-two letters You wrote for us in the Torah. The salvation that comes through Torah is primarily through the letters of Torah. There are two aspects: the unification of above nature and nature is through the Essence, and the letters of Torah are vessels for drawing down the Essence (as explained in the Frierdiker Rebbe's maamar). The vitality of every Jew is through his letter in the Torah (^[48]), so for there to be true joy (the revelation of vitality, even its inner dimension ^[49]), it is through the letters of Torah, from which every Jew receives vitality.

10) It is known (^[50]) that joy breaks all boundaries. The boundaries broken by joy are only those of the level in which the joy is found. Therefore, when the joy in miracles is from the revelations of "memaleh" and "sovev" (day and Hashem), which are within the realm of knowledge, the boundaries of the levels above knowledge remain. But through the joy of Nagilah VeNismechah Bach—in Your Essence—all boundaries are broken, and this further enhances the unification of above nature and nature that comes through the revelation of the Essence.

This is the meaning of Zeh HaYom Asah Hashem Nagilah VeNismechah Vo: through rejoicing in this day (in the manner of Nagilah VeNismechah Bach), the redemption is further enhanced, even more than it was originally (as it was drawn from Above, before the joy). Since in the redemption of Yud-Beis Tammuz every Jew was redeemed, even those who are only called by the name "Yisrael" (^[51]), the additional redemption each year, brought about by the joy of the redemption, extends to every Jew, redeeming them from anything that hinders Torah and mitzvos. And since all redemptions are connected (^[52]), it can be said that through the joy of the redemption celebration, there will be an increase in the future redemption, where "we will rejoice in Him" (^[53]), in His Essence (^[54]), with the coming of Moshiach, speedily in our days.

Summary

This maamar explains that the joy of Yud-Beis Tammuz is not only in the miraculous event but in the deeper unity of G‑dliness that fuses miracle and nature. Through awe, Torah, and revealed miracles, we connect to the Divine Essence, drawing down redemption and ultimate joy for every Jew.