016 —מאמרים מלוקט חלק ד - ש"פ דברים, שבת חזון, ערב תשעה באב ה'תשמ"א

B"H, Shabbos Parshas Devarim, Shabbos Chazon, Eve of Tisha B'Av 5741.

Tziyon BeMishpat Tipadeh VeShaveha BeTzedakah.

"Tziyon BeMishpat Tipadeh VeShaveha BeTzedakah"^[1], and the Rebbe Rashab in his maamar on this verse from the year Adar"T^[2] notes that here, 'Tziyon' does not refer to the city of Tziyon^[3] [specifically^[4]] but rather to the entirety of the Jewish people. Why, then, is the term 'Tziyon' used? He also analyzes the phrase 'VeShaveha,' asking who are these captives. [It can be said that this question (who are the captives) is based on the earlier point that 'Tziyon' here refers to all of Israel. Some commentators^[5] say 'Tziyon' refers to the city and 'Shaveha' to the people, but according to the maamar, both refer to Israel—so what are the two categories of 'Tziyon' and 'Shaveha'?] Also, what is the concept that the redemption of Tziyon will be through justice, while the redemption of its captives will be through charity?

2) The main explanation (based on the teachings of the Tzemach Tzedek on this verse^[6] and the aforementioned maamar^[7]) is that 'Tziyon' refers to Jews who are engaged in Torah and mitzvos, called 'Tziyon' because they are distinguished by Torah and mitzvos. [As the Yerushalmi^[8] says on the verse^[9] "Va'asim Devarai BeFicha UvTzel Yadi Kisiticha Linto'a Shamayim VeLeysod Eretz VeLomar LeTziyon Ami Atah" ("And I have put My words in your mouth and covered you in the shadow of My hand, to plant the heavens and lay the foundations of the earth, and to say to Tziyon, 'You are My people'"), we searched all of Scripture and found that Israel are called 'Tziyon' only here. The explanation^[10] is that this verse refers to the three pillars upon which the world stands: Torah, avodah, and gemilus chasadim^[11]. 'Va'asim Devarai BeFicha' is Torah, 'UvTzel Yadi Kisiticha' is gemilus chasadim, 'Linto'a Shamayim VeLeysod Eretz' are the korbanos (as the Yerushalmi says). Thus, Israel are called 'Tziyon' only because they are engaged in Torah, avodah, and gemilus chasadim, which encompass all mitzvos.] 'Shaveha' are those who are not engaged in Torah^[12], who are truly in captivity [and 'Shaveha' comes from the word 'captivity'^[13]] in the body and animal soul. Thus, 'Tziyon BeMishpat Tipadeh VeShaveha BeTzedakah' means that the redemption of those engaged in Torah is through justice, according to the strict letter of the law, whereas the redemption of the captives is through charity. Even though the redemption of those in captivity of the body and animal soul will also be through teshuvah, for Israel will only be redeemed through teshuvah^[14] and the Torah promises that in the end they will do teshuvah and immediately be redeemed^[15] [and this connects the interpretation of 'Shaveha' as captives with the interpretation of 'Shaveha' as those who do teshuvah^[16], for the redemption of the captives is through their teshuvah], nevertheless, the atonement of teshuvah is not through justice but through the kindness and charity of the Holy One^[17]. Still, the redemption of the captives is on a higher level than that of Tziyon, for justice is measured and limited, while charity is beyond limitation. As explained in the maamar^[7], justice is the light within the vessels, while charity is the transcendent light that comes only as a gift. Therefore, the light drawn to the righteous, whose redemption is through justice, is the light within the vessels. [This means that their redemption through justice has two aspects: first, they do not need charity, since they deserve it by law; second, justice excludes charity, as it says^[18] "You shall not recognize faces in judgment," and Rashi^[19] explains, "Do not say, 'This one is poor, so it is a mitzvah to support him.'"] The light drawn to baalei teshuvah, whose redemption is through charity, is the transcendent light.

3) There is another interpretation of 'Shaveha,' that it comes from the word 'restoration,' the return from exile^[20]. The term 'restoration' [especially when adjacent to 'Tipadeh' (redeemed)] indicates that even before the restoration, the person is not in exile, but merely in another place (the place of exile) and needs to return to his place. According to this, 'Shaveha' are on a higher level than those about whom it says 'Tipadeh.' For 'redemption' applies to one who is in exile^[21] (whereas one who is only in the place of exile needs only to be restored, not redeemed). We must understand: how is it that the redemption of those in exile is through justice, while the restoration of those only in the place of exile (who are higher) is through charity? Also, who are the two types referred to by 'Tipadeh' and 'Shaveha'? 'Tipadeh' is said regarding Tziyon, which (as above) refers to Jews engaged in Torah and mitzvos, and yet they are in exile and need redemption. What merit do those called 'Shaveha,' who are not in exile, have?

4) This can be understood by first explaining what is stated in the maamar^[7], that the concepts of exile and captivity apply specifically to vessels, since they have a sense of self, whereas light, which is in a state of 'nothingness,' cannot be in exile. This idea (that light cannot be in exile) is also understood simply: a little light dispels much darkness^[22], meaning that even after the light descends and is drawn into a measured and limited state [when it is possible to speak of 'a little' or 'a lot'], it still dispels darkness, to the extent that even a little light dispels much darkness. Moreover, the darkness is dispelled automatically in the presence of light^[23]. [At the beginning of creation, light and darkness operated together^[24], but after "Vayavdel Elokim Bein HaOr Uvein HaChoshech" ("And G‑d separated between the light and the darkness"^[25]), the darkness is dispelled by the light.] Thus, it is clear that in light there is no concept of exile, for the darkness (of exile) is dispelled by the light.

Similarly, this applies to the soul and the body, which are like light and vessel^[26]. As the Previous Rebbe^[27] taught, only the body is in exile, not the soul. That is, even though the soul is clothed in the body and the body is in exile, regarding the soul, this is not considered exile. Only because the body is in exile, the soul that is clothed in it is not in its place and needs restoration. As our Sages said^[28], "I am asleep in exile, but my heart is awake"—even when I am asleep in exile, the soul (and my heart^[29]) is awake. Since the soul is a literal part of G‑d above^[30], even when it is in a state of 'mamash' (tangible)^[31], meaning clothed in a physical body, it remains a part of G‑d above [even a literal part]. As the Baal Shem Tov^[32] taught, when you grasp even a part of the essence, you grasp the whole. Therefore, even after its descent and enclothement in the body, by the power of "mafli la'asos"^[33], and even during exile, it is not in exile, etc. Based on this, we can say that the term 'Shaveha' refers not only to a particular group among Israel, but also to the soul of every Jew. Since the soul is not in exile, the term 'redemption' does not apply to it. Nevertheless, it needs restoration, because since the soul is clothed in the body, and is even affected by the events of the body^[34], through the exile of the body, the soul too finds itself in the place of exile and therefore needs restoration.

Part 2

5) It is known that the purpose of the descent of exile is for the sake of ascent. Through the service during exile, there will be a revelation in the future that is greater than the revelation during the time of the Beis HaMikdash. Like the advantage of light over darkness^[35], through darkness, the light is enhanced, becoming greater than before. The lower the descent (the darkness), the greater the ascent (the advantage of the light) that results. Thus, since the descent of exile is primarily in the body (as explained above in section 4), the ascent in the future (brought about by the descent of exile) that will occur in the body will be greater than the ascent in the soul. This can be understood based on what is explained elsewhere^[36] regarding the ascent of the soul that comes through its descent below, that there are two aspects: (a) that even while below, clothed in the body and animal soul, it serves Hashem, revealing the strength of its connection to G‑d, which even the greatest concealment of the body and animal soul cannot nullify or even diminish; (b) that through the soul's service below, the body, animal soul, and its portion in the world are refined and purified. The difference between these two is^[37]: in the first, the advantage of the light is through the darkness, meaning that the darkness reveals the strength of the light, which even the greatest darkness cannot obscure. In the second, the advantage of the light is also within the darkness itself, as the darkness (of the body, animal soul, and the world) is transformed into light. This transformation is possible only through the essence, which is beyond the definitions of light and darkness, and through transforming darkness into light, the power of the essence is revealed. Moreover, only through this is the purpose of "Dirah BaTachtonim" (a dwelling for G‑d in the lowest realms)^[38] completed [for 'desire' refers to His very essence^[39]]. As explained in Tanya^[40], the purpose of the soul's descent is not for the soul itself, but to refine the body, animal soul, and its portion in the world, for only through this is the purpose of Dirah BaTachtonim^[41] fulfilled.

Just as the ascent that comes through the soul's descent below is primarily the refinement and purification of the body, so too, the ascent in the future through the descent of exile will be primarily in the body. The advantage gained by the soul through the darkness of exile is the revelation of the strength of its connection, that even when clothed in the body and the body is in exile, the soul is not in exile. The advantage gained by the body is that its darkness, as it is in exile (which is a greater darkness than its own inherent darkness^[42]), is transformed into light. Moreover, through the transformation of even its darkness in exile into light, the purpose of Dirah BaTachtonim is completed, in the lowest possible realm^[43].

6) It is known^[44] that in the future, the soul will be nourished by the body. Accordingly, in the future, the soul will have (not only the advantage gained through the darkness, but) also the advantage that comes from the darkness itself. Although this advantage will be primarily in the body, the soul will also receive it from the body. As is known^[45] regarding the ascent of the soul through its descent into the body and animal soul, that in addition to the awakening and revelation of the soul's hidden powers (which existed even before its descent), through refining and purifying the body and animal soul, the soul also gains an advantage and addition. As it says^[46] "Meshacheni Acharecha Narutzah" ("Draw me, we will run after You"), that by the G‑dly soul causing the animal soul to love Hashem, and that love is with enthusiasm, this causes the G‑dly soul itself to be drawn after Hashem, 'we will run' in the plural^[47]. However, now, since the soul is the giver and the body is the receiver, this advantage of the soul (which it receives from the body) is not complete, and its completion will be in the future, when the soul will be nourished by the body.

7) This is the meaning of "Tziyon BeMishpat Tipadeh VeShaveha BeTzedakah": that Israel are called 'Tziyon' by virtue of their engagement in Torah, avodah, and gemilus chasadim, which encompass all mitzvos, and through this they become 'Tziyon'—a sign, so that even in exile they are not lost among the nations (like an object with a sign, which is returned to its owner). Moreover, through their service in mitzvos during exile, they gain an advantage and ascent, greater than during the time of the Beis HaMikdash. This advantage is in two aspects: (a) through service during exile, the strength and infinity of the light is revealed, so that even the greatest darkness (the darkness of exile, including the doubled and redoubled darkness of the generation preceding Moshiach) cannot obscure it. In general, this is the light beyond vessels (the transcendent light^[48]), which is infinite, though still defined as light. (b) Through transforming darkness into light, the essence beyond the definitions of light and darkness is revealed (as above).

In this verse, which is the conclusion and seal^[49] of the Haftorah of Chazon Yeshayahu [the theme of Yeshayahu is (as his name implies) salvation^[50], up to the true salvation of the complete redemption after which there will be no exile^[51]. This is also why the verse continues^[52] "Asher Chazah... Bimei... Yechizkiyahu," for Hashem wanted to make Chizkiyahu the Moshiach^[53]], it speaks of the elevation that will occur in the future redemption. Specifically, the second elevation, which is the main purpose of exile. This is the meaning of 'Tipadeh' and 'Shaveha'—that this elevation is both in the body, which will be redeemed from exile ('Tipadeh'), and in the soul, which will return from the place of exile ('Shaveha'). 'Tipadeh BeMishpat' and 'Shaveha BeTzedakah' mean that the elevation in the body (Tipadeh) is through justice, for since the body was truly in exile and experienced the transformation of darkness into light, the advantage and elevation it attains is deserved by law—through justice. Whereas the elevation of the soul, which was only in the place of exile (Shaveha), to this level is not by law, but through charity. Seemingly, there is one aspect in which the elevation of the soul surpasses that of the body: the elevation of the body, which is through justice (meaning it is measured and limited), has some limitation, whereas the elevation of the soul, which is through charity, is beyond all measure and limitation.

And "Ein Mikra Yotzei Midei Peshuto" (a verse never loses its simple meaning)^[54], and specifically through learning the simple meaning, the essence of Torah is revealed, for peshat is in the world of action^[55], where the purpose of Dirah BaTachtonim is fulfilled. It can be said that this is also the inner reason why the study with children, whose breath is free of sin^[56], is specifically according to the simple meaning. The same applies to our verse—"Tziyon BeMishpat Tipadeh VeShaveha BeTzedakah"—that the main point is its literal meaning: the redemption and exodus from exile in the most literal sense, with the true and complete Geulah through Moshiach Tzidkeinu, speedily in our days, mamash.

Summary

The Rebbe teaches that the redemption of both the righteous and those distant from Torah comes through different channels—justice and charity—reflecting their spiritual states. Ultimately, both body and soul are elevated through exile, fulfilling G‑d's desire for a dwelling in the lowest realms, culminating in the complete redemption.