035 —מאמרים מלוקט חלק ד - אור ליום ב' פ' נצבים-וילך, ח"י אלול ה'תשל"ט

B"H, Eve of Monday, Parshas Nitzavim-Vayelech, 18 Elul 5739.

Atem Nitzavim HaYom Kulchem Lifnei Hashem Elokeichem Rosheichem Shivateichem etc. Le'Avr'cha B'Bris Hashem Elokecha etc. ("You are all standing today before the L‑rd your G‑d... to enter into the covenant of the L‑rd your G‑d...").

In this parsha, which is always read before Rosh Hashanah^[4], it is well known from the Baal Shem Tov^[5] that "Atem Nitzavim" is the blessing that Hashem gives the Jewish people on Shabbos Mevorchim, the last Shabbos of Elul, when we bless the coming month of Tishrei. With this power, the Jewish people bless all the months of the year. This shows that the idea of "Atem Nitzavim" is a general matter. The verse explains that all ten levels^[6]—from your heads, your tribes, down to your woodcutters and water drawers—are united as one, in order to enter into the covenant of Hashem. Before entering the Land (when this parsha was first said), there was a special covenant regarding the acceptance of the Torah, in addition to the covenant made at Chorev^[7]. This means there was a unique covenant before entering the Land. And since "not with you alone do I make this covenant, but also with those who are not here today," it is understood that this covenant before entering the Land applies to the service of every individual.

2) This can be understood by first explaining the idea of entering the Land in one's spiritual service. It is written (in last week's parsha^[8], which blesses all the following days, including today, the 18th of Elul): "VeHayah Ki Savo El HaAretz Asher Hashem Elokecha Nosein Lach" ("And it shall be when you come into the Land that Hashem your G‑d gives you"). The Baal Shem Tov^[10] explains (as heard from the Rebbe Rashab, who heard it from the Baal Shem Tov): "VeHayah Ki Savo El HaAretz"—when you reach the supreme will and desire, which Hashem gives you as an inheritance—this is a gift from above, an inheritance for every Jew. The service is to "dwell in it"—that it should be with settlement, and to "take... and put in a basket"—to clothe the lights in vessels. "And you shall go to the place"—this is Divine Providence, "that Hashem your G‑d will choose"—when a Jew goes to a place, it is not he who goes, but he is led there by higher Providence. The purpose is "to cause His Name to dwell there"—to reveal G‑dliness in the world. The Baal Shem Tov added that "causing His Name to dwell there" is done "with a blessing and a verse from Tehillim." The Maggid^[11] explained: "VeHayah Ki Savo El HaAretz"—when you wish to enter the higher Land (the World to Come), which Hashem gives you, for every Jew has a portion in the World to Come^[12]. "And you shall inherit it"—an eternal inheritance so that one need not reincarnate, but "you shall dwell in it"—an eternal and everlasting dwelling. "And you shall take of the first..."—the beginning of your taking from the pleasures of this world should be from the "first," which is wisdom, as it says^[13] "Reishis Chochmah..." ("The beginning is wisdom"). This means that in all matters of this world, there is a holy spark, which is wisdom. Therefore, all your actions and acquisitions should focus on the "first"—the holy wisdom within. That is why it says "from the first" and not "all firsts"^[14], for all is physicality, but there is a bit of holiness, the "first," within. This is the meaning of "from the first of all the fruit of the land"—the sparks within the growing things. Not only should you seek to refine the growing things, but even what you bring from your land, meaning even from something entirely material, like the inanimate, which is more physical than the growing. It does not mention the sparks within animals, for they can be elevated more easily, as the Arizal writes. And it further says that not only in physical things (inanimate, growing, living), but even in spiritual matters, such as words of Torah, your intent should be pure, your thought refined, and your speech complete, so that in every word and letter it is apparent. "And you shall put it in a basket"—the letters of the word "tena" stand for Taamim (cantillation), Nekudos (vowels), and Otiyot (letters). It does not mention crowns, as they are not pronounced. When you act this way, you elevate everything to holiness. This is "that Hashem your G‑d will choose"—to cause His Name to dwell there. The verse opens with "VeHayah," which is an expression of joy^[15]. The Alter Rebbe explains^[16] (in Likkutei Torah, Parshas Tavo) that just as there is a level of Eretz Yisrael in the world, so too in the year, and this is Rosh Hashanah. Before this, there must be a covenant, etc.

3) To understand all this, it is known that all matters in the world have their source in Torah, and so it is with Eretz Yisrael (and entering it), which has a parallel in Torah. The Alter Rebbe explains at length^[17] that Eretz Yisrael represents Torah Sheba'al Peh, for "eretz" (land) is related to will and desire (as brought above from the Baal Shem Tov), and as the saying goes^[18]: Why is it called "eretz"? Because it desired to do the will of its Maker. The revelation of the supreme will is specifically through Torah Sheba'al Peh^[19]. To fulfill the supreme will, it is not enough to study Torah Shebichsav, for although everything is hinted at in the Written Torah^[20], it is only hinted, and there can be two opinions—"these and those are the words of the living G‑d"^[21]. Only through a clear halachic ruling in Torah Sheba'al Peh can we know and fulfill the supreme will.

4) With this, we can understand the idea of the covenant before entering Eretz Yisrael, which is Torah Sheba'al Peh. The idea of Torah Sheba'al Peh is the connection of the highest with the lowest, for halachah originates from the supreme will, which is higher even than wisdom (which is Torah in the simple sense). This is the concept of "Hashem is with him"^[22], that the halachah follows him^[23] (which is higher not only than Elokim, but even than "these and those are the words of the living G‑d," for "living G‑d" is the level of Binah, as explained in the discourses of the Tzemach Tzedek^[24], the Rebbe Maharash^[25], and the Rebbeim who followed^[26]). From there, it is drawn down into a practical halachic ruling in this world. As the Alter Rebbe explains in Iggeres HaKodesh^[27], the analogy for fulfilling mitzvos is like a pillar connecting the roof and the floor. In the language of Kabbalah and Chassidus, it is the connection of Sovev Kol Almin and Memale Kol Almin. It is known that for this connection, there must be a drawing from a place higher than both, and this is the idea of the covenant.

5) From this, we can understand the idea of the covenant in the soul. Just as a covenant in the literal sense draws from a level beyond reason and understanding—therefore, it is unchanging and everlasting, uniting opposites, as explained in Likkutei Torah^[28] that by passing between the pieces, they become truly united^[29]—so too, in the soul, to unite the hidden and revealed aspects, there must be a covenant, which is a drawing from the highest level in the soul (as above regarding Torah).

6) This is also the idea of the covenant in the world before entering the Land in the literal sense: "Ki Savo El HaAretz... and you shall inherit it and dwell in it." It is explained elsewhere^[30] that entering Eretz Yisrael was a descent from the world of thought or speech to the world of action, a descent to the lowest level, to "a land that consumes its inhabitants"^[31]. Since there needed to be a connection from the highest to the lowest, there had to be a special covenant before this, in addition to the covenant at Chorev, for even after the covenant at Chorev, they were still the "generation of knowledge"^[32] (the level of thought or speech). Here, however, there had to be a descent to the lowest, until they achieved "the land is very, very good"^[33]. For this, a special covenant was needed^[34].

7) Just as there is a covenant in the soul and in the world, so too in the year: on Rosh Hashanah, it is like entering Eretz Yisrael in the year^[35], and every year before Rosh Hashanah, a new covenant is needed. The idea is that on Rosh Hashanah, the person's service reaches completion, for then Hashem says, "Crown Me over you"^[36] (the decision to create the world is through the souls of Israel, as the saying goes^[37], "With whom did He consult? With the souls of the righteous," and "Your people are all righteous"^[38], as explained at length in the teachings of the Maggid and in Likkutei Amarim^[39], that Hashem's pleasure from the service of the righteous is like a father imagining his young son, etc.). So too, every Rosh Hashanah, the coronation is specifically through Israel, and through this, the decision is made for Hashem to be King over the whole world. From the decision on Rosh Hashanah, everything for the year is drawn down. That is why it is called Rosh Hashanah (the "head" of the year) and not the beginning, as explained at length in Atteres Rosh^[40]: the head includes all the limbs, and even afterward, when the limbs are each in their place, the head leads them. So too, Rosh Hashanah leads all the days of the year, until it is drawn down into actual deed. This is the idea of drawing from one extreme to the other. Also, the entire idea of coronation is drawn through the crowning of the souls of Israel, whose source is higher even than Torah, and from there it is drawn down specifically through a halachic ruling in Torah, meaning the practical instructions in Torah, which require toil to reach the ultimate truth (as explained in the maamarim of Rosh Hashanah that falls on Shabbos from the Rebbe Rashab^[41] and the discourses of the Rebbe Rayatz). All this is a drawing from the highest to the lowest. Therefore, before this, there must be a special covenant, through which all Jews (and "Your people are all righteous") become one with the Essence, just like a physical covenant.

8) From the general covenant flow good resolutions regarding Torah study, mitzvah observance, and prayer, through which Israel and the Holy One, blessed be He, become one. From this comes a good and sweet inscription and sealing for the new year, which begins with the month of preparation—Elul, whose acronym is "Ani LeDodi VeDodi Li"^[42]. Especially from the 18th of Elul, the birthday of the two great luminaries^[43], when their mazal is strengthened^[44]. Their purpose and intent was to spread the wellsprings outward, even to the furthest reaches. Through this, the coming of King Moshiach is brought closer^[45], may it be speedily in our days.

Summary

This maamar teaches that the covenant of Atem Nitzavim, renewed before Rosh Hashanah, unites all Jews and empowers their service in Torah and mitzvos. It connects the highest spiritual levels with the lowest, preparing us for a year of spreading G‑dliness and bringing the Redemption.