036 —מאמרים מלוקט חלק ד - ש"פ נצבים-וילך, כ"ג אלול ה'תשל"ט

B"H, Shabbos Parshas Nitzavim-Vayelech, 23 Elul 5739.

Atem Nitzavim HaYom Kulchem Lifnei Havayah Elokeichem Rasheichem Shivteichem etc. MeChotev Eitzecha Ad Sho'ev Meimecha ("You are all standing today before the L‑rd your G‑d, your heads, your tribes, etc., from the hewer of your wood to the drawer of your water").

It is explained in Likkutei Torah^[2] that this portion is always read before Rosh Hashanah^[3], and the word "HaYom" (today) alludes to Rosh Hashanah^[4], as in "this day is the beginning of Your works, a remembrance of the first day"^[5]. This is the meaning of "Atem Nitzavim HaYom Kulchem etc.": all the Jewish people, from the heads of your tribes etc. to the hewer of your wood and the drawer of your water, unite together as one^[6]. The vessel for blessings and Divine flow from Above is unity, as it says^[7], "Bless us, our Father, as one," as explained at length in Tanya chapter 32, Likkutei Torah, and in Sefer HaMitzvos of the Tzemach Tzedek regarding the mitzvah of Ahavas Yisrael^[8]. Since on Rosh Hashanah the vitality for the entire year is drawn down, as is known (and explained at length in Derech Mitzvosecha^[9], and hinted in Likkutei Torah^[10]), it is called Rosh Hashanah (the "head" of the year, not just the beginning), for just as the head includes all the limbs of the body, and even while the limbs are in their place, the head is present within them and leads them (all the limbs follow its will), so too on Rosh Hashanah, all the vitality for the days of the year is drawn down, and their subsequent conduct is according to how it was drawn down on Rosh Hashanah (and similarly in a person's service, his conduct throughout the year is according to the resolutions made on Rosh Hashanah). Thus, "Atem Nitzavim HaYom Kulchem etc.": the preparation and vessel for this drawing down is "Kulchem," the unity of the Jewish people to be as one, making them fit to receive the Divine unity.

2) The verse specifies ten levels (your heads, your tribes, etc., from the hewer of your wood to the drawer of your water), just as there are ten levels in the soul—three intellectual faculties and seven emotional attributes—so too, all of Israel is one complete structure divided into ten levels^[11]. The unity of the Jewish people, their uniting as one to become vessels for the Divine unity, is not by erasing distinctions (nor by the revelation of the level of "Yachid" that nullifies their existence), but rather, even as they exist and are divided into ten levels, they unite completely. This unity (of particulars) is like the unity of "Echad" (which is lower than "Yachid"). As is known^[12], the difference between "Echad" and "Yachid" is that "Yachid" is above division, whereas "Echad" means there are distinct things that unite. This is also hinted in the letters of "Echad": the "ches" and "dalet" refer to the seven heavens, the earth, and the four directions^[13], and they are nullified to the "aleph." The "aleph" does not negate the world's existence; rather, it means "Alufo Shel Olam" (Master of the World), and the "aleph" is the head of the word "Echad," including^[14] (as above regarding the head) the "ches" (seven heavens and earth) and the "dalet" (four directions). Through this unity of the Jewish people [who exist and are divided into ten levels, yet unite as one], they become "Reshus HaYachid" (the domain of the One) for His unity, i.e., the level of "Yachid" (higher than "Echad")^[15], the revelation of "Yachid" that is drawn into the level of "Chai HaOlamim Melech," and even into the existence and division of levels^[16], down to the hewer of your wood and the drawer of your water. In fact, through the unity of the Jewish people, even as they are divided into ten levels, down to the lowest, they become truly one with His Essence.

3) This is what the verse continues^[17]: "that you may enter into the covenant" [which explains the previous statement, "Atem Nitzavim HaYom Kulchem etc.", and as Likkutei Torah^[18] says, this explains the path of unity, the concept of teshuvah, and why it is specifically on Rosh Hashanah]. As explained in Likkutei Torah^[18], it is like two lovers who make a covenant, binding themselves together as if they become one flesh. The way a covenant is made is as it says^[19], "they cut the calf and passed between its parts," meaning that both pass through one body, showing they have become one flesh. Likkutei Torah emphasizes that they become one flesh, and both pass through one body, for the unity of the Holy One, blessed be He, with the Jewish people is also through the physical body, and even more so, the purpose of making a dwelling in the lower realms is specifically in the physical. As it says^[21], "I have come to My garden," and our Sages say^[22] "to My bridal chamber," that the main Divine Presence was in the lower realms, for only in the lower realms is there a true garden and delight for Him, and this delight is specifically in the lower realms. The explanation is that, as explained in Iggeres HaKodesh, "He and His life-forces are one, He and His vessels are one"^[23], the creation of the existence of the created being is through the power of the Essence, whose existence is from Himself and is not caused by any prior cause, so the revelation of the Essence is (not in His life-forces or vessels, but) specifically in the created being. As explained in Biurei HaZohar^[24], the true existence of the created being (what appears as "yesh") is the true Existence. Therefore, the covenant and connection of the Holy One, blessed be He, with Israel is primarily with the Jewish body, as explained in the well-known sichah^[25] about the connection of Essence specifically to the physical body.

This is the meaning of "Say before Me verses of Kingship so that you make Me King over you"^[26], that His Essence is invested, so to speak, in all Jews and in each Jew, "that you make Me King over you." Although He consulted with the souls of the righteous^[27], and there arose before Him the delight He would have in the service of souls^[28], and this delight existed even before creation, as taught by the Maggid in Likkutei Amarim and Or HaTorah at their beginnings^[29], nevertheless, He requests "that you make Me King over you," for consulting is with the souls of the righteous, but the ultimate purpose is the service of souls in bodies, through which "that you make Me King over you" is accomplished, arousing^[30] the revelation of the innermost aspect of His Kingship from His Essence.

4) This is "that you may enter into the covenant," that every year before Rosh Hashanah there must be a new covenant regarding the acceptance of the Torah, similar to the covenant made before entering the Land of Israel for the first time, aside from the covenant made at Chorev^[31]. For at the covenant at Chorev, Israel were righteous, but after the descent (through sin), it was necessary to "enter into the covenant of the L‑rd your G‑d," the aspect of teshuvah^[32]. And this covenant (of entering the covenant) that comes after the descent, as above, is even higher than the covenant at Chorev, for "entering the covenant" is^[33] like those who make a covenant passing between the parts "within one body," which is the connection of the Holy One, blessed be He, with Israel, becoming truly one, so that even the Jewish body is united with His Essence (as above), and through this connection, "Seek My face; Your face, L‑rd, I seek"^[34] [and in such a way that the face (of Israel) and the face of the L‑rd become one], the service of teshuvah^[35] (which is higher than the service of the righteous). Teshuvah is above all measure and limitation, above the limitation of time, which is why teshuvah can be accomplished in a single moment^[36], and above the limitation of place, including spiritual place, for in spirituality, "place" means level and degree^[37], so even when one is on the lowest level (due to sins, etc.), teshuvah is effective. This is what the verse continues^[38], "Then the L‑rd your G‑d will return your captivity," and it does not say "He will bring back," but "He will return"^[39], for through the covenant of the Holy One, blessed be He, with Israel, they become truly one, and even the Jewish body is a holy nation in ultimate holiness^[40], so wherever a Jew is found, even if "your outcasts are at the ends of the heavens"^[41], His Essence is found there, since they are truly one, and therefore it does not say "He will bring back" but "He will return."

5) This is "Atem Nitzavim HaYom Kulchem etc.", that all the sparks of souls (from your heads, your tribes, to the hewer of your wood and the drawer of your water) stand and are elevated in their original source up to "before Havayah"^[11], until they become truly one with (the aspect of) "before Havayah" (as above regarding entering the covenant), "Yisrael u'Malka b'Lechudohi"^[42]. Through this, they also stand (as the Baal Shem Tov^[43] explains) firm and upright, meaning they are vindicated in judgment, not only regarding spiritual matters ("the judgment of the G‑d of Yaakov"^[44]) but also regarding material matters ("a statute for Israel"⁴⁴), and in fact, the main judgment on Rosh Hashanah (and the merit in judgment) is regarding material matters^[45], that each and every Jew should be inscribed and sealed for a good and sweet year, with visible and revealed good, with children, life, and sustenance, and all in abundance.

Summary

The Rebbe teaches that the unity of all Jews, regardless of their level, is the key to receiving Divine blessings on Rosh Hashanah. This unity transforms the Jewish people into a vessel for G‑dliness, ensuring both spiritual and material success in the coming year.