Background of the Maamar

The maamar we are learning is from Maamorim Melukat, maamar 39.

At the end of the sefer are maamarim that are hanacha bilti muggah, meaning they were not fully edited by the Rebbe, although most maamarim were reviewed.

This maamar was only partially muggah—the beginning and the end were reviewed by the Rebbe, and therefore it was included among the edited maamarim.

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Source and Structure

The Rebbe said this maamar:
“Halleluka Shiru L’Hashem”
on Shabbos Parshas Mattos–Masei, Mevarchim Menachem Av, 5716.

It is built on the maamar:
“Lo Yeitzei Ish Lo Be-sayaf” from the Rebbe Maharash (1872).

Structure:

• Beginning & end → from the Rebbe
• Middle → from the Rebbe Maharash (with changes)

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The Central Theme

The maamar explains the five weapons mentioned in the Mishnah (Shabbos)—not physically, but spiritually:

• Sword
• Bow
• Shield
• Stick
• Spear

These represent different tools in avodas Hashem, especially in tefillah.

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Part I – The Fundamental Question

The Posuk

The maamar opens with:

“Halleluka Shiru L’Hashem Shir Chadash…
Romemot Kel Bigronom v’Cherev Pifiyot Biyadam”

👉 The contradiction:

• It speaks about praising Hashem in the future
• Yet mentions a sword

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Why Is This a Problem?

The Midrash explains clearly:

• This posuk refers to לעתיד לבוא
• The Jewish people will “see” Hashem and sing

But we also know:

“וכתתו חרבותם לאתים”
Swords will no longer exist

👉 So why mention a sword?

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Second Question – Yetziyas Mitzrayim

It says:

“וחמושים עלו בני ישראל”
The Jews left Egypt armed

👉 Why would a redemption require weapons?

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The Key Principle

Weapons here are not physical.

They represent:
👉 Spiritual tools used in inner struggle

As long as:

• There is רע
• There is inner conflict

👉 A person needs “weapons”

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Two Stages of Redemption

The Rebbe explains:

1. Early stage

• Some evil still exists
• Battle continues
• Weapons needed

2. Final stage

• No evil at all
• “וכתתו חרבותם לאתים”
• No weapons needed

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Why “Shir Chadash”?

The Midrash explains:

• Earlier → “שירה” (feminine)
• Future → “שיר” (masculine)

Because:

• Earlier → partial inheritance
• Future → complete inheritance

👉 A complete redemption = Shir Chadash

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Part II – The Five Weapons (Avodas Hatefillah)

The Sword – Pesukei D’Zimra

The word zimra means:

• Song
• Also “to cut”

👉 Pesukei D’Zimra:

• Cut away obvious negativity
• Remove arrogance (aritzim)

This is the first stage of avodah
➡️ Dealing with visible problems

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The Bow – Shemoneh Esrei

The bow reaches:

• Far distances
• Hidden enemies

👉 Represents:

• Deep prayer
• Inner brokenness

The deeper one feels:

• His חסרון (lack)

👉 The stronger the tefillah

Also reveals:

• Subtle evil (דקות הרע)

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The Stick – Constant Discipline

Represents:

“לעולם ירגיז אדם יצר טוב על יצר הרע”

👉 Constant internal pressure
👉 Ongoing control

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The Spear – Kriat Shema

The spear kills completely

👉 Represents:

• Total ביטול
• Destroying negative traits entirely

Difference:

• Stick → controls
• Spear → eliminates

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The Shield – Tallit & Tefillin

The shield protects:

👉 During davening:

• Outside distractions attack
• Sitra achra interferes

Tallit & tefillin:
➡️ Protect the person

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Weekday vs Shabbos

Weekday

• Davening = battle
• “שעת צלותא שעת קרבא”

Shabbos

• No battle
• Evil is separated

Two views:

• Rabbi Eliezer: weapons remain as “decorations”
• Chachamim: not decorations at all

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Part III – The Inner Meaning of the Sword

What Is the Double-Edged Sword?

Chazal say:

👉 Shema = חרב של שתי פיות

Why two edges?

Because evil comes from two directions:

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Two Sources of Negative Influence

1. From below – Materialism

• Over-involvement in gashmiyus
• Causes tzimtzum
• Allows klipos to draw energy

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2. From above – Arrogance

• Ego and self-elevation
• Drawing from Olam HaTohu
• Where darkness = light

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The Role of the Person

Everything depends on the person:

👉 “יעקב חבל נחלתו”
A rope connects above and below

• Movement below → affects above

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Two Mistakes in Avodah

1. Lowering oneself

• Chasing physicality
• Weakens connection to Elokus

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2. Raising oneself

• Arrogance
• False self-importance

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Paroh – The Root of the Problem

Paroh = oref (back)

👉 Drawing from:

• Back of holiness
• Very high level
• But without פנימיות

This allows:
👉 Klipos to receive energy

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Part IV – Cutting Both Directions

The Sword = Shem Havayah

Zohar:

👉 “חרב דא הוי׳”

The sword is:
➡️ Shem Havayah

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Two Edges Explained

Edge 1 – Cuts arrogance

• Brings humility
• Blocks high-level corruption

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Edge 2 – Cuts materialism

• Removes desire for gashmiyus
• Stops low-level nurture

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Result

👉 The sword removes nourishment of klipos:

• From above
• From below

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Part V – Three Channels (Mitzrayim in the Body)

Mitzrayim = Narrow Passage

The throat (גרון) connects:

• Head → Body

Three channels:

• Koneh (windpipe)
• Veshet (food pipe)
• Veins

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Three Officers of Paroh

Negative Side

1. Butler → pleasure in gashmiyus
2. Baker → focus on material life
3. Butcher → passion in physicality

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Positive Side (Kedushah)

1. Sar Hamashkim – Delight

• Love with pleasure
• Torah & tefillah with enjoyment

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2. Sar Hatabachim – Fire

• Passion
• Emotional intensity
• “Ahavah k’reshpei eish”

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3. Sar Ha’ofim – Torah

• Transforming raw material into “bread”
• Torah becomes internalized

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How Kedushah Fixes the Problem

Delight (Mashkim)

➡️ Blocks high-level nurture (ego)

Fire (Tabachim)

➡️ Burns away low-level desire

Torah (Ofim)

➡️ Integrates everything properly

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Part VI – Final Understanding

Why Weapons Were Needed in Mitzrayim

• Evil still existed
• Redemption = escape
• Battle still required

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Why Not in the Future

• Evil completely removed
• No internal struggle
• No need for weapons

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Final Insight

The double-edged sword represents:

👉 Complete avodah:

• Removing arrogance
• Removing materialism

Through:

• Torah
• Tefillah
• Love (both calm and fiery)

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Big Picture Summary

The five weapons describe the entire structure of avodas Hashem:

• Remove obvious negativity
• Reveal hidden flaws
• Maintain discipline
• Eliminate harmful traits
• Protect yourself 

Do a review in the maamar in Maamorim Melukat, maamar 39, the 39th maamar. In the back of Maamorim Melukat they have those maamarim that were not fully, or not muggah; they are hanacha bilti muggah. All the maamarim are muggah from the Rebbe, they were looked over. But this maamar, and several other maamarim at the end, were not fully muggah by the Rebbe. But it says here that the Rebbe said this maamar, Halleluka Shiru L’Hashem, on Shabbos Parshas Mattos v’Masei, Mevarchim HaChodesh Menachem Av, in the year 5716.

And then it says in the note that the maamar the Rebbe said on Shabbos Parshas Mattos v’Masei, Shabbos Kodesh Mevarchim HaChodesh Menachem Av, is the maamar Lo Yeitzei Ish Lo Be-sayaf from the Rebbe Maharash in the year 1872, with several changes. And the Rebbe added a beginning and an end. The middle is the maamar Lo Yeitzei Ish Be-sayaf, and in connecting it to the parsha, the Rebbe starts off with a question on the parsha, brings an answer, and in the middle is the whole maamar of Lo Yeitzei Ish Be-sayaf from the Rebbe Maharash, with some changes.

But the opening and the end of the maamar were looked over by the Rebbe. That is why they printed and published this together with maamarim muggahim, because part of it was muggah. And the language in that maamar that they published from 1872, the maamar that says the word maskil, Lo Yeitzei Ish Lo Be-sayaf, in 1872, was published separately in Hei Menachem Av 5716 and then later on in Sefer HaMaamorim of 1872 on page 52. And it was added there in the introduction that there are hosafo’s in several mareh mekomos, several references and notes from the Rebbe, and parts were later quoted.

So therefore that is why they put in this maamar over here, and we will go through the maamar step by step. This maamar, basically the maamar of the Rebbe Maharash, explains the various different weapons that the Mishna counts over there in Shabbos. He explains each of the weapons in avodas Hashem. What is the sword in the service of Hashem? What is the bow and arrow in the service of Hashem? The shield and the stick, the olah and the romach and the spear—all the different inyonim and how we use them in the service of Hashem.

And the Rebbe is going to start with the posuk of Halleluka Shiru L’Hashem Shir Chadash. Over there it talks about a sword. It says “Cherev Pifiyot Biyadam.” And then it says “La’asot Nekama BaGoyim.” The Rebbe’s first question is that this posuk in Tehillim is talking about the future, l’asid lavo. So if it is talking about l’asid lavo, why would there be a need to have swords there?

And the Rebbe also compares this to the time that the Yidden went out of Mitzrayim. Over there it says “VeChamushim”—they also went out with weapons, armed, as we teitch the posuk, and also with these five arms, as the Rebbe brings down. Why would they need weapons? And the Rebbe explains that weapons on the spiritual level—this is all explained in the inner meaning, not the literal meaning—are needed when there is still ra, still negativity and evil in a person. He still needs to battle, and he needs these weapons to be able to do the battling, as these weapons will be explained.

But the Rebbe explains that also l’asid lavo there will be two periods, in one of which these arms, these weapons, will still be needed. But there will come a time when “V’chit’su Charvosam L’itim,” they will put their swords into plowshares, and there will no longer be a need for weapons, as the Rebbe will explain in this maamar. We will go step by step.

B’Siyata DiShmaya. Shabbos Parshas Mattos v’Masei, Mevarchim HaChodesh Menachem Av 5716. Hanacha bilti muggah. Halleluka. This is one of the Hallelukas we say at the end of Tehillim in davening. We say, “Shiru L’Hashem Shir Chadash, Tehillaso Bi’Kehal Chasidim.” So the posuk means: Sing to Hashem a new song; His praise, Hashem’s praise, is among the congregation of chasidim.

So the Rebbe will bring down that this is talking about Hashem’s praise Bi’Kehal Chasidim in the future, when Moshiach comes. That is when His praise is going to be, and that is why this is going to be a Shir Chadash, not a Shira Chadasha, as the Rebbe says. So this is going to be a song of l’asid lavo.

But then the perek concludes, “Romemot Kel Bigronom,” they have the exalted praise of Hashem in their throats, but “v’Cherev Pifiyot Biyadam,” a sword that has two mouths, sharpened on both sides, is in their hands. And later on, in the following pesukim, it explains what they are going to do with this Cherev Pifiyot: “La’asot Nekama BaGoyim,” to use the sword as stated in the pesukim.

So we are saying here the song of the chasidim, and then it says that while they are saying Romemot Kel Bigronom they will have the sword in their hand, and they will use the sword as said in the pesukim. So the Rebbe is going to ask: since we find in Midrash Tehillim on this posuk, “Shir Chadash Tehillaso Bi’Kehal Chasidim,” that this is talking about the future to come, why would we need a sword, when it says “V’chit’su Charvosam L’itim”—they will break their swords into plowshares? Why would they need a sword?

And it is brought in Midrash Tehillim on this posuk, at the end of Tehillim, that “HaMizmor Zeh Medaber L’Asid Lavo,” this mizmor talks about the future to come. And this is what it says over there: “Mi Heim HaChasidim?” Who are these chasidim? It says “Tehillaso Bi’Kehal Chasidim”—who is the congregation of chasidim? It says, “Elu Yisrael,” these are the Yidden. “Kol Zman SheRo’im Es HaKadosh Baruch Hu, Heim Na’asim Chasidim,” any time they see Hashem, they become chasidim. And we see that at the sea, “Ro’u Al HaYam,” when the Yidden were at the sea and saw Hashem, they became chasidim then and they sang shira to Hashem, “Shene’emar Az Yashir.” So they are chasidim—they become chasidim when they see Hashem and they say shira.

“U’Ksheyir’u Oso L’Olam Haba,” and when the Yidden will see Him in the future, in the world to come, they will also become chasidim. And what is the proof? “Shene’emar Tehillaso Bi’Kehal Chasidim,” that Hashem’s praise is among the congregation of chasidim. That means that the Yidden will see the Eibeshter in the future to come, and that is when they will say His praise Bi’Kehal Chasidim. So you see clearly from the Midrash that when the posuk is talking about “Tehillaso Bi’Kehal Chasidim,” we are talking about l’asid lavo. That is what it says in the Midrash.

And likewise we find in the Mechilta and also in the Yalkut, Parshas Beshalach, where it also says “HaShira Hazos Hi L’Asid Lavo,” that this is a song for the future to come, not for the present. So the Rebbe is bringing all these proofs that this is actually talking about the future to come, and yet there they still have swords. Why do they need swords? That is what the Rebbe is proving from this.

Now the Midrash that brings the proof that “Tehillaso Bi’Kehal Chasidim” is talking about the future is based on the Midrash Rabba. Over there it says that we know this posuk is talking about the future because it says “Shir Chadash” in a masculine way, not “Shira Chadasha,” but “Shir Chadash.” Therefore the posuk says “Shir Chadash” in masculine language. But elsewhere it says “Shira Chadasha” in feminine language. Why is it here masculine, and why is it Shir Chadash?

Further, even concerning the redemption from Mitzrayim, which was the first redemption and the beginning of all the redemptions, when the Yidden experienced that redemption, it says “Az Yashir Moshe u’Vnei Yisrael Es HaShira Hazos,” and they sang in feminine language. So why here does it say “Shir Chadash”?

It is explained in Shir HaShirim Rabba on the posuk “Shechora Ani VeNava.” The Gemara says that a female takes a tenth: after the father passes away, the daughters are entitled to a tenth of the estate so they can support themselves and get married. The bottom line is that “Nekeva Noseles Isser Nechasim.” So too, Yisrael inherited as a female at that time—they inherited the land of seven nations, which is a tenth of the seventy nations. Therefore, because they only received like a female, “Omru Shira Bil’shon Nekeva,” the song they said was in feminine form, as the posuk says, “HaShira Hazos LaHashem.”

But l’asid lavo they are destined to inherit like a male, “HaYoresh Lechol Nechasei Aviv,” who inherits the entire estate of his father. Therefore they will say it in masculine form, “Shir Chadash,” not “Shira Chadasha.”

So we have proven that this “Halleluka Shiru L’Hashem, Tehillaso Bi’Kehal Chasidim” is talking about l’asid lavo. Therefore we need to understand “Romemot Kel Bigronom v’Cherev Pifiyot Biyadam.” Since we are talking about the future redemption, what is the idea that they are going to have a sword in their hands? Does it not say about the future, “V’chit’su Charvosam L’itim… Lo Yisa Goy El Goy Cherev”—they will break up their swords into plowshares, and nation will not battle with sword against nation? There are not going to be swords there. So why is he saying that there is going to be a Cherev? This tells us that there is another meaning to Cherev besides the simple meaning. There is also a need for a Cherev spiritually.

And at a certain point after the future redemption, there will come a time when they will eventually no longer need “V’chit’su Charvosam L’itim,” because the ra in the world will be completely removed, the Eibeshter will be fully revealed, and there will be no more ra. There will then be no need for a Cherev. But in the beginning there is still going to be a need for a Cherev, too, as the Rebbe will continue to explain toward the end of the maamar.

So the question now is very clear. Since the Rebbe proved from the Midrashim that this is a song of l’asid lavo, and we know that in the future the swords will be turned into plowshares because there will be no need for a Cherev, why does the posuk say “v’Cherev Pifiyot Biyadam”?

Beis. To understand this, we need first to introduce what we find in the Mishna in Maseches Shabbos, perek 6, mishna 4. Over there it says “Lo Yeitzei HaIsh”—a person should not go out, on Shabbos, wearing certain things. Normally on Shabbos a person may wear either clothing, which is a garment, or an ornament that decorates him.

But he cannot decorate himself and walk out on Shabbos with the five different weapons enumerated there. It says “Lo Be-sayaf,” not with a sword; “Lo Be-keshes,” not with a bow and arrow; “v’Lo Bi-tris,” not with a shield; “v’Lo Be-olah,” not with a stick; “v’Lo Be-romach,” and not with a spear. These are the five weapons that one cannot go out with on Shabbos, because they are not considered adornments.

Now Rabbi Eliezer disagrees. “Rabbi Eliezer Omer, Takshitim Hein Lo,” these are decorations for him, a kind of jewelry, and therefore he can go out with them. But the Chachamim disagree. They say these are not adornments, not jewelry, but rather a disgrace. Why? Because the posuk says “V’chit’su Charvosam L’itim.” If these were a decoration, then why does the posuk say that in the future they will cut their swords into plowshares and no longer use them? If they were a decoration, they should continue to wear them l’asid lavo. So the Chachamim say no—you cannot wear them, because they are not ornaments.

And in this Mishna they count five weapons. The sayaf is a sword, a cherev, which is obviously a weapon. And so too a bow is obviously a weapon. And also the tris, the shield, whose purpose is to protect from arrows and stones, is also included among weapons. And likewise the olah—the Gemara asks, “Mai Olah?” and answers that an olah is askuppa, a stick, a baton, a staff with a thick head with which one strikes. So that too is a weapon.

And we find in the Yerushalmi on the posuk “V’Chamushim Alu Bnei Yisrael Me’eretz Mitzrayim” that the word v’Chamushim has two interpretations: it can mean armed with weapons, and it can mean five. Therefore the pshat is that they were armed with the five weapons enumerated in the Mishna. And the Rebbe says this is the correct girsa in the Yerushalmi. There are other versions, as the Rebbe brings down in the hara’ah, that say fifteen, but the correct version is that it is five—these five.

So we need to understand the difference between the redemption of Mitzrayim and the future redemption. In the future redemption it says “V’chit’su Charvosam L’itim,” that they will turn their swords into plowshares and no longer have any swords. But in Yetzias Mitzrayim they needed these five weapons; they went out v’Chamushim.

And the question is: since Yetzias Mitzrayim is a redemption, why would they need weapons? This all points to the explanation that weapons mean spiritual weapons, and that there is a difference. In the redemption of Mitzrayim, the evil was still there, they had to run away, and there was still a battle, so they needed weapons. But l’asid lavo, in the second period of l’asid lavo, when it will be “V’chit’su Charvosam L’itim,” the Eibeshter will be fully revealed, “Ruach HaTumah A’avir Min Ha’aretz,” there will be no tumah, and therefore there will be no need for weapons, as the Rebbe will continue to develop this idea.

And in order to understand this, we need first to understand the spiritual level of Cherev, Cherev bi-ruchniyus. Once we understand that, we will understand why it was needed by Mitzrayim and why it will not be needed l’asid lavo. And within l’asid lavo there are also going to be two periods, as the Rebbe will explain.

Our sages of blessed memory tell us, “Kol HaKoreh Kriyas Shema Al Mitoso, Ke’ilu Ocheiz Cherev Shel Shtei Pifiyos,” that when one reads Shema, it is as if he is holding a double-edged sword. The Rebbe specifically does not bring down the words “Al Mitoso” over here because in the Rebbe’s context it is the reading of Shema in general. The Rebbe will explain in avodas ha’adam how the reading of all the Shemas that we read has this effect, and that is why it seems that there was a deliberate omission. Even though in Chazal it says al mitoso in Brachos, the Rebbe says that reading Shema is “Ke’ilu Ocheiz Cherev Shel Shtei Pifiyos,” like holding a sword sharpened on both sides, with two mouths.

From this it appears that there is some advantage specifically in a sword which has these two mouths. The sword cuts on both sides, above and below. The Rebbe goes on to explain that on the spiritual level we are trying to cut off the chitzonim, the outside forces, which try to attach themselves to a person. If a person serves Hashem with arrogance and haughtiness, in a way of raising himself up, he gives an opportunity for the kelipos to get sustenance from a place that is higher than hishtalshelus. The kelipos, the sitra achra, have only a very small amount of sustenance, and they are always trying to get more from the Yid, from kedusha. If a Yid is haughty and arrogant, it gives the kelipos an opening to reach into a place that is higher than ordinary measure, in the level of Tohu, and get more sustenance.

And on the other hand, if a Yid lowers himself into taavos, descends into low levels, he gives the kelipos room to take from below, after hishtalshelus, from that degraded and constricted level. So it turns out that we need a sword to cut away both the top and the bottom.

And the Rebbe develops this idea. It is brought in the Zohar: “Cherev Da Havaya.” The sword is Havaya. Havaya cuts off both the top and the bottom. “Reisha Decharba Hu Yud DeHavaya,” the top of the sword is the yud of Havaya. “Gufa Decharba Hu Vav,” the body of the sword is the vav. And the two hei’s of yud-hei-vav-hei are “Trei Pifiyot Dileh,” the two mouths of the sword. So Shem Havaya itself is the sword. And what is the sheath of the sword? That is Shem Adnai.

What does this mean? It says, “Havaya Yechatu Merivav,” Hashem—those who fight You will be broken. There are those who wage war against Havaya, and the victory in the war comes through Shem Havaya itself. It is Havaya that frightens and breaks those merivav. “DeCherev Da Havaya,” because this sword is Havaya. Through Cherev Havaya we win the battle against those who wage war on Havaya.

The idea is that the nurturing of the chitzonim can happen in one of two ways. The first way is through many tzimtzumim, many restrictions. When Or Ein Sof shines in open revelation, they cannot receive from there, because the dwelling of Or Ein Sof is only where there is bittul. The kelipos cannot receive where there is revealed Ein Sof. They need tzimtzum, restricted light.

But something that is a yesh, an independent entity like the kelipos, cannot have revelation of Or Ein Sof. “Ani v’Hu Eino Yecholim Ladur,” “I and He cannot dwell together.” So anything that is a yesh cannot receive revealed G-dliness. Or Ein Sof can only rest in something that is in bittul before Hashem.

Therefore the kelipos, which are a yesh and a separate entity, cannot receive from open revelation. But when the light is constricted through many tzimtzumim, then they are able to receive some form of nurture. Because at least they do have a little bittul—they call Him “Eloka d’Elokaya,” the G-d of gods. In other words, they acknowledge Him in some limited way, though they also maintain themselves as an independent existence. So they have a little bittul, and therefore they can receive nurture through many tzimtzumim. That is one way.

The second way is that they receive their nurture through elevation and haughtiness, from rising upward—from the world of Tohu, which precedes Tikkun. There, everything is on a plane where darkness and light are equal. It does not matter there whether it is kelipa or not kelipa. “U’kechashicha Ke’ora BeShava.” Therefore they can also receive nurture from there.

And this corresponds to the two mouths of the sword. One mouth cuts off the nurture from above, so that the chitzonim should not be able to receive from there. And the second mouth corresponds to the nurture that comes through the many tzimtzumim. So through the sword we win the war in both ways, both above and below.

Because the sword is Shem Havaya, and Shem Havaya is the attribute of mercy. The Zohar says regarding Havaya, who is truly great? One who constricts himself so that he should shine below as well—not in an overwhelming way, and not with many, many tzimtzumim, but with a small revelation. That little revelation is enough to nullify the kelipos.

That revelation nullifies the nurture they receive, and it also nullifies haughtiness and self-elevation. For Havaya represents the attribute of mercy, and true greatness is not to rise ever higher, but to be able to descend and shine below as well. So Shem Havaya is the sword that cuts off both directions.

And this is the advantage of the sword: “Havaya Yechatu Merivav.” And that is why it says “v’Cherev Pifiyot Biyadam,” and afterward, “La’asot Nekama BaGoyim.” This corresponds to the two ways in which the chitzonim receive nourishment. “La’asot Nekama BaGoyim” means to exact revenge against those outside forces, and so on.

And now it is explained why in the redemption of Mitzrayim they needed weapons. In the redemption of Mitzrayim the evil was not nullified at all. Rather, it was a matter of fleeing. The chitzonim are the evil in a person, in the animal soul, and the whole war was that they should be able to flee from Mitzrayim. Mitzrayim is the constriction of the soul, where there is no revelation of the neshamah in a state of bittul. But through the reading of Shema with the Cherev Havaya, they nullify the nourishment of the chitzonim from both directions.

So in Geulas Mitzrayim it was still a matter of fleeing, and therefore they still needed weapons, because the evil was still present.

Send the next piece, and I’ll continue in this same style from exactly where this leaves off.

Here is your next piece fully polished, continuous, clean, and ready for publishing—preserving everything and only improving grammar and flow:

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Dark or light—it is all the same; nothing is significant. On that level, everything is insignificant; darkness is like light. As the posuk says, “Shumamis b’yadayim t’tapes, v’hi b’heichlei melech,” the spider crawls with its hands, yet it is found in the palace of the king. That means that in the king’s palace, whether the spider is there or not makes no difference—it has no significance.

Since it is found in the palace of the king, where nothing takes up any real place, therefore even the spider can be there. So we see that the klipos—even though they are klipos—because they go into a higher place where distinctions do not matter, can also draw nourishment from there.

And this is what the posuk says: “Im tagbi’a kanesher,” if you raise yourself like an eagle—they elevate themselves very high, like an eagle soaring upward, to draw their nurture from Olam HaTohu. As it says, “Derech hanesher bashamayim,” the way of the eagle is in the heavens—they rise upward, all the way to the top.

And the Rebbe explains that these two opportunities for the klipos to draw nourishment—either through many tzimtzumim or through rising upward to Olam HaTohu—are dependent on the avodah of man. A person himself brings about these two forms of nourishment for the klipos.

This idea—that they can receive nurture in these two ways—depends entirely on a person’s avodah. When a person does not serve properly, he allows these things to happen. Because whatever takes place above is tied to the person below. The connection between above and below is like a rope—what happens at one end affects the other.

As it says, “Yaakov chevel nachalaso,” Yaakov is the rope of His inheritance. Like a rope, where one end is tied above and the other end below—when the lower end is shaken, the upper end is also shaken. So too, in the avodah of the Jewish soul: according to the way a person serves below, so it is above.

And there are two ways in avodas ha’adam that correspond to these two forms of nurture. One is when a person lowers himself, causing nurture through tzimtzum. The other is when a person raises himself in arrogance, causing nurture through elevation and haughtiness.

When a person lowers himself into physical matters, instead of directing his inner will toward Elokus through Torah and tefillah, he brings himself down into gashmiyus. Through this, he causes above a proliferation of tzimtzumim, to the point that the klipos can derive nourishment from that constricted flow.

And on the other hand, when a person elevates himself in arrogance and coarseness—even though he knows his own shortcomings well, and yet inflates himself without reason—this too brings about a parallel effect above. As the Zohar says, “Ruach aisi ruach,” one spirit draws down another. The person’s behavior draws down a corresponding influence above, enabling the klipos to receive nurture from a very high place.

This is the idea of Paroh. The word Paroh is related to oref—the back—with an additional letter. It refers to drawing from the oref of Arich Anpin, from a very high level, but in a way of “back,” not “face.” In that level, darkness and light are equal, and therefore even the klipos can receive from there.

And this all depends on the person’s avodah. When one serves Hashem in a superficial way—“with the back and not the face”—this draws down the level of Paroh, allowing nurture from the back of Arich Anpin.

So we see two paths: lowering oneself into physicality, which causes nurture through tzimtzum, and elevating oneself in arrogance, which causes nurture from a very high level. And therefore we need a sword with two edges—to cut off both of these forms of nurture.

This is the idea of the cherev shtei pifiyos—the double-edged sword—which cuts off the nourishment of the klipos from both directions. And this too applies in avodas ha’adam: a person must eliminate both negative tendencies—the descent into gashmiyus and the rise into arrogance.

And therefore one needs the “sword” in avodah, to serve properly and prevent these distortions.

The Rebbe now goes further into detail. Having explained the concept of Paroh, which draws from the oref, he now explains the three officers of Paroh: the sar hamashkim, sar ha’ofim, and sar hatabachim—the butler, the baker, and the butcher—and how these correspond both in negativity and in holiness.

To understand this in detail, it is explained in the sefarim of Kabbalah and Chassidus, in the maamarim on Mitzrayim and Yetzias Mitzrayim. Mitzrayim means limitation. In the human body, between the head and the body is the throat—the narrow place—which corresponds to Mitzrayim. Leaving Mitzrayim means overcoming this constriction.

In the throat there are three channels: the koneh (windpipe), the veshet (food pipe), and the veins. These correspond to the three officers of Paroh.

Just as there are these three in the side of impurity, there are also corresponding levels in holiness.

The sar hamashkim in holiness represents the drawing down of ta’anug, delight. Water brings forth all forms of delight, and so this represents the flow of divine delight through the levels of hishtalshelus.

In the body, this corresponds to the koneh, through which the nerves from the brain distribute vitality and delight throughout the body. This is the drawing down of divine pleasure into the entire being.

In avodah, this is learning Torah and davening with delight—the inner dimension of Torah.

The sar hatabachim represents fiery love—ahavah kerishpei eish—a burning passion in holiness. This is different from the calm, flowing love associated with the sar hamashkim.

The sar ha’ofim represents Torah itself. The baker takes grain (chitah, numerically corresponding to the 22 letters of the Torah) and transforms it into bread. Similarly, Torah must be “baked” through the heat of passionate love.

As it says, “Lechu lachamu b’lachmi,” partake of My bread—the bread of Torah. And this requires the “oven,” which is the fiery love for Hashem.

Thus, the baker uses the fire (the sar hatabachim) to elevate the Torah to its highest expression, reaching the level of unity with Hashem.

These three—Torah, delight, and fiery love—together form the positive counterpart that cuts off the negative influences of the three officers of Paroh.

In the negative side, the sar hamashkim represents indulgence in physical pleasures, even permitted ones, which disconnect a person from Elokus. The sar hatabachim represents passion directed toward materialism. And the sar ha’ofim represents a life disconnected from Torah altogether.

But through the positive forms—Torah, love, and delight in Hashem—one cuts off the nourishment of these negative forces.

Through the sar hamashkim in holiness—love with delight—one draws divine pleasure inward through chochmah, preventing the klipos from receiving from higher levels. Through the sar hatabachim—fiery love—one destroys the passion for physicality, eliminating the nourishment that comes through tzimtzum.

As the Gemara says, one who “slaughters” his yetzer hara—kol hazoveach es yitzro—this is the work of the sar hatabachim in holiness.

Thus, the two loves—love of delight and love of fire—are the two edges of the sword. The love of delight cuts off the klipos from above, and the fiery love cuts them off from below.