105 —שליחת שיחת פסח תש"ג ואחדות כל סוגי היהודים

B"H, 13 Tishrei, 5704.

To the esteemed and elevated vavac"h iy"a energetic activist and accomplished leader etc. Meir Shlomo Palmer, Shalom u'Vrachah!

The printing of the Pesach 5703 sichah was completed today, and I am enclosing a copy here. I have also instructed that several more copies be sent to you immediately in a separate package. Please inform me how many more copies you would like sent to you.

The printing was delayed until now for several reasons. Among them: our revered father-in-law, the Rebbe shlit"a, added much more to the sichah, increasing both its quality and quantity beyond our original estimate. Additionally, we wanted the sichah to be printed with utmost beauty and with indexes, references, etc.

We bless "on completion," and I express once again my thanks—on behalf of all who will read and study this sichah—for your help. Together with the esteemed Mr. Katz, it was possible to publish this booklet.

On Sukkot—which is the first day of reckoning between the Holy One Blessed Be He and Israel after atonement on Yom Kippur (as related by our Sages in Midrash Vayikra Rabbah ch. 30)—we are commanded: "U'lekachtem lachem ba'yom harishon pri etz hadar kapot temarim va'anaf etz avot v'arvei nachal" (And you shall take for yourselves on the first day a fruit of a beautiful tree [etrog], palm branches [lulav], boughs of thick-leaved trees [hadasim], and willows of the brook [aravot]). The Sages explain there: these represent Israel—etrog: people with Torah and good deeds; lulav: people with Torah but not good deeds; hadas: people with good deeds but not Torah; aravah: those with neither Torah nor good deeds. And G‑d said: let them all be bound together as one bundle, and at that moment I am exalted.

This is what is unique about a sichah compared to a maamar—not only do the etrog and lulav become beautiful through it, but even the hadas and even the aravah (and as explained above regarding their meaning among people) can be beautified by someone who puts effort into this through various parts of the sichah until all become one bundle—see Kritot (6b): "Kol ta'anit... me'haicha ve'agudato..."—to do the will of Hashem with a complete heart.

Fortunate is he whose name is Shlomo (peaceful), for he brings peace among all four types within Israel as mentioned above; when all are united as one, they receive—as we request in Birkat Sim Shalom—blessing, mercy, and life.

With wishes for a joyous festival—immediate teshuvah leads to immediate redemption.

Rabbi Menachem Schneerson Chairman Vaad L'Hafatzat Sichos

Summary

The Rebbe highlights how every Jew can be united through Torah study and mitzvot, just as all four species are bound together on Sukkot. By working together in harmony—regardless of individual strengths—we bring blessing upon all of Israel.