Rebbe Teachings Vayaitzie

Rebbe Sicha Vayaitze 5752

1. The ninth of Kislev is the birthday and passing of the Mitteleh Rebbe.
   
   We need to take a lesson regarding the last and most important task, namely, to accept Moshiach.
   
   
2. Why is it so great when a Tzaddik passes on the day of his birth? As our sages state, that “God fills the days of the Tzaddik” – seemingly as his life is a spiritual one, why does the physical number matter?
   
   
   
3. Because the goal of the Tzaddik is to achieve in this world, hence the completion of this, is seen, as the body mirrors the soul, to the extent they become one – hence as the main “world” is time… – the physical manifestation of passing, on the day of the birth is the result of the spirit / body unity (though of-course, in cases of other Tzaddikim when this didn’t occur, it doesn’t indicate, they lacked the connection.)
   
   
4. Why is it, that the main story in the Torah about Yaakov is not (as by Avrohom and Yitzchok) when they were in the Holy-land, but as he leaves to Padan Aram (where he establishes his family – the Jewish people – and then the fight with Eisav.)?
   
   
5. In truth, the story of Yaakov leaving his home to go and build a family and deal with Eisav (the world…) in Padam Aram etc. is the story of each of our souls – we leave the pristine heavenly realm to descend into a body – there, our task is to transform the gross habits to a refined person, and then to a holy person, in which the body is mirroring, expressing the soul…, and thereby effect, elevate and transform the world.
   
   
6. Specifically in this world, where the body conceals the light of the soul – to the extent, one may not even see it… – through one’s strenuous effort in revealing one’s soul, thereby elevating the body, in fact, one elevates.
   
   
7. Why is it specifically when Yaakov comes to the place of the Beis-Hamikdosh (as our sages state, that the fourteen years where he learned Torah prior in the Yeshiva of Shem Ve-aver, he slept not; nor did he sleep the twenty years by Lavan) does he now go to sleep?! –Sleep is where the head and the body are on the same level – this indicates, the profound notion, that when we lower our mind, intellect (greatness) and what shines, is our pure soul, which is an expression of God, this effects, that in all our doings, we are Divine.
   
   
8. Actually specifically, because he was in the place of the Holy-Temple where time space soul converge – through the Divine infinitude (as we know, the Holy of Holies, has this convergence) hence here he lowers his head (intellect) for in the humble space, the infinitude of the Divine, manifests.
   
   
9. (10) The meaning behind the quarrel of the stones – for as Yaakov created a little wall to surround his body (when he went to sleep…) “I wish for the Tzaddik to lay his head on me…” (and they merged into a single stone… – the strength of the soul represented in the head, spread to his entire body – hence, when Atzmus (Divine essence) appears, there is no negative.

1.  (11) The complete revelation of God, comes specifically, when we approach Him humbly.
   
   

1. (13) Specifically armed with God, could Yaakov go to transform the world.
   
   

1. (14) Yaakov’s journey is the first (mentioned) of refining the world, and it underscores the point (which will be fully revealed when Moshiach comes) that the goal is that the spirit marries the body, and all reveals God.

1. (14) The revelation of the Divine comes through Chassidus – as we know, what is unique about Chassidus is Divinity (lofty esoteric Divine wisdom – comes into man’s mind (hence heart and actions.)
   
   

1. (15) We see that the Mitteleh Rebbe was exceptionally expansive in his understanding and teaching of Chassidus.

1. (16) Now we understand why specifically the Mitteleh Rebbe, his physical days mirrored his spiritual – furthermore, the day after his passing (Yud Kislev) we celebrate the day of his liberation.

1. This is further emphasized this year – when Tes Kislev comes out on Shabbos, which represents, how the spiritual and physical, unify.

1. All this is further emphasized now when all the signs of our sages indicate, we are standing at the threshold of Moshiach – and all that remains to do, is for a Jew to open his eyes, and realize that we are sitting at the table with Moshiach – as is known, in every generation, there is one, from his righteousness who is the potential Moshiach, in our generation, the Rebbe of our generation (the Rebbe was referring to the Previous Rebbe, but it obviously refers to him) and after forty years (of the Rebbe’s leadership) we have open eyes and heart, to realize this.

1. The practical directives:

Firstly in keeping with the Mitteleh Rebbe’s mannerism, we should see that all we do, should be permeated with the warmth, vitality, Chassidishkeit of Yiddeshkeit.

We should prepare to make large Farbrengens on Yud and Yud Tes Kislev.

Children and families should gather – giving Chanukah money to the children – so they can do good with it.

Additionally, all should learn about Moshiach, to additionally prepare and be enthused.

1. From our accepting to do these good resolutions, may we merit the immediate coming of Moshiach!

Rebbe Sicha 5751 Vayeitzei

1 (2) we all are a composite of a body and a soul, which represents respectively, Israel and outside of Israel, holiness and the mundane – in fact, as we know that everything a Jew does, creates an angel, so hence the holy things we do (like Shabbos vs. weekday) create Shabbos angels – our goal of-course is to transform the physical, to the extent that a Jew becomes the “ruler” of the place, and as we see by Jacob, renames it with holiness.

2 (3) In order to fulfil one’s mission of transforming one’s animal passion, lust and insanity into positivity, this takes not only hard work, but actually Divine assistance (to the extent that one is able to have beyond reality, within.)

3 (4) True service of God represents leaving (like God told Abraham) where you are… to where you need to go – this applies obviously. leaving the physical stupidities, but it also includes leaving the spiritual (for as soon as a person is “stuck” (“I know!”) one needs to go ever higher.

4 (5) This continuous ascension is even when dealing with the animal soul, for as we know, a kosher animal has two signs, that its hooves are split and it chews (which mean it ruminates – for the food goes into its stomach, it comes back up, for more chewing) now the meaning of true ascension is that a. even when one is in the midst of doing one good thing, he is continually (like the split hooves) thinking that he must do more b. even the good that we have done – we are always willing to refine it.

5 (7) The greatest level is when the highest heaven is on the lowest physical (in other words, when the heights of your soul is completely in our reality.)

6 (8) The extent that we refine the world, is that even Edoim (the last of the four kingdoms – world powers (Babylonia, Persia, Greece and Rome) and the most obnoxious) becomes refined.

7 (9) This is why the month of redemption (and Rosh Hashanah of Chassidus, is during the month of Kislev, the third month – during the winter, from Tishrei – in contrast to Matan Torah, the third month from Nissan, during the summer) for specifically our task is to light up the darkness.

8 (10) As is known, Yaakov is the middle – the bond that connects heaven and earth – Yaakov also represents Torah, for Torah is the mechanism – particularly delving deep (particularly using the nights which are longer in the winter, as our sages state, the night was made for Torah study) connecting God and earth.

• (11) We must add conspicuously in our Torah study, not only qualitatively, but quantitively, and certainly in sharing the wisdom of Chassidus, which speeds up the coming of Moshiach.

Rebbe Sicha 5750

1. In Yaakov’s life there were three main periods – the time he spent in Israel (altogether 63 years) – the time he spent by Lavan (20 years) and the time he was by Yosef in Egypt (17 years.)

As we know, the event of our forefathers, not only are lessons but are the very cause of the similar happenstance in our – hence we must learn the lesson.

• We find that Abraham’s main service was in love, however he expelled Yishmoel (for Yishmoel represented lust  – a wild love – so though unconditional love is good, because we are in a positive state, we must ensure it goes not into negative) we find Yitzchok was about self-discipline, and he expelled Eisav (for the flip side of discipline can be anger (hence by Yitzchok, its perfection was doing what is just, not negative.)
• In contrast, Yaakov’s son Rueven (in addition to the fact they all were good) opens the pathway of Teshuva – Teshuva is higher than separating the darkness, for it is transforming it – which is also why Yaakov is the one who deals (and eventually transforms) Eisav.
• Yaakov’s greatness similarly was in his ability to not be ensconced in holiness, but go out into the world; as we see, he did with Lavan in Charan and Pharaoh in Egypt, transforming darkness to light.
• The greatness of a Tzaddik is he is fully ensconced in holiness – the greatness of a Benoini is one who has to battle with his evil (animal soul) yet he overcomes it – the greatness of the Rasha (wicked) is that he transom darkness through repentance.
• We find that Yaakov coming from the center (Tiferes which represents God, who is the completion of all) manages all three (see previous # 5) for he is a Tzaddik in Israel, similar to a Benoinie In Charan, and like a Baal-Teshuva in Egypt.
• These three levels (Tzaddik, Benoini, Teshuva) are found by the soul which begins as a Tzaddik and then must descend into this world – it is also found in the life of each person, as there are aspects that we are very passionate about (coming from our Divine soul) then there are aspects that we need to fight (with our Yetzer Hara) and finally there are those aspects which are difficult tests – for example, a child may want something (say something sweet etc.) that may be harmful, and his parents must protect him – in general this leads us to the point that especially in our generation, all children must be given the greatest of assistance to lead them To Torah, Chupah and Good Deeds; and this sacrifice must be literally a double mesirus nefesh (for the dangers besetting them are extraordinary.)
  More specifically these three levels (albeit quantitively in a minute way) are by each, for a Baal Teshuva slowly but surely climbs his way to Benoini, and a Beinoini must be careful to not fall and a Tzaddik too must do Teshuva (as we know, Moshiach will bring Tzaddikim to Teshuvah.)
• Similarly these levels are in a Jew’s day – for there is the holy time in Synagogue (in prayer and Torah) and then there is the business time – similarly, this corresponds to the Jewish people as a whole, for there was the era, when we were in the holiness of Israel, and then there was the Galus (in its multiple forms and variations.) And in Galus, not only do we make it into the holiness of Israel, but as we deal with gentiles- say in business – we refine them, and bring them the Seven Nohaide laws.
  This is especially apropos the times we are in, which the Previous Rebbe has testified is literally right before Moshiach.
• We see this especially in the freeing of the Mitteleh Rebbe, and in fact of all the Chabad Rebbes from prison – for they were not only freed, but the honorific title of Honored Citizens of the country – a title which continues indefinitely for their descendants (and the Schneersohn family) to this very day.