The Leap Year - Part VI

00:01 The in continuation to the earlier installments regarding a leap year and the Rebbe's insights and lessons that we can derive in our personal life, uh, including in Avodas Hashem. We continue now with installment number six. Continuing with the letter that we discussed in the earlier installment in regards to the two tendencies, changeability and stability, how it is also reflected in Avodas Hashem, as we mentioned in regards to prayer and the study of Torah. And the Rebbe continues, "More in this vein in general, the basic principle that the Torah shall not be changed goes in unison with the principle of to expand the Torah and make it more profound. And in regard to mitzvahs, you shall neither add to nor detract from them goes together with Hiddur Mitzvah, added measure of excellence in performance, and keeping all matters of holiness on ascendancy, for these are two dimensions that complement and complete each other. Thus, the same degree of strength and dedication is to be shown both in matters that are in the category of constancy and sameness, as symbolized by the sun, as well as in the category of change, as symbolized by the moon, both being derived from Torah Or. The Torah is light which shall not be changed and as willed by the Creator, that every Yid should be a complete world. Certain it is that Hashem gives everyone the necessary powers to the degree of selflessness to develop in him or her both dimensions. One has only to actualize them in their fullest

02:22 harmony and completeness. This then is one of the object lessons, lessons of the leap year. To reflect, especially in these days of introspection and teshuva," this was a message from Rosh Hashanah, "on the said two qualities. Carefully review the achievements of each and adjust and harmonize them so as to achieve the utmost fulfillment and utilization of all the capacities which Hashem gives everyone to carry out his or her soul's mission of serving my Creator, and do this as in the case of all matters of Torah and mitzvahs with joy and gladness of the heart." And the Rebbe begins concluding the letter, "May Hashem grant that the reflection on the above-mentioned topics should result in a strengthened commitment to Torah in both aspects, its unchangeable completeness, together with and to the mitzvahs likewise in both aspects. Strict adherence without change or compromise, together with Hiddur Mitzvah and in an ever-growing measure." Then the Rebbe concludes with blessings of hatslachah, success in everything, and for everyone a simchah ugmar chatimah tovah as the Rebbe concludes the letter of the sixth day of Tishrei, taf shin daled mem, which is right after Rosh Hashanah, late 1983. On additional occasions, the Rebbe also referred to the number of months in a leap year, the number thirteen. And as the Rebbe said in a sicha simchas Torah taf shin mem tes, late 1988, that thirteen is connected with Shevet Levi, the tribe of Levi, which is relating to the shleimus, the comp-completeness which will be la'asot la've in the upcoming

04:54 redemption when Eretz Israel will be divided into thirteen sections, which will also include Shar Levi Echad. On another occasion, of Tishrei taf shin mem tes, the Rebbe spoke in regards to that a leap year shows, reflects, symbolizes the inyan of teshuva, compensation, completion, as we mentioned it in the earlier installments. And thirteen is a number which reflects the thirteen attributes of mercy that comes for the inyan of teshuva, for the inyan of repentance. This is how a leap year has thirteen months, and the number thirteen is connected with teshuva, and a leap year is the concept of teshuva, completing, compensating, adjusting, that everything should be b'shleimus. It is mentioned in the Sefarim That every month of the year reflects one of the twelve tribes of Yankov Avinu. And the Rebbe in a Sicha, Chamishas HaBeshvat, on the fifteenth of Shevat of Shin Mem Tes, nineteen eighty-nine, mentions briefly that there is a certain discussion and elaboration in various Sefarim about the additional Adar. What Shevet does it represent? What tribe does it reflect? The Rebbe cites from Eretz, which is a Sefer of Chasidus. It's actually a set from over forty volumes from the Temim Tzedek. Temim Tzedek mentions that it's Kineged Shevet Levi. It reflects the tribe of Levi. Then it's mentioned in the Maharsha on the Tractate of Sanhedrin, and this is in the conclusion, the supplement of the Tractate of Sanhedrin. The Maharsha mentions that Shevet Yosef, the tribe of Yosef, is divided into two tribes, Menashe and Ephraim. They are considered

07:35 like two separate tribes, as Yankov Avinu told Yosef before his passing. And he says, and the Maharsha says these are the two Adars. The luck of Adar is mazal dogim, fish, like the blessing which Yosef received from Yankov. The ma'ale comes out from here that this Adar in, in general is Shevet Yosef and in the same sense that Shevet Yosef includes two Shevatim, Menashe and Ephraim, likewise these are the two Adars, which is also the mazal of fish, which is the blessing that Yosef received from Yankov. And finally, the number of days in a leap year. At times it's three eighty-three, sometimes three eighty-four, sometimes three eighty-five, as you mentioned it in an earlier installment. So the Rebbe says three eighty-three is Shin Pe Gimel. When we turn the letters around in a different sequence, it is pagash. Pagash means meeting, connecting. The pgisha, the meet- meeting of one Yid with a friend of his. They meet together and nothing will come between them. And this is the meaning of ahavas v'achtus Yisroel, the love and the unity of Am Yisroel. And in Navedah, it is the same idea, like Yehuda met Yosef, and as the Alter Rebbe, and likewise the discourses from the later Rabbeim in their generation would discuss that Yehuda and Yosef symbolize Talmud U'masa, study and deed. Each one has its unique quality. Yehuda representing the meaning of deed, state of nullification, standing with a, a, a, as with an awe for Hashem. And Yosef is from the word increasing. In

10:05 Talmud, a person always grows, increases, accelerates to a higher level. We will im yirtze Hashem continue in the next installment and discuss the connection of a shana muberes, a leap year, with the geulah.