Chamisha Asar B'Av: Part II

00:01 Behem shech in reference to the early installment regarding the fifteenth of Av, we now continue with installment number two, discussing various insights from the Rebbe on the fifteenth of Av. The first point is one that the Rebbe spoke at the twentieth of Av, Fabrengen. The twentieth of Av is the day of the Yorzeit, the Hillulah of the Rebbe's father, and this was in Tav Shin Yud Alef, nineteen fifty-one. And the Rebbe said the following amongst the Sichas that the Rebbe spoke, uh, that evening. It is known that after Tisha b'Av, which is when the days of mourning end, and in particular from the fifteenth of Av and on, begins a new era, a new Seder in the Hanhaaga of Bnei Yisroel, of Am Yisroel. It is mentioned explicitly at the conclusion of Masecht Ta'anis, the Tractate of Ta'anis in the Talmud in regards to Chamisha Asar b'Av, in the year to the fifteenth of Av, that ‹foreign›. Rashi explains this means that a person adds more in the evening in the study of Torah, and when a person adds more in the study of Torah as the evenings, the nights are becoming longer, so this will also bring about an increase in the life of the person. Which means that the Seder of the increase in Limud HaTorah at night, as it's mentioned in Shulchan Aruch, begins from Chamisha Asar b'Av, and it continues like this a whole year. Then the Rebbe adds another point. It is known that Chamisha Asar b'Av is the beginning

01:58 of a new era for the whole coming year, as it is explained in Sefarim that Chamisha Asar b'Av, the numerical value of the three words Chamisha Asar b'Av and is by Gematria ‹foreign›, which means to be inscribed and sealed for a good year. And the Rebbe concludes this is a Peysha Gematria mentioned from the Munkatcher. The Rebbe mentioned this numerical value quite often. Interesting to note on a side note that this is also reflected in regards to Halacha in Shmita, that the forty-four days before Rosh Hashanah is also a cutoff point of a new period, and the forty-four days before Rosh Hashanah is the sixteenth of Av, which means this is right after Chamisha Asar b'Av, it's already a phase of preparing for the new year. And that is when pe-people wish each other ‹foreign›, as the Rebbe mentioned it in Sichas. Another point in regards to Chamisha Asar b'Av, this was a Sicha in Tav Shin Lamed Tes, nineteen seventy-nine. It expresses the union of Achdus Yisroel, the unity of Am Yisroel. Firstly, as the Talmud describes the dance that the Aibishter will make together with Yidden and a dance in a circle, a machol, shows that there's no beginning, there's no end, everyone is equal in one round circle. That shows the union of Achdus Yisroel. In addition to that, some of the events that happened on this day in the past express the unity of Am Yisroel in regarding to the ‹foreign› that Shvatim tribes were permitted to assimilate with each other

04:01 and that is then ‹foreign› Benyamin, which expressed the unity of Am Yisroel. As mentioned that the Talmud, and particularly in the Mishnah, it stated ‹foreign› there weren't such Yomim Tovim to Y-- by Yidden as Chamisha Asar b'Av and Yom HaKippurim. So the Rebbe elaborates, this means that the Yom Tov is a Yom Tov of such i-that it increases the life of the person. And this is not Shavuot, which is Ma'amad Har Sinai, not Yom Kippur, which is when the second set of the Luchot, the tablets were given, but in particular Chamisha Asar b'Av. And the Rebbe explains what is the difference between Yom HaKippurim and Chamisha Asar b'Av, and why is it that Chamisha Asar b'Av is on a higher level. Rebbe says as follows: Yom HaKippurim comes after a gradual Avoda, a service over the course of forty days, beginning from Rosh Chodesh Elul, when a person elevates from one level to another. First is the first section of Chodesh Elul, the first Av-- the beginning of the Avoda. Then comes the Yemei HaSlichot, and then comes Rosh Hashanah, and then comes the ten days of repentance, ‹foreign› till Yom Kippur. Till eventually, Ne'ila, the closing prayer, the closing tefillah of Yom Kippur, at which its conclusion we announce ‹foreign›, because this is the completion, this is the climax of all the elevations. And after that, it is drawn down from the seven heavens down to earth till we announce ‹foreign›. On the other hand, when it comes to Chamisha Asar b'Av, it comes

05:56 right after Tisha b'Av, and Tisha b'Av was a very low descent And nevertheless, when it comes to Chamishas above, there is an ascent, a full moon, which shows that it was a jump. It wasn't a gradual elevation as it is from Elul to Yom Kippur. That in a maimed hamatzab, in a situation of layla, darkness, which is from Tishab of Anan, we then increase in the limud hateida. And Bemele this accomplishes a very positive light in contrast to the descent in which Yidden found themselves in Tishabav. An additional point that the Rebbe explains the unique quality of Chamishas above is that Chamishas above is compared to Yom HaKipurim, since the Mishnah compares one to another. Nevertheless, it's on a higher level than Yom Kippur. Because Yom Kippur, a person does not eat or drink, it's prohibited. And Chamishas above, a person could eat and drink. So this brings out the essence of Tria Samaysim. When we will have Tria Samaysim in the redemption time, this is when the unique quality of the body will stand out on a higher level than the soul. And Bemele there won't be any need to refrain from eating and drinking. But Tria Samaysim, it will be davka neshama beguf ve'ad rabbe. So this is basically the inyan of Chamishas above, which in Yom Kippur we don't have it because in Yom Kippur a person has to remove himself from all the physical comforts that he is prohibited from doing on Yom Kippur. Of course, the inyan of Yom Kippur

08:00 will also be when Mashiach comes. Its mitzvahs are nitzchi, it's eternal. So it's a different aveda than the aveda of Chamishas above. Another example that Rebbe gives and explains how Chamishas above is on a higher level. This is based on what it says in the Tikkunei Zayyar. That Yom Kippur is considered Yom HaKipurim, it is like Purim. Nevertheless, Purim, we accomplish all the revelations through eating and drinking. On the other hand, when it comes to Yom Kippur, a person has to refrain himself from all the physical pleasures. And finally, another insight from the Rebbe in a giya to Shabbos Nachamu and Chamishas Arbiov. Some years they are on the same day. The 15th of Av is Shabbos Nachamu. So the Rebbe says the difference is Shabbos Nachamu is as it is a completion. Climax in Teda. Because this is from the prophets, which is part of Teda. Chamishas Arbiov refers to world. It relates and reflects the full moon, which is something that's taking place in world. So it is a shleimos which is in world. As it is also understood from the inyan of prophecy that in order to solidify a prophecy that it should be fulfilled in this physical world, the novi needed to do something physical in order to draw down the prophecy in this physical world. As it is mentioned in the Drashes Haram. We will, im yirtzeh Hashem, continue in the next installment.