Heh Menachem Av: The Arizal

00:01 As we find ourselves behemsek to the hilulah of the Arizal, which was on the fifth of Melach Hamov, and as the Rebbe mentioned that when it comes to a certain day, it is not that the day has passed, but basically it marks a new year since the event that took place on its original day many years earlier. So the Rebbe mentions in a sicha in a, uh, footnote in, in Tov Shin Nun, 1990, that in the pasuk in Parshah Beshalach when it says of Bnei Yisro, yetzim beyad rama, that Yidden went out from Egypt, beyad rama, with a up-uplifted hand. So the Targum, the Aramaic translation is Beresh Gilay. That Beresh, the four letters, beis, reish, yud, shin is a rosh antayvas, is an abbreviation of the name of Rab Shimon ben Yochai, Rab Shimon ben Yochai, and also the Arizal, Rab Yitzchak ben Shlomo, and the Baal Shem Tov, Rab Yisroel ben Soro, or Rab Yisroel Baal Shem. And the Rebbe adds that we can also add the name of the previous Rebbe, which is Rab Yosef ben Sholom. Which means that through the revelation of Pnimius HaTeyre, which is the Teyre of Rab Shimon ben Yochai and the Arizal and the Baal Shem Tov till the previous Rebbe, that their names are alluded to in the abbreviation of the word Beresh. In a sicha of the Rebbe, Acharon Shel Pesach Tov Shin Lamid 1970, the Rebbe refers to a certain inyan in halakha and discusses it about mitzvahs that women are exempt from,

02:02 and refers to the Arizal, and says that in the Arizal it is mentioned in Kabbalah, but it's understood that the way it is phrased in Kabbalah, it also needs to be parallel and reflected as it is in Nigla. And here the Rebbe speaks about the Arizal, ki yodua as it is known that the Arizal was a big lamdan, big scholar, and as Rab Chaim Vital, his student, testified on him. And Rab Chaim Vital, the Rebbe says, was one who was a maven on Nigla. U'ki yodua that he is one of the few that received semikhah. As it is known, the machlokes of Mahari Bei Rav with Rab Bach, b'negia to the inyan of semikhah, that the Mahari Bei Rav gave semikhah to many of his talmidim, and they were ordaining others of, amongst their talmidim to receive semikhah. And one of them was Rab Chaim Vital. And the me'ela beshas he came to the Arizal, Rab Chaim Vital was older than the Arizal. From this we understand that we can rely on the mevinos, on his understanding about the Arizal, the greatness of the Arizal also in Nigla. So the Rab Chaim Vital writes about the Arizal, that he was a very quick mind in delving into the depth of something and grasping something, and everything that he learned, he learned it six times, six different formats as it is in halakha, and one format as it is apikabalah. And he exerted himself to the extent that he would sweat. And the Rebbe continues that

04:03 it's understood the greatness of the Arizal. The Arizal was a kodesh v'toyr. He did not have any machshavos that should distract him, and he didn't have any worries for parnassa, uh, as known that he had a rich relative who supported him, and he would be sitting and learning. And especially with his talents, that he was able to delve into something in great depth and also grasp in a very quick way, and he learned everything in six different formats, six different drachim. It's understood that the matzasa, that the success that he had from this exertion was very much, and especially that he was, he would also be sweating while he was learning. In a sicha from Yotas Kislev Tov Shechach Gimmel, late 1962, the Rebbe discusses this inyan of exertion by the Arizal. That although the Arizal was a lamdan also in the revealed part of Torah, as it is known that he was a talmid of the Shitah Mekubetses, and as there's also tshuvahs from the Arizal, nevertheless, his priority was the study and revelation of Pnimius HaTeyre, inner spheres of Torah. And b'negia to the inyan of Pnimius HaTeyre, it is, uh, mentioned and explained by the Alter Rebbe in Igeres HaKodesh that in Pnimius HaTeyre there's no controversies. B'meila, this is the opposite of exertion. So therefore, the study of the Arizal with exertion was exclusively in the inyan of Nigla de Teyre. So the Rebbe explains why it, there was a need for it, because the inyan of Pnimius HaTeyre was given

06:03 hirule mata- Similar to the inyan of pnim, pnim is haNeshama, in the same sense that the Neshama descended into the guf, into the body, into the animal soul, in order to enhance the body and the animal soul and to enhance one's share in this physical world. And therefore, there is a need for exertion also in nigla haTeyre in order to remove the concealments of the questions. And through this, we remove the darkness of world and of the guf and the animal soul. In a sicha from the Rebbe, Shabbos Parsha Shlach Tov Shin Lamed Ches, 1978, the Rebbe mentions while he's discussing Tzvas, that when the Arizal came from Egypt to Eretz Yisrael to reveal and spread pnim yis haTeyre, he came to Tzvas. And Tzvas is also in the Golil in the north. And this is where he was matzliach to raise talmidim and students of students. And from there, the light went out into the world. The spreading of Teyre Sa'asad Kabbalah in the entire world. In Tov Shin Mem Alef, 1981, it was the first day of Rosh Chodesh year. This was the time when the Rebbe made the Mivtza Sefer Teyre HaKloli campaign. The Rebbe mentioned a certain anhoge of the Arizal. The Rebbe said as follows, as it is mentioned in the writings of the Arizal, that the Arizal chose a specific sefer, a scribe, and asked him that he should write for him a Sefer Teyre. And he mentions there in the Kisvei Arizal that there are those who are

08:01 not mahader in writing a Sefer Teyre because we are not well-versed how certain words should be written. If they should be written minus a certain letter in the word or to include a certain letter as a yeseyra. It's called chaseris v'yeseyris. Nevertheless, the Arizal asked from a sefer that he should write for him a Sefer Teyre. And as it's mentioned further that the sefer wrote all Sefer Teyre besides Hashem's names. And the Arizal himself filled in all the asfores, all the shemes of Hashem with all the kavanas included. And the Rebbe continues that this is something that's recorded for generations. That although we're not well-versed with chaseris v'yeseyris, which means what words should not have a specific letter and what words should have an extra letter, but b'negiah to Maiseh B'Pe'el, the Arizal was mahader to write a Sefer Teyre. Our dear Rebbe b'negiah to the previous Rebbe and Min HaGisro in many places to be mahader and ask that a sefer should write a Sefer Teyre for them. Behemsek to the earlier installment b'negiah to the Arizal, we continue now with installment number two. The full name of the Arizal was Rabbi Yitzchak Luria ben Rab Shlomo. In abbreviation, which spells out Ho Arizal, the Rebbe mentions in his sicha in Tov Shemem Zayin in 1987 that it is Ho Eliki Adineinu Rabbeinu Yitzchak Zichrenei L'vracha. This is the abbreviation of the word Ho Arizal. Discussing his minhogim, customs, and shita, there's a yechidus from the Rebbe in Tov Shemem Zayin in 1984, where

10:06 the Rebbe in yechidus spoke with the Rabbonim HaRashim, the chief rabbis from Eretz Yisroel, and the Rebbe spoke about minhogi HaArizal amongst other inyanim. That there are minhogim that are shayach to every individual Yid, and then there are minhogim that are shayach to a specific group of talmidim, of students. In other words, the Rebbe says, all the minhogim of the Arizal that were revealed to us are shayach to his talmidim. But there is a difference between the talmidim themselves. Some are shayach to a certain hanhoge, and some of them are not shayach to their hanhoge. And the meila b'shas, there's a combination of all of them together, so then the aveiga of the Arizal is accomplished b'shleimus. U'lechoir, that not only mekubolim, not only kabbalists, but also ba'alei nigla, those that study the Talmud, agree that the Arizal is the lion, and his words are accepted in all circles of the Jewish nation. To the extent that even when there was a controversy between Chassidim and Mesnagdim, le'atova le'aleinu, not to have any effect now, the Alter Rebbe and the Gro were both with the same opinion b'negiah the greatness and reliability of the Arizal. And the Rebbe continues b'hemsek to what we mentioned b'negiah the Arizal, there's a certain inyan that was nischadesh, that was founded in the time of the Arizal b'negiah the study of pnim yis ha'teirah. In the earlier generations prior to the Arizal, chachmas ha'kabbalah was concealed, and it was only by selected individuals that studied kabbalah and also in

12:03 a private manner, not in public. But in the generation of the Arizal, this status changed. As the Arizal writes that davka in these last generations, it is permissible and it is a mitzvah to reveal this chachmah. In addition to that, the study of Pnimy Sateida brings the geulah. As it's mentioned, the say that when Yidden will taste from the tree of life, which is Sefer Ha'azayah, Yidden will go out from Galus with mercy. And as Rav Chaim Vital writes in the Agdamot Hashar Agdamot Bene Geir, the great necessity of studying Pnimy Sateida to the extent that the lack of the study of Pnimy Sateida is the only reason for the extension of the Galus. Since Vasgaha Pratys, the broadcast is the night of Erev Tishabov, Mele will also connect it with Geulah. The Rebbe in his Sicha Achan Shel Pesach Tov Shin Chof Gimel, nineteen sixty-three, quotes what it says in Pri Etz Hayim, which are the writings of the Arizal's Teydah, Bene Geir to the Arizal, that it was when he slept once in the Shabbos day, he heard BeYeshiva Shel Maila from heaven in the topic of Parshas Bolok and Bilam, wonderful inyonim, that he will, he would not be able to explain it orally in meshach of eighty years. Which means that the Arizal visualized in a few hours of a Shabbos day, wonderful inyonim in the higher spiritual spheres, that it would take eighty years to explain it in words. Ve'zet hamu'a. El Chayil, this is a puzzle. How could it

14:06 be that a person should be able to grasp in his thought in one hour, or another place it says a few hours, for which he would need eighty years to deliver? And the explanation is that his hasagah, his understanding was in the way of vision, ria. He saw the essence of chachmah, which is a lot higher than seichel, understanding and grasping it like one grasps it with his thought and with letters, with words, and that's how a person understands it in his mind. And therefore, it's understood that to bring down such an inyan in words, it would take that much of time. Al pi zer muvan, the Rebbe says, with this we'll also understand that in the same sense, Mashiach will teach the whole nation pnimy yisateida, tayme teida. He will learn with millions, billions of people, klal also including the Oves Hamashiach Rabbeinu, that also they will have what to learn from him because the limud will be in a way of ria. They will visualize godliness, which is something that cannot come down in words in a short time, but it needs a long duration of time. But they will be seeing it with their very eyes. And as the Rebbe explains in the Sicha in Tov Shim Mem Beis in nineteen eighty-two, how we find examples of this by many. In a farbrengen, Rishishone Tov Shin Daled Mem, late 1983, the Rebbe then made a chidush at the farbrengen. Usually at the farbrengen, the Rebbe would mention the Rabbeim from the Baal

16:06 Shem Tov to the previous Rebbe. But the Rebbe says since we need to add more increase, so therefore we should also add the name of the Arizal. And the Rebbe continues, it shouldn't be a wonder why we didn't do it in the previous years, since this is the inyan of lafas alah, that there's always a need for an increase. And when the auspicious time comes, the appropriate time comes, it is then revealed. Also something that wasn't known from before. So the Rebbe says the reason that it's revealed now is understood, as we mentioned earlier in the name of the Arizal, that davka in these last generations, it is permissible and a mitzvah to reveal this chachmah. And then the Rebbe continues that the name of the Arizal is connected with inyan, inyan of redemption. The name of the Arizal in Hebrew is Yitzchak. The name of the Arizal is Yitzchak. And although the inyan of the Beis Hamikdash, Beis Hamikdash Hashlishi in particular is connected with Yankef, still the Gemara tells us in Shabbos, in the tractate of Shabbos eighty-nine B, that in the upcoming redemption, Yidden will identify with Yitzchak and saying, Ki ato avinu, you are our father, which means that the upcoming redemption is connected with the inyan of Yitzchak. In a Sicha Shabbos Parshat Vorim Tov Shin Lamed Vav nineteen seventy-six, the Rebbe mentioned that the Arizal has a kesher with Mashiach, as it's mentioned bekam hamakemes that he is the inyan of Mashiach ben Yosef. In a Sicha Tov Shin

18:02 Nun Beis, the Rebbe mentioned In a sicha that was published in Tafshin Nun Beis in 1992, in a footnote, it is quoted from this Dehemet in the sicha that bederach hazeh, in this manner, it was always figured in every generation who is going to be Mashiach. Rabbeinu HaKadosh, in his generation, they said and knew that he is the appropriate person for it. And likewise, in every generation, there needs to be one who is mochser prone and appropriate in if the Jewish nation will merit the geulah. And based on this, the talmidim of the Arizal wrote that by Yomov, in his time, it was the Arizal. And this Dehemet concludes, v'chol zel poshet, and that is very simple. Behemshech to the earlier installments be-negea to the Arizal HaRav Yitzchak Luria. We're continuing now with installment number three. We'll discuss a sicha of the Rebbe from Shabbos Parshas Mini Tafshin Yud Ches 1958 be-negea to the Arizal. The Rebbe says in the sicha there's a story in the Sefer Shlachei HaArizal where a great part of the sifpurim stories that are mentioned in the Sefer are also found in Kisvei Arizal, in the ksavim of the Torah of the Arizal, which this is also a chelek in Torah and bemeil also a directive in Araveda. And the story goes as follows. The Arizal would customarily go out with his talmidim to greet Shabbos in the field, as it is the seder al pi kabbalah that we need to go out to the field to greet Pnei Shabbos

20:18 HaMalkah, Shabbos the Queen. On one occasion, while they're going out in the field, the Arizal said to his talmidim, you want to go to Yerushalayim to be mekabel Shabbos? This is as they find themselves in Tzvas, he is offering them that they'll be able to make it to Yerushalayim to be mekabel Shabbos. But since they would need to leave their family for Shabbos, so chelek of the talmidim responded that they first have to notify their wives. In the same sense that it says in Gemara, in the Talmud, ezal ve'imlech betviso, he will first talk it over with his wife. By the Arizal, when he heard that, he had an afilas haruach, his mood went down, and the plan was canceled. And the Arizal continued that if you would have gone with me now, we would have been able to bring Mashiach. So the Rebbe elaborates on the story, v'lechaira, how is it possible that discussing something with one's wife is a contradiction to bring the geulah? This is the seder al pi Torah, that when it comes to worldly matters, a person's conduct needs to be in a manner of discussing with his wife. Uvefrat, when it comes to inyonim of Shabbos, which the inyon of Shabbos candles is for the sake, purpose of peace, shalom, bein ish li-ishti, bein a husband and a wife. And in Shabbos, there are many obligations from the husband to the wife. So bemeil an inyon, which is completely al pi Torah. And based on Shulchan Aruch, how could

22:16 this delay the geulah? The Rebbe explains that the answer for this is a cheshbon is taka cheshbon, a calculation is a calculation. But when it comes to mechumah, it is not appropriate. It is impossible to bring Mashiach through such an hogeh. When they hear a hirah, a directive from the Arizal, from their Rebbe, to take out the Shulchan Aruch and to turn to a meil hirah, to know what to do, if it doesn't contradict it, in such a manner, a person, talmidim, were not able to bring Mashiach. And this is not only al pi chasidus, al pi pnimis of inyonim, this is also al pi nigla de Torah. When they heard something from the Arizal, who was a goen goggle, also in nigla, as it's mentioned in Likuti Torah, betaymi amitzes from Rab Chaim Vital, they should have known that they can rely on him, that he will in no way mislead them to do chas v'shalom something which is the opposite of halacha. And if one has doubts in the words of his Rebbe, this implies that he is lacking in this kasrus of his to the Rebbe. The Gemara says in Erevim, dav samach zayin, seifam at base, which is 67b, that when it comes to inyonim of the Rabbonim, first they do and then they ask questions. They first follow what the Chacham tells them, and then they can check and ask, inquire, if they did good. So the Rebbe asks the question, if there is a place for a question, how

24:11 is it that they can do something without asking? So the Rebbe continues and explains that when inyonim were given over to the Rabbonim, so the first thing that is demanded from their students, there should be inyon of iskasrus. And the meaning al pi nigla in a logical sense is that they need to know that the Rabbonim are also big scholars and they can rely on them. Ay, the cheire, he has a question. The answer is that the reason that he has a question is because he is lacking the true exertion in Torah. And when he will have a true exertion in Torah and he will merit to attain the inyonim of Torah on a higher level, he will realize that the halacha, the din, is like the words of the Rabbonim. And the Rebbe continues, the pnimis of inyon is that there needs to be iskasrus and kabbalah se'il, taking upon oneself the yoke of what he's told to do, to listen to the words of the Rabbonim without any calculations. The Rebbe was then referring to inyonim of shlichos as the Rebbe continued to elaborate in great length.