The 5th of Menachem Av: Hilulo of The Arizal Hachai

00:01 As we find ourselves behemshech 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, nineteen ninety, that in the pasuk in Parshah Beshalach when it says, "Avnei Yisroel yetzim beyad rama," that Yidden went out from Egypt, "beyad rama," uplifted hand. So the Targum, the Aramaic translation is Beresh Gilé. That Beresh, the four letters, beis, reish, yud, shin is a Rosh Antiques, is an abbreviation of the name of Rab Shimon Ben Yochai, Rab Shimon Ben Yochai, and also the Arizal, Rab Yitzchak Ben Shlama, and the Baal Shem Tov, Rab Yisroel Ben Sora, 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 HaTera, which is the Tera 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 Lammed nineteen seventy, the Rebbe refers to a certain inyan in Halakha and discusses it about mitzvahs that women are exempt from and

02:04 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 Ralbach, 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 Apikabala. And he exerted himself to the extent that he would sweat. And the Rebbe continues that it's understood

04:04 the greatness of the Arizal. The Arizal was a kodesh ve'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 Yutaskis Lev Tov Shechach Gimel, late nineteen sixty-two, 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 tshuvus from the Arizal, nevertheless, his priority was the study and revelation of Pnimius HaTera, inner spheres of Torah. And b'negia to the inyan of Pnimius HaTera, it is, uh, mentioned and explained by the Alter Rebbe in Igeres HaKodesh that in Pnimius HaTera 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 the Torah. So the Rebbe explains why it-- there was a need for it, because the inyan of Pnimius HaTera was given hir'ula

06:03 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 haTeyrah 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 is haTeyrah, 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 Teyrah 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 Teyrah 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 Teyrah. And he mentions there in the Kisvei Arizal that there are those who are not

08:01 mahader in writing a Sefer Teyrah because we are not well-versed how certain words should be written. They should be written minus a certain letter in the word or to include a certain letter as a yesirah. It's called chaseris v'yeseris. Nevertheless, the Arizal asked from a sefer that he should write for him a Sefer Teyrah. And as it's mentioned further that the sefer wrote all Sefer Teyrah besides Hashem's names. And the Arizal himself filled in all the hasbares, 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'yeseris, 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 Teyrah. 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 Teyrah 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 1984, where the Rebbe in

10:07 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 anhoge, and some of them are not shayach to their anhoge. 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 pnimis 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 a private manner, not

12:06 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 ze'a, that when Yidden will taste from the tree of life, which is Sefer Ha'ze'a, Yidden will go out from galus with mercy. And as Rav Chaim Vital writes in the Agdamot Tesharag Agdamot Benagir, 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 Esicha Achan Shopesach Tov Shin Hav Gimel, nineteen sixty-three, quotes what it says in Pri Etz Hayim, which are the writings of the Arizal's Teda Benagir to the Arizal, that it was when he slept once in the Shabbos day, he heard BeYeshiva Shel Maela from heaven in the topic of Parches Bolok and Bilom, wonderful in yonim, that he will, he would not be able to explain it orally in meshech of eighty years. Which means that the Arizal visualized in a few hours of a Shabbos day, wonderful in yonim, 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 be that a person should be

14:08 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 asavi, 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 pizem movin, the Rebbe says, with this we'll also understand that in the same sense, Mashiach will teach the whole nation pnimy es hateida, tayme teida. He will learn with millions, billions of people, kalel also including the Oves Hamisha 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 Shim Dalet Mem, late 1983, the Rebbe then made a chidush at the farbrengen. Usually at the farbrengen, the Rebbe would mention the Rabbeim from the Bashem Tif to the previous Rebbe. But

16:08 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 lafasalah, 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 89B, 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 Dorim Tov Shim Lamed Vav 1976, the Rebbe mentioned that the Arizal has a kasher with Mashiach, as it's mentioned bekamam kemester, he is the inyan of Mashiach ben Yosef. In a Sicha Tov Shim Nun Beis, the Rebbe mentioned In a sicha that was published

18:14 in Tosafot Nun Beis in nineteen ninety-two, in a footnote, it is quoted from this Dehemet in the sicha that bederech hazeh, in this manner, it was always figured in every generation who is gonna 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 Ari Z"L wrote that be yom ov, in his time, it was the Ari Z"L. And this Dehemet concludes, "Vechol zeh pashut," and that is very simple. Behemshech to the earlier installments, B'negiah, to the Ari Z"L, Harav Yitzchak Luria. We're continuing now with installment number three. We'll discuss a sicha of the Rebbe from Shabbos Parshat HaShmini, Tosafot Yud Ches, nineteen fifty-eight, B'negiah, to the Ari Z"L. The Rebbe says in the sicha there's a story in the Sefer Shlach Lecha Ari Z"L, where a great part of the Sipurim stories that are mentioned in the Sefer are also found in Kisvei Ari Z"L, in the Kesavim of the Torah of the Ari Z"L, which this is also a chelek in Torah, and b'meile also a, a directive in Ara Veda. And the story goes as follows. The Ari Z"L would customarily go out with his talmidim to greet Shabbos in the field, as it is the Sefer Al Pi Kabbalah, that we need to go out to the field to greet

20:17 Pnei Shabbos HaMalka, Shabbos the Queen. On one occasion, while they're going out in the field, the Ari Z"L said to his talmidim, "You want to go to Yerushalayim to be Mekabel Shabbos?" This is as they find themselves in Sfas, 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, "Ezol ve... Ezol ve-imlech betviso," he will first talk it over with his wife. By the Ari Z"L, when he heard that, he had an efeles haruach. His mood went down, and the plan was canceled. And the Ari Z"L 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'lichaire." How is it possible that discussing something with one's wife is a contradiction to bring the geulah? This is the Sefer 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. Ubefrat, when it comes to inyonim of Shabbos, which the inyan of Shabbos candles is for the sake, purpose of peace, shalom ben ish le'ishto, been, uh, husband and the wife. And in Shabbos, there are many obligations be- from the husband to the wife. So b'meile, an inyan which is completely Al Pi

22:13 Torah, and based on Shulchan Aruch, how could this delay the geulah? The Rebbe explains that the answer for this is, "A cheshbon is haka cheshbon." A calculation is a calculation, but when it comes to lichama, it is not appropriate. It is impossible to bring Mashiach through such an hogeh. When they hear a hirah, a directive from the Ari Z"L, from their Rebbe, to take out the Shulchan Aruch and to turn to a meile 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 Chassidus, Al Pi Pnimiyut HaInyanim, this is also Al Pi Nigla DeTorah. When they heard something from the Ari Z"L, who was a gaon gadol, also in Niglah, as it's mentioned in Likutey 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 halakhah. 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 Eruvin, daf samach zayin, seif amud beis, which is sixty-seven B, that when it comes to inyanim 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,

24:07 if there is a place for a question, how is it that they can do something without asking? So the Rebbe continues and explains that when inyanim were given over to the Rabbonim, so the first thing that is demanded from their students, there should be inyan of iskasrus. And the meaning Al Pi Niglah in a logical sense is that they need to know that the Rabbonim are also big scholars, and they can rely on them. Ai v'chaire, 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 inyanim of Torah on a higher level, he will realize that the halakhah, the din, is like the words of the Rabbonim. And the Rebbe continues, the pnimiyut ha'inyan is that there needs to be iskasrus and kabbalas ol, 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 inyanim of shlichus as the Rebbe continued to elaborate in great length.