The Tenth of Teves: The Rebbe's Insights

00:01 The topic that we'll be discussing today is Asara b'Tevet, the tenth of Tevet. It is, uh, a fast day tomorrow, which is, um, in order to remember the siege that was placed on Yerushalayim. This was in the time of the first Beit Hamikdash, and after a few years, the wall was breached. This was Shiva Asar B'Tammuz, and then came Tisha B'Av, which was the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash and the exile of the Jewish people. So it all started Asara b'Tevet a few years earlier. And it was from Taf Shin Lamed Ches Elul, which is early 1978, that not only Chassidim, but the whole world merited that the Rebbe began speaking on fast days, uh, after Mincha. This was something new, something different. Uh, and o- the four fast days, the usual ones, which are Asara b'Tevet, Ta'anit Esther, Shiva Asar B'Tammuz, and Tzemach Gedaliah, the Rebbe would speak after Mincha on the topic of the day, um, connected with the Chitas of the day, sometimes the Rambam, um, portion of the day, and then the Rebbe would distribute dollars. So these sichas are from that, um, Ta'anit, that fast day on, uh... And they were generally, um, said do-- after Mincha. There were times that the Rebbe, uh, edited his sicha, especially Asara b'Tevet, we find many sichas from the Rebbe that are edited. As you have it here in the footnotes, in number two, you have that some of them are in the Likutei Sichos volume Chaf 20, and some are Chaf Heh

02:04 volume 25. So we're gonna discuss a compilation of sichas of the Rebbe, insights on what sh- the Ta'anit of Asara b'Tevet signifies. It begins with Asara b'Tevet are basically, uh, psukim, verses in Tanakh, in the Prophets. It's in Melachim, Yirmeyahu, Yechezkel. "Vahi b'shnas ha'shiyis," it was in the ninth day, "l'molchei," in the rulership, the king-kingdom of Tzidkiyahu HaMelech. It was, "Ba'chodesh ha'asiri," in the tenth month, tenth month from Nisan. "Be'aser la'chodesh," in the tenth day of the tenth month, Asara b'Tevet. "Ba Nevuchadnezzar Melech Bavel," Nebuchadnezzar came, "Hu vechol cheylai al Yerushalayim." He came, he put a siege on Yerushalayim. "Vayichan aleha," he parked over there. "Gemer bato veyo'ir bamotsev." The city came under siege. And then it go-- continue, "S'mach Melech Bavel al Yerushalayim be'etzem hayom ha'zeh," that the Melech Bavel, the king of Bavel, Babylonia, put a siege on Yerushalayim, "Be'etzem hayom ha'zeh," in the midst of this day. In comparison to other fast days, and in addition to that, even in comparison to Yom Kippur. As the Rebbe explains further that the calendar setting of Asara b'Tevet shows that it's on a higher level yet, in a sense, over Yom Kippur, because Yom Kippur is basically... Yom Kippur is the tenth day in the seventh month. Chodesh ha'shmini, Tishri, is the seventh month of, from Nisan. Asara b'Tevet is the tenth day in the tenth month. The number ten signifies a very high spiritual level, and therefore, it symbolizes a, a unique spiritual sefirah lemalah. And therefore, when it is ten of ten,

04:17 that shows the shleimus, full completeness, the-- in a very high climax level, as we'll discuss it further. So the Rebbe, in a sicha, in the second paragraph, "Behamu'ula," in the event that took place Asara b'Tevet, "Hu ma she'bais samach Melech Bavel al Yerushalayim," that Bavel, uh, the king of Bavel, placed a siege on Yerushalayim. "Inei af'al pi sheYerushalayim nishara b'shleimus," although Yerushalayim was left complete, it was intact. Yerushalayim was not destroyed at that point. It wa-- there was just a siege around Yerushalayim. "Af'al pi ken yesh cheimer be'Asara b'Tevet al Shiva Asar b'Tammuz ve'af'al Tisha B'Av." There is a certain harshness in the halakha, b'negia, the fast day of Asara b'Tevet, more yet than Shiva Asar b'Tammuz, more yet than Tisha B'Av. "D'amer sheyu Tevet hu meshannah," Yu Tevet is different than the other Ta'anit, that if it would fall out on Shabbos, we would have to fast on Shabbos. But at this point, it will never happen because in the Jewish calendar, Asara b'Tevet cannot fall out Shabbos, because if it falls out, if it falls out Shabbos, then a whole different, uh, group of days will fall out Shabbos, which cannot be. And number two, "Bezoas Mashiach hakein hu" won't be a fast day anymore. So in the practical sense, it cannot happen in our time. But if it would have happened, which could have been in the past, chassidim said a certain point maybe, we would have to fast on Shabbos because it says, "B'negia to Asara b'Tevet be'etzem hayom ha'zeh," in

06:03 the midst of the day, "Kemei beyom Hakipurim," like by Yom Kippur, we fast even when it's on Shabbos. In the same sense also b'negia to, uh, Asara b'Tevet. So what do we derive from that? We derive from that is that if it falls out On Shabbos you have to fast because it is be'etzem hayom hazeh, in the midst of the day, even on Shabbos. That's how we derive by Yom Kippur that, uh, we do need to fast even on Shabbos. By Tisha B'Av, which is the harshest, uh, in the sense of the, um, tragedy that struck them. The first Beis Hamikdash destroyed, the second Beis Hamikdash destroyed. And then we have, um, many other tragedies that happened on the day, the Inquisition, World War I, different inyanim that happened, happened around it. V'meila, still, despite all this, if it falls on Shabbos, we don't fast. Tisha B'Av is always nitcha. It's always pushed off. V'meila, it, it doesn't come to the harshness of Asara b'Tevet. So now the Rebbe asked the question, "Am na madayon tzarich lehovan." Still need to understand. "Heh nemes," it is true that when it get to Asara b'Tevet, it says in the passuk, "Be'etzem hayom hazeh," in the midst of the day like it says by Yom Kippur, "Umezel hameidim," and from this we derive that if it would fall on Shabbos, we would not be able to push it off. "Avladaiyim dorish bier." It still needs an explanation. What is the reason that Asara b'Tevet is singled out from

07:34 amongst all fast days that it should be, uh, compared to as equal as Yom Kippur? And which it should say, "Be'etzem hayom hazeh," and because and as a result that it says, "Be'etzem hayom hazeh," in the midst of the day, so this tells us that we have to fast on Shabbos also. So the question is, why is it Hashgachah Protis, divine providence, that Asara b'Tevet davka from all fast days, if it falls on Shabbos, we would have to fast? "Vehabir bazeh," the explanation is, "Hatam hazeh uyesh lemar pnei she'oz irah ba tov yo'ir ba motzah." Because this is when the city was placed under siege. "Hainu she'oz hoyah aschalah." This is when it was the beginning. "Shegoram safei safei atibak ha'ir." This brought about eventually, a few years later, that the city's walls were breached, were destroyed. Shevaaseh betamos. "Umekivven sheinyanim." Since the concept of the four fast days, "Hem kedei le'erel halevavot," are to inspire the hearts to open up the way for teshuva, for repentance. "V'lachen yesh chemer ve'teikef meyukhad betzem d'Asara b'Tevet." Therefore, there is a harshness and a strength in the halakha benagir, the fast day of Asara b'Tevet. "Mapnei she'oz hoyah ha'asra mil'ma'alah." This was the warning from above, that if they will not do teshuva, there will be a negative continuation. So v'meila, from this it comes out that since it's the beginning, it has a significance and a harshness that, that, um, the other fast days don't have. The other fast days was similar to a chain reaction.

09:23 Ma sheheankeim when it comes to Asara b'Tevet, it was a beginning. Beginning means it's the potential for everything that followed. So now we go on. "Umekivven shechurban Bayis Sheni," the destruction of the Second Beis Hamikdash and the galus through which there is a hemsech, is a continuation of the first Beis Hamikdash, from the destruction of the first Beis Hamikdash. From this we understand that Asara b'Tevet is the beginning and the cause for the general concept of galus exile. It opened up everything. Now the Rebbe is gonna explain how the descent of Asara b'Tevet is even harsher than other fast days and even, um, the harshest fast days. "Inyan meyukhad sheyesh betzem d'Asiri b'Tevet," there's a, um, a significant unique inyan in Asara b'Tevet which is even harsher yet than the other tinies. "Hine yeshneh hachlal," there's a klal, "Uasiri yihye kodesh." That the tenth should be holy. Everything that's ten is sacred. Yeah, by ma'aser. "Vehatzem d'Asiri b'Tevet nikra beshem tzem ha'asiri." Asara b'Tevet is referred to the tenth, the, the fast of the tenth, which means it is in the tenth month. You have tzem chulevi, is Shiva Asar B'Tammuz. Tzem hachamishi is Tisha B'Av. Tzem ha'asiri is Tevet, Asara b'Tevet. So basically, it's called the tenth, the fast of the tenth month. It is found in the tenth month, and in the tenth month itself it is be'oser l'chodesh. It's the tenth day of the tenth month. "Shezem mareh al gegel hayerida b'meura d'Asiri b'Tevet." This displays, this, uh, uh, shows the great

11:20 descent in the event of Asara b'Tevet. "L'lei habeit," despite the fact, "Ama shezeh hoyah chodesh ha'asiri," although this was the chodesh asiri, the tenth month, "Bayom ha'asiri," in the tenth day, "Veha'asiri yihye kodesh," and the tenth is considered sacred, "Hine af al pi ken, beis hamach melech Bavel al Yerushalayim." Despite all this, such a unique, positive, sacred potential day, despite all this, Melech Bavel was able to put a siege on Yerushalayim. So that shows from such a positive potential to such a descent. "Vezeh hoyah aschalas kol ha'meoros," and this was the beginning of all the events, "D'hatzem yesh'eiru achakach," that happened after that. So this is basically what the descent of Asara b'Tevet is. A descent of asiri she'b'asiri- Ten in general shows Now the Rebbe compares Asara B'Teves with Yom Kippur. Yes, there's a klal, there's a klal, "Ho'asiri yihye kodesh," the tenth should be sacred. With Asara B'Teves and in Asara B'Teves mudgash dover beyeser, it's stressed even more yet because where do we find ten in multiples is by Asara B'Teves. The yes by yom asiri, the chodesh asiri, it is the tenth day of the tenth month. Kleimar asiri she'b'asiri, it is the tenth of the tenth. Hey, mitzad mahalach halevona, mitzad the lunar cycle, it is the tenth month. Mitzad the solar cycle, it is the tenth day in the month. So bemeileh, it is a shlemus from all aspects, from the m-moon and from the sun. V'gam be'inyan zeh, also in this is stressed the connection that it has

14:02 with Yom Kippur. She'ali af hu be'aser lachodesh asiri yihye kodesh. Also he is, uh, be'aser lachodesh, the tenth of the month, asiri yihye kodesh. So l'cheira, they're the same thing. So the Rebbe says, "Amnam shlemus zu d'Asara B'Teves hi be'helam." The shlemus of Asara B'Teves at this point is in a concealed state. It's not a Yom Tov like Yom Kippur. Utzrichim d'galeyta, and avoda v'yiddis that a person yiddis to reveal it, min ha'helam el hagilah, from concealed to revealed. Al yedei avodas hatshuva, through tshuva hamagale es inyonim u'amitis shel yom zeh, through tshuva that reveals the true essence of the day. Yom rotzon Hashem, it is a day, an auspicious time for Has-- for, for a Yid because this is auspicious time by Hashem, so therefore it's a time of tshuva. Every fast day is a time of tshuva. So the Rebbe writes in Igrot Ha-Tshuva. V'al pi ha'omer lihil, and based on what we mentioned earlier, al dwar hakesher b'negia the connection of Asara B'Teves im Yom HaKippurim, sheb'shneiem then both ne'emar b'etzem hayom hazeh, in both it says b'etzem hayom hazeh nimtza, shegam inyan d'avodas hatshuva. There also the inyan of avodas hatshuva, which is the contents of all fast days. Avoda of a fast day is basically to repent, and it is an auspicious time for that. Mudgash beyeser b'Asara B'Teves, it is stressed more in Asara B'Teves than in all the fast days. Al derech ubedugma hatshuva d'Yom HaKippurim hakshura im itzuma shel yom. By Yom HaKippurim we find that the

15:55 day itself forgives, itzuma shel yom, to the extent as there's a, a controversy in Gemara that if, chas v'shalom, somebody sinned on Yom Kippur, so there is a controversy between Rebbe and the Rabona, does he have to do tshuva? According to one opinion, he has to repent. According to Rebbe, Rebbe says he doesn't have to repent. The day alone takes care of it, which means that the day is so powerful that it can clear everything on its own. In the same sense, by Asara B'Teves, because it says b'etzem hayom hazeh, again, the same, uh, uh, words like by Yom Kippur, which means the essence, the midst, the essence. Therefore, also, this is the potential that we have on Asara B'Teves. The auspiciousness of the day, Asara B'Teves, in addition to i-it being a fast day, it is also connected with Yom Kippur to a certain extent. These sichas that the Rebbe began saying on fast days continued from taf shin lamed Ches to taf shin nun bes, fourteen years straight, year after year. On the four fast days, the Rebbe spoke every year like a clock. It started in a very sudden way, in a surprise. People didn't expect it. We never had it before. We never heard about it in the sense by the Rabbeim, but the Rebbe said that there is a mineg that when it comes to a fast day, a person should speak divrei mussar. Mussar means teaching people, um, um, guiding people b'negia teshuvah, divrei chushin it's called. So therefore,

17:35 the Rebbe says although he didn't see it by the previous Rebbe, the Rebbe mentioned a certain city where the previous Rebbe was and, um, the Rebbe did not see it by the Friediker Rebbe. Uh, still, the Rebbe then began this inyan and it continued for fourteen years. The Rebbe began with Asara B'Teves, and the last fast day that the Rebbe spoke, uh, was Asara B'Teves. This was a few months before the stroke. So basically, it started with Asara B'Teves and concluded with Asara B'Teves. So now we go on. What actually does it signify? The siege of Yerushalayim. So the Rebbe- Explains, «הקדוש ברוך הוא מקדים רפואה למכה», the Aibishter brings the remedy before the illness. «היינו שעד לפני התחלת הגלות», that already before the beginning of the Galut, «כבר הראה הקדוש ברוך הוא רפואה», the Aibishter already gave the refuah the remedy. אמרו חז"ל, the Rebbe begins, um, in detail. Our sages say, «שהסיבה לגלות האחרונה», the reason for the last exile was the sin of Sinas Chinam. Of Sinas Chinam, free hatred, hatred without reason. ומזה מובן, from this we understand, «שהרפואה על זה», the remedy, «הווא היפך מזה», is the opposite, «היינו אהבה חינם». אהבה חינם, to love a Yid without any reason. The same way that the hate is without a reason. So a hundred and eighty degree turn is the love without a reason. «אהבת ישראל ובשלמות האחדות ישראל». מזה מובן, from this we understand, «שכמקרה בקשר למצור בירושלים». In the same sense, it is in regards to the siege of

19:28 Yerushalayim which marked the beginning of exile. «הנה אז כבר הראה לו דעת אפם תיקון הגלות». This showed already the beginning, uh, format how to correct the Galut. And the Rebbe explains it in a practical sense what took place when they were under siege, which potentially could have accomplished that there should be no des-- no destruction of the Beis Hamikdash, no Galut v'chulum. So the Rebbe continues, «הפעולה של מצור בפשטות הוא אין יוצא ואין בא». What is the pu'ala of a, a siege? A pu'ala of a siege is nobody can leave, nobody can come in. City is under siege, it's locked. «והיינו שזהו מצב», it is a matzva situation that everybody must remain together in the same city, Yerushalayim. In our case, Yerushalayim. What is the significance of Yerushalayim? «שעניין העיר שחוברה לו יחדיו». A city that connects and unites the whole Jewish nation as one. The Rebbe continues, «ועד זה», even more yet, that the siege of Yerushalayim brings about that not only the, all the Yidden should be as one, but that this achdus, this unity should be in a place which is called Yerushalayim, which has the acronym Shleimus Ha'yira, the completion of fear of Hashem. Achdus, that a unity that is based on Torah and mitzvos. So that is basically what took place there. They found themselves under siege and as a result of that united together. There should have been, uh, um, brought about a unity and in a place which is an auspicious place, the fear of Hashem. Shleimus Ha'yira,

21:30 the completion of the fear of Hashem. So this was the potential, sadly, that they did not use out this occasion, and bemeheilah two and a half years later was the churban. Now we go on to a specific word in the verse which-- where it says, "סמך מלך בבל". סמך מלך בבל means literally he placed a siege on Yerushalayim. So the Rebbe asked the question, why is he using the word samach? Samach means support. He should have said another word. He should have said heitar. Uh, he placed a, a, a, um, siege. Why is the word samach? Samach is a positive word, as we say it in Ashrei every day, «סמך ה' לכל הנפלים». The Aibishter supports, the Aibishter, um, ho-holds, holds them up. So the Rebbe explains three or four different meanings how the samach comes in here and what it tells us. One of the heroes that we derive from the event of our cking is, «מה שבא סמך מלך בבל על ירושלים», which means the matzor. The matzor, the, um, siege is described in the pasuk with an expression of samach, which shows positive, uh, uh, uh, pu'ala, a positive act. ולכאורה הרי תיבע סמך פירוש החזק. Samach means strengthening, exactly the opposite of placing a siege. So why are we using here? Why is it that in this pasuk the expression is samach when it give the siege on Yerushalayim? It's not an inyan of support. It's not an inyan of strength. It's the opposite. And the Kodesh HaBir basar, so the

23:25 Rebbe explains, that's one explanation, כל עניינים שבעולם נשתלש им מקדושה. All the inyanim in the world result from kedusha. ולכן מובן שגם והטוב יאיר במצור. When we say that the city came under siege, הנה בשורשיה זה עניין הטוב וקדושה. In its root, it is an inyan of tov and kedusha, good and sacred. ולכן נאמר גם כן סמך מלך בבל. That it says samach because even in this, uh, uh, event that took place, in its root it was positive, but as it came down here it resulted in a negative effect. מפני שעניין זה מצד עצמו הנה זה עניין טוב, it was good. ובאם היו מנצלים זה כדי בו. If they would have fulfilled it in the right way, they would have utilized it in the right way. As mentioned earlier, that Yidden were all together in Yerushalayim that should have brought about the achdus. They could have avoided the churban. So if they would have done it right in a practical sense, it would have also descended in this physical world in a prac-- in a positive sense. וזה מוכח, this is obvious, מהסיפור דסנחריב, from the story of Sanacharib, שהיה אז מצב קשה יותר ממוצא דנבוכדנצר. It was then a more difficult situation than the time of Nebuchadnezzar when he destroyed the Beis Hamikdash. היה מצב הצבא שבסנחריב, the army that placed siege on Yerushalayim of Sanacharib, היו הרבה יותר מנבוכדנצר. The number of soldiers of Sanacharib were much more than those of Nebuchadnezzar. והיה מצד המעמד ומצב ישראל, and also from the perspective of

25:13 the situation of Yidden, in the time of the siege of Sancheriv, he was a step away from Yerushalayim. If he would have used the occasion of his coming to Neve, that is basically the Haftarah of Achron Shel Pesach. He was ready to strike Yerushalayim. He had ten thousand soldiers, and they were at the wall and ready to enter. He would have been able to conquer Yerushalayim immediately. The siege of Nebuchadnezzar that took a longer time. When did the first Inyan happen to Sancheriv? It happened the night of Pesach. It was the night of Pesach, uh, before that, by the way, it's true that he put place the siege on Yerushalayim. The king was Chizkiyahu HaMelech, and Chizkiyahu HaMelech said to the Aibishter, "I don't have any keach, I'm going to sleep." He davened, and he says, "That's all I can do." And the Aibishter struck Sancheriv By the Motzer, the siege of Sancheriv In one second, they all were destroyed. They all died out, mames in a second. The, the whole army at the wall collapsed. The siege was nullified in-- with a great victory. This nitzachon had the potential to bring the upcoming redemption. Chizkiyahu in his time had the potential of being Mashiach. The reason that it did not happen, the Gemara says because he did not say shira after the miracle that happened with Sancheriv-- against Sancheriv. And because he did not say shira then, he did not sing, he didn't thank Hashem, therefore the revelation of Mashiach was postponed. And as

27:34 the Rebbe once said, the Lashon, a Ma'aseh of at least nineteen hundred years. And I think the Rebbe said even more yet because, uh, he was in the earlier kings. The Rebbe says from this we understand We understand it even in a stronger way because to the Motzer of Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar was the tenth of Teves. So the Rebbe says, if by Sancheriv a miracle happened, although it was in one split second, for surely when it comes to the Motzer of Nebuchadnezzar, which was a siege for two and a half years If Yidden would have fulfilled it and, um, brought about unity in the Jewish nation That the Motzer, the siege would have been nullified The Rebbe says it would have been a positive effect Till the Gul HaSidah. So basically what the Rebbe is saying is that there was a potential that should be very positive, and logically it could have happened because if the time of Sancheriv we can understand it, it happened very quick. The miracle happened very quick, and the melech we see that it was a, a, a very quick miracle. Surely by Nebuchadnezzar when the Jewish nation were given a few years to bring about unity. So that is one explanation how we can understand that there's a positivity in this siege. Samach, that's why it's called Samach, which means support, strengthening, holding up. Now we go to Seif Beis, another explanation how the Samach comes in. And these are different years, different talks that the Rebbe gave, and each

29:30 time a different insight. The ultimate intention in the, in the descent of is in order to bring it to a higher ascent, to a higher level, a higher standard. How does one accomplish it? A person converts the Inyan of to a higher standard, to Inyan of Semach Nephilim. Semach Nephilim that the Aibishter supports those that fall. He holds them... So the melech-- The way the Rebbe's explaining here the Inyan of is that davka through the yerida, davka through the descent, a person attains a higher level. This is accomplished This is accomplished through the through the descent. When a person works it through, he's accomplishing that there should be light coming from the darkness. Through the of converting darkness to light and bitterness to sweetness. Transgressions which were harsh transgressions become merits. Merits mames, and night shines like day. The darkness alone shines. So this is the second meaning in That davka through samach, davka through the descent, a person reaches a higher level because once he starts At, at dealing with, tampering with the darkness, the male then once he converts it through the Aveda of Torah mitzvahs, he's actually accomplishing a higher, um, elevation for himself. Now the question is, or the, uh, explanation that the Rebbe gives now is, what does it mean Yerushalayim came under siege? What does it mean on a personal level? There's the city Yerushalayim, the physical city, but the question is, what does a person take in his own world? Every person is a microscopic world of what's

31:42 happening outside. A person is considered a small world. Whatever is in the world is found in the person. The male of the question is, what is the Yerushalayim mean? We mentioned earlier, Yerushalayim means full fear. Fear of Hashem. That's an acronym, Yirei Shalem. A completion of Yiras Shamayim. So the Rebbe says, what does this mean by a person? Every person has their fear for Hashem. That is their Yerushalayim. What does it mean, a siege on their personal Yerushalayim? So the Rebbe continues, Yerushalayim. When a person sees a motzer, a siege on Yiras Shamayim, on the f-- their fear, in other words, they're receiving a challenge of their yetser hara, their evil inclination, or a challenge from outside of them that is actually going to mislead them, um, and try to lower their standard of Torah mitzvahs, their fulfillment of Torah mitzvahs. The motzer, the siege that the evil inclination puts on the person is not telling him, "Oh, uh, transgress a mitzvah, a commandment of the two hundred and forty-eight commandments." But it's just telling him, "You don't have to do this Inyan, which is a rabbinic prohibition or rabbinic, uh, enhancement. It's a small thing. It's a light thing." So the person needs to be on the alert to make sure, to put in his wh- his whole effort to nullify this siege. Because this siege, although it is only on something mild, it is not on an outright mitzvah or one of the prohibitions of Torah, the three hundred and sixty-five prohibitions of

33:43 Torah, but that is a beginning. It is a beginning that can bring about bad results. And as the Gemara tells us, the Tractate Shabbos, that the yetser hara is a professional in his work. He comes to the person, he doesn't tell him, "Transgress a mitzvah," not to put on tefillin, not to, to, not to do Shabbos. But it starts with a little trick. He says, "Today do this." What does it say, "kach"? Kach means don't do a damage to a whole mitzvah. You don't have to do this enhancement. You don't have to do this, um, uh, um, commitment, which is a mild commitment. But eventually, every day he tells him, do this way, do this way. You don't have to do it exactly the way it's done, till eventually he leads him to idol worship. To idol worship. Go, and then the p- the person, person should, God forbid, go to, to, to, to worship idols. So it starts from a little thing. Where do we see it every day? In a passage we say in davening, in Kirshba. A verse, I think it's from the Baal Shem Tov. means you will turn away. you will worship idols. So there's a verse from the Baal Shem Tov. It goes like this: Once you start turning away, you're not doing it with your f- with a full excitement, with the full zest, the full verve, the full liveliness. But you're just turning away a slight turn. Eventually, it could lead a person to because that's basically

35:28 the Amalek which brings coldness into the person, into serving Hashem. It cools off the person, tells him, "What are you getting so excited about? You can do it without excitement." And eventually, it leads the person to a low level. So there is the Inyan of Yerushalayim on a personal level, the fear of Hashem that's being threatened, and therefore a person should stand up and defend it. There's an interesting, um, verse that the Rebbe said in, I think it was occasion of Shiva Asar B'Tammuz when the walls of Jerus- of Yerushalayim were breached. The Rebbe says over there another example, another explanation. Why is it that a person should be on full alert, even when he's being challenged from the yetser hara, from the evil inclination, on something light, on something minor? Not a mitzvah. Something which is, uh, just an enhancement of Torah mitzvahs. So the answer is because there is a crack in the wall. It's a crack. It's a small crack, but already it begins weakening the wall. The wall which is around our Yerushalayim, our fear of Hashem. And then later, once the wall is threatened, although it's just minor, but this could be a beginning and in-- and also this is something that has an impact on the wall, even if it's a small, minor, uh, i-impact, but it is something that weakens the wall. Now we go on to the third explanation of what Samach means. How could it be Samach positivity when the walls of Yerushalayim were on-- placed

37:05 under siege? So the Rebbe continues in . Also when we find ourselves in a situation of Nephilim falling, that shows that internally on a spiritual level, on a personal level, they were lacking something to protect their-- the wall of Yerushalayim. What were they lacking? They were lacking fear of Hashem. The , the spiritual fear of Hashem was being lacked in them on their personal level of Yerushalayim, on their personal standard. Despite all this, and while there is a lack of Yerush-- of, of the fear of Hashem, we still have the Aibishter supports, the Aibishter, uh, uh, helps. The Aibishter helps everyone. eventually Yerushalayim will eventually be complete, which in-- according to this the Rebbe connects the two opposites. Not only that one is a purpose for the other, the descent is for the purpose of ascent, but that while the descent is taking place, there's already an ascent taking place, an elevation taking place. They're also the walls of Yerushalayim. The walls are basically the in Torah. For example, you have in the beginning of basically means that a person should make a wall around the mitzvahs in order to make sure the mitzvahs are not affected, the mitzvahs are not transgressed. A person makes a wall, which means an, an enhancement, so then he will not come to transgress a mitzvah. So this is called . is like a fence around it. In the same sense, the Rebbe says the of Yerushalayim, the fence or the wall of Yerushalayim, which is considered a fence

39:22 around our fear of Hashem should be complete, intact, and strong. Now we go on what will take place in the upcoming redemption. All the fast days will cease to exist. The fasts will fist-- cease to exist, not the days, the fasts. The lessons will still be, the directives will still be in the fullest effect. the will only be the directive, will be only to the positive aspect of it. The equality of what fast days bring about, but not the negative part. in a greater measure. Move on. It's understood, this is also the positivity of Asara b'Tevet. Asara b'Tevet has two aspects, like every fast day. It is part of the fast days that is an auspicious day, Hashem, Hashem, and in addition to that, it has its specific contents, what it represents. Asara b'Tevet is the siege on Yerushalayim. Shiva Asar b'Tammuz is the break of the wall. Tisha B'Av is the destruction, the Each one has in itself these two . There's a common denominator that all are equal because they're all an auspicious day, Hashem. In addition to that, they have their individual lesson contents and the lesson that we derive from them is to the positive aspects of Asara b'Tevet. The first thing is the positive aspect, the that's equal in all the fast days. It is a fast day, an auspicious day, Hashem. and, um, this-- the, the positive aspect in the specific event that took place Asara b'Tevet. that Melach Bavel placed a siege on Yerushalayim. What is the intention?

41:45 that through this Yerushalayim should reach a higher level. What level should it reach? The level how the Aibishter give support, how the Aibishter strengthens. That's the of the This is stressed more in Asara b'Tevet since it is about Asara b'Tevet that it is mentioned in the verse which means also positive light. So therefore, basically, we will have only the positivity that there is in the day of Asara b'Tevet.