Class One. Shabbos has two levels: 1) The delight of Shabbos which happens by itself, 2) The delight of Shabbos which is connected to Avoda. Rosh hashana is also about delight, but it is higher than both of the aforementioned levels, it reaches the מקור כל התענוגים- the source of all delight. It actually isn’t...

Class Three. This Ma’amar begins where the last one ends: In the last Ma’amar the idea was that we affect the bringing forward of מקור כל התענוגים through blowing Shofar. Here the argument is put forth that the highest idea is not doing for any kind of pay back or effect but simply to do...

Class One. Little text was read in this class. The idea explored (which is apparently the essence of the Ma’amar) is the idea that all levels of יראה are connected because at their root is ביטול. In a similar vein all levels of תשובה are connected even the lowliest of a sinner and the loftiest...

The system of unity (as explained here) is three steps: 1) division, 2) unification, 3) Oneness (where no parts exist at all, as all the parts are part of one complex purpose). In this מאמר this idea plays itself out in four things: 1) The harvest, 2) The Sukka, 3) The Four Minim Lulav etc,...

1) Shmini Atzeres is about תשובה, Shavuos is about צדיק. Therefore the עצרת of סוכות is right after סוכות, as תשובה takes no time, while the עצרת of פסח is seven weeks later as what צדיקים do takes time. שמחת תורה is joined with שמיני עצרת to add the joy element which breaks all barriers...

This מאמר begins and ends with מחר חדש: Dovid receives from Yehonasan but in the end due to his Bittul exceeds him and he becomes 1) greater and 2) the Mashpia. The body -ביאור- of the מאמר discusses ברכות: 1) Bringing down, 2) Three levels of Brachos: הנהנין, המצוות, תפילה. 3) ברכות that are חותם...

There was no rainbow before the מבול as the air was too dense for clouds that would allow light through. The מבול refined the world so the clouds would allow light through in the form of a rainbow. The מאמר explains clouds first and then the rainbow: Clouds come from the earth and reflect the...

Class one. Mazal is the source for Children health and Parnassa. In the case of Jewish people, this is the level of אין which is interpreted to be the deepest level possible. We reach and affect the מזל through an עבודה on the level of בכל מאדיך which is the יחידה. Class Two. This class...

Sara draws down from the unity of Kesser מאה שנה (in singular) to the unification of Chochma and Bina עשרים שנה (in singular) to the variety and division of the Middos שבע שנים (in plural). Her purpose is to bring Godliness down to the place of plurality by protecting that it go only to Kedusha...

Yaakov went down into Galus and achieved a greater height, Teshuva, wealth etc. Because of the קרב- the struggle the redemption is more peaceful. Going into קרב 3 levels: 1) war, 2) up close body to body, 3) up close soul to soul (which is even closer, but brings on up even higher).

This Ma’amar explores the וישלח מאמרים of the Alter Rebbe and the Mitteler Rebbe, how they all flow along the theme of the Parsha from the beginning until Shlishi. It also explores and initial idea that the Mitteler Rebbe later refutes but does not remove from the מאמר. Even in פנימיות התורה there is פלפול...

Three levels: 1) War 2) Peace 3) Teshuva (Moshiach).

To get to the Essence you must go in order and start from the very bottom. Osiyos before Ohr in Torah, Mitzvos Maasoyos before any Kavana. Bas Tzion.

Class One. This part of the Ma’amar (which is the largest part of the Ma’amar) explores many levels of life and connection: 1) Food and drink, 2) Wine, 3) Water that is higher than wine, 4) Oil, 5) Good smell, 6) Light. Each of these six are found in the Beis HaMikdash and the Ma’amar...

Why does the Parsha that epitomizes Golus have a Haftorah that talks of Geula? The answer: the point of Galus is Geula. Not only the Geula from Mitzrayim is hinted here but all the Geulos including the final one. It is very important to reveal however that this advantage of Geula begins emphatically on the...

Vihaya Midei Chodesh 5743Aliya Liregel is a Mitzvah that one only fulfills if he sees. If one fails to see, he has no requirement to go. Therefore, in historic times there was no obligation to go on Shabbos, because the experience of Shabbos was higher than what could have been experienced. The same is true...

The name Tzvaos in BY”A- an idea that originates with the Alter Rebbe and not from before. It refers to the idea that there is Godliness also in the lowest worlds. The meaning of the Tzivos Hashem in Chumash are the sparks the Jewish people took with them from Egypt, the Jews themselves are ‘Al...

Class One. 1) Introduction, 2) Histalkus means a revelation which is universally the same, 3) Moshe builds the Mishkan as he is the seventh who brings the Shechina down here, 4) When there is opposition the Midas HaNetzach emerges, 5) Question: ‘Limata Mata Ad Ain Tachlis’- why Torah explains Klipa and in so much detail?...

The Possuk which is the source of Reb Oshiya’s limud is addressing the end, the reward that will be when Moshiach comes: The pizur, the scatter and it’s challenges, will bring the infinite blessing, the Prazos. Netzach is brought forward from a King in very trying times, But it get’s you the treasure. The nimshal...

Everyone gives half a Shekel which is ten Gaira. Still one is rich and another poor, because though each gives ten Gaira they are rich (in Atzilus) and poor (BYA). The higher ten is Adam (and people like him) the lower ten is ordinary people. The joining of the higher and lower ten need to...

The word ‘Li’ connotes unchanging. this is understood on two levels: 1) Spiritually the Mikdash on high is forever. 2) The Shuls and Yeshivos in Galus make the Beis HaMikdash eternal. This must be in a specific place just as the body has many different limbs and the highest (or center) is only the brain....

‘The road’ from Egypt means our relationship with Hashem. Before we arrive at Mattan Torah the road leads us to confront the opposition, some is raised up- Yisro. Some is destroyed- Amalaik. Though Amalaik is our ‘brother’ and Yisro is only ‘our neighbor’.

Sleep and awakeness as it is in the person is mirrored on high. In Golus as Yidden sleep the Shchina sleeps but when Yidden awake so does the Shchina.

Class One. Three levels: 1) Nature, Elokim, everything changes and goes towards deterioration, 2) Havaya Lo Shanisi that affects that nature should remain unchanging. 3) Ness, the Miracle, the Havaya which is always new. The two levels of miracles are discussed in this Ma’amar in the contexts of: 1) Torah, 2) Tefila (Krias Shma, 3)...

The small אלף of ויקרא and the large אלף of אדם in דברי הימים. The high end is Emuna, the low end is the lack of readiness at Matan Torah, when Moshiach comes the small and large alephs will merge.

Class One. Introduction: to explain the timelessness of Yetzias Mitzrayim. Why we keep referring to Yetzias Mitzrayim throughout all of Galuyos, This is understood by focusing on the Ruchniyus of Yiddishkeit as a priority over the Gashmiyus. The spiritual process of mind to heart provides for a daily need for going out of constraints. Class...

Is HaChodesh on Rosh Chodesh or the entire month? This Ma’amar explores the Possuk (from the haftorah of Tzav) Al Yishalel Chochom BiChochmaso… only BiZos Yishalel’. The idea is that one’s greatness is measured in how he affects what is lower than him. This refers to Chochma of Malchus, as it is represented in Rosh...

This class begins with a short discussion on Yom Haatzmaut. This Maamar can be learned in three sections: 1) We link Moshiach to Yetzias Mitzayim, as all of our history is an ongoing continuum of Yerida Tzorech Aliya, where even the lowest moments are part of the Aliya ultimately. 2) Netzach is real the very...

This classic Shmini Ma’amar explores: 1) The world is represented by (order in the) number 7. 2) In the Bais Hamikdash there was a higher wholeness (as it reveals Havaya as opposed to Elokim) also in the number 7. 3) In Moshiach’s time there will be the number 8, associated with ‘Mochin ChaBaD’ which is...

Chuka means edict but it also means engraved. This Parsha refers to all of Judaism as “Chuka” to underscore the level of service and connection associated with Chakika. There are three levels: 1) תורה שבעל פה which remains separate from the person even after he learns it. 2) תורה שבכתב which is initially separate but...

The four levels אש רוח מים עפר represent all of creation, and are found micro-cosmically in each person as we must elevate all of the world. The רבי explains how these four ideas are three (or four) types of Teshuva which involves leaving this world. There is however another Teshuva, where זדונות נעשו לו כשכיות,...

This מאמר explains that only when the נעשה comes before the נשמע is the נעשה a נעשה and the נשמע a נשמע. They got crowns for both. Crowns mean: 1) beauty, 2) above the head. Why Jews need the help of מלאכים at מתן תורה.

A שבועות מאמר that goes through the five levels in this פסוק and links them to כתר, חב”ד, מדות, מלכות and the lower worlds. In the lowest worlds the highest idea of Torah is revealed.

ברכת כהנים is a familiar theme in Chassidus. In this מאמר the רבי turns the ברכה המשלשת (triple blessing) into the ברכה המחומשת (the quintuple blessing). He explores the idea of ברכת המזון after a כזית וכביצה which is לפנים משורת הדין gets us נשיאת פנים.

The נסכים (libations) would not begin until the Yidden went into Eretz Yisroel, a full forty years after the קרבנות started in the משכן. This מאמר explores why, using קריאת שמע and תפילין as the illustration. In the מדבר they had only מצוות of רצוא and not שוב therefore they had no נסכים which represents...

Class One. Digging the well rather than having it been given from above. Class Two. מעין גנים from Hashem. באר מים חיים ונוזלים מן לבנון, from man and the advantage of the latter over the former.

This Bracha is different than other ברכות הנס as it is also (primary) about the Spiritual Journey, this is the reason for the change of format etc. This struggle has four categories (the latter finer than the former) all connected to the Neshama coming down here.

One of the Ma’amarim of the redemption of 12 Tamuz 5687. The issue is that hands are connected to action (the lowest thing) and holiness is the highest thing, how do these two come together. The Rebbe explains that the purpose is to do actions, hands, and raise them up to the levels of 1)...

מילי דחסידותא is the same idea as זה הדבר words bring the greatest holiness down! There are four types of Jews: רשע who corresponds with ‘עשי, the בינוני who corresponds to יצירה, then the צדיק who corresponds to בריאה, but even he is subject to imperfection (particularly as the word צדיק is used in the...

15 Menachem av is opposite Tisha Bi’Av Ahavas Yisroel is opposite Sinas Chinam and brings the Geula. This Ma’amar focuses singularly on loving a fellow Jew (very powerful).

This Ma’amar is on Bentching. Why are there three biblical blessings and the ChaZaL added a fourth? It is like the numbers 3 (lights) that is favored by the Sefer Yetzirah and the number 4 (light and vessel) favored by later Kabbalah. Hashem’s favoritism to His people for Bentching for a smaller amount than what is...

Class One. Based on the Alter Rebbe’s Ma’amar in Likutei Torah, This class, which is the first of two is dominated by what appears to be the Rebbe’s questioning the Alter Rebbe: The Alter Rebbe explains that after Mattan Torah (some part of) the Jewish Neshama is revealed. He goes as far as explaining this...

Of all Korbanos Bikurim is represented by Tefilla the best because it has the two aspects of a sacrifice and a return. It is connected to the Land of Eretz Yisroel that also has the two ideas 1) running to Hashem, 2) settling and living there.

Three pesukim from the Haftorah of the last Shabbos of the year encompass all of time: שוש אשיש בהוי’ תגל נפשי באלוקי represents the Hidden Joy of Rosh Hashana and the revealed Joy of Sukkos. The Ma’amar explores why the Joy of Rosh Hashana is happy in spite of the awe- because we are crowning...

Class One. This class revolves around the Paragraph in Siddur: היום הרת עולם היום יעמוד במשפט כל יצורי עולמים אם כבנים אם כעבדים היום הרת עולם means that today man was not only created but conceived, originally as four separate elements and only afterwards joined together, so the Avoda must involve the ideas of each...