Shabbos HaGadol
1. In the first siman of the Laws of Pesach, the Alter Rebbe writes in his Shulchan Aruch: "נהגו בדורות האחרונים שהחכם דורש הלכות פסח בשבת שלפניו אם אינו ערב פסח והלכות החג דורש בשבת שובה" ("In the later generations the custom became that the sage expounds the laws of Pesach on the Shabbos before it, if it is not Erev Pesach, and expounds the laws of the Festival on Shabbos Shuvah") — that is, the custom in recent generations is that the sage expounds the laws of Pesach on the Shabbos before it (Shabbos HaGadol), if it is not the Eve of Pesach, and the laws of the Festival (Sukkos) on Shabbos Shuvah. The source of this custom is in "Minhagei Maharil," and it is also cited in the Bach and the Magen Avraham. But the Alter Rebbe's wording differs from that of the Magen Avraham. The wording in the Magen Avraham is: "ומהרי"ל הי' דורש גם הלכות חג בשבת שובה" ("And the Maharil would expound also the laws of the Festival on Shabbos Shuvah"). With the word "also" he alludes1 that in addition to the laws of Yom Kippur, which one must expound on Shabbos Shuvah, one must also expound the laws of the Festival. The Alter Rebbe, however, leaves out the word "also," which alludes to the laws of Yom Kippur, and cites only the laws of the Festival. This needs to be understood: why does the Alter Rebbe omit that one must also expound the laws of Yom Kippur?
It also needs to be understood: Shabbos Shuvah is not always the Shabbos before Sukkos, since in many years the calendar falls so that there is another Shabbos between Shabbos Shuvah and Sukkos. Seemingly, then, the custom should have been fixed to expound on the Shabbos that is closest to Sukkos — especially according to the view of the Alter Rebbe, who does not allude to the laws of Yom Kippur, as mentioned above. Why was the custom established that the sage should expound the laws of Sukkos specifically on Shabbos Shuvah — even in the years when there is yet another Shabbos before Sukkos?
It also needs to be understood: when the Alter Rebbe explains the content of the drashos on the Shabbos before Pesach and on Shabbos Shuvah, he is precise in his golden words: "והעיקר לדרוש ולהורות להם דרכי ה' וללמד2 להם המעשה אשר יעשון" ("The main thing is to expound and to show them the ways of G‑d, and to teach them the deed that they should do") — that is, the main thing is to expound and to point out the ways of the A-lmighty, and to teach them the deed they should do. Why does he divide this into two separate details? On account of which "ways of G‑d" must one expound and give guidance, in addition to teaching "the deed that they should do"?
It may be said: the Alter Rebbe is alluding here that on these two Shabbosos (Shabbos HaGadol and Shabbos Shuvah) one expounds not only the laws of Pesach and the laws of the Festival — and these laws are what is meant by the words "the deed that they should do" — but also matters that concern a person's Divine service and the fulfillment of all the mitzvos in general, which is what is meant by "to show the ways of G‑d." Therefore the Alter Rebbe left out "the laws of Yom Tov" [so in the OCR; the context indicates the laws of Yom Kippur], because regarding the essential laws of [Yom Kippur], there is no need for a separate time to expound them, since they are already included in the drashos of "showing the ways of G‑d" that are delivered on Shabbos HaGadol and on Shabbos Shuvah. This is similar to how it was not established to give a drasha on the Shabbos before the festival of Shavuos, because "עצרת אין בו הלכות מיוחדות שכל איסור והיתר הנוהגין בו נוהגין גם כן בפסח וסוכות" ("Atzeres has no special laws, for every prohibition and permission that applies to it applies also on Pesach and Sukkos")3 — on Shavuos there are no special laws, since all matters of prohibition and permission that apply on Shavuos also apply on Pesach and Sukkos.
2. The concept of a way (a road) is that through it one can arrive at a certain place. The goal is not the road itself; the road is no more than a means that leads to the goal — yet without that means the goal cannot be reached.
The purpose of all of creation is that Jews should fulfill mitzvos in actual deed in the world — "the deed that they should do." However, in order that the deed be as it ought to be, with life and soul — for "מצוה בלא כוונה כגוף בלא נשמה" ("a mitzvah without intention is like a body without a soul")4 — one must have love of G‑d and fear of G‑d, which bring vitality into the fulfillment of the mitzvos5. These are the "ways of G‑d" that lead to the goal of fulfilling mitzvos in actual deed.
True, "המעשה הוא העיקר" ("the deed is the main thing") — if a person were to have all the intentions of a mitzvah in mind but would not fulfill the mitzvah in actual deed, he transgresses the Supreme Will. By contrast, if he does the mitzvah in actual deed, even though he lacks the intentions, he fulfills the essence of the mitzvah and carries out the Supreme Will6. Nevertheless, the fulfillment of the mitzvah must be with vitality, and this can come only through love and fear.
One could argue: what does it matter that he does the mitzvos without vitality, merely to discharge his obligation, as long as he has fulfilled the mitzvos in actual deed? If they are "like a body without a soul" — the soul is indeed missing, but since he has the body of the mitzvos, the main thing is present.
The answer to this is: if one does a mitzvah without vitality — the doing is only to discharge one's obligation, or out of habit, in the manner of "מצות אנשים מלומדה" ("a commandment of men learned by rote") — in the end this affects the actual performance of the mitzvah as well. For besides the fact that the mitzvah is then done without enhancements7 — since doing the mitzvah without vitality and only to discharge his duty, he can after all fulfill his obligation even when he does it without enhancements — besides this, since he does not invest his vitality in Torah and mitzvos, his vitality expresses itself in other things, even in matters contrary to Torah and mitzvos. So although at first he is still whole in the performance of the mitzvos — for he does want to discharge his obligation, and therefore he masters his traits and desires and does the duty that lies upon him — afterwards, because his will and vitality are in matters that are not holy, he begins to search, and — "השוחד יעור" ("the bribe blinds") — he finds various "leniencies" even for forbidden things. And — "עבירה גוררת עבירה" ("one transgression draws another") — he falls lower still, until he stumbles even in prohibitions for which he can no longer find any leniency, until he no longer fights at all against his traits and desires that lie in forbidden things.
Therefore there must be vitality in the fulfillment of the mitzvos, and this comes through love and fear; and that is why they are included in "the ways of G‑d": they are the ways that bring about the preservation and the completeness of the performance of the mitzvos.
3. Another point: even if the essential performance of the mitzvos would lack nothing at all when they are done without vitality, nevertheless, since the mitzvah is then "like a body without a soul," it is not as intended. The intent and Supreme Will is that there should be living mitzvos.
The reason for this: mitzvos were given in order "לצרף בהן את הבריות" ("to refine the creations through them")8 — so that the Jew who does the mitzvah should be refined and bound up with the A-lmighty. And the bond of a Jew with the A-lmighty must encompass all his powers, down to the innermost depths of the soul. Consequently, if he does the mitzvos only to discharge his obligation, without vitality, the mitzvah is then done with the power of action alone, and so he is bound to the A-lmighty only with his power of action alone. The Supreme Will, however, is that the whole Jew, with all his powers, should be bound to the A-lmighty, through all his powers fulfilling the mitzvah9.
Nevertheless, although the Supreme Will is that all the powers, including the inner powers, should be bound to the A-lmighty — and on the contrary, the inner powers are higher and more refined than the power of action — still, the service with the inner powers, love and fear, is not a matter in its own right. For the purpose of love and fear is that they bring vitality into the fulfillment of the mitzvos in actual deed10; because the ultimate intent is a dwelling place specifically in the lower realms, and this comes about through the lowest power in a person — through the performance of the mitzvos in actual deed. The completeness of the intent of a dwelling place in the lower realms, however, is carried out when the fulfillment of the mitzvos is with all of one's powers.
And this is the meaning of the fact that the service with the inner powers, love and fear, is called "the ways of G‑d." The goal is the performance of the mitzvos — "the deed is the main thing"; through it one takes hold of the very Essence and Being of the Ein Sof, blessed be He. But in order that the bond with the Essence should not remain hidden, for this there are "the ways of G‑d" — the inner service in comprehension and in love and fear — which are the ways that connect (in a revealed manner)11 the Essence of the King with the actual deed.
4. With this we will also understand the Alter Rebbe's wording: "the ways of G‑d," in the plural. Regarding the fulfillment of the mitzvos in actual deed he says "המעשה (ולא העשיות) אשר יעשון" ("the deed" — and not "the deeds" — "that they should do"), in the singular, while regarding the ways he says "ways," in the plural. For the performance of the mitzvos, although there are 613 mitzvos, is in essence one thing — the subjugation of the power of action to the A-lmighty. But when we speak of inner service, there are already differences of levels, and with every Jew according to his level.
And in general, the ways divide into two kinds (or, in other words: a road serves two purposes)12: ascent from below to above, and drawing down from above to below (from the field, village, and city to the King's palace, and from the King's palace down to the field). This is the general difference between the service of the month of Nissan and the service of the month of Tishrei: Nissan is drawing down and Tishrei is ascent13, as explained elsewhere.
And therefore the custom is to deliver a drasha twice a year — on the Shabbos before Pesach and on Shabbos Shuvah — because those are the times of the two kinds of service: the Shabbos before Pesach — drawing down; and Shabbos Shuvah — ascent. And in these two drashos all the services of the year are already included: the matters of the summer in the drasha of Shabbos HaGadol, and the matters of the winter on Shabbos Shuvah.
(From the sicha of Shabbos Shuvah 5740)
Notes
1) Machatzis HaShekel, there.
2) The wording in the Magen Avraham is "ללמד" ("to teach," without a vav), and it can be interpreted that this explains what was said before, "to show the ways of G‑d." The Alter Rebbe's wording is "וללמד" ("and to teach," with the addition of a vav), which proves that "the ways of G‑d" and "the deed that they should do" are two matters.
3) Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe, siman 429, se'if 2.
4) See Likutei Torah of the Arizal, beginning of Parshas Eikev; Shelah, Maseches Tamid, Amud HaTefillah, the subject of Chanukah (249, end of side b); Tanya, chapter 38.
5) See Tanya, chapter 4 and there; Kuntres HaAvodah, chapter 2, p. 15.
6) See above, Parshas Mishpatim.
7) For the enhancement too is part of the essence of the mitzvah, since mitzvos in all their details are the Supreme Will, and in Will there is no division; the difference between the enhancement and the body of the mitzvah concerns reward and punishment and the like (Sicha of Chag HaShavuos 5693; Likutei Dibburim vol. 4, p. 1540). See also the Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe, siman 441, end of se'if 1.
8) Bereishis Rabbah, beginning of chapter 44.
9) See above, p. 897.
10) See Tanya, chapter 40: [OCR unclear] "wings" … the purpose of the love is the service out of love.
11) For in a "dwelling" there are two aspects: a) in a dwelling the entire essence is present (as in a person's dwelling, where his very self resides in the dwelling) — and this is accomplished through the fulfillment of the mitzvos specifically in actual deed; b) in a dwelling he is present in a revealed manner — and this is accomplished specifically through love and fear, which give vitality to the mitzvah. See also Likutei Sichos vol. 4, p. 1053 ff.
12) See Biurei HaZohar, beginning of Parshas Vayishlach; the maamar beginning "Hashem Yechatu" 5649, chapter 6.
13) See Zohar II (166a): "This month shall be for you etc. — in order, for it was revealed [like] spring etc.; the seventh month of Mine is covered, for it is revealed" [OCR unclear]; and there (51b): "revealed etc. in their order etc. — they are found in Chesed etc.; in reverse etc. — they are found in Gevurah." Note also Likutei Torah of the Arizal, Parshas Vayeitzei, the section on the subject of Havayah and the seven planets: "From Nissan until Elul etc. — males etc., Chesed-Gevurah-Tiferes, Netzach-Hod-Yesod etc.; and from Tishrei etc. — Gevuros, rains, Or Chozer, female" (and this requires further study in light of what is written to the contrary: in Sha'arei HaMitzvos, Parshas Bo — cited in Ateres Rosh at the beginning of the discourse on the Ten Days of Repentance — in the commentary on Etz Chaim, Sha'ar Rosh Hashanah, chapter 4; in Sha'ar HaKavanos, the subject of Rosh Hashanah, discourse 1; and in Nahar Shalom — at the end of Etz Chaim, Warsaw edition — at its end).
Key Lesson
The deed is the main thing, yet the Alter Rebbe teaches that alongside "the deed that they should do" one must also be shown "the ways of G‑d" — the love and fear that give the mitzvos life. Mitzvos done only by rote eventually weaken even the deed itself, while mitzvos done with vitality bind the whole person, with all his powers, to G‑d and bring the Essence of the King into revelation.