Tes Kislev
1. The date of Tes (9) Kislev — the day of the hilula (passing) of the Mitteler Rebbe, the second Chabad Rebbe — falls (in most years) during the week of Parshas Vayeitzei. It may therefore be said1 that in this Torah portion one can find directives2 and allusions concerning the hilula of the Mitteler Rebbe.
In the Alter Rebbe's Siddur3 it is explained that in the verse4 "עד הגל הזה" ("[I will not pass over] this mound") there is an allusion to Lag BaOmer, the day of the hilula of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai (Rashbi). And based on the well-known teaching5 that the passing of the Mitteler Rebbe resembled the passing of Rashbi, it is understood that the content of "this mound" (which is in Parshas Vayeitzei) is also connected to the hilula of Tes Kislev.
2. In a "mound" (gal) we find two opposite qualities. On the one hand, the purpose of the mound is to serve as a separation between one side and the other. But on the other hand, since the mound is set up out of heaped-up stones (which are not bound together, as in a wall), it does not constitute a true separation. We therefore see that the mound itself does not rule out that at times one may indeed cross over it — and as Rashi6 explains, only "לרעה אי אתה עובר אבל אתה עובר לפרקמטיא" ("For harm you may not cross, but you may cross for commerce").
And this is the connection of the "mound" to the passing of Rashbi:
The novelty of Rashbi compared with other Tanna'im7 consisted in the fact that he in particular8 took up the secrets of the Torah [the Account of the Chariot (Maaseh Merkavah) — concerning which the Mishnah9 says "אין דורשין במרכבה (אפילו) ביחיד אלא אם כן כו'" ("One may not expound the Chariot (even) to a single individual unless…"), and even higher] and brought them into revelation (in contrast to other Tanna'im, who did occupy themselves with these matters but did not reveal them*). This is similar to how Rashbi distributed among his disciples the secrets of the Torah: "[one] shall write… [another] shall study… (and) [the rest] shall meditate in their hearts."10
This distinction of Rashbi was expressed especially, and in the loftiest manner, on the day of his passing. At that time not only did he himself attain the highest comprehension of the secrets of the Torah,11 but he also revealed to his disciples "מלין קדישין דלא גליאן עד השתא" ("holy words that had not been revealed until now").12
And although at that time he revealed them only to his disciples — and moreover, even regarding his disciples, "נפקו כולהו" ("they all went out"), and only a select few remained, and even among those who remained there were differences, as mentioned above —
nevertheless, it is related there in the Zohar that Rashbi then instructed that the "holy words" be written down. And because they were written down then, they later became revealed to all Jews, and in a manner of "יתפרנסון" ("they will be sustained"),13 which means understanding and grasping them inwardly.
3. But then the question arises: the Torah itself called this part, the inner dimension of the Torah, "רזין דאורייתא" ("the secrets of the Torah") — meaning that according to the Torah this part of Torah must be in a manner of "secret" (concealment and hiddenness), to the extent that even in the Zohar itself14 it says "צריך לכסאה רזין דאורייתא" ("one must conceal the secrets of the Torah"). How, then, did Rashbi reveal it?
The answer to this is — "this mound":
The partition that separates the revealed part of the Torah from the inner dimension of the Torah (namely, that the inner dimension of the Torah must remain hidden and not come to revelation) is in the manner of a "mound," which leaves room for crossing over the partition (since it is not set up like a wall). Thus the "mound" itself carries within it the indication that one may, and must, cross over it — provided only that the nullification of the partition is not for harm, G‑d forbid, but for good.
And just as this will be in the Time to Come — when, with the fulfillment of the prophecy15 "ואת רוח הטומאה אעביר מן הארץ" ("And I will remove the spirit of impurity from the land"), there will no longer be any room whatsoever "for harm," G‑d forbid, and together with this the partition between the inner dimension of the Torah and the revealed Torah will be completely nullified, and the inner dimension of the Torah too will come into revelation16 —
so too, in a similar way, it was with Rashbi17 — for his root is from the level of Moshiach18 — and he therefore drew down the inner dimension of the Torah into revelation, and bound it together with the revealed Torah in such a way that there is no concern for the opposite of good, G‑d forbid. On the contrary, the revelation of the inner dimension of the Torah that he accomplished will bring19 the very greatest good — the future Redemption through Moshiach Tzidkeinu.
4. And this is also the connection of "this mound" to the day of the passing of the Mitteler Rebbe:
When the time came for the inner dimension of the Torah to be revealed in understanding and comprehension — the teachings of Chabad Chassidus — it came down according to the various modes of an orderly flow: the Alter Rebbe (the founder of Chabad Chassidus) brought forth the matters of Chassidus in the manner of a point, a point; and the Mitteler Rebbe explained them in a manner of expansion and broadening.
As is known,20 the difference between the Alter Rebbe and the Mitteler Rebbe according to their place in the order of the Sefiros [although the Rebbeim are the aspect of the "luminary" (maor), where the concept of "hishtalshelus" (descending chain), which applies to light and radiance etc., is not relevant; nevertheless, in them too there is an aspect in which they stand within the order of the chain of the Sefiros] is that the Alter Rebbe is the Sefirah of Chochmah, whose nature is a point, and the Mitteler Rebbe is the Sefirah of Binah,21 whose nature is expansion and broadening.
Seemingly, the same question arises: since the Alter Rebbe did not reveal and explain these matters, that implies that even from the standpoint of Chabad Chassidus they ought to remain hidden. Why, then, did the Mitteler Rebbe reveal and explain them?
The answer to this is the same — "this mound." The reason the Alter Rebbe refrained from revealing and explaining was that in his time there was still a concern for the opposite.22 But once that was removed, the Mitteler Rebbe took down the partition and revealed Chassidus with expansion and broadening. And now, when we have already crossed over this "mound" for good, there already exists the preparation for "גל עיני ואביטה נפלאות מתורתיך" ("Open my eyes, that I may behold wonders from Your Torah"),23 for the reasons of the Torah that will be revealed in the Time to Come,24 with the coming of Moshiach Tzidkeinu, speedily, truly.
(From the sichos of Shabbos Parshas Vayeitzei 5729)
Notes
1) See Shelah, Torah Shebichsav section, beginning of Parshas Vayeshev: "The festivals of the entire year… all of them have a connection to the Torah portions in which they fall, for all is from the hand of G‑d, Who made it understood."
2) As is known, the saying of the Alter Rebbe: "One must live with the times," meaning — "with the weekly Torah portion," and "not only learn the weekly Torah portion… but live with it" (Hayom Yom, p. 101; and at length — Sefer HaSichos 5702, p. 29 ff.).
3) Shaar Lag BaOmer (304c ff.).
4) Our Parsha, 31:52.
5) A maamar of the Tzemach Tzedek (cited in Beis Rebbe, vol. 2, ch. 6 — p. 204). See also the introduction to Toras Chaim, that "he began to expound ancient and wondrous matters," "the holy luminary did not finish saying 'life'…" — which is similar to what is related in the Idra Zuta about the passing of Rashbi: "Holy words that have not been revealed until now I wish to reveal" (Zohar III, 287b); "The holy luminary did not finish saying 'life'" (ibid., 296b).
6) And even concerning the disciples of Rabbi Akiva (who were the source of the Oral Torah — see Sanhedrin 86a: "An anonymous Mishnah… and all of them follow Rabbi Akiva") — see the discourse beginning "Usefartem" 5666; to the point that they did not recognize "the young man" (see Jerusalem Talmud, Sanhedrin 1:2), for he was set apart from them.
7) See the Siddur there (end of 304b).
8) Beginning of the second chapter of Chagigah.
9) Zohar III, 105b. See also Pesachim 119a; Chagigah 13a.
10) Idra Zuta, there, 287b.
11) The Siddur, there. See also the hemshech VeHecherim 5631, end of p. 54 ff.
12) Idra Zuta, there. See also 291a.
13) Tikkunei Zohar (end of Tikkun 6). See Kisei Melech there (cited in Likkutei Sichos vol. 3, p. 873).
14) Ra'aya Mehemna, Pinchas, 226a.
15) Tzephaniah 3:9 [as printed in the source].
16) In the words of the Rambam at the end (and conclusion) of his work Yad HaChazakah: "(In the days of Moshiach) Israel will be great sages and will know the hidden matters and will attain knowledge of their Creator… as it is said: 'For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of G‑d as the waters cover the sea.'"
17) And similar to the concept of "מחצתי ואני ארפא" ("I have wounded and I will heal") — which, although it refers to the Time to Come (Koheles Rabbah 1:4), nevertheless this is explained also with regard to Rashbi (the discourse "Chayav Adam Levarech" 5638, section 25).
18) The Siddur, there, 306b.
19) See Likkutei Sichos there, at the top of the page, and the sources cited there.
20) Sefer HaSichos 5705, p. 60.
21) This is why it was specifically he who spoke on the matter of sleeping in the Sukkah from the standpoint of the encompassing lights (makifim) of Binah, as explained at length in the sicha of Shabbos Bereishis 5730 (see Likkutei Sichos vol. 29, Chag HaSukkos 5747, note 13).
22) And similar to how, during the leadership of the Alter Rebbe himself, before Petersburg (his imprisonment) it had to be less openly revealed than after Petersburg.
23) Tehillim 119:18. See the series "Chayav Adam Levarech" 5638, there, that this verse too "will be explained in connection with Lag BaOmer."
24) Rashi on Shir HaShirim 1:2.
Key Lesson
The "mound" between the revealed Torah and its inner dimension was never a solid wall: it may be crossed whenever the crossing is for good. Rashbi and then the Mitteler Rebbe crossed it to spread the inner Torah widely, and now that this crossing has been made, each of us is ready for the full revelation of the Torah's secrets with the coming of Moshiach.