Yud-Tes Kislev — Rosh Hashanah of Chassidus
1. It is known* what the Alter Rebbe said concerning the day of Yud-Tes Kislev: "זה היום יוקבע למועד תמידי בישראל" ("This day shall be established as an everlasting festival among the Jewish people").1
At first glance it would appear that by the expression "shall be established as an everlasting festival" the Alter Rebbe meant to emphasize that the day of Yud-Tes Kislev will be set as a festival in each and every year.
It is difficult, however, to say this, because even without the word "everlasting" one would understand from the words "shall be established as a festival" alone that this means a festival that will repeat itself in each and every year.
[For a festival whose existence lasts only for a certain time and is afterwards nullified does not fit the term "shall be established" — and as is known,2 "קבוע לא בטל" ("what is established is not nullified"). And as can also be seen from what the Gemara says3 regarding Chanukah: "לשנה אחרת קבעום ועשאום ימים טובים בהלל והודאה" ("The following year they established them and made them festive days of Hallel and thanksgiving") — that through their having "established them," the days of Chanukah have remained a festival in each and every year (so much so that even in the time to come, when "all the festivals will be nullified," Chanukah (and Purim) will not be nullified4).]
We must therefore say that by emphasizing "an everlasting festival" (a constant festival) he intends to say that the festival of Yud-Tes Kislev will extend always, constantly, through all the days of the year.
(And the meaning of "shall be established as an everlasting festival" is that the fact that Yud-Tes Kislev extends as an everlasting festival through all the days of the year will be in a manner of permanence — that is to say, in all years, in each year separately, the festival of Yud-Tes Kislev will extend through all the days of that year.)
And this does not mean merely that the festival of Yud-Tes Kislev has an effect upon all the days of the year (for since "on it . . thousands of hearts among the Jewish people will be aroused to teshuvah and the service of the heart,"5 there are certainly results of this arousal that find expression in actual conduct throughout all the days of the year);
[which is similar to what happens with every Yom Tov: from the light that is drawn down on Yom Tov, Jews take along light for an entire year;6 and so too with the fulfillment of every mitzvah — the refinement, the working-through that the mitzvah effects in the person who performs it, remains and continues to act even after the performance of the mitzvah6] —
the expression "everlasting" says still more: that the festival of Yud-Tes Kislev itself extends7 through all the days of the year.8
2. Mitzvos of Rabbinic ordinance "יוצאות ונמשכות ממצות התורה" ("issue and are drawn from the mitzvos of the Torah").9 From this it is understood that the mitzvos of the Torah certainly contain within them matters that remain and extend constantly. And indeed we find that Chag HaPesach extends through all the days of the year.10
As is known,11 this is the reason why the Alter Rebbe did not include (the passage) "חסל סידור פסח" ("Concluded is the order of Pesach") in the Haggadah of his Siddur: because Pesach does not end, and it extends also into all the following days — unlike all the other festivals, of which only their radiance remains shining during the rest of the days of the year.12
Now, Yud-Tes Kislev is the festival of the revelation of Chassidus (as is well known13 that it was then that the main part of "יפוצו מעינותיך14 חוצה" ("Your wellsprings shall spread outward")15 was accomplished) — and since "Chassidus is the very same matter as Yetzias Mitzrayim,"16 the festival of Yud-Tes Kislev is therefore similar to Chag HaPesach, and it too extends constantly.
3. All matters of the inner dimension of the Torah are found (at least by allusion) in the revealed part of the Torah as well. So too this very matter — that Yetzias Mitzrayim (the essential content of Chag HaPesach, the "Season of our Freedom," and also of Yud-Tes Kislev) extends in an everlasting manner — is stated also in the revealed Torah, and explicitly:
Regarding (the remembrance of) Yetzias Mitzrayim it is said in the revealed Torah17 that it is a "יסוד גדול ועמוד חזק בתורתנו ובאמונתנו" ("a great foundation and a strong pillar in our Torah and our faith"). From this it is understood (that in addition to the fact that "many mitzvos have come to us regarding this, a positive commandment and a negative commandment," and that "we say always, in our blessings and our prayers, 'a remembrance of the going out of Egypt,'"17 there is still more —) that in every mitzvah a Jew performs, and also in all his own needs that are carried out "לשם שמים" ("for the sake of Heaven") or in the manner of "בכל דרכיך דעהו" ("In all your ways, know Him"),18 there is present the expression and fundamental influence of Yetzias Mitzrayim, since it is the "foundation" that upholds all the particulars of the "structure" of Torah (and its mitzvos) and faith.
And since a Jew must constantly, at every moment, serve the A-lmighty — whether through the study of Torah and the fulfillment of the mitzvos, or through fulfilling the Torah's command "וכל מעשיך יהיו לשם שמים" ("Let all your deeds be for the sake of Heaven") and "In all your ways, know Him"18 — it follows of itself that Yetzias Mitzrayim as well, being the foundation of the service of G‑d, must extend in an everlasting manner.
4. In addition to the above — that Yetzias Mitzrayim represents the constant "foundation" and "pillar" of the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos — Yetzias Mitzrayim itself is also a constant matter, and this too is stated explicitly in the revealed Torah:
Regarding the redemption of Yetzias Mitzrayim it says19 "אשר גאלנו וגאל את אבותינו" ("Who redeemed us and redeemed our forefathers") — meaning that the fact that we are now, in all the years after Yetzias Mitzrayim, in a state of freedom comes about (not as an automatic result of His having "redeemed our forefathers" in the year 2448, but rather) because He "redeemed us": the A-lmighty redeems us from Egypt.20 And the reason we say "a remembrance of the going out of Egypt" is that the redemption that took place in the year 2448 extends and continues also now. And "אילו לא הוציא הקב״ה את אבותינו ממצרים" ("Had the Holy One, blessed be He, not taken our forefathers out of Egypt") — if the redemption by which "He took our forefathers out" had not extended also to now21 — "הרי אנו ובנינו ובני בנינו משועבדים היינו לפרעה במצרים" ("then we, our children and our children's children would be enslaved to Pharaoh in Egypt").
And this is comparable to the miracle of the splitting of the Sea: the "רוח קדים עזה" ("strong east wind") that brought about "ויבקעו המים" ("and the waters split") had to remain at its work "כל הלילה" ("all night");22 and as soon as it ceased, "וישב הים . . לאיתנו" ("the sea returned . . to its strength") — "to its original strength."23
5. We must, however, understand this comparison and analogy:
The splitting of the Sea is understandable: since the very phenomenon of water standing like a wall is the opposite of the nature of water, it is understood that this change of nature can exist only by virtue of the G‑dly power that was vested in the "east wind" and brought about this change. Therefore, as soon as the "east wind" had passed, the change of nature was nullified*23 and the sea returned "to its strength."24
But Yetzias Mitzrayim — since the matter of freedom itself is not a change of nature
(the miracle, the change of nature, at Yetzias Mitzrayim consisted only of the moment of going out from the exile of Egypt, for according to nature "even one slave could not escape from there";25 but after the moment of leaving and being set free, one naturally remains a free person26),
it would apparently follow that after the moment when "He brought us out from slavery to freedom," we should have remained in the state of freedom even without the constant drawing-forth of Yetzias Mitzrayim.27 Why, then, do we need "He redeemed us" — that Yetzias Mitzrayim must extend also now?
6. The explanation of this is as follows:
It is known that the exile of Egypt is the root of all the later exiles.28 From this it is understood that it was also the most difficult exile — more difficult (in several respects) even than the present, final exile.29
This is the reason why even during the time of exile we celebrate the Yom Tov of Pesach, the "Season of our Freedom," and we say Hallel over having ceased to be "עבדי פרעה" ("servants of Pharaoh")30 — even though "השתא עבדין" ("this year we are slaves")31 — because the servitude and subjugation of the present exile bears no comparison to the subjugation of the exile of Egypt.
Still more: through Yetzias Mitzrayim it was brought about that there should no longer be any possibility of, or room for, an exile of the kind of the exile of Egypt. For after Yetzias Mitzrayim, when the Jews became "עבדי ה'" ("servants of G‑d"),30 it can never again be that they should find themselves once more in such harsh subjugation as to become "servants of Pharaoh."32
And as is stated in the Zohar on "וירא ישראל את מצרים מת על שפת הים" ("Israel saw Egypt dead on the seashore"),33 that the Jews saw the death of the heavenly prince of Egypt. And when the prince of Egypt was nullified above, then below as well there was automatically removed all room and possibility for an exile similar to the exile of Egypt — "לא תוסיפו לראותם עוד עד עולם" ("you shall never see them again").34
Accordingly it is understood that not only was the going out of Egypt a change of nature, but also the very existence of the freedom — that Jews stand in such a state that Pharaoh and Egypt can have no access to them — is a miraculous matter that has no place within nature, as will be explained below.
7. All matters below have a root above. It is stated in Chassidus35 that above too there exists the matter of "Mitzrayim": "The entire order of hishtalshelus (the chain of descent of the worlds) is called by the name Mitzrayim — the level of constraint and limitation." And since, from the standpoint of the order of hishtalshelus, there is room also for the opposing side, therefore "in Mitzrayim, the level of the order of hishtalshelus, there can be a house of slavery." And the existence of the freedom in which Jews find themselves — that there is no possibility of their being "on the level of slaves" — is due to "הוצאתיך מארץ מצרים" ("I brought you out of the land of Egypt"): that the A-lmighty took Jews out of the "Mitzrayim" of the order of hishtalshelus and raised them to the level that is above hishtalshelus.
And this is the explanation of why the very existence of the freedom is also a miraculous matter above nature: since freedom of this kind (in which there is no room at all for the subjugation of Egypt) comes from the level that is above hishtalshelus, it is understood that the joining of the constraint and limitation of this physical world (where Jews are found) with the limitlessness that is above hishtalshelus (which is a far greater wonder than "פילא בקופא דמחטא" ("an elephant through the eye of a needle")36) is a miraculous matter that is entirely above, and the opposite of, nature.
And therefore the effect of Yetzias Mitzrayim must extend continuously, also now; and were the effect to cease, heaven forbid, there would again be the state of "we would be enslaved to Pharaoh in Egypt" (the possibility of the subjugation of Egypt37) — because in every joining of two opposites, the action that brought about the joining must be a continuing action.38
8. From this it is understood that the connection of Yetzias Mitzrayim with the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos is twofold: on the one hand, (the remembrance of) Yetzias Mitzrayim is the foundation that upholds all the particulars of Torah and mitzvos (as above, section 3); and on the other hand, the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos brings about Yetzias Mitzrayim. For since "על מנת כן הוצאתיך" ("on this condition I brought you out"),39 meaning that Yetzias Mitzrayim depends on the condition of fulfilling Torah and mitzvos, one must constantly come to the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos, through which the constant "I brought you out" comes about.
9. From this it is understood also with regard to Yud-Tes Kislev — the time of the revelation of Chassidus, which is the same matter as Yetzias Mitzrayim, as above, section 2 — that in it too there are all three of the above matters, as in the literal Yetzias Mitzrayim:
a) The effect of the revelation of Chassidus that was brought about on Yud-Tes Kislev 5559 is a continuing action. For the miracle of Yud-Tes Kislev found expression not only in the going out of the Alter Rebbe and the teachings of Chassidus from imprisonment to freedom, but also in the fact that Chassidus is afterwards found in a state of freedom and revelation in the world
— because, from the standpoint of the order of hishtalshelus, there is no room for the constraint and limitation of the world, whether in the "outward" or in the farthest "outward," to become a place for the "wellsprings" of the secrets of the Torah and the secrets of its secrets, and moreover in a manner of revelation and dissemination, so that the joining of the two opposites ("your wellsprings" and "outward") is a miraculous matter above nature —
the action must therefore be a continuing action.
And therefore the day of Yud-Tes Kislev — on which, in each and every year, the matter brought about on the first Yud-Tes Kislev "חוזר וניעור" ("is reawakened")40 — is an "everlasting festival" that extends through all the days of the year, like Chag HaPesach.
b) The matter of Chassidus is a "great foundation" and a "strong pillar" that upholds and strengthens all matters of Torah and mitzvos, and also the doing of permitted things for the sake of Heaven — up to the manner of "In all your ways, know Him"; for when one does them with the feeling and vitality of Chassidus, they are in an entirely different manner.
This too is one of the reasons why Chassidus is designated by the name "your wellsprings":41
Just as water is something on which the physical existence of man depends — so much so that the species of plants and animals with which a person nourishes himself also need water for their existence, and all these waters come (through the deep) from the wellsprings
— so too with the wellsprings of the teachings of Chassidus: on them depends the (spiritual) existence of the person.
c) In order that the effect of the revelation of Chassidus, which began on the first Yud-Tes Kislev, should extend (and should have an inward effect) constantly, this depends on the "actual service" of the teachings of Chassidus: this actual service, by which a Jew conducts himself as Chassidus demands, both regarding himself and regarding others; he spreads the wellsprings of Chassidus in his own "outward," in all the powers of his soul and limbs of his body, and also in the "outward" outside him.
— This itself arouses and draws down the revelation that was brought about on the first Yud-Tes Kislev, so that the power is drawn down for the service of "Your wellsprings shall spread outward" — and in each and every year the power is drawn down with added strength and added vigor42 — which will bring "קאתי מר" ("the Master will come"),43 this being the King Moshiach, very soon indeed.
(From the sichos of Chag HaPesach 5724 and of Yud-Tes–Chof Kislev 5727)
Notes
*) The holy letter of the Rebbe Rashab of blessed memory for the Festival of Redemption of Yud-Tes Kislev 5662; a facsimile of the letter is in Kuntres U'Maayan, p. 17. It is also printed at the beginning of "Hayom Yom"; in his Igros Kodesh, vol. 1, p. 259; and in many places. This holy letter, in which Yud-Tes Kislev was proclaimed as the Rosh Hashanah of Chassidus, made at the time a strong impression throughout all the Jewish communities, and the leading sages of that generation, such as R. Chaim of Brisk and R. Chaim Ozer of Vilna, related to it with honor and respect, etc. (see Kuntres U'Maayan, loc. cit., p. 25).
1) Likkutei Dibburim, vol. 1, p. 38.
2) See Tosafos, Zevachim 73b (s.v. Ela), that because of its importance it is not nullified, and this is the reason for the law (Zevachim, ibid., and elsewhere) that whatever is established is treated as an even balance. See also Et Sofer (by R. A. N. Sofer) on the sugyos of the Talmud, the principle of "kavua"; and sources cited there.
3) Shabbos 21b.
4) A teaching of our Sages cited in Iggeres HaTiyul, Derush, letter 40; Sefer HaChaim, part 3, beginning of ch. 7. (Accordingly, further explanation can be added to the teaching of our Sages cited in Ramban at the beginning of Parshas Behaaloscha.)
5) See Likkutei Torah, Berachah 98b; see there.
6) And even to the point that "one mitzvah brings on another mitzvah" (Avos 4:2).
7) A further matter in the connection of Yud-Tes Kislev with all the days of the year: it is the "Rosh Hashanah" of Chassidus (see the note at the beginning of the Sicha), and the relationship of Rosh Hashanah to all the days of the year is like the relationship of the head in the human body to all its limbs, in that [not only does it include the vitality of all the limbs, but even after the vitality has been drawn from the head to the limbs] the head directs all the limbs (see at length Likkutei Sichos, vol. 4, pp. 1145–6).
However, from what is stated in the sicha of Chag HaPesach cited below, that only Chag HaPesach — and likewise Yud-Tes Kislev — extends constantly, it is understood that this matter does not apply to Rosh Hashanah. For the relationship of Rosh Hashanah to all the days of the year is only (like the relationship of the head in a person to the limbs of his body) that it includes them and directs them, but not that it itself is found in them. Chag HaPesach and Yud-Tes Kislev, however, are themselves found in all the days of the year.
And there is an advantage in the fact that Yud-Tes Kislev is the Rosh Hashanah of Chassidus, and similarly that Chag HaPesach is the Rosh Hashanah of the festivals (see Rosh Hashanah 4a): the effect of the "head" of each of them upon the days of the year comes [not only from the side of Chag HaPesach and Yud-Tes Kislev, but] also from the side of the days of the year, which are recipients and a vessel for this effect.
In other words: in Chag HaPesach and Yud-Tes Kislev there are: 1) their radiance and effect (as a head) upon their limbs, which is "by their nature and character" (provided no new obstacle or hindrance arises). 2) Their matter in itself — not as a head — but that the essence of this matter extends constantly. Accordingly, there must be service to make the days that are not Chag HaPesach and Yud-Tes Kislev a vessel and recipient (not for their radiance but) for their matter itself.
8) Note the talk of the Previous Rebbe (Likkutei Dibburim, vol. 3, p. 976) that "Yud-Tes Kislev is the bris" (circumcision); and circumcision is a continuing action, in that at every moment thereafter one fulfills the mitzvah (see Menachos 43b; Tzafnas Paneach (by the Rogatchover Gaon) on Rambam, Terumos, p. 86 (quoted in Mefaane'ach Tzefunos, p. 130 ff.); Likkutei Sichos, vol. 3, p. 759 ff.). (See also Likkutei Sichos, ibid., p. 799 ff. — a further explanation of the connection between bris milah and Yud-Tes Kislev.)
9) Iggeres HaKodesh, sec. 29 (150a).
10) The novelty of Chag HaPesach is that although Chag HaPesach (and Yud-Tes Kislev) are specific days in the year — a "festival" — they nevertheless extend constantly. This is not so of the other continuing mitzvos, which from the outset have no fixed time [such as attaching tzitzis and affixing a mezuzah, in which, according to Abaye (Shabbos 131a–b), one fulfills the mitzvah at every moment — for "they have no fixed time"]. And also regarding time-bound positive commandments, among which there are continuing mitzvos — such as the mitzvah of taking the four species, for according to the opinion (Sukkah 46b) that "it is set aside for the entire day," one fulfills the mitzvah at every moment, since taking the four species at one moment of the day extends over the whole day (see Tzafnas Paneach, Kuntres HaShlamah, p. 6; and in Michtevei Torah, letter 157), and likewise the obligation of becoming intoxicated on Purim, which extends over every moment of the day of Purim (see Likkutei Sichos, vol. 7, p. 201) — in Sukkos and Purim themselves (in which they extend) they have no fixed time.
And also the mitzvah of milah, which is a continuing action (as in note 8 above) — although its mitzvah is on the eighth day, what extends constantly is the mitzvah as a whole, that he is circumcised, etc. (which has no fixed time), and not the matter of "on the eighth day he shall circumcise."
11) The sicha of Chag HaPesach, in Sefer HaSichos 5703, p. 75; quoted in the Pesach Haggadah (Kehot edition) with Likkutei Taamim U'Minhagim, at its end.
12) Note that Pesach is the attribute of Chessed (Likkutei Torah, Bamidbar 14c; Pinchas 76b; Rosh Hashanah 58a; and in many places), and Chessed is "the day that goes along with all the days."*
*) See Zohar III, 150a–b; 191b. See also Likkutei Torah, the maamar beginning "Haazinu" (the third), ch. 6. — The wording "the day that goes along," etc., I found in Eitz Chaim, Shaar 25, Derush 2; Pri Eitz Chaim, Shaar [OCR unclear], ch. 1; Shaar Maamarei Rashbi, Parshas Yisro, Terumah and Emor (and from what is stated there, note what is written in Likkutei Torah, ibid.; see there); and elsewhere.
13) Toras Shalom, end of p. 112 ff.
14) Of the teachings of Chassidus. See also below, section 9.
15) The wording of Moshiach's answer to the Baal Shem Tov as to when he will come (see the sources cited below, note 41).
16) Sefer HaMaamarim 5710, p. 196.
17) Sefer HaChinuch, mitzvah 21.
18) Avos 2:2 [sic]; Mishlei 3:6. — The difference between these two matters: see at length Likkutei Sichos, ibid., p. 907; p. 931.
19) Mishnah, Pesachim 116b; the blessing "Asher Ge'alanu."
20) For in each and every generation and on each and every day a person must see himself as if he went out of Egypt today (Pesachim, ibid.; Tanya, beginning of ch. 47). Even if we were to say that our being free people is a result that follows automatically from Yetzias Mitzrayim, in which "He redeemed our forefathers," the meaning of "redeemed us" would not be understood — especially since "redeemed us" comes first and is stated in addition to "redeemed our forefathers."
21) For if it were meant in its plain sense — what would it be teaching us?
22) Beshalach 14:21.
23) Ibid., 14:27, and Rashi there (from the Mechilta). See also Shaar HaYichud VehaEmunah, ch. 2.
*23) Note Likkutei Sichos, vol. 6, p. 89 ff.
24) And so it is with all miracles in which the miracle is a change in the nature of the thing. See below, note 27 in the gloss, and note 38.
And it may be said that this is the meaning of what is written (Tehillim 136:6), "To Him Who spread the earth over the waters, for His kindness is everlasting": since, by the nature of creation that the Holy One, blessed be He, implanted in the four elements, water is above earth, the existence of the earth spread over the waters is the opposite of nature. Therefore His kindness (which brings about "spreading the earth") must extend everlastingly — constantly.
And as for the nullification of the decree that those below shall not ascend above at the Giving of the Torah (Shemos Rabbah 12:3; Tanchuma, Va'eira 15), which is not a constant action* — even though the joining of the higher and lower realms is a joining of two opposites, which [apparently] has no place in the nature of creation — this is because the Torah is the craftsman's instrument of the creation of the world (Bereishis Rabbah, beginning of ch. 1). Moreover, even after creation "the Holy One, blessed be He, stipulated with the work of creation . . if . . they accept the Torah, you shall endure, and if not, I shall return you to chaos and void" (Shabbos 88a). Thus it is impossible for creation to oppose the matter of the Giving of the Torah; on the contrary, the very nature of creation demands the Giving of the Torah, since only through it does creation endure.
*) As is evident from the sicha of Chag HaPesach mentioned above, that only Chag HaPesach — the matter of Yetzias Mitzrayim (but not Chag HaShavuos, the Season of the Giving of our Torah) — extends constantly. As for the wording "Who gives the Torah" in the present tense, that is a different matter. See the maamar beginning "V'Asisa Chag Shavuos" 5705 and the maamar following it.
25) Rashi, Yisro 18:9 (from the Mechilta, ibid.).
26) Especially since they were previously free people; the exile of Egypt came as a punishment* and a decree, and the decree too was (from the outset) only for four hundred years.
*) See below, p. 184, note 18.
27) A similar distinction applies to the miracles connected with Yetzias Mitzrayim:**
"His hand was leprous as snow" — the leprosy ([OCR unclear]) remained also after the miracle, and in order that it should be "restored like his flesh" a second miracle was required to nullify the leprosy (and it was not nullified automatically through the ending of the first miracle). This is also evident from the teaching of our Sages (Shabbos 97a; Rashi, Shemos 4:7; see also Shemos Rabbah 3:12), "From here we learn that the attribute of good comes more quickly than the attribute of punishment." The frogs — even after "the frogs departed from you and from your houses," they remained in the river (Va'eira 8:7), and in the houses, courtyards and fields dead ones remained, and they piled them into heaps upon heaps (ibid., 15–17). And likewise the locusts — in order that no locust should remain in all the border of Egypt, a very strong west wind was required (Bo 10:19).
**) This is not so of the plague of blood — since the miracle (the change of nature) was [OCR unclear] in the very existence {for even after the water turned to blood it remained water in its essence (so much so that "a tub full of water . . the Jew would drink water and the Egyptian blood, and when he took from a Jew for money (specifically) he would drink water" (Shemos Rabbah 9:10)), and therefore the waters' being (with regard to the Egyptians) blood is a constant change in the water} — when the miracle ceased, the change to blood was nullified automatically (for we do not find that they had to empty the ponds and all their gatherings of water, and in wood and in stone, after the plague).
28) Sources cited below, p. 183, note 17.
29) See also Likkutei Sichos, vol. 1, p. 96.
30) See Megillah 14a.
31) Pesach Haggadah, the passage "Ha Lachma Anya." It is simple that one cannot say that the recitation of Hallel on Pesach is because at Yetzias Mitzrayim the channel was opened also for the future redemption (when we will be "free people") — for reciting Hallel applies only to something that already exists (and note what is explained (see Likkutei Sichos, vol. 2, p. 546) as the reason why the blessing Shehecheyanu is not recited on the last days of Pesach: since they are connected mainly with the future redemption, therefore the complete Hallel is not said then).
32) Accordingly it is understood what is written (Michah 7:15), "As in the days of your going out of the land of Egypt I will show him wonders" (that Yetzias Mitzrayim is similar to the future redemption, to the extent that several particulars of the future redemption are learned from the redemption from Egypt) — although only the future redemption is a complete redemption with no exile after it — because the redemption from Egypt too is in such a manner that there cannot be another exile (similar to the exile of Egypt).
33) Beshalach 14:30; Zohar II, 52b. See also Shemos Rabbah 21:5; 22:2; and sources cited there.
34) Beshalach 14:13.
35) Torah Or 91c ff.
36) Which cannot be even in a dream (Berachos 55b, end).
37) According to what is explained in Likkutei Torah (Va'eschanan 4c), that from the standpoint of the level of the Light that fills all worlds, "such is the order of the upheavals of time" (and see there, 5d, what is cited from the book Chesed L'Avraham) — that is to say, that if the action of Yetzias Mitzrayim were to cease, we would be enslaved also in actuality, in keeping with the plain sense of the wording.
38) And likewise a joining of two opposites brought about by the action of a person: when the action ceases, the joining is automatically nullified. For example, throwing a stone from below upward: since this motion of the stone is a joining of two opposites [for the nature of a stone is to go down from above], it constantly needs the power of the thrower (as explained in the maamar of 5643, and in many places).
And so too in the laws of the Torah. For example, with hekdesh (consecrated property): "since we hold that there is annulment for hekdesh, it is as if at each and every moment there is a new consecration" (Tzafnas Paneach, second edition, 12b; see also there, Hilchos Arachin 4:28 — p. 76), because holiness means separation and setting apart, and therefore its joining with the physical is a joining of two opposites (see at length Likkutei Sichos, vol. 4, pp. 1253–4).
And so too with marriage, in which according to several opinions "on each and every day there is a new acquisition" (Tzafnas Paneach, Hilchos Ishus 27:2 — see at length Mefaane'ach Tzefunos, p. 135), because the union of male and female is a joining of two opposites.
39) See Rashi, Emor 22:33 (Toras Kohanim, ibid.); Behar 25:38; Va'eschanan 5:15.
40) Sources cited below, p. 400, note 76.
41) The well-known holy letter of the Baal Shem Tov — cited in Likkutei Sichos, vol. 4, p. 1235. See also there, pp. 1119–20, and the notes there.
42) See Iggeres HaKodesh, sec. 14.
43) The above-mentioned holy letter of the Baal Shem Tov. See also [OCR unclear: the note is cut off in the source].
Key Lesson
Yud-Tes Kislev, like Pesach, is not only a yearly date but a festival that continues every day, because the freedom it brought — Chassidus revealed even in the farthest "outward" — is a joining of opposites that must be drawn down constantly. This Sicha teaches that its continuation depends on our actual service: living as Chassidus demands and spreading its wellsprings, within ourselves and to others, which brings Moshiach.