5888 —ענין "צבא" בעומק רום – "ותחלתן בסופן", וקבלת עול מלכות שמים

B"H, 2nd of Kislev, 5718
Brooklyn.

The Rav and Gaon, the Rav and Chassid, a G‑d-fearing man, distinguished and honored, engaged in communal needs^[1],
our teacher Reb Ephraim Eliezer HaKohen, may he live^[2]

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In reply to your letter of the 28th of MarCheshvan^[3], and chiefly its conclusion, where you write about the explanation in the maamar beginning "Be'etzem HaYom HaZeh" of 5701^[4] regarding the concept of tzava ("host"), etc.

See on this also the hemshech "Basi LeGani" of my father-in-law, the Rebbe, of Yud Shevat 5710, section 11 onward: three interpretations of tzava and their meanings^[5].

It is surprising that you wish to interpret this on a low level, in the "depth below"^[6], when it is possible to interpret it in the "depth above". And although, in the words of your letter, "their end is wedged in their beginning"^[7], the same passage continues, "and their beginning in their end"; that is to say^[8], it is in the end that one must search, and when one searches with toil, in the end^[9] one finds the beginning — the "depth above".

And it may be said that this is like kabbalas ol malchus Shamayim^[10], which is the beginning of avodah and also its purpose; and that is precisely the concept of tzava.

Enclosed herewith^[11] is a copy of my letter to someone on this subject, which is connected with the above.

With blessing.

[Publisher's notes: Our teacher Reb Ephraim Eliezer: Yolles, Philadelphia. Further letters to him: above, 5792, and the references in the notes there. "That you wish to interpret": Perhaps his intention (כוונתו הקוה"ט) was the Chassidim of Netzach-Hod-Yesod-Malchus... and since "its end is wedged in its beginning", then the Chabad Chassidim, too, need the "owners of the wheat" — the Chassidim of Netzach-Hod-Yesod-Malchus.]

Notes

1. The Rav and Gaon, the Rav and Chassid, a G‑d-fearing man, distinguished and honored, engaged in communal needs (הרה"ג הרה"ח אי"א נו"נ עוסק בצ"צ): הרב הגאון, הרב החסיד, איש ירא אלקים, נעלה ונכבד, עוסק בצרכי ציבור.

2. Reb Ephraim Eliezer HaKohen (מו"ה אפרים אליעזר שי' הכהן): R. Ephraim Eliezer HaKohen Yolles, a rav in Philadelphia. A further letter to him: above, letter 5792 (11 Tishrei 5718).

3. The 28th of MarCheshvan (מכ"ח מ"ח): מכ"ח מרחשון.

4. The maamar beginning "Be'etzem HaYom HaZeh" of 5701 (במאמר ד"ה בעצם היום הזה, תש"א): ד"ה — דיבור המתחיל. A maamar of the Previous Rebbe (Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak) from 5701, on the verse (Shemos 12:41) "And it came to pass on that very day that all the hosts of G‑d went out of the land of Egypt", which explains the concept of "the hosts (tzivos) of G‑d". In his letter the recipient asked about the explanation there of tzava.

5. Three interpretations of tzava and their meanings (ג' פירושים דצבא ועניניהם): The hemshech "Basi LeGani" — the maamarim of the Previous Rebbe released for Yud Shevat 5710, the day of his passing. From section 11 onward it explains three meanings of the word tzava, and what each means in a person's avodah.

6. In the "depth below" (בעומק תחת): After the wording of Sefer Yetzirah (1:5): "a depth of beginning and a depth of end... a depth above and a depth below". That is: the recipient wants to explain tzava on the very lowest level ("the depth below"), and the Rebbe is surprised, since it can be explained on the very highest level ("the depth above").

7. "Their end is wedged in their beginning" (נעוץ סופן בתחלתן): Sefer Yetzirah (1:7): "their end is wedged in their beginning and their beginning in their end, like a flame bound to a coal". The recipient cited the first half, "their end is wedged in their beginning", in support of his interpretation; the Rebbe answers that the passage continues "and their beginning in their end" — that is, it is in the end, on the lowest level, that one must search, and when one searches with toil one finds in it the beginning, the "depth above".

8. That is to say (ז.א.): זאת אומרת.

9. In the end (סוכ"ס): סוף כל סוף.

10. Kabbalas ol malchus Shamayim (קבעומ"ש): קבלת עול מלכות שמים, accepting the yoke of the Kingship of Heaven. That is: accepting the yoke is the beginning and foundation of avodah, and also its purpose; and that is the meaning of tzava — the soldier who sets himself aside and accepts the king's authority, in whom "the end" and "the beginning" meet.

11. Enclosed herewith (מוסג"פ): מוסגר פה, i.e. enclosed with the letter.

Summary

In reply to a rav's question on the explanation of tzava in the Previous Rebbe's maamar Be'etzem HaYom HaZeh 5701, the Rebbe refers him also to Basi LeGani 5710, section 11 onward, with its three meanings of tzava. He wonders why the rav explains it on the lowest level: "their end is wedged in their beginning" goes on, "and their beginning in their end" — searching in the end, one finds the beginning. Kabbalas ol is both the beginning and the purpose of avodah, and that is tzava.