Based on the above, it is possible to explain the connection between, and the relevance of, the Jews’ choice of the Holy One, blessed be He, and His choice of the Jewish people.וְעַל פִּי כָּל הַנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל יֵשׁ לְבָאֵר הַקֶּשֶׁר וְהַשַּׁיָּכוּת דִּבְחִירַת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וּבְחִירַת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל:
At its very beginning (sec. 1), the maamar quoted a passage from Bamidbar Rabbah 14:10 and raised several questions concerning it. On the basis of the explanations above, those questions can now be resolved.
His choice of the Jewish people as His treasured people1דִּבְחִירַת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לִהְיוֹת לוֹ לְעַם סְגֻלָּה,
comes as a result of the fact that G‑d’s inner will is focused on the Jewish people.שֶׁרְצוֹנוֹ הַפְּנִימִי דְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הוּא בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל
(As such, they are not an intermediary for achieving another purpose.)(וְלֹא שֶׁהֵם אֶמְצָעִי לְעִנְיָן אַחֵר),
As explained in sec. 10, in contrast to the nations of the world who are merely intermediaries, existing solely to facilitate the expression of G‑d’s inner will, the souls of the Jewish people are rooted in the inner dimension of G‑d’s will. Thus the inner motivation for the world’s creation and the ultimate expression of G‑d’s dwelling in the lower realms is for Him “to dwell and rest within the souls of the Jewish people.”2
G‑d’s choice of the Jews is the source and the sole factor empowering the Jews’ choice of the Holy One, blessed be He.הוּא הַשֹּׁרֶשׁ וְהַנְּתִינַת כֹּחַ לִבְחִירַת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא,
For, as explained above at length,3 the Jews’ choice of G‑d comes as a result of their being rooted within the inner dimension of G‑d’s will.כַּנַּ"ל בַּאֲרוּכָּה דְּזֶה שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל בּוֹחֲרִים בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הוּא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁשָּׁרְשָׁם הוּא בִּפְנִימִיּוּת הָרָצוֹן.
[G‑d’s choice of the Jewish people is focused on their bodies.4 It is possible to explain[וְיֵשׁ לוֹמַר, דְּזֶה שֶׁהַבְּחִירָה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא בְּהַגּוּף,
that this choice empowers them to reveal the inner dimensions of G‑d’s will even in their material matters,מִזֶּה נִמְשָׁךְ לָהֶם הַכֹּחַ שֶׁגַּם בָּעִנְיָנִים הַגַּשְׁמִיִּים יִהְיֶה הַגִּלּוּי דִּפְנִימִיּוּת הָרָצוֹן,
enabling them to feel that their material dimensions exist for the sake of their Divine service.]שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה נִרְגָּשׁ בָּהֶם שֶׁגַּם הַגַּשְׁמִיּוּת הוּא בִּשְׁבִיל עֲבוֹדַת ה'].
On this basis, it is possible to explain why the sacrifices brought by the prince of Asher came “in recognition of G‑d’s choice of Israel”5וְעַל פִּי זֶה יֵשׁ לְבָאֵר זֶה שֶׁהַקָּרְבָּנוֹת שֶׁל אָשֵׁר הָיוּ עַל שֵׁם הַבְּחִירָה שֶׁבָּחַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל,
even though “Israel’s good fortune is solely that she chose the Holy One, blessed be He.”אַף שֶׁאֵין אִשּׁוּרָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶלָּא עַל שֶׁבָּחֲרוּ בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא,
As explained in sec. 1, the Midrash appears to contradict itself: On one hand, it highlights G‑d’s choice of the Jewish people. However, it also focuses on the Jewish people’s choice of G‑d.
For the primary positive quality possessed by the Jewish people isכִּי עִיקַּר הָעִלּוּי דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא
(not what they have been granted from Above,(לֹא זֶה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהֶם מִצַּד לְמַעְלָה,
but) what they achieve through their Divine service.אֶלָּא) זֶה שֶׁפּוֹעֲלִים עַל יְדֵי עֲבוֹדָתָם,
The resolution of the seeming contradiction is that the fundamental positive quality possessed by the Jewish people is their choice of G‑d because that is an achievement of their own service. Nevertheless, the potential for making that choice stems from G‑d’s choice of them.
This (i.e., what the Jews achieve through their Divine service)וּבָזֶה דַּוְקָא (מַה שֶּׁפּוֹעֲלִים עַל יְדֵי עֲבוֹדָתָם)
is what generates the principal satisfaction and pleasure that the Holy One, blessed be He, derives.הוּא עִיקַּר הַנַּחַת רוּחַ וְהַתַּעֲנוּג דְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא,
Therefore this is Israel’s good fortune.
Nevertheless, the Jewish people are only able to make this choice because G‑d empowered them by drawing down and revealing His choice of the Jewish people.אֶלָּא שֶׁבִּכְדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לָהֶם הַנְּתִינַת כֹּחַ עַל זֶה הוּא עַל יְדֵי הַהַמְשָׁכָה וְהַגִּלּוּי דִּבְחִירַת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל,
The revelation of this choice was drawn down through the sacrifices offered by the prince of Asher.וְגִלּוּי זֶה נִמְשָׁךְ עַל יְדֵי הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת שֶׁהִקְרִיב אָשֵׁר.
Although the offerings brought by each of the princes during the dedication of the altar were identical, each one had a unique spiritual objective in their offerings. The spiritual objective of the prince of Asher was to reveal the positive potential of choice possessed by the Jewish people.
Every Jew possesses an inherent potential to make such a choice because the Jewish people are rooted in the inner dimension of G‑d’s will.דְּנוֹסָף לְהַכֹּחַ שֶׁבְּכָל אֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל מִצַּד שָׁרְשׁוֹ בִּפְנִימִיּוּת הָרָצוֹן,
Nevertheless, the sacrifices brought by the prince of Asher assisted in drawing down and revealing this potential to a greater extent.הִנֵּה עַל יְדֵי הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת דְּאָשֵׁר, נִמְשָׁךְ כֹּחַ זֶה בְּגִלּוּי יוֹתֵר.
These sacrifices affected the state of the Jews’ spiritual potential. Instead of merely existing latently in the inner reaches of a person’s spiritual subconscious, these sacrifices enabled the potential for positive choice to exert a more active influence on his conscious thought.
We may say that a similar objective was accomplished by the Alter Rebbe in saying: “I want nothing but You alone,”וְיֵשׁ לוֹמַר דְּעַל יְדֵי שֶׁאָמַר אַדְמוֹ"ר הַזָּקֵן אִיךְ וִויל מֶער נִיט אַז דִיךְ אַלֵיין,
particularly after this was publicized by the Tzemach Tzedek.וּבִפְרָט לְאַחֲרֵי שֶׁנִּתְפַּרְסֵם זֶה עַל יְדֵי הַצֶּמַח צֶדֶק,
By publicizing this statement to people at large, the Tzemach Tzedek highlighted that this approach was not merely a reflection of the personal Divine service of the Alter Rebbe, but is – to a certain extent – within the reach of everyone.
His statement generated the potential (to an even greater extent) for every Jew,נִתַּן הַכֹּחַ (עוֹד יוֹתֵר) לְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל,
particularly those who follow in his footsteps and paths,וּבִפְרָט לְהַהוֹלְכִים בְּעִקְּבוֹתָיו וּבִדְרָכָיו,
that even though one has many different desires,דַּהֲגַם שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ רִבּוּי רְצוֹנוֹת,
even desires stemming from the animal soul,וְעַד לָרְצוֹנוֹת שֶׁמִּצַּד נֶפֶשׁ הַבַּהֲמִית,
I.e., the maamar is referring to ordinary individuals who, unlike the Alter Rebbe, are motivated by other desires.
he will relate to all these desires with detachment,6שֶׁכָּל הָרְצוֹנוֹת שֶׁלּוֹ יִהְיוּ בְּלֹא לֵב וָלֵב,
i.e., without putting his full heart into them. Since the person has dimensions of his being that are not fundamentally holy, he will have other desires, but he will not be entirely swayed by them.
and his fundamental desire will be to fulfill G‑d’s essential desire that a dwelling for Him be made in the lower realms.וְעִיקַּר רְצוֹנוֹ יִהְיֶה לְהַשְׁלִים כַּוָּנַת הָעַצְמוּת לַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ דִּירָה בַּתַּחְתּוֹנִים
(This approach reflects and resembles, albeit in microcosm, the Alter Rebbe’s desire for nothing else but G‑d.)(עַל דֶּרֶךְ וּמֵעֵין שֶׁהָיָה אֵצֶל אַדְמוֹ"ר הַזָּקֵן שֶׁלֹּא רָצָה מֶער נִיט אַז דִיךְ אַלֵיין),
Even the person’s desire for material things will be (primarily) motivatedוְגַם רְצוֹנוֹ בְּגַשְׁמִיּוּת יִהְיֶה (בְּעִקָּר)
Again, since we are speaking about ordinary people, they will still have personal desires. Nevertheless, even these desires will be primarily motivated
by the intent to transform the material entities into mediums for G‑dliness.בִּכְדֵי לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת הַגַּשְׁמִיּוּת כְּלִי לֵאלֹקוּת.
This approach will also draw down an abundance of material influence for him,וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה יֻמְשַׁךְ לוֹ גַּם רִבּוּי הַשְׁפָּעָה בְּגַשְׁמִיּוּת,
as the Alter Rebbe said: “G‑d gives the Jews material things and the Jews transform the material into something spiritual.”7כְּמַאֲמַר אַדְמוֹ"ר הַזָּקֵן אַז דֶער אוֹיבֶּערְשְׁטֶער גִיט אִידְן גַּשְׁמִיּוּת אוּן אִידְן מַאכְן פוּן דִי גַּשְׁמִיּוּת רוּחְנִיּוּת,
From this, we can conclude that when the Holy One, blessed be He, grants the Jews an abundance of material blessings,דְּמִזֶּה מוּבָן, דִּכְשֶׁהַקָּדוֹש בָּרוּךְ הוּא נוֹתֵן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל רִבּוּי גַּשְׁמִיּוּת,
the Jews transform them into spiritual abundance,עוֹשִׂים יִשְׂרָאֵל רִבּוּי רוּחָנִיּוּת,
an abundance that is both quantitative and qualitative,רִבּוּי בְּכַמּוּת וְרִבּוּי בְּאֵיכוּת,
reaching a consummate level of perfection.וְעַד לְתַכְלִית הַשְּׁלֵמוּת,
The Jews will reach the level where they are bonded and united with the Holy One, blessed be He, in our Sages’ words,8וְעַד שֶׁמִּתְקַשְּׁרִים וּמִתְאַחֲדִים בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא,
“Israel, (the Torah), and the Holy One, blessed be He, are all one.”יִשְׂרָאֵל (אוֹרַיְיתָא) וְקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כֻּלָּא חַד
All of this will be accomplished amidst happiness and gladness of heart,וְכָל זֶה נַעֲשֶׂה מִתּוֹךְ שִׂמְחָה וְטוּב לֵבָב,
in these days of preparation for “the season of our freedom.”9בִּימֵי הַהֲכָנָה לִזְמַן חֵרוּתֵנוּ,
And this will bring about the actual experience of “the season of our freedom”:וְזֶה מֵבִיא גַּם אֶת זְמַן חֵרוּתֵנוּ בְּפֹעַל,
the true and complete Redemption led by Mashiach.גְּאֻלָּה הָאֲמִתִּית וְהַשְּׁלֵמָה עַל יְדֵי מְשִׁיחַ צִדְקֵנוּ,
May it take place in the immediate future.בְּקָרוֹב מַמָּשׁ.

Summary

“Israel’s good fortune is solely that she chose the Holy One, blessed be He,” because the primary positive quality possessed by the Jewish people is not what they have been granted from Above, but what they achieve through their own Divine service. Nevertheless, the sacrifices brought by the prince of Asher came “in recognition of G‑d’s choice of Israel,” because G‑d’s choice of Israel empowers Israel to choose Him.
Every Jew possesses the inherent potential to make such a choice because the Jewish people are rooted in the inner dimension of G‑d’s will. Nevertheless, the sacrifices brought by the prince of Asher assisted in revealing this potential.
A similar objective was accomplished by the Alter Rebbe in saying: “I want nothing but You alone.” His statement generated the potential for every Jew to relate to all his personal desires with detachment, and for his fundamental desire to be the fulfillment of G‑d’s desire that a dwelling for Him be established in the lower realms.