Explanation is required:וְצָרִיךְ לְהָבִין,
On the surface, in order to explain that the revelation of Elul (and the opportunity that revelation presents) is granted to everyone,דְּלִכְאוֹרָה בִּכְדֵי לְבָאֵר שֶׁהַגִּלּוּי דֶּאֱלוּל (וְהַנְּתִינַת כֹּחַ שֶׁעַל יְדֵי הַגִּלּוּי) הוּא לְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד,
it is only relevant to state that when the king is in the field “anyone who so desires is given the license – and the opportunity – to go out and greet him.”נוֹגֵעַ רַק שֶׁכְּשֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ בַּשָּׂדֶה רַשָּׁאִים וִיכוֹלִים כָּל מִי שֶׁרוֹצֶה לְהַקְבִּיל פָּנָיו,
Why does the maamar in Likkutei Torah add: “He receives them all pleasantly and shows a smiling countenance to all”?וְלָמָּה מוֹסִיף שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ מְקַבֵּל אֶת כֻּלָּם בְּסֵבֶר פָּנִים יָפוֹת וּמַרְאֶה פָּנִים שׂוֹחֲקוֹת לְכֻלָּם.
The question is particularly apt since the fact that the king “receives them all pleasantly and shows a smiling countenance to all”וּבִפְרָט דְּזֶה שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ מְקַבֵּל אֶת כֻּלָּם בְּסֵבֶר פָּנִים יָפוֹת וּמַרְאֶה לָהֶם פָּנִים שׂוֹחֲקוֹת
reflects in the analogue the drawing down of G‑dliness and the revelation from Above that follows man’s Divine service.הוּא הַהַמְשָׁכָה וְהַגִּלּוּי מִלְמַעְלָה שֶׁלְּאַחֲרֵי הָעֲבוֹדָה,
For, obviously, “the king receives all pleasantly…,” refers to his response to those who went out to greet him.
The above requires explanation:וְאֵינוֹ מוּבָן,
The drawing down of G‑dliness and the revelation that follows man’s Divine service (“my Beloved is mine”) occurs during the Ten Days of Teshuvah,דְּהַהַמְשָׁכָה וְהַגִּלּוּי שֶׁלְּאַחֲרֵי הָעֲבוֹדָה (וְדוֹדִי לִי) הִיא בַּעֲשֶׂרֶת יְמֵי תְּשׁוּבָה,
while the analogy of the king in the field serves as an explanation for the fact that the revelation of Elul (enables man’s Divine service and) thus precedes it.וְהַמָּשָׁל דְּמֶלֶךְ בַּשָּׂדֶה הוּא בֵּאוּר עַל הַגִּלּוּי דֶּאֱלוּל שֶׁהוּא (נְתִינַת כֹּחַ וְ)לִפְנֵי הָעֲבוֹדָה.
Thus seemingly, the king’s response to their greeting him is superfluous in the analogy. The king’s response reflects the revelation of “my Beloved is mine,” the revelation of G‑dliness that comes as a result of man’s Divine service. The purpose of the analogy of the king in the field, by contrast, is to show that G‑d makes possible man’s Divine service, but the emphasis is on the initiative taken by man.
Also, the two expressions used in the maamar –“He receives them all pleasantly and shows a smiling countenance to all” require explanation,גַּם צָרִיךְ לְהָבִין שְׁנֵי הָעִנְיָנִים שֶׁהוּא מְקַבְּלָם בְּסֵבֶר פָּנִים יָפוֹת וְשֶׁמַּרְאֶה לָהֶם פָּנִים שׂוֹחֲקוֹת.
as does the choice of words: Regarding “receives them” the maamar states: “pleasantly,”וְגַם, שֶׁבְּנוֹגֵעַ לִ'מְקַבְּלָם' אוֹמֵר בְּסֵבֶר פָּנִים יָפוֹת,
while regarding “shows them,” it speaks of “a smiling countenance.”וּבְנוֹגֵעַ לְ'מַרְאֶה לָהֶם' אוֹמֵר פָּנִים שׂוֹחֲקוֹת.
It is possible to explain the above points by prefacing a comparison between the revelation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy in Elul with the revelations of Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur and highlighting the two unique dimensions of the revelation of Elul:וְיֵשׁ לוֹמַר הַבֵּאוּר בָּזֶה בְּהַקְדֵּיִם שֶׁהַחִדּוּשׁ בְּהַגִּלּוּי דְּי"ג מִדּוֹת הָרַחֲמִים בֶּאֱלוּל לְגַבֵּי הַגִּלּוּי בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים הוּא בִּשְׁנֵי עִנְיָנִים.
a) In order to receive the revelations of Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, one’s Divine service must be on an elevated levelשֶׁבִּכְדֵי לְקַבֵּל הַגִּלּוּי דְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים הוּא עַל יְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה נַעֲלֵית
(to refer back to the maamar in Likkutei Torah, those revelations are granted to “the nation’s elite” and the “select few”).(מֻבְחָרִים שֶׁבָּעָם וִיחִידֵי סְגֻלָּה),
In order to receive the revelation of Elul, by contrast, one need only go out to greet the king.וּבִכְדֵי לְקַבֵּל הַגִּלּוּי דֶּאֱלוּל צְרִיכָה לִהְיוֹת רַק הַקְבָּלַת פְּנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ,
In the analogue, this refers to arousing within oneself the acceptance of the yoke of Kingdom of Heaven.1דְּבַנִּמְשָׁל הוּא הִתְעוֹרְרוּת הַקַּבָּלַת עֹל מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם.
b) The revelation of Elul also extends to those who are found in the desert2 of the forces of unholiness.3וְעוֹד חִדּוּשׁ בְּהַגִּלּוּי דֶּאֱלוּל שֶׁהַגִּלּוּי הוּא גַּם לְאֵלֶּה הַנִּמְצְאִים בַּמִּדְבָּר דִּלְעֻמַּת זֶה.
The maamar in Likkutei Torah explains the analogy: “The city” refers to the sphere of holiness; in terms of the analogy: the place where the king resides and is most often found. “The field” refers to activities which although outside the direct sphere of holiness, can be used for holiness. As in the analogy, fields are outside the city, but they provide food for the city’s inhabitants.4 A desert is “an unsown land,”5 a place “where no man has dwelt,”6 i.e., a place outside the sphere of holiness, that contains negative influences (in the analogue, manifestations of the forces of kelipah). As such, G‑dliness cannot be revealed there. Instead, G‑dliness is revealed to “those who find themselves in the desert,” so that they be motivated to leave it and return to G‑d in teshuvah.
This is understood from the fact that the primary aspect of the revelation of Elul is to enable the Divine service of teshuvah.7וְכַמּוּבָן גַּם מִזֶּה שֶׁעִקַּר הַגִּלּוּי דְּי"ג מִדּוֹת הָרַחֲמִים שֶׁבֶּאֱלוּל הוּא נְתִינַת כֹּחַ עַל תְּשׁוּבָה,
In a simple sense, teshuvah refers to repentance for undesirable conductדִּתְשׁוּבָה כִּפְשׁוּטָהּ הִיא עַל עִנְיָנִים בִּלְתִּי רְצוּיִים
(conduct symbolized by a desert).(בְּחִינַת מִדְבָּר),
On a deeper level, the fundamental aspect of teshuvah focuses on correcting one’s having cast off the yoke of the Heavenly King.8וְעִקַּר הַתְּשׁוּבָה הוּא עַל פְּרִיקַת עֹל,
From this, it is understood that the revelations of Elul extend even to those who are utterly distant.דְּמִזֶּה מוּבָן, שֶׁהַגִּלּוּי דֶּאֱלוּל הוּא גַּם לְאֵלֶּה שֶׁהֵם בְּתַכְלִית הָרִחוּק.
True, the maamar in Likkutei Torah states that the revelation of Elul extends to the field (and not to the desert).וּמַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בְּהַמַּאֲמָר שֶׁהַגִּלּוּי דֶּאֱלוּל הוּא בַּשָּׂדֶה (וְלֹא בַּמִּדְבָּר),
The intent, however, is that the revelation of Thirteen Attributes of Mercy isהוּא, כִּי הַגִּלּוּי דְּי"ג מִדּוֹת הָרַחֲמִים הוּא
(not in the desert itself, for the desert refers to(לֹא בְּהַמִּדְבָּר עַצְמוֹ,
matters that are against G‑d’s will. In such matters, G‑dliness cannot be revealed.דִּבְעִנְיָנִים שֶׁהֵם הֵפֶךְ רְצוֹן ה', אֵין שַׁיָּךְ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בָּהֶם גִּלּוּי אֱלֹקוּת,
Instead,) the intent is that the revelation reaches the Jews who are found in the desert.אֶלָּא) בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל הַנִּמְצָאִים בַּמִּדְבָּר,
This revelation gives them the power to leave the desert and go to the field to greet the king.וְהַגִּלּוּי בָּהֶם הוּא הַנְּתִינַת כֹּחַ לָצֵאת מִמִּדְבָּר לַשָּׂדֶה לְקַבֵּל פְּנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ.
On this basis, it can be said that in the words of the maamar that the king “receives them all pleasantly,”וְעַל פִּי זֶה יֵשׁ לוֹמַר, דְּמַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בְּהַמַּאֲמָר שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ מְקַבֵּל אֶת כֻּלָּם בְּסֵבֶר פָּנִים יָפוֹת,
the emphasis is on “all,”הַכַּוָּנָה בָּזֶה שֶׁמַּדְגִּישׁ "אֶת כֻּלָּם" הִיא,
i.e., including even those who only desire to greet the king,שֶׁגַּם אֵלֶּה שֶׁהֵם רַק רוֹצִים לְהַקְבִּיל אֶת פְּנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ
but are held captive by their evil inclination and cannot follow through and do so on their own initiative.אֶלָּא שֶׁהֵם שְׁבוּיִים בִּידֵי יִצְרָם
Consequently, even when a desire to turn to G‑d in teshuvah and accept the yoke of the kingdom of Heaven is aroused within them,וְגַם כְּשֶׁמִּתְעוֹרֵר אֶצְלָם רָצוֹן לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה וּלְקַבֵּל עֲלֵיהֶם עֹל מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם
they are not able to bring this desire into actual expression.אֵין זֶה בָּא בְּפֹעַל,
The King “receives” even such individuals “pleasantly.”גַּם אוֹתָם הוּא מְקַבֵּל בְּסֵבֶר פָּנִים יָפוֹת,
They did not actually “go out to greet the king,” they merely desired to do so. Nevertheless, G‑d (the King) is sensitive to their inner desire and “receives them all pleasantly.”
This arouses within them a powerful and mighty desire to greet the King.וְזֶה מְעוֹרֵר אֶצְלָם רָצוֹן חָזָק וְתַקִּיף לְהַקְבִּיל אֶת פְּנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ,
As a result of this desire, they are able to overcome the obstacles and hindrances and turn to G‑d in teshuvah.וְעַל יְדֵי רָצוֹן זֶה הֵם מִתְגַּבְּרִים עַל הַמְּנִיעוֹת וְהָעִכּוּבִים.
With this explanation, the Rebbe answers the question posed at the beginning of the section: Why is the king’s receiving the people included in the analogy of the king in the field? In explanation, he clarifies that by “receiving them all pleasantly,” the king enables all his subjects to actually go out and greet him, even those who on their own would be incapable of overcoming the inner obstacles that prevent them from actually greeting him. Thus this is all part of the service of Elul, greeting the king in the field.

Summary

On the surface, in order to explain that the revelation of Elul (and the opportunity that revelation presents) is granted to everyone, it is only relevant to state that when the king is in the field “anyone who so desires is given the license to go out and greet him.” Why does the maamar in Likkutei Torah add: “He receives them all pleasantly and shows a smiling countenance to all”?
Also, the two expressions used in the maamar – “He receives them all pleasantly and shows a smiling countenance to all” – require explanation.
It is possible to explain these points through a comparison between the revelation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy in Elul with the revelations of Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur. There are two basic differences:
a) In order to receive the revelations of Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, one’s Divine service must be on an elevated level. In order to receive the revelation of Elul, by contrast, one need only go out to greet the king. In the analogue, this refers to arousing within oneself the acceptance of the yoke of Kingdom of heaven.
b) The revelation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy in Elul also extends to those who are found in the desert, i.e., the place of the forces of unholiness. The revelation gives them the power to leave the desert and go to the field to greet the king.
The implication of the statement that the king “receives them all pleasantly,” is that the king responds even to those who only desire to greet the king, but are held captive by their evil inclination and cannot follow through and do so on their own initiative. The king’s response arouses within them a powerful and mighty desire to greet him. As a result of this desire, they are able to overcome the obstacles and hindrances and turn to G‑d in teshuvah.