1. The Jews of Latvia. Let1 me wish the Jews of Latvia that their present situation should continue unchanged. They live in a country headed by the respected and esteemed President Karlis Ulmanis, who does not discriminate with regard to nationality or religious belief, and who administers his government well and wisely. My wish is that things should go well for him, and that all the Jews should be happy under his regime.
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2. We shall Stay Connected. [The Rebbe then said to R. Mordechai Cheifetz:2 ] I had wanted to speak to all the people present, but have not been given permission, so I’m making you my emissary.
Tell them that nine hours ago, at 3:00 AM, I was visited by my father. Tell them I have fresh regards from him, as follows:
My father shared with me a chassidic teaching3 on the verse,4 “Better to take refuge in G‑d than to place one’s trust in man.” (At this point I’m just summarizing the content; the maamar I’ll send you in due course.5 )
My father raised the question: How can the verse liken two concepts – man and G‑d – that are so utterly unlike each other? Also, why is there any need to advise that it is “better to take refuge in G‑d…?” Another question: Why, with regard to G‑d, does the verse use the term לחסות, meaning “to take refuge,” while with regard to man, the verse uses the term מבטוח, meaning “…to place one’s trust.” With regard to G‑d, one would have expected the verse to say, “Better to place one’s trust in G‑d,”6 as in another verse,7 “Blessed be the man who places his trust in G‑d.”
To explain:8
One of the Divine Names is Adam, as in Adam HaElyon (lit., “the Supernal Man”) or Adam deAtzilus. This Name signifies Elokus at the level of the Ten Sefiros. By contrast, the Name Havayah denotes the level of Elokus that transcends the Ten Sefiros, and of that transcendent level of Elokus it is written,9 “Behold, the Guardian of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps.”
When a mortal engages in avodah with his seichel and middos, his efforts resonate as high as the Ten Sefiros of Atzilus, because those Ten Sefiros correspond to his ten faculties of seichel and middos down here below. By contrast, it is written that the Divine Name Havayah,10 which transcends the Ten Sefiros, relates to the level of Elokus called Atik, which is referred to as “the wakeful Eye that does not sleep,”11 and is beyond the reach of mortal avodah.
[In the source cited from Torah Or, the Alter Rebbe states that the root בטח (as in mibeto’ach) relates to avodah pnimis, which is initiated by finite mortals and rises as high as Atzilus. By contrast, the root חסה (as in lachasos) relates to the level of avodah – through the G‑d-given Torah and mitzvos – which transcends the Hishtalshelus of the Ten Sefiros, and which rises as high as Atik. That kind of avodah is described as makkif, which literally means “encompassing,” and hence suggests an activity that calls forth the refuge and protection that proceed from that lofty source.]
Accordingly, in relation to the Name Havayah the verse uses the verb lachasos – “to take refuge.” This term indicates that by studying Torah and disseminating Torah study and observing mitzvos we will be privileged to be protected by the level of Elokus called Havayah, or Atik, “the wakeful Eye that is never asleep and is constantly wakeful.” Ultimately, the Complete Redemption will be elicited and brought down, in a loving and merciful manner. And at that time we will be privileged to behold the Coming of the Righteous Redeemer, speedily, and in our own days, Amen!
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[The Rebbe now concluded his message, which R. Mordechai Cheifetz was to convey to all those waiting outside, with the following reassurance:]
Tell all our fellow Jews that the ocean no longer separates; it connects. It connects those who are on this side of the globe with those who are on the other side. It connects the Upper Waters with the Lower Waters.12
Tell them all: I am together with all of you.13
[At 12:00 the Rebbe said to Reb Yitzchak der Masmid: “It’s now nine hours since my father’s words.”]
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3. Parting Words. [The Rebbe then appeared before the waiting crowd and addressed them as follows:] Be well,14 all of you, and be calm, because we live with faith and trust. Because of sins we were driven out of our Holy Land, and the One Above gave us His oath that he would yet bring us back to that Land.
We are now living through the harshest exile. The present time is the era that hears the approaching footsteps of Mashiach.15 The function of the head is to understand; the function of the heart is to feel; the function of the legs is to hold one upright. What holds us up is the observance of the practical mitzvos.
My fellow Jews! Observe the mitzvos: the menfolk – the mitzvos that relate to them; the womenfolk – the mitzvos that relate to them. Carefully observe the mitzvos of Shabbos, tefillin, kashrus. Become members of Agudas Yisrael;16 fortify the institutions of Torah study; enrol your children in chadarim.17
Take a lesson from your good neighbor, Lithuania, where there is a strong love of Torah learning, where every little township has a junior yeshivah, and every town has an advanced yeshivah.18 Disseminate Torah study!
May G‑d grant that we, together with Jews everywhere, will meet with Mashiach in Eretz Yisrael.
Be well, all of you!19
