On this basis, we can understand the concept that “I am my Beloved’s and my Beloved is mine” serves as an acronym for the name Elul.וְזֶהוּ אֲנִי לְדוֹדִי וְדוֹדִי לִי רָאשֵׁי תֵּבוֹת אֱלוּל,
It is possible to explain1 that connecting “my Beloved is mine” in the acronym of Elul refers (primarily) to the revelation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy in the month of Elul.דְּיֵשׁ לוֹמַר שֶׁוְדוֹדִי לִי שֶׁבְּרָאשֵׁי תֵּבוֹת אֱלוּל קָאֵי (בְּעִקָּר) עַל הַגִּלּוּי דְּי"ג מִדּוֹת הָרַחֲמִים שֶׁבֶּאֱלוּל.
One of the questions raised at the beginning of the maamar focused on the statement in the Alter Rebbe’s maamar that “My Beloved is mine” refers to the revelation of G‑d’s awe-inspiring greatness on Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur. It was asked: Elul is an acronym for the entire verse: “I am my Beloved’s and my Beloved is mine.” What is the connection between “my Beloved is mine” and Elul?
Originally, it was explained that the Jews’ Divine service in Elul precipitates the revelation of G‑dliness on Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur. That explanation was not accepted entirely. The fact that the letters vav and lamed (which allude to “my Beloved is mine”) are part of the word Elul, indicate that Elul is not only a preparation for the revelation of “my Beloved is mine,” but that revelation is also manifest within the month of Elul itself.
Afterwards, it was explained that “my Beloved is mine” refers to G‑d’s response to the teshuvah of the Jewish people; to refer to the Alter Rebbe’s analogy: the king “receives them all pleasantly and shows a smiling countenance to all.” Here the Rebbe is explaining that the very fact that “the king is in the field” — the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy are revealed in Elul — can be considered as the revelation of “my Beloved is mine.”
“My Beloved is mine” is stated after “I am my Beloved’s,”וְזֶה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְדוֹדִי לִי לְאַחֲרֵי אֲנִי לְדוֹדִי
despite the fact that the revelation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy in Elul generates the potential for the Divine service of “I am my Beloved’s”,אַף שֶׁהַגִּלּוּי דְּי"ג מִדּוֹת הָרַחֲמִים שֶׁבֶּאֱלוּל הוּא הַנְּתִינַת כֹּחַ עַל הָעֲבוֹדָה דַּאֲנִי לְדוֹדִי
Thus, since the arousal from Above precedes and makes possible the Jewish people’s desire to seek G‑d, there is reason to say that the verse should have read, “My Beloved is mine and I am His.”
because, when viewed from an inner perspective,הוּא, כִּי בִּפְנִימִיּוּת הָעִנְיָנִים,
“I am my Beloved’s” (man’s service) surpasses “my Beloved is mine” (revelation from Above). Hence, it is stated first because of its prominence.2אֲנִי לְדוֹדִי (עֲבוֹדַת הָאָדָם) הוּא לְמַעְלָה מִוְדוֹדִי לִי (גִּלּוּי מִלְמַעְלָה),
As explained above (secs. 6 and 7),וְכַנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל (סְעִיף וּ וְסְעִיף ז)
the intent of the revelation of Thirteen Attributes of Mercy is to arouse man’s Divine serviceשֶׁהַכַּוָּנָה בְּהַגִּלּוּי דְּי"ג מִדּוֹת הָרַחֲמִים הִיא בִּכְדֵי לְעוֹרֵר עֲבוֹדַת הָאָדָם,
and through that, the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy are elevated to a higher level.וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה נַעֲשֶׂה עִלּוּי בְּי"ג מִדּוֹת הָרַחֲמִים.
There are two dimensions to this elevation:וּשְׁנֵי עִנְיָנִים בָּזֶה.
a) the elevation that is brought about within the revelation from Above through its descent to this physical plane to arouse man’s Divine serviceהָעִלּוּי שֶׁנַּעֲשֶׂה בְּהַגִּלּוּי מִלְמַעְלָה עַל יְדֵי יְרִידָתוֹ לְמַטָּה בִּכְדֵי לְעוֹרֵר אֶת הָאָדָם
(as explained in sec. 7 above), i.e., the very fact that this revelation is intended to enable man’s Divine service connects it to G‑d’s Essence and thus elevates it;(כַּנַּ''ל סְעִיף ז),
b) the elevation that results from the man’s actual arousal of teshuvah. The fact that the Jewish people actualize that potential granted to them elevates the arousal from Above to an even higher rung.וְהָעִלּוּי שֶׁנַּעֲשֶׂה עַל יְדֵי הִתְעוֹרְרוּת תְּשׁוּבָה דְּהָאָדָם בְּפֹעַל.
The latter point itself subdivides into two aspects:וּבָזֶה עַצְמוֹ – שְׁנֵי עִנְיָנִים.
i) the elevation stemming from that Divine pleasure generated by man’s Divine serviceהָעִלּוּי שֶׁמִּצַּד הַתַּעֲנוּג דִּלְמַעְלָה שֶׁבַּעֲבוֹדַת הָאָדָם
and in particular, from his service of teshuvah.וּבִפְרָט בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַתְּשׁוּבָה –
In the words of the maamar from Likkutei Torah, the king “receives them all pleasantly.”מְקַבֵּל כו' בְּסֵבֶר פָּנִים יָפוֹת,
Afterwards, as a result, there is revealedוְעַל יְדֵי זֶה מִתְגַּלֶּה אַחַר כָּךְ
ii) the essential Divine pleasure in the Jewish people themselves,הַתַּעֲנוּג הָעַצְמִי שֶׁבְּיִשְׂרָאֵל עַצְמָם
(pleasure that surpasses the pleasure generated by man’s Divine service. This pleasure is more encompassing, because the source of the souls of the Jewish people is on a loftier level than the source of the Torah and its mitzvos,(דְּשֹׁרֶשׁ הַנְּשָׁמוֹת הוּא לְמַעְלָה מֵהַשּׁרֶשׁ דְּתוֹרָה וּמִצְווֹת,
indeed, loftier even than the source of the mitzvah of teshuvah.)גַּם מִמִּצְוַת הַתְּשׁוּבָה) –
In the words of the maamar from Likkutei Torah, the king “shows a smiling countenance to all” (as explained in sec. 5 above).פָּנִים שׂוֹחֲקוֹת (כַּנַּ''ל סְעִיף ה).
It is possible to say that since man’s arousal to teshuvahוְיֵשׁ לוֹמַר, דְּכֵיוָן שֶׁהִתְעוֹרְרוּת הַתְּשׁוּבָה דְּהָאָדָם
(which leads to the revelation of “a pleasant countenance” and “a smiling countenance” Above)(שֶׁעַל יָדָהּ הוּא הַגִּלּוּי דְּפָנִים יָפוֹת וּפָנִים שׂוֹחֲקוֹת)
comes about through the revelation of “my Beloved is mine”בָּאָה עַל יְדֵי הַגִּלּוּי דִּוְדוֹדִי לִי
(the revelation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy in the month of Elul),(הַגִּלּוּי דְּי"ג מִדּוֹת הָרַחֲמִים שֶׁבֶּאֱלוּל),
therefore, the effect of “I am my Beloved’s,” man’s service, on “my Beloved is mine,” the revelation from Above, isלָכֵן, הַפְּעֻלָּה דַּאֲנִי לְדוֹדִי בִּוְדוֹדִי לִי הוּא
that even the revelation of “my Beloved is mine” is also elevatedשֶׁגַּם הַגִּלּוּי דִּוְדוֹדִי לִי מִתְעַלֶּה
to the sublime pleasure reflected in the King’s “pleasant countenance” and “smiling countenance.”לְהַתַּעֲנוּג דְּפָנִים יָפוֹת וּפָנִים שׂוֹחֲקוֹת.
May it be G‑d’s will that, through our deeds and our Divine service,3וִיהִי רָצוֹן, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי מַעֲשֵׂינוּ וַעֲבוֹדָתֵנוּ,
in particular, through the Divine service of the month of Elul,וּבִפְרָט עַל יְדֵי הָעֲבוֹדָה דְּחֹדֶשׁ אֱלוּל,
we speedily merit the Future Redemption.נִזְכֶּה בְּקָרוֹב מַמָּשׁ לַגְּאֻלָּה הָעֲתִידָה,
Then there will be the ultimate expression of “a smiling countenance,” the revelation of Divine pleasure,שֶׁאָז יִהְיֶה אֲמִתִּית הָעִנְיָן דְּמַרְאֶה פָּנִים שׂוֹחֲקוֹת,
as explained in numerous sources4 with regard to the contestוְכַמְּבֹאָר בְּכַמָּה מְקוֹמוֹת בְּעִנְיַן הַקִּנִיגְיָא
the Holy One, blessed be He, will make for the sake of the righteous in the Ultimate Future.5שֶׁעָתִיד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לַעֲשׂוֹת לַצַּדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא,
In that era, it will be overtly revealed that the entire purpose of the battle between good and bad (in this world)שֶׁיִּרְאוּ בְּגִלּוּי שֶׁכָּל הַמִּלְחָמָה דְּטוֹב וְרַע (שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה)
is so that there will be laughter and pleasure Above, for, as explained in sec. 5, pleasure reflects the essence.הוּא רַק בִּכְדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה שְׂחוֹק וְתַעֲנוּג,
“Then our mouths will be filled with laughter.”6 As reflected by the words of the psalm, the verse is speaking about the era of the Ultimate Redemption.וְאָז יִמָּלֵא שְׂחוֹק פִּינוּ,
May all this take place in the immediate future.וְכָל זֶה – בְּקָרוֹב מַמָּשׁ.

Summary

Although the revelation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy in Elul generates the potential for the Divine service of “I am my Beloved’s,” man’s Divine service, in the verse, “my Beloved is mine” (which refers to the revelation of these Thirteen Attributes) is stated after “I am my Beloved’s,” because “I am my Beloved’s” (man’s service) surpasses “my Beloved is mine” (revelation from Above).
Through motivating the teshuvah of the Jewish people, the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy are elevated to a higher level. There are two dimensions to this elevation:
a) the elevation that is brought about within the revelation from Above through its descent to this physical plane to arouse man’s Divine service, for this connects the revelation to G‑d’s essential intent (as explained in sec. 7 above),
b) the elevation that results from the man’s actual arousal of teshuvah. The latter point itself subdivides into two aspects:
i) the elevation stemming from that Divine pleasure generated by man’s Divine service; in the words of the maamar from Likkutei Torah, the king “receives them all pleasantly.” Afterwards there is revealed –
ii) the essential Divine pleasure in the Jewish people themselves, pleasure that surpasses the pleasure generated by man’s Divine service, because the source of the souls of the Jewish people is on a loftier level that the source of the Torah and its mitzvos; in the words of the maamar from Likkutei Torah, the king “shows a smiling countenance to all” (as explained in sec. 5 above).