Annual occurrences bring back the same themes as in previous years, but they also add new aspects. Therefore, in observing anniversary days we must review the general continuing theme, as well as emphasize the new theme which emerges this year.
So, too, in the case of the 20th of MarCheshvan, the birthday of the Rebbe Rashab. We must recall the salient points of the recurring theme, as well as emphasize the novel aspects of this year, which should be brought to the realm of action.
This concept of finding something new in recurring phenomena applies to all areas of holiness. In the case of the 20th of MarCheshvan it will take on added emphasis.
In all matters of Torah our sages have taught:
Each day they should be to you as something new.
(Rashi, Devorim 27:16)
Although you have performed this mitzvah or custom many times before you still have the ability to do it now with new enthusiasm and vigor.
It would seem that the "newness" can only be in the intention of the mitzvah, but the action must remain the same. After all, you may not add to the 613 mitzvos, and if you performed the mitzvah yesterday what action could you possibly improvise today?
The truth, however, is that an increase or innovation in quality -- meditation, feeling, or intention of the heart -- will bring a concomitant increase in quantity -- action.
Tefillin is a good example. One may fulfill the mitzvah of Tefillin properly; still there is room for more adornment and scrupulousness in the mitzvah. The leather can be of better quality, or you could be more scrupulous and check the Tefillin more often then required, if some cause should arise.
Thus, when one is inspired by a feeling of glorification for G-d, more beauty will be added to the practical action of the commandment. And since, "The Holy One looked into the Torah and created the world," (Zohar II 161b) this characteristic will hold true in worldly matters and certainly in all Torah matters.
When speaking of creativity -- it will be more pertinent in Torah study and most prominently in the esoteric study of Torah. For esoteric and exoteric are like soul and body, or quality and quantity. Since the main innovation will be introduced in the aspect of the quality of Torah, it follows that the soul of Torah, the esoteric teachings, will receive the strongest innovative push.
We may now appreciate why this principle of newness (creativity), is especially pertinent to the birthday of the Rebbe Rashab -- for his theme emphasized the intrinsic teachings of Torah. He advocated the study of a wholesome blend of Revealed Torah and Hidden Torah (Chassidus) in a way that when one studied Torah the soul of the Torah was perceived, and penetrated to the innermost essence of the student. This process was introduced by the Rashab and continued to be taught and promulgated by his son and successor, the Nassi of our generation.
Dealing with essential, qualitative matters makes it easier to generate innovation. On the one hand the inner essence bears no modification, what can be added to the essence? Yet, since the essence is also embodied in every detail, then by raising the importance of any particular detail, in a sense, you cause an ascent in the essence also.
When the Rashab's birthday occurs again this year, there is an aspect of newness relative to previous years:
These days should be remembered and celebrated. (lit. come into being) (Esther 9:28)
At this time the newness is revealed both in quality as well as quantity and it affects all those who follow the path which he taught. This is especially true if we are diligent in our adherence to his teachings.
Before his death the Rashab remarked apothegmatically:
I am going to heaven and I leave you my [Chassidic] writings.
In a sense, when we study his Chassidic teachings we grasp him as he now exists in a celestial state. This again emphasizes that the innovations to be gained on his birthday pertain to all his followers. And this association is effected by careful and diligent study in a scholarly and intellectual manner.
It was the Rashab who explained that Chassidus reveals lofty Kabbalistic concepts in an intellectually fathomable format. Thus, through study we connect with the celebrant of the day.
As a result, his disciples and followers experience a newness and resurgence of energy in matters related to the study of the esoteric teachings of Torah.
Can ordinary people like us, reach a true unity with these lofty aspects of this day? The answer is that since we are dealing with inner, essential matters, although we grasp only the edge we really are holding on to the whole.
We might draw an analogy to this idea from the function of a "name." On the one hand, the only need for a name is to give someone else a means of addressing you or calling you. Yet, when someone calls your name your entire being turns to that caller. A strange attachment to your essence.
Furthermore, a name can bestir a person's hidden powers. For when one is in a state of faintness a good suggestion is to call him by his name. This will energize his hidden powers, to the essence of his soul, which will supersede the life force that has "fainted," and he will awake.
So, although we grasp only the periphery of the Rashab's teachings -- still we hold the essence -- just as in the analogy of the power of a name.
There is room for a more detailed analysis and discussion of this concept. The Rambam writes in his introduction to his commentary on Torah:
The whole Torah is comprised of Names of the Holy One, Blessed be He.
This would mean that when we read the Torah we are calling G-d's Name.
Tanya puts it this way:
This means that through one's occupation with the Torah one calls to the Holy One, Blessed be He, to come to him, to use an anthropomorphism, like a person calling to his companion to come to him, or like a child calling to his father to come and join him. (Ch. 37)
In this way the "Yechidah" (only one) level of the person's soul unites with the unity of G-d. So, when the intellect comprehends the Torah it effects an intellectual unity, and when we are stymied beyond the scope of understanding, we may still call out the Names of G-d by reading the Torah -- and once again the union will be effected.
Interestingly, the Shaloh makes reference to this phenomenon:
Even one who is a total ignoramus ... and has no understanding (of Torah) if he will pronounce, wholeheartedly, the names of the books of the Written Torah and the Oral Torah, e.g. to mention the names of the six orders of the Mishnah ... the names of the Tractates of the Talmud and the chapters of each Gemara ... the pronouncement of these names will be beneficial and it will be considered as if he had studied all these books.
The Shaloh then adds:
Even one who is not ignorant and even if he is a member of the highest intellectual group he should also do the same at such times that he cannot study diligently and deeply, because of fatigue or weariness.
This concept, that the Torah is comprised of the Names of the Holy One, Blessed be He, finds special meaning in the esoteric teachings of Torah (Chassidus) which tend to reveal to a greater degree the G-dliness in Torah. Hence, it formulates a stronger association with the Master of the Name, who will turn to the caller.
It should be noted that the founder of Chassidism, the Baal Shem Tov, was named "Yisroel," because his neshamah de-scended to the physical world with the mission to awaken the Jewish people from their state of faintness in the golus. By calling him "Yisroel" -- the Jewish people were "called" and it aroused their hidden powers and the essential soul of the Jewish people.
When we speak of the esoteric teachings of Torah we can more readily visualize the early stages of learning at which point true understanding has not yet been attained -- it is still on a level of calling the Names (as described in the Shaloh). And yet the union with G-d is accomplished, because we call His Name and His whole Essence turns to us and unites with us.
In a similar vein there is an "amazing unity" accomplished with the loftiest and most profound aspects of the Rashab -- on the 20th of MarCheshvan. For even though we may be only at the initial stages of studying and comprehending his Torah -- our study is like calling out his name -- "like a person calling his companion," where the one who is called turns his whole essence to the caller. In the case of Teacher and disciple all the more so. And on the deeper level of Chassid and Rebbe even more: "it effects an essential amazing bond the likes of which may be found nowhere else."
The lesson we garner must be applied to action. On this day of the 20th of MarCheshvan, we must increase all activities which follow the path of the teachings of the Rashab -- and especially -- the diligent study of his teachings in an intellectually comprehensible way.
It must be stressed, we speak of a Nassi: "for the Nassi is the whole," (Rashi, Bemidbar 21:21) he encompasses everything; at the same time he bequeathed everything to us! "I leave you my writings (manuscripts)." "I have put myself in the script" (See Shabbos 105a); "A gift is usually made in a liberal spirit." (B. Basra 53a) And the "gift" is transferred to the possession of the recipient; through the efforts of the student it becomes own.
And although we are dealing with something beyond the normal reach, nevertheless the Torah assures us:
It is not too mysterious or remote from you.... It is something that is very close to you, it is in your mouth and in your heart so that you can keep it.
(Devorim 30:11-14)
These powers are bestowed upon us by the Nessi'im even in this generation of the "heel of the heel" of Moshiach; we can then reveal this from the potential to the kinetic.
When many Jews gather at a farbrengen the power is enhanced, for we gather with the unified intention to maximize our powers in the essence of Torah. When the added aspect of tzedakah is introduced we have an additional force, for:
He who is merciful to others, mercy is shown to him by Heaven. (Shabbos 151b)
In this manner we evoke a higher power. Through these activities, of spreading the wellsprings outside, we bring closer the coming of Moshiach, as the Baal Shem Tov told us, and when there is extra effort in this cause we will reach our goal, instantly, specifically, the true and complete redemption through our righteous Moshiach.
Regarding a person's name we find two seemingly opposite facets. On the one hand, the person, for himself, does not need a name. On the other hand, in order to establish some relationship with another individual we must use some "label" by which we are called. This clearly non-essential appellation is the name. Yet the name has a strange magnetic power, for when it is announced the person called will turn or move his entire being in the direction of the caller; his essence is moved. Calling someone's name effects a relationship between two individuals who might otherwise have nothing else in common, no common thought, feeling, or attribute. There is only the physical ability to verbalize the name and the motivation to do so. And the result is that a contact is created; the caller turns to the called and he responds with his entire essence.
This phenomenon has devolved from a similar phenomenon in the case of the "Name" of G-d. Our sages have taught:
We find that the Holy One, Blessed be He, went on a five hundred year journey to acquire a Name for Himself.
(Koheles Rabbah 7:1(2))
G-d, anthropomorphically, journeyed to the farthest and lowest places so even there the Name of G-d should be revealed and provide the potential for an essential attachment to G-dliness.
In a similar manner, a person's name is for the use of a stranger, and at the same time it is rooted in his essence.
What is the first name of the Rashab? "Sholom." The term "peace" indicates the presence of differing forces and the power to neutralize them and impose "Sholom" and conformity. To make peace in the world.
The Rashab's second name adds the aspect of making peace even in the face of opposition or great distance. On the name "Dov" (bear) the Gemara says: "Coated with flesh like bears," (Megillah 11a) this would connote the presence of gross materialism needing the application of a spiritual purification process. When the Yiddish name "Ber" (bear) is added to the equation it would indicate a further demotion, being that the root of the word stems from the gentile tongue. And hence the effort of purification will have to descend to a still lower level.
When these three components are united in one name the result is the supercedence of the peace of "Sholom" over the Dov and Ber -- the stranger who is far away.
Chassidus explains that the influence of peace can reach to the heavenly circles, the inner soul-powers of the person and then to the lowly circles, even to a point which is really not in the person's sphere of operation.
When our intention is to bring the true and complete redemption we must see to it that the peace we effect reaches the farthest places -- so that no "spark" of corporeality remains unaffected and imperfected.
In discussing the differing scenarios of the advent of Moshiach, Chassidus explains the two terms of: "In its time" and "I will hasten it," relative to the purification of "sparks" of holiness that must be refined in the world before Moshiach.
Sorry to say, in our time we have already passed all the "set times." In a sense we are past the time of "In its time"! Thus we are in a situation when the "hastening" is really "in its time."
Thus, our efforts of refinement of the mundane world to elevate the lost "sparks" must reach down to the lowest and farthest level and must operate peacefully to effect the purification and uplifting of the world -- and the liberation of the "sparks." All this is personified in the name "Sholom Dov Ber."
This points to an important aspect. The peace effected by the combination of "Sholom" with the worldly matters -- "Dov and Ber" -- not only refines the gross materialism but it effects a joining together of the names when they all become the name of the person. As such, they are all associated with the person's essence.
When we speak of a Jew's "essence" we are referring to the soul-level of "Yechidah" ("Only One" -- which Kaballah calls the "spark of the being"). In this level of Yechidah (spark) is clothed a spark of the Creator, the "Unique One above." Thus, "The spark of the Creator is clothed in the spark of the created."
Our Divine service of purifying the corporeal world reaches its true form when we reach the truly lowest level, e.g. eating, drinking and other mundane biological functions. Into these activities of the person, the Yechidah is drawn and draws down along with it the "spark of G-d" clothed in the soul.
Additionally, through the attachment of the name of the person there is an attachment to the Name of G-d, and by uniting his mundane activities to his soul-essence he will also unite his worldly activities to the G-dly Essence; and he is united with G-dliness.
What practical lesson do we draw from this? When you are involved in studying Chassidus and spreading the wellsprings to the outside you should not be impressed by the presence of this "fleshy bear" -- whether it is your own, or another Jew's. And even if you seem to be bogged down by the clumsiness of being "coated" in gross (bear-like) physicality, do not despair.
Your purpose and goal is to effect "peace" in the level of the "coated bear." To introduce Chassidic philosophy on a level of comprehension and appreciation, and even to translate it to languages other than the Holy Tongue to reach those who are far to the outside.
Through this outreach effort there will emerge a unity with the essence of the Rashab (for we are studying his teachings), as well as with the essence of G-d. And the nethermost levels of the spatial and corporeal world will be reformed and rise to holiness.
The light of the esoteric teachings of Torah is uniquely effective in this area. Just as light illuminates even the lowliest places on earth -- so too, the lofty teachings of Chassidus can illuminate and purify the lowliest aspects of the mundane world. This is the concept of the descent for the purpose of rising.
At the end of the Tractate Makkos, the Gemara relates:
Long ago ... Rabbon Gamliel, R. Eleazar B. Azaria, R. Yehoshua and R. Akiva ... were coming up to Yerushalayim together -- and just as they came to Mount Scopus they rent their garments and just as they came to the Temple Mount they saw a fox emerging from the place of the Holy of Holies. They fell weeping and R. Akiva seemed merry.
What was R. Akiva's logic?
He, too, had certainly rent his garment when he saw the Holy Temple in destruction, in conformity to the Halachah. How was it possible that in such a state he would be happy when he spied the fox? And although he then responded to their amazement by saying:
... now that Uriah's prophecy has been (literally) fulfilled, it is quite certain that Zechariah's prophecy also is to find its literal fulfillment; (Ibid.)
the question still stands: R. Akiva's conduct at such a time and place would have to be in conformance with the rule of halachah concerning one who sees the destruction (sadness and mourning); how could he be merry?
The explanation is that when R. Akiva perceived the ul-timate descent, as they expressed it:
A place of which it was once said, "And the common man that draws near shall be put to death," is now become the haunt of foxes ...; (Ibid.)
in this descent, R. Akiva openly saw its true and essential condition, that its purpose was to rise, to the loftiest, ultimate heights. As this was clearly revealed to him he could not act otherwise, but to show happiness concomitant with his lamenting. [In truth there is no other way of explaining this problematic Talmudic episode.]
R. Akiva was able to perceive this inner purpose of "descending for the sake of rising," because he was in fact a descendant of converts. The result was that his insight and response also moderated their mourning, for they told him:
Akiva you have comforted us! Akiva, you have comforted us! (Ibid.)
With this in mind we can find the fortitude not to be discouraged by negative forces. For the astonishing and shocking events of recent times might cause a weakness or loss of motivation -- it might even weaken our involvement and diligence in Torah study.
Therefore the Torah of Truth reveals the truth in the world, that even when we witness distressing and discouraging phenomena we must realize that the inner purpose of these negative happenings is to rise to greater heights. We must place more effort and diligence in studying the teachings and writings of the Rashab and his successor, the Previous Rebbe.
In Psalm 126 (corresponding to the number of years since the Rashab's birth) we find the verse:
Then our mouth will be filled with laughter.
Our prayer is that it should happen now, as the Previous Rebbe emphasized -- "Immediate Teshuvah -- Immediate Redemption," the coming of Moshiach, when the promise will be fulfilled: "Arise and sing you that dwell in the dust" (Yeshayahu 26:19) -- the celebrant of this birthday and his son and successor, together with the earlier Nessi'im. Our Rebbes were wont to announce the names: The Baal Shem Tov, the Maggid, The Alter Rebbe, the Mittler Rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek, the Rebbe Maharash, the Rebbe Rashab and the Previous Rebbe.
May we merit the true and complete redemption through our righteous Moshiach instantaneously.
Then the promise will be fulfilled: "The glory of G-d will be revealed." (Ibid.) This is the revelation of G-d's Name -- also the name of the Jewish people: "So shall your seed and your name remain." And also the new name by which we will be called:
The righteous will in the time to come be called by the Name of the Holy One, Blessed be He.
May this all take place in our time in the reality of the world, "With our youth and elders, our sons and daughters," (Shemos 10:9) "A great company shall return there." (Yermiyahu 31:7)
In today's Torah section, the second reading section of Chaye Sarah there are three general themes:
- Ephron's field in Machpelah ... became Avraham's uncontested property. (23:17)
- "Avraham was old, well advanced in years," and,
- The closing verses, which deal with sending Eliezer to seek a fitting mate for Yitzchok. The "Torah of Life" will give us instruction and teachings from each of these three episodes.
Rashi explains the first verse:
Ephron's field in Machpelah ... became Avraham's uncontested property (lit., it rose): It received a rise in importance because it passed from the possession of a commoner into the possession of a king. But the simple meaning of the verse is: The field and the cave that was therein and all the trees ... became secured to Avraham as a possession. (Rashi, loc. cit.)
Rashi's usual practice is to explain the simple meaning first. If after citing the plain meaning Rashi feels that something is lacking in understanding, then he also adds a Midrashic interpretation. In our case, however, Rashi first teaches us the homiletic meaning, "It received a rise...," and then he adds the plain interpretation.
Rashi's reason? Simple! This interpretation is also the simple meaning. After all, the word "Vayakom" means "to rise." If the Torah spoke only of transfer of ownership it could have used the word "sold" or "transferred ownership." Why the word "Vayakom"? So Rashi says -- we must interpret the word plainly -- "it had a rise" ... from the ownership of a commoner to that of a king, which also explains why Rashi cites in the caption the words "Ephron's field."
Having explained the simple meaning of the word "Vaya-kom" Rashi goes on to explain the simple meaning in context of the whole episode. That the ownership was transferred in a "secure" manner.
For us, even for the five-year-old Chumash student, Rashi's words carry an important lesson: When a Jew takes possession of a material thing and uses it for a holy purpose he causes it to "rise." Its corporeality is sublimated; it leaves its grossness and becomes holy. Using the material object to do a mitzvah causes it to enter the realm of holiness and in the domain of the Holy One, Blessed be He, the King of the world.
It should be noted that this phenomenon will be effected even if the object started out on a higher plane. For Rashi had earlier stated:
And Ephron sat (sits): The verb is written without a 'Vov' so that it may be read "he sat," thus indicating that on that very day they had appointed him (Ephron) to be an officer over them. (Rashi 23:10)
Thus the term "commoner" used here by Rashi really means one of higher standing.
Nevertheless, since Avraham's position was higher: "You are a prince of G-d in our midst," (ibid.) therefore the field of Ephron rose to relatively greater heights, when it entered the possession of Avraham.
Now this "rise" came even before it was used by Avraham for the burial of Sarah! Thus even the potential for holy use already raises the mundane to a higher level. This teaches us an important lesson in our Divine service, especially in the times of the darkness of the Golus.
When the evil impulse tries to trick and confuse a Jew by confronting him with the ostensible intransigence of profane physicality; pointing out that it is in opposition to matters of holiness, the Jew must know that this is simply not true! And it is completely illogical. The corporeal objects of the world have no evil inclination -- and if they did have a sense of "knowing" they would recognize their true existence -- when they are utilized for the service of G-d they become holy -- they rise. Thus from the episode of Ephron's field we see that the physical world poses no challenge to holiness, but the Jew can and must use it for holy purposes and it will rise to sanctity.
On the verse: "Avraham was old, well advanced in years," the Zohar explains that all his days were complete and perfect in all matters of Torah and mitzvos. Can this lofty evaluation also be applied to people of our lowly stature?
This concept of complete days may be applied on a daily basis (not only at the dusk of life). Every day should be completely dedicated to Torah and mitzvos up to the point that when we recite the Shema before retiring we can say that not one moment of the day was wasted. Certainly, when we speak of one day at a time it is within the potential of every person, no matter what his standing, to bring the day to perfection.
Now the term "zakein -- old" can also mean "wise" as the Gemara says, "Zakein means one who has acquired wisdom." (Kiddushin 32b) The emphasis here is on the term "kanah -- acquired," it has become his possession. This was the case of Avraham -- can we match this?
Well, we too, can study in such a manner that the wisdom we learn becomes our possession. Just as we must learn from everyone and everything, we must make sure that whatever G-d shows us, in order for us to learn from it, it should not be in vain. We must truly absorb it, internalize it and make it our true possession.
What do we know about Eliezer's mission regarding a spouse for Yitzchok? Rashi quotes the Midrash:
The ordinary conversation of the Patriarch's servants is more pleasing to G-d than even the Torah (religious discourse) of their children, for the chapter of Eliezer is repeated in Torah. (Rashi 24:42)
Chassidus explains that the marriage of Yitzchok and Rivkah relates to the Divine service of all Jews in all generations, for it symbolizes the Divine service of the soul as it is clothed in the body. From this we derive that all mitzvos must include the body -- the deed, and the soul -- the "kavannah" -- intention.
[Note: The subject of the Machpelah Cave was further discussed and elaborated upon on Shabbos Chaye Sarah, 5746. See the Sicha of that farbrengen.]
From the Written Torah, the Torah of Moshe, to the Oral Torah, the Torah of R. Moshe ben Maimon:
The state of tumah (spiritual or ritual impurity) usually attributed to the ignorant is considered as tahor (ritually pure) on the holidays, for all Jews are viewed as "chaverim" (lit. "associates," scholars, who are meticulous about the laws of tumah and taharah) on the holidays. Their garments (vessels), food and drink are all considered tahor during the holidays. This is because everyone purifies himself in preparation and then they go up [to Yerushalayim]. Therefore they are trusted on all other days of the festival with regard to kodesh (holy objects) and terumah. When the festival ends they return to their (assumed) state of tumah. (Laws of Tumah 11:9)
These closing words seem to indicate that not only are the ignorant people not trusted in matters of taharah (of food items) after the holidays, but that the state of tumah attributed to them previously is reimposed now! The Rambam further deduces in the following halachah, regarding the food or drink which they touched during the holiday, that although during the holiday everything is tahor, when the holiday ends the state of tumah is reinstated retroactively and it all becomes tameh again!
This rule appears to be contradictory. The Rambam just ruled that during the festival everyone is considered a "chaver" and all things he touches is tahor. Why do we reinstate the tumah retro-actively?
There is a Talmudic dictum that:
Whatever the Rabbis enacted they enacted similar to Scriptural law. (Pesachim 30b)
The principle, that the Am Ha'Aretz (ignorant) is presumed to be tameh, is a Rabbinic enactment. As such, just as we find regarding Scriptural tumah that it is deferred or suspended regarding a "tzibbur" (community) as the Gemara rules regarding the daily communal sacrifice, the Tamid:
"In its appointed time" implying even in tumah;
(Pesachim 77a)
in communal matters or gatherings, the tumah is deferred. Similarly, when the Rabbis enacted the rule of presumed tumah for the Am Ha'Aretz it will all be suspended in the time of great assemblies. Therefore during the holidays when a multitude of Jews gather in Yerushalayim and offer many sacrifices their presumed tumah is suspended. As the Gemara says in this regard:
Scripture says: "So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, associated as one man" (Shoftim 20:11): thus the verse made them all "associates."
(Chagigah 26a)
and;
Yerushalayim that is built like a city in which [all Israel] are united together." (Tehillim 122:3) It is a city which brings all Jews together as "chaverim" (associates) at the time when the tribes go up for the pilgrimage during the Festivals. (Yerushalmi, Chagigah 3b)
Now if we understand the state of purity of the masses during the Festivals merely as a condition of suspended tumah, because of the presence of the great multitudes, then when the crowds disperse after the holiday -- the people revert back to their original state. (There are many more points of proof for this concept but let this suffice for now.)
We may, however, garner an important lesson for our moral behavior from this halachah. The theme is clear -- Jewish unity can dissolve the divisions, restrictions and groupings among the Jewish people. When Jews unite all Jews are viewed as "associates." There is no difference between the Kohen, Levi, or Yisroel regarding the laws of tumah and taharah. True unity depends on the level of "Yechidah" -- "the only one" of the Jewish soul, which unites the souls with the "Unique One -- the Eternal" and makes us a "Unique nation." This power is then drawn down into the world through Torah. When Jews express this unity all foreign impurities are banished. As Rashi explains on the verse:
Which dwell among them in the midst of their tumah: This implies that although they are tameh, nevertheless the Shechinah dwells in their midst (Rashi, Vayikra 16:16)
The unity will accomplish that G-d will dwell among the Jews even when they are in a state of impurity. This is why "In all their afflictions, He was afflicted," (Yeshayahu 63:9) which will cause the Holy One, Blessed be He, to bring the redemption speedily in our time.
Thus when we beseech G-d: "Speedily cause the scion of Dovid Your servant to flourish ... because we hope for Your salvation every day," we mean that even though we may not be worthy, nevertheless, if we sincerely hope, then there is no need for G-d to wait for our teshuvah; the merit of the hoping is enough that we should see the redemption. So may it be.
"With our youth and elders, our sons and daughters" -- a united people, with a complete Torah and mitzvos, and a complete Eretz Yisroel. Certainly there is no room for contemplating the return of any part of Eretz Yisroel, which was given by the Holy One, Blessed be He, with open miracles, for all Jews, for all generations as an everlasting inheritance. If one should try to change something it is against Torah, against G-d and against Halachah and law!
G-d's will will overcome and prevail. In a manner of true and lasting peace.
7th Day Of Marcheshvan, 5746