1

The present gathering is different from the gatherings of Tzivos Hashem held on Pesach in other years. Generally, there are six months between the gathering of Tzivos Hashem held on Sukkos and the gathering held on Pesach. Because the present year is a leap year, however, there is an additional month between these two events.

Surely, this fact will motivate a member of Tzivos Hashem to search for the lesson that he can derive from the additional month and the general concept of a leap year, wondering what is the "order of the day" they teach, i.e., the points that he can apply in his service of G-d.

In general, the intent of a leap year is to correlate the yearly cycle that depends on the sun and the monthly cycle which is dependent on the moon. The sun and the moon are also symbols that teach us lessons regarding our service of G-d. Thus, in a deeper sense, a leap year refers to a union of the concepts symbolized by the sun and the moon in our spiritual service.

On a very basic level, both the sun and the moon serve to illuminate the earth. Thus, after the sun sets, moving on to shine light on another portion of the earth, the moon continues to provide light which enables us to carry on our daily activities.

This also applies to the children in Tzivos Hashem. Since they are Jewish children, they have the potential to provide light for themselves and for the world around them. They can give light even to a person who is found in the midst of darkness, explaining to him that he is also Jewish and the entire world was created for the sole purpose that he -- and the other Jews -- carry out Torah and mitzvos within it.

We can derive an even deeper lesson from considering the differences between the sun and the moon. The sun produces light which shines outward. In contrast, the moon has no light of its own, it merely reflects the light of the sun. These concepts are also paralleled in our service of G-d. The Torah is like the sun and provides lessons for the Jewish people regarding every aspect of their behavior. The Jews can be compared to the moon because they receive the lessons of the Torah.

A leap year teaches us that the sun and the moon -- the Jews and the Torah -- must be unified. They should not be viewed as two different creations who share a connection, but rather as different dimensions of a single entity, created by G-d with one purpose.

Similarly, the union between the Jews and Torah should not be like the fusion of two separate entities, i.e., the Jews study the Torah and follow its directives. Rather, the Jews and the Torah are a single, inseparable entity. Throughout the entire day, even when a Jew is involved in other matters, the Torah must be engraved into his being, in his mind, memory, and thought processes (even those of the animal soul). Thus, the Torah becomes part of a Jew's life, the way he eats, drinks, walks, and speaks. In this way, his entire life experience will be illuminated with the light of Torah.

Counterparts to the sun (a source of influence) and the moon (a recipient) are also found among the Jewish people. In particular, in certain areas, each Jew has something which he can give to others and, in other areas, there is something which he can receive from others. The union of the sun and the moon of the leap year teaches that unity must be established between those who give and those who receive, for a recipient also gives to a giver and a giver receives from a recipient.

Similarly, in regard to the children in Tzivos Hashem, they also have the potential to influence others. Indeed, perhaps the reason they were given these potentials was for them to use them to influence others. The leap year teaches us that a person who gives should not feel himself above the recipient, but equal to him. Indeed, he should appreciate that he receives from the recipient.

Conversely, children in Tzivos Hashem have to appreciate that even though they know many things, they still must grow, and therefore, they require the guidance and direction of teachers and counselors. In this manner, unity will be established between those who give and those who receive.

Holding this gathering on a festival which is connected with rejoicing emphasizes how all of the above must be carried out with happiness. In general, the service of G-d must be carried out with happiness as it is said: "Serve G-d with joy." Therefore, since the children in Tzivos Hashem are constantly serving G-d, they should constantly be happy. Indeed, the very fact that they are Jewish should inspire happiness.

The above lesson is relevant in the coming years even though they are not leap years. Those years will be influenced by the present year and this experience will enable us to proceed to an even higher rung when the next leap year comes. This is particularly true when this year is used in the fullest and most complete manner, with joy and health in both a physical and spiritual sense.

May G-d grant you all success without any disturbances, with spiritual and physical peace, a healthy body and a healthy soul, with much energy and joy.

2

The above represents a lesson contributed by this particular year. In addition, there is a general lesson which is relevant to the gathering of Tzivos Hashem on Pesach each and every year.

The holiday of Pesach is particularly related to Jewish children. Indeed, the Torah describes how we must convey the holiday's message with the expression, "And you shall tell your children." We see that the Seder begins (after the invitation we issue to "all the hungry" and "all the needy") with the children's four questions and revolves around the adults' efforts to answer them.

The connection between Jewish children and the Pesach holiday is shared by all children, regardless of which of the four categories of the four sons they fit into. Since he is a Jewish child, he has a place at the Seder table, together with his parents and grandparents.

Even though the child remembers the questions he asked and the answers he was given from previous years, each year, the Seder presents itself as a live experience that grows. Each year, a child gains greater understanding, which he, in turn, translates into practical action, for "deed is most essential."

The holiday of Pesach also shares a special connection with Tzivos Hashem for this term is used in the Torah in regard to the exodus from Egypt. Thus, every Jewish child must keep in mind that since G-d took the Jews out of Egypt, we must study His Torah and fulfill His commandments. Furthermore, in addition to his own activities, a Jew must -- because of the mitzvos "Love your neighbor as yourself" and tzedakah -- also try to influence others who do not know as much to do the same. Therefore, he should invite them to the Seder table and celebrate the Seder together with them, recalling how G-d took them out from slavery to freedom.

Then, they will experience true freedom, freedom from the evil inclination for, after the exodus, there was no longer any potential for such enslavement as the Previous Rebbe proclaimed, "In regard to Torah and mitzvos, there are none who are masters over us." This is expressed in the Seder customs, when we all recline at the table, symbolic of freedom. Indeed, even before Pesach, when we destroy the chometz, we ask G-d to "take our evil inclination from us."

This will enable us to fulfill the order of the day in a complete manner, with joy, celebrating a happy Pesach. Furthermore, we will grow and proceed with "the candle of mitzvah and the light of Torah" to spread Jewish light in our homes. Indeed, the children's light will increase the light of the parents.

From the first days of Pesach, we proceed to Chol HaMoed [which involves making from "Chol" ("mundane"), "Moed" ("a festival")], the seventh day of Pesach which is associated with the splitting of the Red Sea, and the eighth day of Pesach which is associated with the Messianic redemption.

Through our service, we will hasten the coming of that redemption and then, we will proceed to Eretz Yisrael and the revelation of the third Temple and then, "it will be realized in us -- [all of us, though the verse refers to Mashiach, it is applied to every Jew] -- the verse which states: 'And the spirit of the L-rd shall rest -- [i.e., be revealed in a spirit of rest and peace] -- upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding...' "

[The Rebbe Shlita concluded the gathering by giving the children four coins -- one to distribute to charity and three to use for their own purposes. Though usually three coins are given, this year a fourth was added in association with the fortieth year following the Previous Rebbe's passing and the Rebbe's ascension to the Nesius.]