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{The Rebbe Shlita began: "Surely, the gabbai will announce 'Gut Moed.' I cannot do this myself because I have not made Havdalah yet." After this announcement was made, the Rebbe began the niggun, V'samachta b'Chagechoh. Afterwards, the Rebbe continued:}

There is a unique dimension to the celebration of Simchas Beis HaShoevah on the present night. This is the third night of the holiday of Sukkos. Our Sages explain that the recurrence of a phenomenon three times establishes a chazakah, a presumption that can be accepted as fact. Thus, on the present evening, we establish a chazakah in regard to the celebration of Simchas Beis HaShoevah. (In truth, since the celebration of Simchas Beis HaShoevah is a mitzvah, its observance is established as accepted fact independent of our actions. Our actions, nevertheless, add to the strength of that chazakah.)

The strength of this chazakah is intensified by the general connection of Sukkos to happiness. Indeed, the holiday is referred to as "the season of our rejoicing." Though all the holidays are referred to as "festivals for rejoicing," Pesach is called "the season of our freedom" and Shavuos, "the season of the giving of our Torah," implying that they are characterized by services other than celebration. By referring to Sukkos as "the season of our rejoicing," we imply that celebration is the essential element of the festival.

The connection between Sukkos and celebration is further intensified by the custom of Simchas Beis HaShoevah of which our Sages declared, "A person who has not seen Simchas Beis HaShoevah, has never seen celebration in his life." This expression implies that participation in Simchas Beis HaShoevah develops a person's appreciation for celebration. Only after he has seen Simchas Beis HaShoevah is he capable of appreciating other celebrations.

The concept of chazakah established by the celebration of Simchas Beis HaShoevah on this, the third night of Sukkos, also relates to the third Beis HaMikdash which will be on a higher level than the previous Batei Mikdashos. The first two Batei Mikdashos allowed for the possibility for changes in the revelation of G-dliness. Indeed, they were actually destroyed. In contrast, the third Beis HaMikdash, "the Mikdash of the L-rd established by Your hands," will be an eternal structure that can never be destroyed. Rather, it will represent the ultimate of permanence.

Had we merited, these qualities would also have been revealed within the first or the second Beis HaMikdash. Because, however, we did not merit, it will be in the third Beis HaMikdash that these qualities will be revealed. The descent that accompanied the destruction of these Batei Mikdashos, nevertheless, also possesses a positive dimension. It is a descent for the purpose of ascent, bringing about a higher level of Divine revelation.

This revelation will be brought about through our deeds at present in the time of exile and particularly, through the celebration of Simchas Beis HaShoevah. Simchas Beis HaShoevah is associated with the verse, "And you shall draw water with joy from the well of salvation." This is associated with the ultimate salvation which will come with the Messianic redemption.

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The above is enhanced through the influence of the Ushpizan, both those mentioned in the Zohar and the Chassidic Ushpizan mentioned by the Previous Rebbe.

One should not view the two sets of Ushpizan as separate concepts, but rather different dimensions of the same idea. Just as in general, the teachings of the Zohar are explained through the teachings of Chassidus, the Ushpizan mentioned by the previous Rebbe are the "explanations" of the Ushpizan of the Zohar. Thus, there is a commonalty shared by both of the Ushpizan who are associated with a particular night.

The Ushpizan of the present night, the patriarch Ya'akov and the Alter Rebbe, are both associated with the concept of Torah. In regard to Ya'akov, Psalms states, "He placed Torah within Israel." Similarly, the Alter Rebbe is associated with Torah as emphasized by his composition of the Shulchan Aruch and the interpretation of his name ÿàÇëÉÖ (Schneur) as ÿàÇ ëÉÖ -- "Two lights" -- "the light of the revealed Torah and the light of P'nimiyus HaTorah." (This also relates to the third day of Sukkos for the number three shares an intrinsic connection with Torah as our Sages relate "a threefold light was given to a threefold people in the third month by the third [of Amram's children].")

This concept is connected to each and every member of the Jewish people as evident by the Alter Rebbe's statements in Iggeres HaKodesh that the soul of Ya'akov -- tonight's Ushpiza -- contains all the souls of the Jewish people. The connection to Torah is also emphasized by the statement that the name Yisrael is an acronym for the Hebrew phrase meaning "There are 600,00 letters in the Torah."

"Israel, the Torah, and the Holy One, blessed be He, are One." Each Jew is connected to the One G-d through the One Torah and thus, the Jews are "one nation in the world," i.e., even when they are involved with worldly affairs, they are able to draw down the revelation of the "One G-d" and the "One Torah." Thus, they transform this world into a dwelling for G-d. The world's existence is not to be negated. It must, however, be transformed until it becomes a dwelling for G-d.[39]

To put this in individual terms: Each person must know that his responsibility is to establish a dwelling for G-d in his portion of the world and to spread this service until the entire world is His dwelling.

To relate this to deed for "Deed is most essential": We must increase our celebration of Simchas Beis HaShoevah. Also, in view of the association between these celebrations and the verse, "And you shall draw water...," we must increase our study of Torah for our Sages have taught that water is representative of Torah. In particular, this involves an increase in the study of the teachings of Ya'akov and the Alter Rebbe, the Ushpizan of the present night.

Also, tonight is the first night where it is possible to journey from here to celebrate Simchas Beis HaShoevah in far-removed places, coming as shluchim from the Previous Rebbe's center of influence and motivating the people in these places to increase their holiday celebrations.

[Though it is necessary for shluchim to travel from a central place to these far-removed areas to instill holiday joy, these shluchim must be careful not to create feelings of inferiority among the people they visit. On the contrary, they must stress -- to refer to the expression quoted above -- "There are 600,000 letters in the Torah." If even one of those letters are lacking, the entire Torah scroll is unacceptable. Similarly, each Jew possesses a quality that is essential to the complete state of the Jewish people as a whole. Thus, even though one is receiving from another, the recipient is no less important than the person who serves as the source of influence.]

May these celebrations on the third night of Sukkos lead to the celebrations in the third Beis HaMikdash.[40]

   

Notes:

39. (Back to text) This does not diminish the power of the world's existence. On the contrary, it endows it with true and genuine power, the power associated with G-d's dwelling.

40. (Back to text) Just as these celebrations are connected with an increase in Torah study as mentioned above, the Messianic redemption will also be accompanied by new revelations within Torah.