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(After the gabbai announced that a kiddush had been prepared in the Sukkah and everyone could partake of it, the Rebbe Shlita said:) The Hebrew word gabbai (ëÇüé) serves as an acronym for the words èÉëÄë Üîâé çïü ÇÉÇ, "We implore You, by the great power of Your right hand." Thus the gabbai's invitation should be understood as an imperative. Everyone should make kiddush and should do so in a manner in which it is evident that each person is part of a people who were given the command, "Sanctify yourselves and be holy, for I am holy."

Since tonight is Shemini Atzeres, this will have an effect on the entire year for on Shemini Atzeres all the spiritual service of the month of Tishrei is gathered in and internalized.[145]

This will lead to a year of light, a year of blessing, a year of greatness [Trans. note: In Hebrew, these and the following blessings follow the order of the Alef-beis], a year of happiness, a year of glory and grandeur, a year of good meetings, a year of merits, a year of good and long life, a good year, with the good openly revealed, a year of good tidings, a year of abundant prosperity and therefore, a year of great success in Torah study (for this financial success will allow the possibility for study with peace of mind), a restful year, a year of wonders, a year of Divine assistance, assistance which is granted together with miracles and wonders, a year of redemption, the individual redemption of each person which is achieved through the study of Torah as it is spoken. (This also applies to women and girls who must study the laws which they are obligated to observe. This is relevant on the present day for it is the Jewish women and girls -- in Chassidic homes, the custom is to begin from age three and even earlier -- who initiate the observe of the festival by lighting candles, illuminating the home with the light of the festival even before the men return from the synagogue.[146])

It will be a year of Tzaddik. (The letter Tzaddik is numerically equivalent to ninety and we are in the midst of the ninetieth year. This will be a year when "the Tzaddik of the worlds" will be revealed.)

It will be a year when "the Holy One of the worlds"[147] who is also the Master of the worlds, will be revealed. This will lead to a year of eternal joy which stems from the study of the Torah, particularly, as the Torah is studied in Yeshivas Tomchei Temimim, the complete Torah.[148]

This is particularly true since we will continue with a Chassidic niggun which should be sung not only with one's mouth, but with one's entire being. Similarly, women and girls should join in this singing, needless to say, in a manner of tzinius, reflecting how "all the glory of the King's daughter is inward."[149]

And thus we will merit a year of light and a perfect year -- this is also reflected in the fact that this is a leap year which is described as a perfect year. Thus it will be "a year which contains wonders," indeed, "wonders in all things" reflecting the threefold blessings of the Patriarchs, bakol mikol kol.

   

Notes:

145. (Back to text) This is implied by the name Shemini Atzeres which means "the gathering of the eighth day." Chassidic thought explains that this name implies the spiritual influences of the month of Tishrei are all gathered in on this day.

146. (Back to text) While lighting candles, they should recite two blessings, the blessings associated with the candle-lighting and the blessing Shehechiyanu.

147. (Back to text) The Hebrew words ìëÄîàÆ Öàâù imply that this holiness does not stand above the worlds in a manner which is separated from them, but that is drawn down and enclothed within the worlds. This revelation will begin in the Beis HaMikdash.

148. (Back to text) This refers to the fusion of the study of Nigleh (the revealed dimensions of Torah law) and P'nimiyus HaTorah (the Torah's mystic dimensions).

149. (Back to text) This implies that the women possess all the qualities possessed by the men, but that these qualities are manifest in a modest manner.