[Prior to the Rebbe Shlita’s address the children recited the 12 Torah passages and sang “We Want Mashiach Now!”]

1. It is self-evident that a soldier in Hashem’s Army must be conscious, at all times and under all circumstances, of the ideals of Tzivos Hashem. He must utilize all available resources as ammunition in the fight against the Yetzer Horah and all experiences must be used to further the cause of Tzivos Hashem in a way that will inspire him and others to join our ranks. Thus, when we find ourselves away from the school where we learn Torah, and even in a different city, we must keep in mind that whatever we hear, see, or do in any situation can be utilized in our work for Tzivos Hashem.

So too, while your journey superficially appears to be a mere pleasure-trip, it is really an extension of the on-going war against the Yetzer Horah; and yet another weapon by which we can deliver another blow against it. Besides the war waged on home territory against the Yetzer Horah, while on this journey to a “foreign” city, you must do all possible to aid and fortify the attack on this new front. That is why your journey has brought you to a Synagogue, and a Bais HaMedrash — a place of Torah learning, where you have just prayed the very important Minchah prayer and recited the 12 Torah passages; for Torah and Prayer are the two ways by which we further our war on the Yetzer Horah and hasten the triumph of the Jewish people over the Golus (Exile).

It is also significant that (according to what I have been informed) you have just visited the local Matzah Bakery where preparations are being made for Pesach, the Festival of Our Freedom, which commemorates our exodus from the previous exile in Egypt. Likewise, we of Tzivos Hashem must make our preparations for our forthcoming exodus similar to the exodus from Egypt. The appropriate preparations are that we take upon ourselves an extra Tefillah (prayer) and an extra matter of Torah study. For all additional Torah, Mitzvos, and Prayer, together with our efforts against the Yetzer Horah, both on this new front and on the home front [by further encouraging these activities amongst friends in Tzivos Hashem back home], help prepare the world for Mashiach’s speedy arrival.

You might, however, ask: The world is so large and forbidding, how can I, an individual Jewish child, (even with many other Jewish children), possibly bring about a change, indeed a very revolution in the world, that it would stand ready for Mashiach’s arrival?

The answer to this and to all our various questions is to be found in the Torah, our true guide, and specifically in yesterday’s Shabbos Torah portion (Yisro).

We read that Hashem tells every Jew: “In every place where I cause My name to be mentioned[180] I will come to you and bless you” (Shmos 20:21). The Oral Law, in its explanation on the very first Mishnah of the very first chapter of the Talmud’s very first tractate, (Berachos 6a[181]) explains this verse to mean: “Even for the individual who sits alone and involves himself in Torah study, the Shechinah (Divine Presence) is with him.”

Quite clearly this means that each and every Jewish child who sits and learns Torah, receives Hashem’s individual blessing and encouragement in his task of preparing the world for Mashiach, as Hashem explicitly says: “I will come to you and bless you” (using the singular form of the personal pronoun).[182]

Hence, it is no surprise that Jewish children like yourselves, (who have just “made mention of Hashem’s name” through reciting words of Torah and who will, no doubt, assign to Tzedakah one of the two coins you are about to receive) will merit additional blessings from Hashem Who is present with us here and now. These blessings enable you to prepare the world for Mashiach’s arrival, to prevail over the Yetzer Horah and be true examples of soldiers in Hashem’s Army, fulfilling His missions both at home and away.

This work must be done in the spirit of the teaching conveyed in the tenth Torah passage in which R. Akiva stresses the overriding importance of loving one’s fellow-Jew as oneself. We must influence our friends to be “like ourselves” — to enlist in Hashem’ s Army just as we have, fight the Yetzer Horah as we do; and receive Hashem’s blessings for all our needs, just as we receive.

2. In an army there are certain instructions which are given from time to time; and there are also the “orders of the day” — instructions pertinent to each specific day. So too, in Hashem’s Army, Hashem, the Commander-in-Chief, gives us general Torah directives (such as the one derived from yesterday’s Shabbos-Torah reading) as well as a specific teaching for today found in today’s Torah portion (Mishpotim)[183] which commences:

“These are the ordinances which you shall set before them.” On the words “which you shall set before them,” Rashi[184] comments, “like a table which is set and prepared for eating before a person.”

This verse tells us the order-of-the-day: that all the commands connected with Hashem’s Army must be prepared, on hand, ready for immediate implementation. Rashi intentionally likened the directives of the Torah to a meal ready to be eaten, to teach us specific things.

First, just as through physical eating the body is strengthened, so too, through the intake of “spiritual food,” through Torah and through fulfilling the orders of the Commander-in-Chief, especially the order-of-the-day, our souls are strengthened and fortified for the fulfillment of their missions.

A second feature of a set table is that all who see it, know instantly what foods are available for consumption. All is ready to be eaten forthwith. In the same way, all the Torah’s rulings and directives should be clear and familiar to us, so we soldiers of Hashem’s Army can instantly put them into action.

A third lesson — just as the purpose of the set table is clearly recognizable to all — (that the food is there to be eaten), so too the behavior of a member of Tzivos Hashem should identify him clearly as a Jewish soldier in G-d’s Army.

For example, when questioned about his identity, the soldier of Tzivos Hashem should answer that he is a Jewish child, a member of Tzivos Hashem. As proof of this, children are clothed in a manner be fitting the soldiers of Hashem: the boy proudly shows his Tzitzis and the girl dresses according to the laws of modesty. And both recite the “Shema Yisrael” by heart with an enthusiasm which shows they truly “live” with these words.

As further evidence of belonging to Tzivos Hashem, a child can also recite the seventh Torah passage — “In the beginning G-d created the heaven and the earth” (Ber. 1:1). This verse declares that from the very outset of creation, from the first hour of the very first day, the heaven and the earth and everything contained therein[185] belong to Hashem, the Creator and Master of the heaven and earth. And therefore it is our task to refute and defeat any Yetzer Horah that tries to keep us from recognizing Hashem’s ownership of the world — the very task of Tzivos Hashem. This Torah verse is the basis for the basic ideal of Tzivos Hashem — to proclaim Hashem — clearly and unambiguously — as the only Master of the Universe.

When the Yetzer Horah comes to a Jewish child and says “Let’s disobey Hashem” or when a non-Jewish child suggests to a Jewish child that he or she eat non-Kosher food, or eat Kosher food without saying the appropriate Berachah, the soldiers in Tzivos Hashem know how to answer, based on this very same Torah passage. This very food and drink before us now was created by Hashem; so obviously we must thank Hashem before and after eating it.

In all areas of Torah and Mitzvos, every Jewish child [and adult] must have “on hand” the answers to the Yetzer Horah’s challenges to Yiddishkeit, prepared like a set table, to be expressed without doubts and hesitations.

This important mission must be performed in [the spirit that has prevailed at this afternoon’s gathering — the spirit of Simchah, joy which is the point of the 12th Torah passage you recited: “The Jews should rejoice in their Maker.” Every Jew should share in G-d’s joy, “Who rejoices and is happy in His dwelling in this world.” Also, we need not reckon with the fact that we are still in Golus because, as you recited in the third passage, “In every generation (and everyday) one must look upon himself as if he personally had gone out of[186] Egypt (today),” meaning that today it is as though we are leaving Egypt and everything associated with Golus. Hence this necessary state of Simcha is not precluded by our current presence in Golus. Through acting with clarity of purpose and absorbing “spiritual food,” which brings health to our soul (and hence our body) we will merit the departure from the Exile, a departure even more wondrous than the departure from our Egyptian Golus. It is through your prayers and requests that Mashiach comes now and through your giving of Tzedakah that our Commander-in-Chief will lead us to Eretz Yisrael our Holy Land, complete, with its extended borders and belonging solely to Jews. For Hashem has designated Eretz Yisrael for us, and no one will be able to take away an inch of this land from an individual Jewish child; for he is the rightful owner of that land. Hashem Himself will stand alongside of us, defending our rightful possession.

Peace will reign in the complete Eretz Yisrael and we will conduct ourselves according to the Torah, in its entirety, fulfilling all the Mitzvos of the Commander-in-Chief. The children will influence all other children as well as their parents that they should make their households more holy than they are now, in the spirit of the verse: “That he will return the hearts of the parents by (through) the children.”

Thus we will merit to see the entire Jewish people, fulfilling the entire Torah, living in Eretz Yisrael in its entirety, as a united complete people, loving our fellow Jew as ourselves, in a state of peace and true redemption through our righteous Mashiach — May he come Now!

[The Rebbe Shlita distributed coins to the boys’ and girls’ groups respectively, requesting that two dimes be given to each child — one for Tzedakah and one to be used as the child sees fit. Before leaving the synagogue the Rebbe Shlita began to sing “Utzu Eytzo Vesufor ... Ki Imonu Keil” — “Contrive a scheme but it will be foiled, conspire a plot but it will not materialize, for G-d is with us.”]

   

Notes:

180. (Back to text) Rashi explains (Berachos 6a) that mention of G-d’s name comes about through our performance of Mitzvos and through our words of Torah.

181. (Back to text) The Talmud’s first tractate is called “Berachos,” meaning blessings, because its subject matter discusses G-d’s blessing to the Jewish people and how the Jewish people bless Hashem, (for their food and drink, and) immediately upon rising in the morning with the recitation of the Shema and its blessings and before retiring at night in the evening service, with the evening Shema and its blessings.

182. (Back to text) This also highlights the fact that Hashem is unlike other commanders-in-chief who remain in their own private quarters and are far removed from their soldiers on the battlefield in the thick of the action. In the battle against the Yetzer Horah, Hashem our Commander-in-Chief, who rules over all states, governments and the world in its entirety, comes personally to each and every Jewish child to join him in the fight against the Yetzer. Moreover, He bestows upon him His blessings for an overwhelming victory in the battle, both at home and away, blessing the child with good health, and that he should be a source of pride to his or her parents, and a positive influence on his or her home and home-town.

183. (Back to text) The Alter Rebbe taught that a Jew must live with the times, that is, in the spirit of the Torah teaching of the times, as expressed in the daily Parshah.

184. (Back to text) Rashi directed his commentary to the young children of his generation and of all subsequent generations (see Rashi on Bereishis 1:1). Furthermore, young children of generations prior to Rashi’s time learned the Torah in the same way as that later expressed and recorded in Rashi’s commentary. This verse’s teaching, as expounded by Rashi, thus has added significance for children in Hashem’s Army.

185. (Back to text) In Bereishis 1:1, the Hebrew word “Es” appears twice, preceding the words “heaven” and “earth.” “Es,” in each case, refers to the specific, particular details, included in these general terms, stressing that such details were also created by G-d during creation.

186. (Back to text) “Mitzrayim — Egypt,” refers here to the state of Exile in general, and thus includes our present exile. [The Hebrew word “Mitzrayim” is derived from the word “Metzar — a boundary,” referring to the bounds and limits that the state of exile puts upon the Jewish people. This applies to all exiles, not just to the first exile in Egypt.