Opening — Chapter 9: the conclusion
Welcome to the twenty-third lesson — the final lesson on the maamar Basi LeGani 5711. We learn chapter 9, the closing chapter.
In the previous chapter we learned the demand on the seventh generation: like Avraham the first, to set ourselves aside and effect 'vayakri' — that the other too should proclaim 'el olam.' Now, in conclusion, the maamar answers the obvious question: who am I to serve like Avraham? — and ends with the loftiest point: that everything depends specifically on us.
'Aps katzehu' — a small part, but obligatory, and we were given the powers
The maamar opens with humility: 'and although who is he that has dared in his heart to say: I will serve the avodah of Avraham our father?' Who would dare say he serves God like Avraham? Seemingly a level utterly beyond us.
But at once the maamar balances it: 'nevertheless, aps katzehu (a tiny part of it) belongs to each and every one, and one is obligated in it, and the powers for it were given to him.' We are not asked for all of Avraham's height — but 'the tiny edge' of it belongs to every Jew, is an obligation, and we were given the powers.
And from where the powers? 'Through the conduct that the first showed us, and from him onward, up to and including the conduct that my father-in-law the Rebbe showed us — they paved the way and gave us the powers for it.' From Avraham to the Rebbe Rayatz, all the leaders 'paved the way' and granted us the powers.
Picture a path already cleared by the great ones who went before: there is no need to forge it anew; it is open and ready. 'And this itself is the belovedness of the seventh generation, that so many powers were given and revealed for us.' This is the belovedness of the seventh generation: that thanks to all the prior generations, immense powers were given and revealed for us.
The result — ikar Shechina below, loftier than before the sin
And what does this avodah effect? 'Through avodah in this manner, ikar Shechina will be drawn down below, in this physical, material world.' Specifically through this avodah — of 'aps katzehu,' with the powers we received — 'ikar Shechina' is drawn all the way down, into the physical world itself. This is exactly the dwelling below of which the whole maamar spoke.
And more: 'and it will be on a level loftier even than before the sin.' The dwelling we build will be higher even than the perfect state before the sin of the Tree of Knowledge — as we learned in 'demolishing in order to build.'
'As it is written of Moshiach: and he shall be exceedingly exalted — more than Adam, even as he was before the sin.' The prophet says of Moshiach 'and he shall be exceedingly exalted'; the maamar expounds — loftier even than Adam before the sin. The fall and the repair are not a return backward, but an ascent to a place higher than ever.
The Rebbe Rayatz — 'he bore our illnesses,' and he will redeem
And here the maamar turns to the baal hahilula, the Rebbe Rayatz, describing him in the words of the verse about the servant of God who suffers for the collective: 'and my father-in-law the Rebbe, who bore our illnesses and carried our pains, who was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities.' The Rebbe himself bore the illness and pain of all Israel; his suffering was for our sake.
And from this comes the promise: 'just as he saw our distress, so, speedily in our days, will he redeem his flock from the spiritual exile and the physical exile together, and stand us in a corner of light.' As he shared in the distress, so will he redeem 'his flock' from both exiles together — the spiritual and the physical — 'and stand us in a corner of light.'
Note the precision: 'the spiritual exile and the physical exile together.' The redemption is not only release from physical bondage, nor only a spiritual ascent — but both as one. The Holy One, through the Rebbe, redeems the whole person: body and soul alike.
The inner intent — not only revelations, but to unite us in the Essence
And here the maamar deepens one more step: 'but all this is still only revelations.' Even this redemption, for all its greatness, is still 'revelations' — wondrous illuminations, but illuminations. 'And deeper still — that He bind and unite us in the very Essence of the Infinite, blessed be He.' There is a yet deeper level: not only revelations, but that the Holy One bind and unite us in His Essence itself.
'And this is the inner intent of the descent and chaining-down of the worlds, and the matter of the sin and its repair, and the matter of the passing of tzaddikim, that through it the glory of the Holy One should rise.' All we learned across the maamar — the descent of the worlds, the sin and its repair, even the passing of tzaddikim — all of it is for this inner intent: that 'astalek' be revealed, and that we be united in the Essence.
And the maamar describes that moment in the language of redemption: 'and when He brings us out of exile with an uplifted hand, and for all the children of Israel there will be light in their dwellings, then will Moshe and the children of Israel sing: Havayah shall reign forever and ever.' And in the Aramaic translation too: 'Havayah — His kingship stands forever and to all eternity.'
'And we conclude: and Havayah shall be King, Havayah is one and His name is one — that there be no distinction between Havayah and His name.' In the redemption there will no longer be a gap between 'Havayah' (the Essence) and 'His name' (the illumination spreading through the world); all will be unified — and all this great revelation is effected specifically through that difficult 'passing' we learned about.
The conclusion — it all depends on us, the seventh generation
And now comes the conclusion, the loftiest of all. In the words of the maamar: 'and since we have already gone through all the matters, now the thing depends on nothing but us — the seventh generation.' Since we have already passed through everything — all the concealments, the sin and its repair, and the passing of tzaddikim — now 'it depends on nothing but us.'
Stop and feel the magnitude of this sentence. All of history, all the chaining-down, all the avodah of the generations — it has all already been done. Only one thing remains: us. The redemption depends solely on us, the seventh generation — on our simple avodah, here and now, to transform the darkness into light.
And the maamar seals with a prayer-promise: 'and we will merit to see the Rebbe here below, in a body, below ten handbreadths, and he will redeem us.' May we merit to see the Rebbe here below, in an actual body, in this physical world — and he will redeem us.
And here the maamar Basi LeGani 5711 concludes. We began with the question 'why specifically below,' and passed through all the chapters to the conclusion: that the Holy One desired a dwelling specifically in the lower realms, that the way to build it is transforming darkness into light, and that all of this — depends on us. Thank you so much for learning the entire maamar with us, from beginning to end.