Preparation for the 7th Day of Pesach and Also the Omer

7th Day of Pesach

The secret to the 7th day of Pesach is not the splitting of the Yam Suf, although that is the physical event that happened. That event is an effect it is not a cause. What is the cause? The cause is taught by the Prophet Habbakuk. It is taught by his verse from Chapter 2 Verse 4:

הנה עפלה לא-ישרה נפשו בו וצדיק באמונתו יחיה

Behold, his soul is puffed up, it is not upright in him; but the righteous shall live by his faith.

Please look at the last three words of this verse of Prophecy: וצדיק באמונתו יחיה . The translation is "And the Righteous will live with Faith. " Remember that Nachshon Ben Aminadav listened to Moshe telling the People what HaShem has said: Go forward into the Sea. He did that with Certainty a higher level than Faith. Yet the Prophet is telling us we just need that lowest level called Emunah for us to split the Sea/limitations or Ends in our lives.

Tonight, Tuesday April 11 2023 at midnight which will be approximately 1 AM (due to daylight savings time) the waters of the world will split. Will you be able to Sea that happen this year again for the first time?

Let us learn a little more about Faith,Trust and Certainty.

The word Emunah/Faith has a gematria of 102. For faith to be complete it must have a complete structure of 10 Sephirot. This then adds 10 to 102 and makes 112. 112 is the word Yabok - Yood Bet Koof. It is the name of the River that Jacob crossed back over to wrestle with the Angel of Esav who we call Satan. Let us truly learn the meaning of Yabok.

To understand the meaning of Yabok we need to relate to a spiritual law that when one reveals one thing he conceals two things. This esoteric teaching applies to the relationship between Emunah/Faith, Bitachon/Trust, and Vaday/Certainty. There are three Names of G-d that deal with this esoteric teaching and these three Hebrew Words.

The lowest Name is the Name Elohim קלהים . This relates to the one revealed item which is Emunah. In order for Emunah to be complete in its structure of 10 Sephirot it must include the emotions represented by the middle three Sephirot of Chesed and Gevurah and Tiferet. These more completely relate to the idea of Bitachon/Trust which is an emoton connection. Trust is not logical since almost everyone lets someone down sometime. Bitachon/Trust is necessary to rise to the highest level of Vaday/Certainty. Vaday is the level of Mind which includes both the intellect of Binah and the intuition of Chochmah. Part of intuition is the higher order of emotion. Mind also includes the Sephirah of Keter. This is how the 10 Sephirot become added to Emunah to reach the Yabok (gematria of 112) level of consciousness.

Elokim deals with Emunah. The 4 letter Name referred to as The Tetragrammaton refers to Bitachon. The Name Ehiyeh אהיה refers to the level of Vaday and Binah. Remember we must always realize that Binah is always in unity with Chochmah and Keter. This applies to us even when we are not conscious of our unconscious.

Now that we have an inkling of the meaning of these 3 Names and the Sephirot as it relates to the consciousness of Emunah/Bitachon/Vaday, we can look more closely at Yabok (gematria 112). The Gematria of Elohim is 86. The gematria of The Tetragrammaton is well known to be 26. While the Gematria of Ehiyeh is 21. Now when Elohim unifies with The Tetragrammaton we reach the consciousness of Yabok with a gematria of 86 plus 26 which equals 112. This is the unity of the physical world with the spiritual world of Zeir Anpin.

Now we all know that that when we see the Tetragrammaton on the Torah Scroll we say Adonai אדני which has a Gematria of 65. What is the difference between the Name Adonai and the Name Elohim. It is well understood and well taught in Kabbalah that Elohim is the Name that personifies the idea of Judgment. That is why the Gematria of the Hebrew Word HaTevah/Nature spelled הטבע is also 86. This “coincidence” teaches us the relationship between the Name Elohim and and the energy of Judgment. This is because our natural laws in the physical world are based on judgment. Essentially Nature is a process of Judgment.

Yabok is also reached through the unification of Adonai plus The Tetragrammaton plus Ehiyeh. This is 65 plus 26 plus 21 which totals 112 or Yabok. This teaches the consciousness of Yabok represents a unification of all three levels; that of Emunah/Faith plus Bitachon/Trust plus Vaday/Certainty. The Kabbalists teach that this consciousness is calling upon the level of Miracles coming from the Partzuf or Keter or Atik. This is what happened at the splitting of the Yam Suf/Sea of End. It took the unification of Emunah/Faith plus Bitachon/Trust plus Vaday/Certainty as demonstrated by Nachshon Ben Aminadav when he walked into the Sea above his nostrils as described in the Midrash. This action is what brought the activation of the Miracle from Atik. This action and reaction from ATIK is also available to us during this Holiday of the 7th day of Pesach.

What miracle do you need in your life? What miracle do you want in your life? What limitations do you think that you are unable to overcome yourself? These are the miracles you can activate with your Faith, Trust and Certainty that you will find it easier to access on that night since once a metaphysical energy door is opened it remains accessible through the knowledge of how it works. Remember that Gods response to Moshe was “Mah Tizak Alai”, “Why are you crying to Me?”

To truly understand the energy of the 7th Day of Pesach which is the energy of the “breaking of your own limitations” or the splitting of the Yam Suf the Sea of End one must look at the concealed message in the first letters of “Mah Tizak Alai”. They are Mem Tav and Aleph. When rearranged they spell Emet – Aleph Mem Tav which is the Hebrew word for Truth. The energy of Shevii Shel Pesach / 7th Day of Pesach is Truth as expressed by the human actions of Emunah/Bitachon/Certainty. Where do you stand in this process? As we will discuss, this is one aspect of the Omer that you can utilize to improve your connection to the Torah.

The Reading of the Torah on Shevii Shel Pesach - 7th Day of Pesach

The Torah Reading on Shevii Shel Pesach consists of 63 Verses that start at Exodus Chapter 13 Verse 17 and complete at Chapter 15 Verse 26. These 63 Verses include the anomaly of a column that starts with a Hey instead of a Vav as well as the anomaly of the Song of the Sea and its structure as written in the scroll of the Star of David. It is recommended that you receive this energy of protection through the eye or Chochmah connection when the Torah is lifted in the Hagba.

Coincidentally the first letter of the reading and the last letter of the reading have a gematria of 26 representing the Tetragrammaton, indicating the concealed aspect of God supporting human actions that actually draw down the energy of the Miracle from the level of Atik. The number 63 is a number that represents the consciousness of the Sephirah of Binah since the Tetragrammaton when spelled out as follows יוד הי ואו הי has the gematria of 63. By the way when you study the Torah Scroll do not expect to see the traditional Magen David. You will see the lower triangle/star within the letters of the Song of the Sea formed into triplets/three parts followed by two parts on the next line of the text. The upper triangle formed by the three parts of the column. The Song of the Sea is the middle part and a crown which is the normal part except it starts with a Hey instead of a Vav and the lower part which is written in the normal style of the Torah columns. Put these two triangles together and you create the Star of David. Human action is what creates that. Our consciousness.

Items to study on Shevii Shel Pesach

The Ben Ish Chai recommends in his Lashon Hakamim the following to read at one's table at the Festival meals on the 7th Day of Pesach in a pleasant voice with a joyous heart. This too is attached.

Peace to you Holy Holiday! Peace to you Holy Festival! You are Mikra Kodesh/a Holy Convocation! You are an appointed time of the place called Holy! You are crowned and desired, and You are sanctified and praised with joy. You are desired, for You are the deep of the depths, and rivers flow from You. Yisrael called holy receives You with illuminated faces, in joy and praise. They appointed You and prepared for You an honorable feast with a set table, a complete preparation with honorable vessels in joy and praises of the Holy One blessed be He.

Oh Festival, Oh Festival of Pesah! You are cherished and honored. Fortunate too is your Seventh Day, on which the Holy One blessed be He did great miracles by the Sea of Reeds. As it is written, "HaShem shall fight for you, and you shall hold your peace." Assuredly, you shall hold your peace, and not arouse what is not needed by you. The Holy One, blessed be He, did not want Yisrael to awaken from below at all, because the Patriarchs preceded and caused this awakening from above. And their merit stood before Him . According to this, Moshe said to the people, "Fear not, stand still and see the salvation of HaShem." You do not have to do battle because the Holy One, blessed is He, will do battle for you. Fortunate is the day that the Holy One Blessed is He, performed a miracle within a miracle, as it is written, "And the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea." Yisrael were walking on the dry ground within the sea. This is what is written, "And the children of Yisrael went into the midst of the sea on dry ground." Fortunate is this day when the Sea of Reeds was split. For the splitting of the sea depended on Atika Kadisha. On this it said, "And HaShem said to Moshe, 'Why do you cry out to Me?'" It all depended upon Atika Kadisha. At that moment, Atika Kadisha was revealed, goodwill was present in all the worlds above, and then the collective light shone. Then, when everything shone together, the sea executed the supernal laws.

Fortunate was the day the Holy One, blessed be He, showed Yisrael the minister appointed over Egypt who He had passed through the River of fire, that was on the shore of the Upper Sea. As it was written, "And Yisrael saw Egypt dead on the shore of the sea." The dominion of below and the dominion of above they grasp onto, both of them were given over to that Great Sea and the great dominion, to take revenge on them.

That night, a mighty power was awakened, as is written: "And HaShem caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night." At that time, the Queen requested of the King that all the multitudes of Egyptians below and all the Princes above be given over into Her hands. They were all given over into Her power to do vengeance with them. As it is written: "The horse and its rider He cast into the sea." Here, "Into the sea" without adjectives, hinting both to the sea above and the sea below.

Fortunate is this day of which it is said that Moshe and the children of Yisrael sang by the sea. Anyone who is worthy of this song in this world merits it in the World to Come, and will be worthy of praising with it in the days of King Messiah in the rejoining of the Congregation of Yisrael with the Holy One, blessed be He. It is written, "saying," meaning "saying" it at that time, "saying" it in the Holy Land in the time when Yisrael will be settled in the land, "saying" it during exile, "saying" it at the redemption of Yisrael, "saying" it in the World to Come.

Fortunate is this day which the Holy King ascended and was crowned with His crowns to bring forth blessings and strength and mighty deeds, with all of which to be elevated. As it is written, "I will sing to HaShem for He has triumphed gloriously." "For He has triumphed" in this world, "gloriously" in the World to Come. He triumphed gloriously at that time in order to be crowned later with His crowns in complete joy. Fortunate is this Festival from the side of the Jubilee where is found joy for Yisrael. And thus for the appointed time of yours as written, "On that day a great Shofar shall be blown."

It too would be worthwhile to read the following adapted from Maggid Mesharim (K. Skaist trans.) on the 7th Day of Pesach:

On the 7th Day of Pesach Chesed/lovingkindness rules. The first day of Pesach is ruled by the aspect of Malkut, and therefore judgment was wrought and appeared on that very night. Each day of Pesach hints at another Sephirah going from bottom to top [which is the reverse of the Sephirat HaOmer]. Thus when the 7th day arrives, Chesed/lovingkindness rules. As it is written, "Your right hand [related to Chesed] HaShem glorious in strength" (Shemot 15:16), and it is also written - וַיַּרְא יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַיָּד הַגְּדלָֹה "and the Yisraelites saw the great hand [related to Chesed whose older name is Gedulah]." (14:31).

When G-d brought upon the Egyptians the 10 plagues, the battle came from the Sephirah Gevurah, as it was said by the Egyptian magicians אֶצְבַּע אֱ-לֹהִים הִוא "a finger of Elokim [which is a name of judgment related to Gevurah]." (8:15). But that day when the battle was from the side of Chesed, it is written הַיָּד הַגְּדלָֹה "great hand." The word "hand" alone refers to Gevurah, whereas הַיָּד הַגְּדלָֹה "great hand" refers to Chesed. For that reason it is written, וַיִּירְאוּ הָעָם, אֶת-יְ-ה-וָ-ה "and the people feared [which relates to Gevurah] HaShem" (14:31), that is until that day they feared only Gevurah, but since they saw that even Chesed which signifies mercy could carry out judgment, they saw that even more so will judgment be carried out by Tiferet, which contains Chesed as well as Gevurah, and they feared it now as they had not feared it before.

When it is written וַיַּאֲמִינוּ, בַּי-ה-וָ-ה, וּבְמשֶֹׁה, עַבְדּוֹ "they believed in HaShem and in Moshe His servant," (14:31), means that until that day they did not understand why Tiferet and Netzah were necessary. Was it not enough for Chesed and Gevurah to direct the world: Chesed rewards the righteous and Gevurah exacts punishment from the wicked. But when they saw Chesed exacting punishment like the Sephirah of Din/judgment, וַיַּאֲמִינוּ "they believed" that Tiferet had to mediate between them. Otherwise Gevurah would burn the world in its fire and the world could not exist for one hour.

Netzah/Endurance was needed to make repairs so that judgment would not go out to the world with all its might. Netzah was referred to וּבְמֹשֶׁה, עַבְדּוֹ "Moshe His servant" because Moshe himself alluded to Netzah (as Ushnpizin order of Sukkot--See Sefer Haknassat Orhim) and he was a servant of Tiferet.

Further Study

My friend Rabbi Rachmiel Chaim Drizzin wrote this essay as an introduction to the Torah study for the night of Shevii Shel Pesach.

Hakdama/Introduction

We gotta get out of this place

If it's the last thing we ever do

We gotta get out of this place

Cause girl, there's a better life for me and you

(The Animals, 1965)

Perhaps the above Golden-Oldie is the gist of what the children of Yisrael were crying, as it says, “And when Pharaoh drew close, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians were marching after them; and they were afraid; and the children of Israel cried out to HaShem.” (Shemot 14:10). Perhaps maybe even more important than the first exodus on Seder night is the second that takes place on the 7th Day of Pesach, the actual Yetziat Mitzrayim/ leaving of Egypt. Because we were really never “free” , neither physically nor psychologically, untill we passed through the birthing canal of the split Sea of Reeds and left the land of Mitzrayim-Metzarim, the constricting Narrow Straits. “All births are difficult” our Sages say. But this one was chock-full of miracles, (p. 69) witnessed by all including the lowest handmaid and the fetus in the mother’s womb, a revelation even greater than Yehezkel’s vision of the Merkava/Chariot we too will relearn in 6 weeks' time come Shavuot. Just like on Seder night we relive through the Haggadah the story of our redemption, too on this night mystics stay awake learning and meditating. The collected texts from Sefer Korei Moed Hashaleim are all designed to open ourselves to the energy of the evening, focusing much on Mashiah/ Messiah, with the Song at the Sea sung right before a lot hashakar/dawn [check www.chabad.org for your local halakhic times]. In certain Chassidic traditions such as the Chabad- Lubavitch tradition, it is a custom to remain awake all night on the seventh day of Pesach until dawn while studying about and celebrating the miracle of the "splitting" of the Red Sea or the "Sea of Reeds" as well as engaging in Torah study in general. When dawn arrives, water is poured on the floor and then those that were studying all night about the miracles of the "splitting" of the Sea dance in the water until it dries up.

chanoch's addition

Another Kabbalistic Minhag is to circle a bowl of water while singing the Song of the Sea and watching the water split or at least trying to see the spiritual level that lets you see the splitting itself.

Like Seder night, the Seventh Day of Pesach is a night of song and praise. As the 6th Night of the Omer, it stands for Yesod shebe Chesed, the Bonding/Connection/Intimacy of Expansive Lovingkindness. Perhaps this bonding of kindness energy is revealed in the recommendation of the Arizal that marital relations are required on this evening, which is distinct from every other festival night. Sefer Shulhan Aruk HaArizal , siman 490; Cf: www.kabbalaonline.org/kabbalah/article_cdo/aid/704274/jewish/ Nightof- Supernal-Rectifications.htm This is a night where we can come close to God and cleave to Him and feel His closeness and His freeing of us from a tight place. Seder Night is so full of wondrous routine that many miss the opportunity to meditate on leaving Egypt, a halakhic requirement. The Seventh Day of Pesach is a renewed occasion for personal transformation and transcendence to leave the self-made prisons we create and confine ourselves. Let these translated words do their selected work. Try to find one personal meeting in each passage and use it as the key for your own redemption.

Eliyahu KiTov in The Book of Our Heritage writes:

The seventh day of Passover is not a separate Festival in its own right, as is the case with Shemini Atzeret, the last day of Sukkot. Rather, it is the conclusion of Passover and we therefore do not recite the Sheheheyanu blessing when making Kiddush or lighting candles. The seventh day of Passover marks the day when many miracles were performed for our forefathers at the Red Sea. The Torah (Exodus, 2:15) states: And the seventh day shall be declared a holy day for you. No work shall be done on that day.

In most of the instances where the Torah refers to the first day of Passover, mention is made of the Exodus from Egypt. Regarding the command to observe the seventh day of Passover, however, no mention is made of the miracle of the splitting of the sea which took place on that day. Moreover, when the Torah refers to the miracle no mention is made of the date on which the miracle took place. Holidays were not given to Israel to mark the downfall of her enemies. Rather, they were ordained to commemorate Israel's salvation. The Holy One, blessed is He, does not rejoice when the wicked are destroyed, and Israel is also not to celebrate these instances. Israel was commanded to observe the last day of Passover even before she knew that the Egyptians were destined drown in the sea on this day. The Torah therefore ignores the link between the last Festival day and the splitting of the sea.

The essence of the celebration of this day is the song that Moses and Israel were Divinely inspired to sing on this day a song that merited being included in the Torah, a song to which G-d and His heavenly consorts listened. Although the Torah saw fit not to mention that the drowning of the Egyptians took place on this day for the reason that we have already mentioned, we have a tradition that this event took place on this day. Once it was permitted to commit the oral tradition to writing, we have written sources for this as well.

Concerning the Splitting of the Sea of Reeds, he adds:

The commentary Pri Tzaddik notes that our Sages taught the following. At first Moses did not inform Israel why they were headed back toward Egypt; it was only because there were people of little faith among them, people who tore out their hair, in fear that they were about to return to Egypt, that Moses revealed his plan and assured them that they were indeed free, free forever. One can conclude that those who had faith, heard Moses's order to turn back toward Egypt and accepted the order without fear, even though they too thought that they were about to return to bondage. Why did G-d ask them to retreat?

When Israel first left Egypt, she did not have enough merit of her own to make her worthy of redemption. The people were redeemed because of the Divine promise made to Abraham. However, G-d wanted Israel to be worthy of redemption in her own merit. He therefore ordered the nation, after their faith had been strengthened during the three days they spent under the protective wings of the Shechinah and guarded by the clouds of glory, to return toward Egypt. This act would show that they were willing to return to being subservient to the Egyptians because of their faith in G-d. A people willing to return to slavery out of their faith in G-d would be worthy in their own merit of being redeemed.

Those among the nation who had strong faith followed the example of their forefather Abraham, of whom the Torah testifies (Genesis 15:6): And he had faith in G-d. They therefore merited that the promises made to Abraham were fulfilled. It is as if the Exodus from Egypt took place twice: once because of the promise made to Abraham and the second time because the people themselves merited redemption. And G-d brought a strong east wind to blow over the sea all that night (Exodus 14:21)? If G-d wanted the sea to split, He could have ordered it to do so; with one declaration He could have transformed it into dry land. Why did He bring a strong east wind [a dry wind from the desert]? G-d sought to imbue Israel with the belief that all of the acts of Creation are dependent upon His word. The wilderness and the inhabited places, the sea and the wind, the clouds and the fire, all are the work of His hands and subject to His direction. There is no aspect of nature independent of His control. Once this belief became rooted in Israel's hearts, they merited the great miracle of the splitting of the sea, in which the laws of nature were transcended.

The Talmud (Ta'anit 25a) quotes R. Chanina ben Dosa as saying: "He Who told oil to burn will tell vinegar to burn." Why did R. Chanina find it necessary to mention the flammable quality of oil? He could have simply said that G-d can order vinegar to burn! This teaches us that man merits a miracle that transcends natural order only when he realizes that nature itself functions only because G-d so declared. Just as G-d declared oil to be flammable and it is His declaration that gives oil that property, so too can His declaration give vinegar the capability of burning.

The Zohar quotes R. Shimon as teaching: When Israel stood by the banks of the sea and sang, G-d and His Heavenly consorts appeared to her and she recognized that it was her King Who had performed all of these miracles. Each and every one of the people understood and saw that which the world's prophets had never seen or understood. Were you to think that Israel was unaware and lacked the Divine wisdom to comprehend, the very song itself is testimony, for how else could they all have said the same words at the same time. Even the unborn in their mothers' wombs sang this song together, seeing a manifestation of G-d's Presence that even Yechezkel the Prophet never witnessed. When they concluded their song, the people's souls were enraptured and longed to see even more. So overwhelmed were they that they refused to leave. At that time Moses said to G-d: "Your children, in their great desire to see Your light, do not want to leave the sea." What did G-d do? He concealed His glory and He was both apparent and unapparent. Moses urged Israel to leave a number of times but they were still unwilling, for they were still enraptured by G-d's indirect appearance. It was only when they understood that His glory was in the wilderness, that Moses was able to lead them, as the verse (Exodus 15:22) states: And Moses led them from the Red Sea... and they went into the wilderness of Shur. Why is it referred to as the wilderness of Shur? It was a wilderness where they sought to see the glory of their great King, for the Hebrew word Shur connotes seeing.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe (z’l) writes (www.chabad.org ) Not Merely History

The Seventh Day of Pesach commemorates the Splitting of the Red Sea, the climax of the Exodus from Egypt. Until “Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore,” they remained in dread of Egypt’s military might; some were even prepared to submit to slavery again rather than risk death After the Splitting of the Sea, however, all fear of danger ended and they experienced true freedom. Our Sages consider these two events, the Exodus from Egypt and the Splitting of the Red Sea, to be of such fundamental importance that they require us to recall them every day. This obligation indicates that they are not simply incidents in history. Instead, the Exodus from Egypt and the Splitting of the Red Sea reflect two continually relevant stages in our service of G-d. Leaving Egypt means transcending our limitations and ceasing to be slaves by identifying ourselves as servants of G-d. The Exodus from Egypt was not complete, however, until the Splitting of the Red Sea. By the same token, on a personal level, each individual’s experience of leaving Egypt is incomplete without the spiritual parallel to the Splitting of the Red Sea. The commitment to leave Egypt, to transcend the limits of our individual selves, often poses a problem, for even those who are firmly committed to Torah practice experience the material world as their frame of reference. Mitzrayim, symbol of the limitations of our worldly existence, determines their world-view. Many may find themselves in a quandary. On the one hand, they are committed to Torah observance. At the same time, however, their world-view inhibits the expression of this commitment, by making the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos appear to be an obligation which reaches beyond the framework of everyday existence.

Living in the World, but Without Worldliness

This conflict between world-view and practice runs counter to the fundamental tenets of Judaism. Although it is far easier to live spiritually by rejecting the material world, Judaism firmly condemns asceticism and warns against abandoning the realities of life. Judaism requires a person to rise above his material concerns within the context of his daily existence — to engage in all of his deeds “for the sake of heaven” while remaining soberly in touch with the world around him. The difficulty of rejecting worldliness while living within a material framework parallels the spiritual hurdle faced by the Jews after leaving Egypt, but before the Splitting of the Red Sea. Although they had physically departed Egypt, Egypt was still a part of them. This is the crux of the challenge. Often, it is a person’s internalization of his environment — and not its objective reality — which presents him with the most formidable challenges in his service of G-d.

Uncovering Hidden Truth

As stated above, it was only after the Splitting of the Red Sea that our people were able to break free from the invisible shackles that bound them to Egypt. Similarly, understanding the spiritual parallel to this miracle enables us to resolve the dichotomy between our environment and our spiritual goals and gives us the potential to rise to the challenge of living spiritually in the material world. We find the miracle of the Splitting of the Sea described as follows: “He turned the sea into dry land.” In Chassidic thought, the sea serves as a metaphor for the material world which hides the G-dliness within it. Like the waters of the sea which cover over whatever is within them, our material existence conceals the G-dly life-force which maintains its existence. The transformation of the sea into dry land symbolizes the revelation of this hidden truth, demonstrating that the world is not separate from G-d, but rather unified with Him entirely. Perceiving G-d’s integrated involvement in our physical world enables us to overcome the challenge posed by our material environment. As long as our faith in G-d is abstract, removed from experience, it is disconnected from our day-to-day existence. However, when we recognize G-d’s constant presence and influence in our lives, we are able to see His Torah as a means of establishing a connection with Him as we continue our day-to-day lives. In this manner, our spiritual service reflects the cycle of historical events experienced by our people. The miracle at the Red Sea completed the process begun by the Exodus from Egypt and prepared the Jews for the Giving of the Torah. By the same token, each person’s individual “exodus from Egypt” is reinforced by his recognition of G-d’s constant presence, a recognition of the kind represented by the Splitting of the Sea. This sense of G-d’s presence brings about a renewed commitment to the Torah and its mitzvot.

Why the Sea Split

The narrative of the Splitting of the Red Sea teaches another important lesson about the extent of our commitment to the service of G-d. The miracle at the Red Sea was a direct response to the actions of the Jewish people. The Torah relates that when the Jews found themselves trapped between the pursuing Egyptian army and the Red Sea, they “became greatly frightened” and “cried out to G-d.” G-d responded by telling Moshe: “Why do you cry out to Me? Tell the Children of Israel to go forward!” Our Sages explain that after Moshe relayed this message, Nachshon ben Aminadav, the Nasi (leader) of the Tribe of Yehudah, plunged into the Red Sea, followed by his tribe and then by the entire Jewish people. They pressed onward until the water reached their nostrils. Only then did the sea split. Nachshon’s action exemplified mesirus nefesh (self-sacrifice). He knew that the goal of the Exodus was the Giving of the Torah, for G-d had promised Moshe, “When you bring the people out of Egypt, you will serve G-d on this mountain.” Accordingly, Nachshon’s only desire was to reach Mt. Sinai. No matter what the obstacles, his resolve would not be shaken. Not even the sea would stand between himself and receiving the Torah.

A Single-Minded Commitment

The outstanding quality of Nachshon’s divine service can be further understood by a comparison between Rabbi Akiva and our patriarch, Avraham. Both lived lives of mesirus nefesh, serving G-d and teaching His Torah with complete self-sacrifice. They differed, however, in the nature of their commitments. In defiance of Roman decrees, Rabbi Akiva continued to teach his students. When the Romans captured him, they tortured him to death with combs of iron. During his ordeal, Rabbi Akiva uttered the words of Shema. His students were astounded by his devoutness. He explained: All my life I have been troubled by the command to “[love G-d...] with all your soul” — [which I understood to mean, to love G-d] “even if He takes your soul.” And I used to say, “When shall I have the opportunity of fulfilling this?” Rabbi Akiva, then, sought mesirus nefesh all his life, regarding it as the ultimate height to which man could aspire.

Unlike Rabbi Akiva, Avraham did not regard mesirus nefesh as an end in itself. His life was totally dedicated to the mission of spreading the awareness of G-d. If the task called for mesirus nefesh, he was prepared to sacrifice his life (as when he was challenged by Nimrod who cast him into a furnace of fire. He did not, however, strive to attain mesirus nefesh. His efforts were dedicated solely to making the world a dwelling place for G-d. Why the difference between these two approaches? Rabbi Akiva desired mesirus nefesh because he saw it as the greatest possible form of self-fulfillment. Instead of seeking self-fulfillment in material things or even in a limited spiritual service, he sought complete union with G-d. He understood that since G-d is infinite, the only way a finite human being could experience total union with Him would be through mesirus nefesh. Avraham, by contrast, was not concerned with self-fulfillment at all. He had only one goal, the mission with which G-d had charged him.

A similar quality characterized Nachshon. When he plunged into the sea, he did not think of himself or his self-fulfillment, whether material or spiritual; he was conscious of only one thing — G-d’s commandment to proceed to the Giving of the Torah.

Proceeding to Mashiach

In our own lives, recalling the Splitting of the Red Sea teaches us to strive for selfless determination. The exile in Egypt prepared our people for the revelation of the Torah at Mt. Sinai; the present exile is also a preparation, readying us for the revelation of new dimensions within the Torah by Mashiach. We, like Nachshon and Avraham, have been given a mission — to prepare the world for the coming of Mashiach by disseminating the knowledge of the Torah and its mitzvos. Nachshon’s steadfast commitment brought about a miraculous salvation for the Jewish people. Emulating his commitment will likewise prepare us for the miracles of the Era of the Redemption, which will include a parallel to the miracle of the Splitting of the Sea.

As the Haftorah recited on the Eighth Day of Pesach relates, “G-d... will raise His hand over the river (Euphrates) with His mighty wind and smite it into seven streams.” May this prophecy be fulfilled speedily, in our days.

Adapted from Likkutei Sichos, Vol. I, pp. 135-137; Vol. III, Parshas Beshallach, pp. 876-880

The Kehot Humash includes:

THE CULMINATION OF THE EXODUS

The Splitting of the Sea was the culmination of the Exodus from Egypt. This is due to several reasons:

The Egyptian army still remained intact after the Exodus, so the threat of re-enslavement still existed. At the sea, the people were being pursued by an army that naturally should have destroyed them. According to the Midrash, there were 30 Egyptians to each Jew. Only when the sea split and swallowed the Egyptians alive was the process of the Exodus truly complete.

G-d had promised Abraham that his descendants would leave their exile with great wealth. Although the Jews took a large amount of wealth out of Egypt, they technically only borrowed this wealth from the Egyptians. It did not actually belong to them until after the Egyptians drowned in the sea. Furthermore, the Egyptian wealth that the Jews took at the sea exceeded that which they took with them from Egypt.

Spiritually, G-d's promise to Abraham was that the Jews would liberate all the sparks of holiness trapped in Egypt. Since it was primarily at the sea that the wealth of Egypt became theirs, it follows that the primary release of the sparks also occurred at the sea.

Finally, the ultimate goal of the Exodus, the receiving of the Torah, could only have been achieved by first experiencing the spiritual revelations at the Splitting of the Sea. Spiritually, leaving Egypt means freeing the divine soul from the shackles of the animal soul. The divine soul is free when it realizes that although we are surrounded by "pharaohs," we need not be servants to them; we are free to be servants of G-d alone. But the soul cannot experience this freedom fully until "the sea has been split," until the true, divine nature of reality has been revealed. Even without being aware of the true nature of reality, we can "leave Egypt," break our bondage to materialism and dutifully fulfill our responsibilities. But such uninspired commitment is vulnerable. If our mind and heart are not in it, Pharaoh and his armies can give chase. We truly left Egypt and Pharaoh behind only after the sea is split, when G-d's presence is revealed and obvious and the lie of Egypt has been exposed. It is for this very reason that, just as we are required to mention the Exodus from Egypt in our daily prayers, we are also required to mention the Splitting of the Sea, since it is an integral part of our daily spiritual exodus.

A MIRACLE FOR A PURPOSE

It is related in the Midrash that G-d caused fruit trees to instantaneously grow in the middle of the sea and bear fruit; the children plucked the fruit of these trees and fed them to the birds, which then joined the Jews in their song of praise to G-d. Although G-d is generally loath to tamper with nature, He caused trees to grow miraculously to teach the fledgling Jewish nation an important lesson: whenever there is an opportunity to utilize some part of creation in fulfilling G-d's purpose, it should be taken advantage of. Thus G-d caused the seabed--which for the brief time during the Jew's passage was capable of producing trees--to give forth fruit. These fruits in turn enhanced the people's song to their Creator. The miraculous trees teach us that even the most fleeting opportunity can and should be used to a G-dly end.

THE SPLIT THAT REVEALS THE ESSENCE

On a deeper level, G-d caused fruit trees to grow and bear fruit because this was an integral part of the miracle of the Splitting of the Sea. The Splitting of the Sea was the revelation of reality's hidden side, its potential to express the divinity pulsing within it. This revelation had to occur at all levels of creation: in the mineral, vegetable, and animal kingdoms, as well as in humanity. The earth possesses the potential to sustain plant life, so when the sea split, the earth manifested this potential. Plant life has the potential to sustain animal life, so the trees that sprouted from the seabed bore fruit. Animal life has the potential to sustain and enhance human life, so the birds ate from the miraculously-produced fruit and thus were enabled to join the Jews in the Song at the Sea. The sea would not have split unless the Jews first revealed their hidden divine potential; the seabed revealed its potential to produce fruit-bearing trees because the people revealed their inner divine potential. Similarly, when we repeat the experience of the Splitting of the Sea in our daily lives by revealing our hidden divine potential, we affect the very fabric of reality. Since we are still in exile, we do not always see the effects of our actions, but eventually, when the unseen changes in reality reach a critical mass, they will usher in the messianic redemption. Then, even the inanimate kingdom will openly reveal its hidden, divine potential.

This is from www.kabbalahonline.org

Four Jewish Approaches to Obstacles ...Plus One"

We all know the feeling: we wake up one morning to the realization that the world is not as we would like it to be. A common experience, to be sure, but many and diverse are the ways in which a person may react to it.

One man embarks on a quixotic crusade to change the world. A second gives up the world for lost and retreats into whatever protective walls he can erect around himself and his loved ones. A third takes the "practical" approach, accepting the world for what it is and doing his best under the circumstances. A fourth recognizes his inability to deal with the situation and looks to a higher authority for guidance and aid.

The Four Factions

Our forefathers experienced just such a rude awakening on the seventh day after their exodus from Egypt. Ten devastating plagues had broken the might of the Egyptians and forced them to let the Jewish people go. After two centuries of exile and slavery, the children of Israel were headed toward Mount Sinai and their covenant with G-d as His chosen people and a "light unto the nations." Indeed, this was the stated purpose of the Exodus, as G-d told Moses, "When you take this nation out of Egypt, you will serve G-d at this mountain" [Ex. 3:12]. But suddenly the sea was before them, with Pharaoh's armies closing in from behind. Egypt was alive and well, and the sea, too, seemed oblivious to the destiny of the newly-born nation. How did they react? The Midrash Mechilta on Ex. 14: 13-15 from this Holiday's Reading tells us that the Jewish people were divided into four camps. There were those who said, "Let us throw ourselves into the sea." A second group said, "Let us return to Egypt." A third faction argued, "Let us wage war upon the Egyptians." Finally, a fourth camp advocated: "Let us pray to G-d." Moses, however, rejected all four options as inappropriate, saying to the people:

"Fear not, stand by and see the salvation of G-d, which He will show you today; for as you have seen Egypt this day, you shall not see them again, forever. G-d shall fight for you, and you shall be silent" [14:13-14]. "Fear not, stand by and see the salvation of G-d," is Moses' response to those in despair who wanted to plunge into the sea. "As you have seen Egypt this day, you shall not see them again," is addressed to those who advocated surrender and return to Egypt. "G-d shall fight for you," is the answer to those who wished to battle the Egyptians, and "you shall be silent" is Moses' rejection of those who said, "All we can do is pray. "What, then, is the Jew to do when caught between a hostile world and an unyielding sea? "Speak to the children of Israel," said G-d to Moses, "that they shall go forward" [14:15].

The Tzaddik in the Fur Coat

The road to Sinai was rife with obstacles and challenges. The same is true of the road from Sinai, our three-thousand-year quest to implement the ethos and ideals of Torah in our world. Now, as then, there are several possible responses to an adverse world. There is the "Let us throw ourselves into the sea" approach of those who despair of their ability to resist, much less impact, the big bad world out there. Let us plunge into the sea, they say, the sea of the Talmud, the sea of piety, the sea of religious life. Let us sever all contact with an apostate and promiscuous world. Let us build walls of holiness to protect ourselves and our own from the alien winds which storm without, so that we may foster the legacy of Sinai within. An old Chassidic saying refers to a such-minded individual as a "tzaddik in peltz"· "a holy man in a fur coat." There are two ways to warm yourself on a cold winter day: you can build a fire, or wrap yourself in furs. When the isolationist tzaddik is asked, "Why do you think only of conserving your own warmth? Why don't you build a fire that may warm others as well?" he replies, "What's the use? Can I warm up the entire world?" If you persist, pointing out that one small fire can thaw several frozen individuals, who may, in turn, create enough fires to warm a small corner of the universe, he doesn't understand what you want of him. He's a tzaddik, remember, a perfectly righteous individual. There's no place for partial solutions in his life. "It's hopeless," he sighs with genuine sadness and retreats into his spiritual Atlantis.

The Slave

A second "camp" says, "Let us return to Egypt. "Plunging into the sea is not an option, argues the Submissive Jew. This is the world that G-d has placed us in, and our mission is to deal with it, not escape it. We'll just have to lower our expectations a little. This Exodus business was obviously a pipe dream. How could we presume to liberate ourselves from the rules and constraints which apply to everyone else? To be G-d's "chosen people" is nice, but let us not forget that we are a minority, dependent on the goodwill of the Pharaohs who hold sway in the real world out there. Certainly, it is our duty to influence the world. But then again, the Jew has many duties: It is his duty to pray three times a day, to give to charity, and observe the Shabbos. So we'll do what we have to. Yes, it's a tough life, keeping all these laws while making sure not to antagonize your neighbors; but who ever said that being a Jew is easy?

The Warrior

A third response to an uncooperative world is that of the Fighting Jew. He understands that it is wrong to escape the world, and equally wrong to submit to it. So he takes it on, both barrels blazing, striding through life with a holy chip on his shoulder, battling immorality, apostates, anti-Semites, "Hellenist" Jews, and non-fighting Jews. Not for him is the escapism of the first camp or the subservience of the second--he knows that his cause is just, that G-d is on his side, that ultimately he will triumph. So if the world won't listen to reason, he'll knock some sense into it.

The Spiritualist

"You hope to peacefully change the world?!" say the other three camps. "When was the last time you looked out the window? You might as well try to empty the oceans with a teaspoon." "You're absolutely right," says the Praying Jew. "Realistically, there's no way it can be done. But who's being realistic? Do you know what the common denominator between all three of you is? Your assessments and strategies are all based on the natural reality. But we inhabit a higher reality. Is not the very existence of the Jewish people a miracle? Ours is the world of the spirit, of the word." "So basically your approach is to do nothing," they counter. "Again you are employing the standards of the material world," answers the Praying Jew, "a world that views prayer as "doing nothing". But a single prayer, coming from a caring heart, can achieve more than the most secure fortress, the most flattering diplomat, or the most powerful army."

Forward

And what does G-d say? "Forward!" True, it is important to safeguard and cultivate all that is pure and holy in the Jewish soul, to create an inviolable sanctum of G-dliness in one's own heart and one's community. True, there are times when we must deal with the world on its own terms. True, we must battle evil. And certainly, we must acknowledge that we cannot do it all on our own. It is also true that each of these four approaches has their time and place. But none of them is the vision to guide our lives and define our relationship with the world about us. When the Jew is headed towards Sinai and is confronted with a hostile or indifferent world, his response must be to go forward. Not to escape reality, not to submit to it, not to wage war, or not to deal with it only on a spiritual level, but to go forward. Do another mitzvah, ignite another soul, take one more step toward your goal. Pharaoh's charioteers are breathing down your neck? A cold and impregnable sea bars your path? Don't look up, look forward. See that mountain? Move toward it. And when you do, you will see that insurmountable barrier yield and that ominous threat fade away. You will see that despite all the "evidence" to the contrary, you have it within your power to reach your goal. Even if you have to split some seas. If only you move forward.

(Reprinted from Ascent Quarterly; based on an essay by Yanki Tauber in Week in Review)

Tikkun of 7th Day

On the seventh day of Passover, new souls are "born," as it were, in the sense that they emerge from the lofty spiritual realm of Atzilut, which is inseparable from G-d Himself, into the relatively "lower" realm of Beriya, where they are considered separate entities.

(Alter Rebbe, Likutey Torah, cited on www.kabbalahonline.org )

Conclusion by Rabbi Drizzin

We have a grand project ahead of us! Dawn will come around 5:00 ish, so we want to be reading the Parshat Beshalah starting about 15 minutes before that. Slowly. With intention. Plan your evening with meaningful mindfulness. Do not drink too much wine at the Holiday meal if that will make you sleepy. Coffee can be your friend tonight. Start the learning early. About ½ hour before Halakhic midnight, say the bedtime Shema prayer without the Hamapil blessing [because you are not sleeping]. After midnight, use the washroom and say the morning blessings. There is no Tikkun Hatzot on this festival evening. Some do not drink after midnight according to mystic practice. This can be difficult! As my teacher HaRav Ariel Bar Tzadok told me years ago, “do what you need to do to get the job done.” As you study, try to figure out why the compilers of Sefer Korei Moed HaShaleim included the particular learning. More importantly, figure out how it applies to you on this night. There is always a connection, Mamash! It is my practice to begin to pray Shaharit one hour before sunrise, making sure I am saying the Amidah at the precise sunrise. I then do Kiddush with my family when they awake and later walk to Shul in time to say the reader’s repetition of the Amidah, the Torah reading, and Musaf. There is nothing wrong with taking a nap, either, as is the custom of Chabad on Shavuot night after the Tikkun is over.

The 8th Day of Pesach - Seudah HaMashiach

Seudah Moshiach

Acharon Shel Pesach, the last day of Pesach has a special connection to the coming of Moshiach and is celebrated accordingly, by partaking of Moshiach's Seudah [the meal of Moshiach..... sometimes known as the Third Seder]

The last day of Pesach is celebrated by eating a special, festive banquet called Moshiach's seudah, a custom initiated by the Baal Shem Tov. The connection between the last day of Pesach and Moshiach is explained by the Tzemach Tzedek: "The last day of Pesach is the conclusion of that which began on the first night of Pesach. The first night of Pesach is our festival commemorating our redemption from Egypt by the Holy One, Blessed be He. It was the first redemption, carried out through Moshe Rabbeinu, who was the first redeemer; it was the beginning. The last day of Pesach is our festival commemorating the final redemption, when the Holy One, Blessed be He, will redeem us from the last exile through our righteous Moshiach, who is the final redeemer. The first day of Pesach is Moshe Rabbeinu's festival; the last day of Pesach is Moshiach's festival."

Pesach is the festival which celebrates freedom. The first day celebrates the redemption from the first exile; the last day celebrates the future redemption from the final exile. The two are intimately connected, the beginning and end of one process with G-d in the future redemption showing wonders "as in the days of your exodus from Egypt."

That Moshiach's festival is celebrated specifically on the last day of Pesach is not merely because Moshiach will redeem us from the last exile. Being last has a significance beyond mere numerical order, for that which is last performs a unique function. When the Jews journeyed in the desert after leaving Egypt, they marched in a specific order, divided into four camps. The last to march was the camp of Dan, which is described by Torah as "ma'asaf l'chol hamachanos" - "gatherer of all the camps." Rashi explains this as meaning that "The tribe of Dan...would journey last, and whoever would lose anything, it would be restored to him."

The concept of "gatherer of all the camps" - restoring lost property and making sure that nothing is missing - may be applied to various situations. The Baal Shem Tov, for example, taught that just as the Jews in the desert made forty-two journeys before they reached their final destination, Eretz Yisroel, so there are forty-two journeys in each Jew's individual life. The birth of a person corresponds to the initial journey when the Jews left the land of Egypt, and at each stage of life a Jew is somewhere in the middle of one of the forty-two journeys he must experience before he enters the next world.

Not only a person's entire life, but also every individual service to G-d has various stages or "journeys." In particular, the conclusion of a specific service acts as the "gatherer of all the camps" - to make sure that nothing is missing from that service. Pesach, it was noted earlier, is associated with the concept of redemption, and our service on Pesach is correspondingly directed towards hastening the arrival of the final redemption. But even if service on Pesach was deficient, if opportunities were missed, not all is lost: the last day of Pesach acts as "gatherer of all the camps" for the entire festival. Just as the tribe of Dan restored lost articles to their owners, so the last day of Pesach provides a Jew with the opportunity to rectify omissions in the service of Pesach, and thereby regain what is rightfully his.

Because Pesach is associated with the redemption through Moshiach and the last day of Pesach is the finish to and completion of Pesach, the last day of Pesach accordingly emphasizes the coming of Moshiach.

The notion of "gatherer of all the camps" applies not only to each individual Jew's life and service, but also to Jewry in general. The forty-two journeys between leaving Egypt and entering Eretz Yisroel took place in the desert, the "wilderness of the nations," which is an allusion to the period of exile when Jews sojourn amongst the nations of the earth. The forty-two journeys in the desert served as the means wherewith Jews left the limitations of Egypt. Thus all the journeys undertaken until the Jews actually entered Eretz Yisroel may be viewed as part of the exodus from Egypt. So too with the journeys in the exile: until Jews merit the final redemption, they are still journeying to reach Eretz Yisroel. In every generation, Jews are somewhere in the middle of one of those forty-two journeys.

As in the journeys in the desert, there is a "gatherer of all the camps" in the generations-long journey of Jews to the Messianic Era. Our present generation is that of "the footsteps of Moshiach," the last generation of exile. It is the "gatherer of all the camps" of all generations of Jews.

That this generation of exile is the "gatherer of all the camps" of all generations is not just because it is the last. Exile is not just punishment for sin.

The mission of Jews is to elevate and refine this corporeal world, to reveal G-dliness and to transform the physical into a dwelling place for G-d. Dispersed throughout the world in exile, Jews have been given the opportunity and the means to carry out this mission in all parts of the world.

This has been the Jews' task throughout their history. "Gatherer of all the camps" in this context means that if any portion of that task is missing, it now can be rectified. Thus the era of "gatherer of all the camps" is the era when the world will have been fully refined and G-dliness revealed: the Era of Moshiach.

It is for this reason that it is our generation which is that of "the footsteps of Moshiach" and "gatherer of all the camps." For the service of Jews throughout the generations has been all but completed, and only the finishing touches - "gatherer of all the camps" - is needed. We stand ready and prepared to greet Moshiach.

Moshiach, of course, could have come in previous generations. The Talmud, for example, relates that at the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash, a cow lowed twice. The first time meant that the Beis HaMikdash was destroyed; the second time meant that Moshiach was born. In other words, the potential Moshiach was born immediately after the destruction and had the Jews merited it then, he would have been the actual Moshiach.

Although Moshiach could have come in previous generations, the future redemption nevertheless has a greater connection to our generation - just as the idea of Moshiach is emphasized on the last day of Pesach, although the whole of Pesach is associated with the future redemption. For both are the concept of "gatherer of all the camps" and we accordingly celebrate Moshiach's seudah specifically on the last day of Pesach.

There is still more to the connection between the last day of Pesach and Moshiach. The prophet Yechezkel describes the exodus from Egypt - which took place on the first day of Pesach - as the birth of the Jewish nation.

The last day of Pesach, the eighth day, is therefore the day of the circumcision, which is "the beginning of the entry of the holy soul." Moshiach is the yechidah - the most sublime level of the soul - of the Jewish people. Until the body of Jewry has undergone circumcision it is not whole; its holy soul is missing. Moreover, the Alter Rebbe writes, the highest level of circumcision will take place in the future, when "The L-rd will circumcise your heart."

The Haftorah read on the last day of Pesach is also connected with the Messianic Era. It states: "The wolf will lie down with the lamb...He will raise a banner for the return...the earth will be full of the knowledge of the L-rd." All of these verses refer to the Messianic Era.

Thus the relationship between the last day of Pesach and Moshiach. But why do we mark this relationship by eating a meal?

Belief in Moshiach is a cardinal tenet of the Jewish faith, enshrined as one of Rambam's thirteen principles of belief: "I believe with perfect faith in the coming of Moshiach; and although he may tarry, I will wait for him every day that he shall come." But abstract belief is not enough. Our intellectual awareness must be translated into concrete action - by eating of Moshiach's seudah. Moreover, the food from Moshiach's seudah becomes part of our flesh and blood, and our faith in, and yearning for Moshiach permeates not just the soul's faculties but also the physical body.

Moshiach's seudah was initiated by the Baal Shem Tov, and there is good reason why it was by him specifically. In a famous letter to his brother in law, R. Gershon of Kitov, the Baal Shem Tov tells of the time he experienced an elevation of the soul to the highest spheres. When he came to the abode of Moshiach, he asked, "When will the Master come?" to which Moshiach replied, "When your wellsprings shall spread forth to the outside." In other words, it is the Baal Shem Tov's teachings - Chassidus - which will bring Moshiach, and it is therefore particularly appropriate that it was the Baal Shem Tov who initiated Moshiach's seudah on the last day of Pesach.

In the time of the Baal Shem Tov, the principal element of the seudah was matzah. The Rebbe Rashab, fifth Rebbe of Chabad, added the custom of drinking four cups of wine. Matzah is poor man's bread, flat and tasteless. Wine, in contrast, not only possesses taste, but induces joy and delight, to the extent that our Sages say, "Shirah (song) is said only over wine."

Chabad Chassidus conveys the concepts of Chassidus, first propounded by the Baal Shem Tov, in an intellectual framework, enabling them to be understood by a person's Chochmah (wisdom), Binah (knowledge), and Da'as (understanding) - ChaBaD. And when a person understands something - in this case the concepts of Chassidus - he enjoys it that much more. Chabad, in other words, introduced "taste" and "delight" into Chassidic doctrines, which until then were accepted primarily on faith alone.

The four cups of wine also allude to the Messianic Age, for which the dissemination of Chassidus - especially Chabad Chassidus - is the preparation. The four cups symbolize: the four expressions of redemption; the four cups of retribution G-d will force the nations of the world to drink; the four cups of comfort G-d will bestow upon the Jews; the four letters of G-d's Name which will be revealed; the four general levels of repentance.

[Source: Sichah of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Acharon Shel Pesach, 5742]