Hayom Yom 20 Adar 2 - You will need a continuous fire

The daily Hayom Yom with Rabbi Yosef Katzman

הפטורה: וַיְהִי דְבַר ה' גו' - דִּבַּרְתִּי וְעָשִׂיתִי

[On Shabbos Parshas Parah,] the haftarah begins Vayehi dvar Ado-nai and ends dibarti ve’asisi (Yechezkel 36:16-36).

אוֹמְרִים אָב הָרַחֲמִים

[After the Torah Reading,] the passage beginning Av HaRachamim is recited.

רַבֵּנוּ הַזָּקֵן סִפֵּר

The Alter Rebbe once related:

מֵהַתּוֹרוֹת שֶׁאָמַר מוֹרִי (הָרַב הַמַּגִּיד) לְפָנַי בִּיחִידוּת

“One of the teachings that my master, the Maggid of Mezritch, imparted to me at yechidus

הָיְתָה תּוֹרָה עַל הַפָּסוּק אֵשׁ תָּמִיד תּוּקַד עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ לֹא תִכְבֶּה

was an exposition of the verse, ‘A constant fire shall burn on the Altar; it shall not be extinguished.’

דַּהֲגַם שֶׁהָאֵשׁ יוֹרֵד מִלְמַעְלָה בְּאִתְעֲרוּתָא דִלְעֵילָּא

Even though fire would descend from above through a Supernal Arousal,

מִצְוָה לְהָבִיא מִן הַהֶדְיוֹט

there is a mitzvah to bring ordinary [fire from below],

כִּי בְּאִתְעַרוּתָא דִלְתַתָּא אִתְעַרוּתָא דִלְעֵילָא

for an arousal from below awakens a Supernal Arousal.

כִּי רוּחַ אַיְיתֵי רוּחַ וְאַמְשִׁיךְ רוּחַ

For ‘a spirit brings a Spirit and draws to it a Spirit.’

רוּחַ מִלְּמַטָּה אַיְיתֵי רוּחַ מִלְעֵילָּא

That is: a spirit from below calls forth a Spirit from Above,

וְאַמְשִׁיךְ רוּחַ מִלְעֵילָּא וּלְעֵילָּא

and draws down a spirit from the highest realms.”

וּמִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה לְהַבְעִיר אֵשׁ עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ

[The Maggid continued his teaching:] “There is a positive commandment to burn fire on the Altar.

מִזְבֵּחַ הוּא אָדָם כִּי יַקְרִיב מִכֶּם

[The sacrificial service on] the Altar [mirrors the Divine service of every individual, as is implied by the verse that literally means], ‘A man shall offer of you.’

וְהַהַקְרָבָה עַצְמָהּ אֵינָהּ מַסְפֶּקֶת

Yet merely bringing the offering is insufficient;

וּצְרִיכִים לְהַבְעִיר אֵשׁ עַל הַקָּרְבָּן אֲשֶׁר מִכֶּם

one must also light the fire for the offering that is brought from oneself.

וְאֵשׁ זֶה לֹא תִכְבֶּה

This fire may not be extinguished.

"שֶׁהִיא מְכַבָּה אֶת הַ"לֹא

Indeed, it should extinguish the Not.”

אֶת הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת אָמַר מוֹרִי לְפָנַי עֶשֶׂר פְּעָמִים

[The Alter Rebbe concluded:] “My master, [the Maggid of Mezritch,] delivered this teaching to me ten times

כְּדֵי לְחָקְקָהּ בְּעֶשֶׂר כֹּחוֹת נַפְשִׁי

in order to engrave it in the ten faculties of my soul.

וַיֹּאמֶר לִי

He told me:

אַתָּה תַּלְמִידִי הִנְּךָ נִצְרָךְ לְהָאֵשׁ תָּמִיד

‘You, my student, will need a continuous fire,

לְפִי שֶׁעָלֶיךָ הוּטַל לְכַבּוֹת לֹא (שֶׁל הַמְנַגְּדִים) גָּדוֹל

for you will be required to extinguish a great Not (of the opponents of Chassidus).

אַתָּה תְכַבֶּה אֶת הַלֹּא וְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרֵךְ יַהֲפוֹך אֶת הַלֹּא לְהֵן

You will extinguish their Not, and G‑d will transform the Not into a Yes.’ “

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English