ב״ה
[Likutel Torah, Re’eh, Ma’amer Ani Ledodi Vedodi Li]
The question: It’s known that Elul is the time when Hashem reveals his 13 attributes of mercy – so why are the days of Elul, generally mundane week-days and not like Yom Tov or Shabbos when Hashem displays a revelation of G-dliness causing us to react and behave differently in His presence, especially when revealing His 13 attributes of mercy, like on Yom Kippur – and yet we see there’s a big difference between our reciprocal behavior on Yom Kippur as opposed to our behavior on an average day in Elul?
The answer: We can understand this with the moshol (parable) of a King who before coming (back) to the city, the city-dwellers go out to greet him, receiving him in the field- where anyonewho wants may go out to receive his countenance, and he, for his part, receives them all in a friendly cordial manner, showing them all a smiling happy countenance. And on his way to the city, they follow him. And then when he enters the chamber of his palace, only those given permission may enter, only the chosen and elite among the people.
The moshol (parable):
– Since this moshol was presented by a Nosi BiYisroel (a central neshoma) who is a guide for the daily affairs of all Jews for all generations, the moshol was therefore certainly written in a way whereby it can be understood in all its details by every single Jew [and especially since the content of the moshol is about a King who descends to the field, the place of the common.folk].
[התוועדיות, תשמ”ז ח”ד עמ’ 316]
– to date, the original source of this moshol has not been found, but it’s understood and obvious that since the Alter Rebbe brings it, and he’s an authority in both the revealed and inner parts of Torah-so through his “psak din’ regarding the moshol of the King in the field, the matter has effectively penetrated all the worlds.
[התוועדיות תשמ”ה ח”ה עמ’ 2805]
Of a king:– which type of King are we referring to? In truth, the concept of a king in a field descending to (even) the common folk applies exclusively to the Jewish king – but for the sake of ‘Free choice’, we extend the idea also to the kings of the nations. And since this concept is so lofty, therefore it can be reflected into the lowest realm.
[ד”ה אני לדודי תשד”מ]
Who before coming (back) to the city:
– the true place of a king would seemingly be in the royal chamber [in his palace], so why is he in the field on his way back to the palace?
The answer: according to the lesson of the parable, the true place of the King is specifically in the field. When the King is in his royal chamber, the people recognize Him and relate to Him through seeing his ministers and royal trappings – these being onlyrevelations of the king. But, when the kingIs in the field, there we see the King Himself, and the tshuva of those with Him in the field reflects their essence and connects to His essence – as opposed to the tshuva of (even) Tsaddikim whichrelate to the trappings of the King and not His essence.
Furthermore, the ultimate purpose of making a dwelling place for the King in the lowest world is specifically in the field – and the field would therefore naturally be the true place for Him to reveal His essence, and that is where His desire is.
So, in the month of Elul, the culmination of our year’s service to Hashem – brings about the revelation of the King in the field, since that was the purpose of all our efforts – to make a dwelling place for Him in the lowest world (ie. The field).
[לקוטי שיחות חלק ד’ עמ’ 622, וספר השיחות תש”נ ח”ב עמ’ 652 הערה 109]
The city-dwellers go out to greet him: – in order to be able to receive the revelation of the 13 attributes of mercy, one must go out of the wilderness and ascend to the level of “Field” in order to receive the King. Namely, one has to abandon certain habitual behavior and accept the yoke of Heaven.
[לקו”ש ח”ב עמ’ 622]
– Furthermore, not only those in the wilderness must ascend to the field, but even in the field itself there are various levels – the lowest being ‘a man of the field’ – and he too must leave his previous disposition and prepare to receive the King. [התוועדיות תשמ”ז ח”ד עמ’ 257]
– But, why are these people called the ‘city-dwellers’ aren’t they residents of the field or the wilderness – So why do we describe them as city-dwellers who go out to the field to receive the king, there (in the field)?!
The answer: The the true place of the Jewish peope is near the King, in his palace – where he spends most of his year. Specifically being city-dwellers enables them to appreciate the revelation of the 13 attributes of mercy in the first place. And that which causes them to have to leave the city in order to find the King in the field is the (temporary) consequence of being in the exile of a body with an animal soul.
[לקו”ש ח”ד עמ’ 1343]
– But according to the above, if the Jews are naturally city-dwellers (and close to the king), why is there a need to leave the city and meet the King in the field? Aren’t they leaving their higher level only to go to a lower level?
The answer: 1) the ‘going down’ is for the sake of going up to a much higher level-“yerida tsorech aliya”. Near the palace, the Jews serve Hashem through Torah and Mitzvos on a high level, but all through rhyme and reason, But, when they descend into the field and there’s no clear distinction between them and ‘Esav, the man of the field’ and they can no longer find the logical reasons to love Hashem- that’s when the essential love between Hashem and His people surfaces (which is above rhyme and reason).
2) The Jews willingly go down to the field knowing that Hashem’s true intention is to make a dwelling place for Himself in the lowest world- and especially knowing that the King Himself can be found in the field and receives everyone with a smiling happy countenance – since there, specifically, is His true desire fulfilled (for a dwelling place) and not in the city.
[התוועדיות תשמ”ז ח”ד עמ’259]
Receiving Him in the field: -in the field and not in the wilderness or desert since they represent the antithesis of G-dliness and are not receptive to the revelation of the 13 attributes of mercy.
– in the field and not in the ‘shuk (market-place) since the marketplace is man-made and it’s hard to recognize G-d’s influence there.- the field, however, is the perfect medium since there man’s avoda (effort) connects to Hashem’s response. [8263218 anjen ut no]
And we still say tachanun’ in Elul, even though the King is present, since we’re still on the level of ‘field work’ and need His intervention.
[התוועדיות תשמ”ז ח”ד עמ’ 257]
Where everyone who wants to may go out to receive his Countenance: -the Previous Rebbe adds here “and everyone is capable of receiving His countenance!! Namely: everyone is capable of approaching the King and requesting of Him all that he needs, and the king, for His part, receives them all with a (positive) pleasant contenance.
[התוועדיות תשמ”ט ח”ד, א]
And He receives them all in a friendly cordial manner: –Since the king is the heart of all His people, He receives them all. Furthermore, the field setting makeseveryone equal next to His essence. However, here it’s necessary for the people to want to approach Him, as when the King is in the field, He doesn’t arouse in His subjects the desire to come and see Him (since He is only passing by). As opposed to when He’s in the palace – there many wait days and even years to see His strength & glory’ [Igeres Hakodesh 22]. Nevertheless, the nesimas koach (ability) to come and receive Him, is the result of His proximity in the field.
[ד”ה אני לדודי, תשכ”ו]
and He receives them “all”: – regardless of their level – how much a Talmid Chacham or how many Mitzvos they’ve performed. But, rather because of their true virtue – being united with Hakadosh Boruch Hu în a deep state of love – regardless of their (external) spiritual level.
[ספר השיחות תשנ”א, חב’, עמ’ 822]
Furthermore, “receiving them all” implies even those who just “wish” to receive the king, but are in captivity to their Yetzer Hora, and even when they have an arousal to do Tshuva and accept the yoke of Heaven, it doesn’t reach fruition, remaining only in the potential state- even then He receives them with His pleasant countenance – and this enables them to overcome their hindrances and obstacles. [ד”ה אני לדודי, תשכ”ו]
Showing them a smiling happy countenance: – Everything that Hashem does is an act of Tsedaka, and The Rambam states that Tsedaka should be given with ‘sever ponim yafos’ [545456454]
And even though we don’t see (in the Moshol) that the King fulfills the requests of all his subjects yet we can say that there is a remez (allusion) to this end when it says that He receives them all with a pleasant countenance – reflecting the fact that certainly He fulfilled all their wishes in the most complete manner.
[התוועדיות תשמ”ט ח”ד,]
And on His way to the city, they follow Him:– We’re speaking now in the month of Tishrei, and the power to follow the King into His palace comes from the Avoda of Elul.
[לקו”ש ח”ב עמ’ 320]
And then, when He enters the chamber of His palace, only the chosen & elite among the people enter with Him: by doing the correct avoda of Elul, every Jew becomes a member of the chosen and elite.
(ד”ה אני לדודי, תשכ”ו}