By the Grace of G-dThird Day of the Week,Twice designated 'good';1Sedra: Shemini (And itcame to pass on the Eighth Day)2;11th of Nissan,3 Prince of thetribe of Osher, 57514Brooklyn, N.Y.

Greeting and Blessing:

Pursuing the discussion in the previous letters⁵ on the distinction of the current year (5751)—designated, by acronym, as a “year of revealed wonders”—especially as it is reflected in the month of Nissan, since the nissim and nissei-nissim, “multitude of miracles” and “miracles-within-miracles” (implicit in the name Nissan) in connection with the Exodus from Egypt, were of the order of wonders and, moreover, revealed wonders,

It is certainly fitting to examine a further point in the said distinction of the current year in relation to the month of Nissan.

Since the beginning of the current year, we have frequently reiterated⁶ that this year is special in that it features a “triple Kedushah,” in that many of the festive occasions during this year come in the form of “triplets,” giving them the force of chazakah (permanence), in keeping with the rule that “what is repeated three times has the status of chazakah.”⁷

Thus, the current year was ushered in with a chazakah of three consecutive holy days (the two days of Rosh Hashanah, “Head” of the year,⁸ leading right into the holy Shabbos). Subsequently, the chazakah recurred twice (in the Diaspora) in the month of Tishrei, in connection with the first and last days of Succos—so that in the course of that month (the “comprehensive” month)⁹ there was a triple chazakah.

A similar chazakah recurred in connection with “Rosh Hashanah” of Chassidus—the Geulo anniversary of the Alter Rebbe on 19-20 of Kislev;¹⁰ and yet another chazakah in connection with Purim.

The significance of chazakah (from the word chozek, strength) is that when a thing recurs three times, it is sure to take hold and continue in the same way on a solid and permanent basis.

Thus, the current “triplet-year” provides a realistic message—that is also a source of strength—to the effect that all matters of kedushah, Torah and Mitzvos, are imbued this year with a deeper pervasiveness and strength, with a lasting effect extending into years ahead.

* * *

In the current month of Nissan (“Head of the months, the first of the years months”¹¹) the said kedushah-chazakah finds particular expression in the Torah-readings¹² during this month, as follows:

The month of Nissan, (“head”¹³ of the month) began with a triple-reading, in three sifrei-Torah,¹⁴ since it was Shabbos, Rosh Chodesh, and Parshas HaChodesh, with readings, respectively, in Vayikro (the week’s Sedra), Bamidbor (for Rosh Chodesh), and Shemos (P. HaChodesh).

Later in the month, one and the same Parshah, Shemini, is read and studied for three consecutive weeks (from the eighth day of the month, at Minchah on Shabbos HaGodol to the end of the month, on Shabbos, 29th of Nissan.)

The extraordinary significance of the Eighth Day (from which the name of the Sedra, Shemini, is derived), referring to the day after the seven days of consecration¹⁵ of the Mishkon, is due to the fact (as we read on in that parshah) that “Today HaShem appears unto you”—“in order to cause His Shechinah to abide in your handiwork”¹⁶ (the Mishkon). It was on that day that the Shechinah descended to abide in the Mishkon.¹⁷

This is also indicated in the number eight:¹⁸ The world was created in seven days (six days of creation followed by Shabbos, which brought rest¹⁹ and completeness into the whole creation). Thus Time (itself a creation) was set on the basis of a seven-day-weekly cycle (as also on a seven-year cycle, with the seventh being the Sabbatical Year (Shemittah). Therefore, the number seven is indicative of the Divine Light that is confined within the created world, while eight is indicative of the infinite Divine Light that transcends the world and is above and beyond creation.

Inasmuch as this year’s reading of Shemini extends over three weeks in a row, there is here the added quality of chazakah (strength and permanence) in the element of “Shemini” namely, the Divine manifestation that transcends the world.

Be it remembered that the indwelling Shechinah that became manifest on the eighth day in the Mishkon was not a temporary Divine revelation, but it is continuous and eternal²⁰ as explicit in the above quotation, “in order to cause His Shechinah to abide in your handiwork” indicating a permanent state of holiness, in the Sanctuary, as well as in every Jew,²¹ man and woman, down to ma’aseh yedeichem, the work of your hands.

* * *

The manifestation of the indwelling Shechinah on a permanent basis, which first took place on the eighth day in the Mishkon, eventually found even more conspicuous expression in the Beis Hamikdosh. As is well known,²² the Mishkon was a tent (ohel), a “temporary dwelling”;²³ whereas the Beis Hamikdosh was a bayis, a “permanent dwelling,”²⁴ a fixed residence. Thus, from the time that the Beis Hamikdosh was built in Jerusalem,²⁵ it became the definite and eternal holy place for the indwelling Shechinah,²⁶ as it is written, “This shall be My resting place to all eternity.”²⁷

The ultimate “permanence” and “chazakah” of the indwelling Shechinah will manifest itself in the Third Beis Hamikdosh to the fullest degree, when every eye will perceive the real durability and strength of the Beis Hamikdosh, the eternal bayis.²⁸

* * *

The aforementioned perception finds support also in the concluding verse²⁹ of Psalm 90 (“Tzaddik”),³⁰ T’filo L’Moshe, “A Prayer by Moshe.” The concluding verse reads: “May the pleasantness of HaShem our G-d be with us, and establish for us the work of our hands; the work of our hands He will establish.”

Our Sages explain³¹ that the said verse refers to Moshe Rabbeinu’s prayer in connection with the erection of the Mishkon: Moshe said to them: “May HaShem grant that the Shechinah should dwell in the work of your hands, and that the pleasantness of HaShem be upon us,” etc. Moshe’s prayer brought down the Shechinah to dwell in the Mishkon, and that, moreover, it should be established for us—on a permanent basis, to all posterity.

As our Sages note,³² the repeated phrase, “and the work of our hands establish for us” refers to the Third Beis Hamikdosh, concerning which HaShem declares: “In the future to come, I shall build it and cause My Shechinah to dwell therein, and it shall never be destroyed.”³³

It is perhaps not too presumptuous to suggest a reason why the said prayer appears in Psalm “Tzaddik” of T’hillim, since the number ninety (3 x 30) represents ultimate completeness in chazakah—three times three times ten (3 x 3 x 10).

* * *

May it please HaShem that everyone, man and woman, in the midst of our people Israel, should utilize the special potentialities inherent in the current year to permeate one’s entire being with living kedushah, to attain true chazakah, entire strength, in all aspects of Torah study and doing Mitzvos—

Beginning with the preparations for the Pesach Festival in general, and particularly for the “Pesach Seder,” with the three Matzos³⁴ (Cohen, Leivi, Yisroel) and the six (twice three) items on the Seder Plate³⁵—

Especially (as mentioned) this year being a year in which the Parshah Shemini (eight) is read through three weeks in a row, with “eight” symbolizing Divine Providence that transcends the natural order into the miraculous. Thus, since the Torah reading of “Shemini” extends over three weeks, the Torah itself adds emphasis to the distinctiveness of the current year as a year of “revealed wonders” on the order of nissim and nissei-nissim—

Descending to earth in a clearly perceptible form, in keeping with the frequently quoted adage:³⁶ shmini-shmona-shmeina³⁷—a play on the word “Shemini,” namely, that the year in which the Parshah Shemini is read eight times, will be “rich” (“Shmeina,” from shamen, shemen, meaning, oil, fat)—rich both materially and spiritually—

And this will hasten all the more our meriting to see the “Shemini”—consecration of the Third Beis Hamikdosh, featuring the Harp With Eight Strings.³⁸

And every man and woman will experience the fulfillment of the prayer and blessing, indeed, the inspired strength of Moshe Rabbeinu: May the pleasantness of HaShem our G-d be with us, and establish for us the work of our hands; the work of our hands He will establish—in the Third Beis Hamikdosh, the “Mikdosh (Sanctuary), Your Hands, O G-d, established.”³⁹

With esteem and Blessing, and with blessing for a Kosher and Joyous Pesach, With gladdened heart,

/Signed: Menachem Schneerson/