We can connect this with that which is explained in Likkutei Torah on Parshas Kedoshim. (The Chassidishe Parsha for this week’s second Parsha). On the above-mentioned Avodah: The Avodah of Teshuvah, through which the Neshomoh is able to return. On the body: That the body is influenced to do Teshuvah and to return to the straight and narrow. Full existence: With all its human qualities and limitations. It: The Body learns of the greatness of HaShem, of the superiority of the Neshomoh, of the purpose of life. Soul as primary: As the Alter Rebbe writes in Tanya. And understandably with this Bittul that the body has for its Neshomoh allows the body to grow spiritually.
Chasidishe Parsha: See footnote 5 above. That discusses the Chassidishe Parsha. This week’s second Parsha: As the year in which this Maamor was said there were two Torah portions read of Acharei and of Kedoshim, which meant that there are two Parshios in Likkutei Torah to learn. On other years however only the first part of Parshas Kedoshim is read on this Shabbos at Shabbos Mincha.
On the Possuk
(Vayikroh 19:23) וְכִּי תָבֹּאוּ אֶּל הָאָרֶּץ וּנְטַעְתֶּם כָל עֵּץ מַאֲכָל וַעֲרַלְתֶּם עָרְ לָתוֹ אֶּת פִּרְ יוֹ שָלֹש שָנִּים יִּהְיֶּה לָכֶּם עֲרֵּלִּים לֹּא יֵּאָכֵּל “When you come to the Land and you plant any food tree, you shall surely block its fruit [from use]; it shall be blocked from you [from use] for three years, not to be eaten”.
Plant any food tree: This is the Mitzvah of Orloh where the fruit of the first three years are completely forbidden to eat (just as the meat of non-kosher animals is forbidden) which are part of the Sholosh Klipos Hatemeos, and the only way to elevate it is to refrain from it. Then the fruit from the fourth year can only be eaten in Yerushalyim, which is no longer Sholosh Klipos Hatmeyos but more like Klipas Nogah which can be elevated if consumed under the described circumstances. Then the fruit of the fifth year can be eaten anywhere at any time.
Below to above: As explained in the footnote above, it starts off with the first three years in Sholosh Kelipos Hatemeos then the fourth year is into the permitted realm under certain conditions. So it is working its way up from below to above.
Sur Meira and Aseh Tov: The Path of Ascent
Firstly, there is the instruction of: שָלש שָנִּים יִּהְיֶּה לָכֶּם עֲרֵּלִּים “For three years (the fruit of a new tree) shall be forbidden to you”. This is the aspect of: Sur Meira “Turn away from evil”.
Then comes the instruction: וּבַשָנָה הָרְבִּיעִּת גּוֹ׳ קֹדֶּש הִּלּוּלִּים לַה׳ “In the fourth year ... shall be holy, a praise to HaShem” that it must be only eaten in Yerushalayim ... This is similar to the food we eat on Shabbos and Yom Tov [vs. the food we eat in the week]. This is an aspect of Aseh Tov “Do good”.
But what is not so readily self-understood in this ascent is that in the fifth year the fruit can not only be eaten anywhere but also in a mundane manner. And on the contrary the majority of meals are regular weekday meals, as opposed to Shabbos and Yom Tov meals.
The Superiority of the Fifth Year
However, indeed there is a superiority [and therefore an ascent] of the Avodah of the fifth year in that it is so spiritually high, that it even has the ability to refine mundane physical things to be able to serve HaShem [as the Possuk states] בְכָל־דְרָכֶּיךָ דָעֵּהוּ “To know Him in all your ways”.
And even more than this: כָל מַעֲשֶֹּיךָ לְשֵּם שָמַיִּם “All your actions shall be for the sake of heaven”, that even if they are your actions (even if the ‘Know him’ is missing) let them be for the sake of HaShem. And as pointed out earlier, these actions shall have an effect on the body as well so that it (the body) shall regard [itself], the body, as secondary and the soul as the main beneficiary.
And it shall be the will of HaShem; that as a result of us studying this Maamor and discussing these matters, we shall come to perform the Mitzvos which are dependent on (Living in) Eretz Yisroel in an actuality. For this will be the case in the future when Moshiach comes. For then our purpose will be completed when “all her inhabitants will be upon her”, unlike [how] it was during the time of the second Beis Hamikdosh. (It is even questionable whether it existed at the time of the first Beis Hamikdosh after the ten (Lost) tribes were exiled). This will not be the case in the future for then “all her inhabitants really will be upon her” and particularly so as this Maamor is involved with the inner dimension of Torah, which is the aspect of הֲפָצַת הַמַעְיָנוֹת חוּצָה disseminating the wellsprings of Chassidus outwardly.
The Connection to Lag B'Omer and the Inner Dimension of Torah
This is also why the above mentioned Maamor in ‘Likkutei Torah’ is found in Parshas Acharei. And there is also has an explanation by the ‘Tzemach Tzedek’ as well as a recently published Maamor by the ‘Mittale Rebbe’ on this too. It also has a connection to ‘Lag Bo’Omer’ whose theme is the revelation of the inner dimension of Torah. This is also why the joy on ‘Lag B’Omer’ is so apparent, unlike the 7th of Adar. The difference being that initially the ‘7th of Adar’, did not start off as a pleasant day, (Because of the passing of Moshe Rabbeinu) and only later on did it become a joyous occasion. Whereas ‘Lag B’Omer’ even from the very beginning was always visibly a joyous day.
And furthermore, ‘Lag B’Omer’ celebrates the ‘Sefirah’ of ‘Hod ShebeHod’ in the fifth week of the Sefirah which is the lowest level of the Sefiros. And it connects with the very highest level, even higher than the highest parameter, a joy which is literally beyond any measurement or limitation. As a consequence of our Avodah May it be that we come to the true and complete redemption וְשִּמְחַת עוֹלָם עַל־רֹאשָם “And With everlasting joy on their heads”.
