There are two Pessukim at the end of the Haftorah for Parshas Bamidbor: וְאֵרַשְתִּיךְ לִּי לְעוֹלָם גּוֹ׳ וְיָדַעַתְ אֶת־הֲוָיָ׳ “And I will betroth you to Me forever... And you shall know Hashem”.
The Rebbe Rayatz wrote about the Tzemach Tzedek’s unique conduct in the year in which Shabbos Parshas Bamidbor fell on the Fifth of Sivan [which was also true in the year 5748-1988 when this very Maamor was being delivered].
Before the time of kindling the Shabbos candles the Tzemach Tzedek delivered a Maamor with the opening words from a Possuk in this week’s Torah portion: שְאוּ אֶת־רֹאש גּוֹ׳ meaning to count the B’nei Yisroel.
On Shabbos afternoon the Tzemach Tzedek delivered another Maamor with the opening words: וְאֵרַשְתִּיךְ לִּי לְעוֹלָם “And I will betroth you to Me forever” together with its explanation that was then printed in Likkutei Torah.
[Incidentally, this Possuk: וְאֵרַשְתִּיךְ which is in the Haftorah for this week, is relevant to the whole Parsha. Because the Haftora is the completion of the whole Parsha and: “Everything follows the conclusion”.]
This is particularly so, according to that which has been explained in several places, regarding the reason why the Haftora reading was originally instituted [by the Sages]. This was because in that era the ruling government decreed that they [the Jews] were not allowed to read the Torah portion so therefore the Haftora reading was instituted in place of the Parsha.
The point that is explained in the Maamor in Likkutei Torah is that these Pesukim of: וְאֵרַשְתִּיךְ and וְיָדַעַתְ are referring to the Chidush of Matan Torah; Matan Torah being the betrothal of the B’nei Yisroel to Hakodosh Boruch Hu.
Betrothal and Kiddushin
וְאֵרַשְתִּיךְ לִּי “And I will betroth you to Me”. Just as Betrothal and ‘Kiddushin’ in reality means that “The Kallah is now forbidden to the rest of the world - analogous to Hekdesh”.
[From the Rambam it is also understood, that when the daughter of a non-Kohen shall become betrothed to a Kohen she can already start to eat Terumah, because he has acquired her by means of a Kinyan.] So too, Matan Torah is when the Yidden became exclusive and betrothed to Hakodosh Boruch Hu.
Furthermore, there is a significant virtue regarding a betrothed Kallah which even surpasses that of a wedded bride. This is that there is an added stringency in the laws concerning a betrothed Na’ahroh over the laws of a wedded Na’ahroh.
The Three Levels of Betrothal at Matan Torah
In the betrothal of Matan Torah itself there are three levels as the Possuk Writes: וְאֵרַשְתִּיךְ לִּי לְעוֹלָם וְאֵרַשְתִּיךְ לִּי בְצֶדֶק גּוֹ׳ וְאֵרַשְתִּיךְ לִּי בֶאֱמוּנָה גּוֹ׳ : “And I will betroth you to Me forever, and I will betroth you to Me with righteousness ... and I will betroth you to Me with faith”. Thereafter can one arrive at :’ וְיָדַעַתְ אֶת־הֲוָיָ “And you shall know Hashem”. This constitutes the highest level of the ‘giving’ of the Torah; a connection that [ultimately] reaches the ‘knowledge’ of Hashem.
Even though this ultimate knowledge of Hashem will be [revealed] when Moshiach comes, [this will be so] because the knowledge of Hashem will then be at a level of absolute completeness. This has to do with the giving of a ‘new Torah’ of the future. Nevertheless, even this ‘New Torah’ expected in the future has already been given at ‘Matan Torah’, as is known that ‘Matan Torah’ happened only once, and then at that time everything was given.
This is then the meaning of the phrase: “And I will betroth you to Me forever”. For every time that the Torah uses the word ‘Li’ which means to me, it attests that it will never change.
This means that the Eirusin at Matan Torah is everlasting. This is because everything was given at Matan Torah, including those aspects that will be in the future. This is especially so since it is explicit in the Possuk (apart from the [above] Drosha that Because it says the word ‘Li’ it remains immovable forever) where the Possuk writes: וְאֵרַשְתִּיךְ לִּי לְעוֹלָם “And I will betroth you to Me forever”.
This is also understood from that which it says in the Tanya regarding the Divine revelations in this world that will [come to] be in the future: “That they already exist in the worlds and something similar has already been demonstrated at ‘Matan Torah’.
However, even though all matters were already drawn down and revealed from above at the time of Matan Torah nevertheless, in order that it should not be viewed as ‘shameful bread’ but as ‘work that earns reward’, [we are granted the opportunity to bring about this reward].
Therefore, [as a consequence] after the revelations at ‘Matan Torah’ there followed a concealment and obstruction. Therefore, for this same [level of] light there needs to be an Avodah in order to draw it down [so that] these Inyonim which were revealed at Matan Torah can remain here in perpetuity.
More closely [examined], this Avodah is required every year in the preparatory days which lead up to Matan Torah. This starts with Rosh Chodesh Sivan, the Third month which is connected to the ‘triple light’.
Thereafter on the fifth of Sivan which is the day on which the Yidden said ‘Naaseh’ before ’they said ‘Nishma’ and which draws down the two crowns which the Malochei Hashoreis - the Supernal Malochim - crown each and every one of Yisroel. In truth even these two crowns are the achievement of the Avodah of the
