The Mitteler Rebbe continues to explain that even though the whole performance of Mitzvos is with ‘Love’ and with ‘Fear’ specifically in a state of ‘Rotzoi’ and ‘Shov’, (as is explained earlier (Ois Dalet) regarding the Mitzvah of the red heifer that it is a matter of ‘Rotzoi’ and ‘Shov’ and therefore it is referred to as “The statute of the Torah”) nevertheless Shechitah is [today still] not kosher [if performed with] any serrated knife which has imperfections; ups and downs, (overt or concave), but rather, specifically [must be performed] with a smooth knife, without any indentations whatsoever.
The reason for this is, because presently the primary intention is to refine; in other words to differentiate between good and bad (as is written at the end of our Torah portion: לְהַבְדִיל בֵּין הַטָמֵא וּבֵין הַטָהֹר “To differentiate between the impure and the pure”) in order that there be no nurture to the side of bad from the good, in the external dimension of the vessels of ‘Chessed’ (Kindness) and ‘Gevurah’ (Severity).
This is because, it is there that there is an amalgamation of good and of evil from the tree of knowledge [of good and evil], and for this reason it is forbidden to slaughter with a serrated knife, for it is known that the main reasoning concerning how the vessels came about is specifically because of the withdrawal and expansion of the ‘Rotzoi’ and ‘Shov’.
This is because through the light settling and resting below after the withdrawal this allows the light to become limited and confined within a vessel [and this reaches] all the way to the external dimension of the vessels, from which the abundance descends lower and lower, to such an extent that even the external forces could now receive nurture.
The example in the blemish of the knife is that it has ups and downs, from which there could be nurture into the difficult severities etc.
All this specifically regards nowadays, the era of exile, during which there cannot be a complete eradication of evil, but only a separation of evil from good as mentioned. In the future however, with the fruition of the prophetic designation: “וְאֶת רוּחַ הַטֻמְאָה אַעֲבִיר מִן הָאָרֶץ - and I will remove the spirit of contamination from the earth” then at that time even from the state of ‘Return’ there won’t be any nurturing.
Vov
However, we still need to delve into and clarify certain things; seemingly, Shechitah cannot be performed in a system of ‘Rotzoi’ and ‘Shov’, because that would facilitate a nurturing by the external forces, if so, how can we have any kind of Avodah that is specifically in a manner of ‘Rotzoi’ and ‘Shov’? and what is the difference between Shechitah and any other kind of Avodah, that they seem to be contradicting themselves?
Further, we cannot say that the matter of ‘Rotzoi’ and ‘Shov’ which is a general precept in one’s Avodas HaShem is only possible within the soul of man, yet is not possible regarding the Avodah of refining the world in worldly matters that need refinement, because, there, there can be a nurturing by the external forces from an Avodah of ‘Rotzoi’ and ‘Shov’.
This is because the ‘Rotzoi’ and ‘Shov’ of the red heifer (which is the general principle of the whole Torah, since it is this very reason why it is the absolute ethos of one’s Avodah for the whole of Torah and all of the Mitzvos as mentioned earlier and) is also the same method of Avodas HaShem regarding the refinement and elevation of one’s own faculty of desire of one’s animalistic soul, as is explained in ‘Likkutei Torah’, that it is the same matter of the burning of the red heifer, for it is something which is to be refined etc.
I have only come [to arouse people’s attention] that they shall delve into this matter and contemplate it, and attempt to settle things, in a manner that a person would prefer his own earned crust etc. And even if they don’t come to a satisfactory conclusion, at least in the meantime they will have earned the advantage of having toiled in the Torah of Chassidus, as a result of which they have connected the state of their own Chochmah (intellect), Binah (knowledge) and Daas (understanding) of their own soul with the innermost Chochmah, Binah and Daas of the infinite Blessed Be He, and this is the ultimate purpose and raison d'être for the Neshomoh descending down into this world, in order to toil in the study of the innermost dimension of Torah, and through this one merits in the future to arrive at the state of: עַיִן לֹא רָאָתָה אֱלֹהִים זוּלָתְך יַעֲשֶה לִמְחַכֵה לוֹ “No eye had ever seen a G-d besides You perform for him who hoped for him”, [as in the words of the Zohar] לְמַאַן דְדָח ַקִין בְּמִילִי דְחוּכְמָתָא יַעַשֶה לַמְחַכָה לוֹ “The ones that are particular to engage in matters of wisdom, as [the Rebbe RaShaB] explains at length in the Hemshech of תרס״ו (Year 5’666).
