Yom Tov of Rosh Hashanah 5666 - Samach Vov

The title page of 'Hemshech 5666' 'Hemshech 5666' - Published 5784

Yom Tov of Rosh Hashanah 5666 (Hemshech 66; Samech Vav) is a 'Hemshech' (series) of sixty-six Chassidic discourses that were delivered by the Rebbe Rashab during the years 5666, 5667, and the beginning of 5668 (1905-1907). This Hemshech is among the most fundamental and analytical writings in Chabad literature, and it is the most widely studied in the Tomchei Tmimim Lubavitch yeshivas.

Words of the Rebbe About the Hemshech

The Rebbe Rashab

The Rebbe said about the Hemshech:

"In the discourses of the Rebbe (Rashab), the concepts of Chassidus are presented with broader explanation and with greater intellectual understanding than they are (openly - even for people like us) in the discourses of our earlier Rebbes... Among his own discourses, the Rebbe (Rashab) especially praised Hemshech 5666. For all the above-mentioned qualities that distinguish his discourses are present to a greater and special degree in this Hemshech. And not only does this Hemshech bring the teachings of Chassidus to greater revelation and understanding below, but it also relates this 'wisdom' to the future redemption." — From a talk of Acharon Shel Pesach 5730 (Likkutei Sichos Vol. 7, p. 206). Also printed in the supplements to the Hemshech (Kehot, 5784) p. 807 and on.

Central Ideas in the Book

Purpose and Reason for Creation

The ultimate purpose of the creation of the world is to draw down the revelation of Ohr Ein Sof (Infinite Light) that existed before the Tzimtzum (contraction) into the worlds of Atzilus, Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah in a way that created beings can contain this revelation, and this is achieved through the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos by the Jewish people. Additionally, through the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos, an even higher divine revelation will be drawn down than what existed before creation. This ideal exists because Hashem "desired to have a dwelling place in the lower realms," meaning that the revelation of G-dliness should permeate physical reality.

In Kabbalistic texts, various explanations are given for the reason of creation: (a) to reveal Hashem's power, (b) so that created beings would know Him (this doesn't refer to the mitzvah of knowing Hashem, which is simply knowing that Hashem exists, but rather knowing the nature of His powers). But the Rebbe Rashab innovates that neither of these point to the true purpose, because (a) Hashem's supreme power is not lacking in action, and immediately upon His will something is accomplished, so He is complete even without the creation of the physical world, (b) the concept of knowledge is only relevant in the higher worlds, and if so, it's not understood why He created this physical world.

Therefore, he concludes that creation is due to Hashem's desire to create it, and there cannot be a logical-human explanation for this desire, "it is beyond reason and understanding (and as the Rebbe [Alter Rebbe] said about this, 'Oif a taavah iz kein kasha' (in Yiddish: one doesn't ask questions about a desire), but He desired that there should be an existence of lower realms, and that the essence of Ohr Ein Sof should be drawn down below, which is possible to draw down specifically in the lower world."

Creation of "Something from Nothing"

The early Kabbalists (the Ramak, the Rama, and the Arizal) discussed the explanation of the name Ohr Ein Sof, which is called "Ein Sof" (without end) and not "Ein Techilah" (without beginning). The Ramak's view is that this level is the essence of the Creator, the Rama's view is that it is the will, and the Arizal's view is that it is higher than will, but not the essence of the Creator. According to the Ramak, this is because we cannot attribute preexistence to anything other than His essence. But the Rebbe does not accept this, because if Hashem Himself is in the category of being a source for the worlds, it is impossible to say "I have not changed," both from the perspective of the creation itself and from the perspective of the will to create. Therefore, according to the Rebbe, the creation of something from nothing comes from the Light, which is nothing and naught compared to the essence of the Creator, and nevertheless has infinite power within it (similar to the metaphor of light which is of the same nature as its source).

Structure of the Hemshech

The Hemshech consists of sixty-one discourses delivered throughout the year. The discourses are a sequence of interconnected topics, dealing with the same subject, and are therefore called a 'Hemshech' (series). Throughout the book, there are annotations by the Rebbe Rashab. The final section of the book is called 'Hashlamat HaDrush' [Completion of the Discourse], and it was not delivered orally.

On certain sections of the discourses, he noted that they should not be copied. However, the Rebbe instructed to print them in the margins and indicate that they were marked "no need to copy."

The discourses from the years when the main discourse was spoken and written, which are not part of the 'Hemshech,' were printed separately in 'Sefer HaMaamarim 5666-5667,' edited by Rabbi Yehonatan David Reinitz (Mashpia in Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim in New Haven and member of the Otzar HaChassidim editorial board).

Editions of the Book

From the time these discourses were delivered, they were studied from handwritten copies or typewritten texts. The book was first published in 5731 (1971) by Kehot Publication Society, under the direct instruction of the Rebbe.

First Edition - Kehot, Brooklyn, 5731 (1971). The book was published for the first time, compared with the manuscript of R' Shmuel the Scribe. At the end of the book, an edited talk from the Rebbe Shlita from Acharon Shel Pesach 5730 (1970) was added.
Second Edition - Kehot, Brooklyn, 5736 (1976). This edition included many corrections based on the original manuscript, as well as discourses from these years that are not part of the Hemshech - from the Rebbe Rashab's original manuscript.
Third Edition - Kehot, Brooklyn, 5744 (1984). This edition added, among other things: 'transcripts' of several discourses, omissions, notes and explanations from the Rebbe Rayatz and more.
Fourth Edition - Kehot, Brooklyn, 5751 (1991). In this edition, two transcripts by the Rebbe Rayatz were printed for the first time.
Fifth Edition - Kehot, Brooklyn, 5765 (2005).
Sixth Edition - Kehot, Brooklyn, 5777 (2017). This edition added nine new discourses for the first time, and the book was reorganized with corrections.
Seventh Edition - Kehot, Brooklyn, 5784 (2024). This edition printed for the first time additional notes and explanations from the Rebbe Rayatz, as well as his notes from 5666 (1906). Additionally, this edition included an index of Moshiach and Geulah topics and a 'List of Published Editions of the Rebbe Rashab's Books.'