Wrapping up the מאמר, we now have the two perspectives of learning תורה - serving Hashem with intellect and delight, and doing מצות - serving Hashem with submission and selflessness.

The רבי ties it in with the well-known מחלוקת in the גמרא about which is greater: תלמוד or מעשה? Although the גמרא answers that תלמוד is greater, when משיח comes, מעשה will be greater.

As the רבי explains, this expresses the core quality of serving Hashem with the ultimate selflessness of doing things purely for Hashem, without any ulterior motive, no matter how spiritual.

What does this look like? What is the (possible) connection of this מאמר to ה' טבת? We finish the מאמר and segue into a פארברענגען!

As we begin this מאמר, the רבי delves into the עבודות represented by יהודה and יוסף, respectively:

Learning תורה - represented by יוסף - is an experience of logic, and of delight. Contrarily, doing מצות - represented by יהודה - is an experience of submissive, 'dry', and rigid קבלת עול.

These are the two polar perspectives we have within our connection to Hashem.

Wrapping up this מאמר, the רבי explains the holistic יחידה approach to peace: When we an uncover the core energy within everything in this world - its constant connection to Hashem and its willingness to be refined and used for Hashem - then we can have the advantages of מלמעלה למטה and מלמטה למעלה together!

This happens when we awaken our יחידה, which happens when we express ביטול to Hashem, seeing ourselves and the world around us for what we truly are - one with Hashem and Hashem's Desire!

The רבי continues to explain the two levels of peace within "פדה בשלום" and "ושבתי בשלום": There is one level of peace focusing on getting rid of the enemy, and another level of peace focusing on transforming the enemy. We go into examples of this, both interpersonal and intrapersonal.

Heading into the main חידוש of the מאמר, the רבי says that the ultimate completion of the peace is where the two focuses of peace fuse together.

To explain this, we go into one of the מאמרים that the פריערדיקער רבי said for the רבי's wedding, explaining the necessity of feeling ביטול while learning תורה.

How does this all connect? Stay tuned...

So what is יחידה, and how does it work?

Continuing in the מאמר, the רבי offers us a glimpse into a life-changing core energy and how to trigger it.

We then segue into an explanation of the two-tiered peace alluded to in the פסוק of "ושבתי בשלום".

As we begin this מאמר, the רבי quotes the paradox of the words "פדה בשלום" - to peace, or not to peace?

The explanation of the earlier מאמרים is, although usually Davening is an עבודה of war; of investing oneself into an intimate conversation with the נפש הבהמית, if it is done with the power of יחידה, there is but one guaranteed outcome - victory!

What is the importance of the "higher" כתר coming and infusing the "lower" מוחין and מדות? Is it only that the "higher" receives from giving to the "lower"? Or is it, as the רבי makes us aware, because in the perspective of Hashem's Essence there is no "higher" and "lower"?

This is the newfound appreciation of עצם: An עבודה of ביטול, of rejecting all perspectives - even spiritual ones - of self and self-perfection, and embracing the perspective of Hashem's Desire of having a דירה בתחתונים.

This is the message of "כולן שוין לטובה", and with this the רבי answers the questions from the beginning of the מאמר and fuses together the explanations of חסידות and רש"י on this fundamental פסוק!

Continuing in the מאמר, the Rebbe explains the power of כתר, as the זהר says, "כללא דכולא", "encompassing everything". כתר is not an abstract energy, it is rather the energy within every tangible and concrete experience of intellect and emotion ("20" and "7").

As the זהר continues, this is the idea of making 100 daily ברכות. A ברכה is the formula of our entire עבודה in this world, which the רבי explains in a revolutionary way, uncovering a tremendous חידוש of דור שביעי in the way we view ברכות, and our entire עבודה!

Why do we need to know about שרה's life span? How is this opening פסוק - like every פסוק in תורה - a lesson and an empowerment for every Yid?

The רבי quotes the זהר, as explained by the generations of רביים before him, which guides us through סדר השתלשלות, and seeing it reflected in the פסוק's description of שרה's life. As we tour our inner psyche, we see how שרה's life is a guide for us to live a wholesome and perfect life.

But, how does this explanation of חסידות fit with רש"י's explanation of the פסוק?

In light of the war that broke out this year (5784) in ארץ ישראל on שמחת תורה (October 7, 2023), we are learning a 1-week מאמר about miracles, said by the רבי on the שבת בראשית of 5734 (1973), during the height of the Yom Kippur War.

In it, the רבי explains how אידן affect the entire process of creation, being that they are connected to the very Essence of Hashem Himself. The רבי goes through various levels of סדר השתלשלות, showing how it all is nothing to Hashem, and thus nothing to the אידן who are connected to Him.

The רבי then explains how שבת בראשית is the source of energy for the rest of the year, just like ראש השנה, but higher!