Parshas Toldos

The maamarim 5

1. 1 אלה תולדות יצחק וגו׳ “These are the generations of Yitzchak” Avraham draws G‑dliness down from above, and Yitzchak raises the created world up to G‑d in awe and self-nullification; the ascent from below is unlimited, but it can come about only when it is “born” of the light drawn down from above. Maamar 1.10 paragraphs~20 min52 sourcesEnglish
2. 2 מים רבים לא יוכלו לכבות את האהבה וגו׳… Many waters cannot quench the love The soul’s love for G‑d cannot be satisfied by any revealed understanding, not even the delights of Gan Eden (the “rivers”); it is quenched only by the hidden “spring,” which flows from G‑d’s own essence and is drawn down through Torah and practical mitzvos after the animal soul has been refined. Maamar 2.31 paragraphs~1 h 5 min154 sourcesEnglish
3. 3 ביאור על הנ״ל An Explanation of the Above There are two kinds of Daas: lower Daas, which binds understanding into the emotions and refines them, and upper Daas, which draws the undivided emotions of Keser (ahavah rabbah) down, and higher still, draws the Torah’s “wealth” from the first three Sefiros of Keser. That Torah-wealth, fully revealed in the Time to Come, is what quenches even the love that is above reason. Maamar 3.Biur27 paragraphs~1 h61 sourcesEnglish
4. 4 ויחפרו עבדי יצחק בנחל כו׳ “And Yitzchak’s servants dug in the valley… a well that princes dug” The G‑dliness a person draws down in the morning through the Shema, prayer and Torah study goes “underground” during a day of worldly business; mitzvos done with a humbled heart bring it up again as a well of living water, refined by passing through the earth of the body and sweet to one who feels how far he is from G‑d. Maamar 4.6 paragraphs~15 min32 sourcesEnglish
5. 5 ראה ריח בני כריח שדה אשר ברכו ה׳ “See, the fragrance of my son is like the fragrance of a field” Yitzchak wanted to reveal a great encompassing light in Eisav himself, but such light can transform darkness only through Yaakov. Yaakov, receiving the blessing “by guile,” drew a light beyond the whole order of the worlds down into physical Torah and mitzvos. Maamar 5.16 paragraphs~35 min101 sourcesEnglish

The Rebbe’s maamarim on this parsha 1

The Rebbe built one of his maamarim (5725) on the Alter Rebbe’s maamarim of this parsha. Each maamar’s page summarizes them, with what the Rebbe adds; or see them all together.

• Maamar 1אלה תולדות יצחק וגו׳1 maamar · 5725

Learn it in seven days Sunday to Shabbos

The Rebbe asked that all the maamarim of the week’s parsha be learned in that week, spread over its seven days. Here is the parsha in seven portions of about equal length.

1. SUNMaamar 1 ¶1 – maamar 2 ¶3~27 min
2. MONMaamar 2, ¶4–13~29 min
3. TUEMaamar 2, ¶14–31~30 min
4. WEDMaamar 3, ¶1–16~26 min
5. THUMaamar 3, ¶17–26~31 min
6. FRIMaamar 3 ¶27 – maamar 5 ¶4~24 min
7. SHABMaamar 5, ¶5–16~28 min