The configuration (kevius) of this year, 5782, is such that Rosh Hashanah falls on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Rebbe quotes from the Tur, Avudraham and Machzor Vitry that when the first day of Rosh Hashanah falls on a Monday or a Tuesday, the parshiyos of Nitzavim and Vayelech are split between two weeks, instead of being read together. Nitzavim is read before Rosh Hashanah, and Vayelech is read on Shabbos Shuvah (or Teshuvah) right after Rosh Hashanah.
The siman (sign, code,) for this is “Pas Bag Hamelech.” When “Hamelech” (crowning G-d as King on Rosh Hashanah) … takes place on “bag – beis gimmel” (the second or third day of the week) … then “Pas,” you separate the parshiyos (like “posos osoh pitim” – “separate it [the dough] in small parts” in the flour offering).
Everything in Torah is precise. Where does this phrase come from? What does it mean, and what is its message to us?
These words are from a posuk in Daniel (1:5). There were special individuals – namely, Daniel, Chananyah, Mishoel, and Azaryah – for whom the king made a special appropriation (“vayeman lohem hamelech”) that they should receive every day from the food (“pas”) of the king’s table (“bag hamelech”), and from the wine that the king drinks at his feasts (“umiyein mishtov”). The Metzudas Dovid explains that this refers to the wine that the king himself drinks.
The Rebbe says that if this is the mnemonic for a particular year, it must have a deep connection with that year. In a year of this configuration, the King – Almighty G-d, the King of Kings – makes a special appropriation that every single Jew should receive food every day from the King’s royal table. Moreover, they should also receive wine from the King’s table.
There is a fundamental difference between bread (“lechem”) and wine (“yayin”). Bread is a necessity, while wine is a luxury. Not only will every Jew receive the royal food from the King’s table every single day, but they will also receive the royal wine. This means that every Jew will receive not only his necessities, but also the luxuries that come especially from the King’s table.
Moreover, a Jew will not receive just any wine, but wine that the king himself drinks. A king drinks at his festive meals only the finest wine that money can buy. The posuk tells us that every Jew will not only receive luxuries from Almighty G-d, but will receive the luxury in the finest form: from the wine that the king himself drinks!
In a year like this, every Jew will – G -d willing – receive an appropriation of sustenance from the royal table of the King Himself, and not only necessities but also his luxuries, and in the same manner that the king enjoys them.
A kesiva v’chasima tova, we should all be signed and sealed in the Book of the Righteous for a good and wonderful year, with success in all our endeavors. Most importantly, we should merit the fulfillment of what the Navi says in the Haftarah of Nitzavim, in the words of Almighty G-d: “Shnas Geulay Ba’ah – the year for My redemption has arrived.” Not only will this be the redemption of the Jewish people, this will also be the redemption of Almighty G-d Himself. When we go out galus, Almighty G-d goes out together with us.
It’s going to be a wonderful year for the Jewish people and for G-d Himself. It should be imminently in a form that each and every single one of us will be able to see it with our very own eyes.