The following maamar, comprising chapters 6-10 (i.e. Part II) of the series of discourses with the general title of Basi LeGani, was released in advance for study on 13 Shvat 5710 (1950), in honor of the yahrzeit of the Previous Rebbe's mother, the saintly Rebbitzin Shterna Sarah.
Hayosheves Baganim....-- "You who dwell in the gardens, friends listen to your voice; let me hear it."
As Rashi amplifies the metaphor, G‑d is here addressing the House of Israel: "Though you are dispersed in exile, pasturing in alien gardens, you abide nevertheless in places of worship and in houses of Torah study.
Friends are listening: the ministering angels who are your friends, children of G‑d as you are, come to hear your voice in the houses of worship."
This interpretation is based on the Midrash Rabbah: "Whenever you, the Children of Israel, sit in your synagogues and houses of study, reading the Shema and engaging in the study of the Torah, 'friends are listening' — I [says G‑d] and My retinue of angels go there to hear your voice."
The Midrash goes on to say that "friends" refers to angels, since between them there is neither envy nor hatred nor competition.
Therefore it is granted to those who abide in gardens — in the synagogues and houses of Torah study — that angelic companions listen to their voice.
To understand the above concept, we must first reexamine the explanation in the previous discourse — that the divine service in the Mishkan and Beis HaMikdash involved the transformation of darkness into light to the point that the darkness itself grows luminous; moreover, that the Mishkan was therefore made of acacia wood (shitim) for in this Sanctuary the folly (shtus) of unholiness was transformed into the folly of holiness.
And, as we have seen, through this service G‑d fulfills His promise — that "I will dwell among them," and the transcendent light of sovev kol almin will be revealed.
