Adar I

1 Adar I

In brief, the following Hayom Yom teaches that each neshamah has a unique avodah to accomplish in this world, which must be performed during each moment of our life span on earth.  When the neshamah returns up above, it receives its reward according to the type of avodah that it did while it was in this world.

Every neshamah that comes down into the world is here to fulfill a mission.  Before coming down into the world, the neshamah was in a special treasure house in shamayim.  Hashem takes the neshamah out of this treasure house, dresses it in a body, and sends it down into the world to do its job.  When it comes down into the world, the neshamah has to work hard to light up the world with the light of Torah and the candle of mitzvah.

In addition to this general mission that all neshamos must do, each neshamah also has its own personal job to fulfill in this world.  Hashem gives each of us the unique abilities and strengths that we need to do our individual jobs.  As long as a person lives on earth, he must use every moment of his time to complete this mission.

After the neshamah completes its mission, it goes back up to shamayim.  What does the neshamah do in shamayim?  The occupation of the neshamah up above is similar to the type of avodah that it did on earth.  For example, someone who learned a lot of Torah during his lifetime will merit to go into the “tents of Torah” when it comes back to shamayim.   Whoever did his job properly on earth will merit to rise to higher and higher levels, until it reaches the ultimate sweetness, to become close with the essence of Hashem, the Ohr En Sof.

2 Adar I

Mrs. Rosen was explaining to her class  the importance of avodah in Chassidus – to be honest with yourself, examine your actions, and work hard to improve yourself spiritually.  She then asked the class for examples of what they could do as an avodah.  Instantly the class was buzzing with all sorts of grand ideas:

“I will never speak lashon hara again!”

“I will get 1,000 women and girls to light Shabbos candles!”

“I will raise $20,000 for tzedakah!”

Mrs. Rosen held up her hand:  “Whoa, girls!  These sound like wonderful ideas, but in avodah it is very important to do one thing at a time.  Avodah doesn’t necessarily mean taking on grand projects or “breaking up mountains.” Even the simplest improvement that we make in our character or behavior is considered an avodah, as long as it is done truthfully and sincerely.”

Rabbeinu Haggadol, the Alter Rebbe, set forth a program of avodah for his chassidim.  He taught them examine their every move carefully, to make sure it is according to the truth and comes with effort.

This avodah does not mean, as some people mistakenly think, that we must crush mountains or break rocks, or turn the world upside down.  The absolute truth is that any avodah, any act, whatever it may be, is perfectly satisfactory when it is done with true kavana.  For example:  Saying a brachah with kavanah; davening properly, preparing yourself beforehand and thinking about before Whom you are standing; saying a possuk in Chumash with the awareness that it is Hashem’s word; a possuk of Tehillim; a good midda, becoming close to another person with friendship and love.

The truth is that to reach this level, of doing everything truthfully and with the proper kavanah, is not so easy.  It takes great effort, learning and understanding a lot of Torah, each person according to his ability.  But if someone tries hard, Hashem will help him to be what he is supposed to be, according to the truth.

3 Adar I

Miryam, a new student in the class, had been absent from school for a few days.  Mrs. Dorf, her teacher, called over Shulamis, a classmate.  “You live on the same block as Miryam.  Would you like to stop by and see how she is, and offer to bring her homework?”

Shulamis was reluctant.  “I don’t really know her that well, or have very much to do with her,” she shrugged.  “Maybe one of her friends would be available to do it.”

Wordlessly, Mrs. Dorf handed Shulamis the Hayom Yom of the day to read:

The Alter Rebbe said:  The mitzvah of Ahavas Yisroel extends to anyone born into the people of Israel, even if you have never met him.  How much more so does it extend to every member – man or woman – of the Jewish community where you live, who belongs to your own community.

A bit abashed after reading the Hayom Yom, Shulamis told her teacher:  “I am going to speak to Miryam’s friends, and we will go visit her together.”

4 Adar I

Before sitting down to do your homework, you probably need to do some kind of preparation:  Perhaps clearing your desk, or going to a quiet place free of distractions.  You also need to put yourself in the right frame of mind, by trying to build up some interest in the work you need to do.  Before involving your mind in deep subjects, especially thinking about Hashem, there is also a kind of preparation that must be done:

(1)   The body needs to work hard to get rid of its pleasure in worldly things. Worldly things distract a person from being able to concentrate on spiritual thoughts. 

(2)  The neshamah needs to work hard to build a feeling of pleasure in deep thinking in general, and especially, thinking thoughts about Hashem.

5 Adar I

Flat tire!  The Zehl family, en route on a family trip, was now stranded at the side of the road until their car could be repaired.  At first the children began to grumble about the unscheduled stopover which stood in the way of their vacation plans.  But they quickly cheered up when their mother pulled out some snacks and cold drinks.  The children recited brochos out loud and happily refreshed themselves.   Then they sang songs and recited pesukim together.  Before long, a stranger pulled his car over to offer them assistance.  To their merry surprise, he turned out to be Jewish, and accepted their offer to put on tefillin that day.  What originally seemed to be a fiasco turned out to be one of the highlights of their trip!

There is no doubt that wherever we go, it is all in order to cleanse and purify the world with words of Torah and tefillah.  Every Jew is a shaliach of Hashem, as decreed by hashgachah protis. None of us is free from this holy task placed on our shoulders.

6 Adar I

Deeny stomped through the door and threw down her book bag in frustration.  “Mommy, there is going to be a talent show next week in school, and each girl must give a presentation.  I have absolutely no talent to speak of!  I can’t carry a tune, I’m completely clumsy, and I can barely draw a straight line!  I am just so untalented,” she complained.

Just then Deeny’s little sister Faigy came to her in tears.  Her dolly was broken, and no one wanted to play with her.  Without hesitation, Deeny bent down to her sister and dried her tears.  “Come, Faigy, I’ll play with you.”  Deeny quickly repaired her little sister’s doll, and with a huge smile, settled down on the floor to play with Faigy.

Deeny’s mother observed:  “Hashem blessed you with a talent for making other people feel good, and giving of yourself happily.  This is a rare and very special talent – the most precious gift of all.”

From the sichos of my father [the Rebbe Rashab]:  It is a magnificent gift from Hashem to merit a talent – a “feel” – for doing kindness to another, to derive deep pleasure from it.  This can develop to the point that one loves the other person more than oneself.  He may find many explanations as to why he deserves his own difficulties, chas v’shalom.  But to do so with regard to another person’s problems is absolutely impossible for him.

7 Adar I

Malky was sitting with Simi and Leah, her cousins.  Simi’s family lives in Peru, and Leah’s family in India.  They both excitedly shared stories about the shlichus that their families were involved with.  Malky felt quite left out of the conversation.  She began to feel discontent with her comparatively ordinary life in Brooklyn, New York.  Impulsively, she blurted out:  “I wish that we were on shlichus!”

Her cousins looked at her in surprise.  “Don’t you know how lucky you are to live in a community with so many other chassidim?” asked Leah.

“…and your family always has guests for Shabbos, and your parents take you on mivtzoyim regularly,” added Simi.

“My mother always says that we all need to do our shlichus, wherever we live,” concluded Leah.

Every Jew must know that he is a shliach of Hashem. Wherever he may be, he is charged with the mission of carrying out Hashem’s original purpose in creating the world, which is  to light up the world with the light of Torah and avodah. This is done through performing practical mitzvos and implanting in oneself fine character traits.

8 Adar I

What was the very first thing that you were taught in school?  Most probably, it was the Alef-Beis.  Did you have any idea then that the letters of the Alef-Beis contain deep lessons in serving Hashem?

The Alter Rebbe once called in a young student of the Maggid and said to him in his customary tune:  “I have the mitzvah of ‘v’shinantam l’vanecha’ (teach them [words of Torah] to your children).  You have the mitzvah of providing for your family.  Let us make an exchange.  I will give you what you need to fulfill your mitzvah and you will teach my son” [who was later the Mittler Rebbe].

Then the Rebbe explained to the teacher how to teach the children:  “The first thing is to teach the letters, alef, beis, and so on.  What is an alef?  A dot above, a dot below, and a line between – this is an Alef.  A child must know that the Alef of Torah is a yud above, a yud below, and a line of faith that joins them.”

Another version:  “A yud above – this is the neshamah; a yid (Jew) below – this is the body; a line of yiras shamayim (fear of Heaven) in the center.”

A yud is just a small dot – the tiniest of all the letters. The Yud represents the essence of Hashem, beyond any descriptions or titles. The Yud also represents the “dot” within the neshamah of every Yid, which is always connected to Hashem and can never be separated from Him.

9 Adar I

If you shine a flashlight on the street in midday, the light will be barely noticeable.  But if you shine it at night, the flashlight will light up the whole street.  Similarly, there was once a time when the world was filled with the light of kedushah.  There was less need then to light up the outdoors.  But right now (immediately before the revelation of Moshiach) we are living in a time of spiritual darkness.  Whenever we go out, we need to make the streets glow with kedushah.

When someone walks the street and thinks words of Mishnah or Tanya, or sits in his store with a Chumash or Tehillim – that is more valued today than it was when the streets were bright with the light of Torah.  We must not go in the street with an empty heart.  We must have some Torah memorized, to take with us into the street.

10 Adar I

At birkat hamazon, before washing the fingers, say al naharot bavel, lamnatzei’ach bin’ginot, avarcha, zeh cheilek.

When Tachanun is not said, say shir hamaalot b’shuv, livnei korach, avarcha, zeh cheilek.

After washing the fingers, say vay’dabeir eilai.

11 Adar I

We all know the importance of kavanah in davening, concentrating on what you are saying.  But what if someone doesn’t know or remember which kavanos to have?

The following is well-known and is a tradition, regarding the kavanos [special meditations found in Kaballah] in tefillah:  For those who are not capable of thinking those kavanos (either because they lack knowledge, or because they cannot remember the specific kavanos during prayer) it is enough to keep one general kavanah in mind:  That his prayer be heard by Hashem, with all the kavanos described in the Kaballah literature.

12 Adar I

Mr. Gold is a very wealthy benefactor of the shul, and gives generously towards its support.  Mr. Davis has less to give financially, but he directs various campaigns and encourages people to attend the tefillos and Torah classes.  He is respected by all as one who is always the first to volunteer his time and talents towards the Shul. 

Some people are well-known for their wisdom or wealth.  But when someone gives himself over to strengthen Yiddishkeit, he will merit to be freed from all his problems, and his position will even higher than the great.

13 Adar I

Did you know that it is possible that right now, just by reading this Hayom Yom, you are bringing great joy to the Rebbeim of Chabad?

The Rebbe Rashab said:  I am certain that when a chassid is in the beis hamidrash, teaching or reciting a maamar of Chassidus to others, my ancestors are filled with joy; and their joy is enough to provide that chassid, and his children and children’s children, with many blessings, in physical things and in spiritual things.

14 Adar I, Purim Katan

My grandfather [the Rebbe Maharash] told my father [the Rebbe Rashab]:  “My father [the Tzemach Tzedek] selected the maamarim printed in Likuttei Torah from among 2,000 maamarim.”

15 Adar I, Shushan Purim Katan

Before pronouncing the brachah hamotzi, a scratch is made on the bread with the knife, but we are careful not to cut into it.

Even when saying kiddush over bread, we still say savri maranan.

It is said that when Moshiach comes,  “A stone in the wall will cry out and a beam from the tree will answer.”  At this time, the domem, lifeless creatures, cannot speak; though they are stepped on, they remain silent.  But there will come a time in the future, that the domem will begin to speak, tell and demand:  “If a man was walking along without thinking or speaking words of Torah, why did he trample upon me?”

The earth that we step on has been waiting for thousands of years, ever since the Six Days of Creation.  All kinds of living creatures have been treading upon it all this time, but it is waiting for a Yid (or two Yidden) to walk on it while discussing Torah.  But if they do not say words of Torah, the earth will protest:  “You too are just like an animal!”

16 Adar I

The Jewish people, while enslaved in Mitzrayim, did backbreaking work, and lived at the mercy of the wicked King Pharaoh.  Pharaoh had decreed that all Jewish baby boys were to be thrown into the Nilus.  Under those circumstances, the men felt very discouraged and had no desire to have families.  Their wives, however, were full of faith in Moshe’s prophecy that very soon they would be redeemed.  The women used copper mirrors to beautify themselves, and they would then go out to the fields with food and drink to greet their husbands and lift their spirits.  These righteous women later donated the copper mirrors to be used in the mishkan.

The Alter Rebbe said:  The offerings for the mishkan included gold, silver and copper.  But nothing sparkled except for the copper mirrors that were used to make the washbasin and its base.  These were the last vessels to be made for the mishkan, but were used at the start of every day’s service (for the Kohanim to wash their hands and feet).  Chassidus explains that the beginning and the end are connected to each other; the last thing that was made was the first thing to be used.

17 Adar I

Many years before the Alter Rebbe’s imprisonment in Petersburg in 5559 (1798), he once came out of his private quarters to where the chassidim were gathered and said:  “In gan eden they sense the preciousness of this world.  Even the malachim on the highest levels would give up everything for the sake of one amein y’hei sh’mei raba said by a Jew ‘with all his power’, meaning with full concentration, being totally involved with these words.”

This was all he said.  The effect was that he kindled such a flame and such a burning enthusiasm in all who heard, that for a full year their amein y’hei sh’mei raba was fiery.

18 Adar I

After drinking wine and eating one of the seven fruits (for which Eretz Yisroel is famous), the concluding brachah ends: v’al pri hagafen v’al hapeiros, baruch.. al pri hagafen v’hapeiros (not “v’al” hapeiros)

19 Adar I

Even ordinary chassidim were experts in Tanach.  Their regular custom was: After davening Shacharis they studied Mishnah; then while folding tallis and tefillin they would recite a certain set portion of Tanach, divided in a way such that they completed Tanach every three months.

20 Adar I

A Chassid needs to work on himself not only to do his avodah truthfully, but to become a completely true person, in every single part of him, even the fingernails.  This is a very difficult avodah.  Even Moshe Rabbeinu felt overwhelmed by it.  Hashem showed Moshe all of His Middos.  When Moshe saw Hashem’s Middah of truth, he fell on his face.

21 Adar I

You have probably heard the term chassid.  A person might describe himself as a chassid of this or that Rebbe, or a follower of a certain chassidic group.  But the word “chassid” is a lot more than just a name that some people call themselves.  What does it really mean to be a chassid?

The term “chassid” is an ancient on that the sages had even applied to Adam.  It describes perfection and excellence in intellect or middos, or both together.  However, according to the Torah of Chassidus Chabad, the title “chassid” applies to one who recognizes his own character and his level in the knowledge and study of Torah, as well as his situation in observing mitzvos.  He knows what he missing and he is concerned and tries to correct it.  He is also very obedient in a way of kabbalas ol – he accepts the responsibility that is placed on him.

22 Adar I

The following is from a maamar of the Rebbe Rashab about seudah shlishis, the third Shabbos meal:  The Yidden were instructed not to gather mann on Shabbos.  The possuk says: “today you will not find it (the mann, i.e. the Shabbos bread).  This possuk hints at the third Shabbos meal.  Since the possuk says the word “not,” it shows that we are not required to eat bread at that meal, but we must partake of some food.  R. Yosi did say, “May my lot be with those who partake of three Shabbos meals.”

***

The Alter Rebbe taught, shortly after he came to Lyozna:  One must always be careful to daven minchah properly.

The special quality of Minchah over Shacharis and Maariv is that it comes in the middle of the day, when people are occupied and busy with their personal affairs, yet they interrupt to daven Minchah.  When a person davens Minchah properly, it shows that he is an adam, a person who works on refining his character and brings light into the world.

23 Adar I

Rabbonim and Torah scholars are called the “eyes of the community” and the “heads of thousands of Israel,” and when the head is healthy, the body is then also healthy.

24 Adar I

“Mommy,” Levi asked his mother, “Why do you always tell us to listen to  tapes and videos of the Rebbe’s sichos and farbrengens?  I can barely understand anything!”

“First of all,” Levi’s mother said, “As you grow older you will understand more and more.  But even if you understand nothing, your neshamah still hears the Rebbe’s words, and they give you strength to fulfill the mitzvos.”

R. Hillel Paritcher once asked the Mittler Rebbe whether he should review Chassidus even in towns where the people have no understanding of Chassidus. The Mitteler Rebbe answered:  The soul hears words of Chassidus.  When the neshamah hears words of Torah, this strengthens the body to do good, fulfilling the 248 positive mitzvos, and to turn away from bad, the 365 mitzvos lo saaseh.

25 Adar I

Hoshi’einu is said after the Song of the Day on weekdays, Shabbos, Festivals, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

26 Adar I

It was not easy for the Goldman family to settle into Franklin, Wisconsin, where they lived on shlichus.  They experienced many challenges before being accepted by the community.  But they persisted in their efforts to reach out to others with love and dedication, keeping in mind the Rebbe’s promise:

There are three instruments – love of Hashem, love of Torah, and love of other Jews – that young students of Torah must use to do their avodah in the vineyard of Hashem.  They must use these tools to bring the hearts of their brothers closer to observing practical mitzvos and to setting aside regular time for Torah study.  They must do this without paying any attention to which “party” or “group” the other Jew belongs.  The absolute truth is that the Jewish heart is a wellspring, a source of living waters.  There is a promise given, that effort and publicity (to draw Jews closer to Torah) will never be fruitless.

27 Adar I

Chanie is extremely meticulous about completing her schoolwork.  If she makes one small mistake, she tears up the entire paper.  If she scores a 99% rather than 100% on a test, she mopes for days.  Fraidy is the exact opposite.  Usually, the work that she turns in is liberally covered with doodles, and although she is quite bright, she is completely satisfied to scrape by with grades in the 60’s and 70’s.

The Rebbe Rashab said:  Truth is the middle path.  Moving to the right, to be overly strict with oneself and find faults or sins not in accord with the truth, or moving to the left, to be overly indulgent, covering one’s faults or being lenient in demands of avodah out of self-love – both these ways are false.

28 Adar I

In the Sh’ma before bed:  On Shabbos and Festivals we do not say Ribono shel olam or lam’natzei’ach.  But we do say them on other days that Tachanun is not said.  After the three paragraphs of sh’ma, add the word “emes.”  Ya’alzu is said once.  Hinei and y’varech’cha are said three times.  In tikun Chatzos do not say lam’natzei’ach.. b’vo on days when tachanun is not said.

29 Adar I, Parshas Shkalim

In responding to l’chayim there are two versions:

(a.)              L’chayim tovim ul’shalom, “for good life, and for peace.”  The reason for this blessing is that the first time drinking wine is mentioned in the Torah, there were not such good results.  “Noach began etc.”; [i.e., he got drunk and degraded himself]; also, the Eitz Hadaas was a grapevine.  Therefore we bless that this wine be for a good life.

(b.)             The Maggid of Mezritch used to respond l’chayim velivrachah (to life, and for blessing.) Once at a farbrengen, the Alter Rebbe responded l’chayim velivrachah.  After the farbrengen chassidim discussed this expression, which they had heard for the first time.  One chassid suggested: Since “When wine enters, the secret comes out,” which in avodah means that the emotions are revealed, we need a brachah for this; the expression is l’chayim velivrachah, and “livrachah” may be read, leiv rachah, a sensitive heart.

The Tzemach Tzedek commented:  Such an interpretation could be said only by a chassid who has davened and labored in avodah for thirty years.

 

30 Adar I

Baruch felt discouraged in his effort to form a Shabbos Mevorchim Tehillim group in his neighborhood.  He was having a hard time getting people interested in joining his group.  He complained to his father:  “I wish we lived in a different neighborhood, where there were more people who shared our interests!”

“Baruch,” his father replied, “It is up to us to create the type of neighborhood that we want to live in!”

The Rebbe Rashab said:  A chassid creates an environment.  If he does not, he had better check his own baggage carefully, to see whether his own affairs are in order.  The very fact that he fails to create an environment should make him as broken as a splinter.  He must demand of himself:  “What am I doing in this world?”