Hayom Yom Gemer

Everything you need to know...

19 Kislev
The chazan does not wear a tallit for Mincha or Maariv - neither on weekdays, Shabbat and festivals, or Rosh Hashana.
Yahrzeit of the Mezritcher Maggid,8 Tuesday, Parshat Vayeishev 5533 (1772). He is interred in Anipoli.
The Alter Rebbe9 was released from his first imprisonment, Kislev 19, Tuesday, Parshat Vayeishev 5559 (1798) towards evening.
From the Alter Rebbe's letter: This indeed must be made known, that on the day G-d made for us, the 19th of Kislev, Tuesday (the day on which "it was good" was said twice in Torah10) yahrzeit of our holy teacher whose soul is in eden, while I was reading in the book of Tehillim the verse "He redeemed my soul in peace,"11 before beginning the following verse, I emerged in peace by (the act of) the G-d of peace.

* * *
A day of farbrengen and good resolutions towards establishing times to study the revealed Torah12 and Chassidus publicly, and in bolstering the ways of chassidim in true friendship.
It is customary to apportion volumes for the study of the Talmud, according to the procedure set out in Igeret Hakodesh "Hochei'ach Tochi'ach"13. In Lubavitch, since the year 5663 (1902-03) this allocation was made on Tevet 24, yahrzeit of the Alter Rebbe, there not being time on Kislev 19.

24 Kislev
(Continuation of Kislev 23): An explanation of the three verses beginning l'chu n'ran'na, in a manner meaningful to everyone, is as follows: Wednesday, we begin thinking: What will we have for Shabbat? This is a concern in the literal sense and also spiritually, "how can we Shabbos" (i.e. make a real Shabbat)? After all, every person is quite different on Shabbat than on a weekday. So we become a bit despondent. The solution is l'chu n'ran'na ("Come let us sing"), have faith, trust. Comes Thursday, it is now closer to Shabbat and we still have nothing. It doesn't seem to "n'ran'na" so easily and we realize we must do something. So we study Chassidus Thursday night, so that by Friday we sense the depth of "...for the L-rd is a great G-d and a great King1..."; and with this a Jew "can Shabbos."
During Mincha, tachanun is omitted.

26 Kislev
Day of farbrengen. Tal umatar (Siddur, p. 54). Chanuka lights after havdala (p. 234), before v'yitein l'cha (p. 235). In shul, Chanuka candles before havdala.
On Shabbat mevarchim, (when the new month is blessed) (Siddur, p. 191), Chassidim are to assemble in Shul early in the morning to say the entire Tehillim. Afterwards, study for about an hour a maamar Chassidus that everyone can understand, and then daven. The time to farbreng is to be determined according to the circumstances1 in the place they live (for material and spiritual success).
After concluding the Tehillim on Shabbat Mevarchim, say Mourner's Kaddish; if there is a Yahrzeit or mourner - Kaddish after each of the five books of Tehillim.

1 Teves
It is customary that one not davening with a minyan says the opening (p. 241) and closing (p. 245) b'rachot of Hallel even on days when "half Hallel"1 is said. In the concluding paragraph, yehal'lucha (p.245) omit the word "Al." All tefillin2 should be worn (then, later, taken off) before Musaf (p. 245), but the daily Torah lessons are studied after concluding the entire service.

4 Teves
The Rebbes of Chabad would review a parsha1 or two of the weekly sedra on Thursday night. On Friday afternoon they began again from the start and completed the sedra and haftora. Shabbat morning before davening they reviewed from Shevi'i to the end again. When there were two haftorot they said the one of the sedraHaftora: The portion from the Prophets read after the Torah-reading, and relevant to the sedra of the week or to the special occasion of that Shabbat. on Friday and the other (for Rosh Chodesh, machar chodesh, etc.), on Shabbat.
* * *
There are good dreams in which Torah subjects are made known to the person dreaming.2 These generally occur through concentrated devotion to Torah study during the day. When someone studies Torah with great diligence or engages in "service of the heart" - prayer3 - with intense effort, then at night - when his soul ascends4 to draw forth life for itself from the supernal Life, as explained in Zohar5 - it is informed of novellae in Revealed Torah or Inner Torah,6 each person according to his diligence in his avoda during the day.

8 Teves
The Tzemach Tzedek instructed all the tutors of his young grandchildren, that, in addition to regular studies, they should teach the simple meaning of the prayers. Once a month the children came to their grandfather to be tested in this subject.

9 Teves
Our custom in aleinu (Siddur Tehilat Hashem p. 84) is to say "for they bow to vanity and nothingness," and markedly not to say "and pray1..." This wording is followed also in Musaf for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. The expectorating is after these words; the reason is that speech stimulates saliva, and we do not wish to benefit from this saliva.

11 Teves
Man's life is dependent on the air around him. Without air he cannot live and the quality of life is dependent on the quality of air. In an atmosphere of Torah and mitzvot there is healthy life. In a G-dless environment life is diseased, and one is constantly threatened with the possibility of being stricken with contagious maladies. The first general step in healing is to purify the atmosphere. Purification of the air is the task of every person familiar with Torah and Torah-literature, and is effected through the letters1 of Torah. When reciting words of Torah while in the store or walking in the street or riding the subway, one cleans the air. Everyone knowledgeable in Torah must have some Torah memorized - Chumash, Tehillim, Mishna, Tanya, etc., so that at all times and in all places he will be able to think and utter the holy letters of Torah.

13 Teves
Where a lantern is placed, those who seek light gather around - for light attracts.1

14 Teves
The Shpola Zeideh ("Grandfather of Shpola"), a disciple of the Maggid of Mezritch, was a man of intense fervor, far more than any of his colleagues - the Maggid's other disciples. When he visited the Alter Rebbe in Liadi in 5569 or 5570 (1809 or 1810) he related that when he was a child of three he saw the Baal Shem Tov. "He placed his holy hand on my heart and ever since I have felt warm."
A gesture of a tzadik, certainly seeing him and hearing his voice, must make an impression never to be forgotten.

18 Teves
The one called for the last aliya (concluding each Book of the Chumash), also says chazak chazak venit'chazeik (as does the congregation).
In saying viyhi noam (p. 116) on Saturday night, repeat the verse orech yamim...; but not at Shacharit (of Shabbat, p. 154).
When the Tzemach Tzedek was a boy and learned the passage, "Yaakov lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years,"1 his teacher translated according to the Baal Haturim commentary: "Our father Yaakov lived his seventeen best years in Egypt." When he returned home from Cheder he asked his grandfather, the Alter Rebbe: How can it be that our father Yaakov, the elect of the Patriarchs, should have as the best years of his life the seventeen that he lived in Egypt, the land of corruption?2
The Alter Rebbe answered: It is written, "And Yehuda he sent before him to Yosef to give instructions for Goshen."3 The Midrash states, and Rashi quotes this, R. Nechemya said - to establish a house of study so Torah would be there and the tribes would study Torah. "To give instructions4 for Goshen" means (in a deeper sense), when one learns Torah he comes closer5 to The Al-mighty, may He be blessed, so even in Egypt it was true to say vay'chi - he lived.

20 Teves
The Mitteler Rebbe answered someone at yechidus: When two discuss a subject in avoda and they study together, there are two Divine souls1 against one natural soul.

22 Teves
My father proclaimed at a farbrengen: Just as wearing tefillin every day is a Mitzva commanded by the Torah to every individual regardless of his standing in Torah, whether deeply learned or simple, so too is it an absolute duty for every person to spend a half hour every day thinking about the Torah-education of children, and to do everything in his power - and beyond his power - to inspire children to follow the path along which they are being guided.

23 Teves
Groaning by itself won't do a bit of good. A groan is only a key to open the heart and eyes, so as not to sit there with folded arms, but to plan orderly work and activity, each person wherever he can be effective, to campaign for bolstering Torah, spreading Torah and the observance of Mitzvot. One person might do this through his writing, another with his oratory, another with his wealth.

24 Teves
On this day the Alter Rebbe passed away in the village Piena on Saturday night of parshat Sh'mot 5573 (1813). He is interred in the city of Haditz.
My grandfather (R. Shmuel) asked the Tzemach Tzedek: What did Grandfather (the Alter Rebbe) intend with the "ways of Chassidus" and what did he intend with Chassidus?
The Tzemach Tzedek answered: The "ways of Chassidus" are that all Chassidim are to be like one family, with affection, as Torah teaches. Chassidus is vitality. Chassidus is to bring life and illumination into everything, to shed light even on the undesirable - to become aware of one's own evil exactly as it is, in order to correct it.

1 Shevat
The daily recital of Tehillim after davening1 applies equally to Chabad chassidic shuls and to those who follow the Ashkenazic or Polish nusach2 - may G-d be with them.3 On account of ahavat Yisrael, love of our fellow...and especially in view of the importance and inner purpose of saying Tehillim with a minyan, which literally affects all of Israel, materially in "children, life and sustenance," and spiritually ...we must endeavor with every means possible that it become an established practice in every shul of every nusach.

8 Shevat
In these days especially, when by G-d's kindness we stand at the threshold of redemption, we must make every conceivable effort to strengthen every facet of our religion. Mitzvot must be observed b'hidur, with "beauty," beyond minimal requirements. Customs must be kept scrupulously, nothing compromised. It is a Mitzva and duty of every Rabbi in Israel to inform his congregation that the current tribulations and agonies are the "birth-pangs of Mashiach." G-d is demanding that we return to Torah and mitzvot, that we not hinder the imminent coming of our righteous Mashiach.

10 Shevat
When my grandmother, Rebbetzin Rivka, was eighteen (in 5611, 1851) she fell ill and the physician ordered her to eat immediately upon awakening. She, however, did not wish to eat before davening; so she davened very early, then ate breakfast. When her father-in-law, the Tzemach Tzedek, learned of this he said to her: "A Jew must be healthy and strong. The Torah says about mitzvot, 'Live in them,' meaning bring vitality into the mitzvot. To be able to infuse mitzvot with vitality, one must be strong and joyful." Then he concluded: "You should not be without food. Better to eat for the sake of davening rather than to daven for the sake of eating;" he then blessed her with long life. [She was born in 5593 (1833) and passed away on Sh'vat 10, 5674 (1914)].

My father told this teaching of the Tzemach Tzedek to someone at yechidus, adding: "And this must be done with joy."

11 Shevat
The routine of the day begins with saying modeh ani (Siddur Tehilat HaShem p. 6, "I acknowledge before You, living and eternal King etc..."). This is said before the morning laving of the hands, even while the hands are "impure." The reason is that all the impurites in the world do not defile a Jew's "I acknowledge." He might lack one thing or another, but his modeh ani1 remains intact.

13 Shevat
Yahrzeit is observed on the anniversary of the day of death even the first year, and even if the day of burial was much later than the day of death.1
When my grandfather (R. Shmuel) was seven, his father (the Tzemach Tzedek) once answered him: The kindness and special quality in G-d's making man upright,2 to walk erectly, is that though he walks on the earth he sees the Heavens; not so with beasts that go on all fours; they see only the earth.

14 Shevat
Tachanun (p. 103) is not said at Mincha.
Our Holy forebears, the Rebbe'im through the generations, appealed to G-d and evoked Divine compassion toward their Chassidim, those bound to them. This was not all; they also had an avoda of bringing their Chassidim to mind, inwardly, pondering their affection and attachment to the Rebbe, reciprocating that affection and attachment. Bringing someone to mind has the effect of arousing that person's innermost powers. We see that when one looks deeply and intently at another he will turn around and return the glance, because the penetrating gaze awakens the core of the soul. Thought has the same effect.

19 Shevat
The first positive mitzva is, in the words of Rambam,1 "To know that there is a First Being, who caused the existence of all beings...The knowledge of this principle is a positive command, as it is said, I am the Eternal your G-d."
This is a Mitzva relating to mind and intellect.* True, every one of Israel believes in G-d with a simple faith, and his heart is whole with G-d; still it is the duty of the mind and intellect to bring this faith to a level of knowledge and comprehension. This is the meaning of "To know that there is a First Being;" the Mitzva specifies comprehension and intellectual grasp, as written in Torah: "Know the G-d of your father and serve Him with a whole heart"2 and it is also written, "know this day etc."3

21 Shevat
It is the duty of Chassidic wives and daughters (may they live and be well) to stand in the first rank of every activity dedicated to strengthening religion and Judaism in general, particularly concerning taharat hamishpacha.1 They must organize a Society of Chassidic Daughters to reinforce all the chassidic practices concerning upbringing and education of children - as prevalent from time immemorial in chassidic homes.

24 Shevat
"The people saw and moved."1 Simply perceiving G-dhood caused the people to move, a movement showing vitality, life.
* * *
If you only knew - The Tzemach Tzedek said - the power of verses of Tehillim and their effect in the highest Heavens, you would recite them constantly. Know that the chapters of Tehillim shatter all barriers, they ascend higher and still higher with no interference; they prostrate themselves in supplication before the Master of all worlds, and they effect and accomplish with kindness and compassion.

29 Shevat
The Alter Rebbe once said:
Rashi's commentary on Chumash is the "wine of Torah." It opens the heart and uncovers one's essence-love1 and essence-fear (of G-d).
Rashi's commentary on Talmud opens the mind and uncovers the essence-intellect.

30 Shevat
Many Chassidim considered the day they arrived in Lubavitch to be their "birthday." My teacher, R. Shmuel Betzalel, arrived in Lubavitch the first time on Thursday evening parshat Mishpatim 5608 (1848). Every year after that, he stayed awake all that night and took pains to put on his tefillin at the exact time he had entered the Tzemach Tzedek's chamber for yechidus the first time.

3 Adar Alef
The Alter Rebbe said: The mitzva of ahavat yisrael1 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.

8 Adar Alef
In these days especially, when by G-d's kindness we stand at the threshold of redemption, we must make every conceivable effort to strengthen every facet of our religion. Mitzvot must be observed b'hidur, with "beauty," beyond minimal requirements. Customs must be kept scrupulously, nothing compromised. It is a Mitzva and duty of every Rabbi in Israel to inform his congregation that the current tribulations and agonies are the "birth-pangs of Mashiach." G-d is demanding that we return to Torah and mitzvot, that we not hinder the imminent coming of our righteous Mashiach.

11 Adar Alef
The following is well-known and is a tradition, regarding the kavanot (mystical "intentions") in davening: For those intellectually incapable of meditating on those kavanot (either because they lack knowledge, or because they cannot remember the specific kavanot during prayer) it is sufficient that they keep one general kavana in mind: That his prayer be heard by G-d, with all the kavanot described in the Kabala literature.

13 Adar Alef
Tachanun is not said at Mincha.
My father said: I am certain that when a chassid is in the beit hamidrash1 teaching or reciting a maamar of Chassidus to others, my forebears are filled with joy; and their joy is adequate to provide that Chassid, and his children and children's children, with an abundance of blessing, materially and spiritually.

16 Adar Alef
The Alter Rebbe said: The offerings for the Sanctuary included gold, silver and copper, but nothing sparkled except for the mirrors presented by the women.1 From these mirrors were fashioned the washbasin and its base. These were the last of the Sanctuary articles to be made, but were used at the start of every Sanctuary service (for laving by the kohanim) - for their beginning is implanted in their end.2

21 Adar Alef
The term "chassid" is an ancient one that the Sages had even applied to Adam.1 It describes perfection and excellence in intellect or in emotive character-traits, or in both. However, in Chabad Chassidic doctrine the appelation "Chassid" refers to one who recognizes his own essence-character and his standing in the knowledge and study of Torah, as well as his situation in observing mitzvot. He knows what he lacks and he is concerned and takes pains to fill that void. He is diligent in obedience in the manner of "accepting the yoke."

24 Adar Alef
To R. Hillel Paritcher's question whether to review Chassidus even in towns where the people have no conception of Chassidus, the Mitteler Rebbe responded: "The soul hears words of Chassidus." It is written, "Flowing from Lebanon."1 Lebanon is spelled (in Hebrew) l'b nu'n.2 "Lebanon" thus represents chochma and bina of the soul. When the soul3 hears, from there4 issues a "flow", a "stream of droplets" into that "radiance" or ha'ara of the soul which vitalizes the body;5 this results in a strengthening of "do good" expressed in the 248 positive mitzvot, and of "turn from evil" expressed in the 365 prohibitions.

8 Adar Beis
My father writes in one of his letters: A single act is better than a thousand groans. Our G-d lives, and Torah and mitzvot are eternal; quit the groaning and work hard in actual avoda, and G-d will be gracious to you.

9 Adar Beis
In the b'racha Borei nefashot (p. 95), say al kol ma shebarata, "kol" with a cholam, not a kamatz.
The intense longing to be bound closely1 (to a Rebbe) can be satisfied only by learning maamarim of Chassidus which the Rebbe delivers as oral discourses and writes down; simply seeing him2 is not enough.

12 Adar Beis
The Torah portion dealing with altar offerings begins: "A man who offers (yakriv) of you an offering to G-d."1 The logical order of the words should be, "A man of you2 who offers, etc."
The Alter Rebbe answers:3 "A man who offers" - in order that a man become closer4 to G-d - "of you an offering to G-d" - he must bring the offering of himself. He must sacrifice his personal "animal," the desire for evil that is called the animal soul.5

24 Adar Beis
When saying Ana b'choach (p. 22), look at - or picture in thought - the sheimot (Divine Names) formed by the acronyms1 of the words, but do not pronounce them.

7 Nissan
The Alter Rebbe's family name was Baruchovitch.
The Mitteler Rebbe's family name was Schneuri.
The Tzemach Tzedek's family name was Schneersohn.

15 Nissan
At the first seder my father would be brief,1 in order to eat the afikoman before midnight. On the second night, however, he would expound at length; he began the seder before 9 p.m. and ended at about 3 or 4 in the morning, dwelling at length on the explanation of the Haggada.
The Alter Rebbe declared: The matza of the first evening of Pesach is called the Food of Faith; the matza of the second evening is called the Food of Healing. When healing brings faith ("Thank you, G-d, for healing me") then clearly there has been illness. When faith brings healing, there is no illness to start with.

20 Nissan
One Pesach, Reb Chayim Avraham (the Alter Rebbe's son) went to his brother (the Mitteler Rebbe) to wish him gut yom-tov. Reb Chayim Avraham related on that occasion that the Alter Rebbe had said, "On Pesach one does not offer a guest food and drink, but the guest may help himself."

2 Iyar
My grandfather (the Rebbe Maharash) was born on this day in 5593 (1833).

When he was seven years old he was once tested in his studies by his father, the Tzemach Tzedek. My grandfather did so well in the test that his teacher was enormously impressed. Unable to restrain himself he said to the Tzemach Tzedek, "Well, what do you say? Hasn't he done marvelously?" The Tzemach Tzedek responded: "What is there to be surprised about when tiferet-within-tiferet does well?"

3 Iyar
One should not drink water before havdala.
It is possible to utilize for G-d's service, according to Torah, all behavior-traits. This includes those traits that are unwholesome, and even those that are evil, as their names and descriptions indicate. For example, the tzadik Rabbi Meshulam Zusya of Anipoli, of blessed memory, learned a number of methods of serving G-d - from a thief: a) He works quietly without others knowing. b) He is ready to place himself in danger. c) The smallest detail is of great importance to him. d) He labors with great toil. e) Alacrity. f) He is confident and optimistic. g) If he did not succeed the first time, he tries again and again.

8 Iyar
An emissary is one with his sender. This concept is similar to that of an angel acting as a Divine emissary, when he is actually called by G-d's name. If this is so with an angel it is certainly true1 of the soul; in fact with the soul the quality of this oneness is of a higher order, as explained elsewhere.2
Now chassidim are emissaries of the Rebbe, the Alter Rebbe. So if the chassid actively discharges his mission, he is bound up with his Rebbe, bound up in his entire being - there walks a chassid, there eats a chassid, there sleeps a chassid.

13 Iyar
At Mincha, tachanun is said.
The Alter Rebbe once said (during those years that he would say short maamarim): "Know what is above you."1 Know that everything "above" in the supernal sefirot and partzufim (Divine emanations and configurations), all derives "from you"2; it all depends on man's service.3

15 Iyar
In the days of the Alter Rebbe the Chassidim had a familiar saying: "The piece of bread that I have is yours just as it is mine." And they would say the word "yours" first, "...yours just as it is mine."

1 Sivan
"Throw a stick into the air; it will fall back on ikrei, its root-side."1 Our fathers, the holy Rebbes, bequeathed a boundless heritage to the first chassidim, that their sons' children and their daughters' children throughout the generations, in whatever country and environment they may be, will have that "root" - which is the attraction of their "inwardness of heart" to the rock from which they were hewn. At times this element is covered and concealed in a number of garbs. This, then, is the avoda of whoever desires life - to remove these coverings, to establish for himself periods for the study of Chassidus, and to conduct himself in the manner of the Chassidic community.

6 Sivan
The Baal Shem Tov passed away on Wednesday, the first day of Shavuot, 5520 (1760) and is interred in Mezibuz. The Alter Rebbe Commented (on Wednesday, the 20th of Kislev 5559 (1798) in Petersburg): "On the fourth day the luminaries were taken away."

13 Sivan
The Tzemach Tzedek composed many melodies. He studied Torah aloud and with song. It would happen that he would interrupt his studies, or his writing Chassidus or responsa, and sing some melody.
My grandfather related that from the sound of the Tzemach Tzedek's melody he could tell in what subject he was then occupied.

16 Sivan
The early sages, who were like angels1 (may their merit protect us) have already determined that the healing of the soul is like the healing of the body:

The crucial first step is to identify the location of the illness, whether it is caused by the crassness, grossness and corruption of his physical body or by a failing in his soul-powers, the person being inclined to undersirable traits like arrogance or falsehood and the like. Or, the source of the malady may be habit - inadequate rearing or unwholesome environment having brought on bad habits.
Without ascertaining the specific site of the illness and the cause of infection, it is impossible to embark on a cure. One can only prescribe an orderly proper conduct in all matters, what to do and what to avoid. To "do good"2 in terms of observing mitzvot, designating times for Torah-study and acquiring good character traits - and also to "turn away from evil."3
Most urgent of all, however, is that the patient make himself aware of two things: a) to know that he is ill, and desire most fervently to be cured of his malady; b) to know that he can be cured, with hope and absolute trust that, with G-d's help, he will indeed be cured of his sickness.

21 Sivan
The Alter Rebbe explains (in Tanya chapter 3) that the three faculties of intellect, chochma-bina-da'at, and the seven emotive powers, evolve from the ten supernal Sefirot. All this applies to nefesh, ruach, and neshama (three aspects of the soul) which are enclothed within the body of man. However, mesirat nefesh, the readiness for self-sacrifice for G-d (that a Jew neither desires nor is capable of being - G-d forbid - separated from G-dhood1) comes from the Essence of the En Sof (the Infinite One, may He be blessed) which transcends the Sefirot, the first of which is the Sefira of chochma.2

24 Sivan
"You ask how can you be bound (m'kushar)1 to me when I do not know you personally..."

"...The true bond is created by studying Torah. When you study my maamarim, read the sichot2 and associate with those dear to me - the chassidic community and the tmimim3 - in their studies and farbrengens, and you fulfill my request regarding saying Tehillim* and observing Torah-study times - in this is the bond."

3 Tammuz
My grandfather said: A Jewish groan which, G-d forbid, arises from physical misfortune, is also a great teshuva; how much more so then, is a groan arising from spiritual distress a lofty and effective teshuva. The groan pulls him out of the depths of evil and places him on a firm footing in the realm of good.

4 Tammuz
One single chassid or student who devotes his heart, mind and soul to Torah and to bolstering Torah, effects wonders in a large city, in all that city's affairs - in a manner that transcends the natural order, by the merit of our Patriarchs, "Fathers of the World."

7 Tammuz
My father said: In Chassidus the "beginning is wedged into the end and the end is wedged into the beginning."1 This is the state of igulim, "circles," without beginning or end. Nonetheless, order and system are crucial.
The Baal Shem Tov was systematic and orderly. The Maggid, his successor, insisted on order. And my great-grandfather - the Alter Rebbe - taught chassidim to be orderly. We see this in his maamarim, letters and melodies. Chassidim who had set times to come to the Rebbe in Lyozna - and later to Liadi - were not permitted to change this schedule without permission from the Rebbe.2 Any request for a change had to be justified with a reason.
The Rebbe had a special committee headed by his brother, R. Yehuda Leib, charged with overseeing order among chassidim. Another committee, under the Miteler Rebbe, directed the younger chassidim.

12 Tammuz
Birthday of the Rebbe, R. Yosef Yitzchak, in 5640 (1880).
On this day, in 5687 (1927), he received the good tidings that he was freed from the exile imposed upon him after his arrest and imprisonment for his efforts in strengthening Torah and Judaism.
From a letter of the Rebbe (R. Yosef Yitzchak): During the forthcoming two Days of Liberation 12 and 13 Tamuz, Chassidim are to farbreng, for material and spiritual good and blessing, as instituted by our first father, the Alter Rebbe (may the memory of this holy tzadik be a blessing for life in the Hereafter; his soul rests in the hidden exalted heights; may his merit protect us). During this farbrengen chassidim are to talk to one another in a spirit of brotherhood about strengthening fixed times for Torah study. I send them my blessing that G-d favor them in body and spirit.

13 Tammuz
On this day the Rebbe (R. Yosef Yitzchak) was actually freed.
The imprisonment began at 2:15 a.m. on Wednesday, Sivan 15, 5687 (June 15, 1927). He remained in exile - in the town of Kostrama - until one half-hour past mid-day, Wednesday, Tamuz 13, 5687 (July 13, 1927).
From a letter of the Rebbe to mark the Festival of his Liberation: "I send you a maamar ...which is my participation - for their success - with my beloved friends the chassidim wherever they reside, (which is my way of) being united with you in your farbrengen for the purpose of strengthening the practices of Chassidus, in fixing and observing periods for studying Chassidus and to be stimulated to pragmatically implement those studies...
May our G-d and G-d of our Fathers bless the whole community of chassidim - them, their households, their children and grandchildren among all our brothers the people of Israel (G-d grant them eternal life)1 with all good things of soul and of flesh."

19 Tammuz
A practice of my father's: When travelling, even when spending months in one place, he would recite t'filat haderech, the prayer for travellers (p. 86) daily after davening, omitting G-d's name in the conclusion.

25 Tammuz
There are two characteristic expressions in Chassidus:

(a) A Jew recognizes G-dliness and senses the supra-natural. He needs no proofs for these.
(b) A Jew neither wants nor is able to be sundered from G-dliness.1
The truth is that these two expressions are one and the same: A Jew recognizes G-dliness and senses the higher-than-natural, and that is why he neither wants nor can he be torn away from G-dliness.

1 Av
The unique quality of Mashiach is that he will be humble. Though he will be the ultimate in greatness, for he will teach Torah to the Patriarchs and to Moshe Rabeinu (alav hashalom),1 still he will be the ultimate in humility and self-nullification, for he will also teach simple folk.

8 Av
The Six Remembrances1 are recited every day, including Shabbat, festivals, Rosh Hashana, and Yom Kippur.

From my grandfather's aphorisms: What good is Chassidus and piety if the main quality is lacking - ahavat Yisrael, love of another - even to the extent of causing (G-d forbid) anguish to another!

21 Av
Activism on behalf of the ways of Chassidus means that even when a chassid is in the marketplace, deeply involved in his business, he still thinks about what he can do for chassidic concerns and the welfare of chassidim. When he encounters a business acquaintance among the market people he should seek to persuade him to attend the shi'urim (public study sessions) in Chassidus, or to attend a farbrengen.
Activism on behalf of the ways of Chassidus is a personal obligation, regardless whether one is great or limited in knowledge of Chassidus.

23 Av
In the winter of 5652 (1891-2), when my father taught me in Tanya, "The second soul in Israel is actually part of G-d above,"1 he explained that the connotations of the words "above" and "actually" are contradictory. "Above" indicates the most spiritual of spiritual levels, while "actually"2 describes the most material of material things. He explained that this is the unique quality of the "second soul," that though it is the epitome of the spiritual it has an effect upon the most material of materiality.

28 Av
There are two general approaches in healing a bodily illness: a) To heal the particular organ or faculty that is defective, sick or weak; b) to strengthen the healthy organs and faculties so that they may overcome and heal the sick organ or faculty.
The parallel in illnesses of the soul are the two approaches in service of G-d - teshuva and good deeds.

4 Elul
The order of birchot haTorah:1 With the tallit touch the beginning and ending of the reading, kiss the tallit where it touched the Torah, roll up the Torah, turn your face slightly to the right, say the b'racha, open the Torah and read.
__________
In describing the unique qualities of humankind, four terms are used: Adam refers to the quality of mind and intellect; ish to the quality of heart and emotion; enosh, weakness in either intellect or emotion or both; gever, who overcomes inner weakness and removes obstacles and hindrances to the attainment of an intellectual or emotional quality. I.e. gever works upon enosh to elevate him to the plane of ish or adam.
Since it is possible to turn enosh into ish or adam, it is obvious that enosh already possesses2 the qualities found in ish and adam.

15 Elul
The founding of Yeshivat Tomchei T'mimim was on Sunday, Elul 15, 5657 (1897).
The beginning of studies in Talmud and Chassidus was on Wednesday, Elul 18, 5657 (1897).
On Simchat-Torah-eve, 5659 (1898), after hakafot, my father proclaimed: The name of the Yeshiva is Tomchei T'mimim, and the students who study and conduct themselves in its spirit are to be called t'mimim.

17 Elul
The Alter Rebbe himself was the regular Torah-reader. Once he was away from Lyozna on the Shabbat of parsha Tavo, and the Mitteler Rebbe, then not yet Bar Mitzva, heard the Torah-reading from another. His anguish at the curses in the tochacha (section of admonition) caused him so much heartache, that on Yom Kippur1 the Alter Rebbe doubted whether his son would be able to fast.
When they asked the Mitteler Rebbe - "Don't you hear this parsha every year?"2 - he replied, "When father reads, one hears no curses."

3 Tishrei
The Tzemach Tzedek had yechidus with the Alter Rebbe on Monday of Teitzei, 6 Elul 5564 (1804); the Rebbe told him: "On Shabbat Tavo 5528 (1768), my Rebbe (the Maggid of Mezritch) said a "Torah" beginning V'shavta ad Havayeh Elokecha1 He explained that the avoda of teshuva must attain a level at which Havayeh, transcendent Divinity beyond worlds, becomes Elokecha - Elokim being numerically equivalent to hateva (nature), and as we find, "in the beginning Elokim created the heavens and the earth etc."2 All the Holy Society (disciples of the Maggid) were profoundly stirred by this teaching. The tzadik R. Meshulam Zusya of Anipoli said that he could not attain the heights of such a teshuva; he would therefore break down teshuva to its components, for each letter of the word teshuva is the initial of a verse:

T: Tamim - "Be sincere with the Eternal your G-d."3
Sh: Shiviti - "I have set G-d before me always."4
U: V'ahavta - "Love your fellow as yourself."5
V: B'chol - "In all your ways, know Him."6
H: Hatznei'a - "Walk discreetly with your G-d."7
When my father told me this, he concluded: "The word teshuva comprises five (Hebrew) letters, each letter a path and a method in the avoda of teshuva." (He explained each method at length).8 Each moves from a potential state to actuality through the avoda of davening.9

4 Tishrei
A resume of my father's explanation of the first method (of teshuva, see above):
T: Tamim..., "Be sincere with G-d."1 This represents the avoda of teshuva that comes through sincerity. Sincerity, or "wholeness," takes any number of forms and has many levels. In reference to teshuva the highest form is wholeness of heart - called "earnestness"; as Torah says of Avraham, "you found his heart faithful2 before You."

5 Tishrei
A resume of the second method:

Sh: - Shiviti..., "I have set G-d (Havayeh) before me always."1 Havayeh indicates the creation of the universe and creatures. Bringing all of Creation into being and sustaining it is accomplished by bridging an infinite gap - from ayin (non-being, nihilo) to yesh (being). This form of the avoda (service) of teshuva results from one's constant awareness2 of the way in which the universe and all that is in it, is (constantly) brought into being.

6 Tishrei
A resume of the third method:
U - V'ahavta..., "Love your fellow as yourself."1 The Alter Rebbe taught that this love is an instrument, a means to "Love the Eternal your G-d."2 This is explained in the statement, "Whoever is pleasing to man is pleasing to G-d."3 This service of teshuva stems from goodness of heart.

7 Tishrei
A resume of the fifth method:
H - Hatznei'a..., "Walk discreetly with your G-d,"1. One must take care not to be conspicuous or ostentatious in the slightest. It is said "Man should always be artful in piety."2 The artfulness lies in seeing that his piety not be noticed at all. We know that a number of the early chassidim concealed their true selves, and when discovered were sincerely distressed. This is the avoda of teshuva that comes from hatznei'a lechet, being discreet.

8 Tishrei
Kaparot: B'nei adam until ul'shalom (p. 296) is said three times, rotating (the fowl) three times around the head at each reading, a total of nine rotations.
Until the end of Tishrei no tachanun is said. Malkot: The one administering and the one receiving the "flogging" together recite v'hu rachum three times.
On Erev Yom Kippur the avoda is remorse for the past; on Yom Kippur - resolve for the future.

24 Tishrei
A public farbrengen in general, and on Shabbat or motzo'ei Shabbat1 in particular, is one of the foundations in the ways of chassidim and Chassidus. It is an opening and entry-way to the fundamental Mitzva of ahavat Yisrael.
At the great majority of farbrengens, the principle speakers demand of the participants to improve their conduct and practices, to designate times for the study of Chassidus and keep those times diligently, and that their study be directed to learning and fulfillment.
(The general concept and method of reproving another is well explained in the maamar V'im ruach hamosheil (Kuntres 30).2 Every chassid would do well to learn it thoroughly and take it deeply to heart.)
But this reproving at a farbrengen is only for such matters that will not cause any embarrassment whatsoever. This has been the way since the earliest days - one reproved another with love and deep affection.

25 Tishrei
Ten melodies, some only singular stanzas, are attributed to the Alter Rebbe as having been composed by him.
Those attributed to the Mitteler Rebbe were composed in his time and sung in his presence, but he did not compose them. He had a group of musically-gifted young men known as "the Mitteler Rebbe's kapelle," divided into two groups, vocalists (baalei shir) and musicians who played various instruments (baalei zimra).

1 Cheshvan
At Mincha, and on Monday and Thursday of the approaching week (Lech L'cha), the third aliya ("Yisrael") begins with Vayeira Hashem el Avram etc.
The Rebbe my father told someone at yechidus: Ever since G-d told our father Avraham, "Go from your land etc."1 and it is then written "Avram kept travelling southward,"2 we have the beginning of the mystery of birurim. By decree of Divine Providence man goes about his travels to the place where the "sparks" that he must purify await their redemption.
Tzadikim, who have vision, see where their birurim await them and go there deliberately. As for ordinary folk, The Cause of all causes and the Prime Mover3 brings about various reasons and circumstances that bring these people to that place where lies their obligation to perform the avoda of birurim.

7 Cheshvan
Since Torah was given, the correct sequence1 is: First, removal of the orla2 of the body, then of the tongue, then of the heart - deed, speech, then thought.
Our father Avraham, who lived prior to the giving of the Torah, however, first recognized his Creator - thought; then he disseminated G-dliness - speech; and finally circumcision3 - deed.

8 Cheshvan
Mitzva is an idiom of tzavta - "joining," "attachment." Whoever performs a mitzva becomes joined to the Essence of G-d - may He be blessed - Who issues that particular command. This is the meaning of "The reward of a mitzva is the mitzva (itself)":1 His becoming attached to the Essence of the En Sof Who ordained the command, is itself his reward.
The above can be understood through an analogy from the physical world: An extremely simple person has an inner sense of bitul (nullity) before the wisdom and greatness of a scholar - a bitul in which he senses himself to be an utter nonentity. The sage in turn,2 does not sense or perceive the simpleton as belonging at all to the category of human beings! Not that the scholar dismisses or rejects him, G-d forbid, for that would be an evil trait; he simply sees no connection or relationship with him whatsoever.
Now, when the sage instructs the simple man to do something for him, that command brings the simpleton "into being." In his own self-perception he is no longer a nonentity but a "somebody"; he has assumed a status unto himself in that he is able to carry out an order of the sage, and it is him that the sage addressed and instructed. In the eyes of the sage too, the simpleton now "exists"; he is a "somebody" to whom he (the sage) can speak and instruct. What is more, the command actually unites the lofty, exalted sage with the gross simpleton. The analogue is obvious.
It is understood that in the above analogy there is no difference at all what the command is about, whether a great, lofty matter or a simple trivial one.

9 Cheshvan
When my father was four or five years old he went to his grandfather, the Tzemach Tzedek, on Shabbat Vayeira, and began to cry as he asked, "Why did G-d show Himself to our father Avraham - but He does not show Himself to us?" The Tzemach Tzedek answered him: "When a tzadik decides at the age of ninety-nine years that he should be circumcised, he deserves that G-d appear to him."

27 Cheshvan
R. Aizik Homiler related: When I came to Lyozna I met elder chassidim who had been chassidim of the Maggid and of R. Menachem Mendel of Horodok. They used to say:
Have affection for a fellow-Jew and G-d will have affection for you;
do a kindness for a fellow-Jew and G-d will do a kindness for you;
befriend a fellow-Jew and G-d will befriend you.

29 Cheshvan
We cannot adequately describe the great merit of those who participate in the sacred avoda of saying Tehillim with a minyan, and the great pleasure this avoda causes On High, as discussed in sacred texts and in very tiny part in Kuntres Takanat Amirat Tehillim B'rabim (Koveitz Michtavim 1).1
How fortunate are you Israel, and for this may you all be blessed with proper health and with super-abundant livelihood - you, your wives, your sons and your daughters (G-d grant them eternal life.)2 In your merit may all the congregation of Israel in your communities be helped (among all our Jewish brethren) in all they need, materially and spiritually.

3 Kislev
One difference between the ways of the Baal Shem Tov and of the Maggid1 was that the Baal Shem Tov went on all sorts of journeys, while the Maggid stayed home.
Moreover, when the Maggid was Rebbe, Chassidus was already widely known, even in distant places, because of the extensive journeys of the Holy Society.2 Many average laymen had thus become devoted to Chassidus and used to make pilgrimages to Mezritch.

5 Kislev
"A ladder was standing on the ground.1" Prayer is the ladder that connects souls and G-dhood. And although it stands "...on the ground," the start of davening being no more than acknowledgement, yet "its top2 reaches the Heavens"3 - a state of total bitul, self-nullification. But one reaches this level through the prior attainment of comprehension and understanding4 inherent in p'sukei d'zimra,5 in the b'rachot of sh'ma and in sh'ma proper.

Maamer - Kymei Tzeischa

Yud Alef Nissan – Kiymei Tzeitscha Me’eretz Mitzrayim Erenu Niflaos
Talking about how geula asida is like geulas mitzrayim

Alef:
Q: Why does it say kYMEI – lashon rabim – didn’t yetzias mitzrayim only happy in one day? When we remember yetzias mitzrayim it always says ‘es yom tzeischa’.
Q2: There’s no comparison between them! The geula will be nitzchi, it’ll be much greater & higher miracles (some say that we won’t even mention yetzias mitzrayim anymore- we need a proof that you do say it) how can we compare them? It’s as if we’re saying the mayla of the geula asida is that its like yetzias mitzrayim!
Q3: It’s worded like yetzias mitzrayim is the source of the miracles of the geula asida – which would seem like geulas mitzrayim has a mayla over the geula haasida. How can that be?

Beis: There are actually 2 peirushim on this:
1. the miracles of the geula asida will be similar to the miracles of yetzias mitzrayim
2. the miracles of the geula asida will be great EVEN compared to the miracles of yetzias mitzrayim. There WILL be a huge mayla.

Niflaos = nun peleh =
Nun peleh – moshe couldn’t reach the 50th’ shaarei binah – why he was buried in har navo – nun bo

bnei yisroel had to get out of mitzrayim because they were on the 49th level of tumah – Hashem had to ‘grab’ them out – then they had to work up one step at a time – 49 days of sefira
this was through bringing down the 50 gates of binah – we see that yetzias mitzrayim is mentioned 50 times in Torah. In the nun shaarie binah there are different levels – a lower level is how the nun shaarie binah how it’s brought down in malchus.
Higher is the nun shaarie binah in their place – in binah
Even higher is as they are included in the 50th gate – in kesser – in atik
That’s why the miracles of the geula asida will be miraculous even compared to the miracles of yetzias mitzrayim – yetzias mitzrayim was the gates of binah as theyre drawn through malchus. In the future it’ll be how they’re found in kesser – in atik – in pnimius atik.
All hamshachos now are just from chitzonius atik – the highest we could get – in the future we’ll get from pnimius atik.
Nevertheless the pasuk compares the miracles of the future to the miracles of yetzias mitzrayim – we say that Hashem revealed Himself to them ‘bichvodo uv’atzmo’ – but even that great revelation was through malchus – at the time of moshiach it’ll be revealed without any levush

Gimmel: So back to our question – how do they compare, if the future will come from such a greater level?
Why will we still mention yetzias mitzrayim when moshiach comes? Because that was the first geula and opened the tzinor for geula in the world.
We know that Yetzias Mitzrayim was the hachana for matan torah. They didn’t have complete freedom until matan torah. But when they left mitzrayim they got the strength to get to matan torah.
Similarly, this is with the future geula. Yetzias Mitzrayim gives us power for the geula ha’asida. Matan torah was a part of the giluy of the future – but it was only temporary – the world didn’t retain that revelation. Har Sinai wasn’t kadosh, etc. By moshiach the revelation will not just be from above to below, but it’ll also be from below because creation will be completely purified and will be able to accept the giluy.
Yetzias mitzrayim was the idea of iskafya – they still had the bad and had to run away from it ‘ki barach ha’am’ – but when moshiach comes it’s the idea of ishapcha – we’ll be transformed so we won’t have the bad, finished avodas babirurim. BUT there is a great mayla to iskafya as well.

Daled: it’s in lashon rabim because every day until moshiach comes we are going out of mitzrayim. It says that every day we have to remember yetzias mitzrayim – and live it every day by going out of boundaries every day – especially at the time of krias shema, like the alter rebbe says that krias shema and yetzias mitzrayim are the same idea. And even at maariv, there’s a question why do we mention tzitzis at night if there’s no obligation then? Because that ÷whole paragraph speaks about yetzias mitzrayim, and we have to have that all the time. Every day we out of boundaries on a higher level, and this ÷brings to the future geula which is the true idea of ‘paratzta’ – like we see about moshiach it says ‘alah haporetz lifnayhem’, and that is ben dovid – (and has to fight the wars of Hashem like dovid) and dovid is a descendant peretz (called peretz because peretz was supposed to be born 2nd but he broke through and was born first).

we're not responsible for Hey inside but you should go over the sheet we did

Vov: Even though ishapcha is usually higher than iskafya, there’s still a mayla of iskafya. Like it says in Tanya that iskafya makes a great elevation above.
Mashal: a king who sends out all the treasures to win the war – treasures that are usually guarded and not used.
Nimshal: Hashem gives us great treasures in order to win the war against our yetzer hara – iskafya – and this treasure is given to the simple people in an unlimited way.
Based on this we can understand why we’ll still mention yetzias mitzrayim during geula -
this idea of bringing down the otzer is specifically in order to be victorious in the war – but in the future there will be no war, so therefore we’ll mention yetzias mitzrayim so we also have this mayla of iskafya. Just from mentioning it we’ll bring down great otzros, and then it will be complete giluy.

Zayin: in the future geula we’ll have both maylos – the mayla of iskafya (kiymei tzeischa) and ishapcha (erenu niflaos) – through our avoda in golus in the way of mesiras nefesh in an unlimited way (and specifically during golus & right before moshiach there ARE more challenges) – we even have this huge challenge not to be embarrassed from people that mock you – and yet we still do mitzvos and even the lowest people are filled with mitzvos like a pomegranate. Through these very people who overcome the challenges we’ll leave golus – with this rechush gadol. This adds speed to the achishena in a way that we’ll fly with clouds that right now we should have geula!!!! Since the geula comes THROUGH our avoda during golus and especially the last days of golus, that’s why we’ll have the mayla of iskafya – the whole geula is built on iskafya. We’ll also have the erenu niflaos, even compared to the miracles of yetzias mitzrayim – all the great giluyim happened at the sea – still some concealment because the sea is the idea of concealment. Their giluyim were the idea of iskafya – it was pushed on them from above, the people themselves weren’t transformed and ready – but geula shlaima we will be transformed and ready to accept those giluyim. Yetzias mitzrayim didn’t come from the avoda below, but geula is a RESULT of our avoda.