| |
|
|
Today we learn about Pesach — and Pesach Sheini!
The Mishkan was put up on Rosh Chodesh Nissan. Hashem told Moshe to tell the Yidden to bring a Korban on Erev Pesach. Even though Moshe told them about this before, he reviewed it with them again when they actually had to bring the korban!
On Erev Pesach, the Yidden did exactly what Hashem asked, and brought the Korban Pesach.
But not ALL the Yidden. Some Yidden were tamei and couldn’t bring the Korban. They were very disappointed! They tried to give a reason to Moshe that they could bring the Korban Pesach even though they were tamei. “Lama Nigara?” they asked. “Why should we be left out? We also want to bring the Korban Pesach!”
Moshe asked Hashem what he should do.
Hashem told Moshe that these Yidden were wrong, they CAN’T bring a Korban Pesach when they are tamei. But they CAN still bring one later!
One month after Erev Pesach, on Yud-Daled Iyar, anyone who didn’t have a chance before can bring the Korban Pesach. They still need to keep the same halachos, eating it with matzah and not leaving any over until the morning. The only difference is that they are allowed to have chometz, and to do melacha on Pesaach Sheini.
The Torah warns us not to say “I’ll bring the korban later”. If we CAN bring the Korban Pesach on time, it is an aveira to push it off until Pesach Sheini on purpose.
A Ger who became a Yid after Pesach doesn’t bring the Korban on Pesach Sheini — he didn’t “miss” the Korban! He should bring it next year on Erev Pesach like everyone else.
|
| |
|
|
In Kapitel Ayin-Ches, which is in today’s Tehillim, there is a posuk that says “Vayakem Eidus BeYaakov, VeSora Sam BeYisroel” — “Hashem set up the Torah and Mitzvos for Yaakov and Yisroel.” This kapitel tells us why — so that the Torah will be passed on forever.
Chassidus teaches us that each of the Avos has something different and special about them, and they pass that on to all of the Yidden.
Even though it was before Matan Torah, ALL of the Avos learned Torah. But we see that learning Torah was even stronger by Yaakov Avinu! Yaakov was called an “Ish Tam, Yosheiv Ohalim.” He spent a lot of time learning Torah, especially in the tents of Shem and Ever. Yaakov Avinu passed this on to his children and to all children who would come from them — all of the Yidden! We all get this koach of learning a lot of Torah from Yaakov Avinu.
|
| |
|
TANYA
Shaar Hayichud Veha'emunah Perek Hey
|
|
From when Hashem made the world, He hides Himself in it. But Hashem saw that the world needs to be able to SEE Hashem at least a little bit!
That’s why Hashem gave us Tzadikim! Through their Avodas Hashem, including the miracles that they do, we can all see Hashem in the world! When we look at a neis like Kriyas Yam Suf, or Yud-Beis Tammuz, we can all see that Hashem is right here in the world.
Yesterday, we learned that Hashem has two names, for the two ways He acts: Hashem (when we can SEE Him) and Elokim (the way Hashem hides in the world). Today the Alter Rebbe makes sure we understand that these are just two names — it’s all the same Hashem! Hashem is ONE!
Still, Hashem made it that we shouldn’t be able to see this when we’re in Olam Hazeh, so that we can get a schar for choosing to learn Torah and do mitzvos in this world. Even big tzadikim will only get to SEE how these two names of Hashem are one, when they are getting their reward in Gan Eden!
|
| |
|
|
In today’s Hayom Yom, we learn how the Alter Rebbe’s Chassidus grew over time.
At first, the Alter Rebbe used to say VERY SHORT Chassidus. Later on, his maamarim got longer and longer! The different kinds of maamarim had different names:
1) Derachim — these were VERY short but VERY powerful words! When someone heard them, they got very excited about being the way a Yid should be!
2) Igros — These were a little bit longer.
3) Toros — These were even longer maamarim! The maamarim that were later printed in Torah Ohr and Likutei Torah were based on these Toros.
4) Kesovim — These were even LONGER, and the Alter Rebbe explained the inyonim more.
|
| |
|
|
Today’s mitzvah (Mitzvas Asei #241) is that if someone sets a fire, he is responsible to pay for anything the fire burns.
|
| |
|
|
In today’s Rambam, we learn about what to do if an animal causes damage.
Perek Tes explains how much the owner needs to pay when his animal hurt an animal that was pregnant, two separate animals, or an animal that belongs to two people!
Perek Yud teaches us that an animal who kills a person needs to be killed. If the animal was mu’ad (we could expect that it would do it) then the owner also needs to pay a fine.
Perek Yud-Alef explains how we figure out how much the fine should be. We also learn the halachos about what happens if the animal that was supposed to get killed gets mixed up with other animals, or if it is pregnant.
|
| |
|
|
Today we start learning a new set of halachos, about the mitzvos of Yibum and Chalitzah.
In the first perek, we learn when the mitzvah of Yibum or Chalitzah need to be done.
|
| |
|
|
Sometimes Hashem makes things happen to us that we don’t like. They might be uncomfortable, sad, or just plain hard! It feels “dark” and frustrating.
Chassidus tells us that Hashem does this because He wants us to take this “darkness” and turn it into “light”: We should use this hard thing to help us grow and bring more good into the world.
This is what we learn from Tes-Vov Sivan. Tes-Vov Sivan was when the Frierdiker Rebbe was put into jail. At that time it was very scary. But when the Frierdiker Rebbe came out of jail on Yud-Beis Tammuz, the Frierdiker Rebbe started to spread Yiddishkeit on a new level — much more than before!
Then we were able to see that Tes-Vov Sivan was a good thing — it started off all the good that came later. It was dark, but from that darkness came a much greater light.
|
| |
|
▼ Jump to Coloring Books & Downloads ▼
|
| |
|
|
During davening, we are not allowed to hold anything that will distract us from davening properly. For example, we can’t hold money or food, since we’ll be thinking about those things and not the words we are saying!
Based on this, we need to make sure our cellphones don’t bother us during davening! Of course we should make sure the ringer is off (which could bother other people), but we shouldn’t put it on vibrate, since that will disturb us from davening. We should make sure the phone is completely quiet, so that we will be able to focus completely on our davening!
By following the way Hashem wants us to act, we can be sure that we won’t miss out on anything!
See Piskei Teshuvos vol. 1, p. 750
|
| |
|
|
Did you ever go on a long car trip?
Before we leave, our parents tell us to go to the bathroom. They don’t want to have to stop in the middle of driving!
According to halacha, it’s best not to stop in the middle of davening, either. Starting from Boruch She’amar, we should try to daven the whole thing without any interruptions.
Because of this, one of the ways we prepare for davening is by going to the bathroom before if we need to. We want to be able to daven the entire thing without needing to stop.
See the Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch, siman tzadik-beis
|
|
לעילוי נשמת הרה״ח ר׳ דניאל יצחק ע״ה בן ר׳ אפרים שי׳ מאסקאוויץ
שליח כ"ק אדמו"ר נשיא דורנו למדינת אילינוי
|
| |
|
|
Right now, the Golus feels REALLY long. But when Moshiach comes, we will see how short it really was!
The Navi Yeshaya tells us about this in one of his nevuos about Moshiach:
בְּרֶגַע קָטֹן עֲזַבְתִּיךְ וּבְרַחֲמִים גְּדֹלִים אֲקַבְּצֵךְ
BeRega Katon Azavtich — Hashem says, “I have left you for a small moment
Uv’Rachamim Gedolim Akabtzeich — And I will gather you back with much Rachamim!”
Once we feel Hashem’s tremendous Rachmonus when He gathers us together in the time of the Geulah, we will realize that the time Hashem left us in Golus was only a Rega Katon, a short moment.
See Navi Yeshaya perek Nun-Daled posuk Yud-Gimmel, Otzar Pisgomei Chabad p. 412
|
| |
