🔊 Listen to today's Chitas!

Click here to sponsor a day of Chitas!

 
70dad1ac-d962-49b2-ac0e-d0bafaebb537.png

CHUMASH

Parshas Vayeira - Revi'i with Rashi

A lot of things happen in today’s Chumash! First we learn how Sedom is destroyed and what happens to Lot after he is saved. Avraham needs to move again, and again Sarah is captured. At the end of today’s Chumash, Sarah and Avraham finally have a baby, Yitzchak, the second of our Avos!

Lot was running away from Sedom, which was going to be destroyed! The malach agreed that Lot could run to Bela, the fifth, smaller city. Since it was a newer city, only 50 years old, not as many aveiros had been done there. The malach said Hashem wouldn’t destroy the city as a favor to Lot. “But hurry!”

Lot ran to Bela, which would be called Tzo’ar, small, from now on. It got this new name because it was saved because it had a smaller amount of aveiros. Lot arrived in Tzo’ar in the morning.

Hashem made rain pour down on Sedom and Amorah. At first it was regular rain, in case the people living there would still do teshuvah. When they didn’t, Hashem poured down fiery rain. Then Hashem picked up the whole ground and turned the cities upside down!

Lot’s wife wanted to see what was happening, and she looked back. She was punished for looking when she was told not to, by becoming a pillar of salt. This specific punishment was Midah Keneged Mida — the TYPE of punishment matched her aveira — because she didn’t want to give salt to her guests.

~

The Torah tells us what Avraham was doing at this time:

Avraham woke up in the morning to daven Shacharis. (Avraham Avinu was the one who started the idea of davening Shacharis, and we still daven his tefillah until today!) When he woke up, he saw smoke coming from the place where Sedom and Amorah used to be.

~

Now we go back to Lot:

Even though Lot had permission to live in Tzo’ar, he was afraid because it was so close to Sodom. So he ran away to a cave. Hashem made that there was wine in the cave. Lot’s daughters were afraid that not just Sedom was destroyed, but the whole world was destroyed, like at the time of the Mabul! They realized that if they didn’t have children, then the world would be left without any people. So they decided to fool their father into getting married to them so they could have children. They got him drunk, and when he was drunk they acted as if they were married to him.

They both had babies, Moav and Ben-Ami. (The nation of Ammon came from Ben-Ami.)

~

After the cities were destroyed, there weren’t a lot of guests coming to Chevron anymore. Avraham decided to move closer to people, and he traveled until he was near the city of Gerar.

Just like in Mitzrayim, the people of Gerar asked about Sarah. Avraham said (like last time) that she was his sister. The king of Gerar, Avimelech, sent messengers to bring Sarah to him. But when he came close to Sarah, a malach wouldn’t let him touch her, and made Avimelech very sick.

Hashem came to Avimelech in a dream and told him that he would die because he tried to take Sarah. Avimelech said “It’s not my fault! I thought she was Avraham’s sister!” Hashem told him to give Sarah back, and Avraham would daven for him.

So Avimelech gave Sarah back, but was very upset at Avraham. Avraham explained that by asking if Sarah is his wife or his sister he right away knew that they have no Yiras Shomayim. That kind of question SHOWS that a person doesn’t want to act properly! So to save his life, he had to say she was his sister.

Avimelech realized that Avraham was right, and gave him a lot of presents because he was sorry. Avraham davened for Avimelech, and he was cured of his sickness.

But before listening to Avraham’s tefilos and making AVIMELECH feel better, Hashem had already remembered what AVRAHAM needed for himself — a baby! So Hashem made Sarah become pregnant. (From here we learn that if we daven for another person, Hashem will answer us first!)

On Pesach, the next year, Sarah had a baby boy! Hashem made Yitzchak look EXACTLY like Avraham, so that nobody could think that there was a different Tatty.

Avraham named him Yitzchak, as Hashem told him to, and gave him a bris when he was 8 days old.

 
5bafef1b-215f-4cfc-8300-88a68421ae5e.png

TEHILLIM

77 - 78

Kapitel Ayin-Ches reviews all of the Nissim that Hashem did for the Yidden, starting from Yetzias Mitzrayim, until He made Dovid Hamelech the king over the Yidden!

One of the pesukim in this kapitel is “Vayikatz Keyashen Hashem” — Dovid Hamelech asks Hashem to wake up!

What does this mean? Does Hashem sleep?!

Chassidus explains (in the Bar Mitzvah maamar) that during Golus, the chayus that the world feels is like the chayus a person feels when he is sleeping. When someone is asleep, the neshama goes up to Shomayim and the person can only have dreams, and not think about things that make sense. The world doesn’t feel most of the chayus of Hashem, it only feels the little bit of chayus, like enough to make a person dream.

So we ask Hashem to bring Moshiach, when everyone can see and feel the chayus of Hashem in the world like a person who is awake! We want Hashem’s chayus to be revealed and strong. When we learn Torah and do mitzvos, we make this happen and bring the Geulah closer!

 
037aa44b-1c33-419d-a277-d7c77f06ce9a.png

TANYA

Igeres Hakodesh Siman Chof-Zayin

After the histalkus of a tzadik or a Rebbe, a part of the neshama of the Rebbe can come inside of each one of the Chassidim! If a chossid works hard to learn the Rebbe’s Torah and follow the Rebbe’s horaos, he gets this special koach.

With the extra koach from the tzadik’s neshama, it is easier to live the way the Rebbe taught! With this koach, the chassidim can really understand the things the Rebbe said, because part of the Rebbe becomes a part of them in a way of Pnimius!

Besides for that, there’s ANOTHER special koach that the Chassidim get after the histalkus of a Rebbe: A part of the neshama of the Tzadik that comes in a way of Makif, and doesn’t become a part of us in a way we can understand. This koach brings in thoughts that help us do teshuvah and do mitzvos in a more beautiful way.

 
b42fcb5b-5fe3-4e74-ab78-350fad9544ae.png

HAYOM YOM

Tes-Vov Mar-Cheshvan

Up in Shomayim, neshamos are waiting for their turn to be born. Why are they so excited to be born? Because they know how much a neshama can do in this world!

Now that our neshamos are already here in this world, the time they were so excited for, it’s time to start doing it! What are we waiting for?

 
781f9885-f711-422d-b86a-13a300028852.png

SEFER HAMITZVOS

Shiur #100 - Mitzvas Lo Saasei #193, #153, #194, Asei #146

Today we are finishing the mitzvos about non-kosher food! We are also going to start learning the mitzvos of Shechitah. First we learn a few last mitzvos about food we aren’t allowed to eat:

1) (Mitzvas Lo Saasei #193) We are not allowed to eat vegetables or grain that grew in a vineyard (where you grow grapes). This is called Kilai Hakerem.

We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Ki Seitzei: פֶּן תִּקְדַּשׁ הַמְלֵאָה הַזֶּרַע

The details are explained in Mesechta Kilayim.

2) (Mitzvas Lo Saasei #153) We are not allowed to eat food before the Terumos and Maasros (presents to the Kohanim, Leviim, and poor people) are given. This is called Tevel.

We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Emor: וְלֹא יְחַלְּלוּ אֶת קָדְשֵׁי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵת אֲשֶׁר יָרִימוּ לַה׳

The details are explained in many places in Mesechta Demai, Mesechta Terumos, and Mesechta Maasros.

3) (Mitzvas Lo Saasei #194) We are not allowed to drink wine that was used for Avodah Zarah, called Yayin Nesech.

We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Haazinu: אֲשֶׁר חֵלֶב זְבָחֵימוֹ יֹאכֵלוּ יִשְׁתּוּ יֵין נְסִיכָם

The details are explained in the last perakim of Mesechta Avodah Zarah.

We also learn a mitzvah from our new set of halachos:

4) (Mitzvas Asei #146) We need to shecht an animal before we can eat it.

We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Re’eh: וְזָבַחְתָּ מִבְּקָרְךָ וּמִצֹּאנְךָ וְגוֹ׳ כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִךָ

The details are explained in Mesechta Chulin.

 
c74a2058-ec63-4c5a-9fa6-ed357d262a3f.png

RAMBAM

Hilchos Maachalos Asuros - Shechitah

Today we learn the last perek of Hilchos Maachalos Asuros, perek Yud-Zayin, and the first two perakim of Hilchos Shechitah. In today’s first perek, the Rambam tells us about MANY important inyanim we need to know about kashrus! Here are some of them:

- Ben Yomo — if a pot was used on that same day to cook non-kosher food
- Toiveling dishes
- We don’t need to kasher a dish only used for cold non-kosher food
- Kashering pots and dishes that were used for non-kosher hot food (hagalah)
- The special halachos of kashering knives
- Bishul Akum (food cooked by a non-Jew)
- Pas Akum (bread baked by a non-Jew)
- Aino Oleh Al Shulchan Melachim — food that a king wouldn’t serve at his table doesn’t need to be Bishul Yisroel

We also learn about the issur of “Bal Teshaktzu,” not doing things that are disgusting, like eating from dirty dishes. This issur also includes that if a person needs to go to the bathroom, he HAS to take care of it right away!

The Rambam finishes this set of halachos by reminding us that these things are what make us holy, to be like Hashem!

Now we start learning the halachos about shechting animals.

One halacha is that the knife used for shechting has to be sharp and smooth! The shochet checks his knife before he shechts, to make sure that it didn’t get a nick in it since the last time he shechted.

 
c74a2058-ec63-4c5a-9fa6-ed357d262a3f.png

RAMBAM PEREK ECHOD

Hilchos Rotzeiach U'Shmiras HaNefesh - Perek Hey

In today’s Rambam, we learn about a person who kills by mistake. We learn the halachos about when a person would need to go to an Ir Miklat. For a kohen, the top of the Mizbeiach is also a safe place, just like an Ir Miklat!

 
2d0138b3-2f42-4850-9e91-db0057bde3f5.png

INYANA D'YOMA

Avodah

How can we win over our Yetzer Hara? What if the Yetzer Hara doesn’t want us to do what we are supposed to? Are there any tricks to help us win?

If you know the sixth posuk of the Twelve Pesukim by heart (Vehinei), you have a good chance!

Even though Hashem made the malochim and so many great Ruchnius “worlds” and such a beautiful Gashmius world that we live in, still Hashem is able to (and does!) put all of that aside and thinks about each one and wants to see that we are acting like He wants.

When we think about this posuk, any time our Yetzer Hara might come up with a trick to get us in trouble, we will remember that what we decide to do is so important to Hashem. That way we will for sure win!

There was a Chossid of the Alter Rebbe, R’ Mottel, whose gaavah made him a Chossid.

WHAT? Don’t we say that gaavah (pride) is a bad midah? How could that make him a chossid?

R’ Mottel had a Yetzer Hara, which would sometimes give him ideas of what to do. It would say, “Mottel! Do an aveira!”

R’ Mottel would respond with pride and shock. “ME?! I am a chossid of the Alter Rebbe, a gvir and a lamdan! You want ME to do an aveira?!?”

When we think about the fact that Hashem puts everything aside to see what we are going to do, and that the whole world depends on our mitzvos, we will have the pride to answer our own Yetzer Haras too: “ME?!? Hashem HIMSELF is watching me, and the WHOLE WORLD depends on what I choose! You want ME to do an aveira?!”

See also sicha of Simchas Beis Hashoeiva 5715

 

▼ Jump to Coloring Books & Downloads ▼

 
f95ddc3e-2307-48f8-a76f-754d141db332.png

TEFILLAH

Yishtabach

At the beginning of Pesukei Dezimra, we said the bracha of Boruch She’amar. Then we say the kapitelach of Tehillim and pesukim of Pesukei Dezimra. We end off with the bracha of Yishtabach, which praises Hashem using many different expressions.

In some seforim, it says that the first part of Yishtabach was written by Shlomo Hamelech. This is hinted to in the worlds “Shimcha La’ad Malkeinu HoKeil,” which has the Roshei Teivos of Shlomo!

Some seforim also bring that the end of Yishtabach was written by Avraham Avinu. We can see this hinted in the Roshei Teivos of the last phrases of Yishtabach. Starting with the words “Keil Ha’hodaos,” the phrases spell out the name of Avraham Avinu! (Can you find it?)

 
548e317f-62f8-4b77-a809-78f2f54a6eae.png

HALACHOS HATZRICHOS

Kibud Av Va'em

When my parents are asleep,
I won’t play a noisy game.
I will not scream or shout —
That’s part of Kibud Av Va’eim!

Part of the mitzvah of Kibud Av Va’eim is not to wake up our parents when they are sleeping. We can’t wake them up even when we will miss out on something by letting them sleep!

BUT, if our PARENT will miss out on something by sleeping, we ARE allowed to wake them up! Since we know it will make them happy to be woken up, we can do it.

We are also allowed to wake up our parents so they don’t miss doing a mitzvah — because that shows kavod for Hashem!

Shmiras Mitzvas Hayom p. 270

לעילוי נשמת הרה״ח ר׳ דניאל יצחק ע״ה בן ר׳ אפרים שי׳ מאסקאוויץ
שליח כ"ק אדמו"ר נשיא דורנו למדינת אילינוי

 
bb1bf02c-b765-412e-987c-1b80a6b4fabb.png

GEULAH U'MOSHIACH

Not Losing Anything

Some people think that when Moshiach comes, they going to have to give away all of the good things they have in the time of Golus. That makes them not want Moshiach chas veshalom! They think that when Moshiach comes, they won’t be able to play games anymore, they’ll just have to go to school and learn Torah all day.

The Rebbe told us something very interesting: The word “Geulah” has all of the letters of the word “Golah,” which means Golus, with just one extra letter (an alef)! Isn’t that strange? Shouldn’t Geulah have NOTHING to do with Golus?

There are two reasons why Golus and Geulah are so connected:

1) It is our Torah and mitzvos that BRING the Geulah. So Geulah is the letters of Golah, since Moshiach comes from the mitzvos we did in Golus!

2) Geulah isn’t changing into something new — most of the things we have in Golus will stay the same. We will have the same Gashmius things: Food, clothes, playgrounds, friends, amusement parks and iPods. So what’s the difference? It’s all hinted to in the alef!

Can you think of what this means? Later we will IY”H learn more about the Alef of Geulah!

See sicha of Parshas Emor 5751

 
Coloring Pages and Text Downloads
Booklet Format
Yiddish | Hebrew (A4) | English | Français (A4)
Individual Page Format
Yiddish | Hebrew (A4) | English | Français (A4)
Printable Chitas Summary Text
English | Hebrew (A4)
Glossary
English

לע"נ התינוק זאב ארי' ע"ה בן יבלט"א הרה"ח ר' שניאור זלמן שי' גליק
נפטר ב' מנחם אב ה'תשע"ג

 
Give children around the world the gift of Kids Chitas!
KidsChitas.org/sponsor