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CHUMASH
Parshas Mikeitz - Shishi with Rashi
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In today’s Chumash, we start to learn what happens after the Shevatim bring Benyamin to Mitzrayim.
When Yosef first saw Benyamin with the rest of the Shevatim, he told his head servant to go shecht some animals and invite the brothers to come eat the first meal of the day with him.
Yosef’s head servant brought the brothers into Yosef’s house. Since usually Yosef did not invite people who came to get food to his house, they were afraid they were going to be punished. They thought that now they would be blamed that they stole the money that was found in their bags, and they would all be taken as slaves.
They went out and spoke to the head servant and said, “We came to buy food and we found that our money was in our bags when we left! We don’t know who put it there! We brought back the money, and we brought other money to buy the food.”
The head servant said, “Don’t worry, Hashem gave you that money as a present. Maybe it was a reward for something good that you did, or something your father did. The money you paid for food last time we already got.”
The head servant then brought Shimon out of jail, and let him join his brothers. Shimon told them how he had been treated well.
The brothers weren’t so afraid anymore. The servant brought them back in, and gave them water to wash their feet and food for their donkeys. Since they knew Yosef would soon be coming to eat with them, they set up their present in fancy bowls.
When Yosef came home, they showed him the present and bowed down in front of him.
Yosef asked them, “How is your father? Is he alive?”
They answered, “Yes, our father is alive,” and bowed down again.
Yosef looked up and saw his brother Benyamin, and asked “is this the youngest brother you told me about?” Then he told Benyamin, “Hashem should be kind to you!”
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Today’s kapitelach are Kuf-Mem to Kuf-Mem-Daled.
One of the most important jobs for a soldier in Tzivos Hashem is to win over our Yetzer Hara.
But that can be so hard! Our Yetzer Hara is sneaky and tricky and convinces us to do the wrong thing!
In today’s Tehillim, we see one of the best ways of dealing with our Yetzer Hara!
Dovid Hamelech says, in Kapitel Kuf-Mem: “Chaltzeini Hashem Me’Adam Ra!” “Hashem, save me from a not-good person!”
What not-good person are we talking about? One meaning is the Yetzer Hara himself!
When we are having trouble with our Yetzer Hara, we shouldn’t forget to ask Hashem to help us! Of course Hashem will help us, and we will be able to do our job well!
See rally for children, 5th night of Chanukah 5747
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TANYA
Likutei Amarim Perek Daled
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In today’s Tanya, we will learn how the neshama has such a special way to become one with Hashem, through learning Torah and doing mitzvos! We will see that the STRONGEST way to become one with Hashem is through learning Torah.
We learned that Hashem gave the neshama the Levushim, which it can use for learning Torah and doing mitzvos, which connect a Yid, together with all of his kochos, with Hashem!
This helps us understand the Mishnah in Pirkei Avos, which tells us how important it is to grab every chance to do a mitzvah: The Mishnah says that one chance to do a mitzvah in this world is better than EVERYTHING a neshama can get in Olam Haba!
We now understand this Mishnah, because we know how a mitzvah makes us one with Hashem, and a mitzvah can only be done here, in Olam Hazeh!
But aren’t the mitzvos all in Gashmius? How can we say it’s so close to Hashem?
It’s true that the mitzvos are wearing “clothes” of Gashmius, but that doesn’t make a difference! We can understand why with a mashal:
Let’s say someone wants to hug another person. It doesn’t matter if that person is wearing a shirt, or a coat, or a sweater! The main thing is the hug, it doesn’t matter how many layers that person is wearing. You won’t say, “I just hugged my friend’s sweater!” You know that you hugged your friend!
When we do a mitzvah, it’s like a hug with Hashem! The gashmius things we use to do the mitzvah are like Hashem’s “clothes.” So even though Hashem is “wearing” all of these “clothes,” when we do mitzvos, we are still hugging Hashem!
And not only that, Hashem is hugging us too! (We know this from a posuk, “Viyemincha Techabkeini” — Hashem’s right hand, which Chassidus teaches means Torah, hugs us!) IY”H we will learn more about the special connection we have with Hashem through learning Torah in the next perek!
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We learned yesterday about the “Latkes Ovent” which the Rebbeim made. The Rebbe learns from there that it is important to make gatherings for children, and to speak there about the nissim of Chanukah! In today’s Hayom Yom, we learn (in very short) about the neis of Chanukah.
The Yidden in the time of the Greeks did many aveiros. They spent a lot of time with the Greeks, learning all about how they did things, not keeping Shabbos or Yom Tov, not eating kosher, and not keeping Taharas Hamishpacha.
The punishment for this was that Hashem made the Beis Hamikdash become full of tumah and idols, and many Yidden died or became slaves.
But because the Yidden did teshuvah and had Mesiras Nefesh, Hashem made the neis of Chanukah!
Today’s Hayom Yom was a summary of the story of Chanukah, which the Frierdiker Rebbe said during a Purim Farbrengen in Tof-Shin-Alef, where he spoke at length about the stories of Purim and Chanukah, and horaos we learn from them. You can see the longer version of the story, in the words of the Frierdiker Rebbe, here (translated into English; see sections 2–5)
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SEFER HAMITZVOS
Shiur #144 - Mitzvas Lo Saasei #223, Asei #134, #141, Lo Saasei #230, #231
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Today we learn 5 more mitzvos about Shemitah:
1) (Mitzvas Lo Saasei #223) We are not allowed to gather grapes that grow during Shemitah. They can be picked and eaten, but not gathered like usual.
We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Behar: וְאֶת עִנְּבֵי נְזִירֶךָ לֹא תִבְצֹר
The details are explained in Mesechta Shevi’is.
2) (Mitzvas Asei #134) We need to make all of the fruit that grows in Shemitah “hefker,” so anyone can take it. Making something Hefker means saying that it doesn’t belong to anyone, so any person can take it without permission.
We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Mishpatim: וְהַשְּׁבִיעִת תִּשְׁמְטֶנָּה וּנְטַשְׁתָּהּ וְגוֹ׳
The details are explained in Mesechta Shevi’is.
3) (Mitzvas Asei #141) In a Shemitah year, we should forgive any money that a Yid owes us.
We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Re’eh: וַאֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה לְךָ אֶת אָחִיךָ תַּשְׁמֵט יָדֶךָ
The details are explained in the last perek of Mesechta Shevi’is.
4) (Mitzvas Lo Saasei #230) We are not allowed to ask someone to pay us back money after a Shemitah year passes.
We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Re’eh: שָׁמוֹט כָּל בַּעַל מַשֵּׁה יָדוֹ אֲשֶׁר יַשֶּׁה בְּרֵעֵהוּ לֹא יִגֹּשׂ אֶת רֵעֵהוּ וְאֶת אָחִיו
The details are explained in the end of Mesechta Shevi’is.
5) (Mitzvas Lo Saasei #231) It is asur to not lend money to a Yid before Shemitah, even if we are afraid that we will lose money if they don’t pay us back before Shemitah.
We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Re’eh: הִשָּׁמֶר לְךָ פֶּן יִהְיֶה דָבָר וְגוֹ׳
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RAMBAM
Hilchos Shemitah VeYovel
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Perek Gimmel: We are not allowed to prepare the land before Shemitah so that it will grow better by itself. Because of this, we have to stop working in our fields for some time before Shemitah starts. This is called Tosfos Shviis.
Perek Daled: We are not allowed to take sefichin (vegetables and grain that grow without planting them) during Shemitah, even though they grew on their own. This way people won’t try to plant things secretly. We are only allowed to take FRUIT that grows by itself, since everyone knows that a fruit tree had to be planted long before Shemitah for it to grow now!
Perek Hey: We treat fruit that grows during Shemitah with respect, since it is holy (Kedushas Sheviis). One halacha is that we shouldn’t feed Shemitah fruit to animals.
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Perek Vov has halachos about presents to a person in the family. Some of them are halachos about the presents a Chosson sends to his Kallah!
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Today is a Hillel day of Chanukah!
Did you know that Hillel and Shamai had a machlokes about how to light the Menorah? Shamai said that we should start with 8 candles on the first night, and light one less each night, until we light one the last night. Hillel said we should do it the way we do it nowadays — start with one and light one more each night.
So let’s see:
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NIGHT #
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HILLEL
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SHAMAI
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1
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1 candle
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8 candles
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2
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2 candles
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7 candles
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3
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3 candles
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6 candles
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4
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4 candles
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5 candles
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5
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5 candles
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4 candles
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6
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6 candles
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3 candles
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7
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7 candles
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2 candles
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8
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8 candles
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1 candle
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The first night that Hillel says to light MORE candles than Shamai is the FIFTH night! That’s today!
Shamai teaches us about being strict in Torah things. We should look at things that aren’t right and try to stop them. Hillel teaches us about looking for GOOD things, and trying to do them more.
That’s the lesson from today, to make sure we do more of good things, and get the world ready for Moshiach!
See rally 5th night of Chanukah 5746
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▼ Jump to Coloring Books & Downloads ▼
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In Torah Ohr, it says that the word Hallel means to praise Hashem, and to reveal Hashem.
We can easily understand that Hallel praises Hashem, because that’s what the words of Hallel are all about! But what does it mean that Hallel reveals Hashem?
The Rebbe explains (in the Rebbe’s Haggadah) that this is because of the day when we say Hallel! On days when we say Hallel (like Chanukah), the Emes of Hashem shines in the world.
Usually, when we look around at the world, that’s all we see — a world! We see all kinds of Gashmius, which seems to run by its own system. But the emes of Hashem is that the chayus of every part of the world is only Hashem, Who created it all for Yidden to learn Torah and do mitzvos!
On days we say Hallel, that emes is more felt and revealed.
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If we won’t be davening with a minyan later, it is best to daven Mincha BEFORE lighting the Menorah. So unless it is getting late or your minyan starts later, first we daven Mincha.
Then, we light the menorah, before the time of Shabbos candle lighting. Since we are lighting so early, we need to make sure that there is enough oil (or long enough candles) so the Menorah will stay burning for at least 50 minutes after the time of Shekiyah.
Then, we light our Shabbos candles.
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לעילוי נשמת הרה״ח ר׳ דניאל יצחק ע״ה בן ר׳ אפרים שי׳ מאסקאוויץ
שליח כ"ק אדמו"ר נשיא דורנו למדינת אילינוי
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When we are excited about something, everything we see reminds us of what we are excited about.
Yidden are all excited about Moshiach. Especially now, at the very end of Golus, we are expecting Moshiach to come any minute! So it makes sense that whatever we look at, we think about how it is also connected to Moshiach!
How does Chanukah remind you about Moshiach? How does Parshas Mikeitz remind you about Moshiach?
The name of the parsha Mikeitz already reminds of the Geulah! Keitz means “the end.” Many times, when we talk about the Geulah, we say we are waiting for the Keitz, the end of Golus!
Chanukah reminds us of how the Chashmonaim lit the menorah again in the Beis Hamikdash after a long time when they couldn’t. Very soon we will IY”H be able to light the menorah again too, in the Beis Hamikdash Hashlishi!
See Sefer Hasichos 5751, vol. 1, p. 203
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לע"נ התינוק זאב ארי' ע"ה בן יבלט"א הרה"ח ר' שניאור זלמן שי' גליק
נפטר ב' מנחם אב ה'תשע"ג
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