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CHUMASH
Parshas Vayigash - Chamishi with Rashi
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In today’s Chumash we learn the names of Yaakov’s family who are going to live in Mitzrayim.
The Torah tells us the names of all of Yaakov’s children who came down to Mitzrayim. If you count everyone, you’ll find 66 people. When you also count Yosef and his two children, and Yocheved (who was born on the way into Mitzrayim) that makes 70 people. All of them believed in one Hashem, that is why they are called nefesh, a group with one soul.
By going into Golus, Yaakov’s family was going to start helping the 70 nations of goyim to become better. Once Yaakov had 70 people in his family, he was ready to start this new avodah.
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Today’s kapitelach are Chof-Tes through Lamed-Daled.
In Kapitel Lamed-Daled, one of the pesukim starts with the words, “Sur MeRa Ve’asei Tov!”
Once at a farbrengen, the Rebbe taught an explanation from the Baal Shem Tov on this posuk:
Sur Me’Ra: When a person has the Yetzer Hara to do something not good because he wants kavod or he has a taavah, he has to turn away from the thing that he shouldn’t be doing.
Ve’Asei Tov: Then he should use that energy to do something good!
For example, let’s say that Shmerel is angry at Berel. He wants to jump up and tell his whole bunk how awful Berel is! First, he should do Sur Me’Ra and stop himself from saying something not nice. Then he should do Asei Tov, and use that koach to tell the bunk a story about the Rebbe instead!
See farbrengen Yud-Beis Tammuz 5743, second sicha
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TANYA
Likutei Amarim Perek Zayin
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We learned that there are two kinds of Gashmius that our Nefesh Habehamis knows about and uses: There are things from the Shalosh Kelios Hatmeios, things that Hashem created but doesn’t want us to use (if we used them it would be an aveira chas veshalom); and Kelipas Noga is something Hashem made which isn’t an aveira, and we can choose to use it for kedusha — for Hashem, or for kelipah — just for ourselves, not to help with Torah or mitzvos or Ahavas Yisroel.
Now let’s go back and talk about the treats we were talking about in yesterday’s Tanya, which are from Kelipas Noga and can be either brought up to kedusha or brought down to the Shalosh Kelipos Hatmeios:
What happens if a person loves ice cream, and every time he passes by a freezer, he goes and eats some more? Well, then the chayus from that ice cream goes into the Shalosh Kelipos Hatmeios. Uh oh!
But the good news is that since it was Kelipas Noga before, if the person decides to do teshuva for just thinking about ice cream all the time, and start davening and learning Torah and doing mitzvos with the chayus from the ice cream, he can bring the Kelipas Noga back up to kedusha! (Even though he did teshuvah, the time when it was Shalosh Kelipos Hatmeios leaves a mark on the neshama. This mark needs to be cleaned off later.)
But non-kosher food, because it was never Kelipas Noga, can’t go up to kedusha, even if someone did teshuva! Things that are non-kosher are called “asur, which also means tied-up — because they are tied to kelipah, and can almost never become kedusha. The only way it can become kedusha is to wait until after Moshiach comes, when there will be no more tumah in the world, or to do such a high level of teshuvah, called “Teshuvah MeAhava Rabbah,” that even aveiros can become like mitzvos!
Regular teshuvah is not able to take this chayus out of the kelipos, though, so we need to be very careful with anything that is not kosher.
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There is an argument in the Gemara which is greater: Talmud or Maaseh — studying or doing. The Gemara concludes that “Gadol Talmud,” Talmud is greater, “Shemeivi Lidei Maaseh” — because it brings a person to do things.
But that is only nowadays. When Moshiach comes, then the main thing will be the Maaseh, doing the mitzvos! The Talmud will be there to teach us how special the mitzvos are.
Talmud uses a person’s mind. A person needs to think hard to understand the meaning of the words of Torah. Maaseh uses the heart. A person needs to use his feelings of sincerity to do the mitzvos even when he doesn’t want to, and to do them properly.
When Moshiach will come, we will see how special it is to believe in Hashem and to do the mitzvos with sincerity. We will appreciate how everybody believes with pure emunah in Hashem and His mitzvos.
Studying and learning (Talmud), even with the highest level of understanding, has a limit. But belief (hoda’ah), which brings a person to have Kabolas Ol to do what Hashem wants, is a feeling that has no limit.
Melech Hamoshiach will help us appreciate how special the koach of emunah and Mesiras Nefesh is, which leads us to do just what Hashem wants with feeling and dedication.
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SEFER HAMITZVOS
Shiur #150 - Mitzvas Asei #22, Lo Saasei #67, Asei #35, Lo Saasei #83, 84
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Today we learn a few mitzvos!
1) (Mitzvas Asei #22) Leviim need to guard the Beis Hamikdash all night. It isn’t because we are worried about thieves, but having guards shows kavod for the Beis Hamikdash.
We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Korach: וְאַתָּה וּבָנֶיךָ אִתָּךְ לִפְנֵי אֹהֶל הָעֵדֻת
The details are explained in Mesechta Tomid perek Alef, and Mesechta Midos.
2) (Mitzvas Lo Saasei #67) It is asur to leave the Beis Hamikdash unguarded.
We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Korach: וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֵת מִשְׁמֶרֶת הַקֹּדֶשׁ
The details are explained in the beginning of Mesechta Tomid and Mesechta Midos.
3) (Mitzvas Asei #35) We need to have special oil to put on the Kohen Gadol and a King, to make them ready for the job (Shemen Hamishcha).
Even though Shemen Hamishcha was also used for the keilim of the Mishkan when they were first made, that was a one-time thing and not part of this mitzvah which lasts forever.
We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Emor: וְהַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל מֵאֶחָיו אֲשֶׁר יוּצַק עַל רֹאשׁוֹ שֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה
The details are explained in the beginning of Mesechta Krisus.
4) (Mitzvas Lo Saasei #83) We are not allowed to make a kind of oil that’s like the Shemen Hamishcha to use for anything else!
We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Ki Sisa: וּבְמַתְכֻּנְתּוֹ לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ כָּמֹהוּ
The details are explained in Mesechta Krisus perek Alef.
5) (Mitzvas Lo Saasei #84) We can’t smear the Shemen Hamishcha on any other person —it should only be used for the Kohen Gadol and the king!
We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Ki Sisa: עַל בְּשַׂר אָדָם לֹא יִיסָךְ
The details are explained in Beginning of Mesechta Krisus.
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RAMBAM
Hilchos Beis HaBechirah - Klei HaMikdash
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In today’s Rambam, we learn the last Perek of Hilchos Beis Habechirah, and the first perakim of Klei Hamikdash — about the keilim that are IN the Beis Hamikdash!
Perek Ches: The Rambam explains how the Leviim and the Kohanim guarded the Beis Hamikdash, and where they stood.
Perek Alef: We learn how the Shemen Hamishcha was made, and how it is used. The keilim in the Beis Hamikdash were different than in the Mishkan — they became holy just by being used and didn’t need the Shemen Hamishcha to be smeared on them. The Rambam also tells us some halachos about these keilim and their kedusha, like what happens if they are broken.
Perek Beis: Now we learn about making the Ketores, and about the mitzvah that the Aron needs to be carried and not transported in a wagon.
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In today’s Rambam, we learn more about a present from a person who is very sick (a “Shechiv MeRa”).
In Perek Yud-Beis we learn about how carefully we listen to the words of a sick person and do exactly what he asked.
Mazel Tov! We have now finished the halachos of Zechiya U’Matana.
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Today is Didan Notzach! The Rebbe announced that this day will be a “Yom Segulah Ve’eis Ratzon,” a day that will have special opportunities and kochos in it.
You surely have heard and read the story about Hey Teves many times. But “Hayamim Ha’eileh Nizkarim Ve’naasim,” “these days are retold and they happen again.” When we take time on this day to tell over what happened, the story happens again in Ruchnius. This gives us koach to keep the lessons we learn from Hey Teves!
The Rebbe brought a story from a Medrash about the inyan of Didan Notzach:
In the times of the Gemara, there was a group of Yidden that were living in a certain town. One day, a good Ruach (like a malach) came to an Amora in that town to tell him something: The Ruach used to protect the river near the town, so nothing would happen to the Yidden there. But now there was a bad Ruach that was going to come at a certain time, and wanted to hurt the Yidden!
“So what should I do?” the Amora asked.
The Ruach answered, “Tell all of the people of the town to take the tools they use for building and digging, and come at the time of danger to the river. Start making loud noise and bang with your tools, and shout out ‘Didan Notzach!’”
The Amora followed the advice of the Ruach, and all the people went to the river and banged with their tools, shouting Didan Notzach. After making all this noise, they saw a drop of blood on the water in the river! This was a sign that the bad Ruach had lost its chayus and that the Yidden were now safe.
The Rebbe explains the meaning of this Medrash: The two Ruchos are the Yetzer Tov and the Yetzer Hara. The Yetzer Hara doesn’t want us to think about the Aibershter, and to follow the horaos of the Nasi HaDor.
When we all go together with chayus and scream at our Yetzer Hara, “Didan Notzach!” “We are going to live the way the Torah teaches us and follow the Rebbe’s horaos!” then the Yetzer Hara will lose all of its koach, and the Yetzer Tov will win — Didan Notzach!
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▼ Jump to Coloring Books & Downloads ▼
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We say Modeh Ani first thing in the morning to thank Hashem for giving us back our neshama.
The Alter Rebbe teaches that by being careful to say Modeh Ani first thing in the morning, we make sure that the first thing we think about is Hashem! We remember that Hashem is with us, and that helps us get up with zerizus to serve Hashem all day!
So even though in Modeh Ani we thank Hashem for our neshama, it also helps make sure that we can do avodah of the whole day with zerizus and chayus.
See Kuntres Inyana Shel Toras Hachassidus, os Tes
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We celebrate each Yom Tov with a special mitzvah. We celebrate Pesach with eating matzah, we celebrate Rosh Hashana by hearing the shofar, and we celebrate Chanukah by lighting the menorah. How do we celebrate Hey Teves?
The Rebbe taught us that on Hey Teves, we need to make sure that the seforim win!
How do we do that? By setting up times to learn Torah, especially learning together with others! We should especially try to add in learning things that help us act the way Hashem wants us to, like learning halachos in Rambam and Shulchan Aruch, and learning Chassidus. We should try to inspire others to do it too!
We also buy seforim to make our libraries bigger. It is VERY important for kids to buy seforim for their Cheder Tzivos Hashem. They should try to buy new seforim of the Rebbeim, and other holy seforim.
See sefer Halachos Uminhagei Chabad p. 124
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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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One of the reasons we are very excited about Moshiach coming is having the third Beis Hamikdash!
By doing our avodah in Golus in a way of “building the Beis Hamikdash,” we will be doing our part to make it happen!
One of the best ways to do this is by making sure that our homes and our rooms (including children’s rooms) are like a Beis Hamikdash. We should make sure that they are used for Torah, Avodah, and Gemilus Chasadim. We should make sure our homes are a Bayis Molei Seforim, filled with holy seforim. Even if there is a room WITHOUT seforim, we should make sure that it is filled with the horaos of seforim, that we use it the way the Torah says it should be used!
Sefer Hasichos 5751 chelek alef, Hey Teves, p. 215
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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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