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CHUMASH
Parshas Chukas - Rishon with Rashi
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Today we start to learn about the mitzvah of Parah Adumah!
Hashem tells Moshe and Aharon to teach the Yidden about a new mitzvah: The Parah Adumah. This mitzvah is a chok, a mitzvah that we can’t understand.
Even though the Torah calls specifically this mitzvah a chok, really EVERY mitzvah is like a chok! Even though we might understand parts of it, mitzvos are the Ratzon of Hashem, which is impossible for a person to understand.
The mitzvah of Parah Adumah is a mitzvah that we can’t understand at all! It is completely a chok. The Torah says, “Zos Chukas HaTorah,” showing us that this Chok has a lesson for the rest of the mitzvos of the Torah, even the ones that we do understand!
Just like we know that we can’t understand the mitzvos, we should keep them in a way that is more than what makes sense to us, with Mesiras Nefesh! Even when doing a mitzvah will be hard or it doesn’t make sense to us, we will do the mitzvah just because it is a mitzvah of Hashem. (See Likutei Sichos chelek Yud-Ches, Chukas Alef)
A person who has Tumas Meis is not allowed to go into the Beis Hamikdash. Tumas Meis can come from touching or being in the same house as a person who passed away. It is the strongest kind of tumah! A person with Tumas Meis can’t become tahor just by going to the mikvah, like with other kinds of tumah. The person needs to be sprinkled with water mixed with ashes from the Parah Adumah!
There are many details about how to prepare the ashes of the Parah Adumah:
“Parah Adumah” means “red cow.” It is a cow that is ALL red, that has no mum, and that never was used for work. The Parah Adumah is shechted, and some of its blood is sprinkled in the direction of the Mishkan seven times. Then the cow is burned. The kohen takes a piece of wood, a kind of plant, and some red wool, and throws them into the burning cow. Someone who is tahor takes the ashes from the burned cow, and puts them in a container. These ashes are mixed with a special kind of water called Mayim Chayim.
(The Parah Adumah makes people tahor, but all of the kohanim who work on preparing the Parah Adumah’s ashes become tamei!)
Here’s how to use the ashes of the Parah Adumah:
The person who is tamei needs to count seven days after he stays away from things that give a person Tumas Meis. On the 3rd day and on the 7th day of his counting, he gets sprinkled with the water that was mixed with the ashes of the Parah Adumah.
IY”H tomorrow we will learn how this water is sprinkled on a person.
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Today’s Tehillim is kapitelach Yud-Ches to Chof-Beis.
In Kapitel Chof-Beis, Dovid Hamelech says, “Becho Bot’chu Avoseinu” — “our fathers trusted in You, and You saved them.” Dovid Hamelech is telling us that we learn from our ancestors that having bitachon is what BRINGS the yeshuah (salvation) from Hashem!
There is a famous story of a chossid who came to the Tzemach Tzedek. His child was very very sick and the doctors couldn’t do anything about it. The chossid ran right away to the Rebbe and told him what happened.
The Tzemach Tzedek told this chossid, “Tracht Gut Vet Zain Gut!” This means to have bitachon in Hashem that everything will be good — and then it really will be good!
It could sometimes be that a person might not deserve that Hashem should give him good things, for whatever reason. Still, the Rebbe explains in a sicha, since we are connected to Hashem and have bitachon — together with our davening and good hachlatos — Hashem will for sure give us everything we need!
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TANYA
Shaar Hayichud Veha'emunah Perek Yud-Alef
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Today the Alter Rebbe tells us how even though Hashem’s midos are one with Hashem, still the world looks like it has so many different parts.
The Alter Rebbe is explaining a mistake that some Talmidei Chachomim made. They learned in Kabbalah that Hashem uses Tzimtzum to create the world. They thought that means that Hashem goes away from the world in a certain way (chas veshalom).
Our simple emunah in Hashem doesn’t let us make that mistake — we know that Hashem is everything and everywhere!
Hashem wanted His chayus to be shown in the world in many different ways, but it’s all the same chayus! Just as we can’t understand Hashem, we also can’t understand how it is all one — but we believe with pure emunah that Hashem is one!
Yesterday we learned that even in the different kinds of chayus, there is a hint to see that they are all one: All of the sefiros are connected with each other, and have the other sefiros inside of them!
In today’s Tanya the Alter Rebbe tells us that the same thing is also true with the Asara Maamaros, the ten things Hashem used to create the world.
The Asara Maamaros (the 10 things Hashem said to create the world), express Hashem’s midos in different ways to become each of the things in the world. By saying these Maamaros, Hashem created a world with each of the sefiros. For example, water and light both come from Hashem’s Chesed, but they start looking like separate things through the words of the Asara Maamaros.
Here too, even though they look like separate things to us because of the Asara Maamaros, they are in truth all one with Hashem.
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The Rebbe Maharash said:
A Yiddishe krechtz (groan or sigh) that comes from something that is not good B’Gashmius is also a great level of teshuvah. This is especially true when the krechtz comes from something that is not good B’Ruchnius. Then it is most certainly a proper teshuvah! The krechtz pulls the person out of being in a not-good place B’Ruchnius, and puts him into a good place.
When we realize that we are in a situation that isn’t good, we realize something is wrong, and we say “Oy vey! This is not how things should be” — that’s teshuvah!
This Hayom Yom is very similar to the hora’ah that the Rebbe teaches us in the maamar Ve’ata Tetzaveh, that a Yid needs to feel hurt that we are in Golus. We need to cry out to Hashem to bring the Geulah — Ad Mosai! In today’s Hayom Yom we see that this krechtz is already a big step in getting where we need to be!
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SEFER HAMITZVOS
Shiur #339 - Mitzvas Asei #191, #214, Lo Saasei #311, #58, Asei #221, Lo Saasei #263, #264
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Today we are making a Siyum on the ENTIRE Rambam — the last of the 14 sefarim! We are also finishing the last mitzvos in Sefer Hamitzvos that match with these halachos.
Everything is Hashgacha Protis, but sometimes Hashem gives us a very powerful and clear message! It is unbelievable that the first Siyum Horambam was on the Rebbe’s Yom Huledes, Yud-Alef Nisan 5745, and the 40th siyum is today, on the Rebbe’s 27th Yom Hahilula!
One of the things we can see from this is how the Rebbe’s takanos and horaos are one with the Rebbe himself, and this should encourage us to make sure we are connecting to the Rebbe each day through keeping this takana!
In today’s Sefer Hamitzvos, we learn 7 mitzvos:
1) (Mitzvas Asei #191) Before the Yidden fight a war that isn’t a mitzvah (Milchemes Reshus), a kohen needs to remind them about the mitzvos of a war.
We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Shoftim: וְהָיָה כְּקָרָבְכֶם אֶל הַמִּלְחָמָה וְנִגַּשׁ הַכֹּהֵן
The halachos are explained in Mesechta Sotah perek Ches.
2) (Mitzvas Asei #214) A chosson, who is married for less than a year, has to stay with his kallah and shouldn’t go fight in a war or go on a long trip.
We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Ki Seitzei: נָקִי יִהְיֶה לְבֵיתוֹ שָׁנָה אֶחָת וְשִׂמַּח אֶת אִשְׁתּוֹ אֲשֶׁר לָקָח
The halachos are explained in Mesechta Sotah perek Ches.
3) (Mitzvas Lo Saasei #311) We can’t make a chosson who is married for less than a year go to the army or anything that will keep him away from his new wife.
We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Ki Seitzei: וְלֹא יַעֲבֹר עָלָיו לְכָל דָּבָר
The halachos are explained in Mesechta Sotah perek Ches.
4) (Mitzvas Lo Saasei #58) We are not allowed to be afraid of our enemies when we’re fighting and run away.
We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in from Parshas Eikev: לֹא תַעֲרֹץ מִפְּנֵיהֶם
The halachos are explained in Mesechta Sotah perek Ches.
5) (Mitzvas Asei #221) The mitzvah of Yefas Toar — if a soldier sees a non-Jewish woman he wants to marry while he is fighting.
We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Ki Seitzei: וְרָאִיתָ בַּשִּׁבְיָה אֵשֶׁת יְפַת תֹּאַר
The halachos are explained in the beginning of Mesechta Kiddushin.
6) (Mitzvas Lo Saasei #263) He can’t sell the Yefas Toar as a maidservant to someone else.
We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Ki Seitzei: וְהָיָה אִם לֹא חָפַצְתָּ בָּהּ וְשִׁלַּחְתָּהּ לְנַפְשָׁהּ וּמָכֹר לֹא תִמְכְּרֶנָּה בַּכָּסֶף
7) (Mitzvas Lo Saasei #264) He can’t use the Yefas Toar as a maid to do work for himself.
We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Ki Seitzei: לֹא תִתְעַמֵּר בָּהּ תַּחַת אֲשֶׁר עִנִּיתָהּ
The halachos are explained in Mesechta Kiddushin perek Alef.
Mazel Tov! Now we finished learning all 613 mitzvos according to the seder of the halachos of the Rambam!
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In Perek Yud, we learn more halachos about non-Jews. The last halacha is that we should do Bikur Cholim for goyim who are sick, bury them if they pass away, and give them tzedakah if they need it, for the sake of shalom.
In Perek Yud-Alef, we learn about Moshiach! The Rambam shows us that Moshiach isn’t just something nice that the Chachomim told us, it is a part of Torah! If someone doesn’t believe in Moshiach and doesn’t hope that he is coming, it means they don’t believe the Torah is true, chas veshalom.
Perek Yud-Beis: When Moshiach comes, a lot of very special things will happen. But did you know that that’s not the reason why all of the Chachomim and Neviim wanted Moshiach? They only wanted Moshiach because then we can learn Torah and do ALL of the mitzvos without anything stopping us!
Tam Venishlam — Shevach LoKeil Borei Olam!
Mazel Tov! Today we finished learning the Rambam, for the 40th time since the Rebbe began this takana!
The Rebbe encouraged everyone to take part in a siyum, in person if you are able to. This year there will also be a siyum online especially for children, at 11:00 am NY time (also available to be watched later) at Chabad.org/rally. It will be an exciting program with raffles and more, that you don’t want to miss!
Today is the day to make a strong hachlata to learn Sefer Hamitzvos every day and be an example for those around you!
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Today we learn more about a Nazir’s promise: What happens if he takes it by mistake, or because someone forces him, or because of a reason that ends up not being true? In many cases, he is not a Nazir.
One interesting halacha is that a person STAYS a Nazir until they bring their korbanos, and that a Nazir needs to be in Eretz Yisroel. So if someone makes a promise to be a Nazir nowadays, he has to move to Eretz Yisroel and stay a Nazir until the Beis Hamikdash is built and he can bring his korbanos.
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What is a Rebbe?
This question is answered in a letter the Rebbe wrote on Gimmel Tammuz, Tof-Shin-Yud, after the histalkus of the Frierdiker Rebbe.
In the letter it is explained that a Rebbe is important for every Yid! The Rebbe brings down all of the kochos and brachos for all of the Yidden of his generation.
The neshamos of all of the Yidden are like one big guf. A Rebbe (which stands for the words “Rosh Bnei Yisrael,” head of the Yidden) is like the head.
Just like a head has the chayus for the whole body, the Rebbe brings the chayus of Hashem to the rest of the Yidden.
The Rebbe’s job is to make sure that his generation has what it needs to do its special shlichus. The Rebbe davens to Hashem and gives brachos and help in Gashmius. The Rebbe also helps us to know how to serve Hashem, and strengthens the emunah of the Yidden of his dor.
The shlichus of this generation is, as the Rebbe told us, to bring the Geulah. The Rebbe makes sure we have everything we need to fulfill our shlichus to bring Moshiach now!
When we have proper hiskashrus to the Rebbe, by learning his Torah and following his horaos, we will be a good keli to receive all of these brachos.
From a letter of the Rebbe, Gimmel Tammuz Tof-Shin-Yud (Hebrew or English)
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In Biur Tefillah we will learn a part of the maamar Ve’ata Tetzaveh, which many Chassidim have a minhag to learn on Gimmel Tammuz. This piece helps us understand the importance of the bracha Vesechezenah Eineinu, which we say every day — weekdays, Shabbos, and Yom Tov — in Shemoneh Esrei.
In the maamar of Ve’ata Tetzaveh, the Rebbe explains why it is so important to say this bracha in Shemoneh Esrei.
Even though we are in Golus, there are Boruch Hashem many Yidden who are not suffering very much. A Yid might feel that he has most of what he needs in Gashmius — he has a house and a car, enough money for the things he needs, pretty good health, and some nachas too! He might also feel happy with his Ruchnius — he is able to have kavana when he davens many times, and does his best to follow Shulchan Aruch.
But deep down inside of every Yid, there is an Etzem Haneshama, the deepest part of the neshama. The Etzem Haneshama of a Yid is hurting and feels crushed that there is no Gilui Elokus (being able to see Hashem), like there was in the Beis Hamikdash.
This bothers a Yid so much that every time he stands before Hashem in Shemoneh Esrei, he asks Hashem that “Vesechezenah Eineinu,” that our eyes should be able to see Hashem again in the Beis Hamikdash. At least three times a day, he asks that there should be a Gilui Elokus.
Where do we get the koach to want this so badly? It comes from Moshe Rabbeinu, and the Moshe of every generation, the Rebbe. It is the Moshe of each generation that connects the etzem of a Yid’s neshama with Hashem, which makes us feel how much Golus hurts and how much we want Moshiach to come.
When we ask Hashem for the Geulah with our Etzem Haneshama, we can be sure that in this zechus we will deserve to have the Geulah now!
See Maamar Ve’ata Tetzaveh, Purim Katan Tof-Shin-Nun-Beis (Hebrew or English)
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Today we are going to learn some of the minhagim that the Rebbe instructed should be done on Yud Shevat, the Yom Hilula of the Frierdiker Rebbe. Based on this, many Chassidim also follow these minhagim on Gimmel Tammuz.
These minhagim help us connect to the special ruchnius chayus of the day.
The Rebbe teaches us that the day of a hilula of a tzadik (especially a Nasi) is a time for tremendous brachos for all the chassidim that are connected to the Rebbe. These minhagim also help us make keilim to accept and benefit from these brachos. We hope that Gimmel Tammuz this year will be a day of big celebration in Yerushalayim Ir Hakodesh together with the Rebbe.
Here are some of the minhagim:
- We light a yartzeit licht. If we can, it is best to light one made out of Shaava (beeswax) — because the word Shaava stands for “Hakitzu Viranenu Shochnei Afar” — “the neshamos that passed away should wake up and be happy!” — a posuk about Techiyas Hameisim. This reminds us to ask Hashem that there should be Techiyas Hameisim right away, so the Rebbe can take us out of Golus, to the Geulah Sheleimah!
- We write a Pa”n. If we can go to the Ohel, we read our Pa”n there, if not we can put it inside a Sefer of the Rebbe until it is sent or brought to the Ohel. After we write the Pa”n, we close our eyes and try to remember a time we saw the Rebbe (if we had that zechus), or we look at a picture.
- It is the minhag to give tzedakah to one of the Rebbe’s mosdos.
- We say a perek of Tanya before Shacharis, and after Mincha.
- We learn the last maamar the Rebbe gave us, “Ve’Ata Tetzaveh,” a little bit at a time.
- We tell stories about the Rebbe and about the Rebbe’s Ahavas Yisroel for every Yid.
- We say Mishnayos that start with the letters of the Rebbe’s name.
- We make a farbrengen.
Based on the Rebbe’s letter for Yud Shevat (Hebrew or English)
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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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A few months after the histalkus of the Frierdiker Rebbe, on Shavuos in the year Tof-Shin-Yud, a group of chassidim were at a farbrengen with the Rebbe.
The Rebbe said, about the Frierdiker Rebbe: “Hashem should help us that the Rebbe should come in a Gashmius’dike guf and take us out of Golus!”
The Rebbe explained that even though the Zohar does say that Techiyas Hameisim will be after Moshiach comes, the Zohar also says that certain special people will have Techiyas Hameisim BEFORE Moshiach.
We too ask Hashem that the Rebbe should come in a Gashmius’dike guf and bring us to the Geulah Sheleima! May this happen immediately, Amen Kein Yehi Ratzon!
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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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