On behalf of those who learn from Chitas for Kids, thank you to our sponsors!

 
 

Those who make this year of learning possible:

 
 

לעילוי נשמת ר׳ יוסף בנימין בן ר׳ מנשה קאלטמאנן
~ by Rabbi Aryeh & Esther Kaltmann ~

a7691251-7218-4c6b-b94e-833d5d6032b4.png

לזכות רחל בת ראשא ראזע לרפואה שלימה וקרובה
~ by the Duchman Family ~

a7691251-7218-4c6b-b94e-833d5d6032b4.png

מוקדש לחיזוק ההתקשרות לכ״ק נשיא דורנו
ע"י ולזכות הרה"ת ר' לייביש משה וזוגתו מרת רינה ילדיהם קיילא באשא, בנציון דוד, אליהו איסר, רבקה שיינדל אלטא שיחיו גולדהירש

 
 
 

Those who make Chitas for the month of Shevat possible:

 
 

לעילוי נשמת הרה״ח הרה״ת הר׳ משה פינחס בן הר׳ אברהם מרדכי הכהן כ״ץ
לעילוי נשמת הרה״ח הרה״ת הר׳ מרדכי בן הר׳ פינחס מענטליק
ולזכות הרה״ח זאב יחזקאל הכהן בן מינדל שי׳ לבריאות הנכונה

 
 

🎉 Mazel Tov Ahuva Rosenbloom from Baltimore
on winning the Chitas Quiz Raffle!

Click here to sponsor a day of Chitas!

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

CHUMASH

Parshas Mishpatim - Revi'i with Rashi

Parshas Mishpatim teaches us many mitzvos, especially those that make sure we treat each other fairly. We remember that Hashem gave us ALL of the mitzvos — even the ones that someone might think we could come up with ourselves.

Here are the mitzvos we learn about today:

- We are not allowed to curse Hashem, or any Jewish leader.

- We need to give presents to the Kohanim and Leviim (terumah and maaser), in a certain order.

- We need to do Pidyon Haben, to give the worth of a firstborn son to the kohen.

- A firstborn ox, sheep, or goat needs to be given to the Kohen.

- We are not allowed to eat meat that came off of an animal while it was still alive.

- We can’t eat meat from an animal that was attacked by another animal. (It is best to give it to dogs to eat, as a reward for not bothering the Yidden when they left Mitzrayim.)

- We shouldn’t believe not-nice things from someone who wants to hurt another person.

- We should not join someone to say a lie in court.

- For a Beis Din to pasken that someone should be killed as a punishment, it is not enough if just more than half of the judges agree — it has to be at least TWO more judges that say the person should be killed, than the amount of judges who say he should not (like 36 judges against 34 judges).

- For all other cases, if at least one more judge says they are guilty, we do follow what most judges say (like 11 against 10).

- The most important judge should talk last, so that the others can say what they really think without it being chutzpah, to disagree with a more important judge.

- We should not be extra-nice to a poor person in Beis Din even if we feel bad for him that he doesn’t have what to pay — the court case needs to be judged fairly.

- If someone’s animal gets lost, even if it belongs to someone you don’t like, you need to return it to him.

- Azov Taazov: If you see a donkey that is carrying too much, even if the donkey belongs to someone you don’t like, you need to help him take the things off the donkey and reload it.

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

TEHILLIM

113 - 118

In today’s Tehillim (which are part of Hallel), one of the pesukim is “Ram Al Kol Goyim Hashem” — “Hashem is higher than all of the nations.”

Chassidus explains that this posuk tells us what the Goyim think. They think that Hashem is high up in the sky, much higher than them. They think that Hashem is “too big” to pay attention to the world.

But that’s not true! Hashem isn’t higher than the world, Hashem is IN the world all the time! Hashem makes every detail in the world happen B’Hashgacha Protis!

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

TANYA

Likutei Amarim Perek Chof-Daled

We learned before that Hashem made the world in a way that He should be hidden, but when we learn Torah and do mitzvos, Hashem is not hiding.

Now, the Alter Rebbe says, do you know what happens if a Yid chas veshalom decides to do an aveira?

He is choosing to be part of the world where Hashem is hidden! But what he is doing is worse — the rest of the world isn’t hiding Hashem on purpose — that’s just the way Hashem made them. But if a Yid has a chance for Hashem to STOP hiding, and instead he decides to make Hashem stay hiding, that’s even worse!

So someone who does an aveira or decides not to do a mitzvah (chas veshalom) is CHOOSING to keep Hashem hiding, they are choosing to STAY in Golus! Why would anyone do something so foolish?

The Alter Rebbe tells us that this comes from a “Ruach Shtus” — a feeling of narishkeit from the Yetzer Hara. This Ruach Shtus can hide the Ahava Mesuteres, the love for Hashem that we all have inside. It can make someone think that it’s “only a small aveira,” and that it won’t keep Hashem in Golus.

But that’s not true! When a Yid does ANY aveira, he is separating himself from Hashem — he is going even farther away from Hashem than a non-kosher bug!

So it makes no sense to do any aveira — ANY aveira separates a Yid from Hashem as much as Avodah Zarah!

When a person does an aveira, it is like they are taking their heilige neshama and putting it into a smelly garbage can! Does it make sense to say “well, it’s only for one minute?”

Even though there are many different punishments for different aveiros, and some are bigger than others, that’s only AFTER the aveira was done. During an aveira, a person is separated from Hashem chas veshalom, and becoming separated from Hashem is the worst possible thing there could be, no matter how small the punishment might be later!

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

HAYOM YOM

Chof-Daled Shevat

In the year the Hayom Yom was written, today was Shabbos Parshas Yisro, Shabbos Mevorchim Adar Alef. The Rebbe teaches us a minhag for Parshas Yisro, and reminds us of the minhagim of Shabbos Mevorchim.

The Rebbe teaches us a minhag that we should do in Shul on Parshas Yisro: We stand during Aseres Hadibros and face the Sefer Torah.

~

The posuk says that by Matan Torah “the Yidden saw Hashem and moved back.” Just by SEEING Elokus, the Yidden moved back, which is a sign that they had chayus. This shows us that if we are connected to kedusha, we have chayus!

~

The Tzemach Tzedek said that if we knew the koach of saying Tehillim, we would say it all the time! The words of Tehillim break through everything that is in their way, and go higher and higher to bow in front of Hashem and bring down lots of bracha!

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

SEFER HAMITZVOS

Shiur #227 - Mitzvas Asei #98

Today’s mitzvah is the same one again (Mitzvas Asei #98) that we need to know about how food can become Tomei, so we can follow all of those halachos.

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

RAMBAM

Hilchos Tumas Ochlin

In today’s Rambam, we learn more about how food and drinks can become tomei.

In Perek Yud we learn about other kinds of liquids that make things tomei, because they are like the seven kinds of liquids we learned about before. For example, tears are like regular water. So if someone tomei cries, their tears can make things tomei.

Perek Yud-Alef has special halachos about grapes and olives, and how they become tomei.

Perek Yud-Beis teaches us about wet foods becoming tomei: We learn that only if they are wet ON PURPOSE, and the person wanted them to get wet, can they become tomei from being wet. So if water splashed on a fruit that you wanted to keep dry, it can’t become tomei. The Rambam gives us many examples so we will understand what is “on purpose” and “wanting” food to get wet. (For example, if someone had to hide their food in a wet place so nobody will steal it, it’s not counted that they wanted it to get wet.)

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

RAMBAM PEREK ECHOD

Hilchos Shegagos - Perek Yud

The Rambam teaches us about the Korban Oleh V’Yored that depends if a person is rich or poor.

icon of clock

INYANA D'YOMA

Parshas Mishpatim

If you count all of the parshios of the Torah from the beginning, you will see that Parshas Yisro is the 17th parsha, and Parshas Mishpatim is the 18th parsha.

The Rebbe tells us that we can learn something very important from this!

The number 17 is the Gematria of the word “tov,” good. Inside of Parshas Yisro, we have the story of Matan Torah! Like the Chachomim say, “Ein Tov Ela Torah,” “There is no good except for Torah.” That’s what we learn from Parshas Yisro being the 17th parsha.

The number 18 is the Gematria of the word “chai,” life. In Parshas Mishpatim, we start to learn the mitzvos of the Torah. We take the Torah that we got on Har Sinai, and learn how to do it! This way, Torah is not just something good, but it’s something that changes how we live our lives — Toras Chaim, a Torah of life! That is why Parshas Mishpatim is the 18th parsha of the Torah!

See Hisvaaduyos 5749 vol. 2 p. 307, Hamaor Shebetorah Shemos, p. 375

▼ Jump to Coloring Books & Downloads ▼

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

TEFILLAH

Davening First Thing

Two days ago was the Yartzeit of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka. Rabbi Mendel Notik, who had the zechus of serving the Rebbetzin in her home, shared this story:

“The Rebbetzin called and asked if I could accompany her somewhere. I said I would come over immediately. Then the Rebbetzin added that if I had not yet davened she would find someone else. I replied that there are times when I would daven a bit later than usual, so it wasn’t a problem. The Rebbetzin told me, “I was taught that the first thing one does in his day is daven,” and said she would go herself.”

From the Chassidishe Derher

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

HALACHOS HATZRICHOS

Havdalah

The Chachomim made a takanah that we should say Havdalah in Maariv and also make Havdalah over a kos of wine. At this Havdalah, we first make a bracha on wine, and then we make a bracha about Havdalah, that Hashem separates between Shabbos and the weekday.

The Chachomim also added two more brachos: A bracha on besamim, and a bracha on a ner (candle). Together there are four brachos, which are the Roshei Teivos of the word “Yavneh” — Yayin, Besamim, Ner, Havdalah.

Why do we use besamim?

On Shabbos, every Yid is given a Neshama Yeseira, an extra neshama.

According to Niglah, this extra neshama is the special peaceful way we feel on Shabbos, because of the resting and the Oneg Shabbos, enjoying Shabbos. According to Kabbalah, this is an actual extra neshama that comes into us for Shabbos.

But on Motzei Shabbos, the Neshama Yeseira goes away. We go back to the regular weekday feelings of hard work, without the special feelings we get from the Neshama Yeseira. This can make our neshama feel sad!

So the Chachomim made a minhag that if we can, we should smell something sweet to make our neshama feel better. Of all of the things our Guf enjoys, smells are the most Ruchnius’dike type of thing, so our neshama enjoys it too. When we smell the besamim, we bring a little bit of simcha to our neshama as it goes into the week, to give it the koach it needs to fulfill the shlichus it has in the world.

See Kitzur Halachos Siman Reish-Tzadik-Zayin, se’if Alef and haoros

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

Moshiach'dike Kochos!

The Gemara says that before Moshiach comes, there will be very hard times for Yidden. Every day will be harder than the day before…

Why would the Torah tell us something like that? So that we can get into a bad mood? To make us upset or sad Chas Veshalom?

The Rebbe teaches us that the reason why the Torah tells it to us is because before Moshiach comes there will be new special kochos every day — that we can use to overcome the new challenges every day!

The Torah tells it to us so we will realize that when Hashem gives us kochos, they aren’t just a nice thing to have. Hashem gives them to us because we NEED them to overcome the hardships and bring Moshiach! So we have to be very careful to use all of the kochos Hashem gives us as much as we can!

How many times a year did your parents (or grandparents) get to see or hear the Rebbe?

Today, we can watch videos of the Rebbe, hear sichos, and learn from the Rebbe like we were never able to do before! What a special gift Hashem gives to us! But this isn’t just a nice thing — Hashem gives it to us because we NEED it to overcome the challenges of Golus.

What ways were your parents able to spread Yiddishkeit to others before? How many ways can we do it today?

It’s not enough to just use the kochos we had before, since the darkness of Golus gets more as we get closer to Moshiach. We need to use all of the kochos we are given to bring Moshiach now!

See farbrengen Shavuos 5738

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