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CHUMASH
Parshas Chukas - Shishi with Rashi
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Today we learn about the great miracle Hashem made to save the Yidden from the Emoriim and the song the Yidden sang to thank Hashem.
The Yidden continued traveling and came closer to where the Emori people lived.
To go there, they had to go in a valley with high cliffs on both sides. The Arnon River goes through this valley, and the Emorim knew that the Yidden were coming that way. They had a mean idea, to hide in the caves in the cliffs and then throw arrows and rocks down on the Yidden when they came through!
But Hashem saved the Yidden! He moved the cliffs together, and both cliffs fit together like puzzle pieces — wherever there was a cave on one side, there was a rock sticking out on the other. All of the Emorim that wanted to hurt the Yidden were killed.
The Yidden were able to see the blood in the Arnon River, and they realized that Hashem had saved them! Some of the blood went into the Yidden’s well of water to make sure all of the Yidden got to see that Hashem did a great neis for them. The Yidden sang a song to Hashem, called “Ali Be’er,” “come up well,” which showed them the neis Hashem made!
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Today’s kapitelach are Mem-Tes to Nun-Daled.
In today’s Tehillim, there is a posuk that says “Avon Akeivai Yesubeini” — “the aveiros of my heels surround me.” Dovid Hamelech was saying that he’s not worried that he’s not keeping the “big” mitzvos that are written in the Torah or taught by the Chachomim, he’s worried that the “small” mitzvos — even though he’s keeping them — might not be kept carefully.
The Rebbe teaches: When we say this in Tehillim, we are also talking about our own mitzvos. Of course we are doing mitzvos — like keeping Shabbos and davening — and even being very careful with them. But we need to be worried about the “small” mitzvos, our Chassidishe Hanhagos — like saying Chitas or having Ahavas Yisroel for a Yid we never met, since we might not be doing these as carefully.
We need be careful with ALL of our mitzvos, the “big” ones AND the “little” ones!
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TANYA
Shaar Hayichud Veha'emunah Perek Yud-Beis
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Today we learn the details about how Hashem created everything using the osios of the Alef-Beis.
If you have a box of Legos and wanted to make a house, what would you call that house in Lashon Kodesh? Bayis! That’s beis, yud, sof. What about the box? That’s a “Teiva” — tof, yud, veis, hey.
But if they have three of the same letters, why are they such different things? Well, one of them has an extra letter, and they are in a different order!
Hashem made EVERYTHING in the world with letters. Hashem said “Yehi Rakia” — and there was a sky! Hashem used the letters reish, kuf, yud, ayin which became one word! Each letter has a special chayus, and when it is put together into a whole word, it gets the perfect chayus to make that thing.
When Hashem takes the same letters and makes a different word — like a vegetable (yerek) with yud, reish, kuf — then it gets a different chayus. It has many of the same letters, but in a different order, and it’s a different word. That’s why its chayus is different too, and it becomes a different thing in the world!
(Words that include a lot of things get a VERY strong chayus, like the sky. The different levels of the sky (Zvul, Machon, Shechakim...) don’t need as strong of a chayus. The Alter Rebbe also teaches us that the first letter of each word gives it more chayus than all of the other letters in the word.)
That’s how everything in the entire world was made with just 22 letters of the Alef-Beis. It might seem like SO many things — lakes and rocks and sky and sun and moon and stars and plants and fish and animals and people.... and so many of each kind of thing...
But it is ALL from one Hashem and the chayus He gives to everything with the 22 holy letters of the Alef-Beis!
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Today we learn a good eitzah of what to do when parents need help with their children.
A Mommy and Tatty can sometimes have a very hard problem: Chas veshalom something might be not going so well for one of their kinderlach! Maybe one of them is not acting so nicely in school anymore, or maybe one isn’t feeling so good.
What should they do?
Today the Rebbe tells us: The best thing a Mommy and Tatty can do is to give tzedakah to help people to learn Torah. Then Hashem will help them, and things will become better.
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SEFER HAMITZVOS
Shiur #51 - Mitzvas Asei #159, Lo Saasei #323, Asei #160, Lo Saasei #324
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Now we start to learn the halachos about resting — on Yom Tov! In Sefer Hamitzvos, we learn four mitzvos about resting on Pesach:
1) (Mitzvas Asei #159) The first day of Pesach is Yom Tov, and we need to rest from doing melacha. (Outside of Eretz Yisroel, we rest on the first TWO days of Pesach!)
We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Bo: וּבַיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן מִקְרָא קֹדֶשׁ
The details are explained in Mesechta Beitzah (Yom Tov).
2) (Mitzvas Lo Saasei #323) We are not allowed to work on the first day of Pesach.
We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Bo: כָּל מְלָאכָה לֹא יֵעָשֶׂה בָהֶם
3) (Mitzvas Asei #160) The seventh (last) day of Pesach is Yom Tov, and we need to rest from doing melacha. (Outside of Eretz Yisroel, Shvi’i Shel Pesach AND Acharon Shel Pesach are Yom Tov.)
We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Bo: וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי מִקְרָא קֹדֶשׁ
4) (Mitzvas Lo Saasei #324) We are not allowed to work on Shvi’i Shel Pesach, the seventh day of Pesach.
We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Bo: כָּל מְלָאכָה לֹא יֵעָשֶׂה בָהֶם
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RAMBAM
Hilchos Shevisas Yom Tov
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In Perakim Alef, Beis and Gimmel of this new set of halachos, we start to learn about resting on Yom Tov:
On Yom Tov, we are only allowed to do the kinds of melacha we need for making food. But even those melachos, we are only allowed to do to actually make food!
There are only two melachos that we can do for other reasons: We are allowed to carry things outside even for other reasons, and we are allowed to light a fire for other reasons (like to be warm).
But the Chachomim warn us not to leave all of the work for Yom Tov, because then we will be working the whole time and not able to enjoy Yom Tov! So we are allowed to cook on Yom Tov so the food will be fresh, but we should not grind wheat on Yom Tov, because we could do that before Yom Tov. Since it wouldn’t make the food taste better to do it later, we shouldn’t push it off until Yom Tov.
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Now the Rambam tells us about ten conditions Yehoshua made when the Yidden came into Eretz Yisroel. Many of them are about when we are allowed to use other people’s fields without asking.
One rule is that Yidden are only allowed to raise dogs if they keep them tied up with a strong chain. That’s because Eretz Yisroel is special land for GROWING things, and a dog likes to break and ruin things!
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In the entire Chumash, we find two places where the Yidden sang shirah, a song to praise Hashem. One of them is at the time of Kriyas Yam Suf, and the other is in our parsha, where the Yidden praised Hashem for the neis in saving them from the Emoriim.
Why are these the only places where the Yidden sang shirah? Didn’t Hashem save the Yidden many more times, and do many more nisim?
The answer is that with these two nissim, the Yidden were able to see Hashem’s love for them much more clearly. This made them feel a matching love for Hashem, and they sang to Hashem to show how much they loved Him!
At the time of Kriyas Yam Suf, Hashem told the Yidden they wouldn’t need to fight, and the Mitzriyim would not be able to hurt them. Seeing how Hashem took care of them without them needing to do anything showed Hashem’s special love!
In our parsha too, the Yidden saw Hashem’s special love in the way they were saved from the Emoriim. Not only did they not need to fight, they didn’t even need to worry about the Emoriim — they only found out about the neis afterwards! This woke up the Yidden’s strong love for Hashem, and they sang shirah to thank Hashem for this incredible neis.
See Dvar Malchus parshas Chukas p. 53, from Likutei Sichos 23 p. 153
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▼ Jump to Coloring Books & Downloads ▼
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In Kriyas Shema She’al Hamitah, we have the paragraph of Ana B’koach, which we say during many tefillos.
This paragraph is very special and very holy! It was written by R’ Nechunya ben Hakana with deep meanings in Kabbalah. Ana B’koach has 42 words. The first letters of each word together spell out one of Hashem’s holy names!
When we finish reading these words, we say Baruch Sheim, blessing the name of Hashem we just read through the words of Ana B’koach.
This tefillah always helps us elevate ourselves. In Kriyas Shema She’al Hamitah, it helps us elevate the avodah of the entire day!
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In our siddurim, the Roshei Teivos of Ana B’koach, which spell out Hashem’s name, are written next to each line.
In Hayom Yom, it teaches that we should look at and think about these words, but we shouldn’t actually say them.
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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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In most of his nevuos, the Navi Yirmiyah was warning the Yidden about the Churban which would happen if they did not do teshuvah. That’s why most of this sefer of Navi is very sad.
Still, some of Yirmiyah’s nevuos are very happy, very famous ones about the Geulah!
In this posuk, the Navi tells the Yidden about how good things will be when Moshiach comes. Hashem will give them so much good, they will never be worried again!
וּבָאוּ וְרִנְּנוּ בִמְרוֹם צִיּוֹן וְנָהֲרוּ אֶל טוּב ה׳ עַל דָּגָן וְעַל תִּירֹשׁ וְעַל יִצְהָר וְעַל בְּנֵי צֹאן וּבָקָר וְהָיְתָה נַפְשָׁם כְּגַן רָוֶה וְלֹא יוֹסִיפוּ לְדַאֲבָה עוֹד
Uva’u Verinenu — The Yidden will come and celebrate
ViMerom Tzion — On the highest part of Yerushalayim (the Beis Hamikdash).
Venaharu El Tuv Hashem — And they will gather to get the goodness of Hashem
Al Dagan Ve’al Tirosh Ve’al Yitzhar— In their grain, their wine, and their oil
Ve’al Bnei Tzon Uvakar — And in their sheep and cattle.
Vehaysa Nafsham KeGan Raveh — They will feel satisfied from the goodness of Hashem
Velo Yosifu LeDa’avah Od — And they will never feel sad or worried again!
See Yirmiyah perek Lamed-Alef posuk Yud-Alef
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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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