|
|
CHUMASH
Parshas Shemini - Rishon with Rashi
|
|
During the whole Shivas Yemei Hamiluim, Moshe Rabbeinu brought the korbanos. But Hashem didn’t show the Yidden that His Shechinah was resting in the Mishkan yet! The Yidden felt very embarrassed that they worked so hard to build the Mishkan so that Hashem would forgive them for the Cheit Ha’eigel, but the Shechinah did not yet come down.
Moshe Rabbeinu told the Yidden now that the Shechinah would rest in the Mishkan when Aharon Hakohen would start to do his avodah!
So on the eighth day of preparing the Mishkan (which is called Shemini Lamiluim), Aharon brought some korbanos for the first time on the Mizbeiach! Moshe had prepared the Mishkan, but now it was time for Aharon and his sons to be the kohanim. And now Hashem’s Shechinah would rest in the Mishkan!
|
|
|
|
In kapitel Kuf-Daled (104), there is a posuk “Moh Rabu Maasecha Hashem!” How great are the works of Hashem!
There are many maamorim in Chassidus that explain this posuk. There is a maamar from the Rebbe Rashab that starts with this posuk and explains it — and there is a story behind it!
Once the Rebbe Rashab was learning with the Poltaver Rav, R’ Yaakov Mordechai Bezpalov. The Frierdiker Rebbe was 3 or 4 years old, and his bed was in the room where they were learning.
R’ Yaakov Mordechai looked over at the sleeping boy, and said that his shining face showed the kedusha that he had!
When the Rebbe Rashab heard that comment, he felt that he wanted to kiss his son. But he stopped himself, and instead wrote a maamar called Moh Rabu Maasecha Hashem. When the Frierdiker Rebbe got older, the Rebbe Rashab gave him the maamar, and told him, “this is a Chassidishe kush!” Years later, he told him the story.
|
|
|
TANYA
Likutei Amarim Perek Lamed-Ches
|
|
The halacha is that the words of davening can be said even very quietly, but if someone just has kavana and doesn’t say the words at all, it is not counted as davening.
The Alter Rebbe explains why saying the words is so important:
The reason the neshama came into the world was not to make itself holy, but to make the body and the world holy, by using them for kedusha. Kavana is something which is more connected with the neshama.
To do most mitzvos, we are supposed to actually say words or do things which use Gashmius. That’s why even with the mitzvah of davening, where the main thing is kavana, it is very important to actually SAY the words using at least our lips.
This way we use the Gashmius of our guf and make it into kedusha, which is the reason why we are here!
Even though it can be easier to have kavana if we don’t say the words, Hashem wants us to use our guf for the mitzvah! So by saying the words, we are having more bittul and come closer to Hashem than we would with our kavana alone.
|
|
|
|
In yesterday’s Hayom Yom, we learned what the Maggid told the Alter Rebbe: It’s not enough to just have the korban of giving of ourselves to Hashem, but it needs to be done with a constant chayus, like the fire on the Mizbeiach that never went out.
The Tzemach Tzedek told over the story in yesterday’s Hayom Yom and concluded:
My grandfather, the Alter Rebbe, is the “Moshe Rabbeinu” of Chassidus Chabad!
What did Moshe Rabbeinu do? Hashem gave the Torah to Moshe, but he shared it with all of the Yidden!
The same way, the Maggid gave the Alter Rebbe the “fire” of Chassidus, but the Alter Rebbe shared it with EVERYONE who learns and teaches Chassidus!
The Tzemach Tzedek continued: I am sure that anyone who teaches another Yid, and helps HIM have a “fire,” a chayus in Chassidus — Hashem will reward him with a zechus that will never go out.
This Hayom Yom comes from a letter written to R’ Mordechai Cheifetz, one of the mashpiim of the club for girls, Achos HaTmimim, which the Frierdiker Rebbe started to inspire the girls to grow in learning Chassidus and behaving like a chossid — Darkei Hachassidus. In this letter, the Frierdiker Rebbe tells R’ Mordechai this story, to show that the girls should not just be learning for Kabolas Ol, but they should have a fire, a chayus in it too!
In a sicha, the Rebbe brings two lessons we should all learn from this:
- It’s not enough to learn ourselves, we need to learn with others.
- We have to have a CONSTANT chayus in davening, learning Torah, and doing mitzvos
See Likutei Sichos chelek Alef, parshas Tzav
|
|
|
|
In today’s Sefer Hamitzvos, we learn the very first 3 mitzvos!
1) (Mitzvas Asei #1) We need to know that there is an Aibershter, Hashem, Who is the Creator of everything that exists!
We learn this from the first of the Aseres Hadibros in Parshas Yisro: אָנֹכִי ה׳ אֱלֹקֶיךָ
2) (Mitzvas Lo Saasei #1) We are not allowed to think that anything else can be like Hashem.
We learn this mitzvah from the second of the Aseres Hadibros in Parshas Yisro: לֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ אֱלֹקִים אֲחֵרִים עַל פָּנַי
3) (Mitzvas Asei #2) We need to know that Hashem, Who makes everything exist, is ONE. We say this in Shema every day, and knowing this and thinking about it is also called being Mekabel Ol Malchus Shomayim.
We learn this from where Shema is said in the Torah, in Parshas Vaeschanan: שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ ה׳ אֶחָד
|
|
|
RAMBAM
Hilchos Yesodei HaTorah
|
|
Now we’re going to learn the first halachos in the whole Rambam!
In Perek Alef, the Rambam teaches us the first, most important thing we need to know before we learn anything else in the whole Torah: To know that there is only one Hashem, that He created everything, that He controls everything, and that nothing could exist without Hashem. We can’t see Hashem, but we know that He is always there!
Perek Beis has the halachos about loving Hashem, and having Yiras Shomayim! We need to think about how special everything Hashem created is. The more we think and learn about Hashem, the more we will love him and want to act the way a Yid should.
Perek Gimmel teaches us about outer space! The Rambam explains how there are different levels in the sky, with the moon, stars, and all of the planets. Did you know that the stars all know Hashem and say praises to Hashem? By knowing about the wonders of Hashem in creation, it will help us fulfill the mitzvah to love and fear Hashem!
|
|
|
|
There are some times when a Nazir SHOULD do things that a Nazir usually is not allowed to do. Like if he got Tzoraas while he was a Nazir, he has a MITZVAH to cut his hair!
|
|
|
|
Once a very rich person came to the Rebbe for Yechidus. He wasn’t a chossid, but was very impressed with the Rebbe and the Rebbe’s shluchim. He told the Rebbe that he wanted to give a lot of money to a “big project.”
The Rebbe told him that he should give a big donation to Chabad in Eretz Yisroel, for Mivtza Matzah. The Rebbe explained how Chassidim go around to their neighbors and friends, and make sure they each have Shmurah Matzah for the Seder. This can cost a lot of money!
The man wasn’t very happy with what the Rebbe said. He wanted to do something big and important, something that would last. He didn’t want to be paying for matzos that nobody remembers after Pesach is over!
But the Rebbe explained to him: “You asked me what I think is a big project — for me, this is what I consider a big project.”
|
|
|
▼ Jump to Coloring Books & Downloads ▼
|
|
|
|
In order to understand the meaning of the first bracha of Shemoneh Esrei, we need to know what is happening when we say this bracha! We praised Hashem before, in Pesukei Dezimra, and we praise Hashem again now in the first brachos, but this is different.
Before, we were preparing ourselves. We spoke about Hashem’s praises so we would understand Who we are about to speak to. We were Mekabel Ol Malchus Shomayim upon ourselves in Shema. But now, in Shemoneh Esrei, we aren’t talking ABOUT Hashem anymore, we are speaking TO Hashem!
The Chachomim tell us to take three steps forward, to show that we are going towards something important. In order to take these steps forward, we first need to take three steps back.
We clear our thoughts and focus on standing before Hashem and the meaning of the words we are saying to Hashem.
|
|
|
|
Imagine you are getting ready for your birthday party. A few days before, you get a package from Bubby and Zaidy in the mail, with a beautifully wrapped present inside. There is a note that says that you should open it at the party, when all of your friends and family are there. You put the package on the dresser in your room so it will stay safe until the birthday party! Every day, you wonder what is inside. But then, a day before, you can’t hold yourself back. You rip off the big bow, and tear off the pretty wrapping paper. Now you can see what a special toy Bubby and Zaidy bought for you! But then, at the party, when you bring out the present, it doesn’t feel the same. The bow is gone, the wrapping paper is torn, and now it isn’t a special surprise anymore! How would you feel?
On Erev Pesach, it is asur to eat matzah — we are supposed to wait until the seder, when we can eat it as part of the special mitzvah.
Many Yidden have a minhag to be careful not to eat matzah starting from Rosh Chodesh Nissan — two weeks before Pesach. The Chabad minhag is to not eat matzah starting from 30 days before Pesach, when we start preparing for the Yom Tov.
What kind of matzah does this mean? What about egg matzah, machine matzah, or matzah balls for example?
In Shulchan Aruch, in the halachos of Erev Pesach, it says that matzah that you wouldn’t be yotzei the mitzvah with on the night of the seder is not included in this isur. There are also some who say that matzah that tastes different than the matzah you would eat on Pesach (like machine matzah) is not part of the isur. It is important to check with your family’s Rav so you know what to do!
We are allowed to give even Shmurah Matzah to very young children who don’t understand that matzah is special for the Pesach seder.
See Halachos Uminhagei Chabad, Piskei Teshuvos siman Tof-Ayin-Alef, halacha newsletter by Rabbi Shmuel Lesches of Melbourne Australia
|
|
לעילוי נשמת הרה״ח ר׳ דניאל יצחק ע״ה בן ר׳ אפרים שי׳ מאסקאוויץ
שליח כ"ק אדמו"ר נשיא דורנו למדינת אילינוי
|
|
|
|
This week’s parsha begins with the words, “Vayehi Bayom Hashmini,” that this happened on the eighth day. Rashi says that it was Yom Hashmini Lamiluim, the eighth day of setting up the Mishkan so it is ready to be used.
The Kli Yakar, a meforash on Chumash, asks why this is called Shemini, the eighth day. It doesn’t seem like it is connected to the Shivas Yemei Hamiluim at all! Before we learned about the seven days of getting the Mishkan ready, but now we are learning about something separate — the first day that the Mishkan is used!
The Kli Yakar answers that we call this day the eighth day because the number eight is very special, and shows that there is a high level of Kedushah! For example, a Bris Milah, which is done on the eighth day of a baby’s life, shows a high level of Kedushah, and the harp of Moshiach, which he will be able to play during the Geulah, has eight strings!
That’s why this is called the 8th day, to show that this day was also connected to a very high level of Kedushah.
The Rebbe teaches us that calling it the eighth day teaches us something more:
It’s not true that the Shivas Yemei Hamiluim were not connected to the Yom Hashmini that we are learning about in Chumash. It is true that they are separate things, and that the first day of using the Mishkan is a day full of a very high level of Kedusha, but it needed the Shivas Yemei Hamiluim as a preparation for it! Because of the Avodah in getting the Mishkan ready, Hashem gave the eighth day a very high level of Kedushah.
Like we learn in Tanya, our Avodah in Golus is what brings the Geulah! Even though they seem like two separate things, we need the preparation we do in Golus in order to get the Geulah. The Geulah is a very high level, also connected to Shemini, the number eight. Hashem gives it to us only after the Avodah we do in Golus, which looks completely separate but is really a preparation for the Geulah!
See Likutei Sichos chelek Gimmel, Parshas Shemini
|
|
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
