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CHUMASH

Parshas Shoftim - Revi'i with Rashi

Moshe Rabbeinu is still talking to the Yidden about how to act in Eretz Yisroel. First he tells them about the kohanim’s job, and then tells the Yidden not to try to figure out what will happen in the future!

Each of the kohanim have turns to go serve in the Beis Hamikdash. It’s not fair for them to go work in the Beis Hamikdash when it’s not their turn!

But there are two times a kohen CAN work in the Beis Hamikdash even if it’s a different kohanim’s family’s turn:

1) If they are bringing their OWN korban, they are allowed to bring it themselves

2) On Yom Tov, EVERYONE is allowed to help!

The kohanim who are working in the Beis Hamikdash share the parts of the korbanos that belong to them.

Now we learn that Yidden are not supposed to try to figure out what will happen in the future:

Learn from the Goyim how NOT to act!

None of the Yidden should do the strange Avodah Zarah that the Goyim do. They also shouldn’t try to figure out what will happen later — like by asking questions to people who use kochos of Tumah.

To Hashem, these kinds of things are very not nice, and He is sending the Goyim out of Eretz Yisroel because they act this way!

Yidden — “Tomim Tihiyeh Im Hashem Elokecha” — Act in an honest way with Hashem, don’t try to figure out what is going to happen, just have bitachon and Hashem will take care of you!

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TEHILLIM

1 - 9

Today we start the Tehillim again from the beginning! We say kapitelach Alef through Tes.

Many times when Yidden were in trouble, the Rebbe would speak about a posuk from one of today’s kapitelach: “Mipi Olelim Veyonkim Yisadeta Oz” — “from the mouths of children and babies You get koach to destroy the enemies.” The Rebbe explained that the koach of the Torah and mitzvos of children is what gives us koach to destroy all of our enemies!

From this posuk we learn that when even a very small child or a baby says words of Torah or does a mitzvah, it is able to protect Yidden everywhere!

This is why chinuch of small children is so important, because it helps keep all Yidden safe!

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TANYA

Igeres Hakodesh Siman Yud

In this letter, the Alter Rebbe is again encouraging Chassidim to give tzedakah, by explaining to them what tzedakah does! But first we will learn something about teshuvah, which will help us understand later how to give tzedakah in an extra special way.

Mitzvos are in Gashmius, and they need to be done just right so the chayus of Hashem can be brought down through them into the world. That’s why the Shofar has to be made a certain way, and a Lulav has to be a certain size. A Sukkah can’t be too small, and it can’t be too tall!

Tzedakah is also a mitzvah that has a “size!” Tzedakah is a very important mitzvah that brings Chayus to the whole world — it’s one of the mitzvos that makes the world stand. (“Al Shlosha Devarim Ha’olam Omeid!”) The Gemara says that even if you give a lot of tzedakah, you shouldn’t give more than a chomeish (a fifth — $1 out of every $5 you have). Of course, we need to give at least maaser, 10% of what we earn!

Doing mitzvos properly brings Hashem’s chayus to the whole world. But if chas veshalom a person missed a chance to do a mitzvah, or did an aveira, he missed a chance to bring Hashem’s chayus into the world! He lost a chance to have that chayus for himself, and for the world — to bring Moshiach closer.

But Hashem gives us the koach to do teshuvah!

Teshuvah connects us to a part of our neshama that DOES NOT have an amount, and it also brings a chayus from Hashem that doesn’t have an amount! That way, it can even fix up chayus that was missing from before!

In fact, the chayus we bring from teshuvah is even stronger than the chayus a Tzaddik brings — someone who uses EVERY chance he has, ALL the time, to bring Hashem’s chayus into the world!

IY”H in tomorrow’s Tanya we will see what happens when we give tzedakah in a way of Bli Gevul, without an amount, meaning even more than a Chomeish. When we do this, together with our teshuvah, it can bring a chayus from Hashem which is also Bli Gevul, without an amount! This chayus can fill in any opportunities we missed in the past to do Torah and mitzvos properly.

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HAYOM YOM

Alef Elul

In today’s Hayom Yom we learn about a minhag that we start doing today, and will continue the whole month of Elul, through the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah!

When the Tzemach Tzedek was nine, the Alter Rebbe told him something that he heard from HIS Rebbe (the Maggid) who heard it from HIS Rebbe (the Baal Shem Tov), who heard it from HIS Rebbe (Achiya Hashiloni)!

Starting from the second day of Rosh Chodesh Elul (that’s today!) we say 3 extra Kapitelach of Tehillim every day. We say 36 Kapitelach on Yom Kippur (9 before Kol Nidrei, 9 before going to sleep, 9 after Musaf, and 9 after Ne’ilah). That way, we finish the WHOLE Sefer Tehillim!

If someone didn’t start on time, he should first say the Kapitelach for that day, and he can catch up later.

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SEFER HAMITZVOS

Shiur #155 - Mitzvas Lo Saasei #75, #76, Asei #24, Lo Saasei #69, #70, #71

Today we learn 6 mitzvos for kohanim in the Beis Hamikdash:

1) (Mitzvas Lo Saasei #75) A kohen who is tamei is not allowed to do any Avodah in the Beis Hamikdash.

We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Emor: וְיִנָּזְרוּ מִקָּדְשֵׁי בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלֹא יְחַלְּלוּ אֶת שֵׁם קָדְשִׁי

2) (Mitzvas Lo Saasei #76) A kohen who already did all the steps to become Tahor, but still is supposed to wait until the night to become completely tahor (called a “Tevul Yom”), is also not allowed to do any Avodah until he becomes completely tahor.

We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Emor: וְלֹא יְחַלְּלוּ שֵׁם אֱלֹקֵיהֶם

3) (Mitzvas Asei #24) The kohanim need to wash their hands and feet (from the Kiyor) before they do their Avodah.

We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Ki Sisa: וְרָחֲצוּ אַהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו מִמֶּנּוּ אֶת יְדֵיהֶם וְאֶת רַגְלֵיהֶם בְּבֹאָם אֶל אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד

The details are explained in Mesechta Zevachim perek Beis.

4) (Mitzvas Lo Saasei #69) A kohen with a mum is not allowed to GO INTO parts of the Beis Hamikdash that are only for doing Avodah.

We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Emor: אַךְ אֶל הַפָּרֹכֶת לֹא יָבֹא וְאֶל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ לֹא יִגַּשׁ וְגוֹ׳

5) (Mitzvas Lo Saasei #70) A kohen with a mum is not allowed to DO Avodah.

We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Emor: אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה בוֹ מוּם לֹא יִקְרַב

6) (Mitzvas Lo Saasei #71) If a kohen has a mum that will go away, he is also not allowed to do Avodah in the Beis Hamikdash until it does go away.

We learn this mitzvah from a posuk in Parshas Emor: כָל אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר בּוֹ מוּם לֹא יִקְרָב

The details are explained in Mesechta Bechoros perek Zayin.

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RAMBAM

Hilchos Maaseh HaKorbanos

In today's Rambam, we learn more about the kohanim and their Avodah.

Perek Hey: Before the Avodah, a kohen needs to make himself tahor by using the kiyor. One halacha is that the kohen needs to wash his hands and feet every morning, even if he was up all night doing his avodah.

Perek Vov: We start learning the halachos about a kohen who has a mum.

Perek Zayin: There are 15 things that could be wrong that count as a mum if they are in a person, and ALSO if they are in an animal.

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RAMBAM PEREK ECHOD

Hilchos Temidin U'Musafin - Perek CHES

In this perek, the Rambam teaches us about the two Chometz’dike loaves of bread we bring on Shavuos.

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INYANA D'YOMA

Chodesh Elul

Starting from the second day of Rosh Chodesh Elul, there are three things we do every day: Saying L’Dovid Hashem Ori in Shacharis and Mincha, saying the three kapitelach of Tehillim after davening, and blowing the shofar.

We also work on fixing up ALL of the areas of Avodas Hashem to prepare for Rosh Hashana. We see this hinted to in the many Roshei Teivos of Elul, which we will be learning about! Today we will see that the month of Elul is a “safety zone” for us to fix things up, to prepare to be bentched with a Shana Tova!

~

Do you remember learning about the Ir Miklat in Chumash?

If someone kills another person by mistake, he runs away to the Ir Miklat, where he will be safe.

When a person does an aveira by mistake, it’s like taking the life out of the neshama. Hashem gives us a chance to go to an “Ir Miklat” in the days of Elul. Doing the avodah of the month of Elul keeps us safe, like an Ir Miklat!

That’s why the words the Torah uses to teach us about an Ir Miklat are “Ina Leyado Vesamti Lecha.” If a person killed someone else by mistake, Hashem gives him a place to go. These words are also the Roshei Teivos of the word Elul!

There are many Roshei Teivos for the word Elul, which teach us lessons about what to do during this month. This posuk teaches us to learn Torah, which is also like an Ir Miklat — like the Chachomim say, “Divrei Torah Koltin,” the words of Torah keep us safe!

If we stay in the Ir Miklat by using the time to do Teshuvah and learn Torah, it will keep us safe from any not good things, and Hashem will give us a Shana Tova Umesuka!

See Likutei Sichos chelek Beis, p. 623

▼ Jump to Coloring Books & Downloads ▼

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TEFILLAH

Yud-Beis Pesukim - Yogaati

The Rebbe gave us 12 pesukim to know by heart and understand well. They have important lessons for us to keep in mind, and can give us chayus in doing what we should. When we are worried or feeling frustrated or upset, the Yud-Beis Pesukim can help us too!

For eample, the posuk Yogaati can be very helpful for us when we are feeling frustrated or hopeless.

Lots of times we try to stop doing an aveira — and it doesn’t work! We mess up again and again. Maybe we should just give up, since we can tell that we’re going to keep doing the wrong thing.

Or there is something we know we are supposed to be doing, but we just can’t seem to make it happen!

When we start thinking that way, we need to remember the posuk Yogaati!

This posuk is from Torah Shebaal Peh, from the Gemara:

Yogaati Velo Motzosi, Al Taamin — If someone says, I tried hard and it didn’t work, don’t believe them!

Lo Yogaati Umotzosi, Al Taamin — If someone says, I didn’t try hard at all, and I was able to do it right away, don’t believe them either.

Yogaati Umotzosi, Taamin — If someone says, I tried hard and it worked, then believe them!

Let’s say that I have a hard time remembering to bring Negel Vasser. I make a hachlata to bring it right after supper, but I STILL keep forgetting! I might want to give up and just stop trying — maybe this is just not for me. But the Torah tells us that if we keep trying hard, then it WILL work!

Or imagine that I am trying not to bite my nails on Shabbos. But every Shabbos, I forget the halacha again! I might feel like it’s just too hard to keep this mitzvah. But this posuk reminds us that we CAN do it! Just keep trying, and we will see that we will have hatzlacha in the end.

Even adults sometimes feel this way! Let’s say I started to learn more Chassidus in honor of Yud-Tes Kislev, but I don’t feel different! I don’t feel like a better chossid! Should I just stop? The posuk Yogaati reminds us to keep trying, because in the end we will see that when we work hard, we WILL have hatzlachaYogaati Umotzosi!

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HALACHOS HATZRICHOS

General & Specific Brachos

The brachos we say on food can be general or specific. Shehakol is the most general bracha, it doesn’t speak about any specific kind of food. Ho’adamah is a very general bracha for everything that grows. Ha’eitz is more specific, for only something that grows on a tree. Mezonos is also more specific, because it only is for foods from grain. Hamotzi is even more specific, for only bread made from grain. Hagafen is very specific, only for wine or grape juice.

The halacha is that bedieved, if we said a more general bracha, it can include a food that really has a more specific bracha.

For example, if someone said Ho’adamah on an apple, bedieved their bracha is counted and they don’t make another bracha. That is because even though an apple grows on a tree, a tree also grows from the ground, and Ha’adamah is a general bracha for everything that grows from the ground.

Or if someone said Shehakol on a cookie, bedieved their bracha is also counted, because Shehakol is a general bracha that includes all foods.

See Seder Birchos Hanehenin Perek Alef

לעילוי נשמת הרה״ח ר׳ דניאל יצחק בן ר׳ אפרים ע״ה מאסקאוויץ
שליח כ"ק אדמו"ר נשיא דורנו למדינת אילינוי

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GEULAH U'MOSHIACH

The End of the Nation of Eisav

After the time of Shlomo Hamelech, the Yidden split into two groups. The Yidden living near Yerushalayim followed the son of Shlomo Hamelech, the first of the Malchei Yehudah. The Yidden living in the northern parts of Eretz Yisroel followed a different king, the first of the Malchei Yisrael.

The kings of the Malchei Yisrael wouldn’t even let the Yidden go to the Beis Hamikdash, since they were afraid that the Yidden would start to follow the Malchei Yehudah. Of course, this was not very good for the Ruchnius of the Yidden!

One of the kings of the Malchei Yisrael was Achav. He married a non-Jewish princess, Izevel, and listened to whatever she said. She worshiped Avodah Zarah and worked hard to make the Yidden do it too. She tried to kill all of the true Neviim so that no one would stop the Yidden from worshiping her Avodah Zarah.

Even though Eliyahu Hanavi tried to punish Achav by stopping rain from falling, Achav did not do teshuvah.

The man in charge of running Achav’s palace was a ger from Edom, named Ovadiah. Even though he lived with these wicked people, he did not learn from them. He decided to protect Neviim, and hid 100 of them in caves. He gave them food and water and kept them safe from Achav and Izevel.

Because of this, Hashem gave Ovadiah the zechus of becoming a talmid of Eliyahu Hanavi. Ovadiah even became a Navi himself! Hashem chose Ovadiah, who was from Edom, to give the nevuah about the end of the nation of Edom.

Here is one of his famous nevuos about the end of Edom, the nation of Eisav:

וְהָיָה בֵית יַעֲקֹב אֵשׁ וּבֵית יוֹסֵף לֶהָבָה וּבֵית עֵשָׂו לְקַשׁ וְדָלְקוּ בָהֶם וַאֲכָלוּם וְלֹא יִהְיֶה שָׂרִיד לְבֵית עֵשָׂו כִּי ה׳ דִּבֵּר

Vehaya Veis Yaakov Eish — The family of Yaakov (the Yidden) will be like a fire

Uveis Yosef Lehava — And the family of Yosef will be like a flame.

Uveis Eisav Lekash — The family of Eisav will be like straw (which burns very easily).

Vedalku Vahem Va’achalum — The Yidden will burn the nation of Eisav completely

Velo Yihiyeh Sarid Leveis Eisav — And there will be nothing left of the family of Eisav,

Ki Hashem Diber — Because Hashem said so.

See Ovadyah perek Alef posuk Yud-Ches

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