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CHUMASH
Parshas Shelach - Sheini with Rashi
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The Meraglim go through Eretz Yisroel, looking for not nice things to say about it. When they come back, they scare all of the Yidden so they shouldn’t want to go to Eretz Yisroel! Yehoshua and Kalev, though, try to get the Yidden to want to go.
The Meraglim started going the way Moshe Rabbeinu told them to go, all the way around Eretz Yisroel.
Kalev knew that they were looking for excuses to decide that Eretz Yisroel would be too hard to capture from the Goyim. So he made a detour and went to daven at Me’aras Hamachpeila in Chevron, to ask Hashem to help him not act like them!
To understand how good Eretz Yisroel is, the Torah tells us that Chevron was the WORST place to plant things in Eretz Yisroel — and it was 7 times better than Tzo’an, the BEST place in Mitzrayim.
The Meraglim took a cluster of grapes that was so big that eight of them had to carry it hanging from two poles! Another one of the Meraglim took a humongous pomegranate, and another took a huge fig. But Yehoshua and Kalev didn’t take any. Even though Moshe had said to bring back fruit, they knew that the other Meraglim were going to try to show everyone how BAD Eretz Yisroel was from the fruit, and they didn’t want to be a part of that.
Hashem knew that the Yidden would need a year to do Teshuvah for EACH day that the Meraglim spent looking for not nice things to say about Eretz Yisroel. So He made a neis, that they went much faster than it should have taken — it only took 40 days to go around the whole Eretz Yisroel! They came back on Ches Av.
Now the Meraglim told all the Yidden what they saw.
First, they said something nice about Eretz Yisroel, so everyone would listen to them. They said that Eretz Yisroel is an “Eretz Zovas Cholov Udevash” like Hashem said — a land flowing with milk and honey — and showed everyone the fruit.
BUT, they said, the people of Eretz Yisroel are HUGE, like the fruit! Amalek, who fought with us before, is right there and can attack us again! There are also a lot of other nations who can stop us from going into Eretz Yisroel.
Kalev saw that the Meraglim were making the Yidden upset at Moshe for wanting to bring them to Eretz Yisroel! He said, “Hasn’t Hashem helped us many times in Moshe Rabbeinu’s zechus? Whatever Moshe tells us we can do, we for sure can do.”
The Meraglim didn’t give up though, they said MORE not nice things about Eretz Yisroel. They said that the people are so strong, that Hashem won’t be able to bring them there even with nisim! They said that Eretz Yisroel makes people die, since when they came, Hashem made the people of Eretz Yisroel busy burying dead people. (Really, Hashem did this so that the nations wouldn’t notice the Meraglim and try to hurt them, but the Meraglim didn’t look at it in the right way.) They also said that the giants are very strong and they come from Malachim.
The Yidden were afraid that Hashem wouldn’t help them, and they cried all that night — the night of Tisha B’Av. The men complained to Moshe and Aharon, “It would be better to die in Mitzrayim! Let’s get a new leader, and a new Hashem, and go back to Mitzrayim!”
Moshe and Aharon fell on the ground and begged them not to talk that way. Yehoshua bin Nun and Kalev ripped their clothes to show how upset they were. They said to the Yidden, “Eretz Yisroel is SUCH a good place!”
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Today’s kapitelach are Kapitel Kuf-Ches to Kuf-Yud-Beis.
In Kapitel Kuf-Tes, Dovid Hamelech says “Ki Oni Ve’evyon Anochi, VeLibi Cholal BeKirbi.” “I am like a poor person, and my heart is empty inside of me.”
What does this mean? The Gemara explains that it means he has no Yetzer Hara in his heart — he destroyed it by fasting!
In Tanya, the Alter Rebbe teaches that that’s what a Tzadik is — someone who doesn’t have a Yetzer Hara. But most people have a Yetzer Tov AND a Yetzer Hara, and have to fight all the time for the Yetzer Tov to win!
Each kind of person gives Hashem a special kind of nachas and brings a different kind of light into the world!
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TANYA
Shaar Hayichud Veha'emunah Perek Zayin
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Today the Alter Rebbe explains from the Zohar how we can say that Hashem is EVERYWHERE, even in not kavodike places.
Where is Hashem?
Everyone knows the answer to that question — Hashem is everywhere!
But in the time of the Alter Rebbe, some people (and even some big Talmidei Chachomim) were trying to learn about Hashem from what it says in Kisvei HoArizal, and they made a mistake. They were learning about tzimtzum, how Hashem has to “make Himself smaller” and hide in the world, and they thought it meant that Hashem is too holy to be in dirty, disgusting places.
Since it isn’t kavodik to say that Hashem is in such yucky places, they thought tzimtzum meant that Hashem goes away from there, and watches carefully, but from far away.
Of course, we know that can’t be true! The Alter Rebbe told us yesterday that the emunah we have inside us tells us that it can’t be. We know that Hashem knows everything, and Hashem is one, and we know that no place in the world can be separate from Hashem!
Today and for the next few days, the Alter Rebbe will prove this to us from what it says in Zohar.
Hashem isn’t like a regular person.
We don’t like to be in a disgusting place. Why? Because it makes us feel yucky too. Why don’t we like to be in a dangerous place? Because we are scared we will get hurt. But that’s not how it works for Hashem!
The Zohar explains that Hashem gives chayus to the whole world and isn’t bothered or pained by anything that is inside. Hashem gives us chayus in the winter and summer — but Hashem doesn’t get cold or hot! Hashem makes day and night — but Hashem doesn’t feel that it’s dark!
So it doesn’t matter that we say that Hashem is in a bathroom or in a not nice place! Even though Hashem gives it chayus, it doesn’t affect Him like it does to a person.
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Today we learn what a Chassidishe Yetzer Hara is and how to watch out for it!
The Rebbe Maharash taught the Rebbe Rashab something very important in Yechidus about the Yetzer Hara. The Yetzer Hara is also called the “Nefesh Habehamis” — the “animal” nefesh! There are some animals that are big and strong, but some animals are very tricky, like a fox...
In today’s Hayom Yom we learn that the Yetzer Hara can be VERY tricky! Sometimes it PRETENDS to be Chassidish, convincing us to do the wrong thing.
How? Well, let’s say it’s time for davening. So what does Hashem want you to do right now? Daven, of course!
The Yetzer Hara now tries to come up with a trick so that you won’t. Maybe it will be a “frum” Yetzer Hara, and remind you that your mother asked you to clean up your room today. So the Yetzer Hara tells you to go right now and do the mitzvah of Kibud Av Va’em and clean up your room!
Of course this is a mitzvah, but is NOW the time to do it? NO! The Yetzer Hara just doesn’t want you to do the mitzvah that IS for right now — davening.
If the Yetzer Hara is so sneaky and tricky, how can we figure out when something is the right thing or a Yetzer Hara trick?
If you are supposed to be doing something for Avodas Hashem, and all the sudden you have another idea of an important thing or mitzvah to do — that’s the Yetzer Hara trying to stop you from doing the Avodas Hashem which should be done now.
The Rebbe Rashab said that he had never heard of a “frum Yetzer Hara” before this Yechidus — and especially not a “Chassidishe Yetzer Hara!”
(This Yechidus happened before the Rebbe Rashab’s chasunah, when he was 14.)
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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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In this perek, the Rambam tells us how people and the world are judged.
Hashem measures mitzvos and aveiros on a kind of “scale” to see which side is heavier!
If someone has more mitzvos than aveiros, they are called a “tzadik.” If someone has more aveiros than mitzvos, they are called a “rasha.” If someone has the same amount of both, they are called a “beinoni!”
We are judged for the year based on these scales. Since we don’t know where the scale is up to, during the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah we add in extra mitzvos and Maasim Tovim to make sure we are judged for a good year!
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The Rebbe gave every chossid the responsibility to do everything possible to bring Moshiach.
There’s a very famous sicha that the Rebbe said on Chof-Ches Nissan. The Rebbe told us, “Tut Altz Vos Ir Kent Tzu Brengen Moshiach” — “do everything you can to bring Moshiach!”
One of the things this sicha shows us is how to “live with the times” (“Lebn Mit Der Tzeit”) — to see how every part of every day is special and has horaos for us in our Avodas Hashem. The Rebbe showed us how the year then was Shnas Arenu Niflaos (a year of miracles), how the month of Nisan is especially connected to the Geulah, how the day of the week is special, how the parsha is special, how special is the time of Erev Rosh Chodesh, and how they are all connected to the Geulah!
The sicha explained about the day of Chof-Ches Nissan, but we can learn from here how to see what is special about today too! The Rebbe showed us how “living with the times” needs to inspire us to do our shlichus to bring the Geulah!
The Rebbe used very strong words to tell Chassidim that we really need to WANT the Geulah to come! We need to be ready to work on ourselves, to take the horaos the Rebbe gives us and really make them part of our avodah. This way we will be able to come out of the Golus inside of ourselves, and bring the Geulah to the whole world!
See Sefer Hasichos 5751, chelek Beis, p. 474
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R’ Avraham Yitzchak Kahan ztz”l was known as the Toldos Aharon, a Chassidic Rebbe. He once came to the Rebbe for Yechidus, and spoke for a long time. One of the main things they spoke about was about a Chassidishe davening, and how important it is to learn Chassidus before davening.
One of the things the Rebbe told the Toldos Aharon was that during davening, a person can put himself in a different place! He can put his mind and heart into a place of Geulah and the time of Moshiach, even right now while we are in Golus!
By davening with the “Moshiach” inside of the davening, we can live Moshiach when we daven!
Then the Rebbe gave an example:
In Pesukei Dezimra, one of the pesukim that we say is “Yismach Yisroel Be’osav,” “The Yidden are happy with Hashem Who made them.”
If we look at the words carefully, there is also a deeper meaning hinted inside!
Yismach Yisroel — This means “Yisroel WILL be happy.” In the future, Yidden will have this simcha!
What is this simcha?
Be’osav — This word means with the ONES who created them, not the ONE who created them. It is talking about the Gashmius’dike world where everything thinks it is separate and has its own creator. When Moshiach comes, Yidden will celebrate because of the simcha Hashem has that this world was changed from a world of kelipah, which feels itself separate, into a world of Kedushah, where everything recognizes that there is one Hashem Who created it all!
We say it during davening nowadays, to show that even in the time of Golus we can also feel this simcha! We don’t have to wait until Moshiach comes, we can already live with the Geulah when we daven!
See Kovetz “Lifnei Mi Ata Omed”
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In today’s Chumash, we learn about Lashon Hara.
What is Lashon Hara?
Saying something that makes a person look bad is Lashon Hara, even if it is true. For example, saying that a person did an aveira makes it sound like he is not a nice person. That is Lashon Hara, and it is asur to say it, and even asur to think about it if someone tells it to us.
Lashon Hara doesn’t even have to be saying something “bad.” For example, let’s say someone asks us where they can buy good cookies for Shabbos. We answer, “Oh, ask Ploni — he always has cookies.” If we are trying to make Ploni sound like a fresser who is always noshing, that’s Lashon Hara too!
See Kitzur Shulchan Aruch im piskei Admur Hazaken, siman Lamed, se’if Beis and Gimmel
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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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The Navi Yeshaya says many nevuos about the end of Golus and the times of the Geulah!
כִּי הִנֵּה הַחֹשֶׁךְ יְכַסֶּה אֶרֶץ וַעֲרָפֶל לְאֻמִּים וְעָלַיִךְ יִזְרַח ה׳ וּכְבוֹדוֹ עָלַיִךְ יֵרָאֶה
Ki Hinei Hachoshech Yechaseh Eretz — The end of Golus will be a dark time (with many tzaros in the world)
Ve’arafel Le’umim — And a dark cloud will cover the nations (they will be blocked from seeing the light of Hashem).
Va’alayich Yizrach Hashem — But Hashem will shine His light on the Yidden to save them
U’chevodo Alayich Yeira’eh — And Hashem will show His Shechinah to you!
At farbrengens, when the Rebbe would speak about dark times in the world at the end of Golus, the Rebbe would often quote this posuk! The Rebbe would say that even though darkness covers the world, Yidden are able to overcome the darkness and bring the light of Hashem into the world.
See Yeshaya perek Samach posuk Beis
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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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