The ninety-eighth "cheder" in the palace of Hayom Yom.
Friday, 28 Adar I, 5703.
Shiurim: Chumash, Vayakhel, Shishi, with Rashi's commentary.
Tehillim, the 28th of the month: one says from chapter 135 through chapter 139 inclusive.
Tanya, we are in chapter 32. The daily portion is from the words "vegam hamekuravim" until the end of the shiur, at the word "deShabbos".
Today's lesson is a collection of several customs practiced in the recital of Krias Shema she'al hamitah, and it addresses four passages within Krias Shema - how to say them correctly in Krias Shema she'al hamitah according to our custom. And so the heading reads: "In Krias Shema she'al hamitah".
The first reference is to the first passage of Krias Shema, which according to our custom opens with "Ribono shel olam" and continues with "Hareini mochel"; and afterwards one says chapter 51 of Tehillim, "Lamnatzeiach mizmor leDavid bevo eilav Nosson hanavi". And so the custom begins: "Ribono shel olam, Hareini mochel, and likewise "Lamnatzeiach etc. bevo", are not said on Shabbos and Yom Tov, but they must be said on the other days on which Tachanun is not said".
Let us explain what is novel here, for each of the two passages carries a different emphasis. As for the first passage, "Ribono shel olam, Hareini mochel" - there is a sefer called "Shaar HaKollel", written by the Rebbe's grandfather, in which he assesses that on Shabbos one does say the "Ribono shel olam". He proves this from the fact that in the Siddur of the Alter Rebbe there is no notation on the words "Hareini mochel" that they are not said on Shabbos, and therefore he writes in "Shaar HaKollel" that the "Ribono shel olam" is indeed said on Shabbos. Regarding this, the Rebbe comes and emphasizes in today's teaching that despite what is written in "Shaar HaKollel", the "Hareini mochel" is not said on Shabbos and Yom Tov. That is the novelty regarding the passage of "Ribono shel olam".
As for the "Lamnatzeiach bevo" that follows in Krias Shema - here too there is an emphasis different from what is understood from "Shaar HaKollel". In "Shaar HaKollel" he understood from the words of the Alter Rebbe that the mizmor "Lamnatzeiach mizmor leDavid bevo eilav Nosson hanavi" is not said not only on Shabbos and Yom Tov, but on every day on which Tachanun is not said. Regarding this, the Rebbe comes and emphasizes concerning this mizmor: "it is not said on Shabbos and Yom Tov" - true, on Shabbos and Yom Tov the mizmor is not said, but the emphasis is: "but it must be said on the other days on which Tachanun is not said". When another day arrives on which Tachanun is not said - not Shabbos and Yom Tov, but Rosh Chodesh or another day - this mizmor is indeed said. So there is a novelty in both passages.
Let us continue reading the teaching. "At the conclusion of the three parshiyos one says the word 'emes'" - when one finishes saying the three parshiyos in Krias Shema she'al hamitah, at the end of the third parshah, that of tzitzis, one says the word "emes". One does not conclude as it is in the Torah, where it ends with the words "Ani Hashem Elokeichem" and the word "emes" is not written in the Chumash; but here the Rebbe emphasizes that the custom in Krias Shema she'al hamitah is to say the word "emes" as well. What is the novelty in this? Here too the matter relates to "Shaar HaKollel", and differs from what is understood from it. In "Shaar HaKollel" he infers that the word "emes" is not said in Krias Shema she'al hamitah, and from where does he infer this? From the fact that the Alter Rebbe writes in his Siddur that in Krias Shema she'al hamitah one says all three parshiyos, and does not add that one also says the word "emes". Regarding this the Rebbe says: no. The Alter Rebbe's intent is that one must say all three parshiyos in Krias Shema she'al hamitah, but as for the word "emes" - it is clear that one must indeed say it.
[What about completing the 248 words that must be in Krias Shema? He does not address this in the teaching, but there is a supplement to this from a letter of the Rebbe. In communal prayer, when the chazzan concludes aloud and says "Hashem Elokeichem emes", he adds these three words for the congregation, and this completes the 248 for the congregation. But what happens when a person says Krias Shema she'al hamitah at home, not with a minyan and without a chazzan to complete the three words for him? The Rebbe writes in a letter - and it has already been inserted in the new siddurim - that at the conclusion of Krias Shema one must repeat the three words "Ani Hashem Elokeichem" in order to complete the 248. That is by the way, and is not written here in the teaching].
Let us continue with the rest of the teaching: "Ya'alzu chassidim - once. Hinei mitaso - three times. Yevarechecha - three times". After the three parshiyos of Krias Shema there is the verse "Ya'alzu chassidim veromemos Kel bigronam", after it the verses "Hinei mitaso sheliShlomo", and then Birkas Kohanim. And the Rebbe says: the verses of "Ya'alzu chassidim" are said only once, whereas "Hinei mitaso sheliShlomo" - three times, and likewise Birkas Kohanim ("Yevarechecha") - three times.
What is the novelty in this custom? In the Alter Rebbe's Siddur that was printed in Rostov, the printer set the "three times" in a way from which it could be understood that the "three times" refers to the entire passage, meaning that "Ya'alzu" too is said three times. Regarding this the Rebbe emphasizes: no, there should not be a mistake as understood from that siddur; rather it should be clear that "Ya'alzu" is said once, and only the two other passages are said three times.
[It is interesting to add something that was recounted: when the Rebbe Rayatz was in the first year of his nesius, in 5680, he became very ill, to the point of danger to life. And it is told that one of the attendants who assisted him at home helped him say Krias Shema, and the Rebbe Rayatz asked him: "How many times does one say 'Ya'alzu' - once or three times?" The attendant answered: "'Ya'alzu' is said once, and only the following passages are said three times". The Rebbe Rayatz said to him: "I also think so, that it is said once, but" - and he mentioned the name of another attendant who would come at times - "but that one confuses me, and keeps telling me that it must be said three times; and I think it should be said once". And this is as the Rebbe notes here in the custom].
Let us conclude the ending of today's teaching: "In Tikkun Chatzos, one does not say Lamnatzeiach etc. bevo on days on which Tachanun is not said". In Tikkun Chatzos the matter differs from Krias Shema she'al hamitah. Those who have the practice of saying Tikkun Chatzos - and the Rebbe already says in letters that in our generation this is only for exceptional individuals - for them the matter differs from Krias Shema she'al hamitah. For, as we said earlier, in Krias Shema she'al hamitah the mizmor "Lamnatzeiach" is omitted only on Shabbos, but on days on which Tachanun is not said it is indeed said. Whereas in Tikkun Chatzos the matter is different: on every day on which Tachanun is not said, the mizmor "Lamnatzeiach bevo" is also not said.
[To complete the picture - we have already finished the teaching - I will address the matter of Tachanun, because in Krias Shema she'al hamitah there are passages that are omitted on days when Tachanun is not said. I will address several dates in the year. What does one do when saying Krias Shema she'al hamitah on Motzaei Shabbos? On Shabbos Tachanun is not said, and it is clear that on Friday night Tachanun is not said; but what is the law for one who says Krias Shema on Motzaei Shabbos, when it is no longer Shabbos? It is written that one who says Krias Shema before halachic midnight - the holiness of Shabbos still continues to a certain degree, and he does not say Tachanun; but one who says Krias Shema after midnight - he does say Tachanun.
As for Motzaei Rosh Chodesh: on Rosh Chodesh Tachanun is not said, but one who says Krias Shema on Motzaei Rosh Chodesh - here there is no difference between before midnight and after midnight; on Motzaei Rosh Chodesh one says Tachanun in Krias Shema she'al hamitah. And regarding Motzaei Rosh Hashanah - it is not clear whether it is similar to Motzaei Shabbos or not; the matter is not entirely clear.
There are additional dates on whose conclusion one certainly says Tachanun, such as Motzaei Rosh Chodesh, Motzaei Zos Chanukah, Motzaei Chamishah Asar BiShvat, Motzaei Shushan Purim, Motzaei Lag BaOmer and Motzaei Tishah B'Av. Even though on all these days Tachanun is not said, at their conclusion one says Tachanun immediately and does not wait until midnight.
And regarding two days - one on which Tachanun is certainly not said, and the second which is in doubt: the night of Pesach Sheni, which is the night of 14 Iyar, that is, on the night of the 13th - it is clear that Tachanun is not said then, whether before midnight or after midnight; whereas the second night, the night of the 15th, that is, Motzaei the 14th - it is a doubt whether it is said or not, and the matter is not entirely clear].