Today we will learn one more introductory lesson, an opening before we begin reading from the sefer Hayom Yom itself. We already mentioned that the sefer Hayom Yom is like a palace containing hundreds of rooms, each room holding the saying and its content, and we also saw the general structure of the sefer. With Hashem's help we will learn every single saying and every point - to understand its meaning, to see its sources and from where the Rebbe gathered the material, and also to delve into the hints contained in it; for in every part of Torah there is the plain meaning and the hidden hint within it.
A bit of history - the sources of the sayings:
The sefer was published in 5703. For many years no one knew at all what the sources of each saying were, since the Rebbe did not note the sources. For himself the Rebbe did note them, and today one can obtain a photocopy of the first edition of Hayom Yom, alongside which is a photocopy of the Rebbe's handwriting on each and every saying and the source of the material; but this came to light at a later stage, when the Rebbe agreed that it be given out for distribution. At first no one knew, and there were chassidim who gathered little by little and tried to locate them, but a large portion of the material was difficult to decipher and was not found.
For example: in 5740 Rav Seligson, may he live long, began to search for sources and to ask the Rebbe. And not only did he search for sources, but he also delved deeply into trying to understand the context of each saying - why it appears specifically on that day. In Hayom Yom there are more than three hundred and eighty sayings, and he found a certain number, and he did not know whether to print and publicize what he had already found and what to do about it. He therefore asked the Rebbe.
From the Rebbe's response it is evident how much importance he attached to people delving into the sefer and finding the matters. This is what he wrote to him: "If it will be a significant portion also in quantity" - and the Rebbe noted the number seventy - "it is obviously worthwhile". That is, if he would have at least seventy sources. "Received on the eve of 18 Elul of the year of Hakhel" - 5741 was a year of Hakhel - "and many thanks, I will mention it at the Tziyon once again, and may he report good news". The Rebbe greatly encouraged the matter, and still it had not yet come to fruition.
Several months later, in the month of Cheshvan 5742, the Rebbe asks on his own initiative, on a note that was submitted about another matter: "Are the notes etc. to Hayom Yom actually happening?", and he adds: "And the main thing - make an effort in spreading the sefer" - the Rebbe literally pressed him to hurry with this matter.
The attention to the details of the sefer:
Rav Seligson had many questions about details in the sefer, which he arranged in his work, and the Rebbe related with great seriousness to every detail, even to details that appear marginal:
The font: why at times, when the Rebbe notes a particular custom, the font of the printing is different - is this intentional? And the Rebbe explained when the font is one way and when it is another.
The name of the month: why in the month of Cheshvan, throughout the entire month, it is called "Cheshvan" and not "Marcheshvan", as is commonly known.
Adar A' and Adar Sheini: 5703 was a leap year, and why in the first Adar is it written "Adar A'" while in the second Adar it is written "Adar Sheini".
On every single detail there was a response from the Rebbe as to why each thing was done in that way. This can instill in us an attitude of appreciation and respect, and let us know what an important and serious attitude the sefer deserves: first, the sayings themselves must be studied and understood, but also in everything surrounding them, and even in the hints within them, there is room to delve deeply.
An essence of every type of chassidus:
Many times we will see in the course of our study that the saying is a matter of content - a story, an idea or a directive - and at times it contains nothing more than a correction to a particular reference. One could say that the Rebbe wished to convey in this sefer an essence of every type of chassidus: of all the topics, and all the levels within Elokus - from before the tzimtzum until Malchus and the levels in between. The Rebbe wanted the chassid who is beginning to learn to have a recognition and knowledge that all these levels exist, and also to bring points from each one of the Chabad seforim, that is, to become familiar with the foundational seforim of Chabad chassidus. At times a saying appears to us as merely a correction, and when we study it we receive additional information - sometimes about the subject it comes to correct, and sometimes an acquaintance with that particular sefer, which is itself a very important point.
The meaning of the name Hayom Yom:
I saw someone who wrote regarding the name Hayom Yom - and we spoke about this in a previous lesson as well - that if we seek the source of the expression, we find two interesting sources:
The song of the day: the Mishnah tells of the song that the Leviim would sing in the Beis Hamikdash, and we say each day in Shacharis "Today is the first day", "Today is the second day" - the day on which the Leviim would say the song. One could say that the avodah of Hashem of each day, which derives from the content of the saying, is like the service in the Beis Hamikdash, and the saying that you study is "Hayom Yom" - what is the song of the day through which you serve the Holy One, blessed be He.
Sefiras HaOmer: on each day of the counting we begin with the words "Today is such and such a day". And it is explained in chassidus that Sefiras HaOmer is the avodah of refining the middos in the finest detail, and all the middos pass through all the days of the counting. The sefer Hayom Yom too guides us how to work on our soul and on our middos, and how to correct these matters.
As the previous Rebbe expressed himself to one of the chassidim and said "Hayom Yom" - there is something very important in this sefer.
Those who compiled the explanations:
As they say, credit must be given: the explanations that we will study in this sefer were produced by chassidim who toiled and labored and put out a wonderful collection and beautiful material on the sefer. We will mention four of them who published seforim:
Rav Michoel Seligson - who was already mentioned above first and foremost, and who has merited to publish until today three seforim on Hayom Yom.
Rav Shmuel Raskin, a rav in Cholon - who published a sefer in two volumes on Hayom Yom.
Rav Yosef Chaim Beindman - who also published a beautiful sefer on Hayom Yom.
Rav Elyashiv Kaplun of Kiryat Gat.
Each of them has a different style, and in these lessons we will try to take from each one the point that gives special vitality to that particular saying.
The sicha of 19 Kislev 5749:
We will conclude with an interesting passage from the Rebbe's words in a short sicha on 19 Kislev 5749 - forty six years after Hayom Yom was published - in which too the important attitude toward the sefer is evident. One could say that the Rebbe made a siyum of Hayom Yom and an opening for the new year. One could say that this came in the wake of chassidim beginning to delve into the sayings of Hayom Yom, and the Rebbe "shared" the matter with us.
This is what the Rebbe says in the sicha there: "Among the many matters in the teachings of chassidus, it is understood and obvious that the beginning of the study should be in a matter that is timely, the halachos of this day, that is, the matters in which the subject of this day is explained" - if one wants to know what the content of the day is, there is a place where one can see it.
"Now, at the beginning of the sefer Hayom Yom - a sefer (a "sefer'l" [a small sefer]) that was printed during the lifetime of the nasi of our generation, and which was before his eyes in every fine detail, and all the more so the introduction to the sefer - there is brought the saying of the father of the nasi of our generation, the Rebbe, of blessed memory [the Rebbe Rashab, the father of the Rebbe Rayatz]".
And he brings the letter, and this is a short quote from the letter: "19 Kislev .. is drawn down on this day .. from the aspect of the innerness and essence of the Ohr Ein Sof, blessed be He, that it should shine into the innerness of our souls, so that our entire essence, our entire existence, the essence and the expansion .. should be to Him alone, blessed be He".
From this it is understood that one should begin with the study of this matter as it is in the Rebbe's own words, "give to the wise man and he will become wiser still"
"And it should be added that the above sefer, Hayom Yom, which was written for a leap year" - for 5703 was a leap year - "is especially fitting for this year", 5749, which is also a leap year; "since it contains sayings for the entire year, even for the extra month".
And here comes an interesting addition that is very relevant to our relationship with the sefer: "even though it does not correspond according to the days of the week" - for in 5703 the sayings were fixed on particular days, whereas now it is possible that the days do not correspond exactly - "nevertheless one can find a connection to each day, especially when one is immersed in it", meaning that we should enter into the study of Hayom Yom, and then, with greater ease, even more than we imagine, we will be able to find the connection. Once again the Rebbe encourages us to delve in and find the connection to each day.
"And the main thing - that it should be as the words of the nasi of our generation regarding the meaning of the name Hayom Yom: that each day should be as the day ought to be, filled with all the matters of that day, from the aspect of "coming along in days" - that each day comes with its content, and it comes within the days, meaning that the days are full and complete. And all the more so this day" on which the sicha was said, "19 Kislev, the Rosh Hashanah of the teachings of chassidus, that it should be full and complete in all its matters".
In summary: we see how much the study of Hayom Yom needs to be a study of depth and content, to the point that the sefer serves for us as a chassidic Shulchan Aruch for every day of life. With Hashem's help we will enter into this wondrous palace, and may it accomplish the things it is meant to accomplish in each and every one of us.