The one hundred and thirtieth "room" in the hall of Hayom Yom.
Tuesday, 1 Nissan, Rosh Chodesh, 5703.
In the first line, the Rebbe writes: "Tachanun is not said the entire month." This point, that Tachanun is omitted throughout the month of Nissan, already appears in the Shulchan Aruch, siman 429; and the Alter Rebbe as well, in his Siddur, in the lines written before "Lamenatzeach" of Shacharit where he lists all the days of the year on which Tachanun is not said, mentions that Tachanun is omitted the entire month of Nissan. Nevertheless, the Rebbe mentions this point too, even though it is already known from Halachah.
Afterwards, in the next line: As is known, during the first twelve days of the month of Nissan, when the Nesi'im (princes) of Israel brought their offerings for the inauguration of the Mizbe'ach, it is customary to read each day the section of the Nasi who brought his offering on that day. The Rebbe writes: "After reciting the Nasi, the 'Yehi Ratzon' printed in Siddur Torah Or is said." This is the "Yehi Ratzon" recited at the conclusion of the Nasi's offering, in which a Jew asks the Holy One, blessed be He, that all the holy lights contained within the tribe should shine upon him. The emphasis here is that it is recited, and that we recite the "Yehi Ratzon" printed in Siddur "Torah Or" - because in the original Siddur of the Alter Rebbe this "Yehi Ratzon" does not appear at all. Where does it appear? In Siddur "Torah Or", which was printed by Rav Lavut, the Rebbe's grandfather, author of "Shaar HaKollel", and he is the one who inserted the "Yehi Ratzon" after the Nasi section.
What is the novelty in reciting it? It is interesting that there are testimonies, at least two, that the Rebbe Rashab would not say this "Yehi Ratzon". One testimony is what Rav Chaim Naeh writes in his sefer, quoting what the famous chossid Rabbi Alter Simchovitch wrote to him: In his letter, he writes that he himself once heard during a Shabbat meal, while sitting with the Rebbe Rashab, that the Rebbe Rashab told him explicitly that the "Yehi Ratzon" following the Nasi reading is not said. Meaning, we have testimonies that the Rebbe Rashab would not say it.
Nevertheless, the Rebbe included in Hayom Yom that the "Yehi Ratzon" is indeed said. The Rebbe even wrote about this to Rav Landa, after he testified to him that the Rebbe Rashab would not say it, and wrote to him: "You should know that this practice, like all the practices in Hayom Yom, I included based on an instruction I received from the Rebbe Rayatz, and the Rebbe Rayatz saw all the practices prior to printing and approved them." The Rebbe also testifies that he saw the Rebbe Rayatz several times reciting the "Yehi Ratzon" after reading the Nasi, and therefore he includes it as a required practice for Chabad chassidim to recite.
Interestingly, Rav Chaim Naeh had a column in the "Hamodia" newspaper at the time, in which he wrote about various matters of practices and Halachot. There is a letter that the Rebbe wrote to him in the year 5714, in which he writes that the "Hamodia" newspaper happened to come into his hands and he saw the article he wrote on the topic of reciting the Nasi and the "Yehi Ratzon", and points out to him that it would have been appropriate to include in the article the practice from Hayom Yom. The Rebbe writes that since he knows there is a directive from the Rebbe Rayatz to recite it, he should have written this clearly, so that the chassidim would know that it is said, and there wouldn't be a situation where among the chassidim some would say it and some would not, but rather it would be a fixed practice that everyone recites. There is also an expression from the Rebbe, appearing on Shabbat Parshat Tazria 5749, in one of the footnotes, writing that it is a mitzvah to strengthen this custom of saying the "Yehi Ratzon".
In any case, this is the emphasis of the custom that appears here. The Rebbe adds, "Kohanim and Levi'im also say it," as we will see shortly in the teaching itself. What is the novelty in this? In the "Yehi Ratzon", one mentions each day the offering of the Nasi of that day; and a Kohen or Levi knows that he is not from the tribe of Reuven nor from the tribe of Shimon, but from the tribe of Levi, and the tribe of Levi does not appear at all among the twelve offerings of the Nesi'im. If so, why should a Kohen and a Levi say the "Yehi Ratzon", in which one asks that the lights of that tribe shine upon him? He knows that he is from the tribe of Levi. Nevertheless, as we will soon see the reason, Kohanim and Levi'im also say the "Yehi Ratzon".
Shiurim: Chumash, Tazria, Shlishi, with Rashi's commentary.
Tehillim, 1st of the month, from the beginning of Tehillim from chapter 1 to chapter 9 inclusive.
Tanya, continuing chapter 39. The shiur begins from the words "Ach mikol makom" on page 53, and concludes with the words "liyod'ei chen", also on the same page, page 53.
In the daily teaching, the Rebbe reiterates and reinforces what he wrote earlier in the practices for 1 Nissan, and relates: "My master, my father, my teacher and Rebbe [the Rebbe Rashab, whose soul is in Eden] instructed his brother-in-law, Rav Moshe Horenstein the Kohen, to say the 'Yehi Ratzon' following the Nasi" - the Rebbe Rashab commanded his brother-in-law to say the "Yehi Ratzon". Here it is interesting that Rav Landa, who himself testified that the Rebbe Rashab would not say the "Yehi Ratzon" following the recital of the Nasi, when he saw it written in Hayom Yom that the Rebbe Rashab instructed his brother-in-law to say it, explained it thus: Since the brother-in-law of the Rebbe Rashab, Rav Horenstein, was not from the background of Anash (our fellowship) and did not follow Chabad customs, therefore the Rebbe Rashab told him to say the "Yehi Ratzon", but this does not necessarily mean that everyone must say it. However, as we have seen, the Rebbe states that this is indeed a practice we must follow and say this "Yehi Ratzon".
The brother-in-law of the Rebbe Rashab was a Kohen, yet nevertheless he told him to say the "Yehi Ratzon", even though it contains a daily reference to a tribe, and a Kohen certainly knows from which tribe he descends. Here comes the explanation: "And he told him that even a Kohen and a Levi must say it, because it relates to ibbur (impregnation of a soul)." That is, as also appears at the beginning of Tanya, sometimes an additional soul is impregnated within a person to add vitality in his avodah. Even though he belongs to a specific soul and has his own fixed strength, occasionally a soul from another tribe is impregnated within him so that he will have extra strength in his avodah of Hashem. And when a Jew says the "Yehi Ratzon", it helps reveal his connection to the tribe of that day. So even though he knows for certain that he is from the tribe of Levi, it is possible that a soul from the tribe of Reuven is impregnated within him, and the tribe of Reuven possesses special lofty lights; and thus, even though he is from the tribe of Levi, he can also receive the lofty lights from the tribe of Reuven, and similarly from the tribe of Shimon, and so on.
And what is the meaning of "If I am Your servant"? For "if" relates to ibbur, and into everyone a soul from all the tribes becomes impregnated; seemingly, one should have said this in a language of certainty, and not "if" I am Your servant from such-and-such tribe, since everyone has a connection to that tribe. Interestingly, the Rebbe addressed this on Simchat Torah 5742, and spoke at length: If a person comes and says "if" I belong, I ask - it is not appropriate for him to approach this way every day. An analogy to a mortal king distributing something to a certain group: It is not possible that you would come to him on the first day and say, "If I belong to this group, I request to receive," and then return the next day and say again, "If I belong today, I also want to receive," and come again on the third day - no one would act this way towards a mortal king; rather, he would only come the first time. If so, how is it possible that a Jew comes to the Holy One, blessed be He, every day, turning to the levels mentioned in the "Yehi Ratzon", and every day saying, "If I belong, give me"?
The Rebbe explained: From here is the proof that you are not coming with the "if" of doubt, but you truly have a connection. What then? If your connection is revealed and you actually belong to that tribe - the strengths you receive will be more substantial and internal; and if your connection is only by way of ibbur, in a general connection - you will also receive, but on a different level. The request itself awakens your connection to that tribe which exists in a hidden manner, and effects that indeed, with G-d's help, these illuminations will be drawn down to you. Therefore, in conclusion, one must certainly say it, and everyone - whether he knows which tribe he is from or not - receives every day from all the tribes entirely; and this is the request: to receive all the illuminations and all the strengths.