"Room" one hundred and thirty-three in the hall of Hayom Yom.
Friday, 4 Nissan 5703.
Shiurim: Chumash, Tazria, Shishi, with Rashi's commentary.
Tehillim, 4th of the month, from chapter 23 to chapter 28 inclusive.
Tanya, on this day we conclude chapter 39. The shiur begins with the words "vekesher esek," on page 106, until the end of the chapter, with the words "kemo shekatuv bazeh."
The source of the daily teaching is a letter written by the Rebbe Rayatz on 25 Nissan 5695. Several teachings here in Hayom Yom were taken from this letter, and we will mention: recently, on 19 Adar II, we had the first section of the letter, which discussed the mind's control over the heart, with the story of Rabbi Moshe Meisels; and before that, on 16 Adar II, we had another excerpt from the letter, which discussed the bitachon that a businessman must have that the Holy One, blessed be He, will provide his livelihood, and that this must be done with joy, as if everything is already prepared.
In the daily teaching, today on 4 Nissan, comes the continuation of the topic of businessmen - regarding their special avodah, and the advantage they have over those who sit in the tent of study, in that they can succeed to a certain extent in accomplishing much more in refining the world.
The teaching, whose source is cited in the name of the Rebbe Maharash, says as follows: "The avodah of businessmen is divided into two primary categories". The realm in which businessmen must operate is in two general directions: the first - his avodah with himself, and the second - his avodah with others.
And as he details: "A) His avodah with himself". What is the avodah that a businessman needs to do with himself? "During his actual business activities, in a free moment while sitting in the store and the like, he should study a mishnah, mishnayot, a chapter of Tanya" - when he is literally sitting in his business, while he is engaged in his affairs or in the store or anywhere, there are always free moments between customers and the like, which he should utilize for spiritual study, such as a mishnah from the six orders of mishnah or a chapter of Tanya.
And also "he should have some words of Torah - such as Chumash, mishnayot, Tehillim and Tanya - that he is fluent in by heart", so that he will have a portion of them in his mind at all times, "so that he can review them while walking in the street, in the market, and the like". Since a businessman needs to walk and work with his merchandise, and while doing so his head should not be empty, but rather he should have things by heart all the time. And in the words of the letter of the Rebbe Rayatz, who brings this in the name of the Rebbe Maharash, businessmen can refine the streets and the markets and infuse them with G-dly light and pleasantness - and this is by reviewing by heart all the time. This is the avodah of a businessman with himself.
"B)" - what is the second realm that a businessman must do? "His avodah with others". What can he do? After all, he meets with people, and people come to him as customers. How should he affect them? Regarding this he says: "While speaking about business matters, he should steer the conversation to tell some meaningful story" - when he speaks with the customer about business, who comes to buy or sell, he should try to guide the conversation and tell him a story with meaning.
In the source, from the Rebbe Rayatz, the style is slightly different; there it is written "by telling some beautiful tale," and here the Rebbe phrased it "to tell some meaningful story". And in addition to this, not only to tell a beautiful and meaningful story, but "and to find an excuse and a reason to inspire regarding studying and the like" - to find a reason to steer the conversation and inspire his friend to come participate in Torah classes and to study.
And we see something interesting, that the Rebbe places the story before the study; since the effect on the soul through a story is much more powerful than telling him "come to a Torah class". Introducing a story connects him much more, and therefore one begins first with a story, and only afterwards "to find an excuse and a reason to inspire regarding studying and the like".
The Rebbe writes "and the like" and does not bring the continuation of the wording in the original letter of the Rebbe Rayatz, where there is also additional detail. I will read the wording there: "and participation in a chassidish farbrengen; and when one speaks with love once or twice, behold the words enter the heart of the listener and bear good fruit" - that is, to steer the conversation and cause him to participate in a chassidish farbrengen, and when speaking with love once or twice, the words enter the heart of the listener and bear good fruit. The Rebbe shortened it and brought the main point, but in any case this is the effect one must have on others as a businessman, and on oneself as well, of course.
In connection with the daily study of the books of Yad Hachazakah by the Rambam: in the previous teachings we concluded Sefer Zeraim, and now we enter into beginning the next book - Sefer Avodah. In Sefer Avodah there are nine halachot: the laws of the Beit Habechirah, the Beit Hamikdash, etc.
One could say that this teaching is the introduction to Sefer Avodah. The entire teaching speaks about avodah - businessmen, avodah with oneself and avodah with others - whereas in Sefer Avodah we enter into explaining the concept of avodah, the holy avodah, since all of Sefer Avodah speaks about how to sanctify the world, with sacrifices, etc. We find that Sefer Avodah begins with a hint in the daily teaching.