Room one hundred forty-five in the palace of Hayom Yom.
Wednesday, 16 Nissan, 2nd day of the Festival of Matzos, 1st day of the Omer, 5703.
In the daily lesson there are also specific customs for the second night of Pesach, and later another point regarding the first night of Pesach, as well as the daily study sections.
We will start with the custom the Rebbe brings regarding the "second night of the Festival of Matzos", the practice on the second night as opposed to the first. He says as follows: "Krias Shema al Hamitah - just as on any Yom Tov." What is the emphasis here? In the Shulchan Aruch, in the laws of Pesach, section 481 in the final halachah, it is written that on the first night of Pesach the custom is to only recite the blessing of "Hamapil" and the paragraph of "Shema" before going to sleep, but the rest of the passages of Krias Shema al Hamitah are not said.
The reason we read all these passages every night is because they possess a spiritual protection. However, the first night of Pesach is a night described as a "leil shimurim" - guarded from harmful forces, and therefore there is no need to read all the passages of Krias Shema, for the night is already guarded from harmful forces anyway. This is what is stated in the Shulchan Aruch, but only regarding the first night of Pesach.
Here the Rebbe emphasizes that on the 2nd night of the Festival of Matzos, the unique protection of the first night is no longer present, and when it comes to Krias Shema al Hamitah, it is read just as on any Yom Tov - in its entirety. Of course, not absolutely everything, since on a day when Tachanun is omitted, or on Yom Tov, there are certain passages that are not said; but it is no longer as it was on the first night according to the Shulchan Aruch.
Study sections: Chumash, Acharei Mos, Revii, with Rashi's commentary.
Tehillim, 16th of the month, from chapter 79 to chapter 82 inclusive.
Tanya, still in chapter 41. The daily portion begins with the words "ach omnam" on page 114, and concludes on the same page with the words "atah vechai gavna".
The next section addresses a custom of the Leil Haseder. It is well known that at the Leil Haseder the "Mah Nishtanah", the four questions, are asked, and the text of the Haggadah reads "Here the son asks" - the son asks, in accordance with "and you shall tell your son," and the son asks the four questions; and there is a mitzvah for the father to teach his son.
There is an introduction said before beginning the questions, and when the questions are asked in Yiddish, it is also said in Yiddish: "Tatte, ich vel bei dir fregen fir kashyos" [Father, I will ask you four questions]. Simply understood, who turns to the father and says "Father, I will ask you four questions"? When, thank G-d, the father and son sit at the Seder - the son says to the father: "Father, I will ask you four questions." Regarding this, the teaching is stated.
The source for this is a sichah related by the Rebbe Rayatz once, in a Pesach sichah in the year 5698: "Even one who does not have a father, heaven forbid, says before 'Mah Nishtanah': "Tatte, ich vel bei dir fregen fir kashyos"".
In one of his letters, the Rebbe writes that he had not heard a reason or source for this, but it appears to him that it is simply kibbud av - honoring one's father - as there is a halachic obligation to honor one's father even after his passing; and as part of honoring the father even after his passing, this statement is addressed to the father even when he is no longer alive.
The Rebbe Rayatz, who relates this, tells that his father would say this, and describes that his father - the Rebbe Rashab - following the passing of his father, the Rebbe Maharash, would enter the yechidus room and stand by the table in the exact same manner as he stood when his father was alive. In other words, the conduct, even after the histalkus, is as if he is physically present.
Also, in one of the sichos, a story is told regarding the Leil Haseder in the presence of the Baal HaTanya, the Alter Rebbe, with his sons: The sons of the Alter Rebbe sat near their father, and each of them said the phrase "Father, I will ask you four questions." Rabbi Yosef of Yass, the grandson, was also there, and he too turned and said "Father, I will ask you four questions." And when everyone had finished, the Alter Rebbe himself also said: "Father, I will ask you four questions."
The Rebbe Rayatz, who heard the story from his father, asked him to whom the Alter Rebbe referred when saying "Father, I will ask you four questions," and the Rebbe Rashab answered him: "I assume he was referring to Achiya HaShiloni." So the Rebbe Rayatz said.
Let us continue with the teaching. It is written: "And there is support for this" - the Rebbe brings a proof and reinforcement for saying this expression, "Father", even after the father's histalkus, and even by one who does not have a father, heaven forbid; "that even one who does not have a father or mother, heaven forbid, must say in Birchas Hamazon: Harachaman hu yevarech es avi mori etc. imi morasi etc.". We thus see that in Birchas Hamazon as well, one continues to say "my master my father and my master my mother", to bless them even after their histalkus; and from here we deduce that the same applies before "Mah Nishtanah".
We will conclude by noting that one of the sichos in which the Rebbe spoke about this topic was on 11 Nissan 5743. The Rebbe said that by our Rebbeim, when they said "Father", they were referring to the soul of the father - but it was not merely a statement; our Rebbeim knew how to draw down the soul of the father to be with them here. And as we mentioned, sometimes this is a great effort - to bring the soul from the treasury of souls and bring it down here - but our Rebbeim knew how to do this in a way that the father would literally be present with them in actuality.
We, being simple people, also say this - out of endearment; we use this phrase, but by us it does not necessarily mean that the statement brings this about literally. Whereas our Rebbeim indeed brought about and drew down the presence of their fathers together with them during the conduction of the Leil Haseder.