The two hundred and fortieth "room" in the palace of Hayom Yom.
Sunday, 22 Tammuz 5703.
Shiurim: Chumash, Mattos-Massei [combined portions], first parsha with Rashi's commentary.
Tehillim, on the 22nd of the month, we say two chapters — chapter 106 and chapter 107.
Tanya, on this day one studies all of chapter 5 in "Iggeret HaTeshuvah," from the word "vehineh" until the conclusion of the chapter with the word "kedelakaman."
The daily saying, a brief adage, is taken from a letter written by the Rebbe Rayatz on this date, 22 Tammuz, in the year 5697. In the letter, the Rebbe addresses a chassid named Rabbi Schneur Zalman Schneersohn of Paris. The Rebbe Rayatz writes to him that he was impressed by him and knows that he was accustomed to speaking before an audience, and he testifies to him that it is clear to him that every address he delivered before the public brought very great benefit to the strengthening of Yiddishkeit — the strengthening of the faith.
The Rebbe Rayatz asks of him that during this period — the letter is from Tammuz, close to 22 Tammuz, that very date — one must begin to prepare and ready the spiritual nourishment for the public that will return from vacation in the middle of Elul. For during this period, in Tammuz, people go out a bit beyond the city; and when they return in the middle of Elul, all those who traveled for a vacation, to the "green pastures," one must prepare for them the spiritual materials — with what to "honor" and warm them.
Continuing this, the Rebbe writes the saying that we will now read. In the original it is in Yiddish, "My master, my father, my teacher and my Rebbe said" — this is a quote from the Rebbe Rashab, "A chassidic saying brings clarity of mind and 'cleanses' the heart." A chassidic saying, for example: "tracht gut vet zain gut" — "think good and it will be good"; or, for instance, that a Jew can never be disconnected from the Holy One, blessed be He. Such a short saying acts with tremendous force upon the Jewish heart and mind.
The continuation: "Good chassidic conduct illuminates the home" — good chassidic conduct illuminates the home. There are chassidic practices that are in deed and speech — such as going about with two coverings, wearing a gartel-avnet, and likewise washing the hands with a towel before eating; there are various practices that chassidim are careful about. Therefore the Rebbe says that good chassidic conduct simply illuminates the home.
The third point: "A chassidic niggun strengthens hope and trust, brings joy, and places the home and the members of the household in a ray of light" — a chassidic niggun greatly strengthens hope and trust within a Jew; it brings him joy in life; and it places the home and the members of the household in a ray of light. When there is a chassidic niggun, it contains very great power.
It is remarkable that in the Gemara in tractate Berachos (folio 17), regarding prayer, Rabbi Alexander — and elsewhere Rav Hamnuna — would request after the prayer each day a special prayer: "May it be Your will that You place us in a corner of light." Who will place you in a corner of light? A chassidic niggun has a special power to place a person in a corner of light.