The three hundred and tenth "cheder" in the palace of Hayom Yom.
Sunday, 4 Tishrei, 5704.
The first thing the Rebbe notes is "the Fast of Gedaliah is postponed." The Fast of Gedaliah always falls on the 3rd of the month, but in a year like this the 3rd falls on Shabbat, and therefore the fast is postponed to Sunday.
Afterwards the Rebbe notes "Avinu Malkeinu". This heading applies to all the days of the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah — on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur it is written in the machzor that one says "Avinu Malkeinu", and therefore the Rebbe does not note this anew on each and every day, but rather notes it on the first day, and the instruction applies to all the days together.
The Rebbe adds: "Selichos." What is the emphasis and novel point here? There are communities that recite Selichos throughout all Ten Days of Teshuvah, but this is not our custom; and this day is the only one of the Ten Days of Teshuvah on which we recite Selichos. The reason for this is not on account of the Ten Days of Teshuvah, but rather because it is one of the four fasts, and on fasts we always recite Selichos; therefore we recite Selichos on it.
There is a letter that the Rebbe wrote in the year 5708, in which the Rebbe recounts more than once from his diary, that he asked the Rebbe Rayatz why Selichos are recited on this day, and he replied: This is, after all, one of the four fasts, and therefore Selichos are recited.
Shiurim: Chumash, we begin here a new parsha, Vezot Haberacha, first parsha with Rashi's commentary.
Tehillim: on the first of the month one recites from chapter 23 through chapter 28 inclusive; and the three chapters for today are 97, 98, and 99.
Tanya: We continue with Iggeret 20 in Iggeret HaKodesh. The daily portion begins on page 260 with the word "Amnam," and concludes on folio 131 with the word "vehaleidah."
This saying is a continuation of the previous day's teaching, in which we saw that there are several modes of teshuvah, each one corresponding to one of the letters. In today's entry we will learn about the first letter, the letter tav. "A brief explanation of my revered father, my teacher and Rebbe [adoni avi mori v'rabi] regarding the first mode" — that is, a summary of what the Rebbe Rashab explained to the Rebbe Rayatz regarding the first mode: the meaning of the letter tav.
What is the tav? As has been explained, the letter "tav" alludes to "tamim tihyeh im Havayah Elokecha" ("You shall be wholehearted with Hashem your G-d"). Here he elaborates and explains the meaning of the teshuvah that comes from this avodah of "tamim tihyeh" — "the avodah of teshuvah that comes about through temimut (wholeheartedness)."
What is temimut? We shall see momentarily. "There are several aspects and levels in the matter of temimut" — there are several aspects and levels in the matter of temimut, and it is possible to speak about it in several ways, "and in relation to teshuvah it surpasses them all" — but in relation to teshuvah it "surpasses them all." Temimut connected to teshuvah refers to a Jew's service of Hashem, which brings him to an inner and true teshuvah.
What is the wholeness in the avodah of teshuvah? "It is wholeness of heart, which is called 'ernstkeit'." Generally, the word "ernstkeit" is customarily translated as "seriousness"; but here, in the context relevant to the matter, the more precise translation is not "seriousness" but faithfulness and devotion. As was said of Avraham: "and You found his heart faithful before You" — "faithful," faithfulness and devotion. This is the translation of the word "ernstkeit" here: not merely seriousness, but absolute devotion and faithfulness to the avodah of Hashem, and it is this that brings a person to proper teshuvah.