The two hundred and eighty-third "cheder" in the palace of Hayom Yom.
Monday, 6 Elul 5703.
Chumash lessons: Teitzei, Sheni, with Rashi's commentary.
Tehillim, on the sixth of the month, one recites from chapter 35 through chapter 38 inclusive, along with the three chapters for the month of Elul — 16, 17, and 18.
Tanya: On this day we continue with Iggeret HaKodesh, section 12. The lesson begins on page 117 with the word "Ach," and concludes on page 234 with the words "hakedoshot yitbarech."
The daily saying is drawn from a talk delivered by the Rebbe Rayatz on Shabbat Parshat Tavo in the year 5700. There the Rebbe Rayatz relates that the Mitteler Rebbe began to hold farbrengens with chassidim already at the age of fourteen, and the Tzemach Tzedek began to hold farbrengens with chassidim at the age of seventeen, arousing the chassidim with words of inspiration.
The Rebbe Rayatz relates there about one of the farbrengens of the Tzemach Tzedek, in the year 5579, at which he farbrenged in a special manner and with particular intensity. On that occasion the Tzemach Tzedek said to them a statement: that by the Baal Shem Tov even candles of ice would burn, whereas nowadays, though the chassidim have knowledge, they are cold.
He then recited the teaching that appears as the daily saying, and afterward we shall see the continuation of the matter. And thus he said to them: "The Tzemach Tzedek related that the Baal Shem Tov cherished light, and said: 'Ohr' (light) has the numerical value of 'raz' (secret); one who knows the secret of every thing is able to illuminate that thing." The word "ohr" equals 207 in gematria, the same as the word "raz," which means secret; and one who knows the inner secret within each thing is able to bring illumination. So said the Baal Shem Tov.
Later in the talk, the continuation of the story and the context in which these things were said are related. It is told that once the disciples of the Baal Shem Tov were sitting together, and their financial hardship and constraint were very great, to the point that they managed to obtain only a single candle. They knew that soon the Baal Shem Tov was about to enter, and they knew that he greatly loved having much light, but they had only one candle and did not know what to do.
The Baal Shem Tov entered and said to them his first statement: "Among Jews there must be light." The disciples apologized that they had not managed to obtain more than a single candle. The Baal Shem Tov said to them: "Take down the ice candles from the roof and light them" — he was referring to rain that had frozen on the roof and taken on the shape of candles, but which was in fact ice. The disciples knew that whatever the Baal Shem Tov says — one does; they went outside, took the pieces of ice, and they burned. These were the lights that burned. About this story the Tzemach Tzedek said that with the Baal Shem Tov even candles of ice would burn — whereas today, see how cold people of intellect are.
In Likkutei Sichos, volume 10, in the first sicha on parashas Bereishis, the Rebbe addresses this teaching — that ohr (light) has the same numerical value as raz (secret), as is already stated in the Zohar — and explains its meaning. There the Rebbe refers to the creation that the Holy One, blessed be He, brought about on the first day: the first of the Ten Utterances is "And G-d said, let there be light." And the Rebbe explains there that this is not light in the sense of physical light, for physical light was created on the fourth day, with the creation of the luminaries — the sun and the moon. Concerning this light the verse states that the Holy One, blessed be He, concealed it; and where did He conceal it? In the Torah, for the tzaddikim, in the time to come.
The Rebbe explains there that the meaning is as follows: When a person constructs a building or draws up a plan, he knows in advance what his purpose is in all the construction — what the goal is and where he wants to arrive; but the goal is not visible to all at this stage. When will the goal be revealed? When the building is completed, then it will be seen. And where is the goal to be found until the building is completed? Hidden in the mind of the builder.
And what is the analogue? The Holy One, blessed be He, created a world — and what is its purpose? Immediately, on the very first day, He stated what the purpose is: "And G-d said, let there be light" — an illuminated world, that G-dliness be revealed within it. Yet He immediately concealed it and hid it away. And when will this light be revealed? In the time to come, when the Jewish people will have completed its avodah, the light will be revealed. And what becomes of it until then? It is hidden away, it is a raz, it is a secret; and where is it hidden away? In the Torah. That is to say, one who studies Torah and fulfills mitzvos accomplishes through his avodah that this light, this raz, will indeed be revealed — and that is the coming of Mashiach, with G-d's help. This is the point that has been explained.