The two hundred and ninetieth "cheder" in the palace of Hayom Yom.
Monday, 13 Elul 5693.
Shiurim: Chumash, Tavo, Sheni, with Rashi's commentary.
Tehillim, on the 13th of the month, one recites chapters 69, 70, and 71, and the three additional chapters for the month of Elul — 37, 38, and 39.
Tanya: On this day one completes Iggeret 14 in Iggeret HaKodesh. The lesson begins on page 240 with the words "uvechol shanah," and concludes at the end of the letter with the words "vedai lameivin."
The source of the brief daily teaching is a letter written by the Rebbe Rayatz on 5 Tammuz 5695. From this letter we already read in the saying of 11 Elul, two days ago, where we described the first visit of the chassid Reb Chanoch Hendel to the Tzemach Tzedek. Here is brought a point that Reb Chanoch Hendel sums up — what takes place with a chassid after he has visited the Rebbe in yechidus.
As described in the letter, this took place in the year 5603. In that year, Rabbi Chanoch Hendel entered into yechidus with the Tzemach Tzedek on Friday, the eve of Shabbos Parshas Ki Seitzei, 13 Elul. This date — 13 Elul — is the date of today's Hayom Yom, on which he entered into yechidus with the Tzemach Tzedek.
He arrived on 5 Elul, and in a letter the Rebbe quotes his words, that he said about himself that the verse "and on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised" was fulfilled in him. For if we make the calculation: he arrived on 5 Elul, and if we count full days from 6 Elul onward — 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 — we reach the eighth day, which is the day on which he entered yechidus, and about which he said the verse "the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised." Why? Let us look into the teaching and we will understand.
"The chasid Reb Hendel related: It was known to all the chasidim that at the first yechidus" — when one enters to the Rebbe for yechidus for the first time — "the removal of the orlah took place." At the first yechidus the orlah came down. What is the "orlah"? Let us look at the continuation of the sentence — for he does not explain explicitly what it is, but we will learn this from the completion of his words.
In Yiddish he says: "Whatever else may be — the orlah of the heart is removed at once." What is the orlah of the heart? As brought in many places in Chassidus, there is an obstruction that seals off the heart and does not allow it to be aroused in any spiritual, G-dly matter or in avodas Hashem. The moment one enters the Rebbe for yechidus, this obstruction, this sealing, comes down. Of course, a person's own avodah is required in order to do what is incumbent upon him and to advance in avodas Hashem, but this obstruction, this orlah, is removed at the very first yechidus by the Rebbe. This is the saying that Reb Chanoch Hendel related.