The hundredth "cheder" in the Heichal Hayom Yom.
Sunday, 30 Adar I, Rosh Chodesh, 5703.
Shiurim: Chumash, Pekudei, first parshah with Rashi's commentary.
Tehillim, 30th of the month, from chapter 145 until the end of Tehillim, chapter 150.
Tanya, on this day we begin a new chapter, chapter 34, from the beginning of the chapter with the word "Vehinei", and the daily portion concludes on page 43, with the words "kemo shekasuv lekaman".
The daily teaching is taken from a letter that the Rebbe Rayatz wrote on 17 Menachem Av 5693, to a chassid who was living at the time in Tel Aviv. A teaching from that very same letter was already brought a few days ago, on 13 Adar I, and today its continuation is brought.
In the letter the Rebbe Rayatz arouses that chassid very much - just as in the first passage, in the previous teaching, he aroused him to learn chassidus publicly - and in the following passage he arouses him regarding the extent to which a chassid's role is to always have an effect on his surroundings.
Let us look at the wording of the teaching, which is written in Yiddish, and in translation: "My revered father and teacher [the Rebbe Rashab] said". This is the wording that the Rebbe Rashab said to a chassid - that "a chassid creates an environment"; wherever he is, Jews who want to hear and to be influenced should attach themselves around him.
"And if not - he must search through his belongings to see what his personal situation is" - if the chassid is in a place and sees that no environment has been created around him, that nobody comes to listen and the like, he must examine well what is going on "in his own bundle". That is, he must make a spiritual accounting: something is not right with you; how is it possible that you have not created an environment?
"And this fact in itself" the very accounting itself, and the very fact that the chassid "does not create an environment" - "should break his spirit like a splinter", what is the analogy from a splinter? In the simple sense, a splinter is something thin and easily broken; meaning that this matter should break you truly with ease, that you should have a broken heart from the very fact that you did not create an environment around yourself.
And one can add another connection: there is a statement of our Sages in the Gemara in Maseches Taanis, "a person should always be soft as a reed" - and the splinter resembles a reed, which symbolizes the breaking of a person's spirit and his softness, which lowers his haughtiness. Here the intent is that when a person becomes aware that he is not fulfilling his role properly, this should awaken in him that same brokenness, to remove from him the sense of self - which is perhaps what is interfering. "And he must ask himself: what am I doing in the world at all?" If I do not create an environment, I am not doing my job, and if so what am I doing here at all? Here the teaching concludes.
It is interesting to bring the continuation of the Rebbe Rayatz's letter, which immediately following this sentence brings the well known story about one of the great chassidim of the Alter Rebbe, who was among those closest to him. That chassid lost his fortune; he was a person who supported many, married off many and cared for very many, and suddenly he came down from his wealth and felt that he had no ability to meet his obligations - and what would be with all those dependent on him?
He went in to the Alter Rebbe for yechidus and complained about his situation, and the Alter Rebbe answered him very sharply: "You keep saying what you need - you need to pay the debts, you need to marry off children, you need to have enough for your expenses; but why are you needed - about that you do not speak. You are needed in order to illuminate the environment, and your spiritual accounting is only about what you need; if so, make an accounting: for what purpose are you needed at all?".
And in conclusion the Alter Rebbe said to him: "You do what you need to do, and the Holy One, blessed be He, will give you what He needs to give; do not come to say what He needs to do - you come and say what you need to do". And as a matter of course the matters worked out for the better.