Room one hundred and eighty-three in the hall of Hayom Yom.
Shabbat 24 Iyar, 39 of the Omer, 5703.
This Shabbat is Shabbat Mevarchim of the month of Sivan. As on every Shabbat Mevarchim, the Rebbe notes the two customs practiced on it: the first custom is "saying the entire Tehillim early in the morning", and the second custom - "a day of a farbrengen".
Following this, there is a reference here, since we are in Parshat Bechukotai, in which, as is known, the Tochacha is read. There are various customs regarding how to conduct the reading of the Tochacha, and the Rebbe notes our custom here: "For the third aliyah, the baal korei goes up, and on his own" - meaning, the one reading the Torah is the one who goes up for the aliyah in which the Tochacha is read, "and on his own", meaning that the gabbai does not announce his name, "Let so-and-so the son of so-and-so arise", but rather he goes up on his own (and recites the blessing before and after). This is our custom.
And the third point that the Rebbe notes here: "Av Harachamim is said". What is the emphasis on this? Usually on Shabbat Mevarchim we never say Av Harachamim, and similarly on days when Tachanun is not said, when they fall on Shabbat, Av Harachamim is not said. However, the exceptions are Shabbat Mevarchim of Iyar and Sivan: it is written in the Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe in section 284, that on these two Shabbatot Mevarchim, Av Harachamim is indeed said. Why? Because during the Crusades there were harsh decrees in the Ashkenazic communities in the year 4856, and this was during this period, in these months. Therefore, on Shabbat Mevarchim of Iyar and Sivan, Av Harachamim is indeed said - so it is written in the Shulchan Aruch.
However, from Piskei HaSiddur of the Alter Rebbe it is understood that in practice on Shabbat Mevarchim Iyar, Av Harachamim is not said. Why? Because it falls in the month of Nissan, and in the month of Nissan, Tachanun is not said throughout the entire month regardless - and since Tachanun is not said, Av Harachamim is not said. But on Shabbat Mevarchim Sivan, Av Harachamim is said. This is what is written in Piskei HaSiddur, that this is the only Shabbat Mevarchim on which, for this reason, Av Harachamim is said.
It is interesting to see in the Rebbe's sicha on Shabbat Mevarchim Sivan 5743, where the Rebbe explains at length the positive quality in the fact that Av Harachamim is said specifically on Shabbat Mevarchim Sivan, and how in this, according to pnimiyut, there is actually the transformation of the negative into the positive. It is worthwhile to study the matters inside.
Shiurim: Chumash, Bechukotai, Shevi'i, with Rashi's commentary.
Tehillim, 24 of the month, saying from chapter 113 to chapter 118 inclusive.
Tanya, on this day we begin chapter 51, from the beginning of the chapter with the word "Vehineh" until the end of the shiur with the word "betoldoto kanil".
In the daily teaching there is a double portion today - two teachings. The source of the first teaching is in a maamar of the Rebbe Rayatz delivered in the year 5702, Dibur Hamatchil "Rebbi Omer", in which he refers in passing to the verse "Im bechukotai telechu" - and we are here at the conclusion of Parshat Bechukotai.
We will preface and say that the Gemara says regarding the word "im" (if) in the verse "Im bechukotai telechu": "The word 'im' is nothing other than an expression of pleading". Meaning, the Holy One, blessed be He, says to the Jewish people: I plead with you and ask of you that you walk in My statutes, that you fulfill Torah and mitzvot. In the maamar, the Rebbe Rayatz emphasizes two points, and the Rebbe notes both of them here and summarizes - taking a few words from here and a few from there, and in his own words concentrates the points understood in pnimiyut.
What is the meaning, now that we know that "im" is an expression of pleading, in reading the verse "Im bechukotai telechu"? Let us examine the wording of the teaching: "'Im bechukotai telechu' - this 'im' is an expression of pleading, as the saying of our Sages, of blessed memory - meaning, 'If only you would walk in My statutes'".
The first point: "And the fact that the Holy One, blessed be He, as it were, pleads with them to keep the Torah - this itself grants the strength to stand by his good choice". The very fact that the Holy One, blessed be He, asks us to fulfill these matters is not merely a request and an instruction, but it gives strength to a person to meet the task. And according to this, how do we read the verse? "Im" - and we pause; there is pleading, and what is the continuation? "Bechukotai telechu" - it is clear to us that you will walk in My statutes and succeed in fulfilling them, since the Holy One, blessed be He, is asking, and therefore He also gives the strength. This is the first point.
And then comes the second point: "And furthermore" - there is an additional virtue when a person accepts the pleas from the Holy One, blessed be He, stands by them and fulfills them, "that 'bechukotai telechu' (you will walk in My statutes)". What is the meaning of "telechu"? "That the soul becomes a 'mehalech' (one who walks)". This is the advantage of the soul over the angels: angels are called "omdim" (those who stand still), and the soul, when it serves G-d, becomes a "mehalechet" (one who walks). And according to the second point, how do we read the verse? "Im bechukotai" - and we pause - "telechu": if you fulfill the statutes according to the Divine request, this will cause you to be in the state of a "mehalech". This is the first teaching.
Here the Rebbe adds an additional teaching, which is a quote of almost the final words of a maamar delivered by the Rebbe Rayatz in the year 5699, Dibur Hamatchil "Ve'avdi David". In that maamar, the Rebbe Rayatz explains at length the difference between Yehuda and Yosef - between the kingship of Yehuda, which is King David and King Moshiach who comes from Yehuda, and Yosef; and according to pnimiyut it is explained there that Yosef's concept is study, and Yehuda's concept is action.
At the conclusion of the matters, after he discusses the virtue of action and the virtue in the fact that Jews fulfill mitzvot in action, with earnestness and simplicity - that even if they lack the quality of Yosef, the quality of understanding, knowledge and depth, there is a great virtue in them - the maamar concludes with the words: "With the coming of Moshiach, the virtue of the simplicity and earnestness in the avodah of simple people will be revealed". Specifically the simple Jews, who serve G-d with simplicity and earnestness, in the state of Yehuda and not in the state of Yosef - with the coming of Moshiach their virtue will be revealed. These Jews, "who pray and say Tehillim with earnestness" and with simplicity, even though they do not always understand the meaning of the words they are saying - possess a tremendous virtue, and this virtue will be revealed with the coming of Moshiach.