Room one hundred forty-six in the hall of Hayom Yom.
Thursday, 17 Nissan, second day of the Omer, 5703.
Shiurim: Chumash, Acharei Mot, Chamishi, with Rashi's commentary.
Tehillim, 17th of the month, say from chapter 83 up to and including chapter 87.
Tanya, on this day we are in the final part of chapter 41. The daily shiur is on page 116, from the words "vehinei bahachanah", and concludes with the word "kanoda".
The daily teaching is a short saying, based on a sicha of the Rebbe Rayatz on Pesach 5693. It is written in the Pesach Haggadah: "And whoever expands upon the story of the exodus from Mitzrayim, harei zeh meshubach (behold, 'this' is praiseworthy)". In that sicha, the Rebbe Rayatz explains the inner meaning of this sentence. And what prompts the need to explain it in a special way? According to the plain meaning, it speaks here of one who expands upon the story - they are speaking about him, about the personality; and it would have been more fitting to write "harei hu meshubach" (behold, 'he' is praiseworthy), since they are speaking about him, about the person. What is "harei zeh meshubach"? Why is it written "zeh" ('this') and not "hu" ('he')?
The Rebbe Rayatz explains this here very briefly, and as the Rebbe explained at greater length in a sicha of Pesach 5711. And this is how the Rebbe Rayatz explains it: It is explained in chassidus that the appellation for G-dliness is "zeh" ('this') - something that one can point to and show; "zeh" is the truest, most absolute and most essential element in everything, and this is G-dliness.
We have a description at the end of tractate Taanit, where the Gemara describes what will be in the Time to Come: The Holy One, blessed be He, is destined to make a dance for the tzaddikim, and He will sit among them, and each and every one of the tzaddikim at that special occasion will point with his finger and say: "Behold, 'this' is our G-d - 'this' is the L-rd for whom we hoped," etc. (a verse in Yeshayahu). There too we see that when the tzaddikim feel the great Divine revelation that is with them, the expression that bursts forth from them is "Behold, 'this' is our G-d." We find that "zeh" is an expression that conveys G-dliness. And this is what he says here in his words: "Harei zeh meshubach ('Behold, this is praiseworthy') - 'zeh' ('this') indicates a level of holiness, 'Behold, this is our G-d'", the expression at the end of Taanit that the tzaddikim will say in the Time to Come.
Since this is the true, unique and exclusive reality of everything - for as is known, as the Baal Shem Tov says, citing the Midrash Tehillim, and the Alter Rebbe explains at length in Shaar HaYichud VehaEmunah, that the Holy One, blessed be He, brings into being and animates everything at every single moment - it turns out that the reality of everything is G-dliness. What then is the issue? The Holy One, blessed be He, contracted Himself, and reality appears to us as physical and material, and we do not naturally see the Divine truth.
What must happen for us to see the truth of things, so that we can point to everything and say "zeh" - "Behold, 'this' is our G-d" - and not be confused by the material and physical outer shell? For this, a person needs to work on himself and look at things correctly. As long as things do not appear as they should, this is a type of "Mitzrayim" - from the word "meitzar" (boundary or constriction); we are within a boundary and limit, and because of them we do not see the truth. But if a person effects upon himself an "exodus from Mitzrayim", to go out from his own boundaries and limitations, meaning to refine the materiality of his body - he will see things differently.
Regarding this we say "whoever expands upon the story (lesaper) of the exodus from Mitzrayim" - "lesaper" is like a sapphire stone (even sapir), meaning purity and clarity. A person who increases in purity (lesaper), who increasingly refines himself in his exodus from Mitzrayim and goes out from boundaries and limitations - what happens? He sees G-dliness! And not only does he see, but "harei zeh meshubach" ('this' is praiseworthy): "And 'whoever expands etc.' - his 'zeh' ('this') is praiseworthy." His "zeh" - the Divine level within him, called "zeh" - is revealed within him in the most wondrous and expansive way, the most praiseworthy that could be, since he has effected his own exodus from Mitzrayim.
For without this he will not feel the "zeh", and he will have concealment and hiding; but if there is an exodus from Mitzrayim - there is revelation, and not just revelation, but in a manner of "praiseworthy" (meshubach), in a manner of expansiveness. This is the hint. And therefore it is not written "harei hu meshubach" ('he' is praiseworthy) but rather "harei zeh meshubach" ('this' is praiseworthy), to emphasize to us what becomes praiseworthy - the revelation of G-dliness within the person.
The hint in the books of the Rambam's Yad HaChazakah, according to the cycle, is in Sefer HaAvodah. We are in the laws of Maaseh HaKorbanot - as it was in the preceding days, still in the halachos related to this section in Sefer HaAvodah. And what is the connection between this teaching and the laws of Maaseh HaKorbanot? In chapter 16 of the laws of Maaseh HaKorbanot, there is a halachic reference to a person who vows to bring a sacrifice, and the difference is emphasized there between one who says "behold, this (harei zeh) is a sacrifice" and one who says "behold, upon me (harei alai) is a sacrifice." There are halachic differences in the level of the person's commitment to the sacrifice - whether it is a personal commitment ("harei alai"), or he is speaking about the sacrifice itself ("harei zeh"). There is a reference to the halachic uniqueness when one says "zeh", as distinct from "alai". And this is the hint for the teaching, which also emphasizes the virtue in the matter of "harei zeh".