Room 208 in the hall of Hayom Yom.
Wednesday, 28 Sivan 5703.
Shiurim: Chumash, Shlach, Revii, with Rashi's commentary.
Tehillim, 28 of the month, from Chapter 97 to Chapter 103 inclusive.
Tanya, we begin today Chapter 7 of Shaar HaYichud Vehaemunah, from the word "Uvazeh". The shiur concludes on page 82 with the words "al achat kama vekama".
In the daily teaching, a teaching originally in Yiddish is brought, one of the teachings of the Rebbe Maharash, a very interesting teaching. Its source is a long and interesting letter that the Rebbe Rayatz wrote to one of the daughters of the chassidim, on 8 Tammuz 5689. In this letter, he explains at length the difference between makkif and pnimi, between a pnimi conduct and a makkif conduct.
There, the Rebbe Maharash brings two famous chassidim of Admur Hazaken: one of them was a pnimi chassid, and the second a makkif chassid, and he mentions their names - Reb Moshe Vilenker, who was a pnimi chassid, and Reb Yekutiel Liepler, who was a makkif chassid. It is fascinating to read the entire record at length, as he brings truly tangible examples showing the differences between them.
We will read the teaching and mention some of the examples he brings there. And these are his words: "From the teachings of my master, father, grandfather, and teacher" - referring to the grandfather of the Rebbe Rayatz, the Rebbe Maharash: "The structure of the intellect and middot of a chassid is according to the level of his first yechidus with the Rebbe. The first yechidus is according to the level of the chassid's own essence; according to the nature of his own essence - such is the seder of avodah that the Rebbe gives him".
There are here, then, three parts, and we will connect them together in our own words: there is the essence of the chassid; the first yechidus corresponds to the essence; and the seder of avodah that he receives also corresponds to his essence - and this influences his middot and intellect. The intellect and the middot are already the more revealed part of the essence; the essence is something more inner, whereas the intellect and middot are already its expression. And so that the conduct of the intellect and middot, which are the expression, will correspond to his essence - this is established in the first yechidus in which he entered to the Rebbe.
In a large part of the letter, this teaching of the Rebbe Maharash appears at length. As I mentioned, we observe these two chassidim: the essence of Reb Moshe Vilenker was a pnimi essence, and the essence of Reb Yekutiel Liepler was a makkif essence; and therefore essential differences are evident in their preparations for their first yechidus with Admur Hazaken - what was said to them in the first yechidus, and how this influenced their day-to-day lives. The Rebbe Rayatz elaborates there, and we will bring this only in points; and it is worthwhile to look inside at the source to see it.
Reb Moshe Vilenker - and this is also a teaching that appears in Hayom Yom - when he arrived to Admur Hazaken, he did not enter immediately to the Rebbe, but prepared himself for three years before entering for yechidus. And when he already entered for yechidus and received a seder of avodah, he remained in Liozna for seven years in order to internalize the yechidus. There is a description there of how he was in such great excitement and hitpaalut, to the point that settling his mind took time - a very fascinating description.
Reb Yekutiel Liepler - exactly the opposite. From the moment he heard that there exists the concept of a Rebbe in Liozna, he immediately ran there with enthusiasm and said that he wants to enter to the Rebbe. The chassidim said to him: "How do you want to enter like this? Preparation is needed, one does not enter without preparing". He said: "Preparation - I cannot wait, I must enter to the Rebbe", and they did not want to let him. What did he do? He climbed the wall, climbed to the window, jumped inside through it and shouted to the Rebbe from the window: "Rebbe, cut off my left side" [of the yetzer hara]. The Rebbe said to him: "It is written 'and You give life to them all'" - the Holy One, blessed be He, gives life to everything - and gave him light; and he jumped outside and immediately became a chassid with tremendous enthusiasm. And all his days he had fluctuations: when he was in very great enthusiasm he would say "Oho, the chassid has arrived", and when he had a descent in his chassidic intensity he would say "The chassid ran away".
In complete detail the Rebbe Rayatz explains: this one's essence is makkif, and that one's essence is pnimi; and therefore the yechidus was like this, and the actual conduct in life like that - for everything is according to the essence of each individual. What he receives, and what he needs to have, that is the order.