The twenty-sixth "room" in the palace of Hayom Yom.
Wednesday, 15 Teves 5703.
Shiurim: Chumash, Vayechi, Revi'i, with the commentary of Rashi.
Tehillim, on the 15th of the month, two chapters — chapter 77 and chapter 78.
Tanya: On this day we begin with chapter 10, from the word "vehineh" until the words "kemo hasinah".
The daily teaching is divided into two parts. In the first part, the Rebbe brings a correction from one of the glosses that the Rebbe Rashab made on the sefer "Torah Or," in a gloss on one of the maamarim of parashas Vayechi; and by doing so the Rebbe also arouses, of course, the study of the chassidic parashah — the weekly "Torah Or." Therefore the Rebbe inserts a correction in one of the passages, so that for the person who is learning the material will flow properly.
The reference, as it appears in "Torah Or," is to the "dibbur hamaschil Osri" — the maamar that begins with the words "Osri lagefen." This verse, "Osri lagefen," appears in Parshas Vayechi on Wednesday, which is the day discussed in this teaching. "The section beginning Vehinei zehu." We have already spoken in the past about how in "Torah Or" the division of passages is not marked with the letters alef, beis, gimmel, but there is merely a division into passages, and therefore no section number is indicated. "The section beginning Vehinei zehu" — so that we will know what is being referred to — and then comes the correction of what it should be.
In order to understand the correction, let us give a little background on the content of the maamar. In that maamar in "Torah Or," the Alter Rebbe explains the difference between the avodah of the mitzvos of a Jew today in this world — whereby through the fulfillment of his mitzvos he refines the matters of the world — and the greater level that will be added in this area in the days of Mashiach.
Let us read one passage from before the tikkun: "And this is the entirety of our avodah in the fulfillment of the mitzvos in the present time" — what is the avodah of a Jew in the present time? "To draw down to the soul that it be elevated in ever higher ascent, to be illumined with the light of Yisrael Saba, blessed be He, and that the soul be bound up." That is to say, the essence of the avodah in the present time is that a person's soul should be elevated and uplifted.
But what will be the ultimate perfection of the era of Mashiach in the fulfillment of the mitzvot and the offering of the korbanot? When Mashiach comes, there will of course be the fulfillment of the mitzvot, and there will be added the offering of the korbanot, which we do not have today since we have no Beit HaMikdash. What will be added in the offering of the korbanot? In the words of the maamar: "that the korbanot, the sheep and bulls and so forth, will likewise be included and elevated, ascending higher and higher into the Ohr Ein Sof." That is to say, the level will be such that even all the animals will be elevated and uplifted.
"But why is this impossible today?" Why is there nowadays no way to elevate these things? "During the time of exile it is impossible for the soul of man to raise them up and bind them to their place" — during the time of exile the soul cannot elevate the animals and sheep and so on, because it is itself bound below; the soul itself is found below, and can barely elevate itself, and cannot elevate these things.
But in the days of Mashiach, "when the glory of Hashem will be realized and revealed, and all flesh will see," and "the souls of Israel will be at a lofty level" — what will happen then? "Then will be the time for the fulfillment of the deed and the elevation of the sparks that have fallen." This is where the quotation we see in "Hayom Yom" begins. What is meant by "the fulfillment of the deed and the elevation of the sparks that have fallen"? "Even the animals will be elevated" — here the word "will be elevated" is added, which apparently does not appear in the printed version before us, and therefore the Rebbe added it — "even the animals will be elevated as it was at the beginning of the creation of the world." In the maamar, the source reads "and as it was," and the Rebbe drops the "and" and says only "as." This is the specific correction that the Rebbe introduces in the teaching.
Now we will look at the second half of the daily teaching, the part that comes after the correction. This portion is an excerpt from a letter that the Rebbe Rayatz wrote to a number of Jews in the month of Iyar 5702. He wrote several letters on the subject, and requested that this specific passage be quoted almost word for word, and that it be publicized in every possible way. We will read a sentence or two from one of the letters from which the Rebbe quoted the passage.
As an introduction, he writes: "It is exceedingly, exceedingly necessary that the Rabbis, may they live long, publicize widely — in synagogues and in all the many places, and in the newspapers — a proclamation along the following lines" — I will bring an excerpt, and my wish is that it be publicized everywhere, "in Lashon HaKodesh, and to translate it also into the spoken language," that it be translated into every possible language, "so that all should understand and know what is the meaning of these troubles" — this refers to 5702, during the Holocaust — "and what Hashem demands of us."
From here comes the quote that the Rebbe brings in Hayom Yom: "Be attentive and hear, O Israel" — turning to a Jew: listen and hear what I wish to tell you. "This time is the appointed moment of the redemption through Moshiach Tzidkeinu, and the sufferings befalling us" — all the great troubles of those days — "are the birth-pangs of Moshiach". And how will the redemption come about? "And Israel are redeemed only through teshuvah" — the only path that will bring the redemption is the avodah of teshuvah.
He then makes a sharp statement: "Do not believe the false prophets, who promise you salvations and consolations after the war ends." By "false prophets," the Rebbe Rayatz means — as he writes sharply in another letter — certain leaders, whom he even names by their initials, referring to the heads of Zionism and the like. He says that in their speeches, it is as though we are no longer to be redeemed through Moshiach Tzidkeinu; they do not believe at all in the coming of Moshiach, and they speak against Hashem and against His Torah. There are additional very sharp expressions there that he writes against them, and here he alludes to this.
"Do not believe the false prophets who promise you salvations and consolations after the war ends. Remember the word of Hashem," and then he quotes the verse from Yirmiyahu (chapter 17, verse 5): "Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his arm" — a person who places his strength in flesh and blood, in human beings — "and turns his heart away from Hashem." The only path that will bring salvation is teshuvah: "Return, O Israel, to Hashem your G-d, and prepare yourself and your household to greet the countenance of Moshiach Tzidkeinu, who is coming very soon indeed."
Afterward, in that same letter, there is a whole lengthy passage in which the Rebbe Rayatz writes that if the rabbis would publicize such a text to all Jews in every language, it would arouse the Jewish people and encourage them to keep Torah and mitzvot, and whoever takes part in the campaign to publicize this — fortunate is his lot. In truth, it makes no difference in which party and in which places the people find themselves; a person must know that all of this is the birth pangs of Mashiach, and Israel will be redeemed only through teshuvah — this is the absolute truth.
And he further writes: "Do everything within your power to publicize the above ruling through every means of publicity, so that it reaches all of the Jewish people, the sons of Israel and the house of Yaakov. And you should be among the first to take part in this campaign, to bring merit to the many, so that they will publicize the above ruling in every single place, and make it a matter spoken of on the lips of all" — that people should speak about the coming of Moshiach "and about teshuvah," so that we may merit to be among those who greet the countenance of Moshiach Tzidkeinu very soon indeed, with kindness and mercy.
And here is an interesting point: that specific passage which the Rebbe cites is taken from a letter of 25 Iyar 5702, and the Rebbe indicates that this is the source from which he took the passage. However, if one examines the Igrot Kodesh of the Rebbe Rayatz, there is a letter written three days earlier to another chassid in which that very same wording appears, word for word; and nevertheless the Rebbe indicates that the source is specifically this letter, and does not mention the earlier letter.
At first glance, what is the difference, and what is there in this letter that is not in the earlier one? All the forceful expressions about the need to publicize this everywhere and to make a campaign of it — these appear in this letter, whereas in the earlier one, although it too states that one must publicize it, the matter is not stated in such forceful terms. It therefore seems that the Rebbe took the citation and included it in the "Hayom Yom" from the letter in which the greatness of the matter of publicizing is emphasized.
This passage too has a special connection to this day, the fourth day of Parshas Vayechi. For on the fourth day in Parshas Vayechi we find the famous verse in which Yaakov Avinu says to his sons: "Gather together and I will tell you what will befall you in the End of Days." This is precisely the theme that the teaching addresses — to awaken the Jewish people to speak about Moshiach, and to know that this is the only thing we await, and there is nothing else: the avodah of teshuvah for Moshiach. And as is known, it was then that the Rebbe Rayatz had to come forth with his famous proclamation, "Immediately to teshuvah, immediately to Redemption" — which is essentially the message that appears here.