The three hundred and thirteenth "cheder" in the palace of Hayom Yom.
Wednesday, 7 Tishrei 5704.
Shiurim: Chumash, VeZot HaBerachah, Revi'i with Rashi's commentary.
Tehillim, the 7th of the month, from chapter 39 through chapter 43 inclusive. And in addition to this, during the Ten Days of Teshuvah one recites three chapters each day, and today chapters 106, 107 and 108.
Tanya: we continue with Iggeret 20, where the daily portion begins and ends on the same page — page 262 — from the words "amnam metziuto" until the word "kanal."
We continue with a further segment of the teaching that began on 3 Tishrei — the words of Rabbi Zusha of Anipoli, that each letter of the word "teshuvah" alludes to a different level in teshuvah. Until now we have learned about the ת of "teshuvah," which stands for "Tamim tihyeh im Hashem Elokecha" ("Be wholehearted with Hashem your G-d"); and about the ש, which stands for "Shivisi Hashem lenegdi tamid" ("I have set Hashem before me always"); and the letter following it, the ו, "Ve'ahavta lerei'acha kamocha" ("Love your fellow as yourself"). There remains for us the next letter, the ב.
"A brief explanation of the fourth approach": what is the hint contained in the letter "ב'" that ties its initial to teshuvah? The ב' corresponds to the verse "Bechol derachecha da'ehu" ("In all your ways know Him"). What is this "way," and how is it connected to the service of teshuvah? Rabbi Zusha explains: "A person who sets his heart and mind upon all that happens to him and around him — perceives Godliness tangibly." A person who contemplates all that occurs around him — who looks at the workings of the world, both his own private world and the larger world — perceives Godliness tangibly.
Whoever looks at the world and observes how it is conducted, constantly sees Godliness in a tangible way — he sees that the Holy One, blessed be He, directs the world, he sees hashgachah pratis, he sees miracles, he sees that everything is directed from Above. "And as the Mitteler Rebbe said regarding the advantage of the businessmen over the yoshvei ohel": businessmen, who move about in the world and come into contact with its affairs, have an advantage over those who sit and learn all day; "in the matter of seeing Godliness in a tangible way" — for one who sits and learns all day sees the sefer and his fellows, whereas one who moves about in the world and meets customers and the like sees constant activity, and sees Divine hashgachah at every step and turn in a far more revealed manner.
This is the advantage of businesspeople regarding perceiving Godliness tangibly — they can literally see Godliness in a tangible way; and this is the essence of "In all your ways, know Him." And how is this connected to the avodah of teshuvah? This is "the avodah of teshuvah that comes from perceiving Divine Providence." For the moment a person sees hashgachah pratis, he understands that the world in and of itself is nothing, and the One who directs it is the Holy One, blessed be He, the Godliness that directs everything. And if so, instead of chasing after worldly matters that are nothing but nothingness — go after the One who directs everything, which is Godliness. A person who contemplates the matter of "In all your ways, know Him" arrives at the recognition that he must return in teshuvah.
The point that the Rebbe emphasizes here is the virtue of businesspeople who perceive Divine Providence. And it is interesting that this date, 7 Tishrei, is connected in a special way to businesspeople. Why? It is known that the tribe symbolizing businesspeople is Zevulun, of whom it is said "Zevulun shall dwell at the shore of the seas," and the birthday of Zevulun, as brought in the Midrash, is 7 Tishrei. And moreover: in the daily Chumash portion of Parshat Vezot HaBerachah for this day — the fourth day in this year — one studies the verse "Zevulun shall dwell at the shore of the seas." It emerges that this day is connected in a special way to Zevulun, which represents the avodah of businesspeople.
To conclude, it is interesting that there is a letter the Rebbe wrote on Chanukah 5721, in which he writes that in our generation — the generation immediately preceding the coming of Mashiach — in which all the wellsprings are already being revealed and the world is more prepared for the Redemption, even those who dwell in the tent can see hashgachah pratis with actual physical eyes, something that in the past was reserved only for one who goes about outside. Today we have already reached the state in which every Jew, wherever he may be, can be part of this matter, and consequently his avodah of teshuvah can be in a complete manner.
The final letter of "teshuvah" is the last hei, and we will see it, God willing, in the next teaching, of 8 Tishrei.