The daily Hayom Yom with Rabbi Yosef Katzman

Day 41 of the Omer

קוֹדֶם צִוּוּי הוֹכֵחַ תּוֹכִיחַ

Before the commandment, “You shall surely reprove [your fellowman],”

כְּתִיב וְלֹא תִשְׂנָא אֶת אָחִיךָ

it is written, “Do not hate your brother [in your heart],”

כִּי זֶהוּ תְּנַאי מוּקְדָּם לְהוֹכָחָה

for this is a necessary prerequisite for rebuking one’s fellowman.

וְאַחֲרֵי זֶה כְּתִיב וְלֹא תִשָּׂא עָלָיו חֵטְא

The same verse continues, “but do not bear a sin because of him.”

שֶׁאִם לֹא פָּעֲלָה הַהוֹכָחָה

That is, if the reproof is ineffective,

בְּוַדַּאי אַתָּה הָאָשֵׁם

it is certainly you who are to blame,

שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ דְּבָרִים הַיּוֹצְאִים מִן הַלֵּב.

for your words did not come from your heart.

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

For questions and follow-up: [email protected]

Day 40 of the Omer

מִמַּאֲמָרֵי רַבֵּנוּ הַזָּקֵן בִּשְׁנַת תקנ"ה בְּליאָזנאָ

The Alter Rebbe delivered the following maamar in Liozna in the year 5555 (1795):

שְׂכַר מִצְוָה מִצְוָה

“The reward for a mitzvah is a mitzvah.”

הַמִּצְוָה בְּעֶצֶם עַצְמוּתָהּ הִיא הַשָּׂכָר

The very essence of the mitzvah is itself the reward for the mitzvah.

וְהִתְגַלּוּת הָעַצְמוּת תִּהְיֶה לֶעָתִיד

This essence will be revealed in the Ultimate Future.

אֲבָל זֶהוּ הַקֶּרֶן קַיֶּמֶת שֶׁל הַמִּצְוָה

That is [only] the principal of the mitzvah, which is preserved [for the future].

אָמְנָם פֵּירוֹתֶיהָ אָדָם אוֹכֵל בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה

However, the fruits of the mitzvah (i.e., its side benefits) are enjoyed by a person in This World.

וְהוּא בְּכָל מִצְוָה וּמִצְוָה בְּעִנְיָנָהּ

[This applies] to every mitzvah, each in its own way.

דְכַאֲשֶׁר צָרִיךְ לְאוֹתוֹ דָּבָר הוּא נַעֲנֶה

When [the person who fulfills the mitzvah] needs its particular influence, he receives it.

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

For questions and follow-up: [email protected]

Day 39 of the Omer

מְבָרְכִים רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ סִיוָן

[On] Shabbos Mevarchim, Sivan [it is our custom]

אֲמִירַת כָּל הַתְּהִלִּים בְּהַשְׁכָּמָה

to recite the entire Book of Tehillim early in the morning

יוֹם הִתְוַעֲדוּת

and to hold a farbrengen on that day.

לִשְׁלִישִׁי עוֹלֶה הַבַּעַל קוֹרֵא, וּמֵעַצְמוֹ

[In years in which Parshas Bechukosai is read alone,] the third aliyah is customarily taken by the baal koreh, on his own initiative.

אוֹמְרִים אָב הָרַחֲמִים

[After the Torah Reading,] the passage beginning Av HaRachamim is recited.

אִם בְּחוּקּוֹתַי תֵּלֵכוּ

[It is written:] “If you will follow My statutes.”

אִם זֶה הוּא לְשׁוֹן תַּחֲנוּנִים

G‑d is pleading here with the Jewish people:

כְּמַאֲמַר רַזַ"ל, שֶׁכַּוָּנָתוֹ הַלְוַאי בְּחוּקּוֹתַי תֵּלֵכוּ

Our Sages say that the intention [of the plea] is “If only you would follow My statutes!”

וְזֶה שהקב"ה כִּבְיָכוֹל, מִתְחַנֵּן לִפְנֵיהֶם שֶׁיִּשְׁמְרוּ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה

The fact that G‑d entreats the Jews, as it were, to observe the Torah,

זֶה עַצְמוֹ מְסַיֵּעַ וְנוֹתֵן כֹּחַ לָאָדָם שֶׁיַּעֲמוֹד בִּבְחִירָתוֹ הַטּוֹבָה

in itself helps and empowers a person to stand firm in his positive choices.

וְעוֹד זֹאת אֲשֶׁר בְּחוּקּוֹתַי תֵּלֵכוּ דְּנַעֲשֵׂית הַנְּשָׁמָה מְהַלֵּךְ

Moreover, [the phrase Im bechukosai teileichu, here translated as “If you will follow My statutes,” literally means, “If you will walk in My statutes”]. [This implies that] by walking along the path of the Torah, the soul becomes a mehalech (lit., “one who walks”).

*

בְּבִיאַת הַמָּשִׁיחַ תִּתְגַּלֶּה מַעֲלַת הַפְּשִׁיטוּת וְהַתְּמִימוּת שֶׁיֵּשׁ בַּעֲבוֹדָתָם שֶׁל אֲנָשִׁים פְּשׁוּטִים

When Mashiach comes, the value of the simplicity and artless devotion of the common folk,

שֶׁמִּתְפַּלְלִים וְאוֹמְרִים תְּהִלִּים בִּתְמִימוּת.

who pray and recite Tehillim with heartfelt sincerity, will be manifest.

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

For questions and follow-up: [email protected]

Day 38 of the Omer

רֵאשִׁית הַיְרִידָה, רַחֲמָנָא לִצְלַן

The first stage in a person’s spiritual decline (Heaven forbid)

הוּא הֶעְדֵּר הָעֲבוֹדָה בִּתְפִלָּה

is a lack of effort when serving G‑d in prayer.

עֶס וועֶרט אַלץ טְרוּקעֶן אוּן קאַלט

Everything becomes parched and cold.

דִי מִצְוַת אֲנָשִׁים מְלוּמָּדָה וועֶרט שׁוֹין אוֹיךְ שְׁוועֶר

Even the routine performance of mitzvos1 becomes burdensome.

מעֶן אַיילט

One hurries [through their observance]

מעֶן וועֶרט אָן דעֶם געֶשְׁמאַק אִין תּוֹרָה

and loses a taste for Torah study.

וְהָאֲוִיר מִתְגַּשֵּׁם

The very atmosphere becomes more materially oriented.

וּמוּבָן הַדָּבָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ שַׁיָּךְ כְּלָל לִפְעוֹל עַל הַזּוּלַת

And it goes without saying that a person in such a state cannot positively influence others at all.

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

For questions and follow-up: [email protected]

Day 37 of the Omer

פַּעַם אַחַת הִתְוַעֲדוּ חֲסִידִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים — בִּשְׁנַת תּקמ"ד-ז

Once, at some time in the years 5544-5547 (1784-1787), a group of early chassidim who were farbrengen together

וְתוֹכֶן שִׂיחָתָם הָיָה

spoke of

דעֶר רֶבִּי — רַבֵּנוּ הַזָּקֵן — האָט אוֹיפגעֶטאָן וואָס מעֶן אִיז נִיט עֶלעֶנט

how their Rebbe, the Alter Rebbe, had done away with solitude.

אַמאָל, אִיז דעֶר רֶבִּי — דעֶר רָאשׁ מְתִיבְתָּא אוּן גָּאוֹן — געֶוועֶן עֶלעֶנט

In previous eras, a Rebbe — a rosh yeshivah or a gaon — was alone,

אוּן דִי תַּלְמִידִים זַיינעֶן געֶוועֶן עֶלעֶנט

and his disciples were alone.

דעֶר דֶּרֶךְ הַחֲסִידוּת וואָס דעֶר רֶבִּי האָט מְיַיסֵּד געֶוועֶן

The path of Chassidus blazed by the Alter Rebbe

אִיז דעֶר גְרוֹיסעֶר גֶ-טלִיכעֶר אוֹיפְטוּ

brought about an awesome G‑dly innovation:

וואָס דעֶר רֶבִּי אִיז נִיט עֶלעֶנט אוּן חֲסִידִים זַיינעֶן נִיט עֶלעֶנט

the Rebbe is not alone and the chassidim are not alone.

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

For questions and follow-up: [email protected]

Day 36 of the Omer

עַל כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד לָדַעַת

Every individual should know

כִּי הוּא יִתְבָּרֵךְ בְּהַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ הַפְּרָטִית

that G‑d, with His precisely-focused Providence,

נוֹתֵן לְכָל אָדָם הָאֶפְשָׁרוּת

grants everyone the opportunity

לְהָבִיא רָצוֹן הָעֶלְיוֹן יִתְבָּרֵךְ מִן הַכֹּחַ אֶל הַפּוֹעַל

to bring His sublime Will from the potential to the actual,

בְּקִיּוּם הַמִּצְוֹת

by observing the mitzvos

וּבְחִזּוּק הַיַּהֲדוּת וְתוֹרָתֵנוּ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה

and by fortifying Jewish practice and [the study of] our holy Torah

בְּכָל עֵת וּבְכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁהוּא

at all times and places.

וְאֵין הַדָּבָר תָּלוּי אֶלָּא בַּעֲבוֹדָתוֹ

The matter depends only on one’s efforts.

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

For questions and follow-up: [email protected]

Day 35 of the Omer

נִיטָא בַּא וועֶמעֶן אִיבּעֶרנעֶמעֶן זִיך.

We have no one to pamper us:

מעֶן בּעֶדאַרף האָרעֶוועֶן

we must labor.

מִיט סַבְלָנוּת אוּן קִרוּב הַדַּעַת קעֶן מעֶן, בְּעֶזְרַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרֵךְ, אַלס דוּרכזעֶצעֶן

With patience and brotherly understanding we can — with G‑d’s help — overcome all obstacles.

מִיט בִּטּוּל הַזּוּלַת וְהַגְבָּהַת עַצְמוֹ וועֶרט מעֶן חָלִילָה אַלץ אָן

By belittling another and exalting oneself, one loses everything, Heaven forbid.

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

For questions and follow-up: [email protected]

Day 34 of the Omer

חֲסִידוּת אִיז אַ גֶ-טלִיכעֶר פאַרשׁטאַנד

Chassidus is a G‑dly understanding —

דעֶר פאַרשׁטאַנד וואָס ווַייזְט דעֶם מעֶנטשְׁן וִוי קלֵיין עֶר אִיז

a perspective that shows a person how humble is his station

אוּן וִוי גרוֹיס עֶר קעֶן זִיך דעֶרהוֹיבְּן

and, [simultaneously,] to what heights he can elevate himself.

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

For questions and follow-up: [email protected]

Day 33 of the Omer

אֵצֶל אַדְמוּ"ר הָאֶמְצָעִי הָיָה לג בָּעוֹמֶר מִיָּמִים טוֹבִים הַמְצוּיָּנִים

For the Mitteler Rebbe, Lag BaOmer was one of the outstanding festivals.

מעֶן פלעֶגט אַרוֹיסגעֶהן אוֹיפְ'ן פעֶלד

He would go out to the fields [together with the chassidim].

עֶר פלעֶגט זִיךְ נִיט וואַשׁעֶן

He would not partake of bread,

אָבּעֶר נעֶהמעֶן מַשְׁקֶה

but would say LeChayim over mashke (liquor),

וואָס מִצַּד הַבְּרִיאוּת האָט עֶר עֶס נִיט געֶטאָרט

even though this was forbidden to him for health reasons.

מעֶן האָט דעֶמאָלט געֶזעֶהן אַ סַך מוֹפְתִים

[The chassidim present] would witness many miracles,

דאָס רוֹב מוֹפְתִים אִיז געֶוועֶן בְּנוֹגֵעַ קִינדעֶר

most of which were blessings for couples who wanted to have children.

אוּן אַ גאַנץ יאָהר האָט מעֶן געֶוואַרט אוֹיף לג בָּעוֹמֶר

People would wait the entire year for Lag BaOmer.

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

For questions and follow-up: [email protected]

Day 32 of the Omer

אֵין אוֹמְרִים צִדְקָתְךָ

[When the eve of Lag BaOmer falls on Shabbos,] the passage beginning Tzidkas’cha is omitted in the Afternoon Service.

בִּקְרִיאַת שְׁמַע שֶׁיֵּשׁ אוֹמְרִים בַּבּוֹקֶר — קוֹדֶם הַתְּפִלָּה

In the Shema that some people recite in the morning before the Morning Service

כְּדֵי לָצֵאת חוֹבַת קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע בִּזְמַנָּהּ

in order to fulfill their obligation to recite the Shema at the proper time,

גַּם כֵּן כּוֹפְלִים ג' הַתֵּיבוֹת

the [last] three words are repeated — [as is also done when reciting the Shema in the course of the Morning Service, if one is praying without a minyan] —

"וּמְסַיְּמִים בְּתֵיבַת “אֱמֶת

and the word emes is added.

בִּקְרִיאַת שְׁמַע דִּתְפִלִּין דְּרַבֵּנוּ תַּם וְשִׁמּוּשָׁא רַבָּה אֵין כּוֹפְלִים

When one recites the Shema while wearing tefillin whose parshiyos are arranged according to the view of Rabbeinu Tam or of Shimusha Rabba, these three words are not repeated,

"אֲבָל אוֹמְרִים “אֱמֶת

but the word emes is added.

ל"ג בָּעוֹמֶר שְׁנַת תּר"ד — לְעֶרֶךְ

On Lag BaOmer, around the year 5604 (1844),

סִפֵּר הַצֶּמַח צֶדֶק תּוֹרַת הַבַּעַל שֵׁם טוֹב

the Tzemach Tzedek relayed the following teaching of the Baal Shem Tov.

עֶס שְׁטעֶהט כִּי תִהְיוּ אַתֶּם אֶרֶץ חֵפֶץ אָמַר ה' צְבָאוֹת

“It is written, ‘For you shall be a cherished land, declares the G‑d of Hosts.’

אָט אַזוֹי וִוי דִי גרעֶסטעֶ חֲכָמִים וועֶלעֶן אֵייבִּיג נִיט דעֶרגֵיין דִי גְרוֹיסעֶ, טִבְעִיּוּת'דִיגעֶ אוֹצָרוֹת

Just as the wisest minds will never be able to grasp the vast natural treasures

וועֶלכעֶ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרֵךְ האָט טוֹבֵעַ געֶוועֶן בָּאָרֶץ

that G‑d has hidden in the earth,

אַז הַכֹּל הָיָה מִן הֶעָפָר

to grasp that ‘everything came from dust,’

אָט אַזוֹי קעֶן קֵיינעֶר נִיט דעֶרְגֵיין דִי גְרוֹיסעֶ אוֹצָרוֹת וואָס לִיגעֶן אִין אִידעֶן

so, too, no one can appreciate the treasures that lie hidden within Jews,

וואָס זֵיי זַיינעֶן דעֶם אוֹיבּעֶרשְׁטעֶנס בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶרֶץ חֵפֶץ

who are G‑d’s cherished land.”

וְסִיֵּם הַבַּעַל שֵׁם טוֹב

The Baal Shem Tov concluded:

אִיך וִויל מאַכעֶן פוּן אִידעֶן

“I want to bring Jews to the point

אַז זֵיי זאָלעֶן געֶבּעֶן דעֶם יְבוּל, וואָס דעֶם אוֹיבּעֶרשְׁטעֶנס בָּרוּךְ הוּא אַ אֶרֶץ חֵפֶץ קעֶן געֶבּעֶן.

that they will yield the kind of harvest that G‑d’s ‘cherished land’ can yield.”

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

For questions and follow-up: [email protected]