The daily Hayom Yom with Rabbi Yosef Katzman

אַדְמוּ"ר הַצֶּמַח צֶדֶק בֵּאֵר

The Tzemach Tzedek once explained

מַה שֶׁמְּיַחֲסִים אֵשׁ לִפְנִימִיּוּת הַתּוֹרָה

why pnimiyus haTorah (the Torah’s inner, mystical dimension) is likened to fire,

לְפִי שֶׁהִיא הַנּוֹתֶנֶת חַיּוּת בְּגַלְיָא שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה

because it vitalizes one’s study of the revealed dimensions of the Torah.

אַז עֶר לעֶרעֶנט אַ הֲלָכָה

“When a person studies a halachah

אוּן וֵוייס אַז דִי זעֶלבּעֶ הֲלָכָה וועֶט עֶר לעֶרנעֶן נאָךְ מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה אִין גַּן עֵדֶן

and knows that after his 120 years in This World he will study that same halachah in Gan Eden,

גִיט עֶס אַרַיין אַ פַייעֶרעֶל

it lights up a little fire within him.”

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

For questions and follow-up: [email protected]

נְסִיעוֹת הַבַּעַל שֵׁם טוֹב בִּתְחִלַּת הַהִתְגַּלּוּת שֶׁלּוֹ הָיוּ עַל דְּבַר שְׁלֹשָׁה עִנְיָנִים

In the early years following his revelation, the Baal Shem Tov traveled [widely] for three reasons:

פִּדְיוֹן שְׁבוּיִם

to redeem captives,

חִזּוּק הַתּוֹרָה וְיִרְאַת שָׁמַיִם

to strengthen Torah observance and the fear of Heaven,

הִתְגַּלּוּת פְּנִימִיוּת הַתּוֹרָה

and to reveal pnimiyus haTorah — the Torah’s inner, mystical dimension.

אַדְמוּ"ר הָאֶמְצָעִי הָיָה מְבַאֵר בָּזֶה

[Regarding this last reason,] the Mitteler Rebbe explained:

גַּלְיָא שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה נִקְרָא מַיִם

Nigleh, the revealed dimension of the Torah, is called water,

אוּן צוּ וואַסעֶר גֵייט מעֶן

and people are drawn to approach water.

פְּנִימִיּוּת הַתּוֹרָה נִקְרָא אֵשׁ

Pnimiyus haTorah is called “fire,”

אוּן פאַר פַייעֶר האָט מעֶן מוֹרָא

which arouses fear.

דעֶרפאַר דאַרף דעֶר מַשְׁפִּיעַ גֵיין צוּם מְקַבֵּל אוּן זאָגעֶן אִיהְם

Therefore, a person who is teaching the Torah’s inner, mystical dimension must approach the recipient and tell him:

האָבּ קֵיין מוֹרָא נִיט וַוייל ה' אֱלֹקֶיךָ אֵשׁ אוֹכְלָה הוּא

“Do not be afraid, because ‘G‑d your L‑rd is a consuming fire.’”

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

For questions and follow-up: [email protected]

אֵין אוֹמְרִים תַּחֲנוּן

Tachanun is omitted on this day.

רוֹשֵׁם אַאַמוּ"ר

My revered father, the Rebbe [Rashab] once wrote the following

מַעֲלַת ט"ו בְּאָב עַל כָּל ט"ו בַּחֹדֶשׁ

about the superiority of the Fifteenth of Av over the fifteenth of other months:

שֶׁזֶּהוּ רַק הַשְּׁלֵמוּת בְּהַגִּלּוּי

Although the fifteenth of any month represents the completeness [of the moon] in a revealed way,

אֲבָל מִכָּל מָקוֹם הִיא רַק בְּחִינַת מְקַבֵּל

the moon in those months is still only a passive recipient [of light from the sun].

אֲבָל בט"ו בְּאָב הָאוֹר בָּהּ בִּקְבִיעוּת

On the Fifteenth of Av, by contrast, its light is more lasting,

לְפִי שֶׁהָעֲלִיָּה הִיא לְפִי עֶרֶךְ עוֹצֶם הַיְרִידָה דְּתִשְׁעָה בְּאָב

for its ascent [which is indicated by its waxing] is proportionate to the [preceding] drastic descent of Tishah BeAv[…].

וְזֶהוּ תָּשַׁשׁ כֹּחָהּ שֶׁל חַמָּה

This is the meaning of [the Talmudic statement that from the Fifteenth of Av], “the sun’s power is weakened.”

עוֹבְדֵי כוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת מוֹנִים לְחַמָּה בִּישָׁא

The “idolaters reckon time according to the sun,” [which in this context serves as a Kabbalistic allusion to the level of evil personified by the sun],

וּבְט"ו תָּשַׁשׁ כו

whose power is weakened on the Fifteenth [of Av].

בְּמִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן מִזְּמַן הַבַּיִת שֶׁהָיוּ נִכְנָעִים לִשְׁלֹמֹה

If this applied in the era of the Beis HaMikdash, when [the idolaters] were subservient to King Shlomo,

כָּל שֶׁכֵּן לֶעָתִיד

how much more certainly will it apply to the future generation

וְנָהֲרוּ אֵלָיו, בִּבְחִינַת בִּטּוּל לְגַמְרֵי

when “nations will stream” [to the Beis HaMikdash] in a state of utter self-effacement.

וְאֶת רוּחַ הַטּוּמְאָה אַעֲבִיר כו

For concerning that era there is a Divine promise that “I will banish the spirit of impurity from the world.”

וּמֵעֵין זֶה בט"ו בְּאָב תָּשַׁשׁ כו

A foretaste of this occurs on the Fifteenth of Av, when the sun’s power is weakened.

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

For questions and follow-up: [email protected]

בְּמִנְחָה אֵין אוֹמְרִים תַּחֲנוּן

Tachanun is omitted from the Minchah service.

יד מְנַחֵם אָב תשׁ"א

Today, 14 Menachem Av, 5701 (1941),

נִמְלְאוּ חֲמִשִׁים שָׁנָה

marks fifty years

מִיּוֹם שֶׁאָמַר לִי אַאַמוּ"ר שֶׁאַתְחִיל לִרְשׁוֹם הַסִּפּוּרִים שֶׁמְּסַפֵּר לִי

since my revered father, the Rebbe [Rashab], told me to begin writing down the traditions and anecdotes that he used to relay to me.

כַּאֲשֶׁר הִתְחִיל הַצֶּמַח צֶדֶק לִכְתּוֹב בְּעִנְיָנֵי נִגְלָה וַחֲסִידוּת

When the Tzemach Tzedek began writing on subjects in nigleh and Chassidus,

אָמַר לוֹ אַדְמוּ"ר הַזָּקֵן

the Alter Rebbe told him:

וְקָנֶה לְךָ חָבֵר

Kaneh lecha chaver –

וּקָנֶה (קוּף בְּקָמַץ, נוּן בְּסֶגֹּל) — לְשׁוֹן קוּלְמוּס — לְךָ חָבֵר

“Let a pen be your companion.”

פַּעַם אָמַר אַאַמוּ"ר בְּשֵׁם אַדְמוּ"ר הַזָּקֵן

[On another occasion, when] my revered father, the Rebbe [Rashab], quoted [the Alter Rebbe’s directive] to me,

וְקָנֶה — לָשׁוֹן קוּלְמוּס — לְךָ חָבֵר,

“Let a pen be your companion.”

וּפִּרֵשׁ אַאַמוּ"ר קוּלְמוּס הַלֵּב

he added his own interpretation — that this directive related to “the quill of the heart.”

אַז יעֶדעֶר זאַךְ וואָס מְ'לעֶרעֶנט זאָל מעֶן אִיבּעֶרלעֶבּעֶן

That is, [our hearts] must be alive and aroused by whatever we learn.

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

For questions and follow-up: [email protected]

בְּשַׁעַת קְרִיאַת עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת עוֹמְדִים וּפְנֵיהֶם אֶל הַסֵּפֶר תּוֹרָה

During the public reading of the Ten Commandments, the congregants stand and face the Torah scroll.

וְדִבַּרְתָּ בָּם בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ גו

It is written: “You shall speak of them when you sit [in your home and when you walk on the road, when you lie down and when you rise].”

וְאָמְרוּ רַזַ"ל: וְדִבַּרְתָּ בָּם, בְּדִבְרֵי תּוֹרָה הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר

Our Sages taught: “The command that ‘you shall speak of them’ refers to words of Torah.”

אָמְנָם בְּעֵסֶק הַתּוֹרָה גּוּפָא יֵשׁ כַּמָּה חִלּוּקֵי מַדְרֵגוֹת

[Every soul, in the course of its supernal prehistory and its mundane life story, passes through] several levels in its involvement in Torah study,

וּמְבַאֵר כַּאן כָּל הַמַּדְרֵגוֹת

and this verse alludes to them all:

בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ בְּבֵיתֶךָ הוּא מַעֲמַד הַנְּשָׁמָה לְמַעְלָה בְּאוֹצַר הַנְּשָׁמוֹת

When you sit in your home refers to the soul’s presence in the spiritual realm, in the abode of souls,

קוֹדֶם יְרִידָתָהּ לְמַטָּה, וְעוֹסֶקֶת שָׁם בַּתּוֹרָה

where it is involved in Torah study before it descends below;

בְּלֶכְתְּךָ בַדֶרֶךְ — קָאֵי עַל הַזְּמַן שֶׁהַנְּשָׁמָה יוֹרֶדֶת מֵעוֹלָם לְעוֹלָם וּמִמַּדְרֵגָה לְמַדְרֵגָה

as you walk on the road alludes to the time of the soul’s descent from one spiritual world to the next, and from one level to another,

עַד בּוֹאָהּ לְמַטָּה לָעוֹלָם הַתַּחְתּוֹן לְהִתְלַבֵּשׁ בְּגוּף גַּשְׁמִי

until it reaches this lowly world and is enclothed in a physical body,

וּמַתְחִיל לָלֶכֶת בְּדֶרֶךְ עוֹלָם זֶה עַד יְמֵי זִקְנָה וְשֵׂיבָה

to then make its way through the world, until it reaches old age —

עַד וּבְשָׁכְבְּךָ בְּבוֹא יְמֵי פְּקוּדָּתוֹ

until the time when you lie down, the day when the soul is summoned [back to the higher world];

וְגַם אָז הִנֵּה הַתּוֹרָה תִּשְׁמוֹר עָלָיו

then, too, the Torah protects him,

כִּמְבוּאָר בְּשִׁשִׁי דְּאָבוֹת

as stated in Avos, chapter 66 —

עַד וּבְקוּמֶךָ כָּאָמוּר וַהֲקִיצוֹתָ גו

and until the time when you rise, as it is written, “And when you awake [at the Resurrection of the Dead, it shall speak for you].”

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

For questions and follow-up: [email protected]

דעֶר רֶבִּי — אַדְמוּ"ר הַזָּקֵן

The Alter Rebbe

האָט געֶזאָגט פוּן מעֶזרִיטשׁעֶר מַגִיד פוּן בַּעַל שֵׁם טוֹב'ס וועֶגעֶן

quoted the Maggid of Mezritch, who said in the name of the Baal Shem Tov:

וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ

[The command to] “love your fellowman as yourself”

אִיז אַ פֵּירוּשׁ וּבֵיאוּר אוֹיף וְאָהַבְתָּ אֶת ה' אֱלֹקֶיךָ

is a commentary on [the command to] “love G‑d your L‑rd.”

אַז מ'האָט האָלט אַ אִידעֶן

When one loves a Jew,

האָט מעֶן האָלט דעֶם אוֹיבּעֶרשְׁטעֶן

he loves G‑d,

וַוייל אַ אִיד האָט דאָךְ אִין זִיךְ אַ חֵלֶק אֱלֹקַהּ מִמַּעַל

for within a Jew there is “a part of G‑d.”

אִיז אַז מְ'האָט האָלט דעֶם אִידעֶן

Thus when one loves a Jew —

דעֶם אִינוועֶנִיג פוּן אִיהְם

meaning, when one loves that nucleus within him —

מִמֵּילָא האָט מעֶן האָלט דעֶם אוֹיבּעֶרשְׁטעֶן

one loves G‑d.

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

For questions and follow-up: [email protected]

רַבֵּנוּ הַזָּקֵן הָלַךְ לְמעֶזרִיטשׁ, בְּיַחַד עִם אָחִיו מַהֲרִי"ל, בִּשְׁנַת תקכ"ד

The Alter Rebbe journeyed to Mezritch together with his brother Maharil, in 5524 (1764).

מַהֲרִי"ל הָלַךְ בְּלִי רְשׁוּת בֵּיתוֹ וְלָכֵן חָזַר מִדַּרְכּוֹ

Maharil had set out without permission from his wife, and therefore returned in the midst of the journey.

וְרַבֵּנוּ בָּא לְמעֶזְרִיטשׁ — וְשָׁהָה שָׁם, בַּפַּעַם הָרִאשׁוֹנָה, עַד אַחֲרֵי חַג הַפֶּסַח תּקכ"ה

The Alter Rebbe arrived in Mezritch and remained there — on this first occasion — until after Pesach in 5525 (1765).

שְׁבוּעַיִם הָיָה מְסוּפָּק אִם לְהִשָּׁאֵר שָׁם

For [the first] two weeks he had been undecided as to whether to stay or not.

וְהַמַּאֲמָר הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁשָּׁמַע הָיָה נַחֲמוּ נַחֲמוּ

The first maamar he heard [from the Maggid] was entitled Nachamu Nachamu.

וְיֵשׁ בָּזֶה סָפֵק אִם הוּא הַמַּאֲמָר הָרִאשׁוֹן לְבוֹאוֹ

It is not known whether this was the first maamar he heard after his arrival,

אוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹן לְאַחַר הַשְּׁבוּעַיִּם שֶׁהֶחְלִיט לְהִשָׁאֵר וְנִתְקַשֵׁר

or the first he heard after two weeks that convinced him to stay and establish a connection [to the Maggid].

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

For questions and follow-up: [email protected]

מִסִּפּוּרֵי אַאַזְמוּ"ר

The following traditions were handed down by my revered grandfather, the Rebbe [Maharash]:

'"א) מִתְּחִלָּה הָיָה אִגֶּרֶת הַקֹּדֶשׁ קָטֹנְתִּי מְסַיֶּמֶת "וְרוּחַ נְכֵאָה כו

(a) At first, the epistle beginning Katonti concluded with the words veruach neche’ah (“and with a restrained spirit”).

וְאַחֲרֵי אֲשֶׁר אָמַר רַבֵּנוּ הַגָּדוֹל שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים — בְּלִיאָזנָא — הַמַּאֲמָר כַּמַּיִם הַפָּנִים גו

But after the Alter Rebbe had delivered the maamar entitled Kamayim hapanim (“Just as water [reflects] one’s face”) three times in Liozna,

כְּפֵרוּשׁ רַשִׁ"י וְלֹא כְּתַּרְגּוּמוֹ

explaining the verse according to the interpretation of Rashi and not according to the Targum,

אָז הוֹסִיף הַתֵּבוֹת "וְכוּלֵי הַאי — הַפָּנִים וְגוֹ

he appended [to the epistle beginning Katonti]the following words: “And through all that, perhaps G‑d will put [a conciliatory and loving response] into the hearts of their brethren, for ‘as water [reflects] one’s face, [so too does the heart of one man reflect the heart of another].’”

וּבָזֶה נָטַע בְּהַחֲסִידִים מִדּוֹת טוֹבוֹת

And by adding those words, the Alter Rebbe implanted positive middos, character traits, in his chassidim.

"ב) וועֶן דעֶר רֶבִּי וואָלְט נִיט געֶשׁטעֶלְט דִי דְרַיי וועֶרְטעֶר "בְּמִדַּת אֱמֶת לְיַעֲקֹב

(b) If the Alter Rebbe had not inserted in that letter the three [Hebrew] words that mean “according to the attribute of truth personified by Yaakov,”

בְּאִגֶּרֶת הַקֹּדֶשׁ קָטֹנְתִּי

to the epistle beginning Katonti

וואָלט עֶר געֶהאַט נאָךְ פוּפְצִיג טוֹיזעֶנט חֲסִידִים

he would have had another 50,000 chassidim.

אָבּעֶר דעֶר רֶבִּי מאָנט מִדַּת אֱמֶת

But the Alter Rebbe demands the attribute of truth!

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

For questions and follow-up: [email protected]

בְּמִנְחָה

[We put on tefillin] before the Afternoon Service

קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע, שִׁיר שֶׁל יוֹם, אֵין כֵּאלֹקֵינוּ

and recite the Shema, the Song of the Day, Ein K’Elokeinu,

וְכָל הַשִּׁעוּרִים הַשַׁיָּכִים לְשַׁחֲרִית

and all the readings that are usually linked to the morning prayers.

וְאַחַר כָּך סֵדֶר תְּפִלַּת מִנְחָה

This is followed by the Afternoon Service.

אֵין מְבָרְכִין שֶׁעָשָׂה לִי כָּל צָרְכִּי עַד לְמָחָר

The blessing She’asah li kol tzorki is not recited until the following day.

אַאַמוּ"ר הָיָה לוֹמֵד בְּכָל שָׁנָה וְשָׁנָה בְּתִשְׁעָה בְּאָב אֵיכָה רַבָּה וְסוּגְיַת רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן דְפֶרֶק הַנִּזָּקִין

Every Tishah BeAv my revered father, the Rebbe [Rashab], would study Eichah Rabbah and the passage beginning Amar R. Yochanan in the chapter entitled HaNizakin.

בַּבּוֹקֶר אַחַר אֲמִירַת הַקִּינוֹת — שֶׁהָיָה אוֹמְרָם כּוּלָּם — הָיָה אוֹמֵר אֵיכָה

In the morning, after reciting Kinos — he would recite them all — he would read Eichah [to himself].

הָיָה עוֹלֶה לַתּוֹרָה לְמַפְטִיר

He would be called to the Torah for maftir,

וְלִפְעָמִים הֵן בְּשַׁחֲרִית הֵן בְּמִנְחָה

sometimes at both the Morning and Afternoon Services.

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

For questions and follow-up: [email protected]

שֵׁשׁ זְכִירוֹת

The Six Remembrances

אוֹמְרִים אוֹתָם בְּכָל יוֹם

are recited every day,

גַּם בְּשַׁבָּת, יוֹם טוֹב, רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים

including Shabbos, the festivals, Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur.

מִפִּתְגָּמֵי אַאַזְמוּ"ר

My revered grandfather, the Rebbe [Maharash], once said:

וואָס אִיז דִי פְּעוּלָה פוּן חֲסִידוּת אוּן יִרְאַת שָׁמַיִם

“Of what good is the study of Chassidus and the fear of Heaven

אַז עֶס פעֶלְט דעֶר עִקָּר — אַהֲבַת יִשְׂרָאֵל

if the main thing — a love of one’s fellow Jew — is lacking?

אוּן נאָך גּוֹרֵם זַיין חַס וְשָׁלוֹם צַעַר אֶל הַזּוּלָת

And all the more so, if one person pains another!”

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

For questions and follow-up: [email protected]