Monday, 8th of Adar, 5777

6th day of Week 23 and the 13th day of the cycle of Netzach (Victory/Endurance), Yesod shebeGevurah shebeNetzach, Foundation within Might/Discipline within Victory/Endurance.

Alef-Bet/Psalms (Cycles of 22 days):

6th day of the 8th cycle. Vav within the cycle of Samech and Ayin, Vav-Ayin / Ayin-Vav. (Sample words: וַעַד (committee); עוֹד (more), עול (yoke).

Proverbs 31:

She rises when it is still night; she gives food to her household and an allotted share to her maidens.

וַתָּקָם בְּעוֹד לַיְלָה וַתִּתֵּן טֶרֶף לְבֵיתָהּ וְחֹק לְנַעֲרֹתֶיהָ:

Psalm 119:

And I shall lift up my palms to Your commandments, which I love, and I shall converse about Your statutes.

וְאֶשָּׂא כַפַּי אֶל מִצְו‍ֹתֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר אָהָבְתִּי וְאָשִׂיחָה בְחֻקֶּיךָ:


Hayom Yom

The Alter Rebbe once summoned a young disciple of the Maggid and said to him in his customary chant: I have the mitzva of "teach them to your children." You have the mitzva of sustaining and providing for your family. Let us make an exchange. I will give you what you need to fulfill your mitzva and you will teach my son (who was later the Mitteler Rebbe).

Then the Rebbe explained the method of instruction: The first thing is to teach the letters, alef, beit and so on. What is an alef? A dot above, a dot below, and a line between this is an alef. A child must know that the alef of Torah is a yud above, a yud below, and a line of faith that joins them.

Another version: A yud above - this is the soul; a yid (Jew) below - this is the body; a line of yir'at Shamayim (fear of Heaven) in the center.

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My father writes in one of his letters: A single act is better than a thousand groans. Our G‑d lives, and Torah and mitzvot are eternal; quit the groaning and work hard in actual avoda, and G‑d will be gracious to you.