Daily Spiritual Guide for the 19th of Kislev (The Rosh Hashanah of Chassidut! Hod shebeHod, just as Lag Ba'Omer)

Date: 19th of Kislev, 5786 (Monday Night / Tuesday Day, December 8/9, 2025) Focus: Hod shebeHod shebeGevurah (Acknowledgement/Glory within Acknowledgement/Glory withing Might/Judgement). Day of Cycle: Day 82 of the 364-Day Yearly Cycle.

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15 Steps to the Sanctuary

1. Hayom Yom (Daily Lesson) 💡

   • From a letter by my father: The 19th of Kislev...the festival on which "He redeemed our soul in peace," (Tehillim 55:19) and our soul's illumination and vitality were given to us, this day is Rosh Hashana for Chassidus. A day of farbrengen (Chassidic gathering) and good resolutions towards establishing times to study the revealed Torah and Chassidus publicly.

2. Alef-Bet Combination (Hidden Good) 🔠

   • Combination: Tonight is Day 16 (Ayin) of 22-Day Cycle 4. The combination is Ayin with Zayin, forming "Oz" (power, boldness).

   • Acrostic Verse (Psalms 34:16): "טז עֵינֵ֣י יְ֖הֹוָה אֶל־צַדִּיקִ֑ים וְ֜אָזְנָ֗יו אֶל־שַׁוְעָתָֽם: / The eyes of the Lord are to the righteous, and His ears are to their cry."

3. Sefirah (Inner Refinement) ✨

   • Sefirah: Day 5 of Week 12: Hod shebeHod shebeGevurah (Acknowledgement/Glory within Acknowledgement/Glory withing Might/Judgement). This refinement focuses on expressing sincere humility and gratitude (Hod) that is deeply embedded in one's very being, and then channeled with appropriate discipline (Gevurah).

4. Kabbalah of Time Weekly Focus 📖

   • Song for the Day (Book 5, Week 12): Longing for G-d

     • SONG OF SONGS: The verses (1:17, 3:1-2) express the deep longing for G-d, mirroring the spreading of Chassidut by the Alter Rebbe.

     • TALMUD SHEVUOTH (Daf 12): The discussion of the scapegoat of Azazel reflects the elevation of the animal soul.

5. Light and Fire of the Baal Shem Tov & Jewish Spiritual Practices 🔥

   • Light and Fire: Page 81

     • Reb Itche, by chopping wood and eating to increase his strength, fulfills two commandments with self-sacrifice: love of Israel, and not standing idly by the blood of a fellow Jew.

   • Jewish Spiritual Practices:

     • Talking to Hashem as a son speaks to a father, and also joining confession to any request.

6. Tanach Study (Daily Chapters) 👑

   • Book of Isaiah, Chapters 16 and 17: Prophecies concerning the judgment of Moab and Damascus, leading to the remnant of Israel turning to their Maker.

7. Daily Torah Study: Mishnah & Talmud ⚖️📜

   • Mishnah: Tractate Pesachim, Chapter 10; Tractate Shekalim, Chapter 1.

   • Talmud Daf Yomi: Zevachim 86. This section discusses the validity of sacrificial procedures.

8. 13 Attribute Combination (Divine Mercy) 📜

   • Tonight is Day 4 of 13-Day Cycle 7.

   • 4th Attribute: לִשְׁאֵרִית נַחֲלָתוֹ / lishi’eirit nachalato — For the remnant of his heritage;

   • Relevant Attribute (7th): יָשׁוּב יְרַחֲמֵנוּ/ yashuv yerachamanu — He shall again have mercy on us;

9. 41-Day Combination (Practical Purity) 🧼

   • Focus: Tonight is Day 41 of 41-Day Cycle 2 (The culmination of the cycle).

   • Theme: This day parallels the day in which Moshe came down from Mount Sinai with the Torah, connected with the deepest part of our soul (the Yechidah), parallel to Adam Kadmon.

10. Living Likutei Moharan 🔗

    • Tonight’s Lesson: Torah 83 (Yud-Tes Kislev)

    • The transformation of Aph (Anger) into Peh (Revelation) through Tzedakah and the liberation of the Alter Rebbe while reciting “Padah b’Shalom Nafshi.”

11. Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chayim 163 and 164 🛐

    • Siman 163: The obligation of the one eating to wash hands.

    • Siman 164: Laws regarding making a condition on morning hand washing and re-washing during a meal.

12. Zohar: Parashat Vayeshev - Folios 185 and 186 💎

    • The Foundation of the World: The world is upheld by seven pillars and the central principle of "the Righteous One."

    • Zion and the Cosmos: The world began from Zion, the spiritual center where faith culminates.

    • Judgement and Mercy: Zion and Jerusalem are channels for Judgement and Mercy.

    • Judah's Descent: Explained as being connected to Joseph's descent into Egypt.

13. Parasha Shovavim - Vayeshev (Parasha 9 of the Cycle) 🕊️

    • Cycle Day: Day 3 (Beit, Mordechai, Mesirut Nefesh) of Parasha 3 (Beit, Mordechai, Mesirut Nefesh) of Cycle 2 (Vav, Aharon, Avodah).

    • The focus on Self-Sacrifice (Mesirut Nefesh) connects to the spiritual battle of Yud Tes Kislev.

14. Parasha: Today we will learn from Noam Elimelech on Vayeshev 🧘 (Deep Parallels with the Alter Rebbe: contemplating G-d's greatness and "settling" the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov)

    • • Unifying Divine Names: The essential task of service is to unify the name Havayah (transcendent mercy, "El" or Chesed) and Adonai (immanent mastery, the "abode" for Havayah). Abraham was the first to achieve this unification and call G-d "Adon" (Master).

      •  The Incompleteness before Abraham: The mystical term "Ad" (from "a mist ['Ad'] went up from the earth") contains only two letters of Adonai, symbolizing an incomplete stage of recognition before Abraham was able to fully unify the Names.

      • The Role of Mitzvot: The core worship involves contemplating G-d's greatness (Morah v'Pachad). However, dwelling perpetually in this high thought would cause the soul to depart the body (Bittul HaMetzi'ut). Therefore, G-d gave us the 613 Mitzvot as physical acts (Avodah b'Guf) to anchor us in the world, allowing the deeper intellectual contemplation and spiritual clinging (Dveikut) to be sustained.

      • Jacob's Stability (Yeshivah): Jacob's settlement "in the land where his father dwelled" (Eretz Megurei Aviv) is interpreted as achieving stability (Yeshivah) in the level of awe/fear (Megurim), which is rooted in the physical service of Mitzvot ("land of Canaan" being a reference to the body).

15. M'Ein Ganim (p. 81) 🌿

    • The essential path for growth and accomplishment is rooted in knowing that a person's shortcomings are especially designed for them to achieve their life path. This requires embracing the journey without self-persecution and without comparing one's lot to others.