Daily Spiritual Guide for the 18th of Teveth

 18th of Teveth

The gateway to the first week of Shovavim (Parashat Shemot)

💡 Hayom Yom (Keter)

18th of Teveth

• Customs: The one called for the last aliya of a Book of the Chumash, as well as the congregation, says "Chazak chazak venit'chazeik." On Saturday night, repeat the verse orech yamim in Viyhi Noam, but do not do so at Shabbat Shacharit.

• A Story of Life: When the Tzemach Tzedek was a boy, he asked his grandfather, the Alter Rebbe, how Yaakov’s best years could have been in the corrupt land of Egypt. The Alter Rebbe explained that because Yaakov sent Yehuda ahead to establish a house of study (Goshen), the presence of Torah allowed him to truly "live" (Vay'chi) even in exile. Torah study brings a person closer to the Almighty, regardless of their physical surroundings.

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🪜 The 15 Steps to the Sanctuary

🧠 Chochma & Bina (Wisdom & Integration)

1. Alef-Bet Combination: Tonight is Day 1 (Alef) of 22-Day Cycle 6 (Kaf and Lamed). The combination is Alef with Kaf (forming the words Ach and Koh).

Acrostic Verse (Psalm 112): אַשְׁרֵי־אִ֖ישׁ יָרֵ֣א אֶת־יְהֹוָ֑ה; "Praiseworthy is the man who fears the Lord."

2. Sefirah (Inner Refinement): Day 6 of Week 16 (Yesod shebeGevurah [shebeTiferet]).

❤️ Chesed (Expansive Love)

3. Light and Fire of the Baal Shem Tov:

• The Revealed Master: After witnessing the Besht's secret holiness, Rabbi David of Kolomaya became a frequent disciple. He often defended his brother-in-law, Rabbi Gershon, against his own skepticism.

• Silent Protest: The Besht insisted on praying by the eastern wall, typically reserved for the elite, to be near the Ark and protest the exclusion of the "simple" folk. He masked his profound Kabbalistic actions (like not wearing tefillin on Chol HaMoed) behind a guise of simple ignorance.

4. Jewish Spiritual Practices (Greetings & Kindness):

• Judging Favorably: True love for a neighbor is impossible without judging them favorably. The Besht taught that if you see a fault in another, it is a mirror of a fault within yourself provided by God to spark your own repentance.

• Negating Grudges: The Torah’s prohibition against revenge and bearing a grudge requires returning good for evil. True humility means "passing over one's measures" and seeking ways to benefit those who have caused us trouble.

⚔️ Gevurah (Strength & Discipline)

5. Talmud (33 Tractates): Megillah (2a - 4b).

• Summary: Explains the flexibility of the Purim calendar (11th-15th of Adar) and the hierarchy of duties, where "Publicizing the Miracle" overrides even Temple service. It also notes that the prophets established the final forms of letters (Mantzepakh).

6. Tanach Study (2 Chapters): Jeremiah 8 & 9.

• Summary: Jeremiah laments the irrationality of Judah's refusal to repent. God warns that man should not boast in wisdom, strength, or riches, but only in knowing and understanding God’s kindness and justice.

⚖️ Tiferet (Harmony & Beauty)

7. Tosefta: Yevamos (4 - 7).

• Summary: Discusses resolving identity confusion in betrothals, the collision between the laws of Yibbum and incest, and the biological waiting periods required to ensure paternity.

8. 13 Attribute Combination (Divine Mercy): Day 7 of 13-Day Cycle 9.

• yashuv yerachamanu — He shall again have mercy on us.

• vetashlich bimtzolet yam kol chatotam — Casts our sins into the depths of the sea.

🏹 Netzach (Victory & Ambition)

9. 41-Day Combination: Day 29 of 41-Day Cycle 3. Understanding the 8th Commandment (against Stealing) on the First, Spiritual level (Chayah, World of Atzilut).

10. Living Likutei Moharan (Torah 111):

Summary: Connects the word "Rebbe" to Rosh Bnei Yisrael (Head of Israel). This ties to the yahrzeit of the Bnei Yissachar, a leader from the tribe of Yissachar—the scholars and heads of the Sanhedrin.

🕯️ Hod (Submission & Sincerity)

11. M’Ein Ganim:

Summary: Seclusion (Hitbodedut) is the ultimate proof of faith. Prayer from the heart, in one's own words, is the essence of Kavanah (intention). Rabbi Nathan noted that any deficiency in life is linked to a lack of prayer.

12. Shulchan Arukh: Reviewing laws in Orach HaChayim 221 and 222.

Summary: Covers the laws of Blessings for Rain and responding to Good and Bad News. We are obligated to bless God for the "bad" (Dayan HaEmet) with the same wholeheartedness as for the "good."

🤝 Yesod (Foundation & Connection)

13. Zohar Study: Vayechi, Folios 245 and 246.

Summary: * The Seal of Love: Israel's love for God is compared to the parting of the soul from the body—absolute and intense. This love is kindled by the Left hand (Gevurah) and sustained by the Right (Chesed).

• The Mystery of the King's Son: The soul is like a King's son sent to a "village" (this world) for education. At death, the Matron (Shekhinah) brings the soul home to the Palace.

• Arousing the Upper Waters: The yearning of the righteous on earth stirs the Shekhinah to meet the "upper waters." Through the Zaddik, blessings flow from the Future World to transform the "bread of poverty" into "royal dainties."

• Asher and the Bread of Luxury: The name Asher signifies the Future World. From the "heavens" (the letter Vau), bread rains down to nourish the Tree of Life. On Shabbat, this "celestial bread" joins with "earthly bread" to become Double Bread, transforming poverty into royal luxury.

• Naphtali and the Unity of Voice: Naphtali is the "hind let loose," representing the Utterance that is guided by the Voice. The Zohar explains that Thought, Understanding, Voice, and Utterance are all one, illustrating that "The Lord is one and His Name is One."

• Joseph and the Standards: Joseph represents the Male Principle (Zaddik). Because the standards of the Shekhinah are female in nature, Joseph was replaced by Ephraim on the West, while Joseph remains the "fruitful bough" both above and below, joining the Kingdom with the Patriarchs.

14. Shovavim (Parasha Shemot): Day 4 (Esther / Fasting) of Parasha 1 (Moshe / Torah) of Cycle 3 (Mordechai / Tzedakah-Mesirat Nefesh).

🌍 Malchut (Actualization)

15. The Parasha Study (Shemot): Culminating with the study of the new book and the teachings of the Tanya (Chapter 12).

Daily Spiritual Guide for the 17th of Teveth

🌙 Tonight: 17th of Teveth

The gateway to the first week of Shovavim (Parashat Shemot)

💡 Hayom Yom (Keter)

17th of Teveth The reason for not studying Torah on nittel-night (the non-Jewish festival commonly celebrated on December 25th), I heard from my father, is to avoid adding vitality [to the opposing side]. My father once said: "Those diligent students who begrudge those eight hours and cannot tear themselves away from study—I am not fond of them." This abstaining from study applies only until midnight.

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🪜 The 15 Steps to the Sanctuary

🧠 Chochma & Bina (Wisdom & Integration)

1. Alef-Bet Combination: Tonight is Day 22 (Tav) of 22-Day Cycle 5 (Tet and Yud). The combination is Tav with Tet (forming the word for the letter Tet itself).

Acrostic Verse (Psalm 111): תְּ֜הִלָּת֗וֹ עֹמֶ֥דֶת לָעַֽד; "His praise endures forever."

2. Sefirah (Inner Refinement): Day 5 of Week 16 (Hod shebeGevurah [shebeTiferet]).

❤️ Chesed (Expansive Love)

3. Light and Fire of the Baal Shem Tov: Summary: While the Baal Shem Tov lived in seclusion, his wife protected his secret identity. One night, Rabbi David of Kolomaya stayed at their inn. At midnight, he awoke to see an intensely bright light behind the oven. Approaching, he saw the Besht sitting in a rainbow of brilliant rays. The vision was so powerful that the Maggid fainted. The Besht, deep in a trance, had to be shaken awake by his wife to help revive their guest, yet he continued to maintain his disguise as a simple man the next morning.

4. Jewish Spiritual Practices (Greetings & Kindness): Summary: The greatest thing in the world is to do someone a favor. By stating the intention, "I am doing this to fulfill 'Love your neighbor as yourself,'" we elevate a natural good tendency into a holy act. This includes warning others of harm, returning lost objects, or helping with daily tasks. Furthermore, true love and humility are shown by nullifying our own will to fulfill the will of our fellow man, seeing their need as an expression of God's will.

⚔️ Gevurah (Strength & Discipline)

5. Talmud (33 Tractates): 5b Ta'anit (29a - 31a). Summary: This section details the tragic timeline of the Spies and why Tisha B'Av became a day of mourning. It reconciles the dates of the Temple's destruction and outlines the laws of grief, such as restricted study and the "meal of separation." It concludes with the joy of the 15th of Av, celebrating the end of the desert deaths and the lifting of tribal marriage restrictions.

6. Tanach Study (2 Chapters): Jeremiah 6 & 7. Summary (Chapter 6): Jeremiah warns Benjamin to flee Jerusalem as an army from the north approaches. He laments a people whose ears are "clogged" and who reject God's word, choosing robbery and falsehood instead of the "good way." Summary (Chapter 7): Standing at the Temple gate, Jeremiah rebukes those who rely on the Temple's physical existence while committing abominations. He warns that God will do to Jerusalem what He did to Shiloh, turning the land desolate because the people obeyed their own evil hearts rather than God’s voice.

⚖️ Tiferet (Harmony & Beauty)

7. Mishnah: Moed Katan 2 & 3. Summary (Chapter 2): Discusses labor permitted on the intermediate days of a Festival (Chol HaMoed) to prevent significant financial loss, such as pressing olives or harvesting flax. While one may act to prevent damage, one may not intentionally plan work for these days. Summary (Chapter 3): Outlines who is permitted to shave or launder clothes on Chol HaMoed—specifically those who could not do so before the Festival (e.g., travelers or those released from prison). It details how Festivals interrupt or nullify formal mourning periods (Shiva and Shloshim). It concludes with the promise that God will eventually "destroy death forever."

8. 13 Attribute Combination (Divine Mercy): Day 6 of 13-Day Cycle 9.

• ki chafetz chesed hu — For He desires kindness.

• vetashlich bimtzolet yam kol chatotam — Casts our sins into the depths of the sea.

🏹 Netzach (Victory & Ambition)*

9. 41-Day Combination: Day 28 of 41-Day Cycle 3. Understanding the 7th Commandment (against Adultery) on the Fourth, Physical level (Nefesh, World of Asiyah).

10. Living Likutei Moharan (Torah 110): Summary: Torah is essentially spirituality. Pure actions and a spiritual mind allow one to grasp the entire Torah and not forget any of it. This connects to the themes of Teveth: the danger of treating the Torah as material rather than spiritual. This is exemplified by the Bnei Yissasschar (yahrzeit 18th Teveth), whose Kabbalistic teachings emphasize this spiritual depth.

🕯️ Hod (Submission & Sincerity)

11. M’Ein Ganim: Summary: The only cure for "going off the tracks" is an hour of Hitbodedut (secluded prayer). Divine Providence doesn't mean life is always smooth; it means there is a specific track—only known to the Creator—that leads a person to their destination. True "staying on the tracks" means living with joy and trusting that every challenge is for the sake of drawing closer to God.

12. Shulchan Arukh: Reviewing laws in Orach HaChayim 219 and 220. Summary (Siman 219): Details the laws of Birkat HaGomel, the blessing of gratitude recited after surviving danger (illness, imprisonment, sea-travel, or desert-crossing). It requires a Minyan of ten men and serves as a public acknowledgment of God's kindness. Summary (Siman 220): Explains the rituals for "improving" a bad dream (Hatavat Chalom) through positive affirmations from friends and the spiritual efficacy of fasting to annul negative decrees.

🤝 Yesod (Foundation & Connection)

13. Zohar Study: Vayechi, Folios 243 and 244. Summary: The Zohar explains that the physical arrangement of the Tribes of Israel, led by Judah and ending with Dan, mirrors a celestial hierarchy that governs the flow of divine energy. Dan is characterized as a "serpent," a protective force that guards the "rear" of the camp and personifies the raw strength of judgment seen in figures like Samson. Central to this text is the principle of the "Impulse from Below," which teaches that human prayer and sacrifice act as a catalyst to unite divine forces and bring blessings down to Earth. Finally, the bond between God and Israel is described as a "seal" upon the heart, an eternal connection of love and "holy jealousy" that persists even during the darkness of exile.

14. Shovavim (Parasha Shemot): Day 3 (Mordechai / Tzedakah-Mesirat Nefesh) of Parasha 1 (Moshe / Torah) of Cycle 3 (Mordechai / Tzedakah-Mesirat Nefesh).

🌍 Malchut (Actualization)

15. The Parasha Study (Shemot): Culminating with the study of the new book and the teachings of the Noam Elimelech.

Daily Spiritual Guide for the 16th of Teveth

The gateway to the first week of Shovavim (Parashat Shemot)

Hayom Yom (Keter)

16th of Teveth The Tzemach Tzedek told Reb Hendel at yechidus: "Study of Zohar exalts the soul; study of Midrash arouses the heart; Tehillim with tears scours the vessel."

Note on Reb Hendel: An elder chassid who exemplified humility, warmth, and compassion. Though he did not excel in intellectual mastery, his fervent worship had a profound influence on the Rebbe Rayatz.

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🪜 The 15 Steps to the Sanctuary

💡🧠 Chochma & Bina (Wisdom & Integration)

1. Alef-Bet Combination: Tonight is Day 21 (Shin) of 22-Day Cycle 5 (Tet and Yud). The combination is Shin with Yud (forming Shay - Gift/Tribute; or Yesh - "to have").

Acrostic Verse (Psalm 111): שֵׂ֣כֶל ט֖וֹב לְכָל־עֹֽשֵׂיהֶ֑ם; "Good understanding to all who perform them."

2. Sefirah (Inner Refinement): Day 4 of Week 16 (Netzach shebeGevurah [shebeTiferet]).

❤️ Chesed (Expansive Love)

3. Light and Fire of the Baal Shem Tov: Summary: The Besht taught that serving Torah scholars is as spiritually potent as studying with them. He sought to serve the greats of his generation: relighting the pipe of Rabbi Ephraim Zalman Shor while he slept, and returning the tea cup of Rabbi Yitzhak of Drohobitch with the reverence of a High Priest. Finally, disguised as a laborer, he chopped wood for the sickly Maggid of Brody. When the Maggid’s wife grew angry, the Maggid saw a pillar of fire over the Besht’s head, recognizing him as the future leader of the generation.

4. Jewish Spiritual Practices (Greetings & Kindness): Summary: We are taught to be the first to greet others warmly, even in busy marketplaces. By calling others "My brother," we reveal the love in our hearts. This practice of kindness and brotherliness, rooted in the example of Jacob, ensures that we are greeted with mercy from Above.

⚔️ Gevurah (Strength & Discipline)

5. Talmud (33 Tractates): 5b Ta'anit (16a - 31a). Summary: This section focuses on the laws of fasting, specifically regarding the 10th of Teveth and the beginnings of the siege of Jerusalem.

6. Tanach Study (2 Chapters): Jeremiah 4 & 5. Summary (Chapter 4): A call for Israel to return to God and "plow a new furrow" rather than sowing among thorns. It warns of a coming disaster from the north that will leave the land desolate. Summary (Chapter 5): A search for justice in Jerusalem. The prophet laments that even the "great ones" have broken God's yoke, choosing instead to follow false prophets while the poor and orphans are neglected.

⚖️ Tiferet (Harmony & Beauty)

7. Mishnah: Megillah 4; Moed Katan 1.

8. 13 Attribute Combination (Divine Mercy): Day 5 of 13-Day Cycle 9.

• lo hechzik le’ad apoh — He does not retain His anger forever.

• vetashlich bimtzolet yam kol chatotam — Casts our sins into the depths of the sea.

🏹 Netzach (Victory & Ambition)

9. 41-Day Combination: Day 27 of 41-Day Cycle 3. Understanding the 7th Commandment (against Adultery) on the Third, Emotional level (Ruach, World of Yetzirah).

10. Living Likutei Moharan (Torah 109): Summary: A lesson on the spiritual power of a sigh. A sigh can break one's connection to evil and facilitate Teshuvah. This is linked to Shimshon (Samson), who was bound by ropes (Chevel) but used his breath (Hevel) to break free and achieve triumph.

🕯️ Hod (Submission & Sincerity)

11. M’Ein Ganim: Fulfill your specific, unique path to increase God's Glory.

12. Shulchan Arukh: Reviewing laws in Orach HaChayim 216 and 217.

🤝 Yesod (Foundation & Connection)

13. Zohar Study: Vayechi, Folios 241 and 242.

14. Shovavim (Parasha Shemot): Day 2 (Aharon / Avodah) of Parasha 1 (Moshe) of Cycle 3 (Mordechai)

🌍 Malchut (Actualization)

15. The Parasha Study (Shemot): Culminating with the study of the new book and the teachings of the Keter Shem Tov.