This week was Yud Tes Kislev, the Rosh Hashana of Chassidus. Everyone knows the story of the arrest and liberation of the Alter Rebbe. When we attend farbrengens on Yud Tes Kislev we need to take practical lessons that we can apply to our daily lives. The following is what I was thinking about what would be best to take from Yud Tes Kislev this year.
The Alter Rebbe is known as the author of the Tanya and the Shulchan Aruch. It is known that the Tanya was printed two years before the imprisonment of the Alter Rebbe. Due to its printing, and the dissemination of Chassidus in the way of Chabad there was a kitrug, a decree on high. Therefore, when the liberation of the Alter Rebbe occurred all opposition towards spreading the teachings of Chassidus was defeated. From that point onward, it became our responsibility to do all we can to apply and spread the teachings of Chassidus in even a greater measure.
Since the Tanya has 53 chapters, we need guidance on which chapters to focus in specific. In 1976, the Rebbe inaugurated the year of Chinuch. On Thursday night, Rosh Chodesh Iyar, the Rebbe made a special farbrengen. In this farbrengen he explained the first six of the twelve Pesukim and Maamorei Chazal. On Lag B’omer of that year, he added the other six. There are four phrases from the Tanya found in the Yud Beis Pesukim.
The first is from the title page of the Tanya. It quotes the posuk, “Ki karuv eilecha hadavor me’od b’ficha u’bilvavcha lasoso” – The Torah and Mitzvos are very close to you in speech, thought, and action. The entire sefer HaTanya is based on this pasuk about how the Torah and Mitzvos are close to us. Even though a young child is preoccupied with his own play, food and toys, we need to guide him or her to think about Torah and Mitzvos as something that is very precious, something to hold dear. He or she also needs to think that the Torah and Mitzvos are everlasting and have been given to all of us today (even here in California and in Los Angeles).
In Chapter 41 of Tanya it says that Hashem placed aside the higher and lower realms and unified His Kingship upon us. This was so that we should do a Mitzvah. The Tanya reads: “v’hinei Hashem nitzav alav umalo kol ha’aretz kevodo umabit alav ubochein klayos balev, im avdo k’raui - Hashem stands upon us, He fills the entire world with His honor, and He is staring upon us intently to see if we serve Him properly. It needs to be our focus that Hashem cares to know what we will do next. We need to ask ourselves what is our focus in our lives, and what can we do next to serve Hashem properly.
In Chapter 33 it says:“Ze kol ha’adam v’tachlis briaso elyonim v’sachtonim liyos lo dirah zuh btachtonim” – This is the entire purpose of man’s creation and the creation of all the higher and lower realms, to make a dwelling for Him here in the lower world. From this we need to realize our purpose in life. What is important is that I have a shlichus to make a dwelling place for Hashem. This realization brings to: “Yismach Yisroel B’osav; Pirush, shekel mi shehu mizerah yisroel yesh lo lismoach b’simchas Hashem asher sas v’sameach b’diraso b’tachtonim.” – Yidden should rejoice in their maker. Meaning, that anyone that is Jewish should rejoice in Hashem’s simcha, that he is joyous and happy in his dwelling place down here.
When we think into these four points from these four quotes in the Tanya, we come to the conclusion that we are on a shlichus to make a dwelling for Hashem. The making of this dwelling place brings Hashem great simcha in which we rejoice as well. We remain constantly aware that Hashem is watching us and that it all within our reach. It’s not too difficult to act like a Chossid in the fashion the Rebbe has shown us.
The Rebbe spoke often in Yechidus and in letters about the importance of thinking about chapter 41 of Tanya. He spoke of the great importance of thinking about the fact that Hashem is with us. Once, a person asked the Rebbe that he learns the beginning of 41st chapter (until “haMelech”) but it doesn’t affect him. The Rebbe answered that the more he will think into it and focus upon it, the greater the memory and impact of it will be. This teaches us is that we need to take time and if we do it will change us for the better. Through this we will be Chassidim of the Rebbe and do what the Rebbe wants.