Spiritual Guide for the 20th of Teveth

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

💡 Hayom Yom (Keter)

• The Power of Two: The Mitteler Rebbe taught that when two people study together, there are two Divine souls against one natural soul. Because the Divine soul is selfless and desires the spiritual welfare of others, the two Neshamot join forces. Conversely, the natural soul is self-centered and only hinders the individual, making collaborative study a spiritual advantage.

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🪜 The 15 Steps to the Sanctuary

🧠 Chochma & Bina (Wisdom & Integration)

1. Alef-Bet Combination: Tonight is Day 3 (Gimmel) of 22-Day Cycle 6 (Kaf and Lamed). The combination is Gimmel with Kaf.

Acrostic Verse (Psalm 112): גִּבּ֣וֹר בָּאָרֶץ יִֽהְיֶ֣ה זַרְע֑וֹ ("His seed will be mighty in the land").

2. Sefirah (Inner Refinement): Day 1 of Week 17 (Chesed shebeTiferet [shebeTiferet]).

• Song of the Day (Perek Shirah): The Bee-eater says, "I will whistle to them and gather them, for I have redeemed them..." (Zechariah 10:8).

❤️ Chesed (Expansive Love)

3. Light and Fire of the Baal Shem Tov:

• The Heart’s Sigh: After having his Zohar taken by a critic, the Besht sighed so deeply during prayer that Rabbi Moshe of Kitov noticed. The Besht explained that the loss of the holy book deeply troubled his heart; the Rabbi returned it and blessed him with a peaceful journey.

• Exorcising the Dybbuk: A possessed woman in Kitov identified the spiritual status of everyone, calling the Besht "Rabbi Israel." Despite having vowed not to use Divine Names, the Besht threatened to convene a court to release him from his vow to cast the spirit out. Under pressure from the city's pious, he eventually agreed to the exorcism.

4. Jewish Spiritual Practices:

• Love for Others: True kindness stems from a "soft Jewish heart" that hears the cry of the lowly. Practice meditations on loving one's neighbor upon awakening and before sleep.

• The Table as an Altar: Since the Temple’s destruction, a person’s dining table acts as the Altar of atonement. To eat in holiness is to transform a mundane meal into a sacrificial offering before God.

⚔️ Gevurah (Strength & Discipline)

5. Talmud (33 Tractates): Megillah (8a - 10b)

• Ritual Purity: Discusses the levels of the Zav and the different purification rites for quarantined vs. confirmed lepers.

• The Septuagint: Recounts the miracle of the 72 Elders who independently made 15 "strategic changes" to the Greek translation of the Torah to prevent King Ptolemy from misinterpreting Jewish monotheism.

• Greek Language: Greek is the only other language permitted for a Torah scroll because of its beauty (Yofi), fulfilling Noah’s blessing that the beauty of Japheth should dwell in the tents of Shem.

• High Priesthood: Establishes the rule that one "elevates in sanctity and does not downgrade"—a substitute High Priest remains "retired" in his high status.

• The Physics of the Ark: A tradition states the Ark in the Holy of Holies was "above measurement," occupying no physical space in the room.

6. Tanach Study: Jeremiah 12 & 13

• The Prosperous Wicked: Jeremiah questions why the treacherous find peace. God responds that if the "footmen" (current trials) weary him, he cannot compete with the "horses" (coming judgments).

• The Linen Girdle: God commands Jeremiah to hide a linen girdle in a rock. When retrieved, it is rotten and useless—symbolizing how Israel, which once clung to God, has become useless through idolatry and pride.

⚖️ Tiferet (Harmony & Beauty)

7. Mishna: Chagigah (Chapters 1–2)

• Obligation of Appearance: All are obligated to appear in the Temple during the Festivals except for those physically or mentally unable. Beit Hillel defines a minor as a child unable to hold his father’s hand and walk.

• Financial Minimums: Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel disagree on the minimum values for Festival offerings.

• Torah Disciplines: Some laws (like dissolution of vows) have little scriptural support, while others (Shabbat, Festivals) are like "mountains suspended by a hair."

• Esoteric Study: Restrictions are placed on teaching the secrets of Creation (Bereshit) and the Divine Chariot (Merkavah) to those who are not already wise and understanding.

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

• וְתַשְׁלִיךְ בִּמְצֻלוֹת יָם כָּל חַטֹּאותָם / vetashlich bimtzolet yam kol chatotam — You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea (x2).

🏹 Netzach (Victory & Ambition)

9. 41-Day Combination: Day 31 of 41-Day Cycle 3.

• Focus: The 8th Commandment (Against Stealing) on the Third, Emotional level (Nefesh, World of Yetzirah).

• Practical Mivtzah: Connect this emotional guarding to filling the home with Torah books (Kislev/Teveth), creating an environment that protects against spiritual "theft" of the heart.
  
  

10. Living Likutei Moharan (Torah 113):

• Judgment with Consent: In the name of the Baal Shem Tov, it is taught that before a decree is passed, the individual is asked for their agreement—without knowing they are judging themselves.

• Rambam’s Yahrzeit (20th of Teveth): This mirrors the Rambam’s teaching: the world is judged by the "Knowing God." A person must view themselves and the world as perfectly balanced; one single Mitzvah can tip the entire world toward merit.

🕯️ Hod (Submission & Sincerity)

11. M’Ein Ganim: Hitbodedut (Self-Seclusion)

• Vessels of Abundance: Prayers are the "sacks" that contain the Shefa (Divine Abundance). Without the vessel of prayer, there is nowhere for God's goodness to land.

• Proactive Awakening: Hitbodedut allows a person to nullify suffering before it arrives. It is superior to reactive suffering because it is a voluntary spiritual awakening.

12. Shulchan Arukh: Reviewing Orach HaChayim 225–226

• Seeing a Friend: One blesses Shehecheyanu after thirty days and Mechayeh Metim after twelve months.

• Diverse Creations: Upon seeing exceptionally unique-looking people or animals like elephants and monkeys, one blesses Meshaneh HaBriyot (Who varies the creatures).

• Birkat Ha’ilanot (Siman 226): One who goes out during the month of Nisan and sees fruit trees in bloom blesses God for creating good trees for people to benefit from.

🤝 Yesod (Foundation & Connection)

13. Zohar Study: Vayechi, Folios 249 and 250

• The Error of Solomon: Solomon questioned the need for Chesed (the "Right Hand"), leading to a punishment where he became a beggar, causing the Sun to part from the Moon and leading to exile.

• The Cup of Blessing: The cup represents the Shekhinah. It is held in both hands but lifted by the right to prioritize Mercy.

• Burial of the Tzaddikim: Joseph is described with a double Yod (vayisem), signifying his soul’s union with both the earthly and celestial Arks due to his guarded purity.

14. Shovavim (Parasha Shemot): Day 6

• Cycle Tracking: Day 6 (Arizal / Mikvah / Heh (ה): Hatznei'a — Walking Discreetly) of Parasha 1 (Moshe / Torah / Shiviti — Constant G-dly Presence) of Cycle 3 (Mordechai / Tzedakah-Mesirat Nefesh / B'chol — Knowing Him in all ways).

• The Acronym of TESHUVA (תשובה):

  • Tav (ת) - Tamim (Sincerity): Wholeheartedness (Eliyahu/Moshiach).

  • Shin (ש) - Shiviti (Presence): "I set the Lord before me" (Moshe Rabbeinu).

  • Vav (ו) - V’ahavta (Love): Love of fellow Jew (Aharon HaKohen).

  • Bet (ב) - B’chol (Knowing Him): Finding God in the natural world (Mordechai/Esther).

  • Heh (ה) - Hatznei’a (Discretion): Walking humbly/secretly (Rashbi/Arizal).

🌍 Malchut (Actualization)

15. The Parasha Study (Shemot) & Mesilat Yesharim

• Mesilat Yesharim (Chapter 6): Alacrity (Zerizut): The passionate readiness to perform Mitzvot.

• Shemot Connection: Moses’ response at the Burning Bush illustrates how Zerizut catalyzes the transition from the darkness of Egypt to the light of redemption.

Spiritual Guide for the 19th of Teveth

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

💡 Hayom Yom (Keter)

• Chabad Tradition: Chassidim have a tradition from generations, instituted by the Alter Rebbe, that every day we study a parsha of Chumash of that week's sedra with Rashi. This was done by the Rebbe'im, too.

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🪜 The 15 Steps to the Sanctuary

🧠 Chochma & Bina (Wisdom & Integration)

1. Alef-Bet Combination: Tonight is Day 2 (Bet) of 22-Day Cycle 6 (Kaf and Lamed). The combination is Bet with Lamed (forming the word Lev, heart).

Acrostic Verse (Psalm 112): בְּ֜מִצְו‍ֹתָ֗יו חָפֵ֥ץ מְאֹֽד ("who greatly desires His commandments").

2. Sefirah (Inner Refinement): Day 7 of Week 16 (Malchut shebeGevurah [shebeTiferet]).

❤️ Chesed (Expansive Love)

3. Light and Fire of the Baal Shem Tov: The Besht often concealed his knowledge of Kabbalah, even feigning ignorance to hide his custom of not wearing tefillin on intermediate days. In one instance, he refused to kiss a mezuzah that was later found to be defective. When privately confronted by Rabbi Moshe of Kitov, the Besht revealed he was a hidden mystic but swore the Rabbi to secrecy.

4. Jewish Spiritual Practices: * Kindness: Rabbi Israel Salanter taught that "deed erases thought"—to remove a trace of resentment against someone, one should do them a significant favor.

• Prayer: Loving one's neighbor includes praying for the sick or those in need even if not asked. A sudden, unprompted thought of a relative is often a sign to pray for them immediately.

⚔️ Gevurah (Strength & Discipline)

5. Talmud (33 Tractates): Megillah (5a - 8a)

• Communal Prayer: A "large city" is defined by ten batlanim—men dedicated to the synagogue.

• Geopolitics: Jerusalem and Rome represent a zero-sum relationship; they cannot both be at their peak simultaneously.

• Effort: Labor is required for the understanding of Torah, though retention of knowledge is a gift from Heaven.

• Leap Years: Purim is celebrated in Adar II to keep the redemption of Purim close to the redemption of Passover.

6. Tanach Study: Jeremiah 10 & 11 Jeremiah contrasts the vanity of idols (wood and silver) with the Living God who made the earth by His wisdom. In Chapter 11, God warns of a conspiracy in Judah and tells Jeremiah not to pray for the people because they have broken the covenant and returned to the iniquities of their forefathers.

⚖️ Tiferet (Harmony & Beauty)

7. Tosefta: Yevamos (Chapters 8 - 11)

• Procreation: A man must not desist from "being fruitful" until he has at least two children (Beit Hillel: a son and a daughter; Beit Shammai: two sons). Ben Azzai argues that avoiding this is like "spilling blood," though he himself remained single to focus on Torah.

• Property: Distinguishes between Melog slaves (wife's property/risk) and Tzon Barzel (husband's responsibility/guarantee).

• Prioritizing Life: In a difficult labor, the mother's life takes priority over the fetus until the head emerges.

• Yibbum: Details the power of the Yavam (Levir) to provide Terumah to a woman and the laws of physical defects (e.g., eunuchs by nature vs. by man) that affect marriage eligibility.

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

• יִכְבֹּשׁ עֲו‍ֹנֹתֵינוּ / yichbosh avonoteinu — and suppresses our iniquities;

• וְתַשְׁלִיךְ בִּמְצֻלוֹת יָם כָּל חַטֹּאותָם / vetashlich bimtzolet yam kol chatotam — Casts our sins into the depths of the sea.

🏹 Netzach (Victory & Ambition)

9. 41-Day Combination: Day 30 of 41-Day Cycle 3. Understanding the 8th Commandment (Against Stealing) on the Intellectual level (Neshama, World of Beriah).

10. Living Likutei Moharan (Torah 112): Focuses on the Tzohar (Precious stone/Window) of the Ark. Truth is "Hashem’s Seal" (Chotem). By connecting to truth, a person finds openings (Petachim) out of darkness. The lesson connects the three worlds of the Rambam (Angels, Spheres, Physical) and the Abir Yaakov’s work, Pituchei Chotem. Truth shines like a stone (from within) or a window (from without) to guide the perplexed through the exile of Teveth.

🕯️ Hod (Submission & Sincerity)

11. M’Ein Ganim:

• Prayer: One who claims they have "no time" for prayer is like a rich man's son who remains in rags rather than asking his father for help.

• Faith: Spend time in Hitbodedut asking for perfect Emunah—to believe that everything is for the good and that God loves you as you are.

• The Cow and the Calf: God desires to give more than we desire to receive; withholding our requests prevents Divine delight.

12. Shulchan Arukh (Orach HaChayim 223 & 224): Laws of blessings for life events (birth of a son, deaths, inheritance) and sightings (new clothes, ruins of Babylon, 600,000 Jews, kings, and sages). It highlights that one should make an effort to see kings and scholars to acknowledge God's distribution of honor and wisdom.

🤝 Yesod (Foundation & Connection)

13. Zohar Study: Vayechi, Folios 247 and 248

• The Union: Spiritual completion requires the union of the Upper (Binah) and Lower (Malchut) worlds—the "Fourteen Days."

• Joseph: As the guardian of the Covenant (Yesod), Joseph’s sexual purity allowed him to funnel divine energy into the "Stone of Israel."

• The River: Blessings flow from Eden (Wisdom) through Joseph to the world.

• Benjamin: Represents the Altar (the "wolf") that transforms physical offerings into spiritual grace, sweetening Judgment with Mercy.

• Jacob: "Jacob did not die"—he represents the Sun entering the Moon, transitioning from external action to internal union.

14. Shovavim (Parasha Shemot): Day 5 (Rashbi / Tikkun) 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 Likutei Moharan (Torah 61).

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).