Thursday Sh'vat 22 * 5703
Torah Lessons (5703)	Chumash: Yitro, Chamishi with Rashi. Tehillim: 106-107. Tanya: Now, since at (p. 97)...his studies anyway). (p. 97).

There are two sorts of statutes:

1. statutes that create life, and

2. statutes created by life.

Human laws are created by life so they vary from land to land according to circumstances.

The A-lmighty's Torah is a G-dly law that creates life.

G-d's Torah is the Torah of truth, the same in all places, at all times. Torah is eternal.

   

Notes:

* This day marks the passing, in 5748 (1988) of the Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka o.b.m., daughter of the Previous Rebbe o.b.m. She was the wife, for sixty years, of the Rebbe Sh'lita.

For an explanation of the significance of the passing of tzadikim in general, and of the Rebbetzin o.b.m. in particular (including that it occurred in the month of Sh'vat), see the Sicha of Parshat Mishpatim 5748, particularly footnotes 1-7.

[The Alter Rebbe now goes on to discuss a different type of sadness, that caused by one's failings in matters of the spirit].

As for sadness connected with heavenly matters, one must seek ways and means of freeing oneself from it.

That this applies to the time of one's divine service, is self-evident, for one must serve G-d with joy and gladness of heart.

But even one who is occupied in business and worldly affairs, should there descend upon him any sadness or anxiety about heavenly matters during his business affairs, it is certainly a trick of the Evil Inclination [which saddens him, ostensibly for spiritual reasons], in order to lure him afterwards into lusts, G-d forbid, as is well known.

[It is man's nature to seek pleasure and not to remain depressed. If his feeling of spiritual failure distresses him, he will seek his pleasure in physical gratification. The Evil Inclination therefore wishes that one be depressed, be it even over spiritual matters, so that he will later succumb to temptation].

For if it were not so, [that this depression is the doing of the Yetzer Hara], whence would a genuine sadness, one that is derived from love or fear of G-d, come to him in the midst of his business affairs?

[Since a genuine sadness is an expression of love or fear of G-d, it should express itself at a time when these emotions are active - during prayer, Torah study and the like, but not during one's business.

Clearly, then, the sadness is artificial, created by the Yetzer Hara for its own purposes, and one must therefore rid himself of it. The next paragraph(s) provides the means]:

Whether the depression settles upon him during his service of G-d in Torah study or prayer, or when he is not engaged thus, [but with his material affairs], this is what he should consider:

"Now is not the proper time for genuine sadness, nor even for worry over grave sins, G-d forbid. For this one must set aside opportune times, when the mind is calm, to reflect on the greatness of G-d against Whom he has sinned, so that thereby his heart will truly be rent with genuine bitterness [i.e., bitterness - remorse - as opposed to depression; the former is alive and active, while the latter is resigned and "dead]".

It is explained elsewhere when this time should be. [20]

There it is also explained that immediately after his heart has been broken during those appointed times, he should completely remove the sorrow from his heart, and he should believe with perfect faith that G-d has erased his sin, and that "He pardons abundantly."

[Thus, even if one has sinned repeatedly against Him, G-d will readily forgive him as though he had sinned for the first time; unlike man, who easily forgives a first offense but finds it difficult to do so when the offense is oft repeated.

This knowledge that G-d has surely cleansed him of his sins] is the true joy in G-d which follows the sadness, as explained above] - that the advantage of sadness lies in the joy to which it gives rise.

   

Notes:

20. (Back to text) See Iggeret HaTeshuvah, chs. 7, 11.

Negative Mitzvah 63: Desecrating the name of G-d
Leviticus 22:32 "Neither shall you profane My holy name"

Everything a Jew does, has an effect on the way others look at the Jewish people and the Torah.

The Torah expects a Jew to behave in a proper and fitting manner.

If a person follows the Mitzvot and acts in a just manner, other people will notice him and praise HaShem and His chosen nation (see also Positive Mitzvah 9).

However, if the individual does not act properly, people will see and criticize, not only the person himself, but HaShem and His nation.

This is called a "Chillul HaShem" - a desecration of G-d's name.

This Negative Mitzvah describes three types of situations where a Jew must be very careful in what he says and how he acts, so that he will not cause a Chillul HaShem.

1. The first type of Chillul HaShem is when the Jewish religion is challenged.

   If an evil nation or person proclaims that Jews are no longer allowed to follow the Torah, obeying such a ruling would be considered a Chillul HaShem.

   Our history is full of countless stories of Jews who chose to sacrifice their lives rather than deny their faith.

2. The second type of Chillul HaShem is when a Jew's behavior is irresponsible and disrespectful of Torah and Mitzvot, even if he does not benefit from his actions. This is also a Chillul HaShem.

3. The third type of Chillul HaShem involves an individual who is regarded as a religious person and upholds the Torah.

   If this person does something that even seems wrong, other people will point at him and say: "Look at that person who calls himself a religious Jew!"

An example of this type of Chillul HaShem would be, Yeshivah students dumping their garbage out of the bus windows... Or a girl siting comfortably on a public bus, ignoring an elderly lady who is standing...

If we act in such a manner that causes other people to disapprove of our actions, because they are not proper or fitting, this too is considered a Chillul HaShem.

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Negative Mitzvah 65: We are forbidden to destroy or damage a Jewish place of worship, or holy books, or to erase sacred names.
Deuteronomy 12:4 "This you shall not do to the L-rd your G-d"

This Negative Mitzvah tells us that we are forbidden to destroy or damage a synagogue or Yeshivah. We are also not allowed to damage a sefer, or to erase any one of the sacred names of HaShem that appear in writing.

All old sefarim and books (even school notebooks!), that have the name of HaShem in them or have notes from learning Torah, may not be thrown out in the garbage.

They are called "Shaimot" and must be given to the "Genizah" which may be found in Yeshivot or Synagogues. These books are then buried in a special place.

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Positive Mitzvah 172: Heeding a Prophet
Deuteronomy 18:15 "You shall listen to him"

Children obey their parents.

Students listen to their teachers.

Players carry out the instructions of their coach.

Hikers follow their leader.

We all have our goals and are guided by those who help us to reach them.

The Jewish people's goal is to fulfill the will of HaShem as stated in the Torah.

HaShem chooses a specific person and appoints him as a prophet.

His job is to help the people in explaining the ways of the Torah and to encourage them to fulfill the Mitzvot.

We are commanded to listen to the prophet and obey his instructions.

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There are people who do much good, but with pessimism -- because to them the world is an inherently bad place. They do good things, but without light and vitality. Who knows how long it can last? We must know that this world is not a dark, sinister jungle, but a garden. And not just any garden, but G-d's own pleasure garden, full of beauty, wonderful fruits and fragrances, a place where G-d desires to be with all His essence. It is only that we must break through the thorny shells and peels to discover the fruit inside.

From: Bringing Heaven Down to Earth by Tzvi Freeman - tzvif@aol.com