אַאַמוּ"ר כּוֹתֵב בְּאֶחָד מִמִּכְתָּבָיו

My revered father, the Rebbe [Rashab], writes in a letter:

עַל פִּי הֲגָהוֹת אָשְׁרִ"י נְטִילַת יָדַיִם לִסְעוּדָּה ג' פְּעָמִים רְצוּפוֹת

“According to Hagahos Oshri, when washing our hands for a meal we should pour [water from a vessel] three times consecutively [over each hand].

כֵּן הָיָה עוֹשֶׂה אַאַמוּ"ר — (מַהַרַ"ש, נִשְׁמָתוֹ עֵדֶן)

My revered father, the Rebbe [Maharash], would conduct himself in this manner.

וּמַנִּיחַ מִשְּׁפִיכָה הַג' מְעַט מַיִם בְּכַף יָד הַשְּׂמָאלִית

He would leave a little water from the third pouring in the palm of his left hand

וּבָזֶה מְשַׁפְשֵׁף שְׁתֵּי יָדָיו

and would rub this over both hands.”

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה

The first positive commandment is,

ובִלְשׁוֹן הָרַמְבַּ"ם "לֵידַע שֶׁיֵּשׁ שָׁם מָצוּי רִאשׁוֹן מַמְצִיא כָל נִמְצָא כו

according to the wording of Rambam, “To know that there is a Primary Being who brings into being all existence…

וִידִיעַת דָּבָר זֶה מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב אָנֹכִי ה' אֱלוֹקֶיךָ

Knowing this concept [fulfills] a positive commandment, as it is written, ‘I am G‑d, your L‑rd.’ “

הִיא מִצְוַת הַמּוֹחַ וְהַשֵּׂכֶל

This mitzvah centers on the brain and the mind.

וְהַיְנוּ דַהֲגַם דְּכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל הוּא מַאֲמִין בַּה' בֶּאֱמוּנָה פְּשׁוּטָה

Although every single Jew believes in G‑d with simple faith

וּלְבָבוֹ תָּמִים עִם ה

and his heart is wholly and artlessly with G‑d,

חוֹבַת הַמּוֹחַ וְהַשֵּׂכֶל לְהָבִיא אֱמוּנָה זוֹ בִּידִיעָה וַהֲשָׂגָה

the brain and mind are obligated to bring this faith to the point of knowledge and comprehension.

"וְזֶהוּ "לֵידַע שֶׁיֵּשׁ שָׁם מָצוּי רִאשׁוֹן

This is what is meant by the obligation “to know that there is a Primary Being.”

עֶר זאָל דאָס וִויסעֶן בַּהֲשָׂגָה וַהֲבָנָה דַוְקָא

One must know this in terms of comprehension and understanding,

וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב דַּע אֶת אֱלֹקֵי אָבִיךָ וְעָבְדֵהוּ בְּלֵב שָׁלֵם, וּכְתִיב וְיָדַעְתָּ הַיּוֹם גו

as it is written, “Know the G‑d of your father and serve Him wholeheartedly.” It is likewise written, “And you shall know this day… [that G‑d is the L‑rd].”

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

הַצֶּמַח צֶדֶק סִפֵּר לִבְנוֹ אַאַזְמוּ"ר

The Tzemach Tzedek told his son, my revered grandfather, the Rebbe [Maharash],

אֲשֶׁר הַדְּרוּשׁ וּמַרְאֵיהֶם וּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם — תּוֹרָה אוֹר פָּרָשַׁת יִתְרוֹ

that the maamar entitled U’Mareihem U’Maaseihem — which appears in [the Alter Rebbe’s] Torah Or, Parshas Yisro —

הוּא דְּרוּשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁאָמַר הָרַב הַמַּגִּיד מִמֶּעזרִיטשׁ

was the first maamar that the Maggid of Mezritch delivered

בְּשַׁעַת קַבְּלוֹ אֶת הַנְּשִׂיאוּת — חַג הַשָּׁבוּעוֹת תקכ"א

when he accepted the leadership [of the chassidic brotherhood] on Shavuos, 5521 [1761].

כְּפִי אֲשֶׁר שְׁמָעוֹ רַבֵּנוּ הַזָּקֵן מִפִּי הָרַב מְנַחֵם מעֶנְדל מֵהָארָאדָאק — בַּעַל פְּרִי הָאָרֶץ

It was relayed to the Alter Rebbe by R. Menachem Mendel of Horodok, the author of Pri HaAretz,

שֶׁהָיָה בְּאוֹתוֹ מַעֲמָד

who was present when the maamar was first delivered,

רַק שֶׁרַבֵּנוּ בֵּאֵר הַדְּרוּשׁ עַל פִּי סִגְנוֹנוֹ

although the Alter Rebbe explained the maamar according to his own style.

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

אַאַמוּ"ר אָמַר

My revered father, the Rebbe [Rashab], once said:

צְוִוישׁעֶן קעֶלט אוּן כְּפִירָה אִיז גאָר אַ דִינעֶ מְחִיצָה

“Only a very fine line separates spiritual frigidity from an actual denial of G‑d.

עֶס שְׁטעֶהט כִּי ה' אֱלֹקֶיךָ אֵשׁ אוֹכְלָה הוּא

It is written, ‘G‑d your L‑rd is a consuming fire.’

אֱלֹקוּת אִיז פְלאַם פַייעֶר

Divinity is a flaming fire.

לעֶרנעֶן אוּן דאַוועֶנעֶן בֶּעדאַרף מעֶן מִיט הִתְלַהֲבוּת הַלֵּב

One’s Torah study and prayer ought to be fired by an ardent heart,

אַז כָּל עַצְמוֹתַי תֹּאמַרְנָה דִי דִּבְרֵי ה' אִין תּוֹרָה וּתְפִלָּה

so that ‘all of my limbs will proclaim’ the words of G‑d in Torah study and in prayer.”

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

אֵין אוֹמְרִים תַּחֲנוּן

Tachanun is not recited.

"כְּשֶׁנִגְּשׁוּ לְהַדְפִּיס חֵלֶק שֵׁנִי שֶׁל הַ"תּוֹרָה אוֹר

By the time the task of printing the second part of Torah Or was undertaken,

כְּבָר נוֹדַע לְהַחֲסִידִים, אֲשֶׁר יֶשְׁנָם הֲגָהוֹת וּבֵאוּרִים מֵהַצֶּמַח צֶדֶק עַל הַמַּאֲמָרִים

the chassidim had already found out that the Tzemach Tzedek had written glosses and explanations to the maamarim.

וַיַפְצִירוּ בְּהַצֶּמַח צֶדֶק אֲשֶׁר יַדְפִּיסֵם עִם הַמַּאֲמָרִים

They pleaded with him to print them together with the maamarim,

וַיְמָאֵן הַצֶּמַח צֶדֶק

but he refused.

וַיַּחֲלוֹם חֲלוֹם אֲשֶׁר זְקֵנוֹ אַדְמוּ"ר הַזָּקֵן בָּא לְבַקְּרוֹ וּמְבַקְשׁוֹ לְהַדְפִּיסָם

The Tzemach Tzedek then dreamt that his grandfather, the Alter Rebbe, came to visit him and asked him to publish them.

מִכָּל מָקוֹם הֶעְלִים הַדָּבָר

However, he concealed the matter,

עַד אֲשֶׁר גַּם שְׁלֹשָׁה מִבָּנָיו חָלְמוּ הַחֲלוֹם הַזֶּה וַיְסַפְּרוּ לַאֲבִיהֶם

until three of his sons had the same dream and related it to their father.

וְאָז הִסְכִּים לְהַדְפִּיס גַּם הֲגָהוֹתָיו וּבֵאוּרָיו לַחֵלֶק הַשֵּׁנִי

Only then did he agree to append his glosses and commentary to the second part [of Torah Or],

"וַיִּקְרְאוּ לוֹ בְּשֵׁם “לִקּוּטֵי תּוֹרָה

which was entitled Likkutei Torah.

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

בְּמִנְחָה אֵין אוֹמְרִים תַּחֲנוּן

Tachanun is not recited in the Afternoon Service.

בּאַ כְּבוֹד קְדּוּשַׁת אֲבוֹתֵינוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ הַקְּדוֹשִׁים

Our forebears, the holy Rebbeim,

אִיז, לְבַד דעֶר עִנְיָן פוּן הִתְעוֹרְרוּת רַחֲמִים אוֹיף דִי מְקוּשָּׁרִים

In addition to arousing Divine compassion upon those who had a deep soul-connection with them,

געֶוועֶן אַ עֲבוֹדָה פוּן דעֶרמאָנעֶן בֵּינוֹ לְבֵין עַצְמוֹ דִי מְקוּשָּׁרִים

observed another sublime practice. [From time to time,] while alone, they would bring to mind those individuals

אוּן אַרַיינְטראַכְטן בְּעִנְיַן אַהֲבָתָם וְהִתְקַשְּׁרוּתָם כַּמַּיִם הַפָּנִים

and meditate upon the love and connection [they felt for the Rebbe. Then,] as water reflects a face, [the Rebbe would shine these feelings back].

וואָס דאָס אִיז מְעוֹרֵר דִי כֹּחוֹת פְּנִימִים פוּן דעֶם וואָס מְ'טראַכט וועֶגעֶן עֶם

This practice arouses the innermost spiritual potency of the individual who is being thought about.

וִוי מִיר זעֶהעֶן בְּמוּחָשׁ

This we can plainly observe.

אַז מְ'קוּקט שְׁטאַרק אוֹיף אֵיינעֶם מוּז עֶר אַ קוּק טאָן

When we look powerfully at someone, he must respond by looking back,

וַוייל דִי הֲבָּטָה פְּנִימִית אִיז מְעוֹרֵר דעֶם עֶצֶם הַנֶּפֶשׁ

because a penetrating glance arouses the essence of the soul.

אוּן אַזוֹי אִיז אוֹיך אִין דעֶם כֹּחַ הַמַחֲשָׁבָה.

The same is true of the power of thought.

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

יאָהרצַייט - בְּיוֹם הַמִּיתָה אֲפִילוּ בְּשָׁנָה רִאשׁוֹנָה

A yahrzeit is commemorated on the date of a person’s passing even on the first anniversary,

וַאֲפִילוּ כְּשֶׁיּוֹם הַקְּבוּרָה רָחוֹק מִיּוֹם הַמִּיתָה

and even when the burial actually took place on a much later date.

מַעֲנֵה הַצֶּמַח צֶדֶק לאַאַזְמוּ"ר בִּהְיוֹתוֹ כְּבֶן שֶׁבַע:

Once, in reply to a question asked by my revered grandfather, the Rebbe [Maharash], when he was about seven years old, [his father] the Tzemach Tzedek said:

הַחֶסֶד וְיִתְרוֹן הַמַּעֲלָה

The unique superiority of man that G‑d showed him in His kindness

אֲשֶׁר הָאֱלֹקִים עָשָׂה אֶת הָאָדָם יָשָׁר לִהְיוֹת הוֹלֵךְ בְּקוֹמָה זְקוּפָה הוּא

“[as It is written that] ‘G‑d made man upright.’ by making him walk upright lies in this —

דַּהֲגַם שֶׁהוֹלֵךְ עַל הָאָרֶץ, מִכָּל מָקוֹם הוּא רוֹאֶה אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם

that even though he treads upon the earth, he sees the heavens.

לֹא כֵן בְּהוֹלֵךְ עַל אַרְבַּע דְּאֵינוֹ רוֹאֶה אֶלָּא אֶת הָאָרֶץ

A four-legged creature, by contrast, sees only the earth.”

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English