Hayom Yom 1 Cheshvan - Journey to the destination of life's mission

בְּמִנְחָה - וְכֵן בַּשֵּׁנִי וּבַחֲמִישִׁי דְשָׁבוּעַ הַבָּא עָלֵינוּ לְטוֹבָה[In the Torah Reading] at the Afternoon Service, and likewise [at the Morning Service] on Monday and Thursday of the following week, קוֹרִין לְיִשְׂרָאֵל מִפָּסוּק וַיֵרָא ה' אֶל אַבְרָם גוthe third aliyah begins with the verse, “And G‑d appeared to Avram.”כְּבוֹד קְדוּשַׁת אַאַמוּ"ר אָמַר לְאֶחָד עַל יְחִידוּתMy revered father, [the Rebbe Rashab,] once told a chassid at yechidus: מֵאָז שֶׁאָמַר הקב"ה לְאַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם, לֶךְ לְךָ מֵאַרְצְךָ גו“From the time the Holy One, blessed be He, told Avraham, ‘Go forth from your land,’ וּכְתִיב וַיִסַּע אַבְרָם הָלוֹךְ וְנָסוֹעַ הַנֶּגְבָּהand thereafter ‘Avram journeyed on, continuing to travel southward,’הוּתְחַל סוֹד הַבֵּרוּרִיםthe mystical mission of beirurim began. [This term signifies the task of sifting materiality, and elevating the Divine sparks that are embedded within all permissible entities and activities, by using them with spiritual purpose.]וְעַל פִּי גְּזֵירַת הַהַשְׁגָּחָה הָעֶלְיוֹנָה הָאָדָם הוֹלֵךְ לְמַסָּעָיו “Propelled by the decree of Sublime Providence, a person travels בַּמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר הַנִּצּוֹצוֹת הַצְּרִיכִים לְהִתְבָּרֵר עַל יָדוֹ מְחַכִּים לִגְאוּלָתָםto the place where the sparks that are destined to be elevated by him await their redemption.הַצַּדִּיקִים שֶׁהֵם בַּעֲלֵי רְאִיָּה רוֹאִים הֵם בְּאֵיזֶה מָקוֹם הַבֵּרוּרִים שֶׁלָּהֶם מְחַכִּים לָהֶם “Tzaddikim, being gifted with vision, can perceive where ‘their’ sparks await them, וְהוֹלְכִים שָׁמָּה בְּעַצְמָםand proceed there of their own accord. וְעַמָּא דְבַרFor common people, by contrast, הִנֵּה עִלַּת כָּל הָעִלּוֹת וְסִבַּת כָּל הַסִּבּוֹת מְסַבֵּב כַּמָּה עִלּוֹת וְסִבּוֹת שֶׁיָּבוֹאוּ לַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא the Cause of all causes and the Prime Mover sets in motion a train of events and circumstances that will bring an individual to the particular place אֲשֶׁר שָׁם הוּטְלָה עֲלֵיהֶם הָעֲבוֹדָה בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַבֵּרוּרִיםwhere he is duty-bound to fulfill his specific tasks of sifting materiality and elevating its sparks.”Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English