Hayom Yom 29-30 Adar - 1) Response to the toast of LeChayim 2) Transforming physical into spiritual - 30 Adar 1 - What am I doing in this world?

Hayom Yom 29 Adar 1 - Two responses to the toast of LeChayimהפטורה: וַיִכְרוֹת יְהוֹיָדַע גוThe haftarah [for the Shabbos of Parshas Shekalim] begins Vayichros Yehoyada (II Melachim 11:17-12:17)וּמוֹסִיפִים פָּסוּק רִאשׁוֹן וְאַחֲרוֹן שֶׁל הַפְטוֹרַת מָחָר חֹדֶשׁAt its conclusion, the maftir adds the first and last verses of the haftarah beginning Vayomerlo...machar chodesh (I Shmuel 20:18-42).מְבָרְכִים רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ אֲדָר שֵׁנִי[On the Shabbos preceding Rosh Chodesh,] we bless the new month, Adar II.אֲמִירַת כָּל הַתְּהִלִּים בְּהַשְׁכָּמָה. יוֹם הִתְוַעֲדוּת[It is our custom] to recite the entire Book of Tehillim early in the morning and to hold a farbrengen on that day.בַּאֲמִירַת לְחַיִּים יֵשׁ שְׁתֵּי נוּסְחָאוֹתThere are two common responses to the traditional toast of LeChayim (lit., “To life!”):א) לְחַיִּים טוֹבִים וּלְשָׁלוֹם(a) LeChayim tovim u’leshalom (“For a good life and for peace”).וְטַעַם הַבְּרָכָהThe explanation for this blessing isלִהְיוֹת כִּי בִּשְׁתִיַּת הַיַּיִן הַנִּזְכֶּרֶת בַּפַּעַם הָרִאשׁוֹנָה בַּתּוֹרָה הָיוּ תּוֹצָאוֹת לֹא טוֹבִיםthat the Torah’s first mention of drinking wine involved negative consequences. וַיָּחֶל נֹחַ גו', וְעֵץ הַדַּעַת גֶּפֶן הָיָה[the Torah says] “And Noach began….” [Similarly, according to one view,] the Tree of Knowledge [which was the subject of Adam’s sin] was a grapevine.וְלָכֵן מְבָרְכִים שֶׁיַּיִן זֶה יִהְיֶה לְחַיִּים טוֹבִיםHence, [when a person drinks,] we bless him that this wine should lead to a good life.בּ) הָרַב הַמַּגִּיד מִמּעֶזְרִיטְשׁ הָיָה עוֹנֶה לְחַיִּים וְלִבְרָכָה(b) The Maggid of Mezritch would respond LeChayim veliverachah (“For life and for blessing”). פַּעַם בְּהִתְוַעֲדוּת שֶׁהָיָה נוֹכֵחַ רַבֵּנוּ הַזָּקֵןOnce, at a farbrengen attended by the Alter Rebbe,עָנָה רַבֵּנוּ הַזָּקֵן: לְחַיִּים וְלִבְרָכָה[a chassid said LeChayim, and] the Alter Rebbe responded LeChayim veliverachah. אַחֲרֵי הַהִתְוַעֲדוּת שׂוֹחֲחוּ הַחֲסִידִים בְּטַעַם נוּסַח זֶה, שֶׁשָּׁמְעֻהוּ אָז פַּעַם הָרִאשׁוֹנָהAfter the farbrengen, the chassidim discussed the possible reasons for this version, which they had just heard for the first time.אֶחָד הַחֲסִידִים אָמַרOne of the chassidim commentedאֲשֶׁר לִהְיוֹת כִּי נִכְנַס יַיִן יָצָא סוֹדthat since “when wine enters, secrets emerge” וּבַעֲבוֹדָה הוּא הִתְגַּלּוּת הַמִּדּוֹתwhich in terms of one’s labors of self-refinement signifies the revelation of one’s spiritual emotions לָכֵן זְקוּקִים לִבְרָכָהone stands in need of a blessing [that this endeavor should succeed].וְהַנּוּסַח הוּא “לְחַיִּים וְלִבְרָכָה" — אוֹתִיוֹת לֵב-רַכָּהMoreover, [that chassid continued,] the wording of the blessing is “for life and for blessing” — LeChayim veliverachah, because in the Holy Tongue, the word liverachah (לברכה) shares the same letters as lev rakah (לב רכה), and this spelling suggests “a heart that is soft.” [I.e., chassidim wish each other life, and a heart that is sensitive and responsive to spiritual stimuli.]הַצֶּמַח צֶדֶק אָמַר עַל זֶהThe Tzemach Tzedek commented on this:דאָס קעֶן זאָגעֶן אַ חָסִיד, וואָס האָט געֶדאַוועֶנט אוּן געֶטאָן אִין עֲבוֹדָה דְרַייסִיג יאָהְר“Such words could come only from a chassid who had davened [as a Chabad chassid should] and toiled in avodah for thirty years.”Hayom Yom 29 Adar 2 - Transforming the physical into the spiritualבְּאַחַת הַהִתְוַעֲדוּת אָמַר אַאַמוּ"רMy revered father, the Rebbe [Rashab], once said at a farbrengen: הקב"ה בָּרָא אֶת הָעוֹלָם וְכָל הַדְּבָרִים הַגַּשְׁמִיִּים מֵאַיִן לְיֵשׁ“G‑d created the world and all physical entities as something out of nothing. אוּן אִידעֶן דאַרפעֶן מאַכעֶן מִיֵּשׁ לְאַיִןThe task of Jews is to make something into nothing, פוּן דִי גַּשְׁמִיוּת מאַכעֶן רוּחָנִיוּתtransforming the physical into the spiritual.דִי עֲבוֹדָה מאַכן פוּן גַּשְׁמִיוּת רוּחָנִיוּת“The avodah of turning physicality into spirituality,אוּן דעֶם גַּשְׁמִי מאַכעֶן אַ כְּלִי פאַר רוּחָנִיוּתand transforming a material entity into a vessel for the spirit,דאָס אִיז אַ חוֹבַת גַּבְרָאis the personal duty of every Jew;אִין דעֶם אִיז מְחוּיָב כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד בִּפְרָטeach and every individual is obligated to undertake it.”Hayom Yom 30 Adar 1 - What am I doing in this world?אַאַמוּ"ר אָמַרMy revered father, the Rebbe [Rashab], once said:אַ חָסִיד מאַכט אַ סְבִיבָה“A chassid creates an environment.אוֹיבּ נִיט, דאַרְף עֶר גוּט אַ טאַפּ טאָן בּאַ זִיך אִין פּעֶקְלIf not, he must carefully check through his own knapsack;וואָס טוּט זִיך מִיט אִיהְם אַלֵייןhe must examine his own spiritual state.אוּן דאָס אַלֵיין וואָס עֶר מאַכְט נִיט קֵיין סְבִיבָהThe very fact that he is not creating an environmentדאַרף אִיהְם צוּבְּרעֶכעֶן וִוי אַ קִינעֶלעֶ (קֵיסָם)should crush him like a mere splinter.אוּן עֶר דאַרף פְרעֶגעֶן בַּא זִיך אַלֵייןHe should ask himself:וואָס טוּ אִיך אוֹיף דעֶר וועֶלט‘What am I doing in this world?’"Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in EnglishFor questions, information and to support, please write to: [email protected]