Hayom Yom 26 Tishrei - Remember the Baal Shem Tov on Mondays
The daily Hayom Yom with Rabbi Yosef Katzman · Rabbi Yosef Katzman
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Show Notes
הָעִנְיָן עַל פָּסוּק לְעוֹלָם ה' דְּבָרְךָ נִצָּב בַּשָּׁמָיִם
The Alter Rebbe quotes the verse “Forever, O G‑d, Your word stands in the heavens”
מֵבִיא רַבֵּנוּ הַזָּקֵן (שַׁעַר הַיִּחוּד וְהָאֱמוּנָה פֶּרֶק א', אִגֶּרֶת הַקֹּדֶשׁ כ"ה) בְּשֵׁם הַבַּעַל שֵׁם טוֹב
and cites a classic teaching based on it. [The teaching: Each of the Ten Creative Utterances (“G‑d’s word”) in the Six Days of Creation, such as “Let there be heavens,” is eternally present in the universe and continuously, at every instant, recreates all of existence, such as the heavens, ex nihilo.] However, the Alter Rebbe cites this teaching (both in Tanya — Shaar HaYichud VehaEmunah, ch. 1, and in Iggeres HaKodesh, Epistle 25) in the name of the Baal Shem Tov
הֲגַם שֶׁיֵּשׁ עִנְיָן זֶה בְּמִדְרַשׁ תְּהִלִּים
even though the same teaching appears [much earlier] in Midrash Tehillim.
וּכְמוֹ שֶׁנִתְבַּאֵר גַּם בְּלִקּוּטֵי תּוֹרָה בְּדִבּוּר הַמַּתְחִיל כִּי בַיּוֹם הַזֶּה יְכַפֵּר
(This fact is also mentioned in the maamar beginning Ki bayom hazeh yechaper, in Likkutei Torah.)
וְכַוָּנָה מְיוּחֶדֶת בָּזֶה
[The Alter Rebbe] has a particular reason for doing this.
כִּי בְּיוֹם שֵׁנִי הָיָה הַמַּאֲמָר יְהִי רָקִיעַ — שֶׁהוּא הַנִּצָּב בַּשָּׁמַיִם
The utterance, “Let there be heavens” — which itself stands in the heavens eternally — was issued on the second day of Creation.
וְזֶה יִהְיֶה לְזִכְרוֹן עוֹלָם, כִּי בְּיוֹם שֵׁנִי ח"י אֱלוּל נוֹלַד הַבַּעַל שֵׁם טוֹב
This serves as an everlasting reminder that on Monday, Chai Elul, the Baal Shem Tov was born.
Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English