Let There Be Light
Day by Day - 20 Kislev
There are some days in the Hayom Yom calendar in which the Rebbe writes information which seem like simple statements upon the first reading. I’ve always found the comments on those days to be even more intriguing that the more obvious ones.
The first such example is Kislev 20. There the Rebbe tells us the exact dates on which the Tanya was first printed.
What’s the teaching in that? Here’s a thought:
In 1943, when the Rebbe first compiled the Hayom Yom, the 20th of Kislev was on a Sunday. Sunday is the day of light, as in “Let there be light” on day 1 of creation. That statement by the Creator was far more significant than merely the creation of one of many commodities. Creating light was G-d bringing order to the “world of chaos.”
Rabbi Shneur Zalman’s publishing the Tanya was his way of repeating that statement, “let there be light”, thus bringing order to a world in chaos.
Back in the early 80’s, the Rebbe enigmatically urged us to have an addition of the Tanya printed in every town or city where Jews live or visit.
In the years that followed, and particularly the past several years, with the global exporting of evil in the name of religion, it seems now that the Rebbe wanted then to claim the world for holiness before the “axis of evil” laid its claim.
There’s another meaning to light. Light is wisdom. In this, too, the Tanya is exceptional. The popularity of the Tanya, two hundred years after it first appeared, and its relevance to modern life mark it as an extraordinary work worthy of serious study.
There are some days in the Hayom Yom calendar in which the Rebbe writes information which seem like simple statements upon the first reading. I’ve always found the comments on those days to be even more intriguing that the more obvious ones.The first such example is Kislev 20. There the Rebbe tells us the exact dates on which the Tanya was first printed.
What’s the teaching in that? Here’s a thought:
In 1943, when the Rebbe first compiled the Hayom Yom, the 20th of Kislev was on a Sunday. Sunday is the day of light, as in “Let there be light” on day 1 of creation. That statement by the Creator was far more significant than merely the creation of one of many commodities. Creating light was G-d bringing order to the “world of chaos.”
Rabbi Shneur Zalman’s publishing the Tanya was his way of repeating that statement, “let there be light”, thus bringing order to a world in chaos.
Back in the early 80’s, the Rebbe enigmatically urged us to have an addition of the Tanya printed in every town or city where Jews live or visit.
In the years that followed, and particularly the past several years, with the global exporting of evil in the name of religion, it seems now that the Rebbe wanted then to claim the world for holiness before the “axis of evil” laid its claim.
There’s another meaning to light. Light is wisdom. In this, too, the Tanya is exceptional. The popularity of the Tanya, two hundred years after it first appeared, and its relevance to modern life mark it as an extraordinary work worthy of serious study.
posted by Scruz | 10:32 AM
2 Comments:
So by stating the exact dates the Rebbe is telling us what a great book it is and to study it well? Is that the lesson?
Dear Anonymous,
The idea is that the dates tell us when Tanya first saw the light of day, so to speak. The point is not the date, rather it's the publishing and sharing of the “light” of Tanya.
The Midrash tells us that the light of creation on Sunday was too great for the world and it was retracted and saved for the times of moshiach. My suggestion was that we get a glimpse of that light in the Tanya.
Does that help
Shabbat Shalom and happy Chanukah.
Rabbi Manis Friedman
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