Learning the Daily Shiur Chumash

Yesterday (Chof Hei Shevat), in Hayoim Yoim, the Rebbe brings a letter from the Frierdiker Rebbe about the importance of saying the daily Shiur Chumash and Tehillim, [Shiur Tanya didn’t exist at the time the letter was written], stressing that it is so important that it effects the person saying, their children AND grandchildren.

Three generations!

Learning a daily Shiur in Chumash predates Chassidus, but it’s importance but was always very important to Chassidim;

The Alter Rebbe once came out of his room, and told the gathered Chassidim 6 words: “Men Darf Leben Mit Der Tzait” [we must live with the times].

The Mahari”l (the Alter Rebbe’s Brother) explained to the Chassidim gathered there, trying to understand the Rebbe’s holy words and what the Rebbe wants them to do, that this means that we should ‘live’ with the weekly Parsha.

Why is learning the Shiur Chumash so important?

One of the ‘Yesodos’ in Chassidus, is the Torah of the Ba’al Shem Tov, that:

the words of the Asoro Ma’amoros are the Chayus [energy] that continuously creates the world.

The Rabeim tell us that this Chayus [energy] goes further, because in reality the ‘Asoro Ma’amoros’ are broad statements which create ‘general categories’. They are then broken up into sub-words, which then create every specific part of creation.

In short; the letters of the ‘Alef Beis’ are the core energy of creation.

Actually, the letters of Alef Beis are creation itself.

But it goes further, because:

Every day has the specific energy for that day. They are the letters of that days Parsha in Chumash.

(Meaning the energy of the world today was the words in Rishon of Parshas Teruma).

So why is it important to say them?

Because, when we say those words, we are physically connecting with those words, thus bringing that Koach Ruchani into our day.

By doing so we change our day from the physical and mundane to the ability to see the real reality, Elokus – Hamechaye U’Mehave.

With Rash”i

To understand why we learn with Rash”i, is beyond the scope of our work here, but feel free to email me and I will send you part of my upcoming Sefer which will explain this concept.