• Bless Rosh Chodesh Sh'vat.
• Say the entire Tehillim in the early morning.
• Day of Farbrengen.

Haftora: Haba'im Yashreish.

Shabbat Tevet 25 5703
Torah Lessons (5703)	Chumash: Sh'mot, Shevi'i with Rashi. Tehillim: 119, 1-96. Tanya: Inasmuch as (p. 53)...measure up to all." (p. 59).

From my father's Sichot: Exodus from Egypt means leaving limitations and bounds, and Chassidus is to enable man to leave the restrictions of the material world.

There is a difference: The Egyptian Exodus means shattering and then departure, which is why they went AWAY from Egypt. The Chassidic exodus means purification and correction, stepping out of worldly limitations and bounds while remaining in the world.

This means, while functioning within the world we must transcend its limitations. We are to remove the limitations and bounds, and perceive the truth - that the world per se is truly good, since, after all, the natural world is what G-d intended.

This is attained through the Avoda of Chassidus. [1]

   

Notes:

1. (Back to text) When society and environment ("world" in chassidic usage) conflict with Torah, there may be a reaction of withdrawal from "world" and its affairs. Extreme monastic withdrawal is rejected by Torah.

   Chassidus advocates being "within world," involvement in the normal routines of family and occupation for example, but refusing subservience to the values and principles of "world."

   The Jew's values are to be Torah's while he functions in the marketplace or laboratory. He utilizes the opportunities and challenges of "world" to subordinate and use worldly affairs for Torah ideals, values and goals.

   He will do this intellectually when confronting concepts that appear not to be consonant with Torah, and also by observing Mitzvot in inhospitable circumstances.

   While functioning in this environment he is apart from it, refusing to be dominated or intimidated by it.