Hayom Yom 19 Kislev - Yud Tes Kislev is a day for farbrengens

The daily Hayom Yom with Rabbi Yosef Katzman

הפטורה: חֲזוֹן עוֹבַדְיָ

The haftarah [for Parshas Vayishlach] begins Chazon Ovadiah (Ovadiah 1:1-21).

אֵין אוֹמְרִים אָב הָרַחֲמִים וְצִדְקָתְךָ

[Whenever Yud-Tes Kislev falls on Shabbos], the passage beginning Av HaRachamim is omitted [after the Torah Reading] and, [in the Afternoon Service,] the passage beginning Tzidkas'cha is omitted.

אֵין הַשְּׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר מִתְעַטֵּף בְּטַלִּית לְמִנְחָה אוֹ לְמַעֲרִיב

The sheliach tzibbur should not wear a tallis for the Afternoon or Evening Services.

לֹא בְּשַׁבָּת וְיוֹם טוֹב וְלֹא בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה

[This applies throughout the year, including] Shabbosos, the festivals, and Rosh HaShanah.

הִלּוּלָא שֶׁל הָרַב הַמַּגִּיד — מִמֶּעזרִיטשׁ — ג' וַיֵּשֶׁב תקל"ג, וּמְנוּחָתוֹ כָּבוֹד בְּאַנאָפּאָלִי

[Yud-Tes Kislev] is the yahrzeit of the Maggid of Mezritch, [who passed away] on Tuesday of the week in which Parshas Vayeishev is read, 5533 (1772). His resting place is in Hanipoli.

אַדְמוּ"ר הַזָּקֵן יָצָא לְחֵרוּת מִמַּאֲסָרוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹן — יט כִּסְלֵו, ג' וַיֵּשֶׁב, תקנ"ט, לִפְנוֹת עֶרֶב

The Alter Rebbe was liberated from his first imprisonment on Yud-Tes Kislev, on Tuesday of the week in which Parshas Vayeishev is read, 5559 (1798), before dusk.

מִמִּכְתַּב רַבֵּנוּ הַזָּקֵן

From a letter of the Alter Rebbe:

בְּרַם כְּגוֹן דָּא צָרִיךְ לְהוֹדִיעַ

This fact must be made known:

כִּי יוֹם אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה ד' לָנוּ יוֹם יט כִּסְלֵו, יוֹם ג' שֶׁהוּכְפָּל בּוֹ כִּי טוֹב

[On] the day that G‑d made for us, Yud-Tes Kislev — [which in the year 5559 fell on a] Tuesday, the day concerning which the phrase “it was good” was repeated,

יוֹם הִלּוּלָא רַבָּא שֶׁל רַבֵּנוּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ נִשְׁמָתוֹ עֵדֶן

and which is the yahrzeit of our holy teacher (the Maggid), whose soul is in Eden —

וּכְשֶׁקָרִיתִי בְּסֵפֶר תְּהִלִּים בְּפָּסוּק פָּדָה בְשָׁלוֹם נַפְשִׁי, קוֹדֶם שֶׁהִתְחַלְתִּי פָּסוּק שֶׁלְּאַחֲרָיו

when I read the verse in the Book of Tehillim, “He redeemed my soul in peace,” and before I began the next verse,

יָצָאתִי בְּשָׁלוֹם מֵד' שָׁלוֹם

I emerged in peace [thanks to] the G‑d of peace.

יוֹם הִתְוַעֲדוּת וְקַבָּלַת הַחְלָטוֹת טוֹבוֹת

This is a day for farbrengens, and for making positive resolutions

בִּקְבִיעוּת עִתִּים לַתּוֹרָה הַנִּגְלֵית וְדִבְרֵי אֱלֹקִים חַיִּים בָּרַבִּים

to set fixed times for public Torah study, both in nigleh and Chassidus,

וְחִזּוּק דַּרְכֵי הַחֲסִידִים בְּאַהֲבַת רֵעִים

and for strengthening the paths of chassidic conduct with brotherly love.

נוֹהֲגִים לְסַדֵּר חֲלוּקַת הַשַׁ"ס

It is customary [on this day] to apportion the tractates of the Talmud [to be studied by the members of the local chassidic brotherhood]

וְעַל פִּי הַסֵּדֶר הַמְּבוֹאָר בְּאִגֶּרֶת הַקּוֹדֶשׁ, דִּבּוּר הַמַּתְחִיל הוֹכֵחַ תּוֹכִיחַ

according to the pattern described in Tanya — Iggeres HaKodesh, in the epistle beginning Hocheiach Tochiach.

בְּליוּבּאַוִויטשׁ מִשְּׁנַת תרס"ג וְאֵילָךְ הָיוּ מְסַדְּרִים חֲלוּקַת הַשַׁ"ס כ"ד בְּטֵבֵת

In Lubavitch, from 5663 (1902) onward, the tractates were apportioned on 24 Teves —

יוֹם הִלּוּלָא שֶׁל רַבֵּנוּ הַזָּקֵן

the Alter Rebbe’s yahrzeit —

מִפְּנֵי אֶפֶס הַפְּנַאי בְּיט כִּסְלֵו

because of the lack of time on Yud-Tes Kislev.

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English