Part 5: Review of the differences between Philosophy and Kabbala. Maamar perek Aleph: Review of question of korbonos. Does Hashem need to eat? Answer in perakim 13-17 of the maamar. Perek Beis: Beis Ha Mikdash. The posuk says: Hashamayim U’shmei hashamayim lo yechalchelucha v’af ki habayis hazeh. (The heavens [Atzilus] and the heavens of heaven…

Part 4: Kabbala versus Chakira. Question of Elokus. Philosophy is a goyishe chachma. The Jewish Philosophers had to try to put Hashem into the limits of philosophy. Kabbalah is Torah. Fundamentals of philosophy: 1) Truth is logical and reasonable, i.e. if it doesn’t make sense to ME it is false. Kabbala says things don’t have…

Part 3: Questions regarding Korbanos. Kabbala versus Chakira. By Korbonos Torah says MY korbon, MY bread for MY fire. MY is Hashem. Philosophers have a problem with the concept of Hashem eating, so they said that the korbonos are really food for the melachim that are called Eishim. The problem with this is that it…

Part 2: All Maamarim are from the Alter Rebbe (from the Maggid and the Baal Shem Tov). Later Rabbeim added commentary but usually used the same dibur hamaschil (opening posuk.) Reb Brachya is a Dira b”Tachtonim Maamar. There are two different concepts of dira b’tachtonim in Tanya. In perek 37 is the “Alter Rebbe”s Dira…

Part 1 Hemsheichim (Series) – their structure and purpose. Overview of maamarim in general and a hemshech in particular. A Hemshech is a maamar that is way too long to speak at one time so it is broken up in smaller segments, each with its own divrei Hamaskhil (the address of the maamar) and a…

Part 1: Structure of the ma’amar. Perek Aleph: 1) Many Questions about Chanukah licht. 2)Ner Mitzva (is the oil) and Torah Ohr (is the light.) 3) Mitzvas are done with physical objects. The point is to make the Yesh bittul to the Ayin. The next three parts discuss how there is no change regarding how…

Part 2: Idea of Chanuka. Torah and neshamos. Text: p 35 First Paragraph. To the outside: The purpose of the Chanukah Licht is for pirsumei HaNes. Put the licht in the doorway on the LEFT side opposite the mezzuza. If there is no mezzuza, put it on the right side. Questions: 1) Why to the…

Part 3: Chanuka – Mesiras NEFESH, HIGHER THAN TORAH. Text: covers first paragraph of maamar and ois dalet. Three knots:1) Hashem to Torah 2)HaShem to Yidden 3)Yidden to Torah. Torah is HaShem’s Light, Hashem’s wisdom. Yid is Hashem’s child, His Chosen ones. Since Torah is HaShem’s Wisdom it must be reasonable with limitations and not…

Part 4: Torah-Ohr, Mitzva- Nehr. Mitzvos – physical. Text: p.36 U’biur. Ner Mitzva v’Torah Ohr… A ner is anything that conducts light and holds it here (in this world). Fire is goshmius but is used as a moshol to explain ruchnius. Fire wants to go away back to its source. We need to keep it…

Part 5: HISBONENUS. We need to Bittul the yesh of the nefesh habehamis to the Ayin, and even now we can do it completely. In chagas chassidus the Rebbe does all the work and brings Emuna to the chossid. In Chabad chassidus we do the work and develop Emuna inside ourselves. How? By Hisbonenus. Think…