The twenty-fifth "cheder" in the Heichal of Hayom Yom.
Tuesday, 14 Tevet 5703.
Shiurim: Chumash, Vayechi, Shlishi, with Rashi's commentary.
Tehillim, 14th of the month, from chapter 72 through chapter 76 inclusive.
Tanya, in chapter 9, from the words "V'Yaakov rav" until "shebaZohar hakadosh".
Let us look at the saying itself, which relates an interesting story about the Shpoler Zeide. Who was the Shpoler Zeide? A great tzaddik, a Jew who lived in the time of the Baal Shem Tov, as it appears, and who was also one of the disciples of the disciples of the Baal Shem Tov.
Why was he called by this name, "the Shpoler Zeide"? One explanation: "Zeide" is a title of honor, like "the Rav", "the Gaon", "the Tzaddik". In Rabbi Zevin's sefer "Sipurei Chassidim" a story is brought that on the day of the Shpoler Zeide's bris, when he was an eight day old infant, the Baal Shem Tov came to the bris - for his father was connected to the Baal Shem Tov - and he called the infant in Yiddish: "Er iz a zeide [he is a grandfather]", a term of blessing for long life, as in the verse said of Avraham Avinu, "And Avraham was old, advanced in days." From then on the name stuck to him from his childhood, and therefore he was called "the Shpoler Zeide".
In any case, the saying begins thus: "The Sabba of Shpole - the Shpoler Zeide - was an exceedingly fervent man, with greater intensity and greater strength than the rest of his fellow disciples of the Maggid" - relative to the other disciples of the Maggid of Mezritch, the friends of the Shpoler Zeide, he was an exceedingly fervent man, full of enthusiasm, warmth and vitality.
It is known that he was especially outstanding in ahavas Yisrael, in an exceptional way relative to everyone, and he was much occupied with pidyon shevuyim (redeeming captives) - which is likewise an expression of devotion to saving a Jew from distress. Also well known are the famous niggunim of the Shpoler Zeide that are familiar to us, such as the niggun "Hop Kozak" and the niggun "Kol BaYaar Anochi Shomea".
"During his visit to Liadi to the Alter Rebbe - in the year 5569 or 5570 - he related that when he was three years old he saw the Baal Shem Tov".
Let us make a calculation of how many years had passed since that event: the Baal Shem Tov passed away in 5520, and when the Shpoler Zeide relates this in 5570 - that is fifty years afterward, and certainly even more, since he saw the Baal Shem Tov at the age of three. It turns out that he is telling a story from at least fifty years earlier.
And so he related: when he was three years old he saw the Baal Shem Tov, and in his words in Yiddish: "and he placed his holy hand on my heart, and ever since then I am "warm"". This is what was said of him, that he was warm in ahavas Yisrael, an exceedingly fervent man - because at the age of three the Baal Shem Tov placed his holy hand upon his heart, and this had a powerful effect on him.
This story is brought by the Rebbe Rayatz in a letter he wrote to a chassid by the name of Rabbi Zelig Slonim, who was then twenty eight years old. Rabbi Zelig Slonim apparently wrote in his letter that he had taken part in a gathering of beloved friends - several friends and companions - and he wrote about himself that he was among the young ones in the group. In response, the Rebbe Rayatz brings him this story, and tells him: even though you are small and young, you have seen - you were in Lubavitch in earlier days, and you saw the Rebbe [the Rebbe Rashab]. And therefore, in the words of the letter, "and even one who is small and young must be in great arousal in a manner that will have an effect on others as well" - even if you are the youngest of them all, you have the ability to influence everyone. And he brings him the story of the Shpoler Zeide, that receiving the hand of the Baal Shem Tov had the effect that he was a fervent man his entire life.
And at the conclusion of the sentence, as the Rebbe Rayatz too concludes in his letter to Rabbi Zelig Slonim, it is written: "A movement of a tzaddik, and all the more so seeing him or hearing his voice, must have the effect that it never be forgotten". That is to say, when you experience a movement of a tzaddik, see the tzaddik or hear his voice - you must work on yourself so that this movement accompanies you your whole life and is not forgotten.
"Must have the effect" - and simply so. It does not say that a movement of a tzaddik automatically brings it about that it will never be forgotten; the thing does not happen by itself, rather one must act, meaning to do something about it and invest in it. This recalls another saying, that a blessing from Heaven is like rain: rain is a great blessing, but if a person does not plow and sow, this blessing has no expression. So too here - in order for the movement of a tzaddik to have its effect, a person must exert himself and act so that it should happen.
And I saw someone who wrote to explain the connection between this saying and Tuesday of parshas Vayechi, 14 Tevet. Some said a hint: 14 Tevet - "yad tovah" (a good hand). But what is the connection to the parshah? This requires study, for seemingly this saying would have fit better on the previous day, on Monday of parshas Vayechi. Why? Because on Monday it tells of a movement of a tzaddik - of Yaakov Avinu, in the words "And Yisrael stretched out his right hand and placed it on Ephraim's head"; the movement of the tzaddik of Yaakov Avinu is related on Monday of parshas Vayechi.
And nevertheless the Rebbe chose to place this saying on the following day, on Tuesday of parshas Vayechi. Perhaps in this there is a hint that the movement of the tzaddik that took place on Monday - "one must act so that it not be forgotten"; meaning, not only on that day and in that moment when it occurs does a person live it, but also afterward, even on the following day. The story teaches that the Shpoler Zeide lived fifty years later, and the movement of the tzaddik still had its effect on him - for a person must act so that the thing never be forgotten, and to live always in a powerful way, so that a movement, a sight or something heard will infuse him with great energies.
The matter of seeing and hearing is also bound up in this, for this is parshas Vayechi, and it is said of Menashe and Ephraim, "for Reuven and Shimon they shall be to me": "Reuven", as explained in chassidus, denotes seeing, and "Shimon" denotes hearing. So everything connects here - the movement of the hand and the blessing that they be "Reuven and Shimon". Every movement, and likewise seeing and hearing, must have the effect that it never be forgotten, with Hashem's help.