The three hundred twenty-sixth "cheder" in the palace of Hayom Yom.
Tuesday, 20 Tishrei, the fourth day of Chol HaMoed Sukkos, 5704.
Chumash lessons: Berachah, Shlishi, with Rashi's commentary.
Tehillim, on the 20th of the month, one recites from chapter 97 through chapter 103 inclusive.
Tanya: On this day we continue with Iggeret 23. The daily portion is on page 272, from the words "ve'al ken," and concludes with the words "kemo shekatuv baZohar hakadosh."
In the daily saying, the Rebbe cites a custom, and afterward explains it according to the inner dimension of the matter. First, what is the custom? "During the na'anu'im" — as is known, when one shakes the four kinds one shakes them toward the six directions, and each of the three times one shakes toward each direction, "one must reach up to the chest" — the four kinds are drawn in toward the chest, altogether eighteen times. The Rebbe says here that the custom is that during the na'anu'im the lulav — the three kinds in one hand together with the etrog in the other hand — must each time reach up to the chest and then return, and so with all three times.
"The place one strikes when reciting "Ashamnu"" — that very spot upon which a person strikes his chest during the recitation of the Viduy is the place the arba minim must reach. And it is clear that the emphasis that this is "the place one strikes when reciting Ashamnu" is part of the explanation of the custom; for had the intent been merely to indicate the spot to which one must reach, the first phrase would have sufficed — that one must reach the chest — and there would have been no need to add "that this is the place one strikes when reciting Ashamnu." Rather, this detail explains to us the inner content of the matter, as the Rebbe continues further on.
In the Shulchan Aruch it is written regarding the recitation of "Ashamnu" that there is an opinion that one strikes upon the heart, and then it brings: "and some have the custom to strike upon the chest." Our custom is that when reciting "Ashamnu" one strikes upon the chest, not upon the heart, and with the four minim one must reach that same place.
What is the explanation? Let us examine it, and then we will understand the connection. The explanation is drawn from a talk of the Rebbe Rashab, which he delivered to the Temimim of Tomchei Temimim on Simchat Torah of the year 5669. And this is what he said: "My revered father, my teacher [the Rashab], said at one of the farbrengens, that one should say" — that is, one should explain — why during the na'anu'im one must reach as far as the chest: "that this is akin to the matter that, through the seriousness [koved rosh] that precedes prayer, in which one becomes contrite within his soul, thereby afterward there can be an arousal of the emotions [middot] in prayer."
Our Sages say that one may only stand up to pray in a state of koved rosh (seriousness of mind). What is the meaning of koved rosh? That a person is deeply immersed within himself in contemplation of the lowliness of his condition, and in this way he breaks himself somewhat before prayer. This state — his approaching prayer out of such a feeling — will help him afterward, during prayer, so that the contemplation will act upon his heart and a feeling of love of G-d will be aroused within him more easily; for he does not approach prayer with all his coarseness, but has already, before prayer, prepared himself with koved rosh, and consequently the emotional arousal during prayer comes more easily. This is the order of koved rosh and the emotional arousal that follows it.
This concept exists also in a broader sense. The soberness is on a "micro" level — every morning before davening there is the soberness and the arousal that follows it; and in the broader sense this exists also within the cycle of the calendar. If we take the month of Tishrei — it contains Rosh Hashanah, and especially Yom Kippur, on which one recites the vidduyim. The entire Yom Kippur with its confessions is like the soberness: throughout the whole day a person recites the vidduyim and beats "ashamnu," and this causes him a bitterness in his soul.
Afterwards comes Sukkot, when one must bring about that all the lofty drawings-down of the sublime encompassing lights of the sukkah be drawn down into the heart, in an internalized way. And who accomplishes that they be drawn into the heart internally? The four species. That is why we do this at the very same place we designated and prepared on Yom Kippur — because it is the same idea: a person prepared himself on Yom Kippur so that afterwards, when Sukkot arrives, the arousal of the emotive attributes should function as it should. This is the inner explanation of our custom. Therefore the custom emphasizes that this is the spot upon which one strikes when reciting "Ashamnu," for there is a connection between the "Ashamnu" and the na'anu'im (the wavings) of the festival of Sukkot.