Hayom Yom 27 Tammuz - Remove your ego replace it with Bittul

The daily Hayom Yom with Rabbi Yosef Katzman

אֶחָד מֵהָעִלוּיִם הַמְפוּרְסָמִים

A brilliant and renowned prodigy,

בַּעַל כִּשָׁרוֹן גָּדוֹל וְעַמְקָן נִפְלָא

with great talents and wondrously deep comprehension,

בָּא לְלִיאָזנאָ וְשָׁקַד בְּלִמּוּד הַחֲסִידוּת

came to Liozna and devoted himself to the study of Chassidus.

וּבְגוֹדֶל כִּשְׁרוֹנוֹתָיו

Thanks to his immense gifts,

רָכַשׁ לוֹ בְּמֶשֶׁךְ זְמַן קָצָר יְדִיעָה גְּדוֹלָה וּרְחָבָה בְּתוֹרַת הַחֲסִידוּת

he acquired a vast and broad knowledge of Chassidus in a short period of time.

בַּיְחִידוּת הָרִאשׁוֹנָה שֶׁנִּכְנַס לְרַבֵּנוּ הַזָּקֵן שָׁאַל

At his first yechidus, he entered the Alter Rebbe’s study and asked:

רַבִּי מַה חָסֵר לִי

“Rebbe, what am I lacking?”

וַיַּעֲנֵהוּ רַבֵּנוּ הַזָּקֵן

The Alter Rebbe answered him:

אֵין חָסֵר לְךָ מְאוּמָה

“You lack nothing,

כִּי יְרֵא אֱלֹקִים אַתָּה וְלַמְדָן

for you are G‑d-fearing and a scholar.

רַק צָרִיךְ אַתָּה לְהוֹצִיא אֶת הֶחָמֵץ שֶׁהוּא הַיֵּשׁוּת וְגַּסּוּת הָרוּחַ

You only have to remove your chametz, which signifies ego and arrogance,

וּלְהַכְנִיס מַצָּה שֶׁהוּא בִּטּוּל

and replace it with matzah, which signifies bittul, self-effacement.

וּכְלִי שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּמֵשׁ בּוֹ בְּיֵשׁוּת

“Now, a person who is arrogant [what is the remedy for arrogance?], a utensil, that was used with the arrogance

שֶׁנִּדְמֶה לוֹ שֶׁהוּא אוֹר

that one imagined to be light

כְּגוֹן שִׁפּוּדִין

say a roasting spit,

שֶׁדוֹחֲקִין רַגְלֵי הַשְּׁכִינָה

‘repels the feet of the Divine Presence,’

דְּאֵין אֲנִי וָהוּא יְכוֹלִין לָדוּר

for ‘he and [G‑d] cannot dwell in the same place.’

צָרִיךְ לִבּוּן

requires libun.

וְהַלִּבּוּן הוּא

This means that it must be heated

עַד שֶׁיִּהְיוּ הַנִּצוֹצוֹת דְּהַבֵּרוּרִים נִתָּזִין וְנִכְלָלִין בְּהָאוֹר הָאֲמִתִּי

until sparks fly off; that is, until the sparks of self-refinement fly outward and are incorporated in the true light.”

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

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