The Rebbe said, “I have a great longing to institute a rule that each person should study a fixed amount in our sacred literature every day, without fail.”
He said this should apply even to those who are very far from holiness – even those who are caught in the evil trap and sin habitually, Heaven forbid. The strength of the Torah is so great that it can free them from their habitual sins.
If even the worst sinners would take upon themselves a firm obligation to study a set amount every day, they would be able to escape from the evil snare; the Torah’s strength is extremely great.24R' Naftali asked the Rebbe if this applies to actual sinners and was answered in the affirmative, with a reference to Tikkuney Zohar #3, 18b (Tzaddik #573). See Zohar I, 195b; Likutey Halakhot, Betziat HaPat 22.
The Rebbe’s entire focus and desire was directed toward the goal of doing good and serving God without sophistication. Every good and holy thing can be done with absolute simplicity. One can study much Torah, do much good and spend much time in prayer, all without any sophistication at all.25See “His Wisdom” #51, #101; “His Praises” #13; Likutey Moharan II, 5:15, 19, 44; Tzaddik #520.
The Rebbe continually exhorted us to always be happy. Much of this discussion is recorded in his holy works.26See “His Wisdom” #299; Likutey Moharan I, 222; ibid., II, 19, 44. However, there were countless other times that he discussed this.
וְאָמַר: נִכְסַפְתִּי מְאֹד לְהַמְשִׁיךְ אֶת הָעוֹלָם אֶל עֲשִׂיָּה, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה חִיּוּב אֵצֶל כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד לִלְמוֹד כָּךְ וְכָךְ, בְּכָל יוֹם וְלֹא יַעֲבֹר, וְכַיּוֹצֵא.
The Rebbe said, “I have a great longing to institute a rule that each person should study a fixed amount in our sacred literature every day, without fail.”
וְאָמַר: שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ אוֹתָן הָאֲנָשִׁים הָרְחוֹקִים מִן הַקְּדֻשָּׁה מְאֹד, שֶׁנִּלְכְּדוּ בִּמְצוּדָה רָעָה עַד שֶׁרְגִילִין בַּעֲבֵרוֹת ח"ו, רַחֲמָנָא לִצְלָן רַחֲמָנָא לִשֵׁזְבָן, אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן הַכֹּחַ שֶׁל הַתּוֹרָה גָּדוֹל כָּל־כָּךְ עַד שֶׁיְּכוֹלָה לְהוֹצִיא אוֹתָם מִן הָעֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁרְגִילִין בָּהֶם ח"ו.
He said this should apply even to those who are very far from holiness – even those who are caught in the evil trap and sin habitually, Heaven forbid. The strength of the Torah is so great that it can free them from their habitual sins.
וְאִם יַעֲשׂוּ לָהֶם חֹק קָבוּעַ וְחִיּוּב חָזָק לִלְמֹד בְּכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם כָּךְ וְכָךְ יִהְיֶה אֵיךְ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בְּוַדַּאי יִזְכּוּ לָצֵאת מִמְּצוּדָתָם הָרָעָה, עַל יְדֵי הַתּוֹרָה, כִּי כֹּחַ הַתּוֹרָה גָּדוֹל מְאֹד (לה).
If even the worst sinners would take upon themselves a firm obligation to study a set amount every day, they would be able to escape from the evil snare; the Torah’s strength is extremely great.24R' Naftali asked the Rebbe if this applies to actual sinners and was answered in the affirmative, with a reference to Tikkuney Zohar #3, 18b (Tzaddik #573). See Zohar I, 195b; Likutey Halakhot, Betziat HaPat 22.
וְכָל עִקַּר מְגַמָּתוֹ וְחֶפְצוֹ הָיָה תָּמִיד רַק לְעֻבְדּוֹת וַעֲשִׂיּוֹת שֶׁל קְדֻשָּׁה, בְּלִי שׁוּם חָכְמוֹת כְּלָל, רַק שֶׁנַּעֲסֹק תָּמִיד בַּעֲשִׂיּוֹת שֶׁל קְדֻשָּׁה בִּפְשִׁיטוּת. דְּהַיְנוּ לְהַרְבּוֹת בְּלִמּוּד הַתּוֹרָה וְלַעֲשׂוֹת מִצְווֹת הַרְבֵּה בְּכָל יוֹם וּלְהַרְבּוֹת בִּתְפִלָּה וְתַחֲנוּנִים תָּמִיד וְהַכֹּל בִּפְשִׁיטוּת בְּלִי שׁוּם חָכְמוֹת.
The Rebbe’s entire focus and desire was directed toward the goal of doing good and serving God without sophistication. Every good and holy thing can be done with absolute simplicity. One can study much Torah, do much good and spend much time in prayer, all without any sophistication at all.25See “His Wisdom” #51, #101; “His Praises” #13; Likutey Moharan II, 5:15, 19, 44; Tzaddik #520.
וְהִזְהִיר מְאֹד לִהְיוֹת בְּשִׂמְחָה תָּמִיד. וְהִרְבָּה מְאֹד לְדַבֵּר עִמָּנוּ מִזֶּה, מֵעִנְיַן (שִׂמְחָה כַּמְבֹאָר בַּסְּפָרִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים), אַךְ יוֹתֵר מִזֶּה – הִרְבָּה לְדַבֵּר עִמָּנוּ בְּעַל פֶּה וְהִזְהִיר מְאֹד בְּכַמָּה אַזְהָרוֹת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה פְּעָמִים לִהְיוֹת אַךְ שָׂמֵחַ תָּמִיד.
The Rebbe continually exhorted us to always be happy. Much of this discussion is recorded in his holy works.26See “His Wisdom” #299; Likutey Moharan I, 222; ibid., II, 19, 44. However, there were countless other times that he discussed this.