• Fast day. Selichot (p. 356). Avinu Malkeinu (p. 277).

Friday Tevet 10 5703
Torah Lessons (5703)	Chumash: Vayigash, Shishi with Rashi. Tehillim: 55-59. Tanya: Yet the vitality (p. 29)...of flesh and blood (p. 31).

From the Tzemach Tzedek's answer at Yechidus: It is written, "Let the wicked leave his path and the man of sin his thoughts etc." [1]

Aven (sin) is the same as On, [2] meaning power and strength.

Just as it is imperative that the "wicked leave his path," for without Teshuva it is impossible to approach the Sacred, [3] so must the "man of strength," one with unshakeable confidence in his reasoning, "leave his thoughts."

He is not to insist, "I say so. This is what I think;" every "I", ego, is a source of evil, a cause of divisiveness.

   

Notes:

1. (Back to text) Yeshayahu 55:7.

2. (Back to text) In Hebrew spelling, but using a different vowel.

3. (Back to text) See Tanya Ch. 17.