Empowering & beautiful sicha! Chinuch for ourselves ~ how do we view ourselves? How do we view others? Through a conversation with the Tzemach Tzedek & the Alter Rebbe, our Rebbe highlights an integral message Torah is telling us - Adam is written with a big Alef, even after the "Chait Eitz Hadaas" - because of his G-d given incredible greatness, essential to him, unmarred by his mistakes. In Vayikra, the alef is written in small - telling us of Moshes humility. Moshe KNEW of his greatness - did not let it "get to his head" and he seeked to compare himself to others, and note of their greatness. This is not just a simple piece, its a direct Chinuch Answer from A"R to T"T ~ and a DIRECTION for each of us! (Adam in Us) We must have an honest awareness of our essential greatness! We are a piece of Hashem! We must know our abilities and inherent greatness, regardless of our mistakes or our past. (Moshe in Us) And yet, we must understand that greatness can be a "trip up". We remain humble and understand the bigger picture, being able to make proper choices in life. #1 Ingrain in yourself that your talent is a GIFT, I didnt make it, I only choose what to DO with it. and #2: Seek out the greatness in others! Get to know how incredible you are and then tap into it! Right now - you have the big Alef ~ you can rise above! you can accomplish! Regardless of my previous habits, past, etc. And look at others and realize, if someone else had these gifts, they could use it better. Look at others & seek out their greatness, talent and beauty!

Yud Shvat is a day to recomit ourselves to the Rebbes work. A time to dig deep and be honest in how we can strengthen ourselves in the Rebbes avodah - and with zrizus! We are here to do Hashem's work and it has to happen now! But what IS Hashems goal? "Nisaaveh Hakadosh Boruch Hu Lihios Lo Yisbarech Dirah Btachtonim." a) Lo Yisbarech - essence of Hashem b) Dirah - consistency, permanence c) Btachtonim - here in the lowest place - tachtonim in Torah, mitzvos and people. The essence of Hashem can be found in a true, permanent way, down here in this world. This being our goal - we need to conduct ourselves in these specific ways. a) Lo Yisbarech - I need to do my job because its what Hashem wants, not me. b) Dirah - as a human its hard to be consistent, i can only be consistent if I have a higher agenda - if I stick with Hashems agenda, and the Rebbes agenda (which is Hashems agenda. And where should this be? c) In Tachtonim - halacha (torah), maaseh bpoel, action is the main thing to do (mitzvos) and specifically focusing on the children! (people) Practically where does this all lead us to needing to focus in on? There must be a tremendous focus on chinuch al taharas hakodesh. We can impact our children, our schools, the chinuch of our children!!! This that the Frierdiker Rebbe had such huge mesiras nefesh for, and Chassidim literally lost their lives for, we must focus on our childrens chinuch - being Al Taharas HaKodesh!!

"Eikev" means heel, referring to "light mitzvos" that someone may value but prioritize as lower on their list of things to accomplish. In CORE foundation - a mitzvah connects us to the essence of Hashem - each mitzvah, regardless of big or small - connects us to Hashem. The yetzer hora could box you in "I'm not that type". Break out of the box we put ourselves into! We are the Rebbes generation, we can jump in and do it. Give our children the Chinuch of: miracles and above nature, Hashem does great things, we have a Rebbe. We put ourselves in to Mitzvos and Ahavas Yisroel above nature, and Hashem will respond in kind, with brachos above and beyond.(Likkutei Sichos Chelek Yud Tes, page 89)