Hayom Yom: Iyar 10, 25th day of the omer

It is our custom to dip the piece of bread (for hamotzi) into salt three times, not to sprinkle the salt on the bread.

At the festive meal on the second day of Shavuot 5621 (1861), the Tzemach Tzedek related as follows: At the festive meal on the second day of Shavuot 5555 (1795) my grandfather (the Alter Rebbe) said:

At the festive meal on the second day of Shavuot 5528 (1768) my saintly master and teacher (the Maggid of Mezritch) said:

"You shall count for yourselves," us'fartem lachem.1 The word us'fartem, - you shall count - has the root of sapirut, - brilliance and brightness. Us'fartem lachem, your lachem, selves, must be bright.

The Tzemach Tzedek continued his narrative: My grandfather (the Alter Rebbe) then leaned his head on his hands and sang the Niggun (melody) Of Four Stanzas with profound d'veikut.2 Afterward he raised his head and said in a questioning tone, "And with what does one brighten the lachem?" - and without a pause he continued in a tone of response, "with the seven complete weeks (more literally, "...seven...Sabbaths"), that is, through refining one's seven emotion-traits, each trait in turn to be sub-incorporated with all seven.3 The seven attributes themselves are to become 'seven Sabbaths,' Shabbat needing no refinement."4