הַעֲבָרַת הַפַּרְשָׁה שְׁנַיִם מִקְרָא וְאֶחָד תַּרְגּוּם - פָּסוּק פָּסוּק. וְקוֹרִין גַּם הַהַפְטָרָה, אוֹ שְׁתֵּי הַהַפְטָרוֹת אִם הוּא שַׁבָּת ראֹשׁ חֹדֶשׁ, אוֹ פַּרְשִׁיּוֹת מְחוּבָּרוֹת וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָזֶה.

The review of the weekly Torah reading — twice in the original, in the Holy Tongue,and once in its Aramaic translation — should be done verse by verse.1 The haftarah should also be read [after this review]. If there are two haftaros — such as on Shabbos Rosh Chodesh, or when two parshiyos are combined, or the like — both should be read.2

מַעֲנֵה רַבֵּנוּ הַזָּקֵן לְאַבְרֵךְ עִלּוּי מְצוּיָּן וּבַעַל כִּשָּׁרוֹן מְפוּרְסָם כְּשֶׁנִּכְנַס לִיחִידוּת שֶׁלּוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹנָה — בִּשְׁנַת תּקנ"ה בְּלִיאָזְנאָ: רוּחָנִיּוּת וְגַשְׁמִיּוּת זַיינעֶן הֲפָכִים בְּעֶצֶם מַהוּתָם. דאָס וואָס עֶס אִיז אַ מַעֲלָה אִין גַּשְׁמִיּוּת, אִיז אַ חִסָּרוֹן אִין רוּחָנִיּוּת. אִין גַּשְׁמִיּוּת אִיז אַ שָׂמֵחַ בְּחֶלְקוֹ דעֶר גרעֶסטעֶר בַּעַל מַעֲלָה. אוּן דוּרךְ עֲבוֹדָה וועֶט אַזאַ אֵיינעֶר צוּקוּמעֶן צוּ דִי העֶכסטֶע מַדְרֵגוֹת. אִין רוּחָנִיּוּת אָבּעֶר אִיז אַ שָׂמֵחַ בְּחֶלְקוֹ דעֶר גרעֶסטעֶר חִסָּרוֹן, אוּן עֶר וועֶרט, רַחֲמָנָא לִיצְלָן, אַ יוֹרֵד וְנוֹפֵל.

An answer that the Alter Rebbe gave to a brilliant young man who was well known for his outstanding natural gifts, during the latter’s first yechidus in 5555 (1795) in Liozna: “Spirituality and physicality are intrinsically opposites. A material virtue is a spiritual disadvantage.

“Materially, one who is ‘satisfied with his lot’3 is the loftiest of men, and his Divine service will lead him to the highest rungs. Spiritually, by contrast, being ‘satisfied with one’s lot’ is the greatest failing. It causes one to decline and fall [spiritually], Heaven forbid.”4

A Mini-Farbrengen

As the Rebbe Rayatz relates, the Alter Rebbe addressed the above observation to R. Ze’ev Dov,5 a gifted Torah scholar who had studied under the leading sages in Minsk and Slutzk. Though a man of pleasant disposition, he was tainted with conceit. In scholarly debate, winning an argument mattered more than arriving at the truth.

The first time he entered the Alter Rebbe’s study for yechidus, the Alter Rebbe asked him: “What are you lacking?”

He replied: “I don’t know what I am lacking. I don’t feel that I am lacking anything.”

To this the Alter Rebbe responded with the above teaching, which touches upon one of the fundamental approaches of Chabad Chassidus to Divine service. As the Alter Rebbe explains in Tanya,6 the effort and striving a Jew invests in his spiritual growth is critical, for spiritual lethargy is one of the greatest vices. In that vein, the Alter Rebbe interprets the verse:7 “Perceive the difference… between one who serves G‑d and one who does not serve Him.” Both these individuals observe the Torah and its mitzvos.8 The difference is that a person “who does not serve Him” is content with doing what comes naturally for him, without striving for more. By contrast, “one who serves Him” goes beyond his normal level. Even though he already maintains a comprehensive program of Torah study and observance, he is not satisfied, but continually strives to deepen his understanding and raise his level of commitment.