Sunday Tevet 12 5703
Torah lessons: Chumash: Vay'chi, first parsha with Rashi.
Tehillim: 66-68.
Tanya: Ch. 9. The abode (p. 35)...in the brains. (p. 35).

In 5648 (1887) my father was elected gabai (an official) of the Chevra Kadisha.1 As was customary he was led on Simchat Torah in procession to the shul accompanied by a throng. At that time he said the maamar beginning "Ein H.B.H. ba bitrunya." The conclusion was: Even the great minds who are here must lay aside their intellects and not be ruled by their reason and knowledge, for they are susceptible to being misguided by their intellect to the point that their end may be a bitter one. The essential thing in these times of the "footsteps of Mashiach" is not to follow intellect and reason, but to fulfill Torah and mitzvot wholeheartedly, with simple faith in the G‑d of Israel.