DAILY STUDIES IN CHITAS
DAILY STUDIES IN CHITAS
FOREWORD
Explore the origins, significance, and transformative power of Chitas, and discover why this daily practice has become a cherished foundation of Jewish living This foreword was published in the newly released Daily Studies in Chitas book.
The Gateway of the Soul
Every generation is blessed with a Jewish leader who, like Moses, is given the mission to guide the people of his generation in their Divine service—To lead them and bring them (see Numbers 27:17).1 These leaders are tasked with showing their generation the proper pathway to serving God and giving them the spiritual “key” for the era in which they are born. They reveal the innermost essence of the Jews of their generation and their inalienable connection with God,2 and they teach the generation how their Divine service is their conduit for Divine blessing.3
When it comes to the “pathway” of our generation4 —the last generation of exile and the first generation of redemption5 —the Lubavitcher Rebbe, R. Menachem Mendel Schneerson, stressed the daily study of Chitas—Chumash (the Five Books of the Torah), Tehillim (Psalms), and Tanya—which was initiated by his father-inlaw, the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, R. Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, with the implicit intent of making this study a universal practice for all time.6
Just as Moses instituted takanot—enactments—for his generation, so, too, the Rebbe of each generation, the extension of Moses in each generation,7 instituted enactments to serve as the tikkun—remedy—of his generation. In our generation, we have my father-in-law, the Rebbe’s, enactment to study Chitas.
The Rebbe of our generation enacted Chitas study for all people of the generation, insisting that it is suitable for everyone, even for one who does not fully understand what he is reading. The reason for this is that [Chitas study is essential] not only because it is Torah study but also because it is a study that is connected to the very life and essence of the soul of every person of the generation.9
Copy of the letter written by the Lubavitcher Rebbe to R. Zev Dov Slonim regarding the publication of the original Chitas book.
In addition to Chitas being our unique calling and spiritual connection, it is also the “channel” through which God bestows His blessings.10
“I want to use this opportunity to encourage you to observe the three well-known study schedules of Chumash, Tehillim, and Tanya, of which my esteemed father-in-law, the Rebbe, informed us on numerous occasions. These schedules are equally suitable for all, and they are a segulah [spiritual remedy] for a great many matters.”11
“It is simple and self-understood that to receive and retain blessings from God—Who gladly dispenses blessings from the fullness of His hand—a person must make appropriately large vessels… Therefore, you should try to fulfill the three [daily] study schedules that are equally suitable for every person, which my father-in-law enacted….”12
“Surely you know of the three study schedules enacted by [my father-inlaw the Rebbe]—namely, Chumash, Tehillim, and Tanya—and you are diligent in [their study]. These study schedules draw additional vitality and strength from the Living God to all Jewish people who cleave to Him.”13
The crucial nature of Chitas study to the Rebbe can be gleaned from what he described would be of Mashiach’s primary concern upon his arrival:
“When Mashiach comes, he won’t be prepared to hear excuses (kuntzen). Rather, he will demand a factual statement… ‘List on a piece of paper—how many Chasidim did you make? How many Jews have you transformed into Chasidim of the Rebbe? How many Jews did you influence to study Chitas?’”14
What is Chitas?
Chitas is a word mentioned in the Torah.15 As we will soon see, this is significant in understanding the immense power behind it. But what is Chitas? Why is it an important study for every single Jew, including you? And why has it become a hallmark of devotion and hitkashrut (internal bond) to the Rebbe?16
The short answer:17
Chitas is a Hebrew acronym formed by the three letters chet (ח), tav (ת), and sav (ת), the initials of Chumash (חומש), the Five Books of the Torah; Tehillim (תהלים) the Book of Psalms; and Tanya (תניא), the primary work of Chabad Chasidic thought, authored by R. Schneur Zalman of Liadi (1745-1812), the founder of the Chabad Lubavitch movement, also known as the Alter Rebbe.18
At the behest of the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, R. Yosef Yitzchak, his son-inlaw—the future Lubavitcher Rebbe—compiled a daily almanac for the year 5703-4 (1942-43), which includes daily nuggets of Chasidic teachings and lessons, as well as Chabad customs, with the intent of guiding the reader toward an inspired and focused life. This almanac was called Hayom Yom. 19 In describing what should be included, R. Yosef Yitzchak wrote:
“You should specifically include a set schedule of daily study that is suitable for every person—besides those [studies] that each person should pursue according to their individual ability: 1) Chumash with Rashi’s explanation. 2) Tehillim, after morning prayers, as it is divided according to the days of the month. 3) A lesson in Tanya, as I have divided it according to the days of the year.”20
This instruction brought together three distinct practices that went back centuries, or even millennia—in the case of the first two studies—into one study regimen.21 This daily study schedule would include these three elementary but ever so important subjects of Torah22—Chumash, Tehillim, and Tanya—in an organized and consistent manner.23 This study—which the Rebbes passionately endeavored to bring to every Jew, Chabad and non-Chabad alike24—is known as Chitas,25 and it promulgates the widespread question of “Do you study Chitas?”26
Shaveh L’chol Nefesh—Suitable for Every Person
Daily Torah study has been the anchor of the Jewish nation ever since God chose us as His people at Mount Sinai. The Torah is our natural inheritance, providing us with eternal Divine wisdom, a manual for Jewish living, and an everlasting connection to God.
The Sages teach that God’s essence is found within every word of Torah: “I have written My essence [in the Torah] and given it [to the Jewish people].”27 It is this connection that we attain with the commandment to study Torah and teach it to our children. Constant Torah study—and at least one session every single day and night—is a Torah law,28 and it is also an opportunity to “host” God in our lives.29
The time set aside for Torah study is not only a temporal commitment but a “heart’s commitment”30; it is a time for pure focus on the “merging of minds,” so to speak, between the human mind and the Divine mind.31 It is “God’s time” during our frenetic day. It is the time when we look inside the Torah for guidance and “current events.”32
God is infinite, and so is His Torah. In His written word, God included messages for all times. The Torah Jew knows that he doesn’t need to go to the newspaper or journal to form his opinion or next steps; he has it all in the Torah: Fun Torah veist men altz—We can know everything from the Torah.33
All subjects of the Torah are filled with depth and layers of understanding, and this is true of Chumash, Tehillim, and Tanya. 34 We can, however, readily appreciate how these subjects are particularly universal and significant.35
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The Five Books of the Torah given at Mount Sinai are the foundation upon which all of Judaism is built. We learn about creation, the Patriarchs and Matriarchs, and how God took the Jewish people out of Egypt and chose us to be His nation. We learn how God gave us His Torah, and we learn about His commandments.
Because of this personal connection that every single Jew—the People of the Book36—has with the Written Torah, every single Jew was present at Mount Sinai37 when God revealed Himself and gave the Torah, and every single Jew was sure that God was speaking to him directly.38
“You should know that every soul, from Adam to the end of time, was present at the giving of the Torah.”39
The commentary written by Rashi (R. Shlomo Yitzchaki, eleventh-century commentator) on Chumash is also suitable for every person, because, in his own words, it is meant to help even the novice learner—the five-year-old—understand the simple meaning of the Torah text.40
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The words of Psalms have accompanied the Jewish people for millennia, both as comfort in times of pain and as words of praise in times of joy. Its words are the words of prayer and inspiration. Reciting these sacred words compiled by King David inspires hope and connection for all Jewish people. “Everything that David said in his book [of Psalms] reflects his own experiences, the Jewish people’s experiences, and the experiences of all times.”41
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With the emergence of Chasidut came a paradigm shift42 in how to view the Jewish soul. The assumed “hierarchy” that separated the simpleton from the Torah scholar was replaced with the awareness that every Jew is a part of God. Chasidut also caused a shift in how to view the Torah itself. If previously it seemed like a “code of law,” Chasidut revealed the soul of the Torah, showing how it has eternal and personal significance.43
The Tanya, which is regarded as the Written Torah of Chasidut,44 is the seminal work that articulated these truths for every single person, informing us that nothing can tear us away from God, every good deed is precious, and each of us can reach greater heights.
“Many questions [are] constantly posed to me by all my disciples, each person seeking advice and guidance in their Divine service, each person according to his level… I have therefore recorded all the replies to all the questions for everyone to take note… For in these works [i.e., Tanya], a person will find tranquility for his soul and true counsel on everything that he finds difficult in the service of God.”45
And as the remedy of our times, the Rebbe continuously and vigorously encouraged the study of Chitas46—perhaps more than any other study schedule—referring to it as a study “suitable for every person.”47
Studying Chitas Daily
Chitas is unique in that it is a daily study. We can study any verse of Chumash, recite any chapter of Tehillim, and study any part of Tanya whenever we desire, and by doing so, we will fulfill the commandment of Torah study and receive the clarity and connections derived from these subjects. However, we will not have gained the benefit of studying Chitas.56
“The daily portion of Chumash with Rashi, and similarly, the portions of Tehillim and Tanya, should be studied on the appropriate day and not pushed off for the following day, for the lesson of each day is strongly associated with that specific day.”57
Studying Chitas every day and listening to its messages guides us and energizes us with a true spirit of life58 in our Divine service and daily calling. As R. Schneur Zalman of Liadi said regarding the daily Chumash, “Men darf leben mit der tzait, we must live with the times”—with the timely messages of our scheduled learning.59 The Rebbe related a story that highlights the importance of the daily learning:
“My father-in-law, the Rebbe, once recounted that there was a person who had the custom of reciting the entire Psalms daily or weekly. Someone asked whether the enactment to recite and complete the daily Psalms every month would also apply to him. The following narrative was related in response—I do not remember if the Rebbe responded with this or if it was someone else: There was once a wagon driver who used to grease the wheels of his wagon so that they rotated efficiently. He asked whether he could suffice with barrels of oil being stored on his wagon, or if he would need to apply some of it to the actual wheels… [The same is true here.] Regardless of one’s personal custom of reciting Psalms, he needs to recite the Psalms as divided over the month [as part of Chitas], for this is ‘greasing his wheels,’ through which he will be able to go securely on his way.”60
Chitas is so powerful that it “penetrates” time itself, as well as the heavenly attributes and spheres.
There are three general ways of dividing time into days: 1) days of the week, 2) days of the month, and 3) days of the year. The daily study of Chitas combines all three: The Chumash is divided according to the days of the week, the Tehillim is divided according to the days of the month, and the Tanya is divided according to the days of the year.
Additionally, it is explained in Kabbalah that a “day” represents the Divine attribute of binah (understanding), a “week” represents z’eir anpin (the primary six emotional attributes), while a “month” and a “year” both represent the attribute of malchut (sovereignty). Thus, through the daily study of Chitas, one is also combining the structure through which God created the world.61
Even if one’s personal learning schedule coincides with the daily Chitas, the designated study for the day as enacted by the Chitas calendar must still be studied independently
Footnotes
1 See Keter Shem Tov §8.
2 Sefer Hamaamarim Melukat, vol. 6, pp. 129-34.
3 See Torat Menachem—Hitvaaduyot 5746, vol. 4, p. 144 (cited below).
4 See ibid. 5747, vol. 1, p. 187; Sichot Kodesh 5736, vol. 1, p. 701.
5 Sefer Hasichot 5752, vol. 1, p. 291.
6 See also Torat Menachem, vol. 17, pp. 69-70.
7 Tikkunei Zohar, Tikkun 69.
8 Torat Menachem, vol. 1, pp. 54-55. See also Torat Menachem—Hitvaaduyot 5742, vol. 3, p. 1224: “We are currently in a new era, and along with the additional blessings and medical advancements, there have also been additional undesirable trends, which demand that we discover a new remedy for them. This antidote must come through adding in Torah study…. One of the additions in learning instituted in our generation is…the daily learning of Chumash [as part of Chitas study].” See further, ibid. 5747, vol. 1, p. 317.
9 Ibid. 5746, vol. 4, p. 144. See also ibid. 5745, vol. 5, p. 2629; Likkutei Sichot, vol. 28, p. 286. R. Yosef Yitzchak similarly declared: “The daily studies as they were arranged for daily [learning]— the chapters of Tehillim, Chumash with Rashi, and the lesson of Tanya—vitally concern the soul of every single person” (Sefer Hasichot 5705, p. 96).
10 See below (p. 20), Benefits of Chitas.
11 Igrot Kodesh, vol. 16, p. 261; vol. 19, p. 130.
12 Ibid., vol. 21, p. 146.
13 Ibid., vol. 6, pp. 356-57.
14 Torat Menachem, vol. 49, p. 157.
15 See below, p. xxiii.
16 Thus, as stressed many times, through studying Chitas, one’s connection (hitkashrut) with the Rebbe is strengthened (see Igrot Kodesh, vol. 3, p. 242, 410-41). It was related that the Rebbe once asked a Chasid who entered for a private audience if he had studied Chitas that day, to which the man replied that he had not. The Rebbe said, “I am taking from my time to connect my essence (yechidah) with yours, yet you carelessly tell me that you haven’t studied Chitas (cited in A Chassidisher Derher, Iyar 5782, p. 36). The Rebbe even saw Chitas as a prerequisite to outreach work (Torat Menachem, vol. 61, p. 192).
17 See below (p. 32), The Evolution of Chitas.
18 Presumably, Tehillim comes before Tanya, and likewise in printing, the Chumash is on top, followed by Tehillim, and then the Tanya, because of the level of importance of these Torah subjects. Cf. Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Dei’ah §283.
19 See below, p. 30, for more on Hayom Yom.
20 Igrot Kodesh by R. Yosef Yitzchak, vol. 7, p. 30. R. Yosef Yitzchak made a second division of Tanya in anticipation of a new edition of the Hayom Yom for the year 5704-5 (1943-44) (which was a regular year, as opposed to the previous year, which was a leap year). Thus, we have two calendars, one for a regular year of about three hundred fifty-five days, and one for a leap year of about three hundred eighty-five days. Both these daily schedules were printed in a moreh shiur (study plan) in the back of the Tanya. In later years, for easier reference, the daily portion was also added to the side margins of the Tanya. See Sichot Kodesh 5740, vol. 1, p. 207. [Even after the two divisions realign on 25 Tishrei, they revert to different patterns on 5 Marcheshvan. This indicates that the divisions made by R. Yosef Yitzchak were not merely for practical purposes; rather, they serve as a representation of two different spiritual patterns—of a regular year and of a leap year, respectively. See Torat Menachem—Hitvaaduyot 5745, vol. 2, p. 725-27. See also A Chassidisher Derher, Iyar 5782, p. 38.]
21 See below (p. 42), Chitas Through the Ages.
22 The Rebbe once said in a private audience: “Chitas is like the alef-bet” (Avinu Ro’einu, p. 41 [cited in the Weekly Farbrengen, issue 748]).
23 The importance can be gleaned from a terse written response to an individual who asked the Rebbe for a rectification after missing a day of studying Chumash: “Regret for the past, make a good resolution for the future. Study the Chumash that was missed twice. Two times eighteen (chai) cents to charity” (A Chassidisher Derher, Tishrei 5776, p. 39).
24 Sichot Kodesh 5738, vol. 1, p. 465.
25 A “Chitas” commonly refers to the book of Chitas, which contains these three books, and “studying Chitas” refers to the daily study of these three books on the scheduled track.
26 Indeed, Chitas study has become commonly accepted. Accordingly, based on the Rambam’s ruling that an accepted enactment of the Sages carries the weight of both a positive commandment and a negative one (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Mamrim 1:2), the Rebbe explained that the same is true of studying Chitas—it carries the weight of Biblical commandments (Sichot Kodesh 5741, vol. 1, p. 120).
27 Shabbat 105a (according to Ein Yaakov); Torat Menachem, vol. 51, p. 212.
28 See Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Dei’ah 246:1; Shulchan Aruch Admor Hazaken, Yoreh Dei’ah, Talmud Torah 3:7, 4:8.
29 See Tanya, ch. 34.
30 See Torat Menachem—Hitvaaduyot 5749, vol. 4, p. 58.
31 See Tanya, ch. 5.
32 See below, fn. 59, “Men darf leben mit der tzait—We must live with the times.”
33 See Torat Menachem, vol. 51, pp. 210-12.
34 When studying Chitas, we “grasp” the Divine essence with every verse of Chumash, every verse of Psalms, and every line of Tanya (Torat Menachem, vol. 8, p. 240).
35 See Torat Menachem—Hitvaaduyot 5744, vol. 3, pp. 1919-20. See also Torat Menachem—Sefer Hamaamarim 5712, p. 198, where it is explained that each person’s daily study is unique to their mission and is set by Divine Providence.
36 See Emunot V’Dei’ot 3:7.
37 An event that will never be replicated (see Torat Shmuel 5640, vol. 1, p. 284; Yom Tov Shel Rosh Hashanah 5666, p. 32).
38 Yalkut Shimoni, Yitro 20:2.
39 See Likkutei Torah, Yom Kippur, p. 77; Torat Menachem, vol. 35, p. 252.
40 See Torat Menachem, vol. 61, p. 92.
41 See Likkutei Torah, Vayikra, p. 28.
42 See Sefer Hamaamarim 5707, p. 48.
43 See Sefer Hamaamarim 5709, p. 212.
44 See Torat Menachem—Hitvaaduyot 5734, vol. 2, p. 672.
45 See Torat Menachem, vol. 40, p. 195.
46 See Torat Menachem, vol. 11, p. 30.
47 See Torat Menachem—Hitvaaduyot 5747, vol. 1, p. 187.
48 See Torat Menachem—Sefer Hamaamarim 5711, p. 218.
49 See Torat Menachem—Hitvaaduyot 5745, vol. 2, p. 303.
50 See Torat Menachem, vol. 24, p. 217.
51 See Likkutei Sichot, vol. 4, p. 295.
52 See Likkutei Sichot, vol. 17, p. 139.
53 See Torat Menachem, vol. 15, p. 60.
54 See Sefer Hamaamarim 5705, p. 149.
55 See Torat Menachem, vol. 9, p. 292.
