Each person is measured according to his ability. For those who study one chapter of Mishneh Torah every day, it is considered a great accomplishment. Teaching Rambam in English brings the “Torah of My servant Moshe” to the broadest possible audience and truly disseminates the wellsprings of Torah.

On Shabbos Zachor, 5745, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Shlita, spoke about the importance of studying one chapter of Rambam every day. In a separate talk at the same Farbrengen the Rebbe Shlita also spoke of teaching Rambam in English. This essay is compiled from the relevant sichos of that Farbrengen.

1. There is an important subject which although not found in Torah itself, is connected by Divine Providence to this day, Shabbos Zachor. It is the announcement of the siyum-banquet, which will be held on Purim in honor of the completion of the Book of Holiness of Rambam’s Mishneh Torah. This siyum will be celebrated by those who have been studying one chapter of Rambam every day for the past year.

When the daily study of Rambam was initiated during Pesach last year, the plan included one system of learning three chapters a day, which will conclude Mishneh Torah in one year, and one system for studying one chapter a day. A separate schedule was printed for the one chapter system, but most of the effort, involvement and activity over the past year has been expended by those who were involved in studying three chapters a day. Although, originally, there was a strong request and suggestion to unify Jews by studying one chapter of Rambam a day, the interest has since waned, and not enough effort has been injected into this project. This phenomenon occurs very often regarding matters needing dedicated work.

The previous Rebbe once compared the nature of excitability of American Jews to straw. The difference between burning a log of wood and burning straw, is that to ignite a log you need great effort, but once it is lit the wood burns long and strong. Straw, however, flares up easily, but burns quickly and leaves no straw, no fire, not even smoke!

Similarly, American Jews are easily excited and are quickly mobilized to action, but after a chnrt mnmrnt tho Dnthnri: m i R oftszn lasat

The same phenomenon seems to have occurred in this case.

Although they were genuinely attentive at the farbrengen, and they even obtained a copy of the transcript, for which they had to spend a few cents [which could have been spent on their physical needs], and from time to time they even reviewed the subject matter of the farbrengen, still the enthusiasm was lost. From reading to action seems to be a long distance.

Back to the subject at hand. For those who study one chapter of Rambam a day, I wish to stress and clarify, that they should not be downhearted because they study only one chapter daily.

First of all, one should never be downhearted .in relation to Torah study, it could confound the study. On the contrary, to study properly one must be comfortable, calm and optimistic. It is true that we say: “Let my soul be as dust to all. Open my heart to Your Torah” (See: Siddur, Amidah), but this is only as a preparation for study; the study itself must be expansive and pleasant: “And will walk at liberty” (Tehillim 119:45).

This constitutes one of the distinguishing features of our frame of mind during prayer, which must be as a “servant standing before the King,” vis-a-vis our frame of mind during study, which must be with liberty and comfort, for “... rabbis [scholars] are called kings.”

Banish all depression when you study Torah! And keep this thought in mind: for those who study one chapter of Rambam every day it is considered as great an accomplishment as those who study three chapters a day; for each person is measured according to his own ability.

The Rambam mentions in his Introduction to Mishneh Torah, that by studying Mishneh Torah all the laws will be made clear for simple people and great scholars alike. He means to say, that the person who can learn only one chapter each day, and learns it, will achieve the same clarity of Torah law from his study, as the person who studies three chapters daily; each according to his ability. Naturally, as we are speaking of Torah study, it is of the greatest importance that everyone should find enthusiasm, joy and satisfaction in hiq offnrt

2. It is appropriate to mention that the siyum banquet tendered for the completion of Book of Holiness, for those who study one chapter of Rambam a day, will take place on Purim. Another special point is the fact that this siyum is connected with the lessons of Rambam taught in English.

In general, when we study Rambam’s Mishneh Torah we give emphasis to the theme, “The Torah of My servant, Moshe,” for we are studying the Torah which was taught to us by Moshe Rabbeinu. At the same time we must keep in mind the aphorism that our sages have transmitted to us: “From Moshe to Moshe there arose none as Moshe,” which connects the teachings of Moshe ben Maimon to Moshe Rabbeinu. This comparison includes the Rambam’s greatness not only in Torah knowledge but also in the attribute of humility.

Now, when Rambam is studied in the language of the land, this accomplishes that the “Torah of My servant, Moshe” penetrates all realms of the world. The wisdom of the Torah is drawn from the loftiest, supernal levels and penetrates the world in languages other than the Holy Tongue. The superrational, supernal wisdom infuses and permeates the mundane, logical, workday tongues of the physical world.

This is also connected to the story of Purim. On the one hand Purim commemorates the occurrence of a great miracle — as we recite in the “A1 Hanissim” — [All the Miracles] prayer on Purim. On the other hand, however, the miracle of Purim unfolded in a manner that seemed to cloak it in natural occurrences. As the details are described in the Megillah:

And it was in the days of Achashverosh.... In the third year of his reign he made a feast....

The sequence of events, the unfolding of intrl goes and the way Esther was chosen to be the Queen, seemingly indicated a natural happening. In truth, of course all this was the “remedy before the sickness,” for the decree of Haman was later nullified through Esther’s efforts. We have here a miracle clothed in natural occurrences.

These two phenomena: A supernatural event — which is cloaked in the framework of the natural sequence of events, also relate to the two aspects of a person’s Divine service: To serve G-d with self-nullification and self-sacrifice (the supernatural) together with a Divine service that permeates all aspects of the normal existence of the individual (the miracle clothed in nature).

This theme is connected to the devoted work and determined efforts of those individuals who are involved in spreading the wellsprings of Torah and Yiddishkeit to the outside, which exemplifies this noble path of Divine service. Their work fulfills the mission of the previous Rebbe, the Nasi of our generation. “For G-d has revealed His secrets to His servants the prophets.” This verse may be applied to the legacy of the previous Rebbe, whose mission was Divinely inspired.

The ultimate fulfillment of the mission, of spreading the wellsprings of Torah and Yiddishkeit to the outside, includes especially the translation of Torah to the local languages in every 1 sn(l

In connection with this, I will give a bottle from this farbrengen to the organizers of the siyum, as my participation in the siyum.

May G-d grant that everyone shall increase his/her involvement in all aspects of spreading Torah and Yiddishkeit, especially the activities of the Purim DroSects.

And through the service of Purim, whose theme is teshuvah, may we merit immediately the true and complete redemption, as the Rambam rules: “The Torah guaranteed that the Jews will do teshuvah — and will immediately be redeemed.”

May this happen in an instant — even before Purim — so that for Purim 5745 we will already be in our Holy Land with our righteous Mashiach and everyone will not even have to strain to hear the reading of the Megillah in the Beis HaMikdash.

While still in the last moments of the diaspora, may the promise come true: “For the Jews there was light and joy, gladness and honor” both simply understood and homiletically explained: “light is Torah,” etc. Till we reach the true, light, joy, gladness and honor, with the true and complete redemption through our righteous Mashiach.

[The Rebbe, Shlita, gave LeChaim to all those involved in the siyum and then gave the bottle to Rabbi Yonah Avtzon to be distributed at the siyum.]