Torah

Hayom Yom

A thought for every day of the Hebrew year, from the Rebbe’s book. It is the same entry every year, on the same Hebrew date.

Friday, September 4, 2026

22 Elul 5786

Chassidic doctrine demands that before reproving another, one must pare his own "fingernails," in order not to gash the other. "They (the forces of evil) seize by the fingernails"; every stab is k'lipa and sitra achra. After the "nails" are pared there must be "laving the hands," as explained in Chassidus[1] - calling forth intellect into emotion.[2]

Compiled and arranged by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, of righteous memory, in 5703 (1943) from the talks and letters of the sixth Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, of righteous memory.

Paralleling the physical reality, that after cutting one's fingernails - in the simple sense - he is required by Torah to wash his hands. Viz. Shulchan Aruch (HaRav) Orach Chayim 4:18.

See Supplementary Footnotes.

Footnotes

Paralleling the physical reality, that after cutting one's fingernails - in the simple sense - he is required by Torah to wash his hands. Viz. Shulchan Aruch (HaRav) Orach Chayim 4:18.
See Supplementary Footnotes.

תורת החסידות דורשת, כי תחלה להוכחה צריכים להסיר את הצפרנים, ניט שטעכען זיך, כי בטופרהא אחידן, יעדער שטאך איז קליפה וסטרא אחרא, ואחר נטילת הצפרנים צריך להיות נטילת ידים, כמבואר ענינה בדא"ח [בדברי אלקים חיים], המשכת המוחין למדות.

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Hayom Yom, compiled and arranged by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, of righteous memory, in 5703 (1943) from the talks and letters of the sixth Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, of righteous memory. Text from chabad.org.