אַאַמוּ"ר כּוֹתֵב בְּאֶחָד מִמִּכְתָּבָיו

My revered father, the Rebbe [Rashab], writes in a letter:

עַל פִּי הֲגָהוֹת אָשְׁרִ"י נְטִילַת יָדַיִם לִסְעוּדָּה ג' פְּעָמִים רְצוּפוֹת

“According to Hagahos Oshri, when washing our hands for a meal we should pour [water from a vessel] three times consecutively [over each hand].

כֵּן הָיָה עוֹשֶׂה אַאַמוּ"ר — (מַהַרַ"ש, נִשְׁמָתוֹ עֵדֶן)

My revered father, the Rebbe [Maharash], would conduct himself in this manner.

וּמַנִּיחַ מִשְּׁפִיכָה הַג' מְעַט מַיִם בְּכַף יָד הַשְּׂמָאלִית

He would leave a little water from the third pouring in the palm of his left hand

וּבָזֶה מְשַׁפְשֵׁף שְׁתֵּי יָדָיו

and would rub this over both hands.”

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה

The first positive commandment is,

ובִלְשׁוֹן הָרַמְבַּ"ם "לֵידַע שֶׁיֵּשׁ שָׁם מָצוּי רִאשׁוֹן מַמְצִיא כָל נִמְצָא כו

according to the wording of Rambam, “To know that there is a Primary Being who brings into being all existence…

וִידִיעַת דָּבָר זֶה מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב אָנֹכִי ה' אֱלוֹקֶיךָ

Knowing this concept [fulfills] a positive commandment, as it is written, ‘I am G‑d, your L‑rd.’ “

הִיא מִצְוַת הַמּוֹחַ וְהַשֵּׂכֶל

This mitzvah centers on the brain and the mind.

וְהַיְנוּ דַהֲגַם דְּכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל הוּא מַאֲמִין בַּה' בֶּאֱמוּנָה פְּשׁוּטָה

Although every single Jew believes in G‑d with simple faith

וּלְבָבוֹ תָּמִים עִם ה

and his heart is wholly and artlessly with G‑d,

חוֹבַת הַמּוֹחַ וְהַשֵּׂכֶל לְהָבִיא אֱמוּנָה זוֹ בִּידִיעָה וַהֲשָׂגָה

the brain and mind are obligated to bring this faith to the point of knowledge and comprehension.

"וְזֶהוּ "לֵידַע שֶׁיֵּשׁ שָׁם מָצוּי רִאשׁוֹן

This is what is meant by the obligation “to know that there is a Primary Being.”

עֶר זאָל דאָס וִויסעֶן בַּהֲשָׂגָה וַהֲבָנָה דַוְקָא

One must know this in terms of comprehension and understanding,

וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב דַּע אֶת אֱלֹקֵי אָבִיךָ וְעָבְדֵהוּ בְּלֵב שָׁלֵם, וּכְתִיב וְיָדַעְתָּ הַיּוֹם גו

as it is written, “Know the G‑d of your father and serve Him wholeheartedly.” It is likewise written, “And you shall know this day… [that G‑d is the L‑rd].”

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

הַצֶּמַח צֶדֶק סִפֵּר לִבְנוֹ אַאַזְמוּ"ר

The Tzemach Tzedek told his son, my revered grandfather, the Rebbe [Maharash],

אֲשֶׁר הַדְּרוּשׁ וּמַרְאֵיהֶם וּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם — תּוֹרָה אוֹר פָּרָשַׁת יִתְרוֹ

that the maamar entitled U’Mareihem U’Maaseihem — which appears in [the Alter Rebbe’s] Torah Or, Parshas Yisro —

הוּא דְּרוּשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁאָמַר הָרַב הַמַּגִּיד מִמֶּעזרִיטשׁ

was the first maamar that the Maggid of Mezritch delivered

בְּשַׁעַת קַבְּלוֹ אֶת הַנְּשִׂיאוּת — חַג הַשָּׁבוּעוֹת תקכ"א

when he accepted the leadership [of the chassidic brotherhood] on Shavuos, 5521 [1761].

כְּפִי אֲשֶׁר שְׁמָעוֹ רַבֵּנוּ הַזָּקֵן מִפִּי הָרַב מְנַחֵם מעֶנְדל מֵהָארָאדָאק — בַּעַל פְּרִי הָאָרֶץ

It was relayed to the Alter Rebbe by R. Menachem Mendel of Horodok, the author of Pri HaAretz,

שֶׁהָיָה בְּאוֹתוֹ מַעֲמָד

who was present when the maamar was first delivered,

רַק שֶׁרַבֵּנוּ בֵּאֵר הַדְּרוּשׁ עַל פִּי סִגְנוֹנוֹ

although the Alter Rebbe explained the maamar according to his own style.

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English