בְּתּוֹרָה אוֹר, בְּדִבּוּר הַמַּתְחִיל תָּנוּ רַבָּנָן מִצְוַת נֵר חֲנוּכָּה

[In Torah Ohr Maamar Tanu Rabanan Ner Chanukah]

“כִּי אֵין כְּדַאי כָּל הַדִּינִים" צָרִיךְ לְהְיוֹת “כִּי כְּדַאי כָּל הַדִּינִים"

[it is printed: "it is not worth all the judgement" it should say "it is worth all the judgement", remove the 'not']

שָׁם בֵּאוּר לְדִבּוּר הַמַּתְחִיל רָנִּי וְשִׂמְחִי סְעִיף הַמַּתְחִיל וְעַתָּה נָבוֹא

[ibid: Explanation to Rani V'Simchi, paragraph starting V'Ata Navo]

“שֶׁהוּא פְּנִימִית אֲרִיךְ אַנְפִּין" צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת “שֶׁהִיא פְּנִימִית אֵין סוֹף"

[it is printed: 'it is the inwardness of Arich Anpin (long face)", it should say "it is the inwardness of Ein-Sof (infinity)]

[In the above note, the Rebbe makes emendations to the Hebrew text of Torah Or that have since been incorporated in all of its editions.]

Text courtesy of Sichos in English, Translation attempt by the podcaster.

"מִלְחֶמֶת הַיְוָנִים הָיְתָה “לְהַשְׁכִּיחָם תּוֹרָתֶךָ וּלְהַעֲבִירָם מֵחוּקֵּי רְצוֹנֶךָ

The campaign of the Greeks was intended “to make [the Jews] forget Your Torah and have them violate the decrees of Your will.”

וּכְמַאֲמָר (בראשית רבה פרשה ט"ז) כִּתְבוּ כו' שֶׁאֵין לָכֶם חֵלֶק בֵּאלֹקֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

In the words of Bereishis Rabbah, ch. 16[:4], [the Greeks challenged the Jews to] “write… that you have no share in the G‑d of Israel.”

כָּל הַמִּלְחָמָה הָיְתָה נֶגֶד אֱלֹקוּת

Their entire war was directed against G‑dliness.

זאָל מעֶן לעֶרנעֶן תּוֹרָה, זאָל מעֶן מְקַיֵּים זיַין מִצְוֹת הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים וְהָעֵדוֹת

They would have allowed the Jews to study Torah and observe mitzvos — the mishpatim and the eduyos —

רַק שֶׁלֹּא לְהַזְכִּיר שֶׁהִיא תּוֹרַת ה' וְשֶׁהַמִּצְוֹת הֵם חֻקֵּי רְצוֹנוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ

so long as they did not mention that the Torah was G‑d’s and that the mitzvos were “the decrees of His will.”

נִיט דעֶרמאָנעֶן אִין תּוֹרָה וּמִצְוֹת דעֶם עִנְיָן פוּן ג-טלִכְקַייט

[Their objective was that the Jews] refrain from associating G‑dliness with the Torah and its mitzvos.

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

נוֹהֲגִים אֲשֶׁר הַיָּחִיד מְבָרֵךְ - בְּהַלֵּל - תְּחִלָּה וָסוֹף

It is customary when reciting Hallel without a minyan to say the blessing at the beginning and end,

גַּם בְּיָמִים שֶׁאֵין גּוֹמְרִים בָּהֶם אֶת הַהַלֵּל

even on those days when the full Hallel is not recited.

"הַנּוּסַח שֶׁאוֹמְרִים הוּא: יְהַלְלוּךָ ה' אֱלוֹקֵינוּ כָּל מַעֲשֶׂיךָ, בְּהַשְׁמָטַת תֵּיבַת "עַל

[According to Lubavitch custom,] the wording in the concluding blessing [of Hallel] is יהללוך ה' אלוקינו כל מעשיך, without the word על

כָּל הַתְּפִילִּין מַנִיחִים קוֹדֶם מוּסָף

[On Rosh Chodesh,] one should put on all [the pairs of] tefillin before Mussaf,

אֲבָל הַשִּׁעוּרִים לוֹמְדִים אַחַר סִיּוּם כָּל הַתְּפִלָּה

but the [daily] readings should be recited after completing all the morning prayers.

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

דִי עֲבֵירוֹת פוּן דִי אִידעֶן (אִין דעֶר צַייט פוּן דִי יְוָנִים) זיַינעֶן געֶוועֶן

In the Hellenistic era, the Jews sinned

דאָס חַבֶרְ'ן זִיך מִיט דִי יְוָנִים, לעֶרנעֶן זיֵיעֶר קוּלְטוּר

by fraternizing with the Greeks, studying their culture,

חִלּוּל שַׁבָּת וּמוֹעֵד, עֶסעֶן טְרֵפוֹת, נִיט הִיטְן דִי אִידִישׁעֶ טַהֲרָה

desecrating Shabbos and the festivals, eating treif food, and failing to observe the laws of Jewish family purity.

דִי שְׁטרָאף-צָרָה אִיז געֶוועֶן

The blow of retribution was

דעֶר גיַיסְטִיגעֶר חוּרְבָּן פוּן בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ

the spiritual destruction of the Beis HaMikdash,

הֲרִיגָה אוּן שְׁקלאַפעֶרַי אִין גָלוּת

the slaughter [of many thousands], and slavery in exile.

דוּרְך תְּשׁוּבָה אוּן מְסִירַת נֶפֶשׁ

Teshuvah and mesirus nefesh

אִיז געֶקוּמעֶן דִי גְרוֹיסֶע ג-טלִיכֶע וואוּנְדֶער-יְשׁוּעָה, דֶער נֵס חֲנוּכָּה

brought about the wondrous G‑dly salvation — the miracle of Chanukah.

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

הַנָּהוּג אֵצֶל הַצֶּמַח צֶדֶק

The Tzemach Tzedek would customarily

כִּי בְּאֶחָד מִלֵּילֵי חֲנוּכָּה הָיוּ עוֹשִׂים כְּעֵין פאַרבְּרֵיינגעֶן עִם בְּנֵי הַבַּיִת

On one of the evenings of Chanukah, he would hold a kind of farbrengen with the members of his family,

" וְהָיוּ בָּאִים גַּם כַּלוֹתָיו, וְנִקְרָא “לאַטקעֶס אָוועֶנט

including his daughters-in-law. This gathering was known as a “latke evening.”

וְכֵן הָיָה אֵצֶל רַבֵּנוּ‏ הַזָּקֵן וְאַדְמוּ"ר הָאֶמְצָעִי

The Alter Rebbe and the Mitteler Rebbe had done likewise.

בֵּין הַסִּפּוּרִים שֶׁהָיוּ הָרַבֵּיִים מְסַפְּרִים בִּסְעוּדָה זוֹ

The stories and subjects that they passed on at this festive meal

הָיוּ סִפּוּרִים אֲשֶׁר בְּכָל חֲנוּכָּה הָיוּ מְשׂוֹחֲחִים אוֹדוֹתָם

included some that they spoke of every Chanukah,

אַף שֶׁכְּבָר דִּבְּרוּ מִזֶה בְּשָׁנָה הֶעָבְרָה

even though they had spoken of them the previous year.

אַאַמוּ"ר הָיָה נוֹתֵן דְּמֵי חֲנוּכָּה בְּלֵיל נֵר הָרְבִיעִי אוֹ הַחֲמִישִׁי

My revered father, the Rebbe [Rashab], would distribute Chanukah gelt on the fourth or the fifth night of Chanukah.

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

בַּמַּאֲסָר הַשֵּׁנִי שֶׁל רַבֵּנוּ הַזָּקֵן — בִּשְׁנַת תקס"א

During the Alter Rebbe’s second incarceration, in 5561 (1800),

לֹא יָשַׁב בִּתְפִיסָא וּמַאֲסָר כָּבֵד כְּבָרִאשׁוֹנָה

the conditions of his confinement were not as harsh as they had been the first time.

אֲבָל הַמַּלְשִׁינוּת הָיְתָה כְבֵדָה יוֹתֵר

The slanderous charge, however, was far more severe,

כִּי עִקָּר הַהַלְשָׁנָה הָיָה עַל תּוֹרַת הַחֲסִידוּת, וְהַהִתְנַגְדוּת הָיְתָה גְּדוֹלָה בִּמְאוֹד

for it focused [not on himself personally but] on the teachings of Chassidus, and the opposition was intense.

"הָיָה תָּפוּס בּ"טַיינעֶ סָאוועֶט

He was imprisoned in the Tainy Soviet prison,

יוֹם שֶׁיָצָא לְחֵרוּת: נֵר ג' דְּחַנוּכָּה

and was released on [the day of] the third Chanukah light.

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

מְבָרְכִים רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ טֵבֵת. אֲמִירַת כָּל הַתְּהִלִּים בְּהַשְׁכָּמָה. יוֹם הִתְוַעֲדוּת

[On Shabbos Mevarchim, it is our custom] to recite the entire Book of Tehillim early in the morning and to hold a farbrengen on that day.

טַל וּמָטָר

[From this date forward, we begin requesting] tal u’matar (“dew and rain”) [in the weekday Shemoneh Esreh].

נֵר חֲנוּכָּה אַחַר הַבְדָלָה וְקוֹדֶם אֲמִירַת וְיִתֶּן לְךָ

[On Saturday night, at home,] we kindle the Chanukah lights after Havdalah, before reciting VeYiten Lecha.

בְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת נֵר חֲנוּכָּה קוֹדֶם הַבְדָלָה

In the synagogue, the Chanukah lights are kindled before Havdalah.

בְּיוֹם שַׁבָּת קֹדֶשׁ שֶׁמְּבָרְכִים הַחֹדֶשׁ

On Shabbos Mevarchim,

הַשְׁכֵּם בַּבֹּקֶר יִתְקַבְּצוּ אַנְשֵׁי שְׁלוֹמֵינוּ לְבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת לְהַגִּיד כָּל הַתְּהִלִּים

the members of the chassidic brotherhood should rise early in the morning and gather in the synagogue to recite the entire Book of Tehillim.

אַחַר הָאֲמִירָה יִלְמְדוּ כְּשָׁעָה מַאֲמָר שֶׁל חֲסִידוּת שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מוּבָן לַכֹּל, וְאַחַר כַּךְ תְּפִלָּה

Following that, for about an hour, they should study a maamar of Chassidus that everyone can understand, and then [begin the morning] prayers.

מוֹעֵד הִתְוַועֲדוּת כְּפִי הַזְּמַן שֶׁיַּגְבִּילוּ

The farbrengen [held in honor of Shabbos Mevarchim] should be scheduled

מַתְאִים לִתְנָאֵי הַמָּקוֹם, מְקוֹם דִּירָתָם לְהַצְלָחָה בְּגַשְׁמִיּוּת וּבְרוּחָנִיוּת

to suit the conditions of the place in which they live — and may they enjoy success there, both materially and spiritually.

אַחַר אֲמִירַת כָּל הַתְּהִלִּים בְּשַׁבָּת מְבָרְכִים יֹאמְרוּ קַדִּישׁ יָתוֹם

After reciting the entire Book of Tehillim on Shabbos Mevarchim, the Mourners’ Kaddish should be recited.

וְאִם יֵשׁ חִיּוּב — יָאהרצַייט אוֹ אָבֵל — אוֹמְרִים קַדִּישׁ יָתוֹם אַחַר כָּל סֵפֶר

If one of those present is obligated to recite the Mourners' Kaddish, either because he is observing a yahrzeit or because he is within the period of mourning after a close relative, he should recite it after each of the five component books [of Tehillim].

Text and translation courtesy of Sichos in English

אַאַמוּ"ר הָיָה מַדְלִיק נֵרוֹת חֲנוּכָּה בֵּין מִנְחָה לְמַעֲרִיב

My revered father, the Rebbe [Rashab], would kindle the Chanukah lights between the Afternoon Service and the Evening Service.

וְלֹא הָיָה מְדַיֵּיק בְּפֶתַח שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מִדָּרוֹם לְצָפוֹן אוֹ מִמִּזְרָח לְמַעֲרָב

He was not particular about whether it was placed in the doorway from north to south or from east to west.

הַנֵּרוֹת הַלָּלוּ — אַחַר הַדְלָקַת כָּל הַנֵּרוֹת

[He would recite the hymn] HaNeiros Halalu after all the lights were kindled.

וְהָיָה יוֹשֵׁב בְּסָמוּךְ לְהַנֵּרוֹת חֲצִי שָׁעָה

He would sit near the lights for half an hour [every evening],

לְבַד מֵעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת קוֹדֶשׁ שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה מִתְעַכֵּב חֲצִי שָׁעָה —

except for Friday afternoon when he would not wait that long.

מְדַיֵּיק שֶׁיִּדְלְקוּ הַנֵּרוֹת חֲמִשִׁים מִינוּט לְכָל הַפָּחוֹת

He would see to it that the lights should burn for at least 50 minutes.

מִנְחָה, נֵר חֲנוּכָּה, נֵר שַׁבָּת

[On the eve of Shabbos during Chanukah, the sequence is:] the Afternoon Service; Chanukah lights; Shabbos candles.

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English