For example, he found it very difficult to sit alone in a special room for several hours, devoting himself to God. At first, this was next to impossible for him. But instead of giving up, he forced himself, overcoming his basic nature by spending many hours meditating in his special room.
The same was true of his daily religious obligations. They burdened him like a heavy yoke and he often felt that they would crush him. His difficulties were unimaginable.
But the Rebbe discovered a way that enabled him to bear even the heavy yoke of his devotion. Each day he would say to himself, “I have only this one day. I will ignore tomorrow and all future days. I have only this one day alone.”
In this manner, the Rebbe was able to bear the yoke of his devotion for that day. It was only for one day, and for just a single day one can accept all sorts of burdens. Only when that day’s devotions were finished would the Rebbe accept the next day’s responsibilities.
This was the Rebbe’s way. He would consider only one day at a time. In this manner, he was able to bear an extremely heavy yoke of devotion, a burden he could not otherwise endure at all.
For the Rebbe served God with all sorts of devotions requiring great exertion and effort. His routine was so difficult that it would have been absolutely impossible had he not considered each day as the only day.
וְכָל דָּבָר וְדָבָר שֶׁרָצָה לַעֲשׂוֹת בַּעֲבוֹדַת ה' הָיָה קָשֶׁה עָלָיו מְאֹד, בְּכָל מִינֵי כְּבֵדוּת שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם.
No religious experience came easily for the Rebbe. Whenever he served God, he experienced every possible hardship.
וּבַתְּחִלָּה הָיָה קָשֶׁה עָלָיו מְאֹד לֵישֵׁב יְחִידִי בְּבַיִת מְיֻחָד אֵיזֶה שָׁעוֹת רְצוּפִים לַעֲסֹק בַּעֲבוֹדַת ה'. וְזֶה הַדָּבָר הָיָה קָשֶׁה עָלָיו מְאֹד בִּתְחִלָּה. אַךְ הוּא ז"ל הָיָה מַכְרִיחַ עַצְמוֹ מְאֹד וְשִׁבֵּר תַּאֲוָתוֹ וְיָשַׁב כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה שָׁעוֹת בְּכָל יוֹם בְּהִתְבּוֹדְדוּת בְּחֶדֶר מְיֻחָד.
For example, he found it very difficult to sit alone in a special room for several hours, devoting himself to God. At first, this was next to impossible for him. But instead of giving up, he forced himself, overcoming his basic nature by spending many hours meditating in his special room.
וְכֵן הָיָה קָשֶׁה עָלָיו מְאֹד מְאֹד הָעֲבוֹדָה שֶׁהָיָה צָרִיךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת בְּכָל יוֹם. וְכָל כָּךְ הָיָה קָשֶׁה עָלָיו עַד שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה אֶפְשָׁר לִשָּׂא כְּלָל הָעֹל מִגֹּדֶל הַכְּבֵדוּת שֶׁהָיָה כָּבֵד וְקָשֶׁה עָלָיו מְאֹד מְאֹד.
The same was true of his daily religious obligations. They burdened him like a heavy yoke and he often felt that they would crush him. His difficulties were unimaginable.
וְרַק עַל־יְדֵי עֵצָה זוֹ נָשָׂא עָלָיו עֹל הָעֲבוֹדָה; הַיְנוּ שֶׁבְּכָל יוֹם הָיָה חוֹשֵׁב בְּדַעְתּוֹ שֶׁאֵין לוֹ רַק זֶה הַיּוֹם בִּלְבַד וְלֹא הִסְתַּכֵּל עַל יוֹם הַמָּחֳרָת וְעַל זְמַן שֶׁלְּהַבָּא כְּלָל, רַק כְּאִלּוּ אֵין לוֹ רַק זֶה הַיּוֹם לְבַד.
But the Rebbe discovered a way that enabled him to bear even the heavy yoke of his devotion. Each day he would say to himself, “I have only this one day. I will ignore tomorrow and all future days. I have only this one day alone.”
וְעַל כֵּן הָיָה יָכוֹל לִשָּׂא עָלָיו עֹל הָעֲבוֹדָה שֶׁל זֶה הַיּוֹם לְבַד. כִּי עַל יוֹם אֶחָד לְבַד יָכוֹל הָאָדָם לְקַבֵּל עָלָיו כָּל מִינֵי עֲבוֹדוֹת שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם מֵאַחַר שֶׁהוּא רַק לְיוֹם אֶחָד בִּלְבַד. וּכְשֶׁגָּמַר הָעֲבוֹדָה שֶׁל זֶה הַיּוֹם אֲזַי בְּיוֹם הַמָּחֳרָת חָזַר וְקִבֵּל עָלָיו הָעֲבוֹדָה שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ יוֹם הַמָּחֳרָת.
In this manner, the Rebbe was able to bear the yoke of his devotion for that day. It was only for one day, and for just a single day one can accept all sorts of burdens. Only when that day’s devotions were finished would the Rebbe accept the next day’s responsibilities.
וְכֵן נָהַג תָּמִיד, שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה חוֹשֵׁב בְּדַעְתּוֹ כִּי־אִם אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם לְבַד וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה הָיָה יָכוֹל לִשָּׂא עַל־עַצְמוֹ עֹל עֲבוֹדָתוֹ, שֶׁהָיְתָה כְּבֵדָה עָלָיו מְאֹד.
This was the Rebbe’s way. He would consider only one day at a time. In this manner, he was able to bear an extremely heavy yoke of devotion, a burden he could not otherwise endure at all.
וּבְלֹא זֶה, לֹא הָיָה יָכוֹל לִשָּׂא עָלָיו כְּלָל, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁהָיָה מַרְבֶּה בַּעֲבוֹדַת ה' מְאֹד בְּכַמָּה מִינֵי עֲבוֹדוֹת בְּכָל יוֹם וְהַכֹּל בְּטִרְחָא וּבִיגִיעָה גְּדוֹלָה וּבִכְבֵדוּת גָּדוֹל מְאֹד, עַד שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה אֶפְשָׁר לִשָּׂא עָלָיו עֹל כָּזֶה, כִּי־אִם עַל־יְדֵי עֵצָה הַנַּ"ל, שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה חוֹשֵׁב בְּדַעְתּוֹ רַק אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם בִּלְבַד כַּנַּ"ל.
For the Rebbe served God with all sorts of devotions requiring great exertion and effort. His routine was so difficult that it would have been absolutely impossible had he not considered each day as the only day.