Hayom Yom 29 Adar 1 - Two responses to the toast of LeChayim

The daily Hayom Yom with Rabbi Yosef Katzman

הפטורה: וַיִכְרוֹת יְהוֹיָדַע גו

The haftarah [for the Shabbos of Parshas Shekalim] begins Vayichros Yehoyada (II Melachim 11:17-12:17).

וּמוֹסִיפִים פָּסוּק רִאשׁוֹן וְאַחֲרוֹן שֶׁל הַפְטוֹרַת מָחָר חֹדֶשׁ

At its conclusion, the maftir adds the first and last verses of the haftarah beginning Vayomer lo...machar chodesh (I Shmuel 20:18-42).

מְבָרְכִים רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ אֲדָר שֵׁנִי

[On the Shabbos preceding Rosh Chodesh,] we bless the new month, Adar II.

אֲמִירַת כָּל הַתְּהִלִּים בְּהַשְׁכָּמָה. יוֹם הִתְוַעֲדוּת

[It is our custom] to recite the entire Book of Tehillim early in the morning and to hold a farbrengen on that day.

בַּאֲמִירַת לְחַיִּים יֵשׁ שְׁתֵּי נוּסְחָאוֹת

There are two common responses to the traditional toast of LeChayim (lit., “To life!”):

א) לְחַיִּים טוֹבִים וּלְשָׁלוֹם

(a) LeChayim tovim u’leshalom (“For a good life and for peace”).

וְטַעַם הַבְּרָכָה

The explanation for this blessing is

לִהְיוֹת כִּי בִּשְׁתִיַּת הַיַּיִן הַנִּזְכֶּרֶת בַּפַּעַם הָרִאשׁוֹנָה בַּתּוֹרָה הָיוּ תּוֹצָאוֹת לֹא טוֹבִים

that the Torah’s first mention of drinking wine involved negative consequences.

וַיָּחֶל נֹחַ גו', וְעֵץ הַדַּעַת גֶּפֶן הָיָה

[the Torah says] “And Noach began….” [Similarly, according to one view,] the Tree of Knowledge [which was the subject of Adam’s sin] was a grapevine.

וְלָכֵן מְבָרְכִים שֶׁיַּיִן זֶה יִהְיֶה לְחַיִּים טוֹבִים

Hence, [when a person drinks,] we bless him that this wine should lead to a good life.

בּ) הָרַב הַמַּגִּיד מִמּעֶזְרִיטְשׁ הָיָה עוֹנֶה לְחַיִּים וְלִבְרָכָה

(b) The Maggid of Mezritch would respond LeChayim veliverachah (“For life and for blessing”).

פַּעַם בְּהִתְוַעֲדוּת שֶׁהָיָה נוֹכֵחַ רַבֵּנוּ הַזָּקֵן

Once, at a farbrengen attended by the Alter Rebbe,

עָנָה רַבֵּנוּ הַזָּקֵן: לְחַיִּים וְלִבְרָכָה

[a chassid said LeChayim, and] the Alter Rebbe responded LeChayim veliverachah.

אַחֲרֵי הַהִתְוַעֲדוּת שׂוֹחֲחוּ הַחֲסִידִים בְּטַעַם נוּסַח זֶה, שֶׁשָּׁמְעֻהוּ אָז פַּעַם הָרִאשׁוֹנָה

After the farbrengen, the chassidim discussed the possible reasons for this version, which they had just heard for the first time.

אֶחָד הַחֲסִידִים אָמַר

One of the chassidim commented

אֲשֶׁר לִהְיוֹת כִּי נִכְנַס יַיִן יָצָא סוֹד

that since “when wine enters, secrets emerge”

וּבַעֲבוֹדָה הוּא הִתְגַּלּוּת הַמִּדּוֹת

which in terms of one’s labors of self-refinement signifies the revelation of one’s spiritual emotions

לָכֵן זְקוּקִים לִבְרָכָה

one stands in need of a blessing [that this endeavor should succeed].

וְהַנּוּסַח הוּא “לְחַיִּים וְלִבְרָכָה" — אוֹתִיוֹת לֵב-רַכָּה

Moreover, [that chassid continued,] the wording of the blessing is “for life and for blessing” — LeChayim veliverachah, because in the Holy Tongue, the word liverachah (לברכה) shares the same letters as lev rakah (לב רכה), and this spelling suggests “a heart that is soft.” [I.e., chassidim wish each other life, and a heart that is sensitive and responsive to spiritual stimuli.]

הַצֶּמַח צֶדֶק אָמַר עַל זֶה

The Tzemach Tzedek commented on this:

דאָס קעֶן זאָגעֶן אַ חָסִיד, וואָס האָט געֶדאַוועֶנט אוּן געֶטאָן אִין עֲבוֹדָה דְרַייסִיג יאָהְר

“Such words could come only from a chassid who had davened [as a Chabad chassid should] and toiled in avodah for thirty years.”

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English