Hayom Yom 7 Cheshvan - Action Speech and Thought vs. Thought Speech and Action

The daily Hayom Yom with Rabbi Yosef Katzman

הַסֵּדֶר לְאַחַר מַתַּן תּוֹרָה הוּא

In the era since the Giving of the Torah, the stages [in our Divine service] are:

הֲסָרַת עָרְלַת הַגּוּף

first, removing the foreskin of the body,

הַלָּשׁוֹן

then of the tongue,

הַלֵּב

and then of the heart —

מַעֲשֶׂה דִּבּוּר מַחֲשָׁבָה

action, speech, and thought.

אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ שֶׁהָיָה קוֹדֶם מַתַּן תּוֹרָה

Avraham Avinu, who lived before the Giving of the Torah,

הֲרֵי בַּתְּחִילָה הִכִּיר אֶת בּוֹרְאוֹ — מַחֲשָׁבָה

first “recognized his Creator” — thought;

אַחַר כַּךְ פִּרְסֵם אֱלֹקוּתוֹ — דִּבּוּר

then publicized G‑d’s existence — speech;

וְאַחַר כַּךְ מִילָה — מַעֲשֶׂה

then performed the circumcision — action.3

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

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