Next week: Parshat Chayei Sarah, from Sunday, November 1.
The Torah is a guide for the road
That is the whole idea of this page, in his own words. The Me'or Einayim keeps the plain meaning of the parsha, and reads every story, and every word, also as advice for serving Hashem today. We take him at his word and ask one more question: what does this advice look like on a Tuesday at work?
Who was the Me'or Einayim?
Rabbi Menachem Nachum Twersky of Chernobyl (1730 to 1797) lived in Ukraine. He lost his father as a boy, studied in the yeshivot of Lithuania, and for years made a poor living as a melamed, a teacher of young children.
He became a student of the Baal Shem Tov, the founder of Chassidut, and after the Baal Shem Tov's passing, of his successor, the Maggid of Mezritch. He served as the maggid, the preacher, of Chernobyl, and was one of the first to spread Chassidut across Ukraine. The Chernobyl dynasty and the many Twersky rebbes descend from him.
His teachings were printed in Slavuta in 1798, the year after his passing, as the Me'or Einayim, "Light of the Eyes." It follows the weekly parsha and the holidays. A theme runs through the whole book: Hashem's presence is in everything, even in the lowest places, and a person can find Him and serve Him wherever he is. His yahrzeit is 11 Cheshvan.
Two minutes, five parts
Every day has the same five parts, top to bottom.
His idea in a few plain sentences.
Tap to open the key line from the Me'or Einayim in Hebrew, with our English.
How the idea applies to your job, your career and your life. This part is ours, built on his.
One small thing to do today, and one question for you or your study partner.
The verse, the full teaching step by step, and every source.
We always keep his words and our application apart, so you know which is which. Every source links to the original text.
Questions people ask
What is the Me'or Einayim?
A classic book of Chassidut by Rabbi Menachem Nachum of Chernobyl, first printed in 1798. It is arranged by the weekly parsha. The title means "Light of the Eyes," words that appear in Mishlei 15:30.
What is Chassidut?
The movement started by the Baal Shem Tov in the 1700s. It teaches that Hashem is close and present in every part of life, and that every Jew can serve Him with joy and with his whole heart, in learning, in prayer, and in ordinary daily life.
Is this a translation of the whole book?
No. Each dose quotes short passages in the original Hebrew with our own English, and explains the idea around them. The full Hebrew text is free on Sefaria, and every dose links to the exact paragraph.
Do I need a background in Chassidut or Kabbalah?
No. Every term is explained the first time it appears. If you can read a parsha sheet, you can read this.
How do I use it on Shabbat?
The Shabbat dose is written for the Shabbat table. Open it on Friday and print it, or save it as a PDF, with the Print button.
Can I learn it with a chavruta (study partner)?
Yes, and it works best that way. Every dose ends with a question to talk through. Send the day's link on WhatsApp with the Share button.
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