Likkutei Torah and Torah Or are the two volumes of an anthology of deeply inspirational teachings in divine service (known as ‘maamarim’) delivered by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi (author of the Tanya) and compiled by his grandson, the Tzemach Tzedek. Each teaching explores themes relating to one of the Torah portions (parshiot) or holidays of the year. They were initially intended to be published together as a set under the same title. However, after the first volume was printed under “Torah Or” in 1837, the printing press unexpectedly closed down. The set’s second half was not printed until eleven years later under the new title Likkutei Torah. The first volume, Torah Or, contains teachings on the parshiot from the books of Bereishit and Shemot and on Megilat Ester. Likkutei Torah contains teachings on the books of Vayikra, Bamidbar, Devarim, Shir Hashirim, and the High Holidays from Rosh Hashana through Simchat Torah. Cherishly coined “The Chassidishe Parsha” by Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Shneerson, these foundational works build upon mountains of holy Jewish scholarship and have since been explored and expanded upon in generations of Chassidic teachings1.
The Lubavitcher Rebbe זי’’ע repeated many times his request that every Jew in general and in particular every Chassid should learn every week the Chassidishe Parsha of Torah Or/Likkutei Torah. He emphasized that these maamarim contain the fundamental teachings of all of Chassidus2. Below is a brief selection of quotes (From LearnChassidus.com and R’ Moshe Shor:
5715: TORAS MENACHEM VOL. 13 PAGE 175
Everyone should take it upon themselves to learn every week the maamarim of Torah Or Likkutei Torah connected to that week….these words aren’t meant only for those here but for every Jew in the entire world!
5723: YUD TES KISLEV
“It’s a Mitzvah, Choiva, Zchus, and Choiv Kodoish, with every other title possible to use—to let oneself be Boki(proficient) in Likkutei Torah, to let oneself be Boki in Torah Ohr…..not necessarily proficiency in every single letter, but at the very least being Boki in the content”.
5725: VAYAKHEL
“One must finish every single Maamar of that particular Parsha in that week, not pushing it off to other weeks…the Maamorim of Shir haShirim should be learned during the course of the year, so that consequently the entire Likkutei Torah is finished by Parshas Bracha…the main Chiyuv of learning Likkutei Torah every single week is for those 20 years old and older…nonetheless, it’s proper for those younger to do it as well—the younger, the more praiseworthy”.
Many Shabbosim during 5725: “As usual, those who’ve finished Likkutei Torah for this week—and those who will finish before Havdalah—should say LChaim”.
5725: TORAS MENACHEM VOL.42 PAGE 306-308, VOL.44 PAGE 93
Whoever is here today and every Jew for all time, even a Jew who is only called a Jew, should take it upon themselves to learn Likkutei Torah every week!
5732: SIMCHAS TORAH
”Another reason—some Shpitz Chabad used the availability of Likkutei Sichos to cease learning Torah Ohr & Likkutei Torah…since it’s a new year, everyone should learn the Maamorim of Torah Ohr & Likkutei Torah… and there won’t be any time to write letters demanding the reinstitution of Likkutei Sichos..”
5746: TORAS MENACHEM 5746 VOL. 3 PAGE (384-)388
Everyone should increase in learning the Inner Dimension of the Torah, starting with the Likutay Torah, even though we must certainly learn the maamarim of the Rebbe of this generation, at the same time we must fulfill the instruction to learn the Chassidishe Parsha…through this we will merit to learn the Inner Dimension of the Torah from Moshiach himself!
5749: SEFER HASICHOS 5749 PAGE 41
The custom among many chassidim has been to learn Likkutei Torah of that week with their family members, even young children.
5752: SHABBOS PARSHAS CHAYEI SARAH 5752
Just as it was requested that everyone learn the entire Rambam since it includes all of the Oral Torah of the Revealed Torah, so too should everyone learn the entire Torah Or/Likutay Torah which includes in it the entire teachings of Chassidus…and this will hasten the completion of our mission to bring Moshiach! (learnchassidus.com)