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                              L'CHAIM                 ISSUE No. 9
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26 Iyar, 5748         Parshat Behar-Bechukosai       May 13, 1988
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          THE WEEKLY PUBLICATION FOR EVERY JEWISH PERSON
Dedicated to the memory of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson N.E.
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                         PROCLAIM LIBERTY

   Quick, where is it written, "Proclaim liberty throughout the
land..."?  If you said the Liberty Bell, you get ten points.  If
you guessed the Torah, you hit the jackpot.

   "The Torah?" you ask.  "You mean the Five Books of Moses...the
Bible?"  Yes! It's written in the book of Leviticus; and in this
day and age of plagiarism, isn't it nice to know the true source?

   The fact that this phrase is written on the Liberty Bell
indicates how important liberty--freedom--is to our society.

   To punish someone who has wronged society, we take away their
freedom.  We imprison them.  While incarcerated, they are hopefully
being rehabilitated.  They attend classes, paint road signs and
license plates.  Some even become writers.  This is, of course, the
best scenario.  Many don't reform at all; and, once back on the
street, commit the same or worse crimes.

   The Torah, however, has a different approach to rehabilitation.
In the past, corporal punishment was used, albeit sparingly. It was
a constructive means of punishment; the person could return to
being a productive member of society rather quickly.  And, he
wasn't surrounded by hardened criminals and outcasts from society.

   Another form of punishment was to be sold into slavery.  The
criminal lost his freedom, his liberty.  But he didn't lose his
dignity.  A slave, according to Jewish law, must be treated well.
If there was only one pillow in the home, it went to the slave!
And, as you can probably imagine, the criminal/slave was placed in
a home with people whose behavior he would do well to emulate.
Where he would learn right from wrong and truly become
rehabilitated.

   The Torah has plenty of good, sound advice on how to live as
civilized people.  It can clarify many questions.  It's worth
looking into.  After all, it is the true source!

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                       LIVING WITH THE TIMES
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                     THE WEEKLY TORAH PORTION
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   "If you walk in My statutes and keep my commandments and do
them; then I will give you rains in their season, and the land
shall yield her produce..."

   These are the opening words of the second of this week's two
Torah portions, Behar and Bechukosai.

   One kind of reward for the performance of a mitzvah is
mentioned in this verse, "I will give you rains in their
season...."  Here the  material benefits for observing mitzvos are
enumerated.  To merit the material and spiritual blessings of G-d,
we must "walk" in His statutes.

   The second reward for a mitzvah is the mitzvah itself.  A
mitzvah helps a person establish a bond with the infinite G-d.  In
fact, the word mitzvah has its root in a Hebrew word meaning
joined.  Every time a person does a mitzvah, they become closer to
G-d.

   In particular, this verse mentions the specific mitzvos called
"statutes."  Statutes are the commandments for which we have no
explanation.  Some commandments, such as those to set up legal
systems, or not to steal and murder, can be easily understood.
They're logical and societal.  Other mitzvos, like celebrating the
holidays, serve as reminders.  But statutes are decrees which, like
the edicts of a king, must be followed regardless of our ability to
understand them.

   Before doing a mitzvah, we recite a blessing:  "Blessed are
you...Who made us holy with His commandments and commanded us..."
In the end, it is because G-d commanded us, and because we want to
be in close contact with G-d, that we do the mitzvah.

             From "A Thought For The Week,"--Detroit.
         Adapted from the works of the Lubavitcher Rebbe.

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                           SLICE OF LIFE
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                CHASIDIC ROCK BAND--PIAMENTA STYLE

   The Piamenta band is unique in the Jewish music world because
of their driving rock 'n' roll beat and jazz inflections; distinct
in the  rock world, because of their utterly Jewish message.

   Yosi Piamenta plays lead guitar and Avi (four years younger)
plays flute, piano, and keyboards.  Both brothers write the band's
music and do vocals.

   Yosi and Avi were born in Jerusalem but grew up in Tel Aviv. At
thirteen, Yosi got his first guitar as a Bar Mitzvah gift.  By
eighteen, he was very much involved with rock and roll, influenced
by such groups as Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, and most of all, Jimi
Hendrix.  He joined the army as a musician, and played for the
soldiers in a military band.

   Once out of the army, Yosi joined a famous Israeli band which
just happened to be his uncle's.  But when his uncle moved to
America, Yosi stayed and formed his own band which Avi later
joined.

   Yosi explains a little about what made their music different
from the rest.  "I felt as though in rock everything that was
supposed to be said had already been said.  So I thought, what made
me different from all the others?  That I am an Israeli Jew.  So if
they talk about love, then we'll talk about loving G-d.  And so,
even at that time, when we were not religious at all, we were
making songs like Mitzvah Goreret Mitzvah (one mitzvah begets
another) and songs about blessings."

   The arrival, in Israel, of Stan Getz, the jazz saxaphone great,
was the beginning of major changes for the Piamentas.  "I called
his hotel," Yosi continues, "and invited him to come to our house.
At first he didn't want to come, but I convinced him.  We played
our music for him and he fell in love with it.  He was supposed to
spend the next two weeks in Europe, but he postponed his trip so he
could stay in Israel and record with us.  There wasn't a newspaper
in Israel that didn't have an article about it."

   Two months later, Yosi got a call from Getz asking him to go to
America to mix the album they had worked on together.  It must have
seemed to Yosi that his big dream was coming true.

   "I left for America on my 25th birthday and I took my tefilin
with me.  I wanted to take something that would keep me tuned into
my origins.  But I was still not religious."

   Yosi lived with Stan Getz for six months and met most of the
famous jazz musicians of the time.  They enjoyed Piamentas'  music
because of its oriental flavor, something they had never heard
before.

   It was during this time that things began to change for Yosi.
"It seemed like my big American dream was blowing away.  The more I
knew these guys in person the less I wanted to be involved with
them."  Drugs, infidelity, no relationship with their children--
this was what Yosi saw, and it turned him off.

   "I wanted a strong family.  I thought there must be a code one
can follow in this business to help keep the family strong and
central.  And I found for me the only way that seemed guaranteed
was the Jewish way."  From this point on, Yosi began getting more
involved with Judaism.  "I didn't neglect my music," he says, "and
I kept on blossoming and learned more and played better and wrote
better music than ever before."

   Avi's story echoes Yosi's.  He also describes what he saw in
the lives of big name musicians as the key that helped him turn
towards Torah.  "I was able to realize something basic was
missing," he says, "and later, I was able to see that what was
missing was Torah and a Torah lifestyle."

   Unlike Yosi, Avi did worry about how his music would fit in
with his new lifestyle.  But he soon realized that there was no
contradiction.  He could combine his knowledge of music with his
knowledge of Judaism and give over a very positive and potent
message.  "When people listen to music and they move to it, then
everything is open, and they can really hear what is going on."

   Although becoming observant is not an easy thing, once he made
the move, Yosi says, he would not go back for anything in the
world.  "If they promised me a night to play with the Rolling
Stones on Shabbat, I wouldn't do it, not for all the money or fame
in the world."

              Excerpted from "Wellsprings" magazine.

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                            WHAT'S NEW?
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                       PRAYERS IN HONG KONG

   Catching a *minyan* in the Far East is a lot easier now that
there's Chabad in Hong Kong.  Every day, under the direction of
Rabbi M. Atzvon, morning prayer services take place at the Hong
Kong Hilton.  In addition, there are Sabbath and holiday activities
and classes for young and old at the Chabad Center.

                           EIGHT STORIES

   Chabad-Lubavitch in Buenos Aires recently acquired a new,
eight-story building.  The facility houses a host of programs,
including a synagogue, library, mikvah, nursery, yeshiva and
dormitory, adult education classes, Shabbat and holiday activities
and seminars.

                       JEWISH LITTLE LEAGUE

   A Jewish Little League team, organized by the Tzivos Hashem
children's club headquarters in Brooklyn, won its first game by a
score of 7 to 5.  The  season opener took place at the end of
April.

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                             INSIGHTS
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                          TO COME TO LOVE

   Shema is perhaps the best known of all Jewish prayers.  With
deceptive simplicity, it conveys many of the most basic principles
of Judaism.

   At the beginning of the paragraph we are told, "you shall love
Hashem, your G-d, with all your heart" (*v'ahavta es Hashem
Elokecha*).  This statement constitutes a clear command to every
Jew: to love our Creator.

   The obvious question arises, how can one be commanded to love?
One can compel an action, but not an emotion such as love.  How can
the Torah command this?

   The famed Maggid of Mezeritch explained that the commandment
here is one of meditation.  Since we can consciously decide to
think about anything we wish, we have the ability  to think about
things which will lead us to feel love for G-d.

   This then is the command *v'ahavta*--"you shall love*.  We are
told to meditate about topics which will awaken this feeling within
us.

   Obviously, one must first have what to think about.  Jewish
writings in general, and Chasidic works in particular, devote
lengthy  discussion to this topic.  There many categories and
levels of love; and, accordingly, there are many paths of
meditation.

   The following is a brief synopsis of one kind of meditation
among the many which are discussed in the Tanya, by Rebbe Schneur
Zalman of Liadi.  It is perhaps unique in that it is accessible to
every Jew regardless of spiritual level.

                           IT'S NATURAL

   This contemplation is based on a natural characteristic; if
someone shows love towards you then naturally you feel love in
return.  This is true even if both parties are of similar status.

   Let us imagine, though, the king of a mighty empire.  This
ruler has complete control over the life and death  of his
sub-jects, and has a myriad of ministers and servants at his
command.

   Now consider a poor, unfortunate, citizen of the kingdom,
dwelling amidst piles of rotting garbage.

   Envision the king, accompanied by his entire entourage,
personally coming to the garbage dump.  The king himself seeks out
the pauper, and raises him out of the garbage.  Furthermore, he
takes him to the palace, and even more, to the innermost chamber
where even the highest officials are forbidden to enter.  There the
king treats him with tremendous love and closeness, joining their
hearts and souls.

   As mentioned previously, any person who feels that another
loves him, naturally feels love in return.  Here, the distance
between the king and the pauper is an awesome one.  Even an
ordinary inhabitant of the land feels awe before this powerful
king; and the pauper would feel humble before even an average
citizen.  Even a pauper with a heart of stone would be overcome
with emotion upon such a display of love from such a king.

                         DWARFS AND KINGS

   This example corresponds to G-d's relationship to the Jewish
people.  The distance between the two parties, however, is much
greater; clearly, the power of the King of Kings is beyond compar-
ison.  So too, the complexity of G-d's Kingdom--the physical
universe (and even more so, that of spiritual existence)--dwarfs
the power of the wealthiest king.

   The Jewish people, on the other hand, correspond to the lowly
pauper of this parable.  In Egypt, we lived amongst the most
depraved nation on earth.  Nevertheless, we were taken out "not by
an angel," as we say in the Haggadah, but by G-d Himself.  We were
then "brought into the palace" and given the Torah at Mt. Sinai.

   So too today, we receive our physical needs from G-d, and are
elevated out of this coarse physical world.  We are given the
opportunity to unite with the King of Kings through learning Torah
and doing mitzvos.

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                         WHAT'S IN A NAME?
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NOACH (Noah) means rest, or quiet.  Noach was the father of all
mankind.  He was also the first to build a ship, plant a vineyard,
and use a plowshare.

NAOMI means beautiful, pleasant.  In the book of Ruth (Chap. 1:2)
she was the mother-in-law of Ruth, a convert to Judaism.  Of Naomi,
Ruth said the famous words, "Wherever you go I will go."

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                     A WORD FROM THE DIRECTOR
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   All of us look forward eagerly to the times when we have "good
luck."  You might be surprised to know, however, that in fact we
have such a day.  Our Sages tell us that on our birthday our luck
is dominant.

   The Rebbe, shlita, recently called upon all of us to utilize
this special day in our lives by making a gathering of family and
friends.  The Rebbe's call is in accordance with the midrash which
says, "And we rejoice on that day and make a celebration."  At this
celebration-gathering, the Rebbe suggests we make good decisions,
resolutions and commitments for our new year.

   As to those of us who may be afraid to make new commitments, I
can only offer the following story which the Rebbe once told:

   A man made a commitment to give a sum of money to charity that
he simply could not afford.  Yet, after he made the pledge, he
found that he was given new sources of business that hadn't been
available to him before.  He was then able to make good on his
promise, and, much, much more.

   The Rebbe explained that this man was given new sources because
he made the commitment.

   Birthdays are most definitely a proper time to make these new
resolutions and commitments.  For, certainly if we make new 
commitments to increase in time given to a particular mitzvah,
project, or charity, the Almighty will in turn, give us the time, 
energy, or money needed to fulfill that commitment.

   And, what's more, the Almighty will do so "His way," in His
bountiful measure of goodness and kindness.  Our birthday will
indeed be our luckiest day of the year.

                                              Rabbi Shmuel Butman

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                         IT HAPPENED ONCE
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   Rabbi Samuel ben Sosarte, a great scholar of the third century,
lived in the land of Israel.  During one of his journeys to Rome,
Rabbi Samuel found a string of beautiful pearls lying on the road.
He picked the necklace up  and admired its rare beauty.

   "I wonder who lost such a rare treasure," he thought.  "Surely
it belonged to a lady of great wealth and prominence," he
concluded.

   He continued walking and soon came upon an excited crowd.  He
stopped to see what the gathering was all about.

   In the center of the crowd stood a royal herald, reading a
proclamation:

   "To all citizens of Rome.  Be it known that her Imperial
Majesty this day lost a pearl necklace of rare beauty in the
streets of Rome.  Whosoever finds it is hereby ordered to return it
to Her Majesty within thirty days, and he shall be richly rewarded.
Should the finder return it on the thirty-first day, or after, he
shall be beheaded!"

   The proclamation was repeated several times, while the growing
crowd spoke excitedly of the lucky man who found it and the reward
he would get.

   Rabbi Samuel listened to the proclamation in silence.  He felt
the pearl necklace in his pocket, and he knew it was the Queen's.
He also knew that a rich reward awaited him at the palace should he
return the necklace in good time.  But he was in no hurry to return
it.

   A day passed, and another, and many more.  Every day he heard
the proclamation again and again, promising wither reward to the
finder or cruel death, should it not be returned within thirty
days.  The whole populace of Rome was seething with excitement.
Still Rabbi Samuel held on to the necklace.

   Finally the thirtieth day came.  It was the last day to return
the necklace to the Queen.  Rabbi Samuel took it out, looked at it,
and put it away again.

   On the thirty-first day, immediately after prayers, Rabbi
Samuel went to the Queen.

   "Inform the lady-in-waiting that an old Jew wishes to see the
Queen to tell her where her lost necklace is," he said to the
guard.

   The guard disappeared at once, and hastily returned, bidding
Rabbi Samuel to appear before the Queen.

   "I am indeed privileged to return this necklace to Your
Majesty," Rabbi Samuel said, giving the Queen the necklace.

   The queen, who had already given up hope of ever seeing her
beautiful necklace again, gasped with excitement as she beheld her
most cherished treasure.  For a moment her eyes were full of
gratitude to the aged Rabbi.  Then she realized that it was the
thirty-first day since she had lost it.

   "When did you find it?" she asked.

   "Thirty-one days ago," replied Rabbi Samuel.

   "Then why did you risk your life, instead of collecting your
reward?" inquired the Queen.

   "Your Majesty," Rabbi Samuel explained, "had I brought the
necklace within thirty days, it would have appeared that I returned
it either for the sake of your reward, or for fear of your
punishment.  But neither is the true reason.  I am returning it
simply because our Torah commands us to return lost property to its
owner.  We are happy to fulfill the commandments of our Torah
without any reward.  Moreover, we are ready to die for the
observance of our precepts..."

   "Blessed is the G-d of the Jews!" exclaimed the Queen.

   Not merely was Rabbi Samuel's life spared, but he was highly
honored.  For many years the story of Rabbi Samuel's pure and
sincere honesty was the talk of all the people of Rome.

                 Reprinted from "Talks and Tales"

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                        THOUGHTS THAT COUNT
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"And the land (aretz) will give its produce" (26:4).

   The word "aretz" in this verse is from an etymological root
which is associated with desire.  This is our wish: That all our
good desires to improve in our service to GÄd do not remain only as
yearnings and good thoughts.  Rather they should "give their
produce" and come into fruition. (Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak of
Lubavitch)

                                ***

"You shall give redemption to the land" (25:24).

   This verse seems to imply that the earth is in need of
redemption.  The Baal Shem Tov explained how this can be true:  The
world is created in a way which hides the existence of GÄd.  The
job of the Jew is to "redeem" the world from its hidden state by
making G-d's presence apparent to all.

                                ***

"I broke the bands of your yoke and led you forth upright" (26:13).

   The commentator Rashi explains "upright" to mean, "with an
erect stature."  The Tzemach Tzedek, Rabbi Menachem Mendel of
Lubavitch, once said:  "G-d was kind to people in that he created
them to walk erect.  In this way, they can see the heavens.
Animals that walk on all four only see the earth that is beneath
their feet."

                                ***

"For six years you shall sow your field...but the seventh year will
be a Sabbath for the land" (25:3-4).

   This commandment stipulates that everything which the land
produces every seven years should be considered ownerless.  The
reason for this mitzvah is to remind us that the land brings forth
fruits year after year not through its own efforts or merits, but
rather, through G-d's command.  (Sefer HaChinuch)
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