LIVING WITH MOSHIACH, Parshat Vayeitzei, 5755 B"H LIVING WITH MOSHIACH Weekly Digest About Moshiach PARSHAT VAYEITZEI Kislev 8, 5755 Nov. 11, 1994 * Published Weekly By Lubavitch Shluchim Conferences On The Moshiach Campaign, Committee For The Blind * * * 5755 "Year of Hakhel" ********************************************* * TO RECEIVE THIS PUBLICATION VIA INTERNET: * * E-Mail: yys@dorsai.org * * FOR CHABAD-LUBAVITCH IN CYBERSPACE: * * E-Mail: info@chabad.org * ********************************************* THIS PUBLICATION IS DEDICATED TO THE REBBE, RABBI MENACHEM M. SCHNEERSON OF LUBAVITCH "I BELIEVE WITH COMPLETE FAITH IN THE ARRIVAL OF THE MOSHIACH. AND THOUGH HE MAY TARRY, I SHALL WAIT EACH DAY, ANTICIPATING HIS ARRIVAL." Maimonides, Principles of the Faith, No. 12 ********************* * TABLE OF CONTENTS * ********************* Introduction The Weekly Torah Portion The Rebbe's Prophecy The Ninth of Kislev Moshiach Matters **************** * INTRODUCTION * **************** We are pleased to present, to the visually impaired and the blind, the fourth issue of our weekly publication, Living with Moshiach. * This Shabbos is the Ninth of Kislev, the birthday and yahrtzeit of Rabbi Dov Ber (known as the Mittler Rebbe), the second Rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch. Therefore, we present an article about his--and all the other Chabad Rebbes'--special relationship with the Holy Land of Israel. * Our sincere appreciation to L'Chaim weekly publication, published by the Lubavitch Youth Organization, for allowing us to use their material. Also, many thanks to our copy editor, Reb Mordechai Staiman, for his tireless efforts. * It is our fervent hope that our learning about Moshiach and the Redemption will hasten the coming of Moshiach, NOW! Rabbi Yosef Y. Shagalov Administrator Committee for the Blind E-Mail: yys@dorsai.org 27 Cheshvan, 5755, Year of Hakhel Brooklyn, New York *************************************** * THE WEEKLY TORAH PORTION * * Adapted from the Works of the Rebbe * *************************************** PARSHAT VAYEITZEI In this week's Torah portion, Vayeitzei, we read about Jacob's sojourn in the land of Charan. Jacob had hoped to travel to Charan with riches; he was seeking a wife among his relatives, and wealth was an important prerequisite. But, needing to escape his brother Esau's anger at having received the birthright, he had fled from his home with nothing. Nothing, that is, but his trust in G-d. Though he was traveling to his relatives, he found that he could not even rely on them; Laban, his own uncle, cheated him. After many years of tremendous toil, Jacob brought back to Canaan immense riches. His wealth was not obtained through his hard labor, though, but by virtue of his tremendous faith in G-d, as the Bible teaches us: "'Not by strength and not by might, but through My spirit,' says G-d." More significant than Jacob's wealth, however, was that "his offspring were perfect"--all of his children followed in his ways. Jacob lived with his children in galut--exile. He raised them in Charan where they were isolated from their illustrious ancestors, cut off from the study halls of Shem and Eber. Jacob trusted completely in G-d and his children grew up steeped in the traditions and teachings of the Patriarchs. Jacob was successful in the rearing of all his children, more successful, in fact, than Abraham and Isaac, who had sons who did not follow in their ways. According to chasidic philosophy, Jacob's success in bringing up his children impacted on his material welfare. "The man increased exceedingly" (Genesis 30:43). He became very wealthy. His riches were truly happy riches because he had the still greater wealth of all of his offspring following in his ways. The relevance for us, today, is clear. We must have faith in G-d. We cannot rely on promises from others that this generation of Jewish children will grow up just fine in galut. We must assure that all Jewish children will be "perfect" by educating them in the tradition of our ancestors, without compromises. Then, truly, even our material riches will be happy riches. ************************ * THE REBBE'S PROPHECY * ************************ The Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson of Lubavitch, issued a call that "THE TIME OF OUR REDEMPTION HAS ARRIVED!" and "MOSHIACH IS ON HIS WAY!" The Rebbe stressed that he is saying this AS A PROPHECY, and asks us all to prepare ourselves for the Redemption, through increasing acts of goodness and kindness. LET US ALL HEED THE REBBE'S CALL. ******************************************* * IN LOVING MEMORY OF MY DEAR GRANDFATHER * * * * Reb Shmuel Pesach Ben Reb Yaakov Dovid * * Passed away on 3 Tishrei, 5755 * * Pais * ******************************************* *********************** * THE NINTH OF KISLEV * *********************** This Shabbos is the Ninth of Kislev, the birthday and yahrtzeit of Rabbi Dov Ber (known as the Mittler Rebbe), the second Rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch. In 1816, Reb Dov Ber established a settlement of Chabad chasidim in Israel, in the city of Hebron. He encouraged the chasidim already living in other parts of Israel to resettle in Hebron. In addition, his own daughter and son-in-law moved with their family from Russia to Hebron. But the history of Chabad-Lubavitch support of people, institutions and settlements in the Holy Land predates even 1816. For the first Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Shneur Zalman, vigorously encouraged his followers to support the Jews in the Holy Land. Each and every Rebbe of Chabad, up to and including the present Rebbe, has unequivocally supported the Holy Land and spoken out boldly concerning anything that might have the slightest impact on the security of the Jews there. Our brethren in Israel know first-hand about the Rebbe's concern for them and their lives. During the Gulf War the Rebbe's emphatic message that "Israel is the safest place in the world, for G-d is constantly watching it," was continuously played on the radio. The hundreds of Chabad Centers that dot the Israeli landscape were deluged with callers during the Gulf War, asking, "What is the Rebbe saying now?" Without a doubt, and everyone can be sure of this, the Rebbe's policy has not changed one iota in the past 44 years nor has it changed from that of his predecessors. Based on clear guidance from the Torah and Jewish law, the Rebbe reiterates: No action can be taken that might negatively affect the safety of the Jews of the Holy Land. In the merit of Rabbi Dov Ber, who established the first Chabad settlement in the Holy Land, may we be privileged to go together with Moshiach to the Holy Land, NOW. ******************** * MOSHIACH MATTERS * ******************** In the Era of the Redemption, according to Maimonides, "the occupation of the entire world will be solely to know G-d." From the expression, "the entire world," it appears that this phrase includes Gentiles as well. We will ultimately witness the fulfillment of the prophecy (Zephaniah 3:9), that "I will make the people pure of speech so that they will all call upon the Name of G-d," and even non-Jews will be devoted solely to seeking "the knowledge of G-d." ============================================================== = End of Text: Living With Moshiach, Parshat Vayeitzei, 5755 = ==============================================================