LIVING WITH MOSHIACH, Parshat Tzav, 5755 B"H LIVING WITH MOSHIACH Weekly Digest About Moshiach PARSHAT TZAV 15 Adar II, 5755 March 17, 1995 * 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 A Call To Action Jewish Spirit Is Not Abstract What Is Shushan Purim? **************** * INTRODUCTION * **************** We are pleased to present, to the visually impaired and the blind, the 22nd issue of our weekly publication, Living with Moshiach. * In this week's issue, once again our feature presentation focuses on the festive holiday of Purim, which begins Wednesday night, March 15. * 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 7 Adar II, 5755, Year of Hakhel Brooklyn, New York *************************************** * THE WEEKLY TORAH PORTION * * Adapted from the Works of the Rebbe * *************************************** Parshat Tzav In this week's Torah portion, Tzav, we read about the eight-day consecration of the Sanctuary. All the instructions for building the Sanctuary had been followed. The utensils and altar were ready for use, and the Jews began to bring the various types of sacrifices. Yet, "the Divine Presence did not rest on the work of their hands." For the first seven days, the Sanctuary was erected. But each day it was taken down again. Only on the eighth day of the consecration, when the last trace of spiritual impurity caused by the sin of the Golden Calf was removed, did the Heavenly fire descend and the G-dly Presence rest on the Sanctuary. We see here two components to the perpetual fire which burned on the altar. On the one hand, a fire came down from Heaven to consume the offerings. But the priests were nonetheless commanded to bring ordinary fire, too. The act of bringing the fire served as a preparation for the G-dly flame that came from Above. Only after human initiative had been taken could the G-dly fire descend. And only at that point did the Sanctuary attain permanence. Why could the G-dly fire be drawn down only after the human component of the worship was perfected? What special nature of the G-dly fire brought permanence to the Sanctuary? Human beings are finite. No matter how high their aspirations, they can reach only a finite level of spirituality. And, being finite, human beings cannot reach a level of permanence in their worship without the assistance of G-d, Who is infinite and unlimited. Permanence cannot be attained solely through human effort. The G-dly intervention added a permanence that could not be achieved by human endeavor. The Sanctuary no longer needed to be disassembled. The fire teaches us that we, as finite beings, must first complete our own tasks and achieve as much as our limited capabilities allow, in order for G-d to provide the spiritual edge that we cannot reach alone. The completion of the first seven days of the consecration also symbolized the limitations of the physical world. A week constitutes a recognized, full cycle symbolizing the spiritual limitations inherent in the corporeal world. The eighth day of the consecration symbolizes the infinite attribute of G-d that cannot be contained in the natural order of seven. This is the level of "perpetual fire'" that burned on the altar, showing that finite beings could transcend even time itself, through the perfection of their worship of G-d. The verse concerning the perpetual fire reads: "A perpetual fire shall burn on the altar--it shall not go out." This means that our enthusiasm and warmth towards Judaism must remain kindled and never be allowed to diminish. It is not enough to rely on our spiritual achievements of the day before, or even a minute ago. We must be ever vigilant to ensure that the innate spark of love of G-d in every Jewish soul never grows cold. Every single Jew is a sanctuary to G-d, as it states, "And they shall build me a Sanctuary and I will dwell in their midst"--in the midst of each and every Jew. If we always keep the spark of love for G-d and Judaism glowing, we can ensure that the Divine Presence finds a dwelling place in this world below. ************************ * 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 GRANDPARENTS, * * * * Reb Shmuel Pesach Ben Reb Yaakov Dovid * * Passed away on 3 Tishrei, 5755 * * * * Mrs. Fraidel Chedvah Bas Reb Zev Wolf * * Passed away on 4 Adar II, 5755 * * Pais * ********************************************* ******************** * A CALL TO ACTION * ******************** The Rebbe's slogan is: "The main thing is the deed." In this column we present suggestions from the Rebbe's talks of what we can do to complete the Rebbe's work of bringing the Redemption. CELEBRATE PURIM: The Rebbe has called on every Jew to observe the mitzvot of Purim: hearing the Megillah read, giving charity, eating a festive meal, sending gifts of food to friends and reciting the Al HaNissim prayer. In addition, the Rebbe asked that everyone take part in spreading the awareness of the mitzvot of Purim. "There should not be a single Jew in a far-off corner of the world who does not have the opportunity to fulfill all the mitzvot of Purim." ********************************* * JEWISH SPIRIT IS NOT ABSTRACT * * From a Letter of the Rebbe * ********************************* With the approach of Purim, I take this opportunity of extending to you prayerful wishes for a joyous and inspiring Purim, and to send you this timely message... One of the most inspiring lessons of Purim is the extraordinary courage of Mordechai Hayehudi [the "Jew"], who "would not kneel nor bow down," despite the physical vulnerability of our people being "spread and scattered among the nations"--a tiny minority against an overwhelming majority. Yet it is this uncompromising stance that brought triumph over all adversaries, so that "for the Jews there was light, joy, gladness and honor." And the awesome respect of their erstwhile detractors. The teachings of our Torah (Torah meaning "instruction"), like the Torah itself, are eternal, including the lessons of Purim; particularly since we are still "spread and scattered among the nations," including our brethren in the Holy Land, for they, too, are surrounded and besieged by numerically overwhelming hostile nations. But Purim teaches us that the strength of our Jewish people, as of every Jew individually, is in our G-d-given capacity of "not kneeling nor bowing down" to any force that is contrary to our Jewish essence, which is rooted in the Torah and mitzvot. Indeed, yielding to any influence that is alien to our Jewish spirit and way of life, far from winning goodwill and respect, must necessarily bring forth contempt, be it overt or covert. For, what is one to think of a cringing Jew who is willing to compromise his true Jewish identity and noble traditions going back to the time when the world was steeped in barbarism. Needless to say, the true Jewish spirit, as exemplified by Mordechai and Esther, must not remain in the abstract, but must be translated into concrete behavior in one's daily life, in keeping with the basic principle of our Torah that "action is the essential thing." Certainly this is to be expected of young people, who are generally blessed with a greater sense of urgency and doing. Especially young couples who start out on their own, establishing a home on the foundations of the Torah and mitzvot, to raise a family in the true tradition, and make it a binyan adei-ad [an everlasting edifice] in the fullest sense. And here, of course, a great deal depends on the akeret habayit [the foundation of the home, i.e., the woman], in whose hands G-d has entrusted the major responsibilities for the character and actual conduct of the home, such as kashrut, Shabbat observance, taharat hamishpacha [laws of purity of Jewish family life], raising the children, and so forth. This in no way diminishes the husband's full share of responsibility in this G-d-blessed partnership, and they must consistently encourage each other to upgrade all things of goodness and holiness, Torah and mitzvot; but there is no getting away from the fact that the wife and mother bear the noble calling of "the foundation of the home." It is also self-evident that together with the G-d-given task comes the G-d-given capacity to carry it out to perfection. Thus it is basically a matter of one's own will and determination. It should be noted, in conclusion, that there is no greater emphasis on the historic role of the Jewish life than in the events that brought about the Miracle of Purim, as related in the Megillah --which is named not after Mordechai, nor Mordechai and Esther jointly, but solely after Esther--Megillat Esther! Wishing you, in the midst of all our people, in the words of the Megillah, "Light, joy, gladness, and honor," in the fullest sense of these terms, including their inner meaning, "Light--this is Torah," etc. ************************** * WHAT IS SHUSHAN PURIM? * ************************** The Jews of Persia celebrated their victory over Haman and their other enemies on Adar 14. The Jews of the capital city of Shushan --a walled city--however, had a longer battle, waging war on the 13th and 14th of Adar. They therefore celebrated on the 15th. To honor the Land of Israel, our Sages ordained that any city in Israel that had been surrounded by a wall--like Shushan--during the times of Joshua would also celebrate Purim on Adar 15. Thus, the 15th of Adar became known as Shushan Purim. Jerusalem is the only city in Israel where Purim is celebrated on Adar 15. ========================================================= = End of Text: Living With Moshiach, Parshat Tzav, 5755 = =========================================================