LIVING WITH MOSHIACH, Parshat Teruma, 5756 B"H LIVING WITH MOSHIACH Weekly Digest About Moshiach PARSHAT TERUMA ADAR 3, 5756 FEB. 23, 1996 * Published Weekly By Lubavitch Shluchim Conferences On The Moshiach Campaign, Committee For The Blind * * * 5756 *********************************************** * 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 Moshiach Matters When Adar begins, we increase in joy The Seventh of Adar The Ninth of Adar Please Tell Me What the Rebbe Said A Call To Action ****************** * INTRODUCTION * ****************** We are pleased to present, to the visually impaired and the blind, our weekly publication, Living With Moshiach. * In this week's issue, our feature presentations focus on the Seventh and Ninth of Adar: The Seventh of Adar (next Tuesday, February 27), is the birthday and yahrtzeit of Moshe Rabbeinu. The Ninth of Adar, (next Thursday, February 29), is the day that in 1940, the previous Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn, arrived in the United States. * Our sincere appreciation to L'Chaim weekly publication, published by the Lubavitch Youth Organization, and to the publishers of Sichos In English, 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 22 Shevat, 5756 Brooklyn, New York ***************************************** * THE WEEKLY TORAH PORTION * * Adapted from the Works of the Rebbe * ***************************************** Parshat Teruma This week's Torah portion, Teruma, tells of G-d's command to the Jewish People to erect for Him a Tabernacle. The purpose of the Tabernacle is alluded to in its name, "Mishkan," meaning a dwelling place, a place where G-dliness would be revealed. Indeed, G-d Himself stated openly, "They shall make Me a Holy Place and I shall dwell within them." The great value and significance of the Tabernacle (and after it, the Holy Temple in Jerusalem) lies in the fact that there was a constant revelation of the Holy Presence there. It was also there that G-d spoke to Moses, and that the Children of Israel saw wonderful revelations of G-dliness. Through the existence of the Tabernacle and Temple the Holy Presence was able to be felt by each and every Jew. This also explains why the Tabernacle--and the Holy Temple-- occupies such a central role in Judaism, so much so that we still pray three times each day for its rebuilding and restoration. We beseech G-d that He should return and cause His Presence to dwell and be revealed among us, and that we should be worthy of seeing the revelation of His strength and might through the means of the Holy Temple. G-d said, "They shall make Me a Holy Place, and I shall dwell within them," and not, as would seem more grammatically correct, "within it." The reason for this grammatical incongruity is, as our sages explained, that G-d dwells "within each and every Jew." By building the Tabernacle and the Holy Temple, G-dliness was revealed within each of us. Although the Tabernacle and Holy Temple do not exist today in the physical world, the function which they served--revealing G-dliness within every Jew--is eternal and timely for us in any era. How do we make ourselves a dwelling place for G-d? By following the same building plan that the Jews used for building the Tabernacle. By taking physical materials--gold, silver, copper, acacia wood, animal skins, etc.--and using them to make a house for G-d; the physical materials themselves were made holy and were transformed into the Tabernacle. This is what we must do today. We must take everything that we come in contact with in our physical world and use it for the sake of Heaven, and thus will we build a dwelling place for G-d in our midst. A true dwelling place for G-d is achieved by sanctifying everything we do. When we eat it should not be merely to satisfy our personal cravings; rather, we must make sure that the food we eat is kosher food. When we work, it should not be for the purpose of amassing a personal fortune and for the money itself. We should work with the intention of providing for our families, being able to give charity, and performing mitzvot in an exemplary fashion. When this attitude prevails in our lives, holiness can permeate every detail of our daily lives, transforming the world into a dwelling place for G-d. Our homes can also become small "tabernacles" by doing mitzvot in them--helping the needy, studying Torah, inviting guests, observing Shabbat, etc. By doing all of the above, we create a "tabernacle" whose holiness encompasses all our surroundings and deeds. May this serve as a preparation for the building of the biggest Tabernacle of them all--the Third Holy Temple, speedily in our days. ************************ * 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 * ********************************************* ******************** * MOSHIACH MATTERS * ******************** Nothing brings a father greater joy than seeing his children join together in harmony. Similarly, when Jews join together in unity, love, and joy, G-d derives great happiness, as it were, and grants them abundant blessings, including the ultimate blessing, which is of such fundamental importance at present, the coming of the Future Redemption. The Rebbe, 23 Adar, 5751 **************************************** * WHEN ADAR BEGINS, WE INCREASE IN JOY * **************************************** It's Adar, be Happy! This is the basic theme of the Jewish month in which we find ourselves. "When Adar begins, we increase in joy," our Sages teach. But why should we be so happy just because it is Adar? In Adar we celebrate the joyous holiday of Purim, commemorating the time when the unity and prayers of the Jewish people brought about the nullification of Haman's wicked plan to annihilate the Jews. Our Sages declared Purim a day of festivity and rejoicing; of sharing our joy with our fellow-Jews. As Purim is the central holiday of Adar and the "theme" of the month, the entire month is permeated with our pursuit of joy and happiness. The Talmud describes Adar as having "a healthy mazal." It is a month which brings the Jewish people strength and true health. In the month of Adar, G-d's blessings for a good and sweet year are renewed, intensified, and increased. These provide more good reasons to rejoice! In our day and age we have another reason to rejoice when Adar begins. Jewish teachings explain that "Joy breaks all boundaries." As we stand literally on the threshold of the long-awaited Redemption of the Jewish people and the entire world, the Rebbe has suggested that our every action be permeated with joy in the hope that this will break through the last boundaries of exile. May the joy we experience in these, the last days of exile, hasten the coming of the ultimate joy, the coming of Moshiach. May we join one Redemption to another and connect the redemption of Purim to the Messianic Redemption. May it take place imminently. **************************************** * THE SEVENTH OF ADAR * * Adapted from the Works of the Rebbe * **************************************** The Seventh of Adar, (next Tuesday, Feb. 27), is the birthday and yahrtzeit of Moshe Rabbeinu (Moshe our teacher). The Rebbe has spoken numerous times about the significance of this date in our G-dly service. In one of the Rebbe's last public addresses, the Rebbe delved further into the significance of this date. On a person's birthday, "his mazal (source of influence) shines powerfully." If this concept applies to the birthday of any Jew, surely it applies with regard to the birthday of a nasi (leader) of the Jewish people. Nor is this relevant merely as an event in the past. Instead, each year, the positive influence associated with the Seventh of Adar is increased, reaching a level immeasurably higher than in previous years. The birthday of a nasi affects every member of the Jewish people, for the nasi is the source of influence through whom G-d's blessings are drawn down for the entire people. Seven is symbolic of a complete cycle. Thus, the Seventh of Adar should inspire every Jew to carry out his service in a complete manner. The positive influence of the month of Adar will facilitate the performance of this service. Similarly, these positive influences will hasten the coming of the Redemption. It is of utmost importance that the Redemption come sooner, even a moment sooner, for the Divine Presence and the Jewish people are in exile. Therefore, it is important to hasten the coming of the Redemption; every single moment its coming can be speeded is significant. The potential for this certainly exists: the very next moment can be the last moment of the exile, and the moment that follows, the first moment of Redemption. ********************* * THE NINTH OF ADAR * ********************* This coming week contains within it a special date for the American Chabad-Lubavitch community, yet possibly even more so for the American Jewish community at large. The date is the Ninth of Adar, this year, Thursday, Feb. 29. On this day in 1940, the previous Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn, arrived in the United States. For all purposes, this day marks the beginning of the "dissemination of the wellsprings (of Chassidus) to the outside" in the Northern Hemisphere. After his arrival in the United States, the previous Rebbe successfully devoted himself to establishing a strong educational system here. Within two years, yeshivot in New York, Montreal, Newark, Worcester and Pittsburgh were founded. This flurry of activity, however, did not at all affect the manner in which he continued to work toward the establishment of educational organizations in other parts of the world. For, within ten years, programs were started in Paris, Safaria (Israel) and North Africa. Before his arrival in the United States, the previous Rebbe was told that "America is different." The customs and ways from the "old country" just wouldn't do here. The Rebbe replied in his usual indomitable manner, "America is not different!" and proceeded, throughout the rest of his life, to prove that he was right. The Jewish community here is greatly indebted to this prophetic and visionary giant. **************************************** * PLEASE TELL ME WHAT THE REBBE SAID * * Weekly Torah Insights For Children, * * Adapted from the Works of the Rebbe * **************************************** Parshat Teruma This week's parshah teaches us about building the mishkan, the Sanctuary which traveled with the Jews through the desert. The walls of the Mishkan were made of wooden planks cut from cedar trees. We can learn a lesson from the use of cedar trees for the mishkan. The Torah calls the cedar trees atzei shittim, and this name helps us understand the lesson which the cedar trees teach us. The Hebrew word shittim comes from shtus--something foolish. Our sages teach us that a person will not commit a sin unless he thinks foolishly. Every Jew wants to be close to G-d and to do what He wants us to do. So what foolish "shtus" could cause a person to sin? It's the yetzer hora [evil inclination], which tries to convince him that he can commit the sin and still be close to G-d. The person doesn't always realize that this is not true, and that believing it is foolish. That is one type of shtus, but there is also "good shtus." But how can shtus be good? Good things aren't foolish. Being foolish means doing things without thinking. Yet sometimes, doing something without thinking can be good. For example, before the Jews received the Torah, they said naaseh venishmah, "We will do and we will listen." They promised to do what G-d said without waiting to hear what He would tell them to do. Was that foolish? Well, the Jews didn't think about what G-d would tell them to do before they made that promise. They promised to follow G-d's instructions before knowing what they would be. This is good shtus. Good shtus means kabbalas ol--deciding to fulfill G-d's mitzvot, and studying the Torah just because G-d tells us to. Every Jew has a mishkan [Divine Sanctuary] in his heart. Like the mishkan in the desert was built from atzei shittim, we can build our mishkan by teaching the part of ourselves which listens to the shtus of the yetzer hora, to do "good shtus." ******************** * A CALL TO ACTION * ******************** The Rebbe's slogan is: "The main thing is the deed." Hence, we present suggestions from the Rebbe's talks of what we can do to complete the Rebbe's work of bringing the Redemption. INCREASE IN JOY!: This joy will be increased by our fulfillment of the special directives for the month of Adar, to help our fellow Jews in both spiritual and material affairs: to teach a new Torah concept that they had not previously known (or to reveal additional depth in a concept with which they were already familiar), and to afford them material assistance. Fulfilling these directives will increase their happiness and thus, increase G-d's happiness, as it were. =========================================================== = End of Text: Living With Moshiach, Parshat Teruma, 5756 = ===========================================================