LIVING WITH MOSHIACH, Parshat Ki Teitzei, 5756 B"H LIVING WITH MOSHIACH Weekly Digest About Moshiach PARSHAT KI TEITZEI Elul 8, 5756 August 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 An Orderly Life The Rebbe's Prophecy What Is Elul? Some Laws of Elul The King Is in the Field 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 we focus on the Hebrew month of Elul. * 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 3 Elul, 5756 Brooklyn, New York ************************************** * AN ORDERLY LIFE * * Adapted from a Letter of the Rebbe * ************************************** ...The general and essential nature of the resolution [to observe G-d's commandments] is: to order one's life, in every aspect of daily life, in accord with the purpose of man's creation. This purpose is, to quote the succinct formulation of our Sages: "I was created to serve my Master," and to serve Him with joy, as it is written, "Serve G-d with joy." The nature and end-purpose of this service is: "to make an abode for G-d in the lowest world." This means, to conduct oneself in such a way that every detail in the surrounding world, and certainly every detail of the individual's personal life, becomes an "abode" for G-dliness. And this is achieved through the everyday observance of Torah and mitzvot which permeate every aspect of life. All this is required of every Jew, man or woman, young or old, regardless of position and stature, as this is also indicated in the verse alluding to Rosh HaShanah: "You are standing firmly this day, all of you, before G-d your G-d: your heads... down to the drawer of your water." Every Jew, without exception, is required and expected to rise to the level of "standing before G-d, your G-d," regardless of how it was in the past year. The question arises: How can one expect every Jew to attain such a level, and to attain it truly and with joy, considering that it has to do with an "abode in the lowest world," a world that is predominantly materialistic; a world in which Jews are-- quantitatively--"the fewest among all the nations"; and, moreover, to expect it of the Jew when his indispensable physical requirements, such as eating, drinking, sleeping, making a living, etc., occupy the major part of his time and energy, leaving but little time for matters of spirit and holiness? The explanation of it--in terms understandable to all--is to be found in the concept of bitachon, trust in G-d. The concept of bitachon is the underlying theme of Psalm 27, which is recited throughout this month, the month of Elul, the month of preparation for the new year, and continued into the beginning of the new year, during the greater part of the month of Tishrei: "A Psalm by David: G-d is my light and my help; whom shall I fear?" This trust in G-d, which King David expresses on behalf of every Jew, namely, complete confidence in G-d's help, embraces both the material and spiritual aspects of life, to the extent of attaining the highest level of Divine service, as is also evident from the subsequent verses of the above Psalm, down to the concluding verse: "Hope in G-d, be strong and let your heart take courage, yes, hope in G-d." The idea of bitachon is to feel reassured and convinced that G-d will help overcome all difficulties in life, both material and spiritual, since "G-d is my light and my help." It is especially certain that everyone, man or woman, is able to carry out his or her mission in life, and do so with joy, reflecting on the extraordinary privilege of having been chosen by G-d to be His emissary on earth for the purpose of "making for Him an abode in the lowest world," and with the assurance of having G-d's light, help and fortitude to carry out this mission. The joy of it is further increased by contemplating the nature of this help from G-d, which comes to him in a manner of "I turn to my loving G-d and my loving G-d turns to me"--the G-d Who loves me with infinite Divine love. And this love is bestowed particularly from Rosh Chodesh Elul through Yom Kippur, as explained by our Sages. Hence, during this time, as well as throughout the coming year, this extraordinary Divine love must evoke in the heart of every Jew a boundless love for G-d, as the psalmist expresses it: "Whom have I in heaven? and on earth I desire nothing but You; my flesh and my heart languish for You, O G-d." Here, too, the love and trust in G-d are underscored in all aspects of life: "in heaven"--the spiritual, and "on earth"--the material. Bitachon in G-d is, for every Jew, an inheritance from our Patriarchs, as is written, "In You our fathers trusted; they trusted--and You delivered them." It is deeply ingrained in the Jewish heart and soul; all that is necessary is to bring it to the surface so that it permeates all aspects of daily life. In light of the rule enunciated by our Sages of blessed memory, that "By the measure that a person measures, it is measured to him," it follows that the stronger and more embracing one's bitachon, the greater, more evident, and more inclusive is the fulfillment of this truth, through the blessing that G-d bestows, materially and spiritually. ************************ * 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 * ********************************************* ***************** * WHAT IS ELUL? * ***************** A Month of Mercy In the generation of the Exodus from Egypt, Moses ascended Mount Sinai three times. The first was to receive the Torah. The second was to plead with G-d for His forgiveness, after the Jewish people sinned in worshipping the golden calf. Then, on the first day of Elul--the month immediately preceding Tishrei--Moses ascended the mountain a third time, to invoke G-d's abundant mercy for our complete atonement. He remained there for forty days, until Yom Kippur, when G-d cleansed us completely, as though we had never sinned. Since then, these days are marked as a special period of Divine grace, during which our sincere prayers are sure to find favor in the eyes of G-d. ********************* * SOME LAWS OF ELUL * ********************* * The Shofar [1] is sounded every weekday morning, except on Shabbat, and the last day of Elul, Erev Rosh HaShanah. [2] * Psalm 27 is added to the daily morning and afternoon prayers. * It is customary to give additional charity each weekday. * During the entire month of Elul we greet friends with the traditional blessings of, "May you be inscribed and sealed for a good and sweet year." It is customary to send friends and relatives New Year's greetings with blessings for the coming year. * It is customary to have our mezuzot and tefillin checked to make sure they are still fit. * To be more careful about keeping kosher. * Beginning Saturday night, September 7, and on the following weekday mornings until the eve of Rosh HaShanah, Selichot [3] (special penitential prayers) are recited. * Elul is an appropriate time to reflect on our actions and attitudes of the previous year, and resolve to correct our shortcomings. We increase our good deeds and try to be more meticulous in our observance of those mitzvot that we already perform. _______________ 1. Maimonides explains that the shofar is blown as the means of stirring the Jew to repentance. He says the call of the shofar is: "Awaken, you sleepers, from sleep, you slumberers from slumber; search your actions and return in penitence." 2. To differentiate between the shofar sounding of Elul, which is custom and that of Rosh HaShanah, which is prescribed by the Torah. 3. The Sephardic custom is to recite them during the entire month of Elul. According to the Ashkenazic custom, they are recited beginning on the Saturday preceding Rosh HaShanah after midnight and thereafter each morning until Rosh HaShanah. **************************** * THE KING IS IN THE FIELD * **************************** When the king is enthroned in his palace, he is not easily accessible; audience is granted only to those who have merited his attention. But when the king is in public, anyone may approach him. Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the first Rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch, compared the month of Elul to a time when a king, returning to his palace, passes through the surrounding fields and greets his subjects with a shining countenance. During Elul, G-d--the "King of the Universe"-- is available to anyone who turns to Him...and He graciously accepts our petitions and grants our requests. ******************** * 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. Preparations for the High Holidays: "Our Sages state that thirty days before a holiday, we should learn the laws pertaining to it. It is already less than thirty days before the holidays of Tishrei begin and in this context, it is necessary to mention the importance of providing Jews with their holiday needs so that they will be able to celebrate Rosh HaShanah and the holidays that follow in the manner stated in the Bible, 'Eat sumptuous foods and drink sweet beverages and send portions to those who do not have them prepared.'" The Rebbe, Elul, 5750/1990 =============================================================== = End of Text: Living With Moshiach, Parshat Ki Teitzei, 5756 = ===============================================================