***************************************************************** L'CHAIM ISSUE No. 20 ***************************************************************** 15 Av, 5748 Parshat Va'etchanan July 29, 1988 ***************************************************************** THE WEEKLY PUBLICATION FOR EVERY JEWISH PERSON Dedicated to the memory of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson N.E. ***************************************************************** JUST ONE LETTER Imagine a typist deciding she just couldn't deal with using the letter "A." "I'll substitute and use a thesaurus," she tells herself confidently. Angry becomes cross, grouchy or incensed. Happy becomes joyful, bright, merry. Letters to her friend Sara are addressed to Ms. Stein and the correspondence with the gas company about a bill supposedly in arrears refers to that "noxious energy source." What began as a somewhat illogical decision, or possibly even a lack of true understanding, eventually becomes a habit. The typist no longer even remembers where the "A" is on the keyboard, let alone how to spell words using it. Her vocabulary becomes severely limited. She has lost much of the power of freedom of choice she thought she was exerting when this whole episode started. "What's the punch line?" you're asking impatiently. What does this have to do with anything Jewish? Does this ridiculous scenario fit some type of analogy? Many of us might be unconsciously substituting when the original would be much more meaningful and effective. When you get that urge for bagels and lox or grandma's chicken soup, is it food you crave or are you possibly yearning for something a little more Jewish? On Labor Day we applaud the workers of this country and take a day off. But it's not a substitute for Shabbat, an opportunity to recognize the hard work of the previous week and G-d's work in creating the world. A check, written hastily and stuffed in an envelope, doesn't replace the ongoing mitzva of caring for our less fortunate brethren. The list goes on. "It's only the letter A," we tell ourselves. Little by little, what began as an uneven exchange caused by a lack of understanding or education, becomes habitual, even severely limiting. In the end, freedom to choose is not gained, but lost. Eating a bagel on Sunday morning while reading the latest news about Israel is fine. But it's not enough. Have you ever tried eating cholent on Shabbat afternoon? Celebrating a birthday in a kosher restaurant with friends might also be an interesting experience. So would going into a Jewish book store to buy a kosher mezuza parchment and browsing through the books. Don't limit yourself or your vocabulary by accepting preconceived notions about Judaism that have no validity. Expand your horizons, your Jewish awareness, and your life. ***************************************************************** LIVING WITH THE TIMES ***************************************************************** THE WEEKLY TORAH PORTION ***************************************************************** All of the 613 mitzvot in the Torah find their basis in the Ten Commandments which are repeated in this week's Torah portion, *V'Etchanan*. The Ten Commandments begin with the duties of man to G-d and conclude with his obligations to his fellow-man. This order brings out the point that even the most elementary principles of morality and ethics are worthless unless based upon an acceptance of the first two commandments: "I am G-d, your G-d...You shall have no other gods before Me." In Jewish life, there cannot be a division or dichotomy between man's obligations to his fellow and man's duties to G-d. The unity of our belief in one G-d should have a deep effect on each of us, and a pervasive influence on every detail of our lives, creating a harmonious unity between the material concerns and the spiritual aspects of our daily conduct. Needless to say this balance is such that the needs of the spirit are the deciding factors in our conduct. What about educating our young in these two areas of man-to--man relationships and man-to-G-d relationships? The experts agree that education in the area of inter-human relations must start at a tender age; the child must learn, very early on, to be good to his friends, to have respect for this parents and elders, etc. Similarly, education in Torah and mitzvot must also begin in early childhood. The verse, "And you shall teach them to your children," appears in the Torah portion *V'Etchanan*. It is our responsibility to teach our children the rich Jewish heritage which is their inheritance. Their Jewish education must begin as early as possible, with their parents as living examples. From, "A Thought for the Week,"--Detroit. Adapted from the works of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. ***************************************************************** SLICE OF LIFE ***************************************************************** A SECRET WEDDING Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Schneerson was an extraordinary man. Living in Russia from 1878 to 1944, he was a tremendously respected leader and, when facing the problems of Russian Jewry was an example to his people. As Chief Rabbi of the Russian city Ekaterinaslav, he refused to yield both in his own observance and his encouragement of others to follow the Torah. The communists forbade most types of religious activity. If they thought someone had been involved in a religious ceremony, the punishment was swift and harsh -- often death, sometimes exile in a remote area. Yet, from his pulpit, Rabbi Levi Yitzchok encouraged his fellow Jews to remain steadfast in their faith and observance. He thus put his life in danger many times. Once, at the hour of midnight, Rabbi Levi Yitzchok heard a soft knock at the door. It was an old woman, requesting that he perform a wedding for her daughter right then and there. Rabbi Levi Yitzchok agreed and was introduced to the couple, both of whom worked for the government. Fearing that they might be found out, they kept their faces covered during the proceedings. The first problem to deal with before beginning was to find the minimum quorum of ten men needed to participate in the marriage ceremony. This, of course, was not easily accomplished at that hour of night. The streets were deserted, and even more importantly, the ten men had to be completely trustworthy. Finally, nine men had been gathered. From where would the last man come? Rabbi Levi Yitzchok had to make a decision. In his apartment building there lived a young Jewish man who had been expressly put there by the communists to watch what went on at the rabbi's house. It was to this man that Rabbi Levi Yitzchok turned to complete the *minyan*. The communist Jew agreed. The secret wedding ceremony took place. But fear of betrayal and punishment replaced the usual rejoicing. Would the tenth man betray them? As the days and weeks passed, it was obvious that they had not been betrayed. The religious ceremony, outlawed by the communist government, remained a secret. And this time, again, Rabbi Levi Yitzchok was not caught. *** A few years later, the communist government called a meeting of the leading rabbis. This was in response to a statement issued by the Pope that communism was not allowing any freedom of religion. The purpose of the meeting was clear: to issue a declaration by the rabbis saying that communism did allow religious freedom. Rabbi Levi Yitzchok was ordered to attend. At the conference, Rabbi Levi Yitzchok stood up and clearly stated that no one should sign the declaration; it was full of falsehood and lies. Again and again, during each day of the gathering, he repeated his statement. When the convention ended, the resolution had not been signed. The communists' purpose had been defeated. And yet another record was added in the file under the name of Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Schneerson. *** But, a few years later, in 1939, less than one week before Passover, he was arrested and imprisoned on various anti-communist charges. He spent several years in "internal exile," in the remote town of Tziali in Kazakhstan. There he continued to work for the spiritual betterment of the Russian Jewish community by committing his teachings to writing, producing some of the six volumes of scholarly essays that he left behind. Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Schneerson, father of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, shlita, passed away on the 20th of Av (this year August 3), 1944. ***************************************************************** WHAT'S NEW? ***************************************************************** NEW HOME IN S. BARBARA The Gan Israel Hebrew Academy of S. Barbara moved into new facilities. The preschool through fifth grade day school is finally able to expand its school to meet the ever-growing needs of the community. Last year, GIHA won a city-wide school newspaper writing contest. And, though only a primary school, it boasts hands-on computer classes for its young students. A custom- designed playground at the new facilities is one of the many bonuses for the children. SINGER ENTERTAINS CAMPERS Moshe Yess, Jewish balladeer and entertainer, is visiting Jewish day camps throughout New York, New Jersey and the New England states this summer. For the third year, Yess is traveling with a Tzivos Hashem entourage, teaching Jewish kids about their rich heritage through songs and stories. Yess recently coproduced two highly successful children's tapes, "The Marvelous Midos Machine" volumes one and two. He was previously part of the "Megama Duo" known for its poignant songs like "My Zaidy," and "Go See Your Mother." FRENCH/ISRAELI LUBAVITCH WOMEN'S ORGANIZATION A new branch of the International Lubavitch Women's Organization was formed in memory of the late Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson, o.b.m. A chapter of French speaking women living in Israel meets for various educational programs and outreach activities. Meetings take place in Tel Aviv and its suburbs. ***************************************************************** INSIGHTS ***************************************************************** AN ACCIDENT OF BIRTH It would appear that being Jewish is a matter of sheer chance, an accident of having been born to Jewish parents. But have we really no choice in this matter? Here, again, we are dealing with concepts that we accept unquestioningly in their Christian interpretation, without stopping to think whether they are valid in Judaism, also. What may be "authentic" for non-Jews is not necessarily applicable to Jews. Is religious affiliation a matter of personal decision? In the "American"--meaning "Christian"--conception, it is. It is a commonplace that the Hebrew language has no true equivalent for the word "religion." American Jews tend to describe Judaism as a "way of life," though how the American Jew's way of life differs from his Gentile neighbor's is not immediately clear. In any case, when we confront Judaism and Jewishness we are not dealing with a mere "religion." Gentiles "become" Christians at some point in their lives by making a personal decision. They are free at any time to reverse that decision and to cease being Christians. The American Jew tends to apply this mentality to his Judaism and protests that the Torah is seeking to restrict his freedom of choice. At the outset, let us understand that making choices is not an inalienable right. We are born to a given set of parents without our having had a choice in the matter, even if we warmly approve of our mothers and fathers. The laws of genetics do have something to say about the course of our lives, whether we like it or not. There's little we can do to change this. Frustrating, perhaps, but there it is. Of course, we have innumerable choices in other areas, especially in an open democratic society. We are reasonably free to choose our friends, our occupations, and our political affiliation. Into which category does Judaism fit? Are we Jews by "the law of genetics" or are we free to choose whether we want to be Jews? The Gentile apparently regards his religious identity as a matter of choice, to be accepted, rejected, or changed at will. But why should we Jews force our thinking into non-Jewish molds? Let us explore the Jewish view on this subject. Note: there is no such thing as a Christian atheist. The two terms, "Christian" and "atheism," are mutually exclusive. But there are Jews who assert that they are atheists and yet furiously insist that they are Jews. Of course they will define "Jewishness" in nationalistic terms, Jews by nationality, say, just as other Jews who will just as vigorously deny that they are anything else but Americans, Frenchmen, or Englishmen. We have been dealing until now with elements external to the person--his beliefs, his society, his way of thinking and living. These are not the person himself. But when the Torah speaks of a Jew it refers to his essence, his very being, his "I." This is what the Jew is, and it is not subject to whim or change. My selfhood is not clothes to be discarded as styles change, nor is my Jewishness. My "I" is constant; my Jewishness, too, is forever changing. We may accept or reject our parents, but they remain our parents nonetheless. We can fulfill our obligations toward them or neglect them, but the obligations remain. We can accept our Jewishness joyously and gratefully, or we can attempt to escape it. But whatever we do does not change the situation. We are still Jews. Chasidic philosophy has some insights to offer in the assumptions of the original question--that of the fortuitous circumstance of birth. The Baal Shem Tov emphasized *hashgacha p'ratit*, the concept of individual Divine Providence. An accident is without purpose or sense. But, as the Baal Shem Tov teaches, there really are no "accidents" in our lives. Every experience, every occurrence, has meaning and purpose. We are not actors in some theater of the absurd. What is the meaning, the purpose, the sense of things? We do not always know, but of this we are sure: there is a purpose in our being born Jewish; not the blind workings of an impersonal fate, an "accident by birth." The options before us are to deny purpose, to attempt to escape from ourselves, to suppress the essence--spark within us--or to affirm what we are, to make our Jewishness an opportunity for growth, to fulfill our purpose in being. Nothing human is trivial or "accidental," certainly not the momentous event of birth. Reprinted from "Think Jewish" by Rabbi Zalman I. Posner. ***************************************************************** WHAT'S IN A NAME? ***************************************************************** NACHUM means "comfort." Nachum was a minor prophet who foretold the fall of Nineveh (Nachum 1:1). Nachum Ish Gamzu was a 2nd century scholar and teacher of Rabbi Akiva. He was named Ish Gamzu -- the man of "this too" -- for no matter what the situation he always said, "This too is for the good." NECHAMA means "comfort." A pet form is Neche. It is the feminine of Nachum. ***************************************************************** A WORD FROM THE DIRECTOR ***************************************************************** Summer is the perfect time for many things. This year of *Hak'hel*, a year to gather and unite the Jewish people, we must take advantage of the summer to fulfill the once-in-seven-year precept. At the bungalows and resorts, during a Bar-B-Que on a long weekend, or at those family get-togethers that are inevitably scheduled for the summer months, get into the *Hak'hel* spirit. Half the job is already done for you when arranging gatherings in the summer; with the people together in one place your job is a lot easier. At our summer *Hak'hel* meeting or party, let us discuss the *Hak'hel* that used to take place during Temple times. Let's encourage everyone to involve themselves in the practical application of a mitzva, and let us starting right there at the gathering if possible. Let us also make plans for future gatherings. *Hak'hel* gathering don't even have to be fancy or planned in advance. Turn everyday impromptu gatherings, like when you find yourself outside with a group of neighbors, into a *Hak'hel* gathering. The *Hak'hel* year is more than two-thirds over with the arrival of summer. But that just means we must redouble our efforts to plan gathering, or turn even unplanned gatherings into *Hak'hel* gatherings. For, certainly, if we truly get into the spirit of *Hak'hel* with our whole hearts, G-d will show us the ultimate *Hak'hel* -- His *Hak'hel*, by bringing us all together in the city of Jerusalem at the Third Holy Temple, may it be speedily rebuilt by the righteous Moshiach, NOW. Rabbi Shmuel Butman ***************************************************************** IT HAPPENED ONCE ***************************************************************** Rachel was a remarkable woman. She was a great scholar; and in addition, like her father, a follower of the mystics and kabbalists of the 1700s. Practically from the day she could speak, Rachel was taught Torah. She soon mastered the entire Bible, then the Mishna and Gemara and Rambam. She particularly applied herself to the study of the *Shulchan Aruch* -- the Code of Jewish Law. Her father kept the fact of her extensive education a secret; either for reasons of modesty, or from a fear that people would regard his daughter as a "freak." When Rachel became engaged to the scholar Rabbi Schneur Zalman, he did not know of her scholarship. As for Rachel herself, knowing already that her fiance belonged to those who did not approve of women studying Torah, she decided to keep silent. She smiled when her husband said that he assumed her mother had taught her all the laws that a Jewish woman is required to know. It happened once that Rachel's whole family was walking home one Shabbat from shul. Since there was an *eruv* [1] in Posen, they were allowed to wear gloves and were carrying some books. As they were walking someone ran up to them and called out that the *eruv* had broken. They stopped in bewilderment, not knowing what they should do with their gloves and books. Rachel's father, Baruch, called out to his daughter: "Well Rachel, you are an expert in the laws of the Shulchan Aruch, tell us what we are to do now." And, turning to the men, he remarked with a smile, "We men are so busy with other courses of study, that when we are faced with deciding upon an article of law, we do not know it. We therefore must turn to Rachel." Rabbi Schneur Zalman was shocked. Was this some sort of a joke? How could a woman have such knowledge? He had regarded Rachel as a fine, but naturally, uneducated woman, like all other women. Rachel began to blush. Knowing her husband's views, she feared he might be displeased, and she was worried. Her father had put her on the spot and she saw she must answer him under the circumstances. The question was quite an easy one for her to answer. "There is no need to take off our gloves," she said quietly, "for this is a case of "accidental" and there can be no likelihood of any of us taking off his gloves and carrying them, for, as we are in company, it would immediately be noticed and the person reminded. As for the books, these should be transferred from hand to hand until we reach the yard of a non-Jew, where they would be handed over from the zone of "public property" into that of "private property." No one know whether Rachel had quoted the law correctly or not, but her father said they had no alternative but to accept her ruling in the matter, under the circumstances. As soon as they arrived home, they looked up the case in the *Shulchan Aruch* and found it exactly as Rachel had stated. As Rachel had foreseen, her husband was adversely affected by the foregoing incident. He once remarked, "The Gemara says that 'The wife of a scholar is regarded as if she too were a scholar,' but in my case it would seem that I must be satisfied to reach the equal of my wife's status." To this Baruch replied, "The Jerusalem Talmud says that 'The wife of a criminal is also considered so!' I have given my daughter into your hands. It now remains to be seen what you make of her. She can either be a "scholar" or a "criminal." It is entirely up to you." Rabbi Schneur Zalman understood the implication of his father-in-law's words, and from that time, changed his attitude toward his wife. He began to be proud of his wife Rachel, appreciating at last her great learning and wonderful qualities. * Rachel and Schneur Zalman were grandparents of the first Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi. --------------- 1. *Eruv*--a symbolic marker, e.g., a wire, surrounding and unifying an area as a private domain permitting carrying within its confines. If the *eruv* breaks it is not a private domain any longer. Reprinted from "Memoirs," by Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn, the previous Lubavitcher Rebbe. ***************************************************************** THOUGHTS THAT COUNT ***************************************************************** "You shall not add to that which I have commanded you nor shall you subtract from it, to observe the command of GÄd" (Deuteronomy 4:2). The purpose of the "Enlightenment" was to reform the Torah and mitzvot. One of the proponents of that approach once suggested to Rabbi Azriel Hildesheimer that it was necessary to change certain detailed practices to make the observance of the commandments easier. Rabbi Hidesheimer replied "That is the meaning of the [above-mentioned] verse. Even when your purpose is to observe the command of GÄd, you still may not subtract." *** "In the heavens above and on the earth below" (4:39). When contemplating one's heavenly or spiritual condition one should look "above" to those who have attained a higher level; one can never be satisfied. However in "Earthly" matters of wealth and so on, one should look "below," to the less fortunate, and be thankful for the blessings one has. (The Lubavitcher Rebbe) *** "I stand between your GÄd and you" (5:5). Early chasidim used to explain that the "I," the awareness of self, the ego, stands between the person and his efforts to come closer to GÄd. *****************************************************************