***************************************************************** L'CHAIM ISSUE No. 26 ***************************************************************** 27 Elul, 5748 Parshat Nitzavim September 9, 1988 ***************************************************************** THE WEEKLY PUBLICATION FOR EVERY JEWISH PERSON Dedicated to the memory of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson N.E. ***************************************************************** A BLESSING ON YOUR HEAD It's New Year's card time again. An opportunity to open your address book, see the names of friends and relatives you meant to write to, but didn't, and send them a card, just to keep in touch. It's amazing how, though New Year's cards differ greatly on the outside, they all carry a similar verse inside: May you be inscribed and sealed for a good, sweet year. Though these cards are printed by the hundreds of thousands, they are actually a very personal type of communication. Each card carries within it a blessing from you to your friends. A blessing. Can you believe that it is in your power to actuate a blessing! Blessings for health, success, prosperity, and happiness are out there waiting for us to bring them into reality which we can do simply by blessing another person. And it obviously doesn't have to be done via a card, either. When you meet another Jew on the street, or at work, or at a social event, wish him a "Happy New Year," or that he be "inscribed and sealed for a good year." If you're lucky, he'll catch on and wish you a good year right back. Then you'll both be blessed. It's customary to keep on greeting and blessing people in this manner all the way through the last days of the holiday of Succot. Although on Rosh Hashana blessings for the coming year are inscribed, they're not sealed" until Yom Kippur. And the "Book of Life" isn't sealed until Hashana Raba, the seventh day of Succot. So, send out those New Year's cards, it's not too late yet. And take every opportunity you get to give your friends and acquaintances a blessing for the coming year. ***************************************************************** LIVING WITH THE TIMES ***************************************************************** THE WEEKLY TORAH PORTION ***************************************************************** The Torah portion, *Nitzavim*, is always read on the Shabbat before Rosh Hashana. It begins with Moses' address to the Jewish people, "You are standing today, all of you, before the L-rd your G-d..." This invocation is both general and specific. It mentions the individual classes of Jews, from the heads of the tribes to the drawers of water. And it gathers them all into the collective phrase, "all of you." This is in itself something of a contradiction. The verse begins by speaking to Israel as a unity--"You are standing...all of you"--without making any distinctions. But immediately afterwards, it proceeds to detail the different classes of Jews. Why, in any case, did it need to do so, when the phrase "all of You" already encompasses them all? This was done in order to make a fundamental point: that on the one hand, there must be unity among Jews; and, at the same time, each has his unique contribution to make, his own individual mission. But if there have to be distinctions among Jews, especially ones as extreme as that between "your heads" and "the drawer of your water," how can there be true unity among them? The verse supplies its own answer. "You are standing today, all of you, before the L-rd your G-d. It is when Jews stand before G-d, in the full recognition that He is the author of their powers and the foundation of their being, that they are one. This can be explained by a simple analogy. When men from a group or community unite for a specific purpose, economic, intellectual or whatever, they share their money or labor or ideas towards a given end and for a specified time. Outside this partnership they remain separate individuals, each with his own private word. Yet, the community of Israel is a partnership "before the L-rd your G-d" and its purpose is that you should enter into the covenant of the L-rd your G-d, and into His oath..." This partnership encompasses the whole person--not just his labor or his ideas-each according to his capacity. And it is a partnership in perpetuity, as eternal as the Torah. This is true unity. Moreover, the effort of each Jew playing his unique part in the covenant is implicit to the work of the whole community. The unity of Israel is created not by every Jew being the same, but by his own unique role in fulfilling the directives of "the L-rd your G-d." Israel is one before G-d when, and only when, each Jew fulfills the mission which is his alone. From "Torah Studies" by Jonathan Sacks. Adapted from the works of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. ***************************************************************** SLICE OF LIFE ***************************************************************** AROUND THE WORLD TO FIND THEMSELVES When Chaim Topol recently came to the United States to raise money for his new Chabad Center in Ramle, Israel, it was only natural that he stop in at the Berkeley Chabad House. After all, it was there the entire direction of his life changed. Five years ago Chaim showed up on the Chabad House steps, a disillusioned young man, tired of his wanderings in the remote corners of the earth. He and his wife and two children had left Israel because they felt it was becoming "too Jewish," and had gone to the farthest place they could think of, the island of Samoa. When that didn't work, they went to New Zealand, and eventually came to Northern California where Chaim had fond memories from the 1960s. By the time they reached Berkeley, Chaim, and his wife, Yael, were in a profound state of questioning about their lives. Their varied experiences led to a renewed openness to Jewish things, so that when Yael's father wrote and asked that the children say the "Shema Yisrael" prayer before going to bed, Yael readily complied. The very next Sabbath, Yael lit the candles. As their connection to Judaism began to grow, it became clear that they needed a place where they could identify with other Jews. In the back of his mind, Chaim remembered the Chabad House which he had passed once. When Yael kept urging him to go, he agreed to try it out, but determined to merely stand on the porch and turn around. Turn around he did, but in a different way than he ever imagined. Just at the moment he arrived on the porch, two Israelis were speaking Hebrew just inside the door. Intrigued by their conversation, he took the one step that changed his life the most: he went inside. Once inside, he met Rabbi Yosef Langer, who made him feel at home, and invited him and his family to be their guests the following Sabbath. They accepted the invitation, and the one after that, and the one after that. Both Yael and the children felt at home there. In fact, it was the most at home Yael had felt since they left Israel. By the time the High Holidays rolled around, Chaim and Yael had made the decision to return to Israel. In the meantime, they would move into the Chabad House as the perfect transition point, while they prepared for their journey home. Explains Rabbi Yosef Langer, director of Chabad in Northern California, "Chabad House is the place where a whole family can plug in...a place where they can really pray, and learn, and eat, all in one setting and with lots of support. It's a place where they are able to be Jewish and have fun doing it." When the Topols went back to Israel, they still remained connected with Chabad. Chaim went back to work as an optometrist, but also began learning five hours a day. As the years went by, Chaim became bothered that there was no Chabad Center in Ramle where he lived. He wondered what might have happened to him and his family had there not been a Chabad House in Berkeley. He thought, "Why not create one in Ramle?" Chaim explains that with the help of G-d, and a blessing from the Lubavitcher Rebbe, that's just what he did. He opened a storefront Chabad Center in Ramle, and eight months later, a second storefront, right next door became vacant. Today, the center has programs for children and adults every day, and this year they will be starting a kindergarten class. Initially overwhelmed by the numbers of people needing help when they first opened, Chaim now has a second person helping him run the center. ***************************************************************** WHAT'S NEW? ***************************************************************** SHAMIR AND SHAMIR Prime Minister Yitzchak Shamir met privately with refusenik Dr. Gershon Rosenstein after his arrival in Israel last month. Rosenstein and his family settled in "Shamir," a community established by the Lubavitcher Rebbe in Jerusalem for Russian immigrants. Shamir, Rosenstein and Professor Yirmiyahu Branover discussed, among other topics, the situation of the 3.5 million Jews still living in Russia. CANADIAN CLASS A one-year teachers' seminary will be opening this fall in Montreal. The seminary, named Bais Chaya Mushka, has already attracted an international enrollment. The young women registered in the seminary will be studying teaching methodology and child psychology, Jewish law, Torah, Chasidic philosophy, and history. Classes will be held in the newly constructed addition to the Beth Rivkah Montreal school building. Rabbi Berel Bell, formerly of New York, is the principal of the new school. JEWISH WOMEN'S DAY Eight hundred women attended the Jewish Women's Day at the Japanese Tea Gardens in Buenos Ares. This special event, sponsored by the Chabad Women's Organization in Argentina, took place m the beginning of August. Among the many attractions were a multi-media presentation, panel discussions, exhibits, and speakers. ***************************************************************** INSIGHTS ***************************************************************** THE SHOFAR SPEAKS The primary mitzva and central image of Rosh Hashana is the blowing of the shofar. Our prayers which follow the shofar blowing mention several episodes in the past when it was also blown. The first of these which we encounter was at Mount Sinai. There, the Torah relates, the Torah was given in the presence of an intense, constantly increasing, shofar blast. Another renowned shofar blowing mentioned in our prayers is that of the Shofar Gadol ("great shofar"), which will be blown upon the arrival of Moshiach. What is the inner connection between these events, and why do we mention them in our Rosh Hashana prayers? JUST CAN'T WAIT The Ruzhiner Rebbe once abruptly entered a study hall and told his students the following story: "A simple farmer once spent Rosh Hashana in the city in order to pray with a congregation. Like the other uneducated farmers of that region, he was unable to read, so he sat quietly in the synagogue, observing how everyone else prayed. "When the congregation began the Amidah (silent prayer), they began to cry. The farmer, not knowing the meaning of Rosh Hashana, couldn't imagine the cause for the crying. He decided that they must be hungry due to the length of the service, and were lamenting this fact. The farmer, also being hungry, joined in their crying. "When this section of the service ended, they ceased crying. Again puzzled, the farmer logically concluded that the food must still be cooking. As the custom was to place a piece of meat in the carrot tzimmes, and the longer it cooked the better it tasted, evidently the congregants decided it was worth the wait. With this thought, the farmer also stopped crying. "However, when the time came to blow the shofar, once again they all broke out wailing. Thoroughly confused, the farmer eventually figured out the rationale for this stage as well. 'True,' he thought to himself, 'the longer we wait, the better it will taste. But we just don't have the strength to wait any longer.' With that, the farmer, too, joined them in their cry." With that, the Ruzhiner turned away, and left the room. His students commented, "This was an analogy for the exile." This story illustrates one effect of the shofar: Its pure, raw voice draws people out of their state of complacency. True, the longer we remain in exile, the greater our reward in the days of Moshiach. But, the shofar harshly reminds us, how long can we stay like this? ARISE! The Giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai was an experience which pulled people out of their previous state of existence. This G-dly revelation was so intense that those who experienced it were physically unable to bear it. As our Sages put it, "their souls flew out of their bodies," as they were drawn out of their worldly boundaries and towards an ethereal plane. The Messianic Age will precipitate a similar restructuring of our lives, causing us to break out of the limitations of this physical world and reach upward to a superior level of existence. The prerequisite for this transformation is the desire to change, which must be present now, even before Moshiach has arrived. This is a common thread binding the revelation at Mt. Sinai with the days of Moshiach--the element of change and the improvement of the world at large. The shofar, central to both events, drives one to abandon one's previous level of existence in order to reach higher levels. Even today, the shofar has a similar effect. As Maimonides puts it, the shofar says to every individual, "Wake up from your sleep!" We are snoring our lives away. We can and must effect an inner change; one so radical that our previous existence will seem to us as though we had been suddenly awakened from a deep sleep. Even a highly spiritual person must take to heart the call of the shofar. Compared to the level that each of us is capable of reaching, there is still much room for improvement. Like the simple farmer of our story, we must all come to realize that the time for change is now. ***************************************************************** WHAT'S IN A NAME? ***************************************************************** YITZCHAK means "laughter." Yitzchak was the son of Abraham and Sarah (Genesis 21:5). At the age of 37 he allowed himself to be sacrificed by Abraham, but at G-d's command was spared and a ram was sacrificed instead. The ram's horn (shofar) is blown on Rosh Hashana to, "remind" G-d of this incident and encourage mercy for the descendants of Yitzchak. The Torah portion recounting the sacrifice of Yitzchak is read on Rosh Hashana. ILONA is from the Hebrew meaning "oak tree." ILANA is a different name, meaning simply "tree." ***************************************************************** A WORD FROM THE DIRECTOR ***************************************************************** We would like to wish the Rebbe, *shlita*, and Klal Yisroel our sincerest blessings for a *k'siva vachasima tova, I 'shana tova um suka*. May the new year be: A year of...love and unity among Jews...establishing Chabad Houses...the true and complete redemption...victory, peace and tranquility...Chasidishe gatherings...taking lessons to heart... Seven Noachide "mitzva men"...Torah true education...mitzva mobiles and mitzva men...The Year of the Boy and Girl...Jewish birthday celebrations with appropriate resolutions...being inscribed and sealed for a good year...overcoming obstacles..the mitzva campaigns, increasing in all areas of Judaism, Melech HaMoshach... revealed miracles..completion of areas of Torah learning...taking a rav (advisor), physical and spiritual richness...spreading tbe teaching of Chasidus to the east, west, north and south...charity ...bringing hearts close...healing...happiness, peace and tran- quility--Wholeness of the Torah, the Jews and the Land of Israel... a year of Torah, prayer and return. May we witness the above in health happiness and peace. Rabbi Shmuel Butman ***************************************************************** IT HAPPENED ONCE ***************************************************************** It was the first day of Rosh Hashana in the synagogue of the famous Berditchever Rebbe, R. Levi Yitzchak. The shul was crowded. The Rebbe himself was leading the congregation. The Rebbe's soft, vibrant voice touched the heartstrings of every worshipper. As the Rebbe pronounced the words, his voice broke, and everyone's heart was filled with remorse. Each pictured himself standing before the Judge of the Universe. The Rebbe recited line after line of the solemn prayer, which the congregation repeated, until he came to the line: "To Him, Who acquires His servants in judgment..." Here the Rebbe suddenly paused, for the words died on his lips. His prayer shawl slid from his head, revealing his pale face; his eyes were shut, and he seemed to be in a trance. A shudder passed through the worshippers. A critical situation must have arisen in the Heavenly Court; things were not going well for the petitioners. A few moments later, the color returned to the Rebbe's face, which now became radiant with joy. His voice shook with ecstasy and triumph as he recited: "To Him, who acquires His servants in judgment!" After the service, the Rebbe explained: While we prayed, I felt myself lifted up to the gates of heaven, where I saw Satan carrying a heavy load. The sight filled me with anxiety, for I knew that he was carrying a bag full of sins to put onto the Scales of Justice before the Heavenly Court. For a moment the bag was left unattended, so I went up to it and began to examine its contents. The bag was crammed with all kinds of sins: evil gossip, hatred without reason, jealousies, wasted time which should have been spent in study of the Torah--ugly creatures of sins, big and small. I pushed my hand into the bag and began pulling out one sin after another, to look at them more closely. I saw that almost all the sins were committed unwillingly, without pleasure, downright carelessly, or in sheer ignorance. No Jew was really bad, but the circumstances of exile, poverty and hardship, sometimes hardened his heart, set his nerves on edge, brought about petty jealousies, and the like. And strangely enough, as I was examining all these sins, and thinking what was really behind them, they seemed to melt away, one by one, until hardly anything was left in the bag. The bag dropped back, limp and empty. The next moment, I heard a terrible cry. Satan had discovered what I had done. "You thief!" he screamed. "What did you do to my sins? All year I labored to gather these precious sins, and now you have stolen them! You shall pay double!" "How can I pay you?" I pleaded. "My sins may be many, but not so many." "Well you know the Law," Satan countered. "He who steals must pay double, and if he is unable to pay, he shall be sold into servitude. You are my slave now! Come!" My captor brought me before the Supreme Judge of the Universe. After listening to Satan's complaint, the Holy One, blessed is He, said: "I will buy him, for so I promised through my prophet Isaiah (46:4): 'Even to his old age, I will be the same...I have made him, I will bear him, I will sustain and save him!'" At this point I awoke--concluded the Rebbe--Now I understand the meaning of the words, "To Him, who acquires His servants in judgment!" We are the servants of G-d, and if we are faithful servants, G-d protects us and is our Merciful Master. Let us remain faithful Servants to G-d, and we'll be spared from being servants of servants, and in the merit of this, the Al-mighty will surely inscribe us all in the Book of Life, for a happy New Year. From "The Complete Story of Tishrei" ***************************************************************** THOUGHTS THAT COUNT ***************************************************************** "To cause you to pass into the covenant of the L-rd your G-d and into His oath" (Deuteronomy 29:11). In Biblical times, when entering into a covenant, the two parties involved would take an object and cut it in two, then pass together between the pieces. The first impression one gets from such a symbolic act is that of disunity. However, the real message is that each of the parties was only a half, dependent on the other for fulfillment. This is the type of covenant that the Jewish people has with G-d. (Likutei Torah) *** "Because my G-d is not in my midst have I found these troubles" (31:17). The Baal Shem Tov taught that when a person sees bad in his neighbor, it is because he has a similar blemish of his own: the other person is a mirror, showing us ourselves. The second Chabad Rebbe, R. Dov Ber, paraphrased this verse to bring out the above point. "Because G-d is not in me do I notice this evil." (Sefer Hasichot) *** "I will hide my face on that day" (31:18). "Hiding" generally implies that we do not know where the other person is. However if we know that the person is on the other side of the obstacle, and it is merely that we do not see him, he is not truly hidden. G-d is encouraging us: Even though I am not visible I am standing close by. (Based on the Baal Shem Tov) *****************************************************************