LIVING WITH MOSHIACH, Parshat Emor, 5755 B"H LIVING WITH MOSHIACH Weekly Digest About Moshiach PARSHAT EMOR IYAR 12, 5755 MAY 12, 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 The month of Iyar Yud Gimel Iyar Pesach Sheni **************** * INTRODUCTION * **************** We are pleased to present, to the visually impaired and the blind, the 24th issue of our weekly publication, Living with Moshiach. * In this week's issue we focus on: 1) The month of Iyar. 2) Yud Gimel Iyar, the 13th of Iyar. 3) Pesach Sheni, the 14th of Iyar. * 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 Iyar, 5755, Year of Hakhel Brooklyn, New York *************************************** * THE WEEKLY TORAH PORTION * * Adapted from the Works of the Rebbe * *************************************** Parshat Emor In this week's Torah portion, Emor, we are enjoined concerning Counting the Omer: "And you shall count for yourselves from the morrow after the Shabbat, from the day that you brought the sheaf --omer--of the waving; there shall be seven complete weeks." After the Exodus from Egypt the Jews were so eager to receive the Torah that they counted the days remaining to that great event. This was a prelude to the precept of "Counting the Omer" which they received later at Mount Sinai. The counting of the Omer has always remained a preparation to receiving the Torah; when the 49 days of the Omer come to an end, the festival of Shavuot--celebrating the giving of the Torah-- follows immediately. The connection of Counting the Omer with the Giving of the Torah finds expression in the idea that both stress the individual. Each person, individually, must count the days of the Omer period as opposed to the communal counting of the Sabbatical and Jubilee cycles. (Each 7th year was the Sabbatical Year, each 50th year was the Jubilee Year.) In the Jubilee and Sabbatical year a number of special laws apply, and the mitzvah of counting the 7 and 50 year cycles was performed by the Jewish Court on behalf of all Jews. In contrast, the Omer is counted by each person individually. In similar fashion, the giving of the Torah was not only a communal, collective experience; the Al-mighty addressed each and every individual separately: "I am G-d your G-d." In Hebrew there are two ways of saying "Your G-d," the singular and the plural. Yet, when G-d addressed the entire Jewish nation, several million in number, the singular form was used. To each one of Israel individually the Al-mighty gave the Torah; to each He commanded that they study and fulfill the mitzvot. And to each He infused Divinely granted strength and ability to fulfill the Torah. The lesson from this week's portion and Counting the Omer is clear: Each day counts; each Jew counts; each mitzvah counts. ************************ * 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 * ********************************************* ********************* * THE MONTH OF IYAR * ********************* The month in which we find ourselves, Iyar, is unique amongst all the months of the year. For each and every single day in Iyar brings with it the opportunity to perform a mitzvah--the commandment to count the omer. We begin counting the omer on the second day of Passover and continue until the eve of Shavuot. The counting is a preparation for Receiving the Torah on the holiday of Shavuot. And, indeed, it imparts to us a remarkable lesson--one which is connected not only with the Jewish people's receiving the Torah as a united nation, but with each and every single day in the life of every Jew, as well. Counting the omer teaches us that every day counts. It reminds us that each hour, each minute should be filled with words, thoughts and deeds of which we can be proud. And too, that we are held "accountable" for every precious second of life with which our Creator has blessed us. "But, hold on a minute!" one might silently shout. "I'm just finding out about this now. I've already missed out on making the past 20 days (or 20 years) count. What can I do to rectify the situation?" The answer to this heartfelt cry lies in the uniqueness of the month of Iyar and the mitzvah with which it is intertwined. Each day holds a separate mitzvah, a unique opportunity, a particular mission. True, you might have passed up prior chances, but today's and tomorrow's minutes and hours are still available for you to fill with meaningful moments. And by making our days count from now on, we can, in truth, rectify that which we were missing in the past. ****************** * YUD GIMEL IYAR * ****************** This Shabbat, Iyar 13, (May 13), is the 43rd yahrtzeit of the Rebbe's youngest brother, Rabbi Yisroel Aryeh Leib. The following is a brief biography, written by Rabbi Shimon Silman. Rabbi Yisroel Aryeh Leib (known affectionately as "Reb Leibel") was a Torah scholar of the highest caliber. He was a fascinating personality, totally devoted to the study of Chasidut, which he learned with legendary dilligence. As a young man, Reb Leibel was a member of the household of the Previous Rebbe in Petersburg for several years. He was very popular among the chasidim who approached him with difficult questions in Talmud and Chasidut. At this time he began studying mathematics in the academies in Petersburg where he organized groups of Jewish youth to learn Torah and observe mitzvot. In the 1940s, Reb Leibel moved to Israel where he married. He continued his mathematical research and spent long nights studying Chasidut. In 1948 he accepted a position in the Department of Theoretical Physics of the University of Liverpool in England. In this position he continued his research in mathematics and theoretical physics until he passed away on 13 Iyar, 5712 (1952). He is buried in Safed, Israel. **************** * PESACH SHENI * **************** This coming Sunday, May 14, is Pesach Sheni, the "Second Passover." It is customary on Pesach Sheni to eat matzah, together with bread, in commemoration of the day. * Pesach Sheni, was instituted the year after the Jews left Egypt while they were still in the desert. On Passover of that year, G-d commanded our ancestors to bring the special Passover offering. However, since some of the Jews were ritually impure at that time, they were not permitted to bring the offering. They protested and G-d told Moses that all those who were unable to bring the offering on Passover could bring it one month later. This date became known as the Second Passover. The Previous Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn wrote: "The theme of Pesach Sheni is that it is never too late. It is always possible to put things right. Even if one was ritually impure, or far away, and even in a case when this impurity or distance was deliberate--nonetheless it can be corrected." It's never too late. What an inspiring and optimistic thought! There's always a chance to improve, to become better, to learn and do. This is truly a motto worth memorizing (and hanging on the refrigerator). Rather than muttering about yourself or another person, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks," realize that it's never too late. You didn't put on tefillin yesterday? Today's a new day and it's never too late. You didn't light candles for Shabbat last Friday night? Do it this week, it's never too late. You never went to Hebrew school, so you can't read Hebrew? Enroll in an adult education course; it's never too late. You never knew that Judaism had so much to offer? Now that you know, do something about it, because it's never too late. For us today, as we stand literally on the threshold of the Redemption, the most appropriate lesson is that what the Jews sincerely requested, they received! In the spirit of Pesach Sheni, each and every one of us today, must request, demand, ask and beg for the revelation of Moshiach and the commencement of the glorious Redemption. Then, certainly, G-d will hear our plea and answer them as in the days of old. ========================================================= = End of Text: Living With Moshiach, Parshat Emor, 5755 = =========================================================