Living With Moshiach, Parshat Ki Teitzei, 5755 B"H LIVING WITH MOSHIACH Weekly Digest About Moshiach PARSHAT KI TEITZEI Elul 13, 5755 Sept. 8, 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 Chai Elul Honest Self-Assessment A Call To Action **************** * INTRODUCTION * **************** We are pleased to present, to the visually impaired and the blind, issue of our weekly publication, Living with Moshiach. * In this week's issue we focus on Chai Elul, the 18th 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. * We take this opportunity to wish you and yours, among every member of our people, a very sweet, happy, healthy and successful new year. * 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, 5755, Year of Hakhel Brooklyn, New York ***************************************** * THE WEEKLY TORAH PORTION * * Adapted from the Works of the Rebbe * ***************************************** Parshat Ki Teitzei The first verse of this week's Torah portion, Ki Teitzei, seems to contain a grammatical error. "When you go forth to war against your enemies," it begins, "and the L-rd your G-d will deliver him into your hands." Why does the Torah begin the verse with the plural--enemies--and continue in the singular? Every word in the Torah is exact, every letter conveying a multitude of nuances and meanings that teach countless lessons. This verse, which seemingly deals with the subject of conventional warfare, alludes to a different type of war, a spiritual war that is waged by every individual. A Jew may face two types of enemies: one who threatens his physical existence, and one who threatens his special holiness as a member of the Jewish people--his Jewish soul. The Torah uses the word "enemies" to refer to both these threats, for the body and soul of the Jew work in tandem, united in their service of G-d. Whatever imperils one's physical well-being threatens one's spiritual equilibrium, and vice versa. The Torah tells us how to emerge victorious over both types of enemy: "When you will go forth" a person must gird himself with the strength that comes from absolute faith in G-d, even before encountering the enemy. Next, one's approach must be that of ascendancy--"against (literally, 'over') your enemies." Know that G-d Himself stands beside you and assists you in your struggle. Armed in such a manner, victory is assured, not only against conventional enemies, but against the root of all evil--the Evil Inclination, equated in the Talmud with "the Satan (enemy of the soul), and the angel of death (enemy of the physical body)." When a Jew goes out to "war" fortified with the knowledge that there is no force in the world able to stand in the face of goodness and holiness, not only are external manifestations of evil vanquished, but its spiritual source is defeated as well. The Torah therefore uses the singular--enemy--to allude to the Evil Inclination, the origin and prototype of all misfortune. The verse concludes with the words "and you shall take captives of them." If a Jew is not careful and falls prey to the Evil Inclination, all of his higher faculties, given to him by G-d to be utilized for good, also fall into its snare. The Torah teaches that sincere repentance has the power to redeem these captive prisoners, elevating them until even "willful transgressions are considered as merits." Such warfare brings Moshiach and the Final Redemption closer, when the Evil Inclination will be totally vanquished and the victory over sin will be permanent. ************************ * 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 * ********************************************* ************* * CHAI ELUL * ************* An individual's birthday has a very special meaning for that person. The birthday of a tzaddik has deep significance for everyone who attempts to live according to the tzaddik's teachings. A tzaddik's birthday is, in some ways like the spiritual birthday of his followers. The birthdays of two great tzaddikim are on the 18th of Elul (corresponding this year to Wednesday, September 13). On the 18th ("Chai") of Elul, Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov (in 5458/1698), founder of the Chasidus movement, and Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi (in 5505/1745), spiritual grandson of the Baal Shem Tov and founder of Chabad Chasidus, were born. These great men dedicated their lives to teach the value of every single Jew. Ahavas Yisrael--unconditional love of each Jew was at the forefront of their philosophy. Today, two centuries later, we benefit from the guidance and revelations of the Baal Shem Tov and Rabbi Shneur Zalman. The date of their birth, then, is not only their birthday--it is also our birthday. On our birthday we take time out to reflect on our achievements of the past year and our goals for the future. It is fitting that on the birthday of these tzaddikim, we reflect on how well we have followed and benefited from them, and we make our resolutions for the New Year. We will, in their merit, be blessed with a K'Siva Vachasima Tova, a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year. ************************************** * HONEST SELF-ASSESSMENT * * Adapted From A Letter Of The Rebbe * ************************************** The month of Elul, as is well known, is the month of honest self-assessment of the outgoing year, and, at the same time, the month of preparation for the new year--which is, clearly, also the purpose of the honest stock-taking; i.e., not only to try to make good one's deficiencies, but also to know, and to resolve with proper determination, the right path of future daily conduct henceforth. And this will make the coming year a good and sweet one spiritually, hence also a good and sweet year materially. In the month of Elul itself, the 18th (Chai) comes as a special reminder, with encouragement and exhortation, in the said two aspects of self-assessment and preparation. Its message is: With this day begins the last 12 days of the year; hence the self-searching must now be more intensive and embrace all the months of the year--each day corresponding to a month, the start being Chai Elul. Moreover, according to our Rebbes, the day of Chai Elul must infuse vitality (chai--life) into all details of the Divine service of the entire month of Elul and in its two general aspects of assessment and preparation. One may wonder what has "vitality" to do with such a thing as an honest self-assessment that deals with "hard" facts. The connection is as follows: There is the well-known instruction that just as one must not forget one's shortcomings in order to rectify them fully, so must one not forget one's good qualities, in order to utilize them to the fullest degree. In order that this should be accomplished in the proper way--and to the greatest possible degree--the assessment must be done with real vitality. Whereas an honest assessment of one's shortcomings might sometimes induce discouragement, or worse, despair, an honest evaluation of one's achievements might lead to complacency and to the conclusion that one has already attained a state of perfection. However, the sign and effectiveness of vitality is in growth, and not the growth of a vegetable, which remains in the same place (and situation), but of a living creature--moving from one place to a better place. Growth is indicated not only by changing location, but also by growing through personal change, a change in one's nature, habits and entire being from good to better and better still. This is the true vitality of a Jew who has been commanded to refine and change his character attributes. The capacity to attain all the above has been given to every Jew, or, using the quotation above, to "all of you," from "the heads of your tribes" to "the hewer of your wood and the drawer of your water." For the vitality of every Jew derives from, and is bound up with, the Source of Life, as is written, "And you who are attached to G-d, your G-d, are all of you living this day"--by virtue of your attachment to G-dliness, the Source of life and vitality, through the Torah, the Torah of Life, and the mitzvot whereby Jews live. Moreover, it is a matter of common experience that everything done with vivacity can be achieved with greater success and more completeness. And--what is no less important--such activity makes the proper impact on others inspiring them with the same spirit, for the best influence is a living example. May G-d grant, that everyone, man and woman, take full advantage of the great opportunity of the last days of the year and those following, all the days of the coming year--to act with true vitality in fullest measure, as above. And in the merit of it, everyone, in the midst of all our Jewish people, should be inscribed for a good and sweet year, for good life and for peace, Unto the coming of our righteous Moshiach, and the fulfillment of the Divine prophecy: "The strength and glory of the righteous shall be uplifted," very soon indeed. ******************** * 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, 5755 = ================================================================