LIVING WITH MOSHIACH, Parshat Toldot, 5756 B"H LIVING WITH MOSHIACH Weekly Digest About Moshiach PARSHAT TOLDOT Kislev 1, 5756 Nov. 24, 1995 * 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 The Weekly Torah Portion The Rebbe's Prophecy Please Tell Me What the Rebbe Said ****************** * INTRODUCTION * ****************** We are pleased to present, to the visually impaired and the blind, our weekly publication, Living With Moshiach. * Our sincere appreciation to L'Chaim weekly publication, published by the Lubavitch Youth Organization, and to the publishers of Sichos In English, for allowing us to use their material. * 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 20 Cheshvan, 5756 Brooklyn, New York ***************************************** * THE WEEKLY TORAH PORTION * * Adapted from the Works of the Rebbe * ***************************************** PARSHAT TOLDOT In this week's Torah portion of Toldot we are told about the wells which Isaac dug. Though the first couple of these wells fell into enemy hands, Isaac was undeterred. He continued digging until he found water in an uncontested area. When one digs wells, he removes the dirt and rocks until water is found, filling the well with fresh, living waters. The physical digging of wells which Isaac performed paralleled his spiritual conduct; in a spiritual sense Isaac also dug wells. He removed the "dirt and stones" of the physical world to reveal the latent waters of spirituality that were hidden within. The actions of our patriarchs and matriarchs are a lesson for us in our lives today. We have been entrusted with the job of finding the spirituality and holiness in our day-to-day lives, our mundane actions, our interaction with others. By delving deeply, beyond that which meets the eye, uncovering the superficiality of our physical world, we, too, become diggers of wells, we become like our ancestor Isaac. But, like Isaac, we must be undeterred by those who might stand in our way or try to dissuade us from realizing our goal. Then, ultimately, we will uncover for ourselves and others, true, refreshing living waters, the life-giving waters of Judaism which are free and plentiful for every Jew to enjoy. ************************ * 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 * ********************************************* **************************************** * PLEASE TELL ME WHAT THE REBBE SAID * * Weekly Torah Insights For Children, * * Adapted from the Works of the Rebbe * **************************************** PARSHAT TOLDOT This week's Torah portion of Toldot begins by telling us about Yitzchok's family: Eleh Toldot Yitzchok "These are the children of Yitzchok." But this possuk (verse) does not tell us about the children of Yitzchok. Because the names of Yitzchok's children are not mentioned in the possuk, Rashi explains that the possuk refers to "Yaakov and Esav, about whom this Torah portion speaks." But wouldn't we have known this without looking into Rashi? Most of us surely know that Yaakov and Esav were Yitzchok's only children. So why did Rashi make a point of telling us? If we read Rashi's words carefully, we will realize that he is trying to teach us something deeper than the names of the children. With the words, "about whom this Torah portion speaks," Rashi teaches us how to think about Yaakov--and even more so, how to think about Esav. We know that Esav was a person who did not always do good deeds. We do not approve of what he did or the way he talked. But Rashi tells us, "Yaakov and Esav, about whom this Torah portion speaks." We should look at a person, even an Esav, the way our Torah portion speaks. What does this mean? The Torah does not decide whether a person is good only by his deeds. The Torah looks deeper, into his neshamah (soul), and searches for the good which is there. Every Jewish neshamah is good, because it is a part of G-d. Even if a person may not do good deeds, the goodness of his neshamah is there, and the Torah tells us that it has the power to come out. Nothing can stand in the way of the neshamah. Rashi is teaching us not to jump to our own conclusions about Esav. Instead, we should try to see things in the same way as the Torah. This helps us realize that even a person like Esav has good inside, and that G-d is waiting patiently for it to come out and shine. Yitzchok realized this. That is why he was willing to give Esav the precious blessings he had received from Avraham. He was hoping that Esav would be able to bring out the goodness in his neshamah and begin doing good deeds. =========================================================== = End of Text: Living With Moshiach, Parshat Toldot, 5756 = ===========================================================