LIVING WITH MOSHIACH, Parshat Shelach, 5756 B"H LIVING WITH MOSHIACH Weekly Digest About Moshiach PARSHAT SHELACH Sivan 27, 5756 June 14, 1996 * 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 Torah Summer Camps Father's Day ****************** * INTRODUCTION * ****************** We are pleased to present, to the visually impaired and the blind, our weekly publication, Living With Moshiach. * In this week's issue we focus on the importance of Jewish children attending Jewish camps. * 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 18 Sivan, 5756 Brooklyn, New York *************************************** * THE WEEKLY TORAH PORTION * * Adapted from the Works of the Rebbe * *************************************** Parshat Shelach This week's Torah portion, Shelach (literally "send") narrates the story of the Twelve Spies who were sent on a special shlichus (mission) to the land of Israel. The spies had been instructed to scout out the land in order to determine the optimal strategy the Jews should employ to conquer it. Indeed, when they returned from their mission they gave their report on the land and its inhabitants. Their sin, however, consisted in going one step further. In addition to providing the information they were requested to obtain, the spies insisted on venturing their own opinion about the mission itself: "We will not be able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we!" they declared. G-d hadn't asked the spies whether or not they thought conquering the land was possible. Their shlichus was solely a fact-finding mission; thus, adding their own opinion and discouraging the Jewish people from fulfilling G-d's request was a grave transgression. In principle, a shliach (emissary) is required to carry out his mission to the best of his ability, no more and no less! Altering that mission to accommodate his own thoughts and feelings is a distortion of the very shlichus with which he was entrusted! In truth, every Jew is an emissary of G-d, Who caused him to be born into this world in order to fulfill a unique mission. For the mission of every Jew is to transform his surroundings into "the land of Israel"--a "dwelling place for G-d"--through the performance of Torah and mitzvot. As G-d's emissary the Jew is required to "scout out the land"--to determine the best possible method of fulfilling his assignment. Each individual's circumstances in life will determine the answer, be it through strengthening their observance of Shabbat, keeping the laws of kashrut more carefully, lighting Shabbat candles or putting on tefillin, etc. G-d doesn't ask the Jew if it's possible to attain his goal; the very fact that he's been sent on his mission to bring G-dliness into the world indicates that the "land" can indeed be conquered. Furthermore, no matter how difficult the mission may seem, a Jew must never arrive at the conclusion of the spies and despair of ever being victorious. Yes, a Jew is entrusted with a special shlichus, but G-d has given him the power and capacity to fulfill his mission. Bearing this in mind is the key to being successful! **************************** * 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 * ************************************************* ********************** * TORAH SUMMER CAMPS * ********************** Summer is a great time for kids. Without the pressures of school, children have the opportunity to spend their summer vacation in enjoyable and educational pursuits. The summer schedule is particularly suitable for children to grow spiritually, by attending a day or overnight camp with a vibrant, exciting and Torah-true Jewish atmosphere. Each year, without exception, as the summer approached, the Rebbe emphasized the importance of Jewish children attending Jewish camps. The amount that a child can learn in the summer, unencumbered by the pursuit of reading, writing and 'rithmatic, goes far beyond what he can accomplish at any other time of year. And, as this knowledge is being imparted in an atmosphere of fun and excitement, in an environment totally saturated with Jewish pride, it remains with a child long after the summer months are over. It's still not too late to enroll your child in a Jewish camp. And it's certainly not too late to facilitate other children attending a Jewish camp if you do not have camp-age kids. By calling your local Chabad-Lubavitch Center (for a listing of the Centers in your area, call: 1-800-Lubavitch (1-800-582-2848)), or the National Headquarters of Tzivos Hashem at (718) 467-6630, you can find out about a summer camp experience for someone you know whose benefit will last a lifetime. By the way, adults, too, should take advantage of the more relaxed atmosphere of summer to revitalize and nourish themselves Jewishly. Try a Jewish retreat or even just a weekly Torah class to enhance your Jewish pride and knowledge. And may this summer be our last one in exile and our first in the Era of the Redemption. **************** * FATHER'S DAY * **************** Have you shopped for a Father's Day card yet? Even if you haven't, certainly you remember from previous years that most Father's Day cards fall into a few categories. There are the sweet and sentimental ones with the soft-touch drawing on the front and then there are the humorous or tongue-in-cheek cards that seem to be written especially for your dad. Some cards talk about Dad always being there, making things right, listening and caring. Others extoll Dad's virtues and then ask for the car keys, or a few extra dollars. G-d is often referred to in our prayers as Our Father. Just like your dad, G-d is interested and even involved in the most mundane and seemingly insignificant parts of your life. He can be approached by every Jew, no matter where, no matter when. And He can and should be approached for any of the things you might ask your flesh-and-blood father for: some money for a new car, extra assistance on the final exam, a listening ear, or forgiveness, to name a few. "I can get by with a little help from my friends," some people say. "I don't believe in asking G-d for what I need." That sounds nice. Sort of like you don't want to bother G-d with your "trivialities." But did you know that it is a mitzvah to ask G-d for our needs? To pray that the refrigerator doesn't break down because you can't afford a new one right now. To ask G-d to heal a sick friend. To request success on that presentation you have to make next week. Asking your dad for something you need--and his being able to help out--gives him pleasure. Similarly, asking G-d for what we need--and His giving it to us--gives Him "pleasure." There are times, too, that in order to get our dad's attention we have to respectfully demand that he put down the newspaper, etc., and LISTEN. "Listen to our voice, merciful Father, have compassion on us, accept our prayers; do not turn us away empty-handed for You hear everyone's prayers." [1] G-d hears our prayers, He listens to our requests, He registers our complaints. But does that mean that things always go the way we want them to? Not necessarily! Did your father always give whatever you asked him for? Sometimes yes, and sometimes no. When you got a yes, you probably never asked him why. But the no always needed an explanation. Why a no? Sometimes, what you were asking for wasn't right. You knew it and he knew it, but you had to ask anyway. Sometimes it wasn't right, but just Dad knew it; and later, looking back, you realized Dad had made the correct decision. And sometimes, for some inexplicable reason, Dad said no without explaining himself, and you just had to accept it. This is true, too, of our Heavenly Father. Sometimes, He accedes to our requests and at other times He denies them, for He truly knows what is best for us. There is one request, however, which we know is correct and which we have a right to demand G-d listen to. It is the plea for Moshiach, who will help the world achieve the purpose for which it was created, an era of peace, prosperity and the pursuit of G-dliness. FATHER, HEAR OUR PRAYER, WE WANT MOSHIACH NOW! __________ 1. Paraphrase of one of the 19 blessings that we say in the Amidah prayer recited 3 times each weekday. ============================================================ = End of Text: Living With Moshiach, Parshat Shelach, 5756 = ============================================================