"LIVING WITH MOSHIACH,"
Parshat Lech Lecha, 5764
Cheshvan 12, 5764
Nov. 7, 2003
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Dedicated to educating the public regarding the
current situation in Israel, based on Torah
sources, with special emphasis on the opinion
and teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
NOTE:
The Table of Contents contains links to the text. Click on an entry
in the Table of Contents and you will move to the information selected.
"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
THIS PUBLICATION IS DEDICATED
TO THE REBBE,
RABBI MENACHEM M. SCHNEERSON
OF LUBAVITCH
Click here, to see pictures of the Rebbe
The Daily Sicha (in Real Audio)
- Listen to selected excerpts of the Rebbe's Sichos
[talks] which are relevant to the particular day.
We are pleased to present, to the visually impaired and the blind, the 361st
issue of our weekly publication, Living With Moshiach.
*
We'd like to hear from you. Tell us your comments, suggestions, etc. Write
to us, or E-Mail via Internet.
*
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 of blessed
memory, 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
9 Cheshvan, 5764
Brooklyn, New York
Parshat Lech Lecha
This week's Torah portion, Lech Lecha, describes G-d's promise of
the Land of Israel to the Jewish people. It also describes Abraham's travels
through the land whereby he acquired it for his descendants forever. Abraham's
traversing of the land was not a necessary prerequisite for his taking possession
of it as G-d's promise itself sufficed to transfer ownership of the Holy
Land to Abraham.
It has been mentioned numerous times that the Rebbe's statements regarding
the Holy Land, and his staunch position not to give back even one inch of
land to the Arabs, has nothing to do with biblical promises or messianic
visions. Rather, the Rebbe has made these statements and taken this position
because of Pikuach Nefesh -- the imminent danger to life -- of Jews
in the Holy Land.(1)
Unfortunately, the Rebbe's stand has been shown to be absolutely true. And
yet, of course, there are spiritual as well as mundane lessons to be learned
from this week's Torah portion. There are spiritual implications, the Rebbe
explains, of G-d's promise to the Jewish people via Abraham:
"There is a particular relevance to G-d's promise in the present age, the
era immediately preceding Moshiach's coming. For G-d promised Abraham the
lands of the ten nations, including not only the land of the seven Canaanite
nations conquered by the Jews after the exodus from Egypt, but also the lands
of the Keini, the Kenizi, and the Kadmoni people. G-d promised -- and thus
gave -- the Jewish people all these ten lands at the same time. Nevertheless,
in the present era, we were granted only the lands of seven nations and the
fulfillment of this promise in its full sense will not be until the Era of
the Redemption.... In the Era of the Redemption, by contrast, not only all
the Jews of that generation but also all the Jews of all previous generations
who will arise in the Resurrection, will live there."
With the situation as it is now in Israel, the only solution is that G-d
fulfill His promise and give possession of the entire Holy Land to the Jewish
people under the leadership of Moshiach.
* * *
Let us read carefully and take to heart the words that the Rebbe said on
Shabbat Bereishis 12 years ago:
"Throughout the centuries, the Jews have been recognized as 'the chosen people.'
In the world at large, and in particular, in the United States, the Jews
are allowed to carry out their service of G-d without persecution, indeed,
amidst rest and prosperity. Furthermore, the government offers assistance
to the Jews here and those in the Land of Israel, enabling them to progress
in the service of G-d.
"This has been made possible by the activities of many of the Torah Sages
in their relations with the gentiles, including the activities of the Chabad
Rebbes.
"Based on the above, we can understand how inappropriate are the statements
which certain Rabbis have recently made that the Jews must comply with the
demands of the gentile nations in regard to the Holy Land. These statements
continue, stating that, heaven forbid, such compliance is necessary because
the existence of the Jews in the Holy Land is dependent on the kindness of
the gentile nations.
"The principle, 'Do not challenge the nations,' is not relevant in this context,
for this principle can never override an explicit teaching of Torah law.
In this instance, we are clearly bound by the decision of the Shulchan
Aruch (the Code of Jewish Law, Orach Chayim, 329), that if gentiles
threaten to attack a Jewish settlement we must take up arms and defend ourselves
against them. And if that settlement is located on the border, we must take
up arms against them even if they are demanding 'straw and hay' for by
acquiescing to them, we 'open the entire land to them.'
"Since such statements were made, it is obvious that greater emphasis has
to be placed on recognizing the uniqueness of the Jewish people and emphasis
on their connection to the Holy Land.... And this will lead to the ultimate
wonder in this year of wonders, the coming of the Redemption. And then we
will proceed together with the entire Jewish people to the Holy Land, to
Jerusalem, and to the Holy Temple."
_______________
1. See "EYES UPON THE LAND" - The Territorial Integrity of
Israel: A Life Threatening Concern. Based on the Public Statements and Writings
of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, Adapted by Rabbi
Eliyahu Touger (1997: Sichos in English).
http://www.truepeace.org/book.html
See also: REBBE'S VIEWS
http://www.truepeace.org/rebbeview.html
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 OUR DEAR FRIEND AND COPY EDITOR
Reb Mordechai ben Reb Shaul
Staiman
Passed away on 22 Tamuz, 5763
There is a saying of the Previous Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn,
quoted in the name of his father, the Rebbe Rashab:
"The first Torah portion, Parshat Bereishis, is a joyful Torah portion,
for in it, G-d created the world and all of its inhabitants.
"Parshat Noach, however, relates the Great Flood. The week in which
it is read is therefore a sad one, but it ends on a happy note with the birth
of our forefather Abraham.
"Yet the week which is truly the happiest is the one in which the Torah portion
of Parshat Lech Lecha is read. For each and every day of the week
we live with Abraham."
Why is Parshat Lech Lecha, this week's Torah reading, considered the
most joyful of the three?
Parshat Bereishis contains the narrative of Creation. This portion
relates G-d's actions, and describes how He created the world in six days.
The Torah portion tells us what G-d did, but it does not relate the deeds
of the creations themselves.
Parshat Noach, by contrast, deals primarily with the actions of mankind.
In this Torah portion we learn about the Great Flood, about the behavior
of the people of Noach's generation, and about the deeds of the righteous
Noach himself.
Thus each of the first two Torah portions concerns itself with an entirely
different sphere. Parshat Bereishis revolves around G-d and G-dly
matters, whereas Parshat Noach concentrates on the more mundane affairs
of mankind. In neither of these Torah portions is the connection between
G-d and man, the higher spheres and the lower spheres, expressed.
How do Jews create that connection? By carrying out the will of G-d and
performing His mitzvot.
When Jews observe the Torah's commandments they draw nearer to G-d, binding
themselves to Him with an everlasting bond. When G-d gave His holy Torah
to the Jewish people, He thereby gave them the means to forge a connection
between the "higher worlds" -- G-d, and the "lower worlds" -- human beings.
The preparation for the giving of the Torah began with Lech Lecha,
when G-d gave Abraham the commandment to "go out" of his native land, and
Abraham obeyed. Ignoring his own personal wishes and his natural proclivities
and inclinations, Abraham set off to fulfill the will of G-d to establish
a "dwelling place" for Him in the physical world.
Thus began the wondrous connection with G-d that continues and is strengthened
with every mitzvah we perform.
This is why Parshat Lech Lecha is the most joyful of the Torah's first
three portions. The first speaks solely of the higher worlds; the second,
only about the lower. It isn't until the third portion, Lech Lecha,
that the true connection to G-d first commences.
Some people say that Avraham Avinu (Abraham our father) was the first
Lubavitcher chasid. This might sound a little (or more than a little)
self-serving. But, let us take a few moments to analyze Avraham's life; we
might find that, in fact, there is much truth in this statement.
In this week's Torah portion, Avraham is commanded by G-d to go away from
his home, leave his parents, and travel to a distant, unknown land. He always
spoke to strangers, bringing them closer to an awareness of G-d, their Creator.
Now, isn't this, actually, what Lubavitcher chasidim are doing all
over the world?
Avraham set up a huge tent in the middle of the desert. The tent had four
doors, one in each direction, so that any person passing by would always
be able to enter quickly. Doesn't that remind you of a Chabad House --
Chabad-Lubavitch outreach centers on college campuses and suburban Jewish
communities with an "open door" policy?
With Avraham as our role model and guide, let us make every effort to follow
in his footsteps, setting up our own tents, and helping others set up tents
for people to live and experience the beauty and warmth of Judaism.
Sunday (Nov. 2) is the seventh day of the Hebrew month of Cheshvan.
In the times of the Holy Temple, the Jewish people traveled to Jerusalem
for the festivals of Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot, the seventh
of Cheshvan marked the end of the pilgrimage season surrounding the
festival of Sukkot, according to our Sages. During Sukkot,
the entire Jewish people were in Jerusalem. For the Jews living on the Euphrates
River, the furthest reaches of the Holy Land, their journey home took fifteen
days and thus, was concluded on the seventh of Cheshvan. It was beginning
on the seventh of Cheshvan that the prayer for rain commenced, once
all of the pilgrims were comfortably home again.
This fact, of the delay of the prayers for rain until the last pilgrims reached
their homes, is relevant to the concept of Jewish unity.
During the pilgrimage festivals, the essential unity of the Jewish people
is expressed. However, that unity applies to the essential oneness that binds
our people together, while transcending our individuality. The unity expressed
by the seventh of Cheshvan relates to Jews as individuals. Jewish
unity remains even after each Jew returns to his own home and his individual
lifestyle.
The seventh of Cheshvan is the final stage of Jewish unity that was
begun during the month of Elul (the days of preparation for Rosh HaShanah)
and enhanced throughout all of the days of the month of Tishrei. May
we continue to work on and enhance Jewish unity in every way possible until
the ultimate revelation of total Jewish unity and the unity of G-d and the
entire world with the coming of Moshiach, NOW!
The first of September (1996) was the date by which everything had to be
in place. The goal was to complete the new Chabad House that would provide
a home away from home for the Jewish students of Rutgers University. The
five-million-dollar building was almost complete, ready to house two dozen
women, provide kosher meals to thousands of students a week, and serve as
the center for the vibrant Jewish life that Chabad has built at Rutgers.
But Rabbi Yosef Carlebach, director of Chabad of Middlesex/Monmouth counties
in New Jersey, had a problem. In mid-July he was still eight hundred thousand
dollars short of the money he needed to raise to complete the project and
get the building open.
By the end of August, the situation looked pretty bleak, indeed. The contractor
had walked off the job and wouldn't return unless more money was forth coming.
However, there was still a good deal of work left to do before the certificate
of occupancy could be issued, and the mortgages could be obtained.
Rabbi Carlebach had called Rabbi Leibel Groner, from the Rebbe's secretariat,
who had spoken at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Chabad House, for some
more leads. But Rabbi Groner was unable to help.
Rabbi Carlebach continued to pray at the ohel twice a week, as he
had been doing all summer. The frustration and stress of the situation were
taking its toll, as was evidenced late one Sunday afternoon when Rabbi Carlebach,
in the midst of making calls to solicit funds, fell asleep with the phone
cradled in his hand.
Moments, or maybe hours later, the shrill of the telephone jarred him awake.
It was Rabbi Groner, asking how much money was needed to complete the
mikvah in the Chabad House.
"Forty thousand dollars," was Rabbi Carlebach's response.
Rabbi Groner called back Monday morning with good news.
A New York business man might be able to help. Time was of the essence so
Rabbi Carlebach called the man, Mr. A., and offered to drive into New York,
pick him up, and bring him out to the uncompleted Chabad House. Mr. A. agreed
and Rabbi Carlebach picked him up the following afternoon. Mr. A. sat quietly
for the whole drive.
As Rabbi Carlebach showed Mr. A. around the Chabad House, he seemed to be
only mildly interested. However, when the two men entered the area designated
to be the mikvah, Mr. A. just stood there and stared. Five minutes
passed, then ten. After fifteen minutes, Rabbi Carlebach told Mr. A. that
he would be upstairs saying the afternoon prayers. When Rabbi Carlebach finished
praying, he heard Mr. A. downstairs, talking excitedly to someone on his
cellular phone.
Later, on the way back to New York, Mr. A. explained his strange behavior
to the rabbi.
Mr. A. was born in Russia, and his family had moved to Israel when he was
a child. There was very little money, and Lubavitch in Israel had taken care
of the family's material and spiritual needs.
As a young man Mr. A. had come to the United States and started a business.
From the moment he had set foot in this country, he had maintained close
contact with the Rebbe. Every step he took, in his business or personal life,
he kept the Rebbe informed. When he had started his business, he had written
to the Rebbe for a blessing and had committed himself to observe the
mitzvah that requires giving one tenth of one's earnings to
tzedakah (charity). Over time his venture had been blessed with success.
A few years ago, his wife had given birth to a baby boy weighing only two
pounds, three ounces. The doctors were not certain that the baby would survive.
If he did he might never see or speak. Mr. and Mrs. A. had asked the Rebbe
for a blessing for their son. The Rebbe assured them that the baby would
develop normally, and he did.
In the past few months, however, the doctor noticed that the boy's muscles
weren't developing correctly, and that he might not walk properly. Mr. A.
went to the ohel to pray for the health of his son.
Soon afterwards, he had a puzzling, yet fascinating dream. He dreamt that
he approached the Rebbe for a blessing, and the Rebbe told him to follow
the instructions of Rabbi Groner and then to come back to the Rebbe. Rabbi
Groner told him to go and inspect a mikvah. In his dream he watched
himself go to a mikvah, and, seeing that it was still not completed,
grew more and more angry, wondering how could it be that here in America
there could be a mikvah that cannot be finished?
When Mr. A. awoke, the dream came back to him in bits and pieces. When he
recalled the dream in its entirety, he checked with his accountant and
ascertained that, in accordance with his customary charitable giving, he
had fallen behind in the amount of $40,000. Mr. A. told his brother about
the dream and that he was going to Rabbi Groner. If Rabbi Groner told him
of a mikvah that needed somewhere around $40,000 to be completed,
he would know his dream was true.
While Mr. A. was in his office, Rabbi Groner called Rabbi Carlebach. When
Rabbi Groner turned around to tell Mr. A. that the mikvah needed $40,000
to be completed, he saw Mr. A.'s face turn white.
And now, when Mr. A. arrived at the Chabad House, he was amazed to find that
the unfinished mikvah looked exactly as it had in his dream.
On Thursday Mr. A. brought Rabbi Groner the $40,000. Although it was 10:30
p.m., Rabbi Groner called Rabbi Carlebach who immediately drove into New
York to pick up the money.
The next day, Rabbi Carlebach had a meeting with the contractor and the workers
at 8:00 a.m. The meeting did not go well and the contractor got up to leave.
Rabbi Carlebach stopped him on his way out and handed him the envelope,
containing the money, from Mr. A. When the contractor realized that there
were immediate funds available, and, even moreso, after hearing the story
of the dream, he ordered his workers back to the site and before long the
work was completed. The following Friday, the city officials and the board
of health gave the building a "thumbs up." That night, hundreds of Jewish
students were able to celebrate Shabbat in the new Chabad House.
The most important principle in the Torah is the protection of Jewish life.
It's more important than Shabbat, more important than holidays, even
fasting on Yom Kippur.
Right now, in Israel, and everywhere, Jews must stand together in unity and
do whatever possible to protect Jewish life.
The Rebbe taught that there are ten important
Mitzvot we can do to protect life. See what you can do:
1) Ahavat Yisroel: Behave with love towards another Jew.
2) Learn Torah: Join a Torah class.
3) Make sure that Jewish children get a Torah true education.
4) Affix kosher Mezuzot on all doorways of the house.
5) For men and boys over 13: Put on Tefillin every weekday.
6) Give Charity.
7) Buy Jewish holy books and learn them.
8) Light Shabbat & Yom Tov candles. A Mitzvah
for women and girls.
9) Eat and drink only Kosher Food.
10) Observe the laws of Jewish Family Purity.
In addition, the Rebbe also urged every man, woman and child to Purchase
a Letter in a Sefer Torah. There are several Torah scrolls
being written to unite Jewish people and protect Jewish life.
Letters for children can be purchased for only $1. Send your Hebrew name
and your mother's Hebrew name plus $1 to:
"Children's Sefer Torah,"
P. O. Box 8,
Kfar Chabad, 72915, Israel
or via the Internet, at:
http://www.kidstorah.org
The Rebbe's slogan is: "The main thing is the deed." We therefore present
from the Rebbe's talks suggestions what we can do to complete his work of
bringing the Redemption.
Encourage the Kids!
Do the doorposts of your children's rooms have mezuzahs on them? If
they do, point them out to the children and encourage them to kiss or touch
the mezuzah cover as they go in and out of the room. If not, purchase
a hand-written mezuzah scroll from a reliable Judaica store or your
local Chabad-Lubavitch Center. You can even let the child choose his or her
own mezuzah cover.
The Rebbe explained, "We see that children have a unique attraction to a
mezuzah, and kiss it eagerly several times a day. From the
mezuzah, one goes from one's house to the world at large as the
Rambam writes, 'Whenever one enters or departs, one will confront
the unity of G-d's name.'"
(18th of Cheshvan, 5752/1991)
Jewish Women and Girls Light Shabbat
Candles
For local candle lighting times:
consult your local Rabbi, Chabad-Lubavitch Center, or call: (718) 774-3000.
or:
http://www.candlelightingtimes.org/shabbos
For a free candle lighting kit:
contact your local Chabad-Lubavitch Center.
For a listing of the Centers in your area:
http://www.candlelightingtimes.org/general/shluchim.html.
In the USA, call: 1-800-Lubavitch (1-800-582-2848).
Times shown are for Metro NY - NJ
Friday, Nov. 7, Erev Shabbat Parshat Lech Lecha:
-
Light Shabbat Candles,(2) by 4:28 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 8, Shabbat Parshat Lech Lecha:
-
Shabbat ends at nightfall, at 5:30 p.m.
_______________
2. The Shabbat candles must be lit 18 minutes before
sunset. It is prohibited and is a desecration of the Shabbat
to light the candles after sunset.
Laws of Shabbat Candle Lighting for the Blind
Shabbat Candle Lighting Blessing
"Let There Be Light" - The Jewish Women's Guide
to Lighting Shabbat Candles.
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