10 Ways to Answer the Call p.11 Get Spiritually Fit in 30 Days p.4

Kosher in Beijing p.3

Are You Afraid of Your Soul? p.10 Dedicated to the love and inspiration of the Lubavitcher What is ? Farbrengen (fahr-brang-in) is for spending quality time with friends. It’s a get-together of nosh, song and inspiration. Farbrengen magazine is a collection of sparks you can hold in your hand. So feel its warmth. Go ahead, join the worldwide, timeless Farbrengen. ON the cover

It all started at a Farbrengen on a sunny California morning. The Farbrengen team had gathered in the friendly offices at Farbrengen Headquarters in Los Angeles. The topic was . The Shofar. Action. The Call. The Urgency of it all. Three days later, Aaron Kuban ( model) was standing in front of the camera lens of Ken Merfeld (mitzvah photographer). Marc Lumer (creative director) stood neatly on the side, sipping a kosher drink with a hint of lemon. The next day, the photo (pictured above) was laying on a cluttered conference table at Marc Lumer Design in West Hollywood. Kurt Hartman (artist) was given the task of transforming the photo into a clean and crisp cover image. And that’s our cover story.



 Hello ladies, What language does your soul speak? Your soul is calling for the English? Hebrew? Spanish? It doesn’t Lights. Women and matter; Jewish Books for Your girls (ages 3 and up) can answer Home are calling in all languages. this call and bring peace and Why not be good to your soul and harmony to any home. So grab furnish its living space with as many a match and light candles every holy books as possible? At the very Friday evening, at least 18 least, we suggest you get a hold of a minutes before sunset, and let Chumash (Bible), , and a Prayer your soul enjoy a Shabbat of Book. (Leather-bound set optional.) total relaxation. Repeat weekly, Visit www.kehot.com. and of course before Jewish Festivals. Visit www.fridaylight.org. Ordering in? Keep your soul and body happy and healthy Paging all guys (ages 13 and up). All 10 with the Kosher Diet. Once you’ll need to answer this call is a Ways to you eat differently, you’ll notice kosher pair of Tefillin (black leather that your soul won’t seem so distant, and boxes containing small parchment is now part and parcel of your very scrolls). Every morning, unwrap the being. The “Kosher Diet” will give your gift and treat your soul to a moment of answer soul spiritual results within minutes, and Teffillin. You may notice that your there’s no surgery necessary. soul will smile frequently during these sessions. Tefillin are not to be used on the call Shabbat or Festivals. Love Your Fellow as Yourself. This may require you to make a good call. Safety Call. Let your soul feel safe Reaching out to your and secure with the perfect house- fellow man with warming gift, the mezuzah. Answer patience and love is this call by installing a mezuzah among the greatest on the doorposts of your home gifts you can give and office. The mezuzah is a sign any soul. that the area is Heaven-Conscious and enjoys His protection.Visit www.askmoses.com. Every Jewish soul should receive A . Answer the child within and teach her everything Get your soul thinking and dial up some about our heritage. You’ll be thrilled to Daily Study. Even just a few know that you will be ensuring Jewish lines of Torah contain the infinite integrity, Jewish identity and a Jewish wisdom of G-d. Make it a habit and future. Find a Jewish school near you. see what you’ll learn. Visit www..org. Make a date with the timeless Family Purity for the Married Soul. This Divinely inspired mitzvah allows you to make the most of your marriage, bringing you and your spouse to new, undiscovered depths Want to make of intimacy. It brings your soul feel like a million bucks? a cherished sacredness Simply answer the call of the needy into your personal, and with a gift of . This soulful, relationship. Visit simple yet useful mitzvah brings www.mikvah.org. happiness to your soul and, more importantly, a poor family living nearby. The best way to give this gift is to make it a daily surprise. So keep By Shira Gold Illustrations: Kurt Hartman a “pushkah” (charity box) handy in (Shira Gold is the managing editor of your home and office. Farbrengen Magazine)

 editorial Happy Birthday, World

This month, we’ll be celebrating license. A few days later, my Hebrew the world’s 5769th birthday. To be birthday was my personal Rosh sure, Rosh Hashanah doesn’t actu- Hashanah, sans the head of a fish. ally mark the creation of the world My personal New Year was a day of -- that had occurred six days prior. inner reflection, a day of re-focusing The Jewish New Year marks the cre- my life, and a day of birthday cake. ation of Adam and Eve. To me, ever since the first man What is it about the sixth day of licked the icing off a piece of birth- Creation that has us singing happy day cake, it was clear that birthdays birthday to the were meant to be world around us? “The world was created for about purpose. According to the purpose of mankind making B i r t h d a y s the Midrash, “The a dwelling place for Him in the had noth- world was created lowest world.” ing to for the purpose of mankind making do with retirement, and a dwelling place for Him in the low- had everything to do est world.” with spiritual refueling Hence, the first Rosh Hashanah stations along our was celebrated as soon as there was spiritual journeys. Adam and Eve. In simple terms, So this year, the Jewish New Year celebrates the as you hear the birth of potential to accomplish the shofar’s call and world’s purpose. celebrate a New I find this fascinating and invigo- Year, think about rating at the same time: the world’s your own birth- birthday is based on purpose, not day. Think about age. Can you imagine a birthday how old you are that has nothing to do with age? spiritually. Think Can you imagine a birthday that about how you’re has nothing to do with how old you doing with your look or feel? own personal Personally, I grew up in a Chassidic potential to actual- family and I had two birthdays: my ize the world’s pur- English birthday and my Hebrew pose. birthday. My English birthday meant Happy Birthday! new booster shots and was used as the expiration date on my driver’s Rabbi Shmuel Marcus

EDITOR IN CHIEF: Rabbi Chaim N. Cunin EDITORIAL CONSULTANTS: Rabbi Levi Cunin (Jay EDITOR: Rabbi Shmuel Marcus Leno’s Rabbi), Yosef Marcus and Nechama Marcus. MANAGING EDITOR: Shira Gold ART DIRECTOR: Marc Lumer COPY EDITORS: Bradford Wiss, Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort DESIGN: MarcLumerDesign.com CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Rachel Moss, Shira Gold, ARTWORK: Marc Lumer, Kurt Meaningfullife.com, Lubavitch.com, AskMoses.com, Hartman Miriam Lieberman, Rabbis Yosef Kranz, Shmuel Marcus, PHOTOGRAPHY: Ken Merfeld Yosef Marcus, Shlomo Chain, Simon Jacobson, Mendel Jacobson, Dov Greenberg, Levi Selwyn, Shalom Edelson, SPECIAL THANKS TO: Uri, Dina, Natan, Yitzchak, and David Sacks Moshe and Gilana Sara Pikover for continuing the Rebbe’s Farbrengen.

©2008 by Chabad of California, www.farbrengen.com

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce any portion of Farbrengen in any form, without prior written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages.Printed in the USA

 8th Day, perhaps the only rock band ever to ATouching Story be named after the 8th Day of , has just Now here’s a book that lets your Blues released their latest child touch the bumps of an , or album “Brooklyn.” The the soft velvet Torah cover, or the sound is fresh with a stickiness of sweet honey dripping mix of Yiddish, rock from an apple. A Touch of and blues. In one the High Holidays song, the band dreams introduces the of the old shtetl and three-and-under pay tribute the ever-present Jewish crowd to the Bubbie. The original sound of 8th Day’s “Brooklyn” meaning of these album is available at www.my8thday.com. special days through a series of textured holiday symbols. If there is a two year-old pulling this magazine from your hands right now, we highly recommend this book. Written by Devorah Glazer, and illustrated by The Seva. Price: $8.00 at www.kehot.com. For thousands of years, the Jewish People have Shake fulfilled the Biblical mandate to “Take for yourself the four kinds.” This year, bring the tradition home with a Lulav and Etrog Deluxe Set (includes: 1 palm branch, 1 Etrog [citron], 2 willow stalks, and 3 myrtle branches). Price: $72 (plus shipping), available at your local Chabad center.

So, where can you get a good pastrami sandwich in Beijing? We recommend Dini’s Kosher Restaurant just off Nu Ren Jie. Perhaps the only kosher restaurant in China, Dini’s is certified kosher by Chabad of Beijing. The menu offers everything from corned beef on rye to a spectacular salmon avo- cado roll. Dini’s Kosher restaurant is located at Nuren Jie, Xingba Lu, Jiuba Jie, Beijing, 100016, China. You can call in your order at +86 (0) 10 6461 6220 or visit www.kosherbeijing.com. Beijing Kosher  SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY 28 Elul 28 29 Elul 29 30 Tishrei 1 1 Tishrei 2 The Month of Elul Eve of New Year First Day of Rosh Hashanah Second Day of Rosh Hashanah Erev Rosh Hashanah Day 1 of “Ten Days of Teshuvah” Day 2 of “Ten Days of Teshuvah” Birthday of the 3rd Rebbe, the Adam and Eve were created in Tzemach Tzedek in 1789 3760 BCE CHECKLIST ❑ prayers CHECKLIST ❑ No Shofar today ❑ Shofar is practiced ❑ Prepare for Rosh Hashanah CHECKLIST ❑ Wish people “May you ❑ Light Candles ❑ Rosh Hashanah Prayers be inscribed and sealed for ❑ Rosh Hashanah ❑ Hear the shofar CHECKLIST a good year” ❑ Evening Prayers ❑ and Festive Meal ❑ Rosh Hashanah Prayers ❑ ❑ Kiddush and Festive Meal ❑ Tashlich at body of water ❑ Hear the shofar ❑ Check Mezuzot and Tefillin ❑ Apples dipped in honey ❑ Light Candles ❑ Kiddush and Festive Meal ❑ Selichot prayers ❑ Head of Fish or Ram ❑ Kiddush and Festive Meal ❑ Havdalah 5 Tishrei 6 6 Tishrei 7 7 Tishrei 8 8 Tishrei 9 Day 6 of “Ten Days of Teshuvah” Day 7 of “Ten Days of Teshuvah” Day 8 of “Ten Days of Teshuvah” Erev Yahrziet of Rebbetzin Chana Day 9 of “Ten Days of Teshuvah” Schneerson in 1964.

CHECKLIST CHECKLIST CHECKLIST CHECKLIST ❑ Kapparot and charity ❑ Tefillin ❑ Tefillin ❑ Tefillin ❑ 2 Festive Meals, before fast ❑ Charity ❑ Charity ❑ Charity ❑ Light Yahrzeit candle ❑ Prepare Sukkah ❑ Prepare Sukkah ❑ Prepare Sukkah ❑ Light Candles, before sunset ❑ Prepare the Lulav and Etrog ❑ Prepare the Lulav and Etrog ❑ Prepare the Lulav and Etrog ❑ Say 12 Tishrei 13 13 Tishrei 14 14 Tishrei 15 15 Tishrei 16 Passing of Rabbi Shmuel of Erev Sukkot First Day of Sukkot Second Day of Sukkot Lubavitch (1834-1882)

CHECKLIST CHECKLIST ❑ Shake Lulav ❑ Tefillin ❑ Sukkot Prayers CHECKLIST CHECKLIST ❑ Prepare Sukkah ❑ Kiddush and Festive Meal ❑ Shake Lulav ❑ Tefillin ❑ Prepare Lulav and Etrog ❑ Eat all meals in Sukkah ❑ Sukkot Prayers ❑ Prepare Sukkah ❑ Light Candles ❑ Light Candles ❑ Eat all meals in Sukkah ❑ Prepare the Lulav and Etrog ❑ Kiddush and Festive Meal (After Nightfall) ❑ Simchat Beit HaShoeivah 19 Tishrei 20 20 Tishrei 21 21 Tishrei 22 22 Tishrei 23 Day 4 of Chol HaMoed Sukkot Hoshanah Rabbah Shemini Atzeret

CHECKLIST ❑ Eat all meals in Sukkah CHECKLIST ❑ Shake Lulav ❑ Eat all meals in the Sukkah ❑ Eat Festive Meal CHECKLIST CHECKLIST ❑ Shake Lulav ❑ Tap aravot-willow branches ❑ Yizkor memorial prayer ❑ Dance Hakafot ❑ Simchat Beit HaShoeivah ❑ Light Candles ❑ Kiddush and Festive Meal ❑ Kiddush and Festive Meals ❑ All Night ❑ Dance Hakafot with Torah ❑ Light Candles ❑ Havdalah 10 THURSDAY FRIDAY SHABBAT SEPTEMBER 2 Tishrei 3 3 Tishrei 4 4 Tishrei 5 Fast of Gedaliah Erev Shabbat Shuvah (Vayelech) Shabbat Shuvah Day 3 of “Ten Days of Teshuvah” Day 4 of “Ten Days of Teshuvah” Day 5 of “Ten Days of Teshuvah” Rabbi Akiva martyred in 134 CE

CHECKLIST CHECKLIST CHECKLIST ❑ Tefillin ❑ Shabbat Prayers Fit in Get Spiritually ❑ ❑ ❑ TISHREI Tefillin Light Kiddush and Shabbat Meal ❑ Charity ❑ Kiddush and Shabbat Meal ❑ Havdalah 9 Tishrei 10 10 Tishrei 11 11 Tishrei 12 Yom Kippur The Day after Yom Kippur Shabbat Parshat Ha’Azinu Day 10 of “Ten Days of Teshuvah”

CHECKLIST ❑ Start planning the Sukkah CHECKLIST ❑ Purchase Lulav and Etrog ❑ Fast (sundown to nightfall) ❑ Tefillin CHECKLIST 3 ❑ Yizkor memorial prayers ❑ Charity ❑ Shabbat Prayers ❑ Havdalah service ❑ Light Shabbat Candles ❑ Kiddush and Shabbat Meal ❑ Break Fast ❑ Kiddush and Shabbat Meal ❑ Havdalah 0 Tishrei 16 16 Tishrei 17 17 Tishrei 18 18 Tishrei 19 Day 1 of Chol HaMoed Sukkot Day 2 of Chol HaMoed Sukkot Day 3 of Chol HaMoed Sukkot

Days

CHECKLIST ❑ Eat all meals in the Sukkah CHECKLIST ❑ Shake Lulav CHECKLIST ❑ Eat all meals in Sukkah ❑ Simchat Beit HaShoeivah ❑ Eat all meals in the Sukkah ❑ Shake Lulav ❑ Light Shabbat Candles ❑ Do Not Shake Lulav ❑ Simchat Beit HaShoeivah ❑ Kiddush and Shabbat Meal ❑ Simchat Beit HaShoeivah Tishrei 23 23 Tishrei 24 24 Tishrei 25 25 Tishrei 26 Eve of Shabbat Breishit Shabbat Parshat Breishit From the Rebbe’s teachings, edited by Miriam Lieberman OCTOBER

For your local candle lighting times and CHECKLIST blessings, enter your ❑ Tefillin CHECKLIST zip code at: CHECKLIST ❑ Charity ❑ Shabbat Prayers www.fridaylight.org ❑ Tefillin ❑ Light Shabbat Candles ❑ Kiddush and Shabbat Meal ❑ Charity ❑ Kiddush and Shabbat Meal ❑ Havdalah 11 Yom Kippur reveals the The Midrash describes The Hebrew letters “Sukkah is the only essence of the Jewish soul, the four days between Yom shin, bet, and tof spell mitzvah into which a a spark of G-d united with Kippur and Sukkot as a time Shabbat. The person enters with his when the Jewish people are points out that these muddy boots,” goes the its Source. The final prayer “preoccupied with mitzvot... of Yom Kippur, when our same three letters spell Chassidic saying. The this one is occupied with his the Hebrew word for sukkah, its walls and judgment for the coming sukkah, this one is occupied roofing, encompass with his lulav...” It is customary return: tashuv. The year is sealed, is called soul energy of Shabbat us entirely. Our whole Ne’ilah, “closing the gate,” to begin working on (or at least planning) the construction of is the power of return. being—from our intellect which culminates with the sukkah immediately after When you experience a and emotion down to the final sounding of the Yom Kippur. Shabbat, you experience the tips of our toes—is shofar. a returning of the soul. involved with this mitzvah.

The spirituality achieved The sukkah commemo- The Zohar teaches that The says: “One who during the High Holidays rates the Clouds of Glory on each of the seven has not seen the joy of the with prayer and fasting is which surrounded and water-drawing celebrations again achieved on Sukkot, protected our ancestors days of Sukkot, we are has not seen joy in his life.” but through joy. Joy is during the forty-year joined in our sukkah by When the Holy Temple stood not logical; it is above desert sojourn which seven spiritual Ushpizin, in Jerusalem, one of the special our comprehension. Our followed the Egyptian honored guests. Today Sukkot observances was to pour Sages teach, “Joy breaks Exodus. Our willingness water on the altar. This drawing all boundaries.” Through to leave the security of Abraham—representing of water was preceded by all-night joy, Sukkot gives us the our homes and spend the divine sefira (attribute) celebrations in the Temple courtyard. power to reach our spiritual eight days in a flimsy of chesed or kindness—is Today, we commemorate these potential by breaking our outdoor hut demonstrates joyous celebrations by holding intellectual boundaries. our faith in G‑d and His our Ushpizin. Simchat Beit HaShoeivah events benevolence. in the streets.

Our world is On Shabbat we do According to our Hoshanah Rabbah, characterized by not shake the Lulav and sages, the the last day of Sukkot, Etrog. Shabbat itself is represent different parts means “great salvation,” differentiation . able to draw down the of the human body. and marks the end of our The mitzvah of same spiritual effects that The citron (etrog) are accomplished through judgment period which sukkah is intended shaking the Lulav and resembles a heart, the began on Rosh Hashanah. to suffuse the world Etrog. Therefore, it is not palm branch (lulov) We traditionally tap the with a G-dly state necessary to do this on represents the spine, floor with a bundle of Shabbat since its effect the myrtle (hadas) has willow branches, and ask of oneness that is would be redundant. small eye-like leaves, G-d to seal our inscription uncharacteristic of and the willow () for a sweet year. this diverse world. leaves look like human lips.

On Simchat Torah we All reserve disappears “The Torah wants to Similar to a shopping approach the Torah with song i n t h e e x u b e r a n t spree at the mall, where and dance in a manner that circle the bimah and dancing of Simchat dance; since it cannot, we’d pick up all sorts of bears no apparent relationship To r a h . Every Jew, merchandise, the month to study. Today we reveal that learned or less-learned, we become its ‘feet,’ of Tishrei enriches us our bond with G-d and the transporting the Torah Torah is unconfined by the feels a natural desire to with a whole collection limits of intellect. Moreover, take a Torah in his arms around the reading table, of deep experiences from this celebration anticipates and dance. Simchat Torah just as feet transport the which we can draw sus- the ultimate celebrations that taps a point in the soul head.” tenance all year long. We will accompany the coming that defies the differences —Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak just need to unpack the of Moshiach and the advent that exist between one Jew merchandise and put it of the Era of the Redemption. and another. of Lubavitch to use. May we merit it now.

12 Are you ask afraid of Human Questions Heavenly Answers! your soul? com

Dear Moses, So, they were married with great fanfare and celebration. Isn’t there already a Jewish holiday called that Now here’s the answer to your question. Six months pass celebrates the Torah? What then is Simchat Torah? and the new husband comes to his father-in-law, the king and Stacy Woolf, via e-mail says: “My dear, royal Dad: I married your daughter based on your word alone, and we celebrated our marriage in great joy. But Dear Stacy, now, having come to know her, I come and ask that you make There’s this ancient parable about a king and queen living for us another celebration to celebrate our marriage.” happily together, but without having had any children. So together they pray for their happiness to be complete. Sure enough, a mystic promises them a daughter, but under one condition -- she may never be seen by any man until the day of her wedding. The royal couple agrees, and a year later a sweet little girl Dear Moses, is born to them. In the meantime, the king had prepared some Why do some have the custom of eating carrots on distant palace and staffed it with the best of humankind, all Rosh Hashanah? women. Lauren, Palm Springs The princess grows to be lovely and sweet-natured and cultured and educated in the arts, the sciences, the ways of the world. (All taught to her by the best money could buy in Dear Lauren, female tutors.) Carrrots in Yiddish is meren. Meren connotes “to multiply” Now the day comes when it’s time to find for her a husband, or to “have many” of G-d’s infinite, boundless blessings. Why and the king lets it be known throughout his lands that he will not try this recipe at home... receive prospective husbands. Baby Carrots in Hawaiian Cherry Sauce All the noblemen and princes of the land, of course, come 3 16 oz cans small, whole baby carrots, with liquid // 1 10 oz to ask her hand in marriage. But as soon as the king explains can maraschino cherries, well drained // 1 16 oz can unsweetened that no man may see his prospective bride until the wedding pineapple chunks or tidbits, with juice // 3 cinnamon sticks // 1/2 day, each one of them sadly declines. tsp. lemon juice // 1/4 cup sugar // 2-3 Tbsp. cornstarch // 3/4 cup One day a young peasant comes to the king and asks for his cold water // Combine all ingredients except cornstarch and water daughter’s hand in marriage. The king is surprised and asks the in a 4-quart pot. Bring to a boil. // In a separate bowl, gradually lad, “You know, of course, you may not set eyes upon her until combine cornstarch with cold water. Mix well to make sure there the day of the wedding?” are no lumps; it should be very smooth. Pour into boiling carrots, The lad answers: “If you tell me your daughter is gracious stirring gently. Cook about 3 minutes or until just slightly and lovely, I believe you.....and I wish to marry her.” thickened. // USE: 4-quart pot //YIELDS: 8 to 10 servings

About askMoses.com AskMoses.com is a vibrant, innovative online resource offering instant advice from the qualified men, Do you women and rabbis on our team of expert scholars. These scholars are available 24 hours a day, 6 days a week, and stand ready to i-Mose? address topics ranging from simple questions about to complex inquiries on personal issues. Visit AskMoses.com for more come log on at information. askmoses.com Illustration:LumerMarc  Are you afraid of your soul? by Simon Jacobson

o rganized religion G-d fearing uncle, is often denounced “Tell me, if you had by skeptics as intent to choose between on suppressing truth and G-d, logic and singular which would you e x p r e s s i o n . choose?” Without The Biblical missing a beat, commandment he replied, “G-d to “fear G-d” is of course.” This p a r t i c u l a r l y feeds into the condemned and stereotype that trivialized as G-d, religion overemphasizing and truth are rule used to keep Awe not necessarily the faithful in order. synonymous. There is a well-known “implies Man’s objective story about the famous is to discover the majesty 18th Century Chassidic mystery and within his own heart and soul. He master, Rabbi Levi an awareness merely has to cut away the weeds, Yitzchak of Berditchev, the resistance and distortions that hold who was known for his empathy and of something him back from reaching above his inherent non-judgmental character. One Rosh limitations. The key is not to be distracted Hashanah, he invited his neighbor to greater. by life or to become victim to the scars of come with him to synagogue. The however, implies mystery and an subjective attitudes. Flowers will emerge neighbor declined, saying, “Rebbe, I’m awareness of something greater.” When when weeds do not impede. an atheist, I don’t believe in G-d. It we stand before nature, or when we bask One of the great Rabbis once said, would be hypocritical of me to step foot in the beauty of an artistic masterpiece, “Jewish tradition teaches man how small in a synagogue.” Rabbi Levi Yitzchak we stand in awe—indeed, we’re uplifted he is and how great he can become.” Do smiled and replied, “The G-d that you by the knowledge that life is a gift. not be frightened of G-d. Stand in awe don’t believe in, I don’t believe in Awe of G-d is the acknowledgment of Him. Fear weakens the spirit. Awe either.” of the distance between man and his strengthens it. Fear is demoralizing. Awe The Hebrew words commonly Creator, which only lifts man to greater is uplifting. mistranslated as “fear of G-d” are heights. In no way does it minimize Coupled with love, awe is the basis Yirat Shamayim, which really mean the human desire to achieve truth. On of with which one can begin “awe of heaven.” Fear has many the contrary, “awe of heaven” evokes to communicate with and pray to G-d, negative, far-reaching implications. the feeling of dignity in man as he sees forming a relationship with the soul. As a constant companion, fear can himself part of the greater scheme of Are you afraid of your soul? be extremely unhealthy, like the creation. (Simon Jacobson is the author of Toward a utter terror of a child cringing As the favorite cynic’s story goes, Meaningful Life and founder of the Meaningful before an alcoholic parent. Awe, the skeptical niece asks her religious, Life Center in City) Illustration:LumerMarc 

How To Be a Perfect Etrog By Rabbi Dov Greenberg here is a moving story about the holiday of Sukkot, the I love this story because, in its gentle way, it reminds us T festival of the Tabernacles, authored by Israeli Nobel Prize of how a Jew should behave. We are summoned to build laureate and novelist, S. Y. Agnon. a society out of holy lives and generous deeds. Sensitivity, Agnon relates that shortly before Sukkot in his Jerusalem along with kindness, stands at the very core of Jewish values. neighborhood of Talpiot, he ran into one of his neighbors, an Judaism is not just a faith of sacred moments set apart from elderly rabbi from Russia, at a store selling etrogim. The rabbi daily living. It is a religion that should infuse the texture of told Agnon that since Jewish law regards it as uniquely everyday life, of daily deeds, words and relationships. special to acquire a very beautiful, aesthetically perfect In the blazing first chapter of Isaiah, the prophet denounces etrog, he was willing to spend a large sum to acquire this those who are scrupulous in offering sacrifices, yet who ritual object, notwithstanding his limited means. neglect the poor or abuse the weak. Judaism is not Judaism Agnon was surprised, a day later, when the holiday began if we disconnect our duties to G-d from our duties to our and the rabbi did not take out his etrog during the synagogue fellow human beings. To be a Jew is to be alert to the suffering service. Perplexed, he asked the man where the beautiful etrog of others. was. The rabbi told him the following story: I awoke early, as is my habit, and prepared to recite the “It should infuse the texture of blessing over the etrog in my Sukkah [the special outdoor hut everyday life and relationships.” Jews build during this holiday] on my balcony. As you know, Indeed, Maimonides explains that gracious and holy living we have a neighbor with a large family, and our balconies is a general theme in Judaism. Thus in his commentary to the adjoin. As you also know very well, our neighbor, the father verse “walk in G-d’s ways” (Deut. 28:9), Maimonides states: we of all these children next door, is unfortunately a man of short are commanded to develop certain traits of character - to be temper. Many times he shouts at them. I have spoken to him gracious, merciful, and holy, as G-d is gracious, merciful and many times about his harshness, but to little avail. holy. Meaning that, in addition to prescribing or forbidding As I stood in the Sukkah on my balcony, about to recite the specific actions, Judaism requires us to develop certain virtues blessing for the etrog, I heard a child weeping. It was a little of the heart. Judaism is more than choreography of behavior. girl crying, one of the children of our neighbor. I walked over The Torah is concerned not only with conduct but also with to find out what was wrong. She told me that she, too, had character; not just with Mitzvoth we do but also the kind of awakened early and had gone out on her balcony to examine person we become. (Hilkhot Deot, ch.1) her father’s etrog, whose esthetical appearance and delightful There are people who are successful, intelligent or influential, fragrance fascinated her. Against her father’s instructions, she but there are also people who Torah has transformed, and you removed the etrog from its protective box to look at it. She can tell it by their demeanor, their way of relating to people. unfortunately dropped the etrog on the stone floor, irreparably They bring pride and honor to Judaism. Like the rabbi who damaging it and rendering it unacceptable for ritual use. She gave his etrog away to a vulnerable child. For the goal of knew that her father would be enraged and would punish her Judaism is for man to be an embodiment of the Torah, for severely. Hence the frightened tears and wails of apprehension. Torah to be in man, in his soul and in his deeds. I comforted her, and I then took my etrog and placed it in her father’s box, taking the damaged etrog to my premises. (Rabbi Greenberg is the director of Chabad at Stanford University) I told her to tell her father that his neighbor insisted that he accept the gift of the beautiful etrog, and that he would be honoring me and the holiday by so doing. Agnon concludes: “My rabbinic neighbor’s damaged, bruised, ritually unusable etrog was the most beautiful etrog I have ever seen in my lifetime.”

14 “You shall take for yourselves on the first day the —fruitLeviticus of a citron 23:40. tree, the branches of date palms, twigs of myrtles and brook willows.”

By Rachel Moss TIED ANDthe four TRUE kinds

During Sukkot we hold the Four Kinds, known as the Lulav and Etrog, and recite a blessing. The four kinds are waived in all six directions: right, left, forward, upward, downward and backward. Performed each day of Sukkot, , is of a except on Shabbat. lulav

The palm branch, or tree that bears fruit (dates with , The citrus, or good taste) but is odorless. This both delicious tasteetrog and, combines a fragrance is the reclusive scholar. that is enjoyed by all. This represents Lulav is the intellectual within one who is both who does not allow feeling to vant. learned and obser cloud the purity of knowledge. The etrog is the force that - The Lulav is the spine. strives for balance of mind and heart. The etrog is in the shape of a heart.

The myrtle twigs, or hadasim , are fragrant but tasteless. This is the ignorant activist. The hadas is the emotional self, where feelings comprise the highest ideal, even at the expense of intellect. The The Four Kinds teach us that we hadas is in the shape of the A citrus alone human eye. need the entire community. is no mitzvah. Living Green. According to our T h e sages, the four species represent different parts of the human body. branches of willow, or The verse states that “You shall take,” , have neither taste nor aravot implying that the Four Kinds, and smell. They represent those who these major body parts, be taken under are both unlearned and non-active. the control of man. The aravah is the capacity for setting aside both intellect and We wave them on all sides to feeling in commitment to a higher signify that G-d is everywhere. ideal. The aravah is in the shape of (Rachel Moss is a staff writer human lips. for Farbrengen Magazine) Illustration:Kurt Hartman 13 The man who broke the De Beers cartel, Mr. Lev Leviev, is the richest man in Israel. In 2001, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon asked some of Israel’s leading businessmen for ideas on how to help the country’s wounded economy. Suggestions surely varied from technology to produce, but Leviev, the Israeli dia-

mond mogul, suggested that Israel invest in Jewish education worldwide.

Here’s the story: Leviev recent- the Bukharan Jewish community ly told Lubavitch.com’s Senior and their name now graces the walls Editor, Baila Olidort, that “Israel of many Chabad Jewish centers in takes the long vision and stakes that region. its claim on the next generation of Forbes millionaires if it ensures “ that the Jewish child in Rio or in Rome has a healthy Jewish identity -- since when this child later suc- ceeds in business, chances are he’ll The Rebbe saw dia- invest in Israel before he does so monds as a metaphor anywhere else.” for the Jewish soul. So here’s what the billionaire thinks When you know its of you: “Let’s just say that people who don’t know diamonds will value, you can see not appreciate the potential of beneath the surface. the uncut diamond. The Rebbe

mond “ saw diamonds as a metaphor for the Jewish soul. When you know its value, you can see In 1971 his family emigrated from beneath the surface. I try to Uzbekistan to Israel, where Lev look at every Jew the way I attended the Chabad , and a Dia look at a rough diamond.” soon turned to polishing diamonds. We are not impressed that he made Today, Mr. Leviev lives in it onto the Forbes’s richest in the Israel with his wife, Olga, world list, but we do want to give and their nine children. In him a standing ovation for being his spare time, he enjoys one of the leading philanthropists the position of President of Jewish education through the of the Federation of worldwide Chabad network. Jewish Communities in the Former Soviet Union. So where’s this diamond mogul’s (Duties include signing favorite vacation spot? Rodeo Drive? huge checks and cutting Paris? Nope. Try Nishny Novogrod or red ribbons in front of Kalinkovichi or Mogilev. This is what new Jewish schools in Leviev told Olidort: “Occasionally, I places we could not spell like to take my family to travel and or pronounce.) visit Chabad emissaries -- specifi- Leviev himself grew up cally those in some small, faraway in that part of the world, cities in the former Soviet Union. in a small city called We see how sometimes in as little Tashkent in Uzbekistan. as three years they turned a com- His parents, Avner and munity that had nothing in terms Chana Leviev, were of Jewish activity into a place that’s

Who Thinks You Are Who Thinks You prominent members of alive with Yiddishkeit.”

TheBillionaire 17 Photo by Ken Merfeld By Miriam Lieberman e g Then, Baruch candles. en’s Prayer en’s Good Chan m available shel Shabbat kodoesh.Shabbat shel It is customarywomen and for girls to dropfewcoinsa into a charity box before lighting the Shabbat he Wo For moreFor information log T Once the candle(s) lit, are the eyes are as closed she her gently hands moves flames, above motioning the warmth the towardseyes three times. her with her her hands eyes, over the she blessing: recites ata ado-nai e-lo-hainu melech ha-olam, asher kid-shanu b’mitzvo-tav v’tze-vanu L’had-lik ner onto www.FridayLight.org.

a Brief Treatise on the Significance and Some tender age of three. The Shabbat lights bondarewith our ancestors, an eternalour heritage and another.one Through these holy with generations flames, to come. The Holy we Zohar teaches,woman arekindling“A the foreverShabbat candles, unitedwithheart, joy bringsin her peace on earth, healthher family,and happinessand is to blessed with childrenwithtradition.”lightworldthethe of Becauselivein wewho brighten tumultuousa thatcanoftenworld challenge theJewish spirit,lighting theShabbat candles every Friday nowis more important than ever. (From ShabbatLightingCandles,the of Basic of Laws at www.kehot.com) habbat upon S

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e in g habbat candles are lit 18 minutes before sundown in your specific time zone, so, log onto onto log so, zone, time specific your sundowninbefore minutes 18 lit are candles habbat m Sarah, whose Shabbat candles burned from Friday eve through the following Friday eve. Our sages tell of our matriarch, Rivkah, who lit the Shabbat candles at the mitzvot bestowed bestowed mitzvot Jewish women. Tradition recounts the miracle of our matriarch, candles of the most For centuries, centuries, For lighting

e Gir S FridayLight.org and enter your zip code to get the candle lighting time for your home. a Shabbat candleShabbat a a l l

Notice that the child lightshercandle first, assistcan Mom that so her with the lighting procedures. Litt custom of adding an additional candle for each child. age of three.add She’ll of age one more candle once she’s married,many women have and a A little girllight should once she reaches the A F Waitin 16 Dear Rebbe: I HAVE A STORY TO TELL YOU

Chasid walking briskly in her direction. She stops at a red light and sees the Chasid walking over to a homeless man sitting beneath the awning of a Jamba Juice. The Chasid wishes the man a good morning and asks him if he is Jewish. The homeless man’s face lights up. He says yes, and that his name is David. Have you heard the shofar yet today, David? the Chasid asks. Don’t think so, David replies. Not to worry, says the Chasid, as he removes a ram’s horn from inside his caftan. He removes t’s a the kipah from under his hat and places it on David’s dry and w e e k matted hair. after Rosh The Chasid brings the shofar to his lips—and Debra Hashanah, to tears. a n d D o v i d The light has turned green but she’s not going anywhere. The Goldman, director cry of the shofar now reverberating on Wilshire Boulevard is of a Chabad center all she can hear. She hears in its primal sound something on the East Coast, is she’d never heard in it before: the sound of a soul crying, preparing his Yom Kippur the voice of a princess yearning to return to the address. He takes a call from Palace. one Harvey Lapin. The name The office down the block is now the farthest is vaguely familiar but otherwise thing from her mind. As she makes her way Imeaningless to the rabbi. back home, considering her synagogue “Rabbi Goldman speaking,” he says options, she ponders what she’s just seen. leaning back with a smile, one hand cradling Here’s a homeless man who most people a black receiver, the other fixing a blue velvet try to steer clear of lest they catch yarmulke perched on his black hair. some disease by proximity. Yet “Hi Rabbi, this is Harvey Lapin. You don’t know me, the Chasid walks over to the but I have to say thank you.” man and treats him like a “Well, you’re very welcome,” Goldman chuckles, “sounds human being. He says to like you have a story….” him you’re a Jew like “Indeed, I do. It regards my daughter, Debra.” any other. Rosh Debra’s in her early thirties, Lapin says, living in Los Angeles. She has a great job, loves the weather, even the people. The problem is that each year before Rosh Hashanah she puts up a fight about going to a synagogue for the High Holidays. This year, just before Rosh Hashanah, Lapin calls his daughter to wish her a good year and to offer his annual nudging. Debra is a good daughter but also honest: “Dad, I’m not going to any synagogue this year. I’m sick of it. Hashanah and the It’s meaningless to me. I don’t understand it, I don’t get it—none mitzvah of shofar of it resonates with me anymore. This Rosh Hashanah I’m going belong to you as much to work. To put it bluntly, for me Judaism is dead.” as they belong to the Debra’s words are like a dagger in her father’s heart. Lapin greatest rabbi. hangs up the phone with a heavy heart. He doesn’t consider She saw Jewish unity in himself to be the most religious Jew in the world, but once a action, she saw a man who valued year, on Rosh Hashanah, a Jew belongs in a synagogue. Where a stranger and believed in the power had he gone wrong in educating his daughter? Why had he of a mitzvah. failed to pass on to her the same feeling he had for the Jewish She suddenly felt that Judaism was faith? very much alive… “Dad, I’m not going to any synagogue this year. I’m sick of it. It’s meaningless to me. I don’t understand it, I don’t get it—none of it resonates with me anymore.”

As he sits in his synagogue that Rosh Hashanah, Harvey “So rabbi,” Lapin concludes, “I just have to say thank you.” says an extra prayer for his daughter—and for all the sons and Goldman fingers his tie. It’s red like his ear has turned from daughters of Israel out there, in Los Angeles, Chicago, Tel Aviv, holding the phone against it for so long. Finally he speaks: walking about oblivious to the holiness of the day, lost to the “Well, I’m not sure what I did, but thank you for the story. tradition of their people. I hope we run into each other one of these days.” Across the coast, Debra Lapin is walking down Wilshire “Absolutely, rabbi, absolutely….” Boulevard, oblivious to the holiness of the day. She’s three *Based on a true story. The names and details have been changed. blocks from her office and she’s reaching for her cell phone Rachel Moss is a freelance writer. She lives with her husband to dial her voice mail. She decides against it when she sees a Ben in Los Angeles.

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