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The Student’s habitat.' Likewise, Such an individual is Fins and Scales "This you Akiva said, "If now when considered pure and clean. Torah may eat from everything we study Torah which is our But one who studies Torah that is in the water, lifesaver, our existence is and does not have "scales"-- everything that has fins and threatened, how much are fear of —is unclean Weekly scales... those you may eat" we in danger if we would and unfit. His Torah study (Leviticus 11:9). absent ourselves from and fins —innovations—are April 12-18, 2020 Torah." (, Berachot contrary to G-d's desire and 18-24 Nissan, 5780 The Talmud (Niddah 51b) Torah: Shemini: Leviticus 9:1 says that a fish that has 61b.) Scales serve as a it does not merit him the - 11:47 scales also has fins and protective garment to the spiritual source of life which Haftorah: there is no need to examine fish and through the fins it Torah gives to those who Samuel II 6:1-19 swims from place to place. study it. By Rabbi Moshe PARSHAT SHEMINI for them. However, there

are fish that only have fins (see Rashi.) When one Bogomilsky Happy and We have Jewish and they are unclean. What studies Torah it is expected Sad at the Same Time

Calendars. If you is the lesson we can derive of him to create innovative Children’s emotions are would like one, from the signs of thoughts and explanations. straightforward. When a please send us a the kosher and non-kosher It is also imperative that one child wants something, he letter and we will fish? Fish in their habitat — who studies Torah have fear wants it fully. When a child send you one, or of Heaven. The Talmud ask the water — are analogous to hates or fears something, the Calendars scholars studying Torah. compares Torah study with emotion fills her little heart Rabbi/Chaplain to fear of Heaven to wheat contact us. This is obvious from that completely. As we mature, which is stored with a which is related in Talmud however, our emotions Do you have family preservative consisting of

in connection to the Roman become more complex. We on the outside government's decree against earth with a high salt want something, but at the struggling? Torah study. When content. Just as the grain same time, we are capable Please contact or Pappas ben Yehudah saw R will spoil quickly without of realizing the downside of have them contact abbi Akiva convening the preservative, likewise, achieving it. We desire the our office to learn public assemblies to study one studying Torah without piece of chocolate, but we more about our Torah he asked him, "Akiva fear of G-d, will easily detest its calorie count. We family programs. are you not afraid of the forget, and his Torah study may dislike to work hard, You and they are regime?" Rabbi Akiva will be like a poisonous but we feel satisfied when not alone, we are FamilyPrograms replied with a parable: medicine for him. (Talmud, we are done. We can loathe here to help. "Once a fox was walking 31a.) Thus, the fins and pity someone at the

alongside the riverbank and represent the power to same time. We can love

We offer free Grape saw fish gathering from accomplish and reach new certain traits in someone Juice and Matzoh place to place, as they were heights through innovative while abhorring others. As for you to be able to fleeing something. When contributions to Torah, and we mature spiritually, our make the blessings the fox inquired, 'From what the scales represent the emotional complexity every Shabbos. are you running away?' essential ingredient of fear develops further. As the Please have your They told him, 'From the of Heaven, through which holy Zohar states, “Weeping chaplain / Rabbi nets people set up to catch one's Torah study is is lodged in one side of my contact us to enroll us.' The fox said to them, preserved and becomes a heart, and joy is lodged in (available to all 'Come up to dry land and source of "medicine that the other.” We may be GrapeJuice & Matzah prisons). adds life." Consequently, if

we will dwell together just saddened because of the one possesses the quality of Hyman & Martha Rogal Center as our ancestors dwelled state of our material being, 5804 Beacon Street together.' The fish "scales," he is on the right but at the same time we can Pittsburgh, PA 15217 responded, 'You are a fool, track with his Torah study rejoice about the state of our 412-421-0111 for if in our habitat where and will eventually enhance spiritual soul. On what was Fax: 412-521-5948 our life is sustained we are himself and the Torah with the most emotionally www.alephne.org his "fins"--innovative [email protected] afraid, all the more so we intense day of his thoughts which will be should be afraid for our life, Aaron the High existence if we leave our compatible to Torah truth. Priest was called upon to

IN JEWISH HISTORY exhibit extraordinary emotional maturity. It was April 12, 2020 --- 18 Nissan, 5780 R. Levi Yitzchak Schneerson born (1878) the apex of his career. The Mishkan, the Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson (1878-1944), was born on the 18th of portable Temple, was finally complete, the seven day Nissan in the town of Podrovnah (near ) to his parents, Rabbi inauguration period had passed, and for the first time, Baruch Schneur and Rebbetzin Zelda Rachel Schneerson; his great- Aaron was performing the priestly service, great grandfather was the 3rd , Rabbi Menachem Mendel causing G-d’s presence to descend. As the verse of Lubavitch. In 1900 Rabbi Levi Yitzchak married Rebbetzin states: And fire went forth from before the L-rd and Chanah Yanovski, whose father, Rabbi Meir Shlomo, was the rabbi of consumed the burnt offering and the fats upon the the Russian city of Nikolaiyev. In 1902, their eldest son, Menachem altar, and all the people saw, sang praises, and fell Mendel, later to be known as The Lubavitcher Rebbe, was born. Rabbi upon their faces. (Leviticus 9:24.) And yet, just a few Levi Yitzchak lived in Nokolaiyev until 1909, when he was appointed short moments later, Aaron suffered the greatest to serve as the Rabbi of Yekatrinoslav (today, Dnepropetrovsk). In 1939 he was arrested by the communist regime for his fearless stance against tragedy of his life, when two of his sons died: And the Party's efforts to eradicate Jewish learning and practice in the Soviet Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, each took his pan, put Union. After more than a year of torture and interrogations in Stalin's fire in them, and placed incense upon it, and they notorious prisons, he was sentenced to exile to the interior of Russia, brought before the L-rd foreign fire, which He had not where he died in 1944. commanded them. And fire went forth from before the L-rd and consumed them, and they died before the April 12, 2020 --- 18 Nissan, 5780 L-rd. (Leviticus 10:1-2.) Moses turned to his brother Pharaoh Becomes Aware of Escape (1313 BCE) Aaron and instructed him to put his personal pain Following the Jewish nation's grand exodus from Egypt (see Jewish aside. This was a joyous day to G-d. Aaron and his history for the 15th of Nissan), Pharaoh, who only gave official remaining two sons were to serve as representatives of permission for the to to leave for three days, was informed by all the people, and therefore they were called upon to secret agents whom he sent together with the Jews that they had no intention of returning. Pharaoh decided to mobilize his army and pursue experience the Divine joy. And here is where the story the Jews, with the intention of bringing them back to Egypt. This led to gets complicated. Moses found out that one of the the drowning of the Egyptians in the Red Sea. offerings that was meant to be eaten by Aaron and his sons was burned. Moses was furious. He asked Aaron: April 14, 2020 --- 20 Nissan, 5780 "Why did you not eat the sin offering in the holy Passing of R. Hai (1038) place? For it is holy of holies, and He has given it to R. Hai Gaon was the last of the , the brilliant Talmudic scholars you to gain forgiveness for the sin of the community, who headed the great schools of Babylonia during the five centuries to effect their atonement before the L-rd!” (Leviticus following the compilation of the Talmud. Son of R. , R. 10:17.) Moses was asking, “Why haven’t you eaten Hai was one of the greatest authorities of his time, and his decisions and the offering? How could you have placed your guidance were sought after by Jewish communities across the world. R. Hai served at his post as Gaon for forty years. He passed away on 20 personal mourning ahead of G-d’s joy?" Aaron Nissan 4798 (1038), at the age of 99. responded by explaining to Moses that the correct thing to do was to eat some of the offerings (the ones April 15, 2020 --- 21 Nissan, 5780 that were unique to that day) and to burn one (the one Red Sea Splits (1313 BCE) that would be offered on a regular basis). The verse On the eve of the seventh day after the Exodus, the Children of Israel concludes that “Moses listened, and it pleased him.” found themselves trapped between the Egyptian army and cavalry Aaron taught Moses an important lesson: It is pursuing them from behind and the waters of the Red Sea before them. relatively easy for the spiritual seeker to ignore G-d commanded Moses: "Speak to the Children of Israel, that they himself and devote himself completely to the Divine should move forward!" Nachshon ben Aminadav of the tribe of Judah reality. That, however, is not G-d’s will. The correct was the first to jump into the sea; the water split, and "the children of Israel walked across on the dry land in the midst of the sea." All that spiritual path, argued Aaron, is to be spiritually night, a pillar of fire intervened between the Egyptians and the mature enough to experience both perspectives. Aaron Israelites. When the Egyptians followed, the waters returned to understood that a relationship with G-d does not mean their natural state and place and drowned them. The Children of Israel suppressing our own sense of reality; it means being sang the "Song at the Sea" in praise and gratitude to G-d. able to balance and experience G-d’s reality as well as our own. It means being able to burn some of the April 16, 2020 --- 22 Nissan, 5780 offerings as an expression of personal pain, yet eat Encirclement of Jericho (1273 BCE) other offerings as an expression of Divine joy. By Shortly after crossing the Jordan River and entering the Land of Canaan, Rabbi Menachem Feldman the Jews set their sights on conquering the walled and heavily fortified city of Jericho. Following 's instructions, on the 22nd of Nissan the Israelites encircled Jericho. The Israelites marched around the city walls, led by the priests who carried the Holy Ark, and sounded the shofar (ram's horn). This performance was repeated for seven days. On the seventh day, the walls of the city collapsed.