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B”H Erev Shabbat Tzav - Shabbat HaGadol, 9th of Nissan, 5780; April 3rd, 2020 237 After hearing this story I asked him what I Will Always Be With You happened next. He told me what I knew; that he had been to Brunoir and had then In honor of the birthday of the come to Eretz Yisrael. He went on to Lubavitcher Rebbe on the 11th of Nis- relate that one fine summer’s day, his san, we present the following story: yeshiva went to the Kever of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai in Meron. Whilst he A little over three years ago, arriving was there somebody pointed out to him a early to shul one Friday night, I noticed a book that he was not familiar with, ‘Igrot young man standing at the back of the Kodesh (letters) of the Lubavitcher Reb- shul quietly and demurely, looking a be,’ and suggested that he write to the little bewildered and out of place. I Rebbe. He wrote a letter asking the Reb- walked up to him and asked him if he be for help and guidance in his studies had a place to eat for Shabbos. He spoke and placed the letter randomly into the neither Hebrew nor English but I man- book. He nearly passed out when upon aged to communicate with him in broken opening the book to where he had placed French. He said he would love to join his letter, he read the words, “why are me and so, after davening, we walked you concerned? I told you that I have home together and spent a pleasant Fri- taken responsibility for you. I will be day night and Shabbos lunch together with you in all your endeavors. Just with my family. concentrate on learning Torah.” That is The guest, who we will call David, did Painting by Shmuel Halimi, Munbaz.com exactly what David did from then on. not tell us too much about himself except courtship he married David’s mother, a As mentioned above, there was only one that I gathered that he was a fairly new Jewess, and after she gave birth he dis- other Jew in the university of Bordeaux, baal teshuva who had studied for a short appeared never to be seen again. David’s a medical student who David had court- while at the Lubavitcher yeshiva of mother was vehemently anti-religious ed. After a couple years, David re- Brunoir on the outskirts of Paris, but was and warned him that if he were to be- turned to Bordeaux to renew this court- unable to cope with its high level of come involved in Judaism in any shape ship. The girl had become religious as learning. So he came to Israel to study or form she would immediately disown well, despite having a background as far at the French speaking yeshiva in Ramot him. That was how David was raised. away from Judaism as David’s was. She where I live. He was older than all of Nevertheless he developed a deep desire too had a non-Jewish father who had the other boys and the only Lubavitcher. to find out about Judaism, learning and come to live in France; he had come We invited him a few times and told him reading up as best as he could, never from Libya. And just like David’s, her he would always be welcome. Then he daring to tell his mother. Furthermore, mother was fiercely against Judaism. disappeared into the ether. he befriended a young Lubavitcher fami- The young couple had agreed to marry About a year later, one Friday night I ly living not far from his university and and the reason why David was back in was sitting in my place davening when they encouraged him in his quest. Jerusalem was to get married on the day after that Shabbos. somebody blocked my light and stood in One night he fell asleep and had a front of me. It was David. With a gi- dream: He was standing in front of the continued on page 3 gantic grin on his face and obviously in a Lubavitcher Rebbe’s desk and the Rebbe really joyous and happy state of mind he picked up a letter from a pile in front of said, “well you said I could come when- him and read out loud, “we have in our Shabbat Times ever I want, so here I am.” We hugged town, a young man named David who is and back he came to eat with us and this searching for meaning in life and we Candle Lighting Motzei Shabbat time we heard the whole long story of have befriended him. However, there is his life and how, amazingly, against all Jerusalem 52:6 82:7 no Chabad shaliach in this section of Tel Aviv 52:: 82:7 odds, he had become a baal teshuva. Bordeaux who could help him. Would He told us he came from the town of the Rebbe please send a shaliach to help Haifa 52:6 82:7 Bordeaux in France. He had been study- him become a properly committed Jew.” Beer Sheva 52:: 82:7 ing at the university, and was one of the The Rebbe put the letter down and, ad- New York 8276 7275 only two Jews in the whole institute. His dressing David, said “no, I will not send grandfather had been an officer in the a shaliach. I will take responsibility my- self to bring this young man to Judaism.” Chabad Of Israel Nazi (yemach shemo) army and had es- Rabbi Joseph I. Aronov caped justice by running away to South He told me to leave university and go to Published by M.L.S. Kfar Chabad (03) 3731777 America. The officer’s son, David’s yeshiva and that he would be with me Editor: Aharon Schmidt father, went to France to seek his for- wherever I went; there was nothing to be [email protected] tune. He remained a rabid anti-Semite frightened or concerned about. Please guard the sanctity of this publication throughout his life. After a lightening Everyone is Essential powerful spiritual effects it produces or vice despite the fact that he has lesser po- not. tentials should make him worthy of respect This week’s Torah reading, Tzav, begins and honor. with the command to remove the ashes And this is so regardless of what service from the altar. At night, the limbs of the we are asked to perform. R. Sholom Preparing the World for Moshiach sacrifices would be offered on the altar and Dovber (the Rebbe Rashab) would say: in the morning, the priests would take the “Even if G‑d had commanded us to chop G‑d desires all these different modes of ashes from the altar and bring them to a wood — i.e., an activity that appears to service. For His intent is that every ele- special place outside Jerusalem. have no spiritual content — we would do ment of this world — from the top to the so happily.” bottom of the spectrum — should be ele- There were priests chosen to offer animal vated. sacrifices and others chosen to bring the I Place G-d Before Me incense offering. And there were still oth- For this reason, when Mashiach comes, no ers who were given the task of cleaning the The Baal Shem Tov communicated this Jew will be left behind. Bringing the world ashes from the altar. concept in his interpretation of the verse to its desired state depends on each per- .G-d before son’s individual contribution - שויתי - in Psalms: “I placed the root of the - שוה ”.Happy to Serve our Creator me at all times also means “equal”. When Each one has a certain dimension that only - שויתי word Our Sages emphasize that this was a lesser G‑d is before me at all times, everything is he can add. Through that contribution, he service, so much so that it could not be equal for me. There is no difference which will elevate that portion of the world that performed while wearing the ordinary path of service I’m given, whether the was designated for him. priestly garments, but instead required most sophisticated or the simplest. Every special, less dignified robes. positive act is a means of connecting to As each individual prepares his personal Him. Every positive act brings us one bit corner for the Redemption, the larger pic- Nevertheless, those priests also performed closer to the coming of Mashiach. ture comes into focus. We appreciate how their jobs eagerly. They were serving our missions interlock, for the world is G‑d in the Temple. It did not matter how Similar concepts apply with regard to the greater than any one of us and we begin to they were serving Him. As long as they Jewish people. There is no Jew who is understand how the world as a whole is were serving Him, they were happy. better than any other. Each person was G‑d’s dwelling. created by G‑d with different potentials Outside of the Temple, G‑d’s presence is and challenges. A person with one set of Adapted from the teachings of the Lubav- not overtly revealed. Thus we do not have gifts should not look down on a person itcher Rebbe. Reprinted from Keeping In the same inspiration to carry out His ser- with lesser potentials. Touch, Vol. 2, Sichos in English. From our vice. But that is only because we are una- Sages & Moshiach Now! reprinted from ware.
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