767_Beis Moshiach 06/12/2010 9:05 AM Page 3 contents ‘ENOUGH EXILE!’ IS A LEGITIMATE 4 COMPLAINT D’var Malchus MY DEAR FRIEND LEVI 6 Shloshim | Rabbi Chaim Leib Hildeshaim AND THEN THE REBBE LAUGHED 10 Feature | Nosson Avrohom A BRACHA FROM SKY-HIGH 16 Miracle Story | Nosson Avrohom FLYING SNAKES 20 Moshiach & Science | Dr. Aryeh Gotfryd USA 744 Eastern Parkway Brooklyn, NY 11213-3409 TO CATCH A BIG FISH Tel: (718) 778-8000 Fax: (718) 778-0800 22 Story | Nosson Avrohom [email protected] www.beismoshiach.org EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: GEULA - WHAT WE AWAIT! M.M. Hendel 26 Moshiach & Geula | Rabbi Gershon Avtzon ENGLISH EDITOR: Boruch Merkur [email protected] OF STORIES AND STORYBOOKS HEBREW EDITOR: Rabbi Sholom Yaakov Chazan 28 Insight | M. 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What matters is This week’s Torah portion and torments Jews for several nothing other than that the relates the complaint of Yaakov hours, speaking about this and redemption should already be Avinu: “Few…have been the days that, and then all of a sudden here in actuality, in a manner of of the years of my life, and they starts screaming “Dalai galus! “achishena (I shall hasten it)” have not attained the days of the (Enough with exile!)” And he and “achishena sh’b’achishena”! years of the life of my fathers” asks that they too scream “Ad What about the fact that there (for Yaakov lived only to the age masai?!” – insofar as Friday has are Jews sitting here at the of 147; he did not merit the already passed, many hours of farbrengen and sleeping – longevity of his father, Yitzchok, Shabbos have gone by, and now it nestled, sleeping on “clouds of who lived to 180). is Shabbos in the afternoon, after heaven”? When they wake up From Yaakov’s concern about several hours of speaking here, from their sleep they’ll open their longevity we learn that it is within and still [Moshiach] has not eyes and see that all of a sudden the power of every Jew to ask for come! they find themselves in a good, long life. And when a Jew They argue: Why is it Yerushalayim the Holy City. If makes this claim, certainly it will necessary to remind them of the they wonder how they got there, have an impact - and so it shall suffering of exile on Shabbos? tell them. And after they wash be! And in so doing he is in effect their hands [upon waking from How much more so is it within coming with complaints against their sleep] tell them which the power of a Jew to demand G-d Himself (as it were) and blessings to say [for the advent of that the redemption should finally voicing his opinion to G-d! We the Messianic redemption] come, for “All of the predicated want to live with G-d peacefully according to Shulchan Aruch! dates [for the advent of the and not to start up with Him! What about the fact that there redemption] have passed and the Especially since G-d knows are those who have difficulties? matter is only dependent upon what He’s supposed to do and He May they be well! - but let that repentance.” Indeed, the leader of knows what it says in the Gemara take place before the redemption the generation has ruled that all - that “All of the predicated dates unfolds. Because surely then Jews have already repented – have passed and the matter is Eliyahu HaNavi will have mercy “immediately to repentance” – only dependent upon upon such a person, seeing that and now there must already be repentance.” He even knows that he can’t sleep, bothered from his “immediately to redemption.” the leader of the generation has quandary - and Eliyahu will Thus, we cry out [with the ruled that Jews have already resolve it. legitimate complaint] “Ad masai! repented. Therefore, how could it The main thing, however, is: (Until when?!)” be that this big shot gets up and Jews, get out of exile! demands the redemption?! [The Rebbe paused for a WHY IS IT NECESSARY TO REMIND moment, smiled, and said] ME ABOUT THE SUFFERING OF EXILE NOTHING ELSE MATTERS OTHER THAN GEULA “L’chaim, l’chaim u’l’v’racha [and – ON SHABBOS? motioned with his holy hand]. There are those who argue: The answer to their complaints From the address of Shabbos is that no calculations can be Parshas Shmos 5746, bilti muga 4 3 Teives 5771 BEIS MOSHIACH 767_Beis Moshiach 06/12/2010 9:05 AM Page 6 shloshim MY DEAR FRIEND LEVI By Rabbi Chaim Leib Hildeshaim that you were doing this at such a To mark the Shloshim of Rabbi Levi young age! We were farbrenging Deitsch O.B.M. – the Rebbe’s Shliach with someone so much older than us. You really taught me what it to Tysons Corner, Virginia, Beis means to farbreng with someone, the good feeling that is gained from Moshiach presents a series of doing so, by becoming much closer with the other person, and greatly memories and essays dealing with enhancing the relationship. Later, on the way back home to Crown “and the living shall take it to Heights - either on the train or heart.” With the pain still raw in our when we took a taxi - you spoke of the geshmak that we had just hearts, and still unable to stem the experienced and how you wish we could do this much more often. This flow of our tears we shout out to was just the beginning of Levi acting as a shliach! Hashem AD MASAI?! * Part 1 of 2 This was something that you enjoyed so much and what you told It’s very hard for me to write different childhood memories, me many times that it was the most about my dear longtime friend, Levi. among them special moments and enjoyable part of being on shlichus: I don’t know where to begin, so I encounters in 770... farbrenging and becoming friends would like to focus on our There’s another memory that with new people, and through that friendship, as this will be a reminder springs to mind, a memory of one being mekarev them, and how that to myself as well as to others, on the of the so many people that felt so is the best job in the world! importance of staying close. close to you, Levi! After the levaya was over, most of the chaverim just A TRUE CHAVER - WHO FRIENDSHIP stood there crying and simply MADE SURE WE ALWAYS couldn’t leave. I noticed Ami, a guy Levi and I grew up together: our STAYED CLOSE from your mivtzaim route standing birthdays were celebrated just a and crying with everyone else, and it 1. When my younger brothers week apart, we were classmates brought back vivid memories. were born, you came to the Shalom throughout our years of schooling, Although we didn’t regularly go on Zochors, although it required staring from preschool, we spent mivtzaim together, you used to special effort. You had to arrange many summers together - thousands schlep me along to farbreng with for an older bachur friend (which of hours of friendship and Ami in his Manhattan apartment a you had no shortage of!) to walk conversations. number of times. It’s hard to believe you over, since your father had a Levi loved reminiscing about weekly shiur at your house. It meant 6 3 Teives 5771 BEIS MOSHIACH 767_Beis Moshiach 06/12/2010 9:05 AM Page 7 so much to me that you were celebrating with us. 2. As a bachur, Levi was on shlichus in Migdal HaEmek, and I was on shlichus in Kfar Chabad. Shortly after we arrived, and we were separated from each other for so long, not seeing each other on a regular basis (as we did since we were in Oholei Torah preschool in east Flatbush by Reb Michel’s shul), Levi started calling me regularly, and nudging me: “Nu, when are you coming to Migdal for Shabbos?” Sure enough, I soon went to Migdal for Shabbos, and Levi welcomed me like only Levi knew how. He gave me a grand tour of the yeshiva and the city, and he introduced me to all his new friends – which was the whole yeshiva! I will never forget the Friday night Shabbos meal with the whole yeshiva, where Levi rocked the house like only Levi could do, with tremendous chayus and niggunim, including “The niggun” that he 3. At my engagement L’chaim spend two quality days together. We would sing every Friday night. He and at my Kiddush in 770 before went out together to Washington got everyone involved in singing it, my chassuna, Levi was there to DC, we visited the neighboring to the point that the bachurim called bring happiness and joy on my Chabad Houses, and we spent hours it Levi’s Niggun! In fact, this past special day.