æ“ñùú øééà ‘á ,òøåöî-òéøæú úùøô A project of CHINUCH YALDEI HASHLUCHIM a division of The Shluchim Office 816 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11213 ~ (718) 221-0500 x317 ~ [email protected] Volume 3, Issue 27 Parshas Tazria-Metzorah Everyone was shaking Uncle Shmuel's hand and "Actually, Avromie, being eight days old and not wishing him: "Mazel Tov! Mazel Tov!" Avromie was understanding much is exactly what the bris is all also excited about his new cousin's bris, but he kept about." thinking about the tiny baby's crying. "What do you mean, Tatty?" "Don't worry about little Meir," Avromie's father "The bris between Hashem and the Jewish people calmed him. "He's fine. Just look at him, he's sleep- involves a very deep connection. Our link to ing peacefully now. He even looks like he's smiling Hashem does not depend on what we understand or in his sleep!" feel. It comes from our neshamah, which is far "I'm not worried, Tatty," replied Avromie. "I was above our understanding. Even though there are just wondering why Hashem commanded us to have many things about Hashem that we don't under- a bris when we're so tiny - only eight days old." stand, we trust in Him and follow His laws. "There is something very special about the num- "And our connection to Hashem is not just some- ber eight...," his father began to explain. thing spiritual; it is a real part of our everyday "I know!" interrupted Avromie. "We learned about lives. And so we make a bris with Hashem in our ac- eight last week in Parshas Shmini. The number tual flesh. Do you know who was the first Jew to seven is a symbol of natural things - like the seven have a bris when he was eight days old?" days in a week. The number eight is a symbol of "Yitzchak," Avromie answered. things which are higher than nature." "Good," his father replied. "But Yishmael claimed "Good for you, my little Talmid Chochom," his fa- that he was greater than Yitzchak because he had ther complimented him. "And by the way, speaking a bris when he was 13 years old. 'I understood what about the parshah, isn't it interesting that your I was doing and I still agreed to have a bris, while cousin Meir's bris is taking place during the week in you were only a baby,' Yishmael bragged to Yitz- which we read: 'And on the eighth day you shall chak. circumcise....' " "Yishmael was wrong. Our connection with Hashem "But still, Tatty, why do we have to have the bris is far above understanding, and that is why Yitz- when the baby is so tiny? He doesn't even under- chak's bris - and little Meir's and every Jew's - stand anything. Couldn't we have it when he's eight should be performed when he's eight days old." years old? It would still be connected with the spe- (Adapted from , Vol. I) cial number eight." ‘The Rebbe Speaks to Children’

Fourth of seven, WITH MANY THANKS TO OUR Sixth of nine. GENEROUS SPONSORS: ______

Chinuch Yaldei Hashluchim: Please send your answers to [email protected] Rabbi Kasriel and Mrs. Chana E. Shemtov Last weeks’ brain buster: The power of miracles Connections: Answer: ïñéð ç“ë Mr. Yochanan and Mrs. Peri Brook Mr. Zalman and Mrs. Raizy Cousin Congratulations to Mendel Labkowski, age 9 from London, England

for solving the brain buster. Hey there kinderlach! This week I tried to do something I’ve never done before. Not only have I never done it before, I’ve never even thought of doing this, and if I had thought of doing it, I would haven't even known what I should do. Have I lost you yet? Maybe I should start from the very beginning. You see the other week I was out on mivtzoyim and I kinda got carried away. You know it happens sometimes that you don't know what the time is and you were busy doing something, and before you know it, it is time to do something else, but since you are so busy doing the first thing you were doing you don't realize that it is already time to be doing the second thing? I mean I’m sure that Fraidy Levin, age 11 must have happened to you once or twice. The thing is that it has hap- Palo Alto, California pened to me one hundred or two hundred times. And that is in a week! There are 13 children in my fam- Since Mrs Getzel has been married to me more years than I can remem- ily ka”h. Nine are older than me and three are younger than me. ber, she is already used to this small problem I have, and she never lets it My four oldest siblings are mar- bother her. She always has a Plan B ready in case things don't go according ried and I have five nieces and to plan. According to Plan A that is. So when Mrs Getzel saw that it was nephews ka”h. already half an hour after I was supposed to have come home to take her I go to Beis Menachem in San for an appointment and I still hadn't arrived, she called a car service and Francisco. Here in Palo Alto it’s really nice. went herself. The weather is especially nice. It Now that, dear kinderlach is where the problem started. You see I hadn't never really gets too cold or managed to tell Mrs Getzel yet (I’d forgotten you see) that I’d lost my keys too hot. to the house. I had also not managed to find my cell phone since the last I go on Mivtzoim with my brother almost every Yom Tov. time I had lost it (which is why Mrs Getzel hadn't managed to call me to For example, two years ago on remind me about the appointment). So when I finally remembered that Sukkos, I walked about two and Mrs Getzel was waiting for me (or actually she wasn't), and I went home, I a half miles with my brother to was locked out the house. shake Lulav and Esrog with peo- ple. As hashgocho protis would have it, I’d never got around to fixing the We have a House but latch on my office window. Well, I thought to myself, the Omer is supposed it’s really small. We have quite a to be all about climbing to new levels, so with a bang and a bash and a small community and that’s tumble and a mumble, instead of being locked out of the house, I was probably why I only have one locked in my office. Which set me thinking, if it was so easy for me to get friend here in Palo Alto, although there’s no girls my age. Our into my office, it would be even easier for someone else. After discussing is about 10-15 the problem with my good friend, the local Police Chief, I decided to buy, minutes walk from our house. The and fit, some locks on the windows. Which may sound easy to you, but let Shul also has a really small me tell you it wasn't easy for me. Especially since I didn't even know that kitchen and a bathroom. In my free time, I like to draw window locks existed a week ago. and paint. I also like to write So why did I try it kinderlach? Well as I said, coming as we are from stories and poems. Pesach, and climbing as we are to Shavuos, it is time to try to climb to new levels. Of course mainly in ruchnius, but in other ways too. Good luck with your climbing, kinderlach! Dr Getzel

øééà ‘á òéøæú Having children, which is discussed in this week's , is The fourth Rebbe, ì à å î ù ‘ø ä ù ø ô one of three very special things. These things are special , known as the , ù“øäî éáø because they are the only three things which man needs, was born in the town of Lubavitch on that ‘ä Himself looks after and has not given to íéëàìî to ã“ö÷ú øééà ‘á (1834). His father, the take care of. ÷ãö çîö once remarked that ‘ø The other two things are rain and íéúéîä úééçú which will ìàåîù's birthday, which falls on the happen in the days of äìåàâ. 17th day of the øîåò, is described by òøåöî äìá÷ as úøàô úáù úøàôú (Beauty of The ò ø å ö î (one who has úòøö) is compared the ìàøùé éðá in the Beauty). úåìâ and the äìåàâ. When he is sent outside the camp, it is Even though ìàåîù ‘ø was the youngest of íçðî ‘ø compared to the ì à ø ù é é ð á being sent into úåìâ. When he is ìãðòî's seven sons, he was chosen to become healed and he returns, it is like doing äáåùú. Rebbe after his father passed away. He lived in the The ï ä ë who announces that the ò ø å ö î is ø å ä è , is like ‘ä, Who tells us that the time for has come. He then town of Lubavitch. Besides leading his íéãéñç, äìåàâ takes two birds - which stand for and guiding them and giving them advice in both their óñåé ïá çéùî ï á ç é ù î ãåã, the final çéùî. The three species ( æø à õò, áåæéà, and úåéðçåø and úåéîùâ lives and writing many íéøîàî, red wool) stand for the úåáà. The purification is done with the ù“øäî éáø travelled a great deal around Europe, the bird together with the three species - çéùî with the meeting with government and business leaders to ú å ë æ of the úåáà. The bird is then set free to fly all over put pressure on the Czar and the government to the fields, which stands for çéùî ruling over the entire stop bringing about pogroms against the of world. And the return of the òøåöî to the camp stands for Russia. the return of ì à ø ù é é ð á to íéìùåøé and the ù ã ÷ î ä ú é á -may The “ passed away at age 47 on “ ù øäî éáø éøùú â é we merit this right NOW! â“îøú (1882).

éðù ÷øô In ‘ á äðùî we are told: “êðåöøë åðåöø äùò” - Fulfil His plained, “The father was a very wise man. He said, ‘Give ( ‘ ä’s) will as you would your own. Why couldn’t the my son whatever you want and keep the rest for your- äðùî just tell us to do ‘ ä’s will? self.’ Since you showed that you would really like 95%, There was once a wealthy father who had an only son that must be the amount that the father wanted you to whom he loved very much. When he got older he ap- give to his son.” pointed someone to take care of his money and in- The äðùî is showing us the proper way to behave and structed him, “When I die, give my son as much as you tells us that what we actually do for ‘ ä should be the want and keep the rest for yourself. When the wealthy same amount as we would like to do for ourselves. Since father passed away, the greedy man kept 95% for him- we would really like to spend the most money on things self and gave 5% to the son. The son was very upset. He that we need and want, we should spend less on our- couldn’t believe that this was really what his father selves and more on ä ø å ú and úå åöî. And just like we wanted so he took the greedy man to a äøåú ïéã. The áø would work very hard to get something we want, we listened carefully and decided that the man should give should put a lot of effort into our ú å é ð ç å ø . 95% to the son and keep only 5% for himself. He ex- (Adapted from ‘Vedibarta Bam’) There was once a rich ãéñç of the áåè íù ìòá. We will call him everything including his house and belongings just as the íù ìòá á÷òé ‘ø. One day, á÷òé ‘ø was standing before the áåè íù ìòá áåè said he would. almost in tears. He also discovered that that shul beggar had, in fact, miracu- "I can't understand it" he moaned "Everything I do is failing. I lously become a rich businessman 'overnight'. He was now used to have such business sense. It's as though I've been making huge investments and was surrounded by some of the cursed! Has someone cursed me?" wealthiest men in the country. The áåè íù ìòá said nothing. á÷òé ‘ø tried to wait but the Several times á÷òé ‘ø considered just going up to him when he silence was unbearable. "Every time I make an investment, it left his house in the morning and asking him for snuff, but de- fails. Every guess is wrong. I'm losing money left and right! cided against it. He would wait for a better opportunity.. a time What should I do?!" when he was busy. The áåè íù ìòá looked up at him sadly and said. "Do you have And finally it came. One morning, on the shul bulletin board a snuff box?" was pinned an open invitation to everyone in the city to the "Of course!" he replied as he nervously fumbled in his jacket wedding of....Mr. Isaac's daughter! It would be in two weeks in pocket producing a small, finely decorated, golden box that he the massive town square. This would be the perfect opportu- proceeded to open. nity, á÷òé ‘ø thought. But the áåè íù ìòá paid no attention and continued. "About a Two weeks later á÷òé ‘ø was there with a plan that he thought half year ago you were sitting in shul with some of your friends. couldn't fail. You took that box out and offered them snuff. Do you re- The wedding ceremony was just about to begin, the band member? played serious music and then stopped as the couple stood un- "I... I don't.. that is...almost every day some of us we sit to- der the wedding canopy with hundreds of people gathered gether after úéøçù and...” around. The Rabbi finished all the blessings, the groom broke "Do you remember about a half a year ago that you took out the glass cup, the band broke into joyous playing and everyone your snuff box and offered everyone to take a bit of snuff but began dancing, shaking the hand of the groom and the father of when you saw the Isaac the shul beggar stand up from his seat the bride, slapping them on the shoulders and yelling áåè ìæî. in the corner and approach to take some, you closed it and put And at that very moment, at the height of the festivities, ‘ø it back in your pocket. Do you remember?" á÷òé ran up to Mr Isaac, tapped him on the shoulder and said á÷òé ‘ø was deep in thought. He tried not to remember but "please give me a pinch of snuff!" suddenly it was clear as day. He didn't want that dirty man to Mr. Isaac looked at him strangely, hesitated.. turned back to the get too close. He looked disgusting. person that he had been speaking to. (aha! He was ignoring ‘ø "Well", concluded the áåè íù ìòá "Maybe it meant nothing to á÷òé!) said 'excuse me' .. turned around, snuff box in hand and you at the time because your success and wealth hardened offered it! your heart! But you really shamed that man. So it was decided á÷òé ‘ø fainted. A doctor was called. He was carried to a side in heaven that all your money will be taken from you and be room and after a few minutes, Mr. Isaac appeared. given to him!" "He'll be alright" said the doctor. "Maybe it was too warm or á÷òé ‘ø was stunned, he couldn't believe his ears! But it was something." happening, it was true! He was losing everything so quickly and "But why is he crying?" Mr. Isaac asked. now that he thought about it, Isaac the beggar seemed to have "I'll tell you why" á÷òé ‘ø replied. “Remember me? I'm the rich disappeared. It was a curse all right; but it was he that had man that refused to give you a pinch of snuff months ago in shul cursed himself!! and because of that I lost all my riches and you gained them. As if in a dream he looked at the áåè íù ìòá and stammered. Well, just now when you didn't act selfishly as I did back then, I "Is there any way I can.." lost my only chance to regain my wealth." And he continued "There is only one way you can get your money back" the crying. áåè íù ìòá said. "You have to reverse the process. If you ask But the story has a happy ending. him for a pinch of snuff and he refuses you... then he will lose it When Mr. Isaac heard the story, he calmed á÷òé ‘ø down, all, just as you did, and your wealth will return. But if not, eve- invited him to the wedding feast and assured him that he had rything is lost." nothing to cry about. He would provide him with a home and a á÷òé ‘ø returned home and within a few weeks he had lost job for the rest of his life. äøåöî-òéøæú úùøô

Level 1: Match up the information about the ù“øäî éáø.

The ù“øäî éáø‘s name ÷ãö çîö

The ù“øäî éáø’s father øééà ‘á

The ù“øäî éáø’s mother ìàåîù ‘ø

The ù“øäî éáø’s birthday éøùú â“é

The ù“øäî éáø’s wife ä÷áø ïéöéáø

The ù“øäî éáø’s sons 4

The ù“øäî éáø’s daughters à÷ùåî ä‘éç ïéöéáø

The ù“øäî éáø’s èééöøäàé 2

Last Week’s Winners: Yisroel Slonim, age 9 from Vestal, New York äøåöî-òéøæú úùøô

Level 2: Using the pictures, figure out the sentence. - IMBL - D - UMLBEE - ID

- I - CREGISTER - HMACHINE - W - AISIS - MO - E

- BUARY - RAER - LL - L

- CLF - A + ES

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Last Week’s Winners: Levi Kazilsky, age 11 from Johannesburg, South Africa ä“á

øééà 'à øééà 'è øééà à"ë menucha mindel Raskin - Burlington, VT Yosef Yitzchok Fischer - Augusta, GA Shmaya Hecht - Orange, CT Chana Wolff - Springfield, MA Meir Eli Gurevitch - Offenbach, GERMANY Yehudis Liba Wilansky - Portland, ME Chaya Mushka Hodakov - New Haven, CT Doba Gita Alperowitz - Bournemouth, ENGLAND Faiga Chein - Cheadle, Cheshire ENGLAND øééà 'é Eliyohu Boruch Simon - London, ENGLAND øééà â"ë øééà 'á Mordechai Schusterman - Atlanta, GA Yisroel Posner - Boston, MA øééà à"é Mordechai Schusterman - Peabody, MA Avrohom Noach Goldstein - Houston, TX Malky Scheiner - Boulder, CO Mirel Deitsch - Ambler, PA Leah Katzman - Den Haag, NETHERLANDS Breindel Piekarski - Hamden, CT Chaya Mushka Amar - Pontault Combault, Devora Lea Heintz - Utrecht, NETHERLANDS Dov Ber Backman - College Park, MD FRANCE Rivka Dubov - Princeton, NJ øééà 'â øééà ã"ë Toby Wilansky - Portland, ME øééà á"é Rochel Leah Schusterman - Peabody, MA Aaron Leib Greene - Rochester, MN Binie Harlig - Miami, FL Chaya Mushka Nogradi - Budapest, HUNGARY Sara Feiga Ehrenreich - Chestnut Ridge, NY Esther Hadassa Mochkin - Rochester, NY Shmuel Yosef Heidingsfeld - Winnipeg, MB CAN- Isroel Gerenstadt - S. Paulo, SP BRAZIL Brina Mochkin - Rochester, NY ADA Devora Pink - Plantation, FL øééà 'ã Sholom Ber Friedman - Coral Springs, FL øééà ä"ë Sholom Dovber Rivkin - New Orleans, LA Devorah Leah Greenwald - Duluth, MN Reuven Yehuda Mayer - Charlottesville, VA Sheina Mattel Kievman - Liverpool, ENGLAND Yehuda Leib Wilansky - Portland, ME Fraida Rosenblum - West Orange, NJ Menachem Mendel Karpilovsky - Toronto, ONT Akiva Mendel Levin - London, ENGLAND Mushky Kivman - Mansfield, MA CANADA Avraham Heber - Tacoma, WA Beila Feigy Begun - S. Paulo, SP BRAZIL øééà â"é Yisroel Fox - Pretoria, SOUTH AFRICA Sarah Rosenfeld - Zurich, SWITZERLAND øééà 'ä Zelda Yehudis Amar - Pontault Combault, øééà å"ë Levi Greenberg - Solon, OH FRANCE Breindy Gniwisch - Montreal, QUE CANADA Yosef Katz - Buffalo Grove, IL øééà å"ë øééà ã"é Levi Teitelbaum - Buenos Aires, CAP. FED ARGEN- øééà 'å Geula Benayon - Panama City, PANAMA PANAMA TINA Menachem Mendel Hayman - Phoenix, AZ Shmuel Dovid Raichik - Gaithersburg, MD øééà å"è øééà æ"ë Yisroel Gordon - Charlotte, NC Chaya Mushka Green Green - Westborough, MA Sara Schusterman - Atlanta, GA Schneur Zalman Lifshitz - Boise, ID Avremie Rapoport - Mequon, WI Shmuel Fried - New York, NY Sara Malka Fox - Pretoria, SOUTH AFRICA Michal Meira Bechor - Randolph, NJ øééà æ"è Chaya Mushka Hurwitz - Temecula, CA øééà 'æ Mendel Richter - Howard Beach, NY Schejna Beila Wilhelm - Oslo, NORWAY Levi Yitzchok Rosenfeld - Miami Beach, FL Devora Fogelman - Natick, MA øééà æ"é øééà ç"ë Mendel Zajac - Auckland, NEW ZEALAND Chana Rochel Gerber - Wynnewood, PA Shaina Pelman - Guatemala City, GUATEMALA Menachem Mendel Lipskier - Atlanta, GA Hillel Kohen - Swampscott, MA Mendel Sternberg - New London, CT Yaakov Shmuel Simon - London, ENGLAND Chana Frankforter - Miami Beach, FL Menuje Migdal - Capital, BS AS ARGENTINA øééà ç"é Bluma Esther Rosenfeld - Zurich, SWITZERLAND Sholom Dovber Glazman - Riga, LATVIA øééà 'ç Chava Eilfort - Carlsbad, CA Menachem Mendel Ciment - Little Rock, AR Chaya Gurkov - Oceanside, NY øééà è"ë Menachem Mendel Hurwitz - Temecula, CA Shraga Feldman - Hurstville, NSW AUSTRALIA Sheina Bracha Litvin - Louisville, KY Isroel Arye Leib Tamarin - Zhitomir,

The Yaldei Hashluchim listed above are subscribed to the Yaldei Hashluchim birthday package. To register your child/ren, go to www.shluchim.org/profile.