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בס״ד TORAH WEEKLY 26 November - Parshat Vayishlach 2 December, 2017 Some we see it at the ticket to 8 - 14 Kislev, 5778 THE GOLDEN COVERING God’s blessings. But it is not. Torah: When Yaakov was preparing Genesis 32:4 - 36:43 TICKET ALL THE If you won the lot- to meet his dangerous brother, tery, what would you do? A Eisav, he also turned to God BASES Haftorah: new home? A dream vaca- in prayer. He beseeched God As our patriarch Obadiah 1:1 - 21 tion? Perhaps a charity you’ve to protect him and his entire Yaakov traveled with his CALENDARS always wanted to create? We family from the possibility family back to his hometown, We have Jewish Calen- all have dreams and wishes that Eisav was still angry he knew with certainty that dars, if you would like that would easily be realized about the “stolen blessings” his brother Eisav would be one, please send us a let- if only we’d just hit that good and would attempt to take re- waiting for him. He sent ter and we will send you ol’ jackpot. Most of us wish venge in the form of a physi- messengers ahead to scout out one, or ask your Rabbi / we would. cal attack. This fear was only the situation, and they retur- Chaplain to contact us. But there was one reinforced, when he was in- ned with the grim report that man who had this wish more formed that Eisav was indeed Eisav was indeed anticipating CHANUKAH GELT than you or me. He’d pray marching towards him along Yaakov’s return. He was even Please ask the chaplain three times a day, every day, with a troop of 400 men. coming towards them to “gre- for the ‘Chanukah Gelt asking God to let him win the But Yaakov knew that prayer et” his brother, along with Form’. lottery. He’d dream about it at alone is not enough. He knew 400 men armed to the teeth. Your children will night. He’d dream about it du- he had to do something more, Yaakov and his receive Chanukah Gelt ring the day! He even opened he had to take action. He had family prepared for this en- from you. up a special bank account in to buy the ticket. counter in three ways. First, Happy Chanukah! anticipation, and called it the He divided his family he put together a large gift of “lottery account.” and belongings into two cattle, herds of sheep, goats and servants. He instructed FAST OF TEVET- Once, during his camps, reasoning that if one the messengers who were The fast of 10th Tevet prayers, his longing for the camp were be attacked, the to present the gift to Eisav (12/28/2017) is fast winning ticket became too second would be able to flee to place a gap between each aproaching, please send much for him and he broke while the first waged battle. herd in order to make the gift in the necessary pa- down crying. “Please God!” Our blessings come not throu- seem even larger than it was. perwork to the chaplain he cried, “Just once! Just once gh the work of our hands alo- He hoped that in this way he and food service so you I’d like to win the lottery and ne, but through the blessing of might appease his brother, receive the bag lunch. that’s all I ask. Is that woo God. We cannot just sit back and avoid having to confront The Abarbanel writes, if much bro ask from Almighty though, and trust that God’s any hostility when they would the 10th of Tevet would God??” blessings will fall into our finally meet. be a Shabbat, we would The angels on high laps. Our job is to create the The second thing be required to fast! saw this man’s bitter tears, vessel into which and through and they asked God, “Why which God may transmit his Yaakov did was prepare his can’t he just have his wish? plentiful graces. family for war. In the event Look and see how badly he We plant the seeds, that the gift would not defuse ALEPH INSTITUTE wants it!” God makes the produce grow. the rage of his violent twin Hyman & Martha Rogal “I’d love to let him We make business proposals, brother, his family would be Center win!” Answered God, “I’m God turns them into reality. divided into separate camps 5804 Beacon Street waiting for him to buy a We do ours, and God will do so that if one group were at- Pittsburgh, PA 15217 ticket!” His. We have but to ask. tacked and plunged into war, 412-421-0111 The power of prayer the rest of the family could Fax: 412-521-5948 is widely recognized, amon- By Rabbi Nissan Friedman escape. www.alephne.org gst almost all religions, as a The third thing he [email protected] source for many good things. did in preparation for this fateful moment was what every believing person would do. He turned to God in prayer. He prayed to God to protect his In Jewish History family from the hand of Eisav and his band of thugs. By doing these three things Yaakov had covered all of his Monday, 9 Kislev, 5778 - November 27, 2017 bases. The three modes of preparation represent the attribu- Birth & Passing of R. Dovber of Lubavitch (1773; 1827) tes of Chessed, Gevurah and Tiferes - Kindness, Force and Kislev 9 is both the birthday and day of passing Mercy. He felt that any of these three on its own would not of Rabbi DovBer of Lubavitch, son of and successor to suffice; Just a gift, kindness? There was a very slim chance the founder of Chabad Chassidism, Rabbi Schneur Zal- of appeasing the man who had been planning to kill him for man·of Liadi. Rabbi DovBer was known for his unique two decades. Just force, was not a great option as Yaakov style of “broadening rivers” -- his teachings were the in- and his family were no match for Eisav and his soldiers. tellectual rivers to his father’s wellspring, lending breadth And just prayer, relying on God’s mercy? Yaakov felt that and depth to the principles set down by Rabbi Schneur he was not worthy enough of God’s miracles. Zalman. But by combining all three of these attributes, Yaa- Born in Li’ozna, White Russia in 1773, Rabbi kov was confident that he had done everything he could and DovBer was named after Rabbi Schneur Zalman’s mentor could then leave the rest up to God. and teacher, Rabbi DovBer of Mezeritch, who had passed This strategy worked well for Yaakov and, like all away on Kislev 19 of the previous year. Rabbi DovBer things in the Torah, serves as a lifelong lesson for all future assumed the leadership of Chabad upon his father’s pass- generations. ing in 1812. In 1813 he settled in the town of Lubavitch, Eisav and Yaakov, respectively, represent body and which was to serve as the movement’s headquarters for soul. Eisav was the embodiment of all things worldly, and the next 102 years. In 1826, he was arrested on charges Yaakov was the spiritual one, always on task making the that his teachings threatened the imperial authority of the world more Godly. Czar, but was subsequently exonerated. Every person possesses their own spark of Yaakov, Rabbi DovBer passed away on his 54th birthday the Jewish soul which pushes us to do our part in the better- in 1827, a day before the first anniversary of his liberation ment of society. (see calendar entries for tomorrow, Kislev 10). But we are often obstructed by the world around us, indeed very often by the effect the world may have had Tuesday, 10 Kislev, 5778 - November 28, 2017 inside of us as well. We have self imposed inferiorities whi- Liberation of R. DovBer (1826) ch make us feel unworthy, outside influences which seek to In 1826, Rabbi DovBer of Lubavitch (see above, prevent us from fulfilling our tasks, and an overwhelming Kislev 9) was arrested on charges that his teachings sense of despair when approaching the daunting task of ef- threatened the imperial authority of the Czar, but was fecting our surroundings and improving our personal lives. subsequently exonerated. The date of his release, Kislev If we approach the task with Yaakov’s three pron- 10, is celebrated amongst Chabad Chassidim as a “festi- ged method, it can work for us as well. val of liberation.” Tachnun (confession of sins) is omitted Kindness; be kind to yourself. This means realizing from the day’s prayers, farbrengens are held, and Rabbi and remembering that we are all a part of God and intrinsi- DovBer’s teachings are studied. cally good, regardless of the mistakes we’ve made or people we have hurt in the process. Deep down there is, was, and Shabbat, 14 Kislev, 5778 - December 2, 2017 always will be the essential goodness that we try to project. Rebbe’s Marraige Apply force; at the same time be strong and un- On the 14th of Kislev, 1928, the Lubavitcher compromising. We have standards that need to be upheld, Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, married goals that need to be met and imperfections that need to be Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneersohn (1901-1988), the improved. middle daughter of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn Last but not least, prayer: Never give up on your- (1880-1950), the sixth Rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch.

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