Volume 32,Issue2
CONGREGATION LEVI YITZCHOK CHABAD OF HANCOCK PARK 5781/2021 Iyar Chabad Chodesh Iyar 5781 S D I ceive the child inaspecial white cloth heprovided. M the in immerse to midwife the asked He Tehillim. say to dren th un l remained and home new his to hurried Tzedek Tzemach The sach dishes.Theybrought strawandshelaiditonthelargew there. When labor began,Reb the and Shavuos before in move to wanted Tzedek Tzemach The she went to the new home. There were bor forfree. t brought beams the had and wood the all provide to manager his Medr Beis and house a build and lot large a purchase to decided Tz Tzemach the though (1834), 5594 in Lubavitch in fire the A er 5594 (1834) B I ‐ B R M Founda on laid for laid Founda on Plague ofBlood.(Seder Olam, 3) Second DayRoshChodesh 13/Tuesday Iyar 1/April First DayRoshChodesh 12/Monday Nisan 30/April ons, and when that’s not enough, and you and enough, not that’s when and ons, over “go to have we Mitzvos in and Torah in thethat first place”:firstthe in over —go say I place.” and over, go to have notyou obstacle, an makeunder go Thecan’t you if says calcula- simpleis bestsummarizedbyhissaying,“Theworld meaning work and life “..His [1834]. 5594 Omer, the of thisC is MaHaRaSh h a Rebbe b "The aShmuel, d R eTeacher and b Master holy our bof Birthday e , o n T 14/Wednesday Iyar 2/April i f e r e s S h e (Ezra3:8) 3391 [537BCE]. B ’ T i f e r e s o f Second Beis HaMikdash Beis Second , fourth ", R. , BCE]. Beis HaMikdash,2928[833 HaMelech Shlomoh limits.”[Sichah,Tishrei13,5739] ons and the first place”, go in over “go said MaHaRaSh Rebbe —the “over” you limit, in and a measure way above go that’s to have above calcula- ooden Shmurah floursi er. ooden Shmurah ikvah before the birth and to re- to and birth the before ikvah ash. Count Lubomirsky ordered Lubomirsky Count ash. edek’s house wasn’t burnt, he burnt, wasn’t house edek’s o the site and provided the la- the provided and site the o no furnishings, just the Pe- the just furnishings, no betzin wanted to give birth give to wanted betzin e birth. He asked his chil- his asked He birth. e began building the First First the building began (Con nued on page9) ד “ בס Yartzeit of R. Shmuel Shmelke of Nikolsburg, student of holiday, and every Korban must be clean of blemish the Mezeritcher Magid, author of Divrei Shmuel, and and other disqualifica ons. The Chachamim enacted Nazir Hashem, 5538 [1778]. teaching the laws to remind the people of the " . . . [The Alter Rebbe presented his Hilchos holiday, so they wouldn't forget to prepare animals fit Tzitzis and Hilchos Pesach] to those two golden illumi- for the Korban, within thirty days . . ."[Alter Rebbe's nators, the laudable brothers, the famous Geonim of Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim: 429:1] highest holiness, pillars of the world, our Master R. Shmelke, and his brother, our Master R. Pinchas . . . Iyar 6/April 18/Sunday they praised it and extolled it very, very much [and Yartzeit of R. Levi b. Gershon (RaLBaG), philosopher, encouraged him to finish the Shulchan astronomer, and commentator on Chumash, 5104 Aruch]." [Introduc on of the author's sons to the Alter [1344]. Rebbe's Shulchan Aruch] Yartzeit of R. Leibish of Mezeritch, student of the Baal Yartzeit of R. Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk, author of Shem Tov, 5535 [1775]. Pri HaAretz, a leading student of the Mezeritcher Magid, 5548 [1788]. Iyar 7/April 19/Monday From 1773 un l 1777 he was the leader of the "Day Of Yerushalayim Wall Dedica on", once a Chasidim of Russia and Lithuania. A er the Magid's holiday (Megilas Taanis, 2). Nechemiah dedicated passing, the Alter Rebbe accepted R. Mendel, his new walls around Yerushalayim, 3426 [335 BCE]. former colleague, as his Rebbe. In 1777 R. Mendel (Nechemiah, 12:27) moved to Eretz Yisroel (the Alter Rebbe had wanted to Years later the Jewish defenders of go with him) and insisted that the Alter Rebbe become Yerushalayim surrendered these walls to the Romans leader of the Chasidim. on this day in 3830 [70 CE]. (Josephus, The Jewish Wars, 5:7) The Friediker Rebbe ini ated the wri ng of the Sefer Torah for receiving Moshiach, 5702 [1942]. Iyar 8/April 20/Tuesday Jewish community of Speyer was massacred in the Iyar 3/April 15/Thursday First Crusade, 4856 [1096], commemorated in the Yartzeit of R. Yehudah Leib Pis ner of Kolomei, student Kinah "Mi Yitein Roshi Mayim", we say on Tisha B’Av. of the Baal Shem Tov, 5505 [1745]. Iyar 10/April 22/Thursday Iyar 4/April 16/Friday The Aron HaBris was captured by the Plish m. Yartzeit of R. Yosef Teumim, author of Pri Megadim, Yartzeits of Chofni and Pinchas, who died in the war, on the Shulchan Aruch, 5552/1792 and of their father Eli, the Kohen Gadol and Pinchas' wife who died upon hearing the news of the Aron. Iyar 5/April 17/Shabbos (Shmuel I, 4) (Megilas Taanis) ". . . The Early Authori es established, when the Beis HaMikdash stood, to teach publicly the laws of any Yartzeit of R. Yitzchak AlFasi (RiF), codifier of the holiday thirty days before, that is . . . from Iyar 5 and Gemara, author of Sefer HaHalachos, 4863 [1103]. on, to study the laws of Shavuos . . . Because all who " . . . the RiF, the Rambam, and the RoSh, are live in Eretz Yisrael must bring three Korbanos on the the pillars of Jewish Law, which all of Israel bases itself on." [Introduc on of the Beis Yosef to the Tur] VOLUME 32, ISSUE 2 Page 2 Yartzeit of R. Meir Margolis of Lemberg, author of The last day the Jews ate the Matzos they responsa Meir Nesivim, student of the Baal Shem Tov, took out of Mitzrayim, which had in them the taste 5550 [1790]. of the Mon, 2488 [1313 BCE] (Rashi, Shemos 16:35) and thus, another reason for the custom of ea ng Iyar 12/April 24/Shabbos Matzah. [Sidur of R. Yaakov Emden] Yartzeit of R. Yeshayaha of Yanov, student of the "The theme of Pesach Sheni is that it's never Mezeritcher Magid, compiler of Tzavaas HaRiVaSh, too late. It's always possible to put things right. Even [one of the first collec ons of the Baal Shem Tov's if one was impure or far away, and even when the teachings], 5554 [1794]. In 1796 it was burned in the impurity was deliberate, nonetheless, he can correct streets of Vilna; the Alter Rebbe wrote a le er to the it". [HaYom Yom, Iyar 14] Chasidim of Vilna about this [printed in Beis Rebbe, chapter 12] and wrote a le er [Tanya, Igeres Second imprisonment of the Previous Lubavitcher HaKodesh, chapter 25] defending its’ ideas. Rebbe, in Lubavitch, 5662 [1902]. " . . . The compilers did not know how to determine the exact phraseology . . . for the Baal Yartzeit of R. Meir Baal HaNes, 3881 [121] is Shem Tov, of blessed memory would say Divrei Torah observed in Teveria. in Yiddish, not in Hebrew . . . but the intent is absolutely true." [Tanya, Igeres HaKodesh, 26] He Iyar 15/April 27/Tuesday also compiled Or Torah, of the Mezeritcher Magid. Hashem promised the Jewish people that they will receive Mannah from Heaven. Iyar 13/April 25/Sunday Yartzeit of R. Nesanel Weil of Prague, author of Iyar 16/April 28/Wednesday Korban Nesanel, commentary on the RoSh, 5529 First day the Mon fell in the desert; first evening the [1769]. quail fell to supply Bnei Yisroel with meat, 2448 [1313 BCE]. That year this day fell out on a Sunday. Yartzeit of R. Yisroel Aryeh Leib Schneersohn, of (Shemos 16:1 Rashi) blessed memory, brother of the Rebbe, 5712 [1952]. He is buried in Tzefas. Moshe Rabeinu composed the first Brachah of Birkas HaMazon, 2448 [1313 BCE]. (Berachos 48b) Iyar 14/April 26/Monday Pesach Sheini Yartzeit of R. Meir (MaHaRaM) of Lublin, We don't say Tachnun. We eat Matzah today to commentator on Gemara, 5376 [1616]. commemorate Pesach Sheini. Pesach Sheni was given for the Jews who Iyar 17/April 29/Thursday couldn't bring the Pesach Sacrifice on the 14th of Ni- Erev Lag BaOmer san because they were impure. Hashem gave them a No Tachnun at Minchah second chance to make it up by bringing the korbon a month later, on the 14th of Iyar. That night they Yartzeit of R. Yechezkel Landau of Prague, author of would eat the korbon with matzah and maror the Noda BiYehudah, 5553 [1793]. same way it was eaten a month earlier on pesach.
VOLUME 32, ISSUE 2 Page 3 Yartzeit of R. Moshe Chaim Efraim of Sadlikov, Iyar 19/May 1/Shabbos grandson of the Baal Shem Tov, author of Degel Yartzeit of R. Meir of Rotenburg, teacher of the Machaneh Efraim, 5560 [1800]. RoSh, outstanding Talmudic authority of his genera on, author of commentary on the Gemara, Iyar 18/April 30/Friday and responsa. He died in the fortress of Eisenheim, Lag BaOmer 5053 [1293]. Held for ransom, he refused to be We don't say Tachnun. redeemed, saying it would put every rabbi in Europe in danger of being kidnapped. The students of R. Akiva stopped dying. Yartzeit of R. Menachem Mendel of Rymanov, Yartzeit of R. Shimon Bar Yochai. student of R. Elimelech of Lyzensk, 5575 [1815]. " . . . There's a custom to eat carob, because R. Shimon Bar Yochai, hiding from the Romans in a cave Iyar 20/May 2/Sunday for thirteen years, survived on carobs from a tree Yartzeit of R. Mordechai of Czernobyl, 5598 [1838]. outside the cave." [Sichah, Rosh Chodesh Iyar, 5742] " . . . By the Mi eler Rebbe Lag BaOmer was Iyar 21/May 3/Monday one of the special Yom Tovs. They would go out to the The previous Lubavitcher Rebbe founded Kfar fields . . .at that me they would see many miracles, Chabad, in Eretz Yisrael, 5709 [1949]. mostly about [having] children. The whole year they would look forward for Lag BaOmer..." [HaYom Yom, Iyar 22/May 4/Tuesday Iyar 18] In the year of Yetziyas Mitzrayim this date was the first Shabbos the Yidden kept in the Midbar, they did Yartzeit of R. Moshe Iserles, (the ReMA), author of the not collect the Mannah on Shabbos, but collected Mapah, on the Shulchan Aruch, the defini ve authority two por ons on Friday. of Ashkenazic Halachic prac ce, 5333 [1573]. " . . . We follow the Shulchan Aruch, wherever Iyar 23/May 5/Wednesday the ReMA doesn't disagree " [Alter Rebbe's Shulchan Jews of Worms were massacred by Crusaders, 4856 Aruch I:256:6] [1096], commemorated in the Kinah "Mi Yitein Roshi " . . . The Gaon and Kabbalist, R. Moshe Isereles Mayim", we say on Tisha B’Av. of Cracow, in his Sefer Toras HaOlah, explains in detail all aspects of the Beis HaMikdash below and in the Iyar 26/May 8/Shabbos higher worlds, and in the powers of Man. The early Shabbos Mevarchim Sivan Chasidim, those of great intellect, would study the The only Shabbos Mevarchim on which we DO say Sefer Toras HaOlah as one of the Sefarim of divine "Av HaRachamim": it was wri en in response to the comprehension and service." [Likutei Diburim, p. 973] destruc on of Jewish communi es during the First Crusade, throughout Sivan of 1096. Tenaim of Rebbitzen Sheina, youngest daughter of the previous Lubavitcher Rebbe with R. Menachen Mendel Yartzeit of R. Saadiah Gaon, head of the Yeshivah of Horenstein, grandson of the Rebbe MaHaRaSh, 5692 Sura, Talmudist and philosopher, author of Emunot [1932]. VeDeiot, first philosophical presenta on of Judaism, 4702 [942].
VOLUME 32, ISSUE 2 Page 4
Yartzeit of R. Moshe Chaim Luza o, Kabbalist, author of Mesilas Kesherim & Ben David Inc. Yesharim, Choker UMekubal, KeLaCh Pischei Chochmah, and other Established 1947 Kabbalis c works cited in the Chasidus of the Tzemach Tzedek, 5507 Diamonds, Rubies & Sapphires [1747].
Yartzeit of R. Yitzchok Aizik HaLevi Epstein of Homel, author of Chanah
Ariel, and Shnei HaMeoros, one of the greatest students of the Alter 706 S. Hill Street # 320 Rebbe, Chasid of the Mi eler Rebbe, and Tzemach Tzedek, 5617 Los Angeles, CA 90014 [1857]. Tel: 213 910-1700 [email protected] Iyar 27/May 9/Sunday *** Once a holiday, "The Day The Crowns Were Removed From Yehudah Shomer Insurance Agency And Yerushalayim", a day of Greek idol worship, eradicated by the Insurance Specialists Chashmonaim. (Megilas Taanis, 2) Joseph Schneerson Principal & Broker Yartzeit of R. Shlomoh Zalman of Kopust, grandson of the Tzemach Tzedek, son of R. Yehudah Leib, author of Magen Avos, 5660 [1900]. 4221 Wilshire Blvd. #222 A er his father's passing in 1867, he became Rebbe in Kopust. 323 934-8160 License #0717982 Iyar 28/May 10/Monday *** Yerushalayim was liberated, including Har HaBayis and the Kosel Frank Revere ‐ Lawyer HaMaaravi, in the Six Day War, 5728 [1967]. Revere & Wallace 355 S Grand Ave #2450 LA, CA 90071 The RaMBaM celebrated this day as a Yom Tov: he found the Sefer frank@reverelawfirm.com Torah wri en by Ezra HaSofer and saw that it exactly paralleled the Phone: 213-943-1333 Fax: 213-403- Parshah divisions he had copied for the Mishneh Torah, from the 4847 Sefer Torah in Egypt. Cell: 213-422-5408 *** Yartzeit of R. Yitzchok of Corbeil, author of Sefer Mitzvos Katan YOSEF Y. SHAGALOV (SeMaK), 5040 [1280]. Traveling Notary Public & Home Signing Agent Iyar 29/May 11/Tuesday Member: Na onal Notary Associa on Yartzeit of Shmuel HaNavi 2882 [878 BCE]. (Megilas Taanis). Cell: (323) 934-7095 Sivan 1/May 12/Wednesday Fax: (323) 934-7092 Rosh Chodesh Sivan E-mail: [email protected] “For All Your Notary Needs - At Your Loca on”
VOLUME 32, ISSUE 2 Page 5 It’s Been 30 Years… Where Are We?!? Living the Redemp on By Rabbi Shimon Raichik
This year the 28th of Nissan is the 30th Anniversary Moshiach to top it off. Then we ask, what else of the Rebbe’s iconic statement: “I have done all haven’t we done? that I can; now it’s up to you to do all that you can to bring Moshiach (the geula).” Whatever a person focuses on, he or she will feel. By focusing our efforts on LIVING with Moshiach The Rebbe explained this statement later in more we understand that the goal is all about change not detail that this means to learn Inyanei Geula and only ac on. There is also a mindset and a feeling Moshiach in the Torah (Rambam, Medrash, Chassi- that goes along with it. dus etc). By learning, internalizing and integra ng those Torah sources we will come to live with the Living with Moshiach as an actual part of our lives geula and Moshiach and as a result add in learning as real and immediate was seen many mes in the the Torah and doing mitzvos. Rebbe’s pronouncements about the geula. The Rebbe would say that Moshiach should be here When we learn in the Rambam and in Chassidus even before we daven Mincha or Maariv or before about the changes that the Moshiach will bring this the end of the Fabrengen. How was this possible? brings changes in the way that we live now. But how Because the Rebbe could see Moshiach in the do we prac cally apply this in our lives? doorway wai ng to enter. Our eyes weren’t open enough to see so the Rebbe advised us to learn and This mandate to bring the geula began at the very thereby come also to see that we are in the era of onset of the Rebbe’s Nesius on Yud Shevat 5711- Moshiach and to act accordingly. 1951 when the Rebbe explained that our (the sev- enth genera on’s) purpose is to make a dwelling There is a story about the talmidim of the Baal place for Hashem in this physical world. Over the Shem Tov who would wait for the Baal Shem Tov to years the campaign intensified un l on the 28th of finish davening. On one par cular day the Baal Nissan 5751-1981 the Rebbe brought this mandate Shem Tov’s ascension into the higher worlds was to the stage of living with Moshiach. extended and the talmidim became hungry. They decided to venture off for a few minutes to taste So what have we accomplished over the last thirty something and quickly return. A short while later years? when they returned they were surprised to see that the Baal Shem Tov had completed davening Some treat the Rebbe’s mandate like a check off list. and was already folding His tallis. We check off davening, tzedaka, Chitas, Rambam, some Chassidus, some learning with the children, an When the talmidim asked what happened the Baal hour of Mivtzoyim and an inyan in Inyanei Geila and Shem Tov answered using the analogy of a bird
VOLUME 32, ISSUE 2 Page 6 nest that was high on top of a wall. A person wanted the geula. By learning about the geula from a Torah to capture the beau ful bird in the nest and asked to perspec ve we can see what we are missing and it stack one person on top of the other so that he creates the desire to do whatever is required to get could climb on the top to reach the nest. Meanwhile out of the galus.Then we do every posi ve act in the people on the bo om grew red and bored so every moment available to materialize the geula and they le and the en re stack of people came tum- Moshiach. bling to the ground. The same thing said the Baal Shem Tov happened when you le during davening. How do we get ourselves to feel and live the geula? It was only because of your zechusim that my tefillah By being all in with our en re will. It says that the was able to ascend on high. Once you le I could not Korban Pesach was roasted en rely, it’s head intes- reach the level that I was seeking. nes and feet. So too for real changes to occur we need to become ’fully roasted’ with love for Ha- This was also the Rebbe’s message on the 28th of shem, the Torah and every Jew. It’s not enough to Nissan. The Rebbe was telling us that everything that understand intellectually alone or act without enthu- can be done to bring Moshiach depends on what we siasm, it's an en re package that includes every- do. thing; our will, our intellect, our emo ons and our ac ons. As soon as we reveal the aleph of Hashem A person might say that they can follow instruc ons Echod in the world through our ac ons, we trans- and do the things required to bring the geula but not form the world from gola (galus, spelled without an necessarily live or feel him or herself personally go- aleph) to geula (spelled with an aleph). ing out of galus in the present moment. For this there are two responses, the first is an analogy. By ac ng this way, by doing all we can may we merit What would be like if the homeless were shown a the fulfillment of the complete and final geula with way to get out of a tent city but instead of leaving, the arrival of Moshiach today! because they were so used to their way of life and * * * didn’t they didn’t ‘feel’ like leaving it was real, they Pesach Sheni ‐ didn’t want to leave. They decided instead to im- The Power to Demand IS in Each of U ! prove the tent city or pe on the government for It’s already 30 years from Chof Ches Nisan. The Reb- increased spending on tent ci es and more safe nee- be gave us the mandate to bring Moshiach! dles for their drug habits. The same applies for our situa on in galus. Hashem has no home and we have Many look around and say who me? Knowing all my no home as long as we are in galus, as it says “Woe faults, do I have the power? Who am I to demand? is to the Father who drove his children away from This is our evil inclina on pu ng us down, talking His table (home), and woe is to the children who nega vely to us, telling us we have too many faults. were driven from their Father’s table. It can put us in a depressive state, thinking we’ll nev- er accomplish that which we set out to do. The Reb- By the Rebbe statement we understand that we are be sees the true inner power of the neshama of each Yid. He shows us that we have it within us, and gives without a home as long as the galus con nues and it us the power, to do everything to fulfil the desire of depends on us to not be comfortable in this home- Hashem of crea on, to make a dwelling place with less state but to do everything we can bring to bring the coming of Moshiach. We have the power to
VOLUME 32, ISSUE 2 Page 7 break through the walls of golus and demand Because we are in exile and the Holy Temple doesn’t Moshiach. Pesach Sheni teaches us that despite any stand, we are very much in the same posi on. Be- personal faults or impuri es, we each have the power cause of those same things, we can’t offer the sacri- to demand within us. fices or perform the Temple services G-d command- ed us. A year a er leaving Egypt, the Jewish people brought the Pesach offering in the desert. Some Jews had be- Pesach Sheni poses these ques ons: come ritually unclean and couldn’t bring the Pesach offering. They complained to Moshe and Aaron: “Why How can any Jew feel whole when the Temple ser- should we be deprived of bringing the offering of the L- vices are prohibited to us? How can any Jew feel rd among the children of Israel?” What is their ques- whole when somewhere there are Jews who s ll live on, they knew they were impure and therefore could- in daily terror? How can any Jew feel whole when n’t bring it? So what did they want? Hashem saw the we are in the middle of a second Holocaust, a spir- heart of these people, their sincerity saying even itual holocaust of assimila on and intermarriage. though we are impure, please don’t deprive us of this. How can the Jewish people feel whole when there is Hashem answered: “If any person of you or your future s ll war, cruelty, bloodshed, deceit and poverty in genera ons shall be impure or on a distant journey, he the world, and innocent people and children are shall s ll make the Pesach offering on the fourteenth made to suffer? day of the second month (Iyar).” We are taught that all this will be healed by the rev- A Jew who couldn’t offer the Pesach sacrifice was given ela on of G-dliness which will follow the revela on a second chance a month later. The essence of Pesach of Moshiach. Pesach Sheni teaches us that we have Sheni is thus (in the words of the Lubavitcher Rebbe): the power to demand that which we need to carry “It’s never too late. It’s always possible to put things out G-d’s Mitzvos. right. Even if one was impure or far away, and even when the impurity was deliberate, nonetheless, he can Thus, it is the duty of every Jew to cry out and de- correct it.” mand, Why should we be deprived? Why should we be deprived of serving G-d in the manner He Himself Pesach is the only fes val for which such a second commanded? Why should a human being be de- chance is given. Pesach Sheni is the only Mitzvah given prived of the opportunity to live out his or her life- in response to the demands of Jews. This is because the me in grateful fulfillment of his physical and spiritu- fes val of Pesach is inextricably bound up with the Exo- al needs? End the darkness. Fulfill Your promises dus from Egypt, the birth of the Jewish na on. Without now. We’ve waited long enough. the Pesach offering, the Exodus would not have been whole. Without the Exodus, there could be no Jewish existence. A Jew who could not bring the Pesach offer- We want Moshiach now. ing could not feel whole.
A Jew may think himself unworthy of making such de- mands of G-d, and that his demands would not be ac- cepted anyway. Pesach Sheni teaches otherwise. Jews demanded, their demand was accepted, and Pesach Sheni was granted.
VOLUME 32, ISSUE 2 Page 8 B I B R M
(Con nued from page 1)
On Iyar 2, Tiferes SheB’Tiferes, one hundred years a er stopped crying. Immediately a er the brochos of the Ba’al Shem Tov’s revela on, the Rebbe Maharash the Bris the Tzemach Tzedek said to start Minchah. was born. The chazzan was the Mi eler Rebbe’s son, R’ Men- achem Nachum, the Tzemach Tzedek’s brother-in- On the eighth day, the Tzemach Tzedek asked that Sha- law. The Seudah was a er Minchah. chris be early. By ten in the morning the family gath- ered, with R’ Chaim Avraham, the Alter Rebbe’s son. During the meal, R’ Yehudah Leib asked the Tzemach Tzedek the source of the name Shmuel. In the early a ernoon the Tzemach Tzedek was s ll in “Perhaps,” he asked “for Shmuel Hanavi?” his room. R’ Chaim Avraham sighed, “The Rebbe is cer- tainly involved with finer guests than us.” The Tzemach Tzedek said it was for a water carrier in Polotzk, and a Chacham is greater than a Navi. A half hour passed. The Tzemach Tzedek came out holding a hanker-chief. His eyes were red from tears; (Sefer HaToldos, Rebbe Maharash, Chapter 1) he was very serious. “The Bris will be today,” he an- *** nounced. He waited for a moment and returned to his The following is an excerpt from the Rebbe’s Reshi- room. mos of 17 MarCheshvan 5693 (1932), in which he
records the previous Rebbe’s accounts of the Rebbe R’ Chaim Avraham rested his head in his hands, deep in Maharash, and his wife, Rebbitzen Rivka. thought. The Tzemach Tzedek’s children discussed To- rah. The Rebbetzin wanted someone to ask the “The Rebbe Maharash greatly honored his wife, the Tzemach Tzedek about the delay, but R’ Chaim Avraham Rebbitzen Rivka, and she showed him tremendous held the messenger back. respect in return. For example, she never sat while
he was standing. A er three, the Tzemach Tzedek came out again and joyously told his guests to eat - the Bris would yet be. The Rebbe Maharash would give money to his He returned to his room. At four he returned to the a endant, Reb Yosef Mordechai, for the household guests and told them not to daven Minchah yet, the Bris expenses, for the Rebbitzen Rivka did not tend to would be very soon. He returned to his room, le , and these ma ers. Whatever money was needed to went to the Rebbetzin’s room to discuss the child’s buy wood, straw and so on, he would give to him name with her. He announced that the baby should be and not to her. prepared for the Bris.
He had her pay the salary for the children’s teach- The Tzemach Tzedek was the Sandek. The baby cried ers, but he did the accoun ng. I possess one year’s and the Tzemach Tzedek took his le hand from under income and expense account in his own hand- the pillow and pa ed him on the head, the baby wri ng.
VOLUME 32, ISSUE 2 Page 9 Every six months, before the holidays (of Tishrei and Pesach), he would buy back her jewelry that she had mortgaged (to finance her projects of providing dowries for poor brides, suppor ng Torah Long Term Care Specialists Insurance Services, Inc. scholars, and the like.) There must have been some reason she fi- Blue Cross of California nanced these projects in this way, since she had enough money of Authorized Agent her own to use for these purposes. Phillip Grossman *** License #OBO1071 The Rebbe Maharash used to go himself and test the children who learned in the classrooms surrounding the central courtyard in Lub- 800 400-9949 323 936-6310 * 310 657-0723 avitch. PO Box 76936 LA, CA 90076 *** The Tzemach Tzedek used to call his sons (and likewise his daughter *** Devorah Leah) into his study to consult with them on various Mar n Fishman & Assoc. Inc. ma ers. The Rebbe Maharash did not do this. INSURANCE
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The Rebbitzin understood from this that he was telling her that he Melinda Dauer would soon pass away. She began to cry, saying that he would surely Psy. D., A.T.R.- B.C. - M.S.T. recover and they would together be able to care for their children. Art Therapy & Coaching Children & Adults He answered: “I have taken the severity of the decree upon myself 310 892-6988 [email protected] (to expiate through my death). We will indeed be together, but from different worlds. I will ascend thirty-one spiritual steps, while you will ascend thirty-one physical steps. Don’t forget, my father assured you a long life.
VOLUME 32, ISSUE 2 Page 10 My grandmother (Rebbitzin Rivka) told me all this in with his eyes closed, smiling. Reb Yaakov stood, 1908. I didn’t understand what these “thirty-one wai ng. When the train reached the next sta on, a physical steps” were un l her passing, which oc- young, intelligent-looking man got on. The Rebbe’s curred thirty-one years a er this incident. compartment had six seats in it, and this young man sat down on one of them. *** When the Rebbe Maharash would travel, he would The Rebbe then opened his eyes and said to the first go to the train sta on at Rudnia (which was the young man: “What do you need to carry a danger- closest to Lubavitch). He would stay there a few ous item for? What’s in your pocket? Show me!” minutes or a quarter of an hour, and visit his niece Fruma Zuckerman. If necessary, the train would wait When the young man heard this, he turned white. for him. He took a revolver out of his pocket. The Rebbe took it from him and threw it out the window. Once, when he was visi ng his niece, he asked for a cup of tea. He sent his coachman to the train sta on He then said to Reb Yaakov Rashal: “You haven’t to tell the conductor he would not be traveling that davened yet. Take my tefillin and use them.” And day. He sent also a rider back to Lubavitch to tell the he added: “but be careful not to think any stray household not to worry, that he changed his mind thoughts. This applies un l one’s last day.” Reb Yaa- and decided to embark on his journey the next day. kov went out with the tefillin and davened. So the train went ahead without him, and lo and be- hold, near Vitebsk there was an accident. When he later came back the Rebbe Maharash asked the young man if he would perhaps like to da- This incident did not become widely known, howev- ven. The la er began to wail. The Rebbe pa ed him er, since we did not talk much about these kinds of on the shoulder and said: “Someone who acts wick- stories out of fear of the government. edly not of his own accord is not considered evil.” Reb Yaakov found a tallis and tefillin for him. *** On one occasion the Rebbe Maharash traveled out When Reb Yaakov came again into the Rebbe’s com- of Russia via Dvinsk, to the border town of Birballen. partment, the Rebbe said to him: “King David said: From Dvinsk, he was accompanied by a scholarly “If [G-d] will say thus, here am I.” But one should in chassid by the name of Reb Yaakov Rashal. Reb Yaa- any case strive to be buried among Jews. Daven, kov intended to get off the train when the Rebbe and you can get off at the next sta on.” The young Maharash went to sleep that night, so he didn’t man had already go en off before this. bring his tallis and tefillin with him. But the Rebbe told him: “Come with me as far as the border.” The The Rebbe then delivered a short Chassidic dis- Rebbe’s gabbaim, Reb Levik and Reb Pinye Leib, course. came too. It became known later that the Maskilim had The Rebbe Maharash used to daven very early. He planned to assassinate the Rebbe Maharash, who called Reb Yaakov Rashal into his compartment at fought them fiercely. 7:00 am. When he came in, the Rebbe was si ng
VOLUME 32, ISSUE 2 Page 11 As for Reb Yaakov Rashal, in the years following the He thought and said, “Go home, tell the poritz this: I Rebbe Maharash’s passing he followed (Rabbi Chaim know he is cri cally ill and the doctors have given up Shneur Zalman of) Liadi, and later on (a er the Reb- home. Let him help the Jews in his ci es, villages, be Rashab began to assume various aspects of the inns and estates, and Hashem Yisborach will give leadership), he visited both Lubavitch and Liadi. him one month of healthy life for each Jewish fami- Nonetheless, he was always considered a loyal Lub- ly.” avitcher chassid. He had ups and downs in his busi- ness career, which took him as far as S. Petersburg. R’ Shmuel wanted to see the poritz but it seemed When he passed away, it was only through great impossible. One summer day the doctors said that effort that people succeeded in burying him in a Jew- the poritz should be driven about in the fresh air. ish cemetery. The poritz lay down (he couldn’t sit up) for the ride. R’ Shmuel saw, and it hurt him to see how ill the old Translated and adapted form Reshima 131 by Rabbi poritz was. The poritz asked R’ Shmuel to ride with Moshe Wisnefsky him.
* * * R’ Shmuel told him the message from the Rebbe. He asked R’ Shmuel to make a census of the Jews in the The Poritz of Batchkeckov in Vitebsk was a good city and outlying areas. The list should be kept se- hearted person and he provided the Jews on his es- cret. In the city there were one hundred and sixty tates with a livelihood. The poor Jews as well as the families and tens of families in the outlying areas. Rav, Chazan, Schochet and Melamdim were exempt The poritz agreed to the terms that the Rebbe had from taxes. He provided free pasture for the poor. outlined. The Jews regained their livelihood and the
poritz returned to good health. As he became older and weaker he gave over the governing of his lands to his manager, an an -semite. In the por z’s garden grew Lulavim and Hadasim. In A new priest arrived, also an an -semite. Jews could 1881 he sent some to the Rebbe Maharash for Suk- no longer earn a livelihood and the poor had to pay kos. taxes. Most of the Jews were Chasidim of the Rebbe
Maharash. They went to Lubavitch regularly and re- In 1894 R’ Shmuel told the story to the Friediker ceived the Rebbe’s brochos, but no one wanted to Rebbe. He said the poritz is very old now and for tell the Rebbe about the Poritz’s manager. fourteen years has been healthy, never sick or weak.
Last week he felt poorly, and told me I must go to A chosid, Reb Shmuel, s ll dealt with the Poritz him- the grave of the Rebbe Maharash and tell him the self. He had a good name as a trustworthy business- poritz feels weak and according to his census he s ll man and was learned. He gave Tzedakah with a gen- has one year and seven months to live and the Reb- erous hand. In Yechidus, the Rebbe Maharash asked be should fulfill his promise. him about the Jews in his vicinity. Reb Shmuel said things were worsening from day to day. The Rebbe said Dr. Berteson told him that the poritz was very ill. Sefer Hasichos 5703, Acharon Shel Pesach Why didn’t any of the Chassidim tell him?
VOLUME 32, ISSUE 2 Page 12 Pesach Sheni You’ve missed the Boat… Now what?!?
When you've missed the boat there's nothing you can abundant blessings. do but wave to the passengers. If the train has already le the sta on, you might as well sit down and wait As the Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe explained, the for the next one to arrive. There are many things in lesson of Pesach Sheini is that it is never too late to life that depend on being in the right place at the right correct the past and return to Hashem. It also em- me; if you're late, you've missed that opportunity phasizes the power of a Jew's ini a ve. When a Jew forever. cries out, from the depths of his soul and with a gen- uine desire to fulfill Hashem's will, Hashem listens to Likewise, the Torah tells us that there are specific his plea and grants his request. mes for doing specific mitzvot. There is a proper me to put on tefilin, a proper me to light Shabbat can- There is an addi onal message of Pesach Sheini. dles, a proper me to eat matza, and a proper me to What, in fact, was the cause of the ritual impurity sit in the sukka. which excluded some Jews from par cipa ng in the sacrifice? The Torah states: "There were people who The Torah's narra ve about Pesach Sheini - the were defiled by contact with the dead and were un- "Second Passover" (always on 14 Iyar), thus expresses able to offer the Passover sacrifice on that day." Ac- a very radical concept in Judaism. cording to one opinion in the Talmud, these Jews were involved in the mitzva of burying a dead per- In the first year in the Midbar, Hashem commanded son found on the roadside who had no known rela- us to offer the Passover sacrifice, on the 14th of Nisan. ves to do so. Even a kohen (priest) and even a High One of the requirements, however, was that a Jew Priest - neither of whom is normally permi ed to had to be in a state of ritual purity. As a result, not come in contact with the dead - is obligated to defile everyone was permi ed to bring an offering, and the himself by burying the dead person. Jews who were excluded felt terrible. "Why should we be le out?!" they demanded of Moshe. They were so This concept applies on a spiritual plane, as well. eager to observe the mitzva that Hashem relented, When we encounter another person who is spiritu- gran ng them another opportunity to bring an offer- ally "lifeless" we are obligated to get involved with ing one month later, on the 14th of Iyar. him, even if it takes us away from our own spiritual pursuits. This story reveals the unfathomable depths of the Jewish soul and the infinite power of teshuva, repent- Ul mately, Pesach Sheini teaches us that we must ance. It teaches us that every Jew is so in mately con- never despair or give up on ourselves, on others, nected to Hashem that when he makes a sincere and and especially in bombarding Hashem with our de- hear elt demand, it "forces" Hashem, as it were, to mand that He send us Moshiach immediately. open up new channels through which to send us His Reprinted from lchaimweekly.org
VOLUME 32, ISSUE 2 Page 13 Lag B’Omer: R’ Akiva & R’ Shimon bar Yochai
How are R’ Akiva and R’ Shimon bar Yochai connect- At Yavneh, Akiva entered even greater poverty. Ra- ed with Lag B’Omer? chel, barely able to support herself, sent him the money she obtained by selling her long hair. Rabbi Akiva Twenty-four years later, Rabbi Akiva returned home Rabbi Akiva was the son of Yosef, a convert. Born with twenty-four thousand disciples. People lined into poverty a er the destruc on of the Second Beis the street to honor him. Rachel pushed her way Hamikdash, he tended flocks for Kalba Savua, who through to approach him. His a endants leaped for- was as rich and cultured as Akiva was poor and igno- ward to prevent her, but Rabbi Akiva restrained rant. them, “All you have learned from me and everything I know, belongs to her.” Kalba Savua’s daughter Rachel heard of Akiva, who was know for his fine and gentle character. She said Rabbi Shimon she would marry him if he would go to study in the R’ Shimon was wanted by the Romans for the crime Yeshiva. He agreed. of cri cizing the Emperor, punishable by death. R’ Shimon fled with his son, R’ Elazer, to a cave in the Kalba Savua disowned his daughter. Rachel, who had desert near Teveriah. They studies there for thirteen known only comfort and luxury, moved into Akiva’s years, un l Eliyahu HaNavi came to tell them the Em- hut. peror was dead.
Akiva promised her, “One day I will buy you a golden The Torah they studied was the basis of Kabalah. brooch with Yerushalayim carved into it.” That prom- ise, made by the illiterate shepherd, was fulfilled During the Omer period, several thousand of R’ years later by the Sage whose knowledge laid the Akiva’s disciples perished in a plague visited upon founda on for the whole Mishkan. them because of their failure to treat each other with complete respect. The plague con nued un l the He also kept his promise to learn Torah, but he was thirty-third day of the Omer. Therefore, during the overcome by doubt. Once, he came to a spring. In Omer, Jews mourn, avoiding music, marriage and fes- the pool beneath the spring, he no ced that where vi es, among other restric ons. On the thirty-third the water splashed onto the stone, was a round day, the restraints are li ed, and we celebrate. smooth hole. Lag B’Omer is also the Yartzeit of R’ Shimon bar “Who cut the hole in the stone?” he asked. “The wa- Yochai. ter made the hole by trickling onto it year a er year. Torah is like water. If my brain is like stone, if the To- Before he died, R’ Shimon commanded that the anni- rah trickles down on me, some of it must eventually versary of his death be a day of rejoicing, to com- penetrate..” memorate the day he was reunited with his Creator.
VOLUME 32, ISSUE 2 Page 14 On Lag B’Omer, thousands of Jews go to R’ Shimon’s each day to devote to Torah study, during that me grave at Miron, to celebrate. we have to devote the same energy, a en on and concentra on to our learning as we would to our We tell children about R’ Akiva and R’ Shimon to business. During that me, nothing exists outside bring them to a love and mastery of Torah. of Torah: no telephone, no disturbances, no re- sponsibili es and no distrac ons. That me has to A child could respond: “Am I smart enough to be like become for us like the cave of R’ Shimon bar R’ Akiva, or even one of his students? If my father Yochai, in which nothing else ma ers but the To- were like R’ Akiva, maybe I could learn something rah. from him.” In this way, may we become worthy of the legacy On the other hand, the father says, “I’m too old. Be- le to us by R’ Akiva and R’ Shimon, and thus has- sides, R’ Shimon lived in a cave for thirteen years, but ten the revela on of Moshiach speedily in our days. I have to make a living. I don’t have me to learn To- rah.” A Lesson in Unity
Only a er true Achdus and unity could B’nei Yisrael R’ Akiva and R’ Shimon provided the answer. receive the Torah. But people are different. Each
has his/her own way. How can we experience true R’ Akiva’s father was a convert to Judaism. He was unity? poor. He was ignorant. He couldn’t give his son a
Jewish educa on. It was up to the son to start from The answer is provided by Lag B’Omer. scratch.
The historic significance of Lag B’Omer dates back Thus, it is up to every Jew to break with past weak- to the me of the Mishnah. Rabbi Akiva’s students nesses and limita ons and forge a new path. were struck by a plague, and 24,000 died between
Pesach and Shavuos. The plague stopped on Lag R’ Akiva was forty before he could read or write. But B’Omer, which came to be celebrated as a day of it is never too late to start learning. We all want to life and brotherhood. see a miracle. But R’ Akiva was inspired by nature, not by a miracle. He saw a stone with a hole in it, The Talmud says the students were punished be- carved and smoothed by a trickle of water. From this cause they didn’t respect each other. How are we he learned the power to achieve any goal through to understand this? Lack of respect is inappropriate diligent and con nuous applica on. and unbecoming for any students, especially Torah
scholars. It would certainly be out of character for Most of us don’t have enough me to devote to students of Rabbi Akiva, who taught “Loving of an- learning. The Sages said of R’ Shimon that “the Torah other Jew is the basis of the whole Torah.” was his livelihood,” because he devoted the same