B”H Erev Shabbat Behar-Bechukotai, 25th of Iyar, 5781; May 7th, 2021 987

see how cold it is outside?' They were Aliya Funding still arguing, when Moshe himself ar- rived.

Rabbi Meir of Premislan was such a holy 'What's going on here?' he asked. 'What person that many other holy men in their do you want?' he demanded of the rag- own right came to seek his advice and ged stranger. The servant was so terri- blessing. A certain tzadik once came to fied at having been caught speaking to a see Rabbi Meir, asking for his blessing beggar that he was struck dumb with because he planned to settle in Eretz fear. But the stranger showed no awe of Yisrael. Rabbi Meir listened and then the master. 'I was asking if I could come said, “And how do you expect to raise in and warm up. I wanted a small glass the money for this journey?" painting by Alex Levin, artlevin.com of shnaps for my freezing bones.' "'You must be out of your mind. This is "I hope to visit some relatives. When I tell them of my plans, I am sure that they not a hotel, nor a charity hostel!' He will help me raise the money." yahu was not a man of means like his turned to his servant saying, 'Throw this wealthy neighbor, still, his family always man out at once!' Even though he had Rabbi Meir was sunk in thought. He had food on their table. And there was wanted to be kind, the servant was seemed disturbed. "Your idea does not always room for one person more, no forced to take the poor man by the lapels appeal to me. You will be wasting matter how shabby or dirty the visitor. and turn him out the door. He shut it months of precious time which could be Reb Matisyahu's home and heart were tightly behind him. far better devoted to Torah study. But I big enough for everyone in need. All of see that you are determined to go. Let Eliyahu Hanavi stood outside in the the townspeople felt a lot of respect for freezing weather, weeping, pleading to me suggest something: why don't you Matisyahu. He was so good, so kind,...so stay here with me for some time first? I be let in just for a few minutes. When he hospitable! But if you think that they saw that there was no reaction from guarantee to raise the money for your held him in higher esteem that the stingy traveling expenses." The visitor thought within, that Moshe had hardened his Moshe, you are wrong. It is human na- heart and was ignoring him, he really it over, then decided to accept the offer. ture to respect a man with money and The Rebbe did not dismiss him but told wept. He was weeping for Moshe's soul. they all treated Moshe with a special Eliyahu returned to the heavenly court. his attendant to show in the next person reverence, even though they knew how who was waiting to see him. He did not have good news. There was stingy he was. nothing he could say in Moshe's defense. A rich man opened the door and was "The injustice of this caused turmoil in The case rested. Moshe would have to about to enter when suddenly he spied heaven. The angels came before the lose his fortune, as had been ruled." the man already there. He hesitated on heavenly court demanding that Moshe be After a brief pause, Rabbi Meir contin- the threshold. Still, the attendant had told stripped of his wealth and that these rich- him to enter. Was there a mistake? He ued his story. He raised his voice for es be given to none other than Matisyahu emphasis. "When I, Meir, heard of this stood there, not knowing whether to ad- the neighbor, who had never denied any- vance or retreat. The passing moments sentence, I rushed forward to defend this one his help or hospitality. But before Moshe. seemed like an eternity. Finally Rabbi the sentence was carried out, Eliyahu Meir spoke, telling him to enter. Hanavi (Elijah the Prophet) came before Continued on page 3 "I have a story to tell you," he said. the court and said, 'A person should not Then, turning to the visiting tzadik, he be judged just by hearsay. I will descend Shabbat Times added, "but I would like you to hear it to earth and give Moshe one last chance. too." Once again facing the rich man he I must see if he really is such a miser.' Candle Lighting Motzei Shabbat continued, "It has a worthwhile moral "So Eliyahu disguised himself as a poor Jerusalem 94:6 44:: that will do both of you good. Many man and descended to earth. He knocked Tel Aviv 44:: 44:9 years ago there lived a very prosperous on Moshe's door. A servant answered. Jew who owned much property. But When he saw the poor, ragged, shivering Haifa 94:9 44:4 Moshe was a very stingy person, a miser. man he shooed him away. 'Quick, be Beer Sheva 44:: 44:: He never let a person into his home. If a gone! Go, before my master sees you. New York 44:: 44:: poor man came knocking at the door, He is a mean, cruel person. If he finds begging for something to eat, he would you here he will throw both of us out of Chabad of Israel tell him to go to his neighbor, Matis- the house.' yahu, a worthy, G-d fearing Jew. Rabbi Joseph I. Aronov He tried to slam the door shut but the Published by M.L.S. Kfar Chabad (03) 3731777 "'He will feel far more comfortable poor man had his foot in the doorway. 'I Editor: Aharon Schmidt there,' Moshe would say to himself. won't take anything. Just let me warm up [email protected] And, indeed, this was true. While Matis- by the stove for a few minutes. Don't you Please guard the sanctity of this publication Preparing for the Jubilee After the Second Temple was destroyed The lowest level occurred after the (and during the Babylonian exile), the Destruction, when it was no longer fiftieth year ceased to be sanctified. The possible to even comprehend the intense This week we read two Torah portions, cycle of counting Sabbatical years began spirituality of the Jubilee and it ceased to Behar and Bechukotai. on the fiftieth year itself. be counted. Behar contains the commandments of the Sabbatical and Jubilee years: "Count Three Levels of the Jubilee Our Service Today for yourself seven Sabbaths of years, seven years seven times...and you shall sanctify the fiftieth year." Thus, there have been three ways of Today, our service consists of "only" relating to the Jubilee. accepting the yoke of heaven and Every seventh year is a Sabbatical year; Chasidic philosophy explains that the nullifying the ego, but in a sense this gives the fiftieth is a Jubilee. Then the cycle us the greatest advantage, as it enables us begins anew. Sabbatical and Jubilee years are symbolic of spiritual levels in a Jew's service of G-d: to access the soul's essence. Concerning the Jubilee year the Torah states, "Proclaim liberty throughout the The Sabbatical year relates to the It also helps us prepare for the Sabbatical land for all its inhabitants." According to negation of the sense of self. The person of the Messianic era, may it commence at the Talmud, this means that there can only perceives himself as an individual, yet once. willingly nullifies himself before G-d. The be a Jubilee year when all its inhabitants Adapted from the teachings of the Rebbe. are living in the land. Thus, when the Jubilee year relates to a higher level, of freedom from all limitations, a level that Shabbos Table, From our Sages! & tribes of Reuven and Gad and half of Moshiach Now! reprinted from will be realized in the Messianic era. Menashe were exiled, the Jubilee was LchaimWeekly.org - LYO / NYC abolished. This also explains why the Sabbatical year applies today, whereas the mitzva of the Jubilee was only fully observed during During the Second Temple the First Temple period. Suffering The very highest level of spirituality Nonetheless, the Talmud relates that in the could only be attained at a time when the In response to a letter, the Rebbe writes: times of the Second Holy Temple the fifti- Divine Presence was manifested in the Regarding your remarks about the suffer- eth year was still officially sanctified, even world so strongly. ing and losses in your life, I wish to draw though the mitzva of the Jubilee was no an analogy that perhaps will shed some The Second Temple period was some- light on the issue at hand. longer in effect. This was done to maintain where in the middle. G-dly revelation the same cycle as before, i.e., with the illuminated the world, but in a less obvious It is an experience indeed to enter an counting commencing again in the fifty- manner. The Jubilee was therefore counted operating room in a hospital and witness first year. and sanctified but not observed. a human being crying out in pain, lying on the operating table, surrounded by people with knives in their hands who are cutting him. Not knowing the pa- tient’s medical history, the onlookers would be frantic, thinking that murderers For strangers and sojourners are you however, every Jew is a child of G-d, for are attacking a victim who is weeping with Me (Lev. 25:23) the soul serves G-d with love as a child from great pain. serves his father. The more a person considers himself only However, when these same observers are a sojourner and a temporary resident of (The Previous Rebbe) informed of the prolongation of life the this world, the closer he is to G-d. And, surgery is expected to bring, they will unfortunately, the opposite is also true... then focus their attention on how the (Rabbi Boruch of Mezhibozh) If you walk in My statutes (Lev. 26:3) process is healing the patient rather than viewing the surgeons as cold murderers. The Baal Shem Tov taught that a person must never become settled in his habits The same is true regarding the turbulent If he is not redeemed by one of these and fixed in his ways, for G-d's laws are moments in one’s life, when undesirable means, he shall go out in the jubilee year meant to be "walked in." G-dly service and even unfortunate things happen. If (Leviticus 25:54) should never be static, but should lead us one believes that the world is not a jun- to higher and higher levels of sanctity. The jubilee year is mentioned 14 times in gle in which things just randomly hap- this section of the Torah, alluding to the (Keter Shem Tov) pen, but that things are run by a system 14 jubilee cycles the Jewish people cele- that governs not only his life but his fam- brated until they were exiled from the ily’s too, he will become confident that land of Israel. If you walk in My statutes (Lev. 26:3) his experiences are part of the overall Divine system that controls every ele- (Baal HaTurim) A yeshiva student once came to the saint- ment of Creation. The only unfulfilled ly Chafetz Chaim and poured out his desire that he may still have is that he heart. "Year after year I sit and learn, but does not hear a message directly from For the children of Israel are servants to I just don't get anywhere in my studies! the Instructor, namely G‑d, as to the Me (Leviticus 25:55) After all this time I have yet to under- rhyme and reason for all that transpires stand even one page of the Talmud in his life. The Jewish people are sometimes referred properly!" The Chafetz Chaim replied: to as G-d's servants and sometimes as His "G-d did not command us to be geniuses. Letters of the Rebbe, vol. 13, p. 171. children. As far as the Jewish body is He only commanded us to toil in the Source: Chassidic Soul Remedies, Re- concerned we are His servants, uncondi- study of His holy Torah, whether or not printed with permission from Sichos in tionally accepting the yoke of heaven to we ever become great scholars..." English carry out His will. As concerns the soul, The Raising of the Dead

We find two opinions of the Sages regard- interval. Her concern was that after tech- Aliyah Funding ing how techiyat hametim (raising of the iyat hametim, when her first husband will dead) will take place. One opinion is that come back to life, they would be forbid- continued from page one: the luz bone of a person doesn’t decay, den to remarry if she had married some- and Hashem will form the entire body out one else. The Rav’s response was that the "'How can one mete out such dire pun- of this bone. The second opinion is that all person who is brought back to life is ha- ishment without warning?' I asked the that will be left of the body is dust and rot, lachically an entirely new person, and she heavenly court. 'I want to warn Moshe,' I and Hashem will create a new body, and would be able to remarry him even if she declared. 'I will not let him be trapped include in it some of this dust. was married to someone else in the mean- like a poor helpless fly in a spider web. time, being that the first husband is now a Every Jew deserves a second chance! The Rebbe explains that these two ver- “new” person. There are opinions that Allow me to be the court's messenger. If sions are actually two opinions regarding disagree with this ruling and say that she Moshe agrees to give four hundred ru- what a person’s physical body will be like would not be able to remarry her first hus- bles to this righteous Jew standing here after techiyat hametim: band, because we do consider them to for his traveling expenses to Eretz Yisra- 1. The body will be the same one that have been previously married. el, and if he resolves to mend his ways, he will get his second chance. But if,' existed originally, and it will now be re- Other questions with answers that may enlivened through the luz bone. Techiyat and here he lowered his voice, 'G-d for- depend on these two perspectives include bid, he ignores this warning and persists hametim will thus be a resurrection of whether a person must bring sacrifices for both the soul and the body. in his stingy, evil ways, he will lose his sins he committed before his death and entire fortune and become dependent 2. The original soul will be re-enlivened, subsequent resurrection; whether Koha- upon the kindness of others for the rest but with an entirely new body; the origi- nim Gedolim will need to be reannointed of his days!'" nal body will not be resurrected (rather, a or their anointing during their previous small amount of dust from the original lifetime will suffice; and whether Torah Rabbi Meir was silent. Turning to the body will be included in the new body). scholars who received smicha (rabbinic rich man still standing in the door, he ordination) will remain ordained or re- continued, "Moshe is here right now. Let Several practical differences arise from quire new ordination. us ask him what he says." Moshe could these opinions: When Moshiach comes, not speak. He burst into tears, then fell to illness and injury will cease to exist, and The answer to all of these questions de- the floor in a faint. The Rebbe and the those who come back to life will be in pends on whether the person, having been visitor tried to revive him. When he perfect health as well. Therefore, if the resurrected, is considered an entirely new came back to consciousness, he turned to original body is re-enlivened, then it will person or the same person as before. The the Rebbe, saying, "You are so right, be healed after the techiya. But if it will generally accepted opinion is that the Rebbe; that is exactly what happened! I be a new body, then it will come to life original body will be brought back to sinned! I have been evil! But I will turn already in perfect health. life—it’ll be the same person. This is be- over a new leaf, I promise. But please cause techiyat hametim reveals the true The following query was once brought have mercy!" He reached in his pocket identity of a Jew: that the Jew’s body was and drew out his purse. He counted out before a Rav by a widow who was con- chosen by Hashem Himself, and it is cerned about remarrying, because the To- four hundred rubles and gave them to the therefore eternal and can never be subject other man. "Please," he begged, "when rah forbids a woman to remarry her hus- to full demise. Source: Derher band if she married someone else in the you reach Jerusalem, pray for me!" With the four hundred rubles the tzadik and his family were able to go directly to Eretz Yisrael without delay. As for Moshe, his home became an open house

for all wayfarers, troubled people, and beggars. His reputation as a generous Remaining Conscious of the Redemption ba'al tzedaka ("charity giver") traveled "G-d spoke to Moses on Mt. Sinai... the land shall rest a Sabbath to the L-rd" (Lev. far and wide, and he used his great 25:1, 2). wealth to help his less fortunate brethren in every way. Why the juxtaposition of Mt. Sinai with the commandment of the Sabbatical year? Chasidic teachings explain that the Sinai Desert symbolizes the "wilderness of the na- Adapted by Yerachmiel Tilles from tions"-the time of exile; the Sabbatical year refers to the Messianic era. The two con- "Tales of Tzaddikim" (ArtScroll) by G. cepts are juxtaposed to teach us that when a Jew keeps the imminent Redemption in MaTov. Rabbi Tilles of Tsfat, is a co- his consciousness, he can actually have a foretaste of the Messianic era. Human nature founder of ASCENT. His email list for is such that when we anticipate a great event, the very knowledge that it is about to stories is in its 24th year. To join the list occur makes us joyful. a/o his WhatsApp group for Saturday night Audio, Video and Zoom stories, go (The Rebbe) to AscentOfSafed.com or WhatsApp +972-526-770-137. New Parenting Webinar Question: All kinds of random thoughts fill my head during davening and especially during “Parenting from the Inside Out,” is a Shemone Esrei. Now matter how hard I try new six-week parenting seminar thoughts keep popping up and distracting me. taught by highly acclaimed educator Then I get frustrated and my davening gets Rabbi Shais Taub. In this ground- worse. What can I do to daven better? breaking seminar, Rabbi Shais Taub Answer: In Chapter 28 of the Tanya, the shows that YOU HAVE WHAT IT Alter Rebbe explains that the appearance of TAKES to be the great parent your foreign thoughts during prayer should inspire child needs. As the registration the person to pray with increased joy. As Les- form writes: “Find your own au- qualities of great parenting they sons in Tanya explains, “The animal soul, sens- thentic groove as a parent!” ing danger in the Divine soul’s increased efforts already possess, but which often lie in prayer with devotion, contrives to jar one’s Rabbi Taub’s teaching is based on untapped. the timeless wisdom of the Torah, concentration by conjuring up assorted foreign thoughts in his mind. Thus, the appearance of an and informed by many years of ex- By tuning in to this more spiritual extraneous thought during prayer indicates that perience counseling parents of all mindset, participants learn to har- one’s devotion was of sufficient quality to give backgrounds. He guides participants ness their power as parents, recog- the animal soul cause for concern; and this re- to discover the deep, fundamental nize the inherent worth of every alization itself should gladden one and en- child, and tap into the unbreakable courage him to continue his efforts.” bond between parent and child. In Likutei Torah, Bechukotai, the Alter Rebbe Cooking Tip of the Week Rabbi Taub gives every participant explains that the unwanted foreign thoughts seem to just appear on their own during prayer. the tools they need to grow — as a However, they are the result of willfully Summer Tomato Soup: Hot person, a parent, even as a child — summer days call for an easy to- thinking these thoughts outside of prayer. The because it’s never too late to im- thoughts then spontaneously enter the person’s mato soup. In a large pot mix 5 prove the relationship between a cups water, 5 tablespoons parve mind when he wants to ascend and cling to parent and their child. There will be Hashem during prayer. This is analogous to a chicken soup powder, 2 cups to- two webinars, a women’s group mato juice, and the juice of one long garment that drags in the mud. When a followed by a men’s group, each person climbs a ladder, the mud ascends with lemon. Boil gently and add 4 ta- lasting 6 weeks. him. So too during prayer. As the person blespoons of rice (I use basmati), attempts to ascend the ladder of prayer, the salt and pepper to taste and some Women’s Webinar: Date: Thurs- thoughts suddenly appear. However, just like dried herbs. Simmer for 20 days, May 6 – June 10; Time: 8:30- the example in Chapter 28 of Tanya, this can be minutes. 10:00 PM ET. Men’s Webinar: understood as a sign that the person is moving in Date: Thursdays, June 17 – July 22; the right direction. If he was not ascending, he Alizah Hochstead, Time: 8:30-10:00 PM ET. To regis- [email protected] would not be bothered by the “mud”. ter visit SoulWords.org/Parenting. In HaYom Yom for the 16th of MarChesvan, it discusses alien thoughts that enter a person’s – The Right Attitude, Tzedaka mind during the course of the day: “...the cause Halacha Corner of alien thoughts and evil thoughts is an empty The mitzvah of giving tzedakah should be done in good spirits and mind. When one’s mind is busy, thought has a besever panim yafot (with a smiling countenance), besimchah (with purpose to serve, and there is no place for fool- ish and worthless thoughts that lack substance.” happiness). Certainly not with an unhappy face, which is a transgression Therefore, rather than battle the alien thoughts, of the mitzvah of “Velo yeira levavcha betitcha lo” (Do not let your heart one should become accustomed to thinking pure feel bad when you give him). Moreover, it is a grave prohibition to yell at thoughts, Torah thoughts. The alien thoughts a poor person. It says that the Arizal would give tzedakdah besimchah will disappear. As the Previous Rebbe says, gedolah (with great joy). “Darkness you don’t drive away with a stick.” The Midrash tells us that we get a special schar (reward) for saying kind In conclusion: 1. When outside of prayer, think words to the poor person when we give them tzedakah; “Ki biglal and repeat words of Torah; 2. Learn Chassidus hadavar hazeh yevarechecha Hashem Elokecha” (Because of this for at least 15 minutes before davening as a Hashem will bless you). The use of the word “hadavar” connotes preparation for prayer; 3. If an alien thought speaking—Hashem blesses us specifically for our kind words. In fact, if enters during prayer, don’t give it attention. we can’t give money, we should be mefayes bidevarim, say kind, Calmly return to your prayer with the joyful comforting words, and show empathy to the poor person by smiling, as awareness that your davening is good. well as indicate that we very much regret that we are unable to give them Aharon Schmidt; marriage, family & individual tzedakah this time. coaching; for appointment or to share a ques- Rav Yosef Yeshaya Braun, shlita, member of the Badatz of Crown tion: [email protected] Heights; One Minute Halacha, vol. 1, #37, crownheightsconnect.com