contents CONCEIVING NEW LIFE 4 D’var Malchus | Sichos In English MOSHIACH: VICTORY AT ALL COSTS 6 Thought | Rabbi Zvi Homnick FUNDING THE REBBE’S EXODUS 10 Memoirs | Rabbi Schneur Zalman Chanin WE CAN DO IT - WITH THE REBBE’S 16 KO’ACH! Moshiach & Geula | Rabbi Boaz Kali ‘MY SOUL IS BOUND WITH HIS SOUL’ 22 2 Iyar | N. Sofer USA 744 Eastern Parkway Brooklyn, NY 11213-3409 Tel: (718) 778-8000 Fax: (718) 778-0800 LOST ORPHANS RETURN TO LUBAVITCH [email protected] 26 www.beismoshiach.org [CONT.] EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Feature | Shneur Zalman Berger M.M. Hendel ENGLISH EDITOR: SHLICHUS STORIES Boruch Merkur Shlichus | Rabbi Yaakov Shmuelevitz HEBREW EDITOR: 29 Rabbi Sholom Yaakov Chazan [email protected] OF FACTS AND FEELINGS 32 Moshiach & Science | Dr. Aryeh Gotfryd Beis Moshiach (USPS 012-542) ISSN 1082- 0272 is published weekly, except Jewish holidays (only once in April and October) for $160.00 in Crown Heights, Brooklyn and in all other places for $180.00 per year (45 ‘WHO DOESN’T LOVE THE REBBE?’ issues), by Beis Moshiach, 744 Eastern 34 Shlichus | Nosson Avrohom Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11213-3409. Periodicals postage paid at Brooklyn, NY and additional offices. Postmaster: send address changes to Beis Moshiach 744 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11213-3409. NETANYAHU’S GHETTO: Copyright 2010 by Beis Moshiach, Inc. 40 Beis Moshiach is not responsible for the YERUSHALAYIM content of the advertisements. Shleimus HaAretz | Raanan Isseroff d’var malchus In an ultimate sense, the fruit of the seeds will be the Redemption, the era when the G-dliness invested CONCEIVING in the world through the Divine service of the Jewish people for thousands of years will flourish in overt revelation. [9] This will remake the nature of NEW LIFE our existence, allowing us to appreciate the inner Divine core within all being. Since the world itself will Sichos In English become conscious of its G-dly nature, this redemption will never THE DEEPEST INTIMACY term translated as “conceives” be followed by exile. For G-dliness One of the analogies used to means “gives seed.” will never become concealed again. describe the relationship between This term also is of metaphoric G-d and the Jewish people is the significance. For a seed is planted in the THE WONDER bonds of love between a man and a OF CONCEPTION woman. [1] earth; there its shell must On the human level, this decompose entirely. Only then is it Our Sages [10] interpret the relationship is multidimensional, possible for it to become a medium expression “When a woman including the deepest levels of to express the infinite growth conceives” as implying that it is she intimacy. potential contained within the who initiates the intensification of Similarly, with regard to the earth. the love relationship. spiritual counterpart, the love This motif applies for our Similarly, in the analogue, the between the Jews and G-d is not people as a whole, and for every implication is that man does not languid in nature, but rather a individual. merely respond to G-d. Instead, dynamic union. “The Holy One, Our lives are also earthy; they he penetrates to the core of his Blessed be He, and Israel are one” center around material entities. being and summons up the inner [2] - joined in an ardent bond, for Even with regard to our Divine energy to heighten his connection which the prophet [3] finds service, it is the actual observance with G-d. appropriate the simile, “Your of the mitzvos, not the meditation On this basis, we can Maker is your mate.” or feelings they arouse, which is of understand why the verse Moreover, on the mortal plane, primary importance. highlights the importance of physical intimacy is more than a Yes, “G-d desires the heart.” [5] conception. connection between the man and But if one would meditate on the Although, at birth, new life is the woman; new life is conceived. Shma all morning with love and brought into the world, the fetus [4] fear and not actually recite the already exists. It is at conception Similarly with regard to the words, or one would be inspired when that life is brought into bond between G-d and the Jewish with heartfelt compassion for a existence, this being the closest people, the relationship is not self- poor person, but would fail to example in our lives to creation contained; it propagates vitality. actually give him charity, one’s something from nothing. [11] Divine service would be tellingly Chassidic thought [12] inadequate. For “deed is what is explains that the potential to PLANTING SEEDS most essential.” [6] create something from nothing lies The opening verse of our Torah And thus mitzvos are referred to in G-d’s essence alone. reading alludes to this concept, as “seeds,” as it is written, [7] Since He is not, Heaven forbid, stating: “When a woman conceives “Sow for yourselves for charity.” dependent on any other cause, He and gives birth.” The “woman” [8] has it within His potential to create refers to the Jewish people who For every mitzvah is an infusion something - material existence - bring new life into the world at of Divine-energy into our material out of absolute naught, without this large. world, which when cultivated will something having any cause More particularly, tazria, the blossom and bear fruit. preceding it. 4 2 Iyar 5770 BEIS MOSHIACH G-d has imparted His essence the sake of retribution, but rather which states that all marital relations to man, and thus the core of every to absolve a person’s sin and enable create new souls. soul is “an actual part of G-d.” him to correct his inner faults. [19] If a couple are found worthy, the [13] Tzaraas clearly expresses this creation of a soul is also associated As such, man also has the power principle. with the conception of new life in the of creation, but in reverse. Because a person created strife material realm. He lives in this material world, and friction between others, he 5. Cf. Sanhedrin 106b. Note Rashi’s and makes “nothing from becomes afflicted with tzaraas, and commentary. See also the association something,” revealing the G-dly as a result, is required to stay alone, of this verse with the teachings of the potential that exists within Himself outside his ordinary habitat. [20] Baal Shem Tov. and his environment. Only when he has cleansed the 6. Cf. Avos 1:17. This is the power of conception influence of friction from himself it 7. Hoshia 10:12. Note the reference to possessed by “the woman,” is possible for his body to be this verse in the commentary of the Or mankind. become purified from its malady HaChayim cited previously. Through the expression of this and for him to rejoin society. 8. Here too, there is a connection with potential, we become G-d’s Thus tzaraas is not a negative the analogy of birth for our Sages say “partner in creation,” [14] factor, but rather a Divine (Rashi beginning of Parshas Noach): fashioning the world into a instrument intended to prod an “The progeny of the righteous are dwelling for Him. [15] individual to personal refinement good deeds.” and to encourage the spread of 9. See also the commentary of the Or LIFE AND DEATH peace and love within our world. HaChayim mentioned previously. As such, it is an extension of the Tazria which underscores the 10. Nidda 31a, cited in the theme of Tazria which focuses on theme of conception is the name of commentary of the Or HaChayim our efforts to improve ourselves the entire Torah reading and thus is mentioned previously. and our environment. connected not only to the opening 11. See the series of maamarim Tzaraas is employed as an passages, but to the reading in its entitled Samach Tisamach, 5657. analogy [21] to describe the status entirety. 12. See Tanya, Igeres HaKodesh, of our people in the present age, for This presents a difficulty, for Epistle 20. we are in exile - “alone, with our although the beginning passages dwelling outside of the camp.” [22] 13. Tanya, ch. 2. speak about birth, the main body of As explained above, our Divine 14. Shabbos 119b. the Torah reading concerns itself service centers on Tazria, sowing with tzaraas, a bodily affliction 15. Cf. Midrash Tanchuma, Parshas seeds of G-dly influence through identified with leprosy. B’Haalos’cha, sec. 3. our observance of the mitzvos. Tzaraas is the very opposite of 16. Nedarim 64b. See the commentary And soon, we will reap the new life. of the Maharsha in his Chiddushei harvests of these efforts with the Indeed, our Sages state [16] Agados. coming of Moshiach. May this be in that a person afflicted with tzaraas 17. Mishneh Torah, the conclusion of the immediate future. is considered as if he is dead. What Hilchos Tzaraas. Adapted from Likkutei Sichos: Vol. I, p. place does such a subject have in a 236ff; Vol. VII, p. 78-79; Vol. XII, p. 70ff; Vol. 18. Therefore, in the present age, Torah reading associated with new XXII, when the spiritual level of the Jewish p. 70ff; Seifer HaSichos 5749, p. 379ff; people has descended, they are not fit life? Seifer HaSichos 5751, p. 490ff This difficulty can be resolved for such Divine wonders to be openly on the basis of two concepts: revealed in their flesh. Hence, the NOTES: phenomenon of tzaraas is no longer Firstly, tzaraas is not merely a 1. See the commentaries to the Song present (Likkutei Torah, VaYikra 22b). physical malady, it is, to quote the of Songs.