THE PRACTICAL AND SOULFUL SIVAN 5-7, 5780 MEANING OF THE HOLIDAY: MAY 28-30, 2020 THE TORAH, THE MITZVOS AND THEIR PURPOSES INSIDE: SIGNIFICANCE OF SHAVUOS INSIDE STORY OF TEN COMMANDMENTS WHAT'S SO SPECIAL ABOUT TORAH? TORAH AND CORONA RISING ABOVE CORONA NEW WISCONSIN JEWISH ACADEMY WHITE HOUSE SPEECH WRITER ABOUT JUDAISM LUBAVITCH HANDLING CORONA STORIES OF HOPE & LIGHT SOME SHAVUOS GUIDE | 5780 - 2020 Shavuos Thoughts TORAH AND CORONA THE REBBE'S MESSAGE 3 A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE GIVING OF THE TORAH 4 My Dear Friends, Wisconsin Jewry, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, TORAH & MITZVOS 5 WHAT IS A MITZVAH 8 Four Questions however, is not. It merely magnifies 1. Does it really matter when I a problem. Misery prevents us from SHAVUOS CUSTOMS 9 light Shabbat candles? So what if I finding the solace, significance and FROM OUR TRADITION ABOUT THE TORAH 10 light them a bit later than sundown, a sense of purpose that are life- like say when we sit down to dinner? affirming and life-enhancing. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS: ITS MEANING TODAY 12 The main thing is I lit them, right? Far be it from me to imagine what THE SPECIALTY OF TORAH 14 2. Come on, a mezuzah is a the Rebbe would be telling us right mezuzah. What’s the big deal if now. It would be presumptuous to DISCOVERED AT THE THE ZOOLOGICAL INSTITUTE 16 mine is a printed paper instead speculate how he would be offering of a parchment hand-written by a us comfort and emotional respite. GUARANTORS 17 certified scribe? Isn’t the content Yet, I have no doubt – based on the EVERYONE HAD A CHANCE 18 what really matters? Plus I’d be Rebbe’s teachings, guidance and the saving a bundle, which I can really example set – that there are profound RULES 19 use for more important things, even lessons embedded in this coronavirus SHAVUOS RECIPES 20 tzedakah. pandemic, ones that apply directly to 3. Kosher? OK I get it, no pork. our lives. STRENGTH AND HOPE IN THE MOST 22 But let’s be real: beef is beef and Indeed, there are numerous DAUNTING CIRCUMSTANCES: REBBE STORY chicken is chicken. If it looks kosher, lessons to be learned from the virus’ CORONA LESSONS 25 tastes kosher and smells kosher that social impact. In addition to the should be enough. Why pay more – social lessons derived from the corona CURE WITH FAITH AND HOPE 27 a lot more – just because some rabbi lockdown (see page 25), there is A LETTER TO MY FAMILY 29 blessed it? something infinitely more important 4. Now really, will the world come to be gleaned from the very nature of ISRAELI GOV’T SELECTS CHABAD 30 to an end if I miss a day of tefillin? I the virus itself. MAILBOX 31 tried it once and, believe me, nothing The corona epidemic began with happened. an invisible microbe (measuring 80 SHAVUOS CALENDAR 43 I dearly miss my beloved Rebbe, billionths of a meter in diameter) that Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, infected whoever came within even OBM, always. But more so during a slight contact with it. In almost no these terrifying days of the time, the virus was able to spread coronavirus. His clear, consistent, pandemically to the farthest reaches Celebration! inspiring and elevating voice is so of the globe. Volume 37 #5 Shavuos 2020 desperately needed. The Rebbe always Yes, a single microscopic microbe Published 7 times a year by: knew how to dispel anxiety and brought humankind to its knees Lubavitch of Wisconsin 3109 N. Lake Dr. Milwaukee, WI 53211 confusion, fear and doubt. And his – corrupting the environment, (414) 961-6100 words were not merely soothing, they afflicting millions, felling hundreds [email protected] // ChabadWi.org came with a consummate sense of of thousands, destroying entire Editorial assistance by Josh Becker direction, allowing us to know exactly economies, shattering hopes, isolating Dedicated to the Rebbe, what needed to be done, and how to people and societies. Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, OBM, whose steer ourselves toward the light at the We are all paying a heavy price boundless love and teachings are an endless source of inspiration and guidance. end of the tunnel. for this minuscule creature. Yet it Yes, we must acknowledge genuine teaches us an enormous lesson about pain, suffering and loss. These are Almighty G-d’s infinite power. Just legitimate human emotions. Despair, look at the vast destructive power the 2 | CELEBRATION THE REBBE’S MESSAGE The Significance of Shavuos ur sages tell us that when G-d it; instead of absorbing its waves, the available, so that when one studies Torah spoke the Ten Commandments substance repels them, bouncing them he unites with G-d. at Sinai, the Divine voice had back to the void. The voice of the Ten Shavuos is a time to rededicate O no echo. Commandments had no echo, because it ourselves, to seek out G-d and reach out Our mission as a people, entrusted permeated every object in the universe. to Him with a renewed spirit by pursuing to us at Sinai, is to implement the So any “resistance” we might meet in the study of Torah and the observance of ethos and ideals of Torah in our world. implementing them is superficial and Mitzvos. No matter what the conditions of a temporary. Ultimately, the essence of Like our ancestors at Mount particular time or society might be, there every created being is consistent with, Sinai, on Shavuos we too reaffirm our is a transcendent, unequivocal, divinely and wholly receptive to, the goodness commitment and proclaim: “Naaseh ordained truth and code of behavior to and perfection that its Creator desires V’Nishma” - we will do and obey. Just adhere to. of it. as the Jewish people in Egypt were But often one may feel challenged by Each of the holidays is a re-enactment determined to accept the Torah, and a seemingly unresponsive and resisting and re-experience of the original event. with this merit were liberated from world. It may appear that one or another For the same G-dly revelation that enslavement. Similarly, at this time, our of the Torah’s precepts does not “fit in” occurred then is (spiritually) taking return to the Torah and its observance with the prevalent reality. So the Torah place again. Subsequently, during our will hasten the coming of Moshiach tells us that the voice which sounded celebration of Shavuos, G-d renews and merit us the true and complete G-d’s message to humanity had no echo. the Torah and His relationship with redemption speedily in our own day. An echo is created when a sound the Jewish people. Once again, with ADAPTED FROM THE WORKS OF THE REBBE, meets with a substance that resists even greater vigor, He makes Himself RABBI MENACHEM M. SCHNEESON, OBM Creator of the universe vested in something this small. himself as equally balanced... if he performs one mitzvah, he tips his Our limitations as humans prevent us from apprehending the balance and that of the entire world to the side of merit and brings sensitivity and full depth of G–dly power. But it behooves us to deliverance and salvation to himself and others...” pause and consider; if this tiniest of the Creator’s creatures can Celebrating Shavuos, the “Season of the Giving of the Torah,” be so powerful, how infinite and utterly ungraspable are the and the countdown leading up to it, is a time to focus on – and attributes of G-d Himself. appreciate – the Torah and the mitzvot given to us by G-d. For Perhaps now we can begin to appreciate the power of a single these truly impact on our lives – in a positive way – to a much mitzvah. Any mitzvah ordained by G-d provides a tangible greater extent than any microbe possibly can. Such an appreciation manifestation of the Al-mighty’s infinite energy and relevance in must enormously impact our daily lives. For indeed, there are our lives. As ordinary mortals we are incapable of appreciating good things that can – and must – go viral; Jewish practices such this fully, much as we were – but a few weeks ago – incapable as tefillin, kosher, mezuzot, lighting Shabbat candles at the right of imagining, let alone fathoming, the full might of the minute time, giving tzedakah daily, etc. coronavirus. How much more so are we unable to appreciate the This is the time we accept G-d’s Torah, and we do welcome infinite G-dly energy vested in a G-dly commandment, as well as His mitzvot as never before. the impact it has upon the individual performing it and on the Best Wishes for a healthy and happy Shavuos, entire world. In the words of Maimonides, “...a person should always see Rabbi Yisroel Shmotkin CELEBRATION | 3 he holiday of Shavuos celebrates the day on which Shavuos), G-d pronounced the Ten Commandments before the the Al-mighty G-d gave the Torah to the Jewish entire Jewish people. Thereafter, Moses ascended Mount Sinai T people. It occurred at the very inception of the and stayed there for 40 days and 40 nights, during which G-d Jewish people as a nation after their exodus from Egypt 3,332 taught him every aspect of the Torah, and all its applications. years ago. These teachings include the 613 mitzvahs, along with all Shavuos is a continuation and culmination of the their details and how each mitzvah would apply throughout the redemption from Egyptian slavery*. When Moses announced ages, as guided by the Torah.