The following is a fascinating Yechidus of the Rebbe that took place in the winter of 5722/1962. To learn More about the Rebbe Vsit: www.inspiringageneration.org
Question: How would you define Judaism in a nutshell?
This weeks edition of the Crown Heights Newspaper, available for print.
The Rebbe says:
1. This week’s Torah portion tells us about how Avraham Avinu (Abraham our forefather) was the first and only Jew in this world and the whole world was against him . However once the people saw how Hashem (G-d) was with Avraham Avinu in all that he did and protected him from any harm, even Avimelech King of the Philistines wanted to make a covenant of peace with Avraham Avinu .
Towards the end of the Torah’s description of Avraham Avinu’s life in the land of the Philistines the Torah tells us that Avraham Avinu planted an “Eishel – (simply translated as) a tree” there , he publicized G-dliness and faith there , and he lived there for many days. Immediately after this the Torah begins discussing the Akeida (the Binding of Isaac) .
2. The Rebbe now questions the Torah’s narration of this story with the intention of uncovering the Torah’s deep messages:
ASPEN, CO — Assuming the proposed Chabad Community Center project in Aspen moves ahead on all fronts, it is unlikely that there will be a constitutional fight over the project such as Pitkin County’s recent battle over the Grace Church in Emma, one official said.
BROOKLYN, NY [CHI] — Presidential elections, politics and the immigration raid at Agriprocessors in Postville led to Reb Aron Rubashkin along with Rabbi Menachem Genack to be added to the list of the Forwards 50 most influential jews this past year. Also on the list is Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky for his dedication to outreach as the vice chairman of Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch.
Excerpts from the list in the Extended Article!
NEW YORK, NY — Following his call to open Bahrain to the return of its native Jewish population, a delegation of 50 Bahraini Jews who live across the United States stood for a blessing on King Hamad bin Issa al-Khalifa. Leading the traditional blessing, Chabad-Lubavitch Rabbi Levi Shemtov, the Washington, D.C., director of American Friends of Lubavitch, thanked G-d for “bestowing a part of His glory” on an earthly monarch.
Sitting on a fence is a man who sees no sense in fighting
Sitting on a fence is a man who sees no sense at all
Sitting on a fence is a man who strokes his twenty beards
Sitting on a fence is a man who drinks real ale
But the real problem with this man
Is he says he can’t when he can
He’d rather not get his hands dirty
He’ll still be there when he’s thirty
I told myself to keep my mouth shut
But I still end up saying if and but
I lied to myself right from the start
And I’ve just worked out that I’m falling apart
Sitting on a fence is a man who looks up to his guardian
Sitting on a fence is a man who swings from poll to poll
Sitting on a fence is a man who sees both sides of both sides
Sitting on a fence is a man who looks down on opinion
But the real problem with this man . . .
Sitting on a fence is a man who sees no sense in fighting
Sitting on a fence is a man who sees no sense at all
Sitting on a fence is a man who strokes his twenty beards
Sitting on a fence is a man who drinks real ale
But the real problem with this man
Is he says he can’t when he can
He’d rather not get his hands dirty
He’ll still be there when he’s thirty
I told myself to keep my mouth shut
But I still end up saying if and but
I lied to myself right from the start
And I’ve just worked out that I’m falling apart
Sitting on a fence is a man who looks up to his guardian
Sitting on a fence is a man who swings from poll to poll
Sitting on a fence is a man who sees both sides of both sides
Sitting on a fence is a man who looks down on opinion
But the real problem with this man . . .
VLADIVOSTOK, Russia — Primorye Chief Rabbi, U.S. citizen Yisroel Silberstein was attacked on a central street of Vladivostok, a source in the Federation of Russian Jewish Communities told Interfax-Religion on Thursday.
This weeks Living Torah, titled “G-d Believes in Israel” (Volume 55, Episode 218)
Living Torah is a member supported project Become a member today at LivingTorah.org
Also available with Hebrew, French, Russian and Spanish subtitles in the Extended Article.
SDEROT, Israel — Municipal elections were held in towns and cities all over Israel on Tuesday, and in the beleagured town of Sderot, near the Gaza border, the local Chabad center was considered safe enough, and politically neutral enough, to serve as a polling station.
2
