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Letter & Spirit: The Cause of the Churban

In this week’s edition of Letter and Spirit, in honor of Tisha B’av, we present a letter from the Rebbe in which he explains the story of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza and how it explains the reason for the churban Bais Hamikdash. From the cause of the problem, says the Rebbe, we can learn the solution. The letter was written in English through the Rebbe’s trusted secretary Rabbi Nissan Mindel, and was made available by the latter’s son-in-law, Rabbi Sholom Ber Shapiro.

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Mazal Tov's View More
New Engagement!

Shalom Alon (Kfar Gidon, EY) to Bluma Potash (Noe Valley, SF, CA)
New Engagement!

Jack Abramson (NW4, London, UK) to Shayna Ash (Johannesburg, South Africa)
Baby Boy!

Mendel and Soro (nee Brennan) Manne from Penn Wynne, PA had a baby boy!
New Engagement!

Yisrolik Chein (Toulouse, France) to Chanale Greenberg (Shanghai, China) L’Chaim: Tonight, Thursday, 8:00pm at 695 East New York Ave
New Engagement!

Schneur Motchkin (Crown Heights) to Sarah Schmukler (Crown Heights) L’Chaim: Tonight, Thursday, 8:00pm at Lubavitcher Yeshiva
New Engagement!

Shmayah Schechter (Miami Beach, FL) to Bella Kimball (West Hartford, CT) L’Chaim: Tonight, Wednesday, 7:30pm at Chabad of Greater Hartford 2352 Albany Ave, West Hartford, CT, 06117
Baby Girl!

Shneur and Sara (nee Heber) polter from Crown Heights had a baby girl!
New Engagement!

Yonah Galili (Toronto, Canada) to Ora Zuckerman (Crown Heights) L’Chaim: Monday, July 7th, 8:00pm at Bais Avraham Yitzchak 305 Remsen Ave
Baby Boy!

Dovid and Baila (nee Spielman) Vogel from Crown Heights had a baby boy!
New Engagement!

Yechezkel Markovitch (Kiev, Ukraine) to Layah Carlbach (Montreal, Canada)
New Engagement!

Meir Manssouri (Los Angeles, CA) to Raizy Altschul (Chicago, IL)
New Engagement!

Ari Drizin (New Haven, CT) to Batsheva Lisbon (San Diego, CA) L’Chaim: Tonight, Monday, 8:00pm at The Arches 1394 S. Johns Pl
New Engagement!

Berel Laufer (Providence, RI) to Batya Deitsch (Columbus, OH) L’Chaim: Tonight, Monday, 8:00pm at Albany Manor 641 Rutland Rd
New Engagement!

Mendel Stolik (Lantana, FL) to Mussie Chanin (Har Shmuel, EY) L’Chaim: Tonight, Monday, 8:00pm at Lubavitcher Yeshiva
New Engagement!

Yossi Brownstein (Davis, CA) to Chayale Klasner (Toronto, Canada)
New Engagement!

Meir Simcha Silberberg (Chicago, IL) to Yehudis Korf (Miami Beach, FL)
New Engagement!

Mendel Bluming (Chapel Hill, NC) to Mushka Lifshitz (Boise, Idaho) L’Chaim: Tonight, Wednesday, 8:30pm at Lubavitcher Yeshiva

Letter & Spirit: Jewish Approach to Tragedy

In this week’s edition of Letter and Spirit, in a timely message for the nine days, we present a letter from the Rebbe in which he reflects on the recent tragedy of the holocaust and those earlier ones – our horrific slavery in Egypt, as witnessed by Moshe Rebbeinu, and the destruction of the Second Bais Hamikdash, as witnessed by Yirmiyahu and others – and how to view the suffering of the righteous and the prospering of the wicked. The letter was written in English through the Rebbe’s trusted secretary Rabbi Nissan Mindel, and was made available by the latter’s son-in-law, Rabbi Sholom Ber Shapiro.

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Letter & Spirit: Where Was G-d During the Holocaust?

In this week’s edition of Letter and Spirit, in honor of the three weeks – a time of reflection on the tragedies which befell the Jewish people over the centuries – we present a letter from the Rebbe in which he addresses the question regarding the terrible fate that overcame European Jewry two decades earlier, and how to reconcile this with the basic beliefs of Judaism. The letter was written in English through the Rebbe’s trusted secretary Rabbi Nissan Mindel, and was made available by the latter’s son-in-law, Rabbi Sholom Ber Shapiro.

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Letter & Spirit: Establishing a Kollel in Ireland

In this week’s edition of Letter and Spirit, we present a letter from the Rebbe to the chief rabbi of Ireland in 1981, in which he addresses the specific communal matter of establishing a kollel. The letter was written in English through the Rebbe’s trusted secretary Rabbi Nissan Mindel, and was made available by the latter’s son-in-law, Rabbi Sholom Ber Shapiro.

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Letter & Spirit: How Many Elements Are There?

In this week’s edition of Letter and Spirit, we present a letter from the Rebbe in which he explains the four basic elements as taught in Tanya, and explains them within the context of the over-one-hundred elements taught in science. The letter was written in English through the Rebbe’s trusted secretary Rabbi Nissan Mindel, and was made available by the latter’s son-in-law, Rabbi Sholom Ber Shapiro.

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Letter & Spirit: G-d’s Omniscience and Man’s Free Will

In this week’s edition of Letter and Spirit, we present a letter from the Rebbe in which he addresses a number of questions on the seeming contradiction between G-d’s omniscience and man’s free will, evolution and Aggadah on medicine. The letter was written in English through the Rebbe’s trusted secretary Rabbi Nissan Mindel, and was made available by the latter’s son-in-law, Rabbi Sholom Ber Shapiro.

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Letter & Spirit: The Heavens Belong to G-d

In this week’s edition of Letter and Spirit, we present a letter from the Rebbe in which he addresses the interesting question – how is it that man explores the heavens if it states that “the heavens belong to G-d and the earth he gave to the children of man.” The letter was written in English through the Rebbe’s trusted secretary Rabbi Nissan Mindel, and was made available by the latter’s son-in-law, Rabbi Sholom Ber Shapiro.

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Letter & Spirit: Na’aseh Brings to Nishma

In this week’s edition of Letter and Spirit, in honor of Shavuos, we present a letter from the Rebbe in which he explains the concept of Na’aseh V’nishma with yet another perspective: the doing/Na’aseh brings to greater understanding/Nishma. The letter was written in English through the Rebbe’s trusted secretary Rabbi Nissan Mindel, and was made available by the latter’s son-in-law, Rabbi Sholom Ber Shapiro.

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Letter & Spirit: Is Shmitta Utilitarian?

In this week’s edition of Letter and Spirit, in honor of this year of shmitta and this week’s parsha (B’har-b’chukosai) where we learn the laws of shmitta, we present a letter from the Rebbe in which he explains the idea of shmitta as much more than just a question of utility – where we give the land a “rest” (as is so commonly believed). The letter was written in English through the Rebbe’s trusted secretary Rabbi Nissan Mindel, and was made available by the latter’s son-in-law, Rabbi Sholom Ber Shapiro.

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Letter & Spirit: Separating Religion and State

In this week’s edition of Letter and Spirit, we present a letter from the Rebbe on the question of government involvement in religious practices – which the Rebbe says must resolutely be rejected as an interference with religious liberty. The letter was written in English through the Rebbe’s trusted secretary Rabbi Nissan Mindel, and was made available by the latter’s son-in-law, Rabbi Sholom Ber Shapiro.

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Letter & Spirit: Why 613 Mitzvos for Us and 7 for Them?

In this week’s edition of Letter and Spirit, in anticipation of the Yomtov of Shavuos, we present a letter from the Rebbe in which he explains why G-d gave 613 commandments to the Jews and 7 commandments to the rest of humankind, the benei Noach. The letter was written through the Rebbe’s trusted secretary Rabbi Nissan Mindel, and was made available by the latter’s son-in-law, Rabbi Sholom Ber Shapiro.

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Letter and Spirit: The Essence of a Jew

In this week’s edition of Letter and Spirit, we present a letter from the Rebbe in which he uses the classic teachings of Rabbi Akiva to explain the essence of a Jew, and uses the scientific method in making his point. The letter was written through the Rebbe’s trusted secretary Rabbi Nissan Mindel, and was made available by the latter’s son-in-law, Rabbi Sholom Ber Shapiro.

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Letter & Spirit: Being Realistic and Positive

In this week’s edition of Letter & Spirit, in honor of the Month of Iyar – which stands for ‘Ani Hashem Rof’echa’ – we present a letter from the Rebbe in which he answers a woman who is despondent over her grim medical prognosis and health. The letter was written through the Rebbe’s trusted secretary Rabbi Nissan Mindel, and was made available by the latter’s son-in-law, Rabbi Sholom Ber Shapiro.

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Letter & Spirit: Yomtov Sheini Shel Goluyos

In this week’s edition of Letter & Spirit, we present a letter from the Rebbe in which he deals with the question of whether one should keep two days of Yomtov while in Eretz Yisroel if one resides in Chutz L’Aretz and owns a home or property in Eretz Yisroel. The letter was written through the Rebbe’s trusted secretary Rabbi Nissan Mindel, and was made available by the latter’s son-in-law, Rabbi Sholom Ber Shapiro.

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Letter & Spirit: Importance of a Jewish Surname

In this week’s edition of Letter & Spirit, in honor of Pesach, we present a letter from the Rebbe in which he underlines the importance of a Jewish name, and its fundamental role in our redemption from Mitzrayim. The Rebbe implies that having a Jewish surname is of significance as well. The letter was written through the Rebbe’s trusted secretary Rabbi Nissan Mindel, and was made available by the latter’s son-in-law, Rabbi Sholom Ber Shapiro.

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Letter & Spirit: Chassidus and Psychology

In this week’s edition of Letter & Spirit, we present a letter from the Rebbe In it he points out to a psychologist the affinity between the teachings of Chassidus and the study of the psyche, in particular the soul. The letter was written through the Rebbe’s trusted secretary Rabbi Nissan Mindel, and was made available by the latter’s son-in-law, Rabbi Sholom Ber Shapiro.

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Letter & Spirit: What is the purpose of life?

In this week’s edition of Letter & Spirit, we present a letter from the Rebbe In it he uses the scientific method to give an in depth analysis to the question: What is the purpose of life? The meaning of a Jew? as he explains the concept of a Higher Authority responsible for an orderly universe in its minutest detail. the entire system is beyond our comprehension. The letter was written through the Rebbe’s trusted secretary Rabbi Nissan Mindel, and was made available by the latter’s son-in-law, Rabbi Sholom Ber Shapiro.

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