A Sicha from the Rebbe – Parshas Behar

The Rebbe says:

1. In this week’s Torah portion Hashem (G-d) commands us to take care of our brethren in need and loan them interest free money. Hashem finishes off this commandment by saying, “I am Hashem, your G-d, Who took you out of the land of Egypt…”.

Our Sages learn from this verse that, “Anyone who accepts the yoke of the commandment regarding not taking or giving interest, accepts the yoke of Heaven; and anyone who throws off the yoke of this commandment, throws off the yoke of Heaven. This is because anyone who complies with the Mitzvah (commandment) of “Ribbis” (not taking or giving interest) also admits to the fundamental principal of our exodus from Egypt; and anyone who denies the Mitzvah of Ribbis also denies our exodus from Egypt”.

In other words, there is something unique about the Mitzvah of Ribbis which has a special connection to accepting the yoke of Heaven and our exodus from Egypt more than any other Mitzvah. We must try to understand this.

A Sicha from the Rebbe – Lag BaOmer

The Rebbe says:

1. We find many explanations as to why we are supposed to have special happiness on Lag B’Omer. Here are two of the reasons:

1) The students of Rebbi Akiva, who began dying on the second day of Pesach (Passover), stopped dying on Lag B’Omer.

Religious Revisionism – A Warning Against Tailoring The Torah To Fit Our Will

In a gesture of gratitude to her longtime Synagogue, an elderly congregant delivered a self-embroidered mantel for the Synagogue’s new Torah Scroll. A cursory glance was enough to reveal that the woman was a proficient embroiderer. The lush fabric, colorful pattern and superb craftsmanship rendered the article a true work of art.

Delighted with the attractive gift, the Rabbi wasted no time in putting it to the test. He rushed to the ark, removed the Torah and replaced the mantel with the new masterpiece.

Pesach Sheini: A Second Chance

“It’s never too late. There’s always a second chance.” This, according to Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn (the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, 1880-1950), is the message of Pesach Sheini, the biblically ordained “second Passover” for those who fail to bring the Passover offering on its designated time.

We all relate to a statement like, “There’s always a second chance.” It soothes our harried souls, and fits nicely on the December 31 page of an Inspirational Sayings Desk Calendar. But how does it mesh with real day-to-day life? I took a small neighborhood survey.

A Yechidus with the Rebbe

CrownHeights.info and the Avner Institute is happy to present, a unique audience that took place between the Rebbe and a Jew from France. Yosef, a Sorbonne professor, was a ba’al teshuva [returnee to Judaism] exploring his heritage and bursting with questions about Chabad and the Rebbe himself. The Rebbe’s answers convey his heartfelt concerns not only toward his new guest but for all of his fellow Jews. Special thanks to Rabbi Yosef Gurevitch for his reminiscence of the encounter. to learn more about the Rebbe visit: portraitofaleader.org

For G-D or for Azalzel – G-dliness Is A Mutually Exclusive Endeavor

SCAPEGOAT
Pronunciation: ˈskāp-ˌgōt
Function: noun
Etymology: scape; intended as translation of Hebrew ʽazāzēl, as if ʽēz ‘ōzēl goat that departs—Lev 16:8(Authorized Version)
Date: 1530

1: a goat upon whose head are symbolically placed the sins of the people after which he is sent into the wilderness in the biblical ceremony for Yom Kippur

2 a: one that bears the blame for others b: one that is the object of irrational hostility – Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary

Life is a Mess – The Jewish Perspective On Challenge and Adversity

Der baal agalah shmaised, dee ferd briken-zich, un-dervaile fort-men.
– Reb Mendel Futerfass;

Loosely translated:
The coachman whips, the horses lash-out and all the while the journey progresses.
————————————————————–
When things go wrong as they sometimes will
When the road you’re trudging seems all up hill
When funds are low and debts are high
You try to smile but somehow sigh.
When life weigh’s you down more than a bit
Rest you must but never ever quit.
Life is queer it twists and it turns
As everyone at some point is apt to learn.
But don’t give up though the pace seems slow
You might yet succeed with just another blow.
Success is failure turned inside out
The silver tint of clouds of doubt.
Many a failure will turn about
You may be a winner should you stick it out.
You never can tell how close you are
It may be very near when it seems all so far.
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit
It’s when things seem worst that you must recommit!
– Author unknown

The Weekly Sicha of the Rebbe – Parshas Shemini

The Rebbe says:

1. The basic outline of this week’s Torah portion is as follows:

The Torah first tells us about the eighth day of the inauguration of the Mishkan (the Tabernacle).

The Torah then continues and recounts how the two eldest sons of Aharon Hakohen (Aaron the High Priest) – Nadav and Avihu – died while bringing a “foreign fire” into the Mishkan.

Towards the end of the portion the Torah tells us the laws of forbidden animals and what constitutes a Kosher animal.

Finally, at the end of the portion the Torah tells us the laws regarding consuming forbidden reptiles and insects.

Soul Freedom – To Want What You Do, Or To Do What You Want

A skillful fiddler caused a large crowd of pedestrians to clap their hands and tap their feet as he played lively tunes in the center of the town’s square. Unable to hear the music, a deaf passerby stopped to observe the strange spectacle. As he watched the people bounce and swirl in the middle of the plaza, he wondered to himself: “What has gotten into these people, why in the world are they acting so bizarre?”

On the fifteenth day of the Hebrew month of Nissan over 3,000 years ago the Children of Israel were liberated from their protracted bondage by the mighty hand of G-d. A relentless series of shock and awe style occurrences had finally weakened the iron resolve of the wicked Pharaoh and the cruel Egyptian tormentors, causing them to let the people go. The event serves as the cornerstone and birth of the Jewish nation and religion.

The Mystic and the Philosopher – Chassidism VS Secular Psychology

The story is told of a mystic who once said to his friend the philosopher: “You know, I think I finally figured out what lies at the heart of our disparity.

“How do you mean?” asked the philosopher.

“Well,” continued the mystic, “While I am forever thinking about myself, you are constantly thinking about G-d.”

Though not too sure about the precise meaning of the mystic’s remarks, the philosopher could not help but feel somewhat flattered by what seemed like a generous compliment. Upon further reflection, however, it dawned on him that his good friend may not have been quite that generous after all.

It occurred to him that in the mind of the mystic G-d is, no doubt, the very essence of reality. The Divine truth a given, the mystic ponders his own subjective reality: “Do I exist? What significance, if any, is there to my existence? What possible legitimacy can a finite and transitory existence have within the all-transcending, all-pervading reality of G-d?”

Did you say the ‘Nasi’ Today? (Yom Tes)

From the Safer Haminhagim: [Every day from Rosh Chodesh Nissan until the twelfth of the month, usually after Shacharis,] one reads the passage [from Bamidbar 7-8:4] that describes the offering brought on that day by a particular Nasi, or tribal prince, for the dedication of the altar of the Mishkan. [In common parlance, each day’s passage itself is often referred to as “the Nasi.”] This daily reading is followed by the prayer which opens with the words yehi ratzon (and which appears in Siddur Torah Or [as well as in Siddur Tehillat HaShem, p. 371]). This prayer is recited even by a Kohen or a Levi [despite its seeming relevance only to tribes other than the Tribe of Levi]. [284]

To see the rest of the text of the Nasi click the Extended Article!

Did you say the ‘Nasi’ Today? (Yom Ches)

From the Safer Haminhagim: [Every day from Rosh Chodesh Nissan until the twelfth of the month, usually after Shacharis,] one reads the passage [from Bamidbar 7-8:4] that describes the offering brought on that day by a particular Nasi, or tribal prince, for the dedication of the altar of the Mishkan. [In common parlance, each day’s passage itself is often referred to as “the Nasi.”] This daily reading is followed by the prayer which opens with the words yehi ratzon (and which appears in Siddur Torah Or [as well as in Siddur Tehillat HaShem, p. 371]). This prayer is recited even by a Kohen or a Levi [despite its seeming relevance only to tribes other than the Tribe of Levi]. [284]

To see the rest of the text of the Nasi click the Extended Article!

Did you say the ‘Nasi’ Today? (Yom Zayin)

From the Safer Haminhagim: [Every day from Rosh Chodesh Nissan until the twelfth of the month, usually after Shacharis,] one reads the passage [from Bamidbar 7-8:4] that describes the offering brought on that day by a particular Nasi, or tribal prince, for the dedication of the altar of the Mishkan. [In common parlance, each day’s passage itself is often referred to as “the Nasi.”] This daily reading is followed by the prayer which opens with the words yehi ratzon (and which appears in Siddur Torah Or [as well as in Siddur Tehillat HaShem, p. 371]). This prayer is recited even by a Kohen or a Levi [despite its seeming relevance only to tribes other than the Tribe of Levi]. [284]

To see the rest of the text of the Nasi click the Extended Article!

Did you say the ‘Nasi’ Today? (Yom Vov)

From the Safer Haminhagim: [Every day from Rosh Chodesh Nissan until the twelfth of the month, usually after Shacharis,] one reads the passage [from Bamidbar 7-8:4] that describes the offering brought on that day by a particular Nasi, or tribal prince, for the dedication of the altar of the Mishkan. [In common parlance, each day’s passage itself is often referred to as “the Nasi.”] This daily reading is followed by the prayer which opens with the words yehi ratzon (and which appears in Siddur Torah Or [as well as in Siddur Tehillat HaShem, p. 371]). This prayer is recited even by a Kohen or a Levi [despite its seeming relevance only to tribes other than the Tribe of Levi]. [284]

To see the rest of the text of the Nasi click the Extended Article!

Did you say the ‘Nasi’ Today? (Yom Hey)

From the Safer Haminhagim: [Every day from Rosh Chodesh Nissan until the twelfth of the month, usually after Shacharis,] one reads the passage [from Bamidbar 7-8:4] that describes the offering brought on that day by a particular Nasi, or tribal prince, for the dedication of the altar of the Mishkan. [In common parlance, each day’s passage itself is often referred to as “the Nasi.”] This daily reading is followed by the prayer which opens with the words yehi ratzon (and which appears in Siddur Torah Or [as well as in Siddur Tehillat HaShem, p. 371]). This prayer is recited even by a Kohen or a Levi [despite its seeming relevance only to tribes other than the Tribe of Levi]. [284]

To see the rest of the text of the Nasi click the Extended Article!

Did you say the ‘Nasi’ Today? (Yom Daled)

From the Safer Haminhagim: [Every day from Rosh Chodesh Nissan until the twelfth of the month, usually after Shacharis,] one reads the passage [from Bamidbar 7-8:4] that describes the offering brought on that day by a particular Nasi, or tribal prince, for the dedication of the altar of the Mishkan. [In common parlance, each day’s passage itself is often referred to as “the Nasi.”] This daily reading is followed by the prayer which opens with the words yehi ratzon (and which appears in Siddur Torah Or [as well as in Siddur Tehillat HaShem, p. 371]). This prayer is recited even by a Kohen or a Levi [despite its seeming relevance only to tribes other than the Tribe of Levi]. [284]

To see the rest of the text of the Nasi click the Extended Article!