More than Mashed Potatoes – The Deeper Meaning of Purim

Back in the mid -1970’s, Chairman Leonoid Brezhnev addressed a large audience of Communist Party faithful gathered at the great stadium in Moscow.

“By the year 2000,” he declared, “every family in the Soviet Union will have its own airplane!” The crowd roared in sheer exhilaration.

Suddenly a small voice emerged from the great throng, “Mr. Premier! Mr. Premier! Why would a family in Moscow need an airplane?”

A great hush overtook the crowd. Then from nowhere a voice boomed: “Of course we shall need an airplane! How else will we get to Kiev when there are potatoes for sale?”

Famous Purim Rebbe Sicha – Rabbah Killing Reb Zeira

The Rebbe says:

1. The Talmud first tells us the ruling of Rava (a famous Amora) that, “One is obligated to become intoxicated on Purim until he does not know the difference between cursed is Haman and blessed is Mordechai”, and then it recounts a very interesting story for us:

“Rabbah and Reb Zeira (two prominent Amora’im) had the Purim feast together. They became intoxicated. Rabbah arose and slaughtered Reb Zeira. The next day, Rabbah prayed for mercy on Reb Zeira’s behalf and revived him.

The following year Rabbah asked Reb Zeira, ‘Let master come and we will have the Purim feast together’. Reb Zeira answered him, ‘Not every time does a miracle occur’”.

Taanis Esther – The Fast of Esther – Laws and Customs

The fast begins at 5:56am and ends at 7:28pm (NYC Times)

Haman’s “Final Solution” was scheduled for the 13th of Adar. Instead, Haman was hanged, and by royal decree the Jews mobilized in self-defense and successfully defended themselves against all attacks. On the next day, the 14th of Adar, the Jews rested, savored their miraculous salvation, and established the holiday of Purim.

Whenever in peril, we are commanded to institute a fast day to repent, pray, and ask for Divine mercy. Thus the 13th of Adar, the day of battle, was a day of fasting.

The Divine Is In The Details – What Does An Infinite G-d Have With A Finite World?

Once, on Rosh Hashanah, the Alter Rebbe Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, asked his son the Miteler Rebbe to share some of the thoughts upon which he had concentrated during his Davening-prayers earlier that day.

The Mitlerer Rebbe proceeded to enumerate the various liturgical passages and Kabalistic intentions upon which he had reflected. The Miteler Rebbe then inquired of the Alter Rebbe regarding his own meditations.

Instead of the profound and lofty response for which the Miteler Rebbe was prepared, the Alter Rebbe indicated that his thoughts were focused upon his “chair and Shtender-lectern,” (a reference to the presence of the Divine within the physical).

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The Rebbe of Pscizcha once turned to one of his young disciples, who was later to become the Rebbe of Kotzk, and presented the following query: “Young man, where can one find G d?” “G-d is everywhere,” replied the young scholar. “Does not His glory fill the universe?”

“Young man,” persisted the Pscizcher, “I asked you where one could find G d?” The Kotzker was quiet. “Well, if I don’t know then please tell me,” he requested.

The Pscizcher then said, “Listen, young man, “G d can be found wherever he is allowed in.”

Give Until It Feels Good – The Torah Perspective On Giving

Old time buddies Irving and Seymour enjoyed their golden years fishing and boating together. One afternoon, as they were off at play, a violent storm blew in from nowhere. Before long the two friends found themselves in the water clinging to their capsized boat for dear life.

Knowing that Seymour could not swim to save his life, Irving tried to help. But no matter how much he begged for Seymour’s hand, Seymour defiantly refused. No amount of pleading seemed to matter.

The Weekly Sicha of the Rebbe – Parshas Terumah

The Rebbe says:

1. Regarding the building of the Mishkan (the Tabernacle) in this week’s Torah portion the Torah says, “You should make the beams for the Tabernacle of acacia wood (Atzay Shittim), standing upright”.

2. The Previous Rebbe explained that the Hebrew word for, “acacia”, which is, “Shittim”, also means, “turning away”. In other words, there is a middle path which is the path of logic and reason, and the turning away from the middle path is called, “Shittim”, from the word, “Shtoos – Senselessness”.

However, there are two types of ways to be senseless. One way is to turn away from the middle path of logic and be senseless in the opposite way of holiness, as the Talmud states, “A person only commits a transgression because a spirit of senselessness entered him”, and another way is to turn away from the middle path of logic and be senseless in a holy way, as the Talmud states, “The senselessness of this Sage has helped him”.

“The Nature of Music” A Beautiful Letter of The Rebbe

What is unique about Chabad nigunim? What makes them so special? CrownHeights.info and the Avner Institute Would like to present a beautiful letter of the Rebbe, written to a Chosson who asked if he could play Chabad nigunim at his wedding. To learn more about the Rebbe visit: www.portraitofaleader.org.

Rebbe Sicha on the Hebrew month of Adar

The Rebbe says:

1. The Mishnah states, “When the Hebrew month of Av begins we hold back our joy”.

The Talmud supplements the Mishnah’s statement with, “Just as when the month of Av begins we restrain our joy, so too when the month of Adar begins we increase our joy”.

2. The Rebbe now analyzes this statement of the Talmud:

The Talmud’s words, “Just as when the month of Av begins we restrain our joy, so too when the month of Adar begins we increase our joy”, implies that the leading principal is the Mishnah’s clearly stated law that, “during the month of Av we curtail our joy”, while the law that, “when the month of Adar begins we increase our joy”, is only secondary.

A Sicha from the Rebbe on Parshas Mishpatim

The Rebbe says:

1. The Torah starts off this week’s Torah portion with saying, “And these are the laws (Mishpatim) that you shall place before them (the Jewish people)”.

2. The Rebbe now quotes three explanations of our Sages regarding why the Torah specifies that the laws should be placed, “before them”:

First explanation: When the Torah says that these laws should be placed, “before them”, it is teaching us that Jewish people should not bring their disputes to the gentile courts, even if the gentile courts would rule exactly like the Jewish courts in this specific case.

What is the Foundation for a Jewish Marriage?

CrownHeights.info and the Avner Institute would like to present a private audience, conducted with a kallah (bride) just before her wedding in the winter of 1963. In this unique Yechidus the Rebbe shares a beautiful explanation of the mitzvah of Mezuzah. To learn more about the Rebbe Visit: www.inspiringageneration.org.

1988: Passing of the Rebbetzin

On Wednesday, February 10, 1988 (Shevat 22, 1988) the Rebbe’s wife of 59 years, Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson, passed away after a brief illness.

She had felt ill the night before and was brought to the hospital, where she requested a glass of water. After reciting the blessing “Blessed are You, G-d… by whose word all things come into being”, she returned her soul to her Maker.

An erudite and wise woman, Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka carried the mantle of her exalted position in a most humble and unpretentious fashion. Though she was the wife of a leader revered by hundreds of thousands, almost nothing was known about her until after her passing, when those who knew her felt that they could tell of her life and personality without violating her jealously guarded privacy.

The Weekly Sicha from the Rebbe – Parshas Yisro

The Rebbe says:

1. Our Sages comment on a verse in this week’s Torah portion which reads, “And Yisro (Jethro) said, “Blessed is Hashem (G-d) Who rescued you (the Jewish people)”, and say, “It is a blemish in Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses our teacher) and the Jewish people who did not say, ‘Blessed’, until Yisro came and said, ‘Blessed’”.

However we must understand what this means because, as we read in last week’s Torah portion, Moshe Rabbeinu and the Jewish people did indeed thank Hashem when they sang to Him as they were walking through the Yam Suf (the sea of reeds)! Why do our Sages say that “it is a blemish in Moshe Rabbeinu and the Jewish people”?

2. The Rebbe begins the journey of answering this question by introducing another issue:

Wake Up and Smell the Roses – The Key To Divine Triumph

At a metro station in Washington DC sat a man one cold January morning playing the violin. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. It was calculated that thousands of people passed through the station during this time, most of them on their way to work. It took three minutes before the first passerby, a middle aged man, stopped for a few seconds to listen before he quickly moved along.

Mrs. Schneerson Told Me About The Request

Monday, 22 Shevat (February 16), marks the 21st anniversary of the passing of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson, of blessed memory. The Avner institute is pleased to present two charming encounters related by Rabbi Shmuel Lew, Headmaster of the Lubavitch Senior Girls School, London, U.K., whose family over the years had warm relations with the Rebbetzin. To learn more about the Rebbe visit: www.inspiringageneration.org.

The Customs of Tu B’Shevat

On the 15th of Shevat on the Jewish calendar we celebrate Rosh HaShonah L’Ilonot,the “New Year for the Trees.” Some customs for this day:

• It is customary to increase in the amount of fruits one eats on the 15th of Shevat, in order to praise G-d who created all these species of fruits.

But I Have a Girlfriend Who is Not Jewish?

The following is part two of a fascinating encounters that Daniel a member of the Chabad house in Antwerp experienced with the Rebbe, special thanks to Rabbi Shabtai Slavaticki and the editorial staff of the Avner institute for putting this together, to learn more about the Rebbe Visit: www.portraitofaleader.blogspot.com

Beshalach: Who Is Your Moshe? – The Vital Role of the “Rebbe” in Jewish Observance

“They believed in G-d and in Moshe His servant” (Exodus 14:31)

Is Judaism a static or living, “breathing,” religion? To better explain the question: Has G-d, according to Jewish faith, revealed and communicated all the knowledge and guidance intended for man, albeit with eternal relevance, in some prior historic form and era, or does He continue to communicate and guide his people in “real time”?

This discussion may be larger than the scope of this essay and require further study. This of course, is highly encouraged. As for our conversation, the answer to the question is yes and no. How is that for rabbinical verdict?

What is meant by this, though, is that on some level everything has already been transmitted within the confines of the written and oral Torah. Still, on another level, as is evident from our Parsha, Divine guidance is as real and prevalent today as it has ever been. Let us explore this intriguing phenomenon.