The Weekly Sedra – Emor, Rationalization, It’s Not All That Rational

The story is told of an elderly woman – an expert embroiderer – who approached a Rabbi, with a magnificent mantel that she hand crafted for the Synagogue’s new Torah Scroll. Enamored by the lush fabric and colorful embroidery, the Rabbi immediately rushed to the ark, removed the Torah and placed the mantel over it.

Thanking the woman for her sincere thoughtfulness and effort, the Rabbi gently explained that while it was a true masterpiece it would not work, since it was too short.

The Weekly Sedra – Parshas Emor

The Rebbe says:

1. In this week’s Torah portion Hashem (G-d) commands the Jewish people to count the forty nine days beginning from the second day of Passover until the giving of the Torah (Shavuot),. This is called “Sefiras Ha’Omer (the counting of the Omer)”.

2. The Rebbe now begins discussing Sefiras Ha’Omer:

One of the verses commanding the Jewish people to count the Omer says, “You shall count for yourselves – from the morrow of the rest day (Mi’ma’cha’ras HaShabbos), from the day when you bring the Omer of the waving – seven weeks, they shall be complete”.

17 Years to the Sicha – “Do All That You Can”

Tomorrow, Chof Ches Nissan marks 17 years to the Sicha the Rebbe said unexpectedly in 5751 after returning from the Ohel. The Rebbe said with great pain “that all that I have done… it is up to you to do all that you can to bring Moshiach down here…” AD MOSAI?!

Click Here To Listen To The Sicha (Courtesy of Sichos.com)

Click Here to see a transcript of the Sicha in Hebrew (PDF)

A translation of excerpts of the Sicha can be read in the Extended Article.

The Weekly Sedra – Parshas Kedoshim

The Rebbe says:

1. The first three Mitzvos (commandments) mentioned in this week’s Torah portion are:
1) “You should be holy”.
2) “Every person should fear his mother and father”.
3) “You should observe my Sabbaths”.

2. Everything in Torah is perfectly exact. Therefore, if the Torah puts these three Mitzvos consecutively one after the other, they must be connected to each other. Let us try and find out how they are connected to each other and what lessons they are coming to teach us.

3. The Rebbe now sets out to explain each of these three Mitzvos and their connection with each other, beginning with the first one (“You should be holy”):

Today’s Generation – Pesach

This past week I met a fellow at LaGuardia airport. We exchanged greetings. He asked what I do, so I told him about Chabad on Campus. He said that he too was in Jewish communal work. He noted that he viewed his work as being important because he stopped people from sinning. I was aghast. Sinning? Instead of focusing on the sinning, why not focus on the good and view one’s purpose as encouraging goodness?

Once started, I didn’t stop. I told him how today’s generation is incredibly good considering the huge temptations that are accessible to all. Despite the formidable enticement of today’s world, every single Jew is full of good deeds. In fact, the Talmud states that “the worst sinners of Israel are full of good deeds as a pomegranate is full of seeds.”

The Weekly Sedra – Parshas Acharei Mos

The Rebbe says:

1. The first verse of this week’s Torah portion reads, “Vah’yi’da’bear Hashem El Moshe Acharei Mos Shnei B’nay Aharon B’kar’va’sam Leefnay Hashem Va’ya’moo’soo – And Hashem spoke to Moshe after the death of two sons of Aharon (Aaron) who brought an (unauthorized) offering before Hashem and they died”.

2. The Rebbe now questions the need for the last word in this verse:

If the verse already told us that Hashem is speaking to Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses our teacher) “after the death of two sons of Aharon”, why does the verse conclude by repeating that “they died”?

The Rebbe Corresponds with World Leaders

World leaders; statesmen; great rabbis; artists; business leaders: the roster of well-known personalities who interacted with the Rebbe is a veritable Who’s Who. To some the Rebbe corresponded in writing, others came to the Rebbe for a private audience; still others received the Rebbe’s blessing and advice at a brief encounter on Sundays when the Rebbe distributed dollars to be given to charity. In honor of Yud Aleph Nissan, the Rebbe’s Birthday, I am happy to present a few glimpses into these interactions. It’s an excerpt from the new book on the Rebbe “The Rebbe Inspiring a Generation” to see more about the book Visit www.inspiringageneration.com

The Weekly Sedra – Metzora – Skin off Your Own Back!

The custom in our Shul is to read a short meditation each morning, upon the conclusion of services. It was the following thought, in the name of the holy Baal Shemtov, that elicited a rather fervent debate:

“Your fellow is your mirror. If your own face is clean, so will be the image you perceive. But should you look upon your fellow and see a blemish, it is your own imperfection that you are encountering – you are being shown what it is that you must correct within yourself.”

“Does this mean that we can never perceive evil or wrongdoing without implicating ourselves?” protested a thoughtful and generally soft-spoken congregant. “I find this troubling!”

“What about Osama Binladin or Achmadinidjad? Is the recognition of their brutal and inhumane conduct reflective of one’s own wickedness and terrorist propensities? With all due respect, this makes no sense to me.”

The Weekly Sedra – Parshas Metzora

The Rebbe says:

1. In this week’s Torah portion the laws of Niddah are discussed.

2. The Rebbe now analyzes the external aspect of Niddah:

The reason why the blood of Niddah causes Tumah (ritual impurity) can be understood according to the Talmud which states that the blood of Niddah is part of the ten curses which Chava (Eve) was cursed with when she sinned with the Tree of Knowledge in Gan Eden (the Garden of Eden).

From this we see that the natural creation of woman did not include this blood of Niddah; only because of the sin of the Tree of Knowledge did this begin. Therefore, being that this blood comes from a sin, and not just any sin, but a sin which is the source for all future sins, this blood is Tumah.

Rebbetzin Chana, “Do you know that tonight is Yud Aleph Nissan?”

“All of the Chassidim were in total awe of the tremendous respect the Rebbe had toward his mother during his visit in Paris” The Rebbe would visit his Mother twice a day during his Visit to Paris in 1947. Rabbi Nachum Yakobovitch, a longtime Lubavitcher Chassid now living in Jerusalem, relates a tender scene that took place in the French capital after the Rebbe was finally reunited with his mother. It’s an excerpt from the new book on the Rebbe “The Rebbe Inspiring a Generation” to see more on the book visit: www.inspiringageneration.com

“It was 11 Nissan. Unknown to us, this was the Rebbe’s birthday.

We were sitting in the home of Rabbi Zalman Schneerson when the Rebbe’s mother Rebbetzin Chana walked in and asked us, ”Do you know that tonight is 11 Nissan?”

The Weekly Sedra – Tazria – Life Is A Mess

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

Life is queer with its twists and turns; as everyone sometimes learns, Many a failure turns about; when you might have won had you stuck it out.

The Weekly Sedra – Parshas Tazria

The Rebbe says:

1. In the beginning of this week’s Torah portion the Torah says, “When a woman conceives and gives birth to a male…”

2. The Rebbe now quotes the “Or Hachaim” (a commentary on the Torah written by Rabbi Chaim Ben-Attar, 1696-1743):

The “Or Hachaim” asks, why does the Torah use the wording, “And gives birth to a male (V’Yalda Zachor)”, which connotes a surety regarding the birth of the male, which is different from its’ choice of wording a few verses later regarding a female, when it says, “If she gives birth to a female”?

Dear Rebbe, do you really feel my pain?

The following is a fascinating encounter between a young Lubavitch girl from crown heights who was going through a very hard time in her personal life, and the Rebbe’s involvement in helping her through the hard time’s she was experiencing. It’s an excerpt from the new book on the Rebbe “The Rebbe Inspiring a Generation” to see more on the book visit www.inspiringageneration.com

The Rebbe’s care for every Jew, compassion for everyone’s troubles, and sympathy for another’s concern’s were legendary. At times, people who experienced the Rebbe’s consideration simply did not believe that he could really be so concerned with their petty matters.

The Weekly Sedra – Shemini – The Elusive Pursuit of Spirituality

As a means of vanquishing his evil inclination, Reb Dovid of Lelov would frequently fast from Shabbos to Shabbos (throughout the daytime hours). During one such fast, while travelling, he found himself overcome by an incredible bout of thirst.

This victory left him exhilarated and brimming with joy. It felt good to be able to exert so much self-control and resist his bodily dictates; powerful as they may have been. Yet his sense of delight was short-lived. He quickly became suspect of these flattering thoughts.

The Weekly Sedra – 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.