The Weekly Sedra – The Shofar

The Rebbe says:

1. Beginning from Rosh Chodesh Elul (the first day of the Hebrew month of Elul) until Rosh Hashanah (the New Year) [1] we blow the Shofar [2] everyday to arouse us to repent and bring ourselves closer to Hashem (G-d).

More specifically, the Shofar awakens a fear of Hashem in our hearts.

2. The Rebbe now points out the difference between the blowing the Shofar during the month of Elul and on Rosh Hashanah:

The Weekly Sedra – Parshas Re’eh

The Rebbe says:

1. In this week’s Torah portion the Torah says1 “When Hashem, your G-d, will broaden your boundaries as He spoke to you, and you say “I would eat meat”, for it is the desire of your soul to eat meat, as all the desire of your soul you may eat meat”.

Rashi (an acronym for Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki) brings two explanations for this verse:

Rabbi Yishmael explains2 that this verse is teaching us that before the Yidin (the Jewish people) entered Eretz Yisroel (the Land of Israel) they were not allowed to eat meat out of desire, they were only allowed to eat meat from the Sacrifices which they brought, however now, once Hashem brought them into Eretz Yisroel and broadened their boundaries, they were allowed to eat meat out of desire.

the Weekly Sedra – Eikev – All for the Boss

Sholom Aleichem. Serving a master is a part of life. For some the master is the pursuit of wealth while for others it could be intellectual satisfaction. Ideally, one recognizes the Master of the World and serves only Him. Serve this or serve that, but serve one must.

Being a servant has various formats. One can be a simple servant who performs his/her duties out of absolute obedience or one can be a devoted servant who serves happily due to the realization of the great lofty status of the master. In Chassidic philosophy this matter is discussed at great length. By understanding the master/servant relationship we will be able to utilize that understanding in our serving the Master of the World.

The Weekly Sedra – Parshas Eikev

The Rebbe says:

1. The Haftarah (a short selection from the Prophets, read every week after the regular Torah portion) of this week’s Torah portion is part of a series of “seven Haftaros of comfort” which we read between the Ninth of Av1 and Rosh Hashanah (the New Year).

The “seven Haftaros of comfort” are called thus because they speak about our final redemption and this gives us comfort and strength to overcome this dark exile.

2. The Rebbe now explains that the Torah portion after which the “Haftarah of comfort” is read must also be a Torah portion of comfort:

The Weekly Sedra – Va’eschanan – Signage

Sholom Aleichem. The scene was right before a meal about 110 years ago. Rabbi Sholom Ber Schneersohn, the third Chabad Rebbe known as the Rashab, was washing for bread. He was meticulous in everything and ritual washing before bread was no exception. Suddenly, his younger brother Rabbi Menachem Mendel rushed in breathlessly.

“What a discovery!” exclaimed Rabbi Menachem Mendel, “Doctors in France have discovered a vein in the back of the human head. This vein can help one to concentrate or remember. When one leans forward this vein causes the blood to flow towards the part of the brain that aids concentration and helps one concentrate. When one leans back this vein causes blood to flow towards the memory part of the brain and helps one recall.”

The Weekly Sedra – Parshas Va’eschanan

The Rebbe says:

1. In this week’s Torah portion Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses our teacher) recounts what happened at Mount Sinai where the Yidin (the Jewish people) received the Ten Commandments/ the Torah.

During this repetition of the Ten Commandments, Moshe Rabbeinu reminds the Yidin that throughout the giving of the Ten Commandments the voice of Hashem was “a great voice which did not stop” .

2. The Rebbe now quotes the Midrash which brings three possible meanings for “it was a great voice which did not stop” :

The Weekly Sedra – Parshas Devarim

The Rebbe says:

1. With this week’s Torah portion we will read and study a new Book in the “Chumas” (the five books of Moses). So far this year we have experienced the Book of Bereishis (Genesis), the Book of Shemos (Exodus), the Book of Vayikra (Leviticus) and the Book of Bamidbar (Numbers). This Shabbos we begin the Fifth Book- the Book of Devarim (Deuteronomy).

2. This Shabbos (Sabbath) is called “Shabbos Chazon – The Shabbos of the (prophetic) vision”. This is because the Haftorah1 this week begins “This is the (prophetic) vision of Yeshayahu son of Amotz…”2.

The Weekly Sedra – Parshas Mattos-Masei

The Rebbe says:

1. In the beginning of the second Torah portion which we read this week (Parshas Masei) the Torah tells us about all the journeys which the Jewish people traveled from the time they left Egypt until they finally entered in to the Land of Israel[1].

Rashi [2] tells us that there were 42 journeys in all [3].

2. The Rebbe shows us the Chassidic insight regarding these journeys:

The Weekly Sedra – Parshas Pinchas

The Rebbe says:

1. In the beginning of this week’s Torah portion Hashem tells Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses our teacher) that Pinchas deserves a great reward for “zealously avenging My vengeance” and therefore Pinchas should now become part of the Kohanim (a holy sect within the Jewish people who served Hashem in the Beis Hamikdash). (See chapter 25, Verses 10 through 13).

The Weekly Sedra – Parshas Balak

The Rebbe says:

1. In this week’s Torah portion a non-Jewish king named Balak asks Balaam (a non-Jewish man who was able to converse with Hashem and had special gifts) to curse the Jewish people. In the end Balaam was not able to curse the Jewish people, and only Blessings came out of his mouth.

2. One of the Blessings to the Jewish people which came out of Balaam’s mouth was; “For from its origin, I see it rock like, and from hills do I view it. Behold! It is a nation that will dwell in solitude and not be reckoned among the nations” (see Chapter 23, Verse 9).

The Weekly Sedra – Parshas Chukas

The Rebbe says:

1. In this week’s Torah portion Hashem sets down the statute of the Red Heifer. The red heifer (Parah Adumah) is a young cow that is sacrificed and whose ashes are used for the ritual purification of people who came into contact with a corpse.

2. The Rebbe discusses the different categories of Mitzvos:

There are three different types of Mitzvos (with regards to how we understand them).

Gimmel Tammuz 5767

Tonight is Gimmel Tammuz, marking thirteen years since the passing of the Rebbe in 1994.

Two weeks after the Previous Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn (1880-1950) passed away, my grandfather Reb Yochanan Gordon was in the synagogue at 770 Eastern Parkway, which houses Lubavitch World Headquarters. This was yet before the Rebbe had openly accepted the mantle of leadership. It was a mere two weeks after the Previous Rebbe’s passing!

My Bubbe Zeesy had been seriously ill and the doctors didn’t give her situation much hope. The Rebbe had already heard that she was sick when he met my zayde. “Reb Yochanon, I heard that your wife is not feeling well.” Zayde confirmed his suspicion. Then the Rebbe said, “Why don’t you ask my father-in-law what to do?” Zayde said he had gone to the Previous Rebbe’s resting place but did not know where to turn for guidance. The Rebbe told him, “Ask, ask. My father-in-law will surely find a way to answer you.”

Continued in the Extended Article.

The Weekly Sedra – Parshas Korach

The Rebbe says:

1. In this week’s Torah portion the Torah tells us about how Korach incited the people against Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses our teacher) and his brother Aharon the Kohen Gadol (High priest). This comes after last week’s story of the Meraglim (spies) who had their own agenda and reported to the Jewish assembly that the Land of Canaan was not for them.

The basic thrust of Korach’s argument was that if every single Jew is a part of one “Holy Nation” (as Hashem calls us) why is there only one Kohen Gadol? Korach said “Why do you exalt yourselves over the congregation of Hashem?” (see Chapter 16, Verse 3).

The Weekly Sedra – Parshas Shelach

The Rebbe says:

1. In this week’s Torah portion Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses our teacher) sends 12 spies (12 “Miraglim”) to examine the Land of Canaan (which would later be called the Land of Israel).

When the 12 spies returned from inspecting the land, 10 spies reported to Moshe Rabeinu and the entire assembly of the Jewish people that the inhabitants of the Land of Canaan were too strong for the Jewish people to conquer. The Talmud tells us that the 10 spies were even saying that the inhabitants of the Land of Canaan are stronger then Hashem (!) and “even the householder (Hashem) cannot remove his utensils from there (because the Canaanites are stronger then he)”, (see Tractate Sotah, Page 35, Side 1).

The Weekly Sedra – Parshas Beha’aloscha

The Rebbe says:

This talk will be based on a verse in this week’s Haftorah (a short selection from the Prophets which we read after reading the regular Torah portion):

1. In this week’s Haftorah the Torah tells us that the Prophet Zechariya refers to the Jewish people and says “I see and behold there is a Menorah made entirely of gold…with it’s seven branches…”.

2. The Rebbe now explains to us why the Prophet Zechariya compared the Menorah and the Jewish people:

The Weekly Sedra – Parshas Nasso

The Rebbe says:

1. In this week’s Torah portion the idea of Sotah is discussed (Chapter 5, Verses 11 through 31). A Sotah is a woman who was hidden together with another man other then her husband after her husband zealously warned her saying “do not be alone with so-and-so”. The Sotah is brought to the Kohen in the Beis Hamikdash (the Holy Temple) and there is a whole procedure (the Kohen offers her the option of confessing to having relations with another man, if she still denies the claim the Kohen prepares a drink with the name of Hashem in it and gives it to her to drink If she was guilty she would die and if she was innocent she would gain great blessings). This is the case even if the woman did not actually sin with the other man, as long as she was hidden with another man she is brought to the Beis Hamikdash.

The Weekly Sedra – Shavuot: The Destination

A professor once lamented to the Lubavitcher Rebbe about the depravity of human nature. “While most people,” argued the academic, “seem very nice and charming on the outside, beneath the surface we all tend to share the same ugly essence. We are all selfish, arrogant, and egotistical. Why should the intrinsic character of man be so abhorrent?”

The Rebbe responded with a parable: “When one strolls in the street one sees lovely houses, green lawns, flowery trees, paved roads and shiny cars. But when one takes a hoe and digs beneath the surface he exposes nothing but dirt and more dirt, all the surface beauty is gone.”