tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69262575220682948542024-02-19T08:18:09.884-08:00Jewish StoriesUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger287125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926257522068294854.post-1644437450808634522014-06-16T14:33:00.001-07:002014-06-16T14:33:04.580-07:00You Don't Have To Worry About Parnassah<center style="background-color: white;">
By Shimon Katzman</center>
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Back in 1990 a friend was having some problems. I suggested that he go to the Lubavitcher Rebbe for a blessing. Although not a chasid, I greatly revere the Rebbe.</div>
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"Okay," he said, "but only if you come with me."</div>
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I agreed.</div>
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We came to 770 (Lubavitch World Headquarters at 770 Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn) on Sunday morning and waited patiently on line for four hours. Over 5,000 people had come to receive a blessing and a dollar to give to charity from the Rebbe. As we approached the Rebbe, I began to think of a problem I had at work. I was under so much pressure from my boss that I had considered changing jobs or transferring to a different unit. I decided to ask the Rebbe what to do.</div>
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The line moved quickly. As I approached the Rebbe, I blurted out my question of whether or not to change jobs. To my surprise, the Rebbe answered, "If you have kosher tefilin you don't have to worry about parnasa (livelihood)."</div>
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That's strange, I thought to myself. How could there be something wrong with my tefilin? The scribes who had checked the tefilin over the years had consistently noted how nicely they were written. They recognized the handwriting of the scribe and would add, "He is one of the best scribes in Israel."</div>
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Could it be that my tefilin were not kosher? Was there a possibility that I had not worn kosher tefilin for 30 years? Why, the mere thought of it scared me. I immediately went to a scribe and had him check them over.</div>
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"It's a very nice pair of kosher tefilin," the scribe said. I breathed a sigh of relief, but I was still puzzled by the Rebbe's remarks. Thus, two weeks later I returned to the Rebbe to clarify the matter.</div>
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"I checked my tefilin and the scribe said they're kosher," I reported.</div>
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"How can that be?" said the Rebbe as he handed me a dollar. "Is the scribe an honest, reliable Jew?"</div>
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"Yes," I answered. Once again I was surprised at the Rebbe's remark. I had a strange feeling. I went to another scribe. I told the scribe the entire story and he carefully examined the leather boxes for any imperfections. He used a light table to check the parchments for minute cracks in the ink that may render tefilin posul, not kosher. Once again, nothing was found.</div>
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Unsatisfied, I went to the Vaad Mishmeres STAM, an organization that had developed a way of checking Torah scrolls, tefilin, and mezuzot by computer scanning to see if any letters are missing. Again the results were negative.</div>
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Now, for the third time, I returned to the Rebbe. This time as I passed the Rebbe I said to him, "I checked my tefilin by two different scribes and by computer and they said they're kosher."</div>
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"Nu," said the Rebbe, "if two honest scribes say they're kosher, then it's not your responsibility; it's their responsibility."</div>
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I was totally upset! Obviously the Rebbe was very insistent that something was wrong. I went to a great rabbi and told him the whole story.</div>
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The rabbi said to me, "Even if the Lubavitcher Rebbe is like an angel who sees things that no person can see, the Torah was not given to angels. We can only be expected to do what humans can do."</div>
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"Yes," I said. "But what's going to be 'after 120 years,' when I'm standing before the Heavenly Tribunal and they say, 'Shimon, you never wore kosher tefilin in your lifetime!' "</div>
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"Listen," said the rabbi, "don't worry. Heaven cannot expect you to do more than you did. If they ruled here on earth that your tefilin are kosher then it's kosher and you've done your duty."</div>
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I was still not at ease, so I went out and bought the finest pair of tefilin money can buy. The following morning, on the eve of Yom Kippur, I put on the new pair of tefilin for the very first time.</div>
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The night after Yom Kippur my wife, Brocha, received an interesting phone call. For six weeks she had been vying for a new position in her school as the Assistant Principal. However, the principal refused to give it to her. He claimed that since the school was growing he wanted to hire someone from outside to do the job. My wife countered that since she had been doing the job of the Assistant Principal until now, she should receive the title and the increase in salary. For six weeks the principal had been interviewing candidates for the job.</div>
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That night, the principal called to tell her, "I've decided it's only right that you be the assistant principal. And you'll be getting a five thousand-dollar raise."</div>
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We suddenly recalled the Rebbe's words: "If you have kosher tefilin, you don't have to worry about parnasa." A few months later my boss left my department and the pressure was finally off.</div>
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But the story doesn't end there. For several years after buying the new tefilin I continued to wear my old tefilin. I would put them on after I finished praying.</div>
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During that time I had applied for various managerial positions and had requested that my titled be upgraded. I had four people working under me but I was unsuccessful in getting a managerial title. My boss would tell me, "There are no more managerial slots to be filled, the department has reached its limit."</div>
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Someone told me that there was an unused title of "supervisor." He recommended I speak to my boss about it. My boss said he would look into it.</div>
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Months passed. In the interim, I had stopped wearing my old pair of tefilin and was now only putting on the "new" pair. One day, my boss called me and said, "I have good news for you, you're finally being promoted to supervisor and that means you'll be getting a ten percent raise!"</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926257522068294854.post-50769218921457907332014-06-16T14:28:00.003-07:002014-06-16T14:28:40.343-07:00TEFILIN, MEMORY AND ME<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<center style="background-color: white; color: #663333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px;">
by Steve Batkin</center>
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Europe is not a good place to have a car accident. But it does happen.</div>
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My wife, Annette and I were driving through Switzerland to get to France. Annette had a "premonition" that made her anxious about Switzerland but we took that route anyway. Annette drove.</div>
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At one point while we were driving, we entered a 5-way intersection. The way was clear so we proceeded. And then I saw a car heading directly for me from the side. I actually made eye contact with the driver, who continued towards me until he slammed into us.</div>
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Since we were hit on the side, we were thrown sideways. Annette's feet were bruised and I slammed my head on the door pillar. The police were there in about 45 seconds, directing traffic, towing our car to the side and making sure we were alright.</div>
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It seems that the Swiss want drivers to admit guilt or innocence at the accident scene. The one officer who spoke English told me that the accident was our fault because there was a white line on the pavement which indicated we were to stop. If we didn't admit on the spot that it was our fault we would have to go before a judge. Based on a police report which would state that we were at fault, the judge would find us guilty, so we might as well admit our guilt here and now, the officer "counseled" us. As we didn't feel we had much of a choice, we said we were guilty so we could go on our way.</div>
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The police drove us to the car repair shop, got ice for our bruises and waited until the garage could locate a replacement car. When they told us that the new car would have to come from Geneve (we were in Lusane), we realized we had some time on our hands. The police then volunteered to take us to the downtown area so we could continue our touring. We returned later by taxi, picked up our replacement car and were on our way. All of this took a mere 3 hours. Now that's efficient!</div>
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Upon our return to Connecticut, I realized that my sense of direction was gone. I could no longer find my way home from the bagel shop or the grocery store. If I went out on my own, I had to use my car phone and get directions. It often took 20 minutes to travel 2 miles because I went 15 miles out of the way trying to get there. A CAT scan and exam revealed no permanent damage, but my doctor said it was probably a concussion and my sense of direction would probably come back. Someday.</div>
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A few months later, we were asked to host Rabbi Laibl Wolf of Australia who would be a guest lecturer at the Chabad Center in Greenwich. I got lost taking him to his lecture, but eventually we got there. The next morning, we went for a walk at the PepsiCo headquarters. After a brisk hour walk, I realized that I could not find my car. I was utterly lost again. Rabbi Wolf led me, totally embarrassed, back to the car.</div>
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At home, Rabbi Wolf said he thought he could help with my memory problem. I was intrigued. How? Rabbi Wolf then began to explain to me, based on a talk of the Rebbe, that putting on tefilin would help.</div>
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My immediate reaction was that I had been fooled by Rabbi Wolf's entire presentation the previous evening. After having listened to his lecture, I had thought he was an enlightened educator, "despite" the fact that he was an Orthodox Jew. And here he was, telling me in essence, "Don't think about it. Don't understand it. Don't ask questions. Just do the mitzva."</div>
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Well, he was a guest. And as I'd always been taught to treat guests politely, I agreed to put on tefilin. It was as simple as 1, 2, 3. Just put it on, say the Shema and the subseqent v'ahavta paragraph, and take it off. That's all. Three minutes later he left and I went to work.</div>
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But my brain still felt like mush and I got lost again. Maybe it takes time to help, I consoled myself hopefully. The next morning I put on tefilin again, 1, 2, 3. I could barely find my way to work. After work I got totally lost again and could barely get back home.</div>
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This can't be what the Rebbe meant, I told myself. I decided to try and do some research. I looked in the Talmud. In the section called Brachot it says that saying the Shema properly includes saying the three paragraphs immediate following the Shema as well. Why? Because there are 248 words in the Shema and the subsequent 3 paragraphs and these 248 words correspond to the body's 248 limbs and organs. To make sure that all of one's limbs and organs stay healthy one needs to recite all 248 words.</div>
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I decided that the next day I would add the 2 paragraphs I hadn't been saying. Now, this may sound hokey, but my memory came right back! I haven't gotten lost since then, and what's more, I can even visualize directions in my head, which I was never able to do very well before.</div>
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Though I haven't been able to find out for sure, I figure that the word from those 248 words that keeps your brain healthy must be in the 2nd or 3rd paragraph after Shema. So everyday, before I exercise, I put on tefilin and say those 248 words. I don't know why, but it works.</div>
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Steve Batkin, an insurance salesman and engineer, lives in Greenwich, Connecticut with his wife and children.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926257522068294854.post-15331797233895421562014-06-08T20:14:00.002-07:002014-06-08T20:14:15.350-07:00A Well Deserved Spanking<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://etc.usf.edu/clipart/45500/45507/45507_boy_birds_lg.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://etc.usf.edu/clipart/45500/45507/45507_boy_birds_lg.gif" height="196" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #663333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">The love and patience which Rabbi Yitzchak Shaul showed to all the people he met - men, women and children - were unsurpassed. Even animals and birds benefitted from his uniquely warm and caring personality. This, his father, Rabbi Nissan, had implanted in him since earliest childhood. His father always told him that one must love everything that G-d has made, and one must not harm any of His creatures.</span><br />
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Rabbi Nissan had had good reason to teach his son to be merciful, for, as a child, like many other children, Yitzchak Shaul had thought nothing of throwing stones at birds, chasing cows, goats, dogs or cats.</div>
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Rabbi Nissan had a favorite rooster. Each morning it crowed loudly, awakening Rabbi Nissan at the break of dawn, thus allowing him to begin his day. Rabbi Nissan looked after the rooster himself, making sure it had enough to eat, and keeping it in good health so that nothing would effect its excellent crowing. The louder the cock crowed, the more pleased was Rabbi Nissan. But not so little Yitzchak Shaul. As much as his father loved the rooster, so did his young son hate it. He delighted in persecuting the bird at every opportunity.</div>
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One day, unnoticed by Yitzchak Shaul, Rabbi Nissan came into the yard and observed his son's cruel behavior toward all of the farm animals, and the rooster in particular. Suddenly, Yitzchak Shaul felt a heavy hand on his shoulder and looked up to see his father's angry face.</div>
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"So, this is the way you spend your time! Ill-treating helpless creatures!" his father rebuked him sternly. "I could never imagine that a child of mine could be so cruel!"</div>
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The frightened little boy thought his father would surely give him a beating, he looked so angry. But this was not Rabbi Nissan's way. He was a teacher of young boys. But in all of his years of teaching, he had never laid a hand on his pupils, nor any of his own children. True, his "strap" hung on the wall of the class-room. But if a pupil deserved punishment Rabbi Nissan had only to indicate the strap on the wall, and tell him what he deserved, and it was always enough for the culprit.</div>
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Entering the house with his son, Rabbi Nissan asked him to bring the Talmud and open it to page 125. He told him to read the section relating to the injunction to look after chickens with gentle care. "See how the Torah thinks of everything," Rabbi Nissan enthusiastically explained to his little son. "In another part of the Talmud, we find that we must never sit down to a meal before first looking after our animals.</div>
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"Thus, we see that we must first of all care for the other of G-d's creatures before we look after our own needs. Yet, you, my son, have not only ignored this teaching, but have moreover shown a cruelty towards the poor creatures, which I could hardly have believed possible in a child of mine!"</div>
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Yitzchak Shaul trembled before the reproof and reproach of his father. He thought his father had finished with him when, instead, he heard his father saying in a very serious voice:</div>
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"You know that it is not in my nature to hit anyone, and I have never hit you, but this time, I am going to ask you to take down the strap which is hanging on the wall. I want you to understand the pain you have inflicted upon the creatures you have so thoughtlessly persecuted."</div>
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Yitzchak Shaul gravely took a chair and reached up for the strap which he had never before seen his father use. This in itself impressed upon him the enormity of his crime.</div>
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"Before I hit you," Rabbi Nissan said, "I want you to know quite clearly that the only reason I am doing this, is so that you will the better remember the pain you have inflicted upon the birds and other living creatures."</div>
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This was the first and last time Rabbi Nissan ever used the strap on Yitzchak Shaul, and he accepted them without a murmur.</div>
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Rabbi Nissan quickly went into another room without a backward glance, and a moment later Yitzchak Shaul heard his father crying, deep and painful sobs escaping him which he seemed unable to restrain.</div>
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When Yitzchak Shaul heard his father sobbing, he realized that it was all his fault for having made his father do something so contrary to his nature. This gave the little boy more pain that the actual hitting, and he determined, from that moment, never again to hurt anything or anyone.</div>
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He felt the pain a couple of days, and walked about full of regret and shame for his misdeeds. On the third day, he suddenly went up to his father, kissed him and asked him, with tears in his eyes, if he would forgive him.</div>
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Rabbi Nissan's eyes also filled with tears as he said to his son tenderly, "My son, you are still a little boy and I, your father, have to bear all your sins, which are not quite serious. But it would be dreadful if you grew up to be an unfeeling, cruel creature!"</div>
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Yitzchak Shaul felt a changed boy. Gone was his previous pleasure in his cruel pastimes.</div>
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<i><small>From The Lubavitcher Rebbe's Memoirs</small></i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926257522068294854.post-30833743902947533572014-06-08T20:07:00.001-07:002014-06-08T20:07:10.172-07:00The Hidden Tzadik Who Saved Kobrin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #663333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">Reb Leib Sarah's was born with the blessing of the Baal Shem Tov (Besht). Early on, he became famous as a miracle-worker, and he was sent on many missions by the Besht to aid Jews.</span><br />
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One day, as he stood in the marketplace of Berdichev, a Jew approached him and exclaimed, "Thank G-d, I've found you!" The Jew, named Reb Binyomin, was the head of the community of Kobrin, and he had a serious problem.</div>
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The small town of Kobrin belonged to the Count Upinsky. While the old count had been friendly to the Jews, inviting them to settle on his lands rent-free, his son and successor was a bitter anti-Semite. The young count was now threatening to expel the Jews and seize all their property unless they paid him both rent and interest for all the years they had lived on his estate.</div>
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Reb Leib listened attentively to this terrible story, and then promised to try to intercede with the count. The very next day Leib Sarah's travelled to Kobrin and stood before the nobleman, ready to plead the Jew's case. The count was momentarily startled by the sudden unexpected appearance of the stately old Jew, but he recovered quickly and demanded immediate payment of the "debt."</div>
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Reb Leib replied in measured tones: "Sir, your father never expected or demanded rent from the Jews, and I ask you in all fairness to cancel their debt, for payment had never been intended. In return they will pray for your success and well-being all the days of your life."</div>
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"I do not need their prayers, but their money I cannot do without!" was his angry reply.</div>
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Leib Sarah's shot the count a burning, penetrating look that had the effect of calming his anger. The count soon regained his composure and continued: "Listen, I am going to make you an offer in the strictest confidence; take care no Jew betrays me. Our Polish people are tired of the Russian Czar's oppression. We are organizing a rebellion and we want Jews to join our side. If you agree, the debt will be cancelled."</div>
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"No, sir, this we cannot do. Our religion commands us to support the government under which we live. We may not join you."</div>
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His reply enraged the count. "Get out," he screamed. "You will pay dearly for this!"</div>
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Reb Leib returned to Binyomin with news of his failed mission. "Now, I will send you to someone who can indeed help. But you must keep this strictly secret."</div>
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Deep in the forest was a small hut where a poor broom-maker lived with his wife. It was here Binyomin was to go with all his provisions for Shabbat. Arriving at the hut Binyomin saw an old woman sitting in a poorly-furnished room. Just then her husband arrived, his face showing no surprise at the unexpected guest.</div>
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Binyomin prayed under the fragrant fir trees, and then entered the hut to find the old man reading the Grace After Meals slowly like a small child. After quickly eating, Binyomin lay down on a bench outside and fell asleep.</div>
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In the middle of the night he was awakened by the sound of a voice singing Shabbat melodies. The voice came from the hut, but a heavenly voice seemed to echo back. The hut shone with a burning light; Binyomin quickly shut his eyes, and when he opened them again, it was morning.</div>
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The night's vision convinced Binyomin that the broom-maker was no ordinary man. He could hardly wait for the end of the Shabbat to reveal his mission.</div>
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But before he could relay his request, the broom-maker came to him and said: "The Guardian of Israel has heard the prayers of the Holy congregation of Kobrin. The count's decree is null and void. Go in peace, but never tell anyone about this Shabbat."</div>
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The next morning Binyomin returned home to hear what had occurred. On Shabbat morning a refinement of Russian cossacks stormed the count's castle, arresting him for treason. The governor it seems, had suspected Upinsky of traitorous activities. One day a letter was intercepted which said that the count had been unsuccessful in enlisting the support of the Jews for the rebellion. With this evidence the castle was seized and the rebellion quashed.</div>
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In appreciation of their loyalty, the Czar awarded the Kobrin Jews the land of the Upinskys as a perpetual free hold, rent and tax-free.</div>
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<i><small>Adapted from Talks and Tales</small></i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926257522068294854.post-39622923501137695192014-06-08T19:52:00.000-07:002014-06-08T19:52:00.776-07:00How Reb Moshe Leib Of Sassov Became A Chossid<a href="http://www.lionstuffedanimals.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Aurora-Stuffed-Lion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.lionstuffedanimals.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Aurora-Stuffed-Lion.jpg" height="210" width="320" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #663333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">The city of Brod was renowned for its Torah scholars, the most famous of whom was the sage Rabbi Moshe Leib. Like many of his colleagues at the time, he was wary of the new Chasidic movement that was then making inroads.</span><br />
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The sexton of Rabbi Moshe Leib's synagogue had a daughter who had been suffering for some time from a mysterious digestive disorder. When the sexton heard about the Chasidic Rebbe Elimelech of Lizhensk, he decided to go to him to ask for a blessing for his daughter. The Rebbe gave him some food his wife had prepared, and instructed him to feed it to the girl. As soon as she tasted it her pains went away.</div>
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The sexton was filled with wonder and appreciation. He was so impressed by what had happened that he decided to share the good news with Rabbi Moshe Leib. He urged him to go to Rabbi Elimelech to see for himself.</div>
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At first Rabbi Moshe Leib was adamantly opposed to the plan, considering it a waste of time that could be better utilized studying Torah. "And besides," he countered, "you know I don't really believe in these newfangled wonder workers..."</div>
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But the sexton was persistent. "On the contrary," he said. "You, as a rabbi, have an obligation to check him out for yourself. If you determine that Rabbi Elimelech isn't a true tzadik (righteous person), you can persuade people not to go to him. But if you find that he really is a holy man, you will have succeeded in dispelling a lot of false notions."</div>
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In the end Rabbi Moshe Leib consented and traveled to Lizhensk. The whole way there he thought about what he would say to the Chasidic master, and composed various questions to test his scholarship and piety.</div>
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Rabbi Moshe Leib arrived in Lizhensk on a Friday afternoon. He was surprised when he saw that Rabbi Elimelech lived in a tiny little house - not the grand mansion that he had imagined. His surprise grew when he realized that Rabbi Elimelech himself was standing on the threshold, waiting for him. The tzadik extended his hand in greeting.</div>
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"Come in, come in," he said to him warmly. "I've heard so much about you. They say that you're one of the most distinguished Torah scholars in all of Brod." Rabbi Moshe Leib felt a surge of pride.</div>
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"Therefore," Rabbi Elimelech continued, "I'd like to tell you an interesting story." Rabbi Moshe Leib's face fell, but the tzadik didn't seem to notice.</div>
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"There was once a brave warrior who did battle with a ferocious lion and succeeded in slaying it. To commemorate his heroic deed, he skinned the animal and filled its hide with straw. He then placed the stuffed lion in front of his house so that everyone would know how strong and courageous he was.</div>
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"When the rumor spread that there was a lion guarding his door, all the animals of the forest came to see for themselves. They stood at a distance, too fearful to approach. But there was once clever fox who quickly perceived that the lion wasn't moving. He crept closer, and with one paw swiped at the beast. When he saw that it wasn't alive, he tore the skin apart and the straw fell out. All the animals laughed and returned to the forest."</div>
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Rabbi Moshe Leib looked at the tzadik, not comprehending his meaning. Why had he made the long trip from Brod to Lizhensk? To hear animal stories? He couldn't believe that Rabbi Elimelech had nothing more important to do on a Friday afternoon than tell tales. He was about to say good-bye and return to his inn when the tzadik continued. "No, don't leave just yet. I have another story to tell you.</div>
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"There was once a very poor man who had never in his life owned a new set of clothes. One day his luck changed, and he came into a large inheritance. The first thing he did was to summon a tailor and commission a fine new garment as befits a nobleman. The tailor measured the man from head to toe, and a few days later returned for the first fitting.</div>
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"The man put on the half-completed suit as the tailor rearranged the pins and basting stitches and made little markings with chalk. Ignorant of the way a custom garment is made, the man assumed the tailor was mocking him and threw him out of the house, despite his protestations."</div>
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That was the end of the story. Rabbi Moshe Leib, completely confused, went back to the inn to prepare for Shabbat.</div>
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Then it hit him: Perhaps the tzadik was talking about him with his strange tales? Maybe he was trying to tell him that he was only a "stuffed lion"? And like the poor man with the new set of clothes, could it be that he was only posturing as a nobleman? His whole life would have to be reconsidered...</div>
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That evening in the synagogue Rabbi Moshe Leib studied the tzadik in an entirely different way. He became an ardent disciple of Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk, and later a Chasidic master himself in the city of Sasov.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926257522068294854.post-40982082981263330942014-06-08T19:46:00.003-07:002014-06-08T19:46:42.201-07:00The Scar On Shloimele's Arm<a href="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQGQNLYJu4lzZxq4xkzTY_z-Qr3MSBA5e6S9EX6TrAY8xgY_idr" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQGQNLYJu4lzZxq4xkzTY_z-Qr3MSBA5e6S9EX6TrAY8xgY_idr" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #663333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">Little Shloimeleh was the youngest of the family's nine children. He had a quick smile and intelligent eyes. Shloimeleh's favorite time was Friday afternoon, when his mother lit the Shabbat candles. He loved to watch them burn in their polished candlesticks.</span><br />
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But one Shabbat eve, when his mother had closed her eyes to recite the blessing, one of the candles fell on Shloimeleh's arm, badly burning him.</div>
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Time passed, and the burn eventually healed. But little Shloimeleh was left with an ugly scar on his forearm as a reminder of the incident.</div>
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Then WWII broke out, and Poland was invaded by the Germans. As part of the "final solution," all the Jews in Shloimeleh's town were rounded up and sent to concentration camps. Reb Avraham, Shloimeleh's father, was forcibly separated from the rest of his family. It was the last time he would see his wife and children. Reb Avraham was later interred in a labor camp. Miraculously he survived the Holocaust, and eventually found himself in Russia.</div>
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Reb Avraham was now alone in the world. Physically exhausted and consumed with grief, he tried to lessen his pain by learning, praying, and teaching Torah and mitzvot (commandments) to Jewish children, many of whom had never been exposed to Judaism. Aside from organizing a secret yeshiva, he also served as a mohel (ritual circumciser). But of all his religious achievements, the tiny synagogue he established was closest to his heart.</div>
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Needless to say, Reb Avraham's activities were completely illegal; time and again he was cautioned by the Communist authorities. But Reb Avraham felt he had nothing to lose. After going through everything he had, what else could they do to him? He continued to spread Torah and mitzvot, and spent even more time in his little shul.</div>
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The most persistent of Reb Avraham's tormentors was a young Communist named Natishka. Reb Avraham could hardly take a step without being followed by him. Natishka repeatedly warned him that he would end up before a firing squad if he didn't shape up.</div>
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Around this time Reb Avraham decided to apply for an exit visa to Israel. He was very surprised when his request was approved. In truth, Reb Avraham had mixed feelings about leaving Russia. On the one hand, he was grateful for the opportunity to spend the rest of his days in the Holy Land. Yet on the other, he worried about the fate of his brethren. Who would keep the embers of Judaism burning after he was gone?</div>
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As the date of his departure grew near, Reb Avraham spent most of his time in his beloved synagogue. Emboldened by the prospect of imminent freedom, he abandoned some of his usual precautions.</div>
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One evening Reb Avraham entered the shul and lit several memorial candles in remembrance of his family. His eyes filled with tears as he recalled their faces. In a voice choked with emotion he began to recite Psalms, and the sound carried out into the street...</div>
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At that moment, Natishka happened to pass by and decided to investigate. When he saw what the Jew was up to he became incensed.</div>
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"When will you ever learn?" he screamed at him. "When will you finally give up your obsolete practices?" Once and for all, he would teach the Jew a lesson. He began to roll up his sleeves...</div>
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Reb Avraham remained tranquil. Having already been beaten many times, there was nothing new about the prospect of physical violence. "Shema Yisrael!" ("Hear O Israel"), he called out in a clear if somewhat trembling voice. "The L-rd is our G-d, the L-rd is One!"</div>
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It was then that he looked up and noticed Natishka's bare forearm, poised to strike. A long scar, evidence of an old burn, wound its way down his arm in a very familiar pattern...</div>
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"Shloimeleh!" Reb Avraham cried out. "Is that you, my son?"</div>
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The young Communist's face drained of color as his hand froze in midair. Inexplicably, his eyes were drawn to the candles' flames, as if they reminded him of something long hidden and repressed... A cry erupted from his throat as his eyes filled with tears. He embraced the elderly Jew and began to weep like a small child.</div>
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"Tatteh (father)!" he wailed inconsolably. "Tatteh, forgive me!"</div>
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Father and son marveled at how Divine Providence had brought them together. Not long afterward they both emigrated to Israel. And each week thereafter, as they gazed into the Shabbat candles, they pondered their indebtedness to them for their reunion.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926257522068294854.post-64995527657137881102014-06-03T10:36:00.003-07:002014-06-03T10:36:57.086-07:00Pouring Rain from a Cloudless Sky<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The synagogue of the Baal Shem Tov in Medzhibuzh, Ukraine.</div>
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<em>In honor of the Baal Shem Tov’s Yahrtzeit, which occurs on the first day of Shavuos, we present a fascinating story of the legendary founder of the Chasidic movement, written by renowned author <strong>Rabbi Sholom Dovber Avtzon</strong>:</em></div>
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On one occasion, the Alter Rebbe asked of those who were at a gathering, if anyone knows a truly amazing story of the Baal Shem Tov. [A miracle, that only he and no other tzaddik, had the ability to accomplish].</div>
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One of the elder chassidim replied I know of one such wondrous miracle.</div>
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The Baal Shem Tov would often toivel in the mikva, either before or after saying tikkun chatzos. Often this meant to go to the river and toivel in it. During the frigid winter, that also meant first breaking through the ice on top of the river, and making a large enough opening in it and then toiveling in the frigid water.</div>
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One such winter night, the Baal Shem Tov remained in the water much longer than usual and the gabbai noticed that the torch he had was about to flicker out. The fire of the torch, not only illuminated their way, but it also served as a source of warmth for the Baal Shem Tov, when he came out of the freezing water.</div>
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Nervously, he cried out to the Baal Shem Tov that the torch was going to extinguish itself any moment.</div>
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The Baal Shem Tov told him to take a large icicle and light it. The gabbai did so and it burned exactly as a regular torch.</div>
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That is indeed a remarkable story replied the Alter Rebbe, but that does not show the unique greatness of the Baal Shem Tov. The Gemorah tells us that something extremely similar occurred with the great Tanna Reb Chanina ben Dosa.</div>
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One erev Shabbos Reb Chaninah’s daughter sadly informed him that they don’t have any oil to use to light the candles in honor of the Shabbos.</div>
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Reb Chanina inquired, “And what liquid do we have in the house?”</div>
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She answered; “We have a measurement of vinegar.”</div>
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Reb Chanina instructed her to fill the container with the vinegar. He then said “The One who said that oil [has the ability] to burn, can say to this vinegar that when it is lit, it would burn and give off light. And indeed that is what happened.</div>
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True Reb Channina was of the greatest taanaim and to be compared to Reb Chanina is indeed an extraordinary accomplishment. However, that doesn’t show the unique greatness of the Baal Shem Tov.</div>
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Does anyone else have a truly remarkable story?</div>
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Another chossid said, I will say a story.</div>
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There was a wealthy Jew, whose only daughter was becoming of marriageable age. While there were many promising young talmidei chachomim in his own town, he desired to have an exceptional talmid chocham as a son in law. After much effort, he indeed found one such young man. The couple were married, settled down and were extremely happy. The young man learned in the beis hamidrash and grew in his learning and Torah knowledge. Everything was going as desired.</div>
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Some years passed, and the wealthy father-in-law began noticing small changes in his son-in-laws conduct and observance of mitzvos. At first, he tried to dismiss them as insignificant changes, and perhaps his learned son-in-law has reasons to conduct himself in this new manner. After all he knows much more than I do, so who am I to question him!</div>
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But as the weeks and months passed, he began noticing that he was taking off much more time from his learning and was seen in the company of others who were known to be completely non-observant. This was a situation that he was no longer able to ignore and pretend all is well.</div>
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So one day, he sat down with his son-in-law and asked him, what caused this drastic change. Is he perhaps unhappy about something or is something or someone bothering him?</div>
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The son-in-law replied, I am extremely happy and fortunate. Your daughter is an excellent and kind hearted person. She is the perfect wife, and you are very gracious to us. A man couldn’t ask for more.</div>
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But you want to know if everything is perfect, what caused these changes? I will tell you. In my learning, I began having some questions about Hashem’s ability to do certain things that our sages stated had happened. I noticed that some of the great commentators also wrote that these things are exaggerations. So I no longer knew what is real and what is being said as a way of a moshol (a parable or metaphor).</div>
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Whoever I asked either replied that those are dangerous questions, that one is not allowed to ask or gave me such weak answers and explanations, that they themselves admitted weren’t complete answers, they weren’t satisfactory. So now I have my doubts about many things, such as does Hashem really care about such minute details, for example, when you wash netilas yodaim does it have to go until the wrist and a drop off makes it invalid or it isn’t so important. And therefore I decided not to do it all.</div>
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The father-in-law was torn with grief. This is the son-in-law that he had hand-picked for his wonderful daughter, who is so proper in her observance of every mitzvah. Is everything lost chas v’sholom. No! It can’t be, he said! I must find a way to correct this.</div>
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Turning to his son-in-law he said, my dear son-in-law, you are much more learned than I, and if the great talmidei chachomim of the town couldn’t answer your questions satisfactorily, I for sure don’t have the ability. However, I am asking you one thing, please come with me to a great sage and allow him to answer and clarify everything.</div>
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Wanting to please his father-in-law, especially as he always has the ability to say the answer this sage gave, was not a real convincing or even good answer, he agreed.</div>
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The father-in-law didn’t waste any time, but immediately set out with his son-in-law to see the Baal Shem Tov. They arrived in Mezibuzh on a bright sunny day and the father-in-law poured out his troubled heart to the Baal Shem Tov and pleaded with him that he does whatever is in his ability to bring the son-in-law back to the ways of Hashem.</div>
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The Baal Shem Tov asked them to join him on a small journey. With the father-in-law sitting on his right and the son-in-law sitting on his left, they left Mezibuzh. Once they were out of the city and on the road in midst of an open field, the Baal Shem Tov turned to the son-in-law and said, “Young man can it rain now?”</div>
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Looking up to the clear blue sky, the young man replied, “No, it can’t as there isn’t a cloud in sight.”</div>
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The Baal Shem Tov said, “And I say it can rain!”</div>
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Looking up once again, the young man looked in all directions to make sure that he saw correctly and indeed there wasn’t a cloud in sight, not even a little fluffy white cloud. So he smugly retorted and said, “That is an impossibility! No way in the world can it rain here at this very moment.”</div>
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The Baal Shem Tov smiled and said, “And I say it will rain momentarily!”</div>
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A few seconds later the windows of heaven opened and a deluge of rain came pouring down. The young man was bewildered at this happening. Not only is it pouring from a cloudless sky, but the Baal Shem Tov’s wagon remained completely dry. This is truly miraculous and beyond human comprehension.</div>
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Being an extremely intelligent person, he realized why the Baal Shem Tov showed him this and didn’t try to answer his questions verbally. Far be it that the tzaddik was merely showing off to him his powers. It was much more than that; he had clearly demonstrated, that stories of our sages which are beyond human comprehension, doesn’t mean that they never occurred or are not real. There are many happenings that human intellect says one way, but in actuality they happened the opposite way – the way he thought was impossible.</div>
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Once this question was answered, he realized that all of his other questions and doubts were based on this premise. And therefore if this was resolved they all have nothing to stand on.</div>
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Full of remorse he turned to the Baal Shem Tov and beseeched of him, to guide him back to the way of Hashem.</div>
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Hearing this, the Alter Rebbe said, that story indeed shows greatness of the Baal Shem Tov.</div>
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Compiler’s note: the Mashpia from whom I heard this story continued, possibly the explanation of the greatness of this story is based on another story that the gemorah related about Reb Chanina ben Dosa. Of whom the gemorah says that Hashem calls him “Chanina My son”.</div>
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Once Reb Chanina was travelling and it was raining. Reb Chanina davenned to Hashem and said, “All the people who are in their homes are indeed happy and grateful; as this rain is needed for their crops to grow. However, I am suffering from it. I am becoming wet and uncomfortable in my travels. Hashem heard his prayers and the rain stopped immediately.</div>
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When Reb Chanina arrived home, he once again davenned. But this time he said, Chanina is comfortable, but everyone else is in pain, they need the rain. Once again his prayers were heard and accepted and it began to rain.</div>
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But what do we see, as great as Reb Chanina was, he was able to either stop the rain or cause it to rain. The Baal Shem Tov was able to do both things simultaneously. Such was his greatness.</div>
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I will conclude with the following; on the first year after his histalkus, the talmidim gathered and many of them related a miraculous story of the Baal Shem Tov that they personally were privy to. That night the Baal Shem Tov came to one of his talmidim and said, “My greatness is not my ability to do miracles, it is my yiras shamayim even on the smallest detail of a halachah.</div>
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May each one of us, strive to emulate this each on their own level.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926257522068294854.post-28059299915309186832014-05-29T14:34:00.000-07:002014-05-26T21:51:53.283-07:00Money In The HoneyIn honor of the anniversary of the passing of King David on Shavuot, we present this story from his youth.<br />
Once there lived in the Land of Israel a very wealthy Jew. Upon his death, he passed on to his wife all of his great wealth. The widow decided to leave her city in search of a place with less memories. Her main concern before going on her journey, was to find a place where she could safely leave her vast inheritance.<br />
She came upon the idea of hiding her gold coins in earthen containers, which she filled with honey. She then asked one of her late husband's close friends if he would watch over her jars of honey while she was away. The friend was happy to oblige.<br />
Months passed. One day, the friend was preparing a festive meal for his son's forthcoming marriage and they had run out of honey. The friend remembered the honey which had been left in his safekeeping by the widow. "Certainly there can be no harm in my borrowing some of the honey," the friend conjectured. "I will replace it tomorrow," he assured himself.<br />
Imagine the friend's surprise when he dipped a large spoon deep into the honey and it came out with two gold coins stuck to it. Again and again the friend dipped the spoon into the honey, and each time it came up with a small fortune. "No one but the widow and myself know that there is money in these earthen jars," thought the friend. And with that, he emptied the jars of all the gold. The next day he quickly refilled the jars to the very top with the sweet, golden syrup.<br />
A few weeks passed and the widow returned to her home-town. She had found a suitable home in a different village where she was certain she would be able to start a new life for herself. When she asked her husband's friend for the honey jars back he was only too happy to return them to her. She thanked him for having 'guarded' them for her all this time.<br />
The widow hurried home with the jars and, once inside, set out to retrieve the gold coins she had placed there months before. At first, she did not become alarmed when the spoon came up empty. But as the minutes passed, and she did not come up with one gold coin, she became hysterical. She took each jar to the back of the house and poured out the honey. She searched inside the jars but found nothing.<br />
Beside herself with grief, the widow ran to the "friend's" house, only to find that he denied any knowledge of the gold coins. "You left jars of honey in my care and I have returned the exact jars of honey that you gave me."<br />
The widow had no choice but to take him to court. The judge, however, noting that there had been no witnesses to the widow's claims that she had put gold in the jars, could not come to a verdict. He sent the case to a higher court, which eventually referred it to King Saul, himself. King Saul, however, also had no clue as to how to decide the case.<br />
While on a walk in the countryside, the widow began to sob bitterly. A young shepherd noticed her bent and broken figure, and approached to offer his assistance. The widow smiled at this innocent lad, and told him her sad story.<br />
"I have an idea that might help prove that the jars were filled with gold," said young David. 'Go to King Saul, and tell him that David, son of Jesse, would like to come to his court and to help settle this matter.'<br />
The widow was touched at the young boy's sincerity. "My dear child," she said, "I have been sent to the King by the highest court in Israel, for they could not reach a decision. How, then, do you think that you will be able to help me?"<br />
"Certainly G-d will help you. Just maybe, that help is meant to come through a young, simple shepherd such as I," David replied. The woman went to King Saul with David's request.<br />
King Saul was intrigued with the young boy's offer and invited him to come to the court. The "friend" was also summoned to the court. Over and over, the thief swore on all that was holy that he had returned the exact same jars that he had been given.<br />
"What do you say about this, my son?" asked King Saul to the young shepherd.<br />
David asked that one of the jars be brought to him and in this way he would be able to prove the truth in the widow's words. David lifted the jar above his head and smashed it against the floor. He then carefully inspected the shards of pottery that were at his feet. Triumphantly, he help up one piece of the jar and waved it in the air. Stuck to the pottery was a gold coin that had been overlooked by the thief, and the widow.<br />
The thief's evil deed had now been proven. All of Israel heard of the wisdom of the young shepherd, David, who later became one of the greatest kings of the Jewish people and from whom Moshiach is descended.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926257522068294854.post-45052514399020818292014-05-26T22:12:00.001-07:002014-05-26T22:12:23.545-07:00A Shavuot Miracle In TunisiaMatzliach "the Antique Dealer," as he was known, lived long ago in
Tunisia. He was a great lover of Torah, though not an outstanding
scholar. And, though he was not very rich, he gave charity generously.<br />
He was particularly known in the Jewish community for his special custom
in connection with Shavuot, the festival of the Giving of the Torah.
Every year he invited ten scholars to his home on the first night of
Shavuot. He prepared a fine feast for them, and after the meal they
would recite the special "Tikun" prayers and study Torah the entire
night.<br />
Matzliach started this tradition when, years earlier, he learned of the
custom to stay awake on the first night of Shavuot. At the time, he was
greatly surprised to hear that the night before G-d was to give the
Torah to the Jews at Mount Sinai, they did not stay awake! Indeed, they
slept soundly, so that when G-d descended on the mountain early in the
morning, His chosen people were not there! It wasn't that the people
were not eager to receive the Torah, but rather that they wanted to be
well rested and refreshed for the great moment of Divine Revelation.<br />
And so it became the custom of Jews everywhere to make up for this by
staying awake the night of Shavuot, in this way "correcting" what had
happened. In fact, this is what "Tikun" means - correction.<br />
One year when Shavuot approached, Matzliach found himself in a difficult
situation. Business hadn't been good and not only didn't he have money
for his usual feast, but he didn't even have the funds for food and wine
for the holiday. Sadly he told his wife Mazal about his predicament.<br />
"I still have my precious earrings," Mazal said, taking them off and
giving them to him. "Take them to the pawnbroker to get a loan until
things improve."<br />
Matzliach took the earrings to the pawnbroker and received a tidy sum.<br />
As he was walking home, Matzliach met the chief rabbi of Tunisia, Rabbi Hai Tayeb.<br />
"You saved me a trip," the Rabbi said. "I'm going around collecting for our poor, so they can celebrate Shavuot with joy."<br />
Without hesitation, Matzliach gave the Rabbi the money he had just received from the pawnbroker.<br />
On his way home, as Matzliach wondered what he would tell his wife, he heard his name called.<br />
"His Majesty sent me out to buy a set of antique coffee-cups. I have no
idea where to get them," said one of the servants of the ruler. "But you
are an antique dealer. Get them for me, and you will be amply
rewarded."<br />
"I will try my best," Matzliach promised. The dealer he went to had such
a set and was happy to sell them off cheaply to Matzliach.<br />
Matzliach went to the Royal court and was introduced to the King. "Just
what I wanted," he said. Then he asked how much he owed for the cups.<br />
After hearing the price, the surprised king asked, "That's all you paid
for these precious cups? The ruler of Tunisia is not looking for
bargains. You shall be paid their full value!"<br />
Matzliach left the king's palace with a large sum of money. Walking home, he met the Chief Rabbi again.<br />
"I can now afford to double my donation," Matzliach said happily.<br />
"Thank G-d, we both did well today," the Rabbi said. "Have a happy Shavuot."<br />
Indeed, it was a happy holiday for Matzliach and his wife Mazal. And
what made them happiest was that this year, too, they could observe
their custom of celebrating Tikun-night as before.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926257522068294854.post-58842914625828979052014-05-26T22:01:00.002-07:002014-05-26T22:01:54.868-07:00King David And The MadmanShavuot is the anniversary of the passing of King David. The following is a famous story of King David from his youth<br />
Before King David was anointed king, he was a shepherd and he spent his
time tending his flocks in the hills, fields and forests of the land of
Israel. His brilliant mind delved into all that he saw, and he tried to
understand G-d's world. Many of G-d's creatures were beautiful, others
were useful to man.<br />
One day David saw a madman wandering through the fields. His clothing
was torn, and the distracted look in his eyes bespoke a total loss of
reason. David began to reflect on the man's condition. "G-d, you have
created a world filled with beauty and perfection. Your creatures are
wondrous to behold, but this I do not understand. Why did You create
madness, which is good for nothing. Here I have seen a poor, destitute
man who wanders completely bereft of reason. What purpose could insanity
serve in Your world?"<br />
G-d replied to David, saying, "David, do you really believe that I have
created insanity in vain? One day you will see what it is for. One day
you, yourself will be in need of madness and you will pray that I grant
it to you."<br />
When David was anointed by the prophet Samuel he was force to flee from
King Saul who sought to kill him. David fled to the land of the
Philistines, where King Achish gave him refuge. Achish didn't know that
David was the new king, and he had hoped that David would help him
defeat Saul.<br />
Others in the king's court, namely the brothers of Goliath, whom David
had slain, recognized him. They bided their time until they felt that
the king would give David over to them, and said, "This is the very same
man who killed our brother. Let us have our revenge on him."<br />
But the king was unwilling to have his guest murdered. After all, it was
likely that the young warrior would help in the war to defeat the
Jewish king. He responded to them by denying their identification of
young David. "It couldn't be David. He would never come to us for help.
Besides, even if it was him, he killed your brother fairly, in battle."<br />
The two brothers were angrier than ever and determined to get their
revenge. They stirred up discontent among the other members of the
king's royal guard, and taunted the king, saying, "Since one of the
conditions of David's battle with my brother was that the winner would
rule over the loser. Are you willing to become David's vassal?"<br />
The king began to fear for his crown. He called David into his private
chamber and cross-examined him about the death of Goliath. David saw
that the king was no longer his ally, and he was frightened. He turned
to G-d and prayed, "Please, Master of the Universe, help me now."<br />
"What are you asking of Me; what kind of help do you require?" G-d responded.<br />
"Let me become truly mad so that the king will not want to kill me."<br />
"Do you remember when you asked Me why I created insanity? I told you
that one day you would ask me to make you insane. Now, that has happened
and you understand very well."<br />
Immediately, David became obviously insane. The brothers of Goliath
tried to bind him and bring him before the king, but he whirled and spun
in circles. He spit and screamed and tore at his hair. He took a piece
of charcoal and scribbled all over the palace doors, "Achish owes me a
hundred times ten thousand pieces of silver. His wife, the queen, owes
me fifty."<br />
David ran through the palace from end to end. Achish had a daughter who
was insane. She was kept in a locked room in the palace. When she heard
David scream, she would scream back, and when she would scream, David
would answer. The ruckus was unbearable to the king.<br />
"Aren't I surrounded by enough insanity? Do I have to have this madman
here as well? Get him out of here! It is obvious that this can't be
David. David is a brilliant scholar and soldier; this man is completely
insane."<br />
Everyone at court agreed with him. Even Goliath's brothers saw that this
was the wrong man. David was forcibly expelled from the palace. When he
found himself free and no longer threatened his sanity returned to him.
And he understood that everything that G-d does is good and has its
purpose in the world.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926257522068294854.post-16997362734759295092014-05-26T21:55:00.001-07:002014-05-26T21:55:47.149-07:00Shpoler Zeide Shavuot Services A group of Chasidim of the Shpoler Zeide from a rural area had been
suffering for years under the heavy yoke of their cruel landlord, a
high-ranking member of Poland's nobility, who owned all the land in that
area. He was constantly raising the rents on their homes and the leases
for their businesses.<br />
What hurt most, though, were his vicious anti-Semitic twists. He had
tried to force them to open their businesses on Shabbat. But his most
recent depravity was the worst: he had issued a degree that in all
buildings on his extensive properties, a depiction of the Christian god
had to be displayed. The Shpoler Zeide's Chasidim travelled to their
Rebbe to tell him this latest tale of woe.<br />
"I've waited a long time for that wicked man to change his evil ways,"
said the Rebbe furiously. "He must be taught a lesson. It is time for
him to hear the Ten Commandments. This is what you must do: Gather for
the Shavuot holiday at the home of the Chasid with the largest property.
But first, invite the landlord and all of his noble friends to come
hear the festival morning prayers. As for you, prepare yourselves for
the holy occasion of Receiving the Torah. I will come to join you. So,
go in peace and don't worry."<br />
The Chasidim were eager to carry out the Rebbe's instructions. The
villagers who went to invite the poritz were received pleasantly, much
to their surprise. He promised that he and his associates would attend.
He immediately launched preparations for a huge party for all the
noblemen in the region, the highlight of which would be the spectacle of
the Jewish prayer to which they were all invited.<br />
The Shpoler Zeide arrived in the village on the eve of Shavuot. They
quickly realized there would not be enough room on the largest farm for
so many people. The Rebbe told them to go to the nearby hill, and raise
up a large tent there.<br />
On Shavuot morning, the grassy lands around the hill were crowded with
hundreds of Jews, waiting in nervous anticipation. A significant number
of non-Jewish landowners and nobility in the region also waited eagerly,
looking forward to the wonderful spectacle their host had promised
them.<br />
The Rebbe approached the platform to lead the prayers himself. The Jews
began to pray with enthusiasm. The gentiles - seeing an old man with a
long beard, covered with an oversized white shawl, chanting loudly the
words of the prayers - all laughed heartily. But when the Rebbe called
out powerfully, "Shema Yisrael Hashem Elokeinu Hashem Echad," their
laughter ceased. It was as if a lion had roared. They were gripped by
terror. How could a puny, absurd Jew make them afraid? But they couldn't
shake the mood. It was as if the Rebbe's voice continued to reverberate
off the hillside. A few minutes later, the praying Jews stood silently,
reciting the Amida prayer, after which followed the joyous singing of
Hallel and chanting of the Akdamot. The festival joy was palpable. The
Rebbe signaled for the Torah scroll to be brought out. The Shpoler Zeide
then summoned a very tall, distinguished man to be the Torah reader.<br />
The reader's voice was both musical and powerful. When they reached the
section of the Ten Commandments, the atmosphere altered radically. It
had been a beautiful, clear, spring morning. Suddenly, the heavens
darkened, and tremendous peals of thunder boomed out. Fright took hold
of everyone.<br />
The reader's voice rose in volume and intensity. "I am G-d who brought
you out of Egypt." Though he did not know even a word of Hebrew,
amazingly, the landlord understood everything that was being read. "You
shall not have other gods before Me. Do not make any statue or image..."
The landlord trembled as he thought of how he had demanded the Jews put
up graven images.<br />
When he heard "Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy," his knees buckled.
Why had he tried to force the Jews to open their businesses on the
Sabbath?<br />
His friends were similarly affected. They too felt they understood the
commandments directly. Each one thought about his sins and was seized
with fear. Their faces were deathly white. Many of them fainted. After a
few moments which seemed like an eternity, the reading drew to a close
and the noblemen recovered somewhat. Deeply embarrassed, they slipped
away one by one.<br />
After the prayers were concluded, the Jews sat down to the traditional
dairy meal. The Shpoler Zeide related: "I assure you that the poritz and
his friends will remember today for the rest of their lives and they
will never afflict you again. To accomplish this I was forced to trouble
Moses himself to come and read the Torah. You have a great merit, my
friends, to have been here today.<br />
The Rebbe continued, "Know that your landlord has in him a spark of
Jethro, Moses' father-in-law and the priest of Midian, who came to the
Jews in the desert and acknowledged the existence of G-d...and that
Israel is His chosen people."<br />
After the holiday ended, the duke requested that the Rebbe come to see
him. The two men spent hours together alone and the next morning the
Shpoler Zeide returned home.<br />
From that day on, the landlord's attitude towards his Jewish tenants
changed dramatically. They were able to live in peace, without any
unfair pressure from the landlord. Not only that, but with his own money
he paid for the construction of a synagogue for the Jews on his
estates, insisting, though, that it be built on the hill where the holy
rabbi had come to pray.<br />
<div align="right" class="rsi">
<i><small>Translated and adapted by Yrachmiel Tilles. <a href="http://www.ascent.org.il/">www.ascent.org.il</a></small></i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926257522068294854.post-30239790839131118832014-05-26T21:48:00.003-07:002014-05-26T21:48:59.926-07:00Moshe In Heaven Receiving The TorahBefore the Giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai, G-d brought Moses up to
Heaven in order to teach him the entire Torah. Moses, who walked about
in Heaven as one walks on earth, was greeted by an angel who asked him,
"What are you doing here, son of Amram? What business do you, a mortal
who lives in the physical world, have coming to the holy Heavens?"<br />
"I did not come of my own will," replied Moses confidently. "Our Master
has ordered me here in order to receive the Torah and bring it back to
the Jewish nation."<br />
When the angels realized that Moses had come to take the Torah from the
Heavens and bring it to the Jews, they raised a mighty cry. Would they
now be parted forever more from their beloved Torah?<br />
G-d therefore told Moses, "Go and speak with the angels. Convince them
that they have no need for the Torah and that they have no reason to
regret that it is being taken from them."<br />
But Moses was frightened by the fiery angels. "I am surprised at you,
Moses," chastised G-d. "When I first appeared to you from the burning
bush, you had much to say. You were not afraid to ask and to argue
without end. Why are suddenly frightened by angels who are merely My
servants?"<br />
Emboldened by G-d's words, and holding on to the Heavenly throne, Moses
gathered his courage and began. "Whatever was written in the Torah was
not intended for you," Moses told the angels gathered nearby. "What does
the Torah say? 'I am G-d your G-d Who took you out of the land of
Egypt.' Were you ever slaves in Egypt? Did G-d rescue you from there?"
Moses asked the Heavenly servants.<br />
"The Torah also says, 'You shall have no strange gods before Me.' Do you
worship man made idols? Do you have an inclination to steal, to covet
what belongs to others? Do you have parents that you must honor them? If
not, what use do you have for the Torah? You cannot observe its
positive commandments nor its prohibitions."<br />
Hearing these arguments, the angels had to concede that Moses was right.<br />
Moses remained in Heaven for 40 days and 40 nights, learning the entire
Written Torah and Oral Tradition. Moses knew when day or night had
passed on earth by the activities of the angels. When he saw the angels
preparing the manna which the Jews were to eat the following day, he
knew that it was day. When the manna fell, he knew it was night time on
Earth.<br />
One day, Moses saw G-d sitting on His mighty, exalted throne, adding
crowns to the letters of the Torah. He asked G-d to explain the reason
for these decorations and was told, "In many years to come there will be
born a great tzadik (righteous person) by the name of Akiva the son of
Josef, who will reveal many hidden secrets of the Torah. He will know
how to derive laws and Torah thoughts from every letterhead and crown
which I am now adding to the letters."<br />
Moses begged to be shown this tzadik. G-d showed him a building which
housed many disciples sitting in rows upon rows. At their head sat a man
who resembled a heavenly angel. Moses approached the men but could not
understand what they were saying, and he was very grieved.<br />
Then, suddenly, Moses heard one of the students ask the angelic-looking
man how he knew all he had been teaching them. Rabbi Akiva replied,
"Everything I am teaching and innovating before you in Torah is a direct
transmission of what Moses received upon Mount Sinai." Moses was
comforted by these words but asked G-d, "If You intend to create such a
great person, why do You not grant him the privilege of bringing the
Torah down to the Jews?"<br />
"I have especially chosen you to bring the Torah to My children," G-d
told Moses. "But because you were so modest in thinking that Rabbi
Akiva is more fitting than you to transmit the Torah to the Jews, I will
increase your wisdom and knowledge." And at that moment, G-d opened the
50 gates of wisdom, allowing Moses to pass through 49 of them. Moses's
wisdom was so great that no other person in the world could compare with
him. And it is from Moses, of all our other great teachers, that we
will learn Torah when Moshiach comes.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926257522068294854.post-85494909686746751342014-05-26T21:40:00.003-07:002014-05-26T21:40:54.977-07:00The Shavuot The Tzemach Tzedek Became RebbeWhen the second Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Dov Ber (known as the "Mitteler
Rebbe") passed away, there were three prospective successors.<br />
Though all three were immensely qualified for the leadership of the
Chabad movement, all three unanimously declined all the importuning of
the Chasidim. These three were: Reb Chaim Avraham, the brother of Rabbi
Dov Ber and youngest son of the Alter Rebbe, Reb Menachem Nachum, the
Mitteler Rebbe's son, and the Tzemach Tzedek, the son of the Alter
Rebbe's eldest daughter.<br />
As time passed, the pressure among the Chasidim to find a successor
escalated, though it seemed that no solution was in sight. Finally,
despairing of a solution being found, two of the Chasidim declared, "It
is impossible to be without a Rebbe!" They decided to travel to Ruzhin
with the intention of accepting the Ruzhiner Rebbe as their Rebbe.<br />
The Ruzhiner Rebbe, Reb Yisrael, was the grandson of the Mezritcher
Maggid, and so highly thought of for his enormous piety that he was
called the "Holy Ruzhiner."<br />
These two Chasidim travelled to Ruzhin for Shavuot. As was the custom
there, (as well as among many other Chasidim) the Ruzhiner distributed
shirayim -- food from his table -- to his Chasidim. It was Yom Tov and
the Ruzhiner began to distribute wine from his own cup to each of the
Chasidim. The two Chabad Chasidim also wanted to participate and receive
wine from the Ruzhiner and they proffered their cups for the "cup of
blessing."<br />
The Ruzhiner, however, refused them, saying, "If you want some wine, you may take it yourself, but I will not give it to you."<br />
The two were very surprised and protested, "Why won't you give it to us,
after all we have come here in order to accept you as our Rebbe?"<br />
Upon hearing those words, the Ruzhiner sat down at the table and began
to deliver a deep Chasidic discourse based on the theme, "The Giving of
the Torah began, not at Mount Sinai, but at the burning bush."<br />
He explained in great depth that when G-d gave Moshe the task of taking
the Children of Israel out of Egypt, G-d told Moshe to "tell the Jews
that I have remembered you and want to take you out of Egypt."<br />
Moshe's reaction was strange. He replied that he was afraid the Jews
would ask him what is G-d's name. To this G-d replied, "Tell them My
Name is, 'I will be what I will be.' "<br />
The Ruzhiner posed the question, "Why did Moshe ask this question of
G-d? For Moshe did know G-d's name as he had been handed down a
tradition that it was spelled Yud-Kei-Vav-Kei<small class="n">[<a href="http://lchaimweekly.org/lchaim/5756/419.htm#n1" name="t1">1</a>]</small>! And why did G-d answer, 'I will be what I will be.'"<br />
The Ruzhiner elucidated the point through the use of numerical
equivalents which are often used to explicate texts. He explained that
the numerical equivalent of Yud-Kei-Vav-Kei is 26, while that of the
words "I will be what I will be" equals 441 which is " emet" -- truth.
G-d desired that Moshe be able to reveal to the Jews the truth.<br />
"The word 'emet'," continued the Rebbe, "is also an acronym for, "Torat Menachem Emet" ["the Torah of Menachem is truth"].<br />
When the two Chabad Chasidim heard these words being spoken by the Holy
Ruzhiner, they realized that he was intimating that they should return
home to the city of Lubavitch and that the Tzemach Tzedek, whose name
was Menachem Mendel, should become Rebbe.<br />
Upon arriving in Lubavitch two weeks later, the Tzemach Tzedek had
already acquiesced. The returning Chasidim repeated to their fellows the
discourse they had heard from the mouth of the Holy Ruzhiner in regard
to the word "emet" intimating that the Tzemach Tzedek should be the
Rebbe.<br />
The Chasidim recalled with amazement that the Tzemach Tzedek had
delivered the same discourse that very same Shavuot, but when he reached
the part which identified the acronym of emet with his name, Menachem,
he merely hesitated and smiled to himself. Now, they all understood why
he had smiled.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926257522068294854.post-50306168699396538742014-05-26T21:35:00.002-07:002014-05-26T21:35:52.478-07:00Talmudic Preparation For Shavuot
The two famous rabbis, Reb Shmelke of Nikolsburg and Reb Pinchas of
Frankfurt were brothers, the sons of the Rabbi of Tchortkov, Reb Tzvi
Hirsh Halevi Horowitz. Even as small children they were known as
prodigies.<br />
When they were quite young their father took over the duty of teaching them Torah.<br />
It was a challenging job and he taught them as quickly and as much as
their brilliant minds could absorb. When they were both well below ten
years of age, they were already learning the Talmud with several
commentaries.<br />
As part of their schedule, they would learn the laws which pertained to
the next approaching holiday. And so, when the holiday of Chanukah
ended, their father began the study of the tractate Megilla. Having
completed it by Purim, they began learning the tractate dealing with the
laws of Passover, which they finished right on target; the day before
Pesach.<br />
Shmelke, the elder of the two boys then said to his father, "Now we have
to begin learning the tractate Shevuot if we want to finish it by the
time Shavuot comes along."<br />
"Do you think that Shevuot deals with the laws of the holiday?" asked their father smiling, for that was not the case.<br />
"No," replied the boy. "I know it deals with the laws of oaths, but I
have a reason why we should study it now. On that first Shavuot, all the
Jews took an oath at Mount Sinai to keep the commandments of the Torah,
and that promise has been binding ever since. I want to learn the laws
of oaths so I can understand how important it is to keep a promise and
how serious it is to break one. I figured out that there are forty-nine
double pages of this tractate and forty-nine days between Pesach and
Shavuot, and if we learn a double-page every day, we will finish in time
for Shavuot.<br />
Rabbi Tzvi Hirsh was pleased by his son's erudite reasoning and he happily agreed to learn according to his suggestion.<br />
By the time Lag B'Omer had arrived (the thirty-third day of the Omer),
they had reached a section in the tractate which mentioned a law in the
name of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai.<br />
Little Shmelke jumped up from the table excitedly: "Father, Father, you
see how wonderful! This is the day of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai's
yahrzeit, the thirty-third day of the Omer, and here his name is
mentioned. Not only that, but it says '...and they laughed in the land
of Israel,' and everyone knows that it's a custom to make a big
celebration in Israel on this day!" The father and sons finished exactly
as they had calculated, although they had to study a double-page every
day.<br />
The following year when Pesach had passed, Rabbi Tzvi Hirsh again asked
his sons what they wished to learn in preparation for the holiday of
Shavuot. This time the younger child, Pinchas, answered: "I think we
should begin the tractates of Ketubot (marriage contracts) and Kiddushin
(the laws of marriages)."<br />
Questioned his father, "What do they have to do with Shavuot?"<br />
"That's easy. On Shavuot, G-d took the Jewish people to be His -- it was
like a wedding -- and said the words, `And I have betrothed you to Me
forever.'<br />
You taught us that He held Mount Sinai over our heads like a marriage
canopy. The holy words of the Torah were like our marriage contract, and
He gave us a gift as well -- the Oral Torah. That is why I think we
should learn the laws of marriage contracts and betrothals -- so we will
know that the `wedding' of Israel and G-d was a valid one and that both
G-d and the Jews are obligated to fulfill all the points of the
contract."<br />
Rabbi Tzvi Hirsh couldn't help beaming with pride from his son's well-reasoned words.<br />
The three scholars learned the two tractates in record speed, finishing
two double pages a day until, forty-nine days later, they celebrated
both the holiday of Shavuot and the successful completion of their
studies.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926257522068294854.post-7530255843883959022014-05-26T21:32:00.002-07:002014-05-26T21:32:28.957-07:00Kosher MoneyRabbi Meir of Premishlan was a great tzadik whose holiness was
acknowledged by Jews from far and wide who sought advice and blessings
from him.<br />
One day a woman was admitted into his study. As soon as she set eyes on
the tzadik she burst into tears. "What is troubling you?" Reb Meir
asked. The sobbing woman could barely speak, but she managed to get out
the words, "Rebbe, I have no children; please give me your blessing."<br />
The Rebbe was full of compassion for the woman's pain and he replied to
her, "May it be G-d's will that your request be fulfilled."<br />
Armed with the holy man's blessing, the woman confidently went home and
waited for his words to be realized. Not a year had passed by when
Rabbi Meir received a letter from a distant city from a person he did
not know.<br />
When he read the letter and removed the papers contained in the
envelope, he was shocked to find a bank note for the tremendous sum of
three hundred rubles.<br />
The letter read: "My wife has just given birth to a child thanks to the
Rebbe's blessing. I beg the Rebbe to accept this gift in gratitude."<br />
Far from being pleased, Rabbi Meir's distress was apparent, as he
extended his hand to put the bank note on the far side of the table as
if he wanted to remain as distant from it as possible. Then he called
his sons to come to him at once to discuss an important matter.<br />
When they arrived, he brought them into his room and pointed to the
letter: "Today I received a letter which is brimming full of errors and
falsehoods. For one thing, it refers to me as a holy man, a tzadik, and
that is patently false. Secondly, the entire premise of the letter is
false, for this man credits me with the birth of his son. How
ridiculous! What do I have to do with such lofty matters as birth and
death? Am I a tzadik that I have control over these things? I have
therefore decided to return the money to him at once."<br />
His sons were shocked. The eldest spoke first. "Father, we are very
poor. Perhaps G-d has taken pity on us and decided to end our poverty
through this man. Maybe it would be wrong and ungrateful of us not to
make good use of it." Everyone agreed.<br />
Only the Rebbe staunchly maintained that the money must be returned to the misguided sender.<br />
They turned the matter over this way and that, but it became clear that
no consensus could be reached. The family decided to bring their dilemma
to a rabbinical court, a beit din. The judges listened to both sides of
the case and then reached their decision: The Rebbe should keep the
money. It was true that Reb Meir was such a modest man that he denied
being a tzadik whose blessings could have helped the childless woman,
but the woman and her husband obviously thought differently. In their
estimation it was the Rebbe's prayers that brought about the birth of
their child, and they gave the money purely as a gift from their hearts.
Therefore, it was perfectly fine to keep the gift.<br />
The Rebbe and his sons left the rooms of the beit din in very different
moods. The sons were satisfied that their opinion had been upheld by the
judges. The terrible poverty in which they lived would be alleviated at
least for a time. Their father, however, was brought no peace by the
decision. For although the rabbinical court had ruled that he was
completely justified in keeping the money, his own heart was uneasy. He
decided to take the problem to his wife, the rebbetzin.<br />
As his life's companion and a woman whose vision was always clear, she
would be the final arbiter of this case, for he trusted her judgment
completely.<br />
The Rebbe and his sons entered the house and asked the rebbetzin to come
and sit with them; they had something of great importance to discuss
with her. When the family was seated around the table, the Rebbe filled
her in on all the details of the problem, leaving out nothing, but
stressing his own unease with the reason for receiving the gift.<br />
Her sons, on the other hand, stressed how much easier their lives would
be now, since G-d had clearly wanted to help them out of their troubles
by sending them this money.<br />
She listened wordlessly to both sides and then turned to her husband.
"My dear husband, all your life you have guarded yourself from even
tasting food that had a question about its kashrut. Even when you
discovered that it was a hundred percent kosher you refrained from
eating it, because its permissibility had been in question. Now we are
faced with the same situation, the only difference being that the
question is on the kashrut of money and not on food. Why should you act
any differently now?"<br />
Rabbi Meir smiled at her. He stood up, walked into his room, took the
bank note and put it into an envelope which he addressed to the sender.
That very day it was deposited in the post and the hearts of the tzadik
and tzadeket were content.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926257522068294854.post-8783676717224390572014-05-26T21:28:00.000-07:002014-05-26T21:28:10.448-07:00The Story Of King Saul And king DavidShavuot is the anniversary of the passing of King David<br />
King Shaul (Saul) had lost grace in the eyes of G-d. G-d told the
Prophet Shmuel (Samuel) to travel to Beit Lechem, where he would find
the new king among the sons of Yishai (Jesse). Although the older sons
were all upstanding young men, Shmuel asked, "Is there another son?"
Yes, the youngest who was tending the flocks. When David was summoned,
Shmuel knew at once; this boy would be the next king. David was quickly
anointed, but many travails would precede his ascension to the throne.
It was at this time that Shaul became very depressed. David was
summoned to play his harp for the king and to ease his spirit with
beautiful music. Ironically, Shaul couldn't know that the lad who played
so soothingly would soon replace him on the royal throne.<br />
The war against the Jewish people's bitter enemy, the Philistines,
continued unresolved. One day, as the two armies lay encamped opposite
each other, a gigantic soldier, completely covered in armor, appeared
from among the Philistine ranks. Goliath roared out a challenge to the
Jews: "Send out a man to fight me one on one." No one came forth.<br />
David was shepherding his father's sheep at the time, oblivious to the
danger confronting his brethren, until his father sent him to the Jewish
camp to deliver supplies to his brothers. When he saw the Philistine
giant, David volunteered to fight him. King Shaul refused to allow the
slight youth to sacrifice himself. But David was persistent, and
professed such a staunch faith in G-d's protection that Shaul finally
succumbed to his plea.<br />
David faced Goliath armed with only a staff and a sling. When the giant
saw his opponent he scoffed at him. But David countered, "You come to me
with a sword and with a spear, and with a shield, but I come to you in
the name of the L-rd of Hosts, the G-d of the armies of Israel, whom
you have defied. Everyone here will know that G-d saves not with a sword
and spear. The battle is the L-rd's and He will deliver you into our
hands."<br />
Goliath advanced and David readied his sling. With a well-aimed stone,
he pierced the giant through his skull; Goliath toppled to the ground.
David leaped forward and cut off his head. The Philistines fled in
panic.<br />
As a reward for his courage, Shaul gave David his daughter Michal's hand
in marriage. Shaul's son, Jonathan, became David's closest friend. The
king, however, felt more and more threatened by the young warrior, whose
popularity with the people continued to grow. Shaul's jealousy grew
ever more bitter, until it hardened into a deep hatred. Shaul realized
his days as king were numbered and that G-d's choice had fallen upon his
young son-in-law.<br />
It was Jonathan who alerted David to the king's implacable anger. David
was forced to flee the king's wrath. He fled to the hills until he came
to the town of Nob where many kohanim (priests) lived. David, known as a
great hero and the son-in-law of the king, was provided with food and a
sword. However, he was being watched.<br />
As David continued his journey, the actions of the priests of Nob were
reported to Shaul. Shaul summoned them, and all 86 innocent priests were
condemned to death.<br />
David's travails continued unabated, as the king hunted him across the
land in between battles with the dreaded Philistines. During one chase,
the exhausted king entered a cave to rest. Unknown to him, he had
chosen the very cave where David and his warriors were hidden. David's
loyal troops tried to convince him that this was a Divinely- planned
chance to be rid of his royal foe. But, David still held his allegiance
to the anointed king sacred. As the king sat tired and dispirited, David
quietly approached and with his sword, cut off some fabric from the hem
of the king's robes.<br />
David bided his time. After the king left the cave, he approached Shaul
with deep respect and showed him the severed cloth. The king gazed at
the evidence of David's greatness, for surely David could have killed
him, and said, "You are more righteous than I, for you have repayed me
good for evil." The two parted, but Shaul's battle against David
continued.<br />
Another time, the king's troops lay encamped in a valley while David
watched from above. Shaul was left unguarded as his soldiers slept
around him, and for a second time Shaul's fate lay in David's hands.
Again, David was entreated to attack, but he responded, "Do not destroy
him, for who can stretch out his hand against G-d's anointed and be
guiltless?"<br />
Instead, David descended into the king's camp and stealthily approaching
him, removed the king's water flask and his spear. When he returned to
his perch on the opposite hill, David called out to the king's guard,
"As G-d lives, you are worthy to die, because you have not guarded you
master, the L-rd's anointed; now, look where the king's spear and cruse
of water lie which were near his head!"<br />
Shaul recognized David's voice and for the moment, his jealousy ebbed.
Shaul countered with these words, "Blessed are you, my son David; you
will undertake great things and you will prevail." Those prophetic words
were the last the tragic king would ever speak to David. Divine
Providence fated that they never meet again in this world.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926257522068294854.post-61831390231635645842014-05-26T21:25:00.000-07:002014-05-26T21:25:15.666-07:00The Uprising Of The ShepherdsOver 600 years ago, an uprising was started by an ignorant French
shepherd boy in Southern France, who set the minds of the simple folk
afire with tales of a revelation.<br />
"Every day a dove appears before me. Sometimes, it perches on my
shoulder and sometimes upon my head, and whispers prophecies in my ears.
When I extend my hand to take the dove, it turns into a lovely maiden
and says to me, "Some day you will be a king. But now, you must wage war
against Turkey, and you will be victorious."<br />
The words of the shepherd boy had an overwhelming effect. The story
spread like wildfire, and the credulous masses flocked by the thousands
to see and hear the shepherd boy. Most of the people, their curiosity
satisfied, returned to their homes, but hordes of shepherds remained and
formed a huge army. This group, which numbered thirty thousand,
travelled with the shepherd boy from place to place as he spread his
message.<br />
The shepherds had marched to Granada, whence they would continue on to
Turkey, when they realized the folly of their expedition. How could they
attack the mighty forces of Turkey with their few sticks and clubs? No,
they thought, let us attack the Jews instead, for they would be easy
prey, and were, after all, infidels, no different from the Turks! They
would seize the spoils, buy weapons, and then, equipped for battle,
would proceed against Turkey.<br />
Wherever the shepherds travelled the Jews suffered terribly. Messengers
were dispatched to the king of France begging for protection against the
violent mobs. Afraid of the uprising gaining force and spreading, the
king ordered each city to assist the Jews in warding off the marauders.
He also ordered the shepherds to disband, but they scoffed at his
dispatches.<br />
Jews were massacred in Marseilles, and the shepherds moved on to
Toulouse. The governor there moved with great force against them and
many were imprisoned. But, during the night their supporters amongst the
populace freed them. The following morning, word spread that the
"guardian angel" of the shepherds had set them free, and the masses
rallied to save them from the governor. So strong was the public support
for the mob that the governor feared to oppose them.<br />
Meanwhile, the Jewish population had fled to the tower of Narbonne to
escape the bloodthirsty mob. When rumor of the capture of the shepherds
reached the Jews, they joyously left the protection of the fortress,
sure that the governor had saved them. The shepherd force fell upon the
unprotected Jews, and together with local accomplices, scores of Jews
were murdered.<br />
The governor was enraged by news of this latest massacre. He, himself
set out to crush the shepherd mob, but when he saw the support they had
attracted, he had no choice but to retreat in the face of overwhelming
odds. The governor had great sympathy for the beleaguered Jews. He sent
horsemen to warn them to stay in hiding until the danger had passed.
Then, he had them escorted to the city of Carcassonne, which lay locked
behind great walls.<br />
When the shepherds heard of the governor's plans, they bribed the escort
to inform them of the path which the Jews would take. The hapless Jews
were slaughtered by the shepherds who ambushed them on the road.<br />
The shepherds got as far as Aragon and Navarre in Spain, where they met
firm opposition from Alphonso, King of Aragon. He captured 80 shepherds
and hanged them. When the shepherds reached the city of Montreal, the
Jews had been warned and came out to meet them in battle, killing many
of them.<br />
One day Alphonso proposed to his strongest warrior, "If you will kill their leader, I will give you a great reward."<br />
"But how could I kill such a holy person?" the soldier asked.<br />
The king replied, "If he falls to your hand, it is a sign that he is no
more than a wandering murderer, and you will have performed a
meritorious deed."<br />
The soldier set out for the shepherd camp. At first shot the shepherd
leader fell. When they saw their leader dead, the others fled from the
camp. The shepherd army split into many small bands and returned to
their homes. Only one group of about five hundred, unaware of the death
of their leader, went to attack the city of Toledo. When they reached
the city, Alphonso's brave warriors met them with arms and drove them
out of the city.<br />
When generals and kings heard of the defeat of the shepherd army, they
set their armies against the remaining bands and destroyed many. Others
perished in a plague which followed the numerous battles.<br />
By the year 1320 the uprisings of the shepherds were crushed completely.
The Jews of Germany, France, and Spain then gathered food and clothing
to help rehabilitate the many destroyed and ravaged Jewish communities
in Southern France and Northern Spain.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926257522068294854.post-63507496244249971232014-05-26T21:21:00.001-07:002014-05-26T21:21:09.338-07:00The Baal Shem Tov Brings Back A Lost SoulThe town of Harki belonged to a branch of the Polish aristocratic Radziville family.<br />
The owner spent most of his time in France and was rarely seen on his vast estates.<br />
One of the young noblemen of the family, Benedict by name, had a very
close friend in France named Pierre Louis, a young man from an
assimilated Jewish family. He was, in fact, so alienated from his Jewish
roots that he had no remaining Jewish ties at all.<br />
When Benedict married, he settled on the estates of his wife's family in Russia.<br />
His good friend, Pierre Louis, also married into a wealthy family, and
settled nearby. The two lived a life of luxury and pleasure and were
constantly in each other's company.<br />
After many years had passed, Pierre Louis was widowed.<br />
Now, with no anchor in life, he immersed himself totally in a life of
debauchery in the company of the Russian and Polish aristocrats who were
his companions.<br />
Once, when the chasid Rabbi Nissan went to visit the Baal Shem Tov (the
"Besht"), the Besht explained to him at great length the meaning of the
verse, "Those who go down to the sea in ships and do work in raging
waters": The phrase "those who go down to the sea" refers to the souls
that come down and enter the bodies, comparable to the seas which cover
everything, as the body covers the Divine soul within it.<br />
"But there are two kinds of descent: in one, souls descend into the sea
of life -- i.e. when one finds oneself within a circle of Torah. In the
other, the souls descend into the midst of a raging sea without any
ship in which to take refuge.<br />
"Those Jews who descend into the physical body, but live in an
atmosphere devoid of the light of Torah, flounder as if in a raging sea.<br />
"Therefore," concluded the Besht, "it is the duty of other Jewish souls
who `do their work in raging waters,' to save them, as they would a
drowning man."<br />
The Besht made it clear to Rabbi Nissan that he was referring precisely
to the "Christianized" friend of Benedict, Pierre Louis, who was, in
actuality, a Jew named Pesach Tzvi.<br />
"This winter, Benedict will go hunting with his friend Pierre Louis and
they will both visit Harki. At that time, I want you to read this letter
that I am giving you, and then carry out all the instructions in it."<br />
Rabbi Nissan was to inform Pierre Louis that he was a Jew, named Pesach Tzvi, and that he must return to his people.<br />
Even if Pierre Louis didn't want to listen, Reb Nissan must go and
repeat exactly what the Besht had said. The Besht assured him that he
would be successful.<br />
When Rabbi Nissan returned to Harki the town was buzzing with
anticipation of the aristocracy's hunting season who habitually visited
the area.<br />
Benedict and Pierre Louis were staying, as they always did, at the home
of the local priest. But this time, as Benedict entered the house, he
tripped over the threshold and fell. The pistol he was carrying in his
pocket discharged, and a bullet lodged in his stomach.<br />
Pandemonium reigned as a doctor tried in vain to staunch the flow of
blood. Riders were dispatched to neighboring towns to bring other
doctors, but the patient's condition deteriorated steadily.<br />
As news of the accident spread throughout the town, the Jews were
distressed to hear that Benedict, who had always been friendly toward
them, was in grave danger.<br />
Rabbi Nissan now opened the letter of the Besht, and to his
astonishment, it contained a prescription for treating Benedict's wound.<br />
In addition, the letter said that if anyone inquired how Rabbi Nissan
came to know this cure, he should say that he learned it from Rabbi
Yisrael Baal Shem Tov.<br />
On the second day after the accident Rabbi Nissan arrived at the house, saying he had a cure for Benedict.<br />
The desperate doctor allowed the Jew to be admitted.<br />
The Rabbi spread an ointment on the wound and also put some medicine
down the wounded man's throat. To the amazement and relief of all, the
cure took effect within an hour.<br />
Only then did Rabbi Nissan approach Pierre Louis and ask to speak to him in private.<br />
He related all the words of the Baal Shem Tov, telling him that he was a
Jew, and must return to his people, but Pierre Louis was too shocked to
respond.<br />
It was in the month of Nisan that Pierre Louis arrived in Harki and came to Rabbi Nisan.<br />
He had no rest since the day they had spoken, and now he finally resolved to return to his people.<br />
Over the next year he studied and made great progress.<br />
Benedict was quite sympathetic to his friend's return to Judaism, and as a gift he gave him an estate outside Harki.<br />
As an additional display of good will, Benedict presented to the local Jews the land on which their houses were built.<br />
In this manner the existence of the Baal Shem Tov and his circle of mystics became known in Harki.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926257522068294854.post-80845680053342109632014-05-26T21:17:00.001-07:002014-05-26T21:29:04.462-07:00The Prophet Habakuk<blockquote class="si">
<small><i>The Haftorah on the second day of Shavuot is from Habakuk. The following story is about the prophet Habakuk.(or Chabakuk)</i></small></blockquote>
The prophet Habakuk lived in the Land of Israel. One evening when he and
his fellow-workers had finished their work in the fields and were
eating their supper, a spirit of prophecy came upon Habakuk. He saw an
angel before him who told him that G-d desired that Habakuk bring a
portion of his meal to the Prophet Daniel, who was in a lions' den in
Babylon.
The angel took him and flew off with him, landing him a few moments
later right in the very midst of the lions' den. There sat Daniel with
the lions sprawling at his feet, like loyal watchdogs guarding a beloved
master!<br />
The two prophets settled down to their evening meal, happy in their
chance of having a scholarly discussion. The lions did not disturb them
despite their own hunger, but instead walked about the den circling
Daniel and Habakuk as they ate, talked and blessed the Alm-ghty for his
mercies and miracles. Daniel told Habakuk how he came to be in the
lions' den:<br />
"When King Darius of Media had appointed me as his personal counsellor,"
began Daniel, "all his courtiers became inflamed with jealousy. It did
not interest them that I had already acted as counsellor to the previous
Babylonian king, and that my appointment, therefore, was not a matter
of favoritism, but because of my suitability. All they could feel was
resentment that I was chosen and not they. So, they decided to get rid
of me.<br />
"But try as they would, they could find no crime to charge me with, and
so they conspired to convince the king to enact some new law which would
make me suspect.<br />
"King Darius had until then always shown the greatest respect to our
Jewish faith, and this, too, annoyed his courtiers very much. The king,
who himself told me all this later, said he had not suspected a thing
when his courtiers came to him with an air of extreme loyalty and asked
him to give his seal to an important new law. The new edict read: 'Every
citizen of the land should publicly acknowledge the king as the highest
authority, and that only to him must every kind of request be made or
prayer be said.'"<br />
"I can see their plot against you now," said Habakuk. "Yes," continued
Daniel, "after the king had passed this last law his courtiers watched
every move I made! Naturally I was not going to allow any manmade law to
interfere with my prayers three times a day. These courtiers pounced
upon me one day and dragged me before the king, accusing me of praying
to someone other than to the king. They immediately demanded the maximum
penalty for this offense--that I be thrown alive into the lions' den.
This harsh punishment would serve as an example to anyone who would dare
to break the new law in the future.<br />
"King Darius, who was really not evil, but had been misled and drawn
into this new law without giving it proper thought and consideration,
was horrified when he saw the results of his thoughtlessness. He
regarded me as a friend and honored advisor, and now he was being
expected to have me mercilessly thrown to hungry lions. But, having put
his royal seal to the decree, he had no choice but to carry out the law.<br />
"Yet, I did not lose hope," concluded Daniel, his eyes shining with
great faith in G-d. "I prayed to the Alm-ghty that he show these
heathens that He and He alone was, is, and ever will be the One and Only
Master of the Universe which He created and controls. I prayed that He
spare my life, and not allow the hungry lions to touch me, so that all
people would see the miracle and acknowledge G-d's greatness above all
mankind.<br />
"Imagine, therefore, the wonder of my enemies when I was thrown into
this deep pit from which there is no escape, and instead of the famished
beasts pouncing upon me and tearing me to pieces, the lions came gently
fawning upon me and kneeling down before me in submission. Then they
settled around me in a circle as if to protect me. This wondrous miracle
left no possible doubt but that G-d chose to save me from hurt, that He
is the Master, and that only what He wills takes place!"<br />
When Daniel finished his story, he and Habakuk bade each other farewell,
and the angel took Habakuk and transported him back to his home in the
Land of Israel, in the same manner as he had carried him to Daniel.<br />
Later, Habakuk heard, as did the whole world, that King Darius had
Daniel removed from the den. At the same time, the King ordered that
Daniel's enemies be thrown into the lions' den instead. This time,
however, the lions behaved differently. As soon as the courtiers came
hurtling down into the lions' den, the beasts pounced upon them and tore
them apart, giving a fitting end to such cruel tyrants who wanted to
give this horrible punishment to the innocent, G-d-fearing and
law-abiding Daniel.<br />
<div align="right" class="rsi">
<i><small>From The Complete Story of Shavuot by Nisan Mindel.</small></i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926257522068294854.post-16232209797167773852014-05-26T21:14:00.004-07:002014-05-26T21:29:27.914-07:00The Story Of RuthHard times had hit the land of Israel; famine stalked the land and the
people looked to the heavens for respite from their troubles. The
leaders of the people, the descendants of the house of Judah, lived in
Beit Lechem and at their head was Elimelech, a leader of the generation.<br />
As members of the elite of their people, he and his wife and two sons
lived in comfort, possessing vast fields, animals and a store of gold
and silver. But Elimelech committed a fatal sin. For, just when the eyes
of his troubled brethren focused on him for help and guidance, he left
and abandoned them to their fate. Taking his wife Naomi and his two
sons, he settled in the land of Moab where he was received in a manner
fitting a man of his exalted station. And there he lived, a prosperous
and respected member of the aristocracy of that alien land, the plight
of his suffering people conveniently forgotten.<br />
For ten years life went on until tragedy struck--Elimelech died. His
sons--who had married into the royal family of Moab--soon met the same
fate, leaving Naomi, a grieving mother, and Ruth and Orpah, childless
widows. Naomi was now finally free to act as her heart desired, as it
had desired these ten long years in this foreign land. Though alone and
broken, she decided to return home, to live out her life among her own
people. She gave her loving blessings to her two young daughters-in-law
and prepared to set out on her return journey. But their love for her
was strong and deep, and they refused to part from her.<br />
Only after many entreaties and tears did Orpah kiss Naomi a final
goodbye and return to her family. But Ruth, from whom Moshiach was
destined to descend, staunchly refused to budge from her mother-in-law's
side: "Don't tell me to leave you," Ruth implored. "Where you go, I
will go; where you stay I will stay; your people will be my people; and
your G-d will be my G-d. Where you die I will die and there will I be
buried; only death will part us." Of all the Moabites, only Ruth had
inherited from her forefather, Lot--Abraham's nephew--the trait of
loving-kindness. When Naomi realized at last that Ruth wouldn't be
dissuaded, she stopped speaking about it, and the two women began their
long journey back to Beit Lechem.<br />
"Is this Naomi?" exclaimed the townspeople in their amazement. How
should they greet her? Should they disdain the former aristocrat who
turned her back on them in their time of trouble, or pity the suffering
widow who now stood before them? No one made a move.<br />
Poor and homeless, Ruth went out to gather the fallen sheaves in the
field, those designated for the destitute. Unknowingly she went to
gather wheat in a field which belonged to Boaz, a wealthy relative of
Naomi. While other women who gathered wheat talked and flirted with the
workers, Ruth conducted herself modestly, her eyes fixed on her work. As
he passed through the fields Boaz noticed her, and discovering that she
was the daughter-in-law of his relative, encouraged her to gather the
wheat with his own maidservants. Boaz had heard of Ruth's incredible
devotion to Naomi, and he resolved to take her under his wing.<br />
When Ruth returned home that night Naomi marvelled at her successful
gleaning. "Whose field did you work in?" she asked, excitedly. Ruth told
her mother-in-law the whole story, how Boaz showered her with kindness
and allowed her to gather as much as she could and even eat together
with his workers. "Of course, he is one of our close kinsmen," said
Naomi, smiling. Boaz was one of her closest relatives, and he was
finally taking notice of their plight. In Naomi's heart was the strong
and secret wish that Boaz would take Ruth for his wife, thereby
providing a successor to the family of Elimelech. Could it be that G-d's
mercy was beginning to shine on them once again?<br />
Boaz, the closest near relative married Ruth in fulfillment of the
mitzva of Levirite marriage, and they were blessed with a son, who was
called Oved--"the servant of G-d." Naomi was exalted! Oved was the
grandfather of David of whom we say, "David, the King of Israel, who
lives forever." He was the forerunner of the Eternal Monarchy of
Israel--and Moshiach will be descended from him.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926257522068294854.post-88359606344146573282014-05-22T13:15:00.000-07:002014-05-26T21:04:58.964-07:00 The Shortest Shavuot Sermon<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #663333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #663333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px;">The Shavuot prayers had ended and the Chasidim of Reb Chaim of Sanz had gathered to receive the Rebbe's blessings and to hear him recite kiddush and partake of some wine and cakes. They lingered, waiting for the elderly Tzadik to complete his lengthy prayers until he finally emerged from the shul.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #663333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px;">Reb Chaim had become legendary for his great compassion for the poor and needy and his generous dispensing of charity, but still, his followers were surprised at his words as he took his place at the table.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #663333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px;">"When I was a young man, I used to deliver a carefully honed discourse every Shavuot to a group of great scholars. Now, however, I am an old man, and I don't have the strength for that kind of learned give and take. Instead, I will deliver to you only a very short word: I need one thousands reinish for a needy cause, and I will not recite Kiddush until you decide between yourselves how much each of you will bring to me. I need the money in cash, as soon as the holiday is over. I leave you to arrange it between yourselves. At that, the Rebbe left the room.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #663333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px;">The Chasidim had no choice but to discuss how to meet their Rebbe's demand. Four of the wealthiest divided the entire amount between themselves, and a delegate was sent to the Rebbe to assure him that the matter was taken care of. Only then did Reb Chaim make Kiddush.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #663333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px;">No sooner had the holiday ended than the entire sum of money was given to the Rebbe who handed it to a certain pauper who needed it for a dowry for his daughter.</span><br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926257522068294854.post-67386551596472535202014-05-14T13:15:00.000-07:002014-05-26T21:09:18.825-07:00A Lesson From A Mountain<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #663333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #663333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px;">The son of the Maggid of Mezritch, Reb Avraham, was called the Malach, "the Angel." It was related by his grandson, Reb David Moshe of Chortkov, that once his grandfather visited a certain scholar named Rabbi Feivish of Kremenets. Although the entire town turned out to greet the great tzadik, he stood with his face averted from them. He stood gazing out a window at a high mountain in the distance.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #663333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px;">Although the townsfolk longed to hear some holy words of Torah from him, he remained rooted to the spot deep in meditation. One of those gathered there was a scholarly young man from a renowned family. Unfortunately, his self-esteem outstripped even those two qualities.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #663333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px;">A fervent opponent to Chasidut, he assumed that this rabbi, whom the Chasidim esteemed so highly, was simply and purposely ignoring and slighting the scholars who had assembled to honor him. This, the young man could not abide.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #663333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px;">Clearing his throat, the young scholar spoke. "Honored Sir, would you so kindly explain to us why you are staring so intently at that mountain, which is, after all, you must admit, no more than a pile of dust?"</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #663333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px;">The Malach didn't lose a beat in relying to the young man. "That is exactly what is so amazing to me. How is it that a mere pile of dust can inflate itself so tremendously that it can assume the shape of a proud mountain?"</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #663333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px;">With that comment, he effectively silenced the young man, and taught him a valuable lesson at the same time.</span><br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926257522068294854.post-15804274399337461902013-11-25T15:11:00.001-08:002013-11-25T15:11:45.866-08:00Chanukah Shopping<div align="left" style="color: #2d1856; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19.75px;">
It was Chanukah and I [Mrs. Nechama Berenshtein] was at the mall. I was in a hurry, though not to do last minute shopping. I had brought a group of young women students with me from Crown Heights, Brooklyn, to a shopping mall in New Jersey so that we could give out Chanukah <i>menora</i> kits. As Lubavitcher Chasidim we were shopping for opportunities to encourage our fellow Jews to kindle the candles for the Festival of Lights.</div>
<div align="left" style="color: #2d1856; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19.75px;">
The drive out to New Jersey had taken longer than I had anticipated and we needed to head back just 45 minutes after we arrived. I had to return to Brooklyn to give a lecture. I was preoccupied with pacing the entrance of the mall to make sure that the girls would regroup on time.</div>
<div align="left" style="color: #2d1856; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19.75px;">
As I looked up from my watch for the umpteenth time, I noticed a circle of seats in the center of the food court of the mall. There were a number of women of all ages sitting on the seats, chatting, laughing, eating their food or drinks. "This is going to be very easy," I told myself, as I sized up the situation, noting that many of the girls and women looked Jewish.</div>
<div align="left" style="color: #2d1856; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19.75px;">
There was one young man sitting by himself in the circle of seats, but he was obviously not Jewish. It wasn't even his purple and green hair or the earrings that pierced his ears and other body parts. He just had a decidedly non-Jewish look. Keeping in mind that the Lubavitcher Rebbe always encouraged women to approach women (and men to approach men), I was relieved that I would not seem ill-mannered if I didn't attempt to hand the young man a Chanukah kit.</div>
<div align="left" style="color: #2d1856; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19.75px;">
I went amongst the women and girls, asking them if they were Jewish and if they would like Chanukah <i>menora</i> kits. The Jewish women responded positively and eagerly took the kits. Some of them even asked if I had Shabbat candle lighting brochures with me, as well.</div>
<div align="left" style="color: #2d1856; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19.75px;">
I spoke with the last of the women and turned to leave. I looked at my watch again and noted that I was at the end of the allotted 45 minutes. I quickly began walking toward the mall entrance to meet my students.</div>
<div align="left" style="color: #2d1856; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19.75px;">
I hadn't walked more than a few steps when I heard someone say, "Nechama, go back."</div>
<div align="left" style="color: #2d1856; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19.75px;">
Now, to be honest, I'm not the kind of person who hears voices. But then it came again, "Nechama, go back."</div>
<div align="left" style="color: #2d1856; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19.75px;">
"Leave me alone," I protested. But it wouldn't.</div>
<div align="left" style="color: #2d1856; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19.75px;">
"Nechama, go back and ask him if he's Jewish."</div>
<div align="left" style="color: #2d1856; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19.75px;">
"What can it hurt?" I asked myself. So I turned around and started walking toward the young man, who was in the midst of munching on some kind of McDonalds concoction and drinking a huge soda. An order of fries, liberally sprinkled with ketchup, was perched on his knee.</div>
<div align="left" style="color: #2d1856; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19.75px;">
"Excuse me, are you Jewish?" I asked him.</div>
<div align="left" style="color: #2d1856; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19.75px;">
The next thing I knew, I was covered in soda, ketchup and mustard. The young man had been so shocked by my question that he had dropped everything. After apologizing profusely, he asked, "Please tell me, why did you ask me if I'm Jewish?"</div>
<div align="left" style="color: #2d1856; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19.75px;">
To this day, I don't know how or why these words popped into my mind, but I said quite confidently, "You look Jewish!"</div>
<div align="left" style="color: #2d1856; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19.75px;">
And then I heard a sob erupt from what could only have been the depths of his heart. The young man began to cry, but stopped and said, "Say that again, please."</div>
<div align="left" style="color: #2d1856; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19.75px;">
"You look Jewish," I said once more. A new torrent of tears was unleashed. But once again, he stopped himself and asked, "Please, say that again." And I did…a third time.</div>
<div align="left" style="color: #2d1856; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19.75px;">
After calming himself down, the young man told me the following:</div>
<div align="left" style="color: #2d1856; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19.75px;">
"My mother was Jewish but my father was not. Though my mother didn't really care about religion -- they celebrated all of the non-Jewish holidays at home -- she was adamant that I go to a Jewish school.</div>
<div align="left" style="color: #2d1856; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19.75px;">
"Everyday in school, the other children used to mock me. It wasn't because we didn't celebrate the Jewish holidays at home; they didn't know that. It was because I was a carbon copy of my father. I look exactly like him. The kids in school used to say, 'Why are you here? You don't look Jewish. Why are you wearing tzitzit and a kipah, you don't look Jewish.' And it's true. I don't look Jewish at all. Day after day the children mocked me. I would return home each day in tears. My father begged my mother to let me leave the school. 'Look how miserable he is,' he would say to my mother. After a few years of mockery and torture, my mother agreed with my father and let me leave the Jewish day school and go to public school.</div>
<div align="left" style="color: #2d1856; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19.75px;">
"To this day, I remember the mockery," the young man said, wincing in pain. "Today, I was sitting here and I was watching you go over to all of the women and girls, asking them if they are Jewish. 'G-d,' I said, 'I'm not guilty that I'm not doing anything Jewish. Look, this girl will go over to everyone else, but she won't come over to me, to ask me if I am Jewish. I don't look like a Jew!' As you neared the end of the circle, I looked up to G-d and said, 'I will even prove that I am righteous. If this girl will come over and ask me if I am Jewish, then I will give You another chance.' When you left, I said, 'Aha. You see, G-d!'</div>
<div align="left" style="color: #2d1856; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19.75px;">
"And then, you turned around and walked back toward me. Well, now I guess I have to give G-d another chance."</div>
<div align="left" style="color: #2d1856; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19.75px;">
I gave the young man a Chanukah <i>menorah</i> kit, and the phone number of his local Chabad-Lubavitch Center and we parted.</div>
<div align="left" style="color: #2d1856; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19.75px;">
I do not know if he ever contacted the Chabad Center. But I do know that the tiny flame in each one of us, even if it is untended or G-d forbid, it is mocked, burns eternally within every Jew.</div>
<div align="left" style="color: #2d1856; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19.75px;">
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<div align="left" style="color: #2d1856; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19.75px;">
From <a href="http://ascentofsafed.com/cgi-bin/ascent.cgi?Name=785-14" target="_blank">Ascent</a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926257522068294854.post-65140062257750303512013-11-25T15:04:00.000-08:002013-11-25T15:04:08.632-08:00CHANUKAH IN BERGEN-BELSEN<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I<span style="color: #2d1856; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19.75px;">n one of the last groups to arrive in Bergen-Belsen towards the tail end of World War II was a </span><br />
<span style="color: #2d1856; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19.75px;">Jew of charismatic appearance who became known to all the other inmates as Reb Shmelke. His full name was</span><span style="color: #2d1856; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19.75px;"> </span><b style="color: #2d1856; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19.75px;">Shmuel-Shmelke Shnitzler,</b><span style="color: #2d1856; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19.75px;"> </span><span style="color: #2d1856; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19.75px;">a chassid and Torah scholar from somewhere in Hungary. He was very tall and distinguished looking, with strikingly warm and penetrating eyes. Most amazingly, he maintained a mood of genuine cheerfulness, a rare disposition to find in the hellish environment of the camp.</span><br />
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He underwent the harsh terrors and the suffering, the hunger and the abuse, that was the daily portion for the Jew's in the camp, just as all the other prisoners. But, somehow, his demeanor and behavior seemed to indicate that he wasn't affected the same way as everyone else, almost as if he weren't really there.</div>
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How was he able to live in such a manner under such conditions? Nobody knew. But it was clear, nevertheless, that he was he drawing immeasurable fortitude and inspiration from some unlimited source.</div>
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He even was able to be a fountain of encouragement for his fellow prisoners. He would say to his companions at every opportunity, "A Jew and despair are contradictory in essence; they cannot co-exist." Whenever possible he would organize a <i>minyan </i>for prayer, especially on Shabbat. At nights he would enliven all those around him with stories of the great Chassidic rebbes, momentarily transporting them to other worlds and places, enabling them to temporarily forget their sufferings of body and soul.</div>
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To the amazement of all, Reb Shmelke even found favor in the eyes of a few of the cruelest S.S. guards in the camp. Through these connections he was able to aid a number of the inmates.</div>
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He was assigned the job of removing from the barracks the dead bodies of the many who died from starvation. He would try to treat them with as much respect as possible, considering this to be the ultimate of holy work that he could do under the circumstances.</div>
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In addition to the prevailing conditions of horror in the camp under which the Jews barely managed to survive, Reb Shmelke was nagged by another compelling problem, one that was increasing in urgency with each day that went past: how could he possibly obtain oil with which to kindle the lights of Chanukah. The holiday was only a few short days away.</div>
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He consulted everyone with whom he came into contact that he thought might be able to help, but no one had any oil or even anything that could be substituted for it. All said that to obtain anything flammable in the concentration camp was unimaginable as well as impossible.</div>
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Still, Reb Shmelke did not give in to despair. The mitzvah of kindling the Chanukah lights was much too important to him. He also realized how much encouragement and hope it would offer the Jews in the camp-to shine light into the deepest of darknesses, to celebrate the victory of few over the many, the pure over the impure….</div>
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On the day before Chanukah, Reb Shmelke had to hurry to one of the barracks near the end of the camp, where someone had died just that day. Not far from the fence at the edge of the camp, he stumbled when his foot sunk into a patch of red earth that turned out to be covering a small hole. It was clear that someone had dug this hole on purpose.</div>
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He gazed at the shallow depression, and after a moment perceived the sun reflecting off something in it. He looked closer and saw there was a solid object buried there, now slightly revealed. He knelt down and scooped out some dirt with his hands. It was a small jar, half-filled with congealed liquid! Could it be? Could it possibly be!</div>
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He removed its cover as quickly as he could and dipped his finger in gingerly. It was oil! He thoughts immediately flashed to the original Chanukah miracle of the finding of the single flask of oil. How could this be happening? Was he dreaming?</div>
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Then he noticed that the jar had been concealing other objects beneath it. He dug some more with his hands and uncovered a small package wrapped in a swatch of cloth. In it were eight small cups and eight thin strands of cotton!</div>
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Now convinced that someone had intentionally buried this Chanukah stash, Reb Shmelke quickly replaced everything back into the hole and filled it in with the dirt he had removed, carefully smoothing the surface. It would be too dangerous to keep the materials in his possession until Chanukah began the next day in the evening. Besides, perhaps it belonged to someone.</div>
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After he completed he job he had been sent upon, Reb Shmelke circulated among as many of the inmates he could during the rest of the day and the, casually asking with an air of innocence if anyone had concealed a quantity of oil in a hiding place. Everyone stared at him as if he were out of his senses.</div>
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The next night, all the Jews of Reb Shmelke's barrack crowded around him as he stood poised to light the first candle of Chanukah. He struck the match, and then recited the blessings with great emotion before touching the tiny flame to the thin strands of wick projecting out of the little cups. It was a scene from a storybook in stark contrast to the dour, harsh environment of the concentration camp, a ray of hope that repeated itself for a total of eight nights.</div>
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The elderly Reb Shmelke managed to survive the next few months until finally the conquering Allied forces liberated the camp. His faith and hope had proven victorious. After the official conclusion of the war, he returned to his town in Hungary, to try to reassemble the pieces of his broken life.</div>
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Several years later, he was able to make the journey to the United States of America. One important stop for him there was to visit <b><i>the Satmar Rebbe</i>, Rabbi Yoel Teitelbaum</b>, who lived in Brooklyn. The Rebbe, it turned out, already knew of Reb Shmelke and his deeds, and welcomed him with great warmth.</div>
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After they conversed for a while the Rebbe suddenly switched subjects and said to him, "I hear that you had the great honor of lighting Chanukah candles in Bergen-Belsen."</div>
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"How does the Rebbe know that?" sputtered Reb Shmelke in wonderment.</div>
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"I heard, I heard," replied the Rebbe, smiling mysteriously.</div>
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A few moments later the Rebbe bent over to his astonished visitor and whispered in his ear, "I am the one who hid the oil, the cups and the wicks in that hole next to the fence. I did it when I was imprisoned in the camp the year before you, before my miraculous escape.</div>
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"At the moment I did it," the Rebbe added, "I believed with all my heart that at the right time it would be found by the right person who would know exactly what to do with it."</div>
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<i>[Translated and adapted by Yrachmiel Tilles from Sichat HaShavua #468. ]</i></div>
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<b>Biographical note:<br />Rabbi Yoel Teitelbaum</b> [1888-26 Av 1979], miraculously escaped from Bergen-Belsen in 1944, after which he went to the Holy Land. In 1947 he moved to the USA, where he established himself as the <b>Satmer Rebbe</b>, in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, doing extensive work in establishing Torah education networks. Famed as the leader of Hungarian Jewry and the largest Chassidic group in the world, and as the spiritual leader of the opposition to a secular-based Jewish government in Israel, he was also one of the greatest Torah scholars of his generation.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926257522068294854.post-34603658376597660322013-11-25T14:58:00.004-08:002013-11-25T14:58:39.643-08:00Chanukah Miracle In Snowy Communist Russia<div style="color: #2d1856; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19.75px;">
By Rabbi Moshe Gurkow</div>
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When I was still a boy of 6 years old in my home in Communist Russia, I went with my Uncle, <b>Rabbi Michoel Teitelbaum</b>, who later founded the Lubavitch Educational Institute Oholei Torah in Brooklyn, to light the first candle of the Chanukah <i>menorah</i> in an outdoor setting in an effort to publicize the miracle. All of a sudden from out of nowhere a policeman appeared, wielding a huge knife, with which he attempted to kill us!</div>
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My uncle and I ran for our lives. We came to a gigantic snow pile and plunged into its snow, but the policeman with his deadly knife was still at our backs. He thrust it deep into the snow; the knife's sharp blade literally reached the throat of Uncle Michoel when he suddenly bit the policeman's thumb, causing him to drop the knife to the ground. In the midst of the commotion my uncle and I fled the scene. We returned back to the place where we started out only to find that lone, first Chanukah candle still burning joyously.</div>
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