But the cursed Russians were themselves big anti-Semites, and they could not make peace with the fact that the Jews excelled in the army. They always diminished our contribution. They just couldn’t fargin us.
Being that shtus d’l’umas zeh and sins cause the Divine presence to depart, in order to bring about a change of course, so that “I shall dwell among you” [as before the sin], there must be “make for Me a Mikdash (specifically) of Acacia Trees, atzei Shittim” – shtus d’k’dusha is required.
If you were to take a survey among the experts, you are likely to get a variety of opinions regarding how to approach contemporary Jewish outreach, how to break the ice and get to the point: “Moshiach is about to come any moment! What can you and I do right now to prepare?” * When you approach a Jew and shout “MOSHIACH NOW!” and you tell him, “listen, Jews simply must have Moshiach,” the inner part of his soul is revealed! And there is no need to find evidence and proof.
“If they have to evacuate an outpost, they shouldn’t do it on Shabbos,” said Jewish Home chairman Naftali Bennett. In other words, he essentially has no problem with the fact that they’re destroying other Jewish homes, just as long as they don’t do any work on Shabbos. These politicians have totally failed to internalize the simple message that destroying Jewish homes is forbidden according to Shulchan Aruch, Sec. 329, just as the Torah forbids violating the Shabbos. Therefore, an IDF soldier is absolutely forbidden to carry out an expulsion order against Jews, and it makes no difference whether it’s done on Friday night or Sunday afternoon.
Clearly, we are at odds with ourselves. On the one hand, those who believe that human effort can and will lead to such a transformation will be alienated by the concept of Moshiach, a G-dly redeemer – hence the flourishing of secular messianic ideologies in the past two centuries. On the other hand, those who believe in the Jewish approach could reason that if the final transformation will only come about through Moshiach, then why bother with our own efforts to create change?
New profile of a Chassid whose yahrtzait falls out that week. It is most appropriate to begin with the mashpia, R’ Zalman Moshe HaYitzchaki, the only one about whom the Rebbe wrote “zatzal” (zecher tzaddik livracha). He passed away on 3 Shvat 5712/1952.
Why did the Rebbe, at age 15, stand silently near his mother when it was suggested that he go to Lubavitch? When did the Rebbe walk with his mother in Crown Heights? Why did the Rebbe say that his mother’s slippers should be placed on his desk? * A compilation of stories about the mitzva of honoring parents as exemplified by the Rebbe. * Presented for 28 Teives, Rebbetzin Chana’s birthday.
The Radak asks: “Why does the Navi only mention one Korban Tamid? It seems from here that in the time of Yemos HaMoshiach only the morning Tamid will be brought.” That explains why the name of the Masechta that deals with the two T’midim is called Tamid in the singular, because only one Korban Tamid will be brought in the time of Moshiach.
Our neighbors told the Germans that he was a holy man. He was hung by his hands until he expired and then hung there for another three days. I began observing his yahrtzait according to the date they told me. Then one night, my father came to me in a dream and told me I was off by one day. “My yahrtzait is a day later.”
The Center for Kabbala, which is run by R’ Eyal Reiss, is not your typical Chabad house. It spreads the wellsprings of Chassidus, albeit in an atypical package. * Part 2 of 2
Why should the fact that the same Exodus is described with four expressions necessitate drinking four cups? There was only one Exodus, so shouldn’t there be an obligation to drink only one cup of wine?
Stories and sayings from R’ Chaim Shaul Brook a”h as recorded by his close talmid, R’ Chaim Ashkenazi a”h.
A modest attempt at describing an incredible Chassid, a throwback to earlier generations, who lived amongst us until very recently – R’ Aharon Yosef Blinitzky a”h, whose yahrtzait is 5 Shvat.
January 15, 2013