Haven’t we been down this road before, marked by vague statements on the obligation to drive Jews out of their homes in accordance with the law, resulting in the destruction of entire Jewish settlements?
Violinist Oren Tzur tells about how he came to Chabad. * “The Tanya became my daily instruction book that teaches me how to implement everything I learn in life.” * The musician who discovered himself when he began learning Tanya.
When we become slaves to our passions and our morals are loose, we lose our status as inherently free people. * Moshiach gains mastery over his material interest. This means that to cultivate the internal Moshiach—which is the catalyst to reveal the external Moshiach—we must exercise control over our inner “donkey.”
In honor of 24 Teives we present another chapter from the Sichos Kodesh of the Rebbe Rayatz. * From the sicha of Yud Kislev 5702 in which he spoke about the Mitteler Rebbe and the Alter Rebbe.
Lithuania, the place that had always been the stronghold of the Misnagdim. * Over the years Chassidishe communities were established there, mainly numerous Lubavitcher ones. A number of branches of Tomchei T’mimim were established as well. * The following is a description of the Lubavitcher community in the town of Ponovezh, Lithuania which was built up by the Chassid, R’ Shmuel Tzvi Lisson, may Hashem avenge his blood.
It is ten years since the passing of the Chassid R’ Zalman Levin a”h of Kfar Chabad. He walked among us, but he belonged to the generation of giants, Chassidim who lived lives of mesirus nefesh. In a series of meetings with him, he recounted the story of his childhood in a Chassidishe home in the Soviet Union where children learned Torah and where kosher meat was secretly slaughtered.
An amazing story about a surprising and urgent instruction by the Rebbe to publish a second collection of stories on candle lighting, leading several years later to the awakening of the pintele yid.
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.
The Evil Inclination argues: Why must you be so enthusiastic in your service of Torah and Mitzvos in order to refine the world. What is the big deal if you put it off for later? * From the addresses of Yud Shvat and Shabbos Parshas B’Shalach 5729
Even the thought of distinguishing among Jews the extent to which they embody “his descendants are alive,” and how much more so regarding speaking or publicizing it – this detracts from the life of Yaakov Avinu, G-d forbid, and it is the opposite of simple faith in the Torah of Moshe, which states “Yaakov Avinu did not die,” for “just as his children are alive, so is he alive.”
What does Rav Yitzchok gain by saying, “there should be no talk at meals,” while in the very same breath with which he states this rule (at the meal) he seems to be breaking it? * Yaakov is beyond the natural limitations of the world; he is not confined by the laws of nature which insist that there must be death in the world.
R’ Zalman reports to the Rebbe about the miracles that happened in connection with the purchase of the new yeshiva building. * From the life of R’ Yehoshua Shneur Zalman Serebryanski a”h.
For thousands of years the Jewish people have been subjected to the worst forms of tyranny and oppression – the inner Esau – culminating with the Holocaust and the spread of Communism in the last century. The primary challenge we have today comes from our over indulgence in the material world – representing the inner Yishmoel.
January 3, 2013