Thursday
Dec202012
WE BOTH DREAMT OF THE REBBE THAT NIGHT
December 20, 2012“My wife told me that she had dreamt that night about the Rebbe, and when I heard this, it almost took my breath away. I too had dreamt about the Rebbe that night!”
Tuesday
Dec182012
EXPLOITATION
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, 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. * Part 5 of 9
Tuesday
Dec182012
THE REBBE WENT PUBLIC WITH THE PROCLAMATION OF ‘YECHI’
At the Kinus HaShluchim 5753, in front of thousands of shluchim, the Rebbe sent a clear message: I am going out before you with the proclamation of Yechi in order to accomplish this in the world. * The moving speech by Rabbi Yisroel Hershkowitz, shliach and rav in Ofakim, at the Kinus HaShluchim banquet, Motzaei Shabbos in 770.
Tuesday
Dec182012
THE ONE-MAN WEEKLY TAHALUCHA
On Simchas Torah 5711, sixty-two years ago, the Rebbe spoke in a unique manner about the privilege and importance of walking to shuls and reviewing a point or idea from Chassidic teachings. * Since then, the phenomenon has grown and spread, not only on Yomim Tovim, but every Shabbos. This is not something done only by shluchim or bachurim. Many balabatim have also adopted shuls where they repeat a point from the Rebbe’s sicha every Shabbos.
Friday
Dec142012
LIGHTING UP THE EXILE WITH THE OIL OF TORAH
All the while that Moshiach Tzidkeinu has still not arrived – tangibly and overtly – one’s days are incomplete, his life is truly lacking. Yaakov expresses this sentiment by saying that even the 130 years of his life were seen as but “few” [meaning lacking], for the redemption had not yet been realized in the world.
Friday
Dec142012
THE REBBE: THE LIGHT OF SIXTY MYRIAD STARS
The message derived from this analogy, as it relates to Moshe Rabbeinu – as well as the “extension of Moshe in each generation,” including the Moshe of our generation, my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe – is that even now he is present and shines as before. Were we to go together with him, we would see that he shines in full force just as before. In fact, in an even more profound way.
Friday
Dec142012
HOW COULD A FLASK OF OIL BRING PEACE?
What is the history behind the “one cruse of oil which lay with the seal of the High Priest?” The Sifsei Kohen Al HaTorah explains that this flask was the famous flask of the Shemen HaMishcha–anointing oil that was prepared by Moshe Rabbeinu. It was used to anoint Kings and High Priests as well as the vessels in the Mishkan. It was hidden during the time of the second Beis HaMikdash and was miraculously found and used to light the Menorah.
Thursday
Dec132012
A PALESTINIAN STATE? ONLY UNDER BIBI’S WATCH!
To our great regret, even some in the ideological right-wing are talking about granting autonomy to the “Palestinians.” Just recently, political novice Naftali Bennett, the newly elected head of the joint Jewish Home/National Union Party, presented his diplomatic platform, which gives Area A to the Palestinians. This didn’t seem to bother the moderates on the political right, who have entrusted Bennett with their renewed electoral hopes.
Thursday
Dec132012
TOUGH TIMES
The Rebbe urges Anash to get involved with the yeshiva and makes it clear that this is for their material and spiritual good. * From the life of R’ Yehoshua Shneur Zalman Serebryanski a”h.
Thursday
Dec132012
WAKE UP AND OPEN YOUR EYES!
If the exile is likened to a dream, and that G-d appears to us to be in a “sleep state,” then we are now witnessing the transition described in the Biblical verse, from: “Awaken, why do you sleep O G-d” to: “and G-d awakened from His sleep.”
Thursday
Dec132012
HOW DID R’ CHAIM SHAUL BROOK HAVE THE MITTELER REBBE’S PICTURE?
A treasury of stories and sayings from great Chabad Chassidim of the previous generation were recently discovered in R’ Chaim Ashkenazi’s archives. * His family gave Beis Moshiach the fascinating stories, some of which are being publicized for the first time. * In the coming weeks, we will present stories and sayings from R’ Chaim Shaul Brook.
Thursday
Dec132012
LEARNING AND LIVING UNDERGROUND AS A YOUNG TEENAGER
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.
Thursday
Dec132012
SYSTEMIZED CHAOS
I felt my mind unwinding out of control, like a fishing reel set loose by a wild catch too large to handle. Who do I think I am? How am I supposed to know if I am living the life that I am meant to live? Why can’t I see any sign?