Why did it take the Alter Rebbe two hours to wipe his Shabbos cup? What did Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Schneersohn say when there was no food for Shabbos? * A compilation of stories about our Rebbeim and Shabbos, presented for Parshas VaEschanan when we read “Preserve the Shabbos to sanctify it.”
Letters home, written by R’ Tuvia Zilberstrom during his k’vutza year, describing some of the events of Menachem-Av 5734 in 770 with the Rebbe. 1079By R’ Tuvia Zilberstrom
The verse, “And they shall go out and see the corpses of the people who rebelled against Me, for … their fire shall not be quenched,” which speaks of eternal damnation refers to the sinners of the Gentile nations, whereas rebellious Jews “are punished only momentarily in Gehinom, before Avrohom Avinu comes and lifts them up from there (meaning that he acquits their judgement) and (even) greets them.”
These are the words which Moses spoke to all of Israel on the east bank of the Jordan; in the wilderness, in the Plains (of Moav) at the Red Sea, between Paran and Tofel, and Lavan, and Chatzeiros, and Di-Zahav.”
One runs a successful Chabad House in one of the leading malls in Eretz Yisroel. Another teaches in a boys’ school. A third runs the Beis Moshiach shul in Kiryat Malachi. All three devote their lives to proudly spreading the Besuras HaGeula. * We spoke with Rabbi Ilan Chiyoun, Rabbi Yaron Bar Zohar, and Rabbi Sholom Fash about Inyanei Geula and Moshiach.
Lo nitnah Torah l’malachei hashares (The Torah was not given to the angels), Chazal tell us. Mitzvos and halachos are predicated on being possible and reasonable for human beings to perform. We can therefore assume that if something is logistically nearly impossible to fulfill, Torah does not expect it of us.
The way to Moshiach is only through achdus-unity, since the cause for the exile is the lack thereof. Does that mean we need to forgo our views for the sake of unity? Definitely not! * What is the central point with which every Chassid, and especially a shliach, needs to focus on every day?
Due to the intense hostilities that broke out in Nicaragua in recent months, the country has become dangerous, hovering on the brink of civil war. “It has become scary here,” says the shliach in S. Juan del Sur, Rabbi Dovid Attar, who had to close the Chabad House and hurriedly leave the country. “In order to protect our family and the Jews who live here, we had to tell people to stop coming and help all who are here who want to leave Nicaragua.”
In the middle of the farbrengen, the Rebbe suddenly began talking about the youth who are self-destructing around the world, who seek answers to their questions, referring to the hippie movement that captivated youth in the western world at the end of the 60’s and into the 70’s. The Rebbe spoke about the problems with transcendental meditation and suggested a creative solution for kosher meditation.
Many of us know about the dilemma that the Alter Rebbe had, whether to go and learn by the Mezritcher Maggid and eventually become a Chassid or to go elsewhere.
Doctor Michael Ben-Ari, even before he served as a Member of Knesset (MK), has first and foremost been a researcher of the Mikdash (Holy Temple) with every fiber of his being. He has been living the subject of the Mikdash for over thirty-five years, during which he has made many discoveries that shed new light on the topic. He is a veritable font of encyclopedic knowledge in every aspect of research on the topic, including descriptions of the practices there and how it figured in the lives of the people living then. Additionally, he does not hesitate to dispute various accepted accounts that cast a negative light on the period of the Second Temple and the events that occurred in its final days. * Part 2 of 2
July 25, 2018