Dozens of young army officers partake in weekly Shabbos meals at the home of shliach Rabbi Yaakov Tzvi Ben-Ari and his wife Sima. One of them saw the revealed finger of G-d, when she wanted a special dish and promised to change her way of life if it would be served at the Shabbos table. Exactly how many miles did the quinoa travel to get from the Negev to the Ben-Aris’ house in Tzfas? A clear case of Divine Providence.
Regular people upon their passing are free from Mitzvos, but tzaddikim at the level of Rebbi Yehuda HaNasi, even after their histalkus, remain alive and can even discharge others of their obligation for Mitzvos.
Tz’daka is one of Judaism’s very important Mitzvos. In some ways, it is the most important of them all. The Talmud states that Tz’daka alone is equal to all the other Mitzvos. Tz’daka is singularly important because it hastens the Redemption. We are taught that Israel will not be redeemed except through tz’daka.
For three years now, those who walk the Israel National Trail (Shvil Yisrael) that extends from one end of the country to the other know the Grizi family as “Trail Angels.” They open their home dozens of times a year for hundreds of hikers walking across the country and provide full room and board. We visited Nitzan and his wife Avigayil to hear what it’s all about. That day, they had seven hikers staying with them.
Naor Carmi found the answers to life through the pages of Likkutei Torah and today he uses his musical talents to spread the wellsprings and to bring authentic Chabad niggunim to the public, even to non-Jews. * His ensemble has performed dozens of Chabad niggunim and has produced a CD called “The Heart and the Wellspring.” * In a conversation with Beis Moshiach, Naor tells his story which began with a musical upbringing in Akko and now has him performing with the most interesting ensemble in the world of Israeli music.
Since the Gush Katif expulsion, the political left in Eretz Yisroel has cried out for a strong Likud prime minister who will succeed in reenacting the crimes of his predecessor, Ariel Sharon. One prominent leftist wrote last week that “Prime Minister Netanyahu is the only person today who can achieve the idea of two states.” He added that Netanyahu has in fact already accepted the concept of partitioning Eretz Yisroel…
This is an important lesson for us in the time of exile. We know that in comparison to the Torah of Moshiach, our Torah learning is trifling. This is emphasized in the Midrash (Koheles 11:8) “The Torah of this world is inanity compared to the Torah of Moshiach.”
The following is a translation of a private yechidus that Mr. Shmuel Katz had with the Rebbe in 1978. The words of the Rebbe could not be more relevant than for the present time in which the Israeli Government has indicated its intentions to hold a referendum on a “two-state solution” r”l.
Rabbi Yehuda Tzvi Fogelman a”h spent 70 years on shlichus, 67 of them in Worcester, Massachusetts. * R’ Fogelman was a combination of greatness in learning, success in hafatza, and hiskashrus. * He was one of the few remaining Chassidim who remembered the Rebbe Rayatz’s arrival in America.
Our children will soon be going back to school. Teachers, students and parents each have expectations. Are each aware of the expectations that the others have? What should happen when expectations are not realized? * We spoke to parents, teachers and children to hear answers to these and other school-related questions.
August 4, 2013