Every day we unite with our Divine core. But if this heightened state of intimacy with G-d is always present and available to all, why don’t we feel it? Why does this spiritual reality not shine through?
After the Rebbe’s traditional blessing on Erev Yom Kippur of 5729 (1969), the Rebbe’s secretary, Reb Leibel Groner, wrote to the Rebbe that “some pointed out and are worried that in the Bracha of Erev Yom Kippur after Mincha, in which the Rebbe Shlita blessed Klal Yisrael, the usual blessing of “a Chasima and Gmar Chasima Tova” were not mentioned as in every year.”
“All a man’s provisions are allotted for him from Rosh HaShana until Yom HaKippurim” * The Aron did not occupy any space; its measure did not count. The funny thing is that the measurements of the Aron are very precise, 1.5 x 2.5 cubits – yet it took up no space?!
A collection of relevant halachos regarding Yom Kippur from AskTheRav.com & Halacha2Go.com. By Horav Yosef Yeshaya Braun, Mara D’asra and member of the Crown Heights Beis Din
A typical scene was Rabbi Avrohom Tauber a”h, with his unusually tall figure towering over other Jews, with his two hands on their head as he blessed them with the priestly blessing, with great feeling. He did this upon explicit instruction of the Rebbe and many saw salvations from his blessings.
The sun was setting in the west, leaving in its wake reddish-purplish hues. The candles lit by the women added to the aura of the day. You could feel the awe and holiness of the holy day, Yom Kippur.
The ark was opened and the Torah scrolls were brought out before the hushed crowd. The solemn tune of “Kol Nidrei” welled forth from the silence. Yom Kippur had finally begun…
The Torah places great emphasis on the words of our mouths. This manifests itself in many ways. Our mouths are to be used to speak and teach words of Torah as we say in the Shma “and you shall speak of them.” The manner of speech is also important. We are not to speak ill of others. We are not to curse. A Kohen is obligated to bless the Jewish people with the three priestly blessings. But nowhere is the extraordinary power of speech more pronounced than in the subject of vows, the subject of the beginning of this week’s parsha—Matos.
Commemorative fasts will be nullified in the Messianic era and, indeed ultimately, they will be transformed into holidays and days of rejoicing and celebration… Yom Kippur however… is not connected with the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash, but rather with connecting to Hashem through T’shuva…
A fascinating account by journalist Menachem Barash a”h about a special operation waged by Chabad Chassidim among IDF soldiers on the front lines during the Yom Kippur War. * Presented to mark forty years since the Yom Kippur War.
The “mere” desire to be there places us there in consonance with what the Baal Shem Tov taught: “A person is where his will is.” If we truly want to be with Moshiach—and express that desire sincerely by attempting to live our lives in harmony with the ideals of Moshiach—we are there!
Since a Jew is actually a part of G-d above, it follows that the G-dly spark that we are seeking is not something new that we are looking for, rather it is something that has been lost. And just like any lost artifact, you have to look for it in the place where it was lost…
March 2, 2021