Search
BeisMoshiach.org
Web
Share

Tags
"Misnagdim” #1000 #1001 #1002 #1003 #1004 #1005 #1006 #1007 #1008 #1009 #1010 #1011 #1012 #1013 #1014 #1015 #1016 #1017 #1018 #1019 #1020 #1021 #1022 #1023 #1024 #1025 #1026 #1027 #1028 #1029 #1030 #1031 #1032 #1033 #1034 #1035 #1036 #1037 #1038 #1039 #1040 #1041 #1042 #1043 #1044 #1045 #1046 #1047 #1048 #1049 #1050 #1051 #1052 #1053 #1054 #1055 #1056 #1057 #1058 #1059 #1060 #1061 #1062 #1063 #1064 #1065 #1066 #1067 #1068 #1069 #1070 #1071 #1072 #1073 #1074 #1075 #1076 #1077 #1078 #1079 #1080 #1081 #1082 #1083 #1084 #1085 #1086 #1088 #1089 #1090 #1091 #1092 #1093 #1094 #1095 #1096 #1097 #1098 #1099 #1100 #1101 #1102 #1103 #1104 #1106 #1107 #1108 #1109 #1110 #1111 #1112 #1113 #1114 #1115 #1116 #1117 #1118 #1119 #1120 #1121 #1122 #1123 #1124 #1125 #1126 #1127 #1128 #1129 #1130 #1131 #1132 #1133 #1134 #1135 #1136 #1137 #1138 #1139 #1140 #1141 #1142 #1143 #1144 #1145 #1146 #1147 #1148 #1149 #1150 #1151 #1152 #1153 #1154 #1155 #1156 #1157 #1158 #1159 #1160 #1161 #1162 #1163 #1164 #1165 #1166 #1167 #1168 #1169 #1170 #1171 #1172 #1173 #1174 #1175 #1176 #1177 #1178 #1179 #1180 #1181 #1182 #1183 #1184 #1185 #1186 #1187 #1188 #318 #319 #350 #383 #390 #550 #560 #594 #629 #642 #776 #777 #778 #779 #780 #781 #782 #783 #784 #785 #786 #787 #820 #823 #824 #825 #826 #827 #828 #829 #830 #831 #832 #833 #834 #835 #836 #837 #838 #839 #840 #841 #842 #843 #844 #845 #846 #847 #848 #849 #850 #851 #852 #853 #854 #855 #856 #857 #858 #859 #860 #861 #862 #863 #864 #865 #866 #867 #868 #869 #870 #871 #872 #873 #874 #875 #876 #876 #877 #878 #879 #880 #881 #882 #883 #884 #885 #886 #887 #888 #889 #890 #891 #892 #893 #894 #895 #896 #897 #898 #899 #900 #901 #902 #903 #904 #905 #906 #907 #908 #909 #910 #911 #912 #913 #914 #915 #916 #917 #918 #919 #920 #921 #922 #923 #924 #925 #926 #927 #928 #929 #930 #931 #932 #933 #934 #935 #936 #937 #938 #939 #940 #941 #942 #943 #944 #945 #946 #947 #948 #949 #950 #951 #952 #953 #954 #955 #956 #957 #958 #959 #960 #961 #962 #963 #964 #965 #966 #967 #968 #969 #970 #971 #972 #973 #974 #975 #976 #977 #978 #979 #980 #981 #982 #983 #984 #985 #986 #987 #988 #989 #990 #991 #992 #993 #994 #995 #996 #997 #998 #999 1 Kislev 10 Kislev 10 Shvat 10 Shvat 10 Teives 11 11 Nissan 12 Tammuz 13 Iyar 13 Tishrei 14 Kislev 15 Elul 15 Menachem-Av 15 Shvat 17 Tammuz 18 Elul 19 Kislev 2 Iyar 20 Av 20 Mar-Cheshvan 20 Menachem-Av 22 Shvat 24 Teives 25 Adar 27 Adar 28 Nissan 28 Teives 29 Elul 3 3 Tammuz 33 Tammuz 352 5 Teives 6 Tishrei 7 Adar 7 Mar-Cheshvan 770 864 865 881 9 Adar 9 Av 9 Kislev 903 Acharei Acharei-K'doshim Achdus Adar Ahavas Yisroel Alef-Beis All Jews Shall Rise Alter Rebbe Amalek Argentina Arizal army Artwork Aseres HaDibros Australia Avoda Zara B’Chukosai B’Shalach Baal Shem Tov baal t'shuva Baba Sali Balak BaMidbar bar mitzva Basi L'Gani B'Chukosai be Bein HaMeitzarim Beis HaMikdash Beis Nissan Berditchev Beth Rivkah B'Haalos'cha B'Har B'Har-B'Chukosai Birthday Bitachon Blindness Bo B'rachos Brazil Breslov brit milah Brussels B'Shalach Canada chai v'kayam Chanuka Chassidic Rabbis Chasuna Chayei Sara Chernobil chesed Chevron children chinuch Chitas Choshen Chukas Churban controversy convert Dan Diary of the late R’ Saadya Maatuf Dollars dreams D''varim Editorial Editor's Corner Eikev Elections Elul Emor Europe Family Purity fire France free choice Gaza Gentiles Georgia Gulf War Gush Katif Haazinu Hakhel Halvayas Hameis Hashavas Aveida HaYom Yom Hebron hiskashrus Holy Temple Honesty Honoring Parents Hospitality IDF Igrot Kodesh India Intermarriage Internet Iran Iron Curtain Israel Japan Jewish Refugee Crisis Kabbala K'doshim Kfar Chabad Ki Savo Ki Seitzei Ki Sisa KIDDUSH LEVANA Kiryat Gat Kislev kKi Sisa Kohen Gadol Korach korbanos KOS SHEL BRACHA Krias Shma K'vutza Lag B'Omer lashon ha'ra Lech Lecha letter Litvishe maamer Machatzis HaShekel mahn Mar-Cheshvan marriage Massei Matot Mattos Mattos-Massei Menachem Av Menora Merkos Shlichus Metzora Mexico Mezuzah Miami MiKeitz MIkvah Mishkan Mishpatim Mitteler Rebbe Mitzva Tank Mitzvah Tanks Mivtza Kashrus MIvtza Neshek Mivtza T’fillin Mivtza Tefilin Morocco Moshe Rabbeinu Moshiach & Geula Moshiach Seuda music Names Napoleon Naso Nazi Holocaust niggunim Nissan Nitzavim Nitzavim-VaYeilech Noach Noachide North Africa olive oil painting Parshas Parah parshas re'eh Parshas Zachor Pesach Pesach Sheini Pinchas Pirkei Avos P'kudei Poland prayer Prison prophecy Purim R’ Avrohom Schneersohn Rabbanus Rabbi Hillel Zaltzman Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu Rabbi Shlomo Galperin Rambam Ramban Rashbi Rashi Rebbe Rebbe Maharash Rebbe Rashab Rebbe Rayatz Rebbe Rayatz & Joint Rebbetzin Chana Rebbetzin Chaya Muska Rebbetzin Rivka Red Heifer Reform movement R'ei Rishon L'Tzion Rosh Chodesh Rosh HaShana Russia S’firas HaOmer Samarkand seifer Torah s'firas ha'omer Shabbos Shabbos Bereishis Shabbos Chazo Shabbos Chazon Shabbos Hagadol Shabbos Nachamu shalom bayis Shavuos Shekalim shiduchim Shlach shleimus ha'Aretz shliach shlichus Shmini Shmita Shmos Shnas Ha’Binyan Shoftim shtus Shvat simcha Simchas Torah South Africa Sukkos summer summer camp tahalucha Talmud Torah Tanya Tazria-Metzora te Tefila TEFILLAS GESHEM Tehilim Teives Terror teshuva Tetzaveh t'fillin the soul tisha b'av Tishrei Toldos Tomchei T'mimim Truma t'shuva tTruma Tzaddik Tzanz Tzav Tzedaka Tzemach Tzedek Tzfas tzimtzum Tzitzis Tzniyus Ukraine undefined Upsherinish VaEira VaEs'chanan VaYakhel VaYakhel-P’kudei VaYechi VaYeilech VaYeira VaYeishev VaYeitzei VaYigash VaYikra VaYishlach Vocational Schools Winter women Yechidus Yerushalayim Yeshiva Yisro Yom Kippur Yom Tov Zionism Zohar Zos HaBracha. B'Reishis סיביר
Visitor Feed
Tuesday
Dec292015

UNITY THROUGH HALACHA

Dear Reader sh’yichyeh,

This Shabbos (Parshas Shmos) falls out between two very special dates:  20 Teves – the Yahrtzait of the Rambam, and 24 Teves, the Yahrtzait of the Alter Rebbe. Much has been written and explained about the similarities between these two giants. This article is to explain the “Hakhel Connection” to the two baalei hilula and the connection to Moshiach (based on the sicha of Shmos 5748).

On a very basic level, the Rambam and the Alter Rebbe were both codifiers of Jewish law. Even though by learning basic Halacha we ignore the depth and analysis of the reasons for the Halacha, learning Halacha touches the core and essential connection of a Jew with Hashem. There are two very distinct “Hakhel components” to this idea:

Firstly, to codify Jewish law, one must gather from all the different parts of the Torah and compile it together. To come to a Halachic ruling, one must sift through the entire corpus of the Talmud and its commentaries, figure out the conclusion, and explain the variegated details in an orderly fashion. This is the concept of Hakhel, i.e., gathering together, in Torah itself.

[We also see this idea in the Alter Rebbe’s basic Seifer of Chassidus, the Tanya. The name of the seifer is “Likkutei Amarim,” which means a collection and gathering of teachings.]

We also see the idea of gathering and uniting in Halacha, in the fact that although there may be multiple opinions on any given matter, once the Halacha is established, everyone unites around it and follows the same Halacha.

Secondly, the entire concept of Hakhel is to strengthen a Jew’s commitment to Hashem. In the words of the Pasuk  (D’varim 31:12): “Assemble the people: the men, the women, and the children, and your stranger in your cities, in order that they hear, and in order that they learn and fear the Lord, your God, and they will observe to do all the words of this Torah.”

How does one “observe to do all the words of this Torah”? There is only one way: through following Halacha. Halacha is Hashem’s wisdom for a Jew to live and direct his life. As Yidden which are being inspired by the year of Hakhel, we have to thank the Alter Rebbe and the Rambam for putting the halachos together so that we can learn them in an orderly and practical fashion and cement our commitment to Hashem.

This idea – that something that looks external, like the final Halacha, is connected to the essence of Hashem – is also connected to the name of this week’s Parsha, Parshas Shmos. The word Shmos means Names. A name is seemingly something very external; something that someone uses to call a different person. Seemingly, if someone lived in isolation he would not need a name. Yet we see that when one calls the name of another person, the entire person turns to him, with their entire essence.

There is a well known story of the Alter Rebbe who was holding his young grandson, the Tzemach Tzedek, in his lap. The child said to his grandfather: “Zeide, Zeide!”

The Alter Rebbe asked him: “Where is Zeide?” The grandson pointed to the head of his grandfather. The Alter Rebbe said, “This is the head, but it’s not Zeide.” The child then pointed to the Alter Rebbe’s heart and said, “This is Zeide.” The Alter Rebbe responded, “This is the heart, but it’s not Zeide.” The grandson continued to point to the other parts of the Alter Rebbe’s body in order to find the place where “Zeide” is. To all these attempts the Alter Rebbe responded that he had merely indicated a specific limb of Zeide, but not Zeide.

The child then climbed down from his grandfather’s lap and began walking around on his own. When he approached the door, he pretended that his fingers had gotten caught in the door and began to yell, “Zeide, Zeide!”

The Alter Rebbe turned to the child and said: “What is it my son; what happened?” The child replied: “This is Zeide!!”

This story demonstrates that although a name is seemingly external to the person, and is only necessary for others, paradoxically, the name of a person relate to his very essence.

Learning Halacha is also very connected with Moshiach: Chazal (Midrash VaYikra 7:3) tells us that the geula will come in the merit of learning Mishnayos. The Rebbe explains (Toras Menachem 5752 Vol. 1 pg. 179 footnote 17) that this includes – and means – the learning of Rambam and Halachos. For when Moshiach comes, we will see the special essential connection that Hashem has with Halacha as is evident by the fact that Halacha will never be abolished.

In conclusion: In honor of the Rambam and Alter Rebbe, let us renew our dedication to learning the daily cycle of Rambam that the Rebbe initiated and make sure to add in our learning of Halacha. This is a true benefit to us, as Chazal (Tanchuma B’Shalach 20) say: One who is involved in his livelihood and makes an effort to learn just two Halachos in the morning and two Halachos at night, is considered as if he kept the entire Torah! This is in addition to the famous Tanna d’Bei Eliyahu which says, “Whoever learns halachos every day is guaranteed a portion in the World to Come.”

 

Rabbi Avtzon is the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Lubavitch Cincinnati and a well sought after speaker and lecturer. Recordings of his in-depth shiurim on Inyanei Geula u’Moshiach can be accessed at http://www.ylcrecording.com.

Reader Comments

There are no comments for this journal entry. To create a new comment, use the form below.

PostPost a New Comment

Enter your information below to add a new comment.

My response is on my own website »
Author Email (optional):
Author URL (optional):
Post:
 
All HTML will be escaped. Hyperlinks will be created for URLs automatically.