1015

DVAR MALCHUS
THE REVELATION OF
G-DLINESS IN THE
WORLD, IN NISSAN
From Chapter Six of Rabbi Shloma Majeskis
Likkutei Mekoros (Underlined text is the
compilers emphasis.)
Translated by Boruch Merkur
6. [] This concept is
underscored by the birth of
Moshe (on the seventh of Adar),
as our Sages point out, At
the moment Moshe was born,
the entire home was filled with
light, meaning that the birth
of Moshe brought about light
(the revelation of G-dliness)
throughout the entire home
(i.e., within natural, worldly
experience).
This
idea
is
further
emphasized in Moshes service
of G-d, as well as the deeds
he did throughout his lifespan
(the potential for which was
established on the day of
his birth, on the seventh of
Adar). That is, in assembling
the Mishkan, Moshe brought
about the primary and principle
hamshacha (manifestation) and
revelation of G-dliness in the
world, as stated in the Midrash:
When Rosh Chodesh Nissan
arrived and the Alm-ghty
commanded the Jewish people
to assemble the Mishkan (the
Jewish people were saying, We
have constructed the Mishkan,
but when will the Shchina come
and rest amidst the work of our
hands?), G-d sent Moshe to

ask them: Why do you worry?
I have (already) returned to the
garden, my sister, my bride.
Yishmoel, son of Rebbi Yossie
said*: it does not say gan
garden but gani, meaning
gnuni the bridal chamber, to
the place where My essence was
revealed in the beginning. And
wasnt the primary manifestation
of the Shchina in the physical
realm? When Adam sinned,
the Shchina departed to the first
Firmament, etc.; the Egyptians
sinned and the Shchina ascended
to the seventh Firmament.
Corresponding to the seven who
sinned, seven tzaddikim arose,
and they drew down the Shchina
from the Supernal Realms to
the Lower Realms Avrohom
drew It down from the seventh
to the sixth, etc.; Moshe (who
is the seventh, and all sevens
are beloved), drew the Shchina
down from the Supernal Realm
to the Lower Realms (i.e.,
Moshe rose and brought the
Shchina down to the earth).
Moreover, the erection of
the Mishkan (during Shivas
Yemei HaMiluim, the Seven
Days of Initiation, when Moshe

assembled and dismantled the
Mishkan) began on the final
seven days (all goes according
to the finale, the conclusion)
of the Month of Adar (from the
twenty-third of Adar until the last
day of the month of Adar).
Now, the beginning of the
month of Adar underscores the
might (adir) of the Alef (the
head and first letter of the word
Adar), which transcends the
world (Adir bamarom Hashem
G-d is mighty On High),
whereas the remainder of the
month (primarily the seventh
of the month, when Moshe was
born), and how much more so
towards the end of the month
(in the final week, when Moshe
began erecting the Mishkan)
emphasizes (the intent and
purpose of) the hamshacha and
revelation of G-dliness in the
world (Adar, Alef Dar, the
continuation and end of the word
Adar) brought about by the
Mishkan.
Nevertheless, at the end
of the month of Adar when
the assembling of the Mishkan
had begun and Moshe erected
the Mishkan, served in it,
and dismantled it each day
(throughout the Shivas Yemei
HaMiluim) the Shchina did
Issue 1015
1015_bm_eng.indd 3
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Dvar Malchus
not rest within it. There still
was not the manifestation and
revelation of G-dliness within
the physical world; the G-dly
manifestation and revelation
still transcended the world, in
a manner of Adir bamarom
Hashem G-d is mighty On
High.
The main hamshacha and
revelation in the physical world
from assembling the Mishkan
in a permanent manner
and with the presence of the
Shchina took place on Rosh
Chodesh Nissan (yom hashmini
lamiluim, the eighth day of
initiating the Mishkan), and it
was drawn down through the
inauguration of the Mishkan by
the Nsiim of the Jewish people
throughout the twelve days from
Rosh Chodesh Nissan until the

twelfth of Nissan (one Nasi
each day). This stage further
emphasizes the hamshacha and
revelation of G-dliness within the
framework of earthly experience,
the twelve permutation of the
Divine name Havaya (meaning
Mehoveh, Creator), which
give rise to and establish the
concept of time (e.g., the twelve
months of the year), as well as
the creation of space, the YudBeis Gvulei Alchson. That
is, a dimension of G-dliness
that transcends the world is
drawn down and revealed even
within the framework of earthly
experience (twelve). This unique
manifestation
of
G-dliness
comprises the significance of the
month of Nissan, which derives
from the word neis miracle,

including nissei nissim.
Continued from page 5
Rabbeinu was commanded to

sacrifice the Para Aduma (Red
Heifer). During the course
of history, the Jewish people
sacrificed nine Paros Adumos.
The tenth will be sacrificed
by King Moshiach, may he be
speedily revealed, AMEN!
Rabbi Avtzon is the Rosh

Yeshiva of Yeshivas Lubavitch
Cincinnati and is a well sought
after speaker and lecturer.
Recordings of his in-depth shiurim
on Inyanei Geula uMoshiach
can be accessed at http://www.
ylcrecording.com.
He re-gathers them and returns

them all to the Land of Israel
during the Messianic Era. The
Rambam writes (Hilchos Para
Aduma, end of Ch. 3): Moshe
LIVE SHIURIM 0NLINE
NOTES:
*And in Shir HaShirim Rabba
5:1: Rebbi Menachem the son
in-law of Rebbi Elazar son of
Avuna said in the name of Rebbi
Shimon son of Yosana this
alludes to the ultimate expression
of the resting of the Shchina
within the physical world
brought about by (the first
redeemer is) the final redeemer
Menachem is his name
(Sanhedrin 98b).
(Tuesday, Friday, and Shabbos
Kodesh of Parshas Tetzaveh, 7, 10,
and 11 Adar Rishon 5751; Seifer
HaSichos 5751, pg. 400-401)
vww c
Anywhere, Anytime !
CHITAS
INYONEI GEULA
& MOSHIACH
RAMBAM
SHIURIM IN LIKUTEI
SICHOS KODESH
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4 22 Adar II 5776 - Hakhel

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MOSHIACH & HAKHEL
HAKHEL
DOES NOT
DISCRIMINATE
By Rabbi Gershon Avtzon
Dear Reader shyichyeh,

This
Shabbos,
Shabbos
Parshas Shmini, we read Parshas
Para, a section from Parshas
Chukas that speaks about the
purification process of the Jewish
people who became impure.
This parsha was read during
Temple times in advance of
Rosh Chodesh Nissan to remind
those people who had become
spiritually defiled through contact
with the dead, and therefore
unable to offer the PesachOffering, to become purified
through the water containing
the ashes of the Para Aduma in
preparation for the upcoming
holiday.
Today, though were unable
to fulfill the Temple-related
rituals in practice, we fulfill them
spiritually by studying their laws
in the Torah. Thus, we study
and read the section of Para in
preparation for the upcoming
festival of Pesach.
In the Sicha of VaYakhelPkudei 5748, which was a year
of Hakhel, and that was the
week of Parshas Para, the Rebbe
connects the theme of Parshas
Para to Jewish unity.
Regarding the slaughtering
of the Para Aduma, we find a
very interesting and unique rule
(BaMidbar 19:1-3): The Lord

spoke to Moses and Aaron,
saying: This is the statute of
the Torah which the Lord
commanded, saying, Speak to
the children of Israel and have
them take for you a perfectly red
unblemished cow, upon which
no yoke was laid. And you shall
give it to Elazar the Kohen, and
he shall take it outside the camp
and slaughter it in his presence.
Even though as a general rule
other ritual sacrifices are done
inside the Beis HaMikdash, this
unique sacrifice was done outside
of the holy encampment of the
Jewish people.
This teaches us a special
lesson about the Mitzva of
Hakhel, gathering and uniting
the Jewish people to serve
Hashem. The Torah (Dvarim
31:10) states: Then, Moshe
commanded them, saying, At the
end of [every] seven years...you
shall read this Torah before all
Israel, in their ears. 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.
There are many of us who
are excited and motivated to
gather Jewish people together

to serve Hashem, as long as
those people find themselves
in the Jewish camp, i.e., have
some knowledge of, interest or
background in Judaism. Yet,
if someone is totally out of the
Jewish camp and seems to be
spiritually impure, or distant, we
may feel that we do not have the
ability or responsibility to reach
out to such a Jew.
That is the lesson of the Para
Aduma: A Jew has the obligation,
and therefore the ability, to bring
purification even to those that
seem to be impure and find
themselves outside the Jewish
camp. When we reach out to
them as messengers of Hashem
and Moshe Rabbeinu, we are able
to reach them and bring them
to the Beis HaMikdash. That is
the true Hakhel, when no Jew
will be left behind and everyone
is inspired to purify himself and
reach higher heights in his service
of Hashem.
In addition to this beautiful
connection between Parshas
Para and the theme of Hakhel,
Parshas Para is very connected to
Moshiach.
The special Haftora for
Parshas Para (Yechezkel 36:1636) discusses G-ds promise to
purify and cleanse the Jews when
Continued on page 4
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FEATURE
Every week, R Nadav Cohen, author of GPS for the Soul, has people gather
for Hakhel gatherings via teleconference. He hosts a popular speaker, mashpia
or interesting Chassidic personality. * These gatherings make a great impact
on the listeners and many of them report changes they made in their lives. *
How did this original idea start? How great is its impact? What does R Nadav
recommend you do in this Shnas Hakhel to carry out the Rebbes wishes?
By Menachem Ziegelboim. Photos by Dovi Gurewitz
Nadav Cohen is
familiar to many
people for his book,
Modaat
Yehudit
(and his English book, GPS for
the Soul). He speaks daily on a
popular radio program which is
regularly heard by hundreds of
thousands of people, in which he
conveys the main idea of the daily
portion of Tanya.
R Nadav Cohen was born

on Moshav Nir Yisroel near
Ashkelon. He went to school in
Moshav Beer Tuvia which was
not at all religious. His family
was secular even though his
grandfather was religious and
his father had attended yeshiva.
Over the years, even the tradition
of Kiddush on Friday night was
neglected.
Nadav went through the

system as the average Israeli
kid does, high school, the
army, where he was in Field
Intelligence. He served for one
year in Gaza and two years in
the Beer Sheva command center.
After being released from the
army, he did not see himself as
someone searching for religious
meaning.

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HELLO,
HAKHEL
HERE,
CAN YOU
HEAR ME?
Like many other young people

his age, he planned a long trip
to India. He was going to seek
the unknown, the spiritualitymysticism that is plentiful in
India. The trip was planned for
half a year and he met Chabad for
the first time through the Rebbes
shluchim there. He had a number
of experiences in which he saw
divine providence and he listened
to messages that he felt were sent

directly to him. He began looking
into the Tanya that immediately
captivated him.
Since then, Tanya has become
a staple for him. He even wrote
a popular book on the Tanya and
developed classes and courses on
Tanya. Over time, he translated
the ideas in Tanya into practical
tools to handle everyday life.
In recent months he has

launched an exciting new project;
telephone Hakhel gatherings.
Every week he hosts a Hakhel
gathering via teleconferencing.
He hosts mashpiim, rabbanim,
and
interesting
Chassidic
personalities. They speak on
different topics, but the bottom
line is always the point of Hakhel
fear of G-d.
These are not telephone
lectures but a conference call in
the course of which participants
can ask questions. In this way,
those gathered together derive
inspiration and strength to face
life.
How did this special Hakhel
set-up start?
About two years ago, I started
recording the daily shiurim of
Chumash, Thillim and Tanya as
well as the HaYom Yom, and I
sending them out via WhatsApp.
One of the big innovations of
recent years is WhatsApp with
which you can quickly send out
messages. Over a billion people
today are on it. This is aside from
the other social media which have
hundreds of millions of people.
Nowadays, nearly everyone
has a Smartphone. I have spoken
with shluchim who complain
that theres nobody to talk to
anymore. People are less focused
than they used to be because of
the phones and they dont even
put their phones away during a
shiur.
I thought of a solution to this.
What can be done have even
more fascinating shiurim? Live
events? Classes over a barbecue?
The Rebbes way is to use the tool
itself for holy purposes. So we
would reach people through their
Smartphone! We would bring
shiurim straight to their phone.
Thats what I started doing. I
started sending the daily Chitas
in shortened form so people
Issue 1015
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Feature
could listen to it while working or
while traveling.
Every day I reach tens of
thousands of people who receive
the shiur every morning. I get
comments from all over the
world, including Austria, New
Zealand, Brazil, France, and
Italy.
We are talking about a vast
and fascinating range of people
who tell me that they are in the
middle of a trip or at work, or
they live far away. They listen to
the shiurim on their phone and
enjoy it. They also forward it to
others. Someone once told me
that he forwards the daily shiur
to about two thousand people
every day! Thats the advantage
of our times that we can easily
achieve mass distribution and all
with a click of a button. R Shimi
Goldstein, shliach in Pushkar,
India, told me that a mekurav
from Eretz Yisroel told him that
he listens to a shiur every day on
WhatsApp. He said, I cannot
start my day without these
shiurim.
THOUSANDS OF
PARTICIPANTS IN THE
PHONE HAKHEL
As successful as R Cohens
project is, you cant remain
standing in one place; you have
to constantly move forward. He
started getting requests from
people who arent satisfied
with the short daily shiur. They
wanted
additional
spiritual
fortification. The spiritual thirst
today is tremendous, he says.
R Cohen started giving
shiurim before holidays or special
dates. Now and then he also
made the shiurim longer but he
realized this was not the answer.
One day, someone told
him about a teleconferencing
system. A Geula system, he
calls it, a free system via which

you can farbreng from anyplace
in the world. Its an advanced
system which enables thousands
of people to be on the line
simultaneously and listen to a
shiur together, all for the price of
a local call. These days, a local
call is free because everyone has
unlimited talk time, he explains.
Everyone from all over the
world can join the shiur. What
could be better than that?
I figured that in order for the
shiurim to be more interesting, I
would do them as a collaborative
effort. From the Rebbe and
Chassidus we learn how much
cooperation gives pleasure to
Hashem, with each person setting
himself aside which brings about
a far better result than one person
himself giving a shiur. Every
person has his strengths and
can give a shiur in his own style,
but when two people give a joint
shiur, then not only do they each
bring their own mekuravim so
there are more listeners, but each
brings his perspective and the
shiur becomes more interesting
for there is a dialogue. I saw that
people love this approach. I knew
that in this way we could be far
more successful.
It was the end of Elul 5775
and Rosh HaShana 5756 was
around the corner. Not just a
new year but a Shnas Hakhel.
Like every Chassid, I also
wondered what would I do in
this Shnas Hakhel to get people
together, something which the
Rebbe wants so much. The Rebbe
himself said that Hakhel is the
gateway for all brachos. I really
deliberated a lot about how to
do more, how to reach as many
people as possible and strengthen
their yiras Shamayim during this
year.
I found out about this
teleconferencing system just
at that time and all the dots

connected for me; an amazing
telephone initiative that is just
right for a Hakhel year, by means
of which it is possible to get
thousands of people together.
Once a week I can make a Hakhel
gathering that addresses yiras
Shamayim, emuna in Hashem,
and achdus.
HOW TO OVERCOME THE

ANIMAL SOUL
What do people get out of
this phone conversation?
I start with the premise that
the essential thing about these
gatherings is that a person
strengthen his yiras Shamayim.
But there is one main problem.
Which is?
A persons animal soul. It
does not want a person to attend
a Hakhel gathering or a shiur.
It constantly asks this simple
question: What do I get out of it?
What do I need this for?
The G-dly soul wants to
attend a shiur because its Torah,
something spiritual, its the
ratzon Hashem. But for a person
to really want to attend a shiur,
in order for lots of people with
animal souls to attend a Hakhel
gathering, you need to direct
yourself to the animal soul and
provide it with a tangible benefit.
Boruch
Hashem,
Ive
developed some experience in
this area as far as how it works
in the advanced world of today,
how you motivate a person
through his ego, how you satisfy
the interests of the animal soul. I
structured the Hakhel gatherings
in such a way that they would be
broadcasting on the frequencies
of both the animal soul and
the G-dly soul, and as I see,
many people participate in these
shiurim and gatherings.
So how do you do it? How

1015_bm_eng.indd 8
3/29/2016 3:45:51 AM
do you entice the animal soul

to join the shiurim and Hakhel
gatherings?
The most important thing to
the animal soul is self-realization;
this is what it loves to hear. It
wants to live a better life, easier
life. It wants to know how to
deal with lifes challenges, to
find its purpose in the world, to
live better, to find its personal
mission, to have good marital
and parenting relationships, etc.
Actually, these are not purely
material things, for we pray
three times a day for children,
health, and a livelihood. Everyone
wants a good education for their
children. Everyone wants good
shidduchim. Everyone wants to
experience success in chinuch
and nachas from children, not to
mention good parnasa.
These are three areas that
draw the attention of the animal
soul. But those subjects are not
exclusive to the animal domain
for there is no subject in Torah
and Chassidus which does not
deal with, and the answers to all
the questions that the animal soul
grapples with are found in the
teachings of Chassidus. So every
week we choose another topic
and it gets people to listen in.
SHLUCHIM AND MASHPIIM

JOIN THE HAKHEL
Who are the lecturers and
mashpiim that you have brought
to these Hakhel gatherings?
I work with the premise that
the more well known a speaker
is, the more people will attend
the gathering and make the
Rebbe happy. I look for shluchim
and mashpiim who will attract
the most people. Before the
teleconference call, they invite
their mekuravim to participate. I
also invite all my mekuravim who
listen to me on the radio and on
The most important thing to the animal soul is

self-realization; this is what it loves to hear. It
wants to live a better life, easier life.
the various apps, those who are

in my phone book, WhatsApp,
the website, every possible place,
in order to get as many people as
possible.
We have had R Yossi
Ginsburgh of Ramat Aviv, R
Yossi Jacobson of New York, R
Nechemia Wilhelm of Thailand,
the mashpia R Michoel Taieb,
R Y.Y. Wilschansky the rosh
yeshiva of the Chabad yeshiva in
Tzfas, and many other shluchim.
I will take this opportunity
to thank all the people who were
our guests. I was impressed that
as soon as they heard about
this Hakhel phone project, they
understood its importance and
agreed to participate.
We have done about twenty
Hakhel gatherings so far. People
listen and after the kinus they
also get a recording of the kinus,
in the course of which people get
advice for a good life on the
topics we mentioned: purpose in

the world, my personal shlichus,
doing well financially, successful
chinuch, good parental and
couples relationships, but its
presented with a Chassidishe
approach which instills emuna
and yiras Shamayim.
How many people on
average participate in a Hakhel
gathering like this?
About 150 people participate
in every kinus and several
hundred more listen to a
recording.
PEOPLE CHANGE VIA

TELEPHONE TOO
I remember how at the
beginning of this year, I
interviewed
the
mashpia,
R
Shimon
Issue 1015
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3/29/2016 3:45:54 AM
Feature
Weitzhandler,
of
the
Chabad yeshiva in Rishon
LTziyon, and we spoke
about various aspects of
Hakhel. After seven long
years, it was necessary
to learn the topic of
Hakhel again in order to
experience it. I asked him
whether in the present era,
when the modern world
progressed with giant steps
since 5748, should we
suffice with the Hakhel
membership cards that
the Rebbe initiated that
year, or could we gather
people together with the
means currently available
to us like WhatsApp,
teleconferencing, etc. Are
these methods considered
equivalent to the means the
Rebbe specified?
He surprised me when
he said that the Rebbe
referred to this too. The
Rebbe did not leave
anything unclear when
it came to Hakhel. He
quoted the Rebbe from
a sicha of Sukkos 5748,
In distant places (to a chutza
beyond which there is no chutza
in the whole world) Hakhel can
be done with the telephone and
radio too, thus reaching even
a Jew at the end of the world,
chutza physically and all the
more so, spiritually.
That year, the telephone
and radio were the most up
to date means of hafatza and
the Rebbe approved of making
Hakhel gatherings that way. It
is on condition that you cannot
gather people in the usual way,
in distant places.
I was reminded of this when
I spoke with R Nadav Cohen. I
couldnt help but be impressed
by his ability to harness
technological advances for the
Rebbes projects.
R Cohen remarked that the
interview with R Weitzhandler
in Beis Moshiach made a great
impact on him. I realized that
with Hakhel it is not enough
to tell everyone that we are in
a Hakhel year; you need to
actually gather them together
and talk to them about fear of
heaven. R Weitzhandler also
spoke about Hakhel cards,
and about keeping in touch
with people. Thanks to this, I
intensified all the hafatza I do
via email with the understanding
that keeping regularly in touch
with people in the ways they are
used to, is the way to gather them
today and is the way to reach
them to strengthen their yiras
Shamayim.
PLANS FOR THE FUTURE

My goal, of course, is to
attend the real Hakhel of the
Geula with Moshiach. In the
meantime, we are working on
galus plans and doing everything
we can to gather people in order
to bring everybody to yiras
Shamayim in a Geula way, and
from a personal Geula to the
collective Geula of the Jewish
people. I am presently working
on getting people, one by one, to
listen to the shiurim and Hakhel
gatherings we do. This is done
both via the advanced telephone
system and through working
together with shluchim who have
many mekuravim who want to
listen and learn, thus uniting as
many Jews as possible.

1015_bm_eng.indd 10
3/29/2016 3:45:58 AM
Can you tell us a story to

illustrate what your Hakhel
gatherings do for people?
There are many stories. I
will tell you about the feedback
I got after the Hakhel I did with
R Nachmanson, Dayan and
Moreh Tzedek in Rechovot. He
focused on Torah study; how
to learn Torah and what are
the requirements of someone
who learns Torah. He explained
everything with such clarity
that afterward I got texts from
participants who had made good
hachlatos about Torah study.
After the Hakhel gathering
we made with the mashpia, R
Zalman Notik, who spoke about
the difference between a young
married man and a bachur in
yeshiva, and how to balance
between the time we devote

to our home and the time we
devote to Torah study, and
who urged people to carry out
the Rebbes instruction to find
a mashpia, I also got many
messages from people. They
committed to finding a rav and
mashpia and to learn more.
We also had R Shneur
Ashkenazi, rav of the central
shul in Rishon LTziyon, who
spoke about a mans purpose in
the world, how a person finds
his mission, something that
preoccupies many people. In
the course of the conversation
with him, many questions
came in and he answered them.
I also got excited feedback on
the topic and people told me
that they had sent the link of
the recording to others.
Another fascinating Hakhel
we did was with R Arad
of Rechovot on marriage,
how it uplifts and changes a
persons entire perspective.
Afterward, people reacted via
email or WhatsApp, telling me
how much it changed their
perspective.
It sounds fascinating. Is it
possible to hear recordings of
all the kinusim youve had until
now?
Certainly. The goal is for as
many people as possible to hear
them.
Since I want to get as many
people as possible involved in
Mivtza Hakhel, whoever wants
recordings can go to our site
and get involved by sending five
email addresses of friends or
acquaintances so we can include
them in future gatherings. This
enables us to expand the circle of
participants; whoever participates
in this way, will get links to all the
recordings.
THE SKYS THE LIMIT

R Nadav Cohen:
As soon as we started using
the teleconferencing system, we
realized the skys the limit. If
there is such a demand, why have
just one shiur-kinus a week?
I realized that the messages
can be transmitted not just as a
shiur but in a way that delivers
a deeper personal impact. So I
constructed courses on topics
that interest people; relationships
for people who want to achieve
their personal Geula when it
comes to good relationships and
shalom bayis, as well as topics of
self-realization and finding ones
personal purpose in the world.
R Nadav recently launched
another course Therapeutic
Tools in Tanya, a course that
teaches a person how to treat
himself and others based on the
treasures found in Tanya. All the
information about courses and
Hakhel gatherings can be found
on the website gil.nadav123.com
In conclusion?
That we merit to gather with
the Rebbe in the Azara of the Beis
HaMikdash, together with all the
Jewish people throughout the
generations, a Hakhel the likes
of which has never been since the
Creation of the world.
And an idea for Lubavitcher
Chassidim who are looking for
ways to make a Hakhel gathering
There are many shuls that have
small minyanim for Mincha and
Maariv. People would be happy
to have a Chassid come and help
out with the minyan and give a
brief shiur between Mincha and
Maariv. Its simple, easy, and
something anyone can do.
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SHLICHUS
TFILLIN
IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE JUNGLE
Admit it; you have never heard of a family, parents and four children
(today six), who go off on shlichus to a forsaken hole in the wall in
southern Mexico on the border of Guatemala. This is precisely what R
Oren and Einat Raz did when they went on shlichus to S Cristobol to
prepare another part of the world to greet Moshiach.
By Nosson Avrohom

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ristobal de las Casas,

or Cristobol for short,
is a city 2100 meters
above sea level, located
in the Chiapas Mountains in
southern Mexico. Thousands of
Israeli tourists and other Jews visit
the resort city every year. It is a
crossroads between different parts
of Mexico and a border crossing to
neighboring Guatemala. Many of
the Israeli backpackers stay longer
than they planned, both because
of the many attractions and the
convivial atmosphere.
Those in the know say that
this city is one of the prettiest
in Mexico and Central America.
It is located in a mountainous
region and the weather is cooler
than many coastal cities of
Mexico. The streets are paved
with marble stone and it is very
enjoyable to walk on them. There
are numerous nature spots
waterfalls, nature preserves and
endless jungle trails.
Unlike other Chabad Houses
that cater to seasonal tourists,
our work is year round, says
shliach, R Oren Raz. The
tropical climate brings tourists
throughout the year, but the main
season is Tishrei time when we
have hundreds of people at our
table.
The uniqueness of the
Chabad House in Cristobal is
the personal connection that
develops with visitors. In addition
to the work with tourists, there is
also a lot of work with Jews who
live in the city, many of whom
are, sadly, with non-Jews. We
have to operate discreetly in the
face of this painful situation and
have had a number of successes.
FACING DANGER
The Raz family, Oren, Einat
and their six children, have
been on shlichus for five years.
Oren was born in Petach Tikva
to a family whose members are

considered solid citizens.
There was a lot of Israeli
patriotism in the house but
hardly any Judaism. When I went
to the army I was in the Golani
brigade, and I ended my army
duty in a unit that trained officers
in rescue and extraction methods
in urban areas. Ever since I was
a young kid I was opinionated
and rebellious. I asked a lot of
questions and did not accept
things just because.
When I finished my army
the nature of which he could not

express in words.
I joined three Israelis
including a pilot, someone in
the field of high-tech, and an
officer in the Nachal brigade
who was later killed in the Sinai
desert. The four of us went on an
adventure tour in Rora Nabaka in
northern Bolivia.
The small group followed
Yossi Ginsberg, a well-known
tour guide, who wrote about a
challenging route he took the
length of the Tuichi River.
The idea of going on that trip was to experience

danger from up close. We quickly realized that we
were not only experiencing danger but would probably
not return alive. The local guides constantly chewed
on hallucinogenic leaves so we could not communicate
normally and they themselves could not say where we
were. There we were in the midst of the terrifying jungle
without a guide and without food. From that point on we
used our survival skills to remain alive. We drank from
streams and ate whatever we could find.
service, those feelings intensified

within me. I naively thought
that traveling would dissipate
this feeling and I worked for a
moving company in the United
States in order to save up money
for a long trip. In the US, a
relative took me into his diamond
business and within a short time I
made a lot of money. I lacked for
nothing, but despite this, one day
I quit my job and flew to South
America.
Those who knew him were
shocked by his departure, but at
this point he felt he wanted to see
the world. He hoped that a trip
to exotic locales would make him
forget his search for meaning,
Its a very challenging hike,

walking through an unmarked
jungle swarming with wild
animals and mosquitoes that
carry malaria and other fatal
diseases. The plan was to go
for ten days. Two native guides
joined us and we entered the
jungle. Unfortunately, already on
the second day we realized that
our guides were irresponsible;
they lost both our way and the
food we brought.
The idea of going on that
trip was to experience danger
from up close. We quickly
realized that we were not only
experiencing danger but would
probably not return alive. The
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Shlichus
local guides constantly chewed
on hallucinogenic leaves so we
could not communicate normally
and they themselves could not
say where we were. Instead of
helping they became a burden.
There we were in the midst of the
terrifying jungle without a guide
and without food. From that
point on we used our survival
skills to remain alive. We drank
from streams and ate whatever
we could find. As the days passed
we truly believed that we would
not get out of the jungle alive.
we felt like they would explode.

When we got to a hospital in the
capital of Bolivia, we were told
we had malaria, typhus of the
stomach, and some other serious
diseases. After a month and a half
in the hospital we were released.
What an experience that was, but
it did not diminish our appetite
for adventure.
Instead of ten days, the men
were in the jungle for three
weeks.
Despite what they went
through, Oren was determined to
The impact the mezuza made was faster than

I thought it would be. The grandmother left her
gentile husband and made aliya, and then the daughter
left her gentile husband, became involved in Judaism,
and moved to Mexico City.
After walking for days, with

their bodies beginning to send
messages of exhaustion, the
group reached the main river
which crosses the jungle. With
their remaining strength they
built a raft out of logs and went
out on the river.
We figured that floating on
the river would eventually bring
us to some inhabited area. What
actually happened was after a
few hours the raft broke apart
and we all fell into the water.
Its a river full with crocodiles
and dangerous fish and it was
miraculous that we managed to
swim toward the shore.
On the banks of the river we
were able to put a raft together
again and we continued floating
on the river. Days passed until
we reached an inhabited place,
a small village, and from there
we reported on our situation.
Our stomachs were swollen and
continue traveling.
The itch to travel and feel
free was still strong. I loved the
feeling of being a backpacker
with everything I needed on my
back. I was looking for more
adventures. Today I know that
my neshama was crying out, but
back then it was expressed in the
desire to travel.
Right after Bolivia I made a
short visit to my parents in Eretz
Yisroel and from there I flew back
to Washington where I worked at
a mall in Seattle. For days I sat
in malls with pushcarts selling
Israeli products. I had hardly
any customers so I would sit and
write. I filled entire notebooks
in which I wrote my insights on
life. I really felt my mind opening
up.
The one who interrupted this
ideal situation was my manager
who was shocked by the pennies
I had made. He asked me to set
up my stand in the middle of the

mall. People need to see you, he
said. When he left, a tall black
guy who manned a stand near me
came over to console me about
the treatment I had gotten. If the
Creator wants, you will sell and
it makes no difference where you
stand, he said.
He confused me. Until then
I had believed that a person is
responsible for his fate. This was
the first time in my life that I
heard such an idea and it got me
thinking, for the first time, about
the existence of a Creator and the
creation.
At just this time, I was
exposed to a cult of Messianic
Jews. Although in Eretz Yisroel
I had never stepped foot in a
shul and I did not even know
the difference between them
and true Judaism, I was excited
when I saw Hebrew texts in their
house of worship. When they
spoke to me about my being a
member of the chosen people, I
did not accept that. I was raised
on egalitarianism. Ironically, it
was they who convinced me that
a Jew is unlike all other people. I
started regularly attending their
meetings and became a member
of their congregation.
One night I woke up in
a fright. I had had a dream
in which I heard that I had to
quickly return home. I am not
a person who usually dreams
and the next morning I told the
congregation that I was leaving
for Israel and would return in a
few weeks. I was embarrassed
to tell them the real reason I was
leaving. In Eretz Yisroel I met a
good friend and I told him about
my joining the cult. He yelled at
me, What are you doing with
them? Are you normal? Youre a
Jew! I did not understand what
he wanted from me and I shouted
back, You yourself are not

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religious! and I enumerated the

sins we did together. But he did
not give in. There are red lines
you dont cross, and leaving the
Jewish people, you and all your
descendants to follow, is a line
you dont cross.
I was taken aback to hear my
friend talking this way. He had
seemed like a pluralistic guy to
me and what he said caused me
for the second time within a brief
period to think about my Jewish
identity.
I cut off ties with the cult
and when they did not stop
pestering me by phone, I changed
my phone number and started
looking for spirituality. I did not
yet dream of doing tshuva or
joining a group of people who
kept mitzvos; on the contrary,
it was the religious people who
I considered the antithesis to
spirituality.
THE SHLIACH AND THE

MAN FROM THE SHIN BET
Oren began his search by
studying natural healing. He
starting doing meditation and
yoga and at a certain point
decided to fly to India. His first
stop was Dharamsala where he
met Israelis who spent days and
weeks doing absolutely nothing
other than smoking hallucinatory
substances.
I kept away from that and
wanted to hike in nature. I
found a partner, a high ranking
intelligence officer. He was on
vacation and was about to be
promoted to an even more senior
position. We traveled together
and I enjoyed his company very
much.
One day, he invited me to
join him on a visit to a Chabad
House. I remember being angry.
What do you have to do with a
place like that? Are you thinking
of doing tshuva? He reassured

me that it was just an encounter
with other Israelis and Jews and
I had nothing to worry about.
I went along with him and we
walked in in the middle of a dvar
Torah given by R Dror Shaul.
The place was packed.
The officer from Shin Bet
listened to the shliach and said
to me thoughtfully, His face is
unfamiliar but his voice is very
familiar. It turned out that the
shliach and the officer were
friends who had served in the
same paratrooper unit. The two
of them waxed nostalgic about
the years they had spent together,
while I stood off on the side
moved to tears.
I started visiting the Chabad
House every day. We learned a
lot from the shliach about our
traditions. We started putting on
tfillin and for the first time in
my life I understood that the way
of the Torah that my fathers and
grandfathers had trodden was the
way of truth. For the first time
in my life I felt how learning and
doing mitzvos were a balm for
the feelings of emptiness I had.
For the first time in my life the
endless desire for adventure was

exchanged for a strong desire to
learn and know.
After a few weeks in India,
Oren committed to keeping
Shabbos and putting on tfillin.
He parted ways with the guy
from Shin Bet and continued
traveling on his own to northern
Thailand, to the Chiang Mai area
where he met Einat, his future
wife, at a Shabbos meal at the
Chabad House. Einat belonged
to the religious Zionist sector at
the time.
When we returned home,
we married and lived on a hilltop
in the Shomron. I studied classic
homeopathy at Asaf HaRofeh
hospital and my wife studied
architecture. I even traveled to
Yerushalayim to learn at the
yeshiva Machon Meir.
I became fully religious, but
at a certain point I still felt that I
had not reached the truth. Being
someone who went till the end
in everything I did, I felt I was
compromising with myself. The
turning point occurred on a trip
my wife and I made to India.
Our first stop was the Chabad
House in Kasol. I was used to a
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Shlichus
blessing for the State after the

Torah reading, but there, they
proclaimed Yechi. When I asked
the shliach, R Winderbaum,
about it, he said, All indications
point to the Rebbe being
Moshiach.
Although I am usually
philosophical and intellectual,
this time, what he said so matterof-factly and directly really spoke
to me. Later on we visited other
Chabad Houses in India and in
all of them we heard the same
tune. We studied the behavior
of the shluchim, the seriousness
and focus on the goal, and we
realized that Chabad is the right
path and we needed to study it.
I returned home from India
with a beard. That was a good
hachlata I made at a farbrengen
in Dharamsala. Erev Yom Kippur
I committed to wearing woolen
tzitzis.
With the guidance of the
shluchim in India, the couple
moved to Tzfas where Oren
went to yeshiva and Einat went
to Machon Alte. They lived in
Tzfas for a while and became
Chassidim. They were adopted
by the Neeman family.
They taught us what
hospitality
is
and
really
accompanied us every step of our
journey.
They
returned
to
the
Shomron where Oren worked on
the Givat Olam farm in Itamar in
marketing.
It was clear to us from when
we first started getting interested
in Chabad that we wanted to
dedicate ourselves to shlichus like
the shluchim we met. The light of
Chassidus we discovered is what
we wanted to pass on to others.
A BRACHA FROM THE

REBBE FOR SHLICHUS IN
MEXICO
After a long search for a place
to go on shlichus, Oren and Einat
heard about Cristobal in Mexico
and decided that was the place
for them. They wrote to the
Rebbe and received his blessing.
When we first heard about
Central America I refused
because I suffer from the heat.
All the tourist places with Israeli
visitors are in coastal cities. Then
we heard of this exception which
is in a mountainous and jungle
area with cool air, so we decided
to check it out.
R Dudi Caplan and R

Shlomi Peleg who were already
working as shluchim in Cozumel,
Mexico checked it out for us.
They also rented a house for us.
Before leaving we wrote to the
Rebbe again and in the answer
it referred directly to Mexico.
In this letter, the Rebbe blessed
the writer that he succeed in his
activities with young people and
transcend his selfish motives.
With this answer all our doubts
vanished and we boarded the
plane to prepare another point
on the globe for the Rebbes
hisgalus. We were even more
excited when we found out that
in the entire set of Igros Kodesh
the word Mexico appears just
three times.
The first months were very
hard. The first house we lived in
with our four children reminded
me more of a stable than a house.
We arrived on a very rainy day.
The house had no locks and there
was no electricity. Since I arrived
with a Torah, it was always with
me. I was afraid to leave it in an
unlocked house.
The
first
holiday
we
celebrated with tourists was Rosh
HaShana. We rented a place
and prepared for fifty people. A
hundred and twenty people came
and despite the simplicity of the
place, it was very joyous. For
Yom Kippur we were promised
by ten people that they would
come to make a minyan. When
we gathered for Kol Nidrei, there
were only nine. The tenth who
promised to come was a local Jew
who emigrated from the U.S. and
was in his eighties. The bachur
who was there to help us, Avremi
Zaks, went out to look for him.
After a short search he found
him. He was shocked to see him
eating in a restaurant.
Avremi gently reminded him
that it was Yom Kippur. The man

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had made a mistaken calculation

(I suppose because of his age)
and he left the full plate, ran
home, and brought a tallis and
siddur and came to complete
the minyan. He became a close
friend of ours.
At first, not all the Israelis and
Jews looked kindly on the arrival
of the shluchim. Some hoped for
quiet in this out of the way city
and werent pleased with the
opening of a branch of Chabad
which would remind them of
their Judaism.
Chanuka time, we planned
a public menorah lighting. We
advertised it all over town.
There is an Israeli who runs a
hostel who, unfortunately, lives
with a non-Jew. When he heard
about the menorah lighting,
he was furious. He called me
and screamed, You are not in
Eretz Yisroel! This is a Christian
city! He wanted us to do things
quietly, under the radar, but I
calmly told him that we dont
hide our Judaism. I told him that
the Rebbe said to publicize the
miracle. He asked, Where does
the Rebbe write to do this? We
arranged to meet and I showed
him many references from the
Rebbe and he was appeased.

Not only that but he brought
all the Israelis he knew to the
menorah lighting. And since I
hadnt mastered Spanish yet, he
translated what I said.
THE FIGHT AGAINST

ASSIMILATION
The shluchim put in a lot
of work in the fight against
assimilation. There are a number
of mixed families in the city and
working with them isnt easy.
Until recently, there was a
Jewish American woman living
here who came here in the
1960s. She got a scholarship
to study art here and she met a
local gentile and married him.
They had three children who also
married gentiles. We met this
family as soon as we arrived in
the city.
When we looked for Jews,
people told us about her. We
invited her to the Chabad House
for Rosh HaShana and to our
surprise she came with her
daughter who was also married
to a gentile. We have become
close with them. They also came
for our Chanuka program. I
suggested they put up mezuzos

in their homes and that was
how Mivtza Mezuza began. The
impact the mezuza made was
faster than I thought it would be.
The grandmother left her gentile
husband and made aliya, and
then the daughter left her gentile
husband, became involved in
Judaism, and moved to Mexico
City.
R Oren Raz describes his
work with assimilated Jews
there is no compromising and
he must act wisely in order to be
successful.
One day, an Israeli with long
hair and dressed raggedly came to
the Chabad House and stayed for
the Shabbos meal. Our custom
is for everyone to share some
hashgacha pratis that happened
to them or a story having to do
with Jewish life. When it was this
guys turn to talk, I realized he
was not in a good situation. We
took him under our care and he
remained in the city for a while.
He began putting on tfillin and
we arranged a weekly chavrusa
in Chassidus. At one of our
meetings he said that he had
grown up in a religious family
and he had abandoned that life.
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Shlichus
WITH NO PRECONDITIONS
After five years on shlichus, Oren and Einat
Raz can look back and feel good about their
accomplishments. They have an active Chabad House
in a spacious building in the center of town; they run a
kosher restaurant, a store for kosher products, have an
array of Jewish programs, shiurim, tfillos, and many
personal encounters.
But the beginning was very hard. Until two years
ago, we lived in a rickety wooden building. We ran the
Chabad House from that small house. Our financial
situation was also terrible and our programs ran on
miracles.
One morning, my wife woke up and told me about
an amazing dream she had. In her dream she saw
herself in 770 receiving a bracha from the Rebbe for
our finances. Later on, she went to a hall in Crown
Heights with irreligious Jews going in, and following
her was a Lubavitcher woman. The woman told my
wife that she was from a very wealthy family and she
would help our Chabad House.
As Chassidim, we know that dreams are nonsense
except dreams about the Rebbe. So we expected
salvation. The unbelievable occurred. A good friend
from Mexico City called us. He told me about a local,
wealthy family that is close with the governor of the
State of Mexico. This wealthy family was going to
visit him and be his guest and the friend was calling
to ask whether he could bring all of them to eat at the
Chabad House.
I told him where we live and what our financial
situation is and we agreed that this would be a
good opportunity to ask the family to support the
Chabad House. On the afternoon of the second day
of Chanuka, we got a phone call from the familys
secretary, saying they were on their way. He had a
list of special requests regarding the food that the
family wanted. We worked hard to prepare a meal
fit for a king. They came three hours later, a convoy
of expensive cars with security guards brandishing
The learning and bond with us
had gotten him back on track.
One day, he passed by a
restaurant run by an Israeli and
he met a fellow there whom I
knew, who was eating with a
non-Jewish woman. Without
thinking about it much, he went
over to him and began chastising
him for cutting himself off from
automatic weapons.
The family entered our home, the grandparents,
grandchildren, all Sephardic Jews, and the mother
of the then newly elected governor and her husband
(who were not Jewish). When the mother of the family
walked in and saw the picture of the Rebbe, she smiled
and said, I belong to Lubavitch. I was happy to hear
this and thought, my wifes dream is coming true.
After enjoying the meal, the father said he was going
to donate a building to us that would be suitable for
our activities and he would also help us open a kosher
restaurant.
I heard these promises and decided not to make
any requests. During the meal we spoke about a Jewish
center that we planned on opening in the center of
town which would house a Chabad House and shul.
The mother of the governor promised that the permits
would be given. Before they returned to Mexico City,
they promised to keep in touch. My wife and I were
happy that things were beginning to fall into place.
Ten days went by and I got a phone call from
the familys rabbi. He told me how enthusiastic they
were about us and were going to do everything they
promised. However, they had two conditions that
horrified me. They were conditions that contradicted
the very shlichus we were there to do. Of course we
said no thanks to their donation. That wasnt an easy
test and it felt really bad to have missed out, but I
quickly encouraged myself by thinking this was a test
and the Rebbe would help us.
Indeed, the Rebbe came through for us and a few
months later other wealthy Jews learned about our
work and they donated generously. Thanks to them we
opened a big Jewish center where we run a meat and
vegetarian restaurant. We have a shul, an auditorium
for events, a kosher store and a place to write to the
Rebbe. Whatever that first family promised us, we got
thanks to other wealthy Jews.
the Jewish people. He did not

relent until the man left.
When he proudly told me
what he had done, I explained
to him that this wasnt a good
approach and he would not
achieve anything this way. A
while later we arranged to go
together to an ecological farm
in the middle of the jungle
where this Israeli lives, in order

to apologize and to talk to him
nicely about the significance of
his actions.
He was happy to meet us and
even agreed to put on tfillin for
the second time in his life. The
high point of the visit was when
we put a mezuza up on the door
of the house in which he lives.

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A while later he came to visit

us at the Chabad House. It was
Rosh HaShana. We were looking
forward to the day he would tell
us he left the gentile woman.
The one who had told him off,
became a Chassid. He started
with a kippa, tzitzis, and a beard
and after opening to a letter from
the Rebbe he stayed with us for a
while and then returned to Eretz
Yisroel where he married and has
a Chassidic home.
You have six children. What
do you do about chinuch when
living in such a place?
We put a tremendous
amount into their chinuch. Half
a day they sit with my wife and
Lubavitcher girls who come
to us on shlichus and learn
various subjects. We try in every
possible way to instill the Chabad
experience.
When we dont have girls,
the children learn on a new,
independent online site that was
started by Shternie Caplin of
Kasol and Leah Brod of Playa del
Carmen for children of shluchim.
Its a project a few months old
that was started due to the great
demand by shluchim around the
world (they are looking for a
donor to help them fund it).
In addition, the children are
an integral part of our shlichus
and sometimes their influence
is greater than ours. One time,
while we were walking with our
children, they saw a couple who
are religious Zionists, eating in
a non-kosher restaurant. The
couple was embarrassed and tried
to excuse themselves by saying
they were eating vegetarian, but
the children said, The food is
cooked by gentiles and in the
same pots in which they cook
meat and milk. This encounter
with our children made an
enormous impression on them
and they started visiting the
Chabad House and became more

involved in Torah and Chassidus.
With children there is a
strong element of candidness.
They are active partners in
all the mivtzaim. They talk to
tourists and tell them stories and
many times Ive seen how their
influence is tremendous.
What is unique about how
you present Moshiach?
Everything
we
do
is
connected with the Rebbe and
Moshiach. We dont hide this.
A central aspect of our shlichus
is to connect people to the
meshaleiach. We have never
had problems in publicizing
Moshiach. I told you that when
I was becoming interested in
Judaism, they spoke to me about
Moshiach matter-of-factly and
that is what I do with people
who visit us. For those who ask
questions and want to know
more, we sit down and learn the
halachic reasons that the Rebbe is
Moshiach.
People write to the Rebbe
through the Igros Kodesh and
see amazing things happen. Its
a means of connecting people
to the Rebbe. We recently had a
tourist who had a bad experience
on one of her trips, and when
she went to the Chabad House in
Guatemala, to Avremi HaMeiri,

she wrote to the Rebbe. She
opened to an answer that infused
her with hope and faith. She
made a copy of the letter and
would read it every day. One
morning, she lost it. She came
and told us about it and we
contacted R HaMeiri. He did not
remember where the answer was
and I advised her to write again.
She did, and when she read the
answer she was stunned. It was
the same answer she had opened
to in Guatemala!
The unique character of the
Chabad House, according to
Oren, is learning Chassidus on
the banks of the river and deep
conversations about Judaism.
Here in Cristobal, you dont
have hundreds of Israelis at one
time like you do in other coastal
cities in Mexico. On holidays and
special occasions more tourists
come, but on a daily basis there
are only a few dozen tourists,
so there is time for deeper
conversations.
***
Now that the Chabad House
is established, the plan is to build
a mikva.
The nearest mikva is in
Mexico City, an hour and a half
flight from Cristobal.
Issue 1015
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THOUGHT

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JOY
AS THE KEY
TO INNER
FREEDOM
The attribute of simcha, which is something we all want,

is accessible. The fact that a Jew feels that its hard is an
indication that he is on the wrong track, because true simcha
is an expression of an inner truth and understanding, traits that
are congenital to us. Still, we see that sadness and depression
undermine the functioning of thousands of talented and intelligent
people and drains the joie-de-vivre out of many others. Why is
it so hard for us to attain simcha? * An interview with R Shloma
Majesky, menahel of Machon Chana, and author of the book, The
Chassidic Approach to Joy. * Part 2 of 2.
By Menachem Ziegelboim
Is the mitzva of serve Hashem with

joy a standalone mitzva or does it have
broader ramifications?
The importance of simcha lies in
that it is a basic component in avodas
Hashem. Just like love and fear of G-d

are necessary, so that the service of
Hashem is complete, so too simcha is
vital for the perfection of our spiritual
service. All the mitzvos that a person
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Thought
does and all actions by which he
expresses his bond with Hashem
must be done with joy. Simcha is
not a mitzva of a particular time
or a particular place; it applies to
all times and all places.
This is reflected in Thillim
where it says, serve Hashem
with joy, come before him with
song. Simcha enables us to
approach Hashem and to feel
His presence. The Rambam
says this clearly: The joy that a
person has in rejoicing in doing
a mitzva and in the love for
G-d who commanded them is a
great service and there is no
greatness and honor except to
rejoice before Hashem.
Regarding prophecy, the
Rambam mentions what the prior
conditions are, without which one
cannot receive prophecy. These
conditions epitomize human
perfection. Prophecy does not
rest except upon someone very
wise, strong of character, whose
inclination does not overcome
him in anything in the world;
rather, he always overcomes his
inclination with his mind. And
yet, he emphasizes, Prophecy
does not rest in sadness nor in
laziness; rather in joy. Prophecy
is associated with the revelation
of the Shchina within a person
and this is impossible unless the
person is happy.
This idea is also seen with
the Beis HaMikdash which is
the permanent home for G-d
as it says, Strength and joy in
its place. What characterized
the house of G-d was simcha.
The Levites sang joyously and
were accompanied by musical
instruments.
The same applies to time.
Shabbos, the sanctified day of
the week, and the holidays which
are holier than the rest of the
days of the year, are days of joy,
for simcha draws us close to our
Father in heaven.
Not only is simcha a critical
component in avodas Hashem,
but in a certain sense, service
of Hashem with joy can be
considered loftier than all other
forms of service of Hashem.
Why is simcha required in
every situation? Why is it a
comprehensive mitzva unlike
other mitzvos?
Because simcha is not a
localized mitzva simcha enables
a bond with G-d on the most
complete level. When a person
does an ordinary mitzva he
does not necessarily transcend
his ego. For example, when a
person gives tzdaka, true he
forwent his money and gave it
away, but that does not mean
he has transcended himself
completely. Often a person feels
satisfied that he gave tzdaka; his
ego is still playing a role.
This is true for all other
mitzvos; they do not necessarily
raise him up above himself. This
can even be said about love for
Hashem, because love needs to
be a feeling and not merely an
abstract thought, and just as
with any emotional connection, a
person senses his own being.
Simcha, on the other hand,
by its very essence, requires a
person to transcend himself. The
only way a person can truly feel
simcha is when he is completely
free of himself. If he is not willing
to forgo his sense of self there
will always remain something
that pressures him. As long as a
person is thinking about himself,
his worries whether material or
spiritual will prevent him from
being happy. It is only when a
person leaves his ego behind and
connects to Hashem that he can
think about genuine happiness.
This idea relates to the
statement of our Rebbeim,
simcha poretz geder. When
a person is happy, his joy fills

him up with new strength and
enables him to break through
every impasse that stands in
his way. This is why we see
that when people are happy,
they can overcome various
weaknesses that they would
not be able to overcome under
normal circumstances. Everyone
has limitations and weak points
that prevent him from making
real progress. Simcha enables
him to leave these weaknesses
behind, because simcha reveals
and draws forth a persons truest
powers which are not limited by
his ego.
Simcha engenders strength;
it pushes us forward and gives
us a sense of creativity and
growth. This does not mean that
we forget all our problems and
pretend that they dont exist. It
means that we have new strength
which enables us to overcome
problems that might stand in our
way.
The secular world is also
starting to recognize the power
of simcha. There is scientific
research which shows that even
physical problems and illnesses
can more easily be cured with
simcha. They call it Laughter
Therapy. There were people
with cancer who were not being
helped by conventional protocols.
When they were helped to attain
a state of great joy, they went into
remission!
The body has a system of
self-healing, but sadness often
undermines the body and hinders
its proper function. Simcha
arouses hidden powers and gives
the body a chance to overcome
its weakness.
This approach can also be
applied to the proper functioning
of the mind and heart. Simcha
does not merely divert our
attention from our problems.

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NO CHOICE REMAINS EXCEPT TO BRING MOSHIACH THROUGH SIMCHA

Some excerpts from the Rebbes sicha of Shabbos
Parshas Ki Seitzei 5748 about hastening the Geula
through simcha:
On the verse, Tziyon hee, doresh ein la She
is Tziyon , no one seeks her out, i.e. cares about her
(Yirmiyahu 30:17), Chazal say this tells us that a person
must seek out Tziyon. The term doresh is associated with
demanding the Geula. Similarly, with our subject, those
who are dorshin in the matter of joy, its not just about
any joy, but the joy of the Geula they seek and demand
that we already have the complete joy of the true and
complete Geula.
And now for a suggestion and special request to
increase joy in order to actually bring Moshiach Tzidkeinu
and the true and complete Geula.
Hashem does not ask except according to their
strength. Moreover, if Hashem wants perfection of
avoda then this is another reason to hasten the coming of
Moshiach Tzidkeinu and the complete Geula, at which time
the avoda of the Jewish people will be in accordance with
the command of Your will in the most perfect way!
If so, the question is, what more can we do that was not
yet done?
One can say that there is one thing that was not done
yet the avoda of simcha directed entirely at bringing
Moshiach.
In addition to simcha breaking all barriers, including the
barriers of galus, simcha has a special quality in bringing
the Geula as is explained in [the hemshech] Sameiach
Tisamach 5657, that Hashems simchas libo with the
first and second Mikdash was not complete, and the main
joy will be with the future Mikdash, with the future Geula,
when the simcha will be in an aspect of Ein Sof, His very
Essence and Being, in an aspect of essential joy, literally.
The maamer goes on to explain that this essential joy
is aroused by the joy of a mitzva, because the joy of a
mitzva reaches further than the mitzva itself and thereby the
essential joy of the future is aroused.
And even though there was certainly the joy of a mitzva
throughout the previous generations, for the joy of a mitzva
is an essential component in the service of Hashem, as it
says, Serve Hashem with joy, still, in earlier generations,
the main emphasis of simcha shel mitzva was on the
actual avoda and the manner of the avoda, i.e., that the
avoda needed to be with joy. In contrast, the suggestion
spoken of here about simcha, that should serve to hasten
the coming of Moshiach, is emphasizing the joy itself, pure
joy.
(Obviously, for a Jew, even simcha itself is connected
with serving Hashem with Torah and mitzvos, as it says,

The laws of Hashem are straight, making the heart
rejoice. Still, the simcha itself is being emphasized here,
not just the things that lead to simcha, but the simcha itself,
and simcha will bring Moshiach.)
However, a question arises: how is it possible that
throughout the generations they did not try to bring
Moshiach through simcha, even after the pronouncement
of the Rebbe, my father-in-law, Nasi Doreinu, LAlter
lTshuva, lAlter lGeula?
Think about it: They already did everything that could
be done to bring Moshiach, even grinding the precious gem
in the kings crown in order to pour it down the princes
throat, to the point that they dispersed and disseminated
the precious stone of the kings crown in seventy languages
in order for even the non-Jew to be able to receive it and
nevertheless, they did not try to bring Moshiach through
simcha?!
The answer to this is clear when you are in the double
and redoubled darkness of galus, when all the Jewish people
are in galus, and also the Shchina is in galus, obviously,
due to the great anguish of galus, it is impossible for there
to be simcha in its pure state.
And still, since ultimately we must bring Moshiach, we
have no choice but to bring Moshiach through simcha, pure
joy.
Regarding the difficulty in arousing the pure form of
simcha within us when we are in the darkness of galus,
since we must bring Moshiach Tzidkeinu, we must say
that at the very end of galus we are given special strength
with which we can arouse pure joy. This is within the ability
of everyone. By contemplating that Moshiach Tzidkeinu
is coming immediately, at which time there will be the
perfection of simcha in the world, we can already now
sense the feeling of pure joy which is something like the joy
of the Geula.
The main thing is that instead of all the talk on the
subject, and the give and take, they should begin to take
practical action; to go forth and proclaim a special increase
in joy whose purpose is to bring Moshiach. Surely, by
doing this, they will succeed in actually bringing Moshiach
with the greatest speed, He did not delay them for even
the blink of an eye.
If there are those who are not convinced that this is the
way to bring Moshiach, they should try it and see!
And through the addition of simcha, we will come to
the perfect simcha, the simcha of the Geula at which time,
Then our mouths will be full of laughter and our tongues
with song.
Issue 1015
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Thought
It brings out infinite inner
energy which enables us to
break out beyond our problems,
weaknesses and limitations. It
unleashes our creativity and gives
us strength to live life effectively,
and consistently move from one
peak achievement to another.
Simcha poretz geder
what is this fence-breaking we
are talking about?
The breaking forth is
beyond anything we can think
of, not just in the physical sense
as mentioned before, or the
emotional sense, but also in the
heavenly spheres. When a person
is truly happy and sees things in a
positive light, he creates simcha
in the upper worlds, as in the
saying from the Baal Shem Tov,
know that what is above is
from you. What occurs above is
according to your actions down
below. If you are happy then you
create simcha up above.
This creates a cycle the
simcha that you have down
below generates simcha up
above, and the simcha up above
does not remain there but flows
outward and brings joy to many
others down below. When we
are in a happy frame of mind,
whether for a material or spiritual
reason, we bring simcha not only
for ourselves but also for our
families and all those around us.
And as we explained earlier, the
simcha is not passive potential;
on the contrary, simcha poretz
geder and batters down all the
blockages and difficulties that
stand in a persons way.
A person who is happy rises
above all his limitations and
weaknesses. He can do things
that he cannot ordinarily do. He
can forgive his worst enemy. His
joy engenders an inner force that
breaks forth and shatters every
barrier that stands in its way.
The same thing occurs
simultaneously in the upper

worlds. There too there are
limitations and barriers, because
Hashem chose to establish a
natural order by which He rules
the world. Just as there are laws of
nature that prevail in the physical
world, so too there are causative
rules that establish the spiritual
outcomes of our behavior.
Because, as we said, everything
that we do here, affects things up
above and that in turn creates a
result down below.
In a general way, the
Rambam expresses this principle
as follows, And we are promised
in the Torah that if we do it
happily and toil in its wisdom
constantly, that He will remove
from us all those things that
prevent us from doing it
and bestow upon us all the
good things that support us in
observing Torah and likewise
He informed us in the Torah that
if we knowingly abandon the
Torah and are involved in timebound follies, then the true Judge
will remove from the deserters all
the good things of this world
and bring evil upon them ... so
they return from their evil way.
A person who is happy creates
simcha in the upper worlds.
Hashem Himself, as it were,
rejoices too, and He reveals a
loftier dimension which is not
limited by the causative rules
mentioned earlier. Simply put,
this means that Hashem bestows
manifold blessings and makes
things good happen even if,
ordinarily, without the simcha,
these brachos would not have
been given.
If, G-d forbid, negative
situations arise, we need to
understand that they are coming
as a result of the cause and effect
system that Hashem established.
At the same time, we need to
remember that if we awaken
ourselves to be happy and radiate

joy around us, we can arouse
simcha up above and bring about
a complete change for the good
in our situation.
We see the enormous power
of simcha that can change the
nature of the spiritual system and
bring blessing to ourselves, our
relatives and the Jewish people.
The best time to start living a life
of simcha is now, in these days
when Adar enters, we increase
the joy. The power of the month
of Adar gives a Jew the power
to start living this way and this
should extend to the entire year.
Simcha is also associated
with the Geula. What is the
connection between them and
how do they influence each

1015_bm_eng.indd 24
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other?
First, just as simcha is a
general mitzva that needs to be
incorporated within every mitzva
and deed a person does, the same
is true for the Geula, as the Rebbe
said in a sicha, that everything
needs to be permeated with the
intention to hasten the Geula.
Furthermore, in a sicha from
Ki Seitzei 5748 (see sidebar) the

Rebbe says that through simcha
we can hasten the Geula and the
Rebbe speaks about this in no
uncertain terms:
The inyan of simcha is
associated with and pertains to
Geula: Simcha in its ultimate
form will be present in the true
and complete Geula through
Moshiach Tzidkeinu when all

undesirable things will no longer
be, as it says, And Hashem will
wipe away tears from every face.
Moreover, the undesirable things
themselves will be transformed
into good, thereby increasing
the joy in greater measure and
greater force. And that is why
those who return from Tziyon are
described as having everlasting
joy on their heads. Perhaps we
can understand that this idea is
alluded to in the word simcha
whose three letter root: shin,
mem, ches are the root of the
word Moshiach.
To explain the connection
between them, simchas nature
is such that it breaks all barriers,
and this is also what Moshiach
is about. He is descended
from Peretz and is also called
haporetz, as it says, The poretz
goes up before them, because
Moshiach does away with all
barriers,
confinements
and
limitations.
Then
the
Rebbe
adds
explicitly, And here is the
suggestion and special request
to increase joy in order
to actually bring Moshiach
Tzidkeinu and the true and
complete Geula.
If only we already broke
through, via simcha, all that
which constrains us and we did
away with all the undesirable
things, and welcomed Moshiach
with everlasting joy on our heads.
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Issue 1015
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STORY
A SHUL AGAINST
ALL ODDS!
By Menachem Ziegelboim
huls always held a central

place
within
Jewish
communities,
whether
in European countries,
African countries, the Middle East,
ancient Babylon or modern New
York. Not for naught were shuls
called miniature sanctuaries, for
in shuls, the Jewish people found
consolation when there was no
place to encounter the Creator
face to face and offer sacrifices.
This is the reason why shuls are
looked upon with respect and their
holiness is treasured.
The following story illustrates
how precious shuls are to the
Jews.
PART I
The communist regime rose
to power in Russia after a bloody
civil war between the Whites and
the Reds that lasted three years.
It did not immediately oppose
religion. At first they announced
the separation between religion
and the state and made religion
the private business of individual
citizens.
However, the communist
party
considered
religion
primitive and something to
oppose. In the first stage,
they promoted anti-religious
propaganda in the newspapers
and youth clubs, and wherever
else they could. The communist
party line went something like

this: The old world is gone,
religion is primitive, and we are
building something new.
Right away, in the first year
of power, the communist party
set up a Jewish department called
the Yevsektzia. Its main function
was to promote the importance
of the communist party and its
heretical views among Jews.
It was in effect anti-religious
propaganda.
The
Yevsekim,
even more than the communists
themselves,
began
viciously
persecuting anything connected
with Judaism, as though to
purge themselves of any religious
connection whatsoever.
Within a short time, shuls
were shut down, mikvaos were
destroyed, and Jewish schools
were shut down. Rabbanim,
mohalim, shochtim, and scribes
were persecuted, arrested, and
sent to Siberia. Sometimes they
were even executed.
PART II
It wasnt only in central
Russia that Jews were persecuted,
but also those living in distant
sections of the Soviet Union such
as Uzbekistan, Georgia and other
parts of the Soviet Union. The
Chassid, R Nachum Shmarya
Sasonkin was the rav of the city
Batum in Georgia at that time.
He was sent there by the Rebbe

Rayatz. R Sasonkin served as rav
in Batum from 5683-5688.
He was there when the
communists closed the big
beautiful shul that served the
Jews of the city for many years.
They didnt just close the shul
but turned it into a club. They left
just a small section at the rear of
the building as an apartment for
the shamash.
About two years after the
authorities closed the shul, an
electrifying event occurred in a
far-flung Georgian town that had
ramifications for all the shuls in
Georgia. This is what happened:
There was a town in Georgia
called Oni which is not far from
Kutais. The road that led there
was difficult and dangerous. At
a certain point, travelers had to
pass through a narrow path that
was suspended over a deep and
terrifying abyss. This is why very
few went or left the town and
those that ventured forth only
did so because they had to, for
otherwise, who would put his life
in danger unnecessarily?
There was a community of
simple, goodhearted Jews who
lived in Oni and they had a
beautiful shul and many sefarim.
They had whatever they needed
thanks to the spiritual leaders
the chacham, the shochet,
melamdim for the children and

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The old shul in Oni
They pleaded that this terrible

thing not be perpetrated. With
great cruelty, the soldiers
removed all the sifrei Torah and
other sefarim in the shul and
threw them disgracefully into
trucks that stood waiting nearby.
They closed the doors of the shul
and sealed them with the official
seal.
PART IV
maggidei shiurim. They were

simple but very sincere when it
came to religious observance.
They were so far from the
people in larger cities that news
of the closing of shuls in Georgia
only reached them two years
later.
PART III
Then came the order from the
communist regime to close the
one shul in Oni. The communists
also ordered to confiscate the
sifrei Torah and holy books and
bring them to a museum while
the shul building was to be turned
into a youth club.
Although the Jews were
simple, gentle people, they were
horrified to hear that the holy
house of G-d that had been
their second home, would be
transformed into a secular place.
They decided that this would
never happen and the shul would
not be closed.
On the appointed day for the
shuls closing, no Jews went to
work. All the Jewish residents
gathered around the shul and
when the soldiers came with their
studded boots to close it, they
rose as one and did not allow
them to do their work. They
stood in the doorway like a wall
and did not allow the soldiers to
approach the shul.

The soldiers were astonished.
They never imagined that there
were people who would dare
oppose a decree of the ruling
party, and in such an open and
brazen manner, no less.
Word of the opposition
reached the head of the local
branch of the party and he
decided that this would be
shameful for the party; that they
had closed shuls throughout the
country, in cities large and small,
and only in this forsaken place
they could not carry out their
wishes. The peoples opposition
angered him and he decided to
deal forcefully with the Jews.
One morning, a battalion of
soldiers, tall and stony faced,
arrived in the town. They began
shooting into the air in every
direction in order to frighten
the people and dissolve any
organized
opposition.
Then
the soldiers angrily burst into
the shul, threatening with their
weapons anyone who tried to
oppose them.
At first, the Jews tried to
fight and protect their treasure,
the shul. In anger and pain they
grasped the Aron Kodesh, they
caressed the furnishings, but the
soldiers were stronger and they
forcibly dispersed the Jews.
Their cries rose to heaven.
The Jews of the town did

not remain idle. They sent
messengers to Moscow with the
request that the shul be restored
to them. The Jewish community
in Moscow helped them hire a
top lawyer and he is the one who
met with President Kalinin. The
lawyer told him that if word got
out to the rest of the world, it
would create a storm of protest
and this would be humiliating to
the Soviet government.
Kalinin took this seriously,
especially when they pointed
out to him that this was not an
isolated case in Georgia. There
was an uproar in the Kremlin
and they decided to send the
president to Georgia to see the
situation in person.
Upon arriving there, he
rebuked the local authorities
for the shameful incident and
ordered that all the shuls that
had been closed in Georgia be
reopened. He further chastised
the government officials when he
said, We only close shuls when
people stop using them but we
dont forcibly close them!
And that is how, thanks to a
handful of simple Jews in a small,
forsaken Jewish community,
all the shuls in Georgia were
reopened, including the big shul
in Batum. One fine day, the
authorities called for the gabbai
of the shul and gave him the keys
for the building that had been
locked.
Issue 1015
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BITACHON BYTES
IN SYNC
By Rabbi Zalman Goldberg
The Rebbe has often taught

that all the concepts in one Parsha
are intrinsically related. Even
though there may sometimes
seem to be more of a connection
between the beginning of the
Parsha to the end of the previous
Parsha, or from the end of the
current Parsha to the beginning
of the next Parsha, nonetheless,
whichever ideas are included
in one Parsha must be deeply
connected, no matter how
disparate those concepts may
seem.
This discussion is especially
relevant to Parshas Shmini
in which there is an obvious
relationship to the previous
Parsha, which discusses the
seven days prior to and preparing
for the Eighth Day, the
eighth day in the process of the
consecration of the Mishkan, but
there seems to be no relationship
between the following events and
commandments discussed in the
Parsha.
First the Torah relates that
the Mishkan was erected in a
permanent manner on Rosh
Chodesh Nissan (and was not
taken down on that day as it was
for the previous seven days).
Even on the earlier seven days
during which the Mishkan was
built and dismantled, spiritually
speaking it was an eternal
affair, for everything the Torah
commands is everlasting holiness
even if the actual fulfillment is
temporary. How much more so

is the official inauguration of
the Mishkan, which was a more
permanent endeavor physically;
surely it was an exalted event!
Especially when we learn that
the Yidden merited that a fire
descended from Hashem to
consume the offerings, a first
time experience in the Mishkan!
The parsha then continues
and tells us about the death of
the two sons of Aharon, which
resulted from their tremendous
yearning to cleave to Hashem.
This shows that they were on a
very exalted spiritual level.
Yet the parsha continues and
proscribes consumption of nonkosher animals and crawling
creatures.
How do these concepts come
together in one parsha where all
discussions should be seamlessly
connected?
The answer lies in the fact
that in addition to all the holiness
that exists, we must be aware of
the potential of other influences
to take over. We must be on the
lookout that the ( body) should
not have a negative influence even
on a person who is experiencing
G-dliness.
An illustration of the necessity
for
the
above-mentioned
precaution can be seen in the
following story. One Friday night
at the Shabbos meal, the Baal
Shem Tov was surrounded by
many great disciples as well as

simpler Chassidim. The closest
disciples noticed how the Baal
Shem Tov showed a remarkable
bond to some of the simpler
Chassidim, sharing with them his
wine, challa, and fish. The next
day at the Shabbos meal, when
only the most knowledgeable and
accomplished of the Baal Shem
Tovs students were allowed to
be present, there were those who
entertained thoughts wondering
about the Baal Shem Tovs
conduct of the night before, and
how nice it was now to experience
only deep Torah thoughts and
general spiritual elevation.
The Baal Shem Tov sensed
these thoughts and instructed his
disciples to place their hands on
the shoulders of their neighbors.
He himself placed his two hands
on the shoulders of the disciples
next to him, and began to sing
a chassidishe niggun, and all
present joined in. A moment
later, the exalted students
envisioned some of the simple
Chassidim sitting in shul reciting
Thillim with a pouring out of
the soul to Hashem and with a
love and yearning for Hashem,
such as they themselves could
have never imagined. Not only
did the students feel remorse
for their belittling thoughts;
they themselves wished that they
could connect to Hashem with
such pure devotion.
The Mezritcher Maggid later

1015_bm_eng.indd 28
3/29/2016 3:46:12 AM
related to the Alter Rebbe that he

suffered immense internal agony
over the fact that he doubted the
actions of his holy master the
Baal Shem Tov. He worked very
hard to fix his misjudgment. One
evening he saw a vision of Moshe
Rabbeinu teaching Parshas Lech
Lecha in Gan Eden to children;
when the pasuk regarding
Avrohom Avinu laughing when
he was promised that he would
have a son, Yitzchok, was read,
Moshe Rabbeinu explained that
even a holy body is also a body,
and is capable of laughing even
when receiving a guarantee from
Hashem.
Needless to say, this greatly
calmed the Maggid for he
realized that his doubt regarding
the Baal Shem Tovs relating to
the simple Chassidim was a result
of his physical body, and thus it
became a possible occurrence.
Interestingly enough, the
body which can cause the
opposite of satisfactory conduct
actually has the potential to reach
levels higher than understanding.
This power, however, can also
be the cause of the greatest
descent, and a person may
come to do things that are lower
than understanding, like eating

insects, etc. as generally the body
does not operate according to
intellect.
This is similar to what is
explained in Chassidus regarding
the necessity for intellect to
not only be the reason and
cause for a character trait, but
to continuously control the
character trait even after it
has been created. The reason
for this is that even a good
character trait can go sour if not
properly guarded and guided
by the intellect, due to the fact
that emotion can wildly change
direction if left to its natural
tendencies.
Parshas Shmini comes and
relates that the very same people
experiencing a high of inspiration
at a holy and G-dly experience
can later find themselves doing
the most foolish things if the
influence of the body is not taken
into account. The only way to
control the body is to accustom
it to follow Hashems word with
full kabbalas Ol. Incidentally,
in the story told above, the
G-dly encounter that the exalted
talmidim
were
experiencing
lacked the Kabbalas Ol to the
Baal Shem Tovs conduct. On the

other hand the simpler Chassidim
represented the Kabbalas Ol type
of relationship where the body
didnt have influence over them,
which is why their Avoda was
so pure. Perhaps this is what
the Baal Shem Tov wanted to
teach his students: not only to
appreciate their pure Avodas
Hashem, but to learn from people
by whom Kabbalas Ol is intact.
Only when ones Kabbalas Ol
is present can one be sure that
his conduct will follow Hashems
Will all the time, both during holy
times and also when the physical
body wants to put in its two
cents. Ultimately the Kabbalas
Ol will negate the potential of
the body to cause one to violate
ones close relationship with and
Bitachon in Hashem.
Rabbi Zalman Goldberg is a well
sought after speaker and lecturer on
Chassidic thought. His writings and
recordings on the topic of Bitachon
can be accessed at http://www.
gotbitachon.com. You can also receive
his one minute daily Bitachon clip by
sending a WhatsApp to: -347-581-3830
with the wordBitachon.
ADD IN ACTS OF GOODNESS & KINDNESS
TO BRING MOSHIACH NOW!

Express service
Fully Computerized
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(2nd Flr) Brooklyn NY 11213
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1015
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1015_bm_eng.indd 29
Rabbi Jacob Schwei
PARSHA THOUGHT
PARITY
By Rabbi Heschel Greenberg
CONFLUENCE OF EVENTS
One of the most important
days of the year is Rosh Chodesh
(the first day of the month of)
Nissan which is the subject of the
beginning of this weeks parsha.
In most years this parsha is read
after Passover. This year, because
an extra leap year month has been
added, this parsha is read the
Shabbos before Rosh Chodesh
Nissan. The confluence of events
(reading the parsha discussing
the events of Rosh Chodesh
Nissan in close proximity to that
day) compels us to reflect on the
importance of this day.
Prior to the exodus from
Egypt,
on
Rosh
Chodesh
Nissan, G-d informed Moshe
of their liberation and the
laws concerning the very first
Paschal offering. In addition,
G-d revealed to Moshe how the
Jewish calendar is based on the
sighting of the new moon, which
establishes that day as the first of
the month. In addition, as noted
above, the Jewish calendar also
adds an extra month every few
years to make up for the disparity
between a lunar year (12x29
days = 364 days) and the
solar year (365 days). This way,
Passover is always guaranteed to
occur in the spring as the Torah
requires.
But, this is not the first of
Nissan the Torah discusses in
this weeks parsha. Here it refers
to the next years first of Nissan,
the day on which the Mishkanportable sanctuary was dedicated

after seven days of initiation and
preparation.
Upon reflection it can be
demonstrated that the events
of the two first Rosh Chodesh
Nissans
are
conceptually
linked. We can understand the
connection between them by first
gaining a better understanding of
the spiritual dynamic of an added
month in a Jewish leap year:
MOONLIGHTING
The removal of disparity
between the solar and the
lunar systems is far more than
a technical adjustment to the
calendar. It also relates to the
prophecy that in the Messianic
Age the moons light will be
equal to the sun, as mentioned in
the sanctification of the moon
prayer we recite each month:
May it be Your will, G-d my
G-d and G-d of my fathers, to
fill the defect of the moon so that
there be no diminution in it, and
may the light of the moon be as
the light of the sun, as the light of
the Seven Days of Creation, as it
was before it was diminished, as
it is said: And G-d made the two
great luminaries.
This prayer alludes to
the Midrashic account of the
creation of the sun and the moon.
Initially, they were created equal,
but when the moon argued that
two kings cannot wear the same
crown, G-d ordered the moon

to diminish itself.
However we are to understand
the dialogue with the moon, it
is clear that something went
awry shortly after the creation of
the sun and the moon. And this
discrepancy will not be corrected
until the days of Moshiach.
However, whenever we create
some measure of parity between
the solar and lunar calendars, we
get a taste of the future.
The question remains
why is that considered such an
accomplishment?
The Kabbalists explain that
the reduction of the moon was
the first step G-d took to bring
imperfection, disparity, inequity
and even the potential to sin,
to the world. While Adam and
Chava were the first to sin, the
impetus for that was G-ds own
doing when He ordered the
moon to diminish itself, thereby
diminishing its ability to radiate
Divine clarity to the world. Thus,
any time or event that reverses
that disparity is a cause for
celebration because it gives us a
taste of the future and provides us
with a greater potential to bring
an end to the pain and suffering
associated with, and which
originated in, the diminution of
the moon.
We can now understand
the connection between the
reference to the restoration of
the light to the moon and the

1015_bm_eng.indd 30
3/29/2016 3:46:13 AM
request we have for Moshiach in

the Sanctification of the Moon
prayer.
When we ask for the moons
light to return to its former
glory, it is our way of saying we
want Moshiach, because the two
are intertwined. Moshiach will
reverse the breaches and flaws in
our world and thus the moon will
radiate as strongly as the sun.
THE PARADOX
The question now reverses
itself. Why would G-d want
to
introduce
and
impose
imperfection on the world?
The answer lies in our very
reason to exist. G-d created us
to be sensitive to the injustices in
the world and its imperfections
and struggle to correct them.
In truth, when Moshiach
ushers in the final Redemption,
all the past suffering and pain will
cease. Moreover, we will then see
all of the past pain in a completely
different light. We will be able to
finally understand, in hindsight,
why everything happened the way
it did, and how everything fit into
G-ds perfect Master Plan.
But why doesnt G-d reveal
to us the secret behind all of the
suffering now? Why have the
greatest prophets and leaders,
from Moshe, Yirmiyahu, Iyov
and countless others through the
ages, asked to understand the
reason for all the suffering and
came up short?
In a now famous, powerful
and emotional talk the Rebbe
explained that if G-d would
reveal to us now why there is
suffering, we would not feel the
pain of others; we would make
peace with it and not be moved
to do anything to change it. G-d
wants us to be sensitive to the
others pain and not look for
ways of rationalizing it away.
Here is the ultimate paradox of Jewish thought.

On the one hand we believe with perfect faith
that everything that G-d does is good, and one day,
imminently, with the coming of Moshiach, we will be able
to see the goodness with our own eyes. However, it is
our responsibility now to ignore the Divine reality that
G-d chose for that person to suffer and do everything in
our power to alleviate that suffering and remove its root
causes to the extent of human capabilities.
And here is the ultimate

paradox of Jewish thought. On
the one hand we believe with
perfect faith that everything that
G-d does is good, and one day,
imminently, with the coming of
Moshiach, we will be able to see
the goodness with our own eyes.
However, it is our responsibility
now to ignore the Divine reality
that G-d chose for that person to
suffer and do everything in our
power to alleviate that suffering
and remove its root causes to the
extent of human capabilities.
to reverse it! He wants us to

fight against it and even pray
to and demand of Him that He
bring Moshiach to reverse that
situation.
This is the meaning of
the word sin-chatas that the
Torah uses. It actually means
a shortcoming or vacuum. On
Rosh Chodesh, particularly, Rosh
Chodesh Nissan, G-d wants us to
increase our efforts to fill in that
void and reverse the process of
disparity.
G-DS ATONEMENT
MISHKAN DEDICATION:
GLIMPSE INTO THE FUTURE
We can now understand

the radical Talmudic statement
(Chullin 60b) that the goat
sacrifice
offered
on
Rosh
Chodesh was intended for G-ds
own atonement, as it were,
for His sin of diminishing the
moon. Thus, the Torah refers to
this offering as a Sin offering
for G-d.
At first glance, this is both
puzzling and astonishing! How
can we impute a sin to G-d?
The answer is that G-d
wants us to recognize that
He Himself is not fond of the
disparity in the world that He
orchestrated, and that it was not
intended as a permanent fixture.
On the contrary, He wants us
to do everything in our power
We must now understand

what sort of connection there
is between this theme of parity
between the sun and the moon
with the dedication of the
Mishkan, which is highlighted in
this parsha.
In this parsha, the Torah
relates how Moshe was upset
at Aaron for having burnt the
Rosh Chodesh sacrifice instead
of partaking of it. Normally,
the
atonement
process
is
made complete only after the
Kohanim actually partake of the
Rosh Chodesh sacrifice. In the
end Moshe accepted Aarons
explanation for having burnt the
sacrifice.
But,
whatever,
the
explanation, the question has
Issue 1015
1015_bm_eng.indd 31
31
3/29/2016 3:46:13 AM
PARSHA THOUGHT
been raised, how could it have
been that the very first Rosh
Chodesh sacrifice in history was
ineffective?
The contemporary Chassidic
commentary, Emunas Itecha,
provides an interesting solution
to this problem in light of the
foregoing analysis of G-ds need
for atonement.
As mentioned, Rosh Chodesh
highlights the disparity between
the sun and the moon, the source
of everything that is broken in
our world. Furthermore, the very
purpose of that Divinely ordained
disparity was for us to reverse it.
G-d wants us to restore that light
and remove the disparity and the
pain and suffering that exists as
a consequence of the moons
diminution. In Messianic times
that effort will come to fruition.
When the Mishkan was built
and dedicated on Rosh Chodesh
Nissan there was not just a
nice and uplifting celebration.
It provided the Jewish people
with a taste or sample of the
future rectification of the
diminution of the moon and of
all its consequences. That first
Rosh Chodesh did not need
the atonement and correction
because for that one day they
experienced
the
Messianic
perfection.
Lest we think that pain and
suffering will never come to
an end and that we can at best
only manage it, we were given
a powerful lesson on that Rosh
Chodesh. There was no need to
partake of the sacrifice to affect
atonement for G-ds creation of
disparity because that situation
will be corrected in the end of
days.
The dedication occurred
on the eighth day (after seven
days of preparation), which is
the very name of the parsha.
Commentators emphasize that
the number eight is representative
of
the
future
Messianic
Age
because
the
number
eight
represents
transcendence.
In that Age we
will transcend the
Divinely
instituted
pattern of disparity
that became a part of
nature.
One may add that
the dedication of the
Mishkan not only
provided us with a
vision of and hope
for the future but
also the inspiration,
resources and power
to change the disparity dynamic.

We now can see how
everything connected with the
timing of this parsha comes
together.
This is a leap year, a sample
of the removal of the disparity
between the sun and the moon.
We are in close proximity to
Rosh Chodesh Nissan, the day
in which the calendar, with the
provision of a leap year, was put
into place.
The parsha discusses the
dedication of the Mishkan and
the failure to eat of the sacrifice
to remind us that on that day, the
seeds for the removal of disparity
were sown.

1015_bm_eng.indd 32
3/29/2016 3:46:14 AM
TZIVOS HASHEM
CHANALE, D ONT
FORGET TO LIGHT
By Nechama Bar
the
hurry!
Hurry,
Nazi guards urged on the
unfortunate Jews. It was hours
already that all the Jews of
the town, men, women and
children, had been walking
in the freezing cold to some
unknown destination. They had
been forced to leave their homes
and possessions behind, along
with all the nice memories
of the good days before the
horrific war. Each one took
a small bundle containing his
most essential items so as not
to be overburdened on the long
journey.
After many hours, the
(surviving) Jews arrived at a
train station. They were in pain,
starving, and terrified. They did
not know what awaited them
but braced themselves for the
worst. They had heard rumors
of trains that took Jews to
places from which they never
returned.
Little Chanale was on this
terrible march. Near her were
her mother, sisters and her
good friend, Leahle, with
her family. Being next to
her mother gave her a bit of
confidence in the face of the
terrifying German soldiers.
had
Germans
The
train
entire
the
nded
surrou
station where masses of Jews
had been gathered for days.
The Germans gave them just
one piece of bread each. The

hunger, thirst, and cold were
unbearable. But worse than
anything else was the worry
about what would be their end.
The sound of the train could
be heard in the distance. Get
ready to travel, your train has
arrived, they were told.
The Jews collected the little
bit they had with them and
got ready to leave. The train
was very small compared to
the number of people who had
to board. The crowding was
terrible and there was hardly
any air to breathe.
Chanale and Leahle had
walked away somewhat from
the train. The soldiers finished
stuffing everyone onto the train
and miraculously, Chanale and
Leahle were left behind.
The two girls stood alone
and watched as the train began
to move. In the meantime,
was
mother
Chanales
frantically searching for her
daughter on the train. Where
is my Chanale? she shouted.
Then she got a glimpse out
of the window and saw her!
In the remaining seconds, she
managed to shout through the
window, Chanale, zolst nisht
fargessen untzinden Shabbos
licht (dont forget to light
Shabbos candles)!
Chanale heard her mothers
familiar voice and her final
words were etched deep into

her heart. They were the last
words she heard from her
mother.
Chanale
G-d,
Thank
miraculously survived the war.
When the war was over, she
discovered that nobody from
her town had remained alive.
She was the sole survivor of her
family.
constantly
Chanale
rs final
mothe
her
remembered
s
Shabbo
lit
she
and
request
week.
candles every
Years went by. Slowly,
Chanas connection to Torah
and mitzvos waned. At first
she still remembered words of
the davening and said them
but as time passed her mitzva
observance weakened and she
even stopped lighting Shabbos
candles.
Chana moved to Eretz
Yisroel where she married and
had a family. She got a job
working for the Jewish Agency.
The Jewish Agency works
to help Jews living outside
of Eretz Yisroel. They have
representatives living in many
places in the world. Chanas job
was to monitor the employees
working outside of Eretz Yisroel
and to ensure that they were
doing their jobs well.
One day, a delegation from
the Jewish Agency went to New
York. The delegation consisted
Issue 1015
1015_bm_eng.indd 33
33
3/29/2016 3:46:15 AM
Tzivos Hashem
of two men and two women,

including Chana.
If you are going to New York,
it pays for you to visit the
Lubavitcher Rebbe. He is a big
tzaddik and miracle worker,
said a friend of one of the
delegates.
They accepted this advice
and one Sunday, they stood
on line to receive dollars for
tzdaka from the Rebbe. The
two men waited on the mens
line and the two women on
the womens line. This was the
first time they were visiting
the Rebbe and they were
excited. They felt it would be a
meaningful experience but did
not know how special it would
turn out to be.
A
Hatzolah!
Hatzolah!
woman fainted!
The Hatzolah people came
quickly and the woman was
able to stand up. She was pale

and was trembling.
Did you hear? One of
the women fainted. For some
reason, I think it has to do
with us, said Benny from the
delegation to his friend.
There are hundreds of
women here, why do you think
so?
When we leave, well find
out, Benny replied.
The encounter with the
Rebbe was special and made
a deep impression. From 770
they went to the hotel where
they were staying. Benny asked
whether it was one of the
women from their delegation
who had fainted.
face
pale
Chanas
demonstrated that indeed, it
was she.
they
happened?
What
wondered.
Chana took a deep breath
and in a shaky voice

she told them about
her painful past. She
war
the
described
and the train and her
mothers final words.
They listened with
interest but did not see
what this had to do with
the fainting spell.
Chana went on. I
waited on line to receive
a dollar from the Rebbe
like everyone else. When
it was my turn, I was
The
emotional.
very
Rebbes face radiated
majesty and holiness. He
gave me a dollar and I
moved on but then they
indicated that the Rebbe
wanted me to come
back. I went back and
the Rebbe looked at me
and said, Chanale, zolst
nisht fargessen untzinden
Shabbos licht.
All at once, memories
came back. I could see the train
and my mothers face at the
window and her shouting these
words. Those were the final
words I heard my mother say.
Along with the great pain, I
also felt an amazing feeling, like
that of a little child next to her
beloved father. I felt that the
Rebbe knows my past history,
everything I experienced, and
understands me and was giving
me new strength.
The Rebbe reminded me
of my mothers request and
at that moment, of course I
decided to light Shabbos candles
again.
The Rebbe lit up my
neshama.

1015_bm_eng.indd 34
3/29/2016 3:46:17 AM

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DVAR MALCHUS

hands?), G-d sent Moshe to

Days of Initiation, when Moshe

Rosh Chodesh Nissan until the

from the word neis miracle,

Continued from page 5

Rabbeinu was commanded to

Rabbi Avtzon is the Rosh

He re-gathers them and returns

LIVE SHIURIM 0NLINE

sgu okugk jhanv lkn ubcru ubrun ubhbust hjh

4 22 Adar II 5776 - Hakhel

MOSHIACH & HAKHEL

Dear Reader shyichyeh,

(BaMidbar 19:1-3): The Lord

gather Jewish people together

R Nadav Cohen was born

Nadav went through the

6 22 Adar II 5776 - Hakhel

Like many other young people

to messages that he felt were sent

In recent months he has

calls it, a free system via which

at that time and all the dots

HOW TO OVERCOME THE

8 22 Adar II 5776 - Hakhel

do you entice the animal soul

SHLUCHIM AND MASHPIIM

The most important thing to the animal soul is

the various apps, those who are

topics we mentioned: purpose in

PEOPLE CHANGE VIA

PLANS FOR THE FUTURE

10 22 Adar II 5776 - Hakhel

Can you tell us a story to

between the time we devote

THE SKYS THE LIMIT

12 22 Adar II 5776 - Hakhel

ristobal de las Casas,

to a family whose members are

the nature of which he could not

The idea of going on that trip was to experience

service, those feelings intensified

Its a very challenging hike,

we felt like they would explode.

The impact the mezuza made was faster than

After walking for days, with

up my stand in the middle of the

14 22 Adar II 5776 - Hakhel

religious! and I enumerated the

THE SHLIACH AND THE

of doing tshuva? He reassured

endless desire for adventure was

blessing for the State after the

A BRACHA FROM THE

R Dudi Caplan and R

16 22 Adar II 5776 - Hakhel

had made a mistaken calculation

Rebbe and he was appeased.

THE FIGHT AGAINST

suggested they put up mezuzos

the Jewish people. He did not

where this Israeli lives, in order

18 22 Adar II 5776 - Hakhel