LIVING WITH MOSHIACH, Parshat Beshalach, 5755 B"H LIVING WITH MOSHIACH Weekly Digest About Moshiach PARSHAT BESHALACH Shevat 12, 5755 Jan. 13, 1995 * Published Weekly By Lubavitch Shluchim Conferences On The Moshiach Campaign, Committee For The Blind * * * 5755 "Year of Hakhel" ********************************************* * TO RECEIVE THIS PUBLICATION VIA INTERNET: * * E-Mail: yys@dorsai.org * * FOR CHABAD-LUBAVITCH IN CYBERSPACE: * * E-Mail: info@chabad.org * ********************************************* THIS PUBLICATION IS DEDICATED TO THE REBBE, RABBI MENACHEM M. SCHNEERSON OF LUBAVITCH "I BELIEVE WITH COMPLETE FAITH IN THE ARRIVAL OF THE MOSHIACH. AND THOUGH HE MAY TARRY, I SHALL WAIT EACH DAY, ANTICIPATING HIS ARRIVAL." Maimonides, Principles of the Faith, No. 12 ********************* * TABLE OF CONTENTS * ********************* Introduction The Weekly Torah Portion The Rebbe's Prophecy Shabbat Shira Customs Tu B'Shevat Tree, Tree, with what shall I bless you? Tu B'Shevat Customs **************** * INTRODUCTION * **************** We are pleased to present, to the visually impaired and the blind, the 13th issue of our weekly publication, Living with Moshiach. * This Shabbos is Shabbat Shirah. Also, next Monday, January 16, is Tu B'Shevat. Therefore, this week our feature presentation focuses on these two topics. * Our sincere appreciation to L'Chaim weekly publication, published by the Lubavitch Youth Organization, for allowing us to use their material. Also, many thanks to our copy editor, Reb Mordechai Staiman, for his tireless efforts. * It is our fervent hope that our learning about Moshiach and the Redemption will hasten the coming of Moshiach, NOW! Rabbi Yosef Y. Shagalov Administrator Committee for the Blind E-Mail: yys@dorsai.org 3 Shevat, 5755, Year of Hakhel Brooklyn, New York *************************************** * THE WEEKLY TORAH PORTION * * Adapted from the Works of the Rebbe * *************************************** Parshat Beshalach At the end of this week's Torah portion, Beshalach, we read of the war between Amalek and the Jewish people. The battle that Amalek initiated against the Jews had such impact that each day, after the morning prayers we read, "Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you came out of Egypt; how he met you on the way, and cut down all the weak who straggled behind you, when you were weary and exhausted... you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under Heaven. Do not forget!" Amalek is more than just an ancient biblical people. The commentator Rashi explains that Amalek cooled off the warmth and enthusiasm that the Jews felt after leaving Egypt and experiencing G-d's miracles, especially the tangible revelation of G-dliness at the Red Sea. Amalek represents negative traits that can manifest themselves within every Jew. Amalek fought against the Jews, hardening them and making an opening for coldness toward Judaism to seep in. Amalek, then, is symbolic of a Jew's spiritless, unenthusiastic, passionless attitude toward the observance of Torah and mitzvot. We are enjoined to remember every day what Amalek did to us so that we can constantly be on the lookout for and fight against any personal negativity toward Judaism or our spiritual service. Amalek was the first to attempt to fight against the Jewish people, for all the nations of the world feared the Jews, having heard about the miracles with which G-d brought them out of Egypt, and about the splitting of the red Sea. Amalek could not stand the greatness of the Jewish people and the miracle G-d had wrought for them. Amalek, therefore, is also symbolic of brashness and arrogance; only such a nation would have the audacity to fight against those who were so obviously chosen by G-d. "Amalek" can manifest itself within every person -- rudeness, ego, and haughtiness -- finding it intolerable that there are others greater than oneself. When the war against Amalek became inevitable, Moses commanded his disciple Joshua, "Choose us men and go out and fight Amalek." Moses told Joshua that in this war, Joshua had to choose us, men like Moses, who were the epitome of humility and modesty. In order to rid oneself of the egotism and haughtiness of Amalek, one must work on becoming like Moses -- humble, modest, and nullified before G-d. There is a Moses in every generation. And the "men of Moses" are those people who fight against the Amalek who attempt to cool down the fire, warmth and enthusiasm one has toward Judaism. ************************ * THE REBBE'S PROPHECY * ************************ The Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson of Lubavitch, issued a call that "THE TIME OF OUR REDEMPTION HAS ARRIVED!" and "MOSHIACH IS ON HIS WAY!" The Rebbe stressed that he is saying this AS A PROPHECY, and asks us all to prepare ourselves for the Redemption, through increasing acts of goodness and kindness. LET US ALL HEED THE REBBE'S CALL. ******************************************* * IN LOVING MEMORY OF MY DEAR GRANDFATHER * * * * Reb Shmuel Pesach Ben Reb Yaakov Dovid * * Passed away on 3 Tishrei, 5755 * * Pais * ******************************************* ************************* * SHABBAT SHIRA CUSTOMS * ************************* This Shabbat, known as "Shabbat Shira," commemorating the shira, or song that the Jewish people sang at the Splitting of the Red Sea. The song is recorded in the weekly Torah portion, and includes details of how Moshe led the men in song and Miriam led the women in song and dance. * On Shabbat Shira it is customary to eat kasha -- buckwheat groats. Some also have the custom of putting kasha or bread crumbs out for the birds before Shabbat so that they, too, can partake. * * * The reason for this custom is quite interesting and originates in the weekly Torah portion. We read this week about the manna, the bread from Heaven, with which the Jews were sustained during their 40-year sojourn in the desert. The Jews were commanded to gather each morning just enough manna to feed their families for the day. Miraculously, each person had precisely the amount he needed for his family, not more and not less. Before Shabbat, the Jews were told to gather a double portion; no manna would fall on Shabbat since it is forbidden to gather on the holy day. Some scoffers among the Jewish people saved some of their manna from that morning and scattered it on Friday evening. Their plan was to gather the manna Shabbat morning and bring it into the camp, thus discrediting Moses and proving their claim that Moses created his own mitzvot. During the night, after the manna had been strewn, birds came and gathered it all up, thus vindicating Moses and sanctifying the Sabbath among the Jewish people. In appreciation and gratitude of the birds' deed, we make sure to give them food on Shabbat Shira. * * * Might we not take a lesson from this Jewish tradition passed on through the ages? If it is customary to show gratitude to birds for such a small act, might we not also learn to show gratitude to our brothers and sisters for each act of kindness or caring that they do for us? *************************************** * TU B'SHEVAT * * Adapted from the Works of the Rebbe * *************************************** On Tu B'Shevat, the New Year for Trees, we are reminded of the passage, "Man is like a tree in the field." When a tree is still a tiny sapling, and even when it is yet a seed, every small detail of its care has important ramifications. A small amount of proper care will yield a properly developed tree, but even the smallest, undesirable action will result in immeasurable damage to the final result. So it is with the education of a person. Even those details that appear marginal and secondary, or appear unworthy of our investing so much effort into them, eventually are revealed to be of the utmost importance. Every little action taken toward providing the proper Jewish education for our children will result in a whole and sound adult. But even a tiny scratch on the young "seed" can result in great damage done to the grown person. ******************************************** * TREE, TREE, WITH WHAT SHALL I BLESS YOU? * ******************************************** "A person was walking in the desert, hungry, tired and thirsty. He came upon a tree with sweet fruits, pleasant shade and the source of water passing beneath it. "The person ate from its fruit, drank from its water and sat in its shade. And when he was ready to leave he said, 'Tree, tree, with what shall I bless you? "'If I say that your fruits should be sweet -- why, your fruits are already sweet! "' - that your shade should be pleasant, your shade is already pleasant! "' - that water should flow from beneath you, it already does! "'Therefore I will pray that it be His will that all of the saplings planted from you will be like you!"' (Talmud Ta'anit) * * * Especially around the holiday of Tu B'Shevat, the New Year for Trees, we are reminded of the verse, "Man is like a tree in the field." Our Sages offer various reasons and explanations as to how a person is similar to a tree. The Bible, commentaries and Talmud are replete with examples of how the Jewish people are analogous to the seven fruits with which Israel has been praised. To mention a few: Just as (olive) oil does not mix with other liquids, so, too, the Children of Israel stand out from other nations. The date is all good -- its fruit can be eaten, its branches are used as lulavs, its leaves are used for the roof of the sukka, its fiber for binding, and it stands straight -- so, too, amongst the Jews there is none who is worthless. Just as grapes have within them food and drink, so, too, do the Children of Israel have Torah knowledge and good deeds. The roots of the fig-tree are delicate, yet they break through the toughest rocks. Even the most "empty" amongst you are as full of mitzvot as a pomegranate (is of seeds). We can see from the above sampling how truly rich are the Jewish people. If this is the case, then, like the desert tree are we lacking anything? With what can we be blessed? The greatest blessing is: "May it be His will that all of the saplings planted from us-- all of our actions and deeds (our spiritual offspring) and our children -- be sweet and pleasant and nourishing like us." *********************** * TU B'SHEVAT CUSTOMS * *********************** It is customary on Tu B'Shevat to eat fruits, especially those by which the Torah praises the Land of Israel: "A land of wheat, barley, grapes, figs, and pomegranates, a land of oil (olives) and honey (dates)" (Deut. 8:8). Some have the custom of making fruit-salad from fifteen different fruits. A Sefardic custom is to stay awake the entire night, studying all the Biblical, Talmudic and Kabbalistic sources relating to the fruit of Israel and stopping at intervals to eat different fruits. ============================================================== = End of Text: Living With Moshiach, Parshat Beshalach, 5755 = ==============================================================