LIVING WITH MOSHIACH, Parshat Kedoshim, 5755 B"H LIVING WITH MOSHIACH Weekly Digest About Moshiach PARSHAT KEDOSHIM IYAR 5, 5755 MAY 5, 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 Counting Of The Omer Chof Ches Nissan Bais Iyar A Call To Action **************** * INTRODUCTION * **************** We are pleased to present, to the visually impaired and the blind, the 23rd issue of our weekly publication, Living with Moshiach. * In this week's issue we focus on: 1) Chof Ches Nissan, the 28th of Nissan. 2) Bais Iyar, the 2nd of Iyar. * 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 27 Nissan, 5755, Year of Hakhel Brooklyn, New York *************************************** * THE WEEKLY TORAH PORTION * * Adapted from the Works of the Rebbe * *************************************** Parshat Kedoshim In this week's Torah portion, Kedoshim, the Torah records G-d's command: "Sanctify yourselves and be holy, because I am the L-rd your G-d." Our Rabbis taught that this injunction refers to the realm of the permissible, those which the Torah neither specifically forbids nor allows. The Torah asks us to exercise self-restraint in every aspect of our lives, counseling us to forego even permissible pleasures, if they are not truly vital to our service of G-d. For example, we must restrain ourselves from partaking of a particular food (kosher, of course), if our craving to eat it arises solely from a desire to satiate our animal appetites and not for the sake of nourishing our bodies. The first Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Shneur Zalman, originated a wise saying on the subject: "That which is forbidden is forbidden; that which is permissible is unnecessary." In this manner, constantly exercising good judgment and restraint, the Jew sanctifies every minute detail of his life and imbues his entire being with holiness. This process of sanctification plays a pivotal role in preparing the world for Moshiach, for the messianic era will be characterized by the open revelation of G-dliness throughout the entire creation. At that time, G-d will allow His very essence to be revealed within the physical world, which will have been totally transformed into a fitting dwelling place for the Divine Presence. This complete transformation of the material world into a place in which G-dliness is readily apparent may be explained by the following analogy: When a person is at home, he permits himself to express his true personality. His manner is relaxed and open, for he feels free, unencumbered by the constraints of society. When, however, a person goes out into the street or his friend's home, his behavior is more circumspect. Not only are his actions necessarily circumscribed, but his ability to express himself is also limited to a great degree. When Moshiach comes and ushers in the Final Redemption, G-d will finally be "at home" in the physical world, and the holiness that exists within all of creation will be revealed in its entirety. Torah and mitzvot are therefore insufficient, by themselves, to transform the world and ourselves into a proper vessel for such a revelation of G-dliness. For it is possible for one to adhere to the letter of the law and still perceive himself as an entity separate from G-d. When a Jew extends and broadens his service of G-d to include those areas beyond the realm of ritual law, he elevates both himself and his surroundings to unparalleled spiritual heights. By removing his own ego from the equation, he leaves room for only G-dliness and sanctity to fill the void. ************************ * 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 GRANDPARENTS, * * * * Reb Shmuel Pesach Ben Reb Yaakov Dovid * * Passed away on 3 Tishrei, 5755 * * * * Mrs. Fraidel Chedvah Bas Reb Zev Wolf * * Passed away on 4 Adar II, 5755 * * Pais * ********************************************* ************************ * COUNTING OF THE OMER * ************************ On the second night of Pesach, we begin Sefirat Ha'omer, counting forty-nine days between Pesach and Shavuot, the day when the Torah was given to the children of Israel. This is done every night following the evening prayer leading up to the night before Shavuot. Consult your local rabbi for directions on counting the Omer. ******************** * CHOF CHES NISSAN * ******************** Friday, the 28th of Nissan (April 28th), is an anniversary of sorts. It is four years to the day when, in the course of a rather unexceptional public gathering, the Rebbe changed his tone and his topic and emotionally shared the following: "Because of the unique stress on the Redemption in this time, an astonishing question arises: How is it possible that despite all these factors, Moshiach has not yet come? This is beyond all possible comprehension. "It is also beyond comprehension that when ten (and many times ten) Jews gather together at a time that is appropriate for the Redemption to come, they do not raise a clamor great enough to cause Moshiach to come immediately. They are, heaven forbid, able to accept the possibility that Moshiach will not arrive tonight, and even that he will not arrive tomorrow, or on the day after tomorrow, heaven forbid. "Even when people cry out "Ad mosai--Until when will we remain in exile?" they do so only because they were told to. If they had sincere intent and earnest desire, and cried out in truth, Moshiach would surely have come already. "What more can I do to motivate the entire Jewish people to clamor and cry out, and thus actually bring about the coming of Moshiach? All that has been done until now has been to no avail, for we are still in exile; moreover, we are in an inner exile in regard to our own service of G-d. "All that I can possibly do is to give the matter over to you. Now, do everything you can to bring Moshiach, here and now, immediately. "May it be G-d's will that ultimately ten Jews will be found who are stubborn enough to resolve to secure G-d's consent to actually bring about the true and ultimate Redemption, here and now, immediately. Their stubborn resolve will surely evoke G-d's favor, as reflected by the interpretation of the verse, 'For they are a stiff-necked people; You will pardon our sins and wrongdoings and make us Your possession.' "I have done whatever I can; from now on, you must do whatever you can. May it be G-d's will that there will be one, two, or three among you who will appreciate what needs to be done and how it needs to be done, and may you actually be successful and bring about the true and complete Redemption. May this take place immediately, in a spirit of happiness and gladness of heart." * * * Far from "passing the buck" or throwing up his hands in defeat, from that day forth, the Rebbe continued, with increased vigor and enthusiasm, to discuss the imminence of Moshiach's arrival and to offer suggestions what we could do to get ready for the Redemption. In fact, the very next Shabbat, the Rebbe said: "Every Jew, man, woman and child, has an individual responsibility to add to his service with the intent of bringing about the actual coming of Moshiach. One should not try to shift the burden of responsibility to others. Rather, each person should recognize his individual responsibility. "This service must involve an increase in the study of the Torah, both hidden and revealed and an increase in the performance of mitzvot in a beautiful and conscientious manner . . . "In addition to making such increases oneself, one should also influence others to make similar increases. And all of this should be suffused with yearning for and expectation of Moshiach's coming. "May our resolutions to involve ourselves be successful and bring about the coming of the ultimate Redemption." ************* * BAIS IYAR * ************* On Tuesday, the 2nd of Iyar (May 2nd), we commemorate the birthday of the fourth Rebbe, Rabbi Shmuel, known as the Rebbe Maharash. One of the most memorable and pithy maxims that we have from the Rebbe Maharash is the saying, "L'Chatchila Ariber"--which means, "In the first place, go over." The Rebbe Maharash mentioned this concept--which has been the constant battle cry of Lubavitch outreach workers all over the world--in reference to one who finds himself faced with an obstacle. "The whole world says, first try to go under or around an obstacle. If this doesn't work, then go over it," the Rebbe Maharash noted. "But I say, 'In the first place, go over,'" he declared. What does it mean to go over an obstacle right away rather than trying another method to pass an obstruction? In confronting obstacles to all good endeavors, one should take the most ambitious and aggressive approach. One cannot remain passive, hoping that the situation will change by itself or that the obstruction will magically disappear. It must be approached as a challenge. And, as such, it should be afforded one's utmost attention and energy. In addition, when working at overcoming obstacles, we have to keep uppermost in our mind only positive thoughts and the image of the endeavor successfully accomplished. For this, too, will aid in our ultimate triumph and success. ******************** * A CALL TO ACTION * ******************** The Rebbe's slogan is: "The main thing is the deed." In this column we present suggestions from the Rebbe's talks of what we can do to complete the Rebbe's work of bringing the Redemption. STUDY ETHICS OF THE FATHERS We read one chapter of Ethics of the Fathers (Pirkei Avot) each Shabbat following the afternoon prayer, because these are the days leading up to the Giving of the Torah and Pirkei Avot contain ethics and moral exhortations to help us improve ourselves so that we are worthy of the Torah. The Rebbe emphasized the importance of not only reciting the chapters, but also actually studying them. ============================================================= = End of Text: Living With Moshiach, Parshat Kedoshim, 5755 = =============================================================