LIVING WITH MOSHIACH, Parshat Emor, 5756 B"H LIVING WITH MOSHIACH Weekly Digest About Moshiach PARSHAT EMOR Iyar 14, 5756 May 3, 1996 * Published Weekly By Lubavitch Shluchim Conferences On The Moshiach Campaign, Committee For The Blind * * * 5756 *********************************************** * 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 The Month of Iyar A Lag B'Omer Message from the Rebbe Lag B'Omer Parades Galore Action Is Essential Lag B'Omer and Moshiach It Happened Once ****************** * INTRODUCTION * ****************** We are pleased to present, to the visually impaired and the blind, our weekly publication, Living With Moshiach. * In this week's issue we focus on 'Lag B'Omer,' the 18th 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 9 Iyar, 5756 Brooklyn, New York ***************************************** * THE WEEKLY TORAH PORTION * * Adapted from the Works of the Rebbe * ***************************************** Parshat Emor In this week's Torah portion, Emor, we are enjoined concerning Counting the Omer: "And you shall count for yourselves from the morrow after the Shabbat, from the day that you brought the sheaf --omer--of the waving; there shall be seven complete weeks." After the Exodus from Egypt the Jews were so eager to receive the Torah that they counted the days remaining to that great event. This was a prelude to the precept of "Counting the Omer" which they received later at Mount Sinai. The counting of the Omer has always remained a preparation to receiving the Torah; when the 49 days of the Omer come to an end, the festival of Shavuot--celebrating the giving of the Torah-- follows immediately. The connection of Counting the Omer with the Giving of the Torah finds expression in the idea that both stress the individual. Each person, individually, must count the days of the Omer period as opposed to the communal counting of the Sabbatical and Jubilee cycles. (Each 7th year was the Sabbatical Year, each 50th year was the Jubilee Year.) In the Jubilee and Sabbatical year a number of special laws apply, and the mitzvah of counting the 7 and 50 year cycles was performed by the Jewish Court on behalf of all Jews. In contrast, the Omer is counted by each person individually. In similar fashion, the giving of the Torah was not only a communal, collective experience; the Al-mighty addressed each and every individual separately: "I am G-d your G-d." In Hebrew there are two ways of saying "Your G-d," the singular and the plural. Yet, when G-d addressed the entire Jewish nation, several million in number, the singular form was used. To each one of Israel individually the Al-mighty gave the Torah; to each He commanded that they study and fulfill the mitzvot. And to each He infused Divinely-granted strength and ability to fulfill the Torah. The lesson from this week's portion and Counting the Omer is clear: Each day counts; each Jew counts; each mitzvah counts. ************************ * 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 * ********************************************* ********************* * THE MONTH OF IYAR * ********************* The month in which we find ourselves, Iyar, is unique amongst all the months of the year. For each and every single day in Iyar brings with it the opportunity to perform a mitzvah--the commandment to count the omer. We begin counting the omer on the second day of Passover and continue until the eve of Shavuot. The counting is a preparation for Receiving the Torah on the holiday of Shavuot. And, indeed, it imparts to us a remarkable lesson--one which is connected not only with the Jewish people's receiving the Torah as a united nation, but with each and every single day in the life of every Jew, as well. Counting the omer teaches us that every day counts. It reminds us that each hour, each minute should be filled with words, thoughts and deeds of which we can be proud. And too, that we are held "accountable" for every precious second of life with which our Creator has blessed us. "But, hold on a minute!" one might silently shout. "I'm just finding out about this now. I've already missed out on making the past 20 days (or 20 years) count. What can I do to rectify the situation?" The answer to this heartfelt cry lies in the uniqueness of the month of Iyar and the mitzvah with which it is intertwined. Each day holds a separate mitzvah, a unique opportunity, a particular mission. True, you might have passed up prior chances, but today's and tomorrow's minutes and hours are still available for you to fill with meaningful moments. And by making our days count from now on, we can, in truth, rectify that which we were missing in the past. *************************************** * A LAG B'OMER MESSAGE FROM THE REBBE * * Adapted from the Works of the Rebbe * *************************************** On the third day--twice blessed with "It was good"--of the weekly portion of [1] Counting the Omer, 5735 [1975] To the Sons and Daughters of Our People Israel, Everywhere G-d bless you-- The auspicious day of Lag B'Omer is approaching, the day of Rabbi Shimon Ben Yochai's [known as "Rashbi"] simchah [rejoicing]; the day of which it is said: "On this day it is a mitzvah to celebrate Rashbi's simchah, and for those living in the Holy Land --to go to his grave and rejoice there greatly. This year Lag B'Omer significantly occurs on (Tuesday) the day on which the Creator expressed His special satisfaction by repeating "it was good" twice--an allusion to two "goods": good to Heaven and good to the creatures. It is, therefore, surely an auspicious time--the day of Lag B'Omer itself, as well as the days immediately preceding and following it, which respectively serve as preparation for, and first-fruits of, Lag B'Omer--to rejoice greatly with the simchah of mitzvot, especially mitzvot that combine both "goods," good to Heaven (man's duties to G-d) and good to the creatures (man's duties to man). This includes, of course, the mitzvah of encouraging Jews to do mitzvot (or do them more devoutly), as this effort of spreading the observance of any mitzvah is also an act of loving-kindness. And since influence in this direction generally--indeed, inevitably--involves quoting words of Torah and instructing in the laws of the particular mitzvah, it comes under the mitzvah of Torah-learning and teachings. Thus both--the effort to encourage Jews to do mitzvot, and the manner of this effort--are mitzvot of "good to the creatures." Hence it is an opportune occasion to remind everyone, again and again, that which has been urged for some time now, in regard to active promotion of the observance of mitzvot. Indeed, in light of the relevancy to Rashbi and Lag B'Omer, the special Mitzvah Campaigns that have been stressed lately [2] assume an added significance, as follows: TORAH CAMPAIGN--since the Torah was the vocation of Rashbi and his colleagues; TEFILLIN CAMPAIGN--concerning which it is said in Rashbi's Book, the Zohar, that tefillin is a G-dly crown, and one who adorns himself with this "Supernal Sacred Crown" is given the title of King of the Earth, companion to the King in Heaven, the Holy One blessed be He. MEZUZAH CAMPAIGN--the Zohar says: "When a person affixes a mezuzah at the entrance to his house... he adorns himself with his Master's crown and keeps evil things away from his door." TZEDAKAH CAMPAIGN--of which it is said in the Zohar: "Whoever shows heartfelt compassion for the poor... rules over all creatures of the world." HOUSE FILLED WITH SACRED BOOKS--of Torah and Teffilah (Prayer)--of which it is said in the Zohar: "That studying Torah and worshipping G-d, command everybody's respect and awe." CANDLE-LIGHTING TO USHER IN THE HOLY SHABBAT--of which Rashbi declares that it is a sublime honor for her (who lights the candles)... to be blessed with children... who will foster peace on earth, etc. May G-d grant that through the said activities, in the spirit of all that has been said above, and within the framework of commitment to Torah and mitzvot in the daily life, beginning with the Torah Campaign (both the Revealed and Inner Torah), thereby removing the cause of the protracted Exile, namely, bitul Torah (neglect of Torah)--we will see the realization of "G-d is my King since the days of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth." And will soon merit the true and complete Redemption through the Melech HaMoshiach. Then it will come to pass that "None shall any more have to teach the other... for all will know Me," as Rashbi explains, since everyone will be filled with the spirit of wisdom and understanding, counsel and valor, knowledge and fear of G-d. __________ 1. Parshat Emor. Ed. 2. In subsequent years the Rebbe added the following Mitzvah Campaigns: Family Purity and Kashrut, in 1975; Love of a Fellow Jew and Jewish Education for Children, in 1976; Letter in a Torah Scroll, in 1981; Study of Maimonides' Mishneh Torah, in 1984; and Intensification of the Moshiach Campaign, in 1991. Ed. ************** * LAG B'OMER * ************** Next Tuesday, Iyar 18, May 7, is Lag B'Omer. Lag B'Omer is the 33rd (lamed-gimel, hence lag in Hebrew) day of the Omer period (between Passover and Shavuot), is the anniversary of the passing--yahrtzeit--of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai (commonly known by the acronym of his name, Rashbi), author of the Zohar. Rashbi lived in the 2nd century B.C.E. He openly criticized the Roman government and was forced to go into hiding. He and his son hid in a cave and immersed themselves in Torah. Emerging after 13 years he founded an academy in the Gallilee. His esoteric teachings were recorded by his disciples in the Zohar, the most fundamental work of Kabbalah. On his yahrtzeit on Lag B'Omer, tens of thousands gather at his tomb in Meron, in northern Gallilee. * Before his death, Rashbi instructed his students to rejoice on the day of his yahrtzeit. The Holy Ari, Rabbi Yitzchak Luria--one of the greatest scholars in the mystical aspects of the Torah-- taught the great virtue of rejoicing on that day. Later the Baal Shem Tov and his followers strengthened the custom of rejoicing on the yahrtzeit. * According to tradition, rainbows (a symbol of G-d's promise to never send another flood) were not seen while Rashbi was alive because his merit alone was enough to protect the world against the calamity of a flood. Since "rainbow" and "bow" are both called keshet in Hebrew, the custom developed for children to play with bows and arrows on Lag B'Omer. ****************** * PARADES GALORE * ****************** As in previous years, parades and outdoor events in honor of Lag B'Omer will take place next Tuesday, May 7, around the world. Organized by local Chabad-Lubavitch Centers, programs usually include live family entertainment, bonfires and an all-around good time for all. For a Lag B'Omer program in your area, contact your local Center. For a listing of the Centers in your area, call: 1-800-Lubavitch (1-800-582-2848). *************************************** * ACTION IS ESSENTIAL * * Adapted from the Works of the Rebbe * *************************************** Rosh Chodesh Iyar, 5741 [1981] In response to the information about the forthcoming Annual Convention to take place on the weekend of Lag B'Omer--may G-d grant that it should be with much success in every respect. No doubt the Convention will be duly inspired by the bright day of Lag B'Omer, the day connected with Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai (Rashbi). And since "action is the essential thing," the inspiration will surely be translated into actual deeds. To be sure, who can compare to Rashbi, one of the greatest Sages and leading disciples of Rabbi Akiva? However, since the Torah, the Torah of Life (Torat Chayim), describes his actions, it surely indicates that every one of us, man or woman, should be inspired to act in the same spirit and direction. Thus the Talmud relates that when Rashbi emerged from the cave in which he had been hiding for thirteen years, during the Roman persecution, he immediately inquired if there was anything that needed to be rectified. When he was informed that such a situation existed, he spared no time or effort until he corrected it. And this, although the problem involved nothing more crucial than saving some Jews the trouble of going out of their way while crossing a certain area. The instruction to us is clear: If one is obligated to go to a great deal of trouble to spare a fellow Jew a relatively minor physical hardship, how much more must we do to help Jews in spiritual matters that are of paramount importance to them and to future generations. By the grace of G-d, we live in a land where no one has to hide in a cave, or even in the privacy of his own home, in order to observe Judaism and disseminate it among fellow Jews. Nevertheless, there are patches of deep darkness outside, and turbulent winds threaten to erode the spiritual and moral values of the young generation. This is a situation that is worrisome, not only as regards the preservation of Judaism, but also regarding the preservation of basic moral standards. In light of this situation, the quality of Torah education has never been more important than now. This applies not only that which the child receives in the educational institution, which must be of the highest standard in terms of purity and holiness. But it is just as important that the education that the child absorbs at home, from the general atmosphere and conduct that makes the home what it is, be at that same high standard. And this is largely dependent on the woman-- the akeret habayit, "the foundation of the home," and the em habanim, "the mother of the children." It has often been emphasized that the best way to deal with a problem is to prevent it from developing in the first place. Thus, it is necessary to spare no effort until each and every Jewish child, boys as well as girls, receive the maximum Torah education, both at school and at home. And, as mentioned, insofar as the home is concerned, the woman is the "Foundation of the Home," whom G-d has endowed with the privilege and responsibility--hence also the capacity--to permeate the home with the light and warmth of Judaism, Torah and mitzvot--to overflowing. This should reach the level that even the neighboring Jewish homes and the whole neighborhood becomes Jewishly brighter and warmer, in accordance with the Divine order, request and promise: "Make Me a Mikdash [a sanctuary], and I will dwell in their midst"--in the midst of each and every Jew, man, woman, and child. *************************** * LAG B'OMER AND MOSHIACH * *************************** Lag B'Omer is a day of rejoicing and festivity. It is the anniversary of the passing of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, author of the Zohar, who proclaimed the day of his passing as a day of celebration. The celebration of Lag B'Omer has an effect on the entire world, even non-Jews, as Rabbi Shimon stated: "I can free the ENTIRE world from judgment..." --"the entire world" includes non-Jews as well. He was able to do this because, as Chasidut teaches, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai was one of those unique individuals who were actually above the exile, and immune to it; G-dliness was not hidden from him, but rather, was fully revealed. Thus, Rabbi Shimon was able to see the G-dliness and intrinsic worth of every Jew, and for that matter, every created thing, and was therefore able to find merit for its existence. This is part of the task of each and every one of us in these last moments of exile. It is also the first stage in the G-dly revelation necessary to completely transform exile into Redemption. The first stage is to reveal within the world that G-d is its Master. Since the world itself conceals the G-dliness within it (the word 'olam'--world--relates to 'helam,' concealment), a Jew must serve G-d in a way that--relates to 'helam,' concealment), a Jew must serve G-d in a way that reveals that everything within the world has G-dliness within it. We must use everything in our world for its ultimate G-dly purpose, whether that be receiving Torah thoughts over the fax machine or enhancing our Jewish education via e-mail or jogging with a walkman that is playing a Torah tape. The unique quality of our generation is that we have not only been given the wherewithal to make giant leaps forward in the area of technology, but that almost concurrently, we have devised Jewish applications for those technological breakthroughs. May we begin revealing the G-dliness inherent in our lives, thus preparing ourselves for and hastening the total revelation of G-dliness with the revelation of Moshiach, NOW! ******************** * IT HAPPENED ONCE * ******************** The [3] outer yard surrounding the room where the graves of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai and his son were buried was jammed with Jews from all over Israel. They had come to Meron on Lag B'Omer --the yahrtzeit of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai and the 33rd day of the counting of the omer with their whole family. Today, they would cut their three-year-old sons' long hair for the first time--leaving only the side-locks. The voices of thousands of Jews could be heard as they recited Psalms. There were Jews of all types, whose ancestors came from all over the world. All were praying and begging G-d to help them raise their children in Torah and good deeds in the merit of Rabbi Shimon. It was already after midday on Friday and time to get ready for Shabbat. The visitors from Tiberias, Tzfat, Haifa and the residents from other cities and towns in the Galilee started to leave for their homes in order to arrive before Shabbat. Many of the visitors, though, especially the ones from far away Jerusalem, remained for Shabbat. On Friday night, the beautiful melodies of the various groups praying reached the heights of the nearby mountains. Their hearts were overflowing as thousands of Jews joined together to dance and sing. Shabbat morning arrived and the men gathered in large groups to descend the valley to the small Meggido Lake where they immersed themselves to prepare for the morning prayers. The last minyan had finished the morning prayers when a scream pierced the Sabbath atmosphere. A woman who had brought her son just yesterday for his first haircut was crying hysterically. Her son had suddenly become sick and died. Doctors who were sent from the British government to the area immediately put the entire section under quarantine. No one could come and no one could leave. Suddenly, the mother gathered the boy in her arms and went into the room where Rabbi Shimon was buried. She placed the dead child on the Rabbi's grave and started crying, "Oh great tzaddik, Rabbi Shimon. I, your servant, came in your honor to cut the hair of my child. I came to make my son, my first and only child, into a good Jew. I kept my promise to come here on Lag B'Omer. Only yesterday I held him here and cut his hair in song and joy. Now, great tzaddik, how shall I return home in great pain without my child? How can I bear to go on?" In the midst of her prayers, the mother arose and said, "Tzaddik, Rabbi Shimon, I am laying my child on your grave as he is. I beg of you, with tears, do not shame me. Give me back my child just as I brought him here. Let the great name of G-d be exalted along with the name of the great tzaddik. Let everyone know that there is a G-d ruling over this world." The woman concluded her prayers and left the room, leaving her dead son on the grave of Rabbi Shimon. The doors of the room were closed as everyone left the room. A few moments later a child's scream was heard from behind the closed door. The mother ran into the room and in shock and disbelief she saw her son standing on his feet and crying for a glass of water. Happiness and commotion filled the room. The local doctors examining the child announced in wonder that this was not a natural or normal incident, but rather a miracle that must have happened in the merit of the great tzaddik Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. The governmental agents immediately reopened the gates and the masses once again poured inside. Everyone seeing the revived child pronounced the blessing "Blessed be G-d who revives the dead." __________ 3. Adapted from Hilulai D'Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai--the author of which witnessed the scene 51 years ago with his own eyes. ========================================================= = End of Text: Living With Moshiach, Parshat Emor, 5756 = =========================================================