LIVING WITH MOSHIACH, Parshat Shelach, 5757 B"H LIVING WITH MOSHIACH Weekly Digest About Moshiach PARSHAT SHELACH Sivan 22, 5757 June 27, 1997 * Published Weekly By Lubavitch Shluchim Conferences On The Moshiach Campaign, Committee For The Blind * * * 5757 ********************************************* * VISIT US ON THE WEB, AT: * * http://www.moshiach.net/blind * *===========================================* * 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 * Chof Ches Sivan * The Weekly Shabbat Calendar * Laws of Shabbat Candle Lighting for the Blind * Shabbat Candle Lighting Blessing **************** * INTRODUCTION * **************** We are pleased to present, to the visually impaired and the blind, our weekly publication, Living With Moshiach. * This week's issue focuses on Chof Ches Sivan, the 28th of Sivan. * 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 12 Sivan, 5757 Brooklyn, New York *************************************** * THE WEEKLY TORAH PORTION * * Adapted from the Works of the Rebbe * *************************************** Parshat Shelach This week's Torah portion, Shelach (literally "Send"), narrates the story of the Twelve Spies who were sent on a special shlichus (mission) to the land of Israel. The Spies had been instructed to scout out the land in order to determine the optimal strategy the Jews should employ to conquer it. Indeed, when they returned from their mission they gave their report on the land and its inhabitants. Their sin, however, consisted in going one step further. In addition to providing the information they were requested to obtain, the Spies insisted on venturing their own opinion about the mission itself: "We will not be able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than us!" they declared. G-d hadn't asked the Spies whether or not they thought conquering the land was possible. Their shlichus was solely a fact-finding mission; thus, adding their own opinion and discouraging the Jewish people from fulfilling G-d's request was a grave transgression. In principle, a shaliach (emissary) is required to carry out his mission to the best of his ability, no more and no less. Altering that mission to accommodate his own thoughts and feelings is a distortion of the very shlichus with which he was entrusted. In truth, every Jew is an emissary of G-d, Who brought him into this world in order to fulfill a unique mission. For the mission of every Jew is to transform his surroundings into the "land of Israel"--a "dwelling place for G-d"--through observing Torah and mitzvot. As G-d's emissary, the Jew is required to "scout out the land"--to determine the best possible method of fulfilling his assignment. Each individual's circumstances in life will determine the answer, whether by strengthening one's observance of Shabbat, keeping the laws of kashrut more carefully, lighting Shabbat candles or putting on tefillin, etc. G-d doesn't ask the Jew if it's possible to attain his goal; the very fact that he's been sent on his mission to bring G-dliness into the world indicates that the "land" can indeed be conquered. Furthermore, no matter how difficult the mission may seem, a Jew must never come to the same conclusion as the Spies and despair of ever being victorious. Yes, a Jew is entrusted with a special shlichus, but G-d has given him the power and capacity to fulfill his mission. Keeping this in mind is the key to being successful. ************************ * 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 * ********************************************* ******************* * CHOF CHES SIVAN * ******************* The 28th of the Hebrew month of Sivan (Thursday, July 3), is the 56th anniversary of the arrival in the United States of the Rebbe and Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka. The Rebbe and the Rebbetzin were in France during the early years of World War II. In 5701/1941, after tremendous effort on the part of the Previous Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn--who was already in the United States--the Rebbe and the Rebbetzin were able to travel to Portugal, from where they boarded a ship to the United States. The trip itself was quite dangerous, with the ship being stopped numerous times en route by the Nazis. On the 28th of Sivan 5701 (June 23 1941), the Rebbe and the Rebbetzin arrived in New York. The Previous Rebbe, because of ill health, was unable to greet his daughter and son-in-law personally. Instead, he sent four of his most eminent Chasidim to greet them. The Previous Rebbe informed them, "I am selecting you as my representatives to welcome my son-in-law, who is arriving tomorrow. I will reveal to you who he is: Every night he says the Tikkun Chatzot prayer over the destruction of the Holy Temple. He knows by heart both the entire Babylonian and Jerusalem Talmuds with their commentaries, and Maimonides' great Mishne Torah (code of Jewish law), and is expert in the works of Chabad philosophy. . .!" The 28th of Sivan became established as a day of rejoicing and thanksgiving for the rescue of the Rebbe and the Rebbetzin from the fires that raged in Europe. It also marks the beginning of a new era in Chabad outreach with the establishment by the Previous Rebbe of the central Lubavitch educational and publishing departments, which he placed under the directorship of the Rebbe. May the 28th of Sivan this year be the ultimate day of rejoicing and thanksgiving for the rescue of the Rebbe and the entire Jewish people from these last moments of exile, may G-d send the redemption NOW! ******************************** * In loving memory of * * RABBI ELYE GROSS, * * our Developmental Consultant * ******************************** ******************************* * THE WEEKLY SHABBAT CALENDAR * ******************************* ** JEWISH WOMEN AND GIRLS LIGHT SHABBAT CANDLES ** ********************************************************* * FOR LOCAL CANDLE LIGHTING TIMES: * * consult your local Rabbi, Chabad-Lubavitch * * Center, or call: (718) 774-3000. * * or: * * http://www.havienu.org/resrcs/hebcal.html * * * * FOR A FREE CANDLE LIGHTING KIT: * * contact your local Chabad-Lubavitch Center. * * * * FOR A LISTING OF THE CENTERS IN YOUR AREA: * * http://www.chabad.org/chabadir-access.html * * In the USA, call: 1-800-Lubavitch (1-800-582-2848). * ********************************************************* >>>> Times Shown Are for Metro NY - NJ <<<< FRIDAY, JUNE 27, EREV SHABBAT PARSHAT SHELACH: * Light Shabbat Candles, [1] by 8:12 p.m. SATURDAY, JUNE 28, SHABBAT PARSHAT SHELACH: * Blessing of the New Month, Tamuz. [2] * On Shabbat following the afternoon prayer, we read Chapter 3 of Ethics of the Fathers (Pirkei Avot). * Shabbat ends at NIGHTFALL, at 9:22 p.m. _______________ 1. The candles must be lit 18 minutes *BEFORE* sunset. IT IS PROHIBITED AND IS A DESECRATION OF THE SHABBAT TO LIGHT THE CANDLES *AFTER* SUNSET. 2. Rosh Chodesh Tamuz is on Saturday, July 5, and Sun., July 6. *********************************** * LAWS OF SHABBAT CANDLE LIGHTING * * FOR THE BLIND * *********************************** Edited by Rabbi Y. K. Marlow* * A blind woman who lives alone should light her Shabbat candle(s) with a blessing. * If she is married to a non-visually impaired person, HER HUSBAND SHOULD LIGHT THE SHABBAT CANDLES WITH THE BLESSING. * If she is eating and lighting in the company of others who are non-visually impaired, and they lit the Shabbat candles, she should light her own Shabbat candle(s), BUT WITHOUT SAYING THE BLESSING. * (If at all possible, she should not be the last one to light the Shabbat candle(s), so that she can be absolved by the latter's blessing.) _______________ *. Head of Bet-Din (Rabbinical Court) of Crown Heights. ************************************ * SHABBAT CANDLE LIGHTING BLESSING * ************************************ * First light the candles. Then spread your hands out around the candles, drawing your hands inward in a circular motion three times to indicate the acceptance of the sanctity of Shabbat. You then cover your eyes and recite the following blessing: BO-RUCH A-TOH ADO-NOI E-LO-HEI-NU ME-LECH HO-OLOM A-SHER KI-DE-SHO-NU BE-MITZ-VO-SOV VE-TZI-VO-NU LE-HAD-LIK NER SHEL SHA-BOS KO-DESH. Translation: Blessed are you, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us to kindle the light of the holy Shabbat. * Uncover your eyes and behold the Shabbat lights. * The time of lighting is considered especially propitious for praying to G-d for health and happiness. The prayer is readily acceptable because it is offered during the performance of this great mitzvah of lighting Shabbat candles. CAUTION: The candles must be lit 18 minutes *BEFORE* sunset. IT IS PROHIBITED AND IS A DESECRATION OF THE SHABBAT TO LIGHT THE CANDLES *AFTER* SUNSET. ============================================================ = End of Text: Living With Moshiach, Parshat Shelach, 5757 = ============================================================