***************************************************************** L'CHAIM ISSUE No. 5 ***************************************************************** 28 Nissan, 5748 Parshat Shemini April 15, 1988 ***************************************************************** THE WEEKLY PUBLICATION FOR EVERY JEWISH PERSON Dedicated to the memory of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson N.E. ***************************************************************** CLEAN AIR CLEAR MIND Last week, the "Indoor Clean Air" bill went into effect. So, it won't be long before the air will be clean in offices across the city. But, can clear air lead to a clearer head? less murky thoughts? spotless behavior? An old Jewish custom (about 1700 years old) begins once again this Saturday afternoon. It's the tradition of studying "Ethics of the Fathers" during the weeks between Passover and Shavuot. These "ethics" have a lot to say that are relevant to us today, in our interpersonal relationships both business and pleasure. "Receive every person with a cheerful countenance," suggested Shammai. Say "hello" with a smile and see how that starts your day off right. If you run into someone you don't particularly like, look at the whole person, find his good qualities and then you will be able to greet him with a cheerful countenance. Joshua ben Perachyah said, "Judge every person favorably." Put yourself in the other person's shoes and think how you would react or what you would have done in the same situation. And remember that when the "Final Judgement Day" comes, you'll be judged as harshly or lightly as you judge others! And for the generation that New York magazine called the "greed" generation, we have Hillel's comment: If I am only for myself, what am I? Can a person really be effective when only concerned for himself? A person wrapped up in himself makes a pretty small package! Rabban Gamliel, Hillel's son, counseled, "Provide yourself with a teacher and free yourself of doubt." Get an advisor for yourself, maybe even more than one. You'll need a financial advisor, a medical advisor (if there are, G-d forbid, health problems), and someone to help you explore your relationships. Of course, most importantly, provide yourself with a spiritual guide--someone you can look up to, learn from and hope to emulate. Take a deep breath (now that the air indoors is cleaner). Doesn't your head feel clearer already? ***************************************************************** LIVING WITH THE TIMES ***************************************************************** THE WEEKLY TORAH PORTION ***************************************************************** The name of this week's Torah portion is Shemini--"eighth"-- referring to the day on which Aaron and his sons were inducted as the priests of the Sanctuary. This day followed the seven days during which the sanctuary was consecrated. Shemini contains the prohibitions against eating non-kosher birds, animals, etc. "...and they shall be a detestable thing to you; you shall not eat of their meat..." (Leviticus 11:13). The reason for the prohibition of these particular animals, according to tradition, is because these are the predatory species. In fact, one commentator states that eating the flesh of cruel animals imparts the animal's vicious instincts to the person. The food we eat is transformed into our flesh and blood, and affects our physical health. We often hear about how nutrition and health are intricately related to cholesterol, low and high blood sugar, high blood pressure, osteoporosis. But, to learn that food also influences our spiritual health, that's a new discovery! When a Jewish person eats food that is not fit for his consumption, his spirit becomes coarse and crass like the animal from which the food originates. Eating non-kosher food desensitizes him to spirituality. But when he eats food which is fit and kosher according to the Torah, his spirit will be responsive and perceptive. *** The two signs of a kosher animal are chewing the cud and split hoofs. A Jew should also symbolically have these two characteristics. Before becoming preoccupied with our animal-like needs in our every day lives, we should "chew it over," ruminate and understand our actions thoroughly before deciding how to deal with them. A hoof, like a foot, treads on the earth. When involved in "earthly" matters we must make sure that we do so in a split manner. On the one hand (or foot) even in earthly matters we must bring ourselves and others closer to Judaism. However, we must also reject situations that will compromise our fulfillment of the commandments. Adapted from the works of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. ***************************************************************** SLICE OF LIFE ***************************************************************** A LEGEND LEAVES LENINGRAD Walking into their home on Shabbat, you might have thought you were in a religious neighborhood in Brooklyn; there were always 15 to 20 guests around the table laden with homemade delicacies. But the apartment Sophia and Yitzchok Kogan lived in was in Leningrad, Russia. Their simple, straightforward attitude attracted many fellow refusniks and young people to their home. The guests came to learn, or talk, or just be in the warm, totally Jewish atmosphere. The Kogan's life wasn't always dedicated to encouraging and helping others in their search for Judaism. Yitzchok had held a prestigious job as an engineer until he was dismissed because of his application for a visa to Israel. Sophia, a prominent dentist heading a department at a large hospital, was also dismissed. Though Yitzchok's upbringing had been fairly observant, Sophia came from a nonobservant family. Most of her extensive knowledge was acquired through reading. Her daughter, however, had an opportunity unique to Russia, learning with an elderly religious Jew. "At first he didn't want to teach her. He was afraid that teaching Torah to such a young person would get him in trouble, and," Sophia says with a smile, "he was not used to teaching girls." After a few months, the elderly man came to the Kogans and thanked them for the opportunity to teach their bright daughter. It had given him so much pleasure, he told them. As the Kogan's commitment to Judaism grew they looked for ways to help the budding Orthodox community in Leningrad. Yitzchok, seeing the need for a *shochet* (ritual slaughterer), learned the intricate laws and detailed skills necessary for that profession. The Kogan home was always full of young people interested in finding out more about their Jewish heritage. Often, they intro-duced single men and women who later married. But their involve-ment didn't stop at mere introductions. The weddings were usually held at the Kogan home, with their three daughters helping prepare a feast for 80-100 people. "Everything was homemade. You can't find kosher products in supermarkets or even specialty stores in Russia," says Sophia, eyes twinkling as she remembers the crowd in her tiny apartment. The Kogan's were concerned for every Jew, whether from Russia or the West. People coming to them from the U.S. were inspired by their devotion to their fellow Jews and Judaism. A favorite custom of Yitzchok's was to take out his kiddush cup before saying good-by to a visitor. He would hold it, saying, "When you're making kiddush at home on Friday night, think about us. I'll think of you and in this way we'll be united." The Kogan's first wish, upon leaving Russia last year was to see the Lubavitcher Rebbe. For so long, without ever having seen or spoken to him, the Rebbe had been their main source of inspiration. Amidst a hectic schedule of interviews and speaking engagements, they say the highlight of their New York visit was a private two hour audience with the Rebbe. Now settled in Israel, Sophia says, "Jerusalem is home. I felt I belonged there as soon as I arrived." The Kogans are continuing their life's work in Israel. Yitzchok's dream of traveling around Israel on a Lubavitch "Mitzvah Tank" is a reality; he has been assigned his own tank, which they will use to draw Jews closer to their heritage just as they did in Russia. Excerpted from "Wellsprings" magazine. ***************************************************************** WHAT'S NEW ***************************************************************** SHOULDN'T YOUR BIRTHDAY BE SPECIAL? That's the question Tzivos Hashem, the largest Jewish children's club in the world, is asking Jewish kids. With a new brochure, illustrated by MAD magazine artist Dave Berg, they're encouraging children to find out when their Hebrew birthday is and celebrate it accordingly. Any children interested can write to "My Hebrew Birthday," 332 Kingston Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11213, or call (718) 467-6630. Be sure to include the time and date of your birth. Adults interested in finding out their Hebrew birthdays should call The Lubavitch Youth Organization at (718) 953-1000. PROJECT 470 Look at the bottom front page of the New York Times every Friday and you'll find the candle lighting time for the N.Y. Metro area. The ad is sponsored by the Candle Lighting Committee of Lubavitch Women's Organization, who also distributes free candle sticks and candle lighting schedules. Project 470 was founded in memory of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson--the numerical equivalent of her name being 470. SHMURAH MATZA SHORTAGE The recent New York Times article describing this year's shortage of hand-baked Shmurah Matza didn't give all the reasons for the short-fall. Add to the other considerations that Lubavitch organizations in New York distributed over 10,000 pounds of this traditional matza. PASSOVER PARADE Synagogues all over Brooklyn, from Canarsie to Caton Ave., were visited by Lubavitcher chasidim on the eighth night of Passover. What made the visits so unique was that the 3000 men and young boys walked all the way from Crown Heights, Brooklyn, some as far as 2 hours. In all, 120 different congregations were enlivened with singing and dancing, and words of Torah from the Lubavitcher foot soldiers. ***************************************************************** INSIGHTS ***************************************************************** COUNTING TIME On the second day of Passover, we begin "counting the Omer," the 49 days leading to the holiday of Shavuos. On the first day we say, "Today is one day of the Omer." The next day, "...two days," and so on. Actually the mitzva is to count the entire 49-day period. Nevertheless, we count and recite a blessing for each day separately. One of the many lessons to be learned from this counting is the significance of time, and that it must not be wasted. The key concept to keep in mind is that time did not always exist. There was a level in the scheme of creation where there was no time. "No time" is not just the answer you usually get when you ask for a favor. Nor is it a world without clocks--something many people would enjoy. For, doing away with clocks would not do away with time. Time would still exist; we just wouldn't know what time it was. But, can you imagine a universe without time altogether. NOTHING BUT NOTHING Try to envision the moment before creation. You will probably imagine a large, empty space, devoid of light, object, or other signs of existence. Actually, such a picture is the product of our greatly limited intellect. Our physical brain can only imagine things that have physical dimensions. To us, "before creation" is an empty 3-dimen-sional space. As Judaism explains it, however, the universe was created from absolute nothingness. Not only was the space empty, there was not even space to be empty in the first place. The empty space, also, had to be created. This is, of course, difficult for us to visualize. Even more difficult to fathom, perhaps, is there being no time. As Rebbe Dov Ber of Mezeritch explained, time--like the rest of the universe--is a creation. Before creation, the whole idea of time did not yet exist. ROLL IT! A piece of movie film might serve as a crude example to help us understand the idea of a level where time doesn't exist. Each frame of film is firmly set in a time-bound sequence. Certain frames come earlier and others come later. A film maker can unroll the film and look at all the frames simultaneously. For him there are no limitations of before and after. He can look at the end before the beginning, or everything at the same instant. By making the film, he also made its limitations of past, present and future. Similarly, the universe was created together with its limitations. Since we are in it, we cannot imagine anything else. We can be compared to the characters in the film who can not jump off the film and take on the perspective of the film maker or viewer. It is impossible for us to imagine time not existing. HE MADE IT, LET'S USE IT Judaism stresses that everything has importance. Should even a single detail be lacking, the entire creation is incomplete. So, too, every person and every object has its own unique function necessary to complete the Divine plan of creation. The same applies to time. Every moment was created and has its unique purpose. Should a moment be wasted or misused, it can never be regained. Even should we make up for the missing time later, we will be using another period of time that could have been used for something else. This is the clear lesson to be derived from counting the Omer. Every day can and must be counted separately, for each one has its own mission and its own importance. Each must be utilized to the fullest extent. ***************************************************************** WHAT'S IN A NAME? ***************************************************************** DAVID is from the Hebrew, meaning "beloved." David, son of Jesse (I Samuel 17:12), was the second king of Israel and the compiler/author of the Psalms. He soothed the troubled King Saul with his harp and battled Goliath. DEVORAH (Deborah) is from the Hebrew, meaning "bee." Devorah was a great prophetess and the only female judge (Judges 4:5). She and general Barak led a successful campaign against the Canaanites. The "Song of Devorah" is her victory poem following the battle. ***************************************************************** A WORD FROM THE DIRECTOR ***************************************************************** A friend called me not long ago and asked, "What's doing in Lubavitch?" I told him that the Rebbe has been speaking about Moshiach. "Moshiach!" he said. "And what am I going to do with my real estate?" My friend, unfortunately, wasn't speaking only for himself. Jews are comfortable here. They have everything they want materially, and--G-d Bless America--they are comfortable spiritually, also. In Russia, Hungary, and Poland, Jews can't give their children a Jewish education, put mezuzahs on a door, a succah on a porch. Thank G-d, here, Jews can do all this with the protection of the U.S. Constitution. An abundance of mikvahs, yeshivas, and charitable institutions exist here, as well as in the entire free world, as never before. So, with all this, why do we still want Moshiach? For generations in our three daily prayers we begged for the end of exile. We continue to beseech G-d to speed the redemption. Because, as comfortable as we may seem to be, the time following the redemption will be infinitely better. Let us hope the real redemption comes speedily, when we will be rid of life-threatening diseases, rifts among husband and wife--parent and child, drugs, cults, indecency, hatred, murder war, assimilation and intermarriage. We will come to live in the times, as the Rambam (Maimonides) states, when there will be hunger or war, no jealousy or strife, goodness will be abundant...and the world will be filled with the knowledge of G-d as the waters cover the sea. Rabbi Shmuel Butman ***************************************************************** IT HAPPENED ONCE ***************************************************************** In the ancient city of Aleppo, Syria there lived a Jew named Shimshon. He was well known as a bully and half-drunk most of the time. In the marketplace he walked from stall to stall, placing groceries in his basket, and leaving without paying. If anyone dared ask for payment he glared at them or made menacing comments. If he really got angry, he would overturn the produce or grocery cart and even give the stall keeper a big wallop. Word eventually got to the Rabbi of the town, who called Shimshon in and severely rebuked him. Shimshon, feigning innocence, asked, "Did anyone complain to you about me?" The Rabbi had to admit that no specific complaint had yet been brought. But, of course, the people were too frightened to accuse him and start up with Shimshon. One day an older woman brought beautiful fruits and vegetables to the market. Shimshon came up to her stall, choose several items and walked away. "Stop, come back. You haven't paid me," yelled the woman. Shimshon turned around, looked at her threateningly and shouted, "You'll keep quiet if you know what's good for you." Then he continued on his way. The stall keepers nearby encouraged her to go to the Rabbi, who was relieved that there was finally a charge against Shimshon. The Rabbi immediately sent for the culprit. "Did you take produce from this woman without paying?" the Rabbi asked Shimshon. "Who says I'm not going to pay her?" was Shimshon's insolent reply. "Pay her immediately or return her goods," was the Rabbi's stern response. "If this ever happens again you will also have to pay a heavy fine," the rabbi added. Shimshon took out his money and silently paid the woman. But as he was leaving, the rabbi's attendant, Levi, overheard him muttering, "I'll get even with the Rabbi!" A few days later the Rabbi was invited to a circumcision in a nearby village. Along the way, Levi kept a sharp look out. When he noticed a man hiding behind some shrubs in the distance he was certain it was Shimshon. He now told the Rabbi of Shimshon's threat and urged him to turn back. Instead, the Rabbi noted the time and told Levi to stop the carriage so they could say the afternoon prayers. He prayed intensely and longer than usual, then climbed back into the carriage and told Levi to drive full speed ahead. In a matter of moments, Shimshon appeared in the middle of the road and stopped the carriage. Rushing over to the rabbi, Shimshon grabbed his hands, and with tears in his eyes begged forgiveness. The Rabbi forgave him on the condition that he change his ways. Shimshon promised he would and they parted like best of friends. Levi was amazed and puzzled. The rabbi explained what had just happened with a commentary from the Torah. "When Esau threatened Jacob's life, Rivkah, their mother, instructed Jacob, "When your heart is free from any anger that you harbor against your brother for the trouble he has caused you, then you will be sure that his anger has turned away from you." "You see," the rabbi concluded, "I was very angry with Shimshon, but I prayed to G-d to help me free my heart from any anger against him, and to help him free his heart from anger and evil. When I felt I no longer had ill feelings toward him, but rather compassion and a strong desire to help him mend his ways, I was certain that his heart, too, was pure. That is what actually happened. Thus, our sages teach us: As water reflects a face, so does one heart respond to another! ***************************************************************** THOUGHTS THAT COUNT ***************************************************************** "Moshe told Aaron, "Come close to the altar" (9:7). Aaron was reserved and afraid to come close. Moshe said to him, "Why are you reserved? For this you were chosen." (Rashi) The Baal Shem Tov explained Rashi's comments in the following manner: You were chosen for this--because of your reserve and modesty, and your doubts about being worthy to carry out the Divine service. These are the qualities which demonstrate your being fit for the job. *** "Fire came forth from before G-d and it consumed them, so that they died before G-d" (10:2). What was the failing of Nadav and Avihu, two sons of Aaron, that they were killed by a GÄdly flame when they offered an unauthorized fire? They desired to be one with GÄd spiritually (through the sacrifice) rather than remain in this physical world. The spiritual high was not brought down into practicality. (Rabbi Sholom Ber of Lubavitch) *** "Moshe...was angry with Elazar and Itamar" (10:16). We learn how important it is to control our emotions from this incident. The Midrash tells us that Moshe forgot a point of Jewish law because of his anger with Aaron's two sons. *****************************************************************