***************************************************************** L'CHAIM ISSUE No. 11 ***************************************************************** 11 Sivan, 5748 Parshat Nasso May 27, 1988 ***************************************************************** THE WEEKLY PUBLICATION FOR EVERY JEWISH PERSON Dedicated to the memory of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson N.E. ***************************************************************** THE ALL-AMERICAN BREAKFAST You might think that it's only on cereal boxes that we're encouraged to start off the day right with a nutritional breakfast. "This cereal, together with juice, eggs, bread with a spread gives you one third the minimum daily requirement..." But actually, the "Abridged Code of Jewish Law," -- a compilation of all the practical applications of mitzvot today -- encourages us to do just that. "It is advisable that a person should accustom himself to have breakfast in the morning," states chapter 32, entitled *Rules Concerning Physical Well-being.* Further on, it explains that a person should try to live where the air is pure and clear and where the temperature is even; neither too hot or too cold. It adds, "Therefore, precautions should be taken not to overheat the house in the winter...because excessive heat occasions many illnesses, G-d forbid." Not bad for a book published in 1864, which itself was based on a work written in the sixteenth century. One chapter earlier there is a discussion on how to fulfill the verse in Proverbs, "In all thy ways acknowledge Him [G-d]." Everything we do, even those things we do in order to live, must be done in order to sustain life. When eating foods "that are not forbidden...we should eat only the things that are helpful to, and good for, the health of the body...One should always sleep and rest for the purpose of gaining good health...When engaged in business, the intention should not be merely to accumulate wealth, but to support the family, to give charity, and to raise children to study the Torah." There's a lot of nourishment for the soul in those words. Bon Appetit. ***************************************************************** LIVING WITH THE TIMES ***************************************************************** THE WEEKLY TORAH PORTION ***************************************************************** This week's Torah portion, Nasso, describes the offerings that the twelve tribal leaders of Israel brought for the altar beginning on the day the Tabernacle was consecrated. On each tribe's appointed day, its leader brought a gift. The Torah, normally sparing in its use of words, enumerates every detail of each tribe's offering, even though all the gifts were exactly the same. There are twelve different paths by which a Jew can become closer to G-d, corresponding to the twelve tribes of Israel. Each tribe followed a unique path in its service of GÄd. Each leader dedicated the altar according to his own manner of spiritual service. Despite the uniqueness of each offering, and the spiritual path which each represented, they were considered to be communal offerings. They were brought, not on behalf of the individual, but on behalf of all the Jewish people. It is for this reason, explains the Midrash, that the Torah does not distinguish whose offering was brought on which day. This juxtaposition of the uniqueness of the individual and the equality of the collective whole is mirrored in the fact that the tribal leaders' spiritual intentions were unique while the actual physical offerings were the same. This is also true of the Jewish people; each Jew is unique and yet all Jews are equal. There are certain qualities which all Jews share equally. And, there are also other qualities within each Jew which are uniquely personal. However, even the uniquely personal qualities can lead to unity among the Jewish people. How so? When Jews realize that all Jews need each other, and that only by binding ourselves with our fellow Jew can we be complete. The dedication gifts from the tribal leaders, mentioned above, were offered in a similar manner. Each leader brought his tribe's gift in a unique way on a separate day. However, each of these offerings was imbued with, and accompanied by, the feeling that this offering was also a communal offering--united with all the other leaders and tribes. Excerpted from "The Wellsprings of Chassidus." Adapted from the works of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. ***************************************************************** SLICE OF LIFE ***************************************************************** NOT EXACTLY THE BAHAMAS by Yaacov Ort I was riding the 7th Ave. IRT from Times Square to Crown Heights, Brooklyn, one cold and miserable Friday afternoon, seriously wondering why I wasn't instead on a plane to the Bahamas, or Florida, or some place warm. I had never been to Crown Heights before, had never met a Lubavitcher chasid. But, I had read in a local newspaper that the chasidim were having one of their weekends, decided to spend some time with the natives, to see if there was anything I could gain or learn from the experience. I had read enough about the Lubavitchers to know that they saw life and Judaism and the Creator quite differently from what I did, and that there was no way I could really understand them, not in a weekend, anyway. The reason I had decided to find out about Chabad is not very complex. My interest in Chasidism was sparked by the same source as my renewed interest in Judaism as a whole. I wanted to see if there was anything I could learn from it and then teach to my son. I had received a "normal" Jewish education for a baby-boomer growing up in middle-class America in the 1950s. That is to say, everything that was taught to me about Torah was before I reached my Bar Mitzvah. By the time I had reached my 14th birthday I had forgotten it all. What I was left with were many, many questions. I rode the IRT with my yarmulke in my pocket and a great fear in my heart that if I wasn't careful I might do something unkosher to somebody's dishes, or worse, to embarrass anyone with any of my questions, possibly shattering someone's fragile faith. Soon after I arrived that Friday afternoon I discovered two remarkable things. First, most of the men and women who were there for the weekend were unusually attractive, intelligent and "successful" Jews whose questions about Judaism, G-d and Torah were remarkably similar to my own. Second, the Chasidic men and women who were there wanted us to ask the questions we had because, as I was to discover, Torah demands that these questions be faced, addressed and resolved. My host had suggested that I meet him at "770," as the main Lubavitch shul is fondly referred to, to daven. The prayers had not yet started and there I was, surrounded by what seemed to be thousands of yammering Chasidim, not knowing anybody, feeling at the same time ignored and accepted by everybody, unable to find my host. After the davening, I looked around for my host but was unable to find him. I returned to his home alone, and while I was feeling all aglow, I said to myself: "All this spirituality is really terrific, and maybe it's something you should pursue, but it's probably a onetime thing, so don't get carried away with yourself." After kiddush and some Shabbat songs, my host began to ask his children questions about the Torah portion that was being studied that week. It just so happened that I, too, had read the weekly Torah portion a few days before, so that when the father began to quiz his four-year-old daughter on it, I said to myself, "I'll answer along, to myself." This four-year-old girl knew more than I did! I had been a Jew for thirty-four years, was a parent and a reasonably well-read and intelligent person, and here was this four year old who knew more about the Torah than I did. I was upset. But when I saw the pride that her older brothers had in her ability to answer correctly, I felt more than a little ashamed at my own bruised ego. I said to myself: Okay, why shouldn't she know more. She's four and you are only three and a half. If that." The feeling of being thirty-four, American, and realizing that you have the knowledge of a three-and-a-half year old Jew can be awesomely liberating. Your whole life is ahead of you, and you are old enough to know it and do something about it. Reprinted from "Wellsprings Magazine." --------------- Join us in Crown Heights for a weekend of Jewish exploration and discovery May 27-29. For information and reservations, call Lubavitch Youth at (718) 953-1000. ***************************************************************** WHAT'S NEW? ***************************************************************** JEWISH RENAISSANCE SHOW Now, you can enhance your Jewish education right in the comfort of your own living room. Rabbi Reuven Flamer, director of Chabad of Westchester County, hosts a weekly Cablecast which is carried on various stations throughout the week. A panorama of Jewish topics are discussed and aired on Sundays at 8:00 pm (UA Columbia channel 8 and Yonkers channel 25), Monday at 7 pm and Thursday at 6:30 (White Plains channel 34). For additional information call (914) 686-0725. VILLA AS CAMP The villa that the late sculptor Jacques Lifshutz donated to Chabad in Italy is used to house Camp Gan Israel. Hundreds of children go to the camp in Pieve Di Camaiore (central Italy) every summer. The main room, which used to serve the sculptor as a studio is now used as a synagogue. SUCCESSFUL YEAR FOR MYRTLE BEACH A little more than one year has passed since Rabbi and Mrs. Doron Aizenman moved to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. In that time they've managed to enroll 65 children in the Chabad afternoon Hebrew School, 40 children in the nursery and close to 100 children in their summer camp. They've just purchased a Chabad House where they hope to be able to expand activities. ***************************************************************** INSIGHTS ***************************************************************** THE PARADOX OF HAIR Many mitzvot seem inexplicable at first glance. But, when examined on their mystical level, their deeper significance is clearly visible. An example. There are several mitzvot in the Torah relating to hair which contain seemingly opposite implications. There are special laws regarding a person who takes a vow to be a Nazirite. The Torah declares that his hair is a sign of holiness, and must not be cut until his vow expires. In contrast, we find a number of cases in which hair must be removed or concealed. In the days of the Holy Temple, the Levites shaved their hair before being inaugurated into the Temple service. These latter example implies that hair is somehow lacking in holiness. How does this fit with the holiness of hair of a Nazirite? Since all mitzvot are the product of Divine Will and Reason, it is not surprising that we human beings find many of them difficult to understand. Nevertheless, the Torah urges us to strive to understand them to the best of our ability. Here, Chasidic philosophy explains this apparent paradox regarding the holiness of hair. A BARE PRESENCE Hair differs from other parts of the body. While it is indeed alive, as witnessed by its constant growth, the presence of life in hair is so slight that it can be cut without any feeling of pain. Because of the way the life force is hidden, hair represents concealment. The thinness of the hair is also representative of this contraction of the life forces in comparison to the way they are in the brain. Contraction and concealment are often considered to be negative acts--but they can have a positive aspect, too. IT DEPENDS WHOSE JOKE Even when our Sages were not teaching, their mundane words contained great wisdom. Their overwhelming wisdom burst forth in every word and action. The Sage Rabba, the Talmud relates, would preface his lectures with a joke. This prepared his students to understand the deep concepts which followed. His wisdom was so great that even after being concealed it still came through, even in a joke. The joke of a person with less wisdom, however, is often just foolishness. For the Sage, even when his intellect is concealed, holiness and wisdom shine through. When a more limited person's faculties are contracted, there is often nothing of value left. YES, HAIR CAN BE HOLY This example can help us to understand the two contrasting ways in which the Torah views hair. The Levite's holiness is limited; and after being diminished, the result is negative. The Torah therefore commands him to shave all the hair from his body. This warns the Levite that he must be careful in all he says and does, as any decrease in his level of holiness is negative, and indicates a trait which must be discarded. The holiness of the Nazirite is so intense, however, that even when its force is deeply concealed, it remains holy. In fact, the tremendous holiness of the Nazarite is too strong for the world to bear. Only after being diminished can it be brought into open expression. Therefore, his hair remains holy and cannot be touched. ***************************************************************** WHAT'S IN A NAME? ***************************************************************** YEHOSHUA (Joshua) means "the L-rd is my salvation." Yehoshua ben Nun (Exodus 16:9) was the leader of the Jews after Moses' death and led them in occupying the promised land. The great rabbi Yehoshua ben Perachyah (200 BCE) said: Provide yourself with a teacher; acquire for yourself a friend; and judge every person favorably. YAEL means "to ascend," and mountain goat. Yael (Judges 4:17) was a Kenite woman who killed Sisera, a Canaanite general who oppressed the Jewish people. ***************************************************************** A WORD FROM THE DIRECTOR ***************************************************************** This past week we celebrated the holiday of Shavuos. The week before that, N'Shei Chabad--the Lubavitch Women's Organization-- assembled in Crown Heights for their 33rd Convention. Representa-tives from all over the world attended. The holiday of Shavuos and a women's convention can easily be related one to the other. For, as the Midrash tells us, during the Giving of the Torah, G-d spoke first to the women and later to the men. The Midrash infers the precedence of the women over the men from the words, "So you [Moshe] shall speak to the House of Jacob." It is obvious that the women, who are the foundation of the home, are referred to here. Unfortunately today, calling a woman the "Foundation of the Home" has taken on negative connotations, synonymous with diapering babies and washing dishes. But this is not what the Torah means when it gives women this title. An anecdote might better illustrate: A husband says to his wife, "I'll take care of all the big decisions that need to be made in this family: What Reagan should talk about to Gorbachev, the Iran Controversy, who to vote for in the upcoming elections. You take care of the small things: Where we should live, which school to send the children to..." Although this is just a story, it contains much truth. Indeed, the woman is the one who formulates and brings into practice these aspects of life which are truly so very important. We congratulate N'Shei Chabad for their efforts for the past thirty-three years and look forward to their continued inspiration and influence in all the really big decisions. Rabbi Shmuel Butman ***************************************************************** IT HAPPENED ONCE ***************************************************************** The great scholar, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananya, was honored and loved by all. He was often invited to the Caesar's palace, for the ruler and his staff delighted in listening to this great sage's wisdom. Despite his wisdom and knowledge, Rabbi Yehoshua was often the object of ridicule by those who didn't know him; he was hunchbacked and crippled. But, even for those who were disgusted by his appearance, once he began to speak, they were amazed with his sharp mind and great understanding. The Roman Caesar had a beautiful young daughter who was quite conceited and spoiled. She ridiculed and abused her servants, and was accustomed to treating important guests to her father's palace in the same manner. One day, she entered the hall where her father, some dignitaries and Rabbi Yehoshua were debating. She watched in amazement at the honor accorded Rabbi Yehoshua. Arrogantly, she called out, "Such glorious wisdom in such a disgusting vessel." Rabbi Yehoshua, who was not surprised by her words, answered in a joking manner, "Tell me, please. In what kind of container does your father keep his wine? Not in earthen vessels?" The Caesar's daughter was undoubtedly beautiful, but she wasn't very bright. She didn't understand what Rabbi Yehoshua was hinting, and answered, "What else should the wine be kept in?" Said Rabbi Yehoshua, "Everyone keeps their wine in clay. If you are so important, shouldn't your wine be kept in silver and gold?" Rabbi Yehoshua was certain the foolish girl would understand he was joking. But the girl, in all her cockiness, assumed she understood the rabbi's point and decided to broach the subject with her father. She convinced the Caesar that their wine shouldn't be kept in ordinary vessels, and against his better judgement he ordered the servants to transfer the wine to gold and silver urns. At first, no one noticed a change in the wine. But after a while, the wine spoiled. The servants, who were in charge of the wine, approached the Caesar. "Our master, all the wine has become vinegar! The whole time that it was stored in clay, there was never such a problem!" The Caesar was annoyed that his good wine was ruined, but he was further distressed that he had listened to his daughter. He called her in and asked where she had gotten this idea. "Who?" she answered, "Rabbi Yehoshua. You all think he's so smart. He said we shouldn't store the wine in such simple containers." The Caesar contemplated. Didn't the wise Rabbi Yehoshua know what would happened to the wine in such containers? Maybe be was trying to hurt the Caesar? But didn't he know he'd be punished? The Caesar called for Rabbi Yehoshua and sternly asked, "Why did you advise my daughter to put the wine in gold and silver vessels?" "Just as she spoke to me, I spoke to her," Rabbi Yehoshua explained. "She told me it was a pity that such glorious wisdom was in such an ugly vessel. I answered her, that good wine, even that belonging to the Caesar, is kept in simple vessels. How was I to know that she wouldn't understand the simple meaning of my words?" The Caesar understood that he had been foolish to listen to his daughter, but he didn't want to admit that his daughter had been wrong. He thought, then said, "Surely there are wise people who are also attractive." Answered Rabbi Yehoshua, "If they weren't attractive, they would be even wiser. They would use all their energy and time for studying and increasing their wisdom. Some who are attractive become conceited with their beauty, and they never become wise." The Caesar wasn't stupid. He understood what Rabbi Yehoshua was hinting about his daughter. He decided it was better not to discuss the matter any more, and bid Rabbi Yehoshua good-bye. ***************************************************************** THOUGHTS THAT COUNT ***************************************************************** Torah reading of the week--Nasso This Torah portion has the largest number of verses of the entire year. It is also the subject of numerous commentaries and mystical interpretations. Among the suggested explanations of this phenomenon: Nasso is always read immediately following Shavuot, the anniversary of the giving of the Torah. We are therefore at once presented with all the depth and beauty which became ours when we received our Torah. *** "GÄd should make his face shine on you" (6:25). "Face" always symbolizes good will, closeness and love. The blessing that GÄd's "face" should shine on us indicates that GÄd's should give His gifts to us with a full desire. Even though everything is ultimately sustained by GÄd, there is a difference as to whether the life forces are given with enthusiasm or just the minimum absolutely necessary. (Kuntres U'Maayon) *** "The four wagons and the eight oxen he gave to the sons of Merori" (7:8). The four wagons mentioned here were needed to transport 48 fifteen-foot panels, in addition to pillars, connecting rods, ropes and pegs. Why were so few wagons provided? The explanation is that if it was possible to carry out the job with four wagons, it was important to use each one fully. If another wagon had been provided, the others would only have completed part of their appointed task. The lesson for us is clear. "GÄd did not create one extra thing in His world." This applies also to our abilities and strengths. In everything we do we must give our all. (The Lubavitcher Rebbe, shlita) *****************************************************************