Gutt Yom Tov/ Shabbos

Please remember to make an Eiruv Tavshilin. If you don't know how contact us and someone will guide you through. Tonight is Tikun Leil Shvuos. Tomorrow we wash for a Milchige meal then after we bentch we wash an hour later for the regular meal. Eat drink & be Merry.

This week's Torah portion always occurs on or around the holiday of Shavuot when the Jews celebrate the giving of the Torah.

Interestingly, Shavuot is the only of the Three Holidays for which the Torah gives no reason and which contains no Commandments that are relevant today.

Similarly, our Torah portion features, for the most part, topics that aren't practical today: Sota, Nazir and a long repetitious list of what each tribe brought over 3,000 years ago for the Tabernacle opening, seemingly have no real use in our daily lives.

But our Rabbis teach us that the Torah is called the "Teaching of Life" and each detail is important and vital to our existence. What could be the vital significance of these topics of Shavuot, Nazir and Sota and what is the connection between them?

To understand this, here are three stories.

Rabbi Akiva, the great Tanna who lived some 2,000 years ago was the greatest Talmudic scholar ever. In fact it is said that the entirety of the 'Oral Torah' all depend on him.

The Talmud (Ketubot 62-63, Nedarim 50) relates that what pushed Akiva to learn Torah was his wife. She came from a fabulously rich family while he had been a simple totally illiterate shepherd, but she somehow sensed his hidden greatness and insisted on marrying him although she realized it meant ostracism and poverty.

Nevertheless they married, lived in squalor, had several children and when she began encouraging him to take their oldest son and find a place where they could learn Torah, he set off.

The boy was young and full of ambition, but Akiva who was forty years old at the time, was not. He couldn't even read and was certain that, even if his wife was correct and he once had potential, at his age it was too late.

The story is told (Avot d'Rav Natan 6) that on their way they sat briefly near a well where the shepherds were watering their sheep in the shade of a mountain. He was tired and pessimistic. Then he noticed that in the boulder covering the well there was a narrow but deep hole and it aroused his curiosity. He came closer and examined it but couldn't figure out how it got there and what it was for.

One of the shepherds pointed to water dripping from a hill above them onto the rock and said, "That water's been dripping for… who knows how long; that's what made the hole."

Akiva realized that G-d sending him a special-delivery, personal message. 'lf something as soft as water can penetrate something as hard as a rock then for sure something as powerful as the Torah can certainly penetrate into something as soft as my heart and brain."

He took this lesson to heart. According to some opinions he sat and learned for twenty four years until his knowledge surpassed even that of his great teachers; Rabbi Eliezer Ben Hurkonos and Rabbi Yhosua Ben Chanania.

Gradually his reputation brought him 24,000 pupils from the four corners of the world who became the source of the Oral Torah as the saying; An unnamed Mishna is Rabbi Mair, Tosefta is Rabbi Nechemia, Sifra is Rabbi Yehuda, Sifri is Rabbi Shimon and all come from Rabbi Akiva (Sanhedrin 81a).

But the Romans made decrees against teaching Torah upon punishment of death, which Rabbi Akiva defied publicly. He gathered children and everyone else who wasn't afraid and taught Torah in the open.

When a well meaning relative of his by the name of Pappus ben Yehuda heard about this he tried to dissuade him. "Akiva, aren't you afraid of the government? What good is it if they kill you? Then you won't be able to do anything! Why not be smart, stop teaching Torah and at least save your life?

Rabbi Akiva answered, "You Pappus, you are the one they say is intelligent? If you really are smart you'll agree with me that you are a fool. I'll tell you a story.

"Once there was a hungry fox walking in the forest and noticed a stream full of fish. 'Fish, fish' he yelled to them. Why are you rushing and fleeing? Because of the nets and baited hooks people make for you? Well, I have advice.' The fox continued. 'I am your friend! Your problem is that stream; it's too narrow! No place to flee. If you'll just come out here on dry land you'll be safe! I'll show you how we can live together here in the forest like our forefathers did in previous generations and you'll be safe!'

"Whereupon all the fish answered in unison; 'Fox, fox, are you the one they say is the smartest of the animals? You are a fool! Water is our life! If here in this stream we are in danger, then for sure on the dry land we will be in danger!'

"Same here.' Rabbi Akiva concluded, "The Torah is called our life and the length of our days (Deut. 30:20). If we Jews are in danger learning Torah then when we stop learning we certainly are in trouble!"

A few days later Rabbi Akiva was put into jail for learning Torah and, ironically, Pappus was arrested for some political reason and put in the same cell. When Pappus realized what had happened he declared, 'Akiva, happy are you that you were imprisoned for learning Torah, and woe to me that I was imprisoned for foolishness.'

The third story is one that happened just recently to of the 'Shluchim' of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. (HaGeula #466).

Rabbi Aria Kaltman is the emissary of the Lubavitcher Rebbe in the Columbus Ohio Chabad House.

Chabad Houses run on donations and one fine day his main donor, a wealthy man that paid more than 80% of the expenses, passed away. Suddenly debts began piling up. The Chabad house was good at giving but not nearly as proficient at taking. Rabbi Kaltman decided that rather than be nervous or miserable or do nothing, he would pray. And, behold, his prayers were answered. Partially.

The debts began to move into six digits when one morning as he was opening his mail he noticed a letter and a check. He opened the letter. It was from an elderly woman in California whose granddaughter was learning in University in Columbus and who brought home a Jewish calendar that Rabbi Kaltman had given her before the Jewish New Year. The lady wrote that when she saw the calendar, she was so impressed she sent the check.

He opened the check and almost jumped for joy! It was for ten thousand dollars! True, it didn't cover even a tenth of the debts but it certainly was a BIG help.

In the course of that year Rabbi Kaltman sent a greeting card to that woman before each of the holidays and after each one he received a check for ten thousand dollars. The checks were allowing him to keep the Chabad House going while he searched for new supporters.

Eventually, in one of his journeys to find new funds Rabbi Kaltman went to California and, of course visited the woman who had become his benefactor.

She received him with great joy and he thanked her profusely explaining how her donations helped. But he couldn't help asking what it was in the calendar he gave her granddaughter that made her become so generous.

She explained. "Some sixty years ago when I was just a young girl my sister got sick. She contracted some terrible disease that the doctors couldn't cure. Our family wasn't very religious but with no other choice we began to pray to G-d for help. And help came from a totally unexpected place. We heard there was a Rabbi in Brooklyn that could cure people by blessing them.

"Of course we never heard of such a thing and probably wouldn't have believed it if we weren't so desperate; by us Rabbis and miracles had NO connection. But we went. We made an appointment, went into his room and all I remember is that he had very special eyes; very kind and very wise. Anyway, it was a miracle! My sister felt better the next day and soon she got completely healed!

"That was years ago, but when my granddaughter brought in that calendar last year and I took a look at it I saw that Rabbi and recognized those eyes. It was him! Suddenly I thought to myself. 'That man saved my sister. Did we ever even try to repay him? I don't even know if we said thank you. I mean it was like he didn't even expect it. So that's when I decided I had to start doing something to show my appreciation to that man."

This answers our questions.

Shavuot is the holiday when we celebrate the giving of the Torah. But the Torah is not practical unless we are willing to devote our minds and hearts to learning and fulfilling it. That is the message of Sota, Nazir and the sacrifices of the Tribes.

Sota is a woman whose husband suspects her of infidelity. But the Talmud tells us that really no woman would do such a thing unless she became temporarily insane (Sota is similar to Shota; 'insane'). So too, essentially every Jew is 'married to G-d' and the only reason they, G-d forbid, sin is temporary insanity. Like our story of Pappus who realized his foolishness in leaving the Torah.

Nazir is one who abstains from wine in order to raise in holiness. Similarly, if we want to appreciate the Torah we must be less excited about the world, only then can we reach the third step like our story of Rabbi Kaltman who just did his work helping others and let G-d take care of the rest.

Finally we must be constant in our efforts. Like the tribes repeated the same sacrifices until the Tabernacle was inaugurated, so we must work constantly till we feel the holiness of the Torah.

It all depends on us to make Shavuot not just 'Zman Matan Toratenu'; The Time of the GIVING of the Torah' but also the time of Kabalat Torhatenu; RECEIVING the Torah. With Joy and meaning, blessing and unity. Together with…

Moshiach NOW!!

Rabbi Tuvia Bolton

RYYH
ULYOP
In a Rush to bring Moshiach

Wednesday Night Shiur - Shavuos

Listen to this week's shiur on the Yom Tov of Shavuos.
Hear all shiurim at www.shiur.us.

Gut Shabbos

Anyone interested in sponsoring our annual Pre Shavuos "Ice Cream bash" in Yeshiva please contact us. We like to give each child at least one scoop of ice cream on a cone. Shabbos Mevorchim, Chodesh Sivan, please say your Tehilim Klal Yisroel Needs it. We do say Av Harachamon.

In this week's Torah portion, G-d tells Moses to count the Jews and then begin the journeys in the desert.

The birth, independence, identity and existence of the Jews depended on miracles. Their origin from Abraham, the Exodus from Egypt, the receiving of the Torah and their sustenance in the desert was all totally above nature.

But in addition to this, their life in the desert and later in Israel centered around an edifice called the Holy Temple (in the desert it was portable and was called the "Mishkan") where they were reminded of these miracles constantly and served the Creator who made them.

But the Temple service was in the hands of the Levites.

At first glance it is not so clear why each person couldn't just do it himself? Why did there have to be a special class for serving G-d?

To understand this, here are two stories (Ma ShSiper Li HaRebbe vol. 2 pgs. 90 and 82)

The Fourth Rebbe of Chabad, Rebbe Shmuel, nicknamed the Maharash, was perhaps the most mysterious of all the chain of seven Rebbes.

On one hand he surrounded himself with pomp and riches, golden vessels, ornamented clothes and a fine carriage drawn by the most expensive horses.  But on the other, it was obvious that he was doing it all for supernal purposes.

Everyday the Rebbe would tell his driver to hitch up the horses to his magnificent carriage and take a ride into the woods.

It was inconceivable to the Rebbe's Chassidim that the Rebbe would just go for a pleasure ride, they were sure that there must be some deep mystical practices the Rebbe did there in the woods far from the human eye. But the only one that knew, besides the Rebbe, was his driver and the Rebbe warned the driver to never tell anyone what he saw.

The driver was no fool. He knew that one word would get him fired and the pay was good. So anytime any of the Chassidim asked him anything he would simply turn and walk away.

But the curiosity of the Chassidim and their desire to learn was stronger than the driver's opposition and they devised a plan.

I just so happened that one of them, who was friendly with the driver and had done him several favors with no thought of remuneration, had a birthday or some other occasion and had invited the driver to come.

The other Chassidim took advantage of this, bought several bottles of vodka, and made sure that anytime anyone made a 'L'Chaim' the driver would be included.

Then, when everyone was inebriated, and the driver many-times so, each began telling personal stories until it became the driver's turn.

He stood, cleared his throat, took another L'chaim, sat down and began to talk in a quiet voice.

"You know, you fellows have a very wonderful Rabbi! But he is also very strange. Very strange person." Everyone was listening.

"You know, I take him everyday to the woods. Deep, deep, deep into the woods." He paused, took another L'Chaim and continued. "You know what he does? We stop in the same place every day. There is a big log there. The Rebbe sits down on this log and starts to cry. That's right. He cries and cries like a baby. And while he's crying, ants begin to pour out of these holes in the ground and cover his body. Big ants that bite. Until his whole body is covered. And he cries and cries!

"Then, suddenly, all at once after a few minutes, all the ants leave! He doesn't do anything but cry and for some reason they all leave him.

"Then, the Rebbe stops his crying, returns to the carriage and we leave. But I can't understand it! I can't figure it out. I mean, your Rebbe has a beautiful house, nice horses, a good driver, a fine wife and children. He has a good life! What has he got to cry about?! Why is he crying? And even more I don't understand those ants. How they know when to leave him? I mean, he doesn't do anything to make them leave! They just all leave at once! It's like he is their boss or something."

The second story:

Once the Rebbe Maharash was on a long train ride and one of his Chassidim by the name of Rav Yaakov Reshel got on the train near nightfall at the city of Dvinsk to accompany him. His intention was to accompany the Rebbe for less than an hour till he went to sleep and then get off at the next stop and return to Dvinsk.

But, to his surprise, a few minutes into the ride, the Rebbe asked him to stay till the morning.

Rav Yaakov was honored by the request and couldn't refuse. It was, in fact, a great pleasure to be with the Rebbe. But he hadn't brought his Talit and Tefillin (prayer shawl and phylacteries Jews put on for the morning prayers).

He paid for an adjoining compartment and when the Rebbe lay down to sleep he left the Rebbe's room and went to his. Early the next morning the Rebbe, who had woken even earlier and had already finished praying, sent a porter to call Rav Yaakov to his room. When he entered he saw that the Rebbe was sitting with eyes closed laughing.

He didn't have a chance to sit down before the train came to a stop and a well dressed, clean shaven young man got on, asked the conductor something and then headed straight for the Rebbe's compartment. But when he entered and saw the Rebbe sitting there, smiling with eyes closed and Rav Yaakov standing there he seemed confused and just sat down opposite the Rebbe.

The train began to move and five minutes later when they were outside of the town the Rebbe suddenly opened his eyes, stared deeply into those of the young man and said "Why do you possess a dangerous item? What have you got in your pocket? Show me!"

The young man turned pale and began to shake. He stuck his trembling hand into his pocket and pulled out...a small pistol! He handed it to the Rebbe who opened the window and threw it out into the passing bushes.

It seems that the Maskilim (Jews that wanted to uproot Judaism and replace it with more 'modern' ideas) had planned to assassinate the Rebbe because of all the troubles he made for them at government levels. But when the young man saw the Rebbe was not alone and then felt his holiness, he changed his mind.

The Rebbe gave his Talit and Tefillin to Rav Yaakov who left the Rebbe and the young man alone and went to his compartment to pray. When he returned the Rebbe took the Tefillin and said to his young companion "Would you like to pray?"

Suddenly, the young man began to frown and then burst out in awesome tears as he took the Tefillin. The Rebbe comforted him; 'Don't worry, one who is forced to sin is not a really a sinner'.

At the next stop the young man got off and the stop after Rav Yaakov parted from the Rebbe and also got off.

This answers our question. The reason G-d chose one particular tribe to be in charge of holy things is that there has to be someone totally separated from the world and devoted totally to G-dliness who can 'raise' and inspire those 'normal' people who are occupied with more mundane things.

Just like the Rebbe in our stories; the reason he cried and invited the ants was because he was a totally holy person: as we see that he ruled over the ants and knew what the young man was thinking. But on the other hand he suffered in order to raise and purify the world. That is why he opposed the 'Maskilim' and put himself into danger because his 'job' was to raise and purify others; as we see he did to the young 'assassin'.

But in the future, when Moshiach changes man's priorities, all Jews will be at the level of Levites; their only occupation will be to know and and assist the entire world in Knowing the Creator (Mimonidies, M'lachim 12:5).

But it all depends on us to do just a little more, even one more good deed to bring Moshiach even one instant earlier....

Moshiach NOW!

Rabbi Tuvia Bolton

www.shiur.us
RYYH
ULYOP
In a Rush to bring Moshiach

Wednesday Night Shiur - Parshas Bamidbar

Listen to this week's shiur of Parshas Bamidbar.
Hear all shiurim at www.shiur.us.

Gut Shabbos

Our Lag BaOmer outing was absolutely magnificent! The busses were on time, Thank to the D.O.E., Rabbi Ausfresser, & Uri Frankel. Thanks also goes out to Mr. Sebastian of the parks department in Staten Island for arranging the park & permit. Let's not forget the Rebbes & our Principal for a great day (they even took care of the weather).

This week's double Torah portion contains 36 commandments and ends with 49 curses awaiting the Jews if they don't follow G-d's Torah.

At first glance this is not understood. G-d created this world with human beings that have egos which want to be natural. So why do we get punished?

NO ONE naturally desires to keep the Sabbath, eat kosher food or do most of the other commandments. So why should we get cursed for just following our G-d given natures? And why so MANY curses?

And conversely; if G-d doesn't want us to sin then why did HE give us the natural tendency to defy Him?

To understand this, here is a story that was told by the Lubavitcher Rebbe on Shabbat B'reshis 5735. (Ma Sh'siper li HaRebbe vol. 2 pg. 32)

Some two hundred years ago in Russia, near the area where the first Rebbe of Chabad, Rebbe Shneur Zalman, lived, there was a crazy man. He had been a normal, sensible religious Jew until one day he suddenly lost his mind and began screaming and thrashing about for no apparent reason.

His family was shocked, his friends tried to help, his neighbors shook their heads in pity and the Rabbis prayed but it didn't help.

The doctors just scratched their heads and shrugged their shoulders with no idea what to do and hoped that just as it came suddenly so it would go suddenly. There had been such cases. Or perhaps in the course of time his madness would gradually fade away. But it didn't.

To have him committed to an asylum was out of the question. There, at best, he would be put in a room alone or with other dangerous maniacs.

Then someone suggested that they try the Rebbe. So the madman's wife and sons somehow managed to calm him down and get into the carriage, and in a short time they entered the Rebbe's office.

In the presence of the Rebbe the madman was fairly still, once in a while giving a grunt or some other non-human sound and occasionally waving his hands but it was possible for the Rebbe to have a good look at him, realize what the problem was and begin treatment.

He asked the family to be seated, to keep an eye on the sick man while he told them a story.

A story? They looked at each other with question marks in their eyes but, seeing as they had no other choice, they listened.

The Rebbe began. "It says in the Talmud (Gittin 57b) that when Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the First Temple one of his Generals noticed a pool of blood bubbling and boiling on the ground of the Temple courtyard and when he asked of it's origin he was told it was the blood of Zechariah the Prophet who had been killed there unjustly. (This is not the Prophet Zachariah, one of the 12 prophets, who lived in the beginning of the Second Temple)

"The accepted story is that when he stood in the Temple courtyard and began enumerating the sins of all those present, with harsh words of warning and reproof to all the Jews he so angered everyone that, in their fury, they stoned him to death.

"But, in fact, the story is quite different. The motive in killing him was much more positive."

The Rebbe looked at the crazy man and then at his family to make sure they were listening and continued.

"The fact is that those men who stoned Zechariah were really Tzadikim; holy, refined, and totally righteous men, perhaps the only Jews that had not sinned in those days. And they had hopes that they could turn the tide of sin and convince their brothers to repent.

"As soon as Zechariah began to speak they understood what he was about to say. He was about to prophesize the destruction of the Temple and the exile of the Jews from Israel into Babylon. They knew that his words were prophesy and that as soon they would be uttered the decree would be sealed and they wanted to stop or at least delay it.

"So they decided, in one instant, that they had to make the ultimate sacrifice even if it would cost them everything in both this world and the next! They knew that by killing him they would be killed and die as sinners… but they didn't care about themselves; so great was their brotherly love that they only thought about stopping that prophesy from actually being said giving the Jews even another few days, to repent.

"And the only way they could do it was by killing him.

"But, perhaps you will ask why didn't the prophet himself refuse to make his prophesy? He certainly must have known that once his words were uttered the fate of the Jews was sealed. Why didn't Zachariah just keep quiet?

"And if you try to explain that if he did so he would be punishable by death (which is the law regarding a prophet that refuses to prophesize). If so, then why didn't he give his life? After all, those who killed him were willing to do so to save the Jews. Certainly Zechariah had no less brotherly love than they did!

"The answer is that a true prophet has virtually no ego of his own; he is nothing more than a conduit for G-d's messages. Therefore when he was commanded by G-d to prophesize he had no possibility of doing otherwise; his entire essence existed only to give over the word of G-d.

"But those who killed him did have free will and they used it in a futile attempt to try to save the Jewish people from tragedy and exile."

Suddenly the insane man trembled for a few seconds, closed his eyes briefly, smiled with relief and began to breathe easily. He was cured!!

The Rebbe saw this and explained to the amazed family.

"The tortured souls of those Tzadikim who murdered Zachariah entered your father's body in the hope that they would be brought to someone who could find some redeeming quality in their sin and free them from eternal limbo.

"For almost two and a half thousand years they have been seeking to be corrected. They couldn't enter heaven because of their sin of murder. And the gates of hell also would not admit them because of their pure intentions.

"That is why you came to me." The Rebbe concluded

"When I learned "Zechut" (merit) on those who killed Zachariah I made a 'Tikun' (correction) on their souls and both they and your father were healed."

This answers our questions. The reason that G-d gives the impulse to sin and so many curses with it, is for us to transform it all into blessings.

Just as the story of Zachariah began with sin and sickness and ended with freedom and redemption. So too will be the story of the entire exile we Jews are in today.

But we must learn from the Rebbe's example in our story. We must see the potential good, in everything, talk about it and even Do all we can to make it revealed (i.e. putting Tefillin on and giving Shabbat candles to unaffiliated Jews).

Then we can be emissaries of the Creator, bring out the good and positive even from the past and transform all the curses of exile, to blessings.

It all depends on us to do, say, even think one more good thing and bring...

Moshiach NOW!!

Rabbi Tuvia Bolton

Wednesday Night Shiur - Parshas Behar-Bechukosai

Listen to this week's shiur of Parshas Behar-Bechukosai.
Hear all shiurim at www.shiur.us.

Gutt Shabbos

Thank you to all those that helped us make our annual Chinese Auction such a success. If you did not have a chance, contact us for other sponsorship opportunities, and future functions.

This week's Torah portion contains 63 commandments. One of them is not to defile G-d's name and the other is to sanctify G-d's name. And both of them are derived from the same sentence.

"Don't profane My Holy Name and I will be sanctified within the Jewish people." (22:32)…

What exactly is G-d's name? And how is it possible to profane or sanctify it? Isn't G-d infinite and Holy far above our ability to add or subtract?

To understand this here is a story that was told by the Lubavitcher Rebbe on the 13th Nisan 5745 ('Ma Sh'sipair Li HaRebbe vol. 2 pg 55).

Everyone has heard of Romanoff dynasty of Russian Czars but few have heard of a far greater line of kings that ruled in Russia in those times; the Chabad Rebbes.

While the Czars represented only themselves and claimed to rule Russia, the Rebbes (all direct descendents of King David) represented the Creator and King of the entire Universe.

And there were times when the two kings met in battle.

For instance when the third Chabad Rebbe; Menachem Mendel (nicknamed 'The Tzemach Tzedik') decided to save the 'Cantonists' from the clutches of the Russian Orthodox Church and to save Jewish education from the clutches of the 'Maskilim'.

Who were the Cantonists and who were the Maskilim?

Czarist Russia was, arguably, the most totally and fanatically religious country in history. Everyone, including intelligentsia, government officials, and the royal family, was devoutly and insanely Russian Orthodox. So it wasn't a surprise that they threw themselves wholeheartedly in 'weaning' Jews from Judaism.

One way they tried to do it was through the army. Young Jewish boys were snatched from their homes at the age of ten or even less and 'trained' to be 'good' Russian soldiers i.e. with no Judaism. These soldiers became known as Cantonists.

The cruel program never really worked totally but it lasted some fifty years before it was dropped and resulted in large numbers of soldiers who were fiercely loyal to the Czar but nevertheless still aware of some Jewish identity.

Simultaneously there was another enemy of Judaism; the Maskilim. These were assimilated Jews who had chosen to 'illuminate' as many of their brethren as possible into progressive world of the gentiles and away from the Torah and its commandments.

Their main battlefield was Jewish Torah schools where they all too often succeeded in posing as religious teachers only to poison the minds of their unsuspecting pupils.

But occasionally they tried their hands at government levels as well; attempting to convince the Czar or one of his ministers to secularize or even totally outlaw Jewish education.

One year they succeeded in convincing the government to pass such a series of laws and the Tzemach Tzedik was called by the other Chassidic Rabbis of Russia to plead their case in Petersburg to the higher government ministers and convince them that such a plan would never work.

In the course of the several weeks that the Rebbe was there he was put under house arrest some twenty times for defying court procedure, disrespecting the judge, refusing to agree with the government and more, but miraculously his self-sacrifice paid off and he was successful.

It just so happened that near Petersburg was a fortified city by the name of Kronshtot which was the site of a huge army base of several thousands of soldiers. And a few hundred of them were Cantonists.

Although these soldiers had almost no connection to Judaism, except for a few Hebrew prayers some of them knew by rote.  Nevertheless, when they heard that the famous Tzemach Tzedek of Lubavitch was in close proximity something pushed them to request from their officers to invite him to speak.

It's not too clear why but the officers passed the request up to their general who passed to Minister of War and, to their amazement, he agreed!

Some say he hoped to influence the Rebbe to agree to some of their demands and soften his uncompromising stand on genuine Jewish education.

But, as we will see, they were wrong.

The Minister of War passed the request to the Minister of the Interior who sent an official entourage to the Rebbe in Petersburg to invite him.

The Rebbe agreed and, sure enough, a month later the Rebbe with an impressive entourage of over fifty Chassidim was entering the gates of the fortress.

He was taken to a large auditorium where several hundred Jewish soldiers from the infantry, navy and cavalry had been gathered and said before them a Chassidic discourse about the importance of 'returning' to G-d and observing His commandments.

He then quoted and explained in Russian, several sayings of the Talmud about the importance of self-sacrifice for the Torah.

The Rebbe finished his talk by telling them that although they were in exile from the Holy Land until Moshiach brought them back, nevertheless it was their obligation to pray for the welfare of Russia and its leaders while they were there.

A while later, when the Rebbe successfully finished his work in Petersburg the soldiers somehow got wind of his plans to return home to Lubavitch and made a second request to their officers. They wanted to hear the Rebbe again and thank him for the trouble he had taken for them.

Again their officers agreed. But this time when they went to the Rebbe to convey the soldiers' request they added a warning. They informed him that his previous speech had caused quite a stir among the soldiers and that he better not do it again. One more incendiary word and he would be in danger.

Six hundred soldiers were gathered in a large open square in Petersburg and listened in silence as the Rebbe spoke.

Again the Rebbe said a Chasidic discourse but this time he finished with the following words: "If ever anyone tries to force any Jew to change their religion and deny Judaism, G-d forbid, then that Jew is obligated to actually give his life rather than give in! Even if the King himself demands that you leave Judaism you must sacrifice your life rather than listen to him."

The Rebbe asked the soldiers to advertise his words, blessed them and bade them farewell.

The soldiers were deeply affected by these words but, being that the only connection most of them had to Judaism were no more than vague memories of their parents, there was little chance that the effect would last.

Five years later the entire camp was on its feet; for weeks they had been cleaning, painting and polishing every corner of the fortress in preparation for the ultimate honor. His glorious majesty; the Czar HIMSELF with his royal honor guard and the highest ministers in Russia were coming for an official visit to their camp!

It is hard for us today to imagine the awe, fear and trepidation the very mention of the Czar's name evoked in the heart of every Russian soldier, how much more so a visit from the Czar HIMSELF! The soldiers were in a frenzy.

When the Czar finally arrived the trumpets blared, the band began to play, thousands of soldiers from all branches of the Czars armies stood at attention in shining uniforms holding colorful banners. Then suddenly thirty or so chosen soldiers stepped forward and began to dance and do acrobatic feats before His Majesty.

The Czar was enthralled. He turned to the various ministers at his right and left, a broad smile of contentment on his face, nodding and raising his hands with approval as the soldiers flipped in the air and lifted heavy burdens.

"Who are these men?" He asked the commander of the base, "What are their names?"

The commander raised his hand, they stopped their performance, stood in a line before the Czar, sweating and trying to catch their breaths and he read off their names.

As he read, the Czar's smile faded into a frown, his body stiffened, he leaned forward and hissed "Why, those are Jewish names! Jews!!"

He straightened up, tried to regain his composure but did not succeed… he simply could not control his anger and disappointment. He scanned the soldiers and announced out loud. "Here, sitting with us here is a priest. I command you, all of you, to change your names and your religion …. NOW!"

The soldiers glanced briefly at one another, briefly behind them, and then straightened their gaze and stood at stiff attention. One stepped forward, saluted the Czar and spoke.

"Your majesty! Five years ago the Rebbe of Lubavitch visited here. He told us that it is forbidden for us to change our religion even if the Czar personally demands it. He said we must sacrifice our lives rather than do that."

And saying this they all turned around, ran as fast as possible to the bridge behind them, climbed over the rail and gracefully dived into the churning river… never to return alive.

When the previous Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak, told this story he explained that there are two miraculous details in this sad story. First, that they remembered what the Rebbe said five years earlier. And second, that it affected them so deeply that they actually gave their lives!

This answers our questions.

G-d created the world with His words or His names.

That's why we can't see or feel there is a Creator. Because, just as when a person speaks words from, for instance, behind a wall we can hear but not see him…. so too G-d's speech (i.e. nature) conceals the speaker (G-d) from us.

But a name is different; when we call someone's name it causes the person to respond and reveal himself.

So it's up to us.

Profaning G-d's name means to treat creation like, at best, His word; making the universe (us included) seem profane and empty (the word for Profane 'Chalal' also means 'empty).

Just as those soldiers in our story, before the Rebbe spoke to them.

But 'Sanctifying' G-d's name means seeing and revealing the Creator in every aspect of the creation … Just like a NAME reveals the one who is being called.

As the Cantonists did after the Rebbe spoke to them.

The lesson here is… the future of the world is in our hands. We can treat it as nature; G-d's word… or as miracles; G-d's name.

That will be the job of Moshiach which has been begun by the Chassidic writings of Chabad and others.

Moshiach will reveal that the world and, even more so the Torah, is G-d's name …….. and that G-d and His NAME are one.

It's up to us to do all we can to even one more good deed to bring....

Moshiach NOW!!

Rabbi Tuvia Bolton

RYYH
ULYOP
In a Rush to bring Moshiach

Wednesday Night Shiur - Parshas Emor & Pesach Sheini

Listen to this week's shiur of Parshas Emor and Pesach Sheini.
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Winners of Chinese Auction May 3, 2009- Tes Iyar 5769

90/ Ida Megalnik

89/ Fruma Belinow
88- Moshe Ezagui

87/ Raizy Dubov

86/ Marc Jacobson

85/ Lipa Kosofsky

84/ Chana Rivka Yakovov

83/ S. Rosenblat

82/ Eli G.

81/ Masha Bellis

80/ Lipa Kosofsky

79/ Boruch Shalom Kantor

78/ Dovid Flieshman

77/ Ari Raskin

76/ Marc Jacobson

75/ Tzvi Sher

74/ Sterna Sara Avtzon

73/ Rochel Faygen

72/ Miriam Sultan

71/ Debbie Cadaner

70/ Mimi Deitsch

69/ Rochie Liberman

68/ Shimmy Schafran

67/ Chaya Mushka

66/ S. Glazer

65/ Rivka Leah Shanitzky

64/ Marc Jacobson

63/ Yechiel Kagan

62/ Sara

61/ Molly Feldman

60/ Marc Jacobson

59/ Tova

58/ Polter

57/ Shula Bar Levavav

56/ Bassie Tevel

55/ Sherry Oster

54/ Chavi Scechter

53/  Sholom M. Hecht

52/ Yanki Fellig

51/ Hertzel

50/ Duvie Feldman

49/ Joseph Klien

48/ Raizy Dubov

47/ Debbie Cadaner

46/ Rochel Tenenbaum

45/ Wircberg

44/ a-Bluma Shnieder b- Tove Green

43/ Miriam Kaye

42/ Yanky F.

41/ A. Preger

40/ Leora Fried

39/ Marc Jacobson

38/ Abi Vail

37/ Ita

36/ Ethel Orlian

35/ Eti Chein

34/ Rivka Ellinson

33/ Raizy D.

32/ Mordechai Feiner

31/ Sternie Raskin

30/ Yakov Roth

29/ Boruch Sholom Kantor

28/ Duvie Feldman

27/ Tova

26/ Ettie Korenblit

25/ Rivkah Ellinson

24 Leah Meyers

23/ Marc Jacobson

22/ Shifra Glazer

21/ Yakov Megalnik

20/ Raskin

19/ Polter

18/ Srulie Feldman

17/ Marc Jacobson

16/ Moishe Reizes

15/ Hinda Cohen

14/ Mrs. Rabkin

13/ Molly Feldman
12/ Aron Flohr

11/ Racheli Sperlin

10/ Racheli Laine

09/  Polter

08/ Shlomie Drimmer

07/ Chana Goldberg

06/ Y. Goldstein

05/ Chayo

04/ Mendel Brod

03/ Racheli Laine

02/ R.N.L.

01/ Sholom Ronnes

split the pot/ Yakov Megalnik
Jackpot Ida Megalnik
RYYH
ULYOP
In a Rush to bring Moshiach