Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
BASI LGANI
5715
Beis Moshiach presents the maamer the Rebbe MHM
delivered on Yud Shvat 5715, in accordance with the
custom established by the Rebbe to review each year
a section of the Rebbe Rayatzs maamer Basi LGani
of 5710. This year we focus on the fifth section of
the profound and foundational chassidic discourse. Part 5 of 6
Translated by Boruch Merkur
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Dvar Malchus
TO TRULY TRANSFORM
6. Continuing in the maamer, the Rebbe writes
that the ultimate avoda is to transform darkness
into light, so that the darkness itself shines. This
transformation is achieved by substituting evil
folly with shtus dkdusha. (Supplanting evil folly
with the folly of holiness is not done merely by
compelling oneself, but through bittul, and bittul to
the point that the darkness itself shines.)
To elaborate: In general, there are various
approaches to the war against evil. The war begins
with iskafia, engaging and overcoming the evil
inclination, compelling it to follow G-ds will.
Here goodness prevails over evil, bringing about its
submission and compelling it to act in accordance
with the forces of good within the person. Despite
being overpowered, however, the evil maintains its
presence and strength within the person; it is just
that it has no dominion over the three garments
of the soul thought, speech, and action. This
description, for the most part, portrays the avoda of
the beinoni, as explained at length in Tanya.
But there is a superior avoda in the war against
evil: ishafcha. At this level, not only does evil not
have any authority over the three garments of
thought, speech, and action, but the force of good
is so prevalent in him that he battles against the evil
and manages to weaken it, diminishing its presence
even where it typically rules. Here evil is subdued
at its core, but only on account of the prevalence of
goodness.
There is, however, a higher level of ishafcha. At
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MOSHIACH
AND CHINUCH
By Rabbi Gershon Avtzon
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NEWS
TERROR
AND
FAITH
E
6 3 Shvat 5775
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Issue 958
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News
Yohan Cohen
Yoav Hattab
Philippe Braham
Franois-Michel Saada
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THE ANSWER:
AHAVAS YISROEL AND
STANDING STRONG
R Yosef Taieb, shliach in
Vincennes and one of the Chabad
rabbanim in Paris, is one of those
facing thousands of questioning
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News
faces. He has been in touch with
shluchim and rabbanim as well as
with many Jews of his khilla and
throughout Paris who want to
know how to react.
First of all, the Rebbe taught
us that everything a Jew sees
and hears is a lesson in Avodas
Hashem. After this attack, we
need to see what we ought to
learn from it; how does it inform
our actions and avoda? Thats the
first thing to think about before
starting to blame one another,
to see how this strengthens our
Avodas Hashem.
Secondly,
the
most
important thing today is to
strengthen Ahavas Yisroel, as
the Gemara says, This is the
entire Torah and the rest is
commentary.
The Rebbe says that what
remains to be done is to greet
THE WORLD IS
BEGINNING TO WAKE UP
And what is the answer?
The answer is very simple.
Chazal said it thousands of years
ago on the words of Mishlei, The
kindness of the nations is a sin.
Nothing has changed since then.
Although we live in the modern
world, we need to know that the
world cares only about itself and
the country cares only about its
own interests.
Thats the way it was during
World War II. The Americans
fought the Germans and the
entire free world joined the war
against the Germans, but they
didnt do it out of love for Jews.
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R Chaim Elezam
R Yaakov Bitton
CONTINUING AND
WINNING
Opening a school is the
immediate plan in the works
for the Chabad House of
Vincennes-S. Mande. Until then,
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News
FROM A GEULA
PERSPECTIVE
The world has started to change
direction, and once again it begins
in France. * R Naftali Estulin,
shliach in Los Angeles, illuminates
the events in France with the light
of preparing for the Geula.
When the worldwide media carried the massive
protest in Paris against terrorism, which was attended
by dozens of world leaders, and I heard veteran
reporters who are used to reporting about big events
describing this one as historic, I thought: an event like
this must surely be connected to the Geula process
that we are in the middle of. We ought to review the
Rebbes sicha from Parshas VaYeishev 5752 that was
devoted entirely to the French Revolution and its
central role in the Geula process.
In that unique sicha, the Rebbe explains that
during exile we have the avoda of refining the nations
of the world. When the job is finished, the Geula will
come. After the Rebbe notes that in recent years all
the nations of the world have been refined, he focuses
on the birur of France which reflects on the avodas
habirurim of the entire world. In unprecedented
lengthiness, the Rebbe devoted the entire farbrengen
to discussing France and demonstrated the stage by
they strive to ensure that children
have the opportunity to spend
as much time as possible at the
Chabad House.
We have a Sunday school
and a program on Wednesday
afternoons for children who
attend public school, says R
Elezam. We also take Jewish
children every day for a kosher
lunch at the Chabad House. At
the end of their school day they
come back to us and stay until
6:30 to do their homework, eat a
THE UNBELIEVABLE
OCCURRED WHERE? IN FRANCE
What would you have said if you had been told two
weeks ago that following a terrorist attack, a massive,
worldwide protest against terror would take place,
attended by forty heads of state and millions of nonJews? You probably would have sent the person who
told this to you to be examined by a psychiatrist.
It did not happen after four Jews were massacred
in a shul in Har Nof; it did not occur after the
kidnapping and murder of three teenagers, and not
after any terror attack in Eretz Yisroel or other places
in the world. Then, the world was indifferent. It is
painful to say so, but even the Israeli prime minister
did not attend the funerals of the four murdered in
Har Nof, nor the funerals of many others murdered in
terror attacks in Eretz Yisroel.
(Not to mention that in Eretz Yisroel, they try to
minimize every security breach; the automatic reaction
of the security forces to these tragedies is that it was
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away.
There are all sorts of ways of
escaping. Some people want to
leave France, some want to leave
the neighborhood, and some
are afraid to go outside with
a kippa or to shop in a kosher
supermarket. I told them that any
sort of running away is weakness
and a victory for terrorism;
not only that but running away
can also hurt a person. This is
because when someone runs
away, he is not careful. Its like a
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OBITUARY
SURREPTITIOUS
SCRIVENER
His appointed role as the Rebbes eyes and ears in Yerushalayim and the
regular reports he sent covering every detail of what was going on among
Chabad Chassidim in the holy city was a closely guarded secret for many
decades. * His recollections in an exclusive interview with Beis Moshiach
along with information culled from a number of archives following his
passing, offer us a brief fascinating glimpse into the life of the mashpia, R
Pinchos Leibush Hertzl ah.
By Shneur Zalman Berger
Photos: family archives, Beis Moshiach archives, Meir Alfasi
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A BOTTLE OF MASHKE
FROM THE REBBE FOR THE
MUSRARA NEIGHBORHOOD
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Obituary
In his youth - from right to left: R Leibush, his brother Elimelech, his father
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ONE OF THE
SCRIBES OF THE KING
R Hertzl often sat at the
typewriter in his small apartment
and wrote in detail everything
that was going on among Chabad
Chassidim
in
Yerushalayim.
When he completed his report,
which he considered holy work,
he sent it off to the Rebbe. He
sometimes received answers.
Because of this work that he did,
his uncle, R Moshe Weber would
call him, misofrei hamelech
(one of the kings scribes).
A farbrengen in Yerushalayim two decades ago. From right to left: The mashpia, R Meir
Blizinsky, the mashpia, R Moshe Weber, the mashpia, R Leibush Hertzl, R Dov Eliezerov
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Obituary
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ANSWERS AND
ENCOURAGEMENT
The following are some
answers that R Hertzl received
in which the Rebbe strongly
encouraged him to send detailed
descriptions of farbrengens,
mivtzaim, shiurim and more. In
a letter from 20 Shvat 5713, the
Rebbe writes:
Surely in accordance with
my request of all students of
Toras Emes, you and your friends
of like mind were among those
tested and I would like to know
which questions were asked both
in Nigleh and Chassidus. Thank
you for this information, and may
Hashem grant you success.
After each Tishrei, he had to
write to the Rebbe without delay.
This is what the Rebbe wrote
him on 3 Cheshvan 5717, It
is surprising that, as of now, I
have had no reports from Anash
in the holy city of Yerushalayim
regarding utilizing the days of
Tishrei in general and the times
of our rejoicing in particular for
strengthening Judaism and its
dissemination. Especially the
inner point of spreading the
wellsprings outward, and I hope
that I will receive news of these
days in detail and may they also
be joyous news, ascending in
holiness in all respects.
In another letter the Rebbe
wrote, After a long break,
I received your letter of 21
Tammuz in which you write
highlights of the activities of
Anash and Tzeirei Agudas
Chabad during the weeks that
passed since the previous letter.
GENTLE EXPIRY
As mentioned earlier, R
Leibush Hertzl passed on
suddenly at the age of 92 the
day after Rosh HaShana/
Shabbos. On Rosh HaShana he
still davened for the amud and
even reviewed Chassidus at the
Chabad shul in Mea Sharim,
where he served as mashpia for
many years.
His funeral took place
Motzaei
Tzom
Gedalya.
His is survived by hundreds
of
biological
descendants
and thousands of spiritual
descendants of all backgrounds.
He merited seeing sons and
daughters, grandchildren, greatgrandchildren, and great-greatgrandchildren all going in the
ways of Torah and Chassidus.
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FEATURE
THE SHLICHUS
OF BRINGING JEWS
INTO THE COVENANT
OF AVROHOM AVINU
This week we read Parshas Bo, which
describes the birth of the Jewish People
as a nation on the eve of the Exodus from
Egypt in the merit of the blood from the
two mitzvos they were given, Korban
Pesach and bris mila. To this day, bris mila
is a mitzva that is still observed by many
Jews, even those who are not yet fully
observant in other areas. Beis Moshiach
spoke to three Lubavitcher mohalim about
their work and how it impacts the parents
and extended families.
By Zalman Tzorfati
ozens
of
guests
filled the small hall
somewhere in central
Israel to celebrate the
bris mila of the baby born to the
young couple. The Lubavitcher
mohel, R Avrohom Chaviv of
Yerushalayim, wearing his white
mohel coat, began to sing, as he
usually did, and asked for the baby
to be brought in.
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TREMENDOUS
INFLUENCE
One of the most famous,
veteran mohalim in Eretz
Yisroel is R Menachem
Fleischman of Rechovos.
To many, Fleischman is
synonymous with bris mila.
He has nearly forty years
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Feature
STARTING
WITH THE CHILDREN
R Avrohom Chaviv of
Yerushalayim is known among
the French speaking Jews of Eretz
Yisroel. He serves as a shliach
and rav at a Chabad House for
French Jews in Yerushalayim,
and is also an expert mohel with
twenty-five years of experience.
Despite his graying red beard,
he is quite youthful. His speech
is quiet and captivating and
seems to fit perfectly with his
piercing blue eyes. Whether he
is performing a bris or leading
a farbrengen or giving a lecture,
he radiates a level of energy that
is hard to withstand and his
charisma sweeps up the crowd
and touches them on the deepest
levels.
R Chaviv has a medical
background, since in his youth
he started medical school in
Marseilles in southern France.
But his studies ended when
he decided to make aliya. His
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A DIVINE CALLING
Unlike the first two mohalim,
R Menachem Mendel Cohen, or
as he is nicknamed in his place
of shlichus in Tel Aviv, HaRav
Mendy, represents the young
generation of mohalim. He is
37 and has nearly ten years of
experience.
In addition to his work as a
mohel, R Mendy is a shliach in
the Neve Eliezer and Neve Chein
neighborhoods in eastern Tel Aviv
on the border of Ramat Gan.
R Menachem Fleischman
MOHEL A SHLIACH IN
EVERY RESPECT
The common denominator
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Feature
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SHLICHUS
ANASH-SHLICHUS
Name: Asher Meshulam
Age: 31
Married with two children
Location: Rosh HaAyin
Occupation: Owner of
Cleandows a high-rise window
cleaning service company
By Zalman Tzorfati
SHLICHUS AT WORK
Our company cleans windows
of high rise buildings. We work our
way down the side of the building
with special equipment. Among
our customers are luxury tower
buildings and skyscrapers in Gush
Dan. Our line of work is not typical
among religious Jews and certainly
not among chareidim. When we get
astonished looks from people who
see us from the other side of the
window we take the opportunity to
talk about Judaism or to convey a
message of Geula.
We once did Ehud Baraks
Continued on page 32
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MIRACLE STORY
TO MACHON CHANA
Why was a psychology student moved to tears after a class at the
Chabad House about honoring ones parents? What was behind
the gift that was delayed for a month in the office of the Rebbe
MHMs shliach at Arizona State University? And what did an on-line
registration form with the Machon Alte Institute in Tzfas have to do
with all this? An emotional story from the annual college students
Shabbaton at Beis Chayeinu - 770.
By Chaim Brook
Translated by Michoel Leib Dobry
THE DEVELOPMENT
OF A MIRACLE
Each
year,
a
special
Shabbaton takes place during
Cheshvan in Beis Chayeinu-770
for college students. On that
Shabbos, kvutza students, older
students, and Anash members
find notices from the shuls
gabbaim hanging on their seats,
requesting that they vacate
their places immediately after
Kabbalas Shabbos and Maariv to
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MIRACLE STORY
appropriate. Rabbi Teichtel
thanked her profusely and then
placed the dollars in his case.
At the end of the Shabbaton,
all of the students returned
home, and Malka continued her
participation in the Torah classes
at the ASU Chabad House.
Rabbi Teichtel had become quite
impressed by Malkas seriousness
and intensity when she was
learning Torah and Chassidus,
and he decided to give her a
dollar from the Rebbe as a gift.
He telephoned her to say that
he had something for her without
revealing what it was, and he
would give it to her in a few days
when she came to the Chabad
House.
For some reason, presenting
Malka with the gift was delayed
for about a month. Although
Malka arrived several times at the
Chabad House, something always
came up and the dollar remained
in Rabbi Teichtels office.
In the meantime, Malkas
family was not very encouraging,
to say the least, of the steps she
was taking towards Yiddishkait.
Her mother pressured her to
forget about the Chabad House
and invest all her energies in
her psychology studies. While
this did little to strengthen the
relations between them, Malka
remained steadfast in the path
she had chosen. However, she
still would not dare to leave her
psychology studies and register
to learn in a Chabad institute for
women.
SERIOUS INDECISION
BEFORE TAKING A
MOMENTOUS STEP
One day, Malka got a
telephone call from a friend who
had also gone through a kiruv
process and had studied in Tzfas
Machon Alte Institute. During
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PARSHA THOUGHT
THE SECRET
TO EFFECTIVE
COMMUNICATION
By Rabbi Heschel Greenberg
BLOOD ON THE
DOORPOSTS
Each of the details that
surround the Exodus from Egypt
is instructive for all times. They
are particularly significant for
our own day and age as we look
for ways to bring an end to our
exile by recreating the dynamic
forces of liberation unleashed at
the time of the Exodus. When an
event associated with the Exodus
occurs in close proximity to the
physical departure from Egypt, it
is even more relevant to our own
situation.
In the process of Redemption
there are two components: that
which G-d does for us and that
which we do ourselves. The
relevance of any event in our
Exodus is magnified when it
involves action by the Jewish
people. And any aspect of the
Exodus that involved the actions
of the Jewish people in close
proximity to the Exodus warrants
even closer examination.
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PESACH:
THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH
The great Kabbalist, the
Arizal, explains that Pesach
marks the freedom of speech.
The word Pesach is a composite
of two words peh sach, which
means the mouth speaks.
When we lose the art of
communication, when we cannot
express
ourselves
through
speech, we are truly in a type
of exile. There can be two ways
of understanding the state of
exile associated with ones
inability to communicate due
to psychological and spiritual
impediments,
rather
than
physical causes.
First, it is obvious that a
person struck dumb cannot relate
well to the outside world. Without
proper communication skills
one cannot have a meaningful
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Parsha Thought
with others, which in its turn
hinges on the ability to be in
touch with oneself.
Nachmanides
writes
(Commentary on the Torah,
end of this weeks parsha)
that the Mezuzah and Tfillin
are both signs of the Exodus.
Tfillin contain the section of the
Torah that discusses the need to
remember the Exodus. But how
is the Mezuzah a remembrance of
the Exodus? There is absolutely
no mention of the Exodus in the
Mezuzah parchment!
By now it should be clear
that the Mezuzah on our
doorposts is indeed a dramatic
expression of true freedom; it
symbolizes the unfettered power
of speech represented by the
door metaphor. Moreover, it
represents a power of speech
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TZIVOS HASHEM
THE
INTERRUPTED
OUTING
By D Chaim
Levi,
Mendy,
Avromi,
Dovid, are you ready?
Abbas voice could be heard.
We raced out of our rooms with
our backpacks on our backs,
packed with goodies.
We need to be well supplied
for our outing, I (Mendy) said,
sounding responsible.
What fun! Were finally
going on the outing we were
promised! rejoiced Levi, nearly
jumping to the ceiling.
Yup, mumbled Avromi, if
Abba promised an unforgettable
outing, we can be sure that is
exactly what it will be!
We hadnt noticed Dovid in
the living room but then we
suddenly heard his voice. How
come youre not afraid? Abba
said we will be doing a really
tough survival course.
our
for
waited
Dovid
the
d
fingere
he
as
response
did
He
tzitzis.
his
strings of
We
s.
nervou
was
he
that when
that
saw
and
him
looked at
wed better calm him down
before he regretted agreeing to
go on this trip.
Ah, nonsense, there is
nothing to be nervous about,
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Tzivos Hashem
Abba,
but we could see a hint of understand Mendy, said
.
explain
to
on
went
he
and
It
eyes.
nervousness in his
an
less
no
is
ng
traveli
The
a
ed
occurr
seems an accident
. If
few dozen meters ahead of us. experience than the outing
the
on
out
set
y
alread
weve
us
let
and
Say some Thillim
to
but
choice
no
have
we
trip,
only
was
e
hope that the damag
it.
te
comple
to the vehicle.
We got out of the car and
But Abba, we can be stuck
to walk
here for a long time. How can got ourselves ready
a bus
where
n
we go on the trip? And what to the junctio
said
Abba,
But
g.
about our visit to Saba and was waitin
be
to
g
nothin
Savta where our outing was Levi, is there
t
acciden
this
If
going to end? They certainly upset about?
we
ed,
happen
have
would not
wont expect such a delay!
wouldnt have had to walk
we
as
We said some Thillim
with our backpacks on our
waited for cars to start moving
shoulders!
again. After a long wait, a
an
thats
think
I
near
ed
traffic policeman appear
Abba
said
age,
advant
we
face
us. From the look on his
well
concluded that nothing tragic patiently. This way,
while
mood,
hiking
a
into
get
had taken place.
being alert to adventures and
Hooray! shouted Levi for
aware of every detail. If you
the second time that day. The
had continued sleeping in the
trip will continue.
car, you would have ended up
stopped
policeman
The
climbing the cliff half awake.
near the window next to Abba
By the way, continued
and said, Thank G-d nobody
fact
the
consider
Abba,
is hurt, but due to a certain
s
happen
Geula
that if the
concern, we must block traffic
be
will
we
momentarily,
for an unspecified amount of
and
plans
our
changing
will
time. We are sorry. You
.
alayim
Yerush
to
continuing on
have to leave your car here and
is,
truth
The
!
Wait a minute
walk to the next junction where
as I think about it some more,
take
a bus will be waiting to
what happened to us is just like
you to the nearest city.
the events of the Geula.
I knew this would be
How? asked Dovid.
outing,
unforgettable
an
Like
bitterly.
Avromi
whispered
said
this,
ay
underw
gotten
just
Weve
a .
b
b
A
d?
cancele
is
trip
the
and
n
e
h
W
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