“Moshiach already exists and is ready to usher in the redemption. You know inside that you are not Moshiach, and I know that it is not I. But somebody must be Moshiach… Why does it bother you that it is the Lubavitcher Rebbe?!”
This chapter goes back to the early period in Samarkand. Of course, there was no yeshiva yet, but they tried to start a “yeshiva’le” for children. * The legendary Chassid and mashpia, R’ Eliyahu Chaim Roitblatt serves devotedly as a melamed during the days of starvation. * Heishke’s friend, Yoske Reitzes, gives some of his bread to the melamed’s only son, Shmerel.
The declaration of this new left-right regime may be the very thing to keep us from falling into the abyss. No one can claim anymore that this is a right-wing government. It is now obvious to all that the policies of this two-faced government are dangerous.
Moshiach must be steeped in the Torah and indeed possesses the soul of Moses. Moshiach must also be the one to inspire the Jewish people and gather them together with feelings of love and unity; the role of Aaron. And finally, Moshiach must also know how to cultivate the individual talents of every Jew and cherish his or her individual contribution.
On Shavuos night, people are awake at times when the streets are usually empty and the world is still resting from the day’s activities. The shluchim are often as active at night as they are during the day. They don’t have set times for when they are “open” and “closed.” * Stories of shluchim working at night.
The Torah is, among other things, the tool with which we unite the spirit and the matter of our lives. The starting point of this quest must be humility: You are a mountain of an individual, but because your special stature comes from Above, you are a small mountain — but a mountain nonetheless.
Yet, on Shavuos the Eibeshter Himself descended with all of His hordes and hosts of angels and declared to us: YOU COUNT! He indicated to us that He desires a dwelling place specifically on this lowly, negligible, insignificant spot in His vast creation. And He wants it to be effected by the conduct of these lowly, unimportant beings – these insignificant specks of humanity. That is to say: you and I!
“The war made me think about death and what would happen if my life stopped at this point. It occurred to me that I wanted to die as a Jew and maybe this is what propelled me to convert.” * This is the story of a Gentile girl growing up in Germany who discovered she had a Jewish grandparent. * Hear her retell her fascinating journey towards conversion and then Chabad, following in the footsteps of Rus. * Presented for Shavuos.
It was a long process before R’ Refael Shuval changed his life and became a Chassid. Hashgacha pratis prevented him from reaching the front line outpost on Har Dov and kept him on a base near his home where he began reaching out to soldiers. The results: three became Lubavitchers, some soldiers became part of other religious groups, and others were strengthened in their Judaism in general. * In honor of Shavuos, the holiday that marks Kabbalas ha’Torah, we had a conversation with R’ Refael and his three Lubavitchers and discussed their life stories and thoughts, and the ups and downs that they experienced in their personal Kabbalas ha’Torah. * Part 1
For a number of years, the Chassidic artist, R’ Elazar Kalman Tiefenbrun would go to the Rebbe for Shavuos. In yechidus, he merited to hear interesting things about the importance of Jewish art. * On one occasion, the Rebbe even gave him a bottle of mashke and told him to mix the mashke into his paints. * We gladly present our readers with some excerpts from the diary of his son R’ Elimelech, which was printed in honor of the bar mitzva of his grandson.
“I remained alone with the Baal Shem Tov. I bitterly asked him why I had been brought into Gan Eden and not given a place. He said, ‘Because you gave your word and did not keep it.’” * Presented for Shavuos, the yahrtzait of the Baal Shem Tov.
Last week, the ancient Tzemach Tzedek Synagogue in Tzfas held a joyous celebration after its six precious Torah scrolls, stolen the previous Shabbos, were miraculously discovered in an abandoned house. Together with the happiness of the occasion, this marked an appropriate opportunity to take a look at the amazing history of this treasured shul, its renovation, how it shielded the holy city from Syrian tanks, and a series of special instructions that the Rebbe gave in connection to its reconstruction.
May 25, 2012