We will call him Leibel. When I interviewed him twenty years ago, he was in his seventies and had a long white beard. His broad shoulders testified to his strength, and his direct eye contact lent him an aura of seriousness and forcefulness. Still, as we spoke about incidents in his life, he occasionally had a mischievous look in his eyes.
This is the story of a miraculous meeting of the minds, of two Canadian girls, one from Montreal and one from Toronto, born the same year, both having grown up in secular homes, who did not meet for decades, but then show up in 770 as Lubavitcher Chassidim, each with her unique skill set and yet with a shared vision, to convey the messages of D’var Malchus through art and video. One is a speaker and a life coach and the other an artist, and their combined efforts have opened a new world of opportunity for Jewish women everywhere to be in touch with the message of Geula.
Part Three * This wicked person is said to not have a portion in Olam HaBa specifically when postmortem retribution is not meted out against his body. If he did suffer that fate though, the harm benefits him, as our Sages said: “It is a good sign for the deceased that retribution was exacted upon him [i.e., his body] after death,” for it brings him atonement
Bilam, the heathen prophet, was on his way to curse the Jewish people at the behest of Balak, the Moabite king, who was terrified as they approached his land on their way to the Promised Land.
There probably wasn’t a shliach of the Rebbe who went to Moscow in the 70’s and 80’s who did not visit the home of Alexander (Sasha) and Genia Lokatzky. * For many years, the two of them operated as lone soldiers in association with the Marina Roscha shul and endangered their lives to maintain Judaism in that city. * During the past two years, R’ Alexander suffered much due to a lung problem and he recently passed away. * Menachem Ziegelboim recalls his visit of a few years back to the Lokatzky family in Neve Daniel and heard their unbelievable story of heroism. * Part 1 of 2
[It is written:] ‘A man’s steps are made firm by G‑d.’ When a Jew arrives at a particular place, this is for the purpose of doing a mitzvah, be it a mitzvah between man and man, or between man and G‑d. A Jew is an agent of [G‑d] Above, and wherever an agent is, he derives his power from the Sender. The superiority of souls over angels [in this regard] lies in the fact that [G‑d confers His agency to] the souls through the Torah.”
This is a story of a descendant of forced converts. Mrs. Sara Parfeonov shares her story with Devorah Leah Halperin
Descriptions of the surprise ending to the yechidus of the Ribnitzer Rebbe; the unchanging conduct of the Rebbe even as the city emptied out for the summer; the constant urging of the Rebbe to conquer the world with the five mivtzaim; the tanks setting out on a daily basis; and the renovations of the first floor of 770. * Letters to home, written by R’ Tuvia Zilberstrom during his k’vutza year, describing some of the events of Tammuz 5734 in 770, with the Rebbe
A compilation of stories about great Chassidim of previous generations
Part Two * Since Rav Yochanan had no special connection to Elisha ben Avuya, why did specifically Rav Yochanan seek to save him and indeed succeed in doing so?
Two of the main themes of this week’s parsha are the striking of the rock by Moses to produce water and the passing of Aaron.
July 3, 2018