MAY I RECITE KIDDUSH BY HEART

There are two parts to the Torah: Torah sh’Bichsav (the Written Torah) and Torah shebe’al peh (the Oral Torah). The halacha is, “D’varim sh’Bichsav ee ata rashai le’omram al peh” (Verses from the written Torah may not be recited by heart); they should be read from a k’sav (a written text). However, the common custom is that people do recite verses from Torah sh’Bichsav be’al peh (by heart)—and there are no less than ten explanations given as to why and when it’s permitted.

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THE REBBE’S DEFINITION OF A G’VIR

R’ Efraim Reich is a Sanzer Chassid who was a shamash for the Sanzer Rebbe zt”l. One time, R’ Efraim was present at a Melaveh Malka meal that took place at a hall in Petach Tikva. R’ Efraim was given the honor of relating a Chassidic tale, as is customary to do on Motzaei Shabbos. R’ Efraim surprised everyone when he told a story about the Lubavitcher Rebbe.

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EYES TO SEE

Remember how we started off this series—with the story of Rabbi Levi Yitzchok by the river on Rosh HaShana? The chassid he was walking with asked him where we see—in physical reality—the spiritual elevation of the world that takes place on Rosh HaShana. Rabbi Levi Yitzchok leaned over the bridge, stared at the river for a while and then said, “The river is flowing in an entirely different manner

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parshas shoftim - elul

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THE POWER TO BRING DOWN G-DLINESS IN THE STRONGHOLD OF EVIL

Chapter 16 of Rabbi Shloma Majeski’s Likkutei Mekoros, Volume 2, responds to the questions: Where does the Rebbe explain why he refers to the Pervious Rebbe when he actually means himself? Where does the Rebbe state that he and the Previous Rebbe are one and the same? (Underlined text is the compiler’s emphasis)

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KOSHER MEDITATION

770 was packed and the Rebbe was screaming about a burning issue – cults that were attracting Jews through meditation, and how to operate against them. * One woman, who wasn’t even there, responded to the Rebbe’s demand and merited her own rescue.

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MOSHIACH IS IN THE FIELD

The commandant to tithe ten percent of our produce in the Land of Israel is taken from the verse, “Take a tithe of all the seed crops that come forth in the field each year.” This refers specifically to the ten percent of our produce that we must consume in Jerusalem.

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AWESOME AWAKENING IN BARBADOS

Rabbi Shmuel Pesach Bogomilsky is not only a big talmid chacham and gifted orator, but also a shliach of the Rebbe. In his youth, he visited dozens of countries and brought Torah and Judaism to the local Jews

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CHEVRON IS OURS

Following UNESCO’s outrageous decision regarding the M’aras HaMachpeila, I went to meet the new shliach at the M’ara, R’ Yoni Ettia, along with his father, veteran shliach, R’ Victor. * Between putting t’fillin on with people, R’ Yoni told me fascinating stories of his shlichus in this exalted place of the Avos.

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ELUL ACCOUNTING FOR DUMMIES

The Rebbe writes in the HaYom Yom of 27 Av: “Elul is a month of reckoning. Just as a businessman who wants to run his business properly and most profitably must take stock from time to time and correct anything amiss, so too must we act in our spiritual work of Avodas Hashem.

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LIFE LESSONS IN FAITH

Drora lost her son after devotedly caring for him for five years following a tragic car accident. Faigy’s husband has a degenerative neurological disease, which started after they married; together they are raising 12 children. Esther married, knowing that her husband was sick with multiple sclerosis. * Three women who are dealing with serious challenges, who chose not to break. They accept their lot in life with emuna and even with gratitude.

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“EYES TO SEE…”

HIDING IN PLAIN VIEW (Part 2 of a 3-part series) In Part 1: A Fake World, we made the point that we don’t really see the reality of the world. It is an עלמא דשקרא as the Zohar calls it—a fake world, and only through the Torah can we successfully interact with the true reality

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parshas-re'eh

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