We are approaching the 15th of Menachem-Av. The Mishna in Meseches Taanis tells us: “Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said: There were no days more joyous than the 15th of Av (Tu B’Av) and Yom Kippur.”
It seemed as if every hardship in the world had befallen the tzaddik Reb Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk, ever since he had arrived in the Holy Land with a few hundred of his Chassidim from Eastern Europe. It appeared that his settling in Eretz Yisroel related to such lofty intentions and thus resulted in drawing down upon him great prosecutions and tests from on high, as per the saying, “That which is holier is more desolate.”
He is referred to as “Arizal HaChai – the Living Arizal,” an epithet that is not used for other great Jews, even those who only died on account of “the serpent’s bite,” and even those of whom it is said that they “did not die” at all
From Chapter Fifteen of Rabbi Shloma Majeski’s Likkutei Mekoros, Volume 2
When I met with Yochai Shamron it was nearly midnight. We were both after a long day’s work, and we wanted to get it done as quickly as possible. “Here take it; before we even start talking, first take a look,” he said to me as he pulled out a set of 3D goggles and a pair of large headphones, and began to fix them to my head. “Just hang on to the chair and don’t let go, so that you don’t get lost on me.”
Two weeks ago, a fiery inferno raged uncontrollably near Kiryat Chabad in the Holy City of Tzfas. Ten families – men, women, and children – were evacuated from their homes, some of which were completely destroyed by the flames. They have been left without a roof over their heads and no vestige remaining of what had been there before. While the cause of the blaze has yet to be determined, the failure in basic rescue procedure was catastrophic. “The firefighters stood by helplessly as the water supplies ran out.” Colel Chabad, under the administration of Rabbi Yoram Mauda, has initiated an urgent campaign and fundraising drive to save these families
Meet R’ Yonasan Shpitzer, the man who has dedicated his life to giving young people a second chance, and in many cases a third or fourth. * He divides his time between the three hats that he wears, shliach of the Rebbe in Moshav Mata, ambulance driver, and director of an outreach project to reach kids on the street. * He spends his evenings circulating with his staff on a minibus, searching for those kids that most people prefer to pretend do not exist. * With hard and painstaking work, with his winning smile, and with a whole lot of patience and acceptance, he manages to break through the walls of silence and loneliness of the kids on the street, getting through to them and accomplishing amazing results. * R’ Shpitzer offers us a rare glimpse into the complex world of dealing with the youth who are dropping out, as well as advice for parents on how to avoid having to deal with such situations in the first place
It has been discussed at length and publicized that this year (5777) is the 50th year anniversary since the Rebbe began Mivtza T’fillin. This is the special campaign in which the Rebbe urges everyone to reach out to as many Yidden as possible to put in T’fillin.
The halacha is that one may not turn their back to a Seifer Torah. According to many poskim, standing with one’s back to an aron ha’kodesh while it’s housing a Seifer Torah is inappropriate as well. This being the case, how come rabbanim (rabbis) are permitted to give drashos (sermons) facing the crowd, thereby standing with their backs to the aron ha’kodesh? In fact, at times, such as when reciting “Bo’i V’shalom” in the prayer of Lecha Dodi, all the congregants turn to face the opposite direction, standing briefly with their backs to the aron ha’kodesh.
R’ Shlomo Cunin shared this story at the convention of California shluchim, when they gathered for their yearly convocation in S. Diego in 1983.
August 1, 2017