Erev Rosh HaShana 5712/1951 was the start of the first Shmita since the Rebbe became Nasi of Chabad. Even before the Shmita year began, the Rebbe said that the Alter Rebbe’s view should be publicized, that one should make a Pruzbul Erev a Shmita year too.
The book of Shmos-Exodus begins with the story of our Egyptian bondage, followed by the description of our Exodus. The first parsha of this book, Shmos (which shares its name with the entire book), covers the period of our bondage. It discusses the bitter exile and enslavement, Pharaoh’s attempt to annihilate all newborn Hebrew males, Moses’ selection by G-d as the redeemer, followed by Moses’ failed attempt to have Pharaoh free the Jews from slavery. Moses proved unable then even to convince Pharaoh simply to ameliorate conditions for his brethren. Indeed, the parsha concludes with Moses’ complaint to G-d about how badly things had deteriorated since he was sent to demand liberation. Matters had come to the point where even Moses, the redeemer of Israel, could not see a light at the end of the proverbial tunnel.
Beis Moshiach presents a selection of letters from the Rebbe on a variety of relevant subjects in today’s challenging world.
“I consider myself the shliach of the building. Every holiday we go to each apartment, knock on the door, and give a gift – on Pesach it’s matza, on Chanuka it’s a menorah kit with candles, on Purim it’s mishloach manos, before Rosh HaShana it’s a jar of honey, and before Shavuos it’s something sweet and dairy.”
In a reshima written by R’ Menachem Zev Gringlass, mashpia in Tomchei T’mimim in Montreal, he describes practices and hiddurim that were performed by our Rebbeim and the senior Chassidim and mashpiim in the previous generation * From a t’shura distributed at the Rabinowitz-Yeruslavsky wedding. Some of the practices quoted here are apparently personal matters that some Chassidim did as part of their individual service of G-d and are not necessarily practices for one and all. With some of the practices, R’ Gringlass noted some possible explanations.
Every time Mrs. Dina Chadad passed by for dollars, the Rebbe added an unexpected bracha for her husband, and she didn’t understand its meaning. It later became clear that the Rebbe, sitting in New York, foresaw her husband’s unstable medical condition. When she realized that her husband’s kidneys had stopped functioning, there began a race against the clock to find an appropriate kidney donor. At the last minute, when it appeared that there was no hope, she received a telephone call from the Rebbe’s secretary with an amazing instruction that saved her husband’s life.
Large clouds flew through the air, bringing many Jews to the third Beis HaMikdash. “Finally, the sweet dream came true,” I thought to myself as I observed Yerushalayim from on top of a fluffy white cloud.
Thank you for your responses to my articles. I have received many comments and questions about the current series on Moshiach and Chinuch and I would like to take the opportunity to address some of them.
While doing mivtzaim, it happens sometimes that in my outreach to Jews, I encounter non-Jews. I usually just give them a sheva mitzvos card with a picture of the Rebbe. Once in a while, a non-Jew will enter into a discussion about faith, the seven mitzvos, Moshiach, etc. I have met smart non-Jews who have despaired of what their religion has to offer and are looking for an alternative. I have also met those who choose to eat kosher and “observe” Shabbos even though they are not Jewish. I respond to each one according to the circumstances and the question they pose. I usually explain that in Judaism we are not interested in enlisting new candidates and that in their current status they are obligated to observe the Seven Noachide Laws.
“I was born and raised in Rechovot. I learned in Chabad yeshivos in Kfar Chabad (Rishon L’Tziyon), in Tzfas and in 770. I got married after a stint on shlichus at the Chabad house in New Delhi, India. After a year in kollel in Tzfas, I worked as a teacher for a few years in the yishuv of Eli in Mateh Binyamin and then we moved to Petach Tikva.”
Together with his fervent desire for the position of rav of Yekatrinoslav, Rabbi Bunin was a man with a very refined and exemplary character who recognized the greatness of Rabbi Schneersohn. He knew that he himself was more of an orator, while Rabbi Schneersohn was more outstanding for his deeds. Thus, he felt that if the community would choose their rav based on the sermon he gave, they would likely choose him and not the one who was better suited for the job. Rabbi Bunin was faced with a difficult internal struggle, and he eventually decided to withdraw his consideration of this lofty post, choosing instead to use his connections on behalf of Rabbi Schneersohn’s election. His decision was made with a heavy heart, but also with absolute determination…
To commemorate twenty years since the founding of the Beis Moshiach Magazine, editorial board member R’ Menachem Ziegelboim sat down with R’ Elchanan Nir, editor of the Makor Rishon Shabbos supplement, and discussed their work in writing and editing, revealing a few secrets of the trade. They deliberated over a variety of journalistic possibilities, and they agreed on the tremendous responsibility attached to every written and printed word.
One of the people familiar to those working for Zaka in Beer Sheva is Shimon Zaguri. Zaguri is a volunteer in the Zaka organization for over fifteen years now. In recent years he has been driving an ambulance for them.
January 7, 2015