Shul Bulletin

• Shabbos Candle Lighting: 4:36 pm
• Last Time To Read Shema: 8:58 am
• Chassidus for Early Minyan: 8:45 am
• Shiur Chassidus by Rabbi Raichik: 9:00 am
• Early Minyan Shacharis: 9:30 am
• Shacharis: 10:00 am
• Kol Yaakov Yehuda: 10:00 am
• Mincha: 4:35 pm
• Shabbos Ends: 5:39 pm

• Rabbi & Mrs. Yisroel Bastomski in honor of Rabbi Yisroel Bastomski’s birthday. May he have a shnas hatzlocho begashmiyus ubruchniyus.
• Rabbi & Mrs. Binyomin Kaplan in honor of Rabbi Binyomin Kaplan’s birthday. May he have a shnas hatzlocho begashmiyus ubruchniyus.
• Mr. & Mrs. David Kaufman in honor of Mr. David Kaufman’s birthday. May he have a shnas hatzlocho begashmiyus ubruchniyus.
  Also, for the yahrtzeit of Mrs. Marci Kaufman’s Grandmother Malkah bas Reb Nosson ob"m. May the neshomo have an aliya.
• Rabbi & Mrs. Zalmy Klyne in honor of the birth of their daughter Batya. May they have much nachas from her and may she grow up to Torah, to Chupa and to Maasim Tovim., batya
• Mr. & Mrs. Berl Sroka in honor of their anniversary. May they have many more happy years together.
  Also, for the yahrtzeit of Mr. Berl Sroka’s grandfather Reb Aron ben Reb Moshe Dovid ob"m. May the neshomo have an aliya.
  Also, for the yahrtzeit of Mr. Berl Sroka’s grandmother Zlata bas Reb Yitzchok Dovid ob"m. May the neshomo have an aliya.
  Also, for the yahrtzeit of Mrs. Mindy Sroka’s father Reb Yosef ben Reb Noson Halevi ob"m. May the neshomo have an aliya.
• Rabbi & Mrs. Yossi Vcherashansky in honor of the birth of their daughter Batsheva. May they have much nachas from her and may she grow up to Torah, to Chupa and to Maasim Tovim.
• Mr. & Mrs. Joel Yachzel for the yahrtzeit of Mr. Joel Yachzel’s mother Tzerel bas ben Reb Tzion ob"m. May the neshomo have an aliya.

4:30 at the home of Mrs. Milka Elharrar
157 N Fuller
Speaker: Rabbi Haller

• Rabbi & Mrs. Shaya Berkowitz on the birth of their grandson.
• Rabbi & Mrs. Mendel Dubinsky on the birth of their granddaughter.

Upcoming Birthdays

• Mr. Meir Finck - 11 Cheshvan
• Mr. Shmuel Sufrin - 11 Cheshvan
• Mr. David Kaufman - 12 Cheshvan
• Ephraim Lerner - 12 Cheshvan
• Mendel Munitz - 12 Cheshvan
• Rabbi Yisroel Bastomski - 13 Cheshvan
• Mr. Noteh Berger - 13 Cheshvan
• Shlomo Yaakov Stark - 14 Cheshvan
• Dr. Binyomin Kaplan - 15 Cheshvan
• Menachem Mendel Eliyahu Goldman - 16 Cheshvan

Upcoming Anniversaries

• Mr. & Mrs. Frank Revere - 11 Cheshvan
• Mr. & Mrs. Berl Sroka - 12 Cheshvan
• Mr. & Mrs. Yisroel Koch - 12 Cheshvan

Upcoming Yahrtzeits

• Chana Rivkah bas Reb Aron (Mrs. Fayge Estulin’s mother) - 11 Cheshvan
• Shaina Baila bas Reb Moshe (Mr. Mottel Polityko’s grandmother) - 11 Cheshvan
• Reb Aron ben Reb Moshe Dovid (Mr. Berl Sroka’s grandfather) - 11 Cheshvan
• Zlata bas Reb Yitzchok Dovid (Mr. Berl Sroka’s grandmother) - 13 Cheshvan
• Reb Yosef ben Reb Noson Halevi (Mrs. Mindy Sroka’s father) - 13 Cheshvan
• Reb Yitzchok ben Reb Yisroel (Mr. Milton Goodman’s brother) - 13 Cheshvan
• Tzerel bas ben Reb Tzion (Mr. Joel Yachzel’s mother) - 14 Cheshvan
• Reb Dovid ben Reb Moshe Yehushua (Mrs. Sarah Morris’s father) - 15 Cheshvan
• Alta Elka bas Reb Avrohom Bunim Hakohen (Mrs. Chana Arnold’s mother) - 16 Cheshvan
• Malkah bas Reb Nosson (Mrs. Marci Kaufman’s grandmother) - 16 Cheshvan 
• Reb Doniel Refuel ben Reb Gershon (Mrs. Roberta Solomon’s brother) - 17 Cheshvan

The True Inheritors of Avraham
Don’t Check Polls and Don’t Look Back
By Rabbi Shimon Raichik

In this week’s parsha of Lech-Lecha the Torah describes the war of the 4 Kings against the 5 Kings. When Lot was taken captive by the stronger more formidable successful group of 4 Kings, Og the King of Bashan came to inform Avraham.

Og had a plan. He knew that Avraham was a man of his word and had agreed to protect Lot. He was hoping that Avraham would throw caution to the wind against overwhelming odds and go fight the war against the 4 kings. In Og’s mind he didn’t have a chance. Then, after Avraham would fall in war he would take Sarah as his wife.

The Midrash says that night was Pesach and Avraham was busy baking matzos when Og arrived. The Rebbe asks why the Midrash mentions this point; there must be an underlying intention or message.

The Rebbe explains that Og was filled with doubt if his plan would succeed. While its true that Avraham had agreed to protect Lot, everyone knew, especially Avraham that his 318 men (or just Eliezer according to a second explanation) faced impossible odds. Would Avraham take on a completely unnatural and metaphysical conflict with no logic to save Lot? He was unsure. Then he saw the matzo. He saw the pure emunah of Avraham and then he knew that his plan would work. Avraham would go to war, get killed and he would have Sarah as a wife. Og got the surprise of his life when Avraham returned victorious.

The lesson to all of us, inheritors of Avraham and his way, is obvious. There’s an Og out there with different names. Call him the UN the EU or even the US. The world is screaming at us that we cannot build and live peacefully in our own land.  There is a big temptation to recoil in fear from what could happen to us if we don’t listen to and follow conventional wisdom. Our odds aren’t so great from an empirical perspective. It’s not easy to stand up against the whole world to fulfill our agreement to live the life of the Torah and mitzvos open and proudly and settle Eretz Yisroel. But we are the children of Avraham and it’s with his example of rock solid emunah that we go forward proudly and openly keeping the Torah and mitzvos and settling the land knowing that we have the strength to overcome despite any and all odds.

We know and we have seen over and over that compromise has never helped; it has only complicated matters and ended in even greater dangers. With emunah we can fight and win, the same today as in the times of Avraham.

The Rebbe said that Moshiach is coming and we need to prepare the world. Some look around in fear at the UN the EU and even the US and start using polls and odds in our approach coopting the doubting mindset of the giant Og. We need to go out together with Eliezer, Kel-li-ezer, Hashem is my help, together with the Aibishter’s help and be victorious regardless of any other consideration. With Hashem and Toras Emes we will break through all of the doubts and all of the worries. Practically speaking by strengthening the chinuch of our children and the values in our homes, by dressing modestly and having a shiur Torah and davening we have the strength to break through all of the fears without any calculations and prepare the world for the revelation of Moshiach, Now!

There are a few reservations left for this upcoming security event. This is open to our shul members. Please respond ASAP  to gemachshadar@gmail.com if you would like to attend.

Melech Weiss

Good Afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen,

     Did you know that 89% of active shooters demonstrated concerning behaviors prior to conducting their attack?  According to a recently released FBI report, “A Study of the Pre-Attack Behaviors of Active Shooters in the United States,” it was also revealed 77% of active shooters spent a week or longer planning their attack and some 56% of attackers displayed their first concerning behaviors as early as 25 months before the attack! This report verifies what we at CSI have been teaching for years.  There are always signs or behaviors before an attack, and it is imperative that we identify and quickly report these “pre-incident indicators” in order to prevent an attack on our community.       

     If you want to learn how to harness the power of advanced situational awareness, sign up today for Personnel Resiliency Training (PRT), Nov 13th, 2019.  This course was specifically developed by security and law enforcement experts for the needs and circumstances of the Jewish Community! PRT teaches staff and volunteers to be an early warning system for their site by recognizing and reporting suspicious activity before an incident occurs.  The target audience for this course is anyone who works or volunteers at a Jewish site to include; Executive Directors, Front Office Staff, Facilities Personnel, Security Guards, Lay Leaders, Board Members, Security Committee Members and others.  

Course Information: 

     Training will be held at The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, 6505 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90048 from 8:30am – 1:30pm, Nov 13th, 2019.  The training is absolutely free.  Refreshments, lunch and free limited parking will be available on site! As with our last course, we anticipate heavy registration, so get your folks registered TODAY!   Those who end up on standby will have priority seating when seats become available or on future PRT iterations. 

Note: Weapons are not allowed at this training site as it is a secure facility.

     As always, CSI will continue scheduling and hosting quality training that is practical and will help secure our Jewish institutions.  If you have any questions regarding this security training or other CSI programs, please contact the CSI team via email.  

Thank You and Stay Vigilant!

• Click here for this week's KYY newsletter. 
• Click here for this week's Lmaan Yishmeu publication.
• Click here for this week’s JEM "Here’s My Story". 
• Click here for a list of our ongoing shiurim. 
• Click here to pay up all your building fund, kibud or yiskor pledges and outstanding membership. Thank you to all of our supporters!!

• Shabbos Candle Lighting: 5:42 pm
• Last Time To Read Shema: 9:54 am
• Chassidus for Early Minyan: 8:45 am
• Shiur Chassidus by Rabbi Raichik: 9:00 am
• Early Minyan Shacharis: 9:30 am
• Shacharis: 10:00 am
• Kol Yaakov Yehuda: 10:00 am
• Mincha: 5:40 pm
• Shabbos Ends: 6:45 pm

• Rabbi & Mrs. Shloime Arnold in honor of Rabbi Shloime Arnold’s birthday. May he have a shnas hatzlocho begashmiyus ubruchniyus.
• Mr. & Mrs. Zechariah Davidson in honor of the birth of their daughter Bluma. May they have much nachas from her and may she grow up to Torah, to Chupa and to Maasim Tovim.
• Rabbi & Mrs. Shmuel Schneerson in honor of Rabbi Shmuel Schneerson’s birthday. May he have a shnas hatzlocho begashmiyus ubruchniyus. Also, in honor of the birth of their daughter Basya. May they have much nachas from her and may she grow up to Torah, to Chupa and to Maasim Tovim.

• Mr. & Mrs. Sholom Wilansky and Mr. & Mrs. Shaul Raigorodsky in honor of the birth of their twin grand/daughters Basya & Bracha Frieda Wilansky. May they have much nachas from them and may they grow up to Torah, to Chupa and to Maasim Tovim.

4:45 at the home of Mrs. Sima Zeifman
421 N Poinsettia
Speaker: Rabbi Levi Kramer

• Rabbi & Mrs. Mendel Duchman on the birth of their granddaughter (to JJ and Frumie Duchman.)

Upcoming Birthdays

• Rabbi Shmuel Schneerson - 4 Cheshvan
• Rabbi Elozor Fisch - 5 Cheshvan
• Zev Aharon Allison - 6 Cheshvan
• Rabbi Shloime Arnold - 7 Cheshvan
• Mendel Berkowitz - 9 Cheshvan
• Rabbi Aharon Shapiro - 10 Cheshvan
• Shmuel Elimelech Cohen - 10 Cheshvan

Upcoming Yahrtzeits

• Reb Moshe ben Reb Chayim Zev (Mr. Harvey Benton’s father) - 7 Cheshvan

Enter the Rebbe’s Teivah!

By Rabbi Shimon Raichik

This week we read parshas Noach which discusses the mabul, the great flood. Chassidus explains that the waters of the mabul refer to all of the tests trials and tribulations that come with daily living. Especially as we leave the spiritual heights of the Yomim Tovim of Tishrei, we seem to become plunged into the many waters of worldly concern. We confront all of  the stresses and anxieties of properly addressing the mundane; shuffling through the daily routine of managing our livelihoods, trying to balance our checkbooks, getting our children’s school year off on the right foot while trying to keep the upbeat attitude and increased shiurim that we committed to on Rosh Hashana. And don’t forget we decided to stop worrying, which we are now worried about because the return to this daily flood which has gotten us a bit overwhelmed! Chassidus explains that we need to enter the Teiva of Noach, the teivos, words of Torah, Tefillah in order to stay afloat. 

While we know that this is true for all of Bnei Yisroel, as Lubavitcher Chassidim the Rebbe has given us a unique mission and therefore we need to best understand which teivos, words, work best for our specific circumstances. Today in this year of 5773, when we have need advice where do we turn for guidance? What is our teiva to enter during difficult times? 

Many use the Igros Kodesh of the Rebbe. They say that the best thing to do is write the Rebbe a letter and place it into the Igros and look on the page you placed it for advice, guidance, and bracha. Others say that it is preferable to follow what the Rebbe spoke about in the years 5746-7; to appoint a Rav or a mashpia to consult with get advice and guidance both in general and for specific questions. This is known as the campaign of Asei Lecha Rav, discussed in previous articles at length. In 5748, the Rebbe said for matters of business one should consult with business experts, for health he should consult with doctor who is an expert in the field and a friend, and for ruchnius matters to consult with a mashpia. 

In the forward of volume 12 of Igros Kodesh (printed in 5749), a historical explanation is given as to why the Rebbe published many volumes of Igros Kodesh in the 1980’s. In the early years of the Rebbe’s nesius, the Rebbe held personal yechidus with individuals for birthdays and special occasions. He also responded to individual requests with private letters. As the years passed and requests grew, instead of letters, answers were written directly onto the request often in the form of an edit, a comment or a bracha. This allowed for a greater volume of letters to be answered. As the requests continued to grow, in 1975 personal yechidus for birthdays stopped. In 1980 most personal yechidus stopped. In its place the Rebbe held general yechidus for guests, Chossonim and Kallos, and Bar and Bas Mitzvos. They usually took place after a Yom Tov.

Later on at a time when most personal answers stopped we merited the publishing of many volumes of Igros Kodesh. During this time the Rebbe stressed in many sichos, similar to what is written in the forward of the Tanya, to take advice from a Rav. 

The volumes of Igros Kodesh are printed with an index which allows the reader to get a detailed perspective on any topic of concern. The Igros Kodesh offer eitzah v’hadracha, advice and guidance, by providing a compendium of ideas and answers to any question. As the Alter Rebbe wrote in the forward to the Tanya; “Someone who finds it difficult to understand the advice inside these writings should talk to the leaders in his town and they will provide insight.” The forward to volume 12 of Igros Kodesh was printed under the auspices of the Rebbe and therefore reflects the Rebbe’s wishes. Therefore it is obvious that the same approach described in the Tanya applies also to Igros Kodesh. It is true that the Rebbe can answer from the Igros or at the Ohel, and that is fine and good. It certainly however must be combined with this approach described in the hakdama of volume 12 and the Tanya.

Therefore, if a friend, talmid, or child tells you that he or she wrote to the Igros Kodesh but he didn’t get an answer, tell them that they should go to a mashpia to seek guidance or advice. If a bochur comes to a mashpia to find out which yeshiva he should go learn in the coming year, it is not right that the mashpia should tell him to just write into Igros and if there is a hint in the letter such as, the word Montreal or Eretz Yisroel or Yeshivas Tores Emes that he should consider that his answer. This is not the way Lubavitch. What is necessary is for the mashpia to first become acquainted with all the details in the life of the bochur and then to come to an understanding as to what is in his best interests, and then to write if that is the preference. The Rebbe wants you to work with your Chabad, your intellect. Study the topic and then work it out with your mashpia. 

Based on the above, it is incumbent upon everyone to have a regular seder of learning Igros Kodesh. Learning Igros Kodesh provides a broad understanding and clarity of the advice and guidance that the Rebbe provides for any problem of life. This is our ‘Teivas Noach’ which has protected us and continues to protect us on our unique journey through the mayim rabim, the flood of worldly concerns that surround us. 

In conclusion, the Alter Rebbe in the hakdama of Tanya concludes; “From the provider of life, may He merit us and enliven us to the day when man will no longer learn from his friend, as everyone will know Me because the knowledge of Hashem will fill the earth etc.” Amen may it be his will.