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Wherever We Live Every Moment Is the Place We Make Hashem’s Home
By Rabbi Shimon Raichik
This week's parsha discusses the travels of Bnei Yisroel through the desert. The parsha tells us that when the ananei hakavod- the clouds of glory signaled, the Bnei Yisroel travelled and when they signaled they stopped and camped. In some places they stayed for a year or a month, and in others just a day or two. What practical knowledge do we gain by knowing the various travels and camping places of Bnei Yisroel in the desert? The answer is to teach us that Bnei Yisroel camped and traveled according to the word of Hashem. Still, what lesson does that, that we travelled according to Hashem, teach us today in our service of Hashem?
The Gemorah asks: How do we know that we may not carry between a private and a public domain on Shabbos? If we learn this halacha from the desert, we know that a desert is not considered a city, but rather a karmelis (not a public domain)? The Gemorah answers that we learn the halacha out of the fact that Bnei Yisroel traveled and camped according to Hashem.
When the Bnei Yisroel encamped, that place became a permanent establishment. Thus, the laws of a private domain and a public domain applied. This teaches us that even though the Bnei Yisroel might have only stayed briefly in a certain place, because Hashem told them to stop there, their stay, however short, was considered permanent.
When Jewish people traveled through the desert, the goal was not to remain there. Their entire focus was on traversing the desert in order to arrive in Eretz Yisroel.
This is also applicable to our journey through the galus. Our goal is not to remain here in galus, just as the goal of the generation of the desert was not to remain in the desert. Our entire focus is on the geula and on bringing Moshiach. Since we are here according to Hashem’s will, we have a mission and a purpose to set up a mishkon for Hashem here in Los Angeles to make it a home for Hashem, even if Moshiach will come later today or early tomorrow.
The Rebbe explains that a desert has two features: no one can live there and nothing grows there. This shows a level of klipa. Nothing positive can come from klipa, and klipa wants everything for itself. When the Bnei Yisroel entered the desert, wherever they settled converted that part of the desert into a city. There were six hundred thousand households and a population of over two million individuals, they were supplied with water from Miriam's well and they erected the Mishkan. The Midrash adds that plants even began to grow. Bnei Yisroel converted the physical desert into a physical city and a spiritual desert into a home for Hashem. This same lesson should be applied to our avodas Hashem in this time of golus. We are living in a spiritual desert without a revelation of Hashem. Our job in this desert is to erect a Mishkan, a dwelling place for Hashem.
In this sense, every one of us represents the shevet Levi who must establish our dwellings as a Mishkan and do the service of Hashem in our home - where each of us represents the kohanim.
Sometimes we travel away from home. Even if only for a day or so, we may feel that we are only traveling and what we do is not so important. One might say to himself, “ich bein nor interveigen- I am neither here nor there." Why should I be careful in kashrus, in tznius, or daven with a minyan, etc. while in transit? I am on the road, don't bother me.
This week's parsha teaches us that even when the Jews only encamped for one day, the Levi'im had to erect the Mishkan, disassemble it the next day and load the wagons with much hard labor! The Levi'im did not excuse themselves by saying, "we don't need to get so involved, why should we even bother, it’s only for only a day or two?” Instead, they knew their encampment was by the word of Hashem and it was their task to prepare the Mishkan for the Kohanim to bring korbonos. They therefore treated every temporary place as permanent, and erected the Mishkan and performed avodas Hashem in that place.
Once the women of Nashei uBnos Chabad had a convention in Detroit. On their way back from the convention their flight was delayed. They had concerns about the delay (perhaps because of it being close to Shabbos). They called the Rebbe’s office and requested a bracha because they were, in their words, “stuck in the airport”. Rabbi Klein asked for a clarification in the Rebbe’s name; what do they mean that they are stuck? They replied by saying that the flight was delayed. Rabbi Klein responded that the Rebbe knows that's what they mean, but obviously there's a reason for the delay. There's no such thing as it just being a delay. Obviously there's something that needs to be done with this moment or these hours that you are in the airport. Whether you travel or whether you stay there is according to Hashem. The Rebbe made this clear to them that no matter how long they are there they should use the opportunity to help others to do mitzvos. They ended up using their time giving out brochures and candle lighting sets for Shabbos.
The same is true for us. When we travel we must remember the lesson from the Baal Shem Tov that everything is by Divine Providence. The pasuk in Tehillim (37:23) says; “The steps of man are directed by Hashem.” Wherever we end up, even overnight, is because Hashem wants us to be in that specific place. Our whole life is and wherever we are “according to Hashem”. One must behave as if one is at home, and make that campground, hotel, motel or airport lounge into a Mishkan for Hashem.
(Adapted from Likutei Sichos, vol 7, p. 351, Vol 13, Toras Menachem v. 40 Behaaloscha and Sefer HaSichos 5747 Vayigash)
MOTZEI SHABBOS:
Alex & Rikki Damianou
Invite the community to a Sholom Zochor
9-11 at 460 N Vista
5:30 at the home of Mrs. Berta Sandberg
543 N Martel
Speaker: Rabbi Levi Kramer
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Sometimes its the Smallest Effort and the most Simple Deed that Makes the Biggest Impact
This Shabbos, which follows Shavuos, is also one of ‘the days of tashlumim, the days of completion’. These days afford an opportunity to make up for korbonos, which should have been brought on Shavuos. Therefore this Shabbos is an appropriate time to see if there is anything to complete in our avodah of Shavuos by asking ourselves what we have taken away from Shavuos in avodas Hashem.
We have a custom to make sure that our children hear the Eseres Hadibros. This is because our children are our guarantors. Our children join us by the reading of the Eseres Hadibros not just to commemorate but relive the receiving of the Torah at Har Sinai in an even stronger way than before.
We take this experience with us into the rest of the year by developing and shaping our children as our guarantors through the chinch, the education that we provide. Chinuch is a joint effort, a partnership between parents and the school. Parents spend a lot of money in an effort to give their children the best chinuch. The most important part of the chinuch parents provide however is our personal involvement with our children. As the Rebbe Rashab said; just like every day we put on Tefillin, so too we should spend a half an hour a day on the chinuch of our children. When we open the Sichos of the Previous Rebbe we read about the tremendous personal involvement of the Rebbe Rashab in the chinuch of the Previous Rebbe. Completing the Yom Tov of Shavuos reminds us of our separate, special, essential and irreplaceable part in the education of our children, our guarantors.
This message is equally true for the professionals, the mechanchim; the educators of our children on a daily basis. This week’s parsha, Naso, accounts for the jobs of the Leviim, their supplies their wagons and all of the details. All of these things were necessary and irreplaceable parts that went into the detailed effort that made it possible to maintain the Mishkon. In order to construct a Miskon, to travel with it in the desert, then to disassemble and reassemble it required an intricate team effort. If one detail would be left out then the entire operation would have to come to a screeching halt! Everyone and every detail were of paramount importance. So too the individual Mishkon of our homes requires a team effort between the father and mother. Together they create from their lives and their family a functioning Mishkon for Hashem. They are edified and effective when they remind themselves that they make an irreplaceable contribution to the family. With their part the entire family goes forward.
There are Sichos from the Previous Rebbe and the Rebbe (from the years 5704-1944 and 5712-1962) that explain how Moshe Rabbenu realized the virtue of the simple Jew and his important contribution to the point that not even one Jew can be left out. The simple and sometimes seemingly insignificant acts of simple people are of the utmost importance and have the greatest impact, an impact that transcends the intellect. From the Sichos we learn that it’s the actual simple acts of ahavas Yisroel or any mitzvah that makes the difference.
When each one of takes our part and our responsibility with sincerity and then act, then the Mishkon is intact. Then also the well being of our children, our guarantors are intact, as well as our standards, our family, and our community. It’s not accomplished by doing a job that belongs to someone else but by focusing on the details in front of us that are our job even if they are simple. This is a message that we can take from Shavuos and this week’s parsha, and by living with it complete our service on the final day of tashlumim-completion for the Yom Tov of Shavous. The Rebbe many times said that we just have to finish the small details; the final touches and then we will merit the revelation of Moshiach. May we merit immediately to the final completion, the completion of galus with the revelation of Moshiach Now.
A Good Shabbos
Mrs. Shula Polityko
is sitting shiva in Phoenix, AZ on the passing of her father
Hershel ben Meir ob"m Muchnik
Zoom Shiva: 11am-12pm and 6-9pm. Zoom ID: 8506801375
Hamakom Yenachem Eschem B'soch Sheor Avalei Tzion V'yerushalayim. Vehukeetzu Veranenu Shochnay Ufur vehu besochom!
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543 N Martel
Speaker: Mrs. Chana Rochel Schusterman
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Shavous: Receiving the Torah for the Sake of Entrepreneurial Success!
By Rabbi Raichik
This Shabbos is the Shabbos before Shavuos when we say the 6th Chapter of Pirkei Avos, completing the first cycle of saying Pirkei Avos after Mincha. The second Mishnah says the following (6:2):
“Rabbi Joshua ben Levi said: every day a bas kol (a heavenly voice) goes forth from Mount Horeb and makes proclamation and says: “Woe unto humankind for their contempt towards the Torah”, for whoever does not occupy himself with the study of Torah is called, nazuf (the rebuked. As it is said, “Like a gold ring in the snout of a pig is a beautiful woman bereft of sense” (Proverbs 11:22).
And it says, “And the tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tablets” (Exodus 32:16). Read not haruth [‘graven’] but heruth [ ‘freedom’]. For there is no free man but one that occupies himself with the study of the Torah. And whoever regularly occupies himself with the study of the Torah he is surely exalted, as it is said, “And from Mattanah to Nahaliel; and Nahaliel to Bamoth” (Numbers 21:19).”
The following is a segment of the Rebbe’s explanation of this Mishnah. The Rebbe asks the following questions.
Har Sinai has five names, nevertheless the common name is Har Sinai as it says (at the beginning of Pirkei Avos) “Moshe received the Torah from Sinai”. Why does this Mishnah call it Har Chorev?
Second, what does the Mishnah mean that the Jewish people shames or shows contempt to the Torah? When someone doesn’t learn the Torah it is himself that he shames? How does this shame or show contempt for the Torah?
Third, why does the Mishnah use the word ‘osek-occupy’ instead of ‘learn’ when speaking about lack of Torah study?
Fourth, the Torah says very serious things about someone who doesn’t learn the Torah (see Tanya chapter 1). Therefore why does this Mishnah refer to one who doesn’t study the Torah as only ‘nazuf-rebuked’?
The Rebbe asks many additional questions on the Mishnah but we will focus only on these four.
The Rebbe explains that when Hashem gave us the Aseres HaDibros, the Torah, it began with the word “Leimor-saying”. This teaches us that Hashem not only gave us the Torah but Hashem gave us the power of “Leimor” the ability that our occupation with the Aseres HaDibros, (which includes all the words of the Torah), will absorb and penetrate into our physical reality. We need to know that the end result of our learning the Torah and doing mitzvos will transform the world.
Not only will we be rewarded for our efforts but with every word of the Torah and every mitzvah we do the world changes permanently. This is how we conquer the world, by both revealing G-dliness into the world and by destroying the forces of negativity that stand in opposition of the greater good.
This explains the Mishah’s use of the word ‘occupy’ instead of ‘learn’. The word ‘osek-occupy’ is also the word for ‘eisek-business’. In business every entrepreneur places highest value on the merchandise he sells, displaying it beautifully, advertising it in a captivating way to the greatest possible audience, and talking endlessly to customers about the value of his products. He does his best to make it clear to the customer that he is not doing the entrepreneur a favor by purchasing, rather he is doing his customer the favor of providing him with the opportunity to purchase these items. Also, the way a business works is for profit.
So too it is with the Torah and mitzvos. We don’t learn the Torah and do mitzvos only because we have to because we are religious or for a portion in Gan Eden without a feeling of being a stakeholder in changing the world. We do it because we are planting the seeds of the geula, we are making the world a better place and changing the world forever. We are bringing the coming of Moshiach and making the world a dwelling place for Hashem. This is the profit of our work. We are entrepreneurs for Hashem and we are part of Hashem’s ‘business plan’. We are always after new customers, as the Previous Rebbe’s guidance to publicize the Torah and help others to recognise it’s greatness. If however it’s done only because we like to or only because we enjoy it then we miss out on how powerful the Torah and mitzvos truly are.
This is why “Rabbi Joshua ben Levi said: every day a bas kol (a heavenly voice) goes forth from Mount Horeb” , not Har Sinai because at Matan Torah we were given the ‘sword (cherev)’ the spiritual power to cut off the negative forces and to transform the world.
This is also why the proclamation says: “Woe unto humankind for their contempt towards the Torah”, for whoever does not occupy himself with the study of Torah is called, nazuf (the rebuked). When we don’t understand the true value of Hashem’s ‘product’ the Heavenly voice shouts so that we should wake up to realize the preciousness, the jewel that we have and what we can accomplish with the Torah and mitzvos to bring Moshiach. This is the power of “Leimor” that was given to us before the Aseres HaDibros by Matan Torah to change the world that was created with the Asara Mamaros-Ten Utterances to fulfill our purpose of making this world Hashem’s home.
With this we prepare for Matan Torah on Shavuos. With this we will finish the war of this galus and merit being together with Moshiach in the Third Beis HaMikdash hearing all together the Asreres HaDibros and the Torah Chadasha.
A Good Shabbos, A Good Yom Tov
(Adapted from Likutei Sichos v. 1 and v. 4)
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As we write this message Eretz Yisroel is under a constant bombardment of missiles and unrest. In these circumstances the Rebbe advised us to add in Torah, Tefilla and Tzedaka. We should encourage others to do same, as well as to increase in Mivtzoyim.
Together with this additional merit we have complete bitachon that Hashem will protect the Jewish people wherever they are. Please join this Tehillim group. Hashem should hear all of our Tefillos and bring Moshiach now.
Erev Rosh Chodesh Sivan 5781
To All Anash of Los Angeles:
Due to the tense situation presently in Eretz Yisroel, Tomorrow, on Erev Rosh Chodesh which is called Yom Kippur Katon we should study extra Torah. We should increase in Tefillah by adding chapters 20, 22, 69, 120, 121, 130 and 150 in Tehillim. We should also add in giving extra Tzedakah.
Hashem should hear our tefillos and protect the entire Jewish people wherever they are and end this galus now.
Rabbi Ezra Schochet
Rabbi Shimon Raichik
Rabbi Yosef Shusterman
MOTZEI SHABBOS:
5:30 at the home of Mrs. Miriam Rav-Noy
423 N Fuller
Speaker: Rabbi Yisroel Hecht
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What’s a Nice Kallah Doing In a Place Like a Tanner’s Market?
By Rabbi Shimon Raichik
Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai said that whenever the Jewish people went into the golus Hashem went along with them together, as it states; “Golah laEdom Shechina emahem-When the Jewish people were exiled into the lands of Edom the Divine Presence escorted them.”
On the pasuk ”V’Shav Hashem Elokecha es shevuscha- Then Hashem your G-d will return your captivity” (Devarim 30:3) Rashi explains;
To express this idea it ought to have written "V'Haishiv Hashem-that Hashem will bring back thy captivity" instead of "Veshav Hashem-that Hashem will return?". But our Rabbis learned from this that, if one can say so of Hashem this means that His Divine presence dwells with the Jewish people in all the misery of their exile, so that when they are redeemed (i.e. when He speaks of their being redeemed), He makes the Torah write “Redemption” of Himself (i.e. He makes it state that He will be redeemed) — that He will return with them (R' Shimon in Megillah 29a). Furthermore the pasuk "Veshav...es" which means that the day of the gathering from galus is so important that it is as though He (Hashem) Himself actually holds each individual’s hands bringing him from his place, so that Hashem Himself returns from the galus with us
The Rebbe when quoting this pasuk would often add the pasuk, “B’kol tzarasam, LO tzar- In all of their sufferings it is (LO) for Him (Hashem) suffering”, and the Rebbe would call out by the word ‘Lo-for Him”. This teaches us that Hashem is not distant, as if looking from afar, rather here with us in our pain.
The Zohar HaKodesh on this week’s parsha quotes R’ Eliezer the son of R’ Shimon on the tochacha section- the rebuke (the third aliya 26:44);
וְאַף־גַּם־זֹ֠את בִּֽהְיוֹתָ֞ם בְּאֶ֣רֶץ אֹֽיְבֵיהֶ֗ם לֹֽא־מְאַסְתִּ֤ים וְלֹֽא־גְעַלְתִּים֙ לְכַלֹּתָ֔ם לְהָפֵ֥ר בְּרִיתִ֖י אִתָּ֑ם כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶֽם׃ Yet, even then, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them or spurn them so as to destroy them, annulling My covenant with them: for I am Hashem their G-d.
R’ Eliezer said not to read the word לְכַלֹּתָ֔ם to mean to destroy, rather read it to mean that I will not reject them etc., because they (the Jewish people) are my Kallah (similar to the tefillah of “Lecha Dodi likras Kallah” where the Kallah also refers to the Jewish people).
R’ Eliezer goes on to explain that the land of the enemies (in the galus) is likened to a tanner’s market which radiates foul odors. That is the place where Hashem’s Kallah (the Jewish people) is found. Hashem is saying in this pasuk that the foul odors etc. do not matter. As long as His Kallah is there it’s as if the tanner’s market is filled with beautiful perfumes.
The Rebbe explains that the terrible stench of the galus, the tanner’s market is not where a good Jew belongs. It’s a place without a Beis HaMikdash and the avoda of korbonos, ketores or even tefilla which is in their place. We, the Jewish people, Hashem’s Kallah, are trapped in this tanner’s market.
Hashem tells every Jew, “I am there with you. I feel you have the most pleasant odors, like the most beautiful perfumes.” Hashem sees our galus and how we nevertheless do mitzvos and educate our children in the Torah etc. Not only does the environment not harm us, we have the inner potential and power to strengthen ourselves in the galus, the tanners market in all aspects of Judaism. We have the strength to be living examples for all others to be successful and strong in upholding Judaism and proper Torah education. This brings a pleasant aroma, a nachas ruach to Hashem like the very best perfume.
This is what R’ Eliezer adds to his father R’ Shimon’s teaching. R’ Shimon taught that Hashem does not forsake us gazing from afar from His palace on high, rather Hashem is with us now and will go out together with us from this galus. R’ Eliezer adds that our work within the galus itself brings such a nachas ruach, a pleasing aroma to Hashem. This should surely cause Hashem to take us out of galus and then He will walk hand-in-hand with every Jew to the geula.
It is with this thought and this feeling that we cry out to Hashem with true sincerity and say that it's been long enough in the golus; Ad Mosai! we've had enough, now is the time for the geula.
A Good Shabbos, A Good Chodesh
Reb Dovi Gorelik
is sitting shiva until Friday
on the passing of his father Reb Chaim Elozor ob"m
Address: 127 N Detroit
Phone: (323) 835-3287
Times:
No visitors from 3 pm till 6:30 and no visitors after 9:30
Minyanim:
Shachris-7:30, Mincha/Maariv-bezman.
Mincha Friday 2:30
Hamakom Yenachem Eschem B'soch Sheor Avalei Tzion V'yerushalayim. Vehukeetzu Veranenu Shochnay Ufur vehu besochom!
Mrs. Shoshana Dubinsky
is sitting shiva in FL on the passing of her mother
Rebbetzin Gittel Weberman - Gittel Leah bas Moshe OB"M
She can be reached at 323-377-1950 or [email protected]
Hamakom Yenachem Eschem B'soch Sheor Avalei Tzion V'yerushalayim. Vehukeetzu Veranenu Shochnay Ufur vehe besochom!
