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                         L'CHAIM - ISSUE # 1317
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                           Copyright (c) 2014
                 Lubavitch Youth Organization - L.Y.O.
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             THE WEEKLY PUBLICATION FOR EVERY JEWISH PERSON
   Dedicated to the memory of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson N.E.
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        April 11, 2014         Achrei Mos         11 Nisan, 5774
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                        Some Things Never Change

Some things never change. Like matza! Year after year, matza always
tastes the same. You'll never see a matza box flashing the words "new
and improved" or "all new recipe." Flour and water can't taste much
different than flour and water.

Change is taking place in the world around us so quickly that it's
reassuring to know that there are things in our lives and in the world
that are stable. They were the same yesterday as they are today and the
same as they'll be tomorrow.

This consistency can be found in the Rebbe's assertion that ours is the
last generation of exile and the first generation that will experience
the long-awaited redemption for all humankind.

Long before the Rebbe accepted the leadership of the Chabad-Lubavitch
movement over 60 years ago his thoughts were already absorbed with the
idea of Moshiach and the Redemption.

In 1956, in a letter to then president of Israel Yitzchak ben Tzvi, the
Rebbe wrote: "From the day I went to cheder [primary school] and even
before, the picture of the final Redemption started forming in my mind -
the Redemption of the Jews from their last exile, a Redemption in such a
way that through it will be understood the sufferings of exile, the
decrees and the destruction ... And all will be in a way that with a
complete heart and full understanding it will be said on that day,
'Thank you G-d for chastising me.' "

The thread joining all of the Rebbe's public addresses is the drive to
do another mitzva, to study another Torah concept, to hope and pray with
a little more feeling in order to hasten the Redemption.

This effort intensified when the Rebbe, with his prophetic vision, and
quoting an ancient Jewish text, declared that "the time for the
Redemption has arrived," a time of peace, prosperity, harmony and
knowledge, a perfect world.

Day after day the Rebbe said that we are poised on the threshold of the
Redemption. The Rebbe pointed to events taking place around the world,
as well as technological advances, as indications of, or precursors to,
the Messianic Era.

The Rebbe encouraged everyone: "Open your eyes" to the reality of the
Redemption. Make the Redemption your reality.

As we celebrate the Rebbe's 113th birthday this Friday, 11 Nissan/April
11, and a few days later the brithday of the Jewish people on Passover,
let's strive to experience true liberty, to really open our eyes to the
reality of the good and G-dly in everyone and everything around us. This
new vision, together with an additional mitzva, will surely bring the
ultimate change to the entire world, the change from exile to
Redemption, with the revelation of Moshiach, NOW!

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           LIVING WITH THE REBBE  -  THE WEEKLY TORAH PORTION
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This coming week we will begin celebrating Passover, commemorating our
redemption from Egypt. The Jewish people were redeemed from Egypt by
Moses, about whom our Sages said, "Moses was designated for redemption
from the moment he was created." Yet Moses' role as redeemer is not
limited to the exodus from Egypt; our Sages tell us he will also bring
the final Redemption with Moshiach: "Moses was the first and will be the
last redeemer."

The Torah expresses Moses' uniqueness with the words "Moses, a man of
G-d." The Talmud finds this description problematic. "If he is 'G-d,'
why use the word 'man'? And if he is 'man,' why use the word 'G-d'?" it
asks. The Talmud then goes on to answer its own question. "His lower
half was 'man,' yet his upper half was G-d." In other words, Moses was a
unique combination of the human and the Divine.

Accordingly, the task of Moses was to forge a connection between G-d and
man, between the supernatural and the physical worlds. G-d's revelation
of Himself through supernatural miracles is not enough; the ultimate
goal of creation is to introduce holiness into the physical realm, where
it can unite with nature and be one with it.

When the revelation of G-dliness supersedes nature, there is no true
connection formed between the Divine and physical reality.Although the
world may be temporarily shaken by the display of G-d's infinite power,
as soon as the miracle has ended, everything reverts to its former
condition. When, however, G-d reveals Himself within the limitations of
natural law, nature itself is shown to be G-dly.

This connection between natural and supernatural can only be effected by
a Moses who serves as intermediary between the two, as it states in the
Torah, "I stand between you and G-d." His function is to connect the
Jewish people to their Source and thus produce a true bond between them.

For this reason it was necessary that Moses embody both characteristics,
the human and the Divine. On one hand he is a human being, on the other,
he is higher than any other person. This dual nature enables him to
successfully combine the physical and the spiritual, imbuing material
reality with G-dliness according to G-d's plan.

This special quality will find its ultimate expression in Moshiach, the
reason why Moses is credited with bringing the future Redemption.
Moshiach's task is to complete the work begun by Moses, perfecting the
unification of natural and supernatural that will characterize the
Messianic era.

About the coming of Moshiach, the Torah states, "Like the days of your
going out of Egypt, I will show you wonders." The miracles of the final
Redemption will make the miracles that occurred in Egypt pale by
comparison - demonstrating to the entire world that nature is also
G-dly.

                             Adapted from Sefer HaSichot, 5751-1991

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                             SLICE OF LIFE
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                               Holy Matza
                             by Tzvi Jacobs

It was April 1994. Six weeks earlier I had started my first job at
Sandoz Pharmaceuticals.

Passover was coming soon. I had heard the Lubavitcher Rebbe speak many
times about the importance of eating hand-made Shmura Matza on Passover
and the special spiritual quality of Shmura Matza. The Rebbe also
encouraged people to give this holy food to as many fellow Jews as
possible to be used at the Passover Seder.

The Zohar calls matza "the bread of faith," and "the bread of healing."
Based on these teachings, the Rebbe taught that eating Shmura Matza on
Passover would have long-term positive affects on one's spiritual and
even physical health.

How then could I withhold giving this holy matza to my fellow Jewish
colleagues at Sandoz?

But, I must confess, it was a test for me on two fronts. First, there
was the Jewish shy factor. Okay, I told myself, some people bake cakes
and cookies for their holidays and give them out at work; so I bake
matzas at the Matza Bakery in Crown Heights and I'll give them out at
work.

Then, there was the money factor. I was married with four children, our
youngest daughter having been born just six days earlier. Hand-made
Shmura Matza was fetching $16 a pound!

In those days, Shmura Matza was a novelty, especially outside of
Brooklyn. So if I didn't give Shmura Matza to my fellow Jewish
colleagues, who would?

Still it was a test.

So a day before Passover, I packed matzas in pizza boxes (new ones, of
course) and made my pizza delivery to the five Jews who I knew at work.
If anyone stopped me I could say that I was delivering pizza. (Yes, it's
cold, that's why it smells kind of flat.)

When I had one box left someone asked me, "Do you know Arthur? He's
Jewish. Maybe he would like some?"

I had never met Arthur, but I had seen his name on his office door:
"Arthur Schwartz, PhD."

The shy factor kicked in. I glanced into his office; luckily he wasn't
there and I went back upstairs to my cubicle. But that one pizza box
holding the holy hand-made Shmura Matza stared me in the face. At the
end of the day, I got off the elevator on the fifth floor. Dr. Schwartz
was sitting at his desk and I tapped on his door and introduced myself.
"Call me Arthur," he said. "Please have a seat."

"Tomorrow night is Passover and ...," I said.

"Yes, I know, we - me, my wife and two children - are having a Seder at
the Temple, just down the road in Florham Park."

"I have some handmade matza," I said while opening the lid, "and I was
wondering...

I'll never forget that smile, the excitement in his eyes. Arthur looked
as if he had just struck gold. "Shmura Matza! Someone used to give it to
me every year when I worked in Manhattan. I started working here last
year and we didn't have any for the Seder. I missed it so much last
year."

That smile helped me lose the shy factor and made me realize how
priceless the Shmura Matza really is. It kept me going the next year and
the years after.

Fast-forward four years. I was now giving out Shmura Matza to about 20
Jewish coworkers at Sandoz, now named Novartis.

One of the women, already in her mid-thirties, had found a Jewish
husband. A number of men were putting on tefilin. A co-worker, who had
threatened me - "If you leave that L'Chaim on my desk I am calling HR!"
- had even come to a class at my house (though he argued with the rabbi
the whole time). The Shmura Matza was working.

Boy, was I pleased with myself; I had fulfilled the Rebbe's request and
had given Shmura Matza to everyone at work whom I knew was Jewish.

I took off work on the eve of Passover and was busy helping my wife
Esther get everything ready for our Seder. Sunset came and I finally sat
down.  "Oh my! Of all people," I moaned.

"What, what happened?" asked Esther.

"I forgot to give matza to Arthur. How did I?"  I had let the pride of
my accomplishments go to my head! Matza represents humility, the
opposite of pride and ego. With every bite of matza that I took at the
Passover Seder that night I thought of Arthur and his family not having
Shmura Matza. I felt so bad. I resolved not to be so smug in the future.

The next day we ate the holiday meal at friends of ours. On the way
home, our 8-year-old daughter Mariasha was pushing the stroller with her
2-year-old brother sitting inside. One part of the road was a little too
steep for her to navigate the stroller properly and before we knew it
the stroller had sped out of her hands. She ran after it but could not
reach it. The stroller hit a bump in the sidewalk and slowed just enough
for Mariasha to grab it. But then Mariasha tumbled over. By the time we
got home, her shoulder was hurting. By late afternoon Mariasha was in
severe pain. My wife called an ambulance and mother and daughter went to
the hospital.

Being that we didn't know what time they would return, we regretfully
started the Seder for the second night of Passover without my wife and
Mariasha. About 30 minutes into the Seder, there was a knock at the
door. Too early for Elijah, I thought to myself. When I opened the door,
I couldn't believe my eyes. It was Arthur and his wife Betty.

"Betty was passing by this afternoon and saw an ambulance in front of
your house. Is everything okay?" A few months earlier, the Schwartz's
had moved from Florham Park to Morris Township, about a mile from our
house. Arthur had wanted to be within walking distance of his synagogue.

Arthur and Betty joined us for the Seder. While eating the Shmura Matza,
my wife Esther and Mariasha - with a sling over her shoulder - came
through the door; Mariasha had chipped her collarbone. But the doctor
said it would heal pretty fast. And so it did, thanks I'm sure to the
holy Shmura Matza.

    Tzvi Jacobs lives with his family in Monsey, New York and works as a
    medical writer at Purdue Pharmaceuticals. In his spare time, Tzvi
    writes stories. He is the author of a book of stories From the
    Heavens to the Heart.

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                               WHAT'S NEW
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                             Public Seders

Nearly 700 Chabad-Lubavitch yeshiva students have travelled to
destinations around the world where they will conduct public Passover
Seders under the auspices of "Merkos Shlichus." They are in cities with
small Jewish communities or tourist spots that do not have permanent
emissaries. Chabad-Lubavitch Centers world-wide will host public Seders.
To find out about the Seder location closest to you call your local
Chabad-Lubavitch Center or visit chabad.org.

                  Passover Times (New York Metro Area)

Nissan-April 14 light candles for 1st night of Passover at 7:16 p.m.

Nissan-April 15 light candles for 2nd night of Passover from a
pre-existing flame after 8:18 p.m.

Nissan-April 16 first days of Yom Tov end at 8:19 p.m.

Nissan-April 18 Shabbat candle-lighting at 7:20 p.m.

Nissan-April 19 Shabbat ends at 8:22 p.m.

Nissan-April 20 light candles for 7th night of Passover at 7:22 p.m.

Nissan-April 21 light candles for last night from a pre-existing flame
after 8:25 p.m.

Nissan-April 22 Passover ends at 8:26 p.m.

*********************************************************************
                            THE REBBE WRITES
*********************************************************************
                     Freely translated and adapted

                      11th of Nissan, 5731 [1971]

...The relation of Passover to the month of Spring has a deep
significance:

Passover brought about a complete change from abject slavery to complete
freedom, from utter darkness to brilliant light. This is also the kind
of change which takes place in nature in the spring, when the earth
awakens from its winter slumber, and is released from the chains and
restraints of the cold winter, to sprout and bloom until the stalks of
grain begin to fill up.

Or, taking a detail: When from a seed after it had rotted away, there
sprouts a new, living and growing crop. In both cases - Passover and
spring - the change is not a gradual transition from one level to the
next, but an extraordinary change, bearing no relation to the previous
stage - a change that creates a new being.

One general instruction that may be derived from Passover, specifically
from the connection of the Exodus from Egypt with the month of Spring,
which is applicable to each and every Jew in his daily life, is the
following: Human life, in general, is divided into two spheres: the
personal life of the individual, and his accomplishments and
contribution to the world. In both of these there is the spiritual life
and the physical life.

The Jew's task is to "liberate" everything in the said spheres "from
bondage to freedom," that is to say, to take all things out of their
limitations and "elevate" them to spirituality (and more spirituality),
until every detail of daily life is made into an instrument of service
to G-d.

Even such things which apparently one cannot change - as, for example,
the fact that G-d had created man in a way that he must depend on food
and drink, etc., for survival - he nevertheless has the power to
transform the physical necessity into a new and incomparably higher
thing: One eats for the purpose of being able to do good, to learn Torah
and fulfill mitzvoth (commandments), thus transforming the food into
energy to serve G-d.

Moreover, in the very act of eating one serves G-d, for it gives the
person an opportunity to make a blessing before and after eating, etc..

We find something akin to the above in regard to the month of Spring: At
first glance, there is nothing man can do about it. After all, the laws
of nature were established by G-d ever since He created heaven and
earth...Nevertheless, a Jew observes and watches for the spring month in
order to "make Passover to G-d your G-d."

In other words, in the phenomenon of spring he perceives and discerns
G-d's immutable laws in nature. And more penetratingly: That it was in
the month of spring - precisely when nature reveals its greatest powers
- that "G-d brought you out of Egypt," in a most supernatural way.

In all spheres of one's daily life a person encounters conditions and
situations that are "Egypt" [In Hebrew "Mitzrayim" which has the same
root as the Hebrew word "meytzarim" - constraint and limitation]  from
the word meaning "Mitzrayim" - in the sense of restraints and hindrances
- which tend to inhibit and restrain the Jew from developing in the
fullest measure his true Jewish nature, as a Torah- Jew.

The hindrances and limitations are both internal - inborn traits and
acquired habits; as well as external - the influences of the
environment.

A Jew must free himself from these chains and direct his efforts towards
serving G-d. If, on reflection, a person finds that spiritually he is
still on a very low level, so that he can hardly be expected to make a
complete change from slavery to freedom and from darkness to a great
light - there is also in such a case a clear message in the festival of
Passover. For, as has been noted, the Exodus was a change from one
extreme to the other: From abject bondage to the most depraved idol
worshippers, the Jews were not only liberated from both physical slavery
(hard labor) and spiritual slavery (idolatry), but soon afterward - on
the seventh day of Passover - they were able to declare, "This is my
G-d," as if pointing a finger; subsequently, they reached Mount Sinai,
heard G-d Himself proclaim, "I am G-d" and received the whole Torah, the
Written as well as the Oral Torah - an extraordinary transformation from
one extreme to the other.

May G-d help every Jew, man and woman, to make full use of the powers
which the Creator has given each of them to overcome all difficulties
and hindrances - to achieve a personal exodus from everything that is
"mitzrayim," in order to attain true freedom, by attaching oneself to
G-d through His Torah and His commandments...

Including the commandment of remembering Exodus by day and by night, and
from individual redemption to the collective redemption of the Jewish
people as a whole, to merit the fulfillment of the prophecy, "As in the
days of your liberation from Egypt, I will show you wonders," at the
coming of our righteous Moshiach, speedily indeed.

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                              TODAY IS ...
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                               12 Nissan

The Jews in Egypt were utterly degraded under their severe and bitter
affliction. Yet, despite it all, they did not change their names, their
language, or their distinctive clothing. With absolute determination
they stood at their posts, for they knew that G-d had promised to redeem
them. Whoever behaves as they did under such circumstances is a soldier
in the Army of G-d, and the Al-mighty will come to his assistance in a
manner that manifests itself in nature - yet transcends nature.

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                        A WORD FROM THE DIRECTOR
                         Rabbi Shmuel M. Butman
*********************************************************************
It is an ancient Jewish custom to say daily the chapter of Psalms
associated with the number of one's years. Chasidim and followers of the
Rebbe also recite daily the Rebbe's chapter.

The 11th of Nissan (this year Friday, April 11) marks the Rebbe's 112th
birthday, and so, we begin reciting chapter 113.

Chapters 113-118 of Psalms comprise Hallel, the special Psalms that we
recite on Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret, Chanuka, Passover and Rosh Chodesh.

According to many opinions, Hallel was composed by the Jewish people at
the splitting of the Red Sea. Our Sages state that Hallel was composed
to be said at every great event and in every period of danger; we will
also recite Hallel at the time of the Final  Redemption.

This particular chapter alludes to some of the wondrous miracles that
G-d performed at our redemption from Egypt.

The first verse reads: "Praise the L-rd. Offer praise, you servants of
the L-rd; praise the Name of the L-rd." At first the Jews were servants
of Pharoah. After their liberation from Egypt, they became servants of
G-d. According to the Midrash, it was actually Pharoah who, in order to
stop the plague of the first-born proclaimed that the Jews were free and
told them that they are now servants of G-d and should praise Him.

In verse four we read: "The L-rd is high above all nations." Chasidic
teachings explain the verse as follows: There are those among the
nations who say: "Since the L-rd is so great, so high, His glory
transcends the heavens - His glory can be found only in the heavens,
whereas, for Him to rest in lower creations would be demeaning." In
truth, however, He dwells on high (v. 5) - He transcends all equally,
heaven as well as earth, and it is by His choice alone that He lowers
Himself so low upon heaven and earth (v. 6) to dwell therein.

May we immediately  see the culmination of our liberation from Egypt
with the commencement of the eternal Redemption NOW!

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                          THOUGHTS THAT COUNT
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For on that day shall [the High Priest] make an atonement for you (Lev.
16:30)

The Jewish people are likened to a walnut. A walnut is edible even if it
falls into dirt and filth. All one must do before eating it is wash it
off, for the inside meat remains unsoiled. The same may be said of the
Jewish people. No matter how sullied they become by their misdeeds a
whole year, Yom Kippur comes and "washes" them off. A sin affects only
the external part of the Jewish soul; the inner essence is always
untouched and pristine.

                                                    (Midrash Rabba)

                                *  *  *


Blood shall it be considered to that man; blood has he shed (Lev. 17:4)

The purpose of the animal offerings was to accustom the individual to
self-sacrifice. However, the Torah tells us, if the sacrifice was
offered in the wrong place, "blood shall it be considered to that man."
Sacrificing oneself on foreign altars, for the sake of foreign
ideologies and ideals, is not only a waste of time, but a grievous sin.

                                                        (Eglai Tal)

                                *  *  *


Do not follow the ways of Egypt where you once lived, nor of Canaan,
where I will be bringing you. Do not follow any of their customs. (Lev
18:3)

This verse is not exhorting us concerning transgressions; those are
detailed later. Rather, it is informing us concerning the actions and
deeds which are permitted; they must be performed in a different manner
from the non-Jewish people in Egypt and Canaan. Even our eating and
sleeping should be done in a Jewish way.

                                                      (Siftei Emet)

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                            IT ONCE HAPPENED
*********************************************************************
Rabbi Yossi and Mariashi Groner have been emissaries of the Rebbe in
North Carolina since 1980. Rabbi Groner relates: One of the programs we
established in our early years in Charlotte was an after-school program
for children. In 1985 we recognized the need for a preschool. The
community preschool was full and we had had requests from parents to
open one. We met with the administration of the existing Jewish
preschool to speak with them about our desire to open a preschool. They
voted not to stand in our way and actually encouraged us to open.

After running our preschool successfully for a number of years, parents
began to ask us to open a Jewish day school, starting one grade at a
time. A community day school did exist but it was not Orthodox. We wrote
a letter to the Rebbe asking if we should open a day school. The Rebbe
responded that we should not open our own day school because it would be
divisive and that is not what Lubavitch is about.

One of the parents in our preschool who was Orthodox decided to write a
letter to the Rebbe. In a rather forceful and aggressive way, he told
the Rebbe that he really wanted us to start a day school and he couldn't
understand why the Rebbe was not concerned with the Jewish welfare of
the children in Charlotte. The Rebbe responded, "It will bring to
division and war. This is not the matter of Lubavitch at all."

Two years later, the community day school closed. We took the
opportunity to write to the Rebbe again, and explained that now that the
school had closed we had the opportunity to start a day school. The
Rebbe's response was that we should speak to the Rebbe's secretariat. We
spoke to the Rebbe's chief secretary, Rabbi Chaim Mordechai Chadakov.
Rabbi Chadakov told us, "The reason the Rebbe wanted you to speak with
me is because the Rebbe wants you to know that the establishment of the
school must be 'b'darkei noam ub'darkei shalom' - in a pleasant and
peaceful manner."

With that instruction in mind, we established the Charlotte Jewish Day
School. The school has been, thank G-d, quite successful. Our Jewish
studies classes have always been very warm, educational, non-judgmental.
Jewish children and families from all walks of life feel comfortable in
our school. And everything is done according to halacha (Jewish law).

At a certain point a number of lay leaders - including a very
influential philanthropist - put pressure on us that the school should
be pluralistic and that all kinds of viewpoints should be taught in the
school. We were called to a meeting with these people.

Mariashi and I discussed at length how we would put to rest the
arguments of the lay leaders at the upcoming meeting. The night before
our meeting, as we were discussing what our approach would be, I
commented to my wife, "We always wrote to the Rebbe when we had issues
with the community and the Rebbe would advise us how we should act and
what we should say.  And, now we don't have that option."

The next morning, at 6:30 a.m. when I arrived at our Chabad House for
the morning minyan, I went into my office and saw that there was a long
fax that had come at some point in the night. I looked at it hastily and
saw that it was a copy of a letter from the Rebbe. After the morning
prayers finished, I took the fax and began to read the letter. There
were two letters. The first letter was to an educator in Israel who was
coming under pressure to change the school. The letter said, "...: To
the fundamental question about the school's administration, he is
correct when he writes that above all, the main thing is the benefit to
the students and success in their studies and their education....the
hope is strong that finally even those who don't consider the benefit to
students, for whatever reason, will see the truth..."

I took the letter home to my wife and we studied it together. It was
clear from the Rebbe's letter that what is most important in education
is to always have in mind what is best for the children. This must be
the over-riding concern. We understood that at the meeting that day, our
question about any proposed changes would be, "Is this for the benefit
of the children?"

At the actual meeting, each time a change was proposed, we asked, "Is
this for the benefit of the children? Does it have educational value? Or
is it only for the benefit of a political viewpoint or agenda?" The
proposed changes were not discussed again and we were never asked to
attend a follow-up meeting.

We were still trying to figure out how did this letter come to us, out
of the blue, with the precise answer we needed and the night before we
needed it.  To satisfy my curiosity, I called my father (Rabbi Leibel
Groner, a member of the Rebbe's secretariat) and asked if he had faxed
the letter to me. He assured me he had not.

I then called Rabbi Yaakov Chazan who worked in the Rebbe's library at
the time. I had been in the middle of a family research project for
someone in the community. This man was not Jewish but had ancestors who
were Chasidim. I had been in touch with Rabbi Chazan, to get some
historical facts on behalf of this person. Rabbi Chazan said he had come
across a letter of the Rebbe written in 1964 to Kadish Luz, speaker of
the Israeli Knesset,  a relative of this person. He told me that he
would send it to me. But weeks passed and I did not receive the letter.

The second of the two letters that had been faxed to me before the
meeting was a letter to Kadish Luz. When I reached Rabbi Chazan he told
me the following: "Last night, at 3 a.m., I suddenly remembered that I
had never sent the Kadish Luz letter to you. I could not fall asleep. I
felt like something was pushing me to send it right then. I got out of
bed, got dressed, walked over to my office at the library and found the
unpublished letter. It was part of a signature (four pages that when
folded become a section of a book) with another letter and rather than
tear off the first letter I sent the whole thing. "

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                            MOSHIACH MATTERS
*********************************************************************
The Passover Seder celebrates our simple faith and commitment to G-d,
and we should fill this celebration with joy. We must also recognize our
good fortune that G-d's mighty hand and outstretched arm constantly
reach out to every one of  us. This trust in G-d makes us truly free
from all worries - physical and spiritual. As we begin the Seder, we
should lift our cups to G-d in thanks for our liberty, in joy for His
helping hand, and with the pure faith that by following in His ways, the
ways of the Torah, we will all achieve true and lasting freedom -
personal and universal - and march from Passover to the complete and
Final Redemption with the coming of Moshiach.

                      (The Rebbe, Passover, 5715 / Moshiach Hagada)

*********************************************************************
              END OF TEXT - L'CHAIM 1317 - Achrei Mos 5774
*********************************************************************