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                         L'CHAIM - ISSUE # 1365
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                 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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        March 27, 2015            Tzav             7 Nisan, 5775
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                          An Emerging Reality
                        by Rabbi Eliyahu Touger

Yud-Alef Nissan, occurring this year on Tuesday, March 31, is the
Rebbe's birthday. Our Sages explain that the word Rebbe is an acronym
for the Hebrew words "Rosh B'nei Yisrael," "head of the Jewish people."
The head is the nerve center for the entire body, allowing all its
diverse organs and limbs to function together as a single organism.
Similarly, a Rebbe is a comprehensive soul whose life is lived in
consciousness of others and whose efforts are devoted to intensifying
the connection between them. As such, the Rebbe's birthday is a day
which impacts us all.

In connection with a birthday, the Rebbe writes that on that day, a
person should spend time in solitude, thinking over the purpose of his
life, correcting those matters that need to be amended, and making
resolutions with regard to his conduct in the future. As such, since the
Rebbe is a comprehensive soul, as the Rebbe's birthday approaches, we
should all take time for such thoughts.

Whenever the Rebbe wrote public letters, he would address them "To all
the sons and daughters of Israel, wherever they may be." For the Rebbe
did not see himself as addressing merely his own followers, but as
reaching to the Jewish people as a whole.

To cite a parallel from the Torah: After Pharaoh's unsettling dreams of
the seven cows and the seven ears of grain, he turned to his advisers
for an interpretation. They told him, for example, "You will father
seven daughters, but then they will die." Pharaoh rejected their
explanations, but he readily accepted Yosef's explanation. What was the
difference?

The interpretations of his advisers were personal, relating to Pharaoh
as an individual; Yosef's interpretation touched upon the whole nation.
Even Pharaoh understood that if Gd sends a message to the leader of a
people, it will not address a private matter, but will be of consequence
to all the members of his nation. With concern for every member of our
people as an individual and the entire nation as a collective, he has
endowed us with a vision that lifts us beyond our narrow, personal
identities and inspires depth, purpose and joy.

In one of his letters, the Rebbe writes that from childhood on, he had a
vision of the era of Moshiach, how the Jewish people would be redeemed
from exile and build a perfect society. From his assumption of the
leadership of the Lubavitch movement in 1950 onward, he made that
vision, not only his individual goal, but the goal of the movement, and
indeed, of the Jewish people as a whole, stating: "We are in the midst
of the period when the approaching footsteps of Moshiach can be heard.
Indeed, we are at the conclusion of this period. Our task is to complete
the process of drawing down the Divine Presence... so that it should
rest within our world."

On the Rebbe's birthday, this goal becomes more cogent and powerful. The
Redemption can be seen as an emerging reality that we can anticipate in
our own lives and share with others.

              From Keeping in Touch, published by Sichos in English

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           LIVING WITH THE REBBE  -  THE WEEKLY TORAH PORTION
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In this week's Torah portion, Tzav, we read about the eight-day
consecration of the Sanctuary. All the instructions for building the
Sanctuary had been followed. The utensils were ready for use, the fire
on the altars were lit, and the Jews began to bring the various types of
sacrifices. Yet, "the Divine Presence did not rest on the work of their
hands." For the first seven days, the Sanctuary was erected. But each
day it was taken down again. Only on the eighth day of the consecration,
when the last trace of spiritual impurity caused by the sin of the
Golden Calf was removed, did the Heavenly fire descend and the G-dly
Presence rest on the Sanctuary.

We see here two components to the perpetual fire that burned on the
altar. The priests were commanded to bring ordinary fire. The act of
bringing the fire served as a preparation for the G-dly flame which came
from Above. Only after human initiative had been taken could the G-dly
fire descend. And only at that point did the Sanctuary attain
permanence.

Why could the G-dly fire be drawn down only after the human component of
the worship was perfected? What special nature of the G-dly fire brought
permanence to the Sanctuary?

People are finite. No matter how high their aspirations, they can reach
only a finite level of spirituality. Being finite, people cannot reach a
level of permanence in their worship without the assistance of G-d, Who
is unlimited. Permanence cannot be attained solely through human effort.
The G-dly intervention added a permanence that could not be achieved by
human endeavor. The Sanctuary no longer needed to be disassembled.

The fire teaches us that we must first complete our own tasks and
achieve as much as our capabilities allow. Only then will G-d provide
the spiritual boost to reach beyond our capacity.

The completion of the first seven days of the consecration also
symbolized the limitations of the physical world. A week constitutes a
full cycle symbolizing the spiritual limitations inherent in the
corporeal world. The eighth day of the consecration symbolizes the
infinite attribute of G-d which cannot be contained in the natural order
of seven. This is the level of "perpetual fire'" which burned on the
altar, showing that finite beings could transcend even time itself,
through the perfection of their worship of G-d.

The verse concerning the perpetual fire reads: "A perpetual fire shall
burn on the altar - it shall not go out." This means that our enthusiasm
and warmth towards Judaism must remain kindled and never be allowed to
diminish. It is not enough to rely on our spiritual achievements of the
day before, or even a minute ago. We must be ever vigilant to ensure
that the innate spark of love of G-d in every Jewish soul never grows
cold.

Every single Jew is a sanctuary to G-d, as it states, "And they shall
build me a Sanctuary and I will dwell in their midst" - in the midst of
each and every Jew. If we always keep the spark of love for G-d and
Judaism glowing, we can ensure that the Divine Presence finds a dwelling
place in this world below.

                   Adapted from the works of the Lubavitcher Rebbe.

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                             SLICE OF LIFE
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                           Cleaning Up My Act
                            by Lieba Rudolph

I remember hearing the word when I was a child, and the thought
terrified me. I imagined a cerebral cortex being scrubbed down on a
washboard. That's what I thought of when I heard the word,
"brainwashed." But I remember thinking it probably wasn't so bad once
they put the clean brain back in your skull.

No, I was told clearly, "brainwashing" is a bad thing done by bad
people. There is nothing worse than being told what to think and what
not to think.

So you can imagine what I thought every time I went into the homes of my
new "friends," the Lubavitchers. There wasn't one house that didn't have
a large, prominently displayed picture of  the Rebbe.

I know about people like you, I thought to myself. You've been
brainwashed.

Then there were other people we met who only confirmed our suspicion.
They would say to us, "We really like Lubavitch. We just have a problem
with... the Rebbe."

I knew what they meant. I had never seen a leader so totally revered by
his followers. Americans didn't put up pictures of the President and I
had never seen a rabbi picture anywhere in a Jewish home.

There was only one problem: I really liked the Rebbe's followers and
they seemed to genuinely like me, and I knew it wasn't because they
wanted to brainwash me.

I liked their pride in being Jewish, the way they helped people, the
fact that they talked about G-d and the meaning of life. I understood
that this all came from the Rebbe and his teachings, but it still seemed
strange that their Jewish observance was so connected to a human being.

It didn't take me long to see that the Rebbe was someone people turned
to when they wanted or needed something. What could be wrong with having
a little help with that? Besides, the Rebbe didn't demand loyalty or any
commitments in return; what did I have to lose, especially if I could
get some help in the blessings department?

I took full advantage of the Rebbe's ability to look out for me when my
husband Zev and I actually had a yechidut, a private audience, with the
Rebbe in 1989. I was expecting a child (who soon became my daughter
Leah), so naturally I wanted to ask the Rebbe for a blessing for a
healthy baby. But my wish list kept getting bigger as I realized I
should cover all my bases, grandchildren and great grandchildren
included.

You have to ask for what you want, right?

It's hard to remember when the thought occurred to me, that if I really
wanted to be covered forever and ever, I needed to ask the Rebbe to
bring Moshiach, the Messiah. But that's exactly what I did.

I said to the Rebbe, "If you would bring Moshiach, all of our prayers
would be answered." The Rebbe answered that he was ready, but that he
needed the cooperation of all the Jews around him.

I then asked the Rebbe for a blessing to work harder to bring him as
soon as possible. The Rebbe then answered, "Yes, and as soon as possible
because Moshiach is ready to come tomorrow...or maybe the day after
tomorrow."

Now, 25 years later, I am starting to understand that I got my personal
charge from the Rebbe on that day.

We saw the Rebbe many times before he passed away. Together with
thousands of others, our family would line up for hours outside the
Rebbe's office so each of us could receive a blessing from the Rebbe,
along with a dollar that we would then exchange for another dollar to
give to charity. Little by little, I realized that the Rebbe was more
than a holy intervenor who could help me access blessings that were a
little beyond or more difficult for me to reach on my own. He was also a
spiritual guide whose teachings could help me clean out not just my
brain but my soul.

I only have one real recollection of hearing the Rebbe actually speak
from his headquarters in 770 Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn. The women were
standing on benches, pressed together side to side, with only our heads
facing front. It was so crowded that your feet didn't have to touch the
floor for you to be held up. I couldn't see the Rebbe, he spoke in
Yiddish so I couldn't understand the Rebbe, but none of that mattered. I
knew that it was good for me to be there.

I remember asking the woman next to me what the Rebbe was saying. She
answered, "When  you give something to someone else, it should be better
than what you keep for yourself."

So this was how the Rebbe was trying to brainwash me. If I want to get
clean, "good enough" is not good enough when it comes to doing for
others.

You can imagine how often I hear those words reverberate in my ears, how
many times over the years I have deliberated over my two bags of mandel
bread, pushing my hand to give away the bigger one because I know this
is what the Rebbe wants me to do.

And that's just for starters. I don't always do what the Rebbe wants, I
know that, but I'm committed to trying.

And I know one other thing: I haven't been sorry yet.

                          From Mrs. Rudolph's blog ponderingjew.org

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                               WHAT'S NEW
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                             Public Seders

Nearly 800 Chabad-Lubavitch yeshiva students are travellinged 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. In addition, most of the thousands of Chabad-Lubavitch
Centers world-wide are hosting public Seders. To find out about the
Seder location closest to you call your local Chabad-Lubavitch Center or
visit chabad.org.

                              Shmura Matza

Make sure your celebration of the Passover Seders has an authentic feel
with the traditiona, round, hand-baked Shmura Matza.  Available at your
local Chabad-Lubavitch Center.

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                            THE REBBE WRITES
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                     25th of Cheshvan, 5735 [1974]

Greeting and Blessing:

As I inquire periodically from our mutual friends about you and your
family, I was pleased to receive word about your recent birthday.

No doubt you know that Chasidim observe special customs in connection
with a birthday. These also reflect the significance of a birthday in
Jewish life.

In general, these customs comprise three items: 1) an Aliyah (being
called up to the Torah) on the preceding Shabbos; if at all possible, 2)
additional Torah study on the birthday itself, 3) an extra donation for
Tzedokoh [charity] on the birthday - if a weekday, or before or after,
if it occurs on Shabbos.

Needless to say, Jewish customs are meaningful in many ways. It would
take us too far afield to mention more than one aspect in regard to each
of the above three customs.

The Aliyah to the Torah, on the preceding Shabbos, which is by way of
preparation for the birthday, emphasizes that with each birthday the Jew
rises to a higher spiritual level. This is indicated also by the word
Aliyah ("going up"). And, although the term also refers to the physical
ascent of actually going up to the Bimah [the elevated platform where
the Torah is read] which is on a higher level than the floor of the Shul
[synagogue], its real meaning is the spiritual aspect. Indeed, it is
precisely because of the spiritual ascent (achieved through the reading
and study of the Torah) that the Bimah is elevated.

The particular relevance of the birthday is this: a person, of course,
grows physically and mentally from day to day and from year to year, so
that in some respects the person is not exactly the same today as the
day before. Certainly in the spiritual sphere the birthday is meant to
bring about an essential (not merely superficial) change, since on that
day his Mazel [fortune] is renewed.

By that is meant, as the Gemoroh expresses it "mazelayu chozi", the
"root" of the soul, which remains attached to its Source On High, while
only an extension of the soul, as it were, descends into the body and
vitalizes it. For, obviously, the soul which is eternal and part of
"real G-dliness" could not be "wholly confined" within the body, any
more than G-d Himself could be con fined within the world He created.
And just as G-d is both in the world and beyond it (immanent and
transcendent) so it is in regard to the soul and body.

Therefore, when the birthday comes, the Jew is expected to ascend to a
higher level in an essential way, namely by strengthening the very root
of the soul, when, as a matter of course, the change is felt also in the
"lower" aspect of the soul that vitalizes the physical body. Such a
change can be achieved only through Torah, which is "our very life and
the length of our days."

The second observance - an increase in the actual Torah study - follows
the first, but in a more tangible way, namely the study of the Torah
with understanding and comprehension, so that it permeates the mind and
is reflected in actual living experience in the daily life.

The third item - the giving of Tzedokoh - signifies the giving of
oneself, both of body and soul. Since a person consists of both body and
soul, his growth and advancement has to encompass both the spiritual and
the physical. If the Aliyah and Torah study primarily reflect the
spiritual, the giving of Tzedokoh reflects the physical and material,
namely the sweat and toil of earning money, which is then converted into
some thing spiritual and sacred, since it is dedicated to a sacred
cause, as indicated by the term "Tzedokoh."

Being kept informed by our mutual friends about your consistent
advancement both spiritually and materially (in matters of Tzedokoh),
there remains for me only to express the hope that since your recent
birthday, you have been doing this with even greater inspiration and
joy, and that the advancement is evident in both quality and quantity.

With blessings,

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                              TODAY IS ...
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                                8 Nissan

Every soul has its particular avoda, in the areas of intellect and
emotions, in accordance with that soul's nature and character. It is
written: "From my foes have You given me wisdom";* from the evil
tendencies one detects in his natural traits, he can become wise and
know how to handle the correction of these traits, and how to
subordinate his powers, in the service of G-d.

(A more literal rendering of Psalm 119:98 is "You have made me more wise
than my foes.")

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                        A WORD FROM THE DIRECTOR
                         Rabbi Shmuel M. Butman
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It is a 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 Tuesday,
March 31) marks the Rebbe's 113th birthday, and so, we begin reciting
chapter 114.

Chapter 114 of Psalms is the second chapter of Hallel, the special
verses of praise to G-d recited on all Jewish holidays.

The Midrash (Shocher Tov) explains that the Children of Israel merited
to be redeemed from Egyptian slavery and exile because they did not
change their names, they did not change their language, and they
restrained themselves from immorality. This is alluded to in the first
two verses. "When 'Israel' went out," indicates that the Jewish people
retained their Jewish names; "from a people of 'alien tongue',"
indicates that the Egyptian language was alien to them, i.e., they used
the Holy Tongue amongst themselves; "Judah became his 'holy nation'," -
they did not defile themselves by copying the sexual immorality of
Egypt. (Chatam Sofer)

Ancient tradition teaches that the entire theme of this chapter relates
to the second verse, "Judah became His holy nation..." - i.e., Judah
became the royal house of the Jewish nation because they were the first
tribe - represented by Nachshon ben Aminadov - to selflessly jump into
the Red Sea.

In the fourth verse we read: "The mountains skipped like rams, the hills
like lambs." Chasidic teachings explain that when a person is in a
calculated mode, his spiritual growth is also measured - step-by-step.
However, at a time of immense joy and celebration, one can reach much
higher levels, "skipping" by leaps and bounds. We thus dance, we skip
like rams, leaving the cerebral behind and thereby reaching levels
beyond our calculations. (Sefer HaMaamarim 5715)

The eighth and final verse is, "Who turns the rock into a pond of water,
the flint into a flowing fountain." The revelation at Mount Sinai gave
the world with a glimpse of what it will be like in the Redemption. In
fact, it is not nature that will change, as Maimonides states that the
world will go according to its nature. Rather, our eyes will be opened,
for "the earth will be filled with the knowledge of G-d as water covers
the sea (Isaiah 11:9). At that time, G-d will turn the rock into a pond
of water [i.e. a reservoir of knowledge], the flint into a flowing
fountain."

May that long-awaited Redemption commence NOW!

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                          THOUGHTS THAT COUNT
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And the priest shall put on his linen garment (Lev. 6:3)

Rashi comments, "His garment (mado) should befit his stature (midato).
The service of the high priest who performs his duties while wearing the
garment of an ordinary priest is invalid."A person must always behave in
a manner befitting his stature. The higher up one is on the ladder, the
more is required of him.

                                                   (Yalkut Eliezer)

                                *  *  *


He shall carry the ashes outside the camp, to a clean place (Lev. 6:4)

Even though the ashes that remained after the sacrifices were burnt were
only a waste product of Israel, they too were worthy of being kept in a
pure, clean place.

                                                      (Beit Yaakov)

                                *  *  *


And every meal offering that is mixed with oil, or dry...to one as much
as the other (Lev. 7:10)

The meal offering mixed with oil was voluntary, but the dry one was
brought by a person who had committed a transgression. The Torah says,
"to one as much as the other." One must treat both individuals with the
same respect, love and spirit of brotherhood, regardless of the reason
why the offering was brought.

                                          (Rabbi Yitzchak of Vorka)

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                            IT ONCE HAPPENED
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                       by Rabbi Zushe Silberstein

I heard the following story from a cousin of mine, Aharon Dovid, a few
years ago. My cousin is a chasid, but not a Lubavitcher chasid. He is a
successful businessman and helped out the various institutions run by
his rebbe by raising money for the institutions during his various
business trips.

One time, my cousin was in Los Angeles on business. Walking down the
street, he saw someone who looked familiar to him, though he couldn't
remember from where. Then he remembered that they had been
study-partners in yeshiva when they were much younger. They exchanged
some small talk, and then the long-lost friend announced, "I am now a
chasid of the Lubavitcher Rebbe."

My cousin asked him, "How, why did this  happen?"

"Listen to my story and then you will understand. After my wife and I
married, we continued to live in the community in Brooklyn where we had
both grown up. After about a half a year, I was offered a job in Los
Angeles and we decided to move here even though we didn't know anyone.

"One day, my wife really wasn't feeling well. It seemed serious enough
to go to the emergency room and that's what we did. After a few hours of
examinations, tests, and waiting, the grim-faced doctor came out and
spoke to me privately. 'From the tests that we did, your wife's
condition seems complicated. According to what we see, your wife's
disease is quite advanced. I recommend that you don't tell her anything;
don't scare her. Go home. Get some sleep. Come back tomorrow and in the
meantime we'll make sure that your wife is comfortable.'

"I didn't know what to do, to whom to turn. I went home and prayed and
said Psalms from the depths of my heart. Suddenly I remembered, I am a
chasid! I began to cry out, 'Rebbe, help me! Save my wife! Help me!'

"A few minutes passed and the phone rang! Right then, in the middle of
the night! I thought perhaps it was someone from the hospital telling me
there was good news. But when I picked up the phone it was a man who was
speaking in Yiddish. He said, 'I am Hadakov. I am calling you because
the Rebbe told me to call you to say that in the morning you should take
your wife out of the hospital and go to Dr. -. The Rebbe gave his
blessing that everything will be fine.' Then this Hadakov person said,
'Did you heard what I said?' I must have answered 'yes' because the next
thing I knew there was  a dial tone at the other end.

"I sat there wondering, 'Did I really get that phone call? Where do I
know Hadakov from? Maybe I'm dreaming and hearing voices? Maybe it was a
fantasy? I know what I heard but who is Hadakov?'

"I did not know who Hadakov was but I had a feeling that he was somehow
connected to the Lubavitcher Rebbe. I remembered that there is a
Lubavitcher chasid, an emissary of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, here in Los
Angeles named Rabbi Shmuel Dovid Raichik. I had never met him personally
but he was renown as someone who was always helping out other people.
Rumor had it that he would stay up the entire night saying the bed-time
Shema.

"I looked up the number in the phone book. It was 3:30 a.m. but I called
anyway. Rabbi Raichik answered the phone. I told him what had happened
to my wife and the phone call from Rabbi Hadakov. Rabbi Raichik told me
that Rabbi Hadakov was the Lubavitcher Rebbe's personal secretary. 'So
do as he told you to do!' Rabbi Raichik said simply. I explained that I
had been so surprised by the phone call that I was not actually sure
what Rabbi Hadakov had told me to do. Rabbi Raichik gave me the phone
number of the Rebbe's office. Even thought it was now 6:30 a.m. in New
York, he urged me to call the Rebbe's office to clarify what I was
supposed to do. I immediately called and the phone was answered by Rabbi
Hadakov.

"I asked Rabbi Hadakov to repeat what he had told me: 'The Rebbe told me
to call you and to say that in the morning, take your wife out of the
hospital and go to Dr. - and the Rebbe gave his blessing that all would
be well.' I then asked him, 'Why did you call me?' Rabbi Hadakov said,
'Because the Rebbe asked me to do so.'  Bewildered, I asked, 'But I did
not call the Rebbe so why did the Rebbe say to call me?' Rabbi Hadakov
said, 'I can't answer that. That's between you and the Rebbe. I did what
the Rebbe told me to do.'

"The next morning I went to the hospital and told the doctor I was
taking my wife out. I had to sign all kinds of documents that said I
take responsibility for her. I found the address of the doctor the Rebbe
had referred me to. I called the office and the secretary said the next
appointment would be in a year! I tried explaining that the matter was
urgent but it did not help. I decided to take my wife straight to the
doctor. We went to the doctor's office with no appointment. When I saw
the doctor I told him desperately that he had to see my wife. The doctor
was taken aback by my nerve but said that it was not possible without an
appointment. I told him that the secretary had said the next available
appointment is in a year. The doctor insisted that he could not see us.
I told him, "The Lubavitcher Rebbe referred me to you."

"Upon hearing this, he said, 'I don't know who the Lubavitcher Rebbe is
but your story is so unusual it interests me. Come into my office, I
want to hear more.' My wife and I came into his office and we told him
everything. In the end he agreed to treat my wife.'

My cousin Aharon Dovid had been standing on the street in Los Angeles
talking to his old friend for quite a while. His friend concluded, "You
are probably wondering what happened... Thank G-d, my wife recovered! We
have been blessed with five children,  and all is well!

But my cousin still did not understand. He asked his old friend, "But
why did you become a chasid of the Lubavitcher Rebbe?" His friend said,
"In the middle of the night, when I cried out, 'Rebbe, help me!' the
Lubavitcher Rebbe is the one who answered me!"

        Reprinted from Beis Moshiach Magazine. Rabbi Silberstein is
                  director of Chabad Chabanel, in Montreal, Canada.

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                            MOSHIACH MATTERS
*********************************************************************
After Moses the First redeemer was revealed, the slavery of the Jews in
Egypt drastically increased. Similarly, after Moshiach is revealed,
anti-Semitism and our servitude to the nations will drastically
increase. Just as Moses was revealed, then disappeared, and then
revealed again before leading the Jews from Egypt, similarly, Moshiach
will be revealed, concealed, and then revealed again before leading us
to the final Redemption. The extraordinary length of our exile is to
greatly increase the magnitude of the Redemption and our reward in the
end. The punishment of those who afflict us will be similarly increased.
Troubles are a sign of the Redemption.

                                                 (Rabbeinu Bachaye)

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                 END OF TEXT - L'CHAIM 1365 - Tzav 5775
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