@ Believe it or not

Once in awhile an event takes place that can only be properly described as a 'Baalshmeske maise', i.e. a supernatural occurrence, after Rabbi Yisroel Baal Shem Tov who was known as a miracle worker. Here's one of those stories related by Rabbi Laibel Groner, the Lubavitcher Rebbe's personal secretary,  this past Shabbos: CONTINUE reading

@ Dollars and sense

The Lubavitcher Rebbe in the 80's and early 90's would stand for hours on end distributing blessings and single dollars bills to thousands. This would usually take place on Sundays right outside the Rebbe's office at 770 Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn, NY.
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@ Tell the truth!

Chaim Herzog (the sixth President of Israel) in an interview to Kfar Chabad magazine, told a very telling story.

In the mid-70's in Hebron there was a certain "incident of military significance" in which the Israeli Army reacted very vigorously. Arab states, of course, demanded discussion of the  incident  in the UN Security Council which was to  take place after Simchat Torah.

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It's been an accepted practice with the Rebbeim of Chabad from time to time to focus their mental, meditative attention on their followers. Just as  a water surface reflects someone looking at it, this type of focusing leads to a strengthening of connection between the Rebbe and his follower.

This is the reason that at times and suddenly a person feels this pull of connection. 

       This phenomenon is akin to receiving messages from Above reflecting the concept of  “shuvu bonim shoyvevim” (return, you wayward children), meaning that even though we don’t hear them physically, our metaphysical selves are capable of  receiving them. This is a kind of spiritual "email" that has an effect on the soul in the body and this prompts the person to stirrings of repentance. Along the same lines, that’s how it is with the righteous who are likened to their Creator, who are able to affect this matter of connecting.

      As is known, this arousal to connect to the Rebbe doesn’t come from the person but rather from Above and because the Rebbe thought about him or her  and, the person is obligated to utilize these stirrings that’s “not his”  in action, which is his/hers!

      Even when a tzaddik is present in his physical body, he’s able to "broadcast"  these waves of arousal.  How much more so when a tzaddik isn’t limited to physicality (his body),  it becomes then even easier to connect to the Rebbe.  And every year this  capacity increases.

משיחת י' שבט ה'תשכ"א

Do you see what I see?

Once a woman who had never flown on an airplane before, decided to visit her son in California. Before buying the ticket she wanted to get  a blessing  from the Rebbe, which she did.  Shortly after takeoff, one of the wings caught on fire and the pilot had to make an emergency landing. Afterwards, the woman, upset and furious, ran into the Rebbe's office yelling - "You knew what was going to happen to this flight! How could you have given me your blessing??!" 

     The Rebbe's response was:  "Because of your merits, many Jews on this flight were saved. Is that bad?…"

(as related by R. Yoel Kahn)

The Head of the generation

On Shabbos, Aug. 17, 1991 (7th of Elul, 5751) during the farbrengen, the  Rebbe explained the significance of the head of the generation.


The Rebbe clearly explained the relationship of the head of the genration vis-à-vis other Jews. From other addresses of the Rebbe we know that the head of the generation is the Rebbe himself, it would then follow that Moshe Rabbeinu equals the head of the generation which in turn means the Rebbe.

Here’s what the Rebbe said –
 “ He, the leader of the generation is the tzaddik of the generation and is the foundation of Creation, as it says in Proverbs 10:25 “…but the righteous stand firm forever.”



The Tzaddik  is the Foundation Stone ( which was the basis of the Temple) and is present in the physical world without any changes including after the burial as opposed to the Ark of the Covenant which was buried (Tractate Yoma54b). He is the judge and prophet present in every generation as a manifestation of a constant Divine force that’s the foundation of the entire existence.

I.e. his existence is evidence of the fact that the world exists and if we were to suppose that the tzaddik is gone, even for a split second, the world could not continue to exist. From this it follows that even after 3 Tammuz, the Rebbe continues his influence even though we can’t see the Rebbe currently. The analogy with the Foundation Stone is telling in the sense that just like it is hidden yet we know that it’s present on the Temple grounds, the same would apply to the Rebbe.


The only other possibility capable of negating the aforementioned would be the presence of another head of the generation but as the Rebbe mentioned many times, beginning in 1951 and numerous times after that, that this generation is the last generation of exile and the first generation of Redemption. And this generation obviously includes the Rebbe himself!


www.moshiach.ru

Tammuz the 12th

On the verse (Num. 21:21)  “Israel sent messengers…”, Rashi  explains that  “in other places it states that  the mission was dependent on Moses …  these verses complement each other, this one locks and this one unlocks , i.e. reveals that  Moses is Israel and Israel  is Moses.  The leader of the generation is the whole generation and he is everything.”  This idea also explains what is stated further in the verse that “ a star will shoot from Jacob ." There are two explanations to this: 1. This is a reference to Moshiach. 2. This is a reference to all Jews since every Jew has a spark of Moshiach and Moshiach contains each one’s spark.  There’s a “spreading” or  influence of  Moses in every generation including the leader of our generation. Based on that,  we will understand  the significance of the 12^th of Tammuz,the Previous Rebbe's birthday,  the descent of the the soul of the leader (the 6th Rebbe ) down below. This relates to everyone in the generation and it is within the abilities of everyone (only if he submits himself to the leader and accepts his rulership) to be an emissary and to do that which the leader needs to do to the extent that he himself becomes “like him” in actuality. 

The Final Hammer Blow to Exile

"The Exile is  over, ladies and gentlemen of the jury."  

If you ever took part  in an auction or were present at a  trial (not as a defendant, hopefully), you probably noticed the "man with the gavel." It's common practice worldwide that when a debate or an auction is finished, the presiding judge or auctioneer uses a special hammer (gavel) to signal the end of the proceedings. 
     
In accordance with the well-known instruction of the Baal Shem Tov, a Jew should learn from everything he sees and hears. December 5, 1987 was the anniversary of the Rebbe's wedding (14 Kislev), the Rebbe then announced that we need to complete all the prep work in exile  in a manner of "the blow of the hammer". Hence, the Rebbe concluded: if anyone hears the sound of a hammer, then they need to know that the only reason for this is to remind them of the need to complete their personal "work."

 But what exactly is this work or where is that last nail waiting to be hammered in? 


According to the Rebbe, we do not know the exact answer, that's why we need to perform another commandment and then another, and another ... Then it is possible that among them would be that which was required of us to do.

 Four years later, in 1991,  the Rebbe told us that all the work in exile had been completed and we need to greet Moshiach, in actuality. Therefore, by fulfilling mitzvos, we must bear in mind that the world is already fixed and this is only necessary for the Redemption to begin  unfolding.


from www.moshiach.ru

Messianic Tsunami - הצונאמי המשיחי

This is an excerpt from an address by R. Adin Steinsaltz on the occasion of the Rebbe's  centennial in 2002. It mentions tsunami and is dated  March 11.  March 11, 2011 is, of course,  when a devastating tsunami hit Japan.
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Rebbe's letter, Eve of Shavuos, 1960

With God's help, the Days of Restrictions.
5720 (1960) – 200^th   yahrtzeit  and ascension of the Baal Shem Tov
 
Brooklyn, New York
 
Peace and blessings!

Days of limitations  which are days immediately prior to the giving of the Torah, require a particularly deep and inner reflection about what the Torah is.

The holy Torah is not a collection of laws on different subjects, rather Torah surrounds the entire person from his  first moment to his last, as well as all aspects of everyday life.

This is the inner meaning of Torah as a life-teaching.

Moreover, as explained by the Sages, Torah envelops the entire creation in all of its details. Just as before constructing a building. one needs to draw up plans. likewise, the Creator  outlined in the  Torah all of creation to its lowest level in inanimate nature.

And this leads to one of the most fundamental teachings of general Chassidus as the Baal Shem Tov points out, that the words in the Torah: "Forever, the L-rd, thy word is established in heaven" mean that the divine word  continues without interruption - "Let there be firmament" - stands firm in the heaven, as the Alter Rebbe explains in detail in the teachings of Chabad Chassidus, especially in the book "The Gate of Unity and Faith .”

This means that all  that there is - in heaven above or on earth below, all the details of their components - are alive and exist only by  the words of G-d that creates, maintains and animates them without the slightest interruption.

This implies another fundamental idea - that a private providence - direct Divine Knowledge and a general providence, surrounding all the details, refer to all creatures ranging from man,  the crown of creation, to the very smallest grain of sand.

Hence, we can conclude that, in essence, it's a clear law in the Shulchan Aruch  and a main idea of ​​Chassidus, highlighted by the Baal Shem Tov that serving the Most High should be in all ways - in all our interactions and   in detail, starting from the study of Torah and observance of 613 commandments, to the most simple of actions and events in everyday life.

And from all  the events and phenomena we need to draw lessons  in love of  G-d and fear of Him. These are sources for a Jew’s getting his spiritual energies to fulfill the Torah and the commandments, instructions and prohibitions. Thorough this, a Jew becomes filled with this internal life force and carries out  his/hers Jewish duties in the best manner possible..

Such thoughts are especially appropriate on the eve of the Baal Shem Tov’s yahrtzeit  which should lead  to implementation of all of this in all aspects of daily life, whether personal life or in  general terms in all that happens in the world.

The  spreading out of sources of Chassidus,  which is an integral, inner part of the Torah, will reach the farthest points of all creation.  This will speed up the true and complete liberation through the righteous Moshiach, when all creations will feel that "I am the -L-rd, thy G-d. "

With blessings for kabolas Torah

Be simcha and be’pnimiyus

Menachem Schneerson

“Rebbe, please explain the existence of G-d.”

Over the years the Rebbe fielded many queries from youth who challenged Jewish belief in the face of compelling Western thought. Below is a selection of questions and answers, from an audience with a group of students.


Question (student): Please explain the existence of G-d and prove the creation of the earth.

Answer (Rebbe): You do not need proof of that. Do you have a printed book or paper? Would you say it came into being by accident or that it had a cause—a purpose? You say a printer printed it. Why do you accept it? Because it makes sense. You see by the system of words, sentences, phrases, etc., that person-intellect caused or assembled the letters.

In the same way there is no need to prove the earth’s origin.

Q: Well, science has proved by various means that it was caused by natural phenomena—for instance, the “Theory of the Expanding Universe” or “Evolution.”

A: That is not a cause but merely a description of creation, and the time elements derived by such means as the study of rocks, the study of decay of radioactive metals, the study of thermodynamics which do not coincide.

These hold true only if pressure, temperature and atmospheric conditions were like they are today. The “Expanding Universe” is merely a theory, and theories in general merely explain the existence of various phenomena, but do not necessarily constitute proof that the same are accurate.

(In the beginning it was believed that the earth was the center of the universe, and the sun, stars, etc. rotate around it.)

There was once a man named Copernicus, who observed several phenomena on the basis of which he formed certain theories that the earth rotates around the sun. Copernicus had no proof of this, but formed this theory simply because it explained these phenomena and this then became an accepted theory. About fifty years ago Einstein formulated his theory of relativity in which he states that in a system of two or more bodies in movement it is impossible to determine which is the stable. Thus we see that men of science contradict each other.

Getting back to the various methods of determining, the opinions differ greatly and contradict each other—for according to geology we obtain a figure of one billion; according to radioactivity a figure of one half billion; and according to the study of thermodynamics a figure of two billion. This is a difference of not merely one million or two million, but a ratio of one billion to two billion to four billion. Thus, we observe again that scientists contradict each other. However, all this “Expanding Universe Theory” is based upon the assumption that the universe was filled with uniform particles. What if we were to assume rock?

Now, if you see a simple system of two objects, you might say a child constructed it; if you saw a more complicated system you might conclude that a simple man or peasant constructed it; (when you observe a more complicated machine you might say that a person of still higher intellect constructed it); when you observe a highly complicated intricate machine, such as a robot or an electronic brain, which calculates differentials, integrals, etc. it follows then that an extremely powerful intellect must have constructed it.

Let us take the human body. It consists of various intricate systems such as blood vessels, etc., which could have been constructed only by an extremely powerful intellect. Take this pen, for instance—it consists of protons, neutrons, and atoms moving around regularly. It follows, that the world, which is a system so complicated, could have been created by a most powerful intellect.

Q: Therefore is the conciliation you have drawn reached solely by the process of elimination?

A: It is not just a conciliation based on the process of elimination, but a witnessed fact.

How do you conduct an experiment? You accept results of an experiment which was witnessed by 1, 2, 20, or 200 people but usually not more. The Divine Revelation on Mt. Sinai is an experiment witnessed by millions. In our generation, there are a million Jews who believe and bear witness to the fact that in the generation before there were one or two million Jews who believed and bore witness to the fact that the generation before them there were one or two million Jews who believed, and so on, for a period of 25-30 generations. We therefore have an unbroken chain of witness to the fact of the Divine Revelation on Mt. Sinai.

Q: Could it have been a legend like any other religion, such as the Mohammedan religion?

A: The Mohammedan religion, for instance, bears the witness of only one man. Mohammed came to his tribe (from the desert) and told them that Al-lah revealed Himself to him and told him to write the verses of the Koran. Hence, the whole belief is based upon the word of one man; one person came from the desert; one person may have hypnosis, hallucination, or be in a trance.

The Christian religion is based on the fact that J— came to his ten or twelve disciples and told them that the holy spirit revealed . . . . all this being based on the word of one man.

The Jewish religion, on the other hand, was witnessed by two million people from all walks of life. There were males, females, children and old men, middle-aged and youths, skilled laborers and lawyers, men of medicine and rabbis; in the presence of two million people of all walks of life G-d revealed himself to the Jewish people.

Rebbe at the Ohel 1951

Rebbe שליט"א King Messiah, 10 Shvat 5711 at the Ohel.

Chossid, Rebbe, G-d

Click on images to enlarge

The Photo from the year 5764 (2004)

The Photo from the year 5764 (2004)

The Rebbe: Infinite in the finite

When Reb Hillel Paritcher taught the first chapter of Tanya concerning tzaddikim, beinonim, and resha’im, Reb Hillel explained what is a Rebbe, saying that a beinoni is finite, a tzaddik is infinite, and a Rebbe is the infinite within the finite.

Nitzutzei Ohr p. 47

reprinted from tzaddikim.blogspot.com

InstaRedemption

Lubavitcher Rebbe, Vayechi 5752

[It took the bnei Yisroel 14 years to enter the land of Israel under Yehoshua.] This is not the case in the true and complete geulah -- we won't need to wait 7 years, and not even 7 days, 7 hours, or 7 minutes since it will be "in one moment" "I will bring you on clouds of glory".

The Rebbe's Advice #62 - Reducing real estate problems

"You inform me that a year ago you bought a home in another neighborhood and are constantly having problems. (Seemingly it was an investment and the owner was having problems associated with the property).

Many times this happens because one is not as careful as he should be in fulfilling the mitzvah of tithing from the profits of the real estate investment, the home. Even if in your case you have not tithed until now, you should tithe now. Additionally, you should give to tzedaka the amount of money you were supposed to tithe but did not."

Igros Kodesh, Volume 16, p. 101

Compiled by Rabbi Chaim Dalfin

Rebbe's response to worries over changes in S. Africa that lead to black rule.

Unempty Place

According to the sages, sanctity lingers. “Holiness,” the Talmud says, “does not depart its place.”

There are many places holy to Jews — the Western Wall and Joseph’s Tomb among them — but one of the plainest and least-known is the empty ground-floor study just inside at 770 Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn.

There, in 1942, a young rabbi and electrical engineer named Menachem Mendel Schneerson settled in, having fled the war in Europe and spent a year doing classified military work at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

Rabbi Schneerson was the son-in-law (and cousin) of Yosef Yitzchok Schneerson, who then led the Lubavitch movement. Over the next half-century, as he took the reins, no other physical location, from his house on President Street to his eventual grave in Queens was ever more connected to the great, respected man.

“People look toward the rebbe’s room today as they did to the rebbe himself, as a beacon of light,” said Rabbi Krinsky, “One might think of it as suffused — with awe.”

Few people realize how small the study is, a tiny, although tasteful, place with a chandelier and ornamental moldings. It is a testament to his presence that while many were permitted in, they were so intimidated that they scarcely had the wit to look around.

Back in the day, the study was a mess, a disorderly scholar’s cave strewn with books, religious tracts and mountains of correspondence. The small space functioned as an office and, despite the clutter, as a throne room: for there, among the letters and the papers, the Rebbe courted mayors, senators, presidents and every prime minister of Israel.

On Sunday and Thursday nights, from 8 p.m. until 6 the following morning, the study was transformed into a parlor, as Rabbi Schneerson met his flock, listening and solving problems, not unlike a clubhouse politician. The sessions were so popular that reservations were required — often months in advance. People got as little as a minute. When your time was up, a buzzer would sound.

In 1988, after Rabbi Schneerson’s wife died, he moved into the study full time. He slept there, and disciples brought his meals. Four years later, when he had a stroke, the study became his private I.C.U. Medicine went to him.

These days, the study is a shrine of sorts, mostly empty beyond a clock, a desk, some glass-fronted bookcases and a decorative style that is classic old-time Brooklyn. There is a 1950s-era telephone, and the window facing Eastern Parkway is made of bulletproof glass.

Grooms meditate there before their wedding days, and people pray. On any morning when the Torah is read, the worshipers flow from the study out into the hall.

“This great world leader lived in one room, as simple and as plain as could be,” Rabbi Krinsky said. “There was no embellishment, no opulence. It was exactly like the man.”

One more thing about the all-night advice sessions: A story is told that when Senator John Kennedy was running for president, he sought an audience with Rabbi Schneerson. He happened by one night when a session was afoot. As the senator had no reservation, he was politely turned away.

12 Psukim

Lubavitcher Rebbe 12pusukim by Benny Gad Elbaz - Funny bloopers R us