The Workers' Sukka

The Sukkah that the Rabbi had built for himself every year was a sight to see. The walls were of the thickest and best wood. Even the greenery that he used to cover the top of the Sukkah was thick and fresh.

One year, everyone in that village decided that they too wanted a beautiful Sukkah like their Rabbi. But most of them were not very good carpenters. So the villagers who knew how to work with their hands, joined together to be the "Sukkah -builders" for the community and went from house to house building new Sukkot for everyone. As they finished the last Sukkah, they realized that they had been so busy working for everyone else that they had no Sukkah in their own courtyards. And so since there wasn't enough time for each one to go home and build his own Sukkah, they took the leftover wood and build one big Sukkah for all of them.

They then quickly prepared for the holiday and rushed to Shul.

When the evening prayers were over, everyone wished each other well and were about to go home when they saw it had began to rain...and pour. The rain got stronger and stronger. With torrential rains and winds smashing things in the street.

When the rain finally ceased, all were looking forward to eating the holiday meal in their Sukkah. But they were in for a surprise!

All their Sukkot had been destroyed in the storm!

"Let's go to the Rabbi. Surely his Sukkah is still standing!" suggested one man.
But the Rabbi's Sukkah was destroyed like everyone else's.

From far away some festive singing was heard. It was coming from The Workers' Sukkah!

Their Sukkah was still standing!!

"I know why their Sukkah remained standing", declared the Rabbi, "because our Sukkot were built each person for his own self and his own family. But they built their Sukkah with unity.

And when there is unity between Jews, all the storms and the hurricanes in the world can't break it!"

Friday night, candle lighting time for L.A. is 6:18 p.m.

Saturday night, candle lighting time is (from a pre-existing flame) after 7:15 p.m.

Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach!

Succos - Simcha

The holiday of Sukot begins this Friday evening at sundown. Described as "the Festival of our Rejoicing," it is unique in that we are specifically commanded to be happy.

There are two ways to arouse a feeling of joy: through the head, and through the feet. We can sit and meditate on things that make us happy, or we can get up and start to dance. But whatever our approach - cerebral or with outward manifestations of joy - the heart will follow.

In truth, every Jew has what to be joyful about. Just thinking about the enormous love G-d has for every Jew, or the great merit each of us has in possessing a Jewish soul, can make us appreciative and thankful.

When a Jew is happy, it expresses his trust and faith in G-d that whatever happens is for the best. Serving G-d with joy reveals the good that is hidden in everything.

The holiday of Sukot is a time to recharge our batteries, to "stock up" on an abundance of joy for the coming year. According to Chasidut, all of the spiritual goals we were trying to reach on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur by fasting and praying are attainable on Sukot and Simchat Torah - simply by being joyful and dancing!

So have a happy Sukot, and may G-d grant us the ultimate joy of Moshiach's arrival immediately.

Succos - 4 minim - UNITY

The festival of Sukkot, which follows Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, marks the beginning of the days of rejoicing of this month, coming as it does after the solemnity of the High Holidays.

One of the themes of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur is that of the unity of the Jewish People. But it is on Sukkot that this motif finds its highest expression.

On Rosh Hashona, we all stand as equals before G-d in prayer, accepting His sovereignty and crowning Him King over us all. And on Yom Kippur we are equally aroused to do teshuva (repent) and return to G-d.

Our unity during the High Holidays is a unity based on the common denominator inherent in every Jew. On Sukkot however, we reach an even higher level of unity than before.

One of the most important mitzvot of Sukkot is the taking of the 'Four Kinds'. These four species symbolize the four different types of people which exist within the Jewish nation. The etrog symbolizes one who possesses Torah learning and also does good deeds; the lulav stands for one who possesses only Torah learning. The hadas (myrtle) symbolizes one who performs commandments and does good deeds, but does not have Torah learning, and the arava (willow) symbolizes the Jew who possesses neither Torah nor learning.

On Sukkot we take these four different species and bring them together to perform a mitzva. Despite all our differences we are all bound together. And this is the highest degree of unity we can achieve.

Thus on Sukkot we verify and confirm the unity which was achieved during the High Holidays. This realization sustains us throughout the year and gives us the strength to live in harmony and solidarity with one another.

Tzedoko -Erev Yom Kippur

In many synagogues,shuls on the day before Yom Kippur, plates and containers are put out for various charities. As people enter and leave the synagogue, they drop a few coins into the containers. The busier the shul, the more noise is made by the clanging and jingling of the coins as they are dropped in. And, of course, during these solemn days, more charity than usual is given.

In the Baal Shem Tov's shul, there was constant noise from the rattling of coins, so much so that some of the people found their prayers sorely disturbed. One person approached the Baal Shem Tov and asked him if it might not be possible to abandon this disruptive custom.

"Heaven forbid," cried the Baal Shem Tov in horror. "It is this very jingling and clanging of the coins that is our deliverance during these awesome days. It confuses the Adversary on High who is spending his time trying to convince the Alm-ghty that we are not worthy of being forgiven."

On Yom Kippur, we solemnly intone the ancient words: "Repentance, prayer and charity, annul the harmful decree." It is not only the noise made by the charity, then, as the Baal Shem Tov mentioned, but the actual giving of the charity that is so important. Let us all remember this in these days before Yom Kippur.

My best wishes that all of you, be sealed for a good and sweet year, and that we all celebrate Yom Kippur together in true joy and happiness in the Holy Temple together with Moshiach.

Kohen Gadol -Yom Kippur - Clothing/Gold/White

One of the unique points about Yom Kippur is the special service of the Kohein Gadol--the High Priest, who performed the Yom Kippur service on that day.

For part of the High Priest's service he wore gold clothing. The part of the service performed inside the Holy of Holies, however, was performed in plain white clothing.

Although the physical Holy Temple was destroyed -- and we eagerly await its rebuilding -- the spiritual Sanctuary within every Jew -- his Holy of Holies -- remains totally intact. Thus, each individual Jew is personally responsible to perform the special service of the High Priest on Yom Kippur.

The High Priest wore gold clothing for a large part of his special service to remind us that we should use the most precious and beautiful materials available in serving G-d; we should perform mitzvot in a beautiful and enhanced manner.

The white clothing of the High Priest, worn in the Holy of Holies, is a reminder that mitzvot that are purely spiritual in nature, such as prayer and Torah study, must also be performed.

At the end of his service, the High Priest said a short prayer that the year should be a good year materially for himself, his tribe and all the Jewish people throughout the entire world.

This, too, is part of the service of every single Jew on the holiest day of the year and in the Holy of Holies of his heart. Each Jew on Yom Kippur should also pray for a good year not only for himself and his family, but for the entire Jewish people.

PARSHA - Haazinu. Alter Rebbe Ahavat Yisroel - Yom Kippur

Parshat Ha'azinu begins with the words,
"Listen, O heavens, for I will speak! Let the earth hear the words of my mouth!"
The Midrash explains that Moshe was "close to the heaven," so he told them to "listen" - a term which suggests a closeness between speaker and listener. But since he was "distant from the earth," he told it to "hear", from afar.

Since every Jew has a spark of Moshe within his soul, it enables us to attain, to some small extent, the spiritual greatness of Moshe.
Thus, to some degree, we too can appreciate that - spiritual matters are more important than physical things - to be "close to the heavens and distant from the earth."

* * * * * * * * * * * *

In the midst of the Yom Kippur services, the Rebbe, Rabbi Shneur Zalman, the Alter Rebbe, interrupted his prayers and made his way to the nearby forest. There, he collected dry wood and branches. He carried them to a small house. He knocked on the door and then entered. Once inside, the Rebbe kindled a fire from the wood he had brought. He prepared a soup and he fed it, spoon by spoon, to the woman in the house who had just given birth.

We must take into account the magnitude and intensity of the Rebbe's Yom Kippur prayers which were on behalf of all the Jewish people. Yet, he saw that caring for a new mother was more precious before G-d than his exalted prayers.

A Jew's compassion and caring is driven by the fact that this Mitzva is an integral part of his/her relationship with G-d.

As the Alter Rebbe says, "Love of G-d and love of the Jewish people are equally engraved in every Jew's soul. However, loving of the Jewish people is superior, for you love whom your beloved loves."

Candle lighting time for LA is 6:28
Candle lighting time for Sunday, ushering in Yom Kippur is 6:25pm.
The fast ending Monday evening at 7:28pm

Shabbat Shalom!

Calling out from the depths of our soul

Yom Kippur, one of our holiest days, completes the "Ten Days of Repentance" which began on Rosh Hashanah. The verse that the Rabbis use to describe these days is "Search for G-d while He can be found, call upon Him when he is near" They explain that G-d is close to every Jew during these days. This knowledge and innate feeling helps each person make a greater effort to come even closer to G-d. During each of the Ten Days, this energy grows until it reaches its height on Yom Kippur,

Psalm #130,(that we add in our prayers this week begins with the words) "A song of ascents, out of the depths have I called you, G-d. My Master, listen to my voice, may Your ears hear my calls for grace". The simple meaning of the verse is that a person calls out to G-d from the depth of his pain and difficulties. The inner dimension of the verse requires from us something more: "Out of the depths" refers to a level of consciousness attainable by every Jew, that through our concentration and effort, we call to G-d from our innermost place, the depths of our soul.

The Baal Shem Tov said that each person gets a stream of blessings from heaven; a person's negative actions can cause those blessings to be reduced or blocked. When a person prays from the depth of his soul, digging deep, opening himself up, something changes in the person himself (!), altering him entirely. The Heavenly Court can then remove those blockages.

Let's not let the Ten Days of Repentance pass without taking full advantage.

Yom Kippur at the Cantonists' Shul

The Cantonists were Jews who, by decree of Czar Nicholas I, had been snatched from their families when they were young children for a 25-year term of "service" in the Czar's army, where every cruel means had been employed to force them to abandon Judaism. The few that did survive were so emotionally and psychologically destroyed that they were never really able to live normal lives, and so they lived together in little villages.

One Yom Kippur Reb Mordechai, a follower of the third Chabad Rebbe, happened to lead the Prayers in a Cantonist's Shul.

They requested though of Reb Mordechai that one of the Cantonists themselves will lead Ne'ilah, the closing prayer of the holy day.

Reb Mordechai was in awe; he had never experienced such a minyan; comprised of Jews each of whom had been through such hardships, and only for the sake of G-d.

His soul flowed into the prayers, never had he sung so beautifully. Finally, it was time for Ne'ilah, the closing prayer.

Reb Mordechai stepped back, and one of the Cantonists then stood up and took his place at the podium. Before he began to lead the prayers, he started unbuttoning his shirt.

Reb Mordechai was about to protest: You can't take your shirt off in the synagogue!

But as the opened shirt revealed hundreds of scars; years upon years of deep scars.... each one because this man refused to forsake the G-d of Israel, Reb Mordechai gasped and tears ran from his eyes.

The Cantonist then raised his hands to G-d and said in a loud voice.

"G-d...Send us Moshiach! Redeem the Jewish people now!

"I'm not asking for the sake of our families, because we don't have families.

"I'm not asking for the sake of our futures, because we have no futures.

"I'm not asking for the sake of our livelihoods or our comfort, because we don't have any of those things either.

"We're just asking: Assey l'maan shemecha -- G-d! Do it for Your sake!"

He then closed his shirt and the prayers began.

Aseret Yemei Teshuva - Teshuva/Tefilla/Tzedak

The ten-day period beginning with Rosh HaShanah and climaxing on Yom Kippur is referred to as “The Ten Days of Teshuvah”.

We express the hope that on Rosh Hashanah G-d blessed us with a “good and sweet year” to come.

But there is no limit to goodness and blessing. Thus, during the Ten Days of Teshuvah we have the opportunity through our service, to cause G-d to grant us yet greater benefits from His “full and expansive hand.”

We say in our prayers, “Teshuva - repentance/ returning , Tefillah - prayer ,and Tzedaka -charity” avert evil and bring the good.

Teshuvah is a return to the self. While repentance involves dismissing the past and starting anew, teshuvah means going back to one’s roots in G-d and exposing them as one’s true character, making it the dominant influ­ence in our lives.

Tefillah - prayer - means, to attach oneself. In tefillah we seek to attach ourself to G-d. For while there may be those who do not lack anything and thus have nothing to request of G-d, there is no-one who does not need to attach himself to the source of all life.

Tzedakah means justice. The implication is that the donor gives because it is his duty. We have a duty to act towards others as we ask G-d to act towards us. And as we ask G-d for His blessings though He owes us nothing , so we are bound in justice to give to those who ask us, even though we owe them nothing.

These three;

Teshuva - Returning to one's innermost self.

Tefilla - attaching oneself to G-d.

Tzedaka - distributing one's possessions with justice

leads to a year “written and sealed” for good. A year of sweetness and plenty!

L'shana Tova Umetuka!!

The Rosh Hashono scene is set!

The Shofar, prayer books, apples & honey, festively-set tables and a new life-force emerging to sustain the world.

On Rosh Hashanah the world is new. It’s life-force is qualitatively different that of any previous year -- a spiritual color never seen before. We cannot see this profound renewal, but its effects are real.

For each of us individually, this means new potential for spiritual growth and development. Rosh Hashanah shakes us out of our spiritual slumber, hence the Shofar blasts, to reconnect to our source and recommit to our divine mission in this world.

On the threshold of the New Year, each of us pauses to draw up а balance sheet for the past year. With unflinching honesty we review and assess our past actions and reactions, and resolve to better ourselves. Thus committed, we confidently pray for а happy year, both materially and spiritually, for ourselves and our loved ones.

And for the world at large we fervently pray that this year will bring the coming of Moshiach -- and a transformation unfathomably joyous and complete, where our confusion and burdens are lifted and our unity is revealed.

Our Sages say that giving Tzedoko, charity, to the needy opens the way for our prayers to bring us good health, prosperity and happiness.

Wishing you and yours, and all the House of Israel, a sweet, prosperous, and meaningful new year!

For the convenience of those who would like to donate online, visit www.oneminutetorah.info

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Candelighting time Friday night for Los Angeles is 6:38 p.m. and Saturday night after 7:40 p.m.

SHANA TOVA!!

"One more blast"

Rebbi Chaim Elazar Spira, known as the Minchat Elazar, loved his grandson, Tzvi, in a exaggerated way.

On the first day of the month of Elul when he blew the Shofar, as is the custom, Tzvi was in the room and was visibly excited by its sounds.

He asked his grandfather for one more blast, and his grandfather gladly obliged. For the remainder of the month, this became a ritual; the Rebbe blowing the shofar each day for little Tzvi. On the day before Rosh Hashanah, Tzvi was there, awaiting his daily blast, but he was disappointed.

"Today is the day before Rosh Hashanah," his grandfather explained. "Today we do not blow the shofar. Tomorrow, on Rosh Hashana, we will blow the shofar in the synagogue."

The child did not comprehend. He kicked and screamed, "One more blast! One more blast!"

After a while, the grandfather softened at the sound of his favorite grandchild crying, and he took the shofar and blew one blast.

The next day, the Rebbe went up before the ark, opened it and said: "Master of the Universe, I have to repent. It's written that on the day before Rosh Hashanah one mustn't blow shofar, yet I did." He then began to cry and continued, "do you know why I transgressed this custom? It was because my young grandchild lay on the floor begging and crying that I should only blow one blast of the shofar for him. My heart melted, I couldn't bear to watch him cry and so I blew once for him.

"Tatte (Father), how can You stand by and see how millions of Your children are down on the floor, and crying out to You?! Tatte, one blast! Sound the blast of the "Great Shofar" which will herald the final Redemption! Even if the time for Moshiach has yet to arrive, Your children are crying out to You, Grant them their request!

Moshiach Now!!

Crowning Hashem as our King.

The fundamental theme of Rosh Hashanah is the coronation of G-d as King over us.

In addition to the collective aspects of Rosh Hashanah worship, the coronation renews each Jew’s personal bond with G-d, his direct inner connection as an individual. Each man and woman personally asks G-d to accept the coronation, thus creating the bond of,“We are your people and You are our King.”

As expressed in our heartfelt prayer and request to G-d: "Reign over the entire world!"

Such a request implies the readiness to utterly submit to the divine king, to the point that one's entire being, and all that one has, is the king's alone. This is the meaning of kabalat ol--"the acceptance of the yoke" of the divine sovereignty, which finds expression in all areas of daily life.

Every day must bring an acceptance of the yoke of Heaven, particularly when one recites the Shema. Rosh Hashanah however, is a time when submission to the sovereignty of Heaven is also the quality and content of the day. And this is the foundation of all our deeds throughout the year.

It is incumbent upon us to achieve a full acceptance of the divine kingship.

When a person who does not usually surrender his independence and his convictions, is convinced that he must recognize and submit to a higher authority, this decision is made on a much deeper and more fundamental level and is substantiated by an unshakable commitment.

May you to be inscribed and sealed for a sweet new year.