PARSHA - Vayechi - Yakov's best years in Mitzrayim

When the third Chabad Rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek, was a young boy he learned the verse in this week's Torah portion, Vayechi, "And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years." His teacher explained that these years were the best of Jacob's entire life.

The Tzemach Tzedek then asked his grandfather, Rabbi Shneur Zalman, [the founder of Chabad], how could those years be the best of Jacob's life? Wasn't Egypt the most corrupt and immoral place on earth?

The Midrash relates that before Jacob went down to Egypt he sent Judah to establish a yeshiva there. Throughout the time they spent in Egypt the Tribes devoted themselves to the study of Torah. By learning Torah, a Jew draws near to G-d; it was therefore possible, explained R' Shneur Zalman, for Jacob to live his best years even in Egypt.

When Jacob saw that his son was alive, and had continued to conduct himself in a manner befitting the son of a Patriarch, it brought him great joy.

This joy was even more pronounced as it came after many years during which Jacob did not know if Joseph was still a tzadik, a righteous person. This joy is likened to a light that follows the darkness. The more intense the darkness, the brighter the light.

Egypt was a place of darkness, to which Jacob and his sons brought light. And through their devotion to Torah, they actually caused Egypt to become a source of light.

Thus the years Jacob spent in Egypt were the best of his life. For a light that follows the most intense darkness is the very brightest light of all. Like the light of Moshiach, may it soon illuminate the entire world! Amen!

Candle lighting time for L.A. is 4:36 pm.

Shabbat Shalom!

Mitzvos when Moshiach is here.

Hashem wanted to make us righteous therefore he gave us an abundance of torah and mitzvos, to keep us busy from morning to night. Righteousness is a by-product of the mitzvos we do because we have freedom of choice. When we choose to do the right thing we are able to be righteous.
Freedom of choice is a necessary requisite for the concept of a mitzva being fulfilled.

Will we have the ability to make a choice when moshiach comes?

When Moshiach comes there will be no challenges, there will be no difficulties, and we will not have the opportunity to make a choice. We will not have the ability or the challenge to decide to do the mitzvah or not to.
We will all be doing exactly what we are supposed to do, we will all be in perfect sync with Hashem's Will, doing the mitzvos, almost robotic. But with that of course comes the loss of thrill when we DO overcome a challenge.
That thrill and accomplishment can only be achieved NOW, in galus.
Not only is it a physical thrill and joy, but a spiritual reward as well, which we will merit to collect when Moshiach comes. The more difficult it is to do the Mitzva now the greater the reward will be then. More of G-dliness will be revealed.
That is why we need to utilize every moment NOW - till Moshiach comes - to gather and to collect as many mitzvohs as possible -
For once Moshiach comes the opportunities of galus will be gone.

Fear, Awe & Wonder Of G-d.

Fear of G-d is a very liberating Mitzvah.

Two forces set the stage for our act upon this earth: Love and fear. With love, we set our goals. With fear, we set our boundaries. One who fears failure is bound to take no risks. One who fears others is banished from his own self. One who fears life has no room to breathe.

The Torah liberates us by declaring there is only one thing to fear—not failure, not others, not even death itself. The only thing to fear is the One who stands beyond and within all things, the one we call G-d.

It may be a simple fear that, "If I do those things He does not like, the consequences will not be good." Or—fear is the fear of separation from G-d, as a small child who is afraid to be separated from his parents. Or for those who ponder G-d's infinite greatness and the wonders of His creation, fear is a sense of awe and amazement, taking life up to a whole new level.

Sometimes it's "awe", sometimes "wonder." In all these forms of fear, however, there is one common thread: The awareness of a reality beyond our own that defines and determines all we do. Love is a commentary on the nature of the one who loves, whereas fear, awe and wonder are exclusively about the One who is feared.

And if we don't have that sense of wonder, awe, or fear. We can make time each day to ponder our relationship with G-d, to become acutely aware of His awesome and loving presence. Once that awareness finds a fixed place in our heart, all we do will fall in place, with joy and pleasure. We will be free!

Story King lost in Forest. Serve Hashem with His Mitzvos

There is a story of a king that went hunting and got trapped in the forest. He was lost and badly hurt. As night set in, he pathetically kept crying out for help and miraculously a peasant living in the forest heard his desperate cries.
The peasant lifted the now unrecognizable king and gently brought him back to his hut and tended to his wounds till he regained enough of his own strength to continue on his way. The peasant had no idea that it was the king that he had revived.

The peasant then received a gift of beautiful silverware with a note from the king who was thanking him for his hospitality in the forest and for nursing him back to his health.

The simple man was shocked. The king?? He had hosted the king in his dilapidated hut?? And the gift, looking totally out of place in his poor home was put on a corner shelf and forgotten about.

One day, the King sent a message to his rescuer that he would like to visit him in his home and thank him personally.

When the simple man heard that the king was coming, he was overcome with anxiety. How can he welcome His Majesty into his impoverished shack?? This was no place for a royal king!! He looked around for something that would be presentable for someone of such stature. He then remembered the gift that he had received from the king earlier. Realizing that this grand gift was something the king can surely appreciate, he happily placed it on the table and awaited the king's arrival.

This time, when the king came, he was royally dressed as is fit for a king. Feeling ashamed at the sorry welcome he was offering the king. "My deepest apologies, Your Highness" He said. " My home is but the simplest of homes. My food? Your dogs surely have tasted better. With what can I serve the king? I have nothing that can impress His Majesty. The ONLY thing I thought appropriately honorable was something that His Majesty himself sent to me."

And the king was impressed.

With what can we honor G-d? ONLY with what HE Himself gave to us - His Mitzvos.

A MITZVAH

A Mitzvah, is a Hebrew word which means "commandment" and "connection."
The Mitzvot are, 613 of, G-d's commandments to the Jewish people. They are the ultimate expression of our relationship with G-d. When we do a Mitzvah we are expressing that connection to G-d.

Nearly all of the mitzvot involve material objects: Tzitizit are made of wool, tefillin of leather, and so on. G-d's Will and wisdom, which is basically His essence, are clothed in His Mitzvot. And so Now G-d is made accessible to us thru His mitzvot which are in enclothed in these physical objects.

We may think that when we are doing a Mitzva we are only connected to the lower level of G-d and not His essence. Yet it is not so. It is like one who embraces a king. There is no difference in the degree of the closeness and attachment to the king whether we embrace him when the king is wearing one robe or many robes, since the king's body is in them.

Our reward in the world to come consists of our soul enjoying the radiance of the Divine Presence, meaning - the pleasure in comprehending G-dliness. But it is ONLY a glimmer, a ray of the Divine light. In THIS world though, through our performing Torah and Mitzvot we are united with G-d Himself.

10th of Teves

Today is the tenth day of the Hebrew month of Tevet.

It is the day on which the evil king Nevuchadnetzar laid siege upon Jerusalem, which eventually led to the destruction of the first Holy Temple and the Babylonian Exile.
The tenth of Tevet is considered an especially solemn day, because it is the first in a series of events which led to this present exile. Therefore, it is a day to reflect upon all of those events and the actions that led to them, and to reflect upon, which of our OWN actions need improving in order to hasten the end of this exile and to prepare for the imminent Redemption.

TEVET - is related to the Hebrew word "tov", which means "good".
And so even though that we commemorate a sad event; our Sages named this month "Tevet" to inspire the positive good energy, that is within each and everyone of us, that we have the power to transform, bad into good. Sorrow into joy. Darkness into light.

And exile into redemption!

PARSHA - Vayigash. (Brothers wept on each others neck)

In this week's Torah portion, Vayigash, we read about the reunion of the two brothers Joseph and Benjamin. The verse states that they each fell on his brother's neck and wept.

Our Sages tell us that each brother wept over the destruction that would occur in the other brother's portion of land. Joseph wept over the destruction of the two Holy Temples in Jerusalem, in Benjamin's portion, and Benjamin wept over the Sanctuary in Shilo, in Joseph's portion.

Interestingly, Joseph wept over the destruction that would occur in Benjamin's portion, but not over the destruction in his own territory. Similarly, Benjamin wept over the destruction of the Sanctuary in Joseph's portion, but did not grieve over the two Temples in Jerusalem, which were in his own portion.

Why didn't each one weep over his own misfortune?

A Jew who conducts himself according to Torah causes G-d's Presence to dwell within him, thereby symbolically building in his heart a personal Sanctuary.

When one sees his brother's inner Sanctuary being destroyed [by his actions], he cries, for it is painful to witness. Crying lessens the pain, but cannot fix what was destroyed. Rectifying the situation is not in his hands, he therefore can only empathize.

Yet when a person destroys his own inner Temple he does not weep, for no amount of weeping can ever rebuild it. Instead, he needs to perform actual deeds.

Mitzvot can reconstruct the ruined Sanctuary.

Joseph and Benjamin realized that lamenting their own sorrows would yield no practical benefit. Each brother would have to exert his own efforts to rebuild; by observing Mitzvot and acts of goodness.

Let each of us rebuild the Sanctuary in our hearts, and together we will merit the rebuilding of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, that will never be destroyed!

Candle lighting time for L.A. is 4:31 pm.

Shabbat Shalom!

PARSHA - Vayigash. Yosef Hatzadik

This week's parshah, Parshat Vayigash, relates how Joseph revealed his true identity to his brothers and was reunited with them.

In last week's parshah, when the brothers had first come to Egypt, "Joseph recognized his brothers but they did not recognize him." The reason for that is that many years had elapsed since they had last seen him. They had left him an unbearded young man, and now he was a fully-bearded adult.

Chassidism, however, offers a different interpretation of the verse. The sons of Jacob had all chosen to be shepherds – a quiet and peaceful occupation. Out in the fields, tending their flocks, they had little contact with the social life of the country and were undisturbed in their service of G-d, in their worship and study. They shied away from an environment that would place temptations in their chosen path

Joseph, however, was in this respect superior to them. He was able to occupy the highest administrative position in the mightiest nation of that era, and yet remain righteous.The brothers did not recognize and could not comprehend that the viceroy of Egypt could truly remain the same G-d-fearing Joseph whom they had known, for such a way of life was above their level.

Many of us live with the mistaken assumption that only those living shepherd like lives---away from worldly temptation---can achieve great heights in spirituality. But this is not the reality that G-d created nor desired. G-d specifically placed us in this material and coarse world because He wants us to elevate and refine our surroundings. And, like Joseph, we can stay connected to our Source while rising to become princes in our palaces.

Ink spilled....Hashem The Creator of world.

There once lived a king who had, as his closest friend and advisor, the Chief Rabbi of the Jewish community.

One day the king said to the Rabbi :"I have learned that one of your basic tenets is to believe in G-d who created the heavens and the earth. But Rabbi, what proof do we have that G-d created the world? Perhaps it came about by itself."

Just then the king accidentally knocked over a bottle of ink that was on his desk. It spilled out onto some papers and onto the king's royal garments.

The king jumped up and asked that the rabbi wait while he went to change his clothing.

As soon as the king left the room, the rabbi threw out the ink-filled papers, took a clean sheet of paper and quickly began drawing a picture of mountains, trees and beautiful flower gardens. He placed it right next to the overturned ink bottle, making it appear as though the ink had spilled on the paper.

The king returned to the room and asked in surprise, "Who drew this beautiful scene?"

The rabbi innocently answered, "When the ink spilled all over your majesty's desk it made this picture!"

"Why, a magnificent drawing like this cannot happen by itself. Surely someone drew this picture." cried the king.

Stepping out onto the balcony the rabbi began, "Your majesty, where did all of these trees come from? Who formed these high mountains? And the beautiful flowers in your gardens, who made them? Just a few moments ago, your majesty proclaimed that nothing can happen by itself." answered the rabbi. "Obviously, it was I who drew the picture to prove that G-d created the whole world. For who or what, if not G-d, created it all. For nothing can happen by itself."

The king was impressed - and satisfied.

Hey Teves. Holy Books.

A container is defined by its contents. Take a carton of milk, for example. If it's empty, you'll say, "Pass the carton." But if it contains even a little milk, you'll say, "Pass the milk."

So too, our home is defined by the most important things inside it. And some of the most important items in our home (aside from those who live there!) are the Torah books lining the shelves and scattered about.

Just one of those holy books, the Lubavitcher Rebbe said, is enough to redefine our entire environment. Our home is now transformed from just another house to a shining source of wisdom.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe urged us to purchase Torah books and display them conspicuously throughout our home. Creating a Torah environment through these Torah books creates a subtle yet constant atmosphere of holiness, inspiring and affecting our Jewish thought and practice and ultimately encouraging us to learn its teachings and enhancing our lives, one book at a time.

Of course, the more books the better. However, the basic minimum of a Chumash (the Five Books of Moses), a Tehilli (Book of Psalms) and a Siddur (Prayer Book) are suggested; and from there, one can expand.

Tomorrow, starting tonight, is the 5th day of Tevet. It is a day of rejoicing in the Chabad-Lubavitch community regarding the ownership of the priceless library of the 6th Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn. The ruling was based on the idea that a Rebbe is not a private individual but a communal figure synonymous with the body of Chassidim.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe urged that the occasion be marked with purchasing and devoting time to study from Torah books.
To make our own home a place where Torah is increased; so, too, increase prayer and also all mitzvos, starting with tzedakah -- good deeds.

The Ninth Candle in Auschwitz

Chanuka 1944, Auschwitz
I was 11 years old.

I went to the infirmary to smuggle out some cream to help relieve my father's sores. His disease was eating his body away. That day, when I finally snuck over to my father's bunk, he was no longer there. I was frantic.
An older gentleman whom I had often seen talking to my father, came over to console me.
He told me that today was Chanuka, and that we light the candles to demonstrate that our light is stronger than any darkness. "Your father would be very proud to know that you carry on his light despite the blackness around us".

Moved by his words, I suggested we light the menora that night. He said that it would be too dangerous. I insisted, and ran to get some machine oil from the factory. I was so excited and for this brief moment was able to put aside my grief. Meanwhile he had put together some wicks.
As we were walking towards some smoldering cinders, to light our menora, a guard noticed us and grabbed away our oil and wicks. When his superior suddenly called him he ran off with our precious fuel.

The gentleman turned to me and said:
"Tonight we have lit a flame more powerful than the Chanuka lights. The miracle of Chanuka consisted of finding one jug of oil, which miraculously burned for eight days. Tonight we lit the ninth - invisible candle.
Make no mistake." he told me. " We did light the menora tonight. We did everything in our power to kindle the flames, and every effort is recognized by G-d. We have lit the ninth flame.

"When you will get out of here alive", he told me "take this ninth invisible flame with you. Tell G-d that we lit a candle even when we had no oil. Not even defiled oil. Yet we still lit a flame -- a flame fueled by the pits of darkness. We never gave up. Let the world know that our ninth flame is alive and shining. Tell every person in despair that our flame never goes out."

PARSHA - Mikeitz - Chanukah - Moshiach!

Everything is connected to Moshiach and the Redemption. In fact, the Rebbe states clearly that it is natural for a person who is involved every day in yearning for the coming of Moshiach to look for a connection to Moshiach's coming in every event he encounters.

Since we are now in the days of Chanuka it is appropriate to look at the Festival of Lights with "Moshiach eyes." The Chanuka miracle took place in the Holy Temple, its celebration arouses a greater yearning for the time when the Menora will be kindled again in the Third Holy Temple.

Similarly, there is a connection between the above and this week's Torah portion, Mikeitz. When we hear the name Mikeitz - because we are constantly yearning for Moshiach's coming - we immediately associate it with the word "keitz" (meaning, "the end") which refers to the time for Moshiach's coming.

Also on Shabbat, when the Haftorah will be read and we will hear the vision for the Menora mentioned, we once again immediately associate it with the Menora of the Holy Temple.

So when we light the Menora let us envision ourselves watching the lighting of the rededicated Menora in the Third and Eternal Holy Temple. And as The Baal Shem Tov taught, "In the place where a person wants to be, that is where he will be found." May we all be found together in the Holy Temple this Chanuka!

Candle lighting time for L.A. is 4:28pm

This Friday night we light all eight candles for Chanuka! We light the menorah before lighting the Shabbat candles. (The Friday night Chanukah candles must burn for at least 1½ hours—so you may need more oil or larger candles.)

Shabbat Shalom and Chanukah Sameach!