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                                  B"H
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                         L'CHAIM - ISSUE # 889
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                           Copyright (c) 2005
                 Lubavitch Youth Organization - L.Y.O.
                              Brooklyn, NY
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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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        September 30, 2005      Nitzavim           26 Elul, 5765
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                  Welcome to the High Holiday Hotline
                         by Rabbi Israel Rubin

Welcome to the High Holiday Hot Line. Your call is very important. If
you are calling during the Ten Days of Repentance from Rosh Hashana to
Yom Kippur (but, of course, not on the holy days themselves!), when G-d
is closer, this is a local call, instead of the usual long distance.

Press #10 now.

During this time, you will hear one long note, three short beeps, nine
shorter beeps, and a long note. This series will repeat several times,
followed by a longer final note at the end.

For Ashkenazic pronunciation, bevakosho (please) press A. For Sephardic,
bevakasha press S.

You may use any language, as long as it comes from the heart.

Teshuva, returning to G-d, requires patience and persistence. If you do
not get through the first time, try again. If you still don't get
through, try again. Do not hang up!

If you feel that you have reached us in error, this is the right place,
for "to err is human, to forgive is Divine." This call is audio-visually
monitored by "The Eye that sees, the Ear that hears, and All your deeds
are recorded."

Your call may be interspersed with moving renditions of Avinu Malkeinu
and Kol Nidrei melodies.

Lip service is unacceptable. If you are not serious, please hang up, try
pressing "Return" and call back again.

To review your annual balance, here are some helpful numbers:

For mitzvot (commandments) in general, Press #613

For a positive commandment, Press #248

For a prohibition, Press #365

For Rabbinic laws use extension #7.

In case of a bad connection, press 1 for Teshuva, press 2 for Prayer,
and press 3 for Charity, for as we read in the High Holiday Prayerbook:
Repentance, Prayer and Charity can remove the bad decree.

You may

    Press 1 for G-d Is One,

    Press M to ask for Moshiach.

    Press 0 to delete misdeeds,

Are you sure you want to delete your transgressions at this time?

If you sinned against another person, you must contact him or her first,
and then call back after being forgiven.

If you sincerely regret past transgressions, but don't know where to
begin, consult the Yom Kippur prayer book's alphabetical Al Cheit
directory. Use right hand to press pound at each listing. Thanks to our
special "Teshuva Advantage Program," all your debits are turned into
credits.

All transfers to charity will be fully credited to your account. Enter
pledge now.

Press #18 to contribute multiples of Chai.

May you be inscribed for a GOOD NEW YEAR.

Thank you, and please call again.

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           LIVING WITH THE REBBE  -  THE WEEKLY TORAH PORTION
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This week's Torah portion, Nitzavim, definitively describes a Jew's
relation-ship with G-d and the Torah. "And you shall obey His
voice...for He is your life, and the length of your days." The Torah not
only enables a Jew to imbue his life with holiness and promises a reward
in the World to Come - it is his very life.

To better understand this concept, we can use the human body as an
analogy.

The life-force of a human being - that which animates the physical
matter of which man is composed - is found to the same degree throughout
the body, equally present in the heel as in the head.

Although the head is the center of the soul's higher faculties -
intellectual understanding, the senses of sight and hearing - no one
limb is more animated by this force than another. Every part of the
physical body is equally alive.

The same principle is also true of the Torah and its far-reaching
influence. Every detail of a Jew's existence - from the most exalted to
the most mundane - derives its life-force from the Torah, inasmuch as
the Torah addresses all the minutiae of daily life and imbues them with
G-dliness.

This is clearly demonstrated by the type of reward G-d promises for
observing the Torah: "If you will walk in My statutes...I will give you
rain in due season...and the earth shall produce its yield."

The reward for studying Torah is not only spiritual benefit, but
tangible, material reward as well, expressing the fact that the Torah
addresses both the spiritual and physical nature of the Jew, covering
the full spectrum of his existence.

The Torah's description of the Messianic Era, with its wondrous
manifestations of G-dliness and extraordinary phenomena, is more clearly
understood in this light.

"[In the Messianic Era] the land of Israel will produce [fully baked]
loaves of bread and [ready-made] articles of silk," we are promised.

But why will such remarkable material developments be necessary, if, as
we are taught, when Moshiach comes the entire world will recognize the
G-dliness within creation, and the sole pursuit of the Jewish people
will be to study G-d's Torah?

Simply put, it is through these miracles involving physical phenomena
that the underlying unity of G-d's creation with His Torah will be most
openly revealed.

When these miracles will be actualized in our everyday, physical lives,
the truth that the Torah is "our life and the length of our days" will
be obvious to all.

  Adapted from a talk of the Rebbe, Parshiot Behar-Bechokotai, 5751

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                             SLICE OF LIFE
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                           My Guardian Angel
                            by Leslie Seigel

On the eve of Rosh Hashana, my mother drove me over to the Marcus's
house. I went up to the door and knocked, and when it opened, there
stood Ita, Rabbi Marcus's wife. She was a petite woman with a big
beautiful smile and a shining and expressive face.

There were three small children standing around her and I asked if they
were all her's. Still smiling, Ita told me she had five children. I had
never met a Jewish person with so many children before. The only people
I knew with that many children were Catholic. Ita asked me why I was
wearing a scarf on my head, and I told her I thought I was supposed to
cover my hair when I went to the synagogue with her. Ita explained
matter-of-factly that the mitzva (commandment) to cover your hair only
applied to married women and the mitzva also meant covering your hair
all of the time, not only in the synagogue. I waved goodbye to my mother
and walked into Ita's house and into the lives of the warmest and most
loving family I had ever known.

I met Ita's son Shmulie, who was about a year and a half old. Shmulie
was a delightful, energetic and happy-go-lucky little boy who had a lot
of fun following around his three older brothers. Ita had just had her
first daughter, Bluma, only a few months earlier. Bluma was round and
cute and everyone in the house was enjoying having the first girl in the
family. Zalman was the oldest of the Marcus children. He was unusually
mature and helpful for a boy who was only seven years old. It was a
pleasure to watch how much he enjoyed helping his parents. Chaim, who
was five, was outgoing and interested in what everyone else was doing.
He was a real people person, the kind of child who makes sure everyone
around him is doing okay. Yossi, who was three, had the most adorable
round face and he was an especially warm and affectionate child.

The Marcus's house was overflowing with people for Rosh Hashana. In
addition to having me sleep over at their house, they also had Rabbi
Marcus's sister and brother-in-law and their three children. And besides
that, Rabbi Marcus also brought home guests from shul. The whole house
was buzzing with people laughing and children running around playing and
it was just such an incredibly happy environment. Rabbi Marcus was a
good-natured person and extremely amusing as well. He was tall with a
long dark beard, and like Ita, he also had a shining face with a big
smile.

It was unbearably hot that Rosh Hashana, but instead of complaining,
Rabbi Marcus was joking about how he was going to find a way to fit a
hundred bottles of seltzer in the refrigerator. I had never met a couple
like the Marcuses before. It was like they were one person with two
parts that functioned so well together. I could sense the connection
they had with each other but it was on an entirely different level than
I was used to seeing between a man and a woman.

I also loved watching the way Ita and Yitzchok interacted with their
children. I noticed when Zalman kept dipping his challa in the honey
more than a few times Yitzchok smiled at him and said, "Zalman, you'll
have just as sweet a year if you only dip your challa once." It was a
pleasure to see how they treated their children in such a positive
manner. I enjoyed every single moment I spent in their home.

I also enjoyed going to shul with the Marcus', but it didn't take me
long to figure out that the center of their life was not in shul but at
home. Ita set the tone for her family. She was an unusually generous and
giving person. Even with so many people in her home and all the activity
going on, she made time to get to know me.

When my mother came to pick me up after Rosh Hashana I was sitting
talking with Ita. She asked my mother if she would like to stay and talk
for awhile. I could see my mother was completely taken with Ita's warmth
and sincerity.They talked and talked about all sorts of things.

I watched my mother's face focused on Ita's as she told us there were
many ways of behavior that G-d knew we could figure out by ourselves.
But G-d also knew there were other right ways of behavior that we could
not figure out by ourselves. So He gave us the laws in the Torah to make
sure we would always know the right way to behave in every situation in
life.

I think my mother and I could have sat there for years listening to the
profound wisdom of this wonderful woman. But it was time to go back to
the world we lived in and I think my mother and I both were a little sad
about that. I knew the moment I met Ita that I wanted her to be a part
of my life. I visited her many times after that Rosh Hashana, and she
always made herself available to me and included me in whatever she was
doing. I appreciated that she never pushed me to do anything that I
wasn't ready to do as far as my pursuit of Jewishness was concerned.

Ita did become a very special part of my life, and I became a part of
her's. She was and remains my friend, my teacher and my guardian angel.
One time I was feeling unsure of whether I should continue writing to
the Lubavitcher Rebbe. It was Ita who reassured me by explaining that
having the Rebbe's wisdom and understanding of life available to us was
like standing on the shoulders of a giant, enabling us to see things
more clearly.

Since that very special Rosh Hashana, I have dragged Ita through
everything in my life. She has seen me through joyful times and
unfortunately difficult times as well. I recently asked her, "Ita, if
you had known how much I was going to put you through, would you still
have become my friend?"

Ita replied, like a true guardian angel, "Aliza (my Jewish name), I
would not have given up this relationship for anything in the world."

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                               WHAT'S NEW
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                          Jewish Life Festival

Chabad on Washington Square presents the Jewish Life Festival on Sunday,
October 2, 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. The Festival celebrates Jewish culture and
tradition with art exhibitions, live music, rides and games, interactive
workshops (make your own real shofar) and a kosher food extravaganza.
For the seventh year, the Festival takes place in Washington Square
Park, Lower Manhattan. The Festival is open to the public. For more info
call (212) 674-1950.

                       Chabad House is Your House

If you haven't already done so, call your local Chabad-Lubavitch Center
to find out about Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Sukkot and Simchat Torah
innovative programs, services and meals during this special holiday
season. Locate your local Center at www.LchaimWeekly.org

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                            THE REBBE WRITES
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               Free translation of a letter of the Rebbe
                  Erev Shabbos-Kodesh, Shabbos Teshuva
                         6 Tishrei, 5739 [1978]
 To the Sons and Daughters of Our People Israel, Greeting and Blessing:

...Teshuva [repentance] enables a person to rectify completely all that
should have been achie-ved throughout the past, in matters of Torah and
Mitzvos - "with one 'turn' and in one moment."

Parenthetically, it is surely needless to emphasize that the above must
not, G-d forbid, serve as an excuse for wrongdoing, as our Sages warned,
"Whoever says, 'I will sin and repent later,' is not given an
opportunity to do Teshuva."

On reflection, it can easily be seen that, all things added up, the
world contains more quantity (materiality) than quality (spirituality),
and more by far. Indeed, the more corporeal and gross a thing is, the
greater is the quantity in which it is found. Thus, for example, the
world in inanimate, (inorganic) matter is much greater in volume than
the vegetable kingdom, and the latter is quantitatively greater than the
animal kingdom, which, in turn, surpasses by far, in quantity, the
highest of the four kingdoms, mankind (the "speaking" creature).

Similarly in the human body: the lowest extremities, the legs are larger
in size than the rest of the body, and the latter is much greater in
bulk than the head, wherein are located the organs of speech and the
sense of smell, hearing and sight, as well as the intellect, etc., which
animate the entire body and direct all its activities.

On further reflection, a person might also become disheartened, G-d
forbid, wondering how is one to fulfill adequately one's real purpose in
life on this earth, which is, to quote our Sages, "I was created to
serve my Creator" - seeing that most of one's time is necessarily taken
up with materialistic things, such as eating and drinking, sleeping,
earning a livelihood, etc. What with the fact that the earliest years of
a human being, before reaching maturity and knowledge, are spent in an
entirely materialistic mode of living.

The answer is, first of all, that even the so-called materialistic
preoccupation of the daily life must not become purely materialitstic
and animal-like, for we have to be always mindful of the imperative,
"Let all your doings be for the sake of Heaven," and "Know Him (G-d) in
all your ways."

This means that also in carrying out the activities which are connected
with the physical and material aspects of life (which, as mentioned,
take up the greater part of a person's time) a human being must know
that those material aspects are not an end in themselves, but they are,
and must serve as, the means to attain to the higher, spiritual realm of
life, namely, physical aspects with spiritual content, and utilize them
for spiritual purpose. Thus, all these mundane, and in themselves
trivial matters, are elevated to their proper role, perfection and
spirituality.

But in addition to the above, there is also the unique effectiveness of
Teshuva, which has the power to transform - "With one 'turn' and in one
moment" - the whole past-the very materiality of it into spirituality.

Time is, of course, not measured simply by duration, but by its content
in terms of achievement. Thus, in evaluating time there are vast
differences in terms of content, and, hence, in real worth, of a minute,
an hour, etc. Suffice it to mention by way of example, that one cannot
compare an hour of prayer and outpouring of the soul before G-d with an
hour of sleep. And to use the analogy of coins, there may be coins of
identical size and shape, yet different in their intrinsic value,
depending upon whether they are made of copper, silver or gold.

With all the wonderful opportunities that G-d provides for a person to
fill his time with, there is the most wonderful gift from "G-d who does
wonders" of the extraordinary quality of Teshuva, which transcends all
limitations, including the limitations of time, so that "in one moment"
it transforms the whole past, to the degree of absolute perfection in
quality and spirituality.

The Alm-ghty has also ordained especially favorable times for Teshuva,
at the end of each year and the beginning of the new year, together with
the assurance that everyone who resolves to do Teshuva - he, or she, can
accomplish it "in one moment." Thus, the person transforms the quantity
of the materiality in the past, into meritorious quality, spirituality
and holiness. At the same time, one prepares for the future, in the
coming year and thereafter, in a proper manner.

This is accomplished through Torah and Mitzvos in the everyday life,
thereby elevating himself (or herself) and the environment at large to
the highest possible level of spirituality and holiness, thus making
this material world a fitting abode for G-d, blessed be He.

May G-d grant that everyone actively strive for the above, in accordance
with the prayer of the Propehtess Chanah, which we read on the first day
of the New Year: "My heart rejoices in G-d, my strength is uplifted
through G-d...I rejoice in His help... and He will exalt the reign of
His Moshiach."

With blessing for success in all and to be sealed and completely sealed
for good, both materially and spiritually,

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                            RAMBAM THIS WEEK
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26 Elul, 5765 - September 30, 2005

Positive Mitzva 15: The Mezuza

This mitzva is based on the verse (Deut. 6:9), "And you shall write them
upon the door-posts of your house and upon your gates" The Torah
commands us to affix a mezuza on the right side of every entrance into
Jewish houses and on the doorpost of every room. The mezuza assures us
of Divine protection. The mezuza itself is written on parchment upon
which portions of the Torah are hand-written by a qualified scribe. In
time, the lettering may fade and, therefore, it is very important to
check the mezuza periodically, to insure that it still contains all the
letters.

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                        A WORD FROM THE DIRECTOR
                         Rabbi Shmuel M. Butman
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                           May this year be:

A year of "Arise and have mercy on Zion,"... uplifted in matters of
Moshiach and the Redemption... faith in G-d and Moses His servant...
traveling with the Heavenly clouds... Revealed Wonders; Wonders in
Everything... the building of the Holy Temple... trust; Great wonders...
the true and complete Redemption; Dignified Wonders... victory... the
seventh generation is the generation of Redemption...King David lives
and is eternal; "Those who rest in the dust will arise and sing and he
will lead them"... Moshiach is coming and he has already come... the
revelation of Moshiach; "He will redeem us"... "And they believed in G-d
and in Moses His servant"; "This one will comfort us"; the wonders of
true freedom... a new song; an abundance of good (Rambam); the king
shall live; inscribed and sealed for a good year... the harp of
Moshiach; learning Moshiach's teachings; the coming of Menachem who will
comfort us... the King Moshiach; wonders... revealed miracles... a
double portion; treasures... the completion and end of exile... the
revelation of the Infinite Divine Light; "Humble ones, the time of your
Redemption has arrived"; "Jerusalem will dwell in open space"; Your
servant David will go forth; the ingathering of the exiles... acceptance
of his sovereignty by the people; Rebbe - Rosh B'nei Yisrael; peace... a
new song... Moshiach's shofar... unity of the Torah, unity of the Jewish
people, unity of the land of Israel; Resurrection of the Dead... "A new
Torah will come from Me"

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                          THOUGHTS THAT COUNT
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You are standing this day, all of you, before the L-rd your G-d (Deut.
29:9)

"All of you" are before G-d, all of you are equal in His eyes. Your
"leaders, elders and officers" are not considered any more important and
privileged than your "woodcutters and water carriers."

                                                       (Klai Yakar)

                                *  *  *


In your mouth and in your heart, that you will do it (Deut. 30:14)

Don't think that you have fulfilled your obligation "with your mouth" -
just by speaking about doing a mitzva, or "in your heart" - just by
thinking about doing one. Everything that is "in your mouth and in your
heart" - all of these mitzvot - do it!

                                   (Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotsk)

                                *  *  *


That you should enter into the covenant of G-d and into His oath (Deut.
29:11)

The purpose of a covenant is to ensure that the love and respect which
exist between two parties continue. We learn this from the way this
ceremony was performed in ancient times. The two parties would split an
animal in half and pass between the two sections (symbolizing that they,
too, were both halves of the same entity). Just as a person has
self-love, a love independent of any outside force and not governed by
logic and reason, so too should such a love between the two parties
continue and never cease. This is the eternal bond which exists between
G-d and the Jewish People.

                                                (Lubavitcher Rebbe)

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                            IT ONCE HAPPENED
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               by Rabbi M. M. Gorelik (of blessed memory)

I was imprisoned in a labor camp in the far north of Russia. The
crowding in the bunk was terrible and there wasn't even enough air to
breathe. I went out into the yard in order to get some fresh air and was
met with 60 degrees below zero temperatures; all that could be seen was
snow, snow, snow.

It was Rosh Hashana and one thought plagued my mind and heart: Where is
my wife? Where are my children? The K.G.B. had told me terrifying things
about my family. They had said, "Your wife is dead. When our men came to
her house to take your children from her - because she cannot educate
them in the Soviet spirit - she adamantly protested and went into a
panic. In her great emotion she had a sudden heart attack and died. But
don't worry. Your children are with us, in a Soviet orphanage where
they'll get an excellent education in the spirit of communism. There
will be none of your Jewish nonsense and religious stupidities."

When they saw that I believed them, they continued to torment me,
saying: "Where is your G-d for whom you sacrificed your wife and
children? Where is He? Why doesn't He save you from our hands?"

I wanted to cry but I had no tears. I kept all the pain deep inside. I
felt that in another moment I would die from a broken heart. I decided
to speak my heart to G-d before my end, before I left this world of
falsehood.

I began: "Master of all, today is Rosh Hashana and we don't say 'Al
Cheit' asking You for forgiveness from our many transgressions. But
under the circumstances I cannot wait until Yom Kippur. I ask
forgiveness for every day and year of my entire life in this world of
falsehood. And You, in Your great mercy, forgive me also for saying Al
Cheit today, on Rosh Hashana."

I began to emotionally recite my unique Al Cheit: "For the sin of
organizing a secret school; for the sin of organizing workplaces so Jews
wouldn't be forced to work on the Sabbath and holidays; for the sin of
organizing factories in which they worked a few hours and in the rest of
the time they taught children Torah; for the sin of arranging documents
for those children so they wouldn't be caught and be sent to where I am
now.

"I sinned greatly against these wicked people, but I did it all in order
to preserve Your Torah and Your commandments, so please forgive me for
my sins. Please allow me to express my final request: Tell me where my
wife and children are. What has happened to them? Show them to me so it
will be easier for me to leave this false world. Show me Your kindness.

"And one last thing. Today is Rosh Hashana. Merciful Father, give me the
opportunity to fulfill today's mitzva of hearing the shofar."

Then, a voice resounded in my heart so clearly, I was sure it was a
voice from heaven. It said, "Don't be sad and don't believe those wicked
ones. Your wife and children are alive and are at home, as always. You
will see one another with joy and success."

I cried out, "G-d! Please change Your rules of nature! We can hear long
distance via the radio. Do me this kindness, let me actually hear the
sound of the shofar."

Suddenly, I saw before my eyes a large synagogue with a bima in the
center, and on the bima stood the Lubavitcher Rebbe blowing the shofar.
T'kia - my heart cried wordlessly at this sound. Shvarim, t'rua - my
crying intensified but without sound. My heart stopped beating in
anticipation, and once again I heard: shvarim, t'rua. I stood there,
drinking in this awesome and holy sight. I cried deep in my heart:
"Father! Have mercy on us! Father! Rescue your children who need
help..."

And then tears began to burst forth, copious, warm tears. I cried out
before G-d for my troubles, for my wife's difficulties, and for the
children, who did not sin, and for my brothers and sisters in these same
straits.

During those moving moments, there was no snow and ice covered camp, no
guard dogs or human-animals who patrolled the fence. What I saw and felt
was only G-d, the holy Torah, the Rebbe blowing shofar, and many Jews
who were listening to the sound of the shofar and were crying from the
depths of their hearts. The Rebbe, too, was crying.

Many years passed and with G-d's kindness I remained alive. I was freed
from the labor camp and returned home. I found my wife and children
alive and observing Torah and mitzvot despite the dangers they endured
while I was away. More decades went by and miraculously we were freed
from that hell. Together with my wife and children we arrived in Israel.

I travelled to the Rebbe in New York at my first opportunity, to pray in
his synagogue on Rosh Hashana, to thank him for praying for us, and for
his blessings that encouraged us to be strong.

I entered "770." I saw before me a large synagogue with a bima in the
center. The Rebbe prepared himself to blow the shofar as thousands of
chasidim watched in awe. It was utterly silent. The Rebbe went up to the
bima. He took three bags with him that contained letters requesting
blessings, many from Jews in the Soviet Union requesting a blessing to
be able to leave.

The Rebbe covered his holy face with his talit and cried. He cried for
all the Jewish people. The Rebbe began to blow the shofar. T'kia,
shvarim, t'rua...

It was the same vision I had seen in the labor camp decades ago. But
this time it was not a vision!

    This memoir of Rabbi Gorelik was originally printed in a publication
    for new immigrants to Israel from the Soviet Union. Translated and
    reprinted from Beis Moshiach Magazine.

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                            MOSHIACH MATTERS
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In the future, when Moshiach comes, every creation in this world will
understand and recognize that there is a G-dly power within which makes
it exist and gives it its life-force. This is the meaning of the line
from the Amida prayer which we say on Rosh Hashana. We beseech G-d to
reveal His Kingship in this world - "May everything that has been made
know that You made it"- because in truth nothing exists without this
G-dliness.

                                     (Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi)

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               END OF TEXT - L'CHAIM 889 - Nitzavim 5765
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