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                         L'CHAIM - ISSUE # 1017
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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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        April 18, 2008         Achrei Mos         13 Nisan, 5768
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                               Palimpsest

Passover is perhaps the most perplexing of holidays: More families
gather for the Passover seder than for any other Jewish holiday.
Passover has wonderful traditions and songs, and the food with which we
have a love-hate relationship - matza, maror (bitter herbs). Passover is
the holiday of spring, of our freedom, our redemption, of our emergence
from slavery into a nation. The history of the Jewish people begins with
Passover.

Passover also brings with it cleaning and paranoia about bread crumbs
and, let's face it, the extra expense because Passover food just costs
more. In some ways, Passover is the most restrictive of holidays,
requiring more preparation, more effort and toil and after eight days of
matza, oy!

But we can look at Passover another way. Let's call Passover a
palimpsest. In case you've forgotten what a palimpsest is, here's a
standard definition: a manuscript, typically of papyrus or parchment,
that has been written on more than once, with the earlier writing
incompletely erased and often legible.

In other words, a palimpsest retains traces of its history. There's the
current story, and in between the spaces an earlier story, and in
between those spaces a still earlier story, and so on. But the material
on which the generational stories are written, the parchment, remains.

Although technically a palimpsest is a piece of parchment with writing,
the meaning has been extended to include anything that reflects the
layers of its history.

So matza is a palimpsest. The bitter herbs are a palimpsest. Even the
Hagada is a palimpsest.

Because the basic material, the object itself, remains the same
generation after generation. Moses, Aaron and Miriam, and their
generation ate matza. King David and his generation ate matza. Mordechai
and Esther and their generation ate matza. Rabbi Akiva and Rachel and
their generation ate matza. The Maharal and Pearl and their generation
ate matza. And bitter herbs. And read the Hagada to retell the story.

Only its never quite the same story. In every generation we must
perceive the world, and our situation, as if we ourselves have left -
have just left - Egypt. We should see things thus not just on Passover,
but every day - as if we are just now leaving Egypt.

That is the parchment, the material we write our stories on.

But in each generation, the story is slightly different, because the
Egypt is different. The oppression and enslavement is different. True,
the themes remain the same - physical persecution from without,
emotional doubt and intellectual confusion from within. But the specific
form, the details of the story, they differ.

The challenges of our generation are the same, but different, as the
challenges of previous generations. We too must wrestle with ourselves
to observe and learn, we must struggle against those who rise up to
destroy us, from without and from within.

Fifty ago there was no internet. A hundred years ago there was no
television or radio. And the events of the twentieth century have
created new challenges to our living proudly as Jews who observe mitzvot
(commandments).

But on Passover we remind ourselves that we too must leave Egypt, we too
must retell the story, relive the Exodus and the Redemption. We must in
a sense rewrite, no, not just rewrite, we must write it over, between
the spaces and over all the other stories, connecting them, generation
to generation.

Our seders are a palimpsest, taking us through the history of ourselves.
And so, on the same surface, with the same materials, we tell the story
of Redemp-tion, writing and rewriting it until the final telling - the
coming of Moshiach and the complete Redemption.

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           LIVING WITH THE REBBE  -  THE WEEKLY TORAH PORTION
*********************************************************************
On the tenth day of the Hebrew month of Nissan the Jews in Egypt were
commanded to take a lamb into their homes and to guard it until the 14th
of the month, when it was to be slaughtered as the Passover offering.

When their Egyptian neighbors became curious, the Jews explained that
the sacrifice was preparatory to the tenth and final plague G-d would
visit on the Egyptians - the slaying of the firstborn.

Hearing this, the firstborn sons panicked. They stormed Pharaoh's
palace, demanding that he free the Jews. When he refused, civil war
broke out in Egypt. Sons fought against fathers and many died, as it
states in Psalms, "To Him Who smote Egypt through their firstborn" - the
Egyptian firstborn themselves were the instrument of Egypt's
destruction.

This miracle is commemorated each year on "Shabbat Hagadol," the Shabbat
immediately preceding Passover, as the miracle itself took place on
Shabbat that year.

Yet ever since then, Shabbat Hagadol does not necessarily fall on the
10th of Nissan; the deciding factor in commemorating the miracle is that
it be on Shabbat.

This commemoration differs from all other celebrations on the Jewish
calendar, which are generally determined according to the day of the
month. What is so special about Shabbat Hagadol that it follows a
different pattern?

An essential difference exists between the days of the week and of the
month. The seven days of the week are determined by the sun, according
to the natural order G-d put into motion during the seven days of
Creation. The days of the (Jewish) month, however, are determined by the
phases of the moon, whose movements are not subject to nature in the
same way.

These two ways of determining the passage of time, solar and lunar,
reflect the two ways G-d oversees the world - within and outside of
nature - the seemingly natural occurrence and the miracle.

In fact, the Hebrew word for "month" - "chodesh" - expresses this
concept, for it is related to the word "chadash" ("new"), signifying
that the lunar phases are subject to change.

For this reason, Jewish holidays are celebrated according to the day of
the month, as they commemorate G-d's supernatural intervention with the
laws of nature.

The miracle of Shabbat Hagadol, however, was not supernatural, but of an
entirely different sort, one in which evil itself fought to eradicate
its own existence. Fearing for their own lives, Egyptian fought against
Egyptian, waging war in order to free the Jewish slaves.

A miracle such as this, occurring within nature, is therefore connected
to the day of the week and not the day of the month.

This concept will be better understood when Moshiach comes, speedily in
our day, for the G-dliness that exists within nature will then be openly
revealed and not seen as a separate entity.

                  Adapted from Likutei Sichot of the Rebbe, Vol. 27

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                             SLICE OF LIFE
*********************************************************************
                      Passover in Ho Chi Minh City
                            by Bentzi Sudak

A young Lubavitcher couple married a little over a year makes a Seder in
Ho Chi Minh City under the auspices of Chabad-Lubavitch.
                         Monday, April 18, 2005


We arrive in this foreign land with no language skills and almost no
Passover provisions, due to strict baggage allowances.

In time for the first Seder Saturday night (actually, before Shabbat
begins Friday eve), Rochie and I must set up a kosher-for-Passover
kitchen and prepare a festive meal for 75 people. We need to find a
venue and we need to make sure that our matza and wine arrive from Hong
Kong.

Our first stop is the hotel where we have rented a suite of rooms. We
put our bags down and call Naomi Lee, a Jewish woman whose number was
given to us by Rabbi Mordechai Avtzon of Chabad of Hong Kong. She takes
us to Coop Mart. We practically buy out the store - pots, pans,
utensils, wine glasses, tea cups and more. We fill up seven wagons at
the store.

Back in our hotel room, we start working the phones to call our contacts
about the Seder.
                                Tuesday


Seder invitations had been sent out earlier and now people are
responding, mostly by email. Meanwhile, we go to the electronics store
to buy food processors, blenders, ovens, etc. We try valiantly to find a
luxurious venue for our Seder but are not successful, so we call
housekeeping at the hotel to arrange tables in our apartment to seat 50.
"Only residents are allowed here" housekeeping tells us. "We will not
give you extra tables."

Suddenly, the internet isn't working. We need it to accept reservations.
We call the front desk. They say that no one in the hotel has internet
access now. We wait a few hours and call again. Now they tell us that
the internet hub in Singapore is down, so there is no internet in the
whole city. Go figure.
                               Wednesday


Back to Coop Mart. Now we need 75 place settings of dinnerware and
flatware. We buy serving bowls, oven trays, aluminum foil, air tight
containers, pitchers, and the list goes on.

We return to the apartment with this huge shipment. The housekeeping
crew's eyes are popping. Housekeeping calls to remind us that we can't
have a party. No, we assure them, this will not be a party. We are
having dinner with friends.

Back to the electronics store to buy a freezer, gas oven and stove. Yes,
they'll deliver. We go back to the apartment, drop everything off and
then rush to the produce market. We buy so many fruits and vegetables
that we are asked if we are opening a hotel. They will deliver in the
morning. We go back to the apartment and collapse, exhausted, at 8:00
p.m. Aaahhh... the calm before the storm.

Soon, the quiet is interrupted by the telephone. "Mr. Sudak. We don't
allow gas ranges in the hotel."

They won't let the equipment come into the apartment. All this equipment
is on the truck! We negotiate with the hotel to store it in the truck,
parked outside, for one night.
                        Thursday morning, 5 a.m.


I wake up sweating, having dreamed that the veggie order was refused.
What will they think when a truck of produce comes for two tourists?

I tell the sleepy guy at the front desk that I am expecting a lot of
food, because I have to cook a week's worth of food for my Passover
holiday. "Cook? With what Mr, Sudak? No gas ranges! But no problem. I
will send the produce to your room."

I breathe a sigh of relief. Wait, how did the night shift guy know about
the gas range and my name?

The produce arrives and we put it  in one of the bedrooms with the air
conditioner on at full blast... a makeshift cold storage room. The
helpers start arriving. Naomi Lee's maid and her friends, as well as the
waiters from the hotel bar, all want to work for us. "When do we start?"
they ask. They know we will pay them like kings... one U.S. dollar per
hour!

At 8:30 a.m. we meet with the hotel supervisor and explain to her: We
are planning a dinner and many of your important clients will be there.
The U.S. Consul General is coming. And the Chilean Consul General. Are
you suggesting we turn these people away?

She tells me, "Use the party room." Great idea! She continues, "But
don't use a gas range." Okay, I guess we'll have to improvise.

Back at the apartment, preparations are in full swing. Rochie has a crew
of maids busy cutting commercial size salads, and squeezing oranges and
lemons. Six maids almost faint when I grate the marror. Rochie is
running a marathon to cook all this food. Every spoon, fork, plate, you
name it, has a label that takes a night of soaking to remove. Every
vegetable, too, has to soak in anti-bacterial soap and then be rinsed
with mineral water. Rochie is becoming expert at non-verbal
communication. All instructions are given through hand motions, hastily
drawn illustrations, and mostly, just by example.
                                 Friday


The salmon arrives. The lady at the fish store found the last new
filleting knife, still in the wrapper. Rochie had convinced someone from
the store to fillet the fish in our kitchen for kosher reasons.

I go back to Coop Mart. The people there think that I like to shop. I
ask for ten tablecloths. I repeat this ten times until they finally
understand. Whew! A minute later they come back with ten table clocks.
                          Two hours to Shabbat


The Israeli embassy in Hanoi refers Sam to us. Sam has been living in
Vietnam for ten years. He is Jewish, married to a Vietnamese woman and
raising their children in that culture. He is willing to come to our
Seder but he wants to make sure it will be roomy, that it will run on
schedule and end early! I assure him of all three things and pray that I
am right.

We receive an email from distraught American parents whose son, John,
lives in Vietnam. They write us, "Our son is not interested in coming,
could you email him? He doesn't speak to us; we have nothing to do with
him." I try to reach John many times, no response. But at the last
minute, we get a visit from John. He will come to the Seder, he says.

It's an hour to Shabbat. The salmon smells fantastic. Rochie got it
together against all odds.
                             Saturday night


Rochie opens the evening by welcoming everyone and inviting the women to
light candles for the holiday while their families stand around them.

The party room is "L" shaped, with a large double door in-between. I
decide to seat the guests separately, Americans and those who know
English in one room and Israelis who know Hebrew in the other. I stand
in the doorway, and keep both rooms in sync. We sing the songs in two
languages.
                                Midnight


Seder is over! And it was huge success. We can't move from the
exhaustion and the relief. It was unbelievable. We seated exactly 75
guests including a group that came with the U.S. consul in Ho Chi Minh
City who has become a very close friend. How Rochie managed it all, a
gourmet meal under these circumstances, is beyond human comprehension.
It is a miracle of hard work, ingenuity, and Divine help.

A postscript about John. For most of the Seder, he kept to himself and
didn't participate. But by the end of the Seder, his face was flushed.
With tears in his eyes, he said, "Of all the things my parents did to me
my whole life, sending me to this Seder was the best thing."

Hectic as it was, this was one of the happiest weeks of our lives!

            Adapted from an article in the N'Shei Chabad Newsletter

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                               WHAT'S NEW
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*********************************************************************
                            THE REBBE WRITES
*********************************************************************
                   Continued from last weeks L'Chaim:


    In the letter before Passover in 5744 - 1984, the Rebbe focused on
    the way in which the Redemption was at midnight and the Exodus at
    midday, explaining how day and night represent the service of the
    Mitzvos, our fulfillment of the commandments and of R'shus, the more
    mundane aspects of our lives.

Especially in the area of R'shus, the permitted, such as eating and
drinking and the like, because they can involve powerful, natural
drives, special vigilance is required in order to insure that it be
l'Shem-Shomayim, "for the sake of Heaven." Even in the realm of Mitzvos
there is the possibility of "performance by rote," where routine
practice could not only pose a hindrance to the principle of "Ma'alin
b'Kodesh" (in holy matters we should always be striving higher), but
even to the proper observance of the Mitzvos themselves. How much more
easily could this happen in "secular" matters, where over exposure can
cause, G-d forbid, a person to fall very far, even to opposite of
l'Shem-Shomayim, e.g. gluttony, drunkenness, and the like. Hence, a
special vigilance and a special effort is required to infuse in this
area of everyday life an ever greater measure of l'Shem-Shomayim, a
growing measure of light, finally achieving a "full moon"; though even
then it is still only "l'Shem Shomayim," for the sake of Heaven, only
later will it become actual "Heavenly"-matters (Torah and Mitzvos). In
the meantime it is still "night," the realm of R'shus - the mundane.

This is one of the lessons implied in the emphasis on the deliverance
having taken place at midnight, alluding, as mentioned, to matters of
mundane, which, in relation to Torah and Mitzvos, are like "night" to
"day," meaning that even in the most materialistic aspects of secular
matters one can, and must, completely free one's self from "Galus
Mitzrayim" (exile - subservience to materialism and its limitations).

Similarly also in matters which are alluded to in midday, namely,
matters of Ner Mitzvah veTorah Or, when one has reached the height of
one's strength and brightness - there is a need of "Yetzias Mitzrayim,"
(going out of Egypt) of breaking through and elevating oneself above all
limitations and standards, including those of the realm of holiness - to
break out of one's complacency with one's self and with one's level of
achievement. On the contrary, the higher one rises, the more one must
strive for still higher standards. Our aim must be, as we declare in our
daily prayers, both in the day and at night: To love G-d with all one's
might, meaning with complete self-sacrifice, totally surrendering one's
will and desires to G-d.

This is the intent of the verse, "They shall proceed "from strength to
strength." The starting point is not flawed, it is a G-d given place of
attainment and strength. But the same G-d commands that his goal, to
serve G-d as one should, is not to remain on the same level, however
high it may be. Rather even after he has achieved, with the help of G-d,
a level of strength, he will not rest and will continue to advance from
one level of strength to an even higher level.

The above will provide a deeper insight into the obligation to remember
Yetzias Mitzrayim every day, and both by day and by night. At first
glance, having already remembered and experienced Yetzias Mitzrayim
yesterday, both in matters symbolized by "day" (Torah and Mitzvos) as
well as those symbolized by "night," what is left to accomplish by
remembering Yetzias Mitzrayim again today?

The answer is that, inasmuch as a new day has come, yesterday's level,
however satisfactory it was yesterday, must now be considered
"Mitzrayim" - limited - in relation to the new level which one can
attain on this new day; and also from this category of "Mitzrayim" one
should, and must, free oneself, and in a manner of an "uplifted arm."

                                *  *  *


May G-d grant that since we still find ourselves in the "night" of the
Exile, and, moreover, "darkness covers the earth," in the period
immediately prior to the imminent coming of Moshiach,

We should all very soon merit to see the true Redemption, to be
celebrated as the Redemption from Egypt was celebrated while still in
Egypt, in the middle of the night, and with such a measure of enthusiasm
and joy as to "raise the roof," as a preparation and prelude to Yetzias
Mitzrayim in the literal sense, which took place with an uplifted arm,
in the very middle of the day;

And merit it we will, through strengthened trust in G-d, the deliverer
of our people Israel, and heightened desire and "hope for Your
liberation every day," hoping and praying every day and the whole day,
and every minute of the day, for the Divine liberation through our
righteous Moshiach.

And this will hasten still more the fulfillment of the prophetic words
referring to our true and complete Redemption: "Your light shall shine
forth in the darkness, and your profound darkness shall be as the
noonday,"

In accordance with the prophecy that the coming Redemption will be
wonderous even in comparison to the miracles and wonders of the Exodus
from Egypt: At that time it took hours from "midnight" to "noonday,"
whereas the forthcoming Redemption will come immediately, from profound
bleakness to the brightness of high noon.

With esteem and with blessing for a Kosher and Joyous Passover

*********************************************************************
                                CUSTOMS
*********************************************************************
         What are some of the significance of the three matzas
              and four cups of wine at the Passover Seder?


The three matzas represent the three categories of Jews: the priests,
the Levites and the Israelites. They also represent the three Patriarch:
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The four cups of wine represent the four
expressions of Redemption of the Jewish people (see "From the
Director"). They also represent the four Matriarchs: Sara, Rebecca,
Rachel and Lea.

*********************************************************************
                        A WORD FROM THE DIRECTOR
                         Rabbi Shmuel M. Butman
*********************************************************************
This coming Saturday night, April 19, the holiday of Passover begins and
we celebrate the first Passover seder. Among the many customs and laws
that surround the seder is the obligation to drink four cups of wine, to
recall the four expressions of redemption written in the Torah.

When G-d told Moses that He would free the Jewish people from Egyptian
enslavement, He used four different terms:

    1. "V'hotzeiti - I will take you out,"

    2. "V'hitzalti - I will save you,"

    3. "V'ga'alti - I will redeem you,"

    4. "V'lakachti - I will take you."

These four expressions correspond to the four decrees that Pharaoh
issued against the Jews: the decree of hard labor, the decree that the
midwives should kill all male children, the decree that all baby boys
should be drowned in the Nile, and the decree to withhold from the Jews
the straw necessary to make bricks, even though the quota of bricks to
be filled wasn't decreased. For each additional act of cruelty, G-d
promised to free His people.

However, if we continue reading the Torah, we come across yet a fifth
expression of redemption, "V'heiveiti - I will bring," meaning that not
only will G-d take the Jews out of their misery, but He will continue to
take them out until they have reached the land that He has promised to
them. This is considered the last term of redemption, the one that will
be fulfilled with the coming of Moshiach. This fifth term is also
symbolized by a cup of wine at the seder, Elijah's cup.

The Rebbe notes that the custom of Elijah's cup is not mentioned in the
Talmud or in any of the earlier texts regarding Jewish law. Its earliest
source is in the writings of the sixteenth century. This is attributed
to the fact that pouring a cup for Elijah is an expression of our faith
in the coming of Moshiach, and with each passing year the feeling of
anticipation grows stronger and more widespread.

This year, may we see the fulfillment of our anticipation as we conclude
the seder with the words, "Next year in Jerusalem," when G-d will
fulfill His fifth and final promise with the revelation of Moshiach and
the Redemption.

*********************************************************************
                          THOUGHTS THAT COUNT
*********************************************************************
The Seder

The Hebrew word "seder" means order or arrangement, alluding to the fact
that everything that has ever happened to the Jewish people, from the
Exodus until today, has unfolded according to Divine plan. Nothing
occurs by accident, even if we don't always understand why an event must
take place. (The Maharal)

                                *  *  *


The seder plate: the roasted egg

In addition to being a reminder of the Passover offering, the roasted
egg is a symbol of the Jewish people. The longer other foods are cooked,
the softer and more tender they become, but the longer an egg is boiled,
the harder it gets. Similarly, the more painful and severe the hardships
of the exile, the stronger and more resilient the Jewish people emerges.

                                *  *  *


And here, the child asks (from the Hagada)

Said Rabbi Aaron of Karlin, in the name of his father, Rabbi Asher of
Stolin: "Here," on the night of the seder, every Jewish child may
request of his Father in Heaven anything he wishes, and he will receive
extra strength and vitality for all of his needs.

                                                      (Beit Aharon)

                                *  *  *


The wicked son says: What is this service to you? ...You may tell him:
If he had been there, he would not have been redeemed

What purpose does it serve to tell the wicked son that had he lived in
those days he would not have been worthy of Redemption? The answer:
Although it is true that the wicked son would not have been redeemed
from Egypt, he will be redeemed with Moshiach in the Final Redemption!
Unlike all other historical redemptions, every single Jew will go out of
our present exile. This is the implicit message of the Hagada on the
seder night.

                                                  (Peninei HaGeula)

*********************************************************************
                            IT ONCE HAPPENED
*********************************************************************
It was in the weeks preceding Passover that one of the disciples of the
Baal Shem Tov was overcome with a burning desire to see Elijah the
Prophet. The  disciple knew that it would require much purity of mind
and soul and that generally the Baal Shem Tov discouraged such
endeavors. However, the longing to have the great Prophet reveal himself
was so intense that he couldn't distract his mind from the thought.
After much deliberation and soul-searching, he decided to ask the Baal
Shem Tov for his holy advice.

To the chasid's surprise, the Baal Shem Tov agreed to help him prepare
himself for this life-transforming undertaking. The Baal Shem Tov gave
the chasid an extensive list of preparations. Upon completing the list,
the chasid reported back to the Baal Shem Tov whereupon he was told to
load a wagon with food, wine and matzas, and to travel to a a nearby
village where he was to spend the first two days of Passover with a
certain family in the village. There, surely Elijah the Prophet would be
revealed.

The chasid travelled to the village with mixed feelings of joy and
trepidation. Would he truly merit to see the prophet? A little while
later, the chasid arrived at the village and found the dilapidated hut
of the impoverished family with whom he was meant to celebrate the two
Seders and fulfill his heart's desire of seeing Elijah the Prophet.

"Shalom Aleichem - Peace to you" he announced to the man who answered
the door. "I am a chasid of the Baal Shem Tov, and he sent me here to
spend the two Seder nights of Passover with you. I've brought everything
we will need for the holiday with me, enough food for your entire family
and even new clothing for your children."

The man stood at the door dumb-founded. His wife came to the door and
she, too, could not believe her eyes as she looked out at the overloaded
wagon. The couple soon composed themselves and invited the traveler in.

The Seder night was unforgettable. The woman, her husband and their five
children had never been in the presence of one of the Baal Shem Tov's
holy pupils. They had never heard such rich Torah thoughts said in such
clear and simple words that they could all easily understand. They had
also never had such a royal feast at their Seder.

The chasid, for his part, did not forget even for one moment why he had
come. At every stage of the Seder that first night, the chasid waited
with eager anticipation for the Elijah the Prophet to appear.

They drank the four cups of wine, ate the traditional foods, explained
each sentence of the Hagada with joy, sang the traditional holiday songs
and even danced until the wee hours of the night. But Elijah did not
reveal himself to the chasid.

At the second Seder, the same wondrous scene repeated itself for the
family and their guest. The Torah insights, the joy, the food, the
singing, the dancing. But this night, too, Elijah the Prophet did not
appear to the chasid.

When three stars appeared in the sky the following evening, and the
chasid had not merited to see Elijah the Prophet, he was heartbroken. He
thanked the family for their hospitality and returned to the Baal Shem
Tov.

During the journey back, the chasid wondered what had happened. Surely
the Baal Shem Tov was not wrong when he had told the chasid that Elijah
would reveal himself in that village family's home on Passover. Elijah
must have been there and the chasid had somehow not merited to see him.
Perhaps he had dozed off for an instant at the Seder without even
realizing it and had missed seeing the Prophet.

When the chasid arrived at the Baal Shem Tov's court, he poured out his
heart to his master. He repeated every detail of the past few days,
waiting expectantly to hear how or why he had missed Elijah the Prophet.

The Baal Shem Tov thought for a moment and answered, "Go back to the
village. Let your horse graze by the window of the house. There you will
find your answer."

Without hesitation the chasid travelled back to the village. As he
brought his horse to graze by the window of the home, he overheard a
conversation between the husband and wife:

"What did you think of our guest?" the wife said to the husband.

"What do I think?" he replied "I think we should thank G-d and the holy
Baal Shem Tov for sending us his chasid! The words of Torah, the
beautiful explanations, the bountiful food. It was amazing!"

"That was no chasid," she interjected emphatically. "That was Elijah the
prophet! I am absolutely sure that was Elijah the prophet."

Now the chasid understood. If we want Elijah the Prophet to appear, we
have to be Elijah the Prophet.

                                         Adapted from Ohrtmimim.org

*********************************************************************
                            MOSHIACH MATTERS
*********************************************************************
The eighth day of Passover is traditionally associated with our hope for
Moshiach. For this reason, the Haftorah read on that day - from the
prophet Isaiah - contains many prophecies which refer to the Era of the
Redemption. Among the best-known of these: "The wolf will dwell with the
lamb, the leopard will lie down with a young goat." About 250 years ago,
as the time for Moshiach drew closer, the Baal Shem Tov instituted a
custom which underlines the connection between the Redemption and the
eighth day of Passover: on that day he would partake of Moshiach's
Seuda, the festive meal of Moshiach.

                                            (Likutei Sichot, vol 7)

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              END OF TEXT - L'CHAIM 1017 - Achrei Mos 5768
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