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                         L'CHAIM - ISSUE # 1129
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                 Lubavitch Youth Organization - L.Y.O.
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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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        July 16, 2010           Devarim               5 Av, 5770
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                          All We Need is Love

Before Tisha B'av (this year from Monday evening, July 19 through
Tuesday night, July 20), when we commemorate the destruction of both the
first and second Holy Temples, it is the perfect time to talk about
love.

We are told that the reason for the destruction of the Holy Temple in
Jerusalem was because of "sinat chinam," literally "free hatred" of one
Jew toward another. The antidote to this unwarranted hatred, explain our
Sages, is "ahavat chinam-free love."*

Ahavat chinam is so important that even if it doesn't come "freely,"
even if one has to work at it, we are required to extend ourselves and
toil away until we are successful.

Rabbi Gamliel (the son of Rabbi Judah the Prince) taught, "It is good to
combine the study of Torah with an occupation, for the effort required
by them both keeps sin out of mind; while all Torah study that is not
combined with work will ultimately cease and will lead to sin."

The obvious meaning of the term "work" is actual labor. However, Rabbi
Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev quoted the Baal Shem Tov as explaining that
in this context, "work" refers to ahavat Yisrael ("love of a fellow
Jew") - our efforts to establish bonds of love with other Jews.
According to this interpretation, in order for Torah study to be
perpetuated, it must be coupled with love toward our brethren.

Rabbi Levi Yitzchak, who was known as the consummate "lover of Israel,"
explained that it was this teaching that brought about a fundamental
change in his life, motivating him to dedicate himself to the welfare of
his fellow Jews.

Ahavat Yisrael is referred to here as "work" to teach us that we must
work at extending ourselves in this area to include even those whom we
have no inclination to love. And we must use every means possible to
reach out to them.

It's easy to act lovingly toward our fellow Jew. It can be as simple as
(but certainly not limited to) greeting a person properly. Said the Sage
Shammai, "Receive every person with a cheerful countenance." "Every
person" means just that, everyone, even someone we might not otherwise
want to greet pleasantly!

Stated slightly differently, Rabbi Yishmael, a high priest, taught,
"Receive every person cheerfully." Despite his high office and standing,
he was prepared to show respect and warmth to "every person."

Finally, Rabbi Matya (son of Charash) said, "Be the first to extend
greetings to anyone you meet." Again, the common thread of being
pleasant to "anyone" or "everyone" runs through Rabbi Matya's teaching.

But it's not enough for us to just "study" about loving our fellow Jew.
Let's stop talking and start rebuilding the Holy Temple now, by reaching
out to someone else with true love and respect uppermost in our minds.

* When speaking of the love that each Jew is expected to have toward
every other Jew, the term "free" love. is more accurate than
"unwarranted" love, for every Jew deserves to be loved by his fellow due
to the mere fact that he/she is a Jew, part of the Jewish nation,
inse-parable from G-d and the Jewish people.

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           LIVING WITH THE REBBE  -  THE WEEKLY TORAH PORTION
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This week's Torah reading, Devarim, is the first portion in the fifth
and last book of the Torah, Devarim (Deuteronomy). The entire book was
related to the Jewish people in their 40th year in the desert. By that
time, the majority of the Jews who had left Egypt were no longer alive;
only those who would enter the land of Israel remained. The messages in
this book were intended as a preparation to help them make this
transition.

Devarim begins by noting the location of the Jews' final encampment
before entering Israel. "These are the words that Moses spoke...on this
side of the Jordan." At the end of Bamidbar (Numbers), however, this
same place is referred to as "the plains of Moab, by the Jordan opposite
Jericho."

"The plains of Moab" and "this side of the Jordan" are both names that
describe the same physical location. And yet, each name has a different
connotation:

"The plains of Moab" identifies the location by its connection to the
land of Moab. "This side of the Jordan," by contrast, associates it with
the land of Israel, identifying it as lying on the eastern shore of the
Jordan river, with the rest of the land of Israel lying toward the west.

What are we to learn from the Torah's usage of two names for the same
place? The answer is in the name of each of the two books, Bamidbar
(literally "in the desert") and Devarim (meaning "the words"). Bamidbar
relates the various encounters and experiences of the Jewish people
during their 40 years in the desert, while Devarim, relates Moses'
exhortations to the generation that was about to enter Israel, as
preparation for the new lives they would be leading there.

At the end of the book of Bamidbar, the site of the Jews' encampment is
referred to as "the plains of Moab," as it expressed their connection to
a land whose status was non-Jewish territory.

In Devarim, however, it is referred to as "this side of the Jordan," for
at that time, the Jewish people were focused on their imminent entry
into the land of Israel.

We find ourselves now in the last minutes of exile, poised on the brink
of the Final Redemption. Our present era is analogous to the one we read
about this week.

"The plains of Moab" is symbolic of the exile and its completion; "this
side of the Jordan" is symbolic of our preparation for Moshiach's
imminent arrival. Indeed, "this side of the Jordan" is a most
appropriate name with which to characterize our present transitional
period, for it corresponds to the Jews' heightened state of anticipation
in the 40th year of their going out of Egypt.

Moshiach's coming is imminent. We must prepare to greet him. May it
happen now.

              Adapted for Maayan Chai from Likutei Sichot, Volume 2

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                             SLICE OF LIFE
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                        The Rebbe and the Child
                          by Nechamie Margolis

"Mommy, why is that lady over there crying?"

My mother put her finger to her lips. "Shh Nechamie, not so loud. If
anyone can help her stop crying, it will be the Rebbe."

I was glad I was wearing my nicest Shabbos dress with the pink flowers
and lace. The girl in front of me was wearing a denim skirt, with clunky
purple earrings hanging to her shoulders. I guessed her mother hadn't
told her that she must wear her nicest clothing to the Rebbe. I looked
at the hundreds of people standing in a line that took up the whole
block, and felt like yelling out, "It's my birthday. I'm going to be six
today!"

It felt like forever, but the line slowly moved forward. As we got
closer, Mommy started telling me what to say. "Nechamie, tell the Rebbe
that 'heint is mine yom huledes.'" The words sounded strange on my
tongue. We never spoke Yiddish at home. "Ma, why can't I just tell the
Rebbe that today is my birthday in English. It's too hard for me to
say."

"Just try. I'll practice with you." She said, patting my hand
reassuringly. "Now after you tell the Rebbe that it's your birthday, he
will probably give you a bracha (blessing) in Yiddish. Even if you don't
understand, just say 'Amein'."

As the line snaked slowly towards 770, I practiced the unfamiliar
Yiddish words over and over again. "Heint is my yom holedes." I didn't
want to mess up. As I hopped from one foot to another, I chanted to
myself, "Just say Amein, just say Amein."

Finally we arrived at the big ornate brown door, and walked down a long
hallway. "It's so quiet." I whispered to my mother.

I craned my neck to look ahead. There was a man videoing everyone who
went by and someone snapping pictures with his camera. A big lady with a
curly brown wig and big green glasses, was quickly pushing people along.
I was glad that I was too short for them to reach me. I didn't want to
be pushed.

I stared at the Rebbe as I approached. He had a white square beard. I
didn't know anyone with such a white beard. My father's beard was black
and my grandpa didn't have a beard. I wondered how the Rebbe could stand
so many hours. My feet were already hurting and pinched from the patent
leather shoes I was wearing.

I stared at the Rebbe's face curiously. He must have been very old, but
he didn't have any wrinkles like my grandma had. He had such nice blue
eyes. I liked his eyes. Mine were plain and boring brown.

Finally it was my turn. I stood in front of the Rebbe. He handed me a
dollar in my right hand, and then he looked straight at me, and listened
as I pronounced the words I had practiced so carefully. "Heint is mine
yom huledes." The Rebbe bent down, so he could look me in the eye.

"Are you making a party?" he asked in his thick Yiddish accent.

"Amein," I said, as I looked proudly at my mother for approval. She
tried signaling something to me, but I didn't understand what she
wanted.

The Rebbe bent down and repeated the question another two times. "Are
you making a party?"

"Amein!" I spoke a little louder this time, thinking that the Rebbe
hadn't heard me.

The Rebbe bent down a little lower.

"Are you making a party? He repeated patiently.

This time I heard the words. "Yes, yes," I said, happily, pigtails
bouncing. "I'm making a big party for all my friends."

The Rebbe smiled, and handed me another dollar. I smiled back, staring
at those wonderful blue eyes, before I was swept away by the big lady
wearing the curly wig and big green glasses.

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                               WHAT'S NEW
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                             Chabad Expands

A new Chabad House was dedicated in the Israeli city of Maaleh Adumim.
The new Chabad Center is located in the local shopping mall and is
directed by Rabbi and Mrs. Shmuel Dudisko. A beautiful new, state-of-the
art Mikva is currently under construction in the eastern French city of
Dijon, France.

                                *  *  *

                            Chabad Convenes


In Hudson Valley, New York, 250 Chabad rabbis and rebbetzins who serve
on college and university campuses throughout the world, attended the
ninth annual Chabad on Campus convention. Also at the convention were
300 children of the couples, who attended a specially run camp to keep
them occupied while their parents were at workshops and lectures. In S.
Petersburg, Russia, over 150 Chabad-Lubavitch rabbis from across the CIS
convened for a two-day conference. International experts in Jewish law
ran workshops throughout the conference.

                                *  *  *

                             New Emissaries


Three young couples were welcomed recently to the Chabad House in Ramle,
Israel. Rabbi and Mrs. Chaim Vaknin, Rabbi and Mrs. Eliyahu Koenig, and
Rabbi and Mrs. Menachem Krotman. The town of Ramle is adjacent to Lod
and has a joint Arab and Jewish population. Rabbi Arele and Mushka
Teleshevsky arrived recently in Brentwood, California where they will
serve as the youth directors of the Chabad House there.

Rabbi Yaakov and Rivky Greenberg have moved to Long Branch, New Jersey
to serve as youth directors at the Chabad House in that city. Rabbi
Motti and Rochel Flikshtein  will be moving to Wilmington, Delaware, to
take the position of Program Directors in the new Chabad Center for
Jewish Life. Rabbi Mendy and Faigy Bitton will be arriving soon in
Sarcelles, France where they will join the existing Chabad Center
focusing primarily on adult education.

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                            THE REBBE WRITES
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                       26 of Tammuz, 5743 [1983]

Greeting and Blessing:

I received your correspondence.

In general, I have already expressed my opinion on the matters about
which you wrote, and will again remember you in prayer for the
fulfillment of your heart's desires for good.

Now that we are in the period of the Three Weeks, commemorating the sad
events which led to the destruction of the Beis Hamikdosh [Holy Temple]
and the dispersement of our people, we are reminded that every one of us
has to do all in our power to minimize and eventually eliminate the
cause that brought about the Destruction and Exile. The only cause of it
is clearly spelled out in our Mussaf [additional prayer on holidays]
Prayer: "Because of our sins we have been exiled from our land."

If alienation from the Jewish way of life, the way of the Torah and
Mitzvos [commandments] has been the cause of the Golus [exile], every
one of us must work all the harder to bring Jews closer to the Torah and
Mitzvos. Thus, every effort in this direction brings all the nearer the
appearance of Moshiach Tzidkeinu [our righteous Redeemer], who will
usher in the true and complete Geulah [Redemption]. May it come speedily
in our days.

With blessing,

                                *  *  *

                    15th of Menachem Av, 5730 [1970]
                       The Campers and Counselors
                              Camp Emunah
                         Greenfield Park, N.Y.


Greeting and Blessing:

I was pleased to receive a report about your life and activities in the
camp through Rabbi J. J. Hecht. He also turned in your Tzedoko [charity]
collection of Tisha B'Av.

As I mentioned on the Shabbos before Tisha B'Av, which no doubt was
conveyed also to you, Tzedoko is particularly important in connection
with the day of Tisha B'Av to hasten the Geulo in accordance with the
prophecy, "Zion will be redeemed through justice, and all that return to
her - through Tzedoko." Especially significant is the Tzedoko before the
afternoon prayer, when the prayer "Nacheim" is said.

May G-d grant that in the Zechus [merit] of your Tzedoko in connection
with the above, and the Tzedoko of all Jews, together with the Zechus of
the Torah, which is indicated in the beginning of the verse mentioned
above (in the word Mishpot - "justice"), that is to say, the daily life
in accordance with the Torah and Mitzvos - should speedily bring the
Nechama [consolation]. Then you, with all other Jewish children as well
as adults, will come out to meet our righteous Moshiach, and the days of
sadness will be turned into days of gladness, as promised by our holy
Prophets in the holy Torah.

With blessing,

                                *  *  *

                    5th of Menachem Av, 5735 [1975]
                       To All Participants in the
                   Bais Chana Scholarship Dinner and
            Dedication of Boschwitz Hall at Lubavitch House
                           Minneapolis, Minn.


Greeting and Blessing:

In these days deprived of joy in commemoration of the Destruction of the
Bais Hamikdosh, it is particularly gratifying to receive the good news
of your constructive efforts and accomplishments for Torah Judaism in
general and Torah education of our youths in particular.

The sacred activities of Torah and Tefiloh (Prayer) give the Lubavitch
House the status of a Bais Knesses [synagogue] and Bais Medrash [House
of Study], hence of a Mikdosh Me'at ("Small Sanctuary" - a replica of
the Bais Hamikdosh), and according to the Zohar (III, 126a) of a
Mikdosh.

This is most significant in these days, for it is through such
activities as you are gathered to celebrate that the cause of the
Destruction is gradually eliminated, and with it the effect, or, in the
words of the familiar prayer, umipnai chatoeinu golinu me'artzeinu -
"because of our sins we have been exiled from our land..." Thus every
effort to strengthen Torah and Mitzvos hastens the coming of Moshiach
Tzidkeinu  and the Geuloh shleimo [complete Redemption].

The most desirable wish and blessing that can be offered on such an
occasion is that the present beautiful facilities should soon prove
inadequate for the expanded Torah activities of Lubavitch in Minnesota
and bring about even greater and more extensive facilities of this kind.

May we all soon see the fulfillment of the prophecy that these days of
sadness shall be transformed into days of rejoicing, gladness and
festivity - especially as your celebration is taking place on the
auspicious day of the 15th of Av.

With blessing for Hatzlocho [success] and good tidings,

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                            WHAT'S IN A NAME
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MENACHEM means "comforter" or "consoler."  The Hebrew month of Av, in
which the Holy Temple was destroyed, is often called "Menachem Av."  The
Yiddish derivation is Mendel.


MALKA means queen.  Famous among the Jewish queens were Esther and
Shlometzion, who succeeded her husband and ruled Judea from 76 to 67
B.C.E.

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                        A WORD FROM THE DIRECTOR
                         Rabbi Shmuel M. Butman
*********************************************************************
This Shabbat, the Sabbath before Tisha B'Av, is know as Shabbat Chazon.
The saintly Reb Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev used to point out that the
name Shabbat Chazon is from the word machazeh, meaning "vision," for "on
that day everyone is shown a vision of the future Holy Temple."

What is the point of this vision? It is to inspire a Jew and encourage
him: having caught a glimpse of the Third Holy Temple in all its
heavenly perfection, all that is left for him to do is to bring it down
to this world.

But surely not everyone "sees" this vision to the same extent! Some
great people literally see a vision with their fleshly eyes, but as for
others? So then, what is the point?

The Rebbe explains that this situation can be compared to an episode
that took place to the Biblical Daniel. "I Daniel alone saw the vision
[of a fearsome man]; the men who were with me did not see the vision,
but a great trembling fell upon them...."

Our Sages ask: "If they did not see the apparition, why the dread?"

And they answer: "Though they did not see it, their souls saw it."

In the same way, on Shabbat Chazon, the soul does see the future Holy
Temple; moreover, this perception leaves an imprint on the individual,
on his body and on his soul.

The question has similarly been asked: What is the point of the
proclamations of Heavenly voices of which the Sages sometimes speak? Who
hears them?

Chasidic teachings explain as above, that the transcendent mazal hears
the voice, and relays it soundlessly into the nether reaches of the soul
that are garbed in the body.

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                          THOUGHTS THAT COUNT
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Behold, I have set the land before you...to Abraham, to Isaac, and to
Jacob, to give it to them (Deut. 1:8)

This verse does not say that the land will be given "to you," but "to
them" - Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - an allusion to the resurrection of
the dead.

                                                        (Sanhedrin)

                                *  *  *


How can I by myself alone bear your trouble, and your burden, and your
strife? (Deut. 1:12)

Rashi comments: "And your burden" - this teaches that the Children of
Israel were skeptics and heretics. Rabbi Nachman of Breslov used to say:
The heaviest burden a man can endure is that of skepticism. The heart of
the true believer is much lighter than that of the heretic, who is
always weighed down by the yoke of his doubts.

                                *  *  *


You shall not show favor (lit. "recognize") in judgment (Deut. 1:17)

This admonition cautions a judge to be fair and impartial, even if he is
personally acquainted with one of the parties brought before him for
judgment; he must not allow himself to be swayed by his prior
association. Rather, both sides in the dispute must be treated as if he
had never seen them before.

                                                         (Ibn Ezra)

                                *  *  *


For unto Esau have I given Mount Seir as a possession (Deut. 2:5)

Although the Children of Israel fulfilled an express command of G-d when
they took over the land Canaan, G-d warned them that their desire to
conquer territory should not extend beyond those lands He had explicitly
promised to them.

                                     (Rabbi Shimshon Refael Hirsch)

                                *  *  *


May the L-rd G-d of your fathers make you a thousand times as many as
you are (Deut. 1:11)

When will this blessing be fulfilled? In the World to Come, when, as the
Prophet Isaiah states, "The least one shall become a thousand, and the
smallest a great nation." The Jewish people, the "least" and "smallest,"
will multiply one thousand times in number, in fulfillment of Moses'
blessing.

                                                     (Binyan Ariel)

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                            IT ONCE HAPPENED
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The town was buzzing with the great news of the impending visit of the
tzadik (righteous person). Reb Yossele, the son of Reb Mordechai of
Neshchitz, couldn't rest from the moment he heard that the tzadik Reb
Yaakov Yitzchak, the famous "Seer" or "Chozeh" of Lublin would be
passing through his town. He had heard many awesome reports about this
holy man and he burned with the desire to meet him and glean some
insight from him.

So intent was he to host the great tzadik that he commissioned a local
carpenter to build a bed especially for the Chozeh. He undertook this
extraordinary preparation because he had heard it said that when the
"Seer" travelled and had to sleep in a strange bed, he would sometimes
be heard to cry out, "It's prickly! It's prickly!" Wanting to avoid any
possible discomfort for the tzadik, he decided to provide a brand-new
bed for him, and thus eliminate any possible problem.

Reb Yossele was very exacting in his instructions to the carpenter.
First of all, he was careful to choose a workman who was known to be a
G-d-fearing man; second, he instructed the carpenter to immerse himself
in the mikva before beginning his work, and to very carefully guard
himself from impure thoughts while he was working.

For his part, the carpenter was not anxious to accept this complicated
assignment. He was particularly unwilling since the work would have to
commence during the first week of the month of Av, the intense mourning
period for the Holy Temple. However, since his rebbe had made the
request of him, he couldn't bring himself to refuse. He undertook the
job in a depressed frame of mind, feeling spiritually unworthy of the
task ahead. Despite his unwillingness, he worked well and completed his
task successfully and in good time.

When the bed was finished, Reb Yossele placed it in a specially prepared
room. He covered the bed with fresh, new bedclothes, and put next to it
a small table, a lamp and a chair. Satisfied that his preparations would
ensure the comfort of the Chozeh, he then closed and locked the door to
guarantee that the bed would be untouched by anyone except the tzadik
himself.

A few days later, when the Chozeh arrived in the town, Reb Yossele went
out to meet him. His joy was complete when the tzadik accepted the
invitation to be his guest. Reb Yossele happily escorted his honored
guest into the newly appointed room. He proudly showed the Chozeh the
bed, explaining that a G-d-fearing carpenter constructed it especially
for the tzadik's use. Tired from his long journey, the tzadik lay down
to rest.

After only a few moments had passed Reb Yossele heard the Chozeh
exclaiming, "Prickly, help, it's prickly!"

Reb Yossele was astonished. What could these cries mean? He quickly went
to the tzadik's room and not knowing what else to do, offered him the
use of his own bed, hoping it would prove more comfortable. The Chozeh
gladly accepted Reb Yossele's offer, and all was quiet. Reb Yossele,
however, suffered a sleepless night wondering if the tzadik's rest would
be disturbed by some spiritual unworthiness in his house. When morning
came the Chozeh awoke refreshed and happy. He remarked to Reb Yossele,
"Thank you so much, I had an excellent rest. Your hospitality has
revived me!"

Reb Yossele was gratified by the tzadik's words, but still, he couldn't
understand the Chozeh's initial reaction to the new bed, and he
questioned him about it.

"Don't worry about it at all. The bed is perfect and kosher in every
respect," the tzadik assured him. "The reason I couldn't sleep in it was
because it had a certain smell of sadness about it since it was built
during the Nine Days preceding Tisha B'Av. The carpenter, being a pious
man, was mourning the destruction of the Holy Temple while he was
building it, and the spiritual residue of his grief adhered to the bed."

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                            MOSHIACH MATTERS
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Our Sages (Jerusalem Talmud Berachos 2:4) tell us that Moshiach was
"born" on Tisha B'Av. This is repeated and reenacted on Tisha B'Av every
year. The prayer of Nacheim ("Console...") is recited in the Shemoneh
Esreh of the Tisha B'Av afternoon service because the afternoon is the
time of the birth of Moshiach, whose name is Menachem, meaning
"consoler."

                                                 (Kitvei Ha'Arizal)

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               END OF TEXT - L'CHAIM 1129 - Devarim 5770
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