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                         L'CHAIM - ISSUE # 1207
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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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        February 3, 2012       Beshalach         10 Shevat, 5772
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                            Creating Leaders

                      by Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Sacks
           Chief Rabbi of the British Commonwealth. From his
              remarks at the banquet of the Conference of
                      Chabad-Lubavitch Emissaries


Throughout Jewish history there were great leaders. But I know of no
precedent for one who transformed, visibly and substantively, every
single Jewish community in the world - including many parts of the world
that never had a Jewish community before.

It was 1968. I was a sophomore at Cambridge University. I had already
encountered Chabad. They were among the very first to go out to
university campuses and I was one of the very first beneficiaries. I
came to America to meet great rabbis of the day. Every single rabbi that
I met said, "You must meet the Rebbe!"

Eventually the moment came when I was ushered into the Rebbe's study. I
asked him all my intellectual, philosophical questions; he gave
intellectual, philosophical answers.

And then he did what no one else had done. He did a role reversal. He
started asking me questions. How many Jewish students are in Cambridge?
How many get involved in Jewish life? What are you doing to bring other
people in?

I'd come to ask a few simple questions, and suddenly the Rebbe was
challenging me!

I answered the Rebbe, "In the situation in which I find myself..." - and
the Rebbe did something which I think was quite unusual for him, he
actually stopped me in mid-sentence. He said, "Nobody finds themselves
in a situation; you put yourself in a situation. And if you put yourself
in that situation, you can put yourself in another situation."

That moment changed my life. Here I was, a nobody from nowhere, and here
was one of the greatest leaders in the Jewish world challenging me not
to accept the situation, but to change it. And that was when I realized
what I have said many times since: That the world was wrong. When they
thought that the most important fact about the Rebbe was that here was a
man with thousands of followers, they missed the most important fact:
That a good leader creates followers, but a great leader creates
leaders. That's what the Rebbe did for me and for thousands of others.

                                *  *  *


There was a point when the Rebbe developed a very interesting campaign -
the Seven Noachide Laws campaign - to reach out not just to Jews, but
also to non-Jews.

I realized that in my new position as Chief Rabbi I could do just that.
So I started broadcasting on the BBC, on radio, on television, writing
for the national press. I wrote books read my non-Jews as well as Jews
and the effect was absolutely extraordinary. The more I spoke the more
they wanted to hear. The more I wrote the more they wanted to read.

That experience showed me not only the wisdom, the vast foresight of the
Rebbe in understanding that the world was ready to hear a Jewish
message. It taught me something else as well.

Non-Jews respect Jews who respect Judaism. And non-Jews are embarrassed
by Jews who are embarrassed by Judaism.

The Rebbe taught us how to fulfill the verse, "Let all nations see that
the name of G-d is called upon you." Let all the world see we are never
ashamed to stand tall as Jews.

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           LIVING WITH THE REBBE  -  THE WEEKLY TORAH PORTION
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The Jewish nation had to wage war on two separate occasions as it left
Egypt and made its way to receive the Torah on Mount Sinai. The first
war was against Pharaoh and his soldiers, and the second was the war
against the Amalekites. This week's Torah portion, Beshalach, gives us
an account of these two battles and illustrates the different reactions
the Jews had to these two adversaries.

When the Jews were threatened by Pharaoh, they were commanded, "G-d will
fight for you, and you shall hold your peace." But later, when attacked
by Amalek, G-d enjoined them, "Go out and fight Amalek." Why was there a
different attitude towards these two enemies?

The two nations posed different threats. Pharaoh presented a physical
threat to Jewish existence, whereas Amalek posed a spiritual danger. The
Jewish People were instructed to entrust their physical safety to G-d,
but it was necessary that they themselves take action against Amalek's
spiritual onslaught.

Pharaoh's pursuing army did not directly challenge the Jews'
relationship with G-d and their beliefs. In this instance, G-d took
their defense upon Himself, saying, "and you shall hold your peace" -
just leave things to Me. G-d proved to the Jews that military might and
victory is not what distinguishes Jews from all other nations.

Amalek, however, symbolizes a totally different sort of war. Amalek only
dared to attack the Jewish People after they had passed through the Red
Sea and were on their way to receive the Torah. It was precisely at that
juncture that Amalek tried to intercept them. The Torah uses the words,
Amalek "met you (korcha) on the way" - from the Hebrew word "k'rirut,"
meaning coldness. Amalek came and cooled off the enthusiasm the Jewish
people had for holiness, at a time when they were at the apex of
spirituality. Against such a threat the Jews had to retaliate
themselves, and immediately.

Whenever anything, anyone, or any power prevents Jews from learning
Torah or performing mitzvot, we cannot wait for G-d to come to our aid.
All steps must be taken, including the prospect of waging physical war,
to ensure that Jews be able to continue learning and maintain their
Jewish way of life without hindrance.

The struggle against Amalek is of such importance that we are reminded
of what they did to us every day in our prayers. The lesson we draw from
this week's Torah portion is that in the battle against Amalek there can
be no compromise. We each have our own personal, internal "Amalek," the
evil inclination, which stands ever ready to deter us from the right
path by cooling off our ardor, enthusiasm, and the love of G-d that
burns within the heart of every Jew. To combat him we must remember how
to deal with this old enemy - to take an immediate stand, and to once
and for all banish Amalek with any means at our disposal. Only after he
is vanquished can we continue on our way to Mount Sinai.

                   Adapted from the works of the Lubavitcher Rebbe.

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                             SLICE OF LIFE
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                             Mid-Life Tour
                           by Moshe Shiffman

Moshe Shiffman has been a lawyer since 1979. He specializes in a wide
range of civil actions, negotiations, civil and criminal litigation, and
corporate licensing. He also served as a judge on the disciplinary court
of the law licensing office. Currently he is honorary consul to Austria,
and is a certified arbitrator who is involved in community affairs in
Eilat and beyond.

The scene is the Far East, India, the first night of Sukkot. I crowd in
together with the younger generation in the Chabad House sukka. There
are hundreds of backpackers here. For most of them, this is the trip
they take after their army service and for me too, this is my "after the
army" trip with a delay of about 40 years.

Lively singing, words of Torah, and fascinating stories are the main
course. It is an intense evening run by Meir and Mendel, two young
Chabad emissaries from the Lubavitcher yeshiva in Brooklyn. From the
very start it is apparent, though not fully understood, the power that
lies in being a shaliach (emissary) of the Rebbe. And I haven't said
anything about the Rebbe, who provides the power.

Actually, without a Chabad House, this wonderful trip may not have
gotten off the ground. I am celebrating my 60th birthday. I am here
alone for a month and a half. I left behind my wife, children, my busy
high pressure law firm, and a home in the early stages of construction.
A month and a half! (Just changing my court schedule and meetings took a
month and a half).

How did I arrange it? I simply (it's interesting how something so
complicated can be so simple) looked around on the Internet and found
out where there are active Chabad Houses. I opened a map of the Chabad
Houses in India and then I plotted my mid-life trip. As I said, it was
simple.

Chabad Houses and travel plans worked in perfect sync, and now I am
sitting and contemplating this massive undertaking which is a Chabad
House. It entails renting a space, getting manpower, bringing a Torah
scroll, kosher food, learning a new language, fund-raising. All this is
done without any solid financial backing, and I have yet to mention the
glowing faces, the hugs, the love and more.

Is it simple? It depends on who you ask. If you were to ask me, it's
insanely complicated, but if you ask Meir and Mendel it's simple.

Not enough people understand what shlichut (being on a mission [of the
Rebbe]), real shlichut, is about. We are always looking for the bottom
line, profit margins, results that fit our goals. Sometimes we are
better than that and we help more; sometimes less and sometimes more.
But it's all with a reason, with an agenda of some sort.

The shliach of the Rebbe, on the other hand, doesn't play by these
rules. He is a simple channel, clean and hollow, who transmits the
blessing, the message, Torah, to someone else. He has no agenda; he is a
pipeline with no desires of his own.

If you were to ask him what he really wants, he would say - to be in 770
with my friends and my studies, with all the familiar comforts. However:
1) Nobody asks, and 2) if asked, a genuine Chabad Chasid would say: Here
I am, ready to be sent wherever you send me.

What self-negation! The "I" is nullified to shlichus, to the one who
sends him. There is no "I." The existence of an "I" is only as a tool in
the service of an idea, a person, a tzadik, G-d and His people Israel.

It's not normal, it's not ordinary. But this is the way it is when there
is an inflamed, impassioned heart, ablaze with such a lofty light. You
are connected to the source, to the sender, to shlichut.

There are no friends? In 770 there are. No family? The Jewish people are
your family to whom you spread love of a fellow Jew, love for Torah and
love for G-d, in whatever corner of the world they are in.

Is it hard? Maybe, but that isn't on the list of considerations and
concerns of the shliach. (The missile is fueled up, the ignition
sequence is fired, and off it goes). The fire burns constantly.

There is no time for yourself. You need to run to the coffee houses
where Israelis congregate and show them you are here and available. You
think India is spirituality? One minute, it might look that way, but we
are here to show you that there is a more accessible option, very
accessible.

You see sadhus, idols, swamis, ashrams, bells, candles, bangles, lots of
gold and lots of orange. Looks good to you? It attracts you because a
Jew by nature seeks the spirit and not just the material.

Here we are, shluchim of the Rebbe, with the black hat, tzitzit
(fringes), a suit, available in every place, wherever a Jew is likely to
be.

Here we are. We haven't changed our appearance. We look just as we do in
770 and when we stood jammed together to listen to the Rebbe. It's the
same uniform, the same doctrine, the same Torah; it's just that it's all
deeper. Shlichut isn't something that comes out in the wash; time does
not vanquish it. By definition, it is connected with the sender, to the
message.

Rishikesh, India, is a city full, and I mean full, of idols. These young
fellows go around looking for the wayward sons and invite them to come
back home. They don't look like standard Israelis; they don't look like
wayward youth. They look like Jews. And whoever looks at them, their
work, sweat, supreme efforts, lack of shame, along with the luminous and
welcoming Chabad face which is so different and special - must perforce,
look at our Father in heaven.

The sense of responsibility for every Jew, no matter what his current
status may be, is constantly felt. What more is needed? More tefilin,
another shake of the lulav and etrog, another invitation for a Shabbat
meal, another trip to the coffee houses or the "smokehouses" where there
sit beautiful, pure, Jewish souls that are a bit confused and shrouded
in mind-altering smoke.

I have been a round for a while and I must say that from the perspective
of years, organization, operational form, even public relations and
franchise expansion - Chabad Houses are a phenomenon that will be
written about in books. It will be studied by every self-respecting
financial or commercial organization, not to mention educational
institutions.

A fire shall burn and not be extinguished or dimmed; amazingly, it will
grow and grow until the coming of Moshiach!

Where is the Rebbe? I declare (taking full responsibility for the
statement) that he is here! I don't want to argue and I certainly don't
want to offend other people and their views, but this is the picture -
more Chabad Houses, more shluchim, another point on the map, another
person putting on tefilin, another blessing, and a little bit of
learning of Chasidut. Another smile and another Jew drawn out of the
filth; it's all done with a smile, with unflagging energy. Whoa, what a
sweat of holiness. Shlichus!

As for me, I look, write, talk, jabber, praise, extol. An old man in
contrast with these young shluchim, who could be my children and who
have accomplished so much until this point, not to mention what will be
in the future... Yasher ko'ach and long live the Rebbe who sent you. May
all your hopes be realized and ours as well.

                              Reprinted from Beis Moshiach Magazine

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                            THE REBBE WRITES
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         From an audience that a group of teenager students had
                        with the Rebbe in 1963.


Student: What is your opinion of the Jews of today, compared to those of
long ago?

Rebbe: In my opinion you are very lucky in relation to the Jews of
thousands of years ago. When a Jew was asked the reason why his behavior
was different from all the people around him, he had no history to
persuade people that he was right, for the Jewish people were only years
or generations old. But now, after 3,000 years of history in many
different countries and conditions, 99%  of these times under
non-beneficial conditions, though no trace remains of the people who
oppressed them - Egyptians, Babylonians, Romans, Greeks. The Jews
survived all their oppressions, including Hitler's.

You can't come with a ready-made theory, and you must study history and
see where it points. The power to survive oppression is not something
accidental, because they have the same history for over 3,000 years. All
of recorded human history is only 4,000 - 5,000 years, no longer. And
for 3,000 of 5,000 years a single unusual phenomenon has occurred. A
people who was always persecuted and a minority, always survived its
oppressors who were many times bigger. If you study books to see what
their behavior was you can answer the question of why we are different,
why we seclude ourselves without assimilating.

Student: Do you think that the Jewish people will always be a minority?

Rebbe: They probably will in the future also. But this doesn't bother
me. If we compare vegetable life to inorganic, the inorganic is more
abundant, and vegetable life is more so than animal life and animal life
more than humans.

Nevertheless, we do not expect humans to be more in number than the
animals, vegetables and inorganic matter. The important factor is, who
directs things: if the human is kind and peaceful, or like an animal, a
vegetable or an inorganic thing.

One more point: Many circles today devote too much time to discussions.
We live in an era when people need actions and deeds. It is the same as
if there is an emergency, there is no time to discuss all the
possibilities and how to counteract them, if necessary. We must take all
measures that are possible, from a day or a decade or a year before.

Our era has many emergency cases. And if every one of us has time - and
ample time - and discusses all the possibilities and tries to innovate,
and postpones doing something until then, it will take many years, and
decades, and I don't know if it's right to do this.

Maybe it is more rational to use the measures and merits, virtues and
treatments used 100 and 500 and 1,000 years ago, to strengthen things
around us. Then we could take the time for proper research. In other
words, it is not in order to experiment, we must first keep the patient
alive.

Student: What has kept the Jews together, and has caused the Jews to
last all these years?

Rebbe: According to the approach of science to all historic events, we
must study history and find out the common points and denominators that
have not changed. If for 3,000 years we withstood all the persecution
and all the pogroms and all pressures, then there must be something
special during all these 3,000 years. For if there were a stop for a
certain period, then the Jewish people could not possibly have overcome
the persecution and pogroms during the period when the common point was
not present.

If we study Jewish history, we see that all things change, the language,
the territory, the government, the clothing, the culture and the outside
world. Here we speak English; in Russia the Jews speak Russian; in the
land of Israel, Hebrew. The same differences existed 1,000 years ago
also, and the only unchanged thing in all these years is the
commandments, the precepts we perform in daily life.

The Tefilin have not changed all these 3,000 years. The same goes for
Shabbos and the Dietary Laws. We have the same Torah as 1,000 and 2,000
and 2,500 years ago.

At all times certain groups and individuals deviated from the course.
Some of these groups were mighty, but no trace was left of them five or
six generations after their activity. Forty days after the giving of the
Torah a mighty group made the Golden Calf. During the time of the Temple
there were idol worshippers, as during the Second Temple. In Spain, at
the time of the Inquisition, there was a mighty influential circle.
Strictly from a point of historical research, we must accept the facts
even if we don't understand them: the common point has been the
practical Mitzvos.

Student: What will the Jews achieve when Moshiach comes?

Rebbe: What must we do to accelerate his coming?

Student: Yes.

Rebbe: To be as much prepared as possible for the order of things after
he comes, when there will be justice and peace, we must fulfill the
instructions to us and to those around us, in Torah, Prophets and
Scriptures. Every act must be in accordance with these instructions, and
we must influence others. When you do this, you will do your share to
accelerate his coming.

Student: Do you believe that Moshiach will come within the next fifty
years?

Rebbe: Much sooner! Don't postpone it for so long!

Many people feel unable to accept the idea of Moshiach. They cannot
understand with human reason how Moshiach can come and transform the
order of things around us, to the extent that all basic aspects of our
lives will be different. This notion would be expected to exist many
generations ago.

However in our times, so many changes take place in a day, or even in an
hour or minute, that this is not difficult to accept [that Moshiach
could arrive and change the world]. And maybe even more, not only is it
acceptable but it can be believed. If someone makes a momentous
discovery or invention he can change things quickly.

To put it more bluntly: If tomorrow morning a more powerful weapon than
any other country possesses should be invented, it gives its inventor
the power to dictate. He doesn't have to be afraid he cannot be
counterattacked. He can dictate to all governments, and demand certain
behaviors and certain rules in their countries and governments. They
have no choice: they must accept his conditions, for it is now possible
for him to destroy a large section of the earth even without an army on
his side.

In other words, if a mighty intellectual should dictate instructions to
millions around him, this does not need a miracle, through some
electronics or the like. So, if you must understand Messiah in physical
terms, he may be great even in electronics and power.

Representative: This is very interesting, understanding the idea of
Messiah as a natural concept. You usually hear of Messiah in terms of
the supernatural.

Rebbe: I also believe in Messiah as supernatural. But people today find
it hard to understand the supernatural. Maybe by understanding it in
these terms, this will prepare the way for them to prepare themselves
before he comes, and they will save Moshiach the job.

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                        A WORD FROM THE DIRECTOR
                         Rabbi Shmuel M. Butman
*********************************************************************
Friday is Yud Shevat (corresponding to February 3 this year). It is the
day in 1950 when the Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak
Schneersohn passed on.

The Chasidic discourse that the Previous Rebbe prepared for publication
on Yud Shevat, 1950 (in honor of his grandmother's yartzeit),  begins
"Basi L'Gani - Come into My garden." Each year on Yud Shevat, from 1951
on (when the Lubavitcher Rebbe officially accepted the leadership of
Chabad-Lubavitch), the Rebbe would deeply expound on one of the chapters
of the discourse.

The theme of a "garden" is especially pertinent to Yud Shevat this year
as it occurs on Friday, the day that concludes the previous week and
joins together the upcoming week which contains within it Tu B'Shevat -
the New Year of Trees.

Trees and tzadikim bear a strong connection. In the book of Proverbs by
King Solomon, it states, "The fruit of the righteous is a Tree of Life."

Although the Torah is referred to as the "Tree of Life," the Midrash
Yalkut Shimoni explains that an actual Tree of Life stands in the center
of the Garden of Eden with its branches covering the entire garden and
it contains "five hundred thousand varieties of fruit all differing in
appearance and taste."

According to Kabalist Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburg, "The Tree of Life was
planted in the center of the Garden of Eden, which symbolizes the garden
of the souls of Israel from which sprouts the soul of Moshiach, a tzadik
who represents the Tree of Life. The Tree of Life serves as a symbol for
Moshiach, the descendent of King David, about whom it is said (Zechariah
6:l2), 'Behold, a man, his name is Tzemach and from the space underneath
him he will grow (yitzmach).'"

In Psalm 92 we read, "A tzaddik will blossom like a date-palm tree, like
a cedar tree he will prosper" The Baal Shem Tov explains that there are
two kinds of tzadikim, those who are like a date-palm tree and those
like a cedar. The unique qualities of a cedar are that it is very tall
and strong. However, it does not bear fruit. A date-palm, on the other
hand, bears fruit, that is, has an affect on and benefits others. This
is the kind of tzadik that the Baal Shem Tov, founder of Chasidism,
enjoined his successors to be - a tzadik who has an affect on others.
This is the tzadik par excellence that the Rebbe embodies, as can be
gleaned from the remarks of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks on page 1 and the
comments of Moshe Shiff, Esq. on page 2 of this special issue dedicated
to celebrating 62 years of the Rebbe's leadership.

May we all merit that on this Yud Shevat, we truly "Come into the
Garden" with the revelation of our righteous Moshiach NOW!

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                          THOUGHTS THAT COUNT
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G-d did not lead them the way through the land of the Philistines,
because it was near (Ex. 13:17)

The Jewish people were led on a roundabout way to the Promised Land to
afford their future descendants the strength to overcome and succeed
even when the path is rocky and full of obstacles. (Sefat Emet)


And the people believed in G-d, and in Moses, His servant (Ex. 14:31)

"A person who believes in the leader of the generation has faith in 'He
Who Uttered and the world was brought into being.' Every single Jew,
regardless of his spiritual attainments, must cleave to the Moses who
exists in every generation, for through him he cleaves to G-d Himself.
(Likutei Torah)


And Moses said to Yehoshua [Joshua], choose for us men...and Moses and
Aaron and Chur went up to the top of the hill (Ex. 17:9)

Why was it necessary to assemble an entire team consisting of Moses,
Yehoshua, Aaron and Chur to fight Amalek? The Jewish people had not been
behaving properly, and this is why they were attacked by Amalek. Indeed,
the very name of the location where the attack occurred, Refidim, is
related to the Hebrew word "pirud," disunity. At that time, the Jews
were fighting amongst themselves and also rebelling against G-d. The
first letters of the names Aaron, Chur, Yehoshua and Moses form the word
"achim," brothers. Moses' call to the Jewish people was that if they
would act as brothers and live in harmony, united in Torah study and
observance of mitzvot (commandments), Amalek would never be able to
penetrate the Jewish camp.

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                            IT ONCE HAPPENED
*********************************************************************
       As told by Rabbi Laibl Groner of the Rebbe's secretariat.

A young couple in Israel had been married for a number of years but had
not yet been blessed with children. Friends of theirs who were
Lubavitcher Chasidism suggested that they travel to New York and come to
"Sunday dollars."(Every Sunday the Rebbe received thousands of people
who came to ask his advice or blessing. The Rebbe gave each person a
dollar, or its equivalent, to be given to the charity of their choice.)

The couple travelled to the Rebbe. That Sunday, when they approached the
Rebbe, even before they were able to say anything, the Rebbe gave the
husband four dollars and then gave the wife four dollars after which he
blessed them, "B'surot tovot," (good news).

Over the course of a number of years, the couple was blessed with three
children. After the birth of their third child, five years passed before
the woman became pregnant again. In the interim, the family had moved
from Israel to Toronto and had become involved with Chabad in that city.

Late in the woman's pregnancy, complications arose and the doctor
determined that the pregnancy would have to be terminated. The doctor
said he could give them a week to think about it as they seemed
reluctant to abort.

On Shabbat, the family attended services at the Chabad House. The rabbi
spoke after the Torah reading. He interspersed his words of Torah with
miracle stories of the Rebbe.

Suddenly, the woman remembered her encounter with the Rebbe years
earlier at "Sunday Dollars." She excitedly called out her husband before
the Shabbat prayers recommenced. "Do you remember when we went to the
Rebbe for a blessing for children? The Rebbe gave both of us four
dollars and said 'B'surot tovot.' Four dollars means that we are to have
four children!" she said with certainty.

After Shabbat, the woman contacted the doctor with their decision. "We
are going ahead with this pregnancy. We are not going to abort."

The woman wrote a letter to the Rebbe informing him of their decision
and asking for a blessing for herself and her unborn child. The
pregnancy continued and the woman gave birth in a normal delivery to a
healthy child.

                                *  *  *


This story took place in 2006. A Lubavitcher Chasid was giving a weekly
class in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn. The curriculum is based
on Likutei Sichot ("Collected Talks") of the Rebbe. After hearing that
the Rebbe encouraged the retelling of  miracle stories of the
Chabad-Lubavitch Rebbes, the Chasid resolved to tell a story of the
Rebbe at each class.

The next week, the Chasid told a story about Rabbi Moshe Wolfson. Rabbi
Wolfson is the mashgiach ruchani (spiritual dean) of Mesivta Torah
Vodaath and rabbi of Beis Medrash Emunas Yisrael in Brooklyn.

The Chasid began: "Once Rabbi Wolfson was diagnosed with a blocked
artery. The attending doctor said that normally he would recommend a
stent. But because of the rabbi's weakened state, he could not
wholeheartedly recommend the procedure. He would leave the decision up
to the rabbi.

"Rabbi Wolfson chose not to do the operation. He decided that each night
he would recite the verse from Psalms (51:12), 'Lev Tahor - G-d, create
for me a pure heart and renew a steadfast spirit within me.' He prayed
to G-d that in the merit of reciting this verse, he would not need the
operation.

"After a number of days passed Rabbi Wolfson chided himself: 'I always
ask the Rebbe questions, why didn't I ask him this, as well?'

"The following Sunday, Rabbi Wolfson came 'Sunday Dollars.' Before Rabbi
Wolfson had a chance to say anything, the Rebbe said, 'In the merit of
you saying the verse "lev tahor" each night you won't need the
operation.' And of course, Rabbi Wolfson didn't need the operation."

It was midnight when the Chasid finished giving the class and began the
drive home to Crown Heights. As he drove, he saw a Jewish man looking
for a ride. The man was from Israel but was staying in Boro Park.
Although Boro Park was totally out of the way, the Chasid decided to
take the man anyway.

The Chasid mentioned something about the Rebbe and the passenger asked,
"You're a Lubavitcher Chasid?" When the driver answered "yes," the
passenger started to make derogatory remarks about the Rebbe. The Chasid
didn't respond but instead offered, "Let me tell you a story that I just
told in the class that I gave." He repeated the story about Rabbi
Wolfson.

"I can't believe Rabbi Wolfson has a connection to Lubavitch and the
Rebbe! I am praying in his shul in the morning. I'll ask him if this
story is true. Give me your number and I'll call you after I speak to
Rabbi Wolfson!"

The next afternoon, the Chasid received a call from the passenger. He
sounded extremely agitated. "Rabbi Wolfson told me that the story is
very true. He called the Rebbe a gaon olam (universally accepted
scholar), tzadik (righteous person), kadosh v'tahor (holy and pure) and
more. He said that he had other  miracles from the Rebbe, and he told me
stories about miracles of the Rebbe with other people as well! What can
I do to rectify my mistake?"

"Add teachings from the Rebbe into the classes that you give. No one
even has to know that they are the Rebbe's insights."

The man readily agreed to the suggestion. He also told the Chasid about
his brother. "He is the dean of a yeshiva and I will make sure that he,
too, knows who the Rebbe is, changes his ways and rectifies his
mistakes.

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                            MOSHIACH MATTERS
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"The Tzaddik (righteous person) will sprout forth like a date palm."
(Psalms 92:13) Why does the date palm allude to the Tzaddik? This tells
you that just as the date palm appears beautiful, and all its fruit are
sweet and good, so is the son of David (Moshiach) pleasant in
appearance, and all his deeds are sweet and good before Hashem.

                                                 (Medrash Tehillim)

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              END OF TEXT - L'CHAIM 1207 - Beshalach 5772
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