Holidays   Shabbat   Chabad-houses   Chassidism   Subscribe   Calendar   Links

                                  B"H
                                 -----
                         L'CHAIM - ISSUE # 1250
*********************************************************************
                           Copyright (c) 2012
                 Lubavitch Youth Organization - L.Y.O.
                              Brooklyn, NY
                             --------------
                  Electronic version provided free at:
                          www.LchaimWeekly.org
                          --------------------
                  Palm-Pilot version provided free at:
                www.LchaimWeekly.org/lchaim/5773/1250.prc
                          --------------------
                    To receive the L'CHAIM by e-mail
                  write to: listserv@LchaimWeekly.org
                              Subscribe W1
*********************************************************************
             THE WEEKLY PUBLICATION FOR EVERY JEWISH PERSON
   Dedicated to the memory of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson N.E.
*********************************************************************
        December 14, 2012        Miketz            1 Tevet, 5773
*********************************************************************

                          Is Oil the Culprit?

Long ago and far away, in the days before we knew anything about GMO,
omegas, trans and saturated fats, oil was something for cooking, baking
and eating - nothing particularly sinister.

But even with kugels oozing with grease, chicken soup with fat puddles
on top, "gribbens and shmaltz," deep-fried sufganiyot (jelly-donuts) and
potato latkas dripping oil, Jews have always known that fat is the
culprit.

How so? Every war ever waged was basically for power/money, except for
one. The war which the Greeks waged against the Jews over 2,000 years
ago was waged for oil. Olive oil to be exact.

It wasn't Jewish money the Greeks were after. Had they been after our
wealth, they would have emptied the Holy Temple. The furnishings of the
Holy Temple today would be valued in the tens of billions of dollars.
But the Greeks didn't strip the Holy Temple clean. They defiled it. They
offered pigs as sacrifices on the altar. They erected statues of their
gods and goddesses on the Temple grounds. And they opened the little
bottles of pure olive oil that were used daily to kindle the
seven-branched menora.

Weren't those Greeks dumb to leave the wealth but despoil the oil? No,
they weren't so stupid. The Greeks were content to let the Jewish people
live. They knew from looking at our first 2,000 years of miraculous
existence that we could not be destroyed. And they were wise, so they
accepted this fact. What they could not accept was that there is
something higher than the mind, something more sublime than human
wisdom, something greater than their gods and godesses who were no
better than people save their supposed immortality.

All of this was symbolized by the purity of the olive oil. The Greeks
did not totally destroy the oil for doing so would not have allowed them
to realize their ultimate goal.

They defiled the oil by breaking the seals. And their message to the
Jews was loud and clear: "Go ahead, use the oil now. Use the impure oil
in your menora. For we don't believe that there is such a thing as
purity. There is no such thing as spirituality. There is no such thing
as an All-knowing, All-powerful G-d. Man is the apex, man's
understanding is the utmost, man's physical prowess and power are the
peak."

But the Jews refused to give in to the Greeks physically or spiritually.
When the Holy Temple was recaptured by the famed Maccabees, they
searched for a bottle of oil that still had the High Priest's seal.
Having no other option, they were allowed to use the tainted oil. But
this they would not do, for then they would have won the war but lost
the battle.

Just as the Greeks made a statement by defiling the oil, the Jews made
just as strong of a statement by refusing to use that oil. They cried
out, "We believe that there is something higher than our own intellect,
we believe in the all-powerful, all-knowing G-d, we believe that
eventually good will prevail and that G-d will ultimately bring the time
when everything will be totally pure, forever more."

The main custom of Chanuka - lighting the menora - revolves around oil,
thus commemorating the miracle of the small bottle which lasted not one
but eight days. Commemorating, too, the strength of the Jewish spirit.

But oil is significant for another reason, a reason which gives us
additional insight into oil's message in our lives in general and the
Chanuka miracle in particular.

Oil, like wine, symbolizes the secrets of Torah, the mystical aspects of
Judaism. These formerly hidden concepts are becoming more revealed as we
come closer to Moshiach's imminent arrival. For the Messianic Era will
be a time when all of the Torah's secrets will be revealed for everyone
to understand and grasp.

Until the moment comes when Moshiach is anointed with the sacred oil,
however, it is imperative that each of us learns as much of the "oil" of
Torah as possible, thus preparing ourselves for Moshiach's imminent
arrival.

*********************************************************************
           LIVING WITH THE REBBE  -  THE WEEKLY TORAH PORTION
*********************************************************************
As we see from this week's Torah portion, Mikeitz, there are several
essential differences between the dreams of Joseph and Pharaoh.

Joseph dreamt that he and his brothers were actively gathering sheaves
of grain. Pharaoh, however, was merely a passive bystander, observing
the events that transpired around him; any indication of human activity
was absent.

Joseph's dreams were in the realm of holiness: G-d bestows His blessings
on us as reward for our labors. A Jew has to work to be worthy of
receiving them, just as Joseph was actively involved in binding the
sheaves in his dream.

Joseph's dreams were characterized by an upward progression in holiness.
In his first dream Joseph took individual sheaves of grain and bound
them together to create a unified whole. This shows an ascent from
separateness and division to a higher level of union and oneness.

The subject of Joseph's second dream also represents an ascent. After he
had dreamt about earthly matters, sheaves of grain, he dreamt about the
sun and moon, celestial matters.

Pharaoh's dreams, by contrast, were characterized by a downward
progression. Pharaoh's first dream was about seven cows, the animal
kingdom, but his second dream involved a lower category of life, ears of
corn. Also, the dreams themselves were descending in nature. The seven
healthy cows were followed by seven sick cows that swallowed them up;
the seven robust ears of corn were followed by seven blighted ones.

Moreover, the fulfillment of Pharaoh's dreams came about in a descending
order. First came the years of plenty, which were followed by a famine
of such magnitude that it was as if the years of abundance had never
existed. Every detail connected with Pharaoh's dreams was marked by
decrease.

Holiness, the realm of Joseph, is characterized by perpetual ascent:
"One must always go up in matters of holiness." Holiness is eternal.
Anything that is not holy, the realm of Pharaoh, does not endure, and
will only deteriorate and dwindle until there is nothing left.

This contains a practical lesson for every Jew: If we want to merit
G-d's blessings, we must work for them, as it states, "If someone tells
you he has toiled and found what he was looking for, you may believe
him." If a Jew expends the effort he will be more than amply rewarded,
and in far greater measure than his actions warrant. The G-dly influence
he receives will increase, in an ever-expanding manner.

If, however, a Jew wishes to benefit from G-d's blessings without
effort, the influences he receives will be the same type as Pharaoh's:
from a source other than holiness. But this type of influence will not
last; it will continue to decrease until nothing remains of it at all.

                              Adapted from Likutei Sichot, Volume 3

*********************************************************************
                             SLICE OF LIFE
*********************************************************************
                        A Modern Chanuka Miracle

Join me on a journey to Kaliningrad, Russia, to hear about a modern-day
Chanuka miracle.

In September of 2011, Lena, a sophisticated young woman arrived at the
office of Rabbi David Shvedik, Federation of Jewish Communities
representative and emissary of the Lubavitcher Rebbe in Kaliningrad.
"Lena applied for a position as an English teacher at the local Ohr
Avner Day school. But she had no teaching experience so we could not
hire her.

"Lena told me that she had not worked in many, many months. She would be
willing to take any job that we could offer," recalls Rabbi Shvedik. "I
explained that the only other work we had was in our soup kitchen,
setting and clearing the tables. She jumped at the opportunity."

Continues Rabbi Shvedik: "Curious as to what had brought her to us, I
asked Lena if she had any Jewish connections. 'My lineage is a mixture
of many nationalities, but none of them are Jewish,' Lena explained.

"One day, a few weeks into her job, Lena came into my office looking
quite distraught. 'I have to be honest with you. I feel guilty working
here! You are such nice people! Throughout my entire life, I grew up
hearing the Jewish people constantly being demeaned and mocked. Even in
my own home, I heard comments from my parents on a regular basis about
how miserly and greedy the Jews are.

" 'I have been supporting my elderly mother for many years now. I lost
my job months ago and we were able to live on the little bit of money I
had put away. But the savings ran out and my mother's small pension is
not enough to pay the rent and buy food.

" 'Suddenly I started hearing a "different tune" from my mother. Instead
of cursing and insulting the Jews, she said, "Winter is coming soon. We
will need to pay for rent and food! The Jews are good people. They never
turn anyone away. They will help. Even when they have very little, they
share what they have. If they cannot offer you a job they will at least
offer you food."

" 'I was upset that my mother's change of heart was because she wanted
to exploit the Jewish people. Although I had never subscribed to the
prevailing anti-Semitic attitudes, I was ashamed to ask the Jews for
help now that we were in need. That is why I was so happy that you were
able to give me work, no matter how menial.'

"I listened as Lena unburdened herself. I told her that she is a good
person, that she is doing a fine, honest job and that we are happy to
employ her. I encouraged her to take home food from the soup kitchen at
night for her mother. Lena left my office looking much calmer."

Kaliningrad has one of 45 FJC sponsored soup kitchens and one of 159 FJC
sponsored educational institutions throughout the FSU.

One of the many programs at the Kaliningrad JCC is "STARS." STARS is a
Jewish educational and social club for young adults. On the second night
of Chanuka, STARS held a fun and informative event. Recalls Rabbi
Shvedik, "I noticed that Lena had stayed late that night after work. She
was sitting at the back of the room where the program was taking place.
Half-way through the program, she hurried out.

"I didn't give it too much thought until the next day when Lena burst
into my office. The words tumbled out. 'I left the Chanuka event, went
straight home and confronted my mother. "Why when we were growing up did
you always say such horrible things about the Jews but now that we are
in need you have changed your tune? The Jews I meet today are generous,
moral, educated people. The Jews of your days lived ethical, inspired
lives despite persecution and hatred. And the Jews of ancient times,
like the Maccabees, had the courage to fight for their beliefs and to
make the world a brighter place!

" 'My mother was silent for what seemed like an eternity. And then she
began to cry. And through her tears I heard her say the following: "Your
grandmother, my mother, was a Jew! She lived through the war, through
persecution and humiliation because she was a Jew. And she promised
herself that her children and her children's children would never suffer
for being Jews. So she raised us as non-Jews. And she instilled in us a
bitterness toward all things Jewish so that we would never be associated
with or associate with Jews."

" 'I was stunned by my mother's revelation! I had visited my grandmother
in Chernigov, Ukraine, many times as a youngster. I had never imagined
that she was a Jew, that my mother is a Jew, that I am a Jew!' "

Rabbi Shvedik immediately sent a request to the registry office in
Chernigov to verify that Lena's grandmother, who had since passed away,
was registered as a Jew. Before the day ended, they received a response
that affirmed her Jewishness.

The next night, at 7:00 p.m., Lena finished cleaning the dining room of
the soup kitchen. She had helped serve 100 of Kaliningrad's elderly or
indigent Jewish men and women. She went into the ladies room with a
small bag she had brought with her to work. She emerged a little while
later wearing a beautiful turquoise dress, her hair neatly brushed, her
cheeks glowing and her eyes twinkling.

Lena was attending the Chanuka Menora lighting at the Kaliningrad JCC.
It would be her first time celebrating Chanuka. It would be her first
time attending a Jewish event as a proud Jew. Rabbi Shvedik calls it "a
modern-day Chanuka miracle."

This past year, Lena has been sharing with her mother everything she
learns at the STARS events and other programs she attends at the JCC.
And her mother has agreed to come to a Chanuka event this year!

"My joy will be complete," Lena says, "when my mother steps into a
Jewish building for the first time in her life. That will be a true
Chanuka miracle, a real victory for the Maccabees."

*********************************************************************
                               WHAT'S NEW
*********************************************************************
                             New Emissaries

Rabbi Shmuel and Chaya Mushka Schtroks recently moved to Buenos Aires,
Argentina, where Rabbi Schtroks will serve as the Rosh Yeshiva of the
Chabad Yeshiva. Rabbi Yechiel and Rikky Gluckowsky have established a
new Chabad House in the Science Park of Ness Tziona, Israel. The Science
Park houses many large high-tech companies, research institutes,
developing scientific businesses, and more. Rabbi Yona and Esti Grossman
have arrived in Fargo, North Dakota, to establish a new Chabad House to
serve the 500 Jews in the state. Rabbi Mendy and Sara Alevsky have moved
to Cleveland, Ohio to establish Chabad at Case Western Reserve
University.

*********************************************************************
                            THE REBBE WRITES
*********************************************************************
                       7th of Teves, 5740 [1979]

Following our brief personal meeting, I take this first personal
opportunity after Chanukah to convey to you my feelings in connection
with your warm response and generous contribution towards the latest
Lubavitch Project in our Holy Land. I was both gratified and impressed
by the spirit of your response. For, since I characterized the project
as a seemingly "Wild Project," your response in fulfillment of a "Wild
Thought," as you described it, is truly a response in kind.

The term "wild" in this context can best be explained in terms of the
teachings of Chanukah, when the project was announced.

It is significant that the Chanukah Menorah has eight lights, although
it reflects the miracle of the oil which occurred in connection with the
rekindling of the Menorah in the Beis Hamikdosh [Holy Temple], which had
only seven lamps. As explained in our sacred sources, there is an inner
symbolic significance in the number seven versus eight. Seven represents
the natural order, since G-d created the world in six days and rested on
the seventh, thus completing the natural order in seven days and imbuing
it with the holiness of Shabbos. Eight, on the other hand, represents
the supra-natural, the extraordinary.

Thus, the seven-lamp Menorah, corresponding to the seven days of the
week, symbolized the natural world order, which is geared to, and must
be perpetually illuminated by, the light of the Torah and Mitzvos
[commandments] during each and all of the seven days of the week.
Chanukah, on the other hand, recalls a very extraordinary situation in
Jewish history, when the Jewish people faced a crucial challenge that
threatened them not with physical, but with spiritual extinction, to be
engulfed by the pagan Hellenistic culture that had swept the world at
that time. The danger was all the more insidious because it happened
while the Jewish people were in their own land, the Holy Land, and the
Beis Hamikdosh was in existence; and the enemy did not aim to destroy
the Beis Hamikdosh nor put out the Menorah, but "merely" to contaminate
them with their own ideas and mores.

This extraordinary situation therefore called for an extraordinary
response in terms real Mesiras Nefesh [self-sacrifice].

Hence Chanukah is celebrated for eight days, and the lighting of eight
lights, in a manner of increasing them in number and brightness each
night of Chanukah until all the eight lights of the Chanukah Menorah
shine brightly on the eighth night of Chanukah.

We find the same thing in other aspects of Torah and Jewish life. For
example, the dedication of the Mishkon [Sanctuary] and the Mikdosh
[Temple], because the idea of a House of G-d, a House for the Divine
Shechinah [Presence] within the confines of a measured and limited
space, is most extraordinary, as King Solomon, the builder of the first
Beis Hamikdosh, expressed it: "Surely, the earth and all the heavens
cannot contain You, yet this House will!"

This also the inner significance of Shemini Atzeres, the Eighth Day
(following the seven days of Succos), which is the culmination and
retention of the Divine service of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the
essence of which is Teshuvah [repentance] - that extraordinary Divine
gift whereby a Jew breaks through all natural limitations, both within
and without, and rises to the highest degree of spiritual achievement.

In all these instances (and others too numerous to mention here) the
number eight is not just one more than seven, or an additional
twenty-four hours, it symbolizes the extraordinary, the supra-natural
and Infinite, as distinct from the ordinary and natural, hence limited,
as symbolized by the number seven.

                        continued in next issue


*********************************************************************
                               WHO'S WHO
*********************************************************************
Yehuda HaMaccabee (Judah) was the third son of Matitiyahu, a Kohen who
lived in the village of Modiin. In 167 b.c.e. Matitiyahu and his sons
started a revolt against the Seleucid ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes.
After his father's death, Yehuda assumed leadership of the revolt in
accordance with his father's wishes. The First Book of Maccabees praises
Yehuda's military talent. The name Maccabee is an acronym for Yehuda's
battle-cry, the verse (Ex. 15:11) "Mi kamokha ba'elim Hashem - Who among
the gods is like You, O G-d?"

*********************************************************************
                        A WORD FROM THE DIRECTOR
                         Rabbi Shmuel M. Butman
*********************************************************************
An important part of most Jewish holidays is the holiday meal, when it
is a commandment to eat and drink. Chanuka, however, is primarily
celebrated by saying special prayers and lighting the menora. This is
how we commemorate the miraculous victory of the small Jewish army
overpowering the mighty Greek war machine and the jar of pure oil
miraculously keeping the Temple candelabra lit for eight days.

Our Chanuka observances are more "spiritual" because the victory of
Chanuka was a victory of the spirit. The Greeks wanted to make the Jews
forget the Torah and transgress the Divine commandments. Thus, it is
fitting to celebrate the holiday with less emphasis on food and more
emphasis on spiritual activities.

The difference between other holidays and Chanuka can be better
understood by comparing water, bread and wine - foods served at holiday
meals, with oil - used for the Chanuka lights.

Water, bread, wine and oil are all metaphors for the Torah. Water and
bread are the staples of our everyday existence. In contrast, wine is
not a daily necessity, it contributes an element of pleasure to our
existence. Oil is not required for our day-to-day existence and is never
served as a food in its own right. It is used in small quantities to add
flavor to other foods. Thus, it too, is associated with the quality of
pleasure.

Water and bread are metaphors for the concepts of Torah that are
necessary in order to know how to observe the mitzvot properly. Like
bread and water, this knowledge is necessary for our very existence. In
contrast, wine and oil are metaphors for the inner dimensions of Torah,
the study of which adds pleasure and vitality to our observance of the
Torah and mitzvot.

Taking this a step further, there is a difference between oil and wine.
Wine is drunk as a beverage, while oil it not. In regard to the symbolic
meaning of the two, wine refers to the inner dimensions of the Torah
that can be perceived by a sensitive eye. In contrast, oil refers to the
deepest secrets of the Torah, those that transcend revelation. And
Chanuka is associated with these deepest levels of Torah.

*********************************************************************
                          THOUGHTS THAT COUNT
*********************************************************************
And they did not recognize him (Gen. 42:8)

The Talmud (Chagiga 16a) explains that there are three things that cause
a person's eyesight to dim if he looks at them, one of which is a
"Nasi," a prince. Concerning a Nasi, the Torah states (Num. 27:20), "And
You shall put some of Your greatness upon him." As Joseph was the Nasi
and leader of Egypt, his brothers refrained from looking directly at his
face, and therefore failed to recognized him.

                                               (Sichot Kodesh 5727)

                                *  *  *


And let my name be called on them, and the name of my fathers (48:16)

Jacob blessed his grandsons, Menashe and Ephraim, by expressing his wish
that they grow up to be a source of pride to the family. When, G-d
forbid, children do not follow in their parents' footsteps and stray
from the proper path, the grandparents and parents are ashamed that the
children bear their name. Jacob blessed his grandsons that they should
be worthy of being called the descendants of Abraham and Isaac.

                                *  *  *


With you shall Israel bless...May G-d make you as Ephraim and Menashe
(48:20)

In the previous verses Jacob had said, "Ephraim and Menashe shall be to
me as Reuven and Shimon." Despite the fact that Ephraim and Menashe were
born in exile and were educated in Egypt, a land not conducive to Torah
learning and Judaism, they were still as righteous and pure as Reuven
and Shimon, who grew up in more enclosed and insular surroundings in
Jacob's household.

                                                (Lubavitcher Rebbe)

                                *  *  *


And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt for 17 years (Gen. 47:28)

When the third Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel, was a child, he
learned a commentary on this verse that these 17 years were the best
years of Jacob's life. This surprised the boy, and he went to his
grandfather, Rabbi Shneur Zalman, to find out how it was possible that
the years spent in such a spiritually corrupt and abominable land could
have been Jacob's best. Rabbi Shneur Zalman replied: Before Jacob
descended into Egypt, he sent an emissary to establish yeshivot and
places of learning. Whenever and wherever a Jew learns Torah, he cleaves
to G-d and achieves a true and meaningful life. Furthermore, precisely
because Egypt was such an abominable place, the holiness and
spirituality Jacob attained there shone that much brighter against the
dark and evil background of his surroundings.

                                            (The Lubavitcher Rebbe)

*********************************************************************
                            IT ONCE HAPPENED
*********************************************************************
A huge group was gathered on the other side of the large table and
looked in the direction of their rebbe, Rabbi Avraham Wienberg, the
Slonimer Rebbe (1804 - 1883). He stood opposite the wicks in the Chanuka
menora, meditating and contemplating, for an unknown reason not yet
ready to kindle the Chanuka lights.

Hundreds of Chasidim stood in awe and with great respect, watching their
Rebbe as he stood preparing for this mitzva (commandment). They waited
with bated breath for the glorious moment when he would take the wax
candle in his hand and begin reciting the words of the Chanuka
blessings.

Minutes, which seemed like hours, passed and then the Rebbe began
chanting the blessings. He infused each word with kabbalistic
intentions, and each chasid there was able to hook into the holiness of
the moment according to his own level.

"Help me, deliver me!"

The dreadful cry tore through the hearts of all those gathered there and
awakened each person from his reverie. Everyone looked in the direction
of the voice.

The Rebbe, his face aflame with the holiness of the moment, also turned
his head in the direction of the voice toward the end of the synagogue.
There stood a women with her hands outstretched toward the heavens,
crying with a bitter heart.

It became clear that this woman was not one of the wives of the chasidim
gathered there. In fact, she had no connection to the Rebbe or the
Chasidic lifestyle. "Who is she?" some murmured.

The distraught woman lived with her family in this town. Her husband was
a wealthy and well-respected businessman who had never in his life
entered this Chasidic synagogue. He and his friends were among those who
laughed at the Chasidic lifestyle and customs.

For many years the couple had not been blessed with children. When their
son was finally born they were already much older. Their happiness knew
no bounds. He was always given the best of everything, though he was not
especially spoiled.

On the eve of Chanuka the young boy fell ill. The doctors came to his
bedside and cared for him with devotion. But they could not help him. To
everyone's horror his fever rose from day to day. Tonight, his situation
worsened. The boy lost consciousness and the doctors who were standing
around his bed raised their hands in hopelessness.

The father of the child was pacing around the house in agony and
bitterness. But his mother could not stand seeing her son's suffering
any longer and left the house. Suddenly she began walking quickly.
Toward what or where or whom she knew not. But her feet seemed to have a
mind of their own, and before she knew it she found herself in front of
the Slonimer synagogue just as the Rebbe was preparing to kindle the
Chanuka lights.

"Rebbe, help me," cried the woman in a voice that echoed throughout the
entire synagogue.

"Tell her not to worry," the Rebbe said quietly to someone. "She should
go and return home. She should ask her husband to add to her son's name
the name 'Matitiyahu' [Matithias]. And in the merit of that great tzadik
- father of the Macabbees - who gave up his life for the Jewish people
and the Holy One, the sick child's life will be lengthened. And another
thing, when the child is fully recovered, his father should bring a
pidyon nefesh ("redemption offering") of chai - life - 18 coins which
will be given to charity in the Holy Land."

The following day, at about the time when the Chanuka candles were being
lit, a new face was seen in the Slonimer synagogue. It was the father of
Matitiyahu, who had brought to the Rebbe 18 rubles, a pidyon nefesh for
his son who was fully recovered.

*********************************************************************
                            MOSHIACH MATTERS
*********************************************************************
In the Haftara of Chanuka we read (Zecharia 4:8): "Hear now, Yehoshua,
High Priest, behold I am bringing My servant, Tzemach."  The
commentators Radak and Ibn Ezra note that the numerical equivalent of
"Tzemach" is the same as that of "Menachem," one of the names of
Moshiach. Thus,  the prophet is prophecizing about the coming of
Moshiach. The Targum states uniquivocally that this verse refers to
Moshiach.

*********************************************************************
                END OF TEXT - L'CHAIM 1250 - Miketz 5773
*********************************************************************