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                         L'CHAIM - ISSUE # 1292
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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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        October 18, 2013         Vayera        14 Cheshvan, 5774
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                             Good for Good

Jewish mystical teachings explain that evil has no permanence. Only good
exists eternally and every good deed endures forever.

The way to fight evil, then, is with good, with everlasting and
incessant good.

How much can you or I do to eradicate evil from the face of the earth,
to wipe out terror and eliminate violence? Realistically speaking, how
much of an impact can any one, single individual have on the entire
world?

The Rebbe addressed precisely this question in a pre-High Holiday letter
to Jews around the world four decades ago.

"One single individual has the capacity to bring the whole of creation
to fulfillment, as was the case with the first person, Adam....

"Our Sages teach us that the first person, Adam, was the prototype and
example for each and every individual to follow: 'For this reason was
man created as an individual in order to each you "one person equals a
whole world," '  our Sages declared in the Mishna.

"This means that every Jew, regardless of time and place and personal
status, has the fullest capacity, hence also duty, to rise and attain
the highest degree of fulfillment, and accomplsh the same for the
creation as a whole.

"This disproves the contentions of those who do not fulfill their duty
with the excuse that it is impossible to change the world; of that their
parents had not given them the necessary education and preparation; or
that the world is so huge, and one is so puny-how can one hope to
accomplish anythng?

"There were times when the aforesaid idea, namely, the ability of a
single individual to 'transform' the world, met with skepticism, and
demanded proof.

"However, precisely in our generation, we unfortunately do not have to
seek far to be convinced that one person could have such impact. We have
seen how one individual brought the world to the brink of destruction,
but for the mercies of the King of the Universe, Who ordained that 'the
earth shall stand firm; shall not fall.'

"If such is the case in the realm of evil, surely one's potential is
much greater in the realm of good. For, in truth, creation is
essentially good, and therefore more inclined toward the good than its
opposite."

So what can I do to fight evil? What contribution can I make in the war
against terrorism? What is my memorial to the millions who were murdered
in the Holocaust? What is my tribute to those who perished in Nairobi,
Boston, Nigeria?

I can be good, and so can you.

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           LIVING WITH THE REBBE  -  THE WEEKLY TORAH PORTION
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This week's Torah portion, Vayeira, introduces us to the second of our
forefathers, Isaac. It also relates that Isaac was occupied with digging
wells.

Abraham and Isaac achieved greatness by paving two distinct paths in
connecting with G-d. Abraham traveled from place to place, both within
the borders of Israel and in other lands, and caused G-d's name to be
known everywhere he went. Through his boundless hospitality, as well as
through other means, he caused countless wayfarers to thank G-d for His
bounty and goodness. Abraham's basic nature was kindness - giving and
favorably influencing his fellow man.

Isaac, on the other hand, had a totally different approach. He never
left the Holy Land and his basic nature was the personification of
gevura (strength). Isaac's way of bringing holiness into the world
involved elevating the lowly and bringing it closer to G-dliness;
Abraham's method was to bring G-dliness down into the lower realms.

This path to holiness is even apparent in Isaac's preoccupation with
digging wells. A well is made when one digs and uncovers the water that
was always there, albeit in an unrevealed state. Isaac did not bring the
water to the well from an outside source; he merely removed the soil and
rocks so that the water could flow forth on its own.

Whereas his father Abraham was primarily occupied with bringing holiness
down into this world, Isaac spent his life uncovering the inherent
holiness that already existed in the world. Isaac taught others that
through their own efforts they could uncover the good and arrive at
Divine truth.

From Abraham we learn how to elevate the physical world through studying
Torah and performing mitzvot (commandments), causing the Divine light to
descend and illuminate our surroundings. We also learn from him the
obligation to spread the knowledge and appreciation of G-d through our
own example and influence on others.

But this in itself is not enough. We must also learn from Isaac how to
"dig wells" - how to uncover and reveal that spark of goodness and
holiness that exists within ourselves and every Jew. It is not
sufficient to merely teach others about G-dliness; we must also know how
to dig under the surface and reveal the inherent faith in G-d and spark
of holiness which is our birthright.

Even if a Jew seems to be "dust, clay and stones," that is, his Jewish
spark seems to be dormant and hidden underground, we can learn from
Isaac not be discouraged - this appearance is merely a camouflage. Under
the lifeless surface lies a rich source of running water, of goodness,
faith and love of G-d. All we have to do is remove the superficial layer
of "clay" to reveal the pure Jewish soul within.

And what can we answer a Jew who cries, "But I've tried! I've dug and
I've dug, and I can't seem to uncover my Jewish spark!" We must direct
him to the example of Isaac, who persevered in his digging and was not
discouraged, even when his wells were deliberately stopped up by his
enemies, time and time again. For we are promised success if we, too,
persevere and are relentless in our quest for G-dliness.

                   Adapted from the works of the Lubavitcher Rebbe.

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                             SLICE OF LIFE
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                               Out of Gas
                           by Avrohom Nosson

Fifteen years ago, Shmuel Hendel and his friend were in Hawaii on
"Merkos Shlichus" - a project of Chabad that sends student rabbis to
locations throughout the world, close and remote, to visit isolated Jews
who live far from a synagogue or any organized Jewish life. Explains
Shmuel, "We started with a list of names, and when we were through with
those we looked up Jewish-sounding names in the phone book."

Each day they visited a few homes, talked with the people living there
and spoke about holidays and other Jewish topics. People were excited to
meet young Jews who were so obviously involved in Jewish life.

On one hot and hazy day, the rabbinic duo didn't manage to get into a
single house. In some instances, they discovered that the people whose
address they had been given were not Jewish. In other places the people
were not home or the address they had was incorrect. They were about to
call it a day, feeling rather disappointed. When they got to the last
address on the list and nobody was there, they planned on going back to
the hotel. "As soon as we set out," recalls Shmuel, "I saw that we were
seriously low on gas. I pointed this out, but my friend didn't seem
concerned. He figured that even if the needle was flickering on empty we
could still drive a few more kilometers and we would definitely make it
back to the hotel."

On a fairly quiet highway, with orchards on either side, the car began
sounding like it was choking, and it slowly came to a stop. The cars
behind them began honking and they quickly moved the car to the side of
the road. The young rabbis were exhausted and low in spirits. They
hadn't met a single Jew that day and now they were stuck. Who would come
help them?

"We tried flagging down cars, but nobody stopped and help," continues
Shmuel. "We looked odd to the locals, wearing our hats and suit jackets
in the heat of summer. A long time passed and then we saw a motorcycle
coming out of a path in the orchard and heading toward us. A motorcycle
is easier to stop because you can look the driver in the eye. Maybe his
conscience would encourage him to stop and help us.

"He stopped, parked his motorcycle and came over to us. At first we were
nervous, because he was a big guy and full of tattoos with rings in
every possible place. He wore sunglasses so his eyes were blocked from
us, which was unnerving.

" 'We are stuck without gas,' said my friend.

" 'How do smart guys like you do something so stupid?' he asked
jokingly.

"We knew he was right and didn't respond, and then he said a line that
made our antennas go up.

" 'I thought members of the tribe were smarter than that.' That told us
he was Jewish. We asked his name.

" 'Bill Aronson,' he said.

"You live at ... right?" I said, citing an address on our list.

" 'Right!' he said in astonishment. 'How did you know that?'

" 'We were there a quarter of an hour ago and you weren't home,' we
said."

The conversation took off and then Bill told them that although he lived
nearby, he had never been in that orchard before. He said he worked in
real estate and a friend told him about a building in that area. That
morning, after much deliberation, he had decided to check it out. He
said that his wife was not Jewish. She was a Buddhist and he didn't
think that if he was home that she would have invited them in.

"My friend went off with Bill to get gas. Bill had been on his way to
pick up his children from the preschool. On the way to the gas station
Bill met his wife and she agreed to pick them up instead. So Bill came
back with a jerry can of gas and we had time to talk. He said that the
only one in his family connected to Judaism was his mother. So when he
visited a monastery the year before, he had himself videotaped shouting
'Shema Yisrael' and sent it to his mother to make her happy.

"We asked him if he had ever put on tefillin. He had no idea what we
were talking about. When we asked him to put on tefillin before sunset,
he wasn't willing to do it until we spoke some more about the
significance of his being Jewish. Then he rolled up his sleeve. This was
all new to him. He was very moved and cried. We spent a long time
standing there and talking. Suddenly, all our feelings of having wasted
the entire day disappeared and were replaced with the joy of having been
able to reach out to another Jew. If Bill had been at home, we might not
have been successful. If our gas tank had been full, we wouldn't have
met him. If he hadn't decided that day to check out the property, we
would not have met." Concludes Shmuel, "G-d arranged it all and it took
place just as it was meant to be."

                              Reprinted from Beis Moshiach Magazine

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                               WHAT'S NEW
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                             New Facilities

Chabad of The Woodlands, a suburb of Houston, Texas, recently moved into
a new facility. The new 2,500-square-foot building includes a large room
that will be used for Shabbat and holiday services, a study /library, a
children's room, offices and a kitchen. Jewish Monkland Centre/Chabad
NDG in Montreal, Canada, moved into a new location. The new venue for
the popular Chabad House, which attracts young professionals and
families in the Monkland area, includes a shul and social hall, kitchen,
lounge and library, large backyard with climbing structures, several
offices, stage, and children's room. A newly renovated facility in
Talinn, Estonia, has opened as a Children's Center and  "Yiddisher Kop"
Learning Center. The Children's Center includes a Hebrew school, Sunday
school, enrichment classes, sports, library, and computer room. The
"Yiddisher Kop" Learning Center includes an extensive library, reading
room, classrooms, Jewish exhibition, cafeteria, and state of the art
computers.

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                            THE REBBE WRITES
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                     l7th of Cheshvan, 5723 [1962]

...I trust that our views will be reconciled, since, as you indicate in
the introductory paragraph of your letter, you are in full sympathy with
the aims of my said letter, namely, to resolve any doubts that science
presents a challenge to the commandments of our Torah.

I must begin with two prefatory remarks:

 1) It should be self-evident that my letter did not imply negation or
    rejection of science or the scientific method. In fact, I stated so
    explicitly towards the end of my said letter. I hope that I will not
    be suspected of trying to belittle the accomplishments of science,
    especially as in certain areas the Torah view accords science even
    more credit than science itself claims; hence, many laws in halachah
    [Jewish law] are geared to scientific conclusions (as e.g. in
    medicine), assigning to them the validity of objective reality.

 2) A remark has been attributed to you to the effect that just as
    Rabbinic problems should be dealt with by someone who studied
    Rabbinics, so should scientific problems be left to those who
    studied science. I do not know how accurate this report is, but I
    feel I should not ignore it nevertheless, since I agree with this
    principle. I studied science on the university level from 1928 to
    1932 in Berlin, and from 1934 to 1938 in Paris, and I have tried to
    follow scientific developments in certain areas ever since. Now to
    your letter:

    I quite agree, of course, that for the aim mentioned above,
    scientific theories must be judged by the standards and criteria set
    up by the scientific method itself. This is precisely the principle
    I followed in my letter. Hence, I purposely omitted any references
    to the Scriptures, or the Talmud, etc. from my discussion.

    You write that you can heartily applaud my emphasis that scientific
    theories never pretend to give the ultimate truths. But I went
    further than that. The point was not that science is not now in a
    position to offer ultimate truths, but that modern science itself
    sets its own limits, declaring that its predictions are, will always
    be, and in every case, merely "most probable" but not certain; it
    speaks only "in terms of theories." Herein, as you know probably
    better than I, lies a basic difference of concept between science
    today and l9th century science. Whereas in the past, scientific
    conclusions were considered as natural "laws" in the strict sense of
    the terms, i.e. determined and certain, modern science no longer
    holds this view.

    Parenthetically, this view is at variance with the concept of nature
    and our own knowledge of it (science) as espoused by the Torah,
    since the idea of miracles implies a change in a fixed order, and
    not the occurrence of a least probable event.

    Acknowledging the limitations of science, set by science itself, as
    above, is sufficient to resolve any doubt that science might present
    a challenge to Torah. The rest of the discussion in my said letter
    was mainly my way of further emphasis, but also because, as already
    mentioned, according to the Torah, i.e. in the realm of faith and
    not that of science, it is admissible for the conclusions of science
    to have the validity of natural "law."

 3) Next, you deplore what you consider a "gratuitous attack" on the
    personal motives of scientists. But no such general attack will be
    found in my letter. I specifically referred to a certain segment of
    scientists in a certain area of scientific research, namely, those
    who produce hypotheses about what actually occurred thousands upon
    thousands of years ago, such as the evolutionary theory of the
    world, hypotheses which contain no significance for present day
    research ... hypotheses which are not only highly speculative, but
    not strictly scientific, and are indeed replete with internal
    weaknesses.

    Yet, lacking any firm basis, these scientists nevertheless reject
    absolutely any other explanation (including the Torah narrative). It
    is the motives of these scientists that I attempted to analyze,
    since their attitude cannot be equated with a desire to promote the
    truth, or to promote technological advancement, scientific research,
    etc. I did not want to accuse them, at any rate not all of them, of
    anti-religious bias, especially as some of them, including some of
    the originators of the theory, were religious. I therefore attempted
    to explain their attitude by a common human trait, the quest for
    accomplishment and distinction. Incidentally, this natural trait has
    its positive aspects, and is also basic in our religion, since
    without the incentive of accomplishment nothing would be
    accomplished.

 4) Your remark about the misuse of the terms "fission" and "fusion" in
    relation to chemical reaction is, of course, valid and well taken. I
    trust, however, that the meaning was not unduly affected thereby,
    since it was twice indicated in that paragraph that the subject was
    chemical reaction. Undoubtedly, the terms "combination" and
    "decomposition" should have been used. (Actually, I believe, the
    different usage of these terms in nuclear and chemical reactions is
    more conventional than basic. Nevertheless, I should have been
    mindful of the standard terminology.)

    Here, a word of explanation regarding the terminology of my letter
    is in order. If the terms or expressions used are not always the
    standard ones, this is due to (a) the fact that I do not usually
    dictate my letters in English, and while I subsequently check the
    translation, this perusal may not always preclude an oversight, as
    the present instance is a case in point; and (b) the fact that I
    received my scientific training, as already mentioned, in German and
    French, and previously in Russian, which may also account for some
    the variations.

                        continued in next issue


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                               WHO'S WHO
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Benyamin (Benjamin) was the son of our Matriarch Rachel and Jacob. He
was the only one of the 12 sons of Jacob born in the Land of Israel.  He
was named by Rachel BenOni ("son of my affliction") because she realized
that his birth was so difficult that she would die in childbirth. The
first king of the Jewish people, Saul, was descended from Benyamin as
was the great Mordechai. The area of the Holy Temple knows as the Kodesh
Hakedoshim (Holy of Holies) was in the portion of land belonging to the
tribe of Benyamin.

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                        A WORD FROM THE DIRECTOR
                         Rabbi Shmuel M. Butman
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This coming Thursday, the 20th of Marcheshvan, is the birthday of the
fifth Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Shalom Dov Ber Schneersohn, born in 5621
(1860). Often referred to as "the Maimonides of Chasidut" for his terse
and practical summarizations of complex subject matter, he also founded
Yeshiva Tomchei Temimim in 1897, which continues to flourish around the
world.

It was during the years of the Rebbe Rashab's leadership that the famous
Mendel Beilis blood libel case occurred in Russia. Accused in 1911 of
the age-old charge of ritual murder when the body of a Christian boy was
found near a brick oven owned by a Jew, Mendel Beilis, an innocent
employee, was arrested and ordered to stand trial, despite the absence
of any incriminating evidence. A two-year anti-Jewish campaign ensued,
culminating in the trial itself. The judges had been carefully selected
for their narrow-mindedness, and the jury consisted of ignorant peasants
who believed in the myth of Jewish ritual murder.

The Rebbe Rashab was instrumental in helping the Jewish defense
attorney, Oscar Gruzenberg, prepare his case, providing him with some 33
books to consult. In a letter of encouragement and support, the Rebbe
also instructed him to conclude his defense with the verse "Shema
Yisrael, Hashem Elokeinu, Hashem Echad" ("Hear O Israel, the L-rd is our
G-d, the L-rd is One"). The Rebbe also gave Gruzenberg a blessing to
succeed in his objective.

Oscar Gruzenberg listened to the Rebbe's advice. At the end of his very
lengthy presentation in court, he turned to the prisoner sitting on the
defendant's bench and said, "Mendel Beilis! Even if these judges close
their ears and their hearts to the truth and find you guilty, do not be
discouraged. Be as willing for self-sacrifice as every other Jew who
ever gave up his soul for the sanctity of G-d's name with the
declaration, 'Hear O Israel, the L-rd is our G-d, the L-rd is One!'"

Mendel Beilis was acquitted.

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                          THOUGHTS THAT COUNT
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And when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed
to the ground (Gen. 18:2)

The great Sage Shammai said: "Greet every man with a pleasant
countenance." Should a person give his friend every gift in the world,
yet greet him with a scowl, it is considered as if he gave him nothing.
But if he greets him with a smile, it is considered as if he gave the
other person everything, even if he is empty-handed.

                                               (Avot D'Rabbi Natan)

                                *  *  *


And he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared and set
it before them (Gen. 18:8)

How could Abraham have offered his guests meat and milk at the same
time? The answer is that he served the meat and dairy foods to them
separately, with the intention that each guest should choose for himself
what he wished to eat. Abraham even went to the trouble of preparing
three tongues, should each of the three guests wish to eat only meat.
This is the epitome of the mitzva of hospitality.

                                                   (Likutei Sichot)

                                *  *  *


And offer him there for a burnt offering (Gen. 22:2)

"Master of the Universe!" cried Abraham before G-d. "When you commanded
me to offer up my son as a burnt offering, I could have said, 'But
yesterday You promised that my seed would be perpetuated through Isaac!'
However, I conquered my own inclination to carry out Your will. In
return, may it be Your will that should the descendents of Isaac ever be
in trouble, with no one to defend them, You Yourself will come to their
defense."

                                         (Jerusalem Talmud, Taanit)

                                *  *  *


The trial of the binding of Isaac is ascribed to Abraham's merit, even
though he was not the intended sacrifice. For the agony of a father who
leads his child to slaughter is much greater than the child's own
suffering.

                                                 (Taharat HaKodesh)

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                            IT ONCE HAPPENED
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This coming Thursday, the 20th of Marcheshvan, is the birthday of Rabbi
Shalom Dovber (the Rebbe Rashab), the fifth Chabad Rebbe.

The Rebbe Rashab was only 22 years old when his father, Rabbi Shmuel,
passed away. It was not until several years later that Rabbi Shalom
Dovber took his father's place and assumed the mantle of leadership.

                                *  *  *


The Rebbe Rashab once commented: "It says in the writings of the
Mitteler Rebbe that 'Conducting business with complete faith in G-d is
an even higher level of service than learning Torah for its own sake.'
If that is the case, then it is also that much more difficult to
accomplish. One must therefore do all one can to become a proper vessel
for earning one's livelihood in the proper manner. It is precisely
because of the difficulty involved in this that I hesitated, but finally
assumed the position of Rebbe."

In the early days of the Rebbe Rashab's leadership someone once asked
the Rebbe's brother, Reb Zalman Aharon, if he thought that the present
Rebbe was worthy of his position.

Reb Zalman Aharon answered: "Between every two diametrically opposed
points in the world there exists a medium, or mean. For example, between
the extremely wealthy man and the poverty-stricken beggar are those in
the middle class, and between the person who spends his life doing good
deeds for his fellow man and one who is cruel and selfish are those
whose deeds place them somewhere in the middle. But between a Rebbe and
an ordinary person there is no halfway point: one is either a Rebbe or
an imposter.

"And my brother is certainly no imposter..."

                                *  *  *


There was once a Jew living in the city of Nevel who was known as "Reb
Zalman the Herring," as he made his living selling all kinds of pickled
fish.

One day Reb Zalman was faced with a terrible dilemma when his landlord
suddenly decided to sell the house in which he lived. Although he
searched all over he was unable to find an appropriate apartment, nor
could he afford to buy the building himself, for if he did, he would not
have enough money left over to buy fish. Not knowing what to do, Reb
Zalman went to the Rebbe Rashab to ask his advice.

"What should I do, Rebbe?" he implored.

"Buy them both, the house and the fish," responded the Rebbe.

Reb Zalman wondered what the Rebbe meant. If I had the money to buy
both, he reasoned, I would not have come all this distance to ask what
to do.

Suddenly an idea occurred to him. Perhaps his landlord would agree to
sell the house for half the price to be paid in cash immediately, while
the rest could be paid out over time. Maybe the fish wholesaler would do
the same!

Reb Zalman told both of them what the Rebbe had said, and both landlord
and fish monger agreed to this method of payment.

In the end he bought them both, the house and the fish.

                                *  *  *


The Rebbe Rashab was once sitting at a gathering of Chasidim when the
time to pray the afternoon service arrived. At that moment, the host had
been about to serve tea to his guests. A controversy ensued over what to
do first, pray or drink the tea.

"It all depends on what you want to do in a less hurried and more
peaceful manner," remarked the Rebbe. "If you'd rather drink the tea in
a leisurely fashion, then by all means pray first. If, however, you'd
prefer to pray with a clear and calm head, it's better to get the
tea-drinking over with..."

                                *  *  *


There was once a Jewish innkeeper who made his living selling spirits to
the local peasants. One day, a non-Jewish peasant opened up a new tavern
right across the street. The non-Jew's prices were lower, so all of the
Jew's former patrons quickly switched their allegiance and bought their
whiskey in the new establishment.

When the innkeeper told the Rebbe about his competition, the Rebbe
instructed him to set up two barrels of whiskey. "Tell your customers
that you are selling two types of whiskey - one cheaper, and one of a
better quality."

The Chasid did this, and all his customers returned. They all insisted
on buying the more expensive variety.

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                            MOSHIACH MATTERS
*********************************************************************
When Nebuzaradan exiled the Jews from Israel, they passed by the grave
of Rachel our Matriarch. Rachel emerged to weep and to ask for mercy on
their behalf. The prophet Jeremiah reports: "Thus did the L-rd say, a
voice is heard on high, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel weeps for
her children, she refuses to be consoled for her children, for they are
not." And G-d in fact answers: "Thus did the L-rd say, refrain your
voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for there is reward for
your labor, said the L-rd, and the children shall return to their
boundary"

      (Rashi Va'yechi, and Midrashim quoted by Radak, Yirmeyahu 31)

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                END OF TEXT - L'CHAIM 1292 - Vayera 5774
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