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                         L'CHAIM - ISSUE # 1352
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                           Copyright (c) 2014
                 Lubavitch Youth Organization - L.Y.O.
                              Brooklyn, NY
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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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        December 26, 2014       Vayigash           4 Tevet, 5775
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                                 Thanks
                            by Naomi Zirkind

As I write this, I'm at a hotel attending a seminar as part of my job as
an electrical engineer. Of all places, this hotel is right in the middle
of Disney World, in a town called Magic Kingdom, Florida.

It certainly is an immersive atmosphere. And it is indeed a magic
kingdom for those who are culturally indoctrinated with the Disney
themes. A large statue of a mouse character stands in the hotel lobby.
Young children sitting in rows of tiny chairs watch excitedly as
continuous videos of cartoon characters play on a large screen. A shop
in the hotel is filled with shelves stocked with various souvenirs on
the Disney theme. Music on this theme plays in the lobby area.

As I walk through the lobby, a thought enters my mind: This immersive
atmosphere is so powerful and engulfing. Wouldn't it be nice if a tract
of land could be acquired for building a different kind of theme park -
a "Moshiach World"? In this park, we could enact whatever we know about
the era of Moshiach, and hopefully, we could feel the presence of
Moshiach while at this theme park.

As I envision it, in one area of the park would be a synagogue, i.e., a
house of prayer and study, since when Moshiach is here, our main
occupations will be to learn about G-d and pray to G-d. Furthermore, all
the nations of the world will live together in peace, so we could have
some sort of display about that. Even the animals will not attack each
other, so we could have a wolf and a lamb playing together peacefully.

As I continued developing my plans for this theme park, a number of
practical difficulties present themselves. Where would this park be? Who
would pay for it? Perhaps there would be controversies about these
issues, and strife is certainly not part of the Moshiach world. Also,
how could we ensure that the wolf does not hurt the lamb? Regarding
having a synagogue in the theme park, there already are a lot of
synagogues in the world. What would this one add? The biggest difficulty
is: How would we create the awareness of G-d's Presence that we will
feel when Moshiach is here?

This last concern got me thinking. It's true that there are already many
synagogues in the world. In fact, a synagogue is one place where one can
feel a great awareness of G-d's Presence. But that is not the only such
place. Actually, wherever a person fulfills any of G-d's commandments,
G-d's Presence is felt.

This thought process leads to an amazing conclusion. We don't have to
travel anywhere to get to Moshiach World. Moshiach World is right here
with you and me. Whenever we help another person, study Torah, say a
prayer, or do any mitzva (commandment), we make a mini Moshiach World
here in our own immediate surroundings! And the more enthusiasm we put
into our mitzva, the more immersive the mini Moshiach World will be.

May G-d complete our efforts, join all the sparks together, and make the
whole world a Moshiach World, a G-dly Kingdom, very soon, and then the
whole world will be filled with knowledge of G-d as the water fills the
sea.

    Dr. Zirkind is a lead general engineer for the Armament Research,
    Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC).  In her spare time, she
    writes books and articles and gives speeches on Torah topics.

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           LIVING WITH THE REBBE  -  THE WEEKLY TORAH PORTION
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In this week's Torah portion, Vayigash, Joseph, viceroy of Egypt,
dramatically reveals his true identity to his incredulous brothers.
Joseph reassures them that the entire sequence of events, beginning with
his being sold into slavery to his eventual rise to power, was the hand
of G-d guiding him from above. "It was not you who sent me here, but
G-d," he tells his brothers. Joseph then asks them to carry the
following message back to their father, Jacob: "G-d has made me lord of
all Egypt. Come down to me (to Egypt); do not tarry."

At first glance, Joseph's choice of words seems odd. If Joseph's intent
was merely to convince Jacob to undertake the lengthy journey, why would
he imagine that his elderly father would be swayed by the news that his
son now occupied a high political office?

Rather, Jacob knew that the Jewish people was destined to go into exile
in Egypt. When informed of Joseph's rise to power, he understood that
this was an integral part of that process. Once that stage was reached
it was time for Jacob to follow and the next phase to begin.

Many years before, G-d had explained the objective of the exile in
Egypt: "Afterwards (after the exile), they will emerge with great
wealth," G-d promised Abraham. Under Joseph's tenure, Egypt was
transformed into a wealthy nation. In exchange for the food he had so
cleverly stockpiled, Joseph collected much of the world's riches-all
done in order for the Jews to eventually depart Egypt "with great
wealth." Indeed, the accumulation of wealth was one of the prime reasons
behind the entire 210-year exile.

Yet the concept of "great wealth" must be understood on a deeper level
as well, not only in the literal sense. The material riches accumulated
by the Jewish people was only a reflection of the great spiritual wealth
with which they left Egypt. For the Jews were sent into exile for the
purpose of extracting and refining the sparks of holiness hidden within
the most morally degraded and degenerate place on earth - Egypt. Those
sparks of purity, once freed from their prison within Egypt's "49 gates
of impurity," were the ultimate riches derived by the Jews during their
exile.

The accumulation of "wealth" is likewise the purpose of our present
exile as well - extracting the good from the material world and
transforming it into holiness by utilizing physical objects for the
purpose of Torah and mitzvot.

This process is now complete. Over the thousands of years of exile, the
Jewish people have uncovered and elevated all of these sparks of
holiness, dispersed throughout the four corners of the earth. According
to Divine plan, the time has therefore come for G-d to fulfill His
promise and send Moshiach, NOW!

                    Adapted from the works of the Lubavitcher Rebbe

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                             SLICE OF LIFE
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                              Chicken Kiev
                         by Rabbi Shmuel Marcus

Rabbi Marcus lighting a public Chanuka menora in Los Alamitos

For one year, I lived in Kharkov, Ukraine. I was 20 years old. With me
were Yossi, Yefim, and Benny - all of us rabbinical students from a
Brooklyn Lubavitch Yeshiva. We weren't worried. Communism was over, and
we had winter gloves.

Rabbi Moshe Moskowitz, chief Rabbi of Kharkov, and his wife Miriam, were
responsible for our presence in Kharkov. Our mission would be to teach
and act as assistant rabbis.

Ignorance

In Kharkov, every Jew over 70 claims to have a grandfather who was a
shochet (ritual slaughterer). The problem is the grandchildren don't'
know the difference between a shochet and a mohel (ritual circumcisor).

Ignorance has no real, concrete existence of its own. Like a question
before the answer, ignorance is the absence of education. Usually.

In the former Soviet Union, ignorance seems to be an entity unto itself,
a force with headquarters and plans. True, the average Russian is a
working engineer, he has read all of Pushkin and played in at least one
chess championship. What I'm talking about is the ignorance that makes
the former Soviet Union a Christian missionary's paradise.

In the shul (synagogue) where I grew up, the rabbi gives a sermon after
the reading fo the Torah, expounding on the text just read.

In Kharkov, the rabbi gives the sermon beforehand, explaining in Russian
what soon will be read in Hebrew. One sermon I shall never forget. It is
about Laban the Swindler.

As usual, Rabbi Moskowitz is telling the story. "And Jacob awoke and
behold it was not Rachel his beloved but Leah, the eldest."

"Oy!" The congregation gasps out loud, visibly shocked. It is their
first time hearing the story and they are upset.

The rabbi does not gasp; he is not shocked. He knows all about the
ignorance. That's why he lives in Kharkov.

Baruch Israelnaya

It's early and cold as I step onto the black school bus. True, school
buses with noisy kids tend to shine lemon yellow, but a school bus with
a coffin in it turns instantly black.

Yossi, Yefim, and I sit on one side, two old women sit on the other. The
shorter woman repeatedly touches her eyes with a wet handkerchief. I
figure it's her husband on the floor between us in the box.

I am thankful for the fact that it's a school bus and not a hearse. This
way, we aren't riding with a dead man; he is getting a ride with us.

Many Russians cremate their dead because it's simpler and cheaper. But
to me, a cremated Jew is the saddest thing. Jewish law prohibits it and
it's irreversible. Eternity has already happened.

Rabbi Moskowitz says, In the former Soviet Union it's hard to live as a
Jew, and even harder to die as a Jew." Today, a traditional burial is
almost reason for celebration.

Baruch Israelnaya's family cannot afford to buy him in the Jewish way.
Rabbi Moskowitz does Baruch a true kindness. I notice that about once a
week Baruch shows up with a different name and face, and Rabbi Moskowitz
does the same kindness every time.

The Jews are known as those who bury their own, and I remember sitting
on the bus trying to focus on what had to be done and not on what I was
doing.

The school bus stops and we get out. Perhaps, thinking I was too young
to know, fresh snow had intentionally covered most of the graves.

Yossi and Yefim carry the wooden box to a small gated area marked with a
Star of David. There, Rabbi Moskowitz and a few others wait silently in
front of open earth.

On the other side of the pit, four Russians dressed like railroad or
construction workers look me up and down. I try not to look back.
Gravediggers have no family no friends, and please, never mistake them
for one of us.

Rabbi Moskowitz says a prayer about being tied to the bond of life. The
Kaddish prayer is said for the first time. The handkerchief is still
wet, and I've become a gravedigger. And death has become eternal life.

Chicken Kiev is available at www.kehot.com

    Rabbi Marcus, and his wife Bluma, founded and direct Chabad
    Lubavitch of Cypress / Los Alamitos, California.

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                               WHAT'S NEW
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                             New Emissaries

Rabbi Levi Yitzchak and Devorah Leah Chekly are opening the first
permanent Chabad center in the African coastal nation of Angola. The
seventh largest country in Africa, Angola lies on the Atlantic Ocean,
and is bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of
Congo on the north and Zambia on the east. Rabbi Levi and Adina Tiechtel
moved to West Lafayette, Indiana to start a Chabad House at Purdue
University where they are serving the Jewish students enrolled there.

                               New Mikva

A new mikva was recently built by Chabad in La Paz, Bolivia, under the
leadership of Rabbi Itzhak and Chaya Kupchik. While only aboout 150 Jews
live in La Paz permanently, up to 20,000 Jewish tourists visit Bolivia
each year.

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                            THE REBBE WRITES
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                       5th of Teves, 5712 [1952]
                         Students' Study Group

Sholom u'Brocho: [Peace and blessing]:

In reply to your request for a message in connection with Chanukah, in
view of your recent visits I trust I may regard our conversation on that
occasion as having, in part at least, satisfied your request.

However, inasmuch as Chanukah extends to the beginning of this week,
belonging to the weekly Sidrah [Torah portion] of Vayigash, I take this
opportunity to convey to you a thought apropos of this Sidrah, which may
serve as a message not only for the festival of "Dedication," but which
is also of fundamental significance in our daily life.

The Sidrah of Vayigash contains the climax of the story of Joseph and
his brothers. Joseph, as you no doubt recall, had been torn from his
happy home in the Holy Land and delivered into slavery in Egypt.
However, he overcomes all trials and temptations, being guided by the
high moral code he brought along with him from his home. Eventually he
emerges as the Grand Vizier and ruler of all Egypt, who not only saves
his brothers from famine, but also all Egypt and the world around. When
finally his identity is revealed to his brothers he tells them - and
herein lies the key to the great and mysterious drama - not to feel
sorry for all that had befallen him, "For G-d has sent me as a
sustenance for you."

There is a profound message in these words for all humanity and for Jews
in particular. The whole episode may serve as an illustration and answer
to the mystery of our life on this earth. It is man's soul that
represents the essential part of his existence. The soul, which is a
"part of G-d above," is torn from its heavenly abode, its real "Holy
Land," and sent down to the earthly and corporal world (its "Egypt"),
where it becomes largely enslaved by the physical body.

Needless to say, the purpose of it is not to torture the soul. The soul
is sent down to be a "Joseph" who both in slavery and glory remains
loyal to his fatherly home in the "Holy Land." It should never acquiesce
or despair in slavery, but should remember its mission, to become the
ruler of "Egypt" and the giver of sustenance - Divine Food - to his own
body and to all with whom it comes in contact.

The way to achieve this is to be constantly conscious of one's origin
and "home" and always remain receptive to the vibrating influences
emanating from the parental home in the "Holy Land," until the moments
when the shackles of slavery are completely broken and the soul - Joseph
- becomes ruler of "Egypt" - body - the materialistic world, and the
Divine goal is thus fully attained.

I trust that each one of you will try and be a "Joseph" in this sense.

With blessing,

                                *  *  *

                         12 Teves, 5739 [1979]
                          c/o Telshe Yeshivah
                            Wickliffe, Ohio


Sholom u'Brocho:

Your letter of Rosh Chodesh Teves reached me with some delay. In it you
write that you stopped shaving, with the intention to grow a beard.

I trust you have seen the Sefer [book] Hadras Ponim Zoken, whose author
is a talmid [student] of the Mirer Yeshivah, which was published
recently, with Haskomos [approbations] by prominent Rabbonim, on the
great significance and the must and importance of growing a full beard.
The Sefer includes also Teshuvos beruros [clear responses] by Gedolei
Yisroel [great rabbinic authorities] who had been asked for an opinion
in this matter.

May Hashem Yisborach [the Blessed G-d] grant you Hatzlocho [success]
that in addition to preserving the sanctity of Hadras Ponim you should
go from strength to strength in Torah learning and the observance of its
Mitzvos with Hiddur [in a beautiful manner], which is also one of the
teachings of Ner Chanukah [the Chanuka lights], kindled in growing
numbers and brightness from day to day, reflecting Ner mitzvah v'Torah
Or ["a mitzva is a candle and Torah is light], and may you be a source
of true Nachas-ruach [pride] to your Roshei Yeshivah [deans] and
Mashpiim [mentors].

With blessings,

P.S. Since you have written to me on this matter, it is my duty and
Zechus [privilege] to refer you "also" to the Teshuvo "Tzemach Tzedek"
(Yore-Deah, par. 93), as well to his Sefer "Yahel-Or" on Tehillim (in
the Miluim, on the verse "Vehu Rachum," p. 626).

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                              TODAY IS ...
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                                5 Tevet

When Moshiach comes we will realize the greatness of hoda'a
(acknowledgement, or belief) and t'mimut (earnestness), everyone's pure
faith in G-d and His Torah and mitzvot. (commandments). Talmud - namely,
human comprehension, even on its highest level - is limited. But hoda'a,
faith, is a feeling that is boundless. Moshiach will explain the
magnificent achievement of t'mimut - earnest G-dly service flowing from
the heart.


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                        A WORD FROM THE DIRECTOR
                         Rabbi Shmuel M. Butman
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We are currently in the month of Tevet. The word "Tevet" is related to
the Hebrew word "tov," which means "good." However, in this month, we
commemorate many sad events, including the Tenth of Tevet. This year,
the tenth of Tevet occurs this coming Thursday, January 1.

The tenth of Tevet is the day on which the evil king Nebuchadnezar layd
siege upon Jerusalem, which eventually led to the destruction of the
first Holy Temple, and the Babylonian Exile. The tenth of Tevet is
considered an especially solemn day, because it is the first in a series
of events which led to the present exile. Therefore it is a day to
reflect upon all of those events and the actions that led to them, and
to reflect upon which of our own actions need improving in order hasten
the end of exile and prepare for the imminent Redemption.

And yet, as stated previously, Tevet is connected to good. We see from
this that we have the power to transform bad into good, sorrow into joy,
darkness into light, and exile into redemption. Since Tevet marks the
beginning of the calamitous events which befell our people, our Sages
named this month "Tevet" to inspire the positive, good energy that is
within every one of us.

Tevet has the added significance of being connected to the number ten,
as Tevet is the tenth month of the year counting from Nissan.
Additionally, we commemorate the siege of Jerusalem on the tenth day of
the tenth month.

Ten is a number of great power. Yom Kippur is on the tenth day of
Tishrei. G-d gave us ten commandments. The Torah mentions nine times
that the Jews sang to G-d and the tenth song will be song with the
coming of Moshiach.

We must harness this additional power to fulfill the service of Tevet,
which is to transform the darkness into light.

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                          THOUGHTS THAT COUNT
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Then Judah came near to him (Gen. 44:18)

The word "came near" - in Hebrew "vayigash," implies that Judah and
Joseph came very close. Many years later the descendants of Judah and
Joseph split, and formed two separate kingdoms. Vayigash alludes to the
time of the Redemption when we ill unite as one kingdom under one king,
Moshiach.

                                                  (Bereishit Rabba)

                                *  *  *


And behold, your own eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that
it is my mouth that speaks to you (Gen. 45:12)

This was the first time that Joseph was speaking to his brothers in
their native language. Prior to this time the brothers had spoken to him
in Hebrew, but Joseph had answered in the Egyptian tongue. The only time
a person can recognize another through his voice is when he has
previously heard him speak the same language. When a person speaks a
different language, his accent is different and it is difficult to
identify him. Because Joseph was now speaking Hebrew his brothers would
be able to recognize him.

                                                        (Our Sages)

                                *  *  *


Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt... I will go down with you... and I
will bring you up again (Gen. 46:3-4)

Jacob was not sent into exile alone; G-d descended with him and guarded
him there. Jacob possessed a comprehensive soul that included the souls
of all Jews. "Jacob" thus stands for every single Jew, and his descent
into Egypt alludes to Israel's descent into exile. Thus it follows that
even now we are not alone, and that G-d will mercifully hasten the Final
Redemption with Moshiach, as it states, "I will also bring you up
again."

                                                   (Torat Menachem)

                                *  *  *


The Jewish people can rest assured they will eventually go out of exile,
as the time must ultimately come for G-d to be revealed in the world.
The only way this revelation can happen is for the Jewish people to be
redeemed and their true advantage revealed in the world.

                                                      (Beit HaLevi)

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                            IT ONCE HAPPENED
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There is a story told of Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, founder of Chabad
Chasidism and the first Rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch, concerning a chasid
who was in the publishing business. He wanted to publish and print Torah
books, but he needed a government permit to do so from the Minister of
Education. He was very concerned about receiving it because the
government wasn't favorable toward the Jews and was especially unwilling
to print any sort of Jewish literature or in any way disseminate Jewish
teachings. The printer, therefore, went to Rabbi Shneur Zalman for a
blessing and advice on what to do.

He was told to go to the city of Vilna, and there to speak to a certain
individual who was the melamed (a teacher of Torah to young children).
He was very puzzled because the Minister of Education was not in Vilna,
but in St. Petersburg, and the melamed was a simple, ordinary person
with no particular political insight or connections.

Nevertheless, if the Rebbe sent him there, he would go. In the city of
Vilna he met with the melamed, who was equally puzzled. He said, "I have
no idea why the Rebbe would send you to me. I am an ordinary person. I
have nothing to do with any kind of political issues, nor do I have any
important connections."

The two of them went to a third chasid who had a position of some
authority in that town. He did have some political connections, but
nevertheless he also couldn't fathom the Rebbe's reason for sending the
printer to their town. All three men being chasidim, decided that if
Rabbi Shneur Zalman had sent him, then this had to be the place for him
to be. The Rebbe's rationale would eventually become apparent.

A few days later the three of them were outside in the street, when a
stranger walked by. According to his apparel and bearing, this stranger
seemed to be some sort of a nobleman. He stopped and looked directly at
the melamed and then said to him, "I'd like to meet you tomorrow. Could
you please come to my hotel?"

The following day, the melamed went to the hotel, and the nobleman said
to him, "Don't you remember me? Don't you recognize me?"

"No," the melamed replied. The noble continued, "Do you remember the
town of X that you lived in as a child?" The melamed stared at him,
"Yes, of course, but how do you know?"

The stranger began, "I'll tell you a story. Do you remember that in your
town there was a boy who was an orphan, and the people in the town did
everything they could to raise this child and to help him. But this boy
was very rebellious and violated the Torah and the Jewish way of life.
Eventually they took the boy and punished him by embarrassing him
publicly. They tied him up, and people walked by and ridiculed him. Then
somebody came over to him and untied him, allowing him to run away. Do
you remember such an incident?"

"Yes," answered the melamed. In fact, he himself was the one that
released the boy. The stranger finally identified himself as that boy,
and said: "I want you to know that all my life I have felt indebted to
you. I have always wanted to pay you back, but I never knew where you
could be found until I just happened to see you yesterday. I want you to
know that I'm in a position to help you. I'm a very wealthy person, and
I'd like to repay you for what you did for me. I hold a high government
position--I am the Minister of Education."

When the melamed heard these words, he nearly fell off his chair.
Turning to the Minister of Education, he replied, "Thank you very much
for your offer, but really, I didn't do it for money. But I would like
to tell you a little story which will explain to you how we just
'happened' to meet yesterday." He recounted how the Alter Rebbe had sent
a person who needed a permit from the Minister of Education to visit
Vilna just at this time. The Rebbe had, for some unexplained reason,
referred the man to him, the melamed. And now, this meeting shed light
on the Rebbe's actions. He added, "The greatest favor you could do for
me is to grant this person permission to print his books."

The great insight of Rabbi Shneur Zalman astounded the group of men.
Obviously, the Rebbe had seen that the Minister of Education would be in
the city of Vilna, and the Minister owed a debt of gratitude to the
melamed. For this reason he sent the chasid to the city of Vilna to meet
the melamed, so that all these three would meet. The Alter Rebbe was
able not only to see into the future to know where the Minister of
Education would be, but he also saw the past and knew the whole story of
how this melamed had freed the little boy.


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                            MOSHIACH MATTERS
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When the Torah lists Jacob's offspring, it counts the total number: "The
number of individuals in Jacob's family who came to Egypt were 70..."
The Midrash (Tanchuma) tells us that there are ten times where the
Children of Israel are counted. The first time was when they went down
to Egypt and the tenth  time will be when the Redemption comes, as the
prophet Jeremiah said, "The flock will again pass by the one who counts
them." Who is "the one" whom G-d will appoint to count them? It will be
Moshiach.

                                                (Discover Moshiach)

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               END OF TEXT - L'CHAIM 1352 - Vayigash 5775
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