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                         L'CHAIM - ISSUE # 1464
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                           Copyright (c) 2017
                 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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        March 17, 2017          Ki Sisa            19 Adar, 5777
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                            Happy Birthday!

How will you celebrate your next birthday?  Hardly a question you would
consider of deep, religious significance, right!  Yet, on a birthday
Judaism says there is more to celebrate than you might think!

The (Jerusalem) Talmud states that on a birthday our "mazal" (good
fortune) is strong, a time when "mazalo gover," the particular spiritual
source of a person's soul irradiates powerfully. Generally, when our
fortune is strong, it's a great opportunity to make bold moves.  So why
not contemplate some new adventures?

We can use this transitional time to take stock of our achievements to
date, make new beginnings, and accept new commitments for the year
ahead.

On the anniversary of our birth, we embark on a new year, a new stage in
our development.  Take advantage of this occasion and arrange a birthday
gathering.  But not just your average birthday party with food, drinks
and music--though that, of course, can be a part of the celebration.
Spend some of the time in the company of a few of your closest friends.
Be introspective, explore the state of your spiritual life, set your
Jewish house even more in order.

Just be sure the party isn't all talk and no action.  Start fulfilling
some of the good resolutions you'll probably come up with right there.
And do something practical, like making a contribution to a charitable
cause.

The 25th of Adar (coinciding with March 18 this year) is the birthday of
Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson and marks the anniversary of the
"Jewish Birthday campaign" that the Rebbe established on the Rebbetzin's
birthday 16 years ago.

Because the day of one's birth is the day one's "mazel" shines
(according to the Talmud) one should spend part of the day celebrating
in an especially Jewish way.

A person has the ability to utilize his birthday for a positive end,
instead of letting it pass as just another day. He can make it a holiday
with emphasis on more Torah and mitzvot.

One's birthday is a time for reflection, when one may "remember and
think about those aspects of his life which need improvement and
repentance" (HaYom Yom, 11th Nissan).

Here are some suggestions:

On your birthday increase your contribution to charity. When the birth
day is on Shabbat or Yom Tov, give the extra charity before Shabbat or
the holiday.

Put time and effort (or more time and effort) into prayer.

Study the chapter in King David's Psalms that corresponds to your new
age.

Study extra Torah

Review your conduct for the past year - see what needs repentance and
improvement - and make good resolutions for the future years.

If possible say the blessing of "Shehecheyanu" on a new fruit.

Celebrate with your family and friends in honor of your birthday - give
thanks to G-d for enabling you to reach this milestone.

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           LIVING WITH THE REBBE  -  THE WEEKLY TORAH PORTION
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In this week's Torah portion, Ki Tisa, we read about the sin of the
golden calf. Just months after G-d freed us from the shackles of Egypt,
just days after G-d revealed His essence to us at Mount Sinai. We
betrayed Him in the most hurtful way possible. We made and served a
false god, and to throw salt on the wound we gave it credit for
redeeming us from Egypt.

As a nation, the sin of the Golden Calf has been our biggest regret to
date. It has also been our greatest catalyst to change and get closer to
G-d. It weighs heavily on our national conscience and we continually
atone for this grave blunder.

Ultimately, the sin and the sincere remorse, regret and repentance that
followed, is what gave us the most powerful tool for atonement, the
Thirteen Attributes of Mercy. It is what shaped us into the great,
unwavering, G-d centered, dynamic, world effecting people that we are.

All of us have regrets, all of us have done things that go against
everything that we stand for at one time or another. Embarrassed and
ashamed it weighs heavy on us. It feels like a dark cloud following us
around.

The question is: Do we let it bring us down into depression? Do we
ignore it and become numb, cold and insensitive? Or do you allow it to
effect you and become a catalyst for positive change?

Falling into depression is not the way. G-d wants us to serve Him with
joy. Becoming cold and insensitive is simply not Jewish. A Jew should be
kind and caring. Being cold or depressed is miserable and no way to
live.

Examine the guilt. If the wrong can be righted, then by all means, do
so. If you hurt someone, apologize. You will be surprised how powerful
an honest "I'm sorry" can be.

If it cannot be corrected, then allow the guilt to shape you into a
better person. The guilt will then be transformed into the event that
shaped you into the good person you have become. You will begin to see
it as a positive rather than a negative.

Confined to a bed, I have a lot of time to think. How many experiences
would I like to change? How many words would I like to take back? How
many hurts would I like to soothe?

I know that your lives are busy and it's hard to find the time for this
kind of introspection. However, this exercise will unburden you. It will
allow you to rise above the hurt, the shame, and the resentments. You
will be happier and those around you will be effected by the new and
improved you.

If you can, please forgive me, please forgive you and forgive each
other.

           Adapted by Rabbi Yitzi Hurwitz from the teachings of the
            Rebbe, yitzihurwitz.blogspot.com. Rabbi Hurwitz, who is
       battling ALS, and his wife Dina, are emissaries of the Rebbe
                                                   in Temecula, Ca.

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                             SLICE OF LIFE
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                              Souls on Don
                         by Rabbi Yanky Ascher

"I knew I had some Jewish blood," he said, "because I remembered hearing
my grandma speaking Yiddish whenever she was angry. But it seemed pretty
irrelevant to me - the kid who grew up going to church and wore a cross
around his neck."

Meet Avi.

"It all began to change when I was in the 11th grade. Our teacher gave
us an assignment: to write a report on the religion of our choice. I had
read about Islam before, but it didn't resonate with me. Christianity
wasn't interesting because everyone was Christian. I knew nothing about
Judaism. After confirming with my mom that we did indeed have some
Jewish roots, I was intrigued.

"I went to the library and loaded up on every book I could find about
the Jewish religion. I read. I wrote. I read more. Something began
turning inside.

"My teacher returned my report: 5 out of 5. I asked him if he knew if we
had a synagogue in Rostov. He gave me an address.

"That Friday evening, I tucked my cross inside and entered the synagogue
for the first time. I was greeted by a rabbi with a huge smile. He gave
me a hug and welcomed me. The atmosphere was so warm. I had never
experienced that in any church before. I just felt at home.

"I kept coming back, but I knew so little. I had heard that there was a
grave of a holy rabbi in Rostov. One Friday night I decided to go pray
there. I got in the car and drove over to the cemetery, not knowing that
driving was forbidden on Shabbat. I put some coins in the charity box
and read some psalms. I was on a high. For some reason, though, every
time I tried lighting a candle, the flame would go out. I thought it was
odd. The next day, I went to the synagogue and vented my frustration
about the candle that just wouldn't light. That was my introduction to
the laws of Shabbat.

"I learned a lot. And I learned quickly. Within a year, I got rid of my
cross and had a Bris.

"If you ask me how it all happened, I don't really know. I just feel
like sometimes God takes us by the hand and shows us where to go."

                                *  *  *


"I thought I heard a helicopter approaching," she began, "but
helicopters weren't common in Lugansk. The sound kept getting louder and
louder, as the chopper hovered over my building."

Meet Miriam.

June 2, 2014

"I woke in a panic. 'Thank God,' I thought. 'It was just a dream.' But
it wasn't. Military aircraft began flying over our home. I could feel
the walls shaking.

"When the fighter jets stopped flying overhead, we were able to hear the
firefighting in different neighborhoods around us. Our quiet city had
become a war zone, with the constant sounds of bombings and sirens. I
was afraid. I thought about God. For the first time, I realized that I
really believed in Him.

"When the tanks came and parked in the soccer field across the street
from us, we knew it was time to leave. It's good we did because all the
buildings that surrounded our home were bombed. So when our grandfather
found a job opportunity in Rostov, we all packed our bags and crossed
the border, leaving the country we once called home behind.

"Can we talk about something else?" Miriam asked.

"Sure," I said. "Can you share any happy memories from your childhood?"

Miriam thought for a moment.

"When I was in the first grade, my teacher asked me what I wanted to be
when I grew up. 'I want to be a boss,' I said. But my teacher told me
that a boss was not a profession. Later, I was visiting our synagogue,
and there was a woman there who organized all the holiday events.
'That's it,' I thought to myself. 'That's my dream. That's what I want
to be."

"It took a war and a difficult move, but today my dream has come true.
I'm so happy that I was able to join the Jewish community here, and I'm
excited to be working with our youth club, RoshTov. I found my place.
I'm a very proud Jewish girl and every time we organize an event or
celebrate a holiday, I get to share that with my community. What could
be better?"

                                *  *  *


"I started working at the Kosher store four years ago," said Galina. "I
live just a few blocks away from the synagogue, but this job was my
first encounter with the Jewish community. When business is slow, I take
a book off the shelf and read. I'm going through the Torah for the first
time. I'm intrigued. At 62, I have so much to learn."

Galina turns to the side, tears welling up in her eyes.

"If you're going to write about me, there's something I want you to
know. Last year, I was diagnosed with cancer. As I lay in the hospital,
alone in my thoughts, the nurse walked in and said that there was a
delivery for me. It was a warm meal. For the rest of my stay, Kaila and
Faigy, the Rabbis' wives, would take turns sending over delicious food
every day. It was so thoughtful and caring of them. Even when I was back
home recuperating, they'd come over to visit often - never empty-handed.
I was so touched."

"That's when it hit me: This wasn't just a job for me, and I didn't just
join a community."

"This is my home, and these are my family."

    To read more visit www.SoulsOnTheDon.com

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                               WHAT'S NEW
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                    Thank G-d for Making Me a Woman

Where would the Jewish people be without Jewish women? Rabbi Aaron L.
Raskin aims to debunk the myth that Judaism values the male contribution
in Jewish life more than the female. Rabbi Raskin, who has authored many
books, was determined to write this book when challenged by a congregant
that she was not satisfied with books written by women espousing the
role of the Jewish woman as being lofty;  rather she wanted to study
these ideas from a man's perspective.

                         For the Love of Truth


We may sense - or even know - that Christian claims about the Jewish
Bible are false. But do we know why? For thousands of years attempts
have been made to wrest us from our heritage, yet Jews have remained
true to their faith.  In these pages, the late one-of-a-kind theologian,
scholar, academic, and philosophical fighter, Rabbi Dr. Jacob Immanuel
Schochet teaches Jews feel so confident with the Torah of Israel.
Readers will understand why we reject any attempts to change or exchange
our faith for any other, and will gain incredible clarity and
inspiration in their daily Jewish lives.

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                            THE REBBE WRITES
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                       25th of Adar, 5721 [1961]

I received your letter which is an acknowledgment of my letter.

I was pleased to read in it about your shiurim [study classes], and I
hope that you make additional efforts from time to time in accordance
with the precept of our Sages that all things of holiness should be on
the upgrade.

With regard to the discussions and debates and questions about which you
write, it is not the right way to engage in this kind of futile
discussions which are endless and useless. There is only room for
discussion among people who are studying together and a question comes
up now and again, and even then they should be of minor consideration

Generally speaking, all the questions which you mentioned have already
been answered in our sacred books, and those who continue to argue about
them do so mostly either because of ignorance or mischief. Some people
simply fear that if they accepted the Torah and Mitzvoth [commandments]
fully, they would be obliged to commit themselves in their daily life
and conduct, and give up certain pleasures, and the like. Therefore,
they try to justify their misguided views by futile arguments.

By way of example, I will take one question which you mention in your
letter, and which apparently was impressed upon you as something
complicated, but in reality the matter was discussed and solved very
simply in our sacred literature. I refer to the question of how can man
have freedom of choice of action if G-d already knows beforehand what he
is going to do? The answer to this is simple enough as can be seen on
the basis of two illustrations:

 1. Suppose there is a human being who can foretell the future of what
    is going to happen to a person. This does not mean that this
    knowledge deprives that person from acting freely as before. It only
    means that the knowledge of the forecaster is such that it is the
    knowledge of how the person will choose freely and of his own
    volition. Similarly, G-d's knowledge of human actions is such that
    it does not deprive humans from the free choice of action, but it
    only means that G-d knows how the person will choose to act in a
    certain situation. To formulate this in scientific terms, we can say
    that the opposite of free choice is not pre-knowledge, but
    compulsion, for there is such knowledge which does not entail
    compulsion (as for example, knowledge of the past).

    I refer to the question of how can man have freedom of choice of
    action if G-d already knows beforehand what he is going to do?

 2. Every believer in G-d, and not Jews only, believes that with G-d the
    past, present and future are all the same, since He is above time
    and space. Just as in the case of human affairs, the fact that Mr. X
    knows all that happened to Mr. Y in the past, this knowledge did not
    affect Mr. Y's actions in the past, so G-d's knowledge of the
    future, which is the same as His knowledge of the past, does not
    affect the free choice of human action.

From the simple solution to the above question, you can draw an analogy
in regard to all similar questions and be sure that there is an answer
to them, and very often a simple one. But the proper Jewish way is to
fulfill the Torah and mitzvoth without question, and then to try and
find out anything that one wishes to find out about the Torah and
mitzvoth, but not, G-d forbid, make human understanding a condition of
performance of G-d's commandments.

I  trust that you participated in a Purim Farbrengen [Chassidic
gathering], and I hope that the inspiration and joy will be lasting
throughout the year.

With blessings,

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                              ALL TOGETHER
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                  What customs are now with Passover?

Thirty days before any Jewish holiday it is traditional to begin
studying about and preparing for it. Specifically 30 days before
Passover it is customary to begin collecting Maot Chitim "wheat money"
for matza. In more recent times, this fund was expanded to supply the
poor with other Passover holiday needs wine, meat, new clothing in honor
of the holiday, etc. Donating to maot chitim is in addition to the
various other general charities and communal funds regularly distributed
to the poor. Every person should give according to their means.

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                        A WORD FROM THE DIRECTOR
                         Rabbi Shmuel M. Butman
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This Shabbat is known as "Shabbat Para," when we read the special Torah
portion about the red heifer. The ashes of the red heifer (of which only
nine have ever existed) have the power to remove the spiritual impurity
caused by contact with a dead body.

As Maimonides writes: "There were nine red heifers from the time we were
commanded until the destruction of the Second Holy Temple. The first was
prepared by Moses our Teacher, the second by Ezra, and seven more
between Ezra and the destruction. The tenth will be prepared by King
Moshiach, may he be speedily revealed, Amen, may it be G-d's will."

Maimonides impassioned "outburst," as it were - "may he be speedily
revealed, Amen, may it be G-d's will" - is somewhat surprising, given
its context in a book of Jewish law. Moreover, even if we were to make
"allowances" for such a prayer, surely it would seem more appropriate in
his Laws of Kings.

The explanation, as Maimonides himself provides elsewhere, is that
believing in Moshiach and actively awaiting his arrival is a perpetual
mitzva. A Jew longs for Moshiach because he feels incomplete without
him. He hopes for Moshiach "all the day" because until he arrives, a
crucial element is missing.

Accordingly, the mere mention of Moshiach, even indirect or tangential,
can arouse a passionate response in the Jewish soul. Even the slightest
reference elicits a heartfelt prayer, that G-d should fulfill His
promise and send Moshiach at once.

The red heifer is particularly associated with the Final Redemption, as
it states, "Then I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be
clean." This refers to the sprinkling of the ashes of the red heifer,
which will remove our present state of spiritual impurity (due to
contact with the dead).

In the tiny interval that remains, let us remember that every positive
action we do draws nearer the day when "The spirit of uncleanliness I
will remove from the earth," with the coming of Moshiach, "may he be
speedily revealed, Amen, may it be G-d's will."

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                          THOUGHTS THAT COUNT
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And you shall make an incense (Ex. 30:35)

A person wrongs his fellow man and asks his forgiveness. The first time
it happens the wronged party is only too happy to forgive him and excuse
his behavior, but by the second and third time he isn't so easily
appeased. Even though he is willing to make up, a "foul odor" still
remains that taints the relationship. So too is it with G-d. The
offering a person brought caused G-d to absolve him of his sin, but a
"bad smell" still fouled the air. The purpose of the incense offering
was to dispel this "odor."

                                                   (Tzemach Tzedek)

                                *  *  *


The Tablets were written on both their sides (Ex. 32:15)

The two sides of the Tablets are an allusion to the two aspects of
Torah, the revealed (nigleh) and the hidden (nistar). If a person
publicly denies the Divinity of the Torah's mystical teachings, it is a
sign that inwardly, he also denies the sanctity of the revealed portion.

                                                 (The Chatam Sofer)

                                *  *  *


Before all your people I will perform wonders, such as have not been
done on all the earth, nor in any nation (Ex. 34:10)

The Hebrew word for "wonder" is related to the word meaning "set apart."
G-d promised the Jews that they would be set apart from the rest of the
nations of the world, for His Divine Presence would henceforth rest only
on them. But what "wonders" were promised? Not merely miracles in the
physical world, but wonders in the spiritual sense, a deeper
understanding of G-dliness and holiness than is afforded others. That is
why the verse specifies "before all your people," for only the Jew can
really understand and appreciate the depth of these wonders.

                                                      (Ohr Hatorah)

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                            IT ONCE HAPPENED
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In the winter of the year 1592, the Maharal of Prague, Rabbi Yehuda
Lowe, was called to see Emperor Rudolph II. The famed Rabbi spent a long
time with the Emperor, but no one knew what it was all about. Many years
later, this story was told about the visit and a strange dream that the
Emperor had.

At the Emperor's court there were some ministers who were envious of the
great respect and honor that the famed Maharal was enjoying. Both Jews
and non-Jews knew that the Maharal was a holy man and they respected him
greatly. The courtiers of the Emperor planned to drive the Rabbi out of
Prague and send him and all his flock into exile. Knowing that the
Emperor would not hear of such a thing, they turned to the Empress, who
promised to induce the Emperor to carry out the plan.

In the evening, the Empress handed the papers containing the harsh
decree to her husband and asked him to sign them at once. At first, the
Emperor hesitated to sign the decree, but when his wife persisted in her
request, he said that he would "sleep on it," and sign the papers in the
morning.

That night, the Emperor had a strange dream...He was waging war, but was
captured and placed in prison, where he was told he would spend the rest
of his life.

For many years the Emperor remained in prison, living on bread and
water, with no one taking any interest in him.

One day an old Jew passed the prison. He was a venerable-looking man,
with kindly eyes. The Emperor called out to him. The old man stopped and
looked at the prisoner behind the bars.

"I am the Emperor," the prisoner exclaimed. "Don't you recognize me?"

"You have changed, Sire," the old man replied.

"I swear to you that I am the Emperor Rudolph. Please get me out of
here," the prisoner begged desperately.

The old man knocked at the prison wall with his cane, and immediately
there appeared a passage in the wall. The Emperor walked out and went
with the old man to his home.

"You cannot return to the palace in this state," the old man told him,
"for no one will recognize you. I will send for a barber and a tailor to
groom you and to prepare royal robes for you. In the meantime, lie down
and rest."

Then the old man placed two plates near the bed.  "What are these for?"
the puzzled Emperor asked.

"One is for your nails and the other for your hair," the old man
replied.

"How can I ever thank you?" the Emperor asked, with tears of gratitude
rolling down his cheeks.

The Emperor awoke and wiped the tears from his cheeks. He sat up in bed
and saw two plates on a little table near his bed. His thoughts turned
to his strange dream. "Only the saintly Rabbi, Rabbi Lowe, could explain
to me the meaning of the dream," the Emperor thought. At that moment
there was a knock at the door. "You ordered the Royal Barber to report
this morning," the Chief Chamberlain said on entering.

"Request Chief Rabbi Lowe for an audience immediately!" the Emperor
called, and the puzzled Chamberlain withdrew.

As soon as the Maharal entered, the Emperor, who had never seen the
Rabbi before, recognized him as the old Jew he had seen in his dream.

"In my dream last night you did not recognize me," the Emperor said
reproachfully.

"You had changed, Sire," the Maharal answered.

"Tell me more about my dream."

"You went to bed with unkind thoughts last night. What did you have
under your pillow?"

The Emperor now remembered that the empress had placed the decree under
his pillow, to be ready for his signature first thing in the morning.

"I promise you that no harm will befall the Jews of Prague," Emperor
Rudolph said, and immediately tore up the papers containing the cruel
decree.

"You spared my brethren much suffering," the Maharal said, "but you have
spared yourself even greater pain."

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                            MOSHIACH MATTERS
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Up until the destruction of the Second Temple, ashes had been prepared
from a total of nine red heifers. The first red heifer was processed by
Moses himself. The second was done by the prophet Ezra in the days of
the First Temple, and during the entire Second Temple era only seven
more heifers were prepared. The names of the High Priests who prepared
those heifers are recorded in the Mishna. In recounting this in his
commentary to the Mishna, Maimonides ends with the enigmatic statement:
"... and the tenth red heifer will be accomplished by the king, the
Moshiach; may he be revealed speedily, Amen, May it be G-d's will." With
this statement, Maimonides recounts an ancient tradition - that the
tenth red heifer is associated with the Messianic era.

                                          (www.templeinstitute.org)

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               END OF TEXT - L'CHAIM 1464 - Ki Sisa 5777
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