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                         L'CHAIM - ISSUE # 1027
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                           Copyright (c) 2008
                 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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        July 4, 2008             Chukas            1 Tamuz, 5768
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                                 At One

Chasidic thought teaches that the core of every person's soul is
yechida, a spiritual spark which is one with G-d. When the level of
yechida manifests itself, a person believes, not because he suddenly has
a reason to believe, but because at that plane, G-dliness is the only
reality; there is nothing else.

Just as every individual soul possesses a yechida, in every generation
there is an individual who constitutes the yechida of the Jewish nation
as a whole. G-dliness is as real to this individual as ordinary material
existence is to us.

When people come into contact with such an individual, they cannot
remain unmoved. On the contrary, meeting a person whose yechida is
openly revealed stirs their own yechida into expression. This explains
why when people met the Rebbe, they began to believe.

Moshiach is described as the yechida of history itself. In the Messianic
Era, innate awareness of G-d will spread throughout the world.

This helps explain why the Rebbe pressed so powerfully for the
Redemption. It was not only that he was a visionary, able to appreciate
that the spiritual climate of the times is changing, and that "the time
for your Redemption has come."

There was something more fundamental involved. Since the Rebbe is
identified with yechida, Moshiach is his mission. From his early
childhood he was a harbinger of the future, already possessing the
mindset that will characterize the era of Moshiach, and he shared that
mindset with others.

This sharing was more than a contact between minds; it was a
soul-connection. When you came face-to-face with the Rebbe, you
believed, you felt, you lived Moshiach.

The Zohar teaches: "When a righteous man departs he is to be found in
all the worlds more than during his lifetime." In Tanya, Rabbi Shneur
Zalman, the founder of Chabad Chasidism, explains that this does not
refer only to the spiritual realms. Rather, the intent is that even in
this material world, the righteous man's presence is more powerfully
felt after his passing than during his lifetime. For during his
lifetime, his physical body, however refined it might be, restricts the
extent to which his disciples can be nourished by the contact of their
souls with his. After his passing, those restrictions no longer exist.

After the passing of the Previous Rebbe, the Rebbe told the chasidim to
continue directing their requests for blessings to the Previous Rebbe.
"He will find a way," the Rebbe explained, "to communicate his
response."

What the Rebbe said about the Previous Rebbe holds true regarding
himself. As so many real-life stories indicate, he finds a way to
respond. Be it through dreams of the Rebbe, prayers at his resting place
(called "the Ohel"), or by placing written requests for guidance
randomly in any of the volumes of the Rebbe's thousands of letters
(Igrot), anyone who so desires can establish or maintain a relationship
with the Rebbe.

The Rebbe is a source of energy and vitality for all of us. And with
that energy and vitality, we must do our share in furthering the mission
with which he charged us: preparing ourselves and the entire world to
welcome Moshiach, and creating an environment in which his purpose can
be fulfilled.

          by Rabbi Eliyahu Touger from Highlights, published by the
                         Mashiach Resource Center, www.mashiach.org

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           LIVING WITH THE REBBE  -  THE WEEKLY TORAH PORTION
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"This is the law when a man dies in a tent," we read in this week's
Torah portion, Chukat. "Everyone who comes into the tent...and every
open [earthen] vessel on which there is not a closely fitting cover, is
[spiritually] unclean." Moreover, whatever substance was within the open
vessel is also rendered spiritually unclean.

However, as explained by Maimonides, if a person happened to be in the
tent of the deceased "in a sealed barrel with a 'closely fitting cover,'
" he remained spiritually pure and unaffected.

Every aspect of Torah provides us with a practical lesson to be applied
in our daily lives. To the Jew, spiritual life and death are defined by
his connection to G-d, as the Torah states, "And you who cleave unto G-d
are all alive this day." Conversely, any weakening in our service of G-d
or defect in that connection constitutes the Jew's spiritual death, G-d
forbid.

Nonetheless, no matter how connected to G-d the individual Jew may be,
he still exists within the context of the material world, defined as "a
world in which the wicked are ascendant."

Therefore, no matter how "alive" the Jew is in absolute terms, the world
around him is unclean; the Jew is always "in the tent of the deceased."

This is especially true during the exile, when darkness covers the face
of the earth, in contradistinction to the times of the Holy Temple, when
G-d's Presence in the world was openly perceived, thus enabling Jews to
perform mitzvot with vitality and enthusiasm.

What can a Jew do to protect himself from negative influences during
these last few minutes of exile? How can we guard ourselves against the
spiritual uncleanliness that surrounds us "in the tent of the deceased"?

The answer lies in the above-mentioned ruling, on the principle that
properly sealing an earthen vessel protects its contents from spiritual
impurity.

In terms of our service of G-d, the Jew must strive for the humility and
self-nullification symbolized by the earthen vessel, which is composed
of the dust of the earth.

Our Patriarch Abraham epitomized this quality when he declared, "I am
but dust and ashes"; similarly, we recite during the High Holidays,
"Man, whose basic element is dust ...is likened to a shard of clay."

Every Jew is obligated, therefore, to fit himself with "a closely
fitting cover" - to guard every opening and channel that connects him
with the outside world in order to filter out the bad influences from
the good. Doing so will protect him from spiritual uncleanliness and
ensure that his connection to G-d remains healthy and intact.

                  Adapted from Likutei Sichot of the Rebbe, Vol. 23

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                             SLICE OF LIFE
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                          Miracle of Miracles
                         by Rabbi Tuvia Bolton

About 12 years ago, Zachar, a young Russian Jew from S. Petersburg
participated in our summer program at Ohr Tmimim yeshiva in Kfar Chabad,
Israel.

A year and a half later, Zachar sent me an email packed with good news.
He had just had a brit mila and was now called Zachariah. He was engaged
to be married and was inviting me to his wedding. He had just received
his doctorate in both chemistry and physics.

I flew to Russia for the wedding (it was fantastic!) and it was there
that I met David and Esther Segal. I was hosted by them for my week stay
in Russia. David had a doctorate in physics and she was an accomplished
writer. Esther had a doctorate in linguistics. When they had first met
and married, David and Esther knew little of Jewish life and customs.
But over the years, they had become involved with the Chabad-Lubavitch
Center in S. Petersburg, and with the chief rabbi of that city, the
Lubavitcher Rebbe's emissary, Rabbi M. M. Pewzner.

During one of our conversations, the Segals told me that they had been
married for almost four years, had been through a myriad of fertility
tests and treatments, and just a few weeks earlier had been told that it
was medically impossible for them to have children. When it came to
leave, I thanked them for their hospitality, encouraged them to continue
to pray for children, and urged them to be in touch if they ever come to
Israel.

Three years later David called me. He was in Israel and wanted to tell
me a very special story. A few months after I visited, David and Esther
travelled to Israel and were the guests of a Chabad rabbi in Kiriyat
Malachi, Rabbi Avraham Freidlander. When Rabbi Freidlander heard that
they were childless and how they longed to have children, he urged them
to write a letter to the Lubavitcher Rebbe, to pick at random one of the
26 volumes of the Rebbe's letters (Igrot Kodesh), to insert the letter
anywhere in that book and to follow the Rebbe's instructions on the page
where the letter lay.

The Segals listened to Rabbi Friedlander's advice. They wrote about
their inability to have children and the treatments they had undergone.
When they opened the book of letters, they were amazed to read a
blessing for children and a request to give the newborn child a certain
name!

David and Esther returned to Russia with new hope; against all odds they
would have a child! After some searching they found a doctor who was
willing to try a new method. They got together the money and commenced
treatment.

A month later Esther went back to the doctor and, miracle of miracles,
the results were positive! The doctor himself was overjoyed and gave
Esther his phone to call home and relate the good news.

In the middle of her call, a smiling nurse entered the room and
interrupted with new results; Esther was pregnant with twins.

David heard the news and began singing and dancing. But a few seconds
later another nurse entered and announced that there were triplets.
Esther had to sit down, she hadn't expected such a miracle. But her joy
was premature.

A few moments later a doctor entered with a serious look on his face - a
fourth fetus had been detected and that spelled danger. One or two of
the fetuses would have to be eliminated.

Esther instinctively refused. She rushed out, took a taxi home and
together with David, went to Rabbi Pewzner's office. It was a life and
death situation and they needed a rabbinic opinion.

Rabbi Pewzner immediately got on the phone and began consulting other
rabbis, as well as some professors in Israel. There were many different
opinions as to what should be done.

The only solution, said David, was to again turn to the Rebbe. The
Segals wrote a long letter to the Rebbe, explaining all the new
developments and opinions. They inserted the letter into the book and
opened to an undeniably clear answer. The Rebbe wrote about the
importance of life, the preciousness of each and every human being, and
the importance of never giving up on saving a person.

When the doctor in the Petersburg hospital heard their decision he
immediately advised them to go to Israel where, perhaps, they could find
a doctor willing to take the case.

The Segals took the doctor's advice and a month later moved to Jerusalem
only to find the situation even more complicated than before. The
examination in the Israeli hospital revealed that Esther was carrying
quintuplets. All of the Israeli doctors were in agreement that five was
too many!

The doctors described to the young couple the misery and tragedy that
awaited them if they did not listen. But the Segals refused to listen.

Esther was put in intensive observation and was warned that at the
slightest sign of danger they would operate.

At one point there was a crisis. Esther became ill and the doctors
announced that they had to remove several fetuses immediately. The
doctors threatened to call the police if they did not agree! The
pressure mounted.

David again consulted the Rebbe via the Igrot Kodesh. The answer he
received was in volume 11 page 162. The Rebbe inquired as to the health
of his wife, told him to check his tefilin and mezuzot and assured him
of a safe and successful pregnancy and birth.

David ran to the nearest reliable scribe handed in his tefilin and
mezuzot and begged him to check them immediately. The ink on the
parchment had somehow faded and his expensive tefilin were completely
unfit. On the spot, David had new parchments installed. Esther's problem
disappeared and the doctors calmed down; they realized they were up
against the supernatural.

In fact, at the next crisis, the doctors actually asked David to write
to the Rebbe. And the answer he received was, again, as accurate,
practical and wondrous as the others.  On 2 Elul 5761 (Aug. 21, 2001)
three healthy boys and two healthy girls were born to David and Esther
Segal.

All the doctors were totally impressed but they also agreed that it had
been medically impossible for the Segals to have children in a normal
way.

Two and a half years later, David called to tell me that his wife had
given birth to another baby boy and that I should try come to the brit
in Jerusalem, in a half an hour. "I live a good hour from Jerusalem," I
told him, "and my wife has the car. I can't make it!"

"A chasid is above nature" he answered.

I couldn't argue with that! I managed to find a ride and get to the brit
on time. David was happy to see me. He told me excitedly that this baby
had been conceived without any treatments at all, against all the
prognosis of all the doctors. Another miracle!

    Rabbi Tuva Bolton is the assistant dean of Ohr Tmimim yeshiva in
    Israel and an accomplished musician and writer. Reprinted from
    ohrtmimim.org

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                            THE REBBE WRITES
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                     Freely translated and adapted

                          Adar 26, 5710 (1950)

Greetings and blessings,

In one of his letters, my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, writes:
"Chassidic philosophy brought about a situation in which one is not
alone." If that applied when "the tzaddik (righteous person) was living
on this earth...in a physical place," (Zohar) certainly it applies to a
much greater degree at present when "he is found" - even in this world
of deed - "more than in his lifetime." How much more so does this apply
with regard to a tzaddik who is also a Rebbe who is "an intermediary who
binds" between G-d (Havayah) and the Jewish people!

The name used for G-d, Havayah, is not related to the limitations of
nature, Heaven forbid. The intermediary possesses dimensions of both the
entities between which he mediates. With regard to his chassidim and
those bound to him at present, as previously - for a connection with a
Rebbe is one of yechida which is above the concept of time - the motif
of bonding is even stronger now. For the chassidim tell their souls and
their bodies that we have no other alternative at all. And then there
will be no interruption in that bond, Heaven forbid. On the contrary,
"the spirit will draw down the spirit." This will be manifest in
spiritual matters and in material matters, in all forms of good. For
just as Above, so too below, i.e., with regard to a Rebbe: the nature
(i.e., a tendency above nature) of the good is to do good.

                                *  *  *

                         10 Nissan, 5710 (1950)


I received your letter of 9 Nissan. In brief, an answer to what you
wrote there, can, in my opinion, be found in my preface to the pamphlet
published after the passing of the [Previous] Rebbe and in this letter.

In reply to the question you raise: that now we cannot ask my revered
father-in-law, the Rebbe, when there is doubt how to conduct oneself: If
you will stand firm in your connection with him, without paying
attention to the lures of the yetzer hara (evil inclination), and send
the question to the gravesite of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe,
the Rebbe will find a way to answer you.

                                *  *  *

                         12 Nissan, 5710 (1950)


Greetings and blessings,

...My revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, dedicated his life for the
benefit of the Jewish people as a whole and for every Jew as an
individual in particular, and most particularly, to those who bound
themselves to him. He certainly conveys his influence to them at present
as well.

Nevertheless, the influence he conveys is at present - to a certain
degree - different from what it was previously. For at present, his soul
is free from all the limitations and constraints of the body and can
ascend to one peak after another. (This is the meaning of the term
histalkus.) Hence the influence that he grants - both the material and
the spiritual influence - is also on a higher and more elevated plane.

As a natural consequence, this demands that a recipient adapt himself to
that higher influence by elevating himself.

Throughout his life, my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, taught us how
to proceed forward, not only on the level of thought, but also in actual
fact. Even now, his lips are moving even in this world through his
numerous teachings, discourses, talks, and letters. Through fulfilling
his desire and will in actual practice, we generate the mediums through
which to receive the elevated influence that he wishes to convey to us.
and in your holy work...

      From I Will Write it in Their Hearts, translated by Rabbi Eli
                             Touger, published by Sichos in English

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                                CUSTOMS
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       What are some customs connected to the coming of Moshiach?

To mention a few: There is a "cup of Elijah" at the Passover Seder. This
custom is an expression of the Jewish people's belief in the coming of
Elijah, who will herald the imminent Redemption. With the Melaveh Malka
meal at the close of Shabbat, the Sabbath Queen is escorted on her way.
This meal nourishes the "luz" bone, and from this bone the body will be
resurrected when Moshiach comes. In addition, many of the laws and
customs observed when preparing a person's physical remains for burial
are inspired by the anticipation of Resurrection.

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                        A WORD FROM THE DIRECTOR
                         Rabbi Shmuel M. Butman
*********************************************************************
A Rebbe is a comprehensive soul, a soul which is connected to and
understands every other soul. In the book Hayom Yom, compiled by the
Rebbe from the teachings of the previous Rebbes, it says that when the
Rebbe - the comprehensive soul - prays and there is an ascent of his
soul on high, at that very moment he connects with every single Jew in
the generation.

In Jewish law the needs of the community, supersede the needs of the
individual. Thus, an individual must be willing to sacrifice for the
community. How much more so does this apply to the Rebbe, a
comprehensive soul. And even though the "private life" of the Rebbe is
minimal, even though his needs are minimal, the needs of the community,
of the world community, supersede the Rebbe's minimal needs.

On the third of Tammuz, 1958, the Rebbe stated about the Previous Rebbe:

"In the case of a spiritual leader and shepherd of Israel, his entire
raison d'etre is to promote the welfare of his contemporaries and to
guide them. (His 'private' affairs are incomparably less important to
him.) ...

"We don't understand why the Rebbe's physical life had to end, but it is
the needs of the community that dictated it. In the case of a
comprehensive soul, his private affairs are also relevant to all
Israel."

What are the needs of the Rebbe? "I need my children [disciples]." These
were the words with which Rabbi Yehuda the Prince left his children and
disciples. These are the words which the Rebbe expounded upon after the
passing of the Previous Rebbe. These are the Rebbe's needs.

Why does the Rebbe "need his children"?

"I have done all I can. Now I am giving it over to you. Do everything
you can to bring Moshiach in actuality," the Rebbe stated.

The Rebbe has one need, which is the need of our entire generation and
of all the generations, the commencement of the Redemption. We can
accomplish this through fulfilling the Rebbe's directives: studying
about Moshiach and the Redemption; increasing in acts of goodness and
kindness; living with the daily reality of Moshiach; sharing this
information with others.

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                          THOUGHTS THAT COUNT
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This is the statute of the Torah which the L-rd has commanded (Num.
19:2)

The sin of the Golden Calf was due to a lack of faith; the mitzva
(commandment) of the red heifer is therefore a chuka, a commandment
whose reason is not revealed to us, to "counteract" that sin: The only
reason we observe it is our faith.

                                          (Rabbi Yitzchak of Vorky)

                                *  *  *


This is the statute of the Torah (Num. 19:2)

Comments Rashi, the foremost Torah commentator: "Such is My decree: you
do not have permission to second-guess [the Torah]." The same word for
permission appears in Ethics of the Fathers (3:15): "Everything is
foreseen, yet permission [freedom of choice] is granted." Permission
implies that something is possible; "you do not have permission" implies
that second-guessing G-d is outside the realm of possibility. In truth,
it is against the Jew's nature to question a Divine decree. If doubts do
exist, they are only the product of the Evil Inclination.

                                            (The Lubavitcher Rebbe)

                                *  *  *


Aaron shall be gathered unto his people (Num. 20:24)

Why does the Torah use this unusual phrase to mean that Aaron was about
to pass away? Because despite the fact that Aaron would no longer be
alive in the physical sense, his positive character traits and exemplary
behavior would be "gathered up" and perpetuated by the Jewish people
forever.

                                                    (Peninei Torah)

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                            IT ONCE HAPPENED
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              by Chaya Miriam F., as told to Yehudis Cohen

I grew up in Long Beach, Long Island (New York). One day, When I was
about six years old, in the early 50s, there was a heat wave. My mother
was at work and my sister, who was a teenager, took me to the beach.
There was a low tide that day. I remember seeing the barrels in the
water and we were close to them because even near the barrels the water
was shallow.

The water was very calm. I was sitting on a sandbar, building castles.
Since it was so hot, my sister decided to get us both ice creams. There
were many lifeguards at the beach and my sister asked the closest
lifeguard if he would watch me for the few minutes that she would be
gone. The lifeguard agreed and I continued to play without a care in the
world, building my droopy sand castles with a shovel and pail. I was
happy. What child wouldn't be? I was at the beach, playing in the sand,
and my sister would be back in a few minutes with an ice cream!

Suddenly, the sandbar shifted. I was pulled into the water. I wasn't
afraid, though. It seemed to me like a fun ride at the amusement park.

And then the lights went out. I saw in my mind's eye a farmer, chasing
after animals. I shouted, "No, no. I don't like that." After all, he was
harming the innocent animals and that wasn't nice! Looking back now I
realize that the lights going out was due to a lack of oxygen and I was
in danger of drowning. But at the time, I was not afraid. I was watching
cartoons!

Before I knew it, the lights were on again. Above the water, I even let
out a laugh before I was pulled back down under the water once more.
This time, when the lights went out, I saw a man in a red suit with
white hair and a white beard. "No, that's not my holiday," I said. "I
don't want to watch this one."

I was pushed up to the surface again and then pulled back under once
more. The third time, I saw a vision of a holy man. He was wearing what
looked like some kind of white sheet. I had seen my grandfather wear
something like that when he was at the synagogue. I was a little afraid,
because I knew the man was a zeidy (grandfather) but he was not my
zeidy.

The man spoke in English but with some Yiddish words. I knew a few
Yiddish words from my zeidy. The man said, "Give me dein hentala now."
(Give me your  hand now.) I didn't want to give the man my hand because
he was a stranger and I had been taught not to talk to strangers. Then
the man said again, more insistently, "I am a Jew like you, give me dein
hentala now." I obeyed and reached out my hand toward the man. At that
moment, the lifeguard grabbed my hand which was above the water and
pulled me out.

I don't know how much time passed because I went unconscious. But when I
came to, the lifeguard was squeezing the ocean out of me. I opened my
eyes and there were a whole group of people, including my sister and a
number of lifeguards, surrounding me. The lifeguard who had been pumping
the water out of me, held up his fingers in front of my eyes and asked
me how many fingers he had. "You're a life guard, you're supposed to
know how many fingers you have!" I scolded him.

Then I saw my sister. The ice creams were dripping but I was glad to see
her and the ice cream!

Now they turned their attention to my sister. How long had she been
gone? How could she have left me all by myself?

My sister answered them angrily. "I left her with you," and she pointed
to the lifeguard who had agreed to watch out for me. They questioned the
lifeguard who admitted that he had seen me but when he had looked in my
direction I laughed so he turned his attention to swimmers in the deeper
area.

As memorable as the experience was at the time, I eventually forgot
about it. Time passed. I got married and had a little girl of my own. I
was taking steps toward getting more involved in Jewish observance. My
daughter attended public school and went to an afternoon Hebrew school.

One day, when I went to pick her up at the Hebrew School, I saw a flyer
that said in big letters, "T.N.T." Underneath, it stated, "Torah Never
Terminates: What are you doing with your child for the summer?" The
flyer shook me. It was advertising the Li Ohr day camp, run by the
Yahadus Center, directed by Rabbi Sholom Ber and Frida Schapiro. The
Center was established by N.C.F.J.E. under the auspices of the
Lubavitcher Rebbe. The camp was to be held at the local Young Israel
synagogue. I decided to enroll my daughter.

When I got to the synagogue, there were a number of other pamphlets from
the Yahadus Center. I picked up a brochure and saw a picture of a rabbi
praying in a tallit. I nearly fainted. The memory of what had taken
place 30 years earlier passed before my eyes. The Lubavitcher Rebbe was
the holy man, the zeidy, who had saved me when I was drowning as a
child!

That day was the beginning of my involvement with the Rebbe and Chabad.
With the help of a tutor over the summer, my daughter caught up enough
in her Jewish studies to be able to attend the Hebrew Academy in the
fall. We became close with the Schapiro family and with Mrs. Schapiro's
parents, Rabbi Nissan and Necha Mindel.

There are many, many more stories to tell. But suffice it to say, today,
I am the proud mother, grandmother and great-grandmother of, thank G-d,
many children who observe Torah and mitzvot (commandments), thanks to
the Lubavitcher Rebbe.

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                            MOSHIACH MATTERS
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Just as the first Redeemer (Moses) was revealed and then concealed from
them [the Jewish people], similarly, also the final Redeemer will be
revealed to them [the Jewish people] and then concealed.

                                              (Bamidbar Rabba 11:2)

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                END OF TEXT - L'CHAIM 1027 - Chukas 5768
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