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                         L'CHAIM - ISSUE # 1463
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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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        March 10, 2017          Tetzaveh           12 Adar, 5777
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                         The Divine Chess Game

Imagine a chess game in which the pieces on the board seem to move of
their own accord. Pawns, rooks, queens and kings all move in the
correctly prescribed manner, yet of their own volition. The chess
pieces, we decide, must be puppets with invisible strings or they're
magnetized or computerized. Somewhere, somehow, there is a hidden hand
pushing the pieces around.

The events we commemorate on Purim are their own kind of chess game. In
the Megilla, the record of the story of Purim, one does not see, nor
hear any mention of G-d. In fact, G-d's Name is not mentioned in the
entire Megilla; the Book of Esther is the only book in the entire Bible
entire in which G-d's name never appears. And yet, somehow, someway,
after learning about the "chess game" that took place in those days, one
must conclude that G-d's hand was controlling the game.

Judaism teaches that G-d supplies the "recovery" before He brings the
"illness." In the case of Purim, the beginning of the recovery took
place before Haman convinced King Ahasuerus to let him annihilate all
the Jews. The King became angry with his wife, got rid of her, and began
a search for a new queen.

Enter Esther, a women who had no interest in becoming the new queen,
who, in fact, hid herself from the royal messengers and, according to
many sages, was even disqualified from participating in the "beauty
contest." In addition, Esther did nothing whatsoever to beautify herself
once she was placed among the "contestants" in the palace. Add to this
the fact that, though Esther's relative, Mordechai, was well-known by
all, no one in the palace knew or realized that Esther was Jewish, nor
did it ever leak out and enter the King's ears until Esther told him
herself.

Esther was already well-placed in the palace and a favorite of the King
when Haman's evil plan was signed into action. The Divine recovery had
begun its work before the illness had begun.

Throughout the entire course of events, everyone moved as he should
have; the King one square at a time, Esther, as she pleased but in
accordance with Torah, Mordechai in a straight line. To the untrained
eye, it looked like a regular game. Except that chess pieces don't move
by themselves.

The story of Purim, with its overt lack of G-d's Name even once in the
entire Megilla, was a Divine chess game, par excellence. And the best
thing about it was that our side won. Which is why we celebrate with
extra joy and mitzvot.

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           LIVING WITH THE REBBE  -  THE WEEKLY TORAH PORTION
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In this week's Torah portion, Tetzaveh, we read about the garments of
the Kohen Gadol, the High Priest. One garment was called the "Meil." It
was a turquoise robe that had golden bells and pomegranate shaped balls
on its hem. When the Kohen Gadol did the divine Temple service, he had
to be wearing the Meil. "Its sound should be heard when he came to the
Holies before G-d, and when he exits, and he won't die."

What was the Meil all about? Why was it so important, that if the Kohen
Gadol was not wearing it, he would die?

The Meil had two vestments that went over it. In front was the Choshen,
the breastplate, representing the righteous amongst the Jewish people.
Around the back was the Apron, representing those Jews who had become
distant from Jewish life but had found their way back to Torah
observance.

The Meil had pomegranates on the bottom. Pomegranates represents those
Jews who are not particularly actively engaged in Jewish life. And yet,
our sages say about these Jews that "even they are full of mitzvas, like
a pomegranate (is filled with seeds. It has bells, because unlike the
righteous and the returnees, who find themselves relaxed and comfortable
in spiritual holiness, the pomegranate realizes its state and clamors to
reach higher. Aside for the bells and pomegranates, it was entirely
turquoise, which reminds us of heaven, which represents the unbreakable
bond, even the pomegranate has with G-d.

When the Kohen Gadol entered the Holies to perform the Temple service,
he was representing every Jew. If he did not, his service was found
lacking. Being the spiritual leader of the Jewish people, the Heavenly
Court held him to a higher standard. If he chose not to represent even
one Jew, even the pomegranate Jew, he would die.

The garments of the Kohen Gadol shows us the value and significance of
every Jew, without whom no service could be done in the Temple. The
garments also assure us  that every Jew is close to G-d. No matter where
we feel we are spiritually and religiously, we need only to look up to
Heaven - G-d wants you, loves you and welcomes you home.

           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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                       Purim Gifts with a Message
                         by Rabbi Sholom Avtzon

Each Purim from the time he was a little child, a young boy was asked by
his father to deliver two mishloach manot food gifts.

At one house the recipient invited him in,  gave him a coin as a "tip,"
and asked him to please take a Purim food package back to his father. At
the second house, something different happened. The recipient thanked
him, gave him a candy and closed the door. Each year,  the boy got the
same response from the two different recipients.

One year after Purim, the boy asked his father, "Can you please explain
to me why you specifically give these two people mishloach manot each
year?

"Concerning one person, I understand it very well. Everyone knows the
two of you are good friends from your childhood years in Communist
Russia. However, I have never seen you have anything to do with the
other person. In fact, even on the occasions that the two of you are in
the same place, you never talk to each other. And when I bring him
mishloach manot on Purim, he doesn't send any back."

The father answered, "My dear son, my reasoning is something that is not
your concern."

The son did not press his father. He continued to deliver the mishloach
manot each Purim.

One year, the son - who was now a young man - went to Russia, to work in
one of the summer day camps that Chabad runs throughout the former
Soviet Union.

When the camp season was over, he remained there for a while, helping
the local Chabad emissary. One day, he went to the governmental offices,
and after showing his documents, was given a copy of his father's file.
The file included information about his interrogation at the hands of
the KGB and a list of the anti-Soviet "crimes" for which he was charged,
found guilty and imprisoned.

The young man read the file with tremendous interest. He was so proud of
what his father had accomplished as a young man. If only half of the
accusations were true, his father had done much to keep Judaism alive in
those dark years and to save other Chasidim from interrogation and
prison.

However, he was shocked when he read that one of the main informers
against his father was the person to whom his father sent mishloach
manot each year, though he received none in return.

When the young man finally returned home, he brought with him the file.
He waited for the right moment and then presented it to his father.

Looking at the front page, his father knew what it was and asked his son
to bring his reading glasses from the dining room.

The son dutifully went to the dining room, and when he returned just a
moment later, the entire file was in the sink on fire.

His father asked him to sit down. "I told you years ago that it is not
your concern. However, now that you read something that I asked you not
to get involved in, I will explain it to you.

"I knew who he was in Russia and it was for that specific reason that I
send him mishloach manot each year. You should know, he is not what you
read. He was a wonderful person in Russia!

"The KGB arrested him and tried to force him to become an informer.
Notwithstanding their brutal and vicious beatings, he steadfastly
refused. He would not inform on another Jew.

"However, the government knew that he had a wealth of information. One
day when he came home, he noticed the house empty. On the table was a
note that his wife and children were arrested.

"He rushed to the police station to try to secure their freedom. The
police sent him from desk to desk, from one office to another. Finally
he was told the truth: his family was not even in that building, they
were being questioned in the infamous interrogation building.

"The distraught man ran over to the interrogation building which he knew
well. He was greeted by a smiling official, who said, 'We expected you
would come, but you took too long. The interrogation has already begun.
But come with me, maybe now that you are here we can interrupt it.'

"My dear son, can you imagine what thoughts enveloped him at that time?
They took him to a room where he saw his wife and oldest son tied to the
wall, pain and suffering written all over their faces. As soon as he
entered a sign was made that the torture should stop momentarily.

"The officer then turned to him and said, 'Your wife and son don't have
any valuable information for us to extract. However, you have and you
have stubbornly refused to work with us. So now you have a choice,
either you start giving us the information we want, or we will resume
punishing our enemies.

" 'But instead of punishing you, we will make them suffer. So we will
give you two minutes to decide, and then the fun begins. The first thing
is tying those twenty pound weights to their hand for ten minutes, then
we will tie their hands to the pole that is a foot over their heads....'

The man knew their tactics; he had endured them and had never given over
even one name. But to witness his wife and son having to endure the
torture was just too much. He knew of too many Jews whose children were
killed in front of their eyes because of this. After a few moments of
agony and hearing their cries of pain, he broke and succumbed to the
pressure. He signaled that he would talk.

"My dear son, I send him mishloach manot every year to assure him that I
forgive him with a complete heart. Yes, I suffered years of imprisonment
in Communist Russia, but that was before I married your mother and
before you were born. I was able to accept that torture, and he did too.

"However, I don't know if I would have been able to withstand seeing
your mother or you being beaten because of me. It is possible that I
would have also succumbed to that pressure, so I forgive him fully.

"You should also know that he secretly warned us who the authorities
were after, giving many individuals time to escape and save themselves.
So now you know

       From The Weekly Story by Rabbi Avtzon, author of The Rebbeim
              Biography Series and other books. He can be contacted
                                          at: AvtzonBooks@gmail.com


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                               WHAT'S NEW
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                           Purim Celebrations

Looking for a place to celebrate Purim, masquerade, hear the Megila,
fulfill the special mitzvot (commandments) of the day? Your local
Chabad-Lubavitch Center is offering all of this and more on Purim -
Saturday night March 11 (after Shabbat ends) through Sunday, March 10.
Call your local Chabad-Lubavitch Center to find out what's happening, or
visit virtualpurim.org.

                             New Emissaries


Mar del Plata, located in Argentina's Buenos Aires Province, is a
bustling beach city found on the country's east coast. Rabbi Zalmi and
Patsonia Lipinski recently established a new Chabad Center in Mar del
Plata, Argentina. Mar del Plata is the seventh-largest city in Argentina
and home to an estimated 5,000 Jews.

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                            THE REBBE WRITES
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                           Freely translated

                   Rosh Chodesh Adar II, 5738 [1978]
                To All Participants in the Melava Malka
                    Sponsored by "R.S.B.S.T.N.L.G."
                      Oceanside, Long Island, N.Y.

Greeting and Blessing:

I was pleased to be informed of the forthcoming annual Melava Malka on
Motzoei Shabbos-Kodesh [Saturday night] Parshas Zachor.

And though pressure of duties makes it difficult to send individual
messages to all similar events, I do wish to associate myself - by means
of this message, with all of you gathered on this occasion - in tribute
to the good work of your group in strengthening Yiddishkeit among
yourselves and in your region.

As you surely know, Parshas Zachor, which is read on the Shabbos before
Purim, contains the commandment to remember what Amalek, the archenemy
of our Jewish people, did to our people when they were on their way to
receive the Torah at Sinai. Amalek's unprovoked and sneaky attack was
calculated to shake their belief in G-d and dampen their enthusiasm for
His Torah and Mitzvos [commandments].

Haman, a direct descendant of Amalek, was driven by similar hatred of
the Jews, because "their laws were different from those of any other
people," as the Megillah [Scroll of Esther] states. Likewise all
subsequent Amalakites and Hamans of all ages.

But "Amalek" - in a wider sense - represents all obstacles and
hindrances which a Jew encounters on his, or her, way, to receive and
observe the Torah and Mitzvos with enthusiasm, and joy in the everyday
life. And so Parshas Zachor comes to remind us, and never forget, that
"Amale-kites" exist in every generation and in every day and age, and
that we must not allow ourselves to be deterred or discouraged by any
Amalekite in any shape or form.

If the question be asked, "Why has G-d done thus?" Why should a Jew be
confronted with such trials and difficulties? - the answer is that every
Jew has been given the necessary powers to overcome all such
"Amalekites," and he is expected to use them, in order to demonstrate to
himself and others that nothing will deter him, nor dampen his fervor,
in the observance of the Torah and Mitzvos in accordance with G-d's
Will. And once he recognizes that whatever difficulty he encounters is
really a test of his faith in G-d, and resolves firmly to meet the
challenge, he will soon see that no "Amalek" of any kind is a match for
the Divine powers of the Jewish soul. Indeed, far from being
insurmountable obstructions, they turn out to be helpers and catalysts
for ever greater achievements, having been instrumental in mobilizing
those inner powers which would have otherwise remained dormant.

This is also forcefully brought out in the Megillah, in the example of
Mordechai the Jew, who "would not bend his knee nor bow down" before
Haman. As a result of this indomitable stance, not only was Haman's
power totally broken, but many enemies became friends, as the Megillah
tells us that "many of the peoples of the land were turning 'Jewish,'
for the fear of Mordechai fell upon them!"

May G-d grant that each and all of you should go from strength to
strength in emulating Mordechai the Jew, advancing in all matters of
Yiddishkeit [Judaism], Torah and Mitzvos, with joy and gladness of
heart, and may you all be blessed with a full measure of "light, joy,
gladness, and honor," both in the plain sense as well as in the inner
meaning of these terms in accordance with the interpretation of our
Sages - "Light - this is the Torah ... honor - this is Tefillin," since
the Torah and Mitzvos, though a "must" for their own sake, are the
channels and vessels to receive and enjoy G-d's blessings in all needs,
materially and spiritually.

Wishing each and all of you a happy Purim, and may the inspiration of it
be with you every day throughout the year,

With esteem and blessing,

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                              ALL TOGETHER
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                        What is Mishloach Manot?

Mishloach Manot, also referred to as "shalach manot," is one of the
special commandments performed on Purim. Every adult is required to send
on Purim during the day at least two ready to eat food items to at least
one friend as indicated in the Megila (Scroll of Esther). Even one who
is so poor that he is supported from public funds must fulfill the
commandment in the minimum manner. it during the day of Purim.

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                        A WORD FROM THE DIRECTOR
                         Rabbi Shmuel M. Butman
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"...That they should keep the fourteenth day of the month of Adar...and
make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions [of food]
one to another and gifts [charity] to the poor." These words appear near
the end of the Megilla - the Scroll of Esther. We read the Megilla each
year on Purim, which will be celebrated this year on Saturday night
after Shabbat, March 11 through Sunday at sundown, March 12.

Our Sages have given us an interesting detail to observe concerning the
Purim mitzva of mishloach manot - "sending portions one to another."
Because of the unusual wording of this mitzva in the Megilla, we are
encouraged to actually send, through a messenger, the gift.

Generally, we are taught that if we have the opportunity to perform a
mitzva, it is far better for us to do it ourselves than to dispense with
it through another person. The mitzva of mishloach manot, however, is
unique in this matter.

Mishloach manot and gifts to the poor are both mitzvot that foster unity
among the Jewish people. They recall the brotherly love that Esther and
Mordechai awoke in the Jewish people which, in turn, was instrumental in
nullifying Haman's evil decree. But m'shloach manot has an added
advantage even over charity; it gets someone else involved in a mitzva.

The greatest kindness that one Jew can do for another and the strongest
unity that we can promote are epitomized by mishloach manot. Through one
Jew getting another Jew involved in a mitzva or encouraging him to grow
and enhance his Judaism, true unity can be achieved among the Jewish
people.

There are many lessons that we can learn from the holiday of Purim. But
the lesson of Jewish unity, perhaps, is one of the most appropriate for
our days. It is a lesson that we can carry with us at every time and
every place. And by adopting this attitude of all-pervasive "brotherly
love" we will surely merit the coming of Moshiach and celebrate Purim
together with all of our people in the Holy Land, may it be rebuilt,
NOW.

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                          THOUGHTS THAT COUNT
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You shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for
ornament (Ex. 28:2)

The commandment to make special priestly clothes comes directly after
the command to prepare pure olive oil for the menora. Oil symbolizes the
intellect, which should be kept pure and unsullied. The priestly
garments symbolize the physical body, the "garment" of the soul, that
should be utilized "for glory and ornament." The Torah teaches that
purity of thought and of the body must go together.

                                                       (Sefat Emet)

                                *  *  *


That they bring to you pure olive oil, pounded, for the lighting (Ex.
27:20)

Rabbi Shneur Zalman, founder of Chabad, once said: "He who wants to
reach the 'lighting,' the enlightenment to be found in the Torah, should
work on himself by 'pounding' away at his ego. How? By always bearing in
mind that the Torah he learns is none other than the wisdom and the will
of G-d. That is the meaning of our supplication, 'Open my heart to Your
Torah.'"

                                *  *  *


"Pure olive oil" is an allusion to the Torah, implying that the Torah in
its entirety was given to Moses at Mount Sinai: The Hebrew word for
"pure," "zach," has the numerical equivalent of 27 - the 22 letters of
the Hebrew alphabet, plus the five letters that have a different form
when they come at the end of a word.

                                                        (Ohr Torah)

                                *  *  *


The Egyptian exile was the crucible of fire that refined the Jewish
people, transforming them into a proper vessel to contain the revelation
of Torah on Mount Sinai. So it is with our present age, when we find
ourselves "pounded" by the harshness of the exile. But it is precisely
this "pounding" that will bring us to the "light" of Moshiach and the
Messianic Era, as our Sages said, "It is only when the olive is crushed
that the oil can emerge." At Sinai, it was primarily the revealed part
of Torah that was revealed by G-d. Our present exile, however, prepares
us for the revelation of the Torah that will be taught by Moshiach.

                                                  (Peninei HaGeula)

                                *  *  *


And his sound shall be heard when he comes to the Holies (Ex. 28:35)

The Torah continually stresses the importance of humility. However, when
it comes to safeguarding the spiritual welfare of the Jewish people and
reinforcing the observance of Torah, "His sound shall be heard when he
approaches the Holies" - one must speak with forcefulness and resolve.

                                                     (Chatam Sofer)

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                            IT ONCE HAPPENED
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World War I was into its second year and the Jews of Poland were
suffering tremendous deprivation. It was almost Purim and the town of
Radin was plunged into darkness and despair. The rabbi of the little
town was Rabbi Yisroel Meir Hacohen, the saintly Chofetz Chaim, a great
leader of world Jewry in the early years of the century.

During this black year, conditions in Radin steadily worsened. Food was
scarce, taxes were high, and worst of all, most of the young men had
been drafted into the military, never to be seen again.

At the approach of Purim, one Jew came to the Chofetz Chaim and asked,
"Rebbe, our lives are so miserable this year. Our sons are off at the
front. How can we be expected to celebrate Purim in this joyless,
suffering world?"

The Chofetz Chaim knew that the man was speaking from his own pain and
his fear for the life of his own young son who was one of the draftees.

"Don't worry, my friend," the Chofetz Chaim said. "Even in these
terrible and troubled times, we must not lose our faith in G-d's
salvation. Even now, we must rejoice in the thought of the great
miracles which He did for our people on Purim.

"Once many years ago when I was a young man in Vilna, it was Purim time
and the Czar had issued a bitter decree. He ordered that the Jews must
provide double the usual number of young men for the military draft. As
you know these draftees, the Cantonists, were little more than children,
and were pressed into military service for 20 years. After that long
period of time, they often remembered nothing of their Jewishness and
were totally lost to their families forever. That year, the draft fell
out on Purim and the Jews of Vilna were in virtual mourning.

"However, in spite of their sorrow, the Jews of Vilna performed the
mitzvot of Purim - they distributed Mishloach Manot - gifts of food to
their friends, and charity to the poor. Their only consolation was in
reading the Megilat Esther, recounting the miracle of Purim, when G-d
brought a sudden and wondrous salvation to His people.

"It wasn't long, though, until things became even worse. The Czar
issued yet another decree against the Jews, ordering them to provide
still more young men for the Russian army. All the greatest rabbis and
Jewish leaders of the time petitioned the Czar  to rescind this terrible
decree, but all their pleas were to no avail. The young men were chosen
and ordered to report for military service the following Av, the month
in the Jewish year when both Temples were destroyed, the month
especially marked for tragedy.

"The orders were drawn up and ready for the Czar's signature which would
finalize the fate of the young men. It took only a second for the Czar
to affix his name to the document, but as he reached out to blot the wet
ink, his hand accidentally knocked over the ink bottle, and it spilled
over the paper, obliterating his name.

"The Czar  was shocked at his mistake. In his mind it seemed an omen
from Above, and so he stubbornly refused to have the document redrawn.
And so, these young men were freed from the terrible fate which had
awaited them.

"The Hebrew month of Av had already begun when word of the sudden
miraculous reprieve reached the Jews of Vilna. The young men, who had
already prepared to leave Vilna quickly unpacked. Their families
breathed a joyful sigh of relief, realizing how close they had come to
losing their precious sons and brothers. That year the month of Av
turned from a month of mourning over the destruction of the Holy Temple
to one of rejoicing for the Jews of Vilna.

"How can we tell whether it was the rejoicing of the Jews in Vilna on
that dark Purim when the evil decree was issued that had in it the spark
of their redemption the following Av? Perhaps our joyous celebration of
Purim now will be the seed of a great redemption which will follow in
the same unexpected way, as G-d redeems His people once again."

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                            MOSHIACH MATTERS
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Our prophets and sages did not long for the Messianic Era in order that
they might rule the world and dominate others. They did not desire that
the nations should honor them, or that they should be able to eat, drink
and be merry. They only wanted one thing, and that was to be free to
involve themselves in the Torah and its wisdom. They wanted nothing to
disturb or distract them, in order that they should be able to strive to
become worthy of the life in the World to Come.

         (The Real Messiah, Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, Moznaim Publishing)

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               END OF TEXT - L'CHAIM 1463 - Tetzaveh 5777
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