Incredible Chessed/Kindess of Chabad : Support Wounded IDF Heros

[muman613]

Chabad is an awesome organization. Over the years I have become more amazed at how much Kindess the Chabad organization has in its outreach to Jews in the farthest reaches of the world (the 'four-corners' of the world), Until recently there was no Chabad in my county (I used to go to Chabad's in neighboring counties before this) but the Rabbi which set up his Chabad house in my county is a genuine Mensch, a lover of all of Israel, and a man of daily devotion to Hashem. While my Chabad Rabbi is younger than I am (by almost 17 years) I respect him completely and learn from him daily. I have his cellphone number in my auto-dialer and consult him with questions every week.

The entire Chabad organization urges all those who attend to reach out to our fellow Jews, to get them to take on the commandments of the Torah and to assist in providing the ritual materials (Mezuzah, Tefillin, etc.). I have nothing but good things to say about all the five Chabad Rabbis I have come to consider my family. I have told the story about how I found a Chabad house within blocks of where my father lived (in 'the Valley' of Southern California) when I visited my father in the hospital a week before he passed on. How the Chabad rabbi invited me into his home for Shabbat dinner and wonderful discussion. That was three years ago and I still keep in contact with Rabbi Bryski to this day.

This video was made recently when a Chabad house invited a group of IDF heros for a visit to the United States. It is just one example of the good things which this organization does for the Jewish people and Zionists no matter what beliefs they have. Chabad has recently stood up against the anti-Zionists when it hosted Pamela Geller to speak about the dangers of Islam to the American system and world peace.



Some people, who will remain nameless at this point, feel a need to speak negatively or disparagingly against Chabad and other Jews who don't exactly fit into their view of what a Jew should be. I find this 'Satanic' as if it is something which HaSatan does to the Jewish people. Whoever feels that they have been appointed to be the judge and jury of a group of Jews is certainly acting in the place of HaSatan who is the heavenly prosecutor of the soul in the next world. The angel Satan gladly speaks of all the bad things the Children of Israel engaged in...

But the Arch-Angel Michael is the heavenly defense attorney who testifies in the merit of the Children of Israel. This angel, Michael, is the advocate of the Israelites and attempts to mitigate harsh judgement against the Jewish people. I tend to try to emulate Michael (my namesake) and learn from the ways of Aaron (who seeks peace).

[muman613]

What is beyond 'coincidence' and in the realm of Hashgacha Pratis is the fact that my Chabad Rabbis cousin was a block away from the explosions at the Boston Marathon terrorist attack. This proved to me that, like me and my family, we are all victims of islamic terrorism. This incident and the Mumbai massacre of Rabbi Holzberg demonstrate that Chabad is there when a Jew needs them to be there.

[muman613]

I suggest to Jews who predominantly see only the negative to study this aspect of the connection between the Chag of Shavuot (which we celebrated last Wed-Thurs) and the Torah portion of Naso which we read on Shabbat yesterday... There are several connections between these two things (Shavuot and Naso) but the idea of 'lifting up the heads of the tribes' is one which should be contemplated...


http://www.sichosinenglish.org/books/sichos-in-english/48/22.htm

There is a connection to the above concepts in this week's Torah reading, Parshas Naso which as mentioned above speaks of "lifting up the heads." "The heads" refers to the study of the Torah; "lifting up the heads" to the elevation of the study of the Torah that comes about through the quality of ta'anug (pleasure). Ta'anug surpasses our intellectual faculties and thus has the power to add a new dimension to Torah study; indeed, to bring about a renewal of our connection to the Torah. Furthermore, this renewal relates to the ultimate renewal of the Torah in the Era of the Redemption, for then the reasons for the Torah commandments (ta'amei Torah) which are connected with pleasure will be revealed.

In particular, it is significant that the "lifting up of the heads" mentioned in Parshas Naso is associated with the census of the tribe of Levi. The Rambam writes that the spiritual service -- and thus the all-inclusive bond with G-d established thereby -- of the tribe of Levi are not exclusive to that tribe:

Not only the tribe of Levi, but each and every person... whose generosity of spirit and knowing intellect brought him to separate himself and stand before G-d to serve Him... and to know G-d.... He becomes sanctified as "holy of holies."

In the Era of the Redemption, the entire Jewish people will be on such a level, for as the Rambam writes, "In that Era... the occupation of the entire world (and surely, that of the Jewish people[236]) will be solely to know G-d."

A point of connection to the above concepts can also be found in relation to another subject mentioned in Parshas Naso, the laws of a nazir. Here, there is a direct reference to the imminence of Mashiach's coming,[237] for the law is that a person who states, "I will become a nazir on the day the son of David will come, must observe the nazir rites forever." For every day might well be the day when, "the son of David comes." This implies that the revelation of "the new [dimension of the] Torah which will emerge from Me," should not be considered as an event of the future, but rather as a present and immediate matter.

The renewal that will be brought about in the world at large in the Era of the Redemption is also alluded to in Parshas Naso. This parshah describes the journeys of the Sanctuary in the desert, and also the construction of the Sanctuary. Significantly, the Sanctuary was constructed in a desert, a place unfit for human habitation. Thus constructing the Sanctuary in such a place alludes to the transformation of the lowest aspects of this world into a dwelling for Him.

In an ultimate sense, this will be revealed in the Era of the Redemption, when the entire world, not only the Beis HaMikdash, will be revealed as a dwelling for G-d. For "on that day, G-d will be One and His Name One."

Parshas Naso also contains an allusion to the service that will lead to the revelation of "the new [dimension of the] Torah" in the Era of the Redemption. This revelation has its source in the spiritual potential possessed by each Jew. To explain: The verse "And a star shall shoot forth from Yaakov," is interpreted as a reference to Mashiach, and also as a reference to each individual Jew. The Maor Ainayim reconciles these two interpretations, explaining that every Jew possesses a spark of Mashiach in his soul, his yechidah. Mashiach represents the yechidah of the world at large. Therefore, a Jew's revelation of the yechidah of his individual soul leads to the revelation of the yechidah in the world at large, i.e., the coming of Mashiach.

This is alluded to in the census of the tribe of Levi -- whose positive qualities are, as explained above, relevant to each and every Jew. In a census, there is no difference between individuals. Each person, whether great or small, is counted the same. This commonality results from the yechidah, the essence of the soul which every Jew possesses.[238]

This essential oneness is also reflected in the offerings of the Nesi'im which are described in the conclusion of the Torah reading. The Midrash explains that the desire of the Nesi'im to offer sacrifices was favorably received and G-d considered it as if they all brought their sacrifices on the same day. The potential for this oneness stems from the level of yechidah.

A similar idea can be seen in Parshas Behaalos'cha which we begin reading this afternoon. The Menorah in the Sanctuary is a symbol of the entire Jewish people. It has seven branches which reflect the seven categories of the Jewish people. Nevertheless, it was made of a single piece of gold, pointing to the fundamental unity which pervades the Jewish people as a whole.

This essential unity stemming from the level of yechidah is also associated with the giving of the Torah, for it was the unity of the Jewish people who camped before Mount Sinai, "as one man, with one heart," that served as a necessary preparation for the Torah to have been given.

[Sveta]

Fantastic work by Chabad!