Parshas Beshalach
Yud Alef Shevat

PARSHAS BESHALACH
Long ago, in the days of the Maharal, the children of the city of Prague looked forward eagerly to Shabbos Parshas Beshalach. Even the cold European winter could not keep them home on this Shabbos.
"Come on," Aaron urged his little brother Eliezer, pulling him gently by the hand. "We don't want to be late."
Bundled in their warm sheepskin coats, the two boys hurried down the narrow cobblestone streets of the Jewish quarter of Prague.
"There's Pinchas with his father," Aaron said as he spotted his friend up ahead. "Let's catch up to them and we'll go together."
From every corner children, parents and teachers were making their way to the central shul where the great Jewish leader and Rabbi, the Maharal of Prague, had instructed them to gather on the roof of the shul. There the teachers would tell the children the story of Krias Yam Suf, the splitting of the Red Sea.
"Even the birds chirped and fluttered their wings when the Jewish people sang 'Az yashir,' "the teachers would describe enthusiastically. "And the little children picked the buds off the sea plants and fed them to the chirping birds."
After the story was told, the teachers, following the Maharal's instructions, gave the children kasha grains which they tossed to the birds and the hens below. "Just like the children fed the birds at Krias Yam Suf," the children of Prague called out with delight.
Then a hush swept over the roof of the shul. Everyone turned toward the beloved leader of Prague. The Maharal himself had joined them, and now he blessed the children and wished their parents much nachas. "May you merit to bring your children to Torah, chuppah, and ma’asim tovim," the Maharal said.
This was the minhag that the Maharal encouraged in ancient Prague.
Are you wondering why the Maharal insisted that the children follow this minhag, and why he himself took the time to participate? The Maharal was a brilliant Talmud Chacham who taught and wrote very deep explanations of the Torah.
This practice on Shabbos Shirah taught the people a Torah lesson, but the lesson was not about how to keep mitzvos. After all, it only recalled a story in the Midrash. The story wasn't even about people, but about birds. And the day was Shabbos, when a Jew should strive to be involved only in holiness. Still, the Maharal gave some of his precious time to the little children. The reason was that he wanted to stress to them how important it is to follow our minhagim and to be happy about keeping them.

(‘Please tell me what the Rebbe said’, adapted from Likkutei Sichos, Vol. II)

Last weeks’ brain buster:
Which 3 people’s grandfather and great-grandfather was the same person?
Answer:
Moshe, Aharon & Miriam.
Congratulations to Mendy Schapiro, from Sydney, Australia, for solving the brain buster.

Parshas Beshalach

If you take away 10 of me,
you will have something special for Shabbos.
(If you unscramble me)

___ ___ ___ | ___ ___

Send your answers to connections@shluchim.org

Tu B'Shevat

In the Tenach and Talmud, the Yidden are compared to many of the 7 minim.
Here’s some of them:
Just like (olive) oil doesn’t mix with other liquids and stays separate, the Yiddin stand out from all the other nations.

Just like every part of the date (palm) tree is useful (we eat its fruit, use its branches as a Lulav etc), so too, there are no Yiddin that are worthless.

Just like grapes can be used for food and drink, Yiddin have Torah and Mitzvos.

Even the most ‘empty’ Yid is as full of mitzvos as a pomegranate.

(Adapted from L’Chaim Weekly)

From the
Connections Inbox
We got a beautiful e-mail last week from a Shlucha in Hong Kong, China about the first conference call/rally, for Yud-Tes Kislev and we want to share it with you.

A Yud Tes Kislev Dilemma

Chanie Avtzon, age 8
Hong Kong, China

It was the day I heard about the Worldwide Kids Yud Tes Kislev Farbrengen. I was so excited about the Farbrengen because it was the first time that I was going to be part of something like that. Until… I heard that my class was going on a field-trip to go bowling – It was something we had worked towards for a long time. OY VEY!! It was scheduled for the same day and right smack in middle of the Farbrengen.
It was a big dilemma for me. I got to school early that day and tried to explain to my teacher about the Farbrengen and how it was scheduled at the same time as our class trip . “Sorry,” she said. “the busses have already been arranged so its too late to make any changes.”
So I had a decision to make. I chose to join the Farbrengen. Boy am I glad that I did. It was really exciting to dial the number and get on the conference call. I had never done that before. (Please remember to press 6, next time) I had a great time and I felt super important to be a shlucha of our Rebbe.

Send us a short paragraph about your shlichus and we will publish it in our future “connections”! Please include your name, age, and location.
E-mail us at: cyh@shluchim.org

Many years ago, when the Jews of Spain were suffering from the Inquisition, a famous doctor by the name of Dr Avitar Ibn Karashkash lived in Madrid. To escape from the Inquisition, he left his important job as a doctor, and moved to a small town. There, he hoped he would be left to live in peace.
Dr Avitar had a young son, Avraham. Avraham was delighted with his new life in the small town where his father could spend many hours with him and learn Torah with him. In addition, Dr Avitar carefully instructed Avraham about the special garden he had planted, discussing with Avraham each plant growing there.
One day Dr Avitar called his son into the garden and said, "Today is Tu B'Shevat, the New Year for Trees. On this day it is decided in Shomayim which trees will bear fruit and which trees will dry up. We can plant trees, care for them and hope that they will grow and bear fruit. However, this is not dependent on us."
Avraham would never forget that special Tu B'Shevat when his father let him plant saplings, for the first time. And he would never forget his father's serious words. "Avraham, promise me that you will always try to be a good Jew, to grow upright and faithful to our people."
Avraham planted twelve saplings (baby trees) that day, according to the years of his life. Then, Dr Avitar took Avraham to a part of the garden where no one else was allowed to go; Dr Avitar was experimenting with certain plants there. "Avraham," Dr Avitar said quietly to his son, "Remember what I am telling you. If ever you need to leave our home and I am not with you, come here first. Take out this sapling and you will find something underneath that will have a tremendous influence on you in the future."
A few months later, in the middle of the night, the hoof-beats of a horse were heard near the Karashkash house. There was a sharp knock on the door.
"What do you want?" asked Dr Avitar.
"Are you Dr Avitar Ibn Karashkash, the man to whom G-d has given the strength to heal the sick?" asked the stranger.
"That is my name," answered Dr Avitar. "But I am no longer allowed to work in my profession."
"I am Duke Fransicso Alba. My dear wife, the Duchess, is very sick and needs an operation urgently. You must come and operate on her or else she'll die. You cannot let her die," begged the Duke.
"Certainly you have access to great doctors in Madrid, Toledo and Barcelona," said Dr Avitar. "Why me? You surely know that I am forbidden to practice my profession. If I do this, I will only endanger my life."
"I have been everywhere and have approached everyone. No one will perform the dangerous operation. I beg of you, help me," the Duke cried. "I will make sure no one harms you. I will bring a ship to take you and your family to safety if necessary. My wife is suffering. Please, help." The Duke broke out in uncontrollable tears.
"I will do what you ask of me," said Dr Avitar. "But one thing you must promise. If anything happens to me, you must take my son to safety." The Duke agreed straightaway.
Dr Avitar hadn't lost his skill as an expert surgeon. The operation went well and the Duchess's life was saved. But when he returned home, he found the officers of the Inquisition awaiting him.
Avraham broke out in bitter cries as his father was taken away. Soon, though, the Duke's men arrived; they had heard what happened to the faithful doctor and would take Avraham to a safe haven. They also promised him that the Duke would do everything in his power to save his father.
Avraham didn't want to go with the Duke's men, but he had no choice. He asked them to wait a moment until he got his things together. Avraham quickly made his way to the special part of the garden. He carefully dug up the sapling and uncovered a box. Opening the waterproof box he found a pair of tefilin and a note. "These tefilin will give you strength and encourage you in Yiddishkeit so that you will not, Chas VeShalom, fall into despair and dejection. In addition, carefully take the sapling you have uprooted, and plant it in new earth. Guard it and care for it very carefully, and it will be the source of great livelihood for you. For this sapling is from a far-off land. It provides food for the special silkworms that produce the expensive silk material that people have to buy from far-away countries. Remain a good Jew, my dear son, and Hashem will bless you and help. With blessings from your father who loves you - Avitar Ibn Karashkash."
Avraham wiped away his tears and went to join the Duke's men. He wondered if he would ever see his father alive again.
Months later, while Avraham was living on the island of Majorca, he turned thirteen. Precisely at the moment when he first put on his tefilin he saw a small boat coming closer to the port. As it got closer he couldn't believe what he saw. His father was getting out of the boat!
After an emotional meeting, Avraham found out that the Duke had finally been able to save his father from the Inquisition. Dr Avitar explained that he had not come earlier because he had been sick. This sickness was because of the terrible torture he suffered by the Inquisition.
Within a few years, quite a big group of Jews had come to live on that island. And each year, on Tu B'Shevat, they planted saplings according to Avraham's years.

Taken from L’chaim Weekly

Some people eat 15 kinds of fruit on Tu B’Shvat. How many did you eat and what kinds Please e-mail me at connections@shluchim.org

Check out the printable version for this week's fun sheet!

In this week's parsha we are told about the great nes of keriyas Yam Suf. Moshe Rabbeinu leads the Jewish men in singing praises to Hashem, and Miriam Haneviah leads the women.
The Torah tells us that the joy of the Jewish Women was much greater than that of the men. The Torah also tells us: "And all the women went out...with tambourines and dances."
The galus in mitzrayim was much harder for the Jewish women than for their husbands. Of all Paroh's decrees against Bnei Yisroel, the hardest was the one that broke every Jewish mother's heart - the decree that every newborn baby boy should be thrown into the Nile River. The pain and suffering of the Jewish Women was much harder than the hardships the men were forced to suffer, and when the yeshua came, the joy they felt was greater as well.
The stories in the Torah teach us lessons which always apply.
In our days, when most Jews, Baruch Hashem, live in a relatively safe and secure environment, the decrees of the Paroh of our generation are Ruchniyus decrees. These decrees try to turn Yiddishe Neshomos away from Torah. They are things like: fashions and trends in the Goyishe world.
Today, just as in Mitzrayim, the main responsibility is to make sure that Jewish children are kept safe from the negative influences and this is the responsibility of the Jewish mothers. Jewish women, throughout the generations, were given the power to set the right Yiddishe atmosphere in the home and make it a place where their children will flourish and grow up to be good Jews.
In this way Jewish women will see true satisfaction from their children and merit to sing Hashem's praises at the Geulah Hashleima, speedily in our days.

Adapted from L’Chaim Weekly

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