 |
| 
A
project of The Shluchim Office |
| *Please
note: If the Connections becomes wider than your screen,
click the refresh button and it should return to normal size. |
|
|
|
|
|
| Parshas
Shmini
Chof Alef Adar Bais 5765
|
Volume
1
Issue 26 |
|
PARSHAS
SHMINI
A CHABAD HOUSE sticker on a door tells us about the kind of home inside
and about the people living there.
A PARKING sign lets drivers know that the space is meant to be used
for parking cars.
A storefront with TOYS on its entrance explains what we can expect to
find in this store.
It's not the signs that make things into what they are. The signs simply
describe what is already there. The signs, symbols, and labels all around
us give information about the item or place to which they are attached.
Parshas Shmini tells us about the signs of kosher animals. Kosher animals
have two signs: they have split hooves and they chew their cud. Kosher
fish have fins and scales.
It is not the signs that make the animal kosher. HaShem created these
animals with a kosher nature. The signs merely tell us that they are
kosher.
When we eat the meat of any animal, its nature becomes part of us, and
it affects the way we think. Have you heard people say "you are
what you eat?"
The meat of kosher animals is fit for a Jew to eat, because of its kosher
nature. When we eat this food, it affects us in the proper way. So HaShem
gave those animals signs to inform us that they are kosher.
Other animals were created with non-kosher natures. This means that
their meat will not affect us in a good way. Of course, HaShem did not
give them kosher signs.
Let us take a closer look at these signs. Kosher animals have split
hooves, which means that their feet are divided.
We can divide our activities throughout the day into two lists. One
list could include davening, studying, making brachos, giving tzedakah,
and helping others. The other list could include eating, playing, reading,
talking, and getting dressed.
Though they are different types of activities, we should not separate
these two lists from each other. Instead, they should be like two parts
of a single hoof. Can you imagine a split hoof with each part looking
as if it belonged to a different animal?
Just as we daven, study and do activities from List 1 like a Jew should,
we must also do the activities in List 2 like a Jew should. The games
we play, the books we read, and the clothes we wear should all belong
to one kosher lifestyle.
This is not always easy. Because when we talk, read, or play, we are
busy with what we are doing and we don't always think about how to do
it in a holy way.
Here's where the second kosher sign - chewing the cud - teaches us an
important lesson. Animals take time to chew their cud. They bring up
their food over and over again. This teaches us to take time, to think
things over, and plan to do things in a way which is kosher - fit for
a Jew.
‘Please Tell Me What the Rebbe Said’ (Adapted from Likkutei
Sichos, Vol I, p. 222ff; Vol. II, p. 375ff)
|
|
Last
Week's Brain Buster:
I'm only in a beginning and I end in a sun.
What am I?
Answer: Bigsan(in hebrew letters)
Parshas
Shmini
My beginning is my name.
My end is the amount of Makos in Mitzrayim.
Who am I?
____ ____ ____ ____ ____
Please
send your answers to connections@shluchim.org
Congratulations
to Menucha Kalmanson, age 8 from Mason, OH, for solving the brain buster.
|
Bassie
Tiechtel, age 8
Bellevue, Tenessee
Hello, my name is Bassie Tiechtel, and I am 8 years old. I am on Shlichus
in Bellevue, Tennessee. I have one brother, Levi, who is 4 years old,
and 2 sisters, Tzivi 10 and Chana 1. Even though my Chabad House is
small, people say it feels very warm. Just a few months ago we built
a new social hall. Boruch Hashem our shul is growing. On Shabbos we
have 2 programs, kiddie Kiddush for kids 6 and under and Chabad All
Stars for kids 7 and up. At Chabad All Stars we learn the Parsha and
prepare questions. At our Kiddush we stump the parents by asking them
these questions.
On Sundays we have Hebrew school, and on Wednesdays we have Chai Five
Clubs. This year we had a winter camp and we will be making a summer
camp for 2 weeks.
On Chanukah we light the menorah at the capital, and on Purim we have
a Purim party with a theme of a different country.
I like to help by setting the table for the Shabbos meals we have
in Shul.
On Shabbos we walk to Shul in the night and in the day even though
it is over one mile.
What makes me proud of being on Shlichus is in my school when we have
dress down day, me and my sister are the only 2 people who dress Tznius.
I am very proud because I know the Rebbe is always watching me.
|
From the Examining Room
of Dr. Getzel
Hi there, Juniors! You’re right in time for the test. Don’t
get nervous. I’m Dr. Getzel, world famous seeing specialist
and eye-doctor who lives in Iowa between the cows and the cornfields.
I give tests every day and I don’t know one person who has failed
yet. I give seeing tests to help kids see things in the right perspective.
If you ever had an eye exam before you probably had to look through
a machine or at a chart. That’s because most eye-doctors help
people see outside themselves so they check your inside-OUT vision.
I test outside-IN vision because I specialize in helping kids see
inside themselves. I prescribe glasses for the back of your eyeballs
so you have the best and clearest picture inside your head.
Are you ready for the test? Close your eyes and look inside your mind.
Try to remember what your mother looks like. (If you forgot, you can
cheat and take a quick peek at a picture.) Is she tall or short? Is
her sheitel brown, black, or blue? (Don’t laugh at that. Mrs.
Getzel bumped her head and her sheitel turned black and blue.) Does
she wear high-heels and orange glasses or a frilly apron and pink
lipstick?
Excellent! I can see very clear and detailed pictures coming into
focus. I diagnose you with perfect, 20/20 outside-IN vision. You passed
the test with flying colors (I have to duck so I don’t get hit
by any of them. Mrs. Getzel doesn’t like when I come home from
my green-roofed office with my clothes splattered with wacky colors).
Outside-IN vision is very important. It’s especially useful
for Shluchim and kid-shluchim. With outside-in vision, you can activate
an image of the Rebbe inside your head whenever and wherever you are.
When you daven you can see the Rebbe davening in 770 and when you
do a mitzvah you can picture the Rebbe smiling at you. Sometimes when
things aren’t going that
great and you don’t feel like doing what you need to, you can
imagine the Rebbe waving his arms, encouraging you and giving you
ko’ach and chayus.
Keep practicing your outside-IN vision so you can stay focused and
score 100% on all your seeing tests.
See ya next week,
Dr. Getzel
|
|
This
Parsha is the third of the four special Parshiyos that we read before
Pesach.
Parshas Parah talks about the Mitzvah of Parah Adumah. The ashes of
a completely red cow, called a “red heifer,” are mixed with
water and sprinkled on anyone who became Tomay. This would make the
person Tahor again.
The Rambam writes: “Nine Paros Adumos were prepared from the time
that Bnei Yisroel were commanded this mitzvah until the Second Beis
Hamikdash was destroyed. The first was prepared by Moshe Rabbeinu, the
second by Ezra, and another seven were prepared from Ezra until the
Churban Beis Hamikdash. The tenth Parah Adumah will be prepared by Moshiach,
may he speedily be revealed, Amen, may it so be the will of Hashem.”
We read about the Parah Adumah before Pesach as a reminder that the
Yidden have to be Tahor when bringing the Korban Pesach
|
Chof-Hey Adar
Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson was born in Babinovitch, near the
Russian city of Lubavitch, on Shabbos, Chof Hey Adar, 5661 – 1901.
She was the second of three daughters of the Frierdiker Rebbe.
When she was born, her zeida, the Rebbe Rashab, who was traveling on
a trip, sent a telegraph to her father, "...Mazal tov on the birth
of your daughter ...if she has not yet been named, she should be called
Chaya Mushka (the name of the Rebbetzin of the Tzemach Tzedek)."
From a very young age, the Rebbetzin grew up in the Kedusha that surrounded
her from her father – the Frierdiker Rebbe, and her zeida –
the Rebbe Rashab.
In honor of the first birthday after the Rebbetzin’s passing in
5748 – 1988, the Rebbe spoke about how special a Jewish birthday
is and started the worldwide Birthday-Campaign.
When the campaign began, the Rebbe promoted many birthday Minhagim which
Chassidim worldwide follow carefully. Some of the Minhagim include adding
in Torah study, Davening, and giving Tzedakah. The Rebbe also encouraged
everyone, including children, to make a joyous Farbrengen together with
family members or friends, and to make a good hachlata.
|
| 
|
Rebbetzin
Chaya Mushka led a life which was remarkable in many ways, especially
her Mesiras Nefesh and Tznius in every aspect of her life.
She was born in 5661 (1901), the daughter of the sixth Lubavitcher
Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok the Frierdiker Rebbe. Because of her
remarkable abilities and cleverness, her father trusted her with
great responsibilities. In fact, she was actively involved in
many of his activities to keep Yiddishkeit alive during the terrible
years following the Russian Revolution and establishment of the
Soviet state.
In 1927, when her father, the Frierdiker Rebbe was arrested, it
was Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka who made sure that any documents that
might show what he did were destroyed. Indeed, during his imprisonment,
she was very involved in trying to change the death sentence to
one of exile, and then, finally to release.
A special relationship existed between Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka
and her father, and he wrote many deep, philosophical letters
to her, in which he explained Chassidus and Avodas Hashem. Those
who were privileged to know the Rebbetzin described her as a refined,
knowledgeable woman with great intelligence and wit.
On Yud-Daled Kislev 1929, Warsaw was at the peak of its glory,
the "Jerusalem of Poland." On that day, many Chassidishe
Rebbes, world-renowned rabbis and Roshei Yeshiva and many other
important Yidden gathered to celebrate the wedding of the daughter
of the Lubavitcher Rebbe and the son of the brilliant scholar
and kabbalist, Rabbi Levi Yitzchok. The marriage of Rebbetzin
Chaya Mushka to the Rebbe started a new part in her life. Twenty-five
years later, the Rebbe described that day as the day that connected
him to the Chasidim.
The early days of their marriage were ones of hardship and great
danger. First settling in Berlin, they were forced to flee to
Paris after the Nazis came to power. They fled Paris in 1940 and
through the efforts of the Frierdiker Rebbe they boarded the last
ship to leave Europe. From the day they arrived in the United
States, for the next 47 years, the Rebbetzin’s life was
dedicated to only one thing - taking care of her husband and making
sure he was able to fulfill his mission.
It was Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka who urged the Rebbe to take on the
Nesius of Chabad after the passing of her father in 1950. From
that moment on, the Rebbetzin spent the next 40 years supporting
every action and move the Rebbe took on behalf of the Jewish people.
Although in general, people never saw her, she was very interested
in the work of the many thousands of shluchim, keeping informed
of their activities. The Rebbetzin was proud of their successes,
and felt for them when they had hardships.
For the Rebbetzin, her husband's will became her own. She was
his greatest Chassid. And yet, as his wife she looked out for
his health. Knowing that the Rebbe usually refused to see a doctor,
she would only agree to have a check-up if the Rebbe also did.
In order to make sure that she was well, the Rebbe would, of course,
agree.
In her last years, when the Rebbetzin was ill, she suffered in
silence, and to her last day, she did not complain. Even to her
husband she did not reveal all her suffering, in order not to
upset him. Several doctors all agreed that the Rebbetzin should
be taken to the hospital. Soon after she arrived at the hospital
she suddenly asked for a glass of water. Shortly after midnight
of Wednesday, Chof-Beis Shevat, the pure Neshama of Rebbetzin
Chaya Mushka left this world. The Rebbetzin’s great-grandmother
and grandmother, Rebbetzin Rivka and Rebbetzin Shterna Sorah,
had also asked for a glass of water minutes before their passing.
It is recorded in many Sefarim that Tzaddikim often ask for water
before their passing. One explanation that is given is that their
Neshamos will then leave this world after saying the proper Bracha
before drinking water, "...SheHakol Nihiye Bidvaro"
and the blessing afterward "Borei Nefashos….."
This same Bracha will be said at the time of Techiyas Hameisim
in the times of Moshiach.
In the Zechus of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka, may we follow the Rebbe's
instruction of “Vehachai Yitein El Libo”, and with
our many deeds of goodness and kindness, may we see the coming
of Moshiach now.
(Adapted from L’chaim Weekly)
|
|
LAST
WEEKS WINNERS
Level
1: Bassie Vorovitch, age 7, Toronto, Canada & Devorah Glazman, age
8, Riga, Latvia
Level 2: Mendel Gurary, age 10, Buffalo, NY & Chaim Boruch Sasonkin,
age 12, Akron, OH
See
the Printable Version of Connections for an incredible FUN PAGE on Chodesh
Adar Beis.
|
|
On Chof-Hey Adar in 5748, in connection with Rebbetzin
Chaya Mushka’s 87th birthday (about a month after she passed away,
on Chof-Beis Shevat), the Rebbe said a Sicha about the significance
of birthdays and the importance of celebrating them by gathering together
with friends and relatives.
1. Give
extra Tzeddakah before Shacharis and Mincha
2. Daven
with extra Kavana
3. Say
your new Kapital of Tehillim
4. Iin
addition to saying Chitas, add in learning Nigleh and Chassidus
5.
Have extra Ahavas Yisroel
6. Make a Cheshbon Nefesh
7. Make
a new Hachlata
8. Celebrate
your birthday and make a Shehecheyonu
9. Review
a Maamer of the Rebbe
10.
Boys have an aliya on the Shabbos before their birthday
(MiSichas Chof-Hey Adar 5748)
|
|
Chinuch
Yaldei Hashluchim
Rabbi M. Shemtov
Rivky Lokshin
Dabrushy Pink
Aydla Vechter |
Connections
Proof-Readers:
Rabbi A. Lipsey
Mrs. G. Junik
Rabbi L. Zirkind |
Va’ad
Hashluchim:
Rabbi Y. Deren
Rabbi O. Goldman
Rabbi Y. Greenberg
Rabbi B. Levertov
Rabbi Y. Shemtov
|
|
| |
