Parshas Vayechi
13 Teves 5766
Volume 2
Issue 12
The Connections people
Chinuch Yaldei Hashluchim:
Rabbi & Mrs.
Mendel & Sara Shemtov Rabbi & Mrs.
Kasriel & Chana E. Shemtov
Connections:
Mr. & Mrs.
Yochanan & Peri Brook
Mr. Mrs.
Zalman & Raizy Cousin
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
A project of
CHINUCH YALDEI HASHLUCHIM
cyh@shluchim.org
a division of
THE SHLUCHIM OFFICE
PARSHAS VAYECHI
"Whose turn is it to read from the HaYom Yom?" Mrs. Gold asked her children at the supper table.
"Mine," called Chaim as he reached over for the sefer which was on a small shelf nearby.
Mr. Gold smiled as he watched Chaim leaf through the book. "What a good idea it is to have the children read from the HaYom Yom at supper," he thought to himself. "Instead of the usual fussing at the table, we have good discussions. And best of all, the kids listen to each other."
Chaim began reading: "When the Tzemach Tzedek was a young boy, his cheder teacher taught him the pasuk: 'And Yaakov lived in the land of Egypt for 17 years.' Based on the commentary of the Baal HaTurim, the teacher explained that these were the best years of Yaakov's life.
"When the Tzemach Tzedek came home from cheder, he asked his grandfather, the Alter Rebbe: 'How is it possible that the best years of Yaakov Avinu's life were in Mitzrayim, the lowest of all lands?'
"The Alter Rebbe answered: 'It is written: "And he sent Yehudah before him to Yosef lehoros lifonav Goshnah."'
"Rashi quotes the Midrash: Rabbi Nechemiah says - 'to establish a house of study,'... that the shevatim should study the Torah.
"'Lehoros' shares the same root as the word, Torah. And the root of Goshen is gash - come close. When a Jew studies Torah, he comes close to HaShem. This closeness gives him a very good and fulfilling life - even in Mitzrayim.' "
Chaim closed the sefer and put it back on its shelf. "Is that all it says?" asked Mendy.
Chaim nodded.
"But there is still a question," Mendy insisted. "The Tzemach Tzedek asked why Yaakov's best years were in Mitzrayim, but the Alter Rebbe only explained that even in Mitzrayim a Jew can have good years. Well, couldn't Hashem have arranged it so that Yaakov would be learning Torah with his children in Eretz Yisrael? What is so good about learning Torah in Mitzrayim?"
"That's a very good question, Mendy," said Mr. Gold. "You see, there is an advantage to learning Torah in Mitzrayim. In Chassidus, it is called yisron ha'or min ha'choshech - the advantage of light which comes from the darkness.
"Learning Torah in Mitzrayim - in the lowest of all lands, in a spiritual darkness - brings a very bright light from Hashem into this world. This light has the advantage of having come from the depth of darkness. Its brightness and power made Yaakov's life in Mitzrayim his best years."
The same is true for us. Through studying the Torah and keeping mitzvos in exile, we make the galus shine, and this helps make the world ready for the light of the geulah.
‘Please Tell Me What the Rebbe Said’
(Adapted from Likkutei Sichos, Vol. X)
|
Right on me, Last weeks’ brain buster: 1 gave 10—1, 1 gave 1—5. They were gifts from: Answer: יוסף |
Congratulations to Levi Greenberg, age 8 from Solon, Ohio |
|
Hey Kids!
Being an inventor is hard work. Did you know that in order to invent something, you would need to be strong and sing and dance? I didn’t know that either until I tried it myself. I’m Dr. Getzel, eye doctor and inventor. Yesterday I finally had time to sit down and work on perfecting my newest invention. I still needed to find some missing ingredients in order to complete my lightweight, automatic, digital, multi-featured, future-vision COL lens. There I was, sitting on my worn out, polka-dotted swivel chair in my green-roofed office, looking at my invention and thinking about what I could do to improve it. I sat. And I looked. I looked. And I sat. But, unfortunately, none of the sitting or looking helped me come up with any ideas to improve the lens. I decided that I needed a change in tactic so I stood up and closed my eyes. Then I stood on my head and looked at the lens with one eye open and one eye closed. I still had no luck so I decided to leave my office and take a break.
I jogged down the street with my eyes, nose, ears, and mouth wide open (I had to close my mouth after a bird almost flew in!) looking for something to help me with my problem. Suddenly, I spotted an old lady wearing a big pink bowtie and carrying two heavy looking shopping bags. A thought popped into my mind: “Everything a person hears and sees is Hashgacha Protis and happens for a reason.” I concluded that Hashem made me see this lady because she would help me solve my problem and give me an idea to improve my COL lens.
I ran over to the lady and offered to carry her bags for her. As soon as I picked them up - Umph! I almost fell flat on my face! The bags felt like they were filled with rocks. They were so heavy that they made me loose my balance. Luckily, I activated my anti-trip-slip-and-fall device and managed to catch myself from falling, just in time to hear the old lady’s squeaky voice begin to speak. “Thank you so much for carrying my rocks, Zeeskeit,” she said smiling. “But be careful with them, my rock collection is very special to me.”
By the time we got to her house, my arms were sore, my back was stiff and I saw stars twinkling in front of my eyes (even though it was in middle of the day). I was so excited to put down the bags that I let go of them right where I was . . .and dropped them directly onto my big toe (which made my big toe bigger). I started yelling and hopping up and down. “Oy, Sheifalle!” cried the old lady. “That’s just what I need after a long day. How did you know that I love watching performances?
How could I say no to the little old lady? For the next half hour I danced around her living room (which is not an easy thing to do while holding one foot!) and pretended to be Avraham Fried while the little old lady sat on her couch and smiling and clapping.
When I finally got home that night with a hoarse voice and aching bones I had something to add to my lens. The old lady did help me with an idea in the end! I quickly turned on my machines, mixed some chemicals together and – Poof- I created the 70/80 feature. Most glasses help people see perfectly with 20/20 vision. My lens would help people see differently with 70/80 vision. 70/80 vision reminds you that a person could be alive for 70 or 80 years just to be able to do a favor for someone else. With that in mind, you’ll always run to help another Yid anytime with anything. So if you ever meet a lady who wants you to carry her rock collection or put on a show for her use the 70/80 vision and run to help!
Bye ‘till next week!
Dr. Getzel
Mushka Ciment, age 13
Little Rock, ArkansasDear Fellow Shluchos,
Hi, my name is Mushka Ciment from Little Rock, Arkansas . I am in 8th grade, and as there are no frum/Lubavitch schools around, I am homeschooled. Since 8th graders make a yearbook, I think that we, as Yaldei Hashluchim, should join together and make our very own shluchos/ homeschool yearbook.
The yearbook will be overseen by Mrs. Nina Naparstek, who runs the homeschool division of the Shluchim Office. Any Yaldei Hashluchim that are in 7th or 8th grade are eligible to join.
Our yearbook will be pretty much like any other schools; it will include pictures, ads, articles, etc.
If you would like to be a part of this project, please email me @ shluchosyearbook@gmail.com
I am looking forward to hearing from you!Mushka Ciment
ט"ו טבת
ט"ו טבת is the birthday of רביצין שטערנא שרה . She was born 146 years ago, in the year תר“כ (1860) in the town of Lubavitch. Her father was ר‘ יוסף יצחק , the son of the צמח צדק and her mother was רביצין חנה , the daughter of ר‘ יעקב ישראל of Tcherkes, who was the son-in-law of the מיטעלער רבי . רביצין שטערנא שרה married the רבי רש"ב .
שלושים יום קודם החג
Thirty days before a יום טוב we begin preparing for the special day that is coming up.
We are now a month (30 days) before the יארצייט of the פריערדיקער רבי which is on י' שבט . The 30-days of preparation actually starts on the special day of עשרה בטבת .
It was the פריערדיקער רבי who told us that we are about to greet משיח very soon. He said that we have already completed our preparations and all that is left for us to do is to "polish the buttons" of our uniforms, so that we may go out and greet משיח with greater beauty and glory.
Now that the פריערדיקער רבי ’s יארצייט is coming up, we should put extra effort into following his instructions of “polishing our buttons” to greet משיח .
The פריערדיקער רבי explained that his משל to "polish the buttons," means to add in learning תורה , doing מצוות with greater care, giving צדקה , and to have extra כוונה in our davenning.
(משיחת עשרה בטבת תשמ)
(מ“ח: ט“ז ) “וידגו לרב בקרב הארץ ”
Why did יעקב give אפרים and מנשה a ברכה to become as many as the fish of the ocean? Why did he compare them to fish?
Once the Roman government made a decree that learning תורה was forbidden. פפוס בן יהודה saw רבי עקיבא teaching תורה and asked him, "Are you not scared that you will get punished?"
רבי עקיבא answered with a משל : A fox was walking along the riverbank and noticed fish swimming quickly from one place to another. He asked, "Why are you running?" They answered, "We are afraid of the fisherman’s net that he sets up to catch us." The fox slyly said, "Maybe it would be a good idea to come to the shore and live together with me." The fish responded, "You are so silly; even if we are afraid in the water, at least there is a chance that we might not be caught and we can live. But if we come out of the water, we will definitely die." The same way, תורה is our source of life and may save us. Without it we will definitely not be able to exist.
יעקב was teaching his children to always remember that just as a fish cannot live without water, so a איד cannot exist without תורה ; and he blessed them to "swim like a fish" in the "ים התלמוד " — the ocean of תורה study.
משיח in פרשת ויחי
Before יעקב passed away he called the שבטים together and said, "Gather around, so that I can tell you what will happen in the last days." יעקב wanted to reveal to them the time of the קץ - the time of the coming of משיח . We find that יעקב did not reveal the future. Our חכמים explain that the שכינה left יעקב . ה' did not want יעקב to tell his children the date of the גאולה השלימה . The reason for this is: the גאולה will only come in the זכות of our efforts. If יעקב would have revealed the קץ , we would know the time of the coming of משיח and we would not work hard for his coming.
עד כי יבוא שילה...רש"י explains that שילה refers to משיח . Also, the בעל הטורים points out that the words “יבא שילה ” have the same גימטריא as the word "משיח ." The word "יבא " is a hint how we can bring משיח . יבא has the same גימטריא as the word אחד – one. When there will be אחדות among אידן , and in particular, when אידן will unite in speaking about משיח , we will succeed in bringing משיח .
The אלטער רבי expected all members of his family to be careful what they spent money on. "Since my household is supported by the community, and our חכמים teach that the תורה is against wasting אידישע געלט , it is only proper that we are careful about how we spend our money," he would explain.
One time, when one of his grandchildren came to him wearing an expensive belt, the אלטער רבי questioned him, "Are you such a rich man that you should be wearing such an expensive belt?"
The grandson was silent. The אלטער רבי continued questioning him concerning money matters. "How much money did you receive as a dowry, when you got married?
"Two thousand rubles," answered the grandson.
"What are your plans for this money?" asked the אלטער רבי further.
"I am planning on giving it to a successful merchant. In this way I will be able to earn something on it."
"Perhaps," claimed the אלטער רבי , "he will not return to you either your money nor any interest?"
"That is impossible," argued the grandson. "This merchant is very wealthy and reliable."
"What difference does it make if he is wealthy now?" argued the אלטער רבי . "The wheel of fortune turns. In time, he could become poor."
"What do you suggest I do with my money?" asked the grandson, hesitantly.
"My advice to you," said the אלטער רבי seriously, "is to put the entire sum into this box." And with that, the Rebbe pointed to a צדקה box.
The grandson was sure that the Rebbe was joking. Two thousand rubles was a huge amount of money. He didn't think his grandfather was one to joke about such things, but still...
"I really mean what I said. I suggest that you give the entire sum to צדקה . In this way, the 'capital' and the 'interest' will remain intact. I am afraid that if you invest with some wealthy merchant, you might lose both."
The grandson heard what the Rebbe said and nevertheless, decided to invest his money with a merchant who was not only trustworthy and wealthy, but a תלמיד חכם , too. Several months later, however, a fire destroyed everything the merchant owned and he became very poor.
Later, when the Rebbe asked his grandson how his money was doing, the young man told him about the disaster which had happened to the merchant.
"Why didn't you listen to my advice and put the money in this צדקה box?" the Rebbe told him off. "Had you done that, then the capital and the interest would have remained intact. Why do my חסידים not trust the advice of their Rebbe? Let me tell you a story about the simple אמונה of the people of Volhynia.
"Once, in the middle of the bitter cold of winter, I was on my way home from visiting my Rebbe, the מעזריטשער מגיד . I was nearly frostbitten by the time we reached a Jewish inn.
'How long have you been living here?' I asked the elderly innkeeper.
'For nearly fifty years,' he answered me.
'And are there other אידן nearby? Do you have a מנין to daven with, people to celebrate the ימים טובים with?'
'On the ימים נוראים I manage to go to a nearby village to daven together with a מנין .'
'Why don't you live in that village so that you can be together with other אידן ?' I asked.
'How would I make a פרנסה ?' he questioned me.
'If ה‘ can support a hundred families, don't you think He can support one more?' I asked him. I also mentioned to him that I am a חסיד of the מעזריטשער מגיד .
He left the room immediately. Not more than half an hour later, I saw a few wagons parked in front of the inn, loaded with all kinds of household items and furniture. I saw the innkeeper near the wagons and asked him, `What is going on here?'
'I am moving to that other town, just as you told me,’ the innkeeper answered simply.”
"You see what strong אמונה that old man had in my Rebbe?" The אלטער רבי told his grandson. "I only had to mention that I was a חסיד of the מעזריטשער מגיד and he dropped everything immediately, including his home and פרנסה for fifty years. He was not even a חסיד . And you heard from me twice that you should place the money in the צדקה box and yet you did not listen.”
See the printable version of Connections for incredible fun pages!
Last Week’s Winners:
Level 1:
Uziel Weinstein, age 6 from Newtown, Pennsylvania
Level 2:
Yisroel Lifshitz, age 9 from Blue Ash, Ohio
We'd love to hear your feedback! Send us your comments, ideas and suggestions to: connections@shluchim.org
Click here for a printable version of Connections in PDF format