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PARSHAS EMOR
 

Spring is here, the sun is shining, the grass is green and the flowers are blooming.

And we’re sure you all know what’s coming up soon!  You probably know very well! You might even have charts and countdowns to that important day!

You guessed!  Ummm, no you didn’t!  Yes, summer vacation is coming soon, but why would we be counting down to that?  What are all of you Junior Shluchim counting every day?

Now that’s right.  Sefiras Haomer – we are counting the days until Shavuos.  Did you know that, as Yidden, the only counting allowed is Sefiras Haomer?  That’s because Sefiras Haomer is a mitzvah.  It is written in the Torah in this week’s parsha, Parshas Emor.

Usually, Yidden don’t count.  Yes, we can count how much to pay at the store for our chicken soup (?!), but we shouldn’t count how many days are left until tomorrow.  (How many are there, anyhow?)  Why not?  We need to spend our time doing our best right now.

If, while sitting in class, all we can think about is how long it will take to finish learning, can we really learn well?  I don’t think so!

That is why we should not spend our time counting until tomorrow (or next week or month…).  There’s important stuff to do right now!

Sometimes though, the Torah tells us to count.  Then the counting is a mitzvah.  Sefiras Haomer is a mitzvah from the Torah.  During Sefira, we are counting down to Matan Torah.   Everything we do is in preparation for Matan Torah.  Whenever we do a mitzvah, we think: “This is helping prepare for the big day, when we will get the Torah.”

That is good counting; it does not distract us from learning Torah and doing Mitzvos.  It reminds us to do more Mitzvos.  Sefiras Haomer helps us remember what our jobs are.

So keep on counting.

Being an inventor is hard work. Would you think that in order to invent something, you would need to be strong and sing and dance? I didn’t think so 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 since Yom Tov was over. 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 bow-tie 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 ladies 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, 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

פרקי אבות

שבת after מנחה

פרק שני

Remember to count

ספירת העומר!

Raizy, 12, Chavi, 10 & Chaya Mushka, 8 Konikov

Satellite Beach, Florida
 

Hi my name is Raizy Konikov, the second oldest of 7 children KA”H. I am 12 years old, and I live in Satellite Beach, Florida. My sisters Chavi, who is 10 and Chaya Mushka who is 8 and I, would like to share a story with you from our Shlichus. This past year we were getting ready for Yom Kippur and we heard that there was going to be a hurricane. Since it was very short notice we couldn’t evacuate and close the Shul for Yom Kippur. We had no choice but to stay. Kol Nidrei night we had a big crowd.  The next morning there were a little less, but still  a lot until after Yizkor, then we were left with only 11 men. We davened Mincha early because the bridges were closing at 3:00, (Satellite Beach is an island only connected to the mainland by a bridge) and 2 of the 11 men had to leave. We were left with no Minyan for Ne’ila. Our father was determined to find a Minyan. He was thinking of people who stayed for the hurricane, who lived within walking distance and would be willing to come. Our father decided to walk to our Jewish neighbor’s house and ask him to come. Our Shul is 1½ miles away from our house. He was drenched when he got to the man’s house. The person thought he was looking for refuge, and when my father said we are looking for a minyan he got very upset. His wife convinced him to go to Shul in honor of his father. He came. We were so happy that we had a Minyan. 
 

ה‘ אייר

שלושים יום לפני החג שבועות

The גמרא tells us that 30 days before a יום טוב we must already learn the דינים connected to that יום טוב.  Even though the גמרא is referring to פסח, we must do the same before סוכות and שבועות.

On ה‘ אייר, thirty days before שבועות, we must start learning the הלכות of שבועות.  We should not only learn the הלכות, but also ideas connected to the יום טוב so that we can celebrate the יום טוב in a better way.  Since שבועות is זמן מתן תורתינו we must begin now to prepare to receive the תורה. 

In particular, the children of צבאות ה‘ must begin preparing for מתן תורה. Because their main purpose is to learn תורה and do מצוות.

How should they prepare themselves?  By saying “נעשה ונשמע” just as the Jewish people did at הר סיני.  They should resolve to learn תורה and do מצוות every day of the year and do so with even greater חיות, joy and happiness than ever before.

If we begin to prepare 30 days before שבועות, and we continue in the days that follow, we can be sure that we will celebrate זמן מתן תורתינו in the most perfect and successful way.

(‘The Rebbe Speaks to Children’ Iyar 6, 5742)

אלה מועדי ה‘....בחודש הראשון....פסח לה
כ“ג:ד‘-ה

QUESTION: Why does the list of the ימים טובים start with פסח?

ANSWER: In this weeks פרשה the ימים טובים of the year are listed. If we know the day of the week פסח begins, we can figure out on which day of the week the other ימים טובים of the year will take place.

A way to remember this is the system of At Bash (In which "א" interchanges with "ת", "ב" interchanges with "ש", "ג" with "ר", etc.).

Alef-Tav - The day of the week on which the first day ("א") of פסח takes place will also be the day of the week when תשעה באב occurs.

Beis-Shin - The second day ("ב") of פסח will be the day when שבועות falls.

Gimmel-Reish - The third day ("ג") of פסח will be the day when first day of ראש השנה takes place.

Daled-Kuf - The fourth day ("ד") of פסח will be the day of קריאת התורה, which is שמחת תורה, when we finish reading the תורה for that year and start again from the beginning.

Heh-Tzadik - The fifth day ("ה") of פסח is the day of צום, the fast of יום כיפור.

Vav-Peh - The sixth day ("ו") of פסח is the day on which פורים has taken place a month earlier (in אדר). It is necessary to know what day פורים took place the month before in order to calculate the day of ל“ג בעומר since ל“ג בעומר  and פורים always fall on the same day of the week.

(Adapted from Vedibarta Bam)

”ויאמר ה‘ אל משה אמר אל הכהנים בני אהרן ואמרת אלהם...“ כ“א:א

QUESTION: Since it says "אמר אל הכהנים" - "Speak to the Kohanim" - why are the words "ואמרת אלהם" - "and tell them" needed?

ANSWER: A חסיד of the אלטער רבי once said that through גאווה he managed not to do עבירות. Whenever his יצר הרע would approach him he would scream, "Do you know who I am? I am an important person, a חסיד of a great Rebbe. And you expect ME to do עבירות?"

Hashem is giving over two messages to the Kohanim, one general and one specific. Firstly, ה‘ said to משה "אמר אל הכהנים" - "Speak to the Kohanim" - "בני אהרן" - always remember that you are the children of אהרן. As children of such a special man, you must behave yourselves in a way that fits where you come from. Once they know this, then, "ואמרת אלהם" - "tell them the דינים that apply to them."

(Adapted from Vedibarta Bam)

The Mysterious Illness
 

      Once there was a wealthy Jewish man named Reb Zundel.  His wife suddenly became ill with a mysterious illness, and she totally lost the ability to move her hands and arms.

Reb Zundel took his wife to the best doctors, but they were not able to help her. The cause of her sudden problem, and how to treat it, remained a mystery.

Still, Reb Zundel did not give up. He made an appointment for his wife to see yet another famous doctor who lived in a distant city. On the way, however, he had a different thought. “We are halfway to Mezibuzh already,” he said to his wife, “why don’t we go to the בעל שם טוב first?”  The בעל שם טוב listened to their problem, and asked them to remain in Mezibuzh for a while, and to visit him regularly.

One day, he said to Reb Zundel, “I am going on a trip today. I want you both to accompany me. Please ask your wife to get ready.”  They journeyed together for a day, till they came to an inn.  The owner of the inn was a חסיד and he welcomed his honored guests and hastened to provide them with everything they needed.

“I want you to lock the doors tonight,” the בעל שם טוב told the innkeeper. “Bar the doors, and don’t let anyone in. If you are asked why, say it is because I am here.”

That night a violent storm raged outside. Winds howled. Trees bent over backwards. Suddenly there was a knock at the door. The innkeeper went to open up, but then remembered the instructions of the בעל שם טוב.

“Open up!” a voice shouted from outside.

“We’re closed!” the innkeeper replied.

“What do you mean, ‘you’re closed’?” the man shouted. “This is a public inn. You must let me in!”

“I’m sorry, but I’m all filled up tonight,” said the innkeeper.

The man knocked louder. “Do you expect me to stay out here in this storm! I won’t accept that for an answer. I am a high-ranking officer. You can’t send me away! Open this door before I break it down!”

“I’m really sorry,” the innkeeper said again, “but I can’t possibly do that. The holy Rebbe, ר‘ ישראל בעל שם טוב , is staying here, and he does not allow anyone in.”

In a rage, the officer began pounding the door with heavy blows. Anxiously, the host looked towards the בעל שם טוב, who nodded and motioned to open up.  Cursing angrily, the stranger burst in.  “How dare you lock me out!” he shouted in anger. “Who is this Rabbi who thinks he is so important? I’ll teach him a lesson!”

The terrified innkeeper glanced at the בעל שם טוב.  “Are you the Rabbi?” the officer shouted, pulling out his sword, and raising it high in the air.  The בעל שם טוב sat calmly without saying a word, his eyes focused on the officer.

Suddenly the בעל שם טוב cried to the woman seated in the corner, “Quick! Lift up your hands!”  Instinctively the woman’s hands shot up to protect the Rebbe.

“Aiiyyyyeee!” the officer cried out in sudden pain, as his sword fell to the floor. “My hands! My hands! I can’t move them!”  His arms were frozen in mid-air.

“I can’t move!” he exclaimed in horror. “Please,” he began to plead with the בעל שם טוב, “I’m sorry . . . Ah-aiye, the pain! … P-please, let me move my hands again.”

The בעל שם טוב just turned and walked out of the room.

The next day, Reb Zundel and his wife, now totally cured, returned with the בעל שם טוב to Mezibuzh.

(Tzivos Hashem Newsletter)

Last Week's Winners:

Level 1: Mendel Levertov, 8; Santa Fe, New Mexico

Level 2: Menucha Kalmanson, 8.5; Mason, Ohio
 

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