Parshas Masei
28 Tammuz 5765
Volume 1
Issue 44
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 MASEI
In this week’s parshah, we read about the journeys of B'nei Yisrael in the desert, and about the different places where they camped. One of those places was Hor Hahar, where Aharon HaKohain died. The pasuk tells us that Aharon passed away on the first day of the fifth month.
Did you know that Aharon is the only person whose date of passing is mentioned in the Chumash?
Chassidus teaches that on a person's yahrzeit, everything he worked for during his life, all his avodah, gets added strength and brings about change in the world. This is true of every Jew, and especially true of a great tzaddik like Aharon HaKohain.
We can see a clear connection between the avodah of Aharon and the date of his passing. The first day of the fifth month is Rosh Chodesh Av, a sad time for the Jewish people. It's the beginning of the nine days during which we mourn the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash.
The Torah states that Aharon died b'echad lachodesh, "on day one" of the month. The word "one" reminds us of Aharon's special avodah. He was a person who loved peace and pursued peace, trying to bring people together. He would do all he could to stop arguments and help people join together in achdus.
Our Rabbis tell us that the clouds of glory, the ananei hakavod, which surrounded, protected and assisted the Jewish people in the desert came in the merit of Aharon. This is no coincidence. Just as the clouds surrounded the nation on all sides, protecting it as one group, so Aharon strived all his life to bring achdus.
Our Rabbis tell us that the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash and the galus which followed, happened because of a lack of achdus. If this is so, then creating more achdus takes away the reason for the galus, and when there is no reason for the galus, it will come to an end!
So that extra power of Achdus which comes on Aharon's yahrzeit is just what we need to help us during the sad days of Av.
We must follow in the path of Aharon, as our Rabbis tell us: "Be like the students of Aharon - love peace and run after peace." And they say "the students" not "a student" to teach us that we should try to get others to work on bringing more achdus into the world. And then, just as Hor Hahar was one of our nation's last stops on the journey to Eretz Yisrael, the journey of the Jewish people throughout the centuries will reach its destination - the geulah.
‘Please Tell Me What The Rebbe Said’
(Adapted from Sefer Hasichos 5751, Vol II)
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Jewish Heros, ____ ____ ____ ____ ____
Please send your answers to connections@shluchim.org Last weeks’ brain buster: The first, half of another. Which other? Answer: גד
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Hey Kids!
Do you remember my nameless massive, mammoth, pool-size telescope that I told you about last week? I wanted to use it to see the wonders of Moshiach’s times (you know me, I’m a world renowned vision specialist; I specialize in seeing things in a special chossid’s way), but it only worked if I sang “we want Moshiach now” and danced around in a circle and really, really wanted Moshiach to come.
This week, Sunday, at exactly 4:46 and 8 seconds, I had a sudden brilliant inspiration. I envisioned a tall tower for my nameless Moshiach-times-telescope. I could see it in my mind already and I wanted to build it right away. I needed some help, though. I called my good friends Boom and Bam, and we started building. Boom brought the boards, and Bam brought the bricks, and Dr. Getzel brought the toolbox. We started working. Boom, bam, bang… Boom, bam, bang…
Boom was short, but Bam was very tall. Boom was also unusually chubby, while Bam was incredibly skinny. Boom looked like a round, juicy tomato; Bam looked like a thin, green asparagus. They were good assistants. It started out well, but soon enough, things started getting very complicated.
Bam worked very zooming quick, and Boom worked very dreamy slow. Soon they started fighting.
“Speed up, you slow poke,” said skinny Bam to fat Boom.
“Slow down, you fast poke,” said chubby Boom to thin Bam.
I offered them popcorn with marshmallow fluff and orange soda, and things calmed down. We continued working. Boom, bam, bang… Boom, bam, bang…. The bricks were adding up and we already had a tall wall. I rubbed my hands together, said “Moshiach now” under my breath, snuck some extra popcorn into the pockets of my workman’s overalls, and continued working. This was going to be a magnificent tower. It was going to be as tall as the Statue of Liberty and even more popular. Boom, bam, bang… Boom, bam, bang…
Three days later.
The sun was hot, and it got even hotter. Our tower was tall, and it was getting even taller. My assistants were nervous and they were getting even nervouser. My mosquito bites from last week were itching, and they were itching more and more furiously. All my scientist bells started ringing in my head. I knew there was going to be some trouble ahead.
“Bring that board, please,” boomed busy Bam to lazy Boom.
“Can’t.” Says Boom to busy Bam, “I’m busy blowing bubbles.”
“Blowing bubbles doesn’t make you busy,” said a bristling Boom.
I should have gotten involved. After all, scientists like me who specialize in seeing special things can solve important problems. At this particular moment, however, I was very engrossed in scratching my many mosquito bites left over from last week’s boating activity at the camp lake.
Bam and I continued building while Boom continued blowing bubbles. The tension was high and the mood was low. Boom’s face looked as red as a bruised tomatoes, and Bam’s face looked as long and stretched out as an unripe asparagus. Bam snickered and said something nasty to Boom; Boom answered something even nastier.
Then it happened.
BOOM! BAM! BOOM! BAM! BOOM! BAM! BOOM! BAM! BOOM! BAM! BOOM! BAM! BOOM! BAM! BOOM! BAM!
The tower started to crumble! It made a terrible burping sound and bricks started flying all over the yard. Bam, Boom, and I just watched as the half-built tower slowly collapsed. It took not even seven minutes, and the beautiful building was a hopeless pile of broken bricks and boards. The pile was covered with a thick layer of sawdust, popcorn, and some of Boom’s popped bubbles. Our magnificent tower was lying in ruins, in a pool of orange soda.
We were stunned. Boom started to cry. Bam started to sneeze. I started to sniffle as well, but I knew that scientists are supposed to solve international problems, and so I sat down in the middle of the sorry mess and started to think.
But Bam figured it out first. “It’s like the Beis Hamikdosh,” he said.
“Uh, huh,” agreed Boom, “that’s what the yiden must have felt like when their tower, the Beis Hamikdosh, was destroyed. Only much, much worse.”
“I’m sorry,” said Bam, “I shouldn’t have been so mean.”
“I’m sorry too,” said Boom in a quiet voice, “I shouldn’t have been so lazy.”
I don’t have a happy ending yet. I would love to say that the bricks and boards jumped up from the pile and became a tower again, but that did not happen. They made funny sounds instead.
“Seedaka,” squawked one badly broken brick, and I knew he wanted us to give more Tzedaka.”
“Meetz Vos,” squeaked another, and I knew he wanted us to do more Mitzvos.
Bam, Boom and I left the mess as it was. Boom was still crying, and Bam was still sneezing, and I still sniffle every time I think about our demolished tower. I would sniffle even more, but I am always so distracted by my mosquito bites…besides, I need to give Tzedaka, add extra Mitzvos…
Dr. Getzel
Levi Kazilsky, 9
Johannesburg, South AfricaHi! My name is Levi Kazilsky. I am on Shlichus in Johannesburg, South Africa. We go around helping people become closer to Yiddishkeit. Our shul is very far from our home so we have to walk a long distance but it is worth the walk because we know that shul is important. On Lag Ba’omer we all went to shul and sat around bonfires. It was such a nice feeling. I am proud I am on shlichus here.
שבת חזק
This שבת is שבת חזק for ספר במדבר . The בעל קורא reads the last פסוק in a special tune. When he reads the last פסוק everyone in שול stands. After he finishes everybody calls out together “ חזק חזק ונתחזק ”. “Be Strong, be strong, may we be strengthened.”
The Nine Days
The Nine Days are from ראש חודש אב until תשעה באב .
In the Nine Days:
We don’t buy or wear any new shoes or clothes.
We don’t do any laundry.
We don’t take baths or showers for pleasure, (but we do shower in honor of Shabbos).
We don’t eat meat or drink wine except for Shabbos.
We try to hear a siyum during the Nine Days.
פרק שני
הלל אומר: אל תפרוש מן הציבור
Once a Rabbi noticed that a certain man who used to come to Shul regularly hadn’t come for a few weeks so he decided to go and visit him. Coming into his house, the Rabbi saw the man sitting by the fireplace looking perfectly healthy. The Rabbi asked why he hadn’t been coming to Shul. The man replied that Shul was too crowded and noisy and he decided that he could concentrate better on his davening if he davened at home by himself. The Rabbi didn’t answer but just stared at the fireplace which was filled with burning coals. Then he got up, picked up the special tongs, used it to take out one coal from the fir e, put it on the floor next to the fireplace and said “I hope to see you back in Shul soon”.
At first, the man was confused. He didn’t understand why the Rabbi had done that. But after a few minutes he understood. When all the coals were together in the fireplace, they each kept the others glowing and hot. But when one coal is separate from the others, the fire in it goes out very quickly. So too, when people are together and united we can help each other keep strong!
(Adapted from ‘Vedibarta Bam’ )
ראש חודש אב
Shabbos א ‘ אב
- I remembered to say יעלה ויבוא in שמונה עשרה and in bentching
- I remembered to say הלל
- I remembered to daven the special parts in שבת מוסף for שבת ראש חודש .
- I remembered to say ברכי נפשי after the שיר של יום
Long before the destruction of ירושלים at the hands of the Romans, רבי יוחנן בן זכאי had realised what was going to happen. He was not involved in any of the politics but when he saw that the Romans were winning, he decided that he must establish a place where אידישקייט could continue .
One day, רבי יוחנן called to his nephew, Abba Sikra. Abba Sikra was the head of the zealots-a group of Jews who were against having any kind of talks or agreements with the Romans. "How long are you going to let your people die of hunger in the streets?" רבי יוחנן asked Abba Sikra.
"These matters are no longer in my hands," was Abba Sikra's sorry reply.
"Will you help me then to get out of the city and try to speak with the Roman general Vespasian?" רבי יוחנן pleaded.
Abba Sikra agreed to help. He suggested that רבי יוחנן pretend to be ill. He would "die" and could then be taken out of the city to be buried. From there he could stealthily make his way to the Roman general.
And so it was. But when רבי יוחנן 's students carried his coffin near the gates of the city, the zealots stopped the procession.
"Let us poke the coffin with our swords to make sure the rabbi is truly dead," they said.
Abba Sikra intervened. "Surely it is not befitting a great and holy חכם like רבי יוחנן בן זכאי to behave in such a way."
The Zealots hesitated and finally agreed to let them go. רבי יוחנן was able to enter the Roman camp.
"Peace unto you, King," רבי יוחנן greeted Vespasian.
"You are guilty of treason for calling me king," replied the general.
"Ah, but I know through נבואה that ירושלים will only fall by the hands of a king. You, certainly, will soon become the Emperor."
While they were yet speaking, a messenger came, informing Vespasian that the Emperor had died and he had been chosen as the new ruler of the Roman Empire.
It is said that Vespasian received this news when he had one boot on, and one off. When he tried to remove his boot, he couldn't. And when he tried to put on the other boot, he couldn't do that either. Rabbi Yochanan explained that "good tidings makes one's bones fat" ( משלי ), and that if he were to look at someone he didn't like, his feet would return to normal.
Vespasian was so impressed by רבי יוחנן 's wisdom that he offered, "Ask of me anything that your heart desires - three things- and I will fulfil your wishes."
רבי יוחנן 's first request was that the city of יבנה become a place of refuge and a ישיבה be established there. Second, to spare the life of the descendants of רבן גמליאל , so that the Royal House of דוד shouldn't be destroyed . Finally, Rabbi Yochanan requested the services of a doctor to cure רבי צדוק - a great חכם who fasted for 40 years to try and save ירושלים from destruction.
Vespasian quickly agreed to these small requests, not realising how big they really were. The new תורה centre in יבנה made sure that the אידן survived the חורבן also ברוחניות even though ארץ ישראל was now ruled by the mighty Roman Empire—an empire which doesn’t exist anymore.
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Last Week's Winners:
Mushka, 8 & Mendel, 6 Muller Ilford, England
Bayla Chein, 7; Chesire, England
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