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                         L'CHAIM - ISSUE # 777
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                           Copyright (c) 2003
                 Lubavitch Youth Organization - L.Y.O.
                              Brooklyn, NY
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             THE WEEKLY PUBLICATION FOR EVERY JEWISH PERSON
   Dedicated to the memory of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson N.E.
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        July 11, 2003         Chukas-Balak        11 Tamuz, 5763
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                             The Torn Coat

A children's tale that haunts the memory:  Living with a wealthy
merchant was his aged father and young son. The merchant, concerned with
his position and status, had little time or patience for his old father.
But his son, his heir, he spoiled and indulged.

The old man tried to stay out of the way, but the infirmities of old age
made him clumsy. He dropped things, burned pots, tripped and broke
furniture. The more he tried not to be a nuisance, the more worried he
became he might do something wrong, and like a self-fulfilling prophecy,
the more of a burden and a bother he seemed to be. And of course, each
incident only added to the merchant's irritation and ire.

The merchant's son observed all this. As much as he loved his father, he
was devoted to his grandfather. His father was not really a cruel man;
but somehow, the merchant had become so involved in his business, his
status, his pursuits, that he couldn't see that the old man living in
his house was still his father.

The tension in the household grew until one day, after the grandfather
had shattered yet another glass - it having slipped from his hand - the
merchant lost all patience and threw the old man out of the house,
giving him only a torn coat.

The son was distraught, but said nothing, hoping that his father would
realize what he had done and change his mind. But the next day, his
father went to work without a word. The son quickly found where his
grandfather was staying, brought him food and spent time with him. How
could he make his father see?

That night, the merchant came home to find his son with scissors in
hand, cutting in shreds one of the merchant's best coats. Astounded, but
not angry because his son could do no wrong, the merchant asked what he
was doing. The son replied that he was preparing a coat for his father's
old age. He saw how shabbily the merchant treated his own father -
showing him no respect, not taking into account the frailties of old
age, being miserly with the food and giving the old man only rags to
wear. This, obviously, was how a son should treat his father. So he was
tearing the coat to have it ready when his father, the merchant, got
old.

The merchant immediately realized what he had done. He brought his
father back into the house, begged forgiveness and did his best to make
amends.

The story contains many lessons and emphasizes several mitzvot
(commandments): the importance of honoring one's parents, respecting the
elderly, children learn by observation,  etc. But the Chasidic
perspective may not be as obvious.

In Tanya, the basic book of Chabad Chasidic philosophy, written by Rabbi
Shneur Zalman, it is explained at length that the soul is clothed in the
mitzvot (commandments). The body consists of 248 organs and 365 [major]
blood vessels. These each have a spiritual source in the person's soul.
The 613 components (248 plus 365 = 613) of the body and soul correspond
to the 613 commandments. When a person fulfills the mitzvot actively and
according to his ability, then "all of his soul's 613 'limbs' of his
soul are clothed in the 613 commandments of the Torah."

Knowing this, perhaps we can see a deeper story within the story. Too
often it seems we treat Judaism like the merchant treated his father,
sending our soul into the world with only a torn coat, i.e., mitzvot
half-done or done half-heartedly, without love and fear of G-d. But even
so, we have to remember that we always possess an "inner child," one
that will show us that the coat, the garments of the soul, has been
torn. That knowledge itself leads to teshuva - a reconciliation and a
reparation of the "torn coat."

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           LIVING WITH THE REBBE  -  THE WEEKLY TORAH PORTION
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This week we read two Torah portions, Chukat and Balak. Of all the
prophecies in Scripture that refer to the Messianic era, the one
contained in the Torah portion of Balak is most unusual in that it came
from Bilaam, a gentile prophet.

Bilaam, the foremost prophet of his time, was forced against his will to
foretell the downfall of the nations of the world and the ultimate
ascendancy of the Jewish people.

The very fact that this prophecy is included in the Torah indicates its
special significance; indeed, it contains a distinct advantage precisely
because it was said by a non-Jew.

For, when Moshiach comes, the Jewish people will no longer be
subservient to the nations; on the contrary, the gentile leaders will
vie with one another for the privilege of serving the Jews!

Thus, the prophecy of Bilaam concerning the Final Redemption not only
gave the Children of Israel cause for rejoicing over their future, it
actually afforded them a "taste" of the way things will be in the
Messianic era.

As far as prophecy itself is concerned, our Sages foretold its
reoccurrence among the Jewish people before Moshiach's arrival according
to the following chronology:

On the verse in this week's Torah portion, "At the proper time shall it
be said to Jacob and to Israel, what G-d has wrought," Maimonides noted
that prophecy would return to Israel after "the proper time" had elapsed
after Bilaam, i.e., after the same number of years as had passed since
the creation of the world until his prophecy.

Bilaam's prophecy was said in the year 2488; 2488 years after that, in
the year 4976 (we are now in the year 5755), prophecy was destined to
return to the Jewish people.

In fact we find that this was indeed the case, for it was then that
prophetic luminaries began to appear on the Jewish horizon - Rabbi
Shmuel Hanavi, Rabbi Elazar Baal "Harokeach," Nachmanides, the Ravad
(Rabbi Abraham ben David), Rabbi Ezra Hanavi and Rabbi Yehuda the Chasid
and others.

More generations passed until the birth of Rabbi Yisrael Baal Shem Tov,
the founder of Chasidut, and his successor, the Magid of Mezeritch,
about whom it was said that they "could see from one end of the world to
the other."

The following generation produced Rabbi Shneur Zalman, who formulated
Chabad Chasidut. Had he lived in the times of our prophets he would have
been on a par with them; moreover, this chain of prophecy continued from
one Chabad leader to the next, until the present day, when the Rebbe has
prophesied that Moshiach's arrival is imminent.

The return of prophecy to the Jewish people is therefore both a
prerequisite and preparation for the Messianic era, which is due to
begin at any moment.

                   Adapted from Likutei Sichot of the Rebbe, Vol. 2

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                             SLICE OF LIFE
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                           A Prince in Prison

    The following is excerpted from the Previous Rebbe's diary
    concerning his arrest in Communist Russia. He was eventually
    released on 12 Tammuz (this year July 12).

Entering the gateway we turned right, into a gloomy corridor lit by
small lamps. Instead of merely requesting, I now literally pleaded with
the guard that he should allow me to put on tefilin, and added that it
was difficult for me to walk so fast.

He told me that he knew very well what tefilin were. He once lived in a
small town near the local synagogue and knew what prayers were, too -
but he would still not grant me my request.

I therefore put on my hand-tefilin as I continued to walk behind him,
but before I managed to put on my head-tefilin he turned around and
struck me. In doing so he pushed me down the iron staircase, but I broke
neither hand nor foot, thank G-d.

Laboriously and painfully I managed to climb up a few steps. Evidently
the metal component of my belt broke as I fell; it now tore at my skin.
My heart froze with pain; I felt about to faint.

"Just wait and see what a delicious dish the chief of the sixth division
is going to serve you!" shouted the guard. "Then you'll forget about
your requests and your prayers! After you spend three or four nights
lying among the mice in the dark muck and mire, then you'll understand
that Spalerno is no place to turn into a Jewish house of prayer!"

I was forced to sit down to rest on one of the steps. In addition to the
pain, I felt that my abdomen was bleeding from the injury. Walking was
extremely difficult. Swallowing my pain, I held on to the iron
balustrade and raised myself with difficulty from step to step. The
guard had already reached the third flight, while I made my cumbersome
way upstairs like a broken old man.

He peered down at me and called out: "Old man! What's delaying you? My
time's precious!"

I climbed up to the landing, holding the tefilin.

The beast called Petia emerged from one of the cells at the end of the
landing and approached me, looked me up and down, and muttered to
himself: "Just look what rags they've started to send here! No doubt
about it - a real parasite, a bearded Jew!"

Then he said to me: "Old man, go along and get searched. Don't you
worry: here we'll clean you up good and proper! These guys'll dismantle
your bones one by one!

"Why are you limping?" he asked. "Is the air of Spalerno affecting you?!
For parasites like you we have perfumes that make them fall flat on
their faces on their first day here, as if they had suddenly fallen ill.
They lie about for a few days until the doctor arrives. Sometimes he
comes too late, and then all he has to do is to write down the cause of
death."

I was wounded and walking with difficulty; I had to stop to rest after
every step; I was losing blood; my heart was stressed with pain.

We all know the Baal Shem Tov's teaching - that every word or syllable,
every sight or image, that a man hears or sees, is a directive in some
area of his divine service. A man of even limited understanding can
grasp that words like Petia's can very likely arouse feelings of
penitence, of the awe of heaven, an awareness of Divine Providence, an
experience of faith and trust. But there is also an Evil Inclination;
there, too, Satan frolics; there, too, there is someone who prevents a
man from being what he should be.

The pain was now so intense that I could not take one more step forward.
I stood still.

"Here you are," said Petia to the chief. "The rag is all yours. In an
hour's time he won't be alive."

Petia's eloquence made the chief smile with glee.

He turned to me: "Okay, so let's get on with our search." HIn my bag he
found the tefilin of Rabbeinu Tam and Shimusha Rabba, a gartl (belt worn
during prayer), and my books. These he took, but I held the tefilin of
Rashi in my hand.

As he checked through my belongings with his back to me, I pleaded with
him to allow me to say my prayers, but he answered with a furious "No."
Without losing an instant I quickly put on the hand-tefilin then the
head-tefilin and recited "Shema." However, at the very moment that I
began to say the first blessing of Shemoneh Esrei prayer, he turned
around and discovered me wearing my tefilin.

His eyes opened wide in astonishment and horror. His face filled with
angry blood and he turned into a wild beast.

"Jewface!" he shrieked, as he seized my head-tefilin with both hands.
"I'll hurl you into the dungeon! Devil that you are, I'll smash your
face!"

"Petia!" he roared. And to me he said, "I feel sorry for you, old man.
Even without my help you're going to die pretty soon." It was clear that
the main task of these officials was to intimidate their prisoners and
alarm them. They played with their yarliks like a little boy plays with
picture-cards.

"Okay," said the chief to Petia, "I've finished. Take yarlik 26818 to
Room 160, no. 4."

"Your name, old man," he now said to me, "is now 'no. 160, the fourth.'"

"Petia," he ordered, "take no. 160, the fourth, and sign here that
you've received him. That's that."

I reached out to take the tefilin which all lay on the table in
confusion, and thanked G-d that the chief had not opened up the boxes
containing the little scrolls. I began to take them in order, with a
distant hope that he might perhaps allow me to take them with me to my
cell.

When I entreated him to let me have them, he laughed out aloud: "Old
man, forget all that! Just get it clear that you are a prisoner and
forget all your nonsense. I'm not going to give you more than I have
given you - your clothes, your handkerchiefs, and that's all. If you
want to ask for more, then you can address a request to the top
officials."

I told the chief that I wanted to write my demand in a telegram (which
was within my rights). I wrote out three identical telegrams: "I hereby
request that the chief of the sixth division be ordered immediately to
hand me my tefilin. Rabbi Y. Schneersohn, sixth division, room 160."

As I proceeded to my room, I was accompanied by Petia, who vigorously
cursed me and everyone else on the face of the earth and tried to
terrorize me with the fear of death.

  Reprinted from A Prince in Prison, published by Sichos in English

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                               WHAT'S NEW
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                            The Dancing Shul

A delightful children's book by singer/songwriter Chaim Fogelman. The
Dancing Shul  tells the story of a congregation that celebrates the
writing and arrival of a new Torah scroll into their synagogue.
Illustrated by Miriam Nemenow and available at Judaica stores.

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                            THE REBBE WRITES
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                      14th of Tammuz, 5719 [1959]

Greeting and Blessing:

I received your letter of July 15th...

It happens that promises before elections are not always kept after
elections.

Therefore, even if the said person will not always abide by his
promises, I trust that it will in no way affect your work for the
benefit of the community. Furthermore, the Zechus Horabim [merit of the
many] will stand you in good stead and you will be successful, which
will at the same time also provide additional channels to receive G-d's
blessings in all your affairs, public and private.

Your letter reached me during the auspicious days of 12-13th of Tammuz,
marking the Liberation of my father-in-law of saintly memory from
imprisonment and persecution in Soviet Russia for his work for Jews and
Yiddishkeit [Judaism] there. My father-in-law had declared that his
liberation was not a personal affair, but it was a victory of all the
holy things for which he had fought, namely, the strengthening and
spreading of Yiddishkeit in general, and of the teachings of Chassidus
in particular.

Therefore, these days are auspicious for everyone who is associated with
his work, and a source of inspiration and blessing.

I was pleased to read in your letter of your successful business
activities, and my you continue to do successful business in an
ever-growing measure.

I was also particularly pleased to note in your letter that you took
advantage of an opportunity when you were called upon to make a public
speech at the grammar school, and you made a declaration on the
importance of higher Jewish education for boys and girls.

May G-d grant that this fundamental and vital idea has taken root in the
hearts of all the listeners, and will bring question of education, the
time element is of the essence, and opportunities lost are rarely
retrieved.

On this day of "Isru Chag" [the day after the holiday] of the Liberation
Festival, I send you my prayerful wishes that you enjoy liberation and
freedom from all anxieties and difficulties, and that you carry on your
good work with true inner joy and gladness of heart, going from strength
to strength both materially and spiritually.

With blessing,

                                *  *  *


                      15th of Tammuz, 5723 [1963]

Blessing and Greeting:

I was pleased to receive your letter with the enclosure. I am gratified
to note that you found the children well and happy, and that all is well
also in the educational work.

I was, of course, also pleased to note that after our conversation, you
felt much encouraged in regard to your work for spreading Yiddishkeit.
In regard to your writing that you had the feeling that you could
conquer the world, may I add that this is not only a manner of speaking,
but has a basis in fact, as indicated in the Gemara (Kiddushin 40b), and
also the Rambam states something to that effect, as a matter of halachah
[Jewish law], when he says that a person should always consider his
positive and negative deeds as equi-balanced, and so the whole world. If
one does an additional mitzvah, he places himself, as well as the whole
world, in the scale of zechus, outweighing the negative side.

The above is true, of course, also in the matter of spreading
Yiddishkeit , and not only for the purpose of out-balancing. For the
activities in Chinuch [Jewish education], starting in a sincere and
hearty way, create a chain reaction, and eventually the students
themselves become sources of influence, whether as teachers or in other
active capacities, with the same enthusiasm and inspiration.

I trust that you observed in a suitable way the auspicious days of
12-13th of Tammuz. These days marked the liberation of my father-in-law
of saintly memory from Soviet imprisonment, where his life was in
jeopardy as a result of his relentless and sustained battle for the
preservation of the Jewish life and institutions even under that
totalitarian and anti-religious regime. His selfless dedication, as well
as miraculous triumph, is an inspiration to every one of us, and proves
once again that where there is a will and determination in matters of
Torah and mitzvos, no obstacles are insur-mountable. May the inspiration
of these days be with you throughout the year.

With blessing,

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                            RAMBAM THIS WEEK
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16 Tamuz, 5763 - July 16, 2003

Positive Mitzva 109: Immersing in a Mikve

This mitzva is based on the verse (Lev. 15:16) "He shall bathe all his
body in water"

Just as the Torah defines the different types of impurity - it also
outlines the process for purification. The Torah describes the
purification process, commanding the impure person to immerse himself in
a mikve. A mikve is a special pool of water of a specific size. Its
water must come from a natural source, rain or a spring. In the
beginning of the universe, the entire creation emerged from water. After
an impure person dips in the mikve, he rises up as a new creation;
purified and prepared to serve G-d.

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                        A WORD FROM THE DIRECTOR
                         Rabbi Shmuel M. Butman
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This Shabbat, July 12, is the 12th of Tamuz.  On this day in 1927, the
previous Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn, o.b.m.,
was informed he would be released from prison.

Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok had been imprisoned by the anti-religious Communist
regime for his efforts to strengthen Torah and Judaism in Russia.
Originally he was sentenced to death; later, through American
intervention it was commuted to three years in exile and finally all
charges were dropped.

It is told that KGB agents once burst into his home, "warning" him to
stop his work.

"My activities are legal according to Soviet law.  I see no reason to
stop them," he calmly replied.

One of the agents waved a gun at him.  "This little toy has made many a
man change his mind!"

"This little toy," retorted the Rebbe, "can intimidate only a man with
two gods and one world.  I, however, have one G-d and two worlds."

Such was the indomitable spirit of the previous Rebbe, leader of Russian
Jewry and staunch  champion of the conviction that America could also
become a center for Torah and Jewish life.

The life of this great leader can be inspiring for us, today. Let us
emulate the unflinching, resolute determination of the previous Rebbe,
in all matters pertaining to our "one G-d and two worlds."  And let us
each do all we can to continue the work of the Rebbe, in strengthening
Torah and Judaism all over the world.  Then, the celebration of the 12th
of Tamuz will be not just someone else's day of liberation, but indeed
our very own.

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                          THOUGHTS THAT COUNT
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You shall take to yourself a red heifer" (Num. 19:2)

We find a puzzling aspect to the laws of the red heifer which is unique
among the laws of the Torah. The same ashes which purified the
spiritually impure rendered unclean the pure. A similar uniqueness can
be found in the trait haughtiness. There are some who justify their lack
of adherence to the laws of Torah by saying that they and their acts are
of little significance to G-d.  For them a little pride would be in
order.  On the other hand, if one who does observe the Torah allows his
piety to go to his head he will undoubtedly drag himself down.

                                                    (Baal Shem Tov)

                                *  *  *


This is the Law:  a man... (Num. 19:14)

The Torah law is arranged like a human body.  There are 248 limbs and
365 sinews in the human body just as there are 248 positive commandments
and 365 prohibitions in the Torah. In fact, each part of the body draws
its spiritual energy from the corresponding commandment.

                                                    (Likutei Torah)

                                *  *  *


Who can count the dust of Jacob (Num. 23:10)

Why are the Jews likened to the dust of the earth? Within the earth
there are great hidden treasures, most of which have not yet been
discovered. In addition, simple earth is so great for all the creatures
of the world depend on it for their sustenance and the water in it.
However, in order to uncover these great treasures, one must labor and
toil. One must dig deep, plow, plant seeds, etc. Every Jew has within
him wonderful and numerous treasures - his faith in G-d, and the love
and fear of G-d - but one must work hard to uncover them.

                                                (The Baal Shem Tov)

                                *  *  *


The L-rd, his G-d, is with him (23:21)

A Jew is never alone. Wherever he goes and wherever he stands, the L-rd
his G-d is with him.

                                                (The Baal Shem Tov)

                                *  *  *


And Balak the son of Tzipor saw all that the Jews did to the Emorites
(Num. 22:2)

He saw what the Jews did to the Emorites, but he did not see what the
Emorites had done to the Jews. This is the way of the Nations of the
World. They only see what the Jews are doing to the non-Jews, but the
deeds of the non-Jews that led to the reactions of the Jews, these they
do not see.

                                                     (Iturei Torah)

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                            IT ONCE HAPPENED
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    This Thursday, the 17th of Tammuz (July 17 this year) is a fast day.
    It is the beginning of the Three Weeks of Mourning for the
    destruction of the Holy Temple.

The heavenly decree was sealed: "The Holy Temple should be destroyed,
and the Jews should be driven out of their land!" Then G-d said: "But
the Western Wall should not be destroyed, so that there should always be
a reminder that G-d's Glory resides there!"

The Jews could not and would not forget their Holy Temple. Every year on
the ninth of Av, the Jews assembled at the Western Wall to pour out
their hearts about the destruction, and to beseech G-d to rebuild the
Holy Temple.

The Romans could not bear to see how resolutely the Jews kept to their
religion, and how holy they regarded the Western Wall. The Romans hit
upon a plan of how to remedy the situation; they issued an order that
all gentiles who live in Jerusalem must dump their garbage daily near
the Wall.

Day in, day out, the heap of garbage grew. Bit by bit the whole Wall was
covered. The Jews mourned anew.

Many years went by. A very righteous Jew from outside of Israel came to
Jerusalem to pour out his heart to G-d over the destruction. He walked
through the streets of Jerusalem, seeking the Wall, but the could not
find it. Everyone he asked shrugged their shoulders; they had never in
their lives seen the Wall.

The Jew, however, did not give up hope. Day and night he looked for the
Wall. Once, he came upon a huge hill of rubbish and wondered how so much
garbage came to be accumulated at this place. He noticed a very old
woman carrying a heavy sack on her back.

"Old woman, what are you carrying?" the Jew asked her.

"I am carrying a sack of garbage to throw on the hill."

The Jew inquired, "Do you have no room closer to home for garbage, that
you are forced to bring it here?"

"It is an old custom for us to bring the garbage here. Once there stood
here a huge stone wall that the Jews regarded as holy, so we were
ordered to cover the wall." She emptied her bundle and returned home..

Tears poured from the Jew's eyes. "I will not move from here until I
find a plan how to remove the dirt and reveal the Western Wall once
more."

Suddenly an idea came to him. The Jew started back to town and whispered
to everyone he saw: "They say that a big treasure lies buried beneath
the hill of dirt over there."

He took a shovel and a bucket and began digging in the dirt. A short
while later many more people arrived. The whole city of Jerusalem was
aroused at the announcement of a huge treasure lying beneath the hill.
They dug for a whole day till the upper stones of the Wall came into
view. The sun set and the people went home to rest from their day's
labor. The Jew then took out some golden coins, covered them with dirt
and left.

The next morning, soon after dawn, there was an uproar by the hill.
Someone had found a golden coin, and so did a second, and a third. The
people started to dig with even more enthusiasm.

Every day they dug deeper and deeper. Every day a few golden coins were
found. But, they were certain the real treasure lay at the bottom. The
Jew spent his entire fortune on his mission to uncover the Western Wall.

For forty days the people dug around the Wall and sought the treasure.
Finally the whole Wall was cleared of garbage. They did not find the
treasure, but in front of their eyes a big stone wall appeared.

Suddenly a great storm broke out and a torrent of rain came down. It
rained for three days, washing the Wall clean of any traces of dirt.
When the people came out to see what they had unearthed, they saw a
handsome wall with huge stones, some of them as much as ten feet high.

On the spot where Abraham brought Isaac to be sacrificed, where the
first Holy Temple, built by King Solomon stood, and the second Holy
Temple, built by Ezra and Nehemiah - on this very spot the third and
final Temple will be built, when Moshiach comes.

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                            MOSHIACH MATTERS
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The Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, once
said. "We are standing close to the top of mountain. There is only a
small amount left to go. Moshiach is standing beyond the door, and he
who has good hearing can already hear him and see him. It is known that
before the light of day, sleep intensifies. We must stay strong and not
give into sleep, in order that we be vessels that can accept the light
of day. Every Jew must know this and when he meets a fellow Jew he must
tell him 'listen my brother - do not fall asleep before the light of
day.' "

                                              (Sefer HaSichot 5689)

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             END OF TEXT - L'CHAIM 777 - Chukas-Balak 5763
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