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                                  B"H
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                         L'CHAIM - ISSUE # 871
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                           Copyright (c) 2005
                 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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        May 27, 2005           Bechukosai         18 Iyyar, 5765
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                          The Bags Are Packed

Let's face it, traveling can be a hassle. There's getting to the
airport, standing in line, going through security, putting up with
delays, cancellations, lost luggage, indifferent agents and rude
passengers.

And then there's packing. Should you travel light? Or should you prepare
for the unknown? How many shirts and suits? How many dresses and shoes?
The formal and informal attire and bathrobes and slippers when you
retire. Something to read and is the cell phone charged? Did you print
the ticket? Who's taking in the mail, who's walking the dog - though you
don't have a pet - did you lock the door, what else did you forget?

Whatever we pack, it never seems to be enough and it always seems too
much. Even for a short trip, even to a well-seasoned traveler, packing,
though it becomes routine, leaves us with a sense that something's
missing; no matter that the contents of the suitcase and the checklist
match; we know we're leaving something behind, something important,
something of infinite value that we'll miss on this trip and regret not
taking.

But we can't pack our house, all our goods, our comfort zone and bring
everything with us.

Life, the cliché has been, is a journey. But in making the comparison,
the emphasis has been on the journey itself, traveling from here to
there, getting from the mundane acts of survival to the sublime state of
meaning. Rarely do we talk of our baggage, our luggage,  the suitcases
we take and what we put in them.

When we look at a lifetime of traveling through Judaism, the task of
packing mitzvot (commandments)seems rather daunting. There are so many
mitzvot to do and so much Jewish knowledge to acquire - how can we
possibly take them all? And even if we manage, somehow, to "overstuff
our suitcases" - won't the clothes - the mitzvot - get wrinkled and the
food - the Torah - get mashed? How can we possibly keep the mitzvot
(clothes) pressed and the Torah (food) fresh?

So maybe we decide to "travel light" - to take only the bare
necessities, the fewest possible mitzvot and the least possible Torah -
hoping to get by with that, with the excuse to ourselves that we'll make
up in quality what we lack in quantity?

And sometimes the task of packing seems so overwhelming that we decide
to forego the journey altogether. Oh, we'll pick things up and put them
in the suitcase, but not with much enthusiasm.

Perhaps we can apply Rabbi Tarfon's statement about work to the business
of packing. He used to say (quoted in the Mishna, Pirkei Avot 3:16,
studied on Shabbat afternoons from Passover through Rosh Hashana): "It
is not incumbent upon you to complete the work, yet you are free to
desist from it." Perhaps we can add, "We are not expected to pack
everything - to do every single mitzva down to the minutest detail and
learn every single nuance of every single commentary on every single
aspect of Torah - but we are obligated to pack as much as possible - to
try to bring on our journey as much Torah and mitzvot as we can."

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           LIVING WITH THE REBBE  -  THE WEEKLY TORAH PORTION
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This week's Torah reading, Bechukotai, begins with a description of the
blessings a person will receive for the observance of Torah and mitzvot
(commandments) and it continues with a detailed description of the
retribution to be visited upon our people if they fail to observe.

Our Sages raise questions concerning these statements, because our Torah
observance is not a bargain which G-d strikes with us. He does not need
our observance. We do.

By observing the Torah and its mitzvot, we step beyond the realm of
ordinary mortal experience and connect ourselves to G-d. The very word
"mitzva" alludes to this concept, for it shares the root of "tzavta,"
meaning "connection" or "bond." When we perform a mitzva, we unite
ourselves with G-d.

Thus our observance is a benefit for us, not for Him. Our Sages point to
this concept in their teaching in the Mishna (Pirkei Avot): "The reward
for a mitzva is the mitzva." What we receive for doing G-d's will is a
bond with Him. There is no other reward that is truly fitting. Material
benefit surely cannot serve as appropriate compensation for our
observance. The spiritual value of these deeds is unbounded, and all
material prosperity, however, abundant, is by nature limited.

Maimonides resolves these issues as follows: The true reward which man
will receive for his Torah observance is spiritual. When a person serves
G-d he will be granted prosperity and blessing. This is not, however, a
reward for observing mitzvos, but encouragement for him to do so.

When G-d sees that man is making an effort to serve Him, He makes that
task easier by removing hardships that might handicap this endeavor. For
example, when a person is sick, it is difficult for him to apply himself
in Divine service. Therefore a person who perseveres in his Divine
service will be given the benefits of health so that he will be able to
serve G-d with greater energy.

This motif is also alluded to in Pirkei Avot which teaches: "One mitzva
leads to another." By performing one mitzva, we initiate a process that
leads to the observance of many others.

These concepts also relate to the ultimate of human experience, the Era
of the Redemption. Maimonides teaches that in that age, hunger, war, or
controversy will no longer beset mankind. These idyllic conditions are
not, however, an end in and of themselves, but rather a means. As
Maimonides states: "The Sages did not yearn for the era of Moshiach to
have dominion..., to be exalted..., to eat, drink, and celebrate.
Instead, they desired to be free to involve themselves in Torah and
wisdom." The peak of our experience will be our spiritual bond with Him,
the peace and prosperity which we will enjoy will be appreciated as
mediums facilitating that goal and not as purposes in their own right.

     From Keeping In Touch (published by S.I.E) by Rabbi E. Touger,
                    adapted from the works of the Lubavitcher Rebbe

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                             SLICE OF LIFE
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                           Unconditional Love
                           by Shmuel Melamed


    (Ed.'s Note: Although the author entitled this article "Tefilin Ties
    Family Together" we chose to call it "Unconditional Love,"
    emphasizing the tremendous ahavat Yisrael - love of one's fellow Jew
    - that this young Lubavitcher yeshiva student showed toward another
    Jew).

Mr. David K., a friendly 89-year-old gentleman, is one of the handful of
people I visit each Friday in Wilkes-Barr, Pennsylvania. Most weeks, we
put on tefilin and then discuss different subjects in Judaism, as well
as any current events that are on our minds.

One week, amongst the topics brought up, was the subject of family. I
was astonished to find out that David had three immediate family members
- two brothers and one sister - whom he had not been in contact with for
60 years! David himself is a life-long bachelor. He attributes his total
separation from his brothers and sister to a personal belief that once a
family member gets married they go on their own way, and you on your own
way, that being the last of your contact with them.

Being an aging man he said that the previous summer he had checked some
phone books with the last information he had: 60 years ago one brother
had moved to California and the other brother, and his sister, had moved
to Washington. His attempts at finding his family came up empty handed.
At the moment, he said, he is too weak to make further inquiries, but he
hoped that in the summer he would have more strength and would try
again.

Upon hearing all this I immediately started explaining to him that his
attitude was very wrong. There is a natural brotherly love, he and his
siblings come from the same flesh and blood, and they have the same
source. My little talk did not have any effect and David continued to
stick to his theory.

Finally, I told David that these days, through the internet, it's not so
hard (or so I thought) to locate people, and I would try to locate his
relatives for him. He responded negatively, saying that were his family
members to come to his residence, he would immediately pack his bags and
leave town. After another fruitless argument I got David to agree that
if I found any of them I could give them the message that he wishes them
good health "until 120."

The following week I got to work trying to locate each of them. I
started with whitepages.com, which didn't seem to work, and then tried
more official web searches. Unfortunately, just to begin would have cost
at least $200. I came to the realization that this was not going to be
so easy. I decided to check white pages.com one last time. For some
reason, during this search, a whole list of people appeared with the
names I was looking for from the cities that I searched.

I wrote down all of the numbers and started calling them. All of my
attempts at contacting  one of the two brothers and the sister were
futile, so I then tried for the second brother. I started calling
through the list, and then I got the right person! Yes, Murray was in
his 80's, was a certified accountant, and had a long-lost brother David.
He also mentioned that he had another brother who lived in Washington
who was a pharmacist, and that their sister had passed away two years
earlier.

I informed Murray of my connection to his long-lost brother David, and I
shared with him David's message. He replied with a blessing for long
life to David, but became very agitated when he heard that David did not
want to speak with him. Murray said that if that was the case, he would
not contact him either. I told Murray the famous saying of the first
Lubavitcher Rebbe that the heart of one person can influence the heart
of another. I proposed that maybe through expressing his brotherly love,
David would also return the feeling of brotherly love.

A rabbi who was standing nearby encouraged me to suggest to Murray that
he might want to put on tefilin like David does every Friday. In the
course of our conversation Murray informed me that 20 years ago, when
their parents had passed away, the third brother Jack, in Washington,
had hired an attorney to track down David, but had no luck. They had
actually already given up on him as dead.

Early the next day I went to David's house and told him the amazing news
about finding his brother, and the sad news about his sister. I asked
him if he would speak to his brother on the cell phone I had with me. He
answered that he would on Friday, to which I told him that 60 years is
enough. Finally David agreed and I called Murray. They spoke for about
45 minutes. During that time it was as if a dam had suddenly burst open.
After hanging up David looked like an angel, and emotionally thanked me
and shook my hand.

The next day I called Murray's house, and he told me it had been the
best day of his life. His wife told me he looked like a new person and
how they were amazed at how David had remembered details about their
wedding that they themselves didn't remember. She also said that she had
sent a message to Jack, the other brother, who was traveling at the time
and he was totally floored by the good news, and was going to the
gravesite of their parents to share the news.

Moshiach now!

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                               WHAT'S NEW
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                         Educator's Conference

A conference for Directors of Ohr Avner Chabad Day Schools operating
throughout the Former Soviet Union took place in Odessa, Ukraine, this
past month. The conference brought together representatives from the 72
day schools that comprise the Ohr Avner Chabad educational network in
the CIS. Over 11,000 students attend Ohr Avner schools.

                      The Kabbala of Relationships

The Kabbala of Relationships: Stress, Therapy and Joy is the title of
the Shabbaton taking place this weekend, May 27-29, in Crown Heights,
Brooklyn. Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Jacobson will help you plumb the mystical
depths of relationships as will guest speaker Mrs. Shimonah Tzukernik.
Join Jewish couples, singles and families in experiencing an
unforgettable Shabbat featuring thought-provoking lectures, discussions
and workshops - accompanied by delicious, traditional cuisine, amidst
the warmth of Chasidic family life, song and dance. To register call
(718) 774-6187 or visit www.shabbaton.org

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                            THE REBBE WRITES
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      Free Translation of a letter to (then) General Ariel Sharon
                           September 5, 1968

Greetings and Blessings.

I gratefully acknowledge receipt of your letter from the 24th of Av. It
arrived a bit late, and I apologize for the delay in answering.

Regarding the substance of your letter, as we discussed at length when
you were here - I am in full agreement with you concerning the liberated
territories. Unfortunately, however, I do not agree with you that a
shift in public reaction (at this time) in our Holy Land would influence
those in power to change their position. According to my information -
from sources which have been reliable until now - there is no evident
change of intentions in these circles. I could only wish that there were
a shift in public opinion which would cause at least a change in the
government's unofficial stance. Yet what is actually happening, is the
preservation of the Arab character of the Old City of Jerusalem (with
the explanation that we must maintain the status quo, just as part of
the city looked when we conquered it last year - since it would defy
"justice and honesty" etc. to take advantage of the conquest to force
something upon the residents who were there until then!) The
consequences of this position in day-to-day life are obvious -
especially considering that they believe that they have fulfilled their
obligation to the Jewish community by partially populating the environs
of Jerusalem with Jews.

Of course, I am writing you all this unofficially and privately, because
it is not my place to speak about faults of Jews, and especially those
who have it within their capability to achieve wondrous things in the
said areas, and for various reasons are not doing so.

It is also understood that I am not writing this in order to accuse
anyone, for what would such an accusation help? I only mean to express
my anguish, at least in writing, to you and to those who you estimate
might benefit from knowing the content of these few lines.

If the above is true regarding Jerusalem, then the situation is even
worse concerning Hebron, where mainly Arabs dwell.... The Arab community
there is grounded, developed, and according to the rumors, it is also
organized, all of which only confirms the attitude mentioned above.
Despite this, I investigated the possibility of opening a Yeshivah. I
received a clear answer - saying that "it would be better for me" to
explore possibilities of a Yeshivah in Jerusalem than one in Hebron.
Within the inner circles of settlers (contrary to the view of those in
charge) there are many Chabadniks (some who are open about it, and
others who are unknown). I am sure you are also aware of the situation
of the settlers there - who are not far from being prisoners. The reason
given is also similar to the one stated, being based upon "justice and
honesty," and the common denominator of all these phenomena is: What
will the "greater world" say, etc., as we discussed when you were here.

And for example, if there should be some quarrel between an Israeli
youth and an Arab youth in Hebron; since the Arab youths would outnumber
the Jews there, it is possible that the Jewish youth would be beaten up,
etc. On whose side, in your opinion, would the Israeli military police
stand in that situation - especially if the Mayor (who, it would appear,
had a part in the riots and pogroms of 1929 against Jews in Hebron) were
to come and make a commotion about the "provocation" by the Jews.

This is also the reason I asked you when you were here about the
circumstances, and the reason for the manner in which Jerusalem was
captured last year, where many, of the best Israeli soldiers fell in
battle, completely disproportionate to the number of deaths on all the
other fronts.

Incidentally (and maybe not incidentally) you still owe me an answer on
this (and when you were here, we agreed that you would investigate and
give me an answer). The information I have received on this - as I said,
from a source who has been reliable until now - and as I said in our
conversation, there was an uncontested order from above regarding this.
I wish I would be proven wrong. However, in our conversation, there was
much room left for doubt.

I would like to add, that my asking about this did not (G-d forbid) stem
from pointless curiosity about a painful subject. Rather, it was to
demonstrate the thought process of those who issued that order, because
many of them are still in charge. Unfortunately, and perhaps to our
embarrassment, they have not changed their outlook, since even then it
was foreseeable that this would cause more fatalities. From this we can
understand the present situation in Jerusalem and Hebron.

                        Continued in next issue


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                            RAMBAM THIS WEEK
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24 Iyar, 5765 - June 2, 2005

Prohibition 244: It is forbidden to steal

This mitzva is based on the verse (Lev. 19:11) "Do not steal" We are
forbidden to steal money or goods.

Positive Mitzva 239: Penalties for Robbery

This mitzva is based on the verse (Ex. 21:37-22) "If a man shall
steal..." This mitzva details the various penalties inflicted upon the
thief. A thief must restore the stolen article and also pay a fine for
breaking the law.

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                        A WORD FROM THE DIRECTOR
                         Rabbi Shmuel M. Butman
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The days of the Omer in which we now find ourselves, and especially the
33rd day of the Omer - Lag B'Omer - are connected with the great Rabbi
Akiva and his disciples.

Because Rabbi Akiva's disciples were not "respectful" to one another, a
plague broke out and 24,000 of his disciples died. The plague stopped on
Lag B'Omer.

If the students were worthy of being called "disciples of Rabbi Akiva,"
in that they were dedicated to the Torah and mitzvot like their teacher,
how could they have shown a lack of respect for one another?

People have different personalities and approaches in all aspects of
their lives. It follows, then, that each person has his own approach to
serving G-d, studying the Torah and observing mitzvot. Rabbi Akiva's
disciples served G-d with the utmost sincerity and devotion and each one
believed that his particular approach was the correct one. The disciples
were taught by Rabbi Akiva, "You shall love your fellow Jews as
yourself." They therefore considered it their duty to share their
approach with the other disciples. But, since the fellow-students had
their own approach, they were reluctant to follow a different path. This
led to a lessening of respect on the part of the disciples for one
another - totally inappropriate for disciples of Rabbi Akiva.

The story of Rabbi Akiva's disciples and the plague shows us just how
far we must extend respect and "love of a fellow Jew" for our brethren.
This will bring us closer together and ensure eternal happiness and
blessings.


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                          THOUGHTS THAT COUNT
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If you walk in My statutes, and keep My commandments...(Lev. 26:3)

One might think that walking in G-d's statutes refers to the fulfillment
of the commandments. But the verse continues and states, "and keep My
commandments." So, the keeping of the commandments is explicit. How then
can it be explained? According to the Sifra, walking in G-d's statutes
refers to "toiling in the study of the Torah." The above can be
clarified even more according to Chasidic philosophy. Since studying the
Torah is really one of the statutes mentioned in the first part of the
verse, the explanation "toiling in the study of Torah" must have a
unique twist. It teaches us that all of our "toil" everything that we
work at in our lives, must be permeated totally with the teachings and
ethics of the Torah.

                                                 (Shearit Menachem)

                                *  *  *


If you walk in My statutes, and keep My commandments...and you shall eat
your bread with satiety and dwell in safety in your land. And I will
give you peace. (Lev. 26:3-6)

One might say: There is food and there is drink, but if there is no
peace, there is nothing. For this reason, after enumerating all of the
tangible blessings for keeping the commandments, the Torah states "And I
will give peace in the Land." For peace is balanced against everything.

                                                            (Rashi)

                                *  *  *


If you walk in My statutes... (Lev. 23:6)

The Baal Shem Tov explains: If a person gets to a point where his
spiritual service become like a "statute," an unbending decree-and he is
not able to move Then he must walk - he cannot stay in that place. He
must invigorate, renew, add to his spiritual service until he is able to
go forth to a higher level.

                                                   (Keter Shem Tov)

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                            IT ONCE HAPPENED
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As Rachel lay on the coarse pallet of straw which now served as her bed
she thought back to her life before Akiva. She had been a princess or
almost so, the beloved daughter of the wealthy Ben Kalba Savua, and
there was nothing she lacked, not the most beautiful dresses, nor the
finest delicacies. But, she would not exchange her life with Akiva for
even the most precious gem in the world. For her aspirations lay
elsewhere - her husband would one day be a great Torah scholar. It
didn't matter that her father cast her out of their home, or that people
laughed at her and scorned her - she had no doubt that one day Akiva
would be a leader in Israel.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door. Akiva rose to answer and saw on
the threshold a man dressed in tatters. "Please, have pity on us. My
wife has just given birth and I have no bed for her and the baby."
Rachel leapt to her feet, looking helplessly around for something to
give him. Sensing her confusion, he said, "Just a bit of straw would
help a lot." She gathered a large pile of soft straw and handed it to
the grateful man.

"You see, Rachel," whispered her husband, "they are even poorer than we
are, but some day I will buy you a golden tiara engraved with scenes of
Jerusalem, just like your friends wear." She smiled at him, happy with
his loving thoughts.

The days went by and Rachel grew accustomed to her new status. Life was
hard, but her thoughts never dwelt on the present; she waited for her
dream of the future to be realized.

Akiva knew that his work was cut out for him. Forty years old, he was
just now embarking on his education, just now beginning with the Hebrew
alphabet. Was it possible for him to achieve the heights imagined by his
wife? Akiva's thoughts were interrupted by an amazing sight, for there a
bit to the side of the road was a huge rock with a large hole bored
through the center. He stared at it wondering what kind of tool could
have made the hole and for what purpose, when he noticed a small drop of
water hitting the hole and then falling again into the depression. He
watched as the process repeated itself again and again. Then, he
realized that the soft, pure drops had bored the hole in the hard rock.
He had stumbled upon the answer to his unspoken question; if water could
make a hole in solid rock, then surely the holy words of Torah could
work their way into his willing heart, even at the age of forty.

The traits that Rachel had perceived in her shepherd husband matured and
his learning advanced, until he reached the stage where he attracted his
own students. He was actually acquiring fame as a teacher of Torah and a
scholar in his own right. Rachel had encouraged him to go away and
immerse himself in further learning; it was hard to believe that 24 long
years had passed. Akiva the shepherd had become Rabbi Akiva, the teacher
of 24,000 students, the greatest of his generation. And the time had
finally come for his triumphant return to home and his wife.

The huge crowd thronged around Rabbi Akiva and his disciples. Suddenly a
woman emerged from the crowd and reached for the hem of his coat which
she kissed. The students surrounded her and attempted to chase her away,
but their teacher reprimanded them: "She is my wife! Know that what is
mine and what is yours is all hers!"

Also amongst those gathered to welcome the tzadik was Ben Kalba Savua,
the father of Rachel. He had suffered the pangs of regret during the
many years since he had driven his daughter from his home. Now, the
arrival of the tzadik of the generation would give him an opportunity to
learn how to right the terrible wrong he had done her. Rabbi Akiva
graciously admitted the old man into his presence and listened while he
related the story, not knowing that this was his own father-in-law. As
the man's story unfolded, Akiva realized who he was.

"If you had known that the poor, ignorant shepherd would one day become
a great scholar, would you have acted differently?" inquired Rabbi
Akiva.

"I promise you, if I had thought that he would know even one Torah law,
I would have permitted the marriage!"

"Then know, that I am that shepherd, and it is only through the merit of
your daughter that I have achieved this position!"

Rabbi Akiva was able to nullify the vow Ben Kalba Savua rashly made so
many years before. The old man, in his happiness, gave the couple half
of his great wealth.

Their dream realized, Rachel and Akiva felt the old pain of separation
diminish, overwhelmed by the new joy of their reunion. Rabbi Akiva
hadn't forgotten the promise he made many years before - he had achieved
greatness; and in addition to the crown of Torah, Rachel wore a golden
crown of Jerusalem.

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                            MOSHIACH MATTERS
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When it comes to helping another Jew; be it an individual who is needy
in a simple sense and requires charity; or one who is "spiritually
needy," it is impossible to procrastinate. Particularly now, in the last
moments before Moshiach comes, it is impossible to postpone performing
the favor until "the next reincarnation." One must act immediately and
with that act, one may, to quote Maimonides, "tip the balance in one's
own favor and... in the favor of the entire world and bring redemption
and salvation."

                               (The Rebbe, Lag B'Omer, 5746 - 1986)

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              END OF TEXT - L'CHAIM 871 - Bechukosai 5765
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