Thursday April 5th

Bedikas Chometz: After 8:00PM

*Eruv Tavshilin

Friday April 6th

Eat Chometz Until: 10:48AM

Burn Chometz: 11:52AM

Midday: 12:54PM

Mitteler Rebbe 

Tuesday, Decemeber 6, 2011

@ Bais Bezalel 8850 Pico. Blvd.

L’Chaim and Farbeisen will be served

$5 donation requested

Vayeira

Lessons From Akeidas Yitzchok           

Rabbi Y. Rimler

 And G-d tested Abraham and said to him: Take your only son whom you love, Isaac, and  bring him up there as an offering upon one of the mountains which I shall tell you.                                         (Beraishis 22:1,2)

Jews are unique.  Ask any Jew why Jews always answer a question with a question.    He’ll say: “ Is there a better way?”  A troubled mother says to her son, “How come you don’t inquire about me?”   When he responds,” So how are things, ma,” she answers, “Don’t ask!”   A man tells his doctor he has a serious problem and no one takes him seriously anymore, the doc says, “You must be kidding!”   Ask a Jew if he stole, and he’ll say, “Why steal?”  Ask him if he works, and he’ll say, “Who works today?”  Ask a Schnorrer if he pays taxes and he’ll answer, “No, I am not from Texas, I am from Yerushlayim!!”

If Jews are at times difficult to comprehend, then G-d surely is beyond our comprehension.  No story is more puzzling and incomprehensible as the story of the Akeidah – Abraham being asked to sacrifice his beloved son.

Of all the various explanations of the Akeidah, the most common and probably the most plausible explanation is that G-d was teaching Abraham what would be later be used as a model for in Torah for all of us:  If we are to understand the meaning of worshiping the one G-d and the rejection of idolatry –  then G-d must be the absolute epicenter of one’s existence.  Any cause – regardless of how noble – is doomed to fail if it is not divinely ordained and guided.  G-d basically tells Abraham that although Isaac was the key to building the Jewish Nation, Abraham must relinquish all if he was prepared to have a relationship with G-d.

At some point in life, all of us will have to make this choice.  No matter how clever we are, somewhere down the line we will have to realize that G-d is really in control and if we want to get anywhere, we must surrender to His ultimate will and destiny for us.

With all the drama it entails, the Akeidah is a guide for us in life.  Perhaps we can take a closer look and find some important basic tips the Akeidah teaches us about our relationship with G-d and gives us a perspective on life:

1)      Take your only son that you love …. Listen carefully; don’t assume you understand what G-d wants until you hear all the details of the instructions.

2)      And Abraham arose early…. Not all jobs are so exciting to wake up for, but we must demonstrate eagerness, even for difficult tasks.

3)      And Abraham saw the place from afar…. In life, you must have a distant vision, although you do not yet see how this will unfold.

4)      Isaac asked, where is the lamb for a sacrifice?  Abraham answered G-d will see to the lamb, and they walked in unison.  …. You cannot always fully explain everything to your son, but you must provide enough information that will inspire him to go with you on your mission and destiny.

5)      An angel called to Abraham and said:  Do not stretch out your hand to the lad or do anything to him…  Initially it was a direct command from G-d. It is common for us to assume that great heroic acts are directed to us from G-d, but so in fact are also the ordinary which doesn’t have the luster of great heroism.

6)      Abraham raised his eyes and saw a ram caught in the thicket by his horns , and offered it as an offering instead of his son…. The greatest sacrifice is to take something ordinary and make it equally prominent to a heroic act of supreme calling.

7)      And Abraham returned to his young men and they stood up and went to Beer Sheba, And Abraham stayed at Beer Sheba….. Remember that after all is said and done – even in the aftermath of something spectacular –  all life will return to normal and people will go on their ways.

The   Talmud teaches: (Berachos 17a:) We all have different tasks and jobs in life.  Your work cannot be done by others, nor can others do your work.  Do not say that another’s job is more worthy than yours is, he does not interfere with you, and you cannot interfere with him.  One can do more, another less, as long as both are intended for G-d’s sake.   The Akiedah is about one charged with a great task, yet a lesson in practical Halacha is learned from Abraham -  he arose early in the morning – One should always do a Mitzvah as early in the day as possible and not delay.   We are all little Abrahams, charged daily with our own supreme sacrifices…. And as we read the Akiedah every day, we are inspired and invigorated to overcome our own little Akiedah…..

We are the realization of Abraham…. of his sacrifice… of Isaac’s … of Jacob’…of Moses.. Of Isaiah and Jeremiah… of David and Solomon .. of Rabbi Akiba, Rashi and the Rambam…. of sacrifices made throughout history by our people… through the ages up to the Holocaust.  Each time it seemed all was over, but we arose again and again… to rebuild and continue.  And each time we hear the voice from heaven say to Abraham, “Because you were able to do this and overcome, you will be sustained for eternity, and I will bless you and your children as the stars in the heaven and the sand on the seashore.”  Because only we will carry the torch and do whatever it takes, bringing heaven and earth together to fulfill the promise and destiny G-d ordained for us as His beloved nation His beloved children….   

                                                                                                                 Shabbat Shalom

“Behold! To bless have I received – He has blessed, and I shall not contradict it. He perceived no iniquity in Jacob, and saw no perversity in Israel. G-D his G-d is with him, and the friendship of the king is in him.”

These immortal words-transmitted through the vile mouth of Bilam-describe the inner character of the Jewish people that has been expressed time and again throughout Jewish history. Even when it seems that we are far from the accolades G-d has given us, in times of crisis we rise to the occasion. In particular, there are certain individual leaders who personify these lofty ideals that Bilam extols and seek to cultivate and reveal these traits in others.

One such leader-whose life was devoted to actualizing the good in every one-was the Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe of sainted memory-Rabbi Joseph Isaac Schneerson.

Chassidim throughout the world are celebrating the 84th anniversary of the release of the previous Lubavitcher Rebbe from Soviet imprisonment and the commuted death sentence, which occurred on the 12th and 13th of the Hebrew month of Tammuz.

Tammuz, historically, is known as a sad month because of the breaching of the walls of Jerusalem by the Romans that led to the destruction of the Holy temple and the subsequent exile of the Jewish people. However, in the spirit of Bilam’s curses turning into blessings by G-d, this month has been transformed into a month of joy by virtue of this miraculous release of the Rebbe in 1927.

The Rebbe was accused of counterrevolutionary activity by the Communists because he publicly defied the regime’s ban against Jewish education. Although the Rebbe established a network of clandestine schools for older students, classes for adults, synagogues, Mikvas and other Jewish institutions, the Rebbe put special emphasis on the education of children and established hundreds of underground schools that produced thousands of students whose knowledge of and allegiance to Judaism saved a generation of Jews.

The Rebbe’s release from prison was therefore more than just a victory for him personally and for the tens of thousands of his followers. It was a victory for the entire Jewish people. The Rebbe was arguably the only individual-who was viewed by the wicked, murderous Soviet regime as a major threat to their system-who did not bow to them, triumphed and survived to tell the story. Moreover, as a result of his efforts there are now hundreds of thousands of Jews who proudly identify themselves as Jews and who are carrying on the Jewish tradition, while the Soviet regime was relegated to the ash heap of history.

The Previous Rebbe did not rest on his laurels. Even after he was liberated from the Soviet Union he continued to have extensive secret contact with his followers in Russia who continued to spread Judaism at great peril to their lives. 

In addition to the continuation of those efforts, he established a network of Jewish Schools in Poland attracting thousands of the best and brightest of Polish Jewry. Those who survived the Holocaust became the nucleus of many of the world’s leading Jewish educational institutions throughout the world.

However, the crown achievement of the Previous Rebbe after he had miraculously escaped Nazi occupied Poland was, arguably, the rejuvenation of Jewish life in America. His clarion call to American Jewry was, “America is no different,” meaning that America was ripe for Torah true Judaism. There was no reason why the “old fashioned,” pure and unadulterated Judaism could not be transported to, take root and blossom in this hemisphere.

And while the Rebbe was physically disabled, paralyzed, confined to a wheel chair,

stricken with a host of illnesses, and broken and shattered from the horrendous reports of the Holocaust that were emerging, including the loss of his daughter, her family and thousands of his closest relatives, friends, disciples and followers, he was nevertheless undaunted by all of the obstacles in the pursuit of American Jewry’s future. His life was dedicated to transforming the negativity of “Tammuz” into a positive force.

True to his obsession with Jewish education for children, he then proceeded to lay the foundation for the Jewish Day School movement, establishing, in the early forties, dozens of Day Schools, among dozens of other projects intended to bolster Jewish morale and identification in this country.

Through his influence and that of his successor-the Rebbe-millions of Jews throughout the world have been exposed to their heritage in one form or another.

And parenthetically, it is incredible that the Previous Rebbe-as well as the Rebbe,-in addition to their leadership of the Jewish people in all matters, have produced an unprecedented amount of scholarly literature as well as voluminous correspondence with tens of thousands of Jews. It is estimated that the Previous Rebbe and the Rebbe each have penned around one hundred thousand letters, as well as several hundred volumes of scholarly works between them!

To summarize the previous Rebbe’s life: It was one saga of total dedication and self-sacrifice for the Jewish people’s physical and spiritual well-being. Nothing could stop him from forging ahead to reveal the beauty of each Jewish soul and of Judaism.

Both the Previous Rebbe and the Rebbe have also understood our role as links in a chain that leads inexorably to the ultimate Redemption. Our task is to look out for the well being of our brothers and sisters-even as we educate ourselves-affording them an opportunity to know who they are as Jews and to empower them to bring the world to its state of perfection-the ultimate Messianic Age, when darkness will be transformed into light and the month of Tammuz will be fully appreciated as a month of exclusive joy.