Vayeitzei
If You’d Cut His Finger . . .
This Shabbat we commemorate the birthday and yahrtzeit of the second Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Dovber, known as the “Mitteler Rebbe.”
One of his distinguishing traits was his ability to elaborate at great lengths on topics of chassidic philosophy. He penned many voluminous manuscripts, and would deliver long talks, with listeners spellbound by his every word.
It was said about him that were his finger to be cut, instead of blood would come a gush of Chassidism. It was the very essence of his being.
At the recent International Conference of Chabad-Lubavitch Emissaries (Kinus Hashluchim), keynote speaker Rabbi Shlomie Chein applied this metaphor in personal terms.
He said that a shliach—an emissary of the Rebbe sent out to rejuvenate and establish Jewish communities around the world—should be the same way. When his finger is cut, his commitment to his mission is what should run forth. His devotion must take over his entire being.
So be sure to take advantage of these dedicated men and women, whose primary goal is to serve the communities they have been sent to in nearly every part of the world.
And if you live somewhere that does not (yet) have a shliach, then we at Chabad.org will gladly serve as your virtual emissary.
Please stay in touch!
Eliezer Zalmanov,
on behalf of the Chabad.org Editorial Team
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Drawing primarily on the teachings of the second, fifth and seventh Rebbes of Chabad, a discussion of the nature and interplay of pleasure and desire casts new light on why our mitzvot are so meaningful before G-d.
I’m a bit of a picky eater. So, I’d like to know: is there a deeper reason for me to be eating this stuff?
She complained last night that I’m not helpful around the house. She claims that yesterday I came home and plonked myself on the couch to relax, leaving her to look after the kids and dinner and everything else. When I pointed out to her that I actually offered to help, she says it wasn’t sincere. I’m at a loss. What more can I do? Is it my fault if she ignores my offer to help?
This woman’s presence just dominates the workplace like an insidious cloud. I literally feel that she is a threat to my emotional and spiritual wellbeing!
Philosophers and mystics are fond of pondering G-d’s oneness, perfectness, goodness, omniscience and amazingness. War, disease, school classrooms and the view from the New Jersey Turnpike get blamed on us.
We are defined for all time as the descendants of Jacob, the children of Israel. Hence the force of the question: Why Jacob?
Sociologists would surely have predicted that Jacob would rear confused children who would grow up with a deep hatred toward the “archaic,” “burdensome” values of their ancestors.
Leah’s soul stemmed from the world of thought; Rachel’s, from the world of speech. Leah was introspective, a master of meditation. Rachel was a communicator, charismatic and appealing.
A condensation of the weekly Torah portion alongside select commentaries culled from the Midrash, Talmud, Chassidic masters, and the broad corpus of Jewish scholarship.
A chassidic businessman came to my grandfather. This was a man who always kept Gates of Light and The Gate of Faith in his breast pocket, and was fluent in both.
Careful note was taken of all written materials, and anything else they considered suspicious. Additional investigators measured the rebbe’s study hall; the astonished chassidim could not figure out what they were trying to find . . .
Although Jessica was clear about the direction she was headed, behind the scenes G‑d was preparing a detour with a totally different destination in mind.
Make sure you don’t tell anyone what’s inside until they cut it open . . .
Family and friends had to physically support an inconsolable young bride-to-be at the funeral of her father and brother. They were slain by terrorists while traveling to attend a pre-wedding celebration with her future husband.
The French Jewish community must go about their work and lives with confidence in G-d.
Plane makes an emergency landing, and emissaries make an emergency delivery.
A Sunday program prepares girls for bat mitzvah, imparting history, life lessons and self-confidence.
Yesterday, you were inspired.
Today, that is all gone.
And so, you are depressed.
But this is the way the system works: Everything begins with inspiration.
Then the inspiration steps aside
—to make room for you to do something with it.
For fire to become deeds.
Because inspiration without action is like a flame wit...
