Chabad Chassidus explains the commandment to love to mean  that we must do all that is possible to awaken, evoke and generate this love of G-d. As Maimonides writes, the more we know about G-d, the easier it is for us to love Him. The more we learn, become sensitive to and aware of, the more meaningful and beloved it all becomes. So the commandment is that we think more about G-d, so that we will come to love Him.

But the verse doesn't end there. The Shema continues with a series of practical everyday Mitzvot: Speak of G-d's Torah when you travel and at home, bind these words on your arm (Tefillin) and place them at your doorposts (Mezuzah)... Love doesn't belong holed up inside the heart. Love is meant to be expressed in our everyday lives - in action.
 

Today we do the ring ceremony known as Kiddushin or Arusin (Halachic engagement) under the Chuppah, whereas years back it was done a year prior to the wedding. Talmudically, if G-d forbid a Halachic engagement would not work out, a divorce would be necessary.

The Talmud uses this definition to separate engagement and marriage. Engagement rules everyone else out. Marriage makes the couple one.

The Three Weeks in the summertime commemorate period in Jewish history between the break-through of Jerusalem's walls by the enemy on the 17th of Tammuz and the fall of the Temple on the 9th of Av. It's a time we think about walls. Walls do not create intimacy, but they keep out the elements. They create the private space where intimacy can later blossom.

There's a story in the late Jonathan O'Brien's book "An Examined Life is a Life Worth Living" titled "Fistuali Anali" that I wrote up on the first T.O. for Torah Pages on this site.  It fits this theme perfectly.
 

"The years of toil have nurtured a deep-seated appreciation and close identification with the saying of R' Shimshon Ostropolier: 'Praiseworthy is isolation with people and solitude in the midst of one's fellows.' When one follows this path, and is steeped in the intellectual and personal development of Chassidism, one realizes the intention that the Alter Rebbe and all succeeding Rebbes had in mind, one realizes the destiny that Chassidus ought to fulfill, both in the individual and in the whole community of Israel."

Without getting into the fascinating and enriching depth of this saying, and the power of the Previous Rebbe's description of it, here's one aspect as it relates to a Sheva Brachos:

Sheva Brachos is a week of celebration with a meal each day/night in a different home, restaurant or synagogue, surrounded by new circles of friends and family. It's interesting to contrast this traditional way of celebrating the first week of marriage with the contemporary getaway honeymoon. The Sheva Brachos week following the wedding is a very private and personal time for the new couple, yet the Sheva Brachos celebrations are anything but private, often times the chassan and kallah end up sitting with people they never met before! So at this very private and personal time just after their marriage, Jewish tradition insists that they participate and celebrate with family and community, and only later on go off and do their own thing.

Judaism balances individual and community, at times emphasizing one, and then the other, but always blending one's personal needs and fulfillment and that of the greater community.

by Mushky Rubin
at her 10th Birthday

(1) A Pasuk (verse) compares the Jewish People to "Eretz Chaifetz" a land of desire. The Baal Shem Tov explains that just as with physical land - on the surface all you see is grass, rocks and dirt, but gardeners, geologists and other experts know about the many treasures hidden within the earth - the power to grow things, important nutrients and minerals, even gold and silver are found within the earth. It's the same with the Jewish People, there are so many treasures and good qualities hidden within each person, but you don't always see them up front on the surface.

(2) Once a poor man dreamed of a magnificent treasure buried underneath the royal bridge in the capital city. At first he dismissed it, but the dream came back a few times, so he set out for the capital. He found the bridge allright, but couldn't figure out how to dig underneath it without arousing the suspicions of the patrolling royal guards. Each day he came back, first in the morning and then at night, but there was no way he could dig there. The patrols became suspicious of this stranger constantly wandering around the bridge, so they confronted him. He didn't know what to say, so he just told them the truth. The guards laughed. One guard told the poor Jew of a dream he had about a treasure buried underneath the oven in a poor house at the edge of a small town - and he described the town and the house. The guard laughed and said a dream is a dream, and leave it at that. But, the Jew could not believe it. That was his own house. He rushed home, dug beneath the oven and sure enough found his treasure.

Sometimes we search all over, travel great distances and it turns out that the treasure is right in our own backyard. It's inside ourselves!

3) My (Mushky) Hebrew birthday is on the 25th of Nissan. The Rebbe wrote a calendar in 1943

4) In Hayom Yom it says “Why are you baking bread if you can work with diamonds?”
This is like a mashal to teach us that we should use our talents as much as we can. Hashem gives us talents that are our Treasures so we should use them in the best possible way.

 

Speed is becoming more and more important in today's world as well. Higher internet speeds allow for better access to information and content downloads, less lag-time in factory production makes for great efficiency, and shorter lines make for happier costumers.

But along with speed, we have to grow capacity. Computer-wise, we have to have the network capability and computer ability to absorb it. Industry-wise, all systems have to be built to accommodate the increased productivity speed, otherwise it will be bottleneck further down the chain and be counter-productive. Speed is only beneficial with appropriate capacity.

Which brings us to another (subtle) difference between Matzah and bread. Bread rises, puffing up with self-importance, ego and arrogance. Matzah is flat which represents humility, trust and acceptance.

With computers and industry, capacity-building means making more room, more systems and more ability. Interestingly enough, it's the reverse with relationships (be it with fellow people or with G-d). The less self - the better. It's the selfless Matzah-qualities which are critical in capacity building in meaningful relationships.
 

Rabbi Israel Rubin (Mendel's father) says this sounds very much like a Matzah Bakery in Brooklyn. They, too, go to great lengths to ensure there are no traces of leaven, and they bake round (handmade Matzah is round) thin wafers - which hold thousands of years of memory!

Eating Matzah is eating virtual Jewish memory! And its critical for our Jewish survival.

There's hard-storage memory and RAM memory. The former is memories that are like history, documents to save as a record. But RAM memory is what enables computer programs to function, it allocates resources and information to perform everything a computer needs to do right now.

The same with our Judaism. Eating Matzah expands the slots in our J-RAM memory.
 

by Rabbi Levi Kaplan
ILTSP Director

Officially Rabbis in Gruzia had to register with the KGB office (secret police) but for whatever reason Rabbi Sassonkin did not - he served unofficially. The synagogue was adjacent to a large factory which employed many Jews. One day a young man arrived in town, got a job in the factory and came on and off to the synagogue. This went on for a few months.

One morning Rabbi Sassonkin walked towards the synagogue and he came across this young man talking earnestly with a woman. When the Rabbi approached, the young man excitedly called out to him introducing him to his fiance. And he proceeded to talk to the Rabbi about details of the wedding they planned for the very near future and that he expected the Rabbi to officiate.

The Rabbi said he could not officiate on such short notice, as he needed to do the necessary background checks to ascertain the Jewish identity of both bride and groom and other related issues. The young man was outraged. Doesn't the Rabbi seem him attend this very synagogue? What else is there to know? But the Rabbi stood his ground.

Then the Rabbi went to the house of the Sephardic Chacham and later to the Shochet of the town, and asked both of them to refuse to marry this couple without proper investigation.

This became the talk of the congregation with many congregants choosing the side of the young man. Why was the Rabbi so obstinate? Why not rejoice and bless the happiness of this couple? The Rabbi had a hard Shabbos that week in the synagogue.

A meeting was called for Saturday Night in the synagogue, and the supporters of the young man called the manager of the factory to testify to the identity and character of his employee. Many people came, and they all spoke harshly to the Rabbi, who would not yield.

Realizing they would accomplish nothing, most people filtered out. The Rabbi was left talking with one person, and the factory manager. When he was finally alone with the Rabbi, the factory manager confided to the Rabbi that he knew that this young man was already married and left his wife and three children in a far-off city - unaware of his whereabouts. He didn't want to start up with his workers, but he wanted the Rabbi to know this information.

The Rabbi immediately wrote a letter to the Rabbi of that city, and soon after received a response confirming the factory manager's report. Word got out in the town that this young man wasn't all he presented himself to be, and people were angry with his leaving a family behind. The whole incident became the talk of town.

Then the Rabbi got a call to come down to the KGB office. The bureau chief wanted to speak with him. In deepest privacy he confided that he was Jewish, and his elderly mother was living with him. She absolutely insisted on Matzah for Passover, and now that he hears there is a Rabbi in town who sticks to his guns and stands up for what he believes in - he'd like to have some Matzah arranged for his mother.
 

by Rabbi Levy Kaplan
director of ILTSP

The wagons designed to transport the beams had no floor, only support crossbeams. And they were built to the exact width necessary. The Talmud has a long discussion about the contents of the Ark (both sets of Luchos, a small Torah etc) and there was no empty space within, all the volume is accounted for. And so it is with all the Mishkan components.

This a profound personal lesson. We are given so many capabilities, opportunities, strengths and gifts. Do we utilize them to their utmost? Do we make the most of them? How much empty space is left?

Same with our time! True - we have obligations and responsibilities. But then there is so much unstructured free time. What do we do with it? Do we make each moment matter? Do we fill it up?

There's a story told about the Chafetz Chaim, a famous pre-Holocaust Rabbi who wrote an important work of Jewish Law, and is especially renown for his work in raising the awareness about negative speech and the harm it creates.

At any rate, once he visited someone's home on Friday Night, and upon returning from synagogue that evening, the host was upset to find the Challah bread uncovered. He was ashamed that so learned a scholar as the Chafetz Chaim would think that he didn't know the basic law of covering the bread, so he loudly blamed his wife for the mishap.

The Chafetz Chaim asked the man for the reason we cover the Challah. The man explained that it was to avoid shaming the bread by first making the blessing over the wine. And then he realized the Chafetz Chaim's message. Better shame the bread than shame your wife!

Now, does bread have shame altogether? Of course not! But the Torah uses this custom as an opportunity to educate and train us, to inculcate the sensitivity and concern in us. It makes us different and better people.

So, too, it is with the exactness of the Mishkan. This helps us with our own personal fulfillment. We ought to fill ourselves, and utilize our potential and maximize our time - by learning from the Mishkan.
 

by Ilana Nathan

This is an important lesson for all of us, especially those in a position of leadership. We may have good reasons for the things we do, but if they give off a negative impression - we're doing Judaism an injustice. Perception is reality for many people, and we have to be aware of that.
 

by Raizy Rubin

This weekend Hillel hosts the Semi-Formal event. Why Semi? Maybe it's the same message. Each participant brings something, and all together it's everyone which makes the event special.
 

At a farbrengen celebrating the Lubavitcher Rebbe's 80th birthday, Rabbi Solveitchik attended for over an hour, though originally he intended just to come in and wish Mazal Tov, as he had other appointments the same evening. His driver, his student, was surprised that his teacher overstayed his intended time. After all, his teacher was punctual and meticulous with time. What made his overstay?

Rabbi Solveitchik explained using the background of Moshe's 2 sets of 40 days on Mount Sinai in Parshas Ki Sisa. The first time Moshe came down from Mt Sinai he was like a Rosh Yeshiva, scholarly and knowledgeable, having studied all of Torah with the best possible teacher of all. But then he spent the next 40 days on the mountain pleading with G-d on behalf of the Jewish people. He advocated on behalf of sinners and sought the welfare of the Jewish people. Then he came down as a Rebbe.

I knew the Rebbe in Berlin, explained Rabbi Solveitchik. We were both studying there and I knew the Rebbe to be learned and scholarly. Then he was like Moshe's first descent - as a Rosh Yeshiva. This time I heard him speak in defense of the Jewish People, advocating on their behalf and seeking their welfare. This time the Rebbe, like Moshe, changed. Now he was a Rebbe, and I had to stay on to witness this.
 

The story below is appropriate for the Shabbat before Purim, especially as we are celebrating with an Italian Shabbat theme.

Among local Purims is the Purim of Fossano, a town in Northern Italy at the foothills of the Alps. In 1798 it was the scene of fighting between France and Italy. Napoleon Bonaparte was a 27-year old general who had just been appointed Commander-in-Chief of the French forces in Italy.

Just before Passover, the French laid siege to the town of Fossano, and began a bombardment of the town.

Two things (in addition to their general dislike of Jews) made the non-Jewish populace suspicious that the Jewish community was in cahoots with the French and sending signals to the enemy troops.

(1) While the city was fighting for its life, all the Jews dressed up in finery and held long festive meals in their homes. Why? It was Passover and they were celebrating the Seders. Their neighbors thought they were celebrating the siege and the hope for French victory.

(2) The French bombardment was relentless. The canons were booming at all hours. But somehow not a single bomb fell in the Jewish quarter. Evidence of collaboration and treason!

Sensing the dangerous situation the Jewish community asked the city elders for protection. But they were occupied with the defense of the city and couldn’t spare any soldiers.

Rumors flew and anger mounted. An armed mob gathered and began hacking its way through the ghetto, pillaging what they could. They thirsted for blood, and advanced to the synagogue where the Jews were gathered. They reached the synagogue and rushed up the steps. A few broke into the vestibule.

Suddenly a bomb, fired at random from a French cannon, burst through the wall of the synagogue and landed in the vestibule. Terrified, the attackers beat a hasty retreat. Many of them threw away their spoils, as they ran for their lives, crazed with fear.

As it happened, the bomb that fell in the vestibule did not do much damage, as if its only purpose was to frighten away the attackers and save the Jews.

The elders of the Jewish community decreed that the 2nd day of the intermediate days of Passover should be observed every year by the Jews of Fossano as a day of celebration for the wonderful miracle of the bomb.

It was also decided that the gaping hole, which the shell made as it crashed through the wall, should not be closed up. Instead, it was made a window, around which a golden inscription in Hebrew proclaimed it as evidence of the miracle of the bomb.

This might not be the main point of the story, but it occurred to me that the miracle happened in the vestibule - which neither here or there. It's the transition point between the outside world and the holiness of the synagogue sanctuary. Much of our lives we're "living in vestibules" in transition, in between points, enroute. You can even say that the four year college experience is a vestibule.

People tend to play down life's vestibules. Too much change happening to make long-term decisions, they say. It's too chaotic and unsettled a time to think long-term. It's not the "real-place" where we have to be what we really want for ourselves.

The message here is that the miracle happened right there in the vestibule. And the Fossano Jewish community recognized the importance of the vestibule, framing the bomb's hole into a window of memory. Let us not delude ourselves into thinking that spiritual opportunity is only available in the sanctuaries of our lives, let's try to make our vestibules holy places, too.

Rabbi Moshe Zalman Feiglin, director of the ALIYA Program in Crown Heights

Her husband Elchanan was arrested by the Soviets for his 'treasonous' Jewish underground activity. (He was killed shortly afterward). As he was being led away he told his wife that he left 10 rubles at home to be given to a neighbor who lived alone and needed assistance.

Later she sat down with her children and presented this dilemma. Should she obey her husband's last wishes and give away the 10 rubles, or should they keep it for themselves since they were left with nothing and simply needed to survive. The kids decided that the neighbor should get it, since they had each other and would be able to make-do.

So she took the 10 rubles and brought it over to the neighbor's house. One the way back she found 100 rubles lying on the ground! She used some of it for basic needs, then bought extras which the family sold at a profit, and was the beginnings of a business they used to support themselves.

After I told this story, one guy countered, "Well, she would have had 110 rubles if she kept the 10 for herself!" We had a little discussion back and forth.

Then on Sunday I went to a Crown Heights Shul and wanted to give charity before prayer. Usually I give 50 cents or a dollar, but all I had was a ten dollar bill. First I thought of getting change, but somehow I felt in a giving mood and popped the ten right into the Pushka. Just after that someone came over to me and gave me $120 for our Aliyah Program.

It's amazing how this happened - the day after we had that Shabbos table conversation about Maryashe's $10 gift which became $100.
 

Raizy Rubin

A year later he was again by the Rebbe, and they spoke on a variety of issues concerning Jewish life in Australia. The Rebbe kept coming back to the women's seminar topic, but Gutnick kept avoiding it. Finally he told the Rebbe that he was disappointed that after all that work, only one woman came.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe asked, "And how many mothers did Moses have?"

Also living in Tashkent at the time was a renowned expert on earthquake engineering and architecture Dr. Grossman. He was Jewish, but non-observant. His mother raised him with a quiet respect for religious life, he even attended several funerals to make the minyan for Kaddish, she gave charity to religious efforts, but living religiously under the Soviets was extremely difficult, nearly impossible.

Once, after being sworn to secrecy, he was asked to join the "underground" celebration of a religious wedding. Few were in attendance, everything was hushed, the men and women sat separately. Someone pointed out to him a young man sitting next to the Rabbi, "he's studying mathematics, and he's religious." It piqued Grossman's curiosity, after all not many young people were religious altogether, especially among those in college for advanced mathematics. He went over to the young man a few times during the wedding, but the young man didn't take note and he couldn't get conversation going.

But Grossman remembered that face, it made an impression on him. A few years later this young man was hired to do mathematical work in Grossman's office of Earthquake studies. Grossman remembered him, but the young man did not know Grossman. The young man was Ruvain Galperin. Grossman knew Ruvain was religious and deeply respected that, but Galperin was unaware, since he did not remember him from the clandestine wedding a few years back.

Grossman was interested in the Yiddishkeit aspect. He tried speaking to Galperin in Yiddish, but Galperin responded in Russian as if he didn't speak Yiddish. He mentioned key holiday words to Galperin in private, but Galperin showed no recognition. He once even asked Galperin if he was religious but Galperin responded that he was not. So Grossman resigned himself to realizing that Galperin would not let on anything about his religious identity - and left it at that.

But Grossman cared about Galperin, and in a quiet way did everything possible to make sure he would be left alone without hindrance. Little things like office-lunches and early Fridays could trip a guy up in Soviet Russia, but Grossman helped arrange things to avoid such pitfalls. One way Ruvain dealt with holidays and the occasional Shabbos needed for work was he would rent time at the city computer (back in the day when it was a giant mainframe) and pretend he was out working there at the time, and find some other time to get it done. This fake scheduling was easily realized by Grossman who was in charge of the office, but he let it slide. Sometimes when the computer trick wouldn't work, Galperin would walk to work on Shabbos or Holidays and spend the afternoon in the library reading up on texts.

This went on for six years!

Towards the end of the six years, Uncle Ruvain and his wife applied for exit visas to Israel. Often that meant you automatically lost your job. But Grossman kept him on, and being a respected expert, no one bothered Grossman. They applied for visas, were denied, applied again, and then needed three recommendation letters. Grossman wrote the first, which enabled the second and then the third. And Grossman spoke highly of Galperin's character, but also cleverly wrote that other people in the office are slowly assuming Galperin's responsibilities so his loss would not be missed. Galperin got the visa and moved to Israel in 1972. On his last day at work, Grossman asked him, "So tell me, are you religious?" Galperin smiled and no longer denied it. But he was curious how Grossman knew. So Grossman told him about that clandestine religious wedding he attended years back.

Years passed and then the Russian emigration to Israel began in the 1990's. Galperin volunteered to speak to immigrants at the absorption centers. Once a person comes over to him and says you don't look familiar but I remember your voice from an office I worked at in Russia. Turns out they worked at the same Earthquake research office, and this person reintroduced Galperin and Grossman who now also lived in Israel. Small world!
 

Judaism-wise - its better to be on the offensive, a better stance, better positioning. But we can not neglect our defensive strategy. Jewish identity needs to be preserved, Jewish observance needs to be protected from everything that comes at it. Many Rabbinical enactments are designed to do just that, protect Torah law and Jewish commitment from external (and internal) elements and forces.

by Mayer Rivkin
NY-Miami Real Estate Developer and Niggun Chassidic Melody Maven

BIRDS: The Maharal of Prague publicized an old custom of putting out grain for birds on this Shabbos in appreciation for their eating up the leftover Manna which unscrupulous individuals wanted to use against Moses. And the birds chirped along as the Jews crossed the Sea, both in this week's Torah portion.

MUSIC: This weekend is called Shabbos Shira - the Shabbos of Song, recalling the song at the Sea. It is an especially opportune time to sing Jewish songs, melodies, which is why we have a special Niggun focus this weekend here at Shabbos House - Chabad.

WOMEN: The men were led by Moses in singing the song of the Sea. But the women, led by Miriam, sang a song accompanied by tambourines! Where did they get musical instruments? The Medrash explains that despite the great hardships and slavery in Egypt the women retained the strongest faith in their eventual redemption and therefore prepared tambourines for the celebration they knew was coming.

TREES: In addition to Shabbos Shira, tonight is also Tu Bishvat - the Jewish New Year for Trees. For the trees it symbolizes their time of renewal and rebirth, preparing for spring, and for people it represents the celebration of growth - spiritual growth.
 

Mayer is a respected real-estate developer in NY and Miami who has built many Brooklyn homes and schools as well as condos and other properties. He is also a Niggun Maven, a singer and connoisseur of Chassidic Melodies and their background and meaning.

How can we tie this all together?

Any builder worth his salt knows the importance of a foundation, and the careful structuring of one floor above another with appropriate stress-levels and strengths. There's a precise science into preparing one level to receive another above it.

Tree-roots are like building foundations, hidden from sight, hardly pretty, but critical to the entire structure above ground. And trees are all about growth, layer upon layer, limb to limb.

Niggun is much the same. Chassidic melodies are actually complex structures, layers upon layers, questions and answers, yearning and reaching, of spiritual growth and development. Understanding a Niggun is understanding the complex and meaningful structure of personal and spiritual growth with life's up and downs, strengths and weaknesses.

Like Trees and like Buildings.

by Adam Kofinas

Here's how I think of it. You have to have faith. Sometimes you can't imagine how it will work out, how things will fall into place, but they will.

by Ilana Nathan

These are symptoms of people who live in "darkness". It's hard to see other people in that state, and it also stagnates any spiritual growth. You can't move - you can't get up.

by John Dickens

7 represents the natural order, which is why the world was created in 7 days including Shabbat. Perhaps the first 7 plagues could have more natural connections and explanations, than the last 3.  And about 3 - one of the scrolls inside Tefillin come from Parshat Bo. Head-Tefillin feature a prominent 3-pronged shin on the boxes, perhaps the final 3 plagues in Bo have something to do with it.
 

by Zohar Kastner

I was telling this to Mendel and he showed me a commentary included in Raizy's "Parsha and a Prayer" that vindicates me and supports my unusual Cholent aroma interest.

Regarding the Paschal Lamb the Torah cautions us to roast it fully, it has to be well-done. Rare won't do. Is the Torah mixing into our eating preferences? Is there anything wrong with rare-done meat otherwise?

Rabbi Moshe Bogomilsky in his "Vdibarta Bam" explains that the longer food roasts, the stronger the aroma. The Paschal Lamb was a family affair, with everyone gathered at home. You could not go back and forth between houses, or hang out outside, everyone had to be home. A well-done Paschal Lamb created the atmosphere - say you feel when you come in from a bitterly cold evening, and the house is filled with the warming aroma of a hot boiling on the stove-top...
 

One night this week two students came over, one came at 6pm and left at 9pm, the other came over at 10pm and left at 1am. Both were weighed down by personal issues and dilemmas. Both, for very different reasons, felt trapped in their situation, unfulfilled in their circumstances.

This week we read about the Exodus of Egypt. Tanya and other Chassidic teachings emphasize that this is not only an historical event but it is an empowering one, giving us modern-day opportunities to rise above our constraints, see beyond the limited horizon, get out of that which shackles us.

Sometime we can change our situation, sometimes we can't. But either way we can have a personal Exodus, a way out of the trapped feeling, though often it is not easy at all.
 

By Craig Messer

This husband thought he should be stubborn and stand his ground, assert himself - but in this context he shot himself in the foot, and his stubbornness only hurt him more. No doubt, there's a time and place to be stubborn and assertive. As a people, our stubbornness has preserved us despite being a persecuted minority. But many a time in relationships being stubborn doesn't help much.

Pharaoh is a great example. He may have thought his stubborn obstinacy would protect Egypt's interests. But it only hurt Egypt. Ten plagues is a lot for one country. Two Rashi's in this Parsha (Vaera) highlight that flexibility is not only good for others, but it actually benefits the person his/herself.

1) When Pharaoh had enough of the hailstorm, he told Moses he would let the Jews go. So Moses stopped the hail (and Pharaoh said he was just kidding) but the damage to some crops was already done. Other crops were not affected. Why weren't they affected? Rashi explains that their stalks were soft and flexible so the hail didn't destroy them. The rigid strong stalks were damaged. This brings to mind the Talmudic dictum: "A person ought to be flexible like a reed and not firm like a cedar."

2) At the start of the Parsha (Va'era) G-d commands Moshe and Aharon "to the children of Israel and to Pharaoh King of Egypt" without any specific directive. Then the narrative breaks for the geneology of Moshe and Aharon, and returns with the specific directive. So what was intended with the original message "commanding Moshe and Aharon to the Children of Israel"? Rashi explains: G-d commanded Moshe and Aharon to "lead them gently and be patient with them." Pressure and pushiness isn't the positive, effective leadership model.
 

But as the month wore on, with no sign of snow, you kind of miss the winter. True, for some people - winter days bring on SAD, older folks get cabin-fever, but there are many hidden, unsung blessings and benefits in the winter season.

The rush of cold air forces us to put up resistance, to increase vigor. It does not allow us to relax and remain complacent. A steaming cup of hot tea or a cackling fireplace is best appreciated with wind howling at the frosted windowpanes, their warmth combating the draft. Tonight, we put out marshmallows on each table. They're sweet and soft. But these same marshmallows taste altogether different when they are toasted, crunchy, and hot - on a cold, wintry night. Winter demands of us to do something to warm-up, it brings out vigor within us. It turns complacency into effort.

It is the same with our Judaism. Jewish at Albany is a winterized Judaism. If we want it to last, it forces us to bundle-up with layered Jewish experiences, huddle with fellow Jews on Shabbos, and fire-up on inspiration and meaning. And not only do we bundle-up the warmth for ourselves, but sharing it with others, makes it warmer for all of us.
 

by Shachar Luz

Literally that means, instead of continuing along his way, Moshe turned aside to take a closer look. Rashi comments: "Turn aside means let me leave here and go closer to there." Thanks Rashi, but isn't that obvious? What is Rashi trying to tell us here?

When the first Rebbe of Chabad, Rabbi Schneor Zalman of Liadi came on his first visit to his Rebbe, Dov Ber the Mezritcher Maggid, this was the teaching he heard. The Maggid was explaining this seemingly obvious Rashi to mean something far more meaningful.

In the vegetative world, bushes don't rank up there with mighty oaks, redwoods or with fruit-bearing trees. Especially in the light of some commentaries saying this bush was a thorn-bush, not a pretty fragrant rose-bush or a delightful berry-bush. Just a lowly thornbush. The Maggid explained, the thornbush is symbolic of Jews without towering accomplishments, without an abundance of knowledge or richness of thoughtful deeds.

The fire is symbolic of passionate fiery love of G-d. Usually such a passionate fire is consumed, expressed or diffused in daily study, meaningful prayer, acts of kindness. But a fire which is not consumed refers to such an intense and fiery love, a thirst which can not be quenched, a hunger that can not be satisfied.

One would think that such a fiery love for G-d is found only among the very righteous, or those steeped in mystical wisdom. That's what the righteous Moshe thought. He was surprised to see this level of love found among simple Jews. So he said, as Rashi points out, "I have to leave where I am - my level of righteousness - and go over there - to become closer to the common Jew, to better understand and realize this." You can't understand people without getting into "their shoes," without being in their place and situation.

This revelation was important to Moshe, who was to become the leader of Israel, and indeed, the prototype for future Jewish leaders. A Jewish leader must recognize that lofty spiritual heights are possible even among regular Jews. And a Jewish leader must realize that in order to appreciate and value the contributions of every Jew, one must go closer to them, be in their place.
 

The Rebbe explains that Jewish disunity was at the heart of the destruction. The siege surrounding Jerusalem was a blessing in disguise, a hidden opportunity for Jews to realize their need to join against a common enemy and to unite with each other. Unfortunately, this opportunity was never realized. (By the way, this is typical of the Rebbe to find blessing and light in what is usually perceived as problems and darkness).

Walls are necessary in marriage as well. Walls keep out undesirable elements, they're a barrier to the outside. And walls also create a sense of privacy, they help facilitate personal space, a sense of home.

by Shachar Luz

But Chanukah doesn't fit into that formula. The Syrian-Greeks, unlike Haman or Hitler, did not want to kill us. They were after Jewish souls, not Jewish bodies. They wanted Jews to embrace Greek culture, to assimilate and be like them. True, the Maccabees put up physical resistance, but basis of the struggle was not land, money or power. It was a spiritual struggle.

That's why we don't have big meals on Chanukah. Yes, it is traditional to eat Latkes or Sufganiot, but it's not a Mitzvah or a real holiday observance like Matzah on Passover or the Purim Feast or the meals in a Sukkah on Sukkot. Because this holiday wasn't about the physical, we celebrate primarily with light, with flames of fire, which is the most spiritual of all physical objects in our world.

Es vet zich halten fun Esther Tannis biz Purim - It will last from Taanis Esther to Purim
Will there be sustained interest in this? How long will this physical object last?

Di groyseh kayen un dee kalyen shpayen - the older ones chew it and the younger ones spit it out
Children often repeat publicly what parents discuss 'privately' at home

Ven men hut kinder in vigen darf men lozen leit tzufriden - if you have babies in the cradle, leave older folks alone
Young people often have advice and criticism, but if your children are still young, life has a lot of surprises in store for you, so better don't criticize those more experienced
 

Steve Linder

1) If Yosef knew that his brothers were jealous of him and hated him for his special coat, why did he rub it in with telling them his dream of prominence over them? Why not keep it to himself? And when they're upset about the first dream, why does he go and tell them the second dream afterwards?

2) In the Torah text, there's no mention of Yosef defending himself against Mrs. Potifar's false charges. Why doesn't he say something to defend himself before going off to jail?

Ilana Nathan

Torah is interpreted on many levels, and sometimes, as in the case of Ruvain and the Switching of the Beds, we realize that his sin is much more subtle than the Torah implies in the literal text. And a broader understanding of the times, the course of history and subsequent events show the hand of G-d in much of these stories, as we watch their developments unfold in positive ways unimaginable from the events themselves.
 

John Dickens

Here's my thought. Maybe Potifar didn't trust his wife on this. Maybe he thought Joseph was right. But he had to save face and couldn't let her go carrying on with such a claim and have the guy going about his business. So to jail Joseph went.
 

Brad Legum

Even though the Judah and Tamar story is somewhat of a sticky situation, there are important Torah lessons throughout. One important Halachic message of the story is the law of Levirate Marriage, of brothers being required to upkeep the name of a childless dead brother. This is later reinforced in the Book of Ruth. The Hebrew term for this is "Yibum".

Justin Hirsch

It's interesting that generations tend to repeat old habits, as much as people say they never want to repeat their parents' mistakes. Isaac too, preferred Esau over Jacob, so in turn Jacob preferred Joseph over his other sons. Of course, there may be other reasons, but this is interesting to observe.
 

Craig Messer

This week has an obvious case in point. When the Torah says that "Joseph refused" Potifar's wife's advances, it has an unusual trope sound over the word, called "Shalsheles" (or chain) which has kind of a spiral-staircase effect, ever-rising note, that swirls around as it goes higher. This emphasizes his struggle, his hesitation. It was not a flat-out refusal, he had to overcome temptation to get to it.
 

Adam Kofinas

This was part of our 5 themed weekends of Fall 2005. This Jewish thought on relationships comes from a colleague, Rabbi Dov Greenberg of the Chabad Center at Stanford University, CA.

The Torah relates that Laban had two daughters, Leah and Rachel. Jacob loved Rachel and he offered to work seven years for her. When the seven years were up, Laban substituted Leah for Rachel on the night of the wedding. Since the bride was veiled, he did not realize that he was marrying the wrong woman. Jacob discovered the deception only after it was too late. Ultimately, Jacob accepted his fate and remained with Leah. But he later also married Rachel, the bride of his choice.

But if the veiling at a Jewish wedding reminds us of Jacob and Leah, shouldn't the custom be that the groom uncovers his bride's face to make sure that he is marrying the bride of his choice?

The answer is moving and profound:

Leah and Rachel are not merely two sisters living in Mesopotamia at the early phase of the Bronze Age. They also symbolize two dimensions of every human personality. Each of us possesses an inner “Rachel” as well as an inner “Leah.”

Rachel, the beautiful woman, symbolizes the attractive, charming and beautiful characteristics existing in our spouses and in ourselves. The name Rachel in Hebrew means an ewe, known for its bright white color and its serene and lovable nature.

Leah, a name that literally means weariness or exhaustion, represents those elements in ourselves and in our spouses that are more difficult and challenging. Leah, the “weak-eyed” sister, weakened from tears and anxiety, represents our struggle with insecurities and psychological and spiritual tension.

Few people can be defined as “Rachel” or “Leah” exclusively. Most of us possess both components in a very real way. Light and shadow, structure and chaos, good and evil, are both genuine parts of our multi-dimensional personalities.

Hence, the drama that occurred at the wedding of Jacob, the patriarch of the Jewish Nation, occurs at every wedding. Before you get married, you think that you are marrying Rachel – the beautiful, smart, kind, sensitive, and fun-loving spouse of your dreams. In reality, you are bound to discover that you ended up with Leah, a person struggling with unresolved moody tension.

Naturally, we love Rachel, and we reject Leah. Yet as life progresses you will come to discover that it is precisely the Leah dimension of your spouse that challenges you to transcend your ego and become the person you are capable of becoming. Because it is the very shortcomings and imperfections of your spouse that demand that you grow.

This, then is the secret behind the veiling of the bride. When the groom veils his bride, he is saying, "I will love, cherish and respect not only the "you," which is revealed to me, but also those elements of your personality that are hidden from me." True marriage is more about marrying "Leah" than "Rachel".
 

Chassidus focuses on a deeper dimension to their rivalry, one that played itself out later in their respective lives. The Brothers lived insular lives, while Joseph lived and worked in the outside world. They had each other, and their father Jacob for religious and moral support, while Joseph lived at great physical and emotional distance from family and a like-minded supportive network. Even when the brothers later came down to live in Egypt, they stayed in Goshen, which because a Jewish neighborhood or ghetto of sorts, while Joseph lived in "Metro Egypt".

Jacob understood this and appreciated Joseph. And he appreciated his two sons, Efraim and Menashe, who were born and raised in Egypt, yet who remained true to their people and heritage. Jacob considered them like the rest of the tribes, and indeed, Efraim and Menashe recieved two portions in the Land of Israel.

UAlbany is a very different spiritual landscape than say Brooklyn or Jerusalem. We may not be as isolated as Joseph, thank G-d we have a growing supportive community of friends. But like Joseph we live in an environment that is not always consistent with or supportive of our values and ideals. This is a great challenge, a meaningful one. This is our mission.
 

This weekend (12/10/06) will be Graduation / Commencement for the December graduates of the Class of 2006. Even when armed with a diploma, or even a masters degree, today's world is filled with uncertainty and unknowns. One must be prepared with more than one arrow in your quiver, we need back-up plans and a variety of options to succeed in today's ever-changing world. Like Jacob who came to meet his brother with a generous peace-making gift,  but also war-plans to back them up.

And like Jacob - we also need prayer. The old Yiddish proverb says "Men plan and G-d laughs." We may think we have it all figured out, but seldom we do. Life plays strange tricks, many of life's twists and turns are not in our control. We can't leave it all to prayer, G-d wants to us to do our part and put lots of effort in, but at the end of the day, prayer helps.
 

So after putting out all the packets I went back home, had Raizy help figure out which Menorah tops go with which bottoms, and Moshe helped me bring around a Menorah to each Quad. While we didn't put out the bulbs yet, at least each Quad has their Menorah. It was refreshing to know that there's a real interest in having the Menorahs out. That's holiday music to my ears!
 

But he wasn't depressed! He came to the well, and introduced himself to the strange shepherds there, asking questions to further his mission. Then he used his strength to lift the rock atop the well.

It's natural to feel down between jobs, or other personal losses. Obviously this bothered Jacob too, which is why he cried. But it didn't get him down. It didn't push him into a corner. It didn't keep him from going to where he needed to go and doing what he needed to do.
 

by Craig Messer

This week has an obvious case in point. When the Torah says the "Lot hesitates" it has an unusual trope sound over the word, called "Shalsheles" (or chain) which has kind of a spiral-staircase effect, ever-rising note, that swirls around as it goes higher. This emphasizes his struggle, his hesitation. Not easy.
 

But I wondered, this camera worked great for 3 years. How could a design defect show up three years later? Further online browsing led me to this interesting piece of info. The CCD is the brain inside digital imaging, and is a very sensitive piece of equipment. It needs to be encased in a protective cover. In their cameras designed before 2002 and after 2004 SONY used ceramic casing which was more expensive and effective, plus it is heat-tolerant. But during those years SONY used an epoxy glue-type substance to protect the CCD. It worked fine, but over the years, with all that operating heat, it gave way and allowed moisture and other unwanted substances to affect and damage the CCD.

Look, SONY is probably kicking themselves for that experiment with cheap CCD protective packaging. Now they have hundreds of their own models (plus Canon, Konica and many other companies for which they manufactured the CCD's) to fix or replace at no charge. And the CCD's themselves were great, but the packaging was deficient, and couldn't protect the CCD inside.

It's often the same with our Judaism. We're often more concerned with our involvement and activity, but not as concerned with the protective design. The Rabbis in the Talmud were very concerned with the protective side, which is why they added on layers of protective measures to observance of Shabbat and many other Mitzvot. Sometimes we look at these protective measures and think them to be excessive and overbearing, probably similar to how SONY viewed ceramics between 2002-2004.

This camera recall illustrates that protection is a valuable, significant and worthwhile investment. Don't underestimate it, and don't do it cheaply.
 

Abraham's Hospitality and a Defense of Kazachstan

BORAT AND ABRAHAM
 It ties into the weekly Torah portion of Vayera, when the 3 angels visit Avraham. Actually, they did not come appearing as angels. They were disguised as nomads, and as Rashi says, they were the type that worshipped the dust on their feet. Not the most sophisticated types. Yet Avraham welcomed them eagerly and gave them the best treatment he could offer. Turned out well, because these ignorant nomads turned out to be angels in disguise there to help him with his healing and to tell Sarah she would have a child.

Borat's interviewees did it differently than Avraham. Instead of an accomplished actor they saw a silly reporter from backward Kazachstan, and responded to his questions and antics accordingly. No doubt, they would never do the same to a dignified reporter from CBS or FOX. In his own clever way, Borat (or Sacha Cohen) pulls down the guard from unsuspecting people who reveal to him a very dark side to their thoughts and perspectives. Avraham was consistent and genuine. He was the same Avraham to nomads as he was to the angels.

KAZACHSTAN'S BAD RAP
Kazachstan either got a bad-rap, or this was the best publicity they've had in years. Obviously they aren't thrilled with his portrayal. They took out full pages in the New York Times promoting the progress and investment in their country and President Bush had to reassure their government that Borat does not reflect the official United States take on Kazachstan.

The Chabad Lubavitch movement has long ties to that country. Today Chabad runs an active Jewish community there with schools, camps, community centers and social services. And years ago, the Rebbe's father, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneersohn, Chief Rabbi of Yekatrinslav (now Dneiperpetrovsk) was exiled there by the communists for his efforts in preserving Jewish religious activity. He died untimely in exile and is actually buried in Alma Aty Kazachstan.

His wife Rebbetzin Chana, the Rebbe's mother, wrote a detailed and moving memoir of her living at her husband's side in exile in Chile and Alma Aty Kazachstan. Among many other things, she describes the simplistic living conditions, and the lack of basic human needs, the hunger, the ignorance. But two brief selections from this long memoir serve as testimony to the giving character of the people of Kazachstan despite their deep poverty.

(1) When she arrived, she brought along large packages for her husband, as he lacked many basic needs. The road (nay, path!) from the train-station through the village was swampy and muddy, and both she and her husband couldn't carry the large packages. She explains that the villagers were very poor and resented any display of wealth, but did not at all resent the exiles imprisoned in their midst, even if they received generous packages from home.

(2) After a few years there, a flood of Jewish (and other) refugees began flooding in from the East, escaping the Nazi invasion of Russia. The more refugees - the less food to go around, and she emphasizes that the natives suffered from this more than anyone else, because of their extreme poverty, lack of resources etc. Aside for a few, this did not cause the native Kazachstan population to resent the refugees who were escaping the war.

Was it a backwards place? Yes. But it saved many of our people during a very difficult time, and without the resentment of the local population. This is a great quality that can not be said for everyone.
 

by Justin Hirsch

College is also a journey. This is my senior year now, and it really is a growing up time. First time away from home, learning new things, meeting new people. And there's a lot we go through, and not all of it is easy or enjoyable. But the good thing is that we go through it with family. And when I say family I mean the good friends with whom we grow and celebrate together, Shabbos House with Mendel and Raizy.

(2) For a couple of years now, Mendel makes a tzimmes about Lech Lecha being a Bar/Bat-Mitzvah Parsha for a number of students. For Lunch we had Kiddush-style to celebrate that. And I've been saying my Bar-Mitzvah speech about the significance (or lack of significance) of name-changing since then.

This year I am a 5th grade Hebrew school teacher, so I decided to ask my students (don't children have the wisest things to say) what they thought about the significance of Abram's name change to Avraham.

They said a name is what you invest in it, what you make of it. You have your birth name, and then there's the name you make for yourself, based on your actions and accomplishments. The significance of the name we earn is so much more meaningful than the birth name we were given.
 

by Zohar Kastner

This year I have the answer. It's in order of increasing difficulty. It's easiest to leave your land, birthplace is harder, but you're most attached to the place you grew up in.

(2) People often refer to Abraham's journey as a test. And it says Abraham was tested with ten tests in total. In a different perspective these were not tests. This was good for Abraham, this was the great  opportunity for his spiritual fulfillment. This trip led to the establishment of the Jewish People and the Jewish Homeland. In fact, the word Lech Lecha is repetitive, and teaches us that this journey was for Avraham's personal benefit.

In total Avraham faces 10 challenges or tests. The Zohar says (and I studied this for my Bar-Mitzvah) that anything squared equals perfection. 10 squared = 100. And the Gematria (numerical equivalent) of "Lech Lecha" is 100. This opening command to journey encompassed and symbolizes all of his accomplishments in passing all 10 tests.
 

The chicken is livid, "Do you see what they do to my eggs? They crack them open, spill them out, scramble them and put them on a fire!!"

The pig responds, "From you they want a donation, from me they want a commitment."

Tanya 40 and 41 have an interesting balance. 40 is all about the importance of passion, emotion, and motivation. You can't just do a Mitzvah dryly, out of habit. Then 41 begins with "But" (in English that would be bad grammer) passion and excitement is not the whole picture, you also need commitment.

Most people think a good marriage is about love, and while that's a very important ingredient, it's more about commitment than love. Look at old couples who are still there for each other, through thick and thin, good times and bad.

Dieting is the same. Commitment makes it happen. The excitement dies down, and you can get excited about a delicious piece of cake, too.

Judaism based on our passion, excitement and interest, doesn't cut it. It's too fickle, too vulnerable to moods, pressure, distractions. And its too self-serving. Commitment takes it to a higher level.
 

Adam Kofinas

Assume he was only righteous in his time. This is an important lesson for us in Albany. True, our community, ourselves may not be up to the highest ideal or the highest standard, but considering our surrounding challenges, if we try our best, we're doing good and we ought not to feel that we're off target.

It's an old question. Why is Abraham considered the first Jew? After all, both Adam and Noah were spoken to by G-d, Methuselah was considered righteous enough to hold off the flood and Shem & Ever taught the word of G-d. So why does it start with Abraham?

Many answers have been given. The Rebbe has a profound philosophical answer that deals with the underpinnings of Jewish belief. Riskin's answer is much more superficial, on the cuter side, but it has a profound message. He says it has to do with the relationship with their wives.

Adam blamed his problems on Eve. And the whole rib thing might have thrown their relationship off a bit. We know virtually nothing about Noah's wife, aside for her coming on the Ark with him. But Avraham and Sarah worked as a team, her opinion was valued and respected, and she plays important roles right alongside him.

This message resonates with us, because the Rebbe often emphasized that couples - especially Shluchim, his emissaries doing Chabad communal activity - work as a team, complimenting each other's strengths and working together.
 

So I decided to do something about it. It's fall and all the leaves are getting washed down to the drain, and getting stuck there. Believe it or not, wet leaves stick together and can hold up a lot of water. So I grabbed a metal rake and waded into that huge puddle (over my ankles on the sidewalk part) and started looking around for the drain.

It was quite a site. Cars stopped and honked, two students got out of their cars to see if I was OK. It must looked funny - a bearded Rabbi waving a stick in middle of a massive flooding puddle.

But then I found it! I must have just nicked up one corner of leaves, and immediately a forceful whirlpool formed in the water. I pulled away at some more leaves, and a big sucking sound just pulled that water down into the drain. The force nearly pulled me in it was so strong. It took just a few minutes for all that water to go down and the sidewalk was clear.

OK - so what's the message?

The Shema says that we should keep the words of G-d (of Torah) on our hearts - "Al Levavecha". ON our hearts? Shouldn't it be IN our hearts? One explanation is that these holy words don't always penetrate into our hearts right away. Sometimes they sit outside, waiting, on our hearts. They can sit there for a long time. And then, one day, somehow, the blockage is removed, and these words which have been sitting on our hearts all this time are suddenly sucked in and absorbed.

So there's 2 points here. (1) We need to continue to accumalate Jewish experiences, Jewish learning, Jewish celebrations. Even if we don't feel it all the way, keep doing it. Keep packing it on. (2) Now and then we have to clear out the blockages in our heart, the mental and emotional barriers which prevent these good things from affecting us. Even pulling off "a few leaves" will get that sucking sound, that whirlpool of spirituality penetrating, entering and affecting our innermost lives.
 

This is a deep concept that Chassidus tackles at length, but here's one point: Tree of Life is Black and White, while Tree of Knowledge is the Gray Area of Life. Tree of Life is our deepest convictions and certainties, and Tree of Knowledge is where we can see things both ways, bad and good aren't as absolute as Tree of Life would see them.

An analogy? Our connection to the Land of Israel. Tree of Life mode doesn't need a UN Resolution or Partition to feel connected. Our history and roots go back a long ways, and we feel so connected we do not have to explain anything to anyone. No argument or logic can dissuade us. Tree of Knowledge mode highlights the benefits of Israeli democracy, the fight against terror, the right of Jews because of the UN Partition and all that. In our world, both modes are necessary, both have their place.

We can't just stick with the Tree of Knowledge alone. If so, we lose our roots, our depth, our heritage. We become a bunch of loose ideas, and lose a sense of who we are.
 

Moshav's drummer was upbeat (pun-intended), lively and full of laughter. She was joyous and spirited. The State Radio drummer seemed intense and pained, even angry. And Matisyahu's drummer(s) had such an elaborate multi-tier set-up we couldn't even see the drummer (at least from our vantage point). Now and then we saw flailing hands, but no drummer. But note this: despite being unable to see him, the Matisyahu drummer was the most effective, more powerful and more penetrating.

What a message for parents weekend! Our relationship with our parents often runs much the same way. There are upbeat and excitable moments, loving good times (Moshav Band drummer). And then there are those difficult trying times of frustration, tension and good old discipline (Stare Radio drummer). And now we come to the third level - we don't even see our parents much of the time now that we're away at college (Matisyahu drummer). For some of us, this is the time when we feel our parental vibrations most, in how they affect our lives (spiritually, emotionally etc) even when we don't live under the same roof.

And it connects with the Torah portion of Breishis as well: We have a serious relationship with G-d on Yom Kippur, a joyous one on Sukkot and Simchat Torah. And then there are those aspects/times when we do not feel an open connection with G-d at all. We don't see the Creator. But He's there, and we feel the vibrations all the time.

And in thanks to Aviva Snyder, director of Hillel. We all know a lot about the good she's generated on this campus and the growth in programming and involvement. But there's a lot many of us don't see, that goes on behind the scenes to foster and further the special blessings we enjoy in our Jewish campus community. And those vibrations and effects are so important as well.
 

One things that really hit home from all my Nichoach listening is that different Niggunim (Chassidic melodies) complement each other, they respond to each other. One is a question, the other is an answer. One yearns, the other resolves. One struggles, the other is filled with pride. The Chassidic lingo for this is "Ratzuy vShuv" or eaternly known as yin and yang.

Hakafot dancing at Shabbos House is mostly about lively, popular, joyous Jewish songs. But now and then, there's a slower melody, a thought-provoking melody, something soulful - like The Torah Song. But we don't leave it at that. We respond with a joyous, uplifting melody. They complement each other.
 

Joseph was away from his family for twenty-two years. After reconciliation with his brothers in Egypt, his first question was: "Od Avinu Chai?" Is our father still alive? And his brothers answered, yes - our father is still alive! This is an important biblical story - but why is it sung in conjunction with Am Yisrael Chai?

Perhaps the secret to Jewish survival and thriving continuity is the awareness that our father (our history, our heritage, our legacy) is still alive. Celebrating our shared bond, our connection to each other and to our shared roots, this is what makes the Jewish people live. This is what keeps us alive.
 

by Mendel Galperin

2) Generally, there's more effort that goes into making a Sukkah than getting a Lulav, or dancing and rejoicing with a holiday song. It takes more work to put up, more preparation to get ready, and is therefore an appropriate name for the holiday.
 

Here's what happened. These light-cords end with outlets to allow another set of stringed lights to hook up. Someone on Erev Sukkot thought he could plug a power-drill in there to fix something in the sukkah, but that fried that side of the wire and it wouldn't light up again.

There's an important message here. Power is a good thing. But more Power isn't always better. We have to be sure the power is relative and applicable.

Let's look at a Tallit. The main Mitzvah is the four Tzitzit fringes which are tied to the Tallit cloth with a series of knots and circles. According to Halacha, the Tallit cloth itself does not become holy, it is only a platform for the Mitzvah of Tziztis.

But according to Chassidic thought - there's more at work here. Kabbalistically the Tallit represents the "surrounding light" infinite G-dly revelation which is too intense for application in our finite world. The Tzitzit represent "transformers" which step-down and condense the power of that light into spirituality that we can absorb and internalize in our finite world. Funny thing, but if you look closely at the knots and twirls - they kind of look like the stuff you see at substations or on high-powered electrical wires.

The other night in the Sukkah we spoke about "even spread" and making sure that we have Judaism in every day of our lives, it's also important that we don't blow our circuits by pushing for too much at once. We have to do little by little, one step at a time, taking the infinite endless light of Judaism, and applying it slowly in our lives.
 

But how can that Rabbis decree against a Torah Law? And why would they, is it just out of a concern of carrying in the public domain?

The answer to the first question is found in Talmudic and Halachic commentators who justify (and qualify) the authority of the Rabbis to do just that.

The answer to the second question is found in Chabad Chassidic texts. They explain how Shabbat and Shofar generate similar spiritual cosmic changes. The physical reality gets kicked up a spiritual notch on Shabbat. To use the language of Kabbalah, it's "Aliyat HaMalchut". So even without actually blowing the Shofar much of that happens simply happens anyways just by being Shabbat. There's a lot more to this, but that's the basic gist of it.

Since so many students asked about this - I kept tossing these ideas around in my head trying to get a better grasp on it. Here's what I came up with. I'm not sure if this is the same message as the Chassidic texts, but it is based on them either way.

Here's the clue that got me thinking: Even following the Rabbinic decree, Shofar/Lulav was always performed in the Temple (Beit HaMikdash) on Shabbat, but not by private people in their hometowns.

Think of it is this way. Shabbos and Shofar, Shabbos and Lulav can be two medications that kick the spiritual level up a notch. It may be too much for us to handle outside the Temple. Or in the language of the decree about carrying, maybe someone will take this Mitzvah out of its proper spiritual context. Like it is with medications, you can't be taking blood-thinners on the day of an operation. Shofar/Lulav and Shabbat are two positive spiritual treatments that might not be compatible w/o a Temple (which was the modus operandi throughout Jewish history up until the destruction of the first Jerusalem Temple and the time of Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai).
 

This year we had a very hard time getting evergreen Schach (Sukkah cover) and were so hard pressed that we had little alternative but to order additional bamboo mats. Truth is these mats are certified Kosher for Sukkot. But somehow for us, the rich green pine branches hanging through the roof add so much to the atmosphere, and bamboo mats just can't do the same.

In the end, a tree-cutter called us last minute that he had a truckload for us, and my brother Rabbi Abba from Saratoga Chabad drove up a UHaul truck filled with Schach that he helped cut at a friend's place in the Saratoga area - for us and a number of other area Sukkot. So in the end we have more green than we thought, but we still have the mats that we ordered to be safe.

Another change is the lights. In addition to the spotlights we place in the center of the Sukkah, Craig and Justin ran sets of stringed lights around the perimeter of the Sukkah to bring light into the darker sides and corners.

Both changes have something in common. They both have EVEN SPREAD. Bamboo mats provide reliable, consistent cover, unlike the pine which can be heavy in some places and open in others. And unlike our spotlights which shine brighter in some spots than others, these stringed lights have light-bulbs every two inches, giving off an evenly spread light.

This is a very important message in our Judaism. Even spread is important. Some Jews tend to concentrate their Jewish activity in a few days a year, or in one day a week. Even spread says we ought to have a little Jewish activity each and every day, even if it is short or quick. A word of Torah online, participation in a Jewish event, putting on Tefillin - whatever it is - let our Judaism spread throughout our years and our weeks, doing a little something Jewish every single day.
 

In today's lingo it's "Finalizing CD". You've already burned 1,2 3,4 tracks. Now the program is finalizing the CD so it can work in all systems. No new tracks may be added after this time.

This finality is the impetus for Neilah being the tremendous prayer that it is.

Now it's Control-Alt-Delete. Why these three buttons?

Many people think of Teshuvah as DELETE. Wipe out you misdeeds by fasting and praying and start clean for the new year. It's not as simple as that. Maimonides insists that CONTROL be a part of it. We need to take control of our lives, our negative passions and misdeeds and ensure that these problems do not happen again. And Chassidus talks a lot about ALT - finding new alternate paths towards increased spiritual growth.

And even CONTROL-ALT-DELETE does not auto-fix problems. It just takes you to a new screen, a deeper level within the operating system where you can see your programs running and see which are not responding, which are eating too much RAM, which need to be shut-down. Real Teshuva takes you to a place inside your heart and soul which has the ability to fix these things. Chassidus talks a lot about Teshuva taking us within - to the Inner Will which has the ability to fix the External Will.