INNER JOY

Dear Family,

I hope everyone is well.

This Shabbos is Gimel Tamuz, which is the Yohrtzeit of the Lubavitcher Rebbe and also our father Pesach ben Zalman

I wish our Family long life and the neshamah should have an aliyah.

Mommy and I would like to thank all the children who sent us beautiful notes for our wedding Anniversary which was today.

I have personally read each note over a few times. They are so beautiful, and will be kept and cherished! Thank you!

And of course also for the dinner and all the decorations and participations that took place.

Mommy and I are also proud of the way each of the children, in their own way, is developing and becoming INDEPENDANT.

I bring this point up because it is a nice introduction to the Maamar from the Rebbe which is being learnt this week.

It is discussing the difference between the 2 terms used for the 12 Tribes ie SHEVET and MATOS.

And the reference is from the Sedra Matos which comes up in a few weeks time.

Both shevet and matos refer to a branch of a tree.

Shevet is while it is still attached to the tree and is wet and supple, and matos is a stick which has been detached and is now hard and dry.

While children are still at home and dependant on their parents, this is the level of shevet.

When they move away from the home and become independent, this is the level of matos.

Similarly, before each of us comes down to earth, our neshamah is still attached above and receiving nurture - level of shevet.

But then we are born, and become independent down on earth - level of matos.

What is the point of the neshamah coming down to this low level on earth from its lofty level above?

This is because down here the neshamah has the opportunity to reach even higher than before.

To explain the Rebbe uses mainly the example of food.

On earth the neshamah comes up against many temptations and indulgences which it has to contend with.

For example it could get caught up with indulging in eating for wrong reasons, and too much etc, and the neshamah senses that it is wrong and starts to feel uncomfortable and restricted, as if in prison, and wants to scream out for help.

Through contemplation t5he person realises how coarse the physicality has made him, and covered him over.

The person has become cold to G-dliness and has no enthusiasm to learn Torah or do Mitzvos.

It is like 2 people with their backs to each other (the person and the neshamah) and far away from each other.

But then when they make the move to turn towards each other and face each other face to face, this brings about a tremendous JOY AND CLOSENESS and sets off a great new energy.

Practically, man is at a much higher level than the level of vegetable and animal.

But food also has an element which is beyond man, because it enlivens him.

And when man realises his predicament and draws himself away from the indulgences of eating, it is as if he puts himself lower than the food.

And through this effort of lowering himself, he reaches a much higher level, because 'anyone who lowers himself (or herself) in this manner, Hashem Himself comes to raise him to a very high level, where spiritual and physical are all the same to him.

This frees the neshamah from its feeling of restriction and brings about MUCH JOY

And it is known that '1 hour of TESHUVAH in this world is greater than all the life in the World to Come.'

And that 'the Baal Teshuvah can reach a level greater than Tzadikim.'

And that is why we have the opportunity on earth to reach a greater level than before descending.

The Rebbe mentions even a further point about JOY, and that is, that the Mitzvah of Teshuvah does not have to be with difficulty and screaming.

As with all Mitzvos, it can also be done with JOY.

Gut Shabbos, and we should all be together soon with our beloved departed ones with the coming of Mashiach