OUR GIANTS

Dear Family,

I hope everyone is well.

Tonight is the yohrtzeit of the Rambam (Maimonides), and next week is the yohrtzeit of The Alte Rebbe, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi. And 4 interesting points came up this week, linked to these great people.

• RAMBAM was born in 1135 in Cordoba Spain. His family traced their ancestry to the

compiler of the Mishnah, Rabbi Yehudah HaNassi, and through him to King David. Encouraged by his father, and his teacher, the famous Ri Migash, he pursued studies in Jewish Law, philosophy and medicine. At the age of 13, him and his family were forced to flee the invasion of fanatical Muslims, Almohads, and for 10 years they wandered about, until settling for a period in Fez, Morocco. Yet despite all this he rose to be rightfully recognized as one of the greatest Jewish scholars of all time. His most famous work (one of many) is the Mishneh Torah, which crystalises all of Jewish Law, and derives the 613 MITZVOT ie the Commandments which Hashem wants us to perform.

• In todays 'Mashiach Day by Day', it says that in the future, Mitzvos will become nullified

(Nidah 61b). A person, who is an independent entity, can be commanded to follow the Will of G-d (and not his own). But when Mashiach comes, we will stand in complete unity with Hashem, where our will and Hashems, will be one. And therefore commandments will no longer be necessary (Sefer Hasichos 5752 p31).....

• THE ALTE REBBE lived from 1745-1812. He was a descendant of the Maharal of Prague, and

as with the Rambam, to Rabbi Yehudah HaNassi and King David. One of his main achievements was the continued revelation of the Hidden Torah in the form of Chassidus.

In today's 'Hayom Yom' it states that the Alte Rebbe instituted that we should, every day, study the current daily portion of CHUMASH from the Sedra of that week. This was done also by the Rebbeim.

• Subsequently, the Frierdike Rebbe instituted the further daily study of TANYA (one of the

main Chassidic works of the Alte Rebbe), and saying the daily portion of TEHILLIM (PSALMS) - King David.

And subsequent to this, the Lubavitcher Rebbe instituted the daily learning of Rambam's MISHNEH TORAH. The Rambam said, in the introduction to Mishneh Torah, that if one learns Chumash plus Mishneh Torah, this covers completely the whole Torah.

In summary, and linked to the above Gedolim, we have the opportunity each year, with daily study, to work through Chumash, Tanya, Tehillim and Mishneh Torah. - and there are ample translations of all of these into English!

Gut Shabbos to all.