THE BIRTH OF CHASSIDISM
Dear Family,
I hope everyone is well.
Mazal Tov to Freida on her upcoming birthday this week. Wishing you a wonderful year Freida, with success in the chinuch of your children, together with Mendel, and achievements in both gashmius and ruchnius, and with much joy!
Mazal Tov to Chava whose birthday is 2 days later. Wishing you a year of continued success in New York Chava and with much joy!
It is the Yohrtzeit of Mommy towards the end of the week. I plan to visit her kever then and speak about her next week BEH. Her neshamah should have an aliyah, and wishing long life to Chanan and Reuven (Ashley and Ravin)
Wishing long life also to Claude on the yohrtzeit of his mother. Her neshamah should have an Aliyah.
Mazal Tov to Batsheva for receiving her Israeli Citizenship. Welcome to the first Israeli in our Family!
This week has also been the birthdays of 2 Giants of our People, the Baal Shem Tov and the Alte Rebbe, both born on the 18th of Elul, and so I thought to mention some points about their lives and some connections about them which came up in this weeks Sedra Nitzavim.
The Baal Shem Tov - From an article by Rabbi Menachem Posner in Chabad.org
A number of events are said to have occurred on the 18th of Elul in his life
He was born 18th Elul 1698.
By the time he was 5 years old he had lost both of his parents.
On his 16th birthday, Elija the Prophet appeared to him and described how much Hashem treasures the unsophisticated, sincere prayers of simple folk. This encouraged him to reach out to these people, who were largely disregarded by the scholarly elite.
On his 26th birthday he was visited by Achia Hashiloni the Prophet, who taught him many secrets of the Torah over the next 10 years.
On his 36th birthday he was told that the time had come to finally make his identity public, and let the world know about his electrifying teachings, and new approach to serving Hashem.
He founded the Chassidic Movement and re-introduced the mystical dimension of Torah.
The Alte Rebbe
The Alte Rebbe was born on 18th Elul 1745
He was a follower of the Baal Shem Tov and his successor the Magid of Mezeritch, and started the Chabad Branch of Chassidism.
In this weeks Sedra Nitzavim, verses 30:11 to 30:14 are about Hashem saying that the Commandments that He is commanding us are not concealed or far away. They are not in the heavens, nor across the sea. BUT THIS THING IS VERY NEAR TO YOU, FOR YOU TO CARRY OUT WITH YOUR MOUTH AND WITH YOUR HEART TO DO IT.
In his famous book The Tanya, he spent 53 chapters explaining this verse!!
He also authored the Shulchan Aruch HaRav, and many other works.
A small snippet from the Alte Rebbe appeared in this weeks Hayom Yom of 19th Elul, interpreting the opening verse of Sedra Nitzavim as follows:
"You are standing today....even from your woodchoppers (chotev eitzecha) to your water drawers (shoev meymecha)...."
The Hebrew word for advice is eitza, with same root as eitz relating to wood ie we should work on 'chopping out' the many thoughts in the heart of man.
The Hebrew word mayim - water which makes enjoyable things grow, also refers to appetites for pleasures ie we must control these appetites.
Wishing everyone a gut Shabbos and a kesivah vechasimah tovah for a good and sweet New Year.