LOVE AND LIGHT

Dear Family,

I hope that everyone is well.

Wishing a refuah shleimah for Yechezkiel ben Ester.

This upcoming week is always a mixture of emotions.

The 3rd of Tammuz is the yohrtzeit of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, and on the same day many years previously, it was the day when his father-in-law, the Previous Rebbe, was released from imprisonment in Russia.

The yohrtzeit of my father is also on the 3rd of Tammuz, and the Anniversary of Rahel and I is on the 1st of Tammuz.

In trying to find a connection between these events this week, I thought that the most appropriate theme that came up was LOVE FOR A FELLOW JEW

This was noticed in the Sedra (Korach) where we see how Mosheh Rabeinu went out of his way extraordinarily, in a last ditch effort to get Dasan and Aviram to repent, and prevent their confrontation and rebellion. (16:25)

And then this theme of Ahavat Yisrael came up in 2 Hayom Yom's which I would like to share.

Hayom Yom 28th Sivan

The Tzemach Tzedek..When one helps a Jew make a living, even to earn a mere 70 kopkes when he is selling a calf, the gates of all heavenly palaces are open for him..

The Rebbe Maharash added, "Though ideally one should know the path to the heavenly palaces, this is not crucial. What is of fundamental importance is to help another person wholeheartedly and with warmth - to take pleasure in doing a fellow Jew a favour."

Hayom Yom 2nd Tammuz

The Alte Rebbe writes in his siddur, that before the morning prayers, it is appropriate to say, "I hereby undertake to fulfil the Commandment of Love your fellow as yourself."

This implies that fulfilling the Mitzvah of Ahavas Yisrael is the gateway through which a person is enabled to enter and stand before G-d in prayer.

And in the merit of this Mitzvah one's prayers are accepted.

The efforts made by the Rebbe and Frierdike Rebbe, for Ahavas Yisrael, reaching out to every single Jew regardless of their standing, transcends all human understanding,

The love between my father ah and his brothers ah towards each other and towards their parents, creating an empire from nothing, was magnificent. When I say that I never heard even one harsh word between them, it is not an exaggeration.

And of course an Anniversary is a time to renew one's love for each other.

May we all try to follow the Mitzvah of Ahavat Yisrael and bring more light to our lives, and the world.

Gut Chodesh and gut Shabbos to all