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                         L'CHAIM - ISSUE # 975
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                           Copyright (c) 2007
                 Lubavitch Youth Organization - L.Y.O.
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             THE WEEKLY PUBLICATION FOR EVERY JEWISH PERSON
   Dedicated to the memory of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson N.E.
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        June 22, 2007            Chukas            6 Tamuz, 5767
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                             Jewish Acting

Have you ever considered the difference between a play done
professionally and the same play done by amateurs (or a school
production)? There's a major difference in the quality of the acting. A
good performance is so convincing that we can't even be sure the actors
are acting. Indeed, they draw us into the world of the play so
completely that the characters become real people.

What enables one actor to bring a role to life while another acts so
badly that there is no character, just the actor pitiably and
transparently pretending?

We might say that there are in fact three types of actors. Let's call
them the external, the intellectual and the intuitive.

The external actor knows his lines and follows the director's
instructions. But he remains apart from the role. He has not taken on
the life of the character. So what we see is the actor, pretending to be
the character. Since the actor remains separate and apart from the
character, the performance does not move us, does not alter our
perspective or deepen our sensibility.

The intellectual actor, on the other hand, understands the character he
is playing. He can identify with the character. His performance seems
somewhat believable; we "get" the character. We are engaged with the
story on some level. But we still see the actor behind the character.
The actor acts well, but he still plays himself, so to speak.

The intuitive actor, on the other hand, literally loses himself in the
role. He ceases to be himself and becomes the character, transporting us
into the experience. We do not just understand the story, we experience
it, we know it.

In a sense, we are all actors. For within each of us is a "Jewish
essence," the Jewish soul that is an actual part of G-d Above. We - our
conscious, physical selves - are actors through which this Jewish
essence, this Divine Soul, expresses itself.

Just as actors on a stage, we can allow our Divine Soul, our Jewish
essence, to express itself in one of three ways.

We can remain apart from our Divine Soul, in which case its expression,
its manifestation in this world is, like bad acting, stiff,
unconvincing. In other words, our Judaism remains superficial, somewhat
artificial. Even when we follow directions (perform a mitzva -
commandment), we may be just going through the motions. There remains a
"disconnect" between the "character" (our Divine Soul) and our selves.

On the other hand, we can have some comprehension of our spiritual
mission, some awareness of the presence of our Divine Soul. In this
instance, Judaism - Torah and mitzvot - pervades our lives and affects
all that we do, to one degree or another. We may even feel "spiritual,"
or allow ourselves to be called "religious." But inspired and motivated
as we may be, we still feel an "I" - we recognize an ego, a
self-awareness that connects with, and allows the expression and
manifestation of, the Divine Soul.

But, at the highest level, we can have an intuitive relationship with
our Divine Soul, one in which we so efface our self-awareness and ego
that it is totally subsumed to the expression and manifestation of our
Divine Soul. Those who see us see the Divine Soul in action. We become
in a sense a living Torah, so that we experience life - even the most
mundane aspects - from a spiritual perspective. Our perceptions change,
for we perceive ourselves to be, and act as though we are, a dwelling
place for the Divine.

We are, that level, an expression, a performance, of the Divine Soul
within us. There, we are truly at one with our role and truly actors in
the world.

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           LIVING WITH THE REBBE  -  THE WEEKLY TORAH PORTION
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This week's Torah portion, Chukat, begins with the laws of the red
heifer, by which a person was cleansed of ritual defilement.

Maimonides, in his summary of these laws, includes an interesting
historical note on this practice:

"There have been a total of nine red heifers from the time this mitzva
was given until the destruction of the Second Holy Temple.

"The first was rendered by Moses, the second by Ezra the Scribe, and
seven more between the time of Ezra and the destruction. The tenth red
heifer will be rendered by King Moshiach, may he be speedily revealed,
Amen, may it be Your will."

These last words seem out of place. Why did Maimonides include a prayer
for the revelation of Moshiach in the middle of a legal work? Maimonides
measured every word he used.

Indeed, many practical implications are learned from his choice of
language. Why, then, did Maimonides include this supplication in his
discussion of these laws?

Had Maimonides' intent be to teach the importance of praying for
Moshiach, he would have included this prayer with the laws of Moshiach,
and not in a section in which Moshiach is mentioned only in passing.

Rather, the inclusion of these words -- inserted after only a passing
reference to Moshiach -- underscores that the subject of Redemption must
evoke a deep and profound longing in every Jew, culminating in the
heartfelt plea: "May he be speedily revealed, Amen, may it be Your
will!"

On the belief in Moshiach, Maimonides writes: "He who does not believe
in him, or does not await his coming...denies...the Torah and Moses our
teacher."

It is not enough to have faith in Moshiach's eventual arrival; a Jew is
obligated to actively anticipate his coming, all day, every day. The
faith of a person who believes Moshiach will come but does not actually
expect him to arrive is lacking.

Just as the belief in Moshiach is constant, so too, is the obligation to
joyfully anticipate his arrival a perpetual commandment. A Jew must
always feel as if Moshiach will arrive at any moment, for indeed, such
is the case.

This unquenchable longing for Moshiach stems from our realization that a
Jew cannot complete his personal mission until the Final Redemption,
when the entire world will reach its perfection. Every minute till then,
we find ourselves in a state of spiritual deficiency.

The lesson, therefore, to be learned from Maimonides' choice of words is
that when a Jew anticipates Moshiach in the proper way, the very mention
of the subject must elicit such strong emotion and longing that he will
spontaneously cry out, "May he be speedily revealed, Amen, may it be
Your will."

                  Adapted from Likutei Sichot of the Rebbe, Vol. 28

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                             SLICE OF LIFE
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                       The Man Who Mocked the KGB
              by Rabbi Moishe Levertov (of blessed memory)

The following is an excerpt from Rabbi Levertov's fascinating and
inspiring memoirs, that "revolve around the heroic life and activities
of my father, Rabbi Dovber Levertov and his family, as I recall the
details from my childhood in the 1930s until I left the Soviet Union in
1946.

The only serious opposition to the systematic obliteration of Judaism in
the Soviet Union came from the (previous) Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef
Yitzchak Schneersohn (known as the Rebbe Rayatz), who succeeded his
father in 1920.

As life settled down during the early 1920s, the Rebbe Rayatz initiated
an underground struggle throughout that vast land to reestablish and
maintain all traditional religious institutions. He also worked to
create an economic support framework to provide Jews with livelihood,
which would also enable observant Jews to avoid working on Shabbos.

Eventually the government realized it was the Rebbe Rayatz who was
behind this highly organized, nationwide network that was
re-establishing Judaism right under its nose.

On June 15, 1927, the Rebbe was arrested. He was condemned to death. A
storm of worldwide protests, however, even from non-Jewish governments
such as Germany, France and the United States, helped get his sentence
commuted to ten years hard labor in the frozen north, then to three
years of exile. After almost three weeks of terrible suffering in jail,
he was sent into exile to Kostromo, in the Urals. Soon, however, under
international pressure, he was reprieved - on his birthday, 12 Tammuz -
and permitted to return home to Leningrad.

But the Rebbe's enemies were ready to pounce on him at the slightest
excuse. Realizing that they would never let him accomplish any more for
his brethren from within the USSR, the Rebbe saw that he had no choice
but to leave the country.

Settling in nearby Riga, Latvia, the Rebbe continued his work on behalf
of the five million Soviet Jews, raising funds to help them and
campaigning to alert world Jewry to their plight. In 1933 he left Riga
and settled in Poland. Eventually he emigrated to the United States.

In order to succeed in his mighty campaign to strengthen Judaism, the
Rebbe had organized an army of devoted "soldiers." These were any Jews
ready to dedicate themselves to the dangerous work, which required
immense self-sacrifice. Most of his soldiers were Lubavitcher Chasidim.

One of the Rebbe's most devoted soldiers was my father, Rabbi Dovber
Levertov. A great Torah scholar and outstanding Chasid, Father
tenaciously refused to compromise even one iota in his Torah observance,
insisting on maintaining Judaism and Chasidism under the most difficult
conditions. Eventually, like so many other Chasidim, he gave up his very
life for the sake of his ideals....

In September 1947, my brother Sholom and I received s shocking letter.
"Don't write anymore," our sister Sima wrote. "Father is very sick, and
has been taken to hospital." We understood. Father had been arrested by
the NKVD...

Years later, we pieced together information about father's fate from
those with him at the time. One day, Father was walking with someone
when they noticed they were being followed. "I don't care what they do
to me now," Father told his companion resolutely. "I've already sent my
sons out of this accursed land. (We had crossed over the border into
Poland.) I have nothing more to fear from the police."

Soon after, on August 13, 1947, Father was arrested together with a
number of other Chasidim. The NKVD accused them of being the members of
an insidious group labeled "Chasidov," led by Rabbi Schneersohn from New
York. It considered, they claimed, to gather Jews and work on them in an
"anti-Soviet, chauvinist, capitalist spirit." They were further accused
of organizing illegal shuls and schools called yeshivos in the cities of
Moscow, Tashkent, and Samarkand, and of giving an "anti-Soviet,
religious chauvinist" education to Jewish children and adults.

In prison Father was interrogated mercilessly to extract information
about others involved in the Chasidic "counter-revolutionary
underground," and to get him to "confess" to serious crimes. From the
official records of the interrogations, it is clear that Father tried to
mention as accomplices in his religious activities only Chasidim who had
either left the USSR or had passed way.

The official indictment against all of those arrested was issued on
Februrary 6, 1948. The sentence: ten years exile in Siberian labor camp.

The prison rules required everyone to shave. Father was ordered to shave
off his beard, adamantly refused. Many tried to change his mind, for the
prison rules were not to be trifled with, but Father would not be
swayed.

As a chasid, he felt strongly that a Jew must have a full beard, no
matter what. Even when he lay deathly sick in hospital in Bashkiria, he
clutched his beard with both hands even while sleeping to thwart any
attempts by hospital staff to shave his beard.

But in prison the officers would not tolerate Father's refusal to shave.
One day they grabbed hold of him and held him down while they shaved his
beard. Father was heartbroken. It was too much for his frail body to
bear. Before long, in the arms of his friend, Reb Chaim Zalmen, he
passed  away from grief.

Somehow, Reb Chaim Zalmen managed to relay the sad news to Mother. She
was devastated. Three months later, a coded letter was received by one
of the Chasidim who had recently settled in the Holy Land. At the time,
I was studying in Brunoy, near Paris, and it was there that I received
the news and observed the week of mourning.

                                         Reprinted with permission.

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                               WHAT'S NEW
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                             New Facilities

A new building for Chabad of Alfei Menashe was awarded by the town
council to Chabad in recognition of their important work. The new
facility will be situated in the center of town.  Chabad East of the
River recently dedicated a new Chabad Center in Glastonbury,
Connecticut. A festive ceremony took place in Baku, Azerbaijan, when the
first stone was laid for the Baku Chabad Ohr Avner Educational Complex.
The new campus will be able to accommodate over 1,000 students. The new
Shluchim Center was recently dedicated in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. Less
than a block away from 770 Eastern Parkway, World Lubavitch
Headquarters, the new center gives the Shluchim, emissaries of the
Lubavitcher Rebbe, an address they can turn to for their outreach and
networking needs.

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                            THE REBBE WRITES
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    The following translated letter was sent by the Previous Lubavitcher
    Rebbe for the first anniversary of his release from incarceration in
    Communist Russia

                  Sunday, 15 Sivan, 5688 (1928), Riga.
              To our friends, the members of the chassidic
          brotherhood, and to all those who love the Torah and
                    study it - wherever you may be:
                          May G-d be with you.

Greetings and blessings:

Today marks the first day of my incarceration in the Spalerno Prison in
Leningrad, in Section Six, Cell 160, during the night preceding the
Wednesday of the week in which one reads the verse, "And now, let the
strength of G-d be magnified" - on the fifteenth of the month of Sivan,
5687 [1927]. There I was maltreated until the Sunday preceding the
Shabbos on which one reads the verse, "How goodly are your tents, O
Yaakov, and your dwelling-places, O Yisrael" - the third of the month of
Tammuz. On that day I was forced to leave for a three-year exile in
Kostrama.

It is clear to everyone that the imprisonment and exile were brought
upon me by the calumnies of our brethren who hate us and despise us, by
men who - in defiance of the laws of the land and its government -
persecute those who observe the laws of Moses and Israel.

These people could not bear to see how Shoshanas Yaakov - the rose of
Jacob - flourished, as the study of the Torah was disseminated
throughout the length and breadth of this land. They therefore trumped
up false libels in order to bring about my downfall, and thereby (G-d
forbid) to destroy the House of Jacob.

But G-d's acts of kindness are never-ending, and the merit of our holy
forefathers has not been exhausted - and will never be exhausted - in
protection of those who walk in their paths. Thus it was that freedom
was granted to me on the twelfth day of Tammuz, on the Tuesday preceding
the Shabbos on which one reads the verse [in the Torah portion of
Pinchas], "I hereby grant him My covenant of peace."

It was not myself alone that the Holy One, blessed be He, redeemed on
Yud-Beis Tammuz, but also those who love the Torah and observe its
commands, and so too all those who merely bear the name "Jew" - for the
heart of every man of Israel (irrespective of his particular level in
the observance of the commandments) is perfectly bound with G-d and His
Torah.

Today, the twelfth of the month of Tammuz, is the Festival of Liberation
of all Jews who are involved in the dissemination of Torah knowledge,
for on this day it became known and manifest to everyone that the great
work in which I labored in the dissemination of the Torah and in the
strengthening of the religion is permitted according to the law of the
land, which grants freedom of worship to those who observe the Jewish
religion as it does to all the citizens of this country.

This is the day on which the light of the merit of public Torah study
banished the misty gloom of calumnies and libels. It is fitting that
such a day be set aside as a day of gathering - a day on which people
arouse each other to fortify Torah study and the practice of Yiddishkeit
in every place according to its needs, a day on which to offer blessings
to our brethren in Russia (who are suffering from such libelers and
informers), that G-d strengthen their hearts and the hearts of their
children so that they will remain faithful Jews, and never again be
persecuted by the above-mentioned evildoers.

With the auspicious approach of the Festival of Liberation of all those
who engage in the dissemination of Torah, I hereby offer my blessings to
all our brethren who love the Torah and study it, and to all those who
publicly teach the Torah: May G-d open up His goodly storehouse and
grant them, together with all of our brethren of the House of Israel,
abounding life and endless blessing; may He fortify their hearts so that
they will courageously extend their dissemination of Torah knowledge and
their buttressing of Judaism; and may we all be spared to see children
and grandchildren engaging in Torah and commandments, free of care or
want.

At the beginning of the year 5687 (1926) I made a request to the
chassidic brotherhood - that every group of worshipers in the synagogues
after Shacharis [the morning prayers] should make a regular practice of
reading the daily allotment of Psalms as apportioned throughout each
month, and that this be followed by Kaddish, according to custom. This
request still stands - for the public good. (Indeed, it would be proper
to institute this practice in every shul [synagogue], for it is not
relevant to chasidim alone.) And by virtue of this reading, may all
those concerned be blessed by the Source of Blessings with all manner of
bounty both spiritual and material.

...May our eyes witness the ascending glory of the Torah, of Israel, and
of our brotherhood, and may we behold the goodly light.

Your unswerving friend, who seeks the welfare and success of yourselves
and your children and grandchildren, and who blesses you all both
materially and spiritually,

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                                CUSTOMS
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              What is the significance of wearing tzitzit?

According to the Torah (Num. 37:39) tzitzit are to serve as a visual
reminder of the obligation to keep the Divine Commandments. Tzitzit are
the special threads attached to the four corners of the talit (prayer
shawl) and talit katan (a four cornered garment). There are eight
threads on each corner which are tied into five knots and wound 39
times. The word "tzitzit" has the numerical value of 600. By adding to
that the 8 threads and 5 knots one comes up with 613 - the number of
commandments in the Torah. In addition, the winding 39 times is
significant in that 39 is the numerical value of the Hebrew words, "G-d
is One."

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                        A WORD FROM THE DIRECTOR
                         Rabbi Shmuel M. Butman
*********************************************************************
Thursday, June 28 corresponds to the 12th day of the Hebrew month
Tammuz. On this day in 1927, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn, the
Previous Rebbe was informed of his release from Soviet exile and on the
13th of the month he actually left Kostrama.

The foremost commentator on the Torah, Rashi, explains that "The Nasi -
the leader of the generation - is the entire people." Thus, whatever
happened to the Previous Rebbe effects not only him but the entire
generation and, in fact, the entire Jewish people for all eternity.

The redemption of the Previous Rebbe on the 12th of Tammuz, sparked an
increase in the service of spreading of Chasidic teachings.

Moreover, it ultimately led to the Previous Rebbe coming to America
which brought about a marked increase in spreading the teachings of
Judaism in general and Chasidic thought in particular.

In a gathering in honor of 12 Tammuz, the Rebbe suggested, "In
connection with the 12th of Tammuz, efforts should be made to organize
gatherings in each and every place where Jews are found to inspire each
other in the service of spreading the wellsprings of Chasidut outward.
This will generate the potential of the transformation of the Three
Weeks into a positive period, with the coming of the ultimate
Redemption. Even before that redemption comes, we will merit a
succession of Divine miracles.

When one Jew will ask another, 'What was the last miracle that
happened?' he will be unable to answer because the miracles are taking
place in such rapid succession. And these miracles will lead to the
ultimate miracles, those which accompany the Redemption from exile, when
'As in the day of your exodus from Egypt, I will show you wonders.'"

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                          THOUGHTS THAT COUNT
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He who says...what is mine is mine and what is yours is yours - this is
a median characteristic, and some say that this is the characteristic of
the people of Sodom (Ethics of the Fathers 5:10)

An individual who behaves in this manner, not wanting anything from
others and unwilling to give of himself, does not seriously threaten the
existence of the world. Yet, if this same attitude is adopted by an
entire society, it leads to the degradation and indifference of Sodom,
where poor people died in the streets from hunger.

                                                     (Lachmai Toda)

                                *  *  *


There are four types among those who give charity (Ethics 5:13)

Two men once came to Rabbi Yehuda Landau, to collect for a poor person.
"How much does he need?" Rabbi Landau asked. After citing a particular
sum, Rabbi Landau offered the entire amount, minus a few gilden, to the
two visitors. They did not understand his gesture. If he could afford to
part with such a large sum of money, why not the entire amount? "The
Torah states, 'One who wishes to give but that others should not - he
begrudges others.' One must leave room for others to perform the mitzva
of charity as well..." Rabbi Landau explained.

                                *  *  *


Which is a controversy for the sake of heaven? The controversy between
Hillel and Shammai (Ethics 5:17)

Rabbi Chaim Volozhiner used to say, "Only people the stature of Hillel
and Shammai could engage in controversy for the sake of heaven. People
on our level, however, must avoid even this type of disagreement."

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                            IT ONCE HAPPENED
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Rabbi Yehudah Liebush Heber and his family were very close to the Rebbe
and the Rebbetzin during World War II, when the couple lived anonymously
in Paris.

"At the beginning of the war," related Rabbi Heber, "I was deliberating
whether to stay in Paris or to try to immigrate to the States. This was
before the Nazi invasion of Paris, and no one could predict how
devastating the future would be. I was financially secure in Paris and
concerned about the uncertainty and difficulty of immigration.

"The Rebbe suggested that I consult with his father-in-law, Rabbi Yosef
Yitzchok Schneersohn (the Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe), who was living in
Poland.

"I was very surprised by this advice. Contact with Warsaw was virtually
impossible by phone or mail. 'Send a telegram,' the Rebbe suggested.
This also seemed futile, because telegrams were not being delivered
either.

" 'You have no idea,' the Rebbe said, 'what a Rebbe is. The letter and
the telegram need not be delivered in order for the Rebbe to know the
question. And the Rebbe's response need not arrive in order for you to
receive your answer.'

"I promptly sat down to phrase my question and proceeded to the Western
Union office. 'Sorry, there is absolutely no possibility of telegraphing
Poland,' said the clerk. 'All the lines are down.' I did not really
expect otherwise, but I had done what I could.

"The next morning I awoke with a sudden clarity. Despite my previous
hesitations, I suddenly felt very adamant about leaving Paris and
immigrating to the States."

                                *  *  *


Although today we have  grown accustomed to overseas travel, it was much
less convenient and affordable in the 1950s, during the first years of
the Rebbe's leadership. Nevertheless, one of the Rebbe's emissaries from
Europe arranged a trip to "770," Lubavitch World Headquarters, in order
to celebrate "Yud-Beit Tammuz," (the 12th of the Jewish month of Tammuz)
the anniversary of the Previous Rebbe's release from prison, and to
participate in the Rebbe's gathering.

The twelfth of Tammuz usually occurs during the summer camping season.
Shortly before the Rebbe's gathering, the emissary was contacted by the
staff of the Lubavitch boys overnight camp in upstate New York. "Please
spend the night of the twelfth of Tammuz with our campers," he was
asked. "We have not been able to find anyone else who would be as
capable of sharing the inspiration of this important date with the
children."

The emissary had always given priority to other peoples' needs, so he
spent the night of the twelfth of  Tammuz with a group of campers and
not at the Rebbe's gathering, even though he had planned to celebrate
the Chasidic holiday with the Rebbe.

A few days later, the Rebbe announced an unexpected gathering at "770."
This was extremely uncommon in those years, and many wondered what was
behind this unanticipated event. During the gathering, the Rebbe
resolved their questions. "There is an emissary who traveled here from
afar," he explained, "and yet willingly forfeited his opportunity to
spend Yud-Beis Tammuz at '770' so that he could speak for and inspire a
group of campers. Now we are making it up to him."

                                *  *  *


The Previous Rebbe initiated the custom, continued on by the Rebbe, of
dispatching groups of his chasidim to synagogues in various Jewish
communities throughout New York City on the holidays. Despite the
distance, it often involves hours of walking in each direction, the
Lubavitchers joyfully make the journey, sharing the spirit of the
holiday and bringing a message from the Rebbe to the congregants whom
they meet.

A scholar, Rabbi Nissan Telushkin, a rabbi in a synagogue in East New
York, greatly appreciated the visit by the Lubavitchers. Shortly after
the holiday one year, he was privileged to have a private audience with
the Rebbe, and he used the opportunity to thank him for sending his
chasidim.

The Rebbe acknowledged his thanks saying, "Yes, it entails a measure of
self-sacrifice on their part."

"Indeed," stated Rabbi Telushkin. "Hours of walking back and forth
requires much self-sacrifice."

The Rebbe smiled. "There's a greater dimension of self-sacrifice: the
readiness to extend oneself and reach out to others with the full
knowledge that, at the very same time, a gathering is taking place at
"770". To give up this opportunity and go to a different shul is a much
greater self-sacrifice."

        Reprinted from To Know and To Care by Eli and Malka Touger,
                                    published by Sichos in English.

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                            MOSHIACH MATTERS
*********************************************************************
Moses prepared the first red heifer, Ezra the Scribe prepared the second
one. In the Mishna (Para 3:5) our Sages say, "Seven red heifers were
prepared since Ezra. And who prepared them? Shimon HaTzaddik prepared
two; Yochanan the High Priest prepared two; Eliyahu-Ayni ben Hakuf,
Chananel the Egyptian, Yishmael ben Piani (or Pabi) each prepared one."
The tenth and final one will be prepared by Moshiach.

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                END OF TEXT - L'CHAIM 975 - Chukas 5767
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