ב"ה
Many of us are feeling helpless, asking, “What can I do about the situation
in Israel?” We have plenty to tell the politicians, the world leaders, the
military and all the other major players. But for the rest of us, those who feel
powerless in the realm of politics, what are we supposed to do besides sit and
read the papers?
Exodus 6:2-9:35 Torah Reading for Week of January 21 - 27, 2001 
Blood, frogs, lice, hordes of wild animals, dying herds, boils, hail... all to
get the Jews out of Egypt and Egypt out of the Jews.
The Parshah in a Nutshell
We don't do anything, not even read. There's something in the atmosphere and experience that takes away the ability to concentrate or focus. One's greatest desire is simply not to be there, not to be doing this, and to have it be over with as quickly as possible. There are two groups of people in the room. Those who, like me, have their wives or husbands sitting by their side. And those who are alone.
I would know the life of a predator or a victim, even a worm, or a plant or a
rock. I would experience the satisfaction of munching green leaves, the fear of
an attacked animal; the choices of the hero, of the villain, or the coward.All would recognize the Me that is within them, and even I would find Myself there. And be surprised. If you’re G-d, you can surprise even yourself.
It was in 1950, after we had completed our army service. At first we lived in
tents, in the middle of a barren wilderness. At that time, there were not yet
water pipes reaching our moshav. We had to content ourselves with what could be
grown in dry rugged fields.
The Physical World According to Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi 
In winter of 1812, while fleeing Napoleon’s armies, Rabbi Schneur Zalman arrived in the town of Pyena, where he fell ill and returned his soul to its Maker. It was there that he penned the famed "Section 20" of Igeret HaKodesh, as well as a short discourse entitled The Humble Soul.The two Pyena discourses present something of an enigma to the student of Rabbi Schneur Zalman’s philosophy, who expects to see a recapitulation of the Rebbe’s earlier works in these products of his final days. Instead, one finds what appears to be a departure from--or even a reversal of--certain key principles of his previous teachings. |
|