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Candlelighting (Los Angeles)
7:13 PM Friday Mincha:
7:30 PM
LATEST SHEMA: 9:38 AM
Parshas Re’eh / Shabbos Mevorchim
Friday, 26 Menachem Av 5774 / August 22, 2014
The Tests of Life By Yossi Goldman
Will the real prophet please stand up?
There are false prophets out there;
there always have been. Way back in
the times of the Bible, the Torah was
a l r e a d y w a r n i n g u s
(in Deuteronomych. 13) that we would
encounter individuals who look like
prophets. They might even seem to
make miracles like prophets, but, in
truth, they are false prophets.
Why then would G‑d allow a false
prophet to make a miracle or do won-
drous things that are really impres-
sive? The answer, says ourParshah, is
that G‑d is testing us. If we really and
truly love G‑d with all our heart and
soul, then we won’t be impressed by
any fancy wonders or miracles. The
acid test will always be: does this
would-be prophet encourage us to
follow G‑d’s laws, or to ignore them?
And if this “prophet” is not faithful to
the word of G‑d, then he is no
prophet, but an imposter.
If you thought that life’s tests were
over when you finished school, guess
again. There are many tests in life, and
they can be much more difficult than
chemistry or physics. And there isn’t
that much homework we can do to
prepare for these kinds of tests, either.
Poverty is a big test of faith. Even
affluence can be a test that’s tougher
than we think. Failing health is no easy
one, and tragedy is worse. Every indi-
vidual faces his or her own unique
tests and challenges. We might wish
the other fellow’s tests upon ourselves,
but our tests are ours and ours alone
to deal with. What tempts one person
may not tempt the next. What is diffi-
cult for me might be simple for you,
and vice versa. If we remember that
the challenge of the moment is, in fact,
a test, we might be better able to han-
dle it and pass the test.
But we don’t always realize that this
may just be our very own personal,
spiritual challenge, perhaps even the
most important one of our entire exis-
tence. We don’t necessarily appreciate
that our souls might have come down
to this world for the express purpose of
passing these tests.
So we rationalize.
If there is a G‑d in the world, where
was He at Auschwitz?
If G‑d didn’t intend for me to
take the money, why did the
boss leave the cash register
open?
If this relationship is wrong,
why does it feel so right? This
poor woman is locked in a
loveless marriage. Isn’t she entitled
to a little happiness? Shouldn’t I be
there for her?
If G‑d really wanted me to
keep Shabbat, why is my biggest
turnover on Saturday?
If a yarmulke was meant for me to
wear, why am I bald? I can’t even
find any hair for the darned clip!
But if we accept the concept of a test
of faith, then it becomes easier to
deal with the challenges, as formida-
ble as they may be.
The question remains: Why does
G‑d test us? Is it really—as our Par-
shah explains—“to know whether we
do, in fact, love G‑d with all our heart
and soul”? Doesn’t G‑d know all that
already? How will we enlighten Him
one way or the other? Is there any-
thing G‑d does not know?
T h e ans we r , ac c o rd in g t o
Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi (in his
classic collection of chassidic dis-
courses, Likkutei Torah), is that it is
not for G‑d to know, but for us to
know. Of course, G‑d knows. But He
places tests and obstacles in our
path, so that when we overcome
them we develop and bring to the
fore the inner, latent love of G‑d that
was always there inside our hearts
and souls.
When we pass life’s tests, we dis-
cover that we do have that inner
strength after all, that we really are
believers who are profoundly con-
nected to G‑d, and that our commit-
ment is true and genuine. In passing
life’s tests we become more confident
in our own moral strength, and en-
riched and ennobled with a higher
awareness of G‑d. This is why we
are stronger after conquering these
hurdles than we were before we
faced them.
We don’t go looking for tests. Every
morning in our prayers we ask G‑-d, “Lead us not to temptation.” But if it
does come our way, we must appre-
ciate that it is critical to our success
as moral human beings and as com-
Chabad of Beverly Hills 409 Foothill Rd.
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Chabadofbeverlyhills.com
Rabbi Yosef Shusterman
310-271-9063
The Chabad Weekly
This Shabbat we bless the month of Elul, the final month of the year before Rosh
Hashana. One of the most fundamental principles in
Judaism is that a person can always change for the good. Regardless of one's past ac-
tions, the only requirements are remorse for misdeeds, the resolve not to repeat them, and a sincere desire to draw closer to G-d.
This process of returning to one's true, inner nature (which is essentially good in the Jew)
is known as teshuva, to which the entire month of Elul is dedicated.
Unfortunately, the concept of teshuva is sometimes misconstrued. "Becoming a baal teshuva" is not just for Jews who were never exposed to Torah and never had a chance to
learn the basics. The greatest rabbis and scholars are also obligated to "do teshuva," for when it comes to levels of holiness and purity, there is no end to up. Only G-d can assess what is in a person's heart, ignoring
the externals. On the contrary, a person who was raised in a religious home is better
equipped to "do teshuva," armed with the benefit of a Jewish education to guide him. The story is told of a teacher in a "baal te-shuva" yeshiva who, in the course of an
audience with a certain Chasidic Rebbe in Israel, described how wonderful his school
was. In the midst of the conversation, he felt a sudden need to clarify that he himself "was
not a baal teshuva." "And why aren't you a baal teshuva?" the
Rebbe gently chided him. "Doing teshuva" is not a one-shot deal. A Jew
doesn't become a "baal teshuva" by begin-ning to perform mitzvot and assuming that he's made it. The initial turning toward G-d
may be revolutionary, but teshuva is an ongo-ing process. Every day we are faced with choices; every day is a new opportunity to
elevate and refine ourselves. The upcoming month of Elul is a particularly good time to
renew our resolve…
(From: L’Chaim #1132 )- lchaimweekly.org
Shabbat Schedule
Announcements:
Yartzheits: Yosef Boden-
stein – Av 27, Evelyn
Sternlight – Av 27, Laura
Siegel – Elul 1, Yosef ben
Shlomo Esmailzadeh - Elul 1.
Happy Birthday to Avraham
Moradian, Chani Mintz,
Aura Mishel, Rafael Mora-
dian, Josh Neufeld, Daniella
Hatanian, Shmuel Sulami,
Chayale Kesselman and
Sholom Dovber Ganjian.
Happy Anniversary to
Rabbi Mendel and Aidie
Shusterman.
Tehillim 8:00 AM
Shacharit 9:30AM
followed by
Kiddush,
Cholent &
Farbrengen
Pirkei Avos 6:15 PM
Mincha 7:00 PM
followed by
Seuda
Shlishit
Shabbat ends
8:13 PM
Vol. 17 Is
sue 45
B”H
mitted Jews that we face up to the chal-
lenge.
May we never be tested. But if we are,
let us remember that it is a test. Please
G‑d, we will pass with flying colors.
Chabad.org
GOOD SHABBOS!
SCHEDULE OF CLASSES
Sunday 8:00 AM
Gemara – Tractate Sanhedrin
(men)
Monday 8:00 PM
Chumash (men and women)
Tuesday 8:00 PM
Gemara B’Iyun
Tractate Kesuvos (men)
Wednesday 8:30 PM
Halacha and Tanya (women)
Thursday 10:00 AM
Chassidus (women)
Daily
Chassidus 6:45 AM– 7:15 AM
Halacha Between Mincha
and Maariv
Daily Minyonim Weekday Shacharis: 6:00 AM & 7:30 AM
Sunday Shacharis: 7:00 AM & 9:00 AM
Mincha/Maariv: 7:25 PM
Story of the Week:
Being too poor to afford a ride to his rebbe, the holy Reb Elimelech of Liszensk, the great Reb David of Lelov went by foot. On the way, he met a wealthy chasid traveling to Reb Elimelech in his own carriage. He offered Reb David a ride and assumed that he was a poor beggar trying for better luck in a different town. Under this assumption, the wealthy chasid began joking with and mocking Reb David. Reb David remained silent as the chasid belittled him for the entire journey. When they arrived in Liszensk, the wealthy man went to speak with Reb Elimelech immediately. Reb David, however, spent a few hours meditating and preparing himself to meet with his Rebbe. Reb David finally went in and stayed clos-eted with Reb Elimelech for over two hours. Upon leaving the Rebbe's room, Reb David explained to the wealthy chasid that he would be remaining in Liszensk for some time and concluded, "Return without me, but you should make sure that on the way back, if you hear a cry of distress, answer the call." The chasid realized that Reb David was no mere beggar, and assured him that his advice would be heeded. When the chasid was half-way home, he heard a cry for help. Following the cries, he came upon a carriage stuck in deep mud. The chasid tied a rope from his carriage to the other carriage and carefully pulled the
carriage and its owner out of danger. Then, the chasid took the owner, a wealthy government official from Warsaw, home with him. He gave him clean cloth-ing, fed him, and kept him until he had recovered from the traumatic ordeal. Within a few days, the official returned to the chasid's home, asking, "How can I repay you?" The chasid said, "It is enough of a reward to know that I have saved the life of an-other human being." "At least," begged the official, "let me have your name and address so that I can record it and remember it always." To this request the chasid conceded. Months passed and the wheel of fortune turned for the chasid. He became so impoverished that he was forced to be-come a beggar. From town to town the once wealthy chasid went begging for money. One day, while begging in his own city of Warsaw, a passenger in a fancy carriage called out to him. The chasid began to run away, but the carriage pursued him. "Stop, I must speak to you," said the passenger. The chasid stopped running. "Do you recognize me," asked the man to the chasid. "No," was the chasid's reply. "What is your name," the man asked. Upon hearing the chasid's name, the man, now governor of Warsaw, said, "Ten years ago you saved me when my car-riage was stuck in the mud. What has happened to you over these years?" The chasid retold the turn of events of the past ten years. The governor exclaimed, "I never did repay you for saving my life. Accept, therefore, this check for 2,000 rubles." The chasid was overjoyed. He started a business and once more became suc-cessful. The chasid wished to speak with a tzadik to better understand these turn of events. His rebbe had passed away. So he went to visit the Lelover Rebbe, not
knowing this was the Reb David from some ten years before. Reb David asked the chasid to repeat what had transpired over the past dec-ade. He then said to the chasid, "Know, that because you mocked me the entire way to Liszensk, death was decreed for you on High. I, however, knew of the decree and told Reb Elimelech about it. We spent two hours discussing ways to have the decree lifted or lessened. Through prayer and meditation we were able to have the decree changed to ten years of poverty. Now that you have completed those ten years, the wheel of fortune has once more turned in your favor and you will return to your prior wealth and position."(From: L’Chaim
#1335) - lchaimweekly.org
HaYom Yom Menachem Av 27 The month of Elul is the month
of reckoning. In the material
world, if a businessman is to con-
duct his affairs properly and
with great profit, he must peri-
odically take an accounting and
correct any deficiencies... Like-
wise in the spiritual avoda of
serving G-d. Throughout the year
all Israel are occupied with To-
rah, Mitzvot and (developing and
expressing) good traits. The
month of Elul is the month of
reckoning, when every Jew, each
commensurate with his abilities,
whether scholar or businessman,
must make an accurate account-
ing in his soul of everything that
occurred in the course of the
year. Each must know the good
qualities in his service of G-d and
strengthen them; he must also be
aware of the deficiencies in him-
self and in his service, and cor-
rect these. Through this excel-
lent preparation, one merits a
good and sweet year, materially
and spiritually.
The anticipation of the Redemp-
tion should be so powerful that
one actually considers the Re-
demption a reality. When this
happens, one should share this
feeling with others, telling them
that we can actually see the
coming of the ultimate Redemp-
tion. Furthermore, even a person
who has not fully internalized the
concept of the Redemption in his
own mind should make efforts to
spread this concept to others,
beginning with his own family
and circle of acquaintances. Why
should one's own failure to inter-
nalize these concepts cause
others to be denied this knowl-
edge?(The Rebbe, 30 Av, 5751 - 1991)
PIRKEI AVOS This is the way to Torah: Eat
bread with salt, drink water in small measure (Ethics 6:4)
Someone once came to Rabbi Akiva Eiger to inform him that one of his students was living in abject poverty. "It's a pity, Rabbi," the man said. "Every
night he eats dry bread, recites the Shema, and goes to sleep."
Said the Rabbi, "It's a much greater pity when a person
eats the finest roast chicken for dinner but goes to sleep without saying the Shema."
(From: L’Chaim 483) - lchaimweekly.org
There is a famous story from the
Midrash that relates to this week's
Torah portion.
A very pious land-owner was punctili-
ous about following the Torah's com-
mandment to give one-tenth of his
produce to the priests. When this
righteous Jew saw his end approach-
ing, he called his son and heir over to
him and cautioned, "The Almighty has
always been generous with us. I have
always given 100 of our 1000 bushels
to the priests. You must make sure to
do the same."
That year, at harvest-time, the son
followed his father's wishes. He gave
100 of the 1000 bushels as the tithe.
The following year, however, he de-
cided to "save" a little, and gave only
90 bushels. The next year, strangely
enough, the fields only produced 900
bushels. Having incurred such a tre-
mendous loss, the son decided to only
give 80 bushels that year. And, low
and behold, the following year the
fields only produced 800 bushels.
Year after year, this scene repeated
itself, until the once lush and prosper-
ous fields were only producing 100
bushels. The son had still not gotten
the message. His friends and relatives
tried to intervene. They went to visit
the son dressed in festive clothes,
bringing along food and wine.
"We have come to celebrate your good
fortune," they said.
"You mock me and my change of
fate," he told them angrily.
"No," they contradicted him. "We
have come to celebrate your elevated
state," they said somewhat sarcasti-
cally. "You see, in the past, your fa-
ther gave 10% of his produce, 100
bushels, to the priests, and the rest
remained for him. Now, it seems that
G-d has elevated you to the status of
priest. He is giving you the 100 bush-
els and keeping the rest for Himself."
No one ever became poor from giving
charity. By giving charity we are as-
sured that G-d's blessings will also be
bestowed upon us generously.
(From: L’Chaim #1282)
- lchaimweekly.org