SPRING 5769/2009 A LITTLE NOSH FOR THE SOUL CHABAD OF MALIBU

DEDICATED TO THE LOVE AND INSPIRATION OF THE LUBAVITCHER REBBE

Instead of my usual shpiel, I would instead like to share a poem by one of our readers, Sharon Haas.

Pa s s o v e r e n d s , passed over, Past over, move forward, move th rough the des-ert. Your chains are loosed your enslave-ment released, so why do you hesitate? Why do you stand still? What are you afraid of? What are you waiting for? The sea to part again? This is it. The Messiah is waiting Where? Here you fool, Are you waiting for Moses to lead you again? Pick up your staff and walk, walk the truth of your being. Fling those shackles of your enslave-ment leave them in the desert, Drink, drink the nectar of freedom your ancestors dream.

I hold my mother's tambourine, like Miriam I sing and dance, like David I am flawed in my frailty to be arrogant and broken in the same dance. Can we really ever leave our Past? When we cross that desert we carry our moth-ers and fathers lives lost-don't drown in their memory as the red sea covers the land. Let them come through the other side, embraced and dancing, dancing in the Light. Hallelukah, Hallelukah.

EDITOR IN CHIEF: Rabbi Chaim N. Cunin EDITOR: Rabbi Shmuel Marcus

MANAGING EDITOR: Shira Gold COPY EDITORS: Eli Marcus, Lisa Burstein

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Rabbi Shlomo Yaffee, Rabbi Yosef Marcus, Dr. Ben Sherman, Sharon Haas, Chava Tombosky, Yanky Tauber, Aaron D. Newman, Mendel Jacobson, Raleigh Resnick,

Lubavitch.com, Rabbi Shmuel Marcus, Scott ShumakerEDITORIAL CONSULTANTS: Rabbi Levi Cunin (Jay Leno’s

Rabbi), Yosef Marcus ART DIRECTOR & DESIGN: Nechama Marcus 714.828.1851COVER ARTWORK: Roman Sharf www.romansharf.com

SPECIAL THANKS TO: Uri, Dina, Natan, Yitzchak, Moshe and Gilana Sara Pikover for continuing the Rebbe’s Farbrengen.

Website: www.farbrengen.com ©2009 by Chabad of California

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce any portion of Farbrengen in any form, without prior written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages

Printed in the USA

A Russian Jewish boy growing up in Brooklyn, Sharf draws his inspiration from comic books to every ism you can think of in the world of art."Ever since I found out that I had the potential to create something beautiful, I have been addicted to the making of art. The world around me acts as a constant inspiration to me."

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Dear Friend,

You are the next link in the chain.

Passover is the most ancient of all rituals in the Western world. It has beenpassed down in an unbroken chain of tradition for over 3300 years, that’sover 100 generations! That means that every one of your ancestors,without exception, sat at a Seder and shared the meaning, the mysteryand magic of Passover.

Engage all your senses in this dynamic and moving experience. The tastes,the aromas, the textures, the sounds and the sights of Jewish continuity inaction all combine to achieve the meaningful events of the Seder.

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000

Eyes, so full of emptiness, don’t even blink when the child is

whipped. Child, branded by whip and scar, looks into the empty eyes

and sees a reflection of a stranger vaguely familiar – it is himself.

He doesn’t understand why the eyes won’t do anything to help him. The eyes turn

away and the child sees the smooth criss-crosses on his father’s back. Now he under-

stands. His father too was once a child.

As he grows, the scars begin to close over the raw pain and a tough shell, a crust really, forms

over that which was once called delicate. He has joined the family tradition – a slave to his master,

just like his father.

Bound wrist to wrist, father and son lay brick after brick, building a pyramid to nowhere. Coarse

clothe, like blistered palms, burn the sweaty skin off their shoulders – and smooth scar meets worn scab

like foamy wave meeting spongy sand.

Child watches the sun set through the bars. Moon, work-ing the graveyard shift, seems to be dressed in prisoners

black and white pinstripes. At a closer look, it is the bars that are creating the pinstripe illusion.

(A slave seems to project his slavery unto others. And it is true: if there be but one slave in this world, then we, the

free, are all slaves, shackled to that man’s lack of freedom.)

During those nights, looking at the stars, a million diamonds sown into crushed velvet, the Child’s mind wanders: Why am

I a slave? Why is he a master? Why am I confined to com-placency, shackled to mortality, barred to boredom, chained

to impossibilities, cuffed to ordinary? Why can I not just break out, reach for that crushed velvet – who knows, I may just grab

a diamond?

In the purple haze of before sun’s budding and slave’s toiling, Child asks Father all of these questions. Child, before Father’s scar covers

his eyes, sees a glimpse of something he cannot word, though we, the so called “free”, with our dictionaries and thesauruses, would recognize

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for questions mendel jacobson

mendel jacobson is a writer, poet and journalist based in new york. he iscurrently working for the yiddish-english weekly, the algemeiner journal.

it as pain. Quicker than its arrival into Father’s eyes is its departure, and therefore Child thinks it a trick of dawn’s awakening. Father tells Child, we are slaves, and slaves have no right to ask questions. But why are we slaves? That’s just the way it is; don’t waste your energy on childish questions, save it for your bricklaying. Forget your questions.

But telling a child to forget is like telling an adult to rebel, and as a child grows, though scars grow as well, he always remembers his questions and sneaks peeks out the bars into the unknown.

Now older (it is difficult to tell a slaves exact age), he feels something inside of him, below scar tissue and under calloused skin. He doesn’t recognize it, though it is somewhat familiar – kind of like his childhood face.

That night, instead of collapsing on his stone bed, he looks through the bars – and those million lights in the dark unknown set off a million lights in his dark unknown. Questions, long buried under a thousand bricks, climb to the surface.

In that same purple haze of before sun’s budding and slave’s toiling, he gathers his friends – all young enough to revolt yet old enough to be taken seriously – and asks them his questions. They say we have asked the same ques-tions and have gotten the same answers.

As the darkness of the crushed velvet illuminates the million stars (it’s funny how the brightest things are illuminated in the darkest places), the slaves join arms and questions in revolt. As there are inevitably more slaves than masters (for many reasons), and now nothing, not even their steel silence, coming between them, the slaves easily bust through the iron(y) bars and barb(ed) wire.

They are free at last. Free from scars. Free from masters.

Free to ask questions – why should we not, I ask you?

3

life musings[ [

Get on your soul gear.

Send us your comments

to editor@farbrengen.com

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Soul Bling

4

what awaits at the gateAs you might expect, you don't need to speak Hebrew to enjoy Amir Benayun's introspective new album "Standing at the Gate." Benayun conveys his Moroccan roots in his fourth album recorded and produced in Israel. Fusing Sephardic rythms and Israeli pop, Benayun creates a full flavored Middle Eastern experience. Listeners will no doubt enjoy the lyrics inspired by the works of the Lubavitcher Rebbe.

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eeditor's choice

By Dr. Ben Sherman

Here is why you should drop whatever you’re doing on April 8th and bless the Maker of the sun. You don’t have to be reading this with solar powered lighting or happen to be swimming in a solar-heated pool to appreciate the solar system. The blessing of the sun, Birchat HaChama, first appears in the pages of the Talmud. The great sage Shmuel declared it a law that “Each time the spring season begins at 6:00 p.m. on a Tuesday evening one should go outside the next morning and recite the blessing of “Blessed are you…who makes the works of creation.” And as you know, that will happen only once in 28 years. I, myself, was born in a state hospital in

Florida on Tuesday, January 22nd 1952. My mother Helen has told me (several times since) that according to published statis-tics, most children are born on a Tuesday, and she is proud to support the numbers. Thinking back, I can hardly remember my birthdays being celebrated on a Tuesday. Think about it. How often was your birth-day cake cut on the same day of the week you were born on? Well, if the solar cycle spins correctly, (i.e., 365 days plus 6 hours) your 28th, 56th, 84th, and 112th birthday will occur on the same day of the week as when you were born. Now you know why rabbis across the world are all talking about the “blessing of the Sun” that will be happening this year on Wednesday April 8th, 2009. I’m excited too, since I was too young to remember the last time it was recited back in 1981. Two days before Adam and Eve were created, the sun and moon were created on the Wednesday of creation. On that day, the beginning of spring (Tekufa of Nissan) was at 6:00 p.m., on Tuesday the beginning of the halachic day Wednesday. The complete solar cycle takes approxi-mately 365 days and 6 hours. This is equal to 52 weeks, 1 day and 6 hours. Therefore, in the following year (after the world was created) spring began early Thursday at midnight. The following year it began at 6:00 a.m. on Friday, the following year at

noon on Shabbat and the year after that at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday. Every four years, the time of the tekufa moved five days of the week later (e.g. from 6:00 p.m. Tuesday to 6:00 p.m. Sunday). After 28 years, it returned to the same time that it was at creation. That is what everyone is talking about this year. The next time I can publish this article will be in 2037 and then again in 2065.So, let’s celebrate. Ideally, Birchat HaChama should be recited in a public ceremony with men, women and children, but, if you’re alone you can say it as well.

WHAT TO DO? 1. On the morning of April 8th 2009, go outside and recite (while standing) Psalm 148. 2. Then, gaze briefly towards the sun and say, “Baruch atah Ado-nei Elo-hainu Melech haolam oseh maaseh braishis,” - “Blessed are You, L-ord, our G-d, King of the universe, Who re-enacts the structure of the creation." 3. Recite the prayer of E-l Adon from the Shabbat prayers (Tehillat Hashem Siddur p. 204). 4. Then recite Psalm 19 and the conclud-ing prayer of Aleinu (Tehillat Hashem p. 80). Repeat every 28 years.

Dr. Ben Sherman is a retired family physician who lives with his wife in Riverside, California. Sherman writes for Farbrengen Magazine in his spare time while he is not enjoying the study of numbers or eating birthday cake.

Every once in a solar equinox

}in your lifetime, it will only occur

According to tradition, the sun was cre‑ated at the moment of the spring equinox which coin‑cided with the first moment of the fourth day of cre‑ation—the day when G‑d set into orbit the sun, moon and all the heav‑enly bodies.

in your lifetime, it will only occur

Soul Bling

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[ [soul watch

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and pray that you meet the exact people that will help you find what you are looking for.” And so I did, I lit the candles, asked G-d for guidance and began my journey. Three hundred Lubavitcher women were escorted into a hall and an articulate woman, shared a beautiful story that made a lasting impression. Sara was a Rebbetzin with ten children. She and her husband were Chabad Shluchim in a distant city in Argentina. In the late nineties, this wealthy Jewish community had been hit very hard by an economic crisis. Although their initial goal was to share Judaism, the broken economy had them sharing the basics with this very poor Jewish community. Along with teaching about Judaism, Torah, and spirituality, they quickly realized, their mission was to help the impoverished families by supplying, food, medicine and the basic material necessities that this community had been lacking. But their lives were personally hit with a very serious challenge when Sara’s husband

took ill. He contracted a condition that attacked his lungs. The doctors were concerned the worst thing he’d face was 24-hour oxygen. And if the disease pursued, the course of treatment next in line was a lung transplant. Within several short months, Sara’s husband was on full oxygen 24/7. His health had taken a turn for the worse. Yet despite his severe challenge, he still managed to raise the appro-priate funds for his community. When the lung transplant became inevitable, Sara recounted her experience with great heart. Sara relayed how she had questioned G-d. Why her? Why her family? Why her husband? Eventually her questions lead to conversations, and her conversations lead to prayer. She spoke about her challenges with prayer. But after months of channeling her pleas to G-d a mira-cle occurred. Her husband received a transplant and eventually made a full recovery. That night I was very moved by Sara’s talk. It was real. It was raw. It was not rhetoric, it was authentic. And for the first time, I prayed with three hundred women entranced in the melody

of Lecha Dodi. With tears dripping down my face, some-thing else seemed to pull my attention. Sara looked so familiar. I couldn’t place it. At the end of the prayer service, I approached her and introduced myself. When I told her my name, she immediately apologized. She was the Sara I was looking for at the airport. I guess we were not meant to meet earlier. We were meant to meet there at that moment. I shared with Sara how her story had touched me, how I had struggled with prayer for so long, and how her story moved me to a place I thought had been lost forever. We chatted a bit longer, and she asked me where I had grown up. “Long Beach, California,” I said. “Funny,” she mentioned, “I was a second grade teacher in Long Beach about twenty three years ago.” “What school?” I asked. When Sara relayed the school she taught in, I immediately froze choking on tears of new realizations that were more than serendipitous. Sara had been my second grade prayer teacher. She had taught me how to pray at eight years old, and she had taught me how to reconnect to it at thirty. I never got a chance to tell Sara of our connection that weekend. After arriving back home, I decided to orga-nize a fundraiser for the congregants Sara and her husband had sacrificed their lives for in her honor. We flew Sara out to an organized parlor meeting and although she was moved, she remained puzzled, why had I done this? That evening I was able to tell Sara amongst a beautiful crowd how our connection had taken root some twenty three years prior. She was truly honored. We were both moved by the

awareness that our paths had crossed for a higher purpose. That night we raised five thousand dol-lars, enough money to feed fifty families for six months, believe it or not. But my story does not end here. Later, that night, after the fundraiser, I was on a high, and shared the entire

story with my grandmother. My grandmother relayed to me the following story, one that she had never shared with me till that very night. Years ago, after World War one, a wealthy Baron, named Baron Hirsch, had bought acres of land in Argentina. Baron Hirsh had under-stood the danger European Jews faced as a result of anti-Semitism. He not only bought land in Argentina, but offered to bring out European Jews to settle the land for free, as long as they were willing to work the earth. My great grandmother was one of these settlers brought out by Baron Hirsch himself. Sara’s hometown, the very city we raised money for, was the very town Baron Hirsch had settled my great- grandmother in. He had saved her life, giving her the opportunity to eventually move to the states and give birth to my grand-mother, my mother, and to me. His statue stands erect in the town square till this very day. Prayer is a funny thing. Just when you feel that connection is not there, G-d comes along and surprises you with a twisted tale like this one to revive the very essence of your soul.

or my thirtieth birthday, the realization came to me to get in touch with my more spiritual side that had quietly slipped into

a faint whisper by doing what all natural truth seekers do when they need a lift. I signed up for a spiritual Jewish women’s retreat. The hope was to get more clarity on my personal mission, to become more realigned with the side of me that was muted for so long, the side of me that needed to pray to G-d and reconnect with Him, but had been so disap-pointed by Him, that it seemed nearly impos-sible and very out of reach. Don’t get me wrong, I am an observant woman, went to Jewish Day school, even mar-ried a rabbi and had three kids by the time I was twenty seven. I bake challah every week, wear a wig, you know the routine. But there comes a time in a religious woman’s experience that you do things by rote, and everything numbs over. There’s a difference between religious and observant as my father says, “An observant person is afraid of going to hell and a reli-gious person has been there and back already.” So there I was, looking for my religious side to transform. Five am, on my way to the airport, I stopped to pick up my girlfriend, Gila, for our “Girls Spiritual Adventure.” Her eight month pregnant body waddled to the door, she was still in her pajamas. “I’m not going,” she replied. “I’m having con-tractions, so you’ll have to go stag.” So much for our girls adventure. I was turning thirty, right? I could handle it. I landed in Monsey, New York and was scheduled to meet and share a cab with a woman named “Sara.” I waited. When I realized we had missed each others I decided to take a cab to the hotel. At the hotel, you couldn’t help but notice every woman was a religious Lubavitcher, incredibly unworldly, so I thought. Very judg-mental, so I felt, and certain no one would pos-sibly understand my challenges. To be honest, I was starting to think I had entered the religious “Stepford Wives” convention. On the outside I guess I looked like everyone else, but on the inside, I felt worlds apart. Uncertainty began to encroach on my psyche. It was fifteen minutes before Shabbat and my panic induced doubts prompted me to call my dear friend back in my hometown for moral support. “Get a hold of yourself!” she said. “Go downstairs light the shabbos candles

f

Chava Tombosky is an accomplished screen-

writer and independent film producer She lives

in Agoura Hills with her husband and three

children. Tombosky is a reader turned writer of

this magazine

my story[ [

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THINGS TO DO BEFOREYOU PASSOVERBefore PassoverIt is forbidden to eat Chametz—all leavened foods that contain wheat, barley, oats, rye or spelt—on Passover. So collect products containg Chametz and isolate them in a designated “Cha-metz Closet.” Then clear the house of any possible remaining Chametz: empty clothes pockets, vacuum clean-er bags, even the pet food goes into the Closet. Since you’ll use a separate set of dishes for Passover, the Chametz dishes get locked up too. Now stock up on Kosher-for-Passover items; for good leads on Passover foods check out www.ok.org.

ChameTz for Sale Because it is even prohibited to “own” Chametz during Passover, lock your “Cha-metz Closet” and sell its contents to a non-Jew by filling out a “Mechirat Chometz” form. Sound complicated? It is, so ask your Rabbi to make the arrangements. Or log on to www.chabad.com to sell your Chometz online.

4/7 Search for The ChameTz At nightfall begin the “formal search” of the house for Chametz. Tradition-ally, we use a candle to light the way, a spoon (as a shovel), feather (as a broom) and a paper bag to collect any Chametz found. After the search, place everything you found in a conspicuous place to be burned in the morning.

4/8 Fast of The FirsTborn When G-d slew the firstborn of Egypt, he spared the firstborn sons of Israel. Out of gratitude all firstborn sons fast on this day. // BLESSING OF THE SuN April 8th, 2009 will be the first time in 28 years that the sun will be in the same posi-tion as it was at creation. See article titled "Once in a Solar Equinox" for complete blessing and instructions.// BuRNING OF THE CHAMETz In the morning burn all the Chametz found during the the previous night’s formal search.

continued on page 12

passover

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Next year in Jerusalem!

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Step 1 : KADESH(SANCTIFY)Bless the first cup of wine. // Kadesh, which means “set aside,” begins the Seder by affirming our desire to elevate this night above all that is mundane. With it we declare to ourselves and all that are present that this is “The Season of Our Freedom.” To stress this point, we recline to the left when drinking, as only free people did in ancient times. // The blessing is a spiritual wake-up call placed with the hope that we will open ourselves to the divine possibilities that await us.

STEP 2 : uRCHATz (WASH) Wash the hands (in the ritual manner but without reciting a blessing). // As the first step on the journey to freedom, we sublimate spiritual distractions by purifying our hands, the most active part of our body, with water. // The Kabbalah teaches that hands

represent expressions and attributes, while water epitomizes intellect and purity. Washing

refines our attributes with intellect, enabling restrictions to turn into benevolence, hate into love, and personal slavery into freedom. // The observance, one of many during the Seder intended to pique the interest of children,

awakens the innocence within each of us.

STEP 3 : KARPAS (VEGETABLES)Recite the appropriate blessing for vegetables, then dip the Karpas vegetable in saltwater

before eating it. // In the saltwater we can taste the tears of anguish and despair our ancestors shed as their spirits were crushed in Egypt. // When rearranged,

the word Karpas alludes to the word Perech, or “crushing labor.” Our people were forced

to perform senseless tasks in Egypt, endless drudgery without meaning, purpose or goal. // Why, some 3,000 years later, do mindless routines and

habits, or careers driven by the need for status, still dominate our lives so often?

STEP 4 : YACHATz (BREAKING)

The middle matza (of the 3) is broken in two pieces. The larger piece, designated as the Afikoman, is wrapped and hidden away for the children to discover. // The smaller broken piece, the “bread of poverty,” takes center stage while retelling the story of the Exodus. It personifies the spiritual and material destitution our people endured in Egypt once they no longer grasped the meaning of true freedom. By relat-ing to their plight, we feel what is broken in our own humanity. At the same time, when the children hide the Afikoman we sense the larger dimension of our being, the part of our soul never touched by slavery that waits to be discovered.

STEP 5: MAGGID (TELLING)“Tell your children G-d took you out of Egypt.” Fill the second cup of wine, then retell the story of our rise from the depths of bondage to the heights of redemp-tion. // Maggid begins with the children asking, “Why is this night different from all other nights?” The question can put us in touch with the innocence of children as we contemplate the dynamics of liberation. // Are we eating the matzah out of habit, or because we are ready to embrace its significance? Are we observing these rituals to assuage guilt, or to actual-

ize the desire to live a more meaningful life? // When we allow the events in the Maggid to

touch us to the core, we reveal the candor that children hold dear. At the conclusion of Maggid, we savor the second glass.

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passover 2009passover 2009

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STEP 6: RACHTzAH (WASHING)Wash the hands and recite the blessing, Ahl Netilat Yadayim (on the lifting of the hands). // We prepare to internalize the humble nature of matza by uplifting our extremities and expressions. // In its literal sense, the word netila means to move something from one place to another. With this blessing we remove the physicality and vulgarity that may dwell in and around the hands, raising them up for what is to follow.

STEP 7: MOTzI (BLESSING OVER BREAD)Hold the broken half-matza and two whole ones while reciting the appropriate blessing for bread, hamotzie leh-chem min ha-aretz. // The word lechem (bread) contains the same letters as lochem (war). Food is raw energy that holds the potential for either good or evil. Thus, a spiritual battle ensues every time it is consumed. If the purpose in eating is solely to gratify physical cravings, evil prevails. However, when eating to gain energy with which to better serve G-d, good prevails.

STEP 8 :MATzA (BLESSING THE MATzA)Return the bottom matza to the Seder plate. Holding the remaining one and one-half matzot, recite the blessing for eating matza, ahl ah-chilat matza. // Our ancestors fled Egypt with inconceivable haste, leaving no time for the dough that would nourish them to rise. Once free, their first taste was the “bread of poverty,” matza. From a mystical viewpoint, matza exemplifies a selfless ego. It was with this trait, rather than arrogance, that they accepted G-d-given freedom. Humility allowed them toappreciate the gifts of life. After the blessing, recline to the left and eat at least one ounce of matza.

STEP 9 : MAROR (BITTER HERBS)Take at least 3/4 ounce of bitter herbs and dip it in the charoset, shake off the excess, and recite the blessing ahl ah-chilat maror before eat-ing. // Having meditated on the bitterness of exile during Maggid, we now physi-cally experience its force. The impact further clarifies the significance of our exile. // Before we can experi-

ence true freedom we have to internalize the might of our hardship—and accept that when we make the right choices, hardship exists only to make us stronger.

STEP 10 : KORECH (SANDWICH)Break off two pieces of the bottom matza (at least one ounce). Take 3/4 ounce of maror, dip it in charoset and shake off the excess. Place the maror between the two pieces of matza and say, “Thus did Hillel do in the time of the Holy Temple…” Recline while eating. // Maror al-ludes to the wicked, while matza refers to the righteous. Hillel, the great Jewish sage known for his compas-sion, instructed the righteous to reach out and draw the wicked closer. // Likewise, now that we have felt what it means to break free of slavery on a personal level, it is our obligation to share the experience with others.

STEP 11 :SHuLCHAN ORECH (FESTIVE MEAL)In many traditions the meal begins by dipping the hard-boiled egg from the Seder plate in saltwater to symbol-ize our constant mourning for the destruction of the Holy Temple, and to allude to G-d’s desire to redeem His people. “Ess, mein khind!” // Across the community and throughout the world, we are together at the Seder table. The wise, the wicked, the simple and the innocent, all equal in the eyes of each other and the eyes of G-d. And we remember the fifth son—he who has not yet experienced the freedom of Passover. We are united as one in the common goal of redemption.

STEP 12 : TzAFuN (HIDDEN)At the conclusion of the Passover meal, children return the Afikoman. Eat at least one ounce of this matzah. Nothing else except the remain-ing two cups of wine is consumed thereafter. // It was necessary to partake in every step, every ritual, every taste and every thought before the Afikoman is revealed; then, we can become one with its Divine potential. We eat it only when com-pletely satiated because it fulfills a need higher than the hunger for freedom, and we eat nothing afterward so that its taste remains with us. // In the Seder, as with everyday life, there are no shortcuts to the greater di-mension. Yet we are always aware that it is present and yearns to reveal itself when we seek with a pure heart.

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freedom!STEP 13 : BEIRACH (GRACE AFTER MEAL)

Recite the blessing over the third cup of wine, then drink while reclining. In anticipation of our ultimate Redemp-tion, we now fill a special goblet, the Cup of Elijah. We then open the door to the house and, holding a lit candle, recite the passage inviting the Prophet Elijah to appear. // Imagine all of creation in a state of spiritual and material freedom. Think about a world free of pain and suffering, war and struggles. Imagine all of existence at this level. Imagine yourself, the light of a single candle, ushering in the era of our redemption.

STEP 14 :HALLEL (SONGS OF PRAISE)

We offer praise to G-d for his mercy and compassion in redeeming our people from Egypt, and in anticipation of our own ultimate redemption. // Why does G-d need us to praise Him? He doesn’t, we do. As the Kabbalah explains, when we praise His kindness we reveal His compassion. When praying for our needs, we evoke His desire to give.

STEP 15: NIRTzAH (ACCEPTED)

The Seder concludes with the wish, L’shana Ha-ba-ah Bi-Yerushalayim. We hope for each other that which our forefathers prayed for while enslaved in Egypt, “Next Year in Jerusalem!” // Rabbi Schneur zalman of Liadi omitted the passage, “The order of Passover is concluded,” from his Haggadah because the Seder’s message remains timeless. Every day, one leaves Egypt by transcending his limita-tions, to reach higher levels of holiness.

THE FOUR SONSDespite his intelligence, the Wise Son insists on asking the same question year after year. He’s also obsessive about the discussion thing, making it rather difficult to get on with the Seder. // A fun guy to have around, the Wicked Son’s cynicism is driven by his need to fit things into his down-to-earth world. Sitting next to his wise brother, he injects spice into the evening with his snide and provocative comments. // Out there in a world of silent amazement, the Simple Son is a transparent channel for the Infinite. If only he could tell us about it. // The Son Who Doesn’t Know How to Question probably thinks he is the wise son. When you know it all, there’s nothing left to ask. He’s not in the photo, because he doesn’t even know it’s Passover. // The Fifth Son is the most important one. He’s the son who has yet to experience the freedom of Passover.

// MAKING NOTHING INTO A BIG DEAL After cleaning the house, and selling and burning the Chametz, the head of the household says the appropriate prayers, verbally disowning any Chametz that might have been overlooked.

4/8 Time To Seder At sundown candles are lit. At nightfall the Seder begins.

4/9 Brighten Up Before the second Seder begins candles are lit after nightfall from a pre-existing flame. Tonight we begin to count the Omer, which lasts for 49 days. What’s the Omer? In the Holy Temple the Omer was an offering of barley taken from the first grain of the new crop. We count seven weeks, from the bringing of the first Omer offering (Passover) until the day we received the Torah (the Festival of Shavuot). The 49 days between Passover and Shavuot represent the 49 steps of mystical self-purification and preparation our people went through between leaving Egypt (Passover) and receiving the Torah (Shavuot).

4/10 ShabbaT Light Shabbat candles 18 minutes before sundown. In between the first two and last two days of Passover, enjoy the four intermediate days and keep the wine flow-ing; it’s a custom to drink a glass of wine every day of Passover.

4/14 And On The SevenTh Day At sundown light candles. This day marks the Miracle of the Splitting of the Sea and our total liberation from Egypt. In commemoration, we stay up all night studying Torah. 4/15 The Finals After nightfall light candles from a pre-existing flame. This day, the final day of Passover, emphasizes an even higher level of freedom. It is dedicated to our imminent and Final Redemption.

4/16 LasT BuT NoT LeasT Yizkor memorial prayers are recited during services. Following the custom of the Ba’al Shem Tov, Passover concludes with a “Feast of Moshiach”—a festive meal complete with Matza and, yes, four cups of wine. It begins before sunset and is designed to greet Moshiach, offering us “a glimpse of the Messianic age.” Nightfall marks the official conclusion of Passover. Wait an hour to give the Rabbi enough time to buy back your Chametz and then, eat Chametz to your heart’s content.

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willslavery

independencefreedom!Rabbi Raleigh Resnick

A n o t h e r example of this seeming para-dox is found in the similarity

of two Hebrew words: The Hebrew word for ‘engrave’ (Charut) and the Hebrew

word for ‘freedom’ (Cherut). Both contain the same Hebrew

letters in the same order. Whereas engraving connotes something con-

fined and restricted by boundaries, our perception of freedom seems to imply some sense of fluidity; the lack of

restriction. How can we fuse the two ideas? Here again Judaism teaches that these two concepts do not

contradict each other. In fact there is an inherent bond between the two. It is only through the boundaries of being a moral human being and doing ‘mitzvahs’, good deeds, that we create the parameters and limitations necessary to taste true free-dom. As in food: Healthy dieting and regimented nutrition, not reckless and rampant eating, liberate many a person from the

confines of uncontrolled appetite and temptation. As an otherwise unremarkable politician once said, “Democracy without morality is impossible”.

Born and raised in New York City, Rabbi Raleigh Resnick received his rabbinical ordination from the former Chief Rabbi of Israel at the Rabbinical College of America in Morristown, New Jersey and his Dayanut (Judicial Law) degree from the Sydney Beth Din. Rabbi Resnick, together with his wife Fruma, directs Chabad of the Tri-Valley located in the East Bay in northern California.

hether you’ve seen Charlton Hesston in “The Ten Commandments”, “The Prince of Egypt”, or only

heard the spirituals of African American slaves, the words “Let My People Go” resonate during this season. Passover, “The Festival of Freedom” is upon us and we will soon commemorate the exodus of our ancestors from the shackles and bondage of slavery in Egypt in the year 1312 B.C.E. The well-known phrase “Let My People Go” is actu-ally the word of G-d, echoed by Moses to Pharaoh, and recorded in the Torah (Exodus 7:16). What is less known, however, is the second half of the very same phrase – “Let My people go, so that they shall serve Me (G-d).” The implication being: Freedom means serving G-d. Bizarre? A contradiction in terms? Maybe not. Throwing off one’s fetters does not necessarily mean that one has entered into a state of freedom. The ability to do as one pleases is called chaos, not freedom. Slavery is that condition in which a person is always subject to the will of another. Freedom, on the other hand, is the ability to act upon, and carry out, one’s own independent will. The individual who lacks a will of his own does not become free once he is unshackled. He is simply a slave without a master. Between ceasing to be a slave and acquiring freedom, the individual must develop inner qualities of his own. He must express his true human self and fulfill that unique mission for which G-d placed him on earth – “so that they shall serve Me”. Today, we bring liberty and democracy to peoples across the globe, giving them the freedom to decide their own future. Yet this ability alone is not enough and in many cases is self-destructive. Democratically elected tyrants and perpetrators of evil are certainly not what G-d or our founding fathers had in mind. True liberty can only be expressed by ascribing to the ethical and moral code given to all mankind – “In G-d We Trust”. Benjamin Franklin said it succinctly: “Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!”

W

holiday study[ [

The individual who lacks a will of his own does not become free once he is unshackled. He is simply a slave without a master.

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After months of negotiation with the authorities, a Talmudist from Odessa was finally granted permission to visit Moscow. He boarded the train and found an empty seat. At the next stop, a young man got on and sat next to him. The scholar looked at the young man and he thought: // This fellow doesn't look like a peasant, so if he is

no peasant he probably comes from this district. If he comes from this district, then he must be Jewish because this is, after all, a Jewish district. But on the other hand, since he is a Jew, where could he be going? I'm the only Jew in our district who has permission to travel to Moscow. // Ahh, wait! Just outside Moscow there is a little village called Samvet, and Jews don't need special permission to go to Samvet. But why would he travel to Samvet? He is surely going to visit one of the Jewish families there. But how many Jewish families are there in Samvet? Aha, only

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1. See in the faults of oth-ers a reflection of your

own inadequacies.1

2. Suspect that the other possesses a soul loftier

than your own.2

3. Respond to success with humility and gratitude.3

4. View stress and chal-lenge as spiritual refiners.4

5. Stand up heroically to persecution of others but accept your own derision

with equanimity.5

6. Yearn constantly for a new world. Never “accept”

the status quo.6

7. Urgency. If it’s good, let’s do it now.7

SeVeN habItS of hIghlY effective

kabbalistsrAbbi yosef mArcus

1. see Kehot Chumash on Genesis 9:232. ibid. on 7:24 3. ibid. on 32:11

4. igeret hateshuvah ch. 125. talmud, tractate shabbat 88b

6. ibid. 31a 7. Mechilta Bo, parsha 9

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We live in a world that speaks of the indisputable right of every person to be free. It would seem that we are freer now than we’ve ever been. World travel and world trade have made the globe a very cozy and friendly place. The young have conquered time and space with the World Wide Web, Internet gaming, and digital phones that send images to anyone anywhere. But for all this prosperity and high tech, do we have that much more free time? Are you more free of your inner demons and scars, of oppressive employers or pressures? Are you more free in your relationships, free of jealousy, anger or substance abuse? The reality is we are all slaves to something -- to work, or a relationship, to fear, or food, to a lack of discipline or too much discipline, to love or a lack of love. The word Mitzrayim (“Egypt” in Hebrew) means limita-tions, and it represents all forms of constraints that inhibit our true free expression. The Jewish people’s redemption from Egypt teaches us how to achieve inner freedom in our lives. After leaving Egypt, the people had to traverse the des-ert for 49 days until they were ready to reach the purpose of their Exodus -- receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai. This 49-day process is the key to true freedom. Enslavement is a habit that needs to be broken and trans-formed over an extended period of time -- a time that is refining and healing. So be sure to count each day, and make each day count.

Adapted from the works of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, from www.meaningfullife.com.

Give me liberty oR gIVe me matzah

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two - the Bernsteins and the Steinbergs. But since the Bernsteins are a terrible family, so such a nice looking fellow like him, he must be visiting the Steinbergs. But why is he going to the Steinbergs in Samvet? // The Steinbergs have only daughters, two of them, so maybe he's their son-in-law. But if he is, then which daughter did he marry? They say that Sarah Steinberg married a nice lawyer from Budapest, and Esther married a businessman from zhitomer, so it must be Sarah's husband. Which means that his name is Alexander Cohen, if I'm not mistaken. // But if he came from Budapest, with all the anti-Semitism they have there, he must have changed his name. What's the Hungarian equivalent of Cohen? It is Kovacs. But since they allowed him to change his name, he must have special status to change it. What could it be? Must be a doctorate from the university. Nothing less would do. // At this point, therefore, the scholar of Talmud turns to the young man and says, "Excuse me. Do you mind if I open the window, Dr. Kovacs?" "Not at all," answered the startled co-passenger. "But how is it that you know my name?" // "Ahhh," replied the Talmudist, "It was obvious."

A WAll street JournAl Arti-

cle lAst yeAr discussed

the results of A fAsci-

nAtinG study. people Who

Work under hiGh pressure

conditions Will often tAke

time off to Get AWAy from

it All, relAx And "decom-

press"; this, common Wis-

dom Assumes, is the WAy

to AlleviAte the AccumulA-

tive effects of stress.

Alas, the study's findings indicate that a cycle of intense stress followed by utter relaxation does nothing to counter the del-eterious physical and mental health effects of chronic stress. The only thing that really helps is learning to respond in effective ways to stress-inducing situations as they arise. Relaxation is not what heals stress, but reshaping our day-to-day behavior in a way that makes for a less stressful life. Passover is a celebration of our capacity to attain freedom in "every generation" (as the Haggadah challenges us), to leave whichever "Egypt" our souls languish in. Yet when we think of freedom, we usually think in terms of being free of care, worry and the burdens of life -- in other words, freedom equals "relaxation". Passover seems to contradict this with its laws on banishing every crumb of leaven from every nook and cranny of our home, with the requirement to eat precise amounts of matzah and drink a certain measure of wine with each of the "four cups". Religiously speaking -- without eating and drinking the specified amounts, we

have not really celebrated the Seder. Is this focus on detail freedom? Indeed, there is no other true freedom. We are physical beings living in a world of myr-iad details and minutia. If we say, "I can only spread m y wings and feel uplifted when I transcend the body, the earth, and all its petty details," we are basically saying that G-d cannot be felt here in our world. In this model, G-d is imprisoned in the sublime, and we are imprisoned in the petty. Escaping the petty won't help either -- sooner or later we'll need to return from the vacation, and then we're back to square one. Passover responds by telling us that if we truly want our spirits to soar, we must find G-d in the details of the world we live in -- in the same way that stress is not eliminated by escaping our life-frameworks, but by remaining within them and transforming them from within. At

the Passover Seder, the ordinary act of eating embodies the will of the infinite, packaged

in a few mouthfuls. G-d is not imprisoned, and neither

are we. G-d can be wherever G-d chooses to be, even in the act of eating a piece of matzah or the sounds of a small child asking the Four Questions. And we, too, are set free, as we discover the transcen-dent in the stuff of everyday life.

After flirting with rocket science and WWII history, Rabbi Shlomo Yaffe turned his pro-digious mind to the mastery and teaching of Talmudic law and Chasidic philosophy. He has lectured throughout North America, Europe and South Africa. In addition to his vast knowledge of Jewish law, Rabbi Yaffe also has expertise in secular law and legal ethics and has lectured widely on subjects including evidence, torts, con-sumer law and criminal law. Rabbi Yaffe is the Founder of the Connecticut Symposium on Contemporary Legal Issues and Jewish Law and the Rabbi of Congregation Agudas Achim in Hartford. He is also a chaplain at the Hartford Fire Department.

rAbbi shlomo yAffe

SeVeN habItS of hIghlY effective

kabbalistsrAbbi yosef mArcus

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15

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L'Chaim. May your cup overflow with wine. It seems Jewish holidays revolve around someone holding a small cup of wine. And on Passover, it's the four cups of wine. Why four? Well, in relating the story of Passover in the Torah, G-d uses four terms for the redemption: "I brought you out..., I saved you..., I redeemed you..., and I took you for a people." Hence, the sages instituted the four cups at the seder. There is a fifth term that promises that "I will bring you to the promised land." A promise and our hope. That's where the cup of Elijah comes in. We drink the first four cups, but we are still waiting for the time when we can celebrate the final redemption and drink that fifth cup. May it happen speedily in our days. Amen.

fish course choice: Hagafen Lake County Riesling • We recommend off-dry whites for the ultimate all purpose wine-- they’re food friendly and can be enjoyed by both sweet and dry palates. An off-dry Riesling can be an especially pleasant sip-per. One of our favorites is Hagafen Lake County Riesling, made from organic Riesling grapes grown just north of Napa Valley. It is crisp and complex with just a touch of sweetness.

Meat course choice: Recanati Syrah • The quest for many wine lovers is that great bottle under $15 you can open anytime. For us the Shangri-La of high value kosher wine is Recanati. The Recanati Syrah is a standout in the series. It’s medium-bodied with jammy fruit flavors of strawberry, fig, and spice. It’s a versatile food-wine that’s very well-priced for the quality. This received an 88 from Wine Spectator.

Dessert course choice: Yarden Heightswine Gewurztraminer • Yarden Heightswine is one of Israel’s top dessert wines, scored a 93 by the Wine Advocate! The Golan Heights Winery makes this wine by freezing extra-ripe grapes indoors to imitate the natural freezing that occurs with German and canadian icewines. pressing frozen grapes yields intensely sweet and concentrated juice.

four cups faveBartenura Freisa d’Asti

• For the four cups, you don't want all that alcohol, so our favorite is a substantial wine, but also light and easy drinking. Freisa is a traditional Italian red grape grown around the town of Asti in northern Italy. Made in a traditional style, Bartenura Freisa d’Asti is slightly sweet, and slightly sparkling, with only 10% alcohol, mak-ing it an easy-drinking red wine with less alcohol than regular table wines.

Try it chilled.

Whatever you do, don’t feel like you have to be able to drink a lot to appreciate wine—many connoisseurs can only have one or two or glasses in a sitting, and of course the pros don’t even swallow!

in a squeeze?Ella Valley

Vineyard’s Cabernet

Sauvignon 60th

Anniversary Edition

•El la Val ley is one of the up-and-com-ing wineries of the Judean Hills region. This special edition of the i r C a b e r n e t S a u v i g n o n w a s released last year.It’s similar to their reg-ular release, but the winemakers selected a special batch of particularly high qual-ity grapes from the 2004 harvest for the special edition. It’s a full-bodied wine with lots of classic Cabernet flavors of cherry, raspberry,

and cassis.

i'll drink to that!Le Mourre D’Lisle Cotes du Rhone

• Bargain hunters have long looked to the Cotes du Rhone appellation of the Rhone Valley in France for great wines at reasonable prices. This kosher edition from Le Mourre D’Lisle is made from a blend of Grenache and Mourvedre. The wine displays generous black cherry and blueberry on the palate with hints of coffee and chocolate on the finish. Overall a really well-made wine at a great price.

Did you know that wine promotes the expansion of veins in the eyes? It also allows the inner person to feel more at ease and also more pensive, but you knew that after your first cup. The kab-balah talks about the spirituality of wine and how it reflects the inner secrets of the Torah. "Wine" refers to the level of Torah where the "inner secrets" are located, as the Talmud says: "When wine enters, secrets are released.”

Are you a Kosher connoisseur? Send us your comments to editor@farbengen.com

What is best to buy?First and foremost, buy the wines that you like. I recommend spending a few dollars more for a wine that you know is high quality and will enjoy. This is far less expensive then having to throw out a wine you don’t like.

exclusive: 2009 kosher wine review with expert wine critic Scott Shumaker of kosherwine.com

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Prologue: It is noteworthy that at the time the Rebbe himself, along with his wife, the Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka, of blessed memory, were trying to escape Nazi Europe and were moving back and forth from Nice to Marseilles, eventually sailing out on the last ship from Portugal in June of 1941.

After the Rebbe’s passing on the 3rd of Tammuz, June 12, 1994, a note-book in the Rebbe’s handwriting was discovered and later published. These shorthand notes record his profound thoughts and intricate scholarship, which embraced every facet of Torah knowledge spanning the entire spec-trum of Talmud, Kabbalah and Jewish philosophy with actual references to hundreds of volumes. Incredibly, many of these notes were written at the very time the Rebbe was in France, attempting to escape Nazi Europe. Surrounded by the chaos of war, the Rebbe remained steeped in Torah scholarship.

How remarkable that a personality and scholar of such magnitude was at the same time delivering bags of food and personally tending to the needs of these forlorn toddlers.

I WAS BORN IN VIzNITz, NOW A PART OF THE uKRAINE. WHEN I WAS YET A SMALL BOY, MY PARENTS CHOSE TO MIGRATE TO ANTWERP, THEN A TYPICAL JEWISH “SHTETL” WITH A FLOuRISHING JEWISH COMMuNITY. SOME FIFTY THOu-SAND JEWS LIVED IN ANTWERP AT THE TIME, MANY OF THEM CHASIDIC. TENS OF SHuLS AND YESHIVAS (SCHOOLS OF HIGHER JEWISH LEARNING) OPERATED IN THE CITY. In May of 1940, Germany launched a surprise attack against Belgium. In less than three weeks, Belgium was under Nazi rule. Most of the Jewish community in Antwerp escaped either to other areas in Belgium or to France. My family and I were among those who traveled to France. I was only ten years old at the time, but I was old enough to realize that this difficult journey would in fact save our lives. If we thought it would be easy to acclimate to our new surround-ings, the reality would soon slap us harshly across the face. Our daily struggles had just begun. We moved from house to house, from neighborhood to neighborhood. And when a few months later the Nazis con-quered Paris, we once again continued our wanderings which it began to seem would never end. It is hard to describe the chaos and upheaval that reigned everywhere. There was nowhere to hide. Amid all the havoc, my family was forced to split up. Only after the war were we able to reunite. At one point, I found myself living at an orphanage in Marseilles. The orphanage was situated in a basement and housed some forty to fifty children, many of them no older than three or four. Some of the children knew that their parents had been killed, others lived with doubts, vacillat-ing between hope and despair. Often one could hear children crying for their parents,

“Tatteh! Mameh!” As the days wore on, the situation grew more and more desperate. Food was scarce and then nearly nonexistent. We were starving. Then one day, in the beginning of the summer of 1941, an angel from heaven walked into our hellish existence. He brought with him a bag filled with bread and tuna, which he distributed to the children. This went on day after day, for a number of weeks. None of us had any idea who this man was. We referred to him sim-ply as “Monsieur,” French for “Mister.” Monsieur came daily with his bags of bread and tuna and stayed until he made sure that every child had eaten. There were several children who did not wish to eat. They were confused, despondent, and uncommunicative. But Monsieur was not deterred. He would sit on the floor near a child who refused to eat and begin tell-ing him stories. After engaging the child, Monsieur would slowly feed him with a spoon. When the child had finished his portion, Monsieur would tell him another story. This occurred day after day for sev-eral weeks. I would say that many of the children who lived in the orphanage at that time owe their lives to Monsieur. Eventually the war ended and I was once again united with my family. We left Europe and began our lives anew. I often thought of the man sitting on that basement floor, telling stories and feeding the children who had lost all hope, but his identity remained a mystery. In 1957, I came to live in New York. A relative of mine suggested that I visit the Lubavitcher Rebbe, of blessed memory, for a private audience. I of course agreed and scheduled an appointment through the Rebbe’s secretariat. At the appointed date, I made my way to 770 Eastern Parkway and took a seat in the waiting room. I read a few chapters of Psalms and watched as men

and women of all walks of life came in and out of this great rabbi’s office. Finally, I was told it was my turn and I nervously made my way to the Rebbe’s room. When I entered the room, I froze. When I regained my voice, I said to the Rebbe: “Monsieur?” The Rebbe nodded with his head and smiled….

mONSIEUR?by Aaron D. Newman

"...Then one day, in the beginning of the summer of 1941, an angel from heaven walked into our hellish existence."

story[ [

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When you are expectingwhat to expect

moshiach

once upon a time there was a disease called Guinea worm that killed many people. Finally, the time came for the hor-rible disease to go away and no one ever heard of Guinea worm again and they lived happily ever after. Well, almost. The disease is poised to be completely eradicated by 2010, making it only the second disease (following small-pox) to be eliminated from the earth. Want to hear another story? Okay. Now, the U.N. secretary-general’s special envoy for malaria just said that “The eradication of malaria is now within our reach and we expect to see zero deaths from malaria by 2015.” Sounds good, no? To be sure, I’m not saying we have to wait to 2015 to see the fulfillment of the Prophesies of a disease free world. It can happen today. And these breaking stories are making a new era more inevitable than believable. The Jewish people have long believed that a new world order is in the making. Mystics have even wondered out loud as to why it’s taking so long. So, what if all the promises of a cured world could be brought about by one individual? And what if that person was you? Would that be a scary thought or an exciting new develop-ment? I’m not trying to stress you out or give you a major ego trip, but there’s an old Jewish notion that somehow puts you, the reader, at the center of the great cosmic puzzle. So, for G-d’s sake, keep reading. In a nutshell, Judaism sees itself, ulti-mately, as more than just a religion or way of life, but as the critical agent to proximate change. One of the most fundamental elements of the Sinai revelation is the part where G-d announces His need for human partnership in order to fulfill the Commandments. The entire purpose of creation needs people like you and I, agents of change, to accomplish its Divine goals. Now that’s a revelation. The great philosopher Maimonides put it very concisely: “One should always see himself and the world scale as fifty-fifty, and with one good deed he could tip the scale for world salvation.” In effect, each divinely inspired human action hastens world peace.

And your next move may tip the scale. How does a mezuzah on my door help eradicate malaria? The answer is a bit mysti-cal and lies in G-d’s motive behind creation. Chabad philosophy focuses on a midrashic source for the purpose of creation which explains, paraphrasing the text, that G-d wanted a dwelling place in the “lowest” of realms. And you guessed it; our world is the lowest realm. It is our reality, where the fac-ets of life can obscure the existence of G-d thus allowing the idea of “lowest” to exist. Most interestingly, it is specifically for the goal of permeating an “obviously Divine” atmosphere into our “lowest” framework that the entire process of creation took (and takes) place. Hence, your physical mezuzah takes on cosmic proportions. Our divine mission has been to affect ourselves and our environment through the spiritually transformative power of goodness. Each of the holy experiences through our long history, individually and collectively, have been progressive points along this trail. We’ve been covering the full gamut of human experience, infusing each turn with Divinity. The leather straps of the tefillin, the parchment mezuzah, even the very paper this Jewish magazine is printed on, all have been fundamentally changed. Once we reach a certain quota, the world becomes spiritually changed. G-d’s agent, known as the Moshiach, is thus able to expose the effect of our actions throughout history. That’s why the mystics see your small mitzvah as an integral part of world peace. In 1991, the Lubavitcher Rebbe sensed that we have reached the quota and likened our generation to midgets on the shoulders of the spiritual giants of our past, giving us the unique power to cross the threshold of an unchanged world into redemption. However, the process to recognize and integrate this achievement still lies ahead. To motivate us, the Rebbe suggested that we contemplate how the world has already started to change in anticipation. Obviously, until the redemption fully materializes evil will exist and negative outcomes may sur-

face, but we can see the posi- tive signs of the

Redemption starting to shine through the passing clouds.

Integrating a world on the verge of a monumental shift into our outlook and behavior can be a dif-ficult task. So, the Rebbe launched a 10-point mitzvah campaign and encouraged Jews and non-Jews to increase in acts of goodness and kindness. Perhaps, a comprehensive study of the Jewish laws relating to redemption is akin to mastering the nuances of meteorology. An expert weatherman will be very confident when preparing for an upcoming weather system after observing the telltale signs that change is in the air.

Rabbi Shmuel Marcus lives with his wife and children in Cypress California where they run Chabad of Cypress. Marcus is a singer-songwriter who performs under the name 8th Day. He is also the author of Chicken Kiev, The Ballad of the Yarmulka Kid, and is currently the editor of this magazine.

preparing for a world of

the Jews who were slaves in egypt could hardly fathom the promised Land. For them, the exodus was an escape in the sense that the Jews had not worked out their slave issues and complexes. however, the ultimate redemption is a slow process of ref inement from within. the torah likens redemption to birth – a dramatic event with a clearly def ined "before" and "after" – presupposing the long pregnancy that came before it. our generation is witnessing the birth pangs of a changing reality. In this issue, we probe behind the f ine-tuning process in preparing for a world of good and discover the cosmic impact of a single mitzvah.

1 LIght Shabbat candLeS www.fridaylight.org

2 wear teFILLIn www.chabad.org/tefillin

3 aFIx a Mezuzah www.chabad.org/mezuzah

4 Study torah www.myjli.com

5 gIve tzedakah contact your local chabad

6 buy JewISh bookS www.kehot.com

7 eat koSher www.chabad.org/kosher

8 Love your FeLLow reach out to a friend

9 get a JewISh educatIon contact a chabad near you

10 obServe FaMILy purItywww.mikvah.org

click here.to change the worLd

act now[ [ Sources: Ray Charles, Eli Soble, Maimonides, The works of the Lubavitcher

Rebbe, Sefer HaMaamarim Melukat Vol. 1, Sefer Hasichot 5751, and

Askmoses.com.by Rabbi Shmuel Marcus

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Baruch Atah Ado-noi Elo-hei-nuMelech Ha-olam Asher Ki-de-sha-nu Be-mitz-vo-sav Ve-tzi-vanu Le-had-lik Ner ShelYom Tov.

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Baruch Atah Ado-noi Elo-hei-nu Melech Ha-olam She-heh-che-yah-nu Ve-kiye-ma-nuVe-hi-gi-ah-nu Liz-man Ha-zeh.

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Baruch Atah Ado-noi Elo-hei-nuMelech Ha-olam Asher Ki-de-sha-nu Be-mitz-vo-sav Ve-tzi-vanu Le-had-lik Ner ShelShabbos Kodesh.

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Dates & Times for Passover ‘09

BLESSINGSBLESSINGS

Tuesday, April 7Formal search for Chametz after nightfall

Wednesday, April 8Fast of the First BornEat Chametz until 10:43 amBurn Chametz before 11:43 amMake Eruv Tavshilin**Light Candles at 7:03 pmSay Blessings 1 & 2

First Night of Passover

Evening Services at 7:30 pm

Thursday, April 9Morning Services at 10:00 amEvening Services at 7:30 pmSecond Night of Passover

Light Candles* after 8:00 pmSay Blessings 1 & 2

Friday, April 10Morning Services at 10:00 amLight Shabbat Candles* before 7:05 pmSay Blessing 3

Evening Services at 7:30 pm

Saturday, April 11 Morning Services at 10:00 amEvening Services at 7:30 pmShabbat Ends at 8:02 pm

Tuesday, April 14 Light Candles at 7:08 pmSay Blessing 1

Evening Services at 7:30 pm

Wednesday, April 15Seventh Day of Passover

Morning Services at 10:00 amEvening Services at 7:30 pmLight Candles* at 8:05 pmSay Blessing 1

Thursday, April 16Eighth Day of Passover

Morning Services at 10:00 amYizkor Memorial Service at 11:00 amEvening Services at 7:00 pmMeal of Moshiach 6:00 pmHoliday Ends at 8:06 pm

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Friday, May 8 - Pesach SheiniSecond chances are alwaysneeded, take another bite ofMatzah.

Tuesday, May 12 - Lag B’omerJoin us for a Family BBQ at theWill Rogers Beach. Details below.

Lag B’omerLag B’omerFamily BBQ

Chabad of Malibu cordially invites you to

Tuesday May 12th, 5:30 pmat the Will Rogers Beach

Suggested fee Adult $15 Children (under 12) $10 Co-sponsor $360Sponsor $500

To RSVP call310-456-6588or email office@jewishmalibu.com

Kosher cookout with all the trimmings

* Light only from a pre-existing flame.** For more on Eruv Tavshilin visit: www.chabad.org/2327

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NON PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDMalibu, CAPermit No.250

Chabad of Malibu22933 Pacific Coast HwyMalibu, CA 90265

Return Service Requested

CommunityPassover Seder!

Tradition comes alive at Chabad of Malibu

Wednesday, April 8th 2009, 8:00pmat Chabad of Malibu 22933 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, Ca 90265All are welcome. RSVP necessary. Fee: $54 per adult, $25 per child under 12.

Call 310-456-6588 or log onto www.JewishMalibu.com for more information or to reserve.

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