Good Shabbos Emails

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Vayikra
Tzav
Shemini
Tazria
Metzorah

BE HAPPY “ANY-WAY”.

Vayikra

This past Thursday, a participant in a class said to me: Rabbi, you look great!

I have been called many things in my life. Rarely, though, does someone comment on the way I look, let alone call my appearance great!

But I guess that a diet can evoke those sentiments as well. I have been working on losing weight for the past 2-3 months, and things are beginning to take shape...

One of the most essential points of maintaining a diet is, as with everything, the mind. Somehow, the mind has to be convinced that it's the right thing to do. When the mind gets with the program, a person should then be able to control craving and impulses and maintain the focus.

When I was in London last week, however, I must confess that I cheated on my diet. I ended up eating foods I had not touched in over 2 months. Some diet...

The good news is that upon my return I went straight back to the diet. It was actually a conscious decision that when away from home I will not be as focused and as disciplined on the diet. In this way, I hope not to inconvenience people for the sake of my diet.

The key is that although the diet may be broken at times, not to fall into the trap of: if it's anyway broken, I may as well just continue to break it! There's nothing more destructive to a diet than such an attitude.

And for that matter, there's nothing more destructive to anything positive than such an attitude of submission to whims and lack of focus on goals. I call that the approach and mind-set of "anyway", as in "I broke it 'anyway,' so therefore...". Or, "I am stupid 'anyway,' so
therefore...

We are now in the Hebrew month of "Adar", when an increase of joy and happiness is strongly encouraged. Let's face it: There's much to be happy about. We are living in an unprecedented time of prosperity in all spiritual and Jewish life. Kosher food, Torah classes, beautiful synagogues, Israel , Jewish Internet, Jewish books and Judaica, and the list goes on. There is also much material and physical prosperity, or at least comfort in the material arena. We almost never hear of a person surviving solely on beets and potatoes, as they did a few decades ago here and in Eastern Europe .

We should be able to focus on so much positive and be more happy. But we constantly find things about which to be worried, upset, chagrined and depressed!

And you know what? We are told that those that survived on beets and potatoes were happy. They certainly didn't have to contend with depression and worries at the rate we see today.

And then comes the "anyway's." I was talking to a student the other day about the elusive feeling of happiness. During the conversation he said, "But I am not doing so and so anyway." A different student recently told me, "I don't wear Tefillin when I'm not in school 'anyway,' so why bother wearing them in school."

Even people who are meticulous in their behavior and in their observances have moments in which they feel guilty, and even depressed, regarding that which may, perhaps, be lacking in their lives.

People say, in other words: I am such a sinner 'anyway,' or so no good 'anyway,' or so depressed 'anyway,' so I may as well continue behaving this way!

This Shabbos, the one before the holiday of Purim, we read the extra short portion called "Parshat Zachor", a section admonishing us never to forget that the nation of Amalek attacked a weak and weary Jewish people, unprovoked, a couple of weeks after leaving Egypt. While all the nations were impressed and awed by the Jewish people and their relationship with G-d, Amalek showed how no one has to care and be impressed. Haman, Purim's villain, was a member of this nation. This section of the Torah is ultra important: it is the only one that is actually mandated by the Torah for us to hear.

The Torah admonishes us: Remember what Amalek did to you on the road leaving Egypt . Wipe out the remembrance of Amalek; don't ever forget it.

The nations of yesteryear are all but forgotten over time. Whatever we do know about people living over 3,000 years ago comes from the Torah or has been unearthed from generations of dirt and muck. If the Torah wouldn't ask us to remember to erase Amalek, they would have been erased on their own! If it's so important to blot them out, let's just leave it alone, and they will go the same way everyone else did.

Yet we are to remember them, for Amalek is not just a nation, but an attitude. "Amalek" is the force that is unimpressed by achievement, by goals and by focus. Amalek creeps up, especially when we're tired and weary, and whispers doubts and "truths" into our ear. Amalek hopes to cool down any enthusiasm we may have by "reasoning" with us about who we "really" are. Amalek is, indeed, the "anyway" inside us.

Comes along the Purim season, and right before the most joyful and happy day, the Torah reminds us: wipe out that (Amalek) anyway! Purim is coming very soon and you are expected to be happy. In order to really be happy, you need to focus on all the wonderful accomplishments and achievements you have, and on all the positive things in your life.

Yes, we are not perfect; yes, we may find some hypocritical actions within us; yes, we may have so much room for improvement. But as long as the focus and goal is in mind, we can be happy about the road already traveled, despite what lies ahead, knowing that we'll stay on that road.

It is interesting to note that this week's Torah portion, Vayikra, also helps us focus on the above goal. Almost the entire portion is dedicated, for the first time in the Torah, how even if a person erred or sinned, even if he is a leader of all the people, that person has the ability to get past those moments and remain focused on achieving and accomplishing.

As Purim gets closer, and as joy increases, let us resolve to remember not to focus on the "anyway", but to be happy in "any way" we can, as all our ways are infused with happiness, gladness and true joy.

And let the joy burst through for the rest of the year as well.

Happy month of Adar!

TZAV – PURIM

A few weeks ago, a good friend - someone who's on this "Good Shabbos" list - sent me a link to a camera focused on the Kotel, the Western Wall in Jerusalem .

I stared at the blue-colored letters of this link for a couple of seconds, with thoughts of skepticism and doubt. I have tuned-in to these cameras before, and, quite frankly, it hasn't done much for me. The pictures I had seen through this camera have been fuzzy and from quite a distance. It's almost like starring at a picture. And they're not even with streaming video.

I spent 2 years studying in Jerusalem , and I would visit the Wall at least once a week, usually on Friday afternoons. The people of Chabad in Jerusalem were looking for English speakers to help man the booth at which Jewish "customers" can come and put-on Tefillin. In other words, I am very familiar with the Wall. So maybe it's me, and my need to see more than an unclear picture of the Wall, in order to really be inspired.

Out of respect for my friend, though, I decided to "give it a try", and follow the link anyway. What I found was magnificent! First of all, the camera angle was much closer and clearer than the ones I had seen previously. One can even see the faces of the men and women at the Wall. Second, there are several cameras from different angles around the wall, plus various interesting camera "tours" pertaining to the area, present and past. The site also presents itself in a language of choice. (Here's the link to this site: http://english.thekotel.org).

Finally, I was able to "reconnect" to the Wall in a more powerful way since the last time I was there. It felt like the Wall was more than just a picture.

As I was gazing at the footage of the Wall and engaged in thoughts about the Wall and its meaning, I suddenly observed something that moved me deeply. I saw a person leaving the Wall - walking backwards. The guy had walked away from the large enclosed space in front of the Wall, went through the narrow passageway, and then walked, backwards, across
the width of the entire plaza, until the Wall faded from his eyeshot.

The reverence, the awe and the love this guy had for the Wall shook me up. No, it wasn't that the actual Wall itself can inspire a person; we all know that it can and it does. Just recently I was talking with 2 students who had returned from their first trip to Israel . I had asked both girls to please have me in mind when they pray at the Wall. These sisters had different stories to tell about their experience at the Wall upon their return. One said that she burst into tears when she arrived at the Wall. When I asked her why, she said that the place, the history and the meaning of it was so powerful. The other said, not only didn't she cry, but she was wondering why her sister was "such a cry baby!" When I probed further, the second (younger) sister said that although she was aware of the importance and holiness of the place, the Wall - being "just" a plain Wall - didn't affect her that way.

What shook me up about the guy walking backwards was really a much deeper recognition about the Jewish people, and that "Am Yisrael Chai" forever. And I have waited, deliberately, until Purim, to relate this story and express and share this idea with you, my friends.

We Jews are amazing!

I can see a smile on the face of some reading these words. Some, because you know me and may think, "Oh, there he goes again!", and others because you may feel good about being amazing. Either way, we are an amazing bunch of people. And here's why: It all has to do with Purim, which we are celebrating tonight and tomorrow.

We all know the story of Purim, when the Jewish people were threatened by the evil decree of Haman, and then the whole thing turned around: they had the right to defend themselves. And when they did defend themselves they defeated the enemy, and presto! Purim is the created result.

But wait! There's a detail which many seem to overlook, which really captures a phenomenal part of the Purim story. Haman cast the lots in the month of Nissan - that's Pesach time. The date he designated by Haman to slaughter the Jewish people was in the month of Adar - Purim time. The Jewish people received word of the fateful and terrible decree, and then had to wait for 11 months to find out what will happen to them.

What were the Jewish people doing during these 11 months? Well, they did have a choice to assimilate and to just "go away" and cease being "the Jewish people". They were a people without land, without a home, and the Almighty didn't seem to be looking out for them; there was not even a Moses sent by G-d to offer some solace, comfort and hope. It wouldn't be surprising if, at this stage, the nation would simply give up.

But not one of them gave up! Why not? Because ultimately, whether we see or whether we don't see, we know it anyway; we feel it anyway; we experience it anyway.

G-d isn't around. Neither is His Land. Haman is running wild. Jews all over, men women and children, are facing a grave threat. Yet, there's no confusion, no mass desertions, no one's going anywhere!

Because we are - we really are - connected to G-d. To some it can be seen, and to others it's deep inside. But it's there. Always and forever.

Haman's continue to run around, implementing destruction, evil and a desire to finish us off. And we continue to survive, and thrive, and be alive.

How can we not be considered amazing? This guy just finished praying at the Wall. There has not been a Temple in that spot for some two thousand years. In fact, just the opposite, as our sworn enemies do what they want with what's so sacred to us. This Jew, however, sees it, feels it, expresses it. He knows what's there. He showed it.

There is a fire burning in the heart of the Jewish people, and it's an "Eish Tamid", a constant and eternal fire - just as the fire on the altar, described in this week's Torah portion of Tzav.

When we share sweets and delights with your friends this Purim, and when we eat our meal, drink our wine and listen to the Megillah, let's think about how Purim possesses a most profound timeless message:

We - all Jews - are amazing!

A KOSHER RIDE

SHEMINI

Driving a car is a modern-day necessity; no longer a luxury. Especially in suburban areas of cities like Atlanta , where, it seems, entire neighborhoods were designed specifically for car-driving. Almost all families in suburban Atlanta possess, out of need, more than one car.

The actual driving of the car, however, brings out different feelings and reactions in people. Some enjoy it, while others can't stand it.

As for me, I am from those who enjoy driving, especially long highway drives, such as driving from Atlanta to New York and back. Many hours in the car, starring at the road, allows me quiet time to myself (when the cell isn't ringing). There are very few opportunities to spend hours in thought and contemplation. Driving for a long duration, as I will be doing in a couple of weeks with G-d's help, is a rare opportunity to think things through.

There's just one issue, though, when driving for many hours: Food. Before embarking, I must carefully select my rations. It can't be too messy (nothing wet); it can't be too complicated (like bread, for which water is needed to wash the hands); it can't be too difficult - ever tried eating peas whilst zooming on the highway? Forget about hot food, and watch the diet as well (did someone say potato chips?).

The annoying part is that at almost each exit of the highway the sign says: food! With so much time to think and to imagine, it's not hard to realize what "the rest of the world does" when hungry on the highway. They stop at the next exit, and, in most places, can eat a full and hot meal. If you keep Kosher, chips, tuna on crackers, pretzels, and the like, will have to suffice. Wouldn't it be nice to have, let's say, a Chai Peking (the Kosher Chinese restaurant in Atlanta ), at 5-6 stops along the interstates 85 and 95...

Keeping Kosher, whose laws are found in this week's Parsha of Shemini, is pretty simple when living in a Jewish community, since most stores in such a neighborhood carry a large array and supply of Kosher foods. There's very little reason why not to keep Kosher when in close proximity to Kosher food. It's when living outside of the community, or going "out of my house", when keeping Kosher can sometimes be more challenging.

But when the Torah presents G-d's instruction about keeping Kosher, the only distinction to be made is - not whether inside or outside the house, but - between what's Kosher and good for us verses the alternative.

Yesterday I met with a teenager who has had some difficulties with his Judaism. The first question - of many - out of his mouth was: Why is ham not kosher? I enquired from the young man if my response would make a difference in his life. He said that if he understood the reasoning behind the commandments, he would find Judaism easier to accept and obey.

The issue of Kosher was discussed at length with the boy. But I think that it's what I shared at the end of the discussion that really has a chance to impact him. It's interesting, I noted, that laws of keeping Kosher in the Torah are presented without a reason! We're just invited and encouraged "to be sanctified and distinguished" through adhering to this Mitzvah. Various commentaries offer reasons, but the Torah itself offers no reason why this particular creature is any more "Kosher" over another creature.

As human beings with intelligence, it's perfectly normal and appropriate to investigate and to delve into how things work and why. It's also perfectly normal and appropriate to be uncomfortable with the unknown. As intelligent beings, however, we also should have enough wisdom to realize how we grow in our capacity to understand, from day-to-day and from year-to-year. We grow older and wiser, and realize that we can't always insert our way of thinking into things difficult to understand.

They tell the story of when the first locomotive was introduced to some far-flung village, the villagers couldn't believe that something can go "on its own", without a horse to pull it. Some of the smarter peasants were chosen to investigate. Alas, there was no horse to be found. When they later put their heads together, they concluded, with absolute certainty, that there was a little, but very strong, horse, hidden in that big engine schlepping the whole train!

The "extra" portion read from the Torah tomorrow about the red heifer, possesses the similar characteristics of non-understanding. The Torah describes how a red-haired cow is offered and burned. When the ashes are mixed with water and sprinkled upon a person who has come in contact with a corpse, the person is no longer ritually unclean. This law is the most difficult to understand: A dead cow's ashes can purify a person who is unclean for being in contact with a dead body?!

Indeed, this law, as with the law of Kosher, both of which encompass so many of our fundamental behaviors (eating and death), is introduced without a reason. These type of laws emphasize that, as Jewish people, we follow and observe the laws not because they make sense to our concept of logic, but because G-d says so.

The most logical aspect of these laws is: If G-d says so, it must be, by definition, a wonderful and great thing for us to follow. Not understanding it shouldn't change anything. After all, a G-d whose ways we can understand wouldn't leave us much room to grow and to aspire.

Next time we're on the road, let's stick to thinking about ways to clear our minds, or to contemplate big and wonderful things for ourselves, instead of what Treif food is waiting at the next exit.

And when we eat the tuna and chips, or the pretzels and the cookies, let us enjoy. No, not the "food" or the understanding of the Mitzvah, but the wonderful opportunity to fulfil a holy and fundamental Mitzvah of keeping Kosher.

Just Because G-d said so

A GROOVY LIFE

TAZRIA

The lady had a tattoo on her left arm. Over the years, the dark-blue ink faded a little, but is still clear enough to see. It consists of a letter and 5 numbers. The letter comes first, before the numbers.

The letter is A.

And it stands for Auschwitz .

I spent last Shabbos in Florida to celebrate the Bar-Mitzvah of a good friend's son. There I was introduced to an 88 year-old lady named Lilly. I called her by her Jewish name, Liba. It means love. She comes from Santa-Marie, in Romania , a forgotten Shtetel, if not for a certain Chassidic group with a similar name.

It was a phenomenal Shabbos, especially the hours I spent with Lilly. With many tears, much pride - in her religion and children - and also much laughter in celebration and joy. By the time Shabbos was over, I summoned-up enough courage to ask her if I could place a piece of cloth on that tattoo, so I could kiss it, as I would the Torah. I explained that the tattoo bears witness to her heroism, and, in my opinion, is her ticket to a most special place in heaven.

I kissed that cloth with a feeling of humility and gratitude.

Over this past Shabbos, she did almost all the talking, mostly in that beautiful and distinctly-accented Yiddish. She told me of her father, shot-dead by the Nazis 2 days before liberation. He shared some of his meager rations with a fellow victim in Mauthaussen. That cost him his life. She told of her mother from that vanished world, pious and righteous, who sacrificed so much for her daughter. "I miss her every day, still," is what she said, tears streaming down her rosy cheeks.

The gas in Auschwitz chocked her mother to death.

At some point during the Shabbos, I asked her if anyone ever prayed in the barracks. "Of course," she said, looking at me as if I had lost my mind. I, personally, never missed my "Modeh Ani" (a short prayer, recited each morning upon awakening, thanking G-d for returning the soul of life to the person). "There was a girl who slept close to me who knew the entire Tehillim (book of Psalms consisting of 150 chapters) by heart. She used to say the words as we were lying on those wood shelves they called beds. We would repeat those words after her, word by word."

Can anyone imagine thanking G-d for returning their soul to hell? We can't even imagine the hell of Auschwitz , let alone praying and thanking G-d for it.

But that's what Lilly did. Every day, never missing one.

She once said: "I saw "Nissim" (open miracles) in Auschwitz all the time! G-d was there always. I saw it!"

Not everyone there felt this way. Lilly's own sister, whom Lilly nursed throughout their experience, didn't want to hear of Judaism after liberation. And I have no doubt that when she arrived before the heavenly throne 2 years ago, carrying that tattoo as a blazing torch, she and G-d Almighty patched things up.

Some live their lives seeing it; other's don't. Some can't. And it's not for us to judge.

It reminded me of a beautiful story the Midrash relates for this week's Parshah, Tazria. A story I heard as a young boy from my father at the Shabbos table, and I quote from the Midrash.

There was once a Kohen, who was an expert at examining Tzara'as, an extinct skin ailment, discussed at length in this week's Torah portion. This disease was neither painful not contagious, but came as a result of not behaving up to form. Some wrongly translate this disease as leprosy. The Tzara'as disease was diagnosed by the Kohen by observing the status of the hair in the afflicted skin area. The Kohen of our story was extremely poor, and decided to leave the Holy Land in order seek means of livelihood elsewhere.

Before leaving, he said to his wife, "Let me teach you the principals of examining Tzara'as so that you can advise people who will continue to come to our house in my absence.

"You can tell whether someone is diseased or healthy by examining the grooves under the hair. Each individual hair is nurtured by its own groove. If you find that the groove under the hair has dried up, it is a symptom of disease, for the health or decay of each hair is dependent upon the moisture of its individual groove."

The wife wondered at these words. "If G-d created a source of nourishment for each individual hair," she said to her husband, "He must, all the more so, have provided for you, a human being and head of a family who has to support sons. Don't leave the Holy Land ! Stay here, and the Creator will certainly provide for you here, too!"

The Kohen listened to his wife (always a good idea...) and stayed in the Holy Land . He shortly found a good source of livelihood.

It's a matter of perspective. A Kohen, specifically, must be the one to proclaim the status of the Metzora (the person with the Tzara'as malady). Our sages describe the Kohen as generically kind and loving. Through the loving eyes of a Kohen, a fellow person is seen in a different light. Sometimes, though, the same Kohen who is so adept at looking at someone else with "Kohen" eyes, doesn't look at himself with those eyes!

All survivors of the holocaust are very special people. We look up to them as heroes. We consider them our trailblazers in the "Am Yisrael Chai" slogan. We can learn something positive from all of them.

And from those that managed to see G-d through the wall of utter wicked evil, we can also learn how to see through diseases, ailments, problems, terror and difficulty.

For every hair has its life-giving groove. And every person has one as well.

METZORAH – YUD-ALEF NISSAN

Last Thursday I received a call from a person I had never met. He was in town for a trade-show, and was looking for a place to stay for Shabbos. Having never been to Atlanta and not knowing what's available, he looked in the phone book under "Synagogues." After reaching 2-3 Reform Temples, someone at one of the Temples told him he "sounds like" he's looking for Chabad.

He told me he was from the " Borough Park " section of Brooklyn , and was looking for a "Heimisher" place to stay (a "homely" place, something which fits-in to the style he was used to).

The man was in his early 20's, nice, soft-spoken and pleasant. He is a follower of the "Gur" Chassidic group, and had hereto never spent a Shabbos with a Chabad family. Over the Shabbos, we discussed various issues related to the Chassidic dynasty he follows, and I tried to sing some of the tunes of his group. Indeed, I was attempting to make his stay as "Heimish" as I could.

But he wasn't participating much in my singing the melodies of his Chassidic group. He seemed to be much more interested in trying, quite hard at times, to learn the Chabad melodies I was singing. He didn't offer much about his Chassidic group either. He was, though, paying rapt attention to my weekly story of my Rebbe, the Lubavitcher Rebbe of blessed memory, and of the many discussions we were having with the various guests around the table.

By the time Shabbos was over, he relayed to me that the experience of the Shabbos was "probably the best one I've ever had". He actually said: "I am ready to become a follower of Chabad!"

It felt very good to paid such a compliment, but I know it's not me he was complimenting. It was the Rebbe.

I think that my guest was overwhelmed by the efforts of the Lew family to make all the guests of the house not just comfortable, but free to be part of the "happenings" at the Shabbos table. And we had a variety of guests, including one who needed to "go outside" for a minute to do something he knew would be inconsistent with the observance of Shabbos in the home.

And the Lubavitcher Rebbe is directly responsible for all his followers behaving in this fashion of warmly inviting everyone in. The Rebbe displayed unending love to all people, and, in particular, an endless love to every single Jew. He never queried any Jew about which sect or group he or she belonged to, and never looked down upon anyone, regardless of their level of observance. The Rebbe greeted everyone warmly with a pleasant countenance, and encouraged him or her to reach the great potential he believed everyone has.

The Rebbe insisted that his followers move away from living around him, in order to reach out to all Jews wherever they may be. The Rebbe demanded from his followers that they treat each person in a non-judgmental attitude, with love and acceptance.

I think, nay, I hope, our guest realized this unique characteristic of Chabad, and can't help but desire to be a part of it.

The Rebbe's powerful message is something I think about all the time. But especially during the week before Pesach, when the Rebbe's birthday is celebrated. 103 years ago, G-d Almighty sent this gift, later to become the Lubavitcher Rebbe, to the world. With the Rebbe's amazing belief in humanity and in his love for his people, he built an unbelievable empire - not for himself - but in order to benefit every Jew. So around a Shabbos table in Atlanta, Georgia, and, essentially, anywhere in the world, a man from Brooklyn, a high-school senior from Atlanta, a woman from India, and her children from all over can spend an enjoyable Shabbos evening with a Chabad family, and together, blend, mesh, and reaffirm their belonging to Am Echad, the One Nation.

I would like, therefore, to share the following true story (from www.therebbe.org ) about the Rebbe, in the hopes that we can all learn to follow in his footsteps and directives.

Chaim Salominski was a good boy and a good student. In general studies, that is; math, history and biology. In Torah learning, however, he was a dunce.

What could he do? He wanted so badly to please his father and learn Torah, but it just didn't happen. As soon as the books opened, Chaim began daydreaming. And at the end of every class he had no idea what the book was saying.

His father was a holocaust survivor from Poland and lost his entire family when he was in his early twenties. He miraculously survived the horrors.

Chaim's father, despite all he had been through, was an observant Jew and even considered himself to be a Chassid. In Poland he was a follower of the Rebbe of Sossov. He was determined that his son would also follow in the ways of the Torah, so he enrolled the boy in Torah academies and hoped he would be a Torah scholar.

But he wasn't. Not even close.

In fact, by the time Chaim reached the eighth grade he was at the bottom of the class. He managed to hide it from his father, but that was the bitter truth. There were children in that class that had memorized entire volumes of Talmud; hundreds of pages of packed words. The only thing poor little Chaim knew was one small Mishnna, comprised of several lines, that he had been forced to learn as a punishment for bad behavior. The rest was an opaque blur of words and ideas he couldn't really relate to.

The winter of 1960 was a monumental date for his parents; they had accomplished the impossible! They, charred embers saved from an inferno of destruction, were going to celebrate the thirteenth birthday of their son.

Chaim was going to be Bar-Mitzvah!

Chaim worked day and night on the small portion he was to read and a few days before the big day his father came home with more joyous news. He had arranged a private audience with the holy Lubavitcher Rebbe for both of them! The Rebbe would bless Chaim before the big day.

At first Chaim was also overjoyed. He even told all of his friends in school about it. But one of them put a needle into his balloon.

"Hey, don't you know that the Lubavitcher Rebbe always asks the Bar-Mitzvah boys something about what they are learning in the Talmud? Chaim, what are you going to do? Do you even know what volume we are learning? If I were you I wouldn't go."

Suddenly everyone fell silent.

Chaim was confused and broken. He saw how much it meant to his father for them to see the Rebbe. He just had to go. On the other hand his friend was right. What would he do if the Rebbe asked about his studies? And he was sure to ask; He asked EVERYONE. The thought of how embarrassed his father was going to be began to break his heart.

The day arrived. Chaim's father was dressed in his best suit and so was Chaim. The taxi-ride to the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn , although taking less than a half-hour, seemed to take forever. Finally they entered the Rebbe's headquarters at 770 Eastern Parkway , and took their place in line before the Rebbe's door.

Just after midnight their turn came.

They entered together. Earlier, one of the Chassidim shared with his father that Chassidic people don't sit down during the few minutes the spent with the Rebbe out of reverence and in anticipation of the special blessing from the Rebbe. So they remained standing after reaching the Rebbe's desk. Chaim still remembers the sound of his knees knocking against the Rebbe's table as he stared transfixed at the Rebbe's kind and graceful face.

The Rebbe spoke seriously for several minutes to his father in Yiddish. His father offered an envelope containing a donation but the Rebbe told him to please speak to the secretaries about that and then turned to Chaim whose poor knees were knocking so hard he almost couldn't stand. As soon as the Rebbe began speaking to him, however, the knees stopped their nervous shaking.

The Rebbe asked if Chaim understood Yiddish. Chaim replied yes. Then the Rebbe, without asking him what volume he was learning, asked him a Torah question. Chaim winced for a second, and felt short of breath. The Rebbe repeated the question. All of a sudden Chaim blurted out the correct answer. The Rebbe then asked another question, and then another, and Chaim knew ALL the answers; each and every one!

All the questions the Rebbe had asked were on that one and ONLY Mishnah that Chaim knew so well!

It was a miracle. How could the Rebbe possibly have known? No one but Chaim knew! One thing was for sure: Chaim felt like a million bucks and like the Torah genius of New York ! He answered with such joy and certainty that for the first time in his life he felt like the Torah was his!

When they went outside and the door closed behind them Chaim's father turned to him, tears of joy running down his cheeks, lifted him up and hugged him with all his might for several minutes. His father was so overcome with emotion that he could not speak. In fact the scene was so unique that the Chassidim crowded around, thinking that perhaps the Rebbe had given them some special message to pass on to mankind!

And really Chaim and his father had a phenomenal message from the Rebbe to all of mankind: If one sees the good in every creation, and in every created being, the results are miraculous.

Thanks to the Rebbe's holiness, coupled with his sensitivity and love for Chaim, the boy was so encouraged that he eventually became the principle for secular studies at the very school at which he was struggling in past years.

Thanks to the Rebbe, who found the special spot that brought out the specialty of the person.

May we all strive to follow the Rebbe, being kind and loving to all people, so we can all find the goodness and holiness in ourselves.

As well as in everyone else around us.