Israel in Crisis: What Can I Do?

Wherever we may be now, whether it's in the city, mountains, or traveling abroad, our hearts and minds are in one place: with our brothers and sisters in the land of Israel;

With the brave soldiers foraging into dangerous territory to eliminate the terrorist threat hanging over our people;

With the residents of southern and northern Israel , living under a deadly rain of fire on their kindergartens and shopping centers and homes;

With the kidnapped Israeli soldiers being held by cruel and vicious terrorists;

With the families and loved ones of the entire IDF, praying for the safe return of their children, anxiously awaiting the end to this madness.

Is there anything we can do? Most of us are hundreds or thousands of miles away, in our own communities, yet our very being cries out: What can we do?

The Rebbe has taught us that, yes, there is something we can do.

The Rebbe teaches us the power of a mitzvah. The power of a G-dly deed to reach deep into the core of our being--where we are all one, and the physical distance between us is of no consequence. At this core, a positive deed on our part will help bring salvation to a brother and sister in distress.

During past conflicts in the Land of Israel, and during times of danger for the Jewish people, the Rebbe made practical suggestions of Mitzvot that would elicit G-d's blessings and protection.

Let us not underestimate the power of good! With a single good deed on our part, here and now, coupled with our faith that the G-d of Israel "neither sleeps nor slumbers," we can each contribute toward the victory and safety of our fellow Jews in Israel.

Take a minute to do one or more of the following. You can make a difference!

? Torah study: Make a commitment to learn Torah by setting up time with a friend or come in to the Torah center for one of our Torah classes.

? Say a prayer for the safety of Gilad (ben Avivah) Shalit, Eldad (ben Tovah) Regev, and Ehud Goldwasser; for the soldiers of the IDF, and for all residents of the Holy Land.

? Charity and acts of kindness: Put a coin in a charity box, give a gift of money to a fellow in need or to a charitable cause, or extend a helping hand to someone who needs it.

? Tefillin: If you already put on tefillin every day, encourage a friend to do so. If you don't yet, now is a good time to start! Come to the Torah Center we will be happy to help you--come in anytime during the day.

? Light Shabbos Candles on Friday evening - help illuminate the darkness of the world every Friday night. Together we can light up our world!

? Mezuzah: If you don't yet have a mezuzah get one now! We at the Torah Center are happy to help you obtain one. If you already do have one, it may be time to have it checked to ensure that the words on the parchment have not faded.

The Rebbe's Call to Action: A History in Video Clips (Click on the links to watch a video of the Rebbe sharing these messages)

·1967 - On the eve of the Six Day War in 1967, when the entire world predicted Israel's demise, the Rebbe initiated the tefillin campaign, and assured us that great miracles are in store. He quoted the Divine promise that in the merit of tefillin, "all the nations of the world will see that the name of G-d is called upon you, and they will fear you" (Deuteronomy 28:10).

A talk by the Rebbe several days before the outbreak of the Six Day War: http://www.chabadhoboken.com/multimedia/mediaplayer /default.asp?aid=397220

·1973 - In the summer of 1973, shortly before the surprise outbreak of the Yom Kippur war , the Rebbe asked that Jewish children gather to pray and say words of Torah at the Western Wall and other locations in Israel, in fulfillment of the verse, "Out of the mouths of young children You established the power... to neutralize the enemy" (Psalms 8:3).

 The Rebbe explains how Torah study weakens the enemies of Israel: http://www.chabadhoboken.com/multimedia/mediaplayer/default.asp?aid=111026
 

· 1976 - In 1976, during the Entebbe hostage crisis, the Rebbe encouraged the fulfillment of the mitzvah of mezuzah and emphasized the protection it brings. As our Sages have said: "A human king sits inside his palace and his servants guard him from the outside. You sleep on your beds, and G-d guards you ( i.e. through the Mezuzah on your doorposts) from the outside."

·1982 - In 1982, during the Lebanon War, the Rebbe initiated a campaign to have every Jew acquire a letter in a Torah scroll to foster Jewish unity. On numerous other occasions, when the people of Israel faced threats from their enemies, the Rebbe urged us to respond by increasing in Torah study, prayer and charity.

A talk by the Rebbe during the 1982 Lebanon War about acquiring a letter in the Torah:   http://www.chabadhoboken.com/multimedia/mediaplayer/default.asp?aid=59426

It's Good to Know: The Nine Days

The first nine days of the month of Av, and also the morning of the tenth, (this year, from Wednesday, July 26^th through midday* of Friday, August 4^th) are days of acute mourning for the two Holy Temples which were destroyed during this period.

The Laws:

During this time, we do not:

1.      Eat meat or drink wine (excluding Shabbat and celebrations of a mitzvah, such as a circumcision, Bar Mitzvah, completion of a tractate of Talmud, etc.).

2.      Launder clothing (except for a baby's), or wear freshly laundered outer clothing. Those who want to change their clothing daily (who doesn't...?) should prepare a number of garments and don each of them briefly before the onset of the Nine Days. Then it is permitted to wear these "previously worn" garments during the Nine Days.

3.      Bathe for pleasure or swim.

4.      Remodel or expand a home.

5.      Plant trees to be used for shade or fragrance (as opposed to fruit trees).

6.      Buy (unless you will miss a major sale or the garment will be unavailable later), sew, weave, or knit new clothing.

7.      Cut nails during the actual week of the fast of Tisha B'Av (this year, starting from Saturday night, July 29 ^th), until the conclusion of the Nine Days.

8.      The Kiddush Levana is only recited after Tisha B'Av.

9.      There is no law forbidding traveling during the Nine Days; however it is customary to refrain from traveling (or engaging in any potentially perilous activity) during these days unless it is absolutely necessary.

10.   Information regarding the Shabbat which falls during the Nine Days will, G-d willing, be forthcoming next week.

The Inner Dimension:

"When the month of Av begins, we reduce our joy..." (Talmud, Taanit 26). The entire month of Av is considered an unlucky time for Jews. Our Sages advised that a Jew who is scheduled to have a court hearing - or anything of a similar nature - against a gentile during this month, should better postpone it until after Av, or at least until after the Nine Days.

On the positive side, as we get closer and closer to the Messianic Era, when these days will be transformed from days of sadness to days of joy, we start to focus on the inner purpose of the destruction, which is to bring us to a higher level of sensitivity and spirituality, and ultimately, the rebuilding - with even greater grandeur and glory - of all that was destroyed.

We thus should try to moderate the sadness through participating in permissible celebrations. It is therefore Chabad custom to have someone complete a tractate of the Talmud each day of the Nine Days, in order to infuse these days with permissible joy.

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*The Temple was set on fire on the afternoon of the 9 ^th of Av, and burned through the 10^th. Therefore, the laws of the Nine Days extend until midday of the 10^th of Av.

Because this year the 10^th of Av falls on a Friday, some of the mourning restrictions are lifted earlier, in honor of the approaching Shabbat. We will discuss this, G-d willing, in next week's e-mail.

On The Lighter Side...

A Lebanese passenger plane is experiencing engine trouble. The captain radios, "Attention all air control stations, except Israel. We just lost an engine. Please come in." No response.

A few minutes later. "Any air control stations out there, except Israel , of course. Our second engine just went down. Is somebody on the way?"

Again, the radio is silent.

The urgency in the captain's voice increases. "Anyone out there, except Israel , can you please answer us? Our third engine just failed. The aircraft is very unsteady. Can someone help?"

Some moments later: "Somebody answer. Anybody. We lost our fourth engine. We are going down. Somebody, anybody, answer, help us!"

Immediately, someone comes in. "Hi, this is Israel air traffic control. Repeat after me: 'Yisgadal v'yiskadesh shmei rabah....'"