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Chabad of Port Washington Email: rabbi@chabadpw.org Voice: 516-767-8672 www.ChabadPW.org
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 Dear Rabbi Shalom M.,
Q – I once read that Chassidism is all about unconditional love of your fellow. Why do Chassidim in Israel treat other Jews who are less observant than themselves with such anger and contempt, sometimes even violence?
A - Chassidism is Judaism filled with joy and exuberance. A Chassid is an inspired Jew who is filled with love for his fellow Jew and fellow human being. The Baal Shem Tov, founder of Chassidism, taught that loving your fellow is more important to G‑d than loving G‑d Himself, because a parent wants nothing more than for their children to love one another.
It’s tragic when people dressed like Chassidim act in ways that are less than loving... towards fellow Jews.
A wise man once said – the best thief is the one dressed like a police officer.
Chassidism is all about joy and love, not anger and judging others who are less observant. If you notice these negative behaviors in someone dressed like a chassid, you can be sure he’s no Chassid; he’s only dressed like one.
Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Shalom M. Paltiel
P.S. Over the past two months, 41 students spent 6 Sunday mornings taking a course by the Jewish Learning Institute entitled “Fascinating Facts & Myths of Judaism” - exploring Jewish facts and myths while delving into some of the meanings and origins behind them. This Sunday, January 8, our group will be coming together again for a review of the entire 6 week course. In the 90 minutes that we will spend together, we will do a quick review of all that we’ve learned with focus on the “101 Jewish facts” we’ve covered. I invite you to attend this special “recap session”. I’m opening this session up to the public in the hopes of whetting your appetite to join other JLI courses in the future. Give it a try.
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Is There Life on Other Planets?
Question:
Someone told me that according to Judaism, human beings are the only conscious beings in the universe. Is there any basis to this?
Response:
Certainly not!
First of all, the sages discuss the fact that animals also feel pain, based on the biblical prohibition against causing them undue suffering.
Second, there are plenty of accounts in the Torah of the higher angels, who are conscious of a realm of reality far beyond ours.
Third, Maimonides and others write about the heavenly bodies as conscious beings—and not simply in an allegorical sense. If anyone should ask, “How can a ball of helium and hydrogen contain consciousness?” simply ask in return, “And that a warm mass of gray meat has consciousness is reasonable?”
The uniqueness of humankind is not our consciousness, but the way that consciousness is able to enter the realms of good and evil, make decisions and distinguish between them.
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“Her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace.” (Proverbs 3:17)
King Solomon, the wisest of all men, thus defined and described the ways of Torah. These words are as true today as they were in his day.
Pleasantness and peace are not only fundamental to the observance of Torah-true Judaism, but are the only appropriate paths to maintaining and promoting authentic Jewish values...
CONTINUE>>
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Men's Basketball Night for Chabad Members
Wednesdays at 8:15 - 9:15 PM
Contact Dr. Glen Ruben at: grsmiles@hotmail.com - 516 729 8571. Click here for more info. |
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Shooting Stars Soccer
January 4th - February 25th | $149 for 7 weeks
Soccer Lessons for children ages 18 months to 6 years old at Chabad of Port Washington's gym.
Click here for more info and schedule. |
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NEW Upcoming JLI Course
Money Matters: Jewish Business Ethics
Is Judaism socialist or capitalist? Who is responsible for preventing poverty? Is unionization a Jewish ideal? Must Walmart pay its workers a livable wage? Where would you draw the line? An ethical, Talmudic, and legal debate on the economic issues of our time.
6 Sundays, Beginning Jan 22 | 10 11:30 AM
At Chabad of Port Washington
Click here for more info and to register online.
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Is it True?
That Arik Sharon was scheduled to be on the first Israeli flight that was hijacked, and the Rebbe advised him not to board the plane?
Click here to watch a 3-minute clip.
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| B"H |
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Board of Directors
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Adam Katz, Esq., President
Frank Arnold
Bert Brodsky
Martin H. Brownstein, M.D.
Howard Fensterman, Esq.
M. Allan Hyman, Esq.
Sara E. Paltiel
Rabbi Shalom M. Paltiel
Alan Rosenzweig
Alan Salzbank
Michael Samuel
Felix Sater
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Shabbat Times
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| Shabbat Candle Lighting: |
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Friday, Jan 6
4:24 pm
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| Shabbat Ends: |
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Shabbat, Jan 7
5:28 pm
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Daily Thought
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Self-Trial
The Baal Shem Tov taught that in the heavenly court there is no one who can judge you for what you have done in your life on earth. So this is what they do:
They show you someone’s life—all the achievements and all the failures, all the right decisions and all the wrongdoings—and then they ask you, “So what should we do with this somebody?”
And you give your verdict. Which they accept. And then they tell you that this somebody was you. Being now in heaven, you don’t recall a thing.
Of course, those who tend to judge others favorably have a decided advantage.
Better get in the habit now.
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| Wonders of the World |
 Is There Life on Other Planets?
The Jewish view on UFOs, aliens and extraterrestrial intelligence.
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| Short Clips of Wisdom |
 Make Wine, Not Whine (video)
The harder the roots of the vine have to work to get to the water, the more intense the wine will taste.
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| Vayechi: Jacob's Life |
 Parshah in a Nutshell
The 70 souls of Jacob’s family become the twelve tribes of Israel. Cosmic secrets are almost revealed. The children of Israel sink deeper into exile, but take with them the promise of remembrance.
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| Jacob and Rachel |
 Jacob and Rachel
Man is spirit revolving upon an axis of fulfillment-seeking selfhood, as well as a soul centered upon a core of selflessness.
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Parshat Vayechi
Jacob lives the final 17 years of his life in Egypt. Before his passing, he asks Joseph to take an oath that he will bury him in the Holy Land. He blesses Joseph’s two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, elevating them to the status of his own sons as progenitors of tribes within the nation of Israel.
The patriarch desires to reveal the end of days to his children, but is prevented from doing so.
Jacob blesses his sons, assigning to each his role as a tribe: Judah will produce leaders, legislators and kings; priests will come from Levi, scholars from Issachar, seafarers from Zebulun, schoolteachers from Simeon, soldiers from Gad, judges from Dan, olive growers from Asher, and so on. Reuben is rebuked for “confusing his father’s marriage bed”; Simeon and Levi, for the massacre of Shechem and the plot against Joseph. Naphtali is granted the swiftness of a deer, Benjamin the ferociousness of a wolf, and Joseph is blessed with beauty and fertility.
A large funeral procession consisting of Jacob’s descendants, Pharaoh’s ministers, the leading citizens of Egypt and the Egyptian cavalry accompanies Jacob on his final journey to the Holy Land, where he is buried in the Machpelah Cave in Hebron.
Joseph, too, dies in Egypt, at the age of 110. He, too, instructs that his bones be taken out of Egypt and buried in the Holy Land, but this would come to pass only with the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt many years later. Before his passing, Joseph conveys to the Children of Israel the testament from which they will draw their hope and faith in the difficult years to come: “G‑d will surely remember you, and bring you up out of this land to the land of which He swore to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” |
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