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This past Tuesday was the 13th anniversary of the passing of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. Chasidim do not always feel comfortable using the word yahrzeit because it infers that the Rebbe is totally gone from the world. We have a tradition that a tzadik is alive even after his passing, since the positive actions he accomplished during his physical life continue to bear fruits, as the Talmud says, “If his children are alive, so too he is alive”. The Rebbe is still actively impacting on the world, for his chasidim are his children.
B”H (W:5767/39: Chukat) an essay by Rabbi Shaul Leiter, director of Ascent
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From the Rebbe’s correspondence in response to a letter from a shaliach (written after Yud Shvat 1950), vol 6, page 350, “You say in your letter that you often think to yourself, who am I to be criticizing and giving instructions (to others about living proper Jewish lives)? In answer, we know what the rabbis have said, that if (the Almighty) did not help us, we would never be able (to accomplish anything). From this we understand that it is not you that is giving the instructions, rather you are only a vehicle to transmit words of truth that are extracted from a True Torah. And in particular, a chasid (like yourself) who is connected to our leader, the Rebbe Rayatz, my father in law; all he (the chasid) is doing is fulfilling the mission put upon him by the Rebbe and therefore the strength of the Rebbe is with him. And our Rebbe has broad enough shoulders to accomplish his mission in every time and through each person, as long as the (chasid) emissary stays connected to the one who sent him.

From Likutei Sichos book 2 page 23, “This is the intention of the Rebbe Rashab (father of the Rayatz) who said just before he passed away, “I am going to heaven but my writings I am leaving with you”. The Rebbe has put himself in the writings themselves! Through the learning of the teachings of the Rebbe, specifically learning that brings positive action in him and in others, through this an individual is able to tie himself with the Rebbe, as the Rebbe is found above in a state of elevation. Since the writings are found here below in this physical world, through studying his teachings the Rebbe is also found here below in this physical world. This is an eternal physical connection between the Rebbe and all of the Jewish people.

From Likutei Sichos vol 28, page 138 (taken from the pamphlet ‘the Redemption’), When, in this week’s Torah portion, the Jewish people speak against G-d and against Moshe they are punished with a plague of snakes. The Jewish people come to Moshe and ask him to forgive them for what they said and to pray for their salvation. Moshe agrees. Rashi the main commentator, writes on these verses, (21/7) from here we learn that when one is approached for forgiveness, it is cruel not to forgive.

Technically, this is not the first time we find an incident of asking for forgiveness. Also in the book of Bereishis, the portion of Vayerah, Avimelech the king of Gerar, who was punished for kidnapping Sara, Avraham’s wife, asks Avraham for forgiveness and to pray for him, and Avraham agrees. So why does Rashi say that it is from the verse in our portion, Chukas, that we learn about forgiveness?

There is a big difference between these two events. Avraham forgave Avimelech as he requested so that he would not be punished, but no more. Their relationship did not change. They did not become friends in any way. Moshe on the other hand, forgave the Jewish people from a deep sense of love. This was a type of forgiveness that completely wiped away any remainder of the sin. Therefore Rashi chose these verses to tell about forgiveness.

The Rabbis taught us (in the Talmud), that all the commandments that we do, G-d also does in a spiritual way. G-d’s forgiveness is like Moshe’s forgiveness, yet much much deeper. The Divine forgiveness is infinite and erases totally any vague imprint or negative memory of the sin. Not only that, G-d further assists by arousing in us the desire to do teshuvah, to return to the correct way. It (comes full circle, because it is) in the merit of the teshuvah, as Maimonides teaches, we will be immediately redeemed with the final and complete redemption. Shabbat Shalom, Shaul
Reuters at the Ohel
Among the various news agencies and photographers that came to cover the thousands of visitors at the Ohel Gimmel Tamuz was also Reuters. Click here for their gallery of photos.