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Parshas Vaeira
Chof Vav Teves
Volume 1
Issue 14

PARSHAS VAEIRA
Every Friday, Morah Stein teaches the fifth grade about the parshah. This week the class was discussing the ten makkos (plagues) which HaShem brought upon the Egyptians. The girls already knew a lot about the parshah.
"This week's parshah mentions seven of the ten makkos," called out Suri.
"Pharaoh was warned before two of the makkos, but the third one came without warning," recalled Mimi.
"Aharon caused the first two makkos by striking the Nile River and pointing his staff at it. Moshe could not do this himself, because he had been saved by the river," said Brochah.
Morah Stein was pleased with the girls' knowledge. "Since you know so much about the parshah already, let me ask you some questions that will make you think." The class was eager to hear the questions, and they listened attentively.
"Why did HaShem bring the makkos upon the Egyptians in the first place?" asked Morah Stein.
"Because they deserved to be punished," answered Rivki.
"But HaShem can punish people in many different ways. Why did He choose to punish the Egyptians with these strange and wondrous makkos? He could have destroyed them all in a single instant. Why did the makkos have to take several months, and why were there so many miracles?"
The girls did not know the answer, so Morah Stein continued: "When HaShem told Moshe Rabbeinu to tell Pharaoh to let the Jews leave Egypt, what was Pharaoh's first reaction?"
"I know," said Shaindy. "Pharaoh stubbornly asked: 'Who is HaShem that I must listen to Him?' "
"Oh, I get it" called out Feige.
All the girls turned to Feige. Feige was the class brain. If anyone could figure it out, she could. "The Egyptians didn't believe in HaShem. So HaShem punished them by bringing supernatural makkos. These miracles forced them to learn about HaShem and to realize how great He is."
"Very good thinking," Morah Stein complimented Feige. "HaShem brought the makos for a clear purpose:
‘Viyaydu Mitzrayim ki Ani HaShem 'So that the Egyptians will know that I am HaShem.' The makkos helped the Egyptians and the entire world recognize HaShem's power."


(‘Please tell me what the Rebbe said’, adapted from Likkutei Sichos, Vol. XXI, Parshas Va'eira)

The answer to last week’s brain buster is Shifra / Parsha (in hebrew letters)
Congratulations to Mushki & Shterni Gurary from Montreal, Canada for solving the brain buster.

Parshas Vaeira

I am a mixed up thing.
What am I?

____ ____ ____

connections@shluchim.org

We are so happy with all the responses we are getting to the brain busters. Unfortunately, we are not able to print all of your names. Please continue sending your feedback and responses as we will make a gorel each week and pick one winner.

Chof Ches Teves
This Sunday, 28 Teves, is the birthday of Rebbetzin Chana Schneerson, the Rebbe's mother. She was born on 28 Teves in the year 5640. Her parents were Reb Meir Shlomo Yanovski the Rav of Nikolayev and Rebbetzin Rochel. She married Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson (known as Reb Levik), the Rebbe's father, on 13 Sivan in 1900. Reb Levik was the Rav of Yeketrinoslav .
Rebbetzin Chana and Reb Levik had three sons: Menachem Mendel (the Rebbe), DovBer and Yisroel Aryeh Leib.
In 1939 Rabbi Levi Yitzchak was arrested and sent into Golus in Kazakhstan for the "crime" of spreading Yiddishkeit. Even though it was very dangerous, Rebbetzin Chana chose to go with him to far-away Alma Atta, Kazakhstan and suffered along with him. Rebbetzin Chana had great Mesiras Nefesh to make ink from grass for Reb Levik’s Kesavim. The Rebbe wrote a lot about the Mesiras Nefesh of his mother, and this Mesiras Nefesh caused us to have the great works of Reb Levik.
Rebbetzin Chana passed away on 6 Tishrei 5725.

Hey Kids,

Hi to all of you out there all over the globe. It’s me, the one who has an office in Iowa with a green roof between the cornfields and cows and makes lenses for seeing better and brighter.
You know, Chassidim are very happy people, and we try not to have scowling moods. We know that everything is good and is going to get even better. People who look through the COL (Chassidic Outlook Lens) see that the world is very bright and colorful. It makes them sing a little happy Chabad niggun, and if they have really good happy lenses, they actually start to skip a little dance.
This week brings us to Rosh Chodesh Shevat that brings us to some very important dates on the Chassidic calendar. Can you guess which dates? Yud Shevat and Chof-Beis Shevat. Do you remember what happened on these two dates? I’m not going to tell you what happened because I’m not a professional at Dates; rather, I’m a professional at Seeing. Instead, I’m going to keep you guessing.
Rosh Chodesh is a mini Yom Tov, so look through your COL (Chassidic Outlook Lenses) and you’ll see everything with happy eyes and you will be excited for the special dates that are coming up. Next week I’ll be back to share with you more seeing tricks and to bring you regards from the green roof and cornfields and cows in my office in Iowa. For now, practice the trick of happy seeing.

See Ya’,
Dr. Getzel

Hey Kids!
Remember last week, when I asked you to guess why my MM flashlight is called so? Well, in my mailbox this week, there were a few replies.
Nobody actually guessed the right answer so here it is: The MM stands for Marvelous Mitzvah flashlight. I call it that because it lights things up, just like our Mitzvos.
But 2 Yaldei Hashluchim had such great guesses that I decided to tell you what they said.
Nechama Esther Cunin, age 10, from Pacific Palisades in California guessed that MM stands for Mitzvah Mission and Mendel Perman from Caracas, Venezuala guessed that it stands for Menachem Mendel (the Rebbe’s name).
Great guesses Nechama Esther & Mendel and to all the rest of you Yaldei Hashluchim! Keep those e-mails coming. I love getting them

The Alter Rebbe got married at the very young age of 15. When he was 20 he asked his wife if he could leave home to go and learn more and she said yes. He had 2 choices: Vilna or Mezeritch. He was told “In Vilna, you learn how to learn and in Mezeritch, you learn how to daven”.
Reb Shneur Zalman thought ‘I have already learnt how to learn, so I will go to Mezeritch.’
As the Alter Rebbe walked to Mezeritch, he would even chop wood or work in the fields to pay his way.
Soon after he arrived, the Mezritcher Maggid gave him the very difficult task of rewriting the Shulchan Aruch. Yet, Reb Shneur Zalman managed to do this so well, that not only the Chassidim, but all the Talmidei Chachamim of his time, even the misnagdim, recognized what a great Talmud Chacham and genius the Alter Rebbe was.

Hey Kids,
Here at CHINUCH YALDEI HASHLUCHIM we are starting to work on the next issue of Kids Connect. Please send in your articles soon because the deadline is:
Tuesday Rosh Chodesh Shevat,
January 11.
The articles we would like included are:

1. Featured Chabad House,
2. Yud Shevat,
3. Tu- B’Shevat,
4. Chof-Beis Shevat,
5. coming to the Kinus Hashluchos,
6. The power of the Rebbe

E-mail:connections@shluchim.org
Fax: (718) 221-0985
Mail: 816 Eastern Parkway, Bklyn, NY 11213
Please include your name, age and location of Shlichus.
All children who submit an article will receive a prize.

Chof Daled Teves—The Yartzeit of the Alter Rebbe


When Napoleon invaded Russia, the Alter Rebbe sided with the Russian Czar. "If Napoleon wins, the Gashmiyus of the Jewish people will improve, but their Ruchniyus state will decline. If the Czar wins, however, the Jews might not prosper BeGashmiyus, but they would continue to prosper BeRuchniyus”, he explained. For this reason, he took an active role supporting the Russian armies. Therefore when Napoleon's armies advanced through White Russia, he had to flee.
In middle of the Russian winter, he found himself deep in the countryside, far from any Jewish community. It was very cold and it affected his health. He became sick and had to stop traveling. He ended up in a village called Piena.
There were no Jews in that village. Nevertheless, one of the Goyim was impressed by the great holiness that surrounded the Alter Rebbe and provided him with a cottage.
The Alter Rebbe's illness continued and on Motzei Shabbos, 24 Teves, he passed away. Before he passed away, the Goyishe owner of the cottage entered to get a Bracha. At that time, the Alter Rebbe told him: "When Jews pass through this village and do not follow to their Jewish heritage, you'll know what to do." After the Alter Rebbe's passed away, the Goy set aside the cottage and did not use it for his own purposes. On the rare occasions, when a Jew passed through the village, he allowed him to lodge there.
Ten years after the Alter Rebbe's passed away, two Jews came to this inn. "Do you have food? We're hungry," they demanded.
"I do not have any kosher food," the gentile told them.
"What difference does it make? Kosher or non-kosher; we will eat whatever you serve."
The Goy went out as if to prepare food for them, but returned with an ax in hand.
"I know what to do with guests like you," he told them.
Motioning them towards the Alter Rebbe's cottage, he continued: "You have only a few moments to live. I will leave you alone to say your final prayers."
The Ruchniyus influence of the Alter Rebbe and the fear of death had its effect. The men began to confess their Aveiros.
Slowly, they started regretting their ways. They were sincerely sorry for leaving the path of Yiddishkeit. The Goy was watching them from the window. When he saw that the Jews sincerely wanted to change their ways, he released them and brought them kosher food. He told them about the Alter Rebbe and how he had foreseen their coming. "Go to his Kever and daven," he concluded. "Show that your Teshuva is sincere."
And the two merchants did exactly that, making their way to Haditch to daven at the Alter Rebbe's Kever and ask Hashem to help them in their future.

Do YOU know what happened on the special Chassidishe dates of Yud Shevat and Chof-Beis Shevat?
Please e-mail me the answers:
connections@shluchim.org

Congratulations to Chani Bronstein, age 12 from Andover, MA, and Yisrolik Jaffe, age 7 from Brisbane, Australia, for winning last week!

 

See the Printable Version of Connections for an incredible FUN PAGE on Pisgamim of the Rabbeim!!

 

Question: Where is Moshiach mentioned in this week’s Parsha?

Answer: This week's Parsha - Parshas Vaeira contains the four expressions of Geulah: “VeHotzeisi - and I will take you out," "VeHitzalti - and I will save you," "VeGoalti - and I will redeem you," "VeLakachti - and I will bring you."
Each one of these expressions refers to one of the four Galuyos. We are now in the 4th Galus and it is the final Golus.
Parshas Vaeira contains one more expression, "VeHeiveisi - and I will bring you to the good land." This fifth expression of Geulah hints to the Geulah HaShleimah with Moshiach.
In this week's Parsha, Hashem promises to bring us the Geulah HaShleimah. Whenever Hashem promises to do something good, He never reconsiders his decision or regrets it. Hashem decided that a good thing can never be nullified. His promise to take us out of Galus can therefore never be taken away Chas VeShalom. It proves to us that Hashem must fulfill his promise to bring Moshiach.
If we recognize that the Geulah already exists, and that all that is missing is for Melech HaMoshiach to reveal himself, it makes it easier for us to cope with the Golus’s difficulties and overcome its trials and hardships, especially in recent generations.
We must never allow ourselves to be overpowered by the Golus. Instead, we must continue to act with the power of Kedusha , which will cause all of the Golus’s difficulties to disappear. In this manner we will merit to see the Geulah – BeEinei Basar VeDam, speedily in our day.

Taken from L’Chaim Weekly

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