Tanya Shiur #5 (RBT)

This week's Tanya shiur from Rabbi Bentzion Twerski...

DOWNLOAD (6.4 MB)

For times and dial-in info, click here.

Minhagim and Halacha: Shema

There are a few matters of note in this week's "Halacha Summary" email from the shul that I would like to mention (in accordance with what the Rebbe, shlit"a, has said on various occasions). The first is regarding the time by which Shema must be recited.

In the email, it says, "According to the Magen Avrohom, the day is reckoned from dawn until nightfall. According to the Vilna Gaon, the day is reckoned from sunrise until sunset. Hence, the deadline for Shema according to the Magen Avrohom is earlier than that of the Vilna Gaon. The custom is to follow the opinion of the Vilna Gaon which gives a later deadline. It is praiseworthy to daven with a minyan that reaches Shema before the deadline of the Magen Avrohom."

Video: Schapira Bris 5772

Once again, thank you to the chevra in Eretz Yisroel for all their efforts in sending in sechoira. Binyamin Klempner just sent over some video from the last week's bris. Yasher Koach and keep 'em coming! (Click "READ MORE" for video.)

Shabbos Chanukah

בספה"ק אמרי פנחס איתא: "שבת חנוכה הוא תענוג של משיח". והגם שכל שבת היא בחי' מעין עולם הבא, יש בשבת זו מעלה יתירה, וכדאיתא בספה"ק מגן אברהם: "ההתלהבות של זה השבת חנוכה הוא יותר גדולה מהתלהבות של כל השבתות של כל השנה". ובספה"ק מאיר עיני חכמים כתב שאורו של שבת חנוכה הוא דבר חדש לגמרי, וזהו לשוה"ק: כתב האלהי האריז"ל שידליק דוקא של חנוכה קודם ואחר כך נר של שבת ואינו רשאי להדליק של שבת קודם. כי שבת חנוכה מרמז על לעתיד יום שכולו שבת שיתחדש על ידינו כל הנבראים כולם כשנזכה אנחנו להיות מרכבה אליו יתברך שמו להתגלות יחודו ואחדותו יתברך שמו עמנו בכל הנבראים וכל העולמות בסוד חנ"ו כ"ה כמבואר בתיקונים, שהתגלות השבת הזה הוא דבר חדש שלא נתגלה מתחלת הבריאה והכל על ידינו בסוד חנ"ו כ"ה. ולכן דוקא ידליק נר חנוכה תחילה ואחר כך נר שבת שהתגלות השבת הזה הוא על ידי הדלקת נר חנוכה מקודם דוקא". ולכן, ידוע מצדיקים זי"ע (התפארת שלמה ועוד) שיש הרבה נשמות שאינם יכולים להתתקן אפילו על ידי השפעת נר חנוכה, ורק על ידי שניהם יחד, שבת וחנוכה, שהיא חידוש שמעולם לא נתגלה, יהיו ביכולתם להתתקן. 

Minhagim: Shabbos Chanukah

1. Ideally, the custom is to toivel in mikveh and daven Mincha before one kindles the menora.

2. The Rebbe recited the regular order of Tehilim as on all other nights.

3. During the seudos, the pizmon of "Ichlu Mashmanim" is sung.

4. Shalosh Seudos is not rushed in order to end Shabbos and rush to the menora, rather it is lengthened as on every other Shabbos of the year.

5. We make Havdala before lighting the menora. "Hamavdil" is sung as usual after Havdala, before lighting the menora.

The Rebbe's Schedule for Shabbos Mikeitz 5772

The Rebbe, shlit"a, will be "feering" Shabbos in Mishkan Shloima on Techeilas Mordechai in Ganei Geula (Yerushalayim). 
Kabolas Shabbos: 5 pm

Tish: 9 pm

Shacharis: 8:30 am

Mincha & Shalosh Seudos

Pictures: Schapira Bris in Yerushalayim

Thanks to Binyamin Klempner for sending us the following photos of the Rebbe, shlit"a, at the bris of his newest einikel: (Click "READ MORE".)

Chanuka Niggunim

Here are two niggunim for Chanukah from the Rebbe's zeide, Rebbe Bentzion of Bobov, hy"d: 

Mizmor Shir (from the album, Mu Ushiv) DOWNLOAD

Haneiros Hallalu (discovered recently) DOWNLOAD

Tanya Shiur #4 (RBT)

Last night's Tanya shiur from Rav Bentzion Twerski...

DOWNLOAD (7 MB)

For times and dial-in info, click here.

Vach Nacht Story and Maamer

Last night, Reb Shulem Horowitz (Rav Bentzion's son-in-law) made a Vach Nacht and tonight is the Vach Nacht for Reb Shloime Schapira's new yingaleh in Eretz Yisroel. Seeing as how it is inyanei d'yoma, here is a story that the Rebbe Reb Motele used to tell on a Vach Nacht. It is printed in a sefer called Zechus Avos. There it is related that the heiliger Rizhiner used this story to help a woman in a difficult labor and Reb Motele held it as a segulah for the night before the bris. VIEW PDF

And while we're at it, here is a maamer from Reb Motele, said at a Vach Nacht seudah. VIEW PDF

20,000 Pageviews

Earlier today I noticed the blog hit the 20,000 pageview mark (since starting nearly a year ago).

Many thanks to all the subscribers and fans of Doleh Umashkeh (damesek) who turn to the blog as a resource in their avodas Hashem.

Thank you all!

If you know someone who would benefit from any of the content on this blog, please feel free to pass it along to them (with a link to the blog included). Once again, if you haven't done so already, enter your email address in the box on the top right of the blog and new posts will be sent straight to your inbox.

May we all continue to grow b'ruchniyus through the Torah of the Rebbe!

Chanuka Shiurim from the Rebbe

Here are three shiurim for Chanukah. The first two are from the tape series Experience the Essence of Yom Tov. The entire series can be purchased from the Beth Yehudah website or by calling the office. The third shiur was recorded at the shul in 5766 (2006).

Shiur 1 (Tape #15) DOWNLOAD

Shiur 2 (Tape #23) DOWNLOAD

Shiur 3 (from 5766) DOWNLOAD

Enjoy and have a freilichen, lechtigen Chanukah!

Info for the Schapira Bris

The Bris of the Rebbe's newest einikel will IY"H be this Thursday. Davening Shachris @ 8:00 at the Ganei Geulah Shteiblach, followed by the bris at 9:30. The seudah will follow at the Ulam Beis Yisroel (Ezras Torah).

Chanukah: A Time for Prayer

Rebbe Shloime Bobover (I)

That one should take advantage of the auspicious time of Chanukah lighting to daven for one's children, is aptly illustrated by the following story (as heard from Rav Bentzion Twerski):

Once, when the Rebbetzin Devorah Leah was a young child of five, she came in to the room where her saintly grandfather, the first Rebbe Shloimeh of Bobov, was lighting the Chanukah menorah.

"Zeide, why are you crying?"

"I'm davening that you should have a good husband."

The next night she came in and found her grandfather crying by the menorah again.

"Zeide, why are crying tonight?"

"I'm davening that you should have good children."

Such were the kavannos of the great tzadikim - always thinking of the future generations.

Pictures from Eretz Yisroel 5771

In lieu of photos from this year...

Minhagim: Chanuka Lighting (English edition)

Thank you to those who expressed an interest in an English translation of the minhagim. Here is a synopsis of what I posted previously.:

Maoz Tzur

The Divrei Chaim lit in this menorah for 14 years.

The nigun the Rebbe, shlit"a, uses for Maoz Tzur is the same one his father, Rebbe Yaakov Yisroel, would sing. Although the nigun is sung in today's Bobov, I heard from the Rebbe that it comes from earlier than the Kedushas Tzion, and possibly even back to the Sanz of the Divrei Chaim.

DOWNLOAD

Vayeshev: Dreams

This past Shabbos, the Rebbe, shlit"a, said the following:

 

Targum Yonosan ben Uziel says that Yosef HaTzadik could have interpreted the dreams whichever way he wanted and that would have been the outcome.

 

That being the case, what did Yosef have against the Sar HaOifim?

 

The mefarshim say that each one knew the interpretation of his friend's dream. The Sar Hamashkim had a good reason for not telling the Sar Haoifim - he didn't want to make him feel depressed by hearing of his fate. But the Sar HaOfim, who knew that the Sar Hamashkim would be set free, and yet he saw his friend get up with a sour face and didn't tell him the good news to make him happy. For that, Yosef decided, he deserved to get the bad interpretation!

 

(Shkoyach to Burich Twerski who was with the Rebbe for Shabbos and to Reb Yankel Londoner for sending it my way.)

The Rebbe's Trip to Eretz Yisroel

To the Chevra in Eretz Yisroel...

Please, please stay in touch with each other as to when the Rebbe will be seeing people and doing things for the public. Think of who would like to be included and make sure they find out.

In the name of all the chevra who turn to this blog as the resource for Torah and news from the Rebbe...

To our brethren in Eretz Yisroel:

A call to arms!

Whenever there is an opportunity, grab your cameras, your voice-recorders, your pens and paper (I know some of you still have those laying around), smartphones, laptops and tablets - anything at all!

Please send pictures, audio or video recordings, comments, and anything else you can think of, to

twerskitorah@gmail.com 

and I will post it here for all to benefit from.

Do not let your brethren in the Diaspora be left in the dark!

Chanukah with the Rebbe Reb Yaakov Yisroel, ztz"l

An excerpt from Reb Sheya's book, Generation to Generation:

"Some of my most cherished memories relate to the Yomim Tovim (holidays), and I was fortunate that the modern super-industrialized commercialism had not deprived me of these experiences.

Chanukah Holiday by Boris Dubrov

The joy of Chanukah actually began several days before the holidays. Father (Rebbe Yaakov Yisroel) would use a beeswax candle to light the wicks of the oil-burning menorah (candelabra), and since beeswax candles were unavailable commercially, he would make them himself, eight of them, one for each night. He would also make one extra candle to put away for use in the search for chometz (leavened bread) on the night before Passover.

Chanukah: Humility and Insignificance

Written by the Rebbe, shlit"a, Rav Michel Twerski of Milwaukee (from "Turning Pages", 1984)

"Humility" is a much used and abused word. It is, without question, the premium virtue amongst the attributes of Jewish "Midos" (personality qualities). The Torah records as the greatest achievement of Moshe, his incomparable humility. It is, however, also frequently misapplied and interchanged with such concepts as "meekness", "worthlessness". and "insignificance." Humility is many things, but certainly none of the latter. At one time or another, we have all been confronted with our personal limitations and on our interdependence with others. We have been able to say to ourselves, "You don't have to swallow the whole world - rule it - own it - or desire it. Live and let live!" "Be content with your portion in life - rejoice with your own blessings." "Don't be envious or jealous of others." These expressions are statements of humility. They represent a recognition of limits, of building happiness from within, and living with others in a world big enough for  everyone. "Insignificance" on the other hand says to us, "You are worthless and unimportant! Neither you nor your deeds make any difference whatever." "Insignificance" assumes that man is a cosmic accident, and that he is nothing more than a microscopic speck upon the canvas of eternity.

Chanukah: Responding to the Challenge

The words of Rebbe Reb Yaakov Yisroel Twerski, ztz"l (from "Turning Pages")

During the weeks between the High Holidays and the festive time of Chanukah, we find ourselves treated by inspiring and very interesting Torah readings in the Sabbath Service. These portions deal with the very beginnings of our people, and deal with the lives of the spiritual giants of our early history: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the Matriarchs, the Twelve Tribes - all are part of the unfolding story of spiritual commitment, determination, and courage.

Minhagim: Chanuka Lighting (Hebrew)

Above is a photo of the Rebbe's menorah on Zos Chanukah (Day 8). One can learn many specific minhagim just from this one picture alone. Here is a PDF (in Hebrew) that I put together last year of many minhagim of the Rebbe's that are not specifically "rebbishe minhagim", rather they are also for the general population that wishes to follow his custom. DOWNLOAD or VIEW

Tanya Shiur #3 (RBT)

Last night's Tanya shiur, from Rav Benzion Twerski.

DOWNLOAD (7.16 MB)

For times and dial-in info, click here.

Video: The Tree Song

Thanks again to our iPhone cameraman, Ben Vineburg, for this clip from the most recent Melava Malka (Motzei Shabbos Vayeitzei 5772). In the clip, the Rebbe is singing his original "Tree Song", a famous ballad describing the longing of a young child to climb a tall tree and how he slowly forgot about his aspirations. At the end, the boy, now an old man, promises that while he may have been unable to fulfill his lifelong dream, his children can benefit from his experiences and maybe they themselves will one day reach the heavens.

The post includes audio of the complete song and full lyrics as well. Enjoy!

Tanya Shiur #2 (RBT)

As the title of the post so creatively describes, here is last night's Tanya shiur from Rav Bentzion Twerski, the second in the series.

DOWNLOAD (6.17 MB)

Click here for information regarding how to hear the shiur live.

Tanya Shiur #1 (from Rav Benzion)

Last Wednesday night, Rav Benzion started a Tanya shiur. Here it is for those who missed it. This way you can be up to date with the shiur which continues tonight. DOWNLOAD (17.5 MB)