Page 16-THE NEWS-February 1990
Thoughts From The
Lubavitcher Rebbe
Talmud Torah Classes Stimulate and Motivate Students
Tu B’Shevat,
New Year for Trees
By Rabbi Yossi Groner
The central focal point of the
Hebrew month of Shevat is the
New Year for Trees, which
brings to mind the very well
known Biblical analogy, “Man
is like a tree;” an analogy that
embraces many aspects, general
and particular.
Since this analogy is given by
Torah, the Torah of truth, it is
certain to be precise in all its
aspects, each of which is instruc
tive in a general or particular
way, from everyone of us.
To begin with, the essence of
a living tree is, above all, that
it grows; its growth being the
sign of its living. The purpose
of a tree is to be — in the words
of the Torah — “a fruit tree
bearing fruit whose seed is
within itself,” which is to pro
duce fruit with seeds from which
will grow trees and fruits of the
same kind. Indeed, the perfec
tion of a tree lies in its ability
to produce trees and fruits to all
posterity.
To translate the above points
in human terms:
A human being must grow
and develop continuously, how
ever satisfactory the level may
be at any given time. This is also
indicated in the expression of
our Sages — whose sayings are
concise but profoundly mean
ingful — “holiness should be on
the ascendancy.”
Similarly in regard to the
second point; A human being
should produce “fruits” for the
benefit of many others beside
himself; the kind of benefit
which is coupled with delight.
The meaning of “delight” in
this context will become clear
from the distinction in regard to
the seven species of produce with
which the Land of Israel is
praised in the Torah: “A land
of wheat and barley, and vine
and fig, and pomegranate, a land
of olive oil and (date) honey.”
Wheat and barley are basic
foods necessary for human sus
tenance, while the fruits of trees
are both sustaining and nourish
ing as well as enjoyable and
delightful.
And the third point: One must
strive to produce “fruit-bearing
fruits,” so that the beneficiary
enjoying these fruits should in
turn become a fruit-bearing tree
like the benefactor.
Needless to say, the fruits of
which we are speaking here are
those which our Sages specify in
saying “the fruits of Tzaddikim
— Righteous, which include
every Jew, as it is written, “And
Thy people are all Tzaddikim”
— are Mitzvot and good deeds.
These are some of the basic
teachings of the New Year for
Trees, which have an immediate
practical relevance to each and
every Jew, man and woman.
There is a further allusion to this
in the meaningful Jewish custom
to eat on this day various kinds
of tree fruits.
And when a Jew firmly re
solves to proceed from strength
to strength in all matters of
Torah and Mitzvot, both in
regard to himself and in dissem
inating them in his environment,
he has the assurance of realizing
his fullest potential —“like a tree
planted by streams of water, that
brings forth its fruit in its season;
its leaf also shall not wither, and
whatever he does shall prosper.”
(Taken from Psalms 1.)
Until the time will be ripe for
the fulfillment of the promise,
“the tree of the field shall yield
its fruit,” in the plain sense,
meaning that even non-produc
ing fruit trees shall produce
fruits. This will be with the
coming of our righteous Moshi-
ach, for at that time people will
reach perfection in a perfect
world.
Linda Dyer-Hart
Rita HeathSinger
NOTRE MAISON, INC,
(704) 543-6240
P.O. Bfix 470023
ChaHotte, NC28247
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By Rabbi Binyomin Weiss
At Lubavitch Talmud Torah
it’s “business as usual.” Our
business of course is to provide
our students with a thorough
Jewish education. As usual
means that happy and smiling
children are eagerly coming to
classes where they are stimulated
and motivated by their devoted
and talented teachers.
In our Sunday-Tuesday pro
gram, taught by Mariashi Gron
er, Chanie Weiss and Eliza
Schoenes, the children are mak
ing rapid progress in their
Aleph-Bet studies aided by the
best available in tapes, videos,
work books and arts & crafts.
The older children have mas
tered many of the vowels (Ne-
kudot) and are well on their way
towards reading. We may be
offering a class for parents who
wish to keep up with their
children.
Judaica studies are of primary
importance and the children are
learning as well as experiencing
the many exciting facets of
Yiddishkeyt. Of course, blessed
as we are with a holiday-filled
Rabbi Binyomin >^eiss teaching a Talmud Torah class.
calendar, each and every child
becomes a true holiday expert
through seeing, hearing and
most important through doing.
Hands-on experience is always
a must for any subject to be fully
understood and appreciated.
For Chanukah everyone made a
beautiful hand-painted Menor-
ah of many colors. The various
laws and customs pertaining to
the Menorah all come alive when
you actually put it together
yourself.
Every Jewish subject studied
brings out the creative talents of
our children. When learning
about Brochos the children
created an innovative Brochos
game to help them grasp the
concepts as well as to review
them in an entertaining way.
Our Tuesday-Thursday Tal
mud Torah students, with more
years of Jewish studies under
their belts, are constantly being
challenged to learn and do more
than ever before. Together with
an increase in our Siddur read
ing, there is a new understanding
of the prayers and why we recite
them. Using the insights of the
Midrash has added a new dimen
sion to the weekly Parsha stu
dies, transforming “stories” into
powerful lessons.
Historic Chanukah Celebration Seen in Charlotte
An historic event which linked
thousands of participants and
millions of viewers, was shown
on Charlotte Cablevision during
the festival of Chanukah. For
the first time in h^tory, commu
nities in Paris, London, Moscow
and Jerusalem were linked to
gether by satellite with New
York at World Lubavitch Head
quarters for a unique Chanukah
celebration.
In each of the locations huge
crowds gathered to simultane
ously kindle a large public
Menorah. At Lubavitch Syna
gogue in New York a major
children’s rally was held in honor
of Chanukah with the participa
tion of the Lubavitcher Rebbe,
who spoke to the assembled.
The Rebbe’s talk was heard
around the world via satellite, in
addition to the millions who
watched it on Cable Television
in North America. Over 18,000
Jews gathered along Champs
Elysses" in Paris to see and hear
the Rebbe at the Chanukah
celebration.
Thousands more packed the
Western Wall Plaza in Jerusa
lem and Hyde Park Corner in
London, England. At each lo-
Learning Comes Alive
At Lubavitch Day School
Lubavitch Day School
excels in quality edu
cation both in secular
and Judaica subjects.
Lubavitch Day School
inspires its students
to become educated
Americans. The high
ly acclaimed program
is designed to enrich
the students’ compre
hension and appreci
ation of the world in
a fun and wholesome
way.
If you want yourchild to have the finest secular
and Jewish education available, come and see
us.
Lubavitch Day School
921 Jefferson Drive
Charlotte, NC 28226
(704) 366-3984
cation a giant Menorah was
kindled to the view of the tele
vision. At the conclusion of the
lighting ceremonies in each of
the cities, the Rebbe requested
they all join in song with the
melody “Hanerah Hallolu.”
What was unique about this
program is that for the first time
in history Moscow’s Jewish
community was connected with
the rest of the free world, and
that the geographic distance was
bridged for a Jewish celebration.
“What a sight it was, to see
people all over the world join in
song and to see it on your screen
at home,” said one Charlotte
viewer.
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