The Lunar calendar

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R Gordon-calibratin te lunar monts of the year
Rosh Chodesh

1. 19 year cycle of the lunar calendar
2. Finalized today no more need ofwitnesses
3. fnalized by Hillel Ha Zaken
4. set by bet din in the time of the temple
5. appx 29 1/2 day months 6  @ 29  6@ 30 days = 254 days in lunar year ea moth either 29 o 30 days
6. moon will aPPear in 29th or 30th day -when seen witnesses run to Jerusalem and moon's ciing is certified by the Sanhedrin    Rosh chodesh either one or 2 days
7. witnesses 'we saw the new moon"-not visible everywhere
8. courts knew where te locatiion of the new moon was

         a. they calibrated its location astronomically
   9.  Moshe in prophecy shown the new moon as to its appearance-sanctiied by bet din
  10. Pesach in the spring
  11. Lunar months in a solar year
  12, 11 days missing in the solar year    33 days/3 years
  13. 7X leao years in a19 year cycle
  14. Adar=1 mo. added as the "leap month"
  15. small crescent of the new moon seen in the west
  16. alignment or conjunction of the moon and sun--moon not seen
  17. court mb meticulous in astronomical calcs

http://www.chabad.org/therebbe/letters/default_cdo/aid/1919703/jewish/Beginning-of-the-Year-or-Head-of-the-Year.htm


Beginning of the Year or Head of the Year?





Correspondence by Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, The Lubavitcher Rebbe

By the Grace of G‑d

8th of Kislev, 5718 [December 1, 1957]

Brooklyn, N.Y.



Mr. I. Groob

44 Marvel Road, New Haven, Conn.



Greeting and Blessing:



I was pleased to be informed by Rabbi V. Schildkraut about the Melave Malka which was held in your home, which also served as an occasion of Chanukas Habayis.



Inasmuch as this occasion also coincided with Rosh Chodesh Kislev, the significance of it is all the greater. For, as you know, "Rosh" means head, and it is used in connection with the New Year and New Moon, instead of an identical term in Hebrew. This indicates that as the head is the center of the nervous system and vitality of the organism, and if the head is all right, the whole organism functions well, so it is with an initial period of time, when one makes a head-start.



May G‑d help that this occasion be a good beginning for further stimulating activities in the cause of Torah and Mitzvoth in everyday life, and, as our Sages say, that the essential thing is not the theory but the practice, and there is always room for improvement.



I take this opportunity to extend to you and yours my prayerful wishes that your change of address be a change for the better, both materially and spiritually.



With blessing,


http://www.chabad.org/therebbe/letters/default_cdo/aid/1889086/jewish/Going-from-Strength-to-Strength.htm
Going from Strength to Strength






Correspondence by Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, The Lubavitcher Rebbe

By the Grace of G-d

21st of Sivan, 5727

Brooklyn, N.Y.

[June 29, 1967]



Greeting and Blessing:



I have just received your letter. I was already getting anxious why I have not heard from you.



Thank you very much for the fulfillment of my request to convey regards from me, and also for the good news which your letter contained.



Inasmuch as it is written, “They will go from strength to strength,” now that you have already rested up from Shovuos, it is time to begin making preparations for the 12th of Tammuz, especially as we are going to Bench Rosh Chodesh Tammuz this coming Shabbos. Moreover, this year marks the 40th anniversary of the liberation of my father-in-law of saintly memory, and 40 years is a notable period culminating in a special measure of wisdom and knowledge to understand a matter in its full depth, as Rashi comments on the Posuk in Dvorim, 29:6.


With blessing,



M. Schneerson

http://www.chabad.org/therebbe/letters/default_cdo/aid/1918292/jewish/Two-Adars-Doubly-Auspicious.htm

Two Adars, Doubly Auspicious






Correspondence by Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, The Lubavitcher Rebbe

By the Grace of G‑d

1st Day of Rosh Chodesh Adar 1, 5746 [February 10, 1986]

Brooklyn, N.Y.



Mr. Reuven Dovid Kimball

Springfield, Ma. 01103



Greeting and Blessing:



I duly received your letter of the 21st of Shevat, with enclosure. As requested, I will remember you in prayer for the fulfillment of your heart's desires for good in the matter about which you wrote.



You should have complete confidence in the assurance of Torah that no one gets hurt by doing a Mitzvah, especially doing it beyond the call of duty.



Moreover, we are getting into the auspicious month of Adar, which is doubly auspicious this year, being a Leap Year, with two months of Adar. It is particularly auspicious for Jews in connection with matters of Yiddishkeit. May it be so with you and yours, and may you have good news to report.


With blessing,

M. Schneerson



P.S. Enclosed is a copy of my message to the recent Convention of Neshei u'Bnos Chabad, and it is meant not only for the women, but also for the men.


A Shavuot Message (4)






Correspondence by Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, The Lubavitcher Rebbe

Excerpts from a letter





By the Grace of G-d

Rosh Chodesh Sivan, 5724 [1964]

Brooklyn, NY









...It is worthy of note that the festival of Shavuoth has no independent date of its own, like any other festival, since no month or day is specified in the Torah as the time of its celebration, but only that it is the "Fiftieth Day" of the counting of the Omer; the counting which we begin on the second day of Pesach, on the day after the liberation from Egyptian bondage.



In this way the Torah emphasizes that the festival of Shavuoth is the goal of the festival of Pesach; that the Season of the Giving of Our Torah is the culmination of the Season of Our Freedom -- that the true and complete freedom, both for the individual as well as for the community, and both materially and spiritually, can be attained only through the acceptance of the Torah.



We live in a time and in a country where, notwithstanding external "freedom", the society in general, and the young generation in particular, are still largely "enslaved," and at a loss how to free themselves from the shackles of spiritual and mental confusion. The only hope that Jewish children should not be swept with this stream lies in a Torah education, where the golden chain of the Torah from Sinai is maintained; the Torah in all its sanctity, the Torah of Truth which must always remain intact, and cannot be subject to compromise or concession&

http://www.chabad.org/therebbe/letters/default_cdo/aid/1889582/jewish/King-in-the-Field.htm

King in the Field






Correspondence by Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, The Lubavitcher Rebbe

By the Grace of G-d

Rosh Chodesh Elul, 5732

Brooklyn, N.Y.

[August 11, 1972]



Greeting and Blessing:



I am in receipt of your letter of the 27th of Av and the preceding correspondence.



May G-d grant that you should have good news to report in all the matters about which you write.



Now that we have entered the auspicious month of Elul, you surely know the explanation of the Alter Rebbe about the auspiciousness of this month, by means of the parable of the King in the Field. Before entering the city, the king’s loyal subjects go out to welcome the king in the field, when everyone has an opportunity to greet the king, and the king, on his part, welcomes everyone graciously and with a smiling face, and grants their petitions (Likutei Torah, Re'eh 32). Similarly, the month of Elul is the time when the King of Kings is in the field, as it were, and offers an extraordinary opportunity to everyone to get closer to Him, and thus ensure that the New Year will be a better and happier one materially and spiritually.



Wishing you and all yours a Kesivo v'Chasimo Tovo,



With blessing,



M. Schneerson

Torah view of war and peace

War and Peace


Seitzei

Print this Page



By Eli Touger

Adapted from

Sefer HaSichos 5749, Vol. II, p. 676ff;

Sefer HaSichos 5750, Vol. II, p. 655ff;

Sefer HaSichos 5751, Vol. II p. 796ff



Will a Dove Grow Claws?



Every day, we conclude the Shemoneh Esreh prayers by praising G-d "who blesses His people Israel with peace."1 And when describing the blessings G-d will bestow upon us if we follow His will, our Sages state, "peace is equivalent to all other blessings."2 Indeed, our Sages explain3 that Shalom, Hebrew for "peace," is one of the names of G-d Himself.



Why does peace play such a fundamental part in our Jewish heritage? Every man's soul is "an actual part of G-d from above."4 Therefore he possesses a natural desire to allow that G-dly spark an opportunity to express itself. He seeks to grow in understanding in a harmonious environment without being confronted by external challenges.



Unfortunately, this is not always possible. We live in a material world which by nature encourages selfishness and the quest for personal gratification. In such a world, the search for spiritual growth may often lead to conflicts of interest, and at times, actual conflict.

Waging War




These concepts are alluded to in the name of this week's Torah reading, Parshas Ki Seitzei which begins:5 "When you go out to battle against your enemies." In the soul's natural environment the spiritual worlds above there is no conflict. When, however, the soul "goes out" from that setting and descends to our material world, it is confronted by challenges that may require it to engage in battle.



For there are two aspects to material existence. Our world was created because G-d "desired a dwelling in the lower worlds,"6 i.e., the physical universe can serve as a dwelling for G-d, a place where His essence is revealed. But as the term "lower worlds" implies, G-d's existence is not readily apparent in our environment. On the contrary, the material nature of the world appears to preclude holiness. An attempt to resolve these two contradictory thrusts is thus often characterized by conflict.



This is the Torah's conception of war, a struggle to transform even the lowest elements of existence into a dwelling for G-d. For this reason, the Torah commanded the Jews to fight to conquer the Land of Canaan, and thereby turn a land which was notorious for its depravity7 into Eretz Yisrael, a land of which it is said "the eyes of the L-rd, your G-d, are upon it from the beginning of the year until the end of the year."8



Furthermore, even when there is no explicit command for war, the potential is there to forcefully extend the boundaries of holiness and enable it to encompass areas which were previously governed by worldliness.9


Discovering Our Resources




A person need not fear undertaking such efforts; on the contrary, he is assured Divine blessing. This is alluded to by the Hebrew ?? ?????s , translated as "against your enemies," in the verse cited above. Literally the phrase means "above your enemies,"10 conveying the promise that even as the soul descends into our material world and confronts challenges, it always possesses the power to overcome them. Since the soul is "an actual part of G-d," it is always above worldly influence and has the power to overcome all obstacles11 and transform its environment.



Moreover, it is the challenge of "battle" that brings out the essential power which the soul possesses. For such confrontation compels a person to draw on his inner strength. This search for strength in turn brings an awareness of one's inner G-dly nature. And when that G-dly core is aroused, a person can overcome any challenges, and spread G-dliness in all settings. In this way, he becomes G-d's partner,12 making manifest G-d's purpose in creation

Inner Conflicts



The concept of battle is relevant within our own lives as well. Commenting on the verse, "And you shall. see the difference between one who serves G-d and one who does not serve Him,"13 our Sages define,14 "one who serves G-d" as "one who reviews his subject matter 101 times," and "one who does not serve Him' as "one who reviews his subject matter 100 times."



In Tanya,15 the Alter Rebbe explains that, in that era, it was customary for students to review their subject matter 100 times. Therefore, it was the one hundred and first time the time when the person went beyond his normal practice which distinguished him as "one who serves G-d." For only one who struggles to rise above his nature merits such a title.



A person must challenge himself; and this means more than a commitment to gradual progress. "Serving G-d," involves breaking our individual natures, and showing that there are no limits to our commitment to Him.



This endeavor involves a constant struggle. A person cannot reach a level of spiritual achievement and then "rest on his laurels." Instead, he must continually strive to advance further.



The inner "battles" necessary to bring this commitment to the fore tap the essential and unbounded Divine potential each of us possesses within our souls. And the effects of these efforts extend beyond our individual selves, effecting the world at large. For the aspect of G-dliness which transcends all limitation is activated by each person's endeavors to transcend his personal limits.16


The Ultimate Battles




Because the task of refining the world is often compared to a battle, one of the criteria given to identify Mashiach the leader who will motivate mankind to accomplish its purpose is that he will "wage the wars of G-d."17 For it is possible that the task of refining the world will require actual conflict,18 so that Mashiach must "fill the world with justice" by "destroying the power of the wicked and waging the wars of G-d."19



This, however, is merely a stage. Ultimately, Mashiach will "vanquish all the nations surrounding him. and perfect the entire world, [motivating all the nations] to serve G-d together," thus initiating the era when "there will be neither famine nor war, neither envy nor competition. [and] the occupation of the entire world will be solely to know G-d."20

FOOTNOTES


1. Siddur Tehillat HaShem, p. 60.

2. Rashi, commenting on Leviticus 26:6.

3. Shabbos 10b.

4. Tanya, ch. 2.

5. Deuteronomy 21:10.

6. Midrash Tanchuma, Parshas Bechukosai, sec. 3; see Tanya, chs. 33 and 36.

7. See Rashi, Leviticus 18:3.

8. Deuteronomy 11:12.

9. This reflects the two types of wars concerning which the Jews are commanded: milchemos mitzvah: wars, which like the war to conquer Eretz Yisrael , are a direct command from G-d, and milchemos hareshus, wars undertaken by the Jewish people on their own initiative. See Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Hilchos Melachim 5:1.

10. See Likkutei Torah, Devarim 36a.

11. See also Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Hilchos Melachim 7:15, which offers a promise of safety to those who enter battle "with the sole intention of sanctifying G-d's Name."

12. Shabbos 10a.

13. Malachi 3:18.

14. Chagigah 9b.

15. Ch. 15.

16. To express this concept in traditional Chassidic terminology (Torah Or, Mikeitz, 39c ff.): The commandment to "love G-d. with all your might" (??? ???? ) is interpreted as a charge to summon up unlimited commitment. And we are promised that an unlimited commitment on man's part (????) will arouse unlimited G-dliness (??? ?? ????).

17. Rambam, loc. cit. 11:4.

18. Although the Rambam mentions the above as one of the criteria through which Mashiach will be identified, this will only be necessary if the Redemption will follow the dictates of the natural order. It is possible that the Redemption will follow a miraculous order (see the notes of the Ra'avad and others; even the Rambam acknowledges such a possibility in Iggeres Taiman), in which case these wars may not be necessary.

19. Rambam, loc. cit. , 4:10 in describing the role of Israel's kings.

20. Loc. Cit. 12:5.The promise of this era and the awareness that it is the truth of existence should inspire confidence in these last moments of exile, when we are confronted by challenges and conflict. Indeed, it is possible to experience a foretaste of the peace to be achieved in the Era of the Redemption through the teachings of Chassidus.



An allusion to this sequence can be seen in the fact that Parshas Ki Seitzei (which highlights the concept of war) is followed by Parshas Ki Savo (which describes the Jews' entry into Eretz Yisrael and the blessings they will receive there). Indeed, Parshas Ki Savo is read in the Minchah prayers of Shabbos Parshas Ki Seitzei. The connection between them shows that the wars of Parshas Ki Seitzei are not separate from the peace promised in Parshas Ki Savo.