Spolan Chabad Hebrew School

The Talmud in tractate of Niddah page 30 side b states: The fetus is taught the entire Torah while in the womb... and once the fetus emerges into the airspace... of the world, an angel comes and slaps it on its mouth, causing it to forget the entire Torah. This fetus, every Jew, does not leave the womb until the angels administer an oath to it." And what is the oath that the angels administer to the fetus? Be righteous and do not be wicked. And even if the entire world says to you, "You are righteous," consider yourself wicked, so that you never stop growing and never resting on your laurels. The Talmud continues: And know that the Holy One, Blessed be He, is pure, and His ministers are pure, and the soul that He gave you is pure. If you preserve it in a state of purity, all is well, but if you do not keep it pure, I, the angel, shall take it from you. On #Chanukah, we celebrate the miracle of finding ONE small jug of pure oil remaining with the stamp and seal of the High Priest. The lesson is vibrant, ONE thing God asks of us , keep the oath. Answer that ONE call from your pre-conception and pre-birth: stay holy. The goodness and holiness will happen either way, the only question is: will we have a part in the good the world has to offer. As the Talmud continues: The school of Rabbi Yishmael taught a parable: This matter is comparable to a priest who gave teruma - the portion of the produce designated for the priest - to one who is unreliable with regard to ritual impurity [am ha’aretz], and therefore it is suspected that he might not maintain the purity of the teruma. And the priest said to him: If you keep it in a state of ritual purity, all is well, but if you do not keep it pure, I shall burn it before you. Chanukah may end, but we take the message - the jug of our pure oil - with us all year long. As they say in English: burn the candle from both ends. Don’t waste time and energy, or it will be taken from us; opportunities we can never make up for. (Based on Tanya, Reb Shneur Zalman of Liadi)

Menorah Celebration at Queens Borough Hall. Chanukah night #6. (Our 13th Year) We all joined with Rabbi Mordechai Zev Hecht who welcomed our New Borough Presid...ent Donovan Richards with a Maimonidean design menorah. In person included Assemblyman Daniel Rosenthal. Avi Cyperstein (D), Dave Weprin, Avi Weinberg, Susan Tanenbaum and many community Rabbis and civil leaders. Live music, goody bags and crisp cold weather - It was simply a beautiful celebration. Special thanks to the Police and Chaverim, present. Co Sponsored by: Mitra Hakimi Realty. (Photos:Ben Summer) See more