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The Last Lecture of the Lubavitcher Rebbe: How to Love

Why Is It So Hard to Serve G-d With Bliss? How to Love Your (True) Self & the Other

1 hr 48 min

Class Summary:

This class was presented on Tuesday, Parshas Vayakhel, Parshas Shekalim, 25 Adar I, 5784, March 5, 2024, at Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim in Monsey, NY.

This Sabbath, Jews the world over will read, in addition to the weekly Torah portion, an extra Torah portion, known as Parshas Shekalim, or the "portion of the coins."

This section of the Torah records the mitzvah incumbent upon the people of Israel, to make a yearly contribution of a half shekel to cover the cost of all communal Temple offerings. A shekel was a specific weight of silver (about 16 grams) that was the standard coinage used by the Jews in the desert. The Jewish people were instructed to contribute a half-shekel coin, which was a silver coin weighing about 8 grams, to the Temple.

The Torah is extremely particular about the amount of the contribution: "The wealthy shall not increase and the destitute shall not decrease from half a shekel." I do not think there was ever again in Jewish history an appeal made setting a limit to the contributions of the rich!

What is baffling about this mitzvah is the Torah's insistence that the contribution consist of a half-coin, rather than a whole, complete coin. Why would G-d instruct the Jewish people to give a contribution that is not complete? Especially considering that the Torah demands all elements connected to the Temple service be as complete and perfect as possible.

In his final address, two days before he suffered a stroke, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, presented a profound explanation. This was Shabbos Vayakhel, 25 Adar I, 5752 (1992). It explored the question if a human being in his deepest place is a lonely creature, struggling with a mysterious and complex self in a way that nobody else can really understand or appreciate? 

Many philosophical and spiritual disciplines eloquently describe the sense of solitariness that comes hand in hand with one's journey into the inner chambers of the self. The deeper you go, the lonelier you become. But the Rebbe presented a very different view, one which helps teach us how to live with love and joy, despite the pain and disappointment. 

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  • Anonymous -8 months ago

    Fantastic.

    Thank you so much.   :)

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  • MY

    mendel yakovson -8 months ago

    i have a question: i learned that the angle of the zar of rasha came to reb shmuel aba shepiero from slaveetia and asked reb shmuel aba to forgive the czar of rasha for his torture that he caused reb shmuel aba when he -the czar- was allive and reb shmuel aba refused to forgive this wicked man. and chassidom say this story to show how reb shmuel aba won the czar! so how does that fit with this class that forgivness is victory?

    i have an ancer: there is a difrence between a goy and a yid a goy who does bad its really him/her so why forgive one who is bad but if it is a jew it means that the jew is in prisen in the yetzer harah so when the jew hurt me and now im free to live with my nishumah and ahvas yisrael unlike that jew who is stuck in the yetzer harah...

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  • LH

    Lane Harris -8 months ago

    Amazing 👏 

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  • H

    Had -8 months ago

    By giving a half shekel they are atoning

    For selling Yosef, giving back the money they got. But Benyomin didn't participate.  Levi DID participate.  Yakov himself didn't participate obviously.  Dina didn't participate.  Those who did or did not participate in the sale and gotten money for selling Yosef, doesn't correspond exactly to those who must give a half shekel. 

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  • H

    Had -8 months ago

    Only the men participated in the

    Chait he'egel.  Yet it says they took off their earrings, their gold and jewelry, etc. Did the men then wear such feminine jewelery? What about the single men? Did they participate? What about the vort that only the erev rav actually participate What about the levvim who didn't participate? 

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Parshas Shekalim Women's Class

Rabbi YY Jacobson

  • March 5, 2024
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  • 25 Adar I 5784
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  • 3273 views

Gratefully dedicated by Esther Roos-Shalem and Family in tribute to our Israeli Army and Volunteer Organizations. Am Israel Chai.

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