Chabad Jewish Center of Aliso Viejo

Shalom,

Dear Friends,

The name of this week’s Torah portion, Naso, means “lift up”. It is always read either immediately before or after the holiday of Shavuot, highlighting how the Torah is the medium that enables a person to elevate themself. It gives one the potential to rise above the framework of mortal understanding, and to relate to G-d on His terms.

There is, however, an implicit difficulty in such a concept. Generally, when speaking of transcending our personal identity, it connotes letting go of our individuality; conforming to a G-d-given code of conduct and abdicating our individual wills and personalities.

This is not our approach. Judaism teaches a person how to lift his self above himself: to conduct himself in a G-dly manner, not by forgetting about who he is and what potentials he has been given, but by using those potentials for a G-dly purpose.

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Tzali and Rochel Leah Stillerman

Meaningful Nugget

Is There Proof of the Existence of a Soul?

Question: Ever since the death of my brother seven years ago, I have been grappling with the concept of the soul. I wish I could believe in it. I am the type that needs rational arguments to convince me, and it seems the soul is too abstract for my mind. I know these things can’t be scientifically proven, but do I have to resort to blind faith to believe in the soul?

Answer: The pain of losing a loved one is so deep because it is so final. You can never replace a person whom you have lost.

But what if you could?

Imagine it were possible to clone your late brother. A genetically identical replica could be created who talks, thinks, looks and smells precisely the same as the person you grew up with. Furthermore, what if scientists developed a way to preserve and replicate memory? They could take your late brother’s memories and insert them into his clone. You could sit with your newly recreated brother and reminisce about childhood experiences and laugh at the good old days, sharing a bond that only brothers can.

Would you opt for this? Would you be satisfied with an exact copy of your brother? Would his death be reversed when you met his clone? Would it end your pain?

I can’t imagine the answer could be yes. I can’t imagine anyone would truly believe that a clone could replace a brother or sister, son or daughter, parent or spouse or best friend.

But why not? Why would a refurbished model be any different from the original?

Because something is missing. This is not your brother. He may have your brother’s voice and your brother’s expressions, your brother’s manner and mind and memory, but he doesn’t have your brother’s soul. It just isn’t him.

That’s what soul is. It is what makes you, you. It is the fragment of G-d that makes each one of us unique. Above your body, beyond your personality, transcending genetics and even deeper than memory is the core of your being, the ineffable essence that is you. We call this your soul. It is soul that makes each person irreplaceable. And it is your brother’s soul that you miss.

You don’t need scientific proof of the soul, neither do you need blind faith. You know it to exist just as you know your own existence. You can choose to ignore it, or to remember it constantly. Sometimes you can even feel it. And at those moments when you feel your soul, you will feel your brother’s soul too.

On the Lighter Side

The Special Diet

Freda goes to “Harry The Kosher Butcher” to buy her weekly portion of chicken. After looking at all the packs of chicken on display, she goes over to Harry and asks him, “Harry, I’d like to know how you feed your chickens.”

“Nu? So why do you want to know this information?” asks Harry.

“Because I would also like to be as thin as your chickens and to weigh so little,” replies Freda.

Timely Classes for Timeless Classics

Torah Studies

Torah Studies: Timely Classes for Timeless Classics. Come one week or every week; each lesson has stand alone value.

An unprecedented presentation of Judaism in a highly professional, innovative, academically rigorous yet accessible format.

Wednesday evenings, 7:30pm

For more information please call (949) 244-7627

Chabad Jewish Center of Aliso Viejo • Email: Rabbi@jewishalisoviejo.com • Phone: 949-244-7627 • www.ChabadOfAlisoViejo.com

Shabbat Candle Lighting:

Friday, Jun 1

7:38 pm

Shabbat Ends:

Shabbat, Jun 2

8:40 pm

Parshat Naso

Completing the headcount of the Children of Israel taken in the Sinai Desert, a total of 8,580 Levite men between the ages of 30 and 50 are counted in a tally of those who will be doing the actual work of transporting the Tabernacle.

G‑d communicates to Moses the law of the sotah, the wayward wife suspected of unfaithfulness to her husband. Also given is the law of the nazir, who forswears wine, lets his or her hair grow long, and is forbidden to become contaminated through contact with a dead body. Aaron and his descendants, the kohanim, are instructed on how to bless the people of Israel.

The leaders of the twelve tribes of Israel each bring their offerings for the inauguration of the altar. Although their gifts are identical, each is brought on a different day and is individually described by the Torah.