Roberto Abraham Scaruffi

Magazine This email dedicated by: Mr. Ruslan Abayev To dedicate an email, click here Adar I 11, 5771 · February 15, 2011 Editor's Note: Chassidic philosophy explains the concept of a "descent for the sake of an ascent." Basically, this alludes to how our mistakes and failures are often an integral part of what helps us reach our goals. Just like a flat line on an EKG means death, there is no such thing as a life with no bumps. It is specifically the ups and downs in life that provide the lessons we need to grow, and make us who we are. In this week's Torah portion we read of the sin of the Golden Calf-a pretty big mess-up as far as mistakes go-especially considering that this was a mere forty days after the Jewish people witnessed the greatest revelation at Mount Sinai. Yet it would be through this mistake that the Jewish people would complete their Sinai experience, by learning the integral lesson of how to turn their failure into growth. Enjoy our selections this week, and may we all come to see how through our descents we are able to reach even greater ascents, as we find the lessons in our successes as well as in our challenges. Sara Esther Crispe, on behalf of the www.chabad.org Editorial Team This Week's Features Printable Magazine On Failings and Forgiveness Parshah: The Lost Cause Scenario Much is made of Abraham's valiant efforts to save the city of Sodom, but something about the story just doesn't add up . . . By Yanki Tauber Parshah: Making Decisions If you have not made any strong moral decisions, you lose out on the opportunity to be accountable for your choices. By Rochel Holzkenner Parshah: True Mercy Why is "an abundance of truth" considered one of the attributes of mercy? By Shlomo Yaffe Parshah: Proactive Parenting Is there any benefit in compelling your child to do what is right, when he's doing so only because he cannot disobey you? By Chana Weisberg Video: "Image Not Available" Gefilte Fish gives an in-depth analysis of the Golden Calf, and explains the importance of not worshipping idols. Dovid Taub & Jonathan Goorvich  Watch (4:15) Story: The Precious Coin A holy half-shekel reveals the importance of judging one's fellow favorably. By Yerachmiel Tilles On Love and Relationships Video: Liking the People You Love Understanding the difference between "living" and "existing" helps us understand why it's sometimes so hard to like the people you love. By Manis Friedman  Watch (48:42) Judaism: Finding Your Soulmate All you need to know about the quest for a soulmate. The Jewish perspective on the selection process, dating, and the need to marry in the first place! Dear Rachel: Looking For Mr. Perfect How do I know when I have found "the one"? I'm scared that while I wait for Mr. Perfect, I am letting go of Mr. Almost Perfect . . . Answered by Sara Esther Crispe Story: The Shalom Bayit Kugel "My wife," complained the man, "every week she makes for Shabbat a delicious kugel. All week I work and shlep, just for that kugel!" By Shoshannah Brombacher Voices: Surviving My Mother's Illness Here I was, experiencing all of my new baby's "firsts," while at the same time experiencing the same things with my mother, only they were her lasts . . . By Beryl Tritel Voices: Bouncing Through Childhood Childhood can be a time of great struggle, but also of great joy. The fabric of our children's lives is being woven minute by minute. By Sarah Silverfield On Being a Jew Video: Are You a Good Jew? What does it mean to be "a good Jew"? It all depends on which direction you're heading. By Dov Greenberg  Watch (4:31) Question: Can Judaism Be Fun? Some say G-d created the world so we could party. It's only half true. He created it so He could party with us . . . By Tzvi Freeman Story: The Righteous Generation Inside his brain was a primitive compartment that could not be tricked or turned off, and it continued to think about it, imagining the cemetery and the gravestone, with his family standing around it . . . By Zalman Velvel Voices: Shards of Innocence Dealing with Anti-Semitism I was ten before I found out that people don't like Jews. Unreal, strange, impossible. And true: my childhood in Kenya was sheltered. By Rhona Lewis Video: The Talmud What is Talmud? When was it compiled and why? How does it differ from Mishnah?  Watch (3:00) Spiritual Growth Prayer: Making Sense of It All What does metafiction and vicarious experience have to do with prayer? By Tzvi Freeman Lexicon of Jewish Thought: B'riah The immediate implication of true creation is that nothing "must be." Joy: Medicine As Sweet As Honey The Baal Shem Tov taught that in every word you speak, you should intend to subdue, distinguish and sweeten. Translated by Tzvi Freeman Q & A What Does "Manna" Mean? "When the children of Israel saw it, they said to one another, 'It is manna,' because they did not know what it was." But what does "manna" mean? By Menachem Posner Was Aaron responsible for the Golden Calf? I am thoroughly annoyed with rabbinic interpretations. There seems to be total whitewashing of the stories, just to make the heroes look sinless. By Baruch S. Davidson Just Do It Shabbat Preparations II How to prepare yourself for Shabbat, and how to have all the food prepared in advance in honor of the holy day of rest. Morning Handwashing The priests would wash their hands in the laver ("kiyor") each morning before working in the Temple. What are the laws of the morning handwashing ritual? By Mendel Kaplan  Airs Feb. 15