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Mikveh Onsen Chabad Tokyo

Mikveh Onsen Chabad Tokyo

We would like to share amazing news: This week we started to build our Mikveh onsen.

The large property that we bought this Chanuka, has a beautiful Japanese garden with over 70 trees! Part of the garden we are using to build a Japanese style mikveh.

A mikveh is a special type of bath made of naturally occurring water, such as a spring or

rainwater. It is a Jewish practice and dates back to ancient times. Immersion in the mikvah is traditionally done for ritual purification. Every Jewish community all over the world has a mikveh.

A special gardener was hired to uproot part of the trees to be able to dig the mikveh. They were replanted around the garden to preserve the original garden landscape.  People using the mikveh will experience the beauty of the Japanese-style onsen, in a natural and serene atmosphere.

Accepting The Torah In a Desert

Accepting The Torah In a Desert

Reprinted with permission from an article written by Rabbi Bernstein Moshe for all, including non-Jews. This issue is about this week’s Parashah, Yitro.

In this Torah portion, Yitro, we read about the revelation on Mt. Sinai. Mt. Sinai is situated in a desert. The desert has no owner. By giving the Torah in the desert, G‑d showed that everyone regardless of what he has can accept the Torah. The Jewish people accepted the 613 commandments while the 7 Noahide commandments were given to all the nations with no exception. Torah was given with the 7 laws on mount Sinai in order to enable man below to build G‑d a dwelling place in the lowest levels of creation. G‑d gave us the task of revealing the true essence of the world, and transforming its darkness into light, into an environment in which G‑d’s Presence is felt.
The first Noahide commandment, The Prohibition of Idolatry also includes the belief that there is no supreme entity except the creator. The Essence of G‑d is totally independent of any other existence. All other existence depends on G‑d, but He does not need or depend on any other existence. He may therefore be defined as the true existence. It is a principle of our faith that G‑d is One, a belief that not only means a singular being but also that G‑d is everything and everywhere. He was, is, and will always be. He has no beginning and no end. There is nothing whatsoever that resembles Him. It is a principle of our faith that G‑d is One, a belief that G‑d is everything and everywhere. The Divine light undergoes stages of constriction, in order for Him to create the finite world. There is a concealment of His infinite light, however, there is no concealment of His true essence.
“The purpose for which this world was created is that the Holy One, blessed be He, desired to have a dwelling place in the lower worlds,” says the Chassidic master Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi.
This revelation on Mt. Sinai was an introduction to the Era of Redemption where all of mankind will be able to comprehend that the world is G‑d’s dwelling place. May this happen in the immediate future.

Let us pray

Let us pray

BH

I am very shocked to hear the news of the attack on former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and I am very concerned that such an evil event should take place.

The Chief Rabbi of Japan, Rabbi Binyomin Y. Edery, calls on all.
Let us all pray for the safety and recovery of the life of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

The Creator commands mankind as the Law of Noah.
Do not commit murder.
Not only physical murder or injury.
Mental harm, insults, etc. are also among murder.
We must willfully turn away from such evil.
Man was made in the image of his Creator. We need to treat everyone with respect, including ourselves.
This must be observed regardless of political beliefs.

Let us focus on educating our children so that all people can respect all people, and so that we can achieve a peaceful society. Without these basics, society cannot exist.

Our hearts are with the family of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Japan.

Rabbi Binyomin Y. Edery
Chief Rabbi of Japan
Chabad House of Japan

Added at July 8th 17:58

I’ve heard just now the very sad news of passing away of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. May he rest in peace.

My sincere condolences to his family.

We need to work hard to repel such darkness and to bring light to the world.

Together with his wife Akie Abe at a goodwill event. At the good day for the 22nd anniversary of Chabad House of Japan and of Chanukah.
Celebrating Chabad of Japan 22nd anniversary

Celebrating Chabad of Japan 22nd anniversary

This Hanukkah eve, 22 years ago, Rabbi Edery and his wife Efrat landed in Narita airport with 40,000 Yen, in their pockets. The miracles of Hanukkah in Japan started from then.

They established the first Chabad House in Japan, organizing programs, classes, kosher slaughtering, Jewish Holidays, events, and relief for people in need. 22 years of spreading light and acts of goodness and kindness to every human being. In 2015, they established Chabad of Kyoto. 

This Hanukkah was an incredible success. Lots of guests participated in the lighting of the Menorah, and the festive holiday meals. The kids thoroughly enjoyed the fantastic fun Hanukkah activities, decorating doughnuts, making olive oil jugs from clay and listening to the story of Hanukkah in a fun, interactive way.

Face painting was a great hit, and the grand raffle with many prizes was very exciting. Many thanks to our friends at National Azabu who put up one of Chabad Japan’s big menorahs right at the entrance to the store. There were free menorah for anyone to take. 

Rabbi Edery together with his ”mitzvah crew” also went on daily ”house hopping” bringing the light and miracles of Hanukkah to many homes.

Jewish Education System! :How to raise independent child

Jewish Education System! :How to raise independent child

What is the secret to success of the Jewish education?

This is one of the top five questions we get asked. There are several reasons.System of learning from young age is with a lot of review, repetition and study by heart. Students are taught from a young age the different parts of Torah according to their level.

As they get older they learn on a deeper level and the classical ”pair learning” system is practiced.In junior high school, they learn more and more hours in pairs- ”Chevruta” and just several hours a week, they have a formal lesson/lecture. A lot of revision time is given. The idea is to give the student the skills to be able to study independently and in depth. The teacher is in the room and always available to answer any question or issue that needs clarification. This system of learning instills self discipline and responsibility in the young students.

Tzedaka and kindness is emphasized as an integral part of learning. Students are encouraged to bring a coin every morning to put in the charity box at school emphasizing the importance of helping people in need as the basis of our day. Each school has volunteer hours every week and encourages the students to use their free time to help people in the community. The idea behind this is to show our gratitude for the gifts that we were given on a daily basis and not to take for granted the good opportunities that we have.

Prayer, time for connection and thankfulness is set aside each day to instill awareness of the Creator and develop a relationship with G-d Almighty on a daily basis. The students sing many parts of the prayer aloud and together, especially when they are young. 

The beginning is important. There is a beautiful tradition from the time of the Talmud, for the first day of school –”cheder”. When the father brings his child, the teacher puts him on his knees and asks him to read the ”Aleph” and then lick the honey that’s put on the letter for that purpose. The young child feels the love and sweetness of the study of Holy Torah.