This week, we read the portion of Chukat. 

Moshe is commanded the laws regarding the red Heifer, whose ashes were used for purification. 

After 40 years of traveling in the desert, Miriam passes away and the Jews lack water. Moshe hits the rock instead of speaking to it and is told that he will not enter Israel. 

Aaron passes away and is buried in the desert. A plague breaks out because of the Jews complaints and many lose their lives. 

Moshe leads the Jews in battle and they conquer the land east of Jordan. 

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The 12th of Tammuz is the birthday of the sixth Chabad Rabbi, Rabbi Yosef Yutzchak Shneersohn. It is also the day of his liberation from exile. 

Twenty-seven days earlier, the Rebbe had been arrested by agents of the GPU and the Yevzeksia for his activities to preserve Judaism throughout the Soviet empire and sentenced to death, G-d forbid. International pressure forced the Soviets to commute the sentence to exile and, subsequently, to release him completely. The actual release took place on Tammuz 13, and Tammuz 12-13 is celebrated as a "festival of liberation.”

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When the Jewish people were hit with the plague in the desert, God commanded Moshe to suspend a copper snake from a pole. Whoever would look at the snake was healed. Why? Does a snake have healing powers? What G-d was really showing the Jews was that when they look up, when they acknowledge that everything, whether good or bad, in their lives is all from Him, that is when they can receive his blessings. 

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To prepare for the ultimate redemption and the third Beit Hamikdash, we must transform our homes into a mini Beit Hamikdash. We do so by filling our homes with learning Torah, doing acts of kindness, giving charity, hanging a Mezuza and having holy books. 

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This story happened to a close friend of mine named Rivka from London. Rivka spent this year studying in Israel and had plans to be a counselor in Camp Gan Izzy this summer. When the war broke out in Israel, her flight to America got cancelled. After two weeks of flight cancellations and rebooking, she got out on a flight from Tel Aviv to Cyprus, and then from Cyprus to London. From London she would fly to New York and from there, to the camp. The flight to Cyprus and London were tiring but smooth and although she was exhausted, she made her way back to the airport for flight number three from London to New York. In the airport she discovered a major problem. Her ESTA visa had expired! She wouldn’t be allowed onto the plane. She called her father and they came up with a plan. She would apply for the ESTA on the spot and she would board the plane at the last possible minute to try to give enough time for the visa to be approved. Two hours later, still no visa. They started boarding the flight and Rivka was getting very nervous. She got into line and prayed for everything to work out. She told Hashem “I am flying to America to work in a Jewish camp, to do your work. Please make this all work out!” 

Soon enough, it was her turn at the desk. And the dreaded question was asked “where’s your visa?”

Before rivka could even answer , she saw a notification on her phone and believe it or not, her ESTA had JUST been approved! She was so overwhelmed with gratitude , she decided to share this story with her friends and family. This story teaches us an important lesson. When we are on our way to do a good thing, we have Hashem on our side and He will make sure it works out! 

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